Wherever You Go

Jan 12, 2012 Metaspinster rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: pn-ghosts, did-not-finish, ya-paranormal

This book is very earnest, and pretty badly written, though perhaps not in the most glaring typos and bad grammar kind of way. One thing that is glaring is the unconventional narrative choice to tell this story using three different narrators, using three different corresponding grammatical "people," i.e. the Holly (?) sections are in first person singular, her dead boyfriend Rob's are in the particularly unusual second person singular, and Rob's best friend Jason's sections are in third person....more

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Apr 20, 2011 Isamlq rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Drama,
Drama,
Drama!

Maybe I read Wherever You Go at the wrong time because normally I do enjoy a mix of the sweet, sappy even emotional. But I think the drama here was just too much for me. Was it too much like a noon time drama? You decide:

- That her first ever boyfriend had died tragically only to come back as a ghost (who narrates in second person btw…gah!)
- That his friends kind of blame her for how he died.
- That said blame leads to a mutual distancing of them from her and of her from them...more
Drama,
Drama,
Drama!

Maybe I read Wherever You Go at the wrong time because normally I do enjoy a mix of the sweet, sappy even emotional. But I think the drama here was just too much for me. Was it too much like a noon time drama? You decide:

- That her first ever boyfriend had died tragically only to come back as a ghost (who narrates in second person btw…gah!)
- That his friends kind of blame her for how he died.
- That said blame leads to a mutual distancing of them from her and of her from them.
- That said distancing makes her stand out in the eyes of the dead guy’s best friend.
- That he (the best friend) has sort of been carrying a torch for her.
- That said best friend, like the dead boyfriend also happens to come from a well-to-do family while said girl doesn’t.
- That said girl’s life is actually much more complicated: With not much of a social life, she has taken to mothering her little sister in their usually absent mom’s stead (again they aren’t from a well-to-do family.)
- That life gets even more complicated when Aldo, her grandfather -suffering from Alzheimer's!- comes to live them.
- And that dead ghost boyfriend has taken to hanging out with the only person who can see him: Aldo, making the latter seem a little more out of it!
- That given all those complications, the dead boyfriend’s best friend has taken it upon himself to fix things/ make things easier for her.
- That they fall in love… but with not without some other complications caused by the meddling of the one of the dead boyfriend’s friends.

So yeah, there's too much drama for one book, but I will admit to liking how loyal Holly was to her family. Since their circumstances did dictate that their mom be mostly absent, I could swallow said absence. My biggest problem was when the mother finally played a role, what does she do? She sort of pushes her daughter to talk to the guy causing her daughter’s hurt: whatever happened motherly protective tendencies or at least sympathy over not wanting to look like a slob in front of a guy? Actually, scratch that: I had a lot of problems with this one, foremost of which: drama.

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Apr 09, 2011 The BookWhisperer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Holly is a young girl that a very complicated life. As the main caregiver of her Alzheimer stricken Grandfather and her younger sister; shoe doesn� t have much time for herself. Also grieving the loss of her first love in an accident that almost claimed her own life. She may be finding herself with more than she can bare. When she begins to receive unwanted attention for her late boyfriends best friend; she finds herself questioning his motives. With the remainder of her peers blaming her for th...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Stacey (prettybooks) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-after-university, read-in-my-twenties, young-adult-fiction

Holly is still grieving after her boyfriend, Rob, died in a car crash six months ago. Unaware that Rob’s come back as ghost and is watching over her, she’s struggling to move on with her life, even though Jason is making it clear that he wants to get to know her. Holly is burdened by the amount of support she has to provide her family – her mother is working several jobs just to keep the family afloat so she’s never around. And to make things worse, her grandfather Aldo, who suffers from Alzheim...more

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Apr 15, 2011 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Rob had it all and Holly had next to nothing. Rob was wealthy, popular, handsome, athletic, funny, and adored by everyone. Holly was poor, shy, beautiful, sweet, and responsible. The saying goes: Opposites attract, and in this case? The was right on. Holly and Rob were the perfect couple. They were happy and in love, going against the rules of financial status and school popularity.

One fateful night changed everything. A car accident killed Rob and left Holly not only emotionally scarred but al...more Rob had it all and Holly had next to nothing. Rob was wealthy, popular, handsome, athletic, funny, and adored by everyone. Holly was poor, shy, beautiful, sweet, and responsible. The saying goes: Opposites attract, and in this case? The was right on. Holly and Rob were the perfect couple. They were happy and in love, going against the rules of financial status and school popularity.

One fateful night changed everything. A car accident killed Rob and left Holly not only emotionally scarred but also a pariah at school. Being the survivor of the accident has unfairly cast Holly into a "guilty" judgement - making her the blame for Rob's untimely death.

Isolated, but never alone, Holly goes about her daily life with Rob in the unseen background. He's there with her, but cannot be there for her. To see but never be seen, how can Rob help Holly? And when Jason, Rob's best friend, reaches out to Holly, Rob learns just how powerless he is, and maybe always has been, to help her.

