Realms of an Open Mind

Tuesday Prelude is a weekly post inspired by Should Be Reading's Teaser Tuesday. Since I could never stick to just a couple of lines, I amped up my posts, digging a little deeper into the introduction of my current reads.

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff is turning out to be pretty macabre with anorexic ghosts, dead crows, and murderers who leave tokens of love. But I would expect nothing less of  the dark writing style of Yovanoff, an author whose books take up distinct and unique space on my shelves.

Among everything, one of the most interesting elements in this story is the ghost of Hannah's friend, Lillian.

Ghosts are the kind of things you go your whole life with people telling you they aren't real. I believe in them anyway because the world is full of things that no one really understands.

Hannah misses her friend even as Lillian's presence constantly remains. Hannah's angry and hurt by the circumstances of Lillian's death, but there's also a part of her that's also grateful to be able to hold on to a piece of her.

I hate that she says choice like it wasn't one. Like it was something that just happened, some natural phenomenon or twist of fate, instead of something she actually did.

Sometimes, Lillian tries to explain herself, but Hannah can't understand how anything could be so hard that you'd need to escape to the extreme that Lillian did.

I'm breathing and my heart is beating and as much as it hurts - as much searing, monumental pain as it causes me - I have to exist.

Their friendship is lasting and hilarious at times, but it's also sad and lacking that element people need to move forward and grow. At this point, I'm wondering what's keeping Lillian stagnant and what it will take for Hannah to be able to move on.



Happy Reading Everyone :)