A review by tklassy
Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

dark emotional funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I was fascinated by the concept of this book, but unfortunately its execution left me disappointed.  Overall, the story came across as a little bit underdeveloped. I never felt as if I got to know the main character of Hannah, or her sister, or her love, interest, and especially not her dead best-friend. The overall execution felt jumbled, like the book wasn’t sure what it was trying to be. Part mystery, part young adult romance, part meditation on grief, and part a soliloquy on the dangers of eating disorders? Oh, and don’t forget paranormal? Because the main character is haunted by her dead best friend. Also, I have a lot of questions about the random subplot that’s never really explained of a bird virus killing all the birds. Like, they’re just dropping dead from the sky. It’s weirdly introduced in the first page of the book and then never explained and it has nothing to do with the story. Does it? Am I missing something? I kept reading the book after wanting to DNF it at both 30% and 60% because reviews assured me that the plot twist at the end was worth it. It wasn’t. 
Although I was often left confused after picking up this book, it was beautifully written, and I highlighted plenty of it. But, unfortunately, it can’t be redeemed by its poetical phrasing. 
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