Holly's home situation changes, bringing her grandfather (who suffers from Alzheimer's) to live with them and making Holly his primary care giver. This sets in motion a chain of discoveries: Rob finds that Grandpa Aldo can see and hear him; Holly begins to realize that she has to reach out, enlist, and appreciate the help of others; and Jason finally has an opportunity to get closer to the girl he's had eyes for for years.

Wherever You Go is a story of love, loss, rediscovery, and healing. It was a beautifully woven tale told in three perspectives: Holly, Rob, and Jason. What makes the POV's unique, however, is that each is told from a different narrative - Holly's POV was written in the 1st-person, Rob (the ghost) was written in the 2nd-person, and Jason was written in 3rd-person. These different narratives made reading the book and following the changing of POV's compelling; I was always on the lookout and anticipating the transitions from one character to another.

Ms. Davis did a stunning job setting and keeping the tone of the book. I felt the sorrow, the yearning, the struggle, and the hope of each character throughout the book. Holly, Rob, Jason, and even Grandpa Aldo's (who really is a main player in the story vs. a minor or secondary character) thoughts, feelings, words, and actions were consistent and wonderfully conveyed. (less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Whatchyareading added it

Shelves: christine, paranormal, young-adult

There are certain subject matters I’ll always gravitate toward, and one of those is ghost love stories. It might have something to do with how I was exposed to Ghost at a very young age, or the fact that every single time Heart & Souls comes on, I have to watch it. I don’t know. It might be neither of those and I just happen to like stories that involve spirits or ghosts. Regardless, if you’re like me and enjoy a good story involving a ghost, then may I suggest Wherever You Go?

Told in switch...more There are certain subject matters I’ll always gravitate toward, and one of those is ghost love stories. It might have something to do with how I was exposed to Ghost at a very young age, or the fact that every single time Heart & Souls comes on, I have to watch it. I don’t know. It might be neither of those and I just happen to like stories that involve spirits or ghosts. Regardless, if you’re like me and enjoy a good story involving a ghost, then may I suggest Wherever You Go?

Told in switching POVs between Holly, Rob and Jason, Wherever You Go starts some months after Rob dies in a tragic car accident. Holly’s grandfather has just moved in to their rather small apartment, which means that’s one more person Holly has to look after while her mother works two jobs in order to pay the bills. At the start of the book you can tell Holly’s just going through the motions, especially at school since that’s where she’s reminded of Rob the most.

I felt bad for Holly. Here she is, taking care of her little sister and grandfather, who has Alzheimer’s, and she’s also depressed because Rob’s gone and she can’t fully remember the night of the accident. All her friends from school were really Rob’s friends and abandoned her after he was gone. And then, from what seems like out of nowhere, Jason starts taking an interest in her. And the entire time all this is happening, Rob’s spirit is watching over her and he figures out how to communicate through Holly’s grandfather, which leads to a plot twist I wasn’t expecting when I picked the book up.

Overall, I thought it was a good read. I kind of knew where the final revelation was going, just from the hints dropped throughout, but I kept hoping it would turn out differently since it wasn’t the happy overtone I wanted. Oh, well. I guess when one of the characters is actually a spirit and technically dead, you can’t always have the HEA you expect in books.

This book was reviewed at WhatchYAreading.net on June 18, 2012.(less)

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Feb 03, 2012 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had no expectations when I picked up Wherever You Go, though I thought it was a good sign that Laini Taylor had such a glowing blurb on the cover. I was happily surprised by how gripping this quiet read about love, loss and self worth was.

Wherever You Go deals with depression, suicide, and Alzheimer's, weighty subject matters. But they're told around a story of redemption, and new love, which helps keep the story from being to depressing. Aldo's story (Holly's grandfather), resonated the most...more I had no expectations when I picked up Wherever You Go, though I thought it was a good sign that Laini Taylor had such a glowing blurb on the cover. I was happily surprised by how gripping this quiet read about love, loss and self worth was.

Wherever You Go deals with depression, suicide, and Alzheimer's, weighty subject matters. But they're told around a story of redemption, and new love, which helps keep the story from being to depressing. Aldo's story (Holly's grandfather), resonated the most with me and his relationship with Holly was touching and obviously told from a perspective of experience. I was very impressed with how Davis dealt with the issue of Alzheimer's and what it does at a relationship level but also at a caregiver level to families.

I really liked Holly, Jason and Aldo, but I did feel like Holly's mom was taken a bit too far to salvage her like-ability at times. Obviously she was supposed to be difficult, but her "like-able" moments weren't redeeming for me since her non-like-able moments were particularly severe. Essentially she became the villain of the story for me and I'm not sure that was the intention. I was raised by a single mother on low income, we lived in low-rental housing and eventually my mom did also care for my grandparents who both went through Alzheimer's, and I can tell you because of that my mom was always very keen that I have a normal childhood and teen life. By taking that away from Holly's mom, Davis takes her to the level of evil step mom a la Cinderella style. After all the drama, it was hard to believe that Holly would be able to work things out with her mom at the end.

