It’s hard to go into much detail on the plot without giving away the surprise twists. I think my main issue with this novel is that with the exception of a few interesting plot twists that make the novel rise above a simple girl-who-sees-ghosts story, there was very little originality to the story. 3) And last but not least she has that one perfect best friend that sticks by her side no matter what happens. 2) There must be a tragic incident in her past. 1) She must be socially awkward and have some special ability that makes her special. There seems to be an unwritten formula that YA authors follow now anytime they have a young female protagonist. After finishing this book I have mixed feelings. I’m a huge fan of YA novels so I admit I had high hopes for this book. Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around?Īnd why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened? But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past. So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. This story was nominated in the Best YA Romance and Best First Book categories.įor seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles soldiers long forgotten a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant.

Myra mcentire