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Through Her Eyes
Every ghost has a story to tell.
The last place Tansy Piper wants to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But it's the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar—a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal—that have the most chilling impact on her.
Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality—before she loses touch with her own life forever.
The last place Tansy Piper wants to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But it's the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar—a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal—that have the most chilling impact on her.
Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality—before she loses touch with her own life forever.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2011
35 people are currently reading
5170 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Archer
28 books194 followersJennifer Archer is an award-winning author of eleven novels and three novellas in the young adult, romantic comedy, and women's fiction genres and has co-authored a non-fiction book. Her novels have been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s Rita Award and Romantic Times Bookclub’s Reviewer’s Choice Award. The Texas Library Association selected her debut young adult novel Through Her Eyes for their first Spirit of Texas Reading Program – Middle School and for the TAYSHAS High School reading list. Jennifer also writes and edits for clients through her business, Archer Editing & Writing Services www.archereditingandwriting.com. She lives in Texas with her husband and three dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
July 12, 2011
3.5 stars
I have mixed feelings about this book which is why it didn't get a higher rating. I couldn't wait to finish it and find out what would happen in the end. Would Tansy choose to stay in the real world or would Henry suck her into his own world? On the other hand I did not really like Tansy all that much. I admired the care she took of her grandpa Dan but she was so judgmental of everyone around her that it grated on me. I know moving around is hard but to so meanly label people based on first impressions and yet be angry when others judge her and make fun of her based on initial impressions seems so hypocritical. I also found it pretty ridiculous that she went on one date with this Colin guy and then gets pissed off that her friend went on a date with her "almost boyfriend". Ummm, one date does not make for a boyfriend. Yes, I can see why she would be hurt but to then go on and on how artificial people are and how scarred she is and un-trusting of people's offer of friendship because of that incident seems so over blown. I had to keep reminding myself she's a teenager and that could account for some of this but it still bothered me.
What kept me entranced was the story. I did find it creepy that she could see into this other world using her camera lense and I wish she had utilized that a little more instead of focusing so much on the crystal necklace. I think it fit in perfectly with the superstition about cameras being able to see into your soul or steal your soul. Henry's instability was perfectly played and I can see the dangerous attraction even though you really want to shake Tansy and Bell to run the other way.
The ending wasn't what I really expected though. If you haven't read the book and don't want any spoilers stop here. Otherwise keep reading below to see my questions about the ending.
I am not clear on Henry's motives in the end. It seemed like at first Tansy was in danger of being sucked into Henry's world and never be able to return to the real world. But in the end it turns out Henry really had good intentions and just wanted Grandpa Dan to know he was forgiven. If that was the case why the big deal of whether or not Tansy would disappear into Henry's world? Was she ever in danger? It just seems like she has this monumental decision to make and then all of a sudden she gets an epiphany of what Henry's purpose was and no longer felt this temptation to lose herself in his world. When I read that it fell flat for me. The author took this great suspense of what is Tansy going to do? Will Henry drag her into his world? Would she choose to stay in the real world? And then copped out of it by ending it with a "oh, Henry never meant Tansy harm. He just wanted her to deliver a message." I wanted some sort of show down between the two as she makes her choice.
I have mixed feelings about this book which is why it didn't get a higher rating. I couldn't wait to finish it and find out what would happen in the end. Would Tansy choose to stay in the real world or would Henry suck her into his own world? On the other hand I did not really like Tansy all that much. I admired the care she took of her grandpa Dan but she was so judgmental of everyone around her that it grated on me. I know moving around is hard but to so meanly label people based on first impressions and yet be angry when others judge her and make fun of her based on initial impressions seems so hypocritical. I also found it pretty ridiculous that she went on one date with this Colin guy and then gets pissed off that her friend went on a date with her "almost boyfriend". Ummm, one date does not make for a boyfriend. Yes, I can see why she would be hurt but to then go on and on how artificial people are and how scarred she is and un-trusting of people's offer of friendship because of that incident seems so over blown. I had to keep reminding myself she's a teenager and that could account for some of this but it still bothered me.
What kept me entranced was the story. I did find it creepy that she could see into this other world using her camera lense and I wish she had utilized that a little more instead of focusing so much on the crystal necklace. I think it fit in perfectly with the superstition about cameras being able to see into your soul or steal your soul. Henry's instability was perfectly played and I can see the dangerous attraction even though you really want to shake Tansy and Bell to run the other way.
The ending wasn't what I really expected though. If you haven't read the book and don't want any spoilers stop here. Otherwise keep reading below to see my questions about the ending.
I am not clear on Henry's motives in the end. It seemed like at first Tansy was in danger of being sucked into Henry's world and never be able to return to the real world. But in the end it turns out Henry really had good intentions and just wanted Grandpa Dan to know he was forgiven. If that was the case why the big deal of whether or not Tansy would disappear into Henry's world? Was she ever in danger? It just seems like she has this monumental decision to make and then all of a sudden she gets an epiphany of what Henry's purpose was and no longer felt this temptation to lose herself in his world. When I read that it fell flat for me. The author took this great suspense of what is Tansy going to do? Will Henry drag her into his world? Would she choose to stay in the real world? And then copped out of it by ending it with a "oh, Henry never meant Tansy harm. He just wanted her to deliver a message." I wanted some sort of show down between the two as she makes her choice.
March 4, 2016
3.5-4 Stars.
This a story about a girl Tansy Piper who lives to Cedar Canyon, Texas with her horror author mother and mute grandfather.
Tansy is tired from moving from state to state for her mom's books. Her mom promises to finish the book early and when she finishes they'll leave if she gives Cedar Canyon a try.
Another fact to know is that the house they live in is "haunted" because the son of the father committed suicide in the 20s, the same age as her.
So of course she's interested when she goes into the cellar and finds his journal, a crystal and a pocketwatch.
She starts taking pictures and sees a guy in it with her grandfather and the picture is messing with her mind. Other things happen and she steps into the picture with the crystal. It's a lot.
She meets new people that are a little mysterious and she's trying to find out what happened to Henry, her grandfather and a girl that leads to Henry's" suicide".
It's actually pretty interesting seeing that I love books like this and wish there were more and with people in there early 20s but.
The mystery behind Henry is really intriguing and the people around him and the fact that Tansy's mom is an author but everything else was just standard.
This a story about a girl Tansy Piper who lives to Cedar Canyon, Texas with her horror author mother and mute grandfather.
Tansy is tired from moving from state to state for her mom's books. Her mom promises to finish the book early and when she finishes they'll leave if she gives Cedar Canyon a try.
Another fact to know is that the house they live in is "haunted" because the son of the father committed suicide in the 20s, the same age as her.
So of course she's interested when she goes into the cellar and finds his journal, a crystal and a pocketwatch.
She starts taking pictures and sees a guy in it with her grandfather and the picture is messing with her mind. Other things happen and she steps into the picture with the crystal. It's a lot.
She meets new people that are a little mysterious and she's trying to find out what happened to Henry, her grandfather and a girl that leads to Henry's" suicide".
It's actually pretty interesting seeing that I love books like this and wish there were more and with people in there early 20s but.
The mystery behind Henry is really intriguing and the people around him and the fact that Tansy's mom is an author but everything else was just standard.
July 26, 2011
Have you ever read a book that catches you totally by surprise? You're just working your way through your TBR list, and happen upon a book that doesn't particularly stand out to you, and then by page 2, BAM! You're completely, irreversibly HOOKED. You can't stop reading, the characters are jumping off the page, the scenes are so vivid you feel like you're right there, and the story is so incredibly addicting, you can't stop thinking about it. Yeah, that pretty much describes my experience with this book.
I picked up Through Her Eyes without any preconceived ideas-- yes, the cover is pretty awesome, the story sounded pretty good-- but it's not like I was super-excited about it or anything. But then I started reading. From the first couple pages, I knew this was going to be a really, really good book.
Tansy Piper has just moved to Cedar Canyon, a small West Texan town in the middle of nowhere, with her mom and grandpa. The house they move into is very big and very old-- and it also happens to have a very disturbing past. Long ago, a boy named Henry lived there. One night, Henry jumped off the bridge into the canyon, and now it is rumored that his ghost still haunts the old house. Soon after moving in, Tansy discovers a journal that once belonged to Henry, along with a crystal pendent, and a pocket watch. For some reason, Tansy feels inexplicably drawn to Henry's past, and soon she finds herself becoming more and more wrapped up in his dark and troubled world. Is she going crazy? Or is she really being haunted? The only way she'll be able to find help is by finally letting her guard down and learning to trust other people.