However, Davis does such an amazing job of Aldo and his relationship with Holly that although Holly's mom was a problem for me, I could largely overlook it and enjoy this story. It defiantly brought tears to my eyes at points, and it's advocacy for forgiveness and kindness were admirable.

A sweeping but quiet read, Wherever You Go is one of those books that's worth hunting down.
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Jan 30, 2012 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read more of my reviews at Nick's Book Blog

Wherever You Go came out in late 2011 and although I had the book with me, I was a bit hesitant to start reading this.
Firstly, I don't really like sad stories for the simple reason that they leave me feeling sad. Also, this book had mixed reviews from Goodreads reviewers.

The story is about Holly, who has recently lost her boyfriend Rob to a car crash. Throughout the book, Holly has to cope with a lot. She has to look after her younger sister, she needs...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: outdo-yourself-challenge, support-your-local-library-challeng, ya-reading-challenge

This book had a great ending.

The story is told from several different pov's...the MC, Holly, her dead boyfriend, Rob and her current boyfriend, Jason.

There are so many different things going on in this story, but they all loop together, that it makes it sort of difficult to explain the story.

Holly is the MC, who has lost her boyfriend when they get into a car accident months before and he dies. Holly also has a lot that she has to do at home, living with a single mom who works two jobs and havin...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you enjoyed Gayle Forman's If I stay I recommend this book to you.
Holly is a hard worker, she gives all of her spare time giving to her family. In her poor household, she has the role of mother, caretaker, sister and daughter. Her mother is a very scarce character, she pops in randomly throughout the book. It seems that her mother is only available to ask Holly to do more things and take more upon herself emotionally and criticize her for the way she is currently doing things. I personally th...more If you enjoyed Gayle Forman's If I stay I recommend this book to you.
Holly is a hard worker, she gives all of her spare time giving to her family. In her poor household, she has the role of mother, caretaker, sister and daughter. Her mother is a very scarce character, she pops in randomly throughout the book. It seems that her mother is only available to ask Holly to do more things and take more upon herself emotionally and criticize her for the way she is currently doing things. I personally think that Holly would have had a more normal life if she had taken on a night job instead of having to play the roll of mother and caretaker. To add to the toll of her home situation, her boyfriend had just died 6 months ago in a car accident. They were both in the vehicle and luckily she survived, but Roberto died in the crash. She is still trying to get over his death and take care of her sister when her mother adds more pressure by one day springing it on her that grandfather who has Alzheimers is coming to live with them. Her mother has 2 jobs, she is cranky and never around and continually states how much Holly is needed to run everything adding to the pressure and stress. Holly never gets a break.
One day Roberto's best friend Jason takes an interest in Holly. Although it is very confusing on why exactly as Holly is very introverted and depressed. I kept wondering what the attraction was but as he was Roberto's best friend, maybe the only attraction he had to her was her past relationship with Roberto. They were both close to him and still have a lot of questions about how and why he died. Jason also comes from a rich family and all of his friends also question his attraction to Holly as she does not fit into their lifestyle.
Throughout the whole story each chapter contains rotating point of views so if your not paying attention and it shifts to another character you can get caught of guard, it took me a second or two to realize who's head I was in.
Roberto, who is a ghost now, he does not know why exactly he is still trapped on Earth watching the people from his life carry on without him. When the grandfather, Aldo is brought into the house, he is able to see and talk to Roberto. During the sections where we are in Roberto's head he not only follows around Jason and Holly as they begin to bond, and he talks to Holly's grandfather Aldo. We also get to follow him to his own home and see how his death has taken a toll on his own family.
Overall I found the story very saddening. I did feel for Holly and think she's a stronger girl than me. I would have broken down and had a fit with all the stress she had on her shoulders. I liked Aldo the best because he added great humor and liveliness to the story. Without him I am not sure I would have gotten through the book. He made it all worthwhile for me. And while I had a love-hate relationship with the rest of the characters I think that this book really gets you thinking about duty and love, family and friends.
I suppose that this time of year is the best time to read this type of story. During the Thanksgiving and winter holidays we are surrounded by loved ones and giving to others. Holly is a great representative of pure selflessness and Jason represents help in a time of need and companionship. Something every body needs reminding of every once in awhile.(less)

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Nov 12, 2011 A Canadian Girl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars, 2011, houghton-mifflin

Told from the perspective of three teenagers, Heather Davis’ Wherever You Go is a novel about love, loss, hope, family and friendship. Although there is a paranormal element in that one of the leads is a ghost, the spotlight isn’t on him and so the book feels like a contemporary for the most part.

Holly Mullen, the first person narrator, is a very mature and likeable character. Faced with the task of managing the household and taking care of her little sister and grandfather because her single mo...more Told from the perspective of three teenagers, Heather Davis’ Wherever You Go is a novel about love, loss, hope, family and friendship. Although there is a paranormal element in that one of the leads is a ghost, the spotlight isn’t on him and so the book feels like a contemporary for the most part.

