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Sei ancora qui
Veronica Calder, sedici anni, non ha sempre paura dei fantasmi. A volte quasi non le importa di vederli ovunque attorno a sé. Fanno parte della sua vita ormai, non può evitarli. Eppure, ci sono giorni in cui farebbe volentieri a meno di incontrare l'inquietante signora all'angolo di Case Street, o di dividere lo specchio con lo sconosciuto ragazzo biondo apparso come se niente fosse alle sue spalle. Ma è così dall'Evento, ovvero dal cataclisma che ha messo fine alla vita di milioni di persone. Da allora gli spiriti delle vittime sono dappertutto, abitano le città in un'insolita e quotidiana convivenza con i sopravvissuti. Per alcuni, la loro presenza è a tratti persino confortante, un modo come un altro per avere i propri cari ancora accanto a sé. Veronica preferirebbe che quelle anime potessero riposare, ma in fondo, anche per lei, vedere suo padre ogni mattina, seduto al solito posto in cucina, a leggere il giornale, è meglio di non vederlo affatto. C'è qualcuno, però, che ancora non si è arreso a questa nuova realtà. Qualcuno che, distrutto dal dolore, ha deciso di mettere in atto un piano tanto ambizioso quanto terribile. Un piano che soltanto Veronica può fermare.
Uno straordinario romanzo che unisce cuore e azione, in una storia adrenalinica e struggente al tempo stesso che vi terrà con il fiato sospeso fino all'ultima pagina. Un successo in corso di pubblicazione in 8 Paesi.
E anche un grande film, distribuito in Italia da Eagle Pictures, con un cast imperdibile.
Uno straordinario romanzo che unisce cuore e azione, in una storia adrenalinica e struggente al tempo stesso che vi terrà con il fiato sospeso fino all'ultima pagina. Un successo in corso di pubblicazione in 8 Paesi.
E anche un grande film, distribuito in Italia da Eagle Pictures, con un cast imperdibile.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 16, 2012
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4181 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 275 reviews
May 1, 2013
When you open a book, usually within 40-50 pages in you start getting a good perception of the plot and what direction it will lead you; this was the downfall of Break My Heart, 1000 Times. It began on a very high note, the premise is incredibly unique and interesting. I love ghost stories and this one was particularly different, cool even. I was expecting the plot to bring us into the story of this post-Event world, to explain how the ghosts are there, and become a little like a post apocalyptic novel where ghosts are the villain. This was not the case. Not only do we not find out anything about this Event whatsoever, the story is more of a serial killer novel - one where we know the identity of the killer from the start, which is not nearly as fun.
I will say, creativity is definitely apparent in the plot. We have a world where something caused ghosts to suddenly become a daily occurrence, a normality even. Plus, one of the POVs in the book is one of the ghosts - one of the few who is conscious of it, not just a recurring image or memory like most seem to be. This is the part that I enjoyed the most. It's a fascinating new way of life: to have ghosts appear in your classroom and not be phased by it very much. I was clearly hoping for a lot more backstory. What was this Event exactly? This question is brought up during the first few pages, without ever getting an answer.
Up until halfway through, I can say I was really enjoying it, being kept enchanted by the neat story. However, when a certain romance begins and our main character turns incredibly moody, it went downhill fast for me. I realized I was not particularly impressed with any of the characters. The protagonist, Veronica, never made me understand her. She's very one dimensional and I did not like her attitude at all. She gets incredibly pissed--to the point of slapping her boyfriend--because he did not pick her up after work. Fits like this annoy me, teenager or not. Their romance gave me a very weird vibe from the beginning, as well. It's hard to even pinpoint why, I just found them really awkward together. Then there's the inclusion of two strange not-really-love-triangles, where it seems one was only included to add in a fight between the two guys, then to never hear of the first guy again except for a random scene near the end, and the other was just… bizarre.
No backstory? Fine. I can absolutely get with a great serial killer story. It has a good plot overall; I found the motive especially intriguing. Told in several perspectives, we have the ghost, Veronica, and the killer, which is her English teacher (and this is not a spoiler). Since we get these POVs, we already know who the killer is from the get go, and we're simply along for the ride while the characters are blind to the danger that they're in. Preferring my killer mysteries to be, well, mysteries, I didn't find this one especially captivating. It made it highly predictable as well.
Clearly, I was expecting something much different than what I got. Still, it's unique with a really interesting premise, so I would not go and say it's terrible. It was mostly the characters that did not compel me. My heart wasn't into it, turning what could have been a very good book into a mediocre read.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
I will say, creativity is definitely apparent in the plot. We have a world where something caused ghosts to suddenly become a daily occurrence, a normality even. Plus, one of the POVs in the book is one of the ghosts - one of the few who is conscious of it, not just a recurring image or memory like most seem to be. This is the part that I enjoyed the most. It's a fascinating new way of life: to have ghosts appear in your classroom and not be phased by it very much. I was clearly hoping for a lot more backstory. What was this Event exactly? This question is brought up during the first few pages, without ever getting an answer.
Up until halfway through, I can say I was really enjoying it, being kept enchanted by the neat story. However, when a certain romance begins and our main character turns incredibly moody, it went downhill fast for me. I realized I was not particularly impressed with any of the characters. The protagonist, Veronica, never made me understand her. She's very one dimensional and I did not like her attitude at all. She gets incredibly pissed--to the point of slapping her boyfriend--because he did not pick her up after work. Fits like this annoy me, teenager or not. Their romance gave me a very weird vibe from the beginning, as well. It's hard to even pinpoint why, I just found them really awkward together. Then there's the inclusion of two strange not-really-love-triangles, where it seems one was only included to add in a fight between the two guys, then to never hear of the first guy again except for a random scene near the end, and the other was just… bizarre.
No backstory? Fine. I can absolutely get with a great serial killer story. It has a good plot overall; I found the motive especially intriguing. Told in several perspectives, we have the ghost, Veronica, and the killer, which is her English teacher (and this is not a spoiler). Since we get these POVs, we already know who the killer is from the get go, and we're simply along for the ride while the characters are blind to the danger that they're in. Preferring my killer mysteries to be, well, mysteries, I didn't find this one especially captivating. It made it highly predictable as well.
Clearly, I was expecting something much different than what I got. Still, it's unique with a really interesting premise, so I would not go and say it's terrible. It was mostly the characters that did not compel me. My heart wasn't into it, turning what could have been a very good book into a mediocre read.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
March 19, 2019
Not a bad read. Great original concept but slightly weird ending. Don't know but something didn't quite mesh with me all the way.
September 6, 2012
Creeeeeeeeepy. And one of the most interesting ghost stories I've ever read.
Review to come.
Review to come.
May 20, 2017
Más bien un 3'75. Me ha gustado muchísimo porque ha sido un libro adictivo. Es cierto que hay partes que me resultaron predecibles pero en general, por la intriga, por algunas tramas que no me esperaba, fue un libro que me sorprendió.
October 2, 2018
Salve Confine, ci credete ai fantasmi?
Io rimango sullo scettico, anche se questo fine settimana ho letto un thriller paranormal che aveva come protagonisti proprio i fantasmi e mi son detta che forse...
Il romanzo in questione è " Sei ancora qui" di Daniel Waters, pubblicato da Sperling & Kupfer, che ringrazio per l'anteprima.
Veronica è una sedicenne che vive in un luogo degli Stati Uniti dove da qualche anno, in seguito all'Evento, una catastrofe di immane gravità in cui sono morte migliaia di persone, si verificano apparizioni di origine sovrannaturale.
Parliamo di fantasmi che appaiono continuamente ovunque in città.
A casa di Veronica, ad esempio, compare il fantasma del padre, ogni mattina alle 07.13, al tavolo della cucina mentre legge il giornale e beve il suo caffè. Perché compare tutti i giorni, proprio a quell'ora, facendo le cose che fa, nessuno sa spiegarlo, come è difficile spiegare il perché delle apparizioni degli altri spettri.
C'è lo spettro di Mary Greer, che compare tutte le mattine sul portico del professor Bittner, che era il suo insegnante molti anni prima, quando è stata trovata morta strangolata. Lo stesso professore, un uomo anziano e vedovo, dal comportamento inquietante, fu sospettato della morte della ragazza e rilasciato per mancanza di prove.