I loved the characters in this book, because the author gives them history, motives, and depth. Tansy Piper, for me, was a wonderfully flawed character, and I really felt for her throughout the story. I got to know her past, her pain, her fears, her passions, and her hopes. Tansy has been on the move her entire life, going from one city or town to the next-- she's known what it feels like to be an outcast and what it feels like to be betrayed by someone she thought was a friend. The emotions and thoughts that run through her head and the inner struggles she has felt very real to me, and I was definitely able to connect with her.
And then there was Papa Dan. Papa Dan was hands-down one of my favorite secondary characters ever. Over eighty years old and suffering from dementia, Papa Dan barely ever says a word, and yet JA creates a tragicomic character who you can't help but love like your own grandpa. Throughout the book, I laughed and cried, as Tansy learned to appreciate all the memories she had with Papa Dan, while learning that she has to let go of him eventually.
The mood set in this story was eerie, yet irresistibly alluring. The small town of Cedar Canyon completely draws you in until you feel like you're actually there, and really can see through Tansy's eyes. The story itself moves along at a bit of a slower pace than others I've read-- there's a good amount of internal dialogue as Tansy struggles with what's going on-- but I didn't mind because I was so thoroughly invested in the main characters. Also, I had to see how everything ended!
I could probably say a million different things about this book, about how I couldn't put it down (I couldn't), about how brilliant the writing was, about how easy it was to understand and follow the characters because we know their history, but I feel like that still wouldn't be doing it justice. I will just end this review by saying, give this one a chance, because it completely threw me off guard and exceeded my expectations. Beautiful, mysterious and haunting, Through Her Eyes was one amazing book.
I picked up Through Her Eyes without any preconceived ideas-- yes, the cover is pretty awesome, the story sounded pretty good-- but it's not like I was super-excited about it or anything. But then I started reading. From the first couple pages, I knew this was going to be a really, really good book.
Tansy Piper has just moved to Cedar Canyon, a small West Texan town in the middle of nowhere, with her mom and grandpa. The house they move into is very big and very old-- and it also happens to have a very disturbing past. Long ago, a boy named Henry lived there. One night, Henry jumped off the bridge into the canyon, and now it is rumored that his ghost still haunts the old house. Soon after moving in, Tansy discovers a journal that once belonged to Henry, along with a crystal pendent, and a pocket watch. For some reason, Tansy feels inexplicably drawn to Henry's past, and soon she finds herself becoming more and more wrapped up in his dark and troubled world. Is she going crazy? Or is she really being haunted? The only way she'll be able to find help is by finally letting her guard down and learning to trust other people.
I loved the characters in this book, because the author gives them history, motives, and depth. Tansy Piper, for me, was a wonderfully flawed character, and I really felt for her throughout the story. I got to know her past, her pain, her fears, her passions, and her hopes. Tansy has been on the move her entire life, going from one city or town to the next-- she's known what it feels like to be an outcast and what it feels like to be betrayed by someone she thought was a friend. The emotions and thoughts that run through her head and the inner struggles she has felt very real to me, and I was definitely able to connect with her.
And then there was Papa Dan. Papa Dan was hands-down one of my favorite secondary characters ever. Over eighty years old and suffering from dementia, Papa Dan barely ever says a word, and yet JA creates a tragicomic character who you can't help but love like your own grandpa. Throughout the book, I laughed and cried, as Tansy learned to appreciate all the memories she had with Papa Dan, while learning that she has to let go of him eventually.
The mood set in this story was eerie, yet irresistibly alluring. The small town of Cedar Canyon completely draws you in until you feel like you're actually there, and really can see through Tansy's eyes. The story itself moves along at a bit of a slower pace than others I've read-- there's a good amount of internal dialogue as Tansy struggles with what's going on-- but I didn't mind because I was so thoroughly invested in the main characters. Also, I had to see how everything ended!
I could probably say a million different things about this book, about how I couldn't put it down (I couldn't), about how brilliant the writing was, about how easy it was to understand and follow the characters because we know their history, but I feel like that still wouldn't be doing it justice. I will just end this review by saying, give this one a chance, because it completely threw me off guard and exceeded my expectations. Beautiful, mysterious and haunting, Through Her Eyes was one amazing book.
May 16, 2011
Jennifer Archer's writing is refreshing, poetic and realistic. It's one of those stories that makes you wonder if this town is real and if the ghost stories really happened. I think Jennifer's portrayal of a small TX town was spot on. I felt like I was apart of the story and the world in which Jennifer created.
I was really captivated with the way Jennifer wove together history with modern day and added that perfect paranormal twist to her story. I was so caught up in how Tansy, her grandfather Papa Dan, Tate and Henry were all connected, I couldn't put the book down. I needed answers. Tansy was a character I sympathized with. Though I personally don't know what it's like having a mother who's a well known writer and having to move from town each time she starts a new book, I felt I got to know what it's like getting to know Tansy. Tansy and her mother had a relationship that was a bit broken, but it wasn't one that lacked love. Mixed with Tansy's feeling of isolation and feeling friendless is Henry, the ghost who haunts the home Tansy, her mother and Papa Dan move into.
Jennifer's writing really allowed me to feel the emotions that Tansy and Henry felt and were feeling. It was no surprise they were drawn to each other, even though my motherly instincts wanted to grab Tansy and get her the heck out of there, I also found myself drawn to Henry and I wanted to find out what the historical connection he had with Tansy's Grandfather, Papa Dan. The setting also played a huge role with the emotions. Cedar Canyon is a tiny little town in the middle of now where and the old home Tansy moves into it is very haunted. I understood the emotions Tansy went through. Having moved from San Francisco the tiny town USA where everyone grew up knowing each other, Tansy has to worry about fitting in.
Tansy has a great cast of supporting characters around her. Each character had a roll to play and they did so well. I should say, each character was written true to life. Papa Dan was my favorite character, and surprisingly he doesn't have a lot of speaking roles, but it's his presence and his role in Henry's history that I found most fascinating. I loved the relationship he and Tansy had. It was unique, strong and one full of genuine love and concern. It really made me miss having my grandfather around. There's a great love interest with Tate. Through out the whole story I was back and forth with him. I liked it, but then I wanted to know what his ulterior motive was, then I wanted Tansy to fall for him, then I questioned his true feelings, much like Tansy was doing. I couldn't help but love his character, and my only compliant with the book was not having more scenes with Tate.
Through Eyes is a beautifully haunting, rich story. Jennifer's writing is so captivating. She brings her story to life in such a unique way. It's a ghost story with a rich history that takes place in modern day and will also transport you back in time, so you're not only getting to meet people in Tansy's life now, but those that were in her Papa Dan's life. There's a lot of elements to this story, mystery, romance, friendship, teenage life, small town life, and family relationships all wrapped up around a haunting ghost story. Let me just say, Jennifer Archer's setting makes me want to take a road trip up to the TX Panhandle. I recommend picking up Through Her Eyes. I'm looking forward to reading more YA books from Jennifer.
I was really captivated with the way Jennifer wove together history with modern day and added that perfect paranormal twist to her story. I was so caught up in how Tansy, her grandfather Papa Dan, Tate and Henry were all connected, I couldn't put the book down. I needed answers. Tansy was a character I sympathized with. Though I personally don't know what it's like having a mother who's a well known writer and having to move from town each time she starts a new book, I felt I got to know what it's like getting to know Tansy. Tansy and her mother had a relationship that was a bit broken, but it wasn't one that lacked love. Mixed with Tansy's feeling of isolation and feeling friendless is Henry, the ghost who haunts the home Tansy, her mother and Papa Dan move into.
Jennifer's writing really allowed me to feel the emotions that Tansy and Henry felt and were feeling. It was no surprise they were drawn to each other, even though my motherly instincts wanted to grab Tansy and get her the heck out of there, I also found myself drawn to Henry and I wanted to find out what the historical connection he had with Tansy's Grandfather, Papa Dan. The setting also played a huge role with the emotions. Cedar Canyon is a tiny little town in the middle of now where and the old home Tansy moves into it is very haunted. I understood the emotions Tansy went through. Having moved from San Francisco the tiny town USA where everyone grew up knowing each other, Tansy has to worry about fitting in.
Tansy has a great cast of supporting characters around her. Each character had a roll to play and they did so well. I should say, each character was written true to life. Papa Dan was my favorite character, and surprisingly he doesn't have a lot of speaking roles, but it's his presence and his role in Henry's history that I found most fascinating. I loved the relationship he and Tansy had. It was unique, strong and one full of genuine love and concern. It really made me miss having my grandfather around. There's a great love interest with Tate. Through out the whole story I was back and forth with him. I liked it, but then I wanted to know what his ulterior motive was, then I wanted Tansy to fall for him, then I questioned his true feelings, much like Tansy was doing. I couldn't help but love his character, and my only compliant with the book was not having more scenes with Tate.