Holly Mullen, the first person narrator, is a very mature and likeable character. Faced with the task of managing the household and taking care of her little sister and grandfather because her single mom has two jobs and is rarely home, Holly accepts her responsibilities and handles them with grace rather than whining and complaining about the unfairness of life.

I actually felt like the Mullen family was real based on the way that Davis portrayed them. Too often, YA novels feature dysfunctional families; but in Wherever You Go, I sensed genuine love and a strong sense of loyalty to each other. Like any family though, the Mullens aren’t perfect. Holly, for example, gets annoyed at her mother for questioning her decisions about the way she’s running things since she’s been the one doing it all along.

Rob’s point-of-view felt a little strange because it was narrated from the second person, but this didn’t stop me from being able to relate to him. It’s easy to understand his avoidance of the memories surrounding his accident and confusion at wondering why he’s still stuck on earth. By making Rob a ghost, Davis enables him to see how his death affected those close to him and yet realize that life continues to go on. This is probably best exemplified in the romance that develops between Jason and Holly based on attempt at friendship.

Told from a third person narration, Jason’s perspective allows the reader to not only be aware of how Holly feels about him (from her narration) but also know how he feels about her. Despite the fact that both Holly and Jason are still trying to get over Rob’s death and that Holly has doubts about him (since Rob’s friends weren’t very nice to her while he was alive), Jason isn’t afraid to fight for their relationship. I thought it was really sweet that unlike a lot of guys in high school, Jason was willing to spend time with Grandpa Aldo and Lena because he understood that they were important to Holly and that she was in charge of taking care of them.

Aside from the great cast of characters and the emphasis on family, I liked that Davis chose to deal honestly with the subject of mental and neurological disorders. I cried when Grandpa Aldo showed Holly the list of things he never wants to forget because I can’t even imagine what it’s like to slowly be robbed of your most meaningful memories. Watching his condition worsen later was pretty tough too. Davis successfully demonstrates that having something like depression or Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) isn’t just hard on the person suffering from it but also on those close to them, and not seeking help can be disastrous.(less)

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Nov 01, 2011 Kristen My Bookish Fairy Tale rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wherever You Go is a beautifully written tale of love,loss and finding your way under even the worst circumstances.

I was enthralled with this novel. Wherever You Go took me to places where I haven't been in a very long time. I loved everything about this book. The story was beautifully written and I fell in the love with her characters. Heather is an amazing author.

Holly was such a strong character. With all of the tragedies and unexpected upheaval of her life she manages to keep it together th...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Amy Jacobs rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Wherever You Go was supposed to be a heartfelt and sweet book about love lost, love gained, and emotional turmoil. It indeed had all of that, but at times it was drawn out and dull.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. The first half of it is so slowly paced that I could have read an entire other book while waiting for something interesting to happen. Once I was about halfway through the story though, it did start to pick up and start to capture my interest. Another thing that I didn'...more

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Sep 17, 2011 Bailey (IB Book Blogging) rated it 4 of 5 stars

WHEREVER YOU GO is a highly emotional, thought-provoking read that YA readers are sure to enjoy. Even though I had a hard time getting into the story in the beginning, it picks up towards the middle and made me an emotional wreck. WHEREVER YOU GO deals with some very heavy concepts, so be prepared for that going in.

Holly is a little hard to warm up to, but I eventually was able to connect with her. She has so much on her plate, and takes care of her little sister and grandfather with Alzheimers...more WHEREVER YOU GO is a highly emotional, thought-provoking read that YA readers are sure to enjoy. Even though I had a hard time getting into the story in the beginning, it picks up towards the middle and made me an emotional wreck. WHEREVER YOU GO deals with some very heavy concepts, so be prepared for that going in.

Holly is a little hard to warm up to, but I eventually was able to connect with her. She has so much on her plate, and takes care of her little sister and grandfather with Alzheimers while her mother works long hours. To top it all off, her boyfriend of almost a year died in a terrible car accident. She miraculously survived, but she has to deal with the emotions that resulted from that accident. In WHEREVER YOU GO, Holly is able to heal with the help of Jason, her boyfriend Rob's friend, and find an unexpected love with him.

The scenes from Rob's voice were very sad and depressing. He doesn't understand why he hasn't moved on and must watch his family and Holly attempt to move on with their lives. I felt how much he truly loved Holly and understood his pain. There is also a bit of a mystery surrounding his accident. Neither he nor Holly are exactly sure what happened, and I tried to figure out what happened through the clues that were given.

Jason is a shy and quiet guy whom I instantly connected with. Like Holly, he is still hurting from Rob's death, but he starts to have more intense feelings for Holly. He has always felt something for her, but it isn't until now that he has been able to act upon it. The relationship between him and Holly is slow and sweet. He helps her with her grandfather, and through these interactions, Holly begins to return his feelings. But it is very complicated for Holly since she is still trying to recover from the death of her first boyfriend and love.