C'è lo spirito di Brian, che compare nel bagno di Veronica, mentre si pettina i capelli e sorride allo specchio.
E come loro ce ne sono migliaia in tutta la città che inquietano i cittadini più impressionabili mentre incuriosiscono quelli più avventurosi.
Il professor Pescatelli, insegnante nel liceo di Veronica, ne è ossessionato e sta scrivendo addirittura un libro su di loro e sulle eventuali ipotesi del perché questi spettri stanno sconvolgendo la città.
Si trova coinvolto nelle ricerche per la scrittura di questo libro un suo alunno, Kirk, che si mette a disposizione per far colpo su Veronica, per cui ha una cotta, perché sa che Veronica è affascinata da queste apparizioni.
Sembra tutto abbastanza innocuo, fatta eccezione per gli spettri, se non fosse che il professor Bittner nasconde un segreto agghiacciante e per via di questo la vita stessa di Veronica è in pericolo.
Veronica e Kirk, facendo ricerche per il prof Peschitelli e il suo libro, scoprono questo segreto e gli eventi che ne seguiranno saranno veramente agghiaccianti.
Cosa nasconde Bittner? Perché improvvisamente sembra ossessionato da Veronica? Cosa vogliono gli spettri?
"Ho capito che tutto quello che vediamo e che proviamo, ha lo stesso potere. Il potere di farci sentire che tutto è effimero e transitorio."
Wow! E dico veramente wow!
Complimenti a Daniel Waters per la sua affascinante fantasia e per quello che è riuscito a creare con questo romanzo.
Ultimamente, avrete visto da sole, sono ossessionata dai thriller, forse perché ho bisogno di arrovellarmi il cervello, tenerlo occupato investigando, o solo perché ho bisogno dei brividi, non lo so.
Quello che so è che questo romanzo mi ha conquistata e non mi ha lasciata dormire fino a che non ho girato l'ultima pagina.
L'ho letto, infatti, in pochissimo tempo, perché oltre ad essere una storia assolutamente intrigante, è anche una lettura scorrevole, dal ritmo serrato, incalzante, piena di colpi di scena e momenti altamente tensivi.
Lo stile dell'autore mi è piaciuto veramente molto, diretto ed evocativo, descrittivo ma non pesante, privo di inutili lungaggini.
La storia viene raccontata in base a tre punti di vista principali, due in terza persona, uno in prima.
Il primo e più frequente è quello di Veronica, che ci presenta la sua vita, il suo rapporto con la madre e con l'amore, la sua curiosità nei confronti degli spettri della città e in particolare per quello di Brian, che compare nel suo bagno e che la affascina da morire.
Il secondo è quello del professor Bittner, che scopriremo da subito colpevole di diversi crimini a causa di un evento che lo ha portato alla follia.
Il terzo, sicuramente quello che ci dirà di meno, ma che aggiunge alla storia pezzi importanti, è il punto di vista di Brian, lo spettro che non è come tutti gli altri spettri, perché riesce ad interagire col mondo dei vivi a costo di tanta energia e che sa perfettamente perché si trova lì, anche se non sa come aiutare.
In maniera indiretta avremo anche a che fare con Kirk e il professor Peschitelli, anche loro personaggi di rilievo ed estremamente importanti nella storia.
Vi dico subito che se non volete leggerlo perché avete paura dei fantasmi, allora non dovete preoccuparvi perché, per quanto spaventosi, qui i fantasmi sono davvero la parte innocua dell'avventura.
C'è da temere i vivi in questo romanzo!
I fantasmi sono vittime, alcune inconsapevoli, altri in cerca di riscatto, di vendetta, ma non saranno mai malvagi.
Il malvagio qui è Bittner, e non faccio spoiler perché lo saprete da subito. Un personaggio così inquietante e viscido come pochi ne ho incontrati ultimamente. Davvero, mi ha messo i brividi.
Quindi, bravo lo scrittore!
Sto cercando di non svelare troppo e di rimanere sul vago proprio perché sono sicura che l'elemento sorpresa è importante in romanzi come questo.
Infatti, sappiate che il 27 di Settembre è uscito al cinema il film basato su questo romanzo e che non dovete barare assolutamente. Prima il libro, mi raccomando!
Buona lettura.
Io rimango sullo scettico, anche se questo fine settimana ho letto un thriller paranormal che aveva come protagonisti proprio i fantasmi e mi son detta che forse...
Il romanzo in questione è " Sei ancora qui" di Daniel Waters, pubblicato da Sperling & Kupfer, che ringrazio per l'anteprima.
Veronica è una sedicenne che vive in un luogo degli Stati Uniti dove da qualche anno, in seguito all'Evento, una catastrofe di immane gravità in cui sono morte migliaia di persone, si verificano apparizioni di origine sovrannaturale.
Parliamo di fantasmi che appaiono continuamente ovunque in città.
A casa di Veronica, ad esempio, compare il fantasma del padre, ogni mattina alle 07.13, al tavolo della cucina mentre legge il giornale e beve il suo caffè. Perché compare tutti i giorni, proprio a quell'ora, facendo le cose che fa, nessuno sa spiegarlo, come è difficile spiegare il perché delle apparizioni degli altri spettri.
C'è lo spettro di Mary Greer, che compare tutte le mattine sul portico del professor Bittner, che era il suo insegnante molti anni prima, quando è stata trovata morta strangolata. Lo stesso professore, un uomo anziano e vedovo, dal comportamento inquietante, fu sospettato della morte della ragazza e rilasciato per mancanza di prove.
C'è lo spirito di Brian, che compare nel bagno di Veronica, mentre si pettina i capelli e sorride allo specchio.
E come loro ce ne sono migliaia in tutta la città che inquietano i cittadini più impressionabili mentre incuriosiscono quelli più avventurosi.
Il professor Pescatelli, insegnante nel liceo di Veronica, ne è ossessionato e sta scrivendo addirittura un libro su di loro e sulle eventuali ipotesi del perché questi spettri stanno sconvolgendo la città.
Si trova coinvolto nelle ricerche per la scrittura di questo libro un suo alunno, Kirk, che si mette a disposizione per far colpo su Veronica, per cui ha una cotta, perché sa che Veronica è affascinata da queste apparizioni.
Sembra tutto abbastanza innocuo, fatta eccezione per gli spettri, se non fosse che il professor Bittner nasconde un segreto agghiacciante e per via di questo la vita stessa di Veronica è in pericolo.
Veronica e Kirk, facendo ricerche per il prof Peschitelli e il suo libro, scoprono questo segreto e gli eventi che ne seguiranno saranno veramente agghiaccianti.
Cosa nasconde Bittner? Perché improvvisamente sembra ossessionato da Veronica? Cosa vogliono gli spettri?
"Ho capito che tutto quello che vediamo e che proviamo, ha lo stesso potere. Il potere di farci sentire che tutto è effimero e transitorio."
Wow! E dico veramente wow!
Complimenti a Daniel Waters per la sua affascinante fantasia e per quello che è riuscito a creare con questo romanzo.
Ultimamente, avrete visto da sole, sono ossessionata dai thriller, forse perché ho bisogno di arrovellarmi il cervello, tenerlo occupato investigando, o solo perché ho bisogno dei brividi, non lo so.
Quello che so è che questo romanzo mi ha conquistata e non mi ha lasciata dormire fino a che non ho girato l'ultima pagina.
L'ho letto, infatti, in pochissimo tempo, perché oltre ad essere una storia assolutamente intrigante, è anche una lettura scorrevole, dal ritmo serrato, incalzante, piena di colpi di scena e momenti altamente tensivi.
Lo stile dell'autore mi è piaciuto veramente molto, diretto ed evocativo, descrittivo ma non pesante, privo di inutili lungaggini.
La storia viene raccontata in base a tre punti di vista principali, due in terza persona, uno in prima.
Il primo e più frequente è quello di Veronica, che ci presenta la sua vita, il suo rapporto con la madre e con l'amore, la sua curiosità nei confronti degli spettri della città e in particolare per quello di Brian, che compare nel suo bagno e che la affascina da morire.