Through Eyes is a beautifully haunting, rich story. Jennifer's writing is so captivating. She brings her story to life in such a unique way. It's a ghost story with a rich history that takes place in modern day and will also transport you back in time, so you're not only getting to meet people in Tansy's life now, but those that were in her Papa Dan's life. There's a lot of elements to this story, mystery, romance, friendship, teenage life, small town life, and family relationships all wrapped up around a haunting ghost story. Let me just say, Jennifer Archer's setting makes me want to take a road trip up to the TX Panhandle. I recommend picking up Through Her Eyes. I'm looking forward to reading more YA books from Jennifer.
July 21, 2011
Jennifer Archer’s Through Her Eyes, tells the haunting story of Sixteen year old Tansy Piper who has been forced to move, yet again, because of her mother’s desire to put the past behind her. Tansy, her mother, and her grandfather Papa Dan, end up moving to the southwest and a small town in Texas called Cedar Canyon.
Tansy’s mother is a writer who goes by the name of Millicent Moon. Supposingly she is the female version of Stephen King, without all the fame and fortune that goes along with it. Millicent believes it gives her book more of a realistic feel to it if she actually lives there while she is writing her stories. Millicent is also running from the past and the memories of her husband’s death and the nightmares it brings with it. She claims she is moving to Cedar Canyon because Papa Dan once lived there.
Cedar Canyon is typical of any small town in the south; a mix of Mayberry, along with the fact that everyone knows pretty much everyone else as well as their secrets. They can be what I call southern friendly as well. There are some strange events like the Watermelon Run, and where football is as big as God himself. (For those who live in the south, you know this to be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; especially in Texas and Florida!)
When Tansy finds a box in the cellar of her new home containing a worn leather book, a golden pocket watch, and a tear-shaped crystal pendant, it leads her on a journey that takes her into the past lives of not only her beloved grandfather Papa Dan, but the mysterious Henry Peterson and the circumstances behind his death that was ruled a suicide.
This is Tansy’s story, as well as Henry, Dan, and Isabel’s. The intermingling of characters from the past to the present is what makes this book so interesting to me. Tansy actually finds that she is Isabel in the past, and therefore she is falling in love with Henry as Isabel does.
Tansy loves to take pictures. She is extremely good at it. She has an eye for light and shading and atmosphere for capturing beauty in unexpected things and places. She knows that sometimes what you see in the camera’s viewfinder can’t be seen with the normal eye. It is also her own personal escape that she can take and be herself when things start to get dumped on her. She even has her own dark room where she can escape for a while and immerse herself into the past.
Meanwhile, in the present, Tansy deals with the usual teenaged angst of being the new girl in town and is subjected to constant harassment and pressures from her peers. Especially from students she calls Straight A Alison, Beer for Breakfast Shanna, and Rooster Boy Jenks. She becomes friends with a castaway like herself in Bethyl Ann Pugh (Stinky Pugh) who is an accelerated student and brilliant and loves to spout Shakespeare. She also falls for the handsome quarterback of the football team Tate Hudson who loves to write poetry and actually hates football. Yet, somehow he ends up being connected through time to Henry Peterson as much as Tansy does.
For me, this is part ghost story, romance, suspense, and mystery. I found myself pulled into learning more about the mystery surrounding Henry’s suicide and in what way is Papa Dan connected to that fateful day. I found myself in Tansy’s shoes as the outcast who struggles to find her way through life and making the hard choices whether to fade out completely to Henry’s world and become Isabel, or staying with her mother, Tate, and Papa Dan who is her best friend and is slowly losing contact with reality.
Archer absolutely gets the small town southern town feel down. She doesn’t throw her character into a three way love affair like others do, and she develops her character so that you don’t find yourself questioning Tansy’s motives or desires for becoming a totally different person. Tansy has had a hard life with the constant moving her mother does to escape from her own past with her deceased husband. Tansy doesn’t really have any true friends, and the one she considered to be her best friend, did the whole you’re gone now, so I’ll go out with the boy you liked so much.
But, the part that I loved and enjoyed so much that it nearly broke my heart into little pieces, was Tansy’s love for her Papa Dan. I found myself having to grab for the Kleenex box more than once when she describes how he is in a prison all his own with Dementia.
I would definitely recommend this book to each and every one of my friends on GR. This is considered to be a young adult fantasy novel, but definitely adults should read it as well.
Tansy’s mother is a writer who goes by the name of Millicent Moon. Supposingly she is the female version of Stephen King, without all the fame and fortune that goes along with it. Millicent believes it gives her book more of a realistic feel to it if she actually lives there while she is writing her stories. Millicent is also running from the past and the memories of her husband’s death and the nightmares it brings with it. She claims she is moving to Cedar Canyon because Papa Dan once lived there.
Cedar Canyon is typical of any small town in the south; a mix of Mayberry, along with the fact that everyone knows pretty much everyone else as well as their secrets. They can be what I call southern friendly as well. There are some strange events like the Watermelon Run, and where football is as big as God himself. (For those who live in the south, you know this to be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; especially in Texas and Florida!)
When Tansy finds a box in the cellar of her new home containing a worn leather book, a golden pocket watch, and a tear-shaped crystal pendant, it leads her on a journey that takes her into the past lives of not only her beloved grandfather Papa Dan, but the mysterious Henry Peterson and the circumstances behind his death that was ruled a suicide.
This is Tansy’s story, as well as Henry, Dan, and Isabel’s. The intermingling of characters from the past to the present is what makes this book so interesting to me. Tansy actually finds that she is Isabel in the past, and therefore she is falling in love with Henry as Isabel does.
Tansy loves to take pictures. She is extremely good at it. She has an eye for light and shading and atmosphere for capturing beauty in unexpected things and places. She knows that sometimes what you see in the camera’s viewfinder can’t be seen with the normal eye. It is also her own personal escape that she can take and be herself when things start to get dumped on her. She even has her own dark room where she can escape for a while and immerse herself into the past.
Meanwhile, in the present, Tansy deals with the usual teenaged angst of being the new girl in town and is subjected to constant harassment and pressures from her peers. Especially from students she calls Straight A Alison, Beer for Breakfast Shanna, and Rooster Boy Jenks. She becomes friends with a castaway like herself in Bethyl Ann Pugh (Stinky Pugh) who is an accelerated student and brilliant and loves to spout Shakespeare. She also falls for the handsome quarterback of the football team Tate Hudson who loves to write poetry and actually hates football. Yet, somehow he ends up being connected through time to Henry Peterson as much as Tansy does.
For me, this is part ghost story, romance, suspense, and mystery. I found myself pulled into learning more about the mystery surrounding Henry’s suicide and in what way is Papa Dan connected to that fateful day. I found myself in Tansy’s shoes as the outcast who struggles to find her way through life and making the hard choices whether to fade out completely to Henry’s world and become Isabel, or staying with her mother, Tate, and Papa Dan who is her best friend and is slowly losing contact with reality.
Archer absolutely gets the small town southern town feel down. She doesn’t throw her character into a three way love affair like others do, and she develops her character so that you don’t find yourself questioning Tansy’s motives or desires for becoming a totally different person. Tansy has had a hard life with the constant moving her mother does to escape from her own past with her deceased husband. Tansy doesn’t really have any true friends, and the one she considered to be her best friend, did the whole you’re gone now, so I’ll go out with the boy you liked so much.
But, the part that I loved and enjoyed so much that it nearly broke my heart into little pieces, was Tansy’s love for her Papa Dan. I found myself having to grab for the Kleenex box more than once when she describes how he is in a prison all his own with Dementia.
I would definitely recommend this book to each and every one of my friends on GR. This is considered to be a young adult fantasy novel, but definitely adults should read it as well.
October 17, 2010
Through Her Eyes
A ghost story mixed with a realistic contemporary setting and an intricate weaving of two different time periods makes Through Her Eyes a very haunting and beautiful read. Tansy is a character many will relate to, an outsider as a product of her constant moving but still someone who wants to make connections with others. The small town Texas setting plays a large role in the book, and the overall story line is very well thought out and in depth. Rapt with deeper nuances and meaning, and rich in character motivation and development, Through Her Eyes does a remarkable job of blending the paranormal with the realistic.