WHEREVER YOU GO starts out slow, but it eventually blossoms into an emotional and fascinating story. It ends on the perfect note and leaves you with the closure you have been hoping for since the beginning.(less)

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Sep 05, 2011 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-slj

Holly's boyfriend Rob haunts her and their town after a car accident a la Patrick Swayze in GHOST, but instead of Whoopi Goldberg acting as his medium, the only person who can see and hear him is Holly's recently arrived Alzheimer's-addled Grandfather. Maybe Rob has more in common with Susie in THE LOVELY BONES because she is less sure of what she should do or why she is still hanging around. Rob is all for going into the light, but no one is waving an enormous Mag-Lite.

In addition to Rob's unsa...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I had been in the mood to read a young adult book that had a bit more depth, beyond the paranormal genre. When I read the book synopsis, I was really intrigued because it offers a touch of paranormal and some promising themes of grief, loss, and a heartbreaking disease not usually found in young adult novels.

First 50 Pages: I’ve been reading a ton of great ghost stories lately and I am so happy that writers are g...more See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I had been in the mood to read a young adult book that had a bit more depth, beyond the paranormal genre. When I read the book synopsis, I was really intrigued because it offers a touch of paranormal and some promising themes of grief, loss, and a heartbreaking disease not usually found in young adult novels.

First 50 Pages: I’ve been reading a ton of great ghost stories lately and I am so happy that writers are getting better and better at addressing them properly. There for the longest time I hated reading paranormal books about ghosts because they always seemed so unbelievable to me. Wherever You Go is no exception. Even though this book is so much more than a great ghost story, the author handles Rob the ghost (or angel) wonderfully. It was one of the first things I noticed about this book, and it made me want to continue reading this book.

Characters & Plot Points: This is an emotion packed book that I definitely didn’t expect from this author. I’ve read other books by Heather Davis and it was apparent to me just how much this author has grown and matured with each of her books. The themes are strong in this latest addition and it is clearly her best work to date. I love books that know how to deal with heavy issues not all authors like to address. This book has a little bit of everything: depression, high school drama, dating, divorce, family dynamics, love, loss, healing, death and the afterlife, and dealing with a loved one that is stricken with Alzheimer's disease.

I also really enjoyed the character’s voices in this book. The book progresses between three different characters and each is told in a different point of view. Holly’s POV was in the 1st person and I really enjoyed the voice the author gave to her. She is incredibly strong and is the definition of a survivor. I’m not sure I could even handle some of the things she has to deal with throughout this book. Rob’s POV was in the 2nd person and I felt very sad for him for the way his life ended and what he had to deal with while being a ghost. I can’t even imagine how hard it would be to watch the person you loved on a daily basis and not be able to speak to them or touch them. Jason’s point of view was in 3rd person and he is one of my favorite characters in this book. He knows how to stand up to his friends and doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him and Holly becoming an item. The way he supports her and is always there for her and her family is especially touching.

My personal favorite character is Aldo, Holly’s grandfather. He has such a unique and humorous voice despite having his disease that doesn’t let him communicate with his family in ways that he would like to. My grandmother had Alzheimer’s before she passed away and so many things Aldo did or how he acted, reminded me of my grandmother’s progression with her disease. It is obvious the author did her homework on that subject.

Final Thoughts: This is an incredible book that I can’t recommend highly enough. No child should ever be put in a position where they have to be a caregiver. No child should be depressed to the point where they feel they should take their own life. The themes in this book are a stand out to me and it is definitely worth the time to read.(less)

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Apr 09, 2011 Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, netgalley

I was just recently discussing with a friend that there are very few age appropriate YA novels out there. Then I was able to read a galley of Wherever You Go. This YA novel discusses some very serious issues that youth face on a daily basis; teen depression, how rumors effect relationships, dating, divorce, varying family dynamics and dealing with a grandparent that has Alzheimer's. This book has depth that many YA novels lack. This book lacks the standard graphic sex and foul language, which is...more I was just recently discussing with a friend that there are very few age appropriate YA novels out there. Then I was able to read a galley of Wherever You Go. This YA novel discusses some very serious issues that youth face on a daily basis; teen depression, how rumors effect relationships, dating, divorce, varying family dynamics and dealing with a grandparent that has Alzheimer's. This book has depth that many YA novels lack. This book lacks the standard graphic sex and foul language, which is such a nice change. Wherever You Go was engaging and the story line was so interesting. Some of you may not enjoy books involving ghosts, but this one has such a neat and heartwarming twist. Wherever You Go brings together 3 generations of one family and allows them to really "see" each other for the first time. I have to say I loved Wherever You Go! It is a great read for young adults and one that adults will also enjoy. As a mother, it forces me to think and mentally address the stressful situations that my children will face as they grow and mature. Resulting in the reality that constant communication and a genuine interest in their lives to provide them the reassurance of my love from them despite the situation. I highly recommend Wherever you Go.