Il secondo è quello del professor Bittner, che scopriremo da subito colpevole di diversi crimini a causa di un evento che lo ha portato alla follia.
Il terzo, sicuramente quello che ci dirà di meno, ma che aggiunge alla storia pezzi importanti, è il punto di vista di Brian, lo spettro che non è come tutti gli altri spettri, perché riesce ad interagire col mondo dei vivi a costo di tanta energia e che sa perfettamente perché si trova lì, anche se non sa come aiutare.
In maniera indiretta avremo anche a che fare con Kirk e il professor Peschitelli, anche loro personaggi di rilievo ed estremamente importanti nella storia.
Vi dico subito che se non volete leggerlo perché avete paura dei fantasmi, allora non dovete preoccuparvi perché, per quanto spaventosi, qui i fantasmi sono davvero la parte innocua dell'avventura.
C'è da temere i vivi in questo romanzo!
I fantasmi sono vittime, alcune inconsapevoli, altri in cerca di riscatto, di vendetta, ma non saranno mai malvagi.
Il malvagio qui è Bittner, e non faccio spoiler perché lo saprete da subito. Un personaggio così inquietante e viscido come pochi ne ho incontrati ultimamente. Davvero, mi ha messo i brividi.
Quindi, bravo lo scrittore!
Sto cercando di non svelare troppo e di rimanere sul vago proprio perché sono sicura che l'elemento sorpresa è importante in romanzi come questo.
Infatti, sappiate che il 27 di Settembre è uscito al cinema il film basato su questo romanzo e che non dovete barare assolutamente. Prima il libro, mi raccomando!
Buona lettura.
May 1, 2017
¿Esperaba algo diferente? Sí, bastante. Pero aun así tiene una premisa muy interesante que, de haberse desarrollado de una forma diferente y con otros personajes, podría haber sido mucho más. La ciudad de las almas no es un mal libro, pero ha sido una lectura en la que no me he visto atrapado, terminando por ser algo más mediocre.
Reseña completa en THE BEST READ YET BLOG
Reseña completa en THE BEST READ YET BLOG
August 9, 2012
I've been excited about this book for a long time. I liked Water's Generation Dead series - although that was more of the cheesy read with undead students trying to fit in high school, whereas this book was a lot more serious and sinister. Ghost hauntings everywhere. A psychopath serial killer. An investigation into the paranormal activity of this town. What more could you possibly want in a horror story?
But I really struggled with this one, and I think when it came down to it, the story is beyond predictable. And I'm not saying this as in the reader can guess what is going to happen. I meant it as in the book pretty much tells readers what the situation is from the get-go, and it's more like the characters are trying to find out what the readers already know.
I do want to say that I felt there was too much going on in this book. With the ghost in Ronnie's house, to her father, to August Brittner and his pursuit of bringing back Eva, to Janine and her paranoia, to Stephen Pescatelli's mission, to James and Kirk. There were so many elements scattered throughout the book, and even though they're all connected, I felt it really took away from the main story.
The most interesting part of the book was August Brittner. Through a huge portion of the book, I wondered why Waters decided to write the rare first person point-of-view in the eyes of Brian and not Gus. Can you imagine what it would be like to get a glimpse of what's going on in his dark, twisted mind? The man is beyond creepy - like your next-door neighbor is a serial killer kind of creepy. But the thing that was mind-boggling was everyone in town thinks he is a murderer, yet how in the world is he allowed to teach at school. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
However, the rest of the characters were unmemorable. I couldn't really connect with anyone in the high school. Veronica was a weird one. She was supposed to be the pretty, flirty, popular girl in school, but she was moody and too often comes across as a bitch, not because she's a queen bee, but just because she has mood swings. And Kirk, he's your nice-guy-always-finish-last type of character, but he's just not very lovable. I don't mean he's not sweet and determined, but he's very forgettable. Janine is an interesting character with her paranoia, but again, the book doesn't make a big deal on highlighting her at all, so she's lost among all the other drama.
The twist that really got me was Stephen Pescatelli's confession concerning his feelings toward ghosts. Who would ever thought, with his obsession in researching them, that he was terrified of them? But he is definitely an interesting character with his curiosity and the role he played.
Overall, it's not a bad book to read. Like I said, it had a sinister plot filled with interesting things to keep you entertained enough. However, I just had too many problems with the book, and I couldn't give it more than just an okay rating.
But I really struggled with this one, and I think when it came down to it, the story is beyond predictable. And I'm not saying this as in the reader can guess what is going to happen. I meant it as in the book pretty much tells readers what the situation is from the get-go, and it's more like the characters are trying to find out what the readers already know.
I do want to say that I felt there was too much going on in this book. With the ghost in Ronnie's house, to her father, to August Brittner and his pursuit of bringing back Eva, to Janine and her paranoia, to Stephen Pescatelli's mission, to James and Kirk. There were so many elements scattered throughout the book, and even though they're all connected, I felt it really took away from the main story.
The most interesting part of the book was August Brittner. Through a huge portion of the book, I wondered why Waters decided to write the rare first person point-of-view in the eyes of Brian and not Gus. Can you imagine what it would be like to get a glimpse of what's going on in his dark, twisted mind? The man is beyond creepy - like your next-door neighbor is a serial killer kind of creepy. But the thing that was mind-boggling was everyone in town thinks he is a murderer, yet how in the world is he allowed to teach at school. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
However, the rest of the characters were unmemorable. I couldn't really connect with anyone in the high school. Veronica was a weird one. She was supposed to be the pretty, flirty, popular girl in school, but she was moody and too often comes across as a bitch, not because she's a queen bee, but just because she has mood swings. And Kirk, he's your nice-guy-always-finish-last type of character, but he's just not very lovable. I don't mean he's not sweet and determined, but he's very forgettable. Janine is an interesting character with her paranoia, but again, the book doesn't make a big deal on highlighting her at all, so she's lost among all the other drama.
The twist that really got me was Stephen Pescatelli's confession concerning his feelings toward ghosts. Who would ever thought, with his obsession in researching them, that he was terrified of them? But he is definitely an interesting character with his curiosity and the role he played.
Overall, it's not a bad book to read. Like I said, it had a sinister plot filled with interesting things to keep you entertained enough. However, I just had too many problems with the book, and I couldn't give it more than just an okay rating.
November 5, 2012
Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers
Ever since the Event, ghosts have become a regular part of daily life. As if on an endless, mindless loop, these specters return every day, doing something that they did in life. For sixteen year old Veronica, her father appears every morning at the breakfast table, reading the same ghostly newspaper, sipping the same steaming hot cup of coffee, then looking up and smiling at some memory of his wife and daughter before disappearing. There's the ghost of Mary Greer, a brutally killed young girl, whose ghost appears happily walking to her former teacher's house each morning. There's a girl in the children's room of the library, happily receiving a book; a boy who was murdered, whose specter repeats his death fall every afternoon. These ghosts, from the mundane to the horrific, have ingratiated themselves in daily life - for Ronnie, they are familiar, soundless presences, that she learns to respect, but ignore. Except, the ghosts in Ronnie's life seem to be changing - as time passes, even more ghosts start to materialize, including a teenage boy, Brian, that inconveniently appears in Ronnie's bathroom each morning.
The increased activity and presence of ghosts intrigues Kirk Lane, who has had a crush on Ronnie for longer than he can remember. When he sees that Veronica starts taking an interest in ghosts, he sees an opening to catch her attention - Kirk begins an extra-credit project to document the different ghosts in town and enlists Ronnie's help. What Kirk and Ronnie discover, however, is that the ghosts in Ronnie's life tell a story of betrayal, pain and death at the hands of a killer. And now, with February 29 rapidly approaching, Veronica is next on the killer's list.