Tansy is an interesting character, frustrated with her mother for how often they move and intensely loyal to her declining grandfather. Her fierce love for him is refreshing in nature, and speaks volumes of her character. This angle adds another source of tension with her mother, twisting both the reader’s and Tansy’s feelings regarding the entire situation. Tansy is a mixture of good and bad qualities, a bit of a leper at school while still holding her own personal reservations about the usual school outcasts. Despite her initial reactions, Bethyl Anne proves to be a great friend for Tansy and a fantastic addition to the story overall.
Bethyl Anne is a unique character, two years younger than her classmates but incredibly intelligent and jumped two grades because of it. From her appearance to her brains to her looks, she has all the typical makings as a target and an outcast, but she finds a way to push it off. Her habit of spouting off Shakespeare in response to almost any situation is amusing and endearing, and her overall role in the book is very well done.
Tate seems like the stereotypical jock, but he has much deeper qualities, and his own development comes in surprising ways. He has piercing eyes and is downright hot, but he’s got his own bits of torment and disappointment. He, too, plays a surprising role in the book, with some unexpected reveals related to him happening at just the right times. His reasons for things are explained in due course, and overall, Tate is both swoonworthy and likable.
The plot itself is well thought out, filled with little things that mean something more and tie ins that are unexpected or forgotten until they are revealed at the perfect moment. The way the entire potential possession aspect plays out is fantastically well written, smooth to read, and easy to understand in nature and reason. Henry, the boy who lived in Tansy’s house decades before and who is thought to have killed himself, plays a strong role as well, and he is developed in a beautiful way. The mixing of his time and Tansy’s is a beautiful aspect of this book, merging the two in surprising ways and throwing several unexpected twists along the way.
There is an overall sense of isolation and solitude in this book, which does rebound to make things seem slow. While Tansy does interact with people in the town here and there, and her mother, it isn’t until about halfway through her social type interactions really start picking up. Before that, it is heavy on internal monologue, centered around Tansy adjusting to the new house and town, mixed in with the legends surrounding the previous owners and the strange happenings that start almost immediately. Given how strongly characters play in my liking of a book, I enjoyed this aspect but I can see it being a sticky angle for some. Regardless, the story as a whole is well worth it to push past this sense of loneliness, written in a way that can even pull the reader in to the feeling.
With well developed characters- both central and secondary, in the present day, and from the past- and a strong premise twisted to something Archer can easily call her own, Through Her Eyes really mixes things up in a fantastic way. The setting is spot on, mirroring life in a small Texas town through the eyes of an outsider, and is built in a smooth manner without being overbearing. Archer’s writing is strong, showing her ability, without being overbearing or pressing, and lulls the reader into the story easily.
A ghost story mixed with a realistic contemporary setting and an intricate weaving of two different time periods makes Through Her Eyes a very haunting and beautiful read. Tansy is a character many will relate to, an outsider as a product of her constant moving but still someone who wants to make connections with others. The small town Texas setting plays a large role in the book, and the overall story line is very well thought out and in depth. Rapt with deeper nuances and meaning, and rich in character motivation and development, Through Her Eyes does a remarkable job of blending the paranormal with the realistic.
Tansy is an interesting character, frustrated with her mother for how often they move and intensely loyal to her declining grandfather. Her fierce love for him is refreshing in nature, and speaks volumes of her character. This angle adds another source of tension with her mother, twisting both the reader’s and Tansy’s feelings regarding the entire situation. Tansy is a mixture of good and bad qualities, a bit of a leper at school while still holding her own personal reservations about the usual school outcasts. Despite her initial reactions, Bethyl Anne proves to be a great friend for Tansy and a fantastic addition to the story overall.
Bethyl Anne is a unique character, two years younger than her classmates but incredibly intelligent and jumped two grades because of it. From her appearance to her brains to her looks, she has all the typical makings as a target and an outcast, but she finds a way to push it off. Her habit of spouting off Shakespeare in response to almost any situation is amusing and endearing, and her overall role in the book is very well done.
Tate seems like the stereotypical jock, but he has much deeper qualities, and his own development comes in surprising ways. He has piercing eyes and is downright hot, but he’s got his own bits of torment and disappointment. He, too, plays a surprising role in the book, with some unexpected reveals related to him happening at just the right times. His reasons for things are explained in due course, and overall, Tate is both swoonworthy and likable.
The plot itself is well thought out, filled with little things that mean something more and tie ins that are unexpected or forgotten until they are revealed at the perfect moment. The way the entire potential possession aspect plays out is fantastically well written, smooth to read, and easy to understand in nature and reason. Henry, the boy who lived in Tansy’s house decades before and who is thought to have killed himself, plays a strong role as well, and he is developed in a beautiful way. The mixing of his time and Tansy’s is a beautiful aspect of this book, merging the two in surprising ways and throwing several unexpected twists along the way.
There is an overall sense of isolation and solitude in this book, which does rebound to make things seem slow. While Tansy does interact with people in the town here and there, and her mother, it isn’t until about halfway through her social type interactions really start picking up. Before that, it is heavy on internal monologue, centered around Tansy adjusting to the new house and town, mixed in with the legends surrounding the previous owners and the strange happenings that start almost immediately. Given how strongly characters play in my liking of a book, I enjoyed this aspect but I can see it being a sticky angle for some. Regardless, the story as a whole is well worth it to push past this sense of loneliness, written in a way that can even pull the reader in to the feeling.
With well developed characters- both central and secondary, in the present day, and from the past- and a strong premise twisted to something Archer can easily call her own, Through Her Eyes really mixes things up in a fantastic way. The setting is spot on, mirroring life in a small Texas town through the eyes of an outsider, and is built in a smooth manner without being overbearing. Archer’s writing is strong, showing her ability, without being overbearing or pressing, and lulls the reader into the story easily.
April 5, 2011
Title Thoughts: Love the title because it really goes with the book.
Cover Thoughts: I really like this title because of the eyes. That's the main focal point of the cover and has a lot to do with the book.
WARNINGS: An obsessive read.
This book hooks you from the very beginning with Tansy’s character. She moves from place to place with her writer mother and her grandfather who is suffering from dementia. Archer crafts this story to near perfection. (There’s not one negative thing I can say about this book.) Tansy sticks to being herself in Cedar Canyon. She’s not going to change just to fit in. We see Tansy mature as the story progresses and it’s a book that leaves you completely satisfied.
My favorite character was Bethyl Ann. She’s a thirteen year old girl who skipped two grades and is a genius sophomore. Not only is she academically smart, but she’s life smart too. She’s very mature for her age and is a great friend who loves Shakespeare. She’s funny too!
As I read, I could feel the tone of the book change with the characters and the story. It was unbelievable. It’s like you are watching a movie and you have the background music to help set the tone. The words flowed smoothly and the feelings just jumped out. You can really feel the tone towards the end of the book. It’s amazing.
Even though this has ghosts in it, it’s eerily realistic. There is a logical explanation side and a unexplainable side. You are left to choose which side you believe.
Addict’s Last Words: This is definitely a book you want to read. It’s like you have a really bad craving for something and you don’t know exactly what it is, then you finally satisfy that craving. Then you feel pure satisfaction and relieved you figured out what you were craving. This book is just like that
To Buy or To Borrow: Buy! No doubt about it.
Disclosure: I participate in tours with The Teen Book Scene and a copy was temporarily provided to me by the author, publisher, or another third party source. It was a traveling ARC type tour. Therefore, I did not receive a copy for keeps. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was not any obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist, or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Cover Thoughts: I really like this title because of the eyes. That's the main focal point of the cover and has a lot to do with the book.
WARNINGS: An obsessive read.
This book hooks you from the very beginning with Tansy’s character. She moves from place to place with her writer mother and her grandfather who is suffering from dementia. Archer crafts this story to near perfection. (There’s not one negative thing I can say about this book.) Tansy sticks to being herself in Cedar Canyon. She’s not going to change just to fit in. We see Tansy mature as the story progresses and it’s a book that leaves you completely satisfied.
My favorite character was Bethyl Ann. She’s a thirteen year old girl who skipped two grades and is a genius sophomore. Not only is she academically smart, but she’s life smart too. She’s very mature for her age and is a great friend who loves Shakespeare. She’s funny too!
As I read, I could feel the tone of the book change with the characters and the story. It was unbelievable. It’s like you are watching a movie and you have the background music to help set the tone. The words flowed smoothly and the feelings just jumped out. You can really feel the tone towards the end of the book. It’s amazing.
Even though this has ghosts in it, it’s eerily realistic. There is a logical explanation side and a unexplainable side. You are left to choose which side you believe.
