Not even death. Luke is killed in a horrible, tragic accident, and Tressa is suddenly and desperately alone. Unable to outrun the waves of grief and guilt and longing, she is haunted by thoughts of suicide. And then she is haunted by Luke himself.

He visits only at night. But when he’s with her, it’s almost like the accident never happened. Oh, there are reminders, from the way she can only feel him when he touches the scars on her wrist, to how she can’t seem to tell him about life since he’s been gone. As long as they’re together, though, the rest…it fades away.

But during the day it is Tressa who can’t grasp hold of the people around her. The same people who never wanted her and Luke together in the first place are determined to help her move on. Determined to help her heal. They just don’t understand—one misstep, one inch forward, could leave Luke behind forever.”

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
My mother doesn’t know that Luke comes through my bedroom window.How could she? He never makes a sound.

My room is on the third floor. There’s no trellis, no neighboring oaktree for him to scale.—Hardcover edition

SNAPSHOT:
Dual narrators Tressa and Luke are two star-crossed teenage lovers with a tragic past: one alive and barely moving forward, the other not-quite in the beyond and only able to talk about the past. The novel is steadily paced, moving neither at a breakneck speed or so slow as to become boring. Indeed, readers should savor each chapter as they get to know Tressa, Luke, their blended family, and the new friends in Tressa’s life.

This is ultimately Tressa’s story, as Luke has fewer chapters to himself as the novel progresses. Despite that he is in the ultimate stasis of death, the story leaves room for Luke to grow past his need to protect Tressa and move on. Meanwhile, Tressa’s life is full of new beginnings that she alternately embraces and fears. She suffers more emotional losses (through her beloved old dog, her flaky mother) but also important gains (through family, friendships, and the first blossoms of new romance).

Appropriate for ages 13+. Intense situations, mild sexuality, non-sexual nudity, some underage drinking, mild language. Deals with death, suicide, loss, survivor’s guilt, chosen family, abandonment, and love.

Readers would benefit from discussions on suicide, self-harm, and destructive relationships particularly in the form of the relatonship between Tressa’s mother and stepfather.

GET IT ON YOUR SHELF:
If you…

– Enjoy romantic ghost stories
– Have ever lost someone dear to you
– Believe that love is eternal
– Need a story of moving on–in more ways that one

THE ESSENTIALS:
YA RomanceHardcover, 384 pages
Published October 15th 2013 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN 1416980148 (ISBN13: 9781416980148)

(Review copy provided by Simon & Schuster.)