Here are some quotes that I really loved Wherever You Go-
p. 301-302: "And then I started to cry, because that's what I felt like doing just then. And sometimes you have to let yourself do those things. To feel what you feel, because it's the only true thing you can do."
-I liked this so much because at times it feels as if we teach our kids to buck up and not cry about things, when crying may be the coping mechanism needed at the time.

p.310: "The simplest things should make a person happy. Happy should be simpler than it never was."
-I was struck by this quote from the book because I was a bit alarmed that a young kid would have this perception of the world. It forces one to acknowledge the pressures that our teens are under.

p. 210: "Sometimes all you wanted to do was to leave it all behind. But now it seems like something you want to do. Grow up, have adventures, travel, see things like elephants in the wild, do something important to help people, all that world-peace stuff."
-This effected me because I lost a friend when I was in high school to suicide and it brought back many feelings about all the great things he could have done. That in the moment situations appear awful but when this moment passes and perspective is regained the moment was really not that bad. How do we get the kids through the bad moments and safely to the other side? It made me worry about my children's future struggles and just being mindful to what is going on in their lives. To always "see" them.

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Mar 27, 2011 Cleffairy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea

Date reviewed: 25th March 2011

Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5033

Wherever You Go is a hauntingly beautiful story that tells the story of different kind of love…love that suffocates, love that bind, and love that frees you. It’s pretty insightful in many ways.

Wherever You Go by Heather Davis is also eerie in some ways, but I learn quite a lot from it, especially about loving someone from afar and one of the greatest love of all is letting go.

There’s a melanchol...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Liz Chapman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: wish-list

Wonderful! It's "Two Moons in August" + "The Lovely Bones" + itself!

Holly's boyfriend died in a car accident 6 months ago, and if that wasn't enough to deal with, her single mother informs her that Grandpa Aldo's Alzheimer's is getting worse and he'll be living with the family for a while.

The story alternates in point of view between Holly, told in the 1st person past tense, Jason (late boyfriend's best friend, who may be developing feelings for Holly) in the 3rd person past tense, and...Rob,...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Sallysmurf rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wherever you go had me gripped from the first line. A YA/paranormal novel it deals with a variety of issues from losing a loved one to teen depression to Alzheimer’s, divorce and the responsibilities that come with being a young carer. Reeling off such a list might give you the impression that this is a heavy read but in actual fact that is far from the case. I found this tale to be thought provoking and heart warming and the way that Heather Davis writes tugs on the heart strings on more than o...more Wherever you go had me gripped from the first line. A YA/paranormal novel it deals with a variety of issues from losing a loved one to teen depression to Alzheimer’s, divorce and the responsibilities that come with being a young carer. Reeling off such a list might give you the impression that this is a heavy read but in actual fact that is far from the case. I found this tale to be thought provoking and heart warming and the way that Heather Davis writes tugs on the heart strings on more than one occasion!

The story’s main character is Holly who has recently survived a car crash in which her boyfriend Rob is killed. At the same time as she is trying to come to terms with her loss, Holly also attends school and acts as main carer for her sister whilst her mother who is single works two jobs. She then also finds herself taking on the role of carer for her Grandfather who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Enter Jason, Rob’s best friend with whom she starts to strike up a relationship, although their recent loss means they both bring some pretty substantial baggage with them. Both however are oblivious to the fact that Rob has failed to move on from this life and now exists in their world as a ghost. For his part Rob finds himself forced to stand on the sidelines and watch everyone that he cares about grieving for him as well as watching the girl he loves move on to a new life away from him. That is until he realises that Holly’s Grandfather can see him. It is this realisation that sets in motion a chain of events that lead to a beautifully written and emotional conclusion as Rob tries to find his way out of this world and to help everyone around him find some kind of resolution.

The story is told from three perspectives, namely; Holly’s, Rob’s and Jason’s. I liked how each character is written in a different person i.e. Holly is written in the first person, Rob in the second and Jason in the third and I also liked the way that the three plots weave together using the different viewpoints. From the outside looking in you can see the burden that weighs Holly down as she struggles to hold everything together and you get frustrated by her mother’s ignorance to the situation, although perhaps it’s more about denial than ignorance. I also felt really sorry for Jason who had clearly been infatuated with Holly for a long time but who now resides in Rob’s shadow. Most heartbreaking I thought was the struggle that Rob is experiencing, especially as he watches Holly, Jason and his parents who are still mourning his death. Every line of his broke my heart just a little bit. I felt instantly attached to all of the characters in the story each of which has their own struggle. I also love the parallel between Rob and Aldo whereby Rob is prevented communicating with the outside world because of his current state and Aldo is able to foresee a time when he is in the same position as a result of his progressive condition. The bond that the two forge is really lovely to read. I also love the list that Aldo writes which contains the things he doesn’t want to forget – just beautiful.

I could actually keep on writing about this book forever. There are many other angles to this story but I don’t want to give too much away. I was transfixed from the outset and love the range of emotions that it evokes as you read it. As I said earlier, there are a range of issues that are dealt with and I’ve no doubt that many of these will strike a chord with the readers. I was therefore also impressed at the addition of the helplines at the back of the book. I think these could serve to be very useful.

I love this book completely, even though it left me in mourning for days!! Can’t wait to buy a copy of this for my bookshelf. One caution - It’s a weepie and you’ll need tissues!