Addict’s Last Words: This is definitely a book you want to read. It’s like you have a really bad craving for something and you don’t know exactly what it is, then you finally satisfy that craving. Then you feel pure satisfaction and relieved you figured out what you were craving. This book is just like that
To Buy or To Borrow: Buy! No doubt about it.
Disclosure: I participate in tours with The Teen Book Scene and a copy was temporarily provided to me by the author, publisher, or another third party source. It was a traveling ARC type tour. Therefore, I did not receive a copy for keeps. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was not any obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist, or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
December 26, 2012
Maybe it was because the book I *tried* reading right before this one had zero voice, but it was the voice of this one that really pulled me in when I first picked up the book. I can't say it stayed as strong through the whole book, but it definitely continued to play a role in keeping me reading. The middle of the book does lag a bit--just a bit--but there is a lot of "plant and pay-off" going on (little details that end up being important later on).
I very much connected with the main character, Tansy, and found the other characters pretty well fleshed-out as well...although I have to say I didn't think some of the signals Tansy gets from others were as clear as she makes them sound. She claims Tate acted like he hated her, but I didn't see that. Maybe slightly less than as friendly as he was when they first met, but it wasn't all hot-cold like she makes it sound. The bouncing back and forth between her liking Henry and then liking Tate got a little bothersome--again, the biggest thing was presumption. Imho, Tansy picked up signals that weren't always there, coming to conclusions that weren't entirely logical to me, I'm thinking because the author needed those ideas planted.
Still, Tansy was otherwise very realistic, and while she had issues to deal with, she did NOT come across as whiny and annoying as too many YA protagonists do. I sympathized with her situation, but she never felt weak. She did hit bottom emotionally, but being that she's doubting her sanity and not *just* dealing with mean girls, this didn't bother me, it felt appropriate.
The story was interesting and well-plotted, if a bit predictable. There were some really cool minor twists and a few really unique story elements, which I don't want to mention specifically so I don't spoil them :). They totally make the book worth the read!
Overall, a few rough spots, but for the most part a good, solid, well-written read with a strong YA voice and genuine characters.
I very much connected with the main character, Tansy, and found the other characters pretty well fleshed-out as well...although I have to say I didn't think some of the signals Tansy gets from others were as clear as she makes them sound. She claims Tate acted like he hated her, but I didn't see that. Maybe slightly less than as friendly as he was when they first met, but it wasn't all hot-cold like she makes it sound. The bouncing back and forth between her liking Henry and then liking Tate got a little bothersome--again, the biggest thing was presumption. Imho, Tansy picked up signals that weren't always there, coming to conclusions that weren't entirely logical to me, I'm thinking because the author needed those ideas planted.
Still, Tansy was otherwise very realistic, and while she had issues to deal with, she did NOT come across as whiny and annoying as too many YA protagonists do. I sympathized with her situation, but she never felt weak. She did hit bottom emotionally, but being that she's doubting her sanity and not *just* dealing with mean girls, this didn't bother me, it felt appropriate.
The story was interesting and well-plotted, if a bit predictable. There were some really cool minor twists and a few really unique story elements, which I don't want to mention specifically so I don't spoil them :). They totally make the book worth the read!
Overall, a few rough spots, but for the most part a good, solid, well-written read with a strong YA voice and genuine characters.
August 11, 2016
Through Her Eyes is a decent paranormal YA novel, it has good messages about family, friendship and trust, it also has a romance which isn't entirely, hopelessly silly (though it does get silly at times).
Despite the all-too-familiar 'new girl moves to a new town' setting, once the story gets on with the plots about the haunting in a supposed haunted house and the mysterious death of the brooding teenage boy, Henry; who lived in the haunted house decades ago, the story actually becomes quite intensive.
I found the writing to be solid, and the haunting scene and the mystery are both descent. Although I must tell you parts of the story is boring, the 'haunting' feels a bit underwhelming to me and the main character is judgmental and rather unlikable at times; plus I don't find the romance between her and the love interest to be entirely convening (though I do like that ).
I also like that the main character is able to see that Henry is selfish and unreliable even though she's attracted to him, I am also glad that the author actually pointed out Henry's flaws instead of sugarcoating him as a brooding supernatural dreamboat.
I enjoy the ending, to tell the truth if it weren't for the ending, I would have given this book 2 stars only. I like how the importance of family and friends, opening yourself up and being responsible to your loved ones is high-lightened instead of the overused "OH I LOVE HIM I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO BE WITH MY BOYFRIEND!!" YA cliches. However, parts of this ending is a bit predicable to me (e.g. ), still if you wanted to read paranormal YA which isn't silly or badly written, I'd recommend Through Her Eyes to you.
Despite the all-too-familiar 'new girl moves to a new town' setting, once the story gets on with the plots about the haunting in a supposed haunted house and the mysterious death of the brooding teenage boy, Henry; who lived in the haunted house decades ago, the story actually becomes quite intensive.
I found the writing to be solid, and the haunting scene and the mystery are both descent. Although I must tell you parts of the story is boring, the 'haunting' feels a bit underwhelming to me and the main character is judgmental and rather unlikable at times; plus I don't find the romance between her and the love interest to be entirely convening (though I do like that ).
I also like that the main character is able to see that Henry is selfish and unreliable even though she's attracted to him, I am also glad that the author actually pointed out Henry's flaws instead of sugarcoating him as a brooding supernatural dreamboat.
I enjoy the ending, to tell the truth if it weren't for the ending, I would have given this book 2 stars only. I like how the importance of family and friends, opening yourself up and being responsible to your loved ones is high-lightened instead of the overused "OH I LOVE HIM I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO BE WITH MY BOYFRIEND!!" YA cliches. However, parts of this ending is a bit predicable to me (e.g. ), still if you wanted to read paranormal YA which isn't silly or badly written, I'd recommend Through Her Eyes to you.
February 28, 2012
This is a very creative ghost story, because the heroine is actually haunting the ghost in a way. During intervals, she "steps back in time" to the ghost's era to partake in pivitol scenes that are playing out in his life.
The heroine is compassionate and determined, and the relationship she has with her family is authentic and even heartbreaking as she watches her grandfather struggle with a sickness that is threatening his dignity and independance.
An atmospheric and haunting ghost story that seamlessly entwines the past and present, making them both equally vivid and appealing in their own rite. At times, it's difficult for the reader to know which choice Tansy will make in the end; in fact, some readers might be left wondering which choice they would've made for themselves.
The heroine is compassionate and determined, and the relationship she has with her family is authentic and even heartbreaking as she watches her grandfather struggle with a sickness that is threatening his dignity and independance.
An atmospheric and haunting ghost story that seamlessly entwines the past and present, making them both equally vivid and appealing in their own rite. At times, it's difficult for the reader to know which choice Tansy will make in the end; in fact, some readers might be left wondering which choice they would've made for themselves.
May 7, 2015
Every ghost has a story to tell.
Reaction review:
Through Her Eyes is a ghost story but it's not about exorcising ghosts in a scary way.It's about finding out what really happens in the past through the ghost of Henry.
Although the heroine Tansy annoys me at first, (being a judgmental cynic from the start),the ending makes it one of my favorite books. I love the way Henry's ghost correct all the things he has done and the way he wants for forgiveness.
It's true what they say:
"It's never to late to ask for forgiveness.."
Reaction review:
Through Her Eyes is a ghost story but it's not about exorcising ghosts in a scary way.It's about finding out what really happens in the past through the ghost of Henry.
Although the heroine Tansy annoys me at first, (being a judgmental cynic from the start),the ending makes it one of my favorite books. I love the way Henry's ghost correct all the things he has done and the way he wants for forgiveness.
It's true what they say:
"It's never to late to ask for forgiveness.."
February 24, 2012
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick and Dirty: Interesting concept, but still overuses some plot and character stereotypes.
Opening Sentence: I died on a bitter, cold night.
The Review:
The protagonist, Tansy, immediately typecasts herself as an outcast after moving from California and avoids the other kids and townspeople in the small Texas town of Cedar Canyon. Tansy is the daughter of a writer who moves her family around so often that Tansy feels sequestered from everyone, and feels like she is always the “weird new girl.” Her style, which consists of her grandfather’s collection of old hats, sticks out in the boondocks of Texas. Her grandfather has to be taken care of like a child because he has recently become infirm.
For the most part, Tansy is cynical of her new life, and is a bit of a brat. I know from experience how difficult it is to move and change schools often, but she decides before she arrives that she will not fit in and puts out no effort to be a polite person. Tansy treats others around her with disdain because they have different priorities than her, may not be as cultured as she is, and then complains about loneliness. I don’t personally love the character of Tansy, but maybe her emotional state is what helped her reach out to the ghost of Henry.