I am a huge Daniel Waters fan - I loved his Generation Dead books, for their solid writing and nuanced characterizations, but most of all for the fascinating questions these novels posed about perceptions of life and death. This latter quality is a driving theme in Waters' Break My Heart 1,000 Times, and easily the most compelling part of this novel. Why do some ghosts return, and why not others? Why do they return doing what they do - mundane tasks, running for their lives, getting beaten up for eternity? What was the Event, and why did it happen? And, in its aftermath, how do people deal with their loved ones haunting their lives? Do they move on, or like Veronica's mother, do they withdraw into themselves, unable to do anything while the specters of the past linger? There are so many questions posed by the book, with a satisfying lack of answers. I love that Waters does not delve into the reasons behind the Event, and that it takes a while to actually piece together what has happened to the world - I love that ghosts pose more questions than they do answers. On the whole, the premise behind Break My Heart 1,000 Times is phenomenal.
From a character perspective, Break My Heart also does a solid job, with two protagonists in Veronica and Kirk that are memorable and believable. I love that Ronnie is a beautiful, confident young woman that does not want a relationship, is happy to date, and is unapologetic about what she wants. Most contemporary YA novels feature heroines that find the love of their lives and eagerly dive into all-consuming relationships - how refreshing it is that Ronnie is not interested in anything of the sort. Kirk, too, is a refreshing lead, and I appreciated his frankness and dedication to Ronnie, plus he reads like a real teenager, to boot. While these two are drawn well for the most part, they are not without their own frustrations - in order to provoke tension (and to raise the stakes by the time the killer makes his move on Ronnie), there are some predictable and moronic moments on the part of both characters. They discover who the killer is, and then go about this discovery in the most idiotic way possible (i.e. not calling the police, getting into a fight with each other and splitting up on the eve of the murder when they know the murder will occur, etc). I'm also not crazy about Veronica and her feelings for ghost Brian, which feels awkward and forced.[1. On a side note, it's a little irksome because it so closely follows Phoebe and her feelings for living dead boy Tommy in Generation Dead.]
Additionally, there is a level of cheese with regards to the writing. Break My Heart 1,000 Times alternates four narrative arcs - there are the larger arcs following Veronica's thoughts and Kirk's, which are interjected with narratives of the ghost boy in Veronica's bathroom, and Mr. Bittner (the killer, this is not a spoiler since it is revealed in the early chapters). The exchanges with Mr. Bittner, in particular, feel forced and at times almost cringeworthy as the villain reflects and converses about the girls he has murdered in his attempts to bring his daughter back to life (it's all very Norman Bates and his mother-ish, but not in a good way).
The novel is also a thriller, building up to the next murder on Mr. Bittner's list. While the story moves along at an assured pace and I appreciate Dan Waters' skill as a storyteller, the book lacks vital tension. Mostly, this is because we know who the killer is, and our protagonists know who the killer is, yet do nothing to stop the killer. Instead, tension is created on the character level by forcing a wedge between Veronica and Kirk, which isn't quite an effective solution. This said, Break My Heart 1,000 Times has its strengths in the quieter moments of the book - in the pain that Veronica's mother feels every day, in Ronnie's best friend and her terror of ghosts, in Kirk's theorizing about the ghosts themselves.
Overall, Break My Heart 1,000 Times is another strong entry from the very talented Daniel Waters. It's not quite as good as the Generation Dead books, but certainly an eerie and memorable spin on the traditional ghost story, and recommended (albeit with a few reservations).
Ever since the Event, ghosts have become a regular part of daily life. As if on an endless, mindless loop, these specters return every day, doing something that they did in life. For sixteen year old Veronica, her father appears every morning at the breakfast table, reading the same ghostly newspaper, sipping the same steaming hot cup of coffee, then looking up and smiling at some memory of his wife and daughter before disappearing. There's the ghost of Mary Greer, a brutally killed young girl, whose ghost appears happily walking to her former teacher's house each morning. There's a girl in the children's room of the library, happily receiving a book; a boy who was murdered, whose specter repeats his death fall every afternoon. These ghosts, from the mundane to the horrific, have ingratiated themselves in daily life - for Ronnie, they are familiar, soundless presences, that she learns to respect, but ignore. Except, the ghosts in Ronnie's life seem to be changing - as time passes, even more ghosts start to materialize, including a teenage boy, Brian, that inconveniently appears in Ronnie's bathroom each morning.
The increased activity and presence of ghosts intrigues Kirk Lane, who has had a crush on Ronnie for longer than he can remember. When he sees that Veronica starts taking an interest in ghosts, he sees an opening to catch her attention - Kirk begins an extra-credit project to document the different ghosts in town and enlists Ronnie's help. What Kirk and Ronnie discover, however, is that the ghosts in Ronnie's life tell a story of betrayal, pain and death at the hands of a killer. And now, with February 29 rapidly approaching, Veronica is next on the killer's list.
I am a huge Daniel Waters fan - I loved his Generation Dead books, for their solid writing and nuanced characterizations, but most of all for the fascinating questions these novels posed about perceptions of life and death. This latter quality is a driving theme in Waters' Break My Heart 1,000 Times, and easily the most compelling part of this novel. Why do some ghosts return, and why not others? Why do they return doing what they do - mundane tasks, running for their lives, getting beaten up for eternity? What was the Event, and why did it happen? And, in its aftermath, how do people deal with their loved ones haunting their lives? Do they move on, or like Veronica's mother, do they withdraw into themselves, unable to do anything while the specters of the past linger? There are so many questions posed by the book, with a satisfying lack of answers. I love that Waters does not delve into the reasons behind the Event, and that it takes a while to actually piece together what has happened to the world - I love that ghosts pose more questions than they do answers. On the whole, the premise behind Break My Heart 1,000 Times is phenomenal.
From a character perspective, Break My Heart also does a solid job, with two protagonists in Veronica and Kirk that are memorable and believable. I love that Ronnie is a beautiful, confident young woman that does not want a relationship, is happy to date, and is unapologetic about what she wants. Most contemporary YA novels feature heroines that find the love of their lives and eagerly dive into all-consuming relationships - how refreshing it is that Ronnie is not interested in anything of the sort. Kirk, too, is a refreshing lead, and I appreciated his frankness and dedication to Ronnie, plus he reads like a real teenager, to boot. While these two are drawn well for the most part, they are not without their own frustrations - in order to provoke tension (and to raise the stakes by the time the killer makes his move on Ronnie), there are some predictable and moronic moments on the part of both characters. They discover who the killer is, and then go about this discovery in the most idiotic way possible (i.e. not calling the police, getting into a fight with each other and splitting up on the eve of the murder when they know the murder will occur, etc). I'm also not crazy about Veronica and her feelings for ghost Brian, which feels awkward and forced.[1. On a side note, it's a little irksome because it so closely follows Phoebe and her feelings for living dead boy Tommy in Generation Dead.]
Additionally, there is a level of cheese with regards to the writing. Break My Heart 1,000 Times alternates four narrative arcs - there are the larger arcs following Veronica's thoughts and Kirk's, which are interjected with narratives of the ghost boy in Veronica's bathroom, and Mr. Bittner (the killer, this is not a spoiler since it is revealed in the early chapters). The exchanges with Mr. Bittner, in particular, feel forced and at times almost cringeworthy as the villain reflects and converses about the girls he has murdered in his attempts to bring his daughter back to life (it's all very Norman Bates and his mother-ish, but not in a good way).
The novel is also a thriller, building up to the next murder on Mr. Bittner's list. While the story moves along at an assured pace and I appreciate Dan Waters' skill as a storyteller, the book lacks vital tension. Mostly, this is because we know who the killer is, and our protagonists know who the killer is, yet do nothing to stop the killer. Instead, tension is created on the character level by forcing a wedge between Veronica and Kirk, which isn't quite an effective solution. This said, Break My Heart 1,000 Times has its strengths in the quieter moments of the book - in the pain that Veronica's mother feels every day, in Ronnie's best friend and her terror of ghosts, in Kirk's theorizing about the ghosts themselves.
Overall, Break My Heart 1,000 Times is another strong entry from the very talented Daniel Waters. It's not quite as good as the Generation Dead books, but certainly an eerie and memorable spin on the traditional ghost story, and recommended (albeit with a few reservations).
