Title: Paper Valentine
Author: Brenna Yovanoff
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: January 8, 2013
Source: NetGalley
Interests: mystery, paranormal
Summary (from Goodreads): 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.
Review: I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy this book since there were ghosts involved, but I actually ended up enjoying that aspect of the story line. Even though I found Lillian to be annoying at first, I did like the development of her character as Hannah started to understand her more too. There is so much offered in Yovanoff’s book–mystery, murder, romance, loss, ghosts, friendship, coming of age–that it feels like it has something for everyone. I especially liked the way Yovanoff connected the weather with the plot of the story; even though it was snowing outside while I read this I could feel the sweltering heat as the story went on. If you like a good mystery, this is your book.
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