Initial Impressions 1/1/13: ARC copy borrowed from Kristina at Gone Pecan 
 Wow, even though I knew what this book was about, I guess I hadn't expected it to be so creepy/dark! Ghosts, serial killers - It's all quite heavy! But I really enjoyed reading it. 
 Hannah was an interesting main character... It was weird seeing the side of her that only she and Lillian really knew and the bright & shiny side that she displays for everyone else. And the thing is, it's not like she was really depressed and that's why she had to show a different side to everyone else - It was more like avoiding conflict and acting like everything is okay to keep the peace, even when it's a complete disaster. 
 I really enjoyed all of the mysteries and how the ghosts of the book really played such a big part. And strangely enough, I wasn't totally freaked out by the ghosts (Guys, I'm totally terrified of ghosts. You have no idea. Or maybe you do). 
 Anyway, really interesting read. I'd recommend it if you're into the dark & creepy! It'll give you a little chill and keep you intrigued. 
 Full review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide 1/7/13: This is one of the times I get upset with a book synopsis -- It didn't give away any spoilers or anything (which is the reason I generally avoid reading the summaries), but when it says that Lillian is pushing Hannah to investigate the murders, I wouldn't really say that it was Lillian's idea one way or the other. Lillian is almost like Hannah's stream of consciousness in PAPER VALENTINE and I'd say that although she's a character unto herself, she plays out the dialogue that Hannah would probably be having with herself it Lillian wasn't there. To me, I felt like Lillian was an outlet for Hannah to feel okay looking deeper into the details of the murders and sneaking peeks at the crime scene photos because Lillian was there and Lillian was always getting into that kind of stuff. Not a huge deal, but it just bothered me a little bit -- That could also just be my interpretation but it almost makes it seem like Hannah really had to be convinced to start investigating and I think it was a little part of her all along; Lillian was just kind of the nod of approval and the little bit of encouragement that she needed. 
 Okay, now that I'm past that.... I really enjoyed the book! I thought the mystery of the murders was really nicely done and I found myself jumping from one person to the next, wondering if they were the person behind the gruesome murders. Surprisingly, I really liked the involvement of the ghosts and how they really carried the plot and became an integral part of the story. I am totally and completely terrified of seeing ghosts for some reason and whenever I read books or watch movies about ghosts, I'm usually scared for days -- PAPER VALENTINE didn't leave me with a creepy ghost feeling though. Yes, they were brutal and pretty creepy at times, but there was also almost an air of normalcy that Hannah was communicating with them - Probably because of Lillian's constant presence and although I'm sure she made a very chilling ghost to look at, when others started popping up, I knew it was to be helpful and not harmful. 
 The romance. Hmmmm. I'm not quite sure what to make of it. Somehow I never really got on board with Finny. I couldn't picture him with bleach blonde hair despite his description, I think mainly just because the name Finny created an image in my head that didn't look like the character so that was a mental battle in my head, trying to make him look like he was described. Anyway... It wasn't the fact that he was a "delinquent" or that he was missing his pinky finger... Maybe it was just the quiet nature of his character and somehow it just didn't come across to me as genuine like for Hannah. I think it was also the constant underlying suspicions of every single other character in the book - and even a little from Hannah -- that made me not want to trust him. I just didn't find myself rooting for the two of them to really get together. 
 To sum it up, it was a really great read -- Definitely creepy and a bit morbid but in a way that kept me flipping pages, excited to know how the book was going to end. I really liked Hannah as the main character and it was a totally different kind of dynamic between her and her family/friends than the usual happy-go-lucky YA novel. If you're ready for a little darker of a story, I'd definitely recommend it!