October 25, 2018
Interesting young adult / high school ghost story with a dash of serial killer thrown in. I was a bit confused as to what "The Event" was that caused the manifestation of all these ghosts in town and it was never explained. Because of that, it felt like I entered the book in the middle of a series where important parts of previous novels are left out.
I really did like the main character Veronica and the people that she interacts with. Narrative stitches between characters, which keeps it interesting and the writing flows.
I really did like the main character Veronica and the people that she interacts with. Narrative stitches between characters, which keeps it interesting and the writing flows.
January 26, 2013
This book completely knocked me out. A really interesting twist on the ghost story that is dark, compelling, ultimately hopeful, and at times painfully honest about grief. I kept putting it down because I wanted to savor it and then picking it up again because I had to know what happened. Oh yeah--it's also beautifully written and full of three-dimensional, believable characters.
I hope that readers who like horror novels but don't usually read YA will find this because it is an exceptional horror novel.
Damn, I wish I'd written this.
I hope that readers who like horror novels but don't usually read YA will find this because it is an exceptional horror novel.
Damn, I wish I'd written this.
October 29, 2018
“Gus ha preso Mary
e l’ha appesa ad un albero
I-M-P-I-C-C-A-T-A
prima il sangue
poi la sposa”
Voi credete ai fantasmi? Beh vi svelo un segreto, io sì! Secondo me non tutti gli avvenimenti capitano per caso, a volte credo ci sia qualcuno che dà una spintarella alle azioni che si compiono e…
Wow! È stata la prima parola che mi è venuta in mente al termine di questo fantastico romanzo!
Finalmente una storia fuori dall’ordinario, ricca di azione, suspense, adrenalina e amore.
Veronica è una sedicenne, studentessa alla Montcrief High che si è trovata ad affrontare una terribile perdita: quella del padre. Questo però non le impedisce di vederlo, ogni mattina infatti, puntuale alle 7.13 lui si presenta nella cucina con il suo quotidiano e una tazza di caffè. Questa è l’unica certezza che le rimane.
Il suo mondo è stato sconvolto dall’Evento, una catastrofe gigantesca in cui sono morte migliaia di persone, e che ha causato l’apparizione di moltissimi fantasmi. Le persone ormai non tengono più conto di queste apparizioni ma c’è chi, come il suo insegnante, ne è talmente ossessionato da scriverne un libro: il prof Pescatelli, o pesce per gli amici. In quest’impresa lo aiuterà Kirk, un compagno segretamente innamorato della protagonista e in competizione con James, il belloccio stupido della scuola, che farà di tutto per attirare la sua attenzione.
Si troveranno invischiati in segreti di quartiere che non dovrebbero mai essere svelati perché, a volte, è meglio aver paura dei vivi piuttosto che dei morti!
La storia viene raccontata da tre punti di vista.
Il primo è quello della protagonista, Veronica, che ci racconta la sua storia con la mamma e con l’apparizione quotidiana del papà e del fantasmino spione all’interno del suo bagno, Brian.
Il secondo è del professor Bittner, che scopriremo molto presto essere il colpevole di diversi crimini efferati che lo hanno portato alla follia ed il terzo, è quello di Brian, che sa cos’è successo in passato, che vorrebbe fare di tutto per aiutare, ma farlo gli costa un’immane dose di energia.
Segnatevi inoltre la data del 29 febbraio, perché sarà fondamentale nello svolgimento della storia.
È un libro che ho letto davvero tutto d’un fiato, ad ogni momento libero che avevo volevo solo continuare la storia per vedere cosa sarebbe successo. Troviamo moltissima suspance e adrenalina, un ritmo serrato ed una lettura scorrevolissima.
A settembre ne hanno fatto anche un film se lo volete vedere, io lo guarderò di certo!!
.
Maljka - per RFS
e l’ha appesa ad un albero
I-M-P-I-C-C-A-T-A
prima il sangue
poi la sposa”
Voi credete ai fantasmi? Beh vi svelo un segreto, io sì! Secondo me non tutti gli avvenimenti capitano per caso, a volte credo ci sia qualcuno che dà una spintarella alle azioni che si compiono e…
Wow! È stata la prima parola che mi è venuta in mente al termine di questo fantastico romanzo!
Finalmente una storia fuori dall’ordinario, ricca di azione, suspense, adrenalina e amore.
Veronica è una sedicenne, studentessa alla Montcrief High che si è trovata ad affrontare una terribile perdita: quella del padre. Questo però non le impedisce di vederlo, ogni mattina infatti, puntuale alle 7.13 lui si presenta nella cucina con il suo quotidiano e una tazza di caffè. Questa è l’unica certezza che le rimane.
Il suo mondo è stato sconvolto dall’Evento, una catastrofe gigantesca in cui sono morte migliaia di persone, e che ha causato l’apparizione di moltissimi fantasmi. Le persone ormai non tengono più conto di queste apparizioni ma c’è chi, come il suo insegnante, ne è talmente ossessionato da scriverne un libro: il prof Pescatelli, o pesce per gli amici. In quest’impresa lo aiuterà Kirk, un compagno segretamente innamorato della protagonista e in competizione con James, il belloccio stupido della scuola, che farà di tutto per attirare la sua attenzione.
Si troveranno invischiati in segreti di quartiere che non dovrebbero mai essere svelati perché, a volte, è meglio aver paura dei vivi piuttosto che dei morti!
La storia viene raccontata da tre punti di vista.
Il primo è quello della protagonista, Veronica, che ci racconta la sua storia con la mamma e con l’apparizione quotidiana del papà e del fantasmino spione all’interno del suo bagno, Brian.
Il secondo è del professor Bittner, che scopriremo molto presto essere il colpevole di diversi crimini efferati che lo hanno portato alla follia ed il terzo, è quello di Brian, che sa cos’è successo in passato, che vorrebbe fare di tutto per aiutare, ma farlo gli costa un’immane dose di energia.
Segnatevi inoltre la data del 29 febbraio, perché sarà fondamentale nello svolgimento della storia.
È un libro che ho letto davvero tutto d’un fiato, ad ogni momento libero che avevo volevo solo continuare la storia per vedere cosa sarebbe successo. Troviamo moltissima suspance e adrenalina, un ritmo serrato ed una lettura scorrevolissima.
A settembre ne hanno fatto anche un film se lo volete vedere, io lo guarderò di certo!!
.
Maljka - per RFS
June 27, 2025
Every morning Veronica sees her father sitting at the table drinking coffee. Only problem is, he's dead. Since the Event, ghosts haunt everyone's world. The ghost of a girl named Mary walks up the steps of Veronica's teacher's house - and everyone thinks he killed her. Another teacher's wife and daughter have never appeared as ghosts, and he enlists Kirk to film various ghosts to figure out why only some ghosts appear. As Kirk and Veronica begin dating, the two put together some pieces of a mystery that involves another ghost at Veronica's house - a boy who once dated Mary.
I feel like I added this book to my reading list based on vibes stemming from the title, but the title didn't have much to do with the story at all. The romance between Kirk and Veronica was interesting in how commitment-phobic Veronica was, while Kirk was sweet. The ghosts themselves were intriguing. Though Brian - the ghost in Veronica's house - is a first-person narrator, the rest of the story rotates between Veronica, Kirk, and Mr. Bittner. Mr. Bittner is an old pedophile / murderer and he was pretty icky to read about, and certainly not what I was expecting from a story with this title. I think the hash marks on the cover made me think this would be about a kidnapping or confinement, so the paranormal aspect threw me off, especially since "The Event" was never really explained, nor did it seem like anyone outside of this small town was affected - at least, it would be a big deal if ghosts just started appearing all over the world, and I'm sure there would be consequences to it like laws, news stories, etc. It was just an odd premise overall, although interesting enough to keep me reading to the end.
I feel like I added this book to my reading list based on vibes stemming from the title, but the title didn't have much to do with the story at all. The romance between Kirk and Veronica was interesting in how commitment-phobic Veronica was, while Kirk was sweet. The ghosts themselves were intriguing. Though Brian - the ghost in Veronica's house - is a first-person narrator, the rest of the story rotates between Veronica, Kirk, and Mr. Bittner. Mr. Bittner is an old pedophile / murderer and he was pretty icky to read about, and certainly not what I was expecting from a story with this title. I think the hash marks on the cover made me think this would be about a kidnapping or confinement, so the paranormal aspect threw me off, especially since "The Event" was never really explained, nor did it seem like anyone outside of this small town was affected - at least, it would be a big deal if ghosts just started appearing all over the world, and I'm sure there would be consequences to it like laws, news stories, etc. It was just an odd premise overall, although interesting enough to keep me reading to the end.