Henry lived an unhappy life that was cut short by plummeting from a cliff. Tansy discovers some of Henry’s personal items, and is somehow able to witness the last few days of his tortured life. She’s transported to a monochromatic version of Cedar Canyon that Henry and her grandfather lived in. Over the course of the book, Tansy’s experience of what is reality and what is an observance of the past starts to blend as she witnesses things that do not belong. At this point the reader starts to question if Tansy is really seeing something, or if she should be diagnosed by a psychologist. We know how the rest of society would see her experiences, and secretly hope that she really is experiencing the past and a ghost. Not only is Tansy learning more about her grandfather when he was her age, but she is also uncovering a mystery that has been in the town for ages.
The story itself is what kept me reading this book. I wanted to find out what happened to Tansy, and what was going on between Henry and her grandfather all those years ago. The one thing I wasn’t crazy for was the characterization. Tansy seems to try a little too hard to be different and indifferent. Her only friend in town, Bethyl Ann, is true to herself, but doesn’t seem like a real person. I might just have a bit of an aversion because of the name, but I think that was intended. The popular mean girls of the school also seem kind of flat. The one girl who has some depth to her is Alison, and only because of her troubled past that she seems to hide so well. I did enjoy reading about her character development over the course of the novel.
Tansy’s love interest, Tate, does have an interesting transformation over the course of the book, but he also seemed kind of staged or stereotyped. He was the star football player who wanted nothing more than to be artistic in his own way, and just so happens to fall for the new girl who seems so different than the others. I’m not saying it never happens, but I felt that the character was still a little flat.
Overall, the book ends on a good note and all of the questions are answered, which is always nice for a standalone novel. As for her debut teen novel, Jennifer Archer presents an interesting take on ghost stories and the paranormal even if her characters are not as realistic as I would prefer. I did enjoy the novel on some level, but it lacked depth.
Notable Scene:
A waitress leads us to a booth on the far side of the room. Everyone in the café seems to know everyone else. They call out to one another as we weave around them. Hey, Bud, hey, Sarah. Billy, how’s work? We missed you in church on Sunday. How are the kiddos? A lot of talk. A lot of laughter. I’m pretty sure we’ll soon be the topic of conversation, since most of them look at us as if we just flew in from outer space. I could be imagining this, but I doubt it. We don’t exactly fit in. Papa Dan wears his beret slanted to tone side and the lenses of his round, tortoiseshell glasses are so thick that his eyes look like bulging green grapes. Mom wears a pink satin blouse with a mandarin collar, baggy black pants, and pink ballet slippers. Then there’s me; I like hats, my grandfather’s mostly. He has a collection—berets, fedoras, old-fashion newsboy caps. Today I’m wearing a gray felt fedora with a black satin band. The brim hides my eyes. A bonus.
I was right when I guessed the Longhorn Café wouldn’t have a vegetarian menu. At first I think that is no dinner for me, since I don’t eat meat. But the waitress points out a salad bar, so I walk over to check it out. The containers are filled with more pasta, canned peas, and mayo-coated salads than fresh vegetables, but it’s better than nothing. I pick up an empty plate and put some carrot and celery sticks on it.
FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Through Her Eyes. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick and Dirty: Interesting concept, but still overuses some plot and character stereotypes.
Opening Sentence: I died on a bitter, cold night.
The Review:
The protagonist, Tansy, immediately typecasts herself as an outcast after moving from California and avoids the other kids and townspeople in the small Texas town of Cedar Canyon. Tansy is the daughter of a writer who moves her family around so often that Tansy feels sequestered from everyone, and feels like she is always the “weird new girl.” Her style, which consists of her grandfather’s collection of old hats, sticks out in the boondocks of Texas. Her grandfather has to be taken care of like a child because he has recently become infirm.
For the most part, Tansy is cynical of her new life, and is a bit of a brat. I know from experience how difficult it is to move and change schools often, but she decides before she arrives that she will not fit in and puts out no effort to be a polite person. Tansy treats others around her with disdain because they have different priorities than her, may not be as cultured as she is, and then complains about loneliness. I don’t personally love the character of Tansy, but maybe her emotional state is what helped her reach out to the ghost of Henry.
Henry lived an unhappy life that was cut short by plummeting from a cliff. Tansy discovers some of Henry’s personal items, and is somehow able to witness the last few days of his tortured life. She’s transported to a monochromatic version of Cedar Canyon that Henry and her grandfather lived in. Over the course of the book, Tansy’s experience of what is reality and what is an observance of the past starts to blend as she witnesses things that do not belong. At this point the reader starts to question if Tansy is really seeing something, or if she should be diagnosed by a psychologist. We know how the rest of society would see her experiences, and secretly hope that she really is experiencing the past and a ghost. Not only is Tansy learning more about her grandfather when he was her age, but she is also uncovering a mystery that has been in the town for ages.
The story itself is what kept me reading this book. I wanted to find out what happened to Tansy, and what was going on between Henry and her grandfather all those years ago. The one thing I wasn’t crazy for was the characterization. Tansy seems to try a little too hard to be different and indifferent. Her only friend in town, Bethyl Ann, is true to herself, but doesn’t seem like a real person. I might just have a bit of an aversion because of the name, but I think that was intended. The popular mean girls of the school also seem kind of flat. The one girl who has some depth to her is Alison, and only because of her troubled past that she seems to hide so well. I did enjoy reading about her character development over the course of the novel.
Tansy’s love interest, Tate, does have an interesting transformation over the course of the book, but he also seemed kind of staged or stereotyped. He was the star football player who wanted nothing more than to be artistic in his own way, and just so happens to fall for the new girl who seems so different than the others. I’m not saying it never happens, but I felt that the character was still a little flat.
Overall, the book ends on a good note and all of the questions are answered, which is always nice for a standalone novel. As for her debut teen novel, Jennifer Archer presents an interesting take on ghost stories and the paranormal even if her characters are not as realistic as I would prefer. I did enjoy the novel on some level, but it lacked depth.
Notable Scene:
A waitress leads us to a booth on the far side of the room. Everyone in the café seems to know everyone else. They call out to one another as we weave around them. Hey, Bud, hey, Sarah. Billy, how’s work? We missed you in church on Sunday. How are the kiddos? A lot of talk. A lot of laughter. I’m pretty sure we’ll soon be the topic of conversation, since most of them look at us as if we just flew in from outer space. I could be imagining this, but I doubt it. We don’t exactly fit in. Papa Dan wears his beret slanted to tone side and the lenses of his round, tortoiseshell glasses are so thick that his eyes look like bulging green grapes. Mom wears a pink satin blouse with a mandarin collar, baggy black pants, and pink ballet slippers. Then there’s me; I like hats, my grandfather’s mostly. He has a collection—berets, fedoras, old-fashion newsboy caps. Today I’m wearing a gray felt fedora with a black satin band. The brim hides my eyes. A bonus.
I was right when I guessed the Longhorn Café wouldn’t have a vegetarian menu. At first I think that is no dinner for me, since I don’t eat meat. But the waitress points out a salad bar, so I walk over to check it out. The containers are filled with more pasta, canned peas, and mayo-coated salads than fresh vegetables, but it’s better than nothing. I pick up an empty plate and put some carrot and celery sticks on it.
FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of Through Her Eyes. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
October 4, 2018
So great!! first book to ever make me cry. <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3
April 19, 2011
Tansy Piper was sick of moving all over the country with her mother, author of horror novels, and her Papa Dan, who hadn't spoken in a long time now. More than anything, Tansy just wanted to plant some roots, make some friends, and live a normal life. But when her family move to small-town Cedar Canyon, Texas, normal was not what Tansy found. Almost immediately, Tansy was drawn to certain things about her new house; a crystal, an old pocket watch, and a journal with beautiful poems that almost seemed to be written for her.
She soon finds out that the poems were written by a boy named Henry, who lived in her house many years before, and who died a very mysterious death. In the turret of her new eccentric home, that she has turned into a darkroom for her photography, Tansy discovers that she can connect to Henry and his past in a completely unbelievable way. But as she is drawn deeper and deeper into Henry's world, her own reality begins to fade.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I really had no idea what it was about, or what to expect when I started reading it. Part contemporary, part ghost story, I was immediately sucked into Tansy's world, and Henry's world along with it. I love a good creepy mystery, and Through Her Eyes was full of it.