Original review can be found at:
http://themidnightreaders.blogspot.co...(less)

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Apr 03, 2011 Lacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

First thoughts:

This book really touched my heart, it was deep, realistic and most importantly it was very well written. I loved the character development of Holly the most, seeing her transform from a grief stricken and accepting caterpillar to a very happy and strong butterfly was amazing to read. This was a very fast read to me, it captured my attention from the beginning, being able to see points of view from four different characters really supported all the conflict in the story. I think if...more

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May 10, 2011 Cherie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. *SPOILER ALERT*

This was so much more than just a YA love story - this was a life story with all of the gritty bits that people don't want to know about, and as such it was so real and moving.

I have given a spoiler alert as I don't think I can really talk about how much I liked this book without giving some things away.

The book is centred around Rob, a lingering ghost in the world he resided in before death. He visits with the people that meant something to him before his accident, but none of th...more

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Jun 06, 2011 Karla Nellenbach rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Book: WHEREVER YOU GO

The Author: Heather Davis

The Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Release Date: November 14, 2011

Summary:

Six months ago, Holly Mullen barely walked away from the car accident that claimed her boyfriend's life. Since then, she's withdrawn from everyone and everything around her. Her feelings of loss and loneliness are compounded not only by the responsibility of caring for her younger sister and Alzheimer's riddled grandfather but...more

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May 13, 2011 Seanean rated it 3 of 5 stars

http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/201...

It's been months since the car accident that killed Rob and nearly killed his girlfriend, Holly. Now Holly has to live with the guilt and the dirty looks from her classmates who blame her. She also has the added burden of taking care of her grandfather with Alzheimer's when he moves in. Her mother works two jobs to support the family, while Holly has to do all the work at home to get her sister to school, her grandfather to his day center and doctors' app...more http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/201...

It's been months since the car accident that killed Rob and nearly killed his girlfriend, Holly. Now Holly has to live with the guilt and the dirty looks from her classmates who blame her. She also has the added burden of taking care of her grandfather with Alzheimer's when he moves in. Her mother works two jobs to support the family, while Holly has to do all the work at home to get her sister to school, her grandfather to his day center and doctors' appointments, and she still has to get good grades in school.

Jason, Rob's best friend, sees Holly struggle and begins to realize that she's in pain. He knows that the other students are wrong about Holly and he starts to feel like maybe Rob didn't deserve her. Now he must find a way to convince Holly, and his own friends, that it's OK for the best friend and girlfriend of the dead guy to get together. It may even be fate.

And then there's Rob. He's floating around, watching his family and friends struggle with his death, even while he himself must come to terms with what happened. Luckily, the Alzheimer's that plaguing Holly's grandfather also allows that grandfather to see Rob. Maybe Rob has a chance to help his friends before he sees "the light".

Or maybe he'll be trapped, helplessly watching, forever...

Final thoughts: There are some interesting ideas here, but it just doesn't come together well. Davis has made the choice to change the viewpoint of each character to help delineate between the three, but she's really just made a mess. Holly is all first person (I, me, etc...). Rob is the rarely used second person (you, your). And Jason is in third person (he, his). It's extremely confusing to start because the writing style keeps switching and you have to re-set your brain over and over again. Holly's mother just ticks me off. I understand that she's struggling to keep the bills paid, but she never fully acknowledges what she's doing to Holly or how poorly she's treating her. Often, as I read Holly, I kept feeling like I was reading about a 12-year-old and not a 17-year-old girl. Her feelings were immature and childish and just didn't sit well with me. The ending got a little preachy with the whole accepting life/fate/the future, etc... This is a good book to recommend for those dealing with grief, but it's a little heavy for the casual reader.(less)

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Feb 08, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, contemporary-fiction-read, my-library, paranormal-read, romance, young-adult-read

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

My Summary: Holly's life is not what you'd call ideal - her mother works two jobs, and Holly is forced to pick up the slack at home by cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her little sister. Add to that the fact that her boyfriend Rob just died, and it's easy to see why Holly isn't very happy when her mother decides that Holly's grandfather - who suffers from Alzheimer's - is coming to live with them in th...more Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

My Summary: Holly's life is not what you'd call ideal - her mother works two jobs, and Holly is forced to pick up the slack at home by cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her little sister. Add to that the fact that her boyfriend Rob just died, and it's easy to see why Holly isn't very happy when her mother decides that Holly's grandfather - who suffers from Alzheimer's - is coming to live with them in their cramped apartment.

Soon Holly begins to feel overwhelmed by all her responsibilities at home. Things only get worse when her grandfather claims to be communicating with the Rob, and when Rob's friend Jason begins spending more time with Holly. When Jason reveals that he wants to get to know her better, Holly is torn between this chance to move on and her resonating feelings for Rob.

My Thoughts: This novel was both touching and heartbreaking. I immediately related to Holly, and I felt like she didn't deserve all the heartache in her life even though she was strong and able to push through all the tragedies and be happy. This novel begs the question: how long does it take to move on after the death of someone we loved? Can we ever truly love someone the same way that we loved them?