July 18, 2019
Maybe 2 1/2 stars. This is an unusual ghost story with an interesting concept and philosophical ponderings on the whys and wherefores. Some reviewers were bothered by the unexplained 'Event' that caused the deaths of millions and probably opened the doors to the ghosts but I quite liked the author's choice of not explaining too much. The combination ghost story/murder/suspense works well enough but there are gaps in the logic (other than the ghosts of course) and the characters are rather unlikeable but all in all, worth reading.
January 1, 2023
ta książka powinna zyskać popularnosc, jest cudowna
May 20, 2017
Este libro me ha gustado mucho. Según iba avanzando más me gustaba. Me parece una historia de fantasmas bastante original y ahora tengo muchas ganas de ver cómo han hecho la adaptación :D
October 22, 2012
3.5/5
It's the creepy and atmospheric thing of the first half that was the strongest part in all this. Then of course, there’s how it’s different in how ghosts are the norm and somehow the byproduct of an (largely unexplained) Event years passed. Later on, it turns into this 'catch me if you can' but more like 'catch me in the act' because absolutely everyone knows who is up to no good! But a little odd was how things felt paused as if a majority of those in the know were waiting for something to happen, and someone else to act. In the meantime, each of them is specifically drawn, so that we know each player quite well: there's Ronnie, and Kirk, and their teachers and then there's Brian:
There’s Ronnie who’s remarkable in her confidence and easy acceptance of things. She is what draws everyone else in: from the boys, to the odd ball best friend, to the grieving mother… and yes even to a ghost or two as well as to some other crazies. It’s the last two that livens things up a bit (or should I say darkens it a shade more?) because while figuring out who plays what role is revealed early on, then things become just a matter of waiting things out, waiting them out as to what they’ve got planned.
There’s Kirk, the guy is remarkable in how not an asshole he could get. Get this, it’s not how he looks, though that’s briefly mentioned, rather it’s more because he’s cynical and on her level that there’s a connection made at all. They both possess a realistic perspective, him to the point of being cynical and her not almost but not quite on that level…yet. Anyway, Kirk is basically average boy who likes the girl and wants to catch her attention.
Then there’s Brian, the ghost (one of plenty in fact) who has a past of his own. Seeing developments on this end of the story, particularly as to feelings of certain characters directed at him was odd. Imagine falling for a picture of a guy: odd and sad because obviously you wonder if it really is going the direction it seemed to be headed, when there’s this other part of me wholly expectant of nothing ever going past a certain determined point, a little like…no, a lot like that love connection between Cas and Anna. And if that comparison makes no sense to you, with him being dead and her being not so, I ask, how pray tell are things to pan out? Of course, at this point, I realized I was reading too much into things and should just let whatever was coming come.)
So, it would be easy to say that every single person here is to be drawn to Ronnie, but that may not be the most accurate thing to say. All of them are so cleverly and individually drawn that even if things do start with her, it doesn’t stay just with her. Sure, she's girl confident, and Kirk is in love then Brian is Brian, but it’s the baddy in this one and us knowing who he is and why he’s doing certain things that made things more interesting. Yet even when you couple all that with the oddness of everyone else having an inkling as to what he's capable of whilst nothing's done, I still enjoyed this.
It's the creepy and atmospheric thing of the first half that was the strongest part in all this. Then of course, there’s how it’s different in how ghosts are the norm and somehow the byproduct of an (largely unexplained) Event years passed. Later on, it turns into this 'catch me if you can' but more like 'catch me in the act' because absolutely everyone knows who is up to no good! But a little odd was how things felt paused as if a majority of those in the know were waiting for something to happen, and someone else to act. In the meantime, each of them is specifically drawn, so that we know each player quite well: there's Ronnie, and Kirk, and their teachers and then there's Brian:
There’s Ronnie who’s remarkable in her confidence and easy acceptance of things. She is what draws everyone else in: from the boys, to the odd ball best friend, to the grieving mother… and yes even to a ghost or two as well as to some other crazies. It’s the last two that livens things up a bit (or should I say darkens it a shade more?) because while figuring out who plays what role is revealed early on, then things become just a matter of waiting things out, waiting them out as to what they’ve got planned.
There’s Kirk, the guy is remarkable in how not an asshole he could get. Get this, it’s not how he looks, though that’s briefly mentioned, rather it’s more because he’s cynical and on her level that there’s a connection made at all. They both possess a realistic perspective, him to the point of being cynical and her not almost but not quite on that level…yet. Anyway, Kirk is basically average boy who likes the girl and wants to catch her attention.
Then there’s Brian, the ghost (one of plenty in fact) who has a past of his own. Seeing developments on this end of the story, particularly as to feelings of certain characters directed at him was odd. Imagine falling for a picture of a guy: odd and sad because obviously you wonder if it really is going the direction it seemed to be headed, when there’s this other part of me wholly expectant of nothing ever going past a certain determined point, a little like…no, a lot like that love connection between Cas and Anna. And if that comparison makes no sense to you, with him being dead and her being not so, I ask, how pray tell are things to pan out? Of course, at this point, I realized I was reading too much into things and should just let whatever was coming come.)
So, it would be easy to say that every single person here is to be drawn to Ronnie, but that may not be the most accurate thing to say. All of them are so cleverly and individually drawn that even if things do start with her, it doesn’t stay just with her. Sure, she's girl confident, and Kirk is in love then Brian is Brian, but it’s the baddy in this one and us knowing who he is and why he’s doing certain things that made things more interesting. Yet even when you couple all that with the oddness of everyone else having an inkling as to what he's capable of whilst nothing's done, I still enjoyed this.
July 27, 2016
DNF. This is so obviously a book written by a man from a teen girl's point of view that I just cannot go on.
July 3, 2023
nawet ok ale troche nie wiem co się stało na koncu i niektóre zdania troche vibe #misogyny
dnf
June 20, 2019I tried. Ghosts, love, and some crazy, creepy old dude should be a pretty good set up to a book, but I just was not interested. The plot is given away right off the bat and really, to make it more enticing to read, they should’ve explained the Event first and then the outcome not the other way around.
August 22, 2023
Osoby film był lepszy niż ta książka 😅
May 1, 2017
Le doy un 2.5/5. Aprobado raspado por el meollo de la protagonista pero el estilo del autor me sigue pareciendo asqueroso además de un par de cosas sin sentido dentro de la historia. Mañana rajo en el blog que son casi las dos de la mañana y me voy a la camita 👼
-------
Bueno, reseñado está: link
No he comentado mucho el par de cosas sin sentido porque me he centrado más en las cosas que he odiado del libro. Pero bueno se entiende lo que opino a la perfección xd.
-------
Bueno, reseñado está: link
No he comentado mucho el par de cosas sin sentido porque me he centrado más en las cosas que he odiado del libro. Pero bueno se entiende lo que opino a la perfección xd.
November 19, 2012
How would I classify Break My Heart 1,000 Times by Daniel Waters? A morbidly dark Dystopian type read. After what is called as the “Event”, ghosts are popping up everywhere. Ghosts of loved one, ghosts of people from the past…even ghosts of those who have been murdered. The event annihilated millions of people, leaving in its wake, those who now have to live day to day with daily ghostly encounters.
The way in which Break My Heart 1,000 Times opens up, you think that you are watching the everyday morning routine of a regular family, primarily Veronica’s family. But to my surprise, the everyday routine of your father sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper and drinking from his cup of coffee, is one that is being repeated daily by the ghost of said father. I admit that after reading that, I was left with some chills. Not only do we witness her watch her father relive the same moment over and over again, we are also introduced to a ghost that has newly appeared in Veronica’s home. A ghost named Brian, who plays a major role in the events in Break My Heart 1,000 Times.