There were so many things I loved about this book. The writing was like poetry! It was so intense and beautiful. I could truly FEEL the isolation that Tansy was experiencing, and that Henry had felt so long ago. As Tansy delved deeper into Henry's troubled life, I kept wanting to yell at her to get out!! Run Away!! But at the same time, I had to know what happened to Henry all those years ago.
I loved all the characters in the book. Tansy's relationship with her mother was so realistic. The way that they absolutely loved each other, but just couldn't quite connect was perfect. Tansy's new and eccentric friend Bethyl Ann, otherwise known as "Stinky", was such a great supporting character. Tate, the once self-absorbed jock, was also a fantastic addition to the story. I found myself constantly questioning him, his motives, and his character. I do wish that there had been more interaction between him and Tansy. I loved the parts with them together and felt like many of them were cut off too bluntly. But the relationship I loved the most was between Tansy and her Papa Dan. I loved the way she loved him. It takes an enormous amount of talent to create a character so multi-dimensional and lovable when he barely even speaks. Jennifer did a fantastic job! Then there were the people in Henry's world. People that were teenagers sixty years before. It was incredible that I could be completely immersed in Tansy's world, then instantly feel like I was sixty years back in time in Henry's world.
With beautiful poetic writing, a mysteriously haunted house, and completely unique and creepy storyline that you don't see much in the Young Adult world, Through Her Eyes is definitely one you'll want to add to your TBR pile!
-Andye (http://ReadingTeen.net/)
She soon finds out that the poems were written by a boy named Henry, who lived in her house many years before, and who died a very mysterious death. In the turret of her new eccentric home, that she has turned into a darkroom for her photography, Tansy discovers that she can connect to Henry and his past in a completely unbelievable way. But as she is drawn deeper and deeper into Henry's world, her own reality begins to fade.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I really had no idea what it was about, or what to expect when I started reading it. Part contemporary, part ghost story, I was immediately sucked into Tansy's world, and Henry's world along with it. I love a good creepy mystery, and Through Her Eyes was full of it.
There were so many things I loved about this book. The writing was like poetry! It was so intense and beautiful. I could truly FEEL the isolation that Tansy was experiencing, and that Henry had felt so long ago. As Tansy delved deeper into Henry's troubled life, I kept wanting to yell at her to get out!! Run Away!! But at the same time, I had to know what happened to Henry all those years ago.
I loved all the characters in the book. Tansy's relationship with her mother was so realistic. The way that they absolutely loved each other, but just couldn't quite connect was perfect. Tansy's new and eccentric friend Bethyl Ann, otherwise known as "Stinky", was such a great supporting character. Tate, the once self-absorbed jock, was also a fantastic addition to the story. I found myself constantly questioning him, his motives, and his character. I do wish that there had been more interaction between him and Tansy. I loved the parts with them together and felt like many of them were cut off too bluntly. But the relationship I loved the most was between Tansy and her Papa Dan. I loved the way she loved him. It takes an enormous amount of talent to create a character so multi-dimensional and lovable when he barely even speaks. Jennifer did a fantastic job! Then there were the people in Henry's world. People that were teenagers sixty years before. It was incredible that I could be completely immersed in Tansy's world, then instantly feel like I was sixty years back in time in Henry's world.
With beautiful poetic writing, a mysteriously haunted house, and completely unique and creepy storyline that you don't see much in the Young Adult world, Through Her Eyes is definitely one you'll want to add to your TBR pile!
-Andye (http://ReadingTeen.net/)
March 10, 2016
To say Tansy isn’t happy to be leaving her home, friends, and school would be a serious understatement, but the choice isn’t really hers to make. Her mom writes horror novels, and hopes to find her muse in an old house in Texas. Tansy feels like she doesn’t fit in from day one, and quickly loses herself in her photography. It is through the lens of her camera that she discovers the ghost story taking place around her.
I absolutely LOVE a good ghost story, and Through Her Eyes delivered! Tansy is transported through time to witness the tumultuous story of a man named Henry unfold. I don’t think the author could have picked a better vessel to give Tansy a front row seat to the past. As the story progresses and secrets unfold, I was turning each page with bated breath. I loved when the plot began to intertwine with Tansy’s family tree.
This book features some top-notch main and secondary characters. I admired Tansy’s individuality and lack of desire to conform. She handles her relocation better than could be expected, and I liked that her relationship with her mother and grandfather (Papa Dan) was so very normal and healthy. I identified with the heartache she was experiencing watching her grandfather fall victim to dementia having experienced the same thing with my grandmother a few years ago. This plot detail and Tansy’s bond with her grandfather really touched on one of the most difficult periods of my life, and memories that I tend to keep buried deep. This earned Through Her Eyes a special place in my heart, and allowed me to connect on a level other readers might not be able to experience. It isn’t often that I can say this about a book.
Mysterious Henry is charming in an uber-creepy way. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to love him or fear him. Unlikely friend, Bethyl Anne AKA Stinky, was a delight. I dare you to not love this girl who speaks in Shakespeare quotes! Love interest, Tate, gives you the small town jock first impression, but there is so much more to this boy than meets the eye. As Tansy was losing her reality to the ghost of Henry, I was losing mine to this book. Fantastic premise, ideal pacing, and great characters!
I’d recommend Through Her Eyes to readers who enjoy ghost stories or stories of the paranormal, especially those partial to a small town setting (like me!). Standalone novels are becoming a rare find, so if that is your cup of tea give this one a try. I consider myself a “series kind of girl”, but I absolutely loved this one and was left feeling sated at the end of the final page.
I also have to add that Jennifer Archer wrote Women’s Fiction prior to her jump into the YA writing pool. I haven’t read her other titles, but I was thoroughly impressed with her YA debut!
I absolutely LOVE a good ghost story, and Through Her Eyes delivered! Tansy is transported through time to witness the tumultuous story of a man named Henry unfold. I don’t think the author could have picked a better vessel to give Tansy a front row seat to the past. As the story progresses and secrets unfold, I was turning each page with bated breath. I loved when the plot began to intertwine with Tansy’s family tree.
This book features some top-notch main and secondary characters. I admired Tansy’s individuality and lack of desire to conform. She handles her relocation better than could be expected, and I liked that her relationship with her mother and grandfather (Papa Dan) was so very normal and healthy. I identified with the heartache she was experiencing watching her grandfather fall victim to dementia having experienced the same thing with my grandmother a few years ago. This plot detail and Tansy’s bond with her grandfather really touched on one of the most difficult periods of my life, and memories that I tend to keep buried deep. This earned Through Her Eyes a special place in my heart, and allowed me to connect on a level other readers might not be able to experience. It isn’t often that I can say this about a book.
Mysterious Henry is charming in an uber-creepy way. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to love him or fear him. Unlikely friend, Bethyl Anne AKA Stinky, was a delight. I dare you to not love this girl who speaks in Shakespeare quotes! Love interest, Tate, gives you the small town jock first impression, but there is so much more to this boy than meets the eye. As Tansy was losing her reality to the ghost of Henry, I was losing mine to this book. Fantastic premise, ideal pacing, and great characters!
I’d recommend Through Her Eyes to readers who enjoy ghost stories or stories of the paranormal, especially those partial to a small town setting (like me!). Standalone novels are becoming a rare find, so if that is your cup of tea give this one a try. I consider myself a “series kind of girl”, but I absolutely loved this one and was left feeling sated at the end of the final page.
I also have to add that Jennifer Archer wrote Women’s Fiction prior to her jump into the YA writing pool. I haven’t read her other titles, but I was thoroughly impressed with her YA debut!
June 9, 2013
Through Her Eyes was a really good read in many ways. But i feel like I have to explain it in parts.
PART 1: CHARACTERS
Our main character is Tansy Piper. Her entire life has been a blur of different cities and different faces. Her best friend is her Grandfather Papa Dan, and she is sort of an outcast/outsider; which is to be expected. When she gets to her newest house in Cerder Cannion, she has already desided that she doesnt like it there.
Next we have Tate. He is the love interest. Adorable, sweet, realistic Tate. He wants to be a writer but his father is against it. He loves to write poetry and has the hots for wierd outcast type girls.
Tansy's mom Millie Moon is a writer who writes horror novels. She feels as though she needs to live in the places that she writes about.
Papa Dan is a man of few words. *laughing at my own joke.* He doesnt talk at all, at least not in the real world. He's old but you can tell that he still loves and cares for his granddaughter. In his younger days though, he was protective and kind.
Bethyl Ann is that very awkward yet sweet type girl, that people usually avoid because she can be a little over the top sometimes and is on the top of the odd-ball list. But she is a very loyal and sweet friend.