This book was an emotional roller-coaster ride. It made me cry like a baby at points and smile in others. I loved the character of Jason, and that he was always there for Holly - even when she didn't know it. I also really liked the character of Aldo (Holly's grandfather). He added that little bit of humour (not in a bad way) that was needed in the story.

The writing was well done, although the point-of-view changes confused me a little in the beginning. Other than there was nothing I disliked about the book!

Final Thoughts: I recommend this to anyone who enjoys more thoughtful YA - contemporary literature especially. I think you'll definitely enjoy this novel if you liked If I Stay by Gayle Forman. Check it out if you're in the mood for a good cry! (less)

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Feb 01, 2012 Lindsay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Holly has just lost her boyfriend, Rob, in a car accident. She should be able to be alone and grieve, right? Wrong. Because she was also in that car with Rob, and now all of Rob's friends are blaming Holly for the accident because she needed a ride home. Well, all of Rob's friends except for Jason, who has fallen in love with Holly. When he is with her, he still feels somehow a connection with Rob. But Holly's life is complicated not just at school but at home, too, because she has to take care...more

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Mar 26, 2011 Vonny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-book-covers

"Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. The fact that she has to spend most of her free time caring for her little sister and Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather doesn’t help. But Holly has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, reach out to help Holly with her grandfather—but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. Is his best friend...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Rachel Harris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This novel completely pulled at my heartstrings. Even with the deadline of this review looming over my head and a teetering pile of books left to read, I was hesitant to get to the end and leave the story world Heather Davis created. Despite the changing style choices within each point of view, she constructed this story in such a way that not only did I care deeply for each of the main characters, but I anxiously rooted for them. Each turn of the page revealed a different heart-wrenching facet...more This novel completely pulled at my heartstrings. Even with the deadline of this review looming over my head and a teetering pile of books left to read, I was hesitant to get to the end and leave the story world Heather Davis created. Despite the changing style choices within each point of view, she constructed this story in such a way that not only did I care deeply for each of the main characters, but I anxiously rooted for them. Each turn of the page revealed a different heart-wrenching facet of their personalities or another stumbling block in their young lives.

Holly lived through more in her seventeen years than most adults ever have to face, yet she embraced everything life threw at her with maturity and grace. She was forced to become parent, caregiver, housekeeper, and chef, all while finishing high school and living with the grief over her boyfriend’s death. It would’ve been easy to make this character a martyr who merely survived day-to-day, or even a Pollyanna type. But Holly wasn’t perfect. She stifled her anger, avoided confrontation, jumped to conclusions, and pushed people away. As the story unfolded in her first person account, I lived her character arc with her, experiencing the growth in confidence not only in herself, but also in what she needed and who she wanted to be.

Jason was part of the popular crowd, but not the head of it. His best friend died, and the remaining friend he has sucks as a human being. His parents were splitting up, and he was pining for his dead best friend’s girl. The cards were kinda stacked against him. But what I loved the most about Jason was his strength. Once he got over his fears, he was determination to win Holly, and I totally lost my heart to his selfless way of doing so by helping her Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather hold onto his memories. Jason’s third person point of view allowed the reader to take a step back, fall in love with him along with Holly, and watch his side of their love story unfold much like the third main character, Jason’s dead best friend and Holly’s former boyfriend Rob.

Rob was a ghost, forced to watch his loved ones day after day without speaking to them. Without even sleep to break the monotony of his so-called life, he’d resigned himself to his existence without hope of the bright light everyone speaks of . . . until he meets Aldo, Holly’s grandfather. Aldo’s ability to see and converse with him gives Rob newfound energy and perspective—until his best friend moves in on his girlfriend. And he watches his parents go to counseling for their grief. And the pesky memories of what really happened the night he died starts coming back. His second person point of view was probably the most jarring for me at first, but the one I enjoyed the most. It is hard to pull off well, but Heather Davis handled it beautifully, and the haunting quality it lent to Rob’s account added depth to his role as a spirit.

Overall, WHEREVER YOU GO is probably one of my favorite reads of 2011. The heart infused in every single page was simply gorgeous. This was the first Heather Davis novel I read, but it definitely won’t be my last.
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Nov 06, 2011 Brandi Kosiner added it

Wherever You Go is an emotional roller coaster with three main characters who evoke sympathy, pain and the different forms of love. Ms. Davis wrote the character's well, and their voices are distinct. Even if she didn't use different point of views, I could keep their voice straight. The perspectives all piece together well, and does not take away from the flow of the story.
This is certainly a unique form of the love triangle, and I think that it's development and resolution are perfect.
Whe...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Martha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Something about this book grabbed me from the start. I really like the idea of having a ghost tell part of the story from a ghost point of view I guess. Usually, when I read a book, the characters are faceless so they can be anyone. Throughout this book I pictured the ghost with a specific face, is this because a ghost doesn't have a face.
I started reading this book two days after I learned that my cousin is on hospice so although Aldo wasn't on hospice, he was requiring care and didn't have man...more

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