Where most everyone who has been affected by the “Event” is, more or less, going through their daily motions…surviving another day amongst these ghosts, Veronica is more alive than the rest. But despite her lust for life, there are those who seek to snuff her candle out because of their own hidden agenda. Enter super creepy teacher, Mr. August Bittner. Having lost his daughter, post “Event”, Mr. Bittner is lead to believe that the only way for him to be able to have his daughter, Eva, back he must take a life…on February 29… every leap year, believing that the veil between our world and the world beyond is most thinnest on February 29.
Sadly, poor Veronica’s birthday is February 29 (a leap year baby), and so Mr. Bittner is convinced that Veronica is the key to getting his daughter back, and he will stop at nothing to make it happen…even murder… And perhaps with the help of Veronica’s friend Kirk and her ghostly friend, Brian, Veronica may live to see another day…
The chapters are extremely short, and jump from the point of views of Veronica, Kirk, and Brian the ghost. You would think that it would get confusing, but not at all. In fact, it made the book even that more interesting and addictive. I was always curious to see how long I had to be in this individuals head before I was thrust into a different mind.
I will tell you right now, this book creeped me the funk out at times! Mr. Bittner is one hard core villain that I would never, EVER, want to cross paths with. You know in movies, you are usually safe if you are with someone else (pairs and groups are safe people!)? Yah, it didn’t seem to matter that Veronica was with Kirk, and how safe they felt with each other’s company, that darn Mr. Bittner seems to find his way to try and get to Veronica! Seriously, he is one messed up teacher. He reminded me of that creepy murdere Mr. What’s His Face in the Lovely Bones?
Author, Daniel Waters, weaves a creepy, addictive tale where ghosts are an everyday reality and that even the tiniest spark of hope where a lost loved one could have a chance to come back causes one to go to the dark side…or cause one to re-visit the dark side every four years. A perfect late at night read, Break My Heart 1,000 Times absolutely had me jumping at little sounds in the middle of the night, and looking over my shoulder for … who knows what!
The way in which Break My Heart 1,000 Times opens up, you think that you are watching the everyday morning routine of a regular family, primarily Veronica’s family. But to my surprise, the everyday routine of your father sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper and drinking from his cup of coffee, is one that is being repeated daily by the ghost of said father. I admit that after reading that, I was left with some chills. Not only do we witness her watch her father relive the same moment over and over again, we are also introduced to a ghost that has newly appeared in Veronica’s home. A ghost named Brian, who plays a major role in the events in Break My Heart 1,000 Times.
Where most everyone who has been affected by the “Event” is, more or less, going through their daily motions…surviving another day amongst these ghosts, Veronica is more alive than the rest. But despite her lust for life, there are those who seek to snuff her candle out because of their own hidden agenda. Enter super creepy teacher, Mr. August Bittner. Having lost his daughter, post “Event”, Mr. Bittner is lead to believe that the only way for him to be able to have his daughter, Eva, back he must take a life…on February 29… every leap year, believing that the veil between our world and the world beyond is most thinnest on February 29.
Sadly, poor Veronica’s birthday is February 29 (a leap year baby), and so Mr. Bittner is convinced that Veronica is the key to getting his daughter back, and he will stop at nothing to make it happen…even murder… And perhaps with the help of Veronica’s friend Kirk and her ghostly friend, Brian, Veronica may live to see another day…
The chapters are extremely short, and jump from the point of views of Veronica, Kirk, and Brian the ghost. You would think that it would get confusing, but not at all. In fact, it made the book even that more interesting and addictive. I was always curious to see how long I had to be in this individuals head before I was thrust into a different mind.
I will tell you right now, this book creeped me the funk out at times! Mr. Bittner is one hard core villain that I would never, EVER, want to cross paths with. You know in movies, you are usually safe if you are with someone else (pairs and groups are safe people!)? Yah, it didn’t seem to matter that Veronica was with Kirk, and how safe they felt with each other’s company, that darn Mr. Bittner seems to find his way to try and get to Veronica! Seriously, he is one messed up teacher. He reminded me of that creepy murdere Mr. What’s His Face in the Lovely Bones?
Author, Daniel Waters, weaves a creepy, addictive tale where ghosts are an everyday reality and that even the tiniest spark of hope where a lost loved one could have a chance to come back causes one to go to the dark side…or cause one to re-visit the dark side every four years. A perfect late at night read, Break My Heart 1,000 Times absolutely had me jumping at little sounds in the middle of the night, and looking over my shoulder for … who knows what!
March 27, 2019
Chronique de Diana :
https://followthereader2016.wordpress...
Tout d’abord je n’ai jamais vu le film, j’ai donc commencé ce récit sans appréhensions ni même préjugés et j’ai passé un très bon moment avec. Mais comment pourrais-je vous décrire ce roman, c’est une dystopie sombre, glauque, parfois un brin effrayante et certains diront même morbide.
Après « l’événement » les fantômes se mettent à aller et venir au milieu des vivants, des proches, des amis, des fantômes récents, d’autres du passé, des disparus de causes naturelles et d’autres non. Bref, « l’événement » a causé la perte de millions de personnes et les vivants doivent apprendre à vivre quotidiennement avec ces entités.
Au début de ma lecture, j’ai pensé que j’allais suivre cette routine macabre et l’affrontement du monde des vivants avec celui des morts mais c’est bien plus que cela au final. Déjà parce que la vie de notre héroïne, Veronica est assez particulière ; elle vit avec son père mais la particularité c’est que ce cher papa est un fantôme. C’est assez glaçant de voir se répéter le même schéma tous les jours. Se rajoute Brian un petit nouveau dans la communauté des fantômes qui est un personnage clé aussi de ce récit.
Alors que beaucoup tentent encore d’apprivoiser leur vie d’après « l’événement », Veronica parait vouloir plus et avec son ami Kirk, ils comptent bien découvrir tout sur le pourquoi du comment de ce dernier. Et puis il y a ceux qui n’acceptent pas ce changement massif et c’est là qu’entre en jeu le prof de Veronica. Sa défunte fille n’est pas revenue et il pense qu’en prenant une vie, sa fille pourrait se réincarner (ne lui jetez pas la première pierre, chacun gère son deuil à sa façon et parfois les gens débloquent complet).
Monsieur Bittner pense qu’en tuant une jeune fille née un 29 février (jour où les morts et les vivants sont quasiment sur le même plan) que le voile qui sépare nos deux mondes est plus fin et que sa fille reviendra. Manque de chance pour Veronica, elle est du 29 février et elle lui semble donc la meilleure candidate.
Les chapitres s’enchainent rapidement et l’on pourrait penser que le roman serait compliqué ou qu’on serait perdu facilement ; mais pas du tout car l’auteur a eu le bonne idée de varier les points de vue, on trouve facilement un équilibre dans l’avancement du récit. L’histoire en devient plus prenante et plus addictive et parfois même flippante. Je vous assure que la ténacité du prof est digne de certains méchants dans des films bien angoissants, jamais il ne lâche son objectif et on se demande si nos héros vont pouvoir aider Veronica à lui échapper. C’est très rythmé, on pense que l’intrigue va se calmer et non ça repart de plus belle.
J’ai beaucoup aimé et je ne suis pas loin du coup de cœur, c’est haletant, effrayant, bien construit. C’est aussi un roman qui vous pousse à vous questionner sur la gestion du deuil. Comment réagiriez-vous si vous pensiez pouvoir revoir un être perdu, à quoi seriez-vous prêts ? Certains perdent le contrôle et le côté rationnel. J’ai adoré le côté novateur d’un monde où vivants et défunts se côtoient, je ne sais pas si je vivrais bien la chose, mais ce qui est certain c’est que c’est génial à lire.
N’hésitez pas à plonger dans ce récit.
https://followthereader2016.wordpress...
Tout d’abord je n’ai jamais vu le film, j’ai donc commencé ce récit sans appréhensions ni même préjugés et j’ai passé un très bon moment avec. Mais comment pourrais-je vous décrire ce roman, c’est une dystopie sombre, glauque, parfois un brin effrayante et certains diront même morbide.
