Echoes Between Us

Gr 9 Up–In this enthralling book, Veronica, a misfit who sees ghosts and suffers from terrible migraines, meets and falls for Sawyer, a popular jock with secrets of his own. Veronica spends lots of time alone in her family’s big, seemingly haunted house ever since her mom passed away from the same type of brain tumor that she has. Her dad is a long-distance trucker and gives her lots of free rein, though Veronica has many close friends who look out for her. When Sawyer moves into the apartment on the first floor of Veronica’s house, he becomes mesmerized by her fearlessness, confidence, and beauty. The two end up working on a school project together and subsequently give in to their inescapable attraction. This story provides lots of thrills and chills—from suggesting that malevolent ghosts might be real (and terrorizing Sawyer’s younger sister), to Veronica’s growing sickness, to Sawyer’s dangerous adrenaline addiction and troubled home life. The book also touches on the classic trope of a popular boy dating an unpopular girl and how this relationship sends ripples through both parties’ social worlds. In short, the story feels quite familiar but will keep the pages turning.