Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

Title: Paper Valentine

Author: Brenna Yovanoff

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Date Published: January 03, 2013

Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary

The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record. The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls.For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one. Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders? Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets. She realizes that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life—and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.

I am sad that this is how this book turned out. I had been looking forward to it for a while after reading The Space Between. I was hoping the book would be as lyrical and smooth and well, as relateable.

I could hardly relate to the main character. I am not saying she was a bad one. She was unique but I didn’t understand her. There wasn’t enough insight to her. The mystery itself sucked because I expected a better outcome. Sometimes it didn’t even feel like a mystery. More about a girl ranting about her life and how it’s not fair she has to see her friend’s ghost or whatever.

Now that I’ve mentioned it. I also didn’t like that the author doesn’t tell us more about why she can see ghosts while no one else can. I would have understood if she could only see her friend’s ghost but she saw the others as well. I also dislike how the author used some stereotypical elements that come with ghosts. Like ouija boards. I was annoyed that that was how she communicated. Where is the originality in that?

Now the romance. I actually liked how it was rather unique but I wish we could have learned more about Finley and his past. We are given a view of sorts but that’s only based on the the main character’s assumption and not what Finley said. Finley seemed like such a complicated character and you know I had been hoping throughout the book to learn more about him or see that he gets involved more but neither things happened.

Also their relationship has the insta feel to it.

You might be wondering why I gave it a three and half seeing that I disliked it but the ending was pretty satisfying. If the whole book had been more like it, the book would have gotten a five. I guess the book is pretty slow but not in a bad way, but in a way I don’t like it. I cannot blame my impatience on the book. It is well written and it is a light read.