Après « l’événement » les fantômes se mettent à aller et venir au milieu des vivants, des proches, des amis, des fantômes récents, d’autres du passé, des disparus de causes naturelles et d’autres non. Bref, « l’événement » a causé la perte de millions de personnes et les vivants doivent apprendre à vivre quotidiennement avec ces entités.
Au début de ma lecture, j’ai pensé que j’allais suivre cette routine macabre et l’affrontement du monde des vivants avec celui des morts mais c’est bien plus que cela au final. Déjà parce que la vie de notre héroïne, Veronica est assez particulière ; elle vit avec son père mais la particularité c’est que ce cher papa est un fantôme. C’est assez glaçant de voir se répéter le même schéma tous les jours. Se rajoute Brian un petit nouveau dans la communauté des fantômes qui est un personnage clé aussi de ce récit.
Alors que beaucoup tentent encore d’apprivoiser leur vie d’après « l’événement », Veronica parait vouloir plus et avec son ami Kirk, ils comptent bien découvrir tout sur le pourquoi du comment de ce dernier. Et puis il y a ceux qui n’acceptent pas ce changement massif et c’est là qu’entre en jeu le prof de Veronica. Sa défunte fille n’est pas revenue et il pense qu’en prenant une vie, sa fille pourrait se réincarner (ne lui jetez pas la première pierre, chacun gère son deuil à sa façon et parfois les gens débloquent complet).
Monsieur Bittner pense qu’en tuant une jeune fille née un 29 février (jour où les morts et les vivants sont quasiment sur le même plan) que le voile qui sépare nos deux mondes est plus fin et que sa fille reviendra. Manque de chance pour Veronica, elle est du 29 février et elle lui semble donc la meilleure candidate.
Les chapitres s’enchainent rapidement et l’on pourrait penser que le roman serait compliqué ou qu’on serait perdu facilement ; mais pas du tout car l’auteur a eu le bonne idée de varier les points de vue, on trouve facilement un équilibre dans l’avancement du récit. L’histoire en devient plus prenante et plus addictive et parfois même flippante. Je vous assure que la ténacité du prof est digne de certains méchants dans des films bien angoissants, jamais il ne lâche son objectif et on se demande si nos héros vont pouvoir aider Veronica à lui échapper. C’est très rythmé, on pense que l’intrigue va se calmer et non ça repart de plus belle.
J’ai beaucoup aimé et je ne suis pas loin du coup de cœur, c’est haletant, effrayant, bien construit. C’est aussi un roman qui vous pousse à vous questionner sur la gestion du deuil. Comment réagiriez-vous si vous pensiez pouvoir revoir un être perdu, à quoi seriez-vous prêts ? Certains perdent le contrôle et le côté rationnel. J’ai adoré le côté novateur d’un monde où vivants et défunts se côtoient, je ne sais pas si je vivrais bien la chose, mais ce qui est certain c’est que c’est génial à lire.
N’hésitez pas à plonger dans ce récit.
June 26, 2013
Veronica sees dead people. Her father at the breakfast table, a strange but cute teenage boy in her bathroom, and more as she makes her way to school each day. They don't seem to phase her. An unexplained cataclysmic event some years earlier claimed the lives of at least 2 million people and ever since, harmless ghostly specters are a part of the daily landscape. The how and why are never explained, so if you want to finish this book you'll have to seriously suspend your disbelief to go along. The heart of the story revolves around a creepy serial murderer/teacher whose misguided belief that he can reanimate his dead daughter by murdering other young girls every four years on her leap day birthday has him looking for his next "daughter," as he refers to his victims. Veronica "Ronnie" alternates from being a sensitive, smart teen to being inexplicably moody and abrasive. Of course this perfectly describes the spectrum of normal teen behavior, but the mood swings and defensiveness seem contrived here for the sake of adding faux tension. Will her so-called "daddy issues" lead her to push away the one guy who really wants to help her or will she come to her senses and see his sincerity and unwavering fidelity? Mr. Bittner has her in his sights. Will she be the one to resurrect Eva or just another victim?
The Event is never explained and that was a source of huge frustration for me. Although there are many references to its devastation and impact, it hardly seemed central in any way to the actual plot. I suppose it is intended to account for the number of ghosts, but, again, that hardly seems like a necessary plot conceit. It is unknown by the reader if the Event was man made, natural, or spiritual retribution. And it was not widespread or worldwide. Very confusing. The serial murdering history teacher was an interesting and unique character but the rest of the plot just doesn't do the idea justice.
The Event is never explained and that was a source of huge frustration for me. Although there are many references to its devastation and impact, it hardly seemed central in any way to the actual plot. I suppose it is intended to account for the number of ghosts, but, again, that hardly seems like a necessary plot conceit. It is unknown by the reader if the Event was man made, natural, or spiritual retribution. And it was not widespread or worldwide. Very confusing. The serial murdering history teacher was an interesting and unique character but the rest of the plot just doesn't do the idea justice.
February 23, 2017
Break My Heart 1,000 Times is an unconventional young adult ghost story--part thriller, part mystery, with hints of dystopian fiction--and essentially no chills. Some years after a very poorly-defined cataclysmic "Event" has left ghostly images of millions of the dead visible to the general public, Veronica,an attractive young high-school student is targeted by a creepy teacher, who has suffered his own family losses. A second teacher, another victim of the "Event", is writing a book on the ghostly phenomena left in the wake of the catastrophe, and enlists the help of Veronica's boyfriend, Kirk. It is Kirk's task to film the specters, and he often takes Veronica along to dangerous areas of town in order to do so. Veronica herself is haunted by (and half in love with)a teenaged ghost boy, who appears almost every morning in her "steamy" bathroom as she prepares to towel off from her shower. (No fear: nothing the least bit steamy happens). This ghost, too, has a "tragic" back story that is gradually illuminated. While the plot is innovative, the characters are completely wooden..and, in spite of this being a ghost story, there is no spookiness whatsoever. For those reasons, as far as I'm concerned, the book fails almost entirely. Even the elements of romance between Veronica and Kirk are devoid of feeling. The heart mentioned in the title is almost completely lacking in this mediocre piece of fiction. I can't find it in my own heart to recommend it.
November 20, 2012
I'm not sure there's too many authors out there whose works I eagerly anticipate as much as Daniel Waters (not just for YA fiction -- fiction, period). His Generation Dead series remains one of the truly ballsiest and addictive series of the last decade.
His new stand-alone novel, Break my Heart 1,000 Times (great title, by the way) doesn't disappoint. As with Generation Dead, Waters plays with the idea of what's essentially a present-day world that has undergone a dramatic shift -- in this case an "event" that has removed many people from the world, and created a world where people can see ghosts all over, repeating the same actions over and over again, as if on a loop.
Toss in a chilling thriller plot as well as some truly memorable teen characters, and you have a book that you'll tear through in a day. Waters really knows sharp dialogue, and carves his characters into unique, three dimensional beings. One of his greatest strengths is refusing to go overboard in categorizing characters as "good" or "evil."
You won't be disappointed.
His new stand-alone novel, Break my Heart 1,000 Times (great title, by the way) doesn't disappoint. As with Generation Dead, Waters plays with the idea of what's essentially a present-day world that has undergone a dramatic shift -- in this case an "event" that has removed many people from the world, and created a world where people can see ghosts all over, repeating the same actions over and over again, as if on a loop.
Toss in a chilling thriller plot as well as some truly memorable teen characters, and you have a book that you'll tear through in a day. Waters really knows sharp dialogue, and carves his characters into unique, three dimensional beings. One of his greatest strengths is refusing to go overboard in categorizing characters as "good" or "evil."
You won't be disappointed.
October 2, 2014
Overall it is a really good book. At the beginning it was really confusing and boring but once you get further into the book you start liking it more and more. I really loved the end of this book it didnt leave you hanging at all it closed up the end pretty way. I liked how they answered any questions you would have.
Read
November 12, 2012I tried, I really tried. I just couldn't continue reading it. I wasn't expecting anything specific, a ghost book totally... But after reading a few chapters I got bored. I love paranormal stories, but the only thing I can say is next book please!
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