Henry Peterson is the poster boy of every teen with issues in modern society. He would always cry out for help but no one was ever there to hear him....except Isabel.
Isabel is an idiot...end of story.
PART 2: PLOT
The plot was very interesting for a number of reasons. It was original, it was vivid, it was very real. What I liked most about it was that it was really about a girl loosing herself into a world that seemed better than her reality. A thing that I didnt like thought, was the fact that I could predict everything that was going to happen. I guess that would be one of the reasons I couldnt give the book a 5 star rating.
I did like the ending, but I felt like there were too many pot holes and that things some things were unnecissary in the story and other things were left unfinished.
Other wise the book was really good, and it will trap anyone who reads it into the story.
PART 1: CHARACTERS
Our main character is Tansy Piper. Her entire life has been a blur of different cities and different faces. Her best friend is her Grandfather Papa Dan, and she is sort of an outcast/outsider; which is to be expected. When she gets to her newest house in Cerder Cannion, she has already desided that she doesnt like it there.
Next we have Tate. He is the love interest. Adorable, sweet, realistic Tate. He wants to be a writer but his father is against it. He loves to write poetry and has the hots for wierd outcast type girls.
Tansy's mom Millie Moon is a writer who writes horror novels. She feels as though she needs to live in the places that she writes about.
Papa Dan is a man of few words. *laughing at my own joke.* He doesnt talk at all, at least not in the real world. He's old but you can tell that he still loves and cares for his granddaughter. In his younger days though, he was protective and kind.
Bethyl Ann is that very awkward yet sweet type girl, that people usually avoid because she can be a little over the top sometimes and is on the top of the odd-ball list. But she is a very loyal and sweet friend.
Henry Peterson is the poster boy of every teen with issues in modern society. He would always cry out for help but no one was ever there to hear him....except Isabel.
Isabel is an idiot...end of story.
PART 2: PLOT
The plot was very interesting for a number of reasons. It was original, it was vivid, it was very real. What I liked most about it was that it was really about a girl loosing herself into a world that seemed better than her reality. A thing that I didnt like thought, was the fact that I could predict everything that was going to happen. I guess that would be one of the reasons I couldnt give the book a 5 star rating.
I did like the ending, but I felt like there were too many pot holes and that things some things were unnecissary in the story and other things were left unfinished.
Other wise the book was really good, and it will trap anyone who reads it into the story.
March 29, 2011
Being the new girl for the nth time, Tansy was not pleased to be stuck in Cedar Canyon. With a school that only had two hall ways, filled with people who have known each other their whole lives, Tansy was finding it hard to fit in. No one really cared about the new girl. That was until she met Bethyl Ann aka Stinky, a genius thirteen year old who kept spewing Shakespearean quotes. I liked how every character had a story to tell.
Through the lens of her camera, she not only saw a different side of Cedar Canyon and its people but she also a black-and-white world – Henry’s world. There was a bird that relentlessly sings to her, a journal filled with strong and emotional poetry, a teardrop-shaped crystal and a golden watch stuck at 12:22. Through these things, Henry Peterson connected with Tansy. It was strange, freaky and frightening. As Tansy tried to make sense of what message Henry was trying to tell her, her grandfather’s situation got worse and so did her life in school.
The time-travel through the photographs was very vivid and intriguing. I found myself looking forward to them through the photographs. But Through Her Eyes was not only about the paranormal. It was also a novel about adjusting, making friends, opening up to people, seeing the good in them and accepting who they were. Opening up to complete strangers was difficult but in the end she learned to do that and to forget about her preconceived notions about people. I loved how Tansy learned to see who she was and discovered where she belonged through her paranormal experiences.
Through Her Eyes is a great debut filled with strangeness, creepiness and sad and tragic stories. I loved how Archer built the tension between Tate and Tansy and how she stirred them to a fragile friendship. It was very realistic for me. The ending was very peaceful and satisfying – a perfect end to a troublesome and disturbing experience.
Through the lens of her camera, she not only saw a different side of Cedar Canyon and its people but she also a black-and-white world – Henry’s world. There was a bird that relentlessly sings to her, a journal filled with strong and emotional poetry, a teardrop-shaped crystal and a golden watch stuck at 12:22. Through these things, Henry Peterson connected with Tansy. It was strange, freaky and frightening. As Tansy tried to make sense of what message Henry was trying to tell her, her grandfather’s situation got worse and so did her life in school.
The time-travel through the photographs was very vivid and intriguing. I found myself looking forward to them through the photographs. But Through Her Eyes was not only about the paranormal. It was also a novel about adjusting, making friends, opening up to people, seeing the good in them and accepting who they were. Opening up to complete strangers was difficult but in the end she learned to do that and to forget about her preconceived notions about people. I loved how Tansy learned to see who she was and discovered where she belonged through her paranormal experiences.
Through Her Eyes is a great debut filled with strangeness, creepiness and sad and tragic stories. I loved how Archer built the tension between Tate and Tansy and how she stirred them to a fragile friendship. It was very realistic for me. The ending was very peaceful and satisfying – a perfect end to a troublesome and disturbing experience.
August 8, 2013
I enjoyed this ghost story. It takes place in a small town in Texas, where Tansy, her horror-book-writing mother, and her grandfather have just moved.
Tansy's grandfather grew up in this small town, and her mother has brought the three of them there in order to get the atmosphere right for her latest novel. Tansy's moved around so often that she's used to being the new girl, the outsider, but this is such a small, close-knit community that she feels even more awkward than usual.
The one thing that keeps her motivated is taking photos. However, after discovering an old pocketwatch and notebook full of poems belonging to a boy around her age who supposedly killed himself in the 1930s, Tansy discovers that she can somehow enter the past through her photos and begins to experience life through another girl's eyes.
As Isabel, she meets her grandfather as a young man, as well as the mysterious Henry- writer of the poems she found. Tansy begins to try to unravel the mystery surrounding Henry's death, and wonders if she wouldn't be better off staying in Henry's world, rather than returning to the present-day and her imperfect life.
The atmosphere in this book was great. The way that Tansy could move between past and present through the photos, and see things in black and white through the camera lens, was really cool. I enjoyed the unique way that her two worlds began to impact each other, and how it was unclear whether Tansy was in fact crazy, or whether she actually experienced Henry's ghostly presence, and his world.
It was a quick, but enjoyable read. I'd recommend it to those looking for a good ghostly tale.
Tansy's grandfather grew up in this small town, and her mother has brought the three of them there in order to get the atmosphere right for her latest novel. Tansy's moved around so often that she's used to being the new girl, the outsider, but this is such a small, close-knit community that she feels even more awkward than usual.
The one thing that keeps her motivated is taking photos. However, after discovering an old pocketwatch and notebook full of poems belonging to a boy around her age who supposedly killed himself in the 1930s, Tansy discovers that she can somehow enter the past through her photos and begins to experience life through another girl's eyes.
As Isabel, she meets her grandfather as a young man, as well as the mysterious Henry- writer of the poems she found. Tansy begins to try to unravel the mystery surrounding Henry's death, and wonders if she wouldn't be better off staying in Henry's world, rather than returning to the present-day and her imperfect life.
The atmosphere in this book was great. The way that Tansy could move between past and present through the photos, and see things in black and white through the camera lens, was really cool. I enjoyed the unique way that her two worlds began to impact each other, and how it was unclear whether Tansy was in fact crazy, or whether she actually experienced Henry's ghostly presence, and his world.
It was a quick, but enjoyable read. I'd recommend it to those looking for a good ghostly tale.
January 26, 2012
The premise of Through her Eyes sounded incredibly amazing and I was really looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, Through her eyes wasn’t exactly what I had expected it to be so I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would have.
When I started reading Through her Eyes I found it quite hard to get into, and then there were patches of interesting parts. Overall, it was quite an up and down shift in the interest levels for me. I did find some parts of the book to be a bit spooky and I thought that was really awesome.
I’m not really sure how I feel about the characters, they all had their strengths and weaknesses but Tansy’s were a bit overbearing at times. I found it a little hard to relate to her but I think that is because I’ve never really been a new kid at school. Tate and Beth were really interesting people though.
I felt that parts of the story were touched on and then ignored for a long time within the book that I sort of lost interest in the story a little bit. I did find the whole idea really interesting and I enjoyed following it through and seeing what had actually happened and what was happening to Tansy.
Overall, I thought that Through her Eyes was an alright read. It just wasn’t really my type of book and while there were parts that I enjoyed there were also a lot of parts that weren’t so interesting. I would say if you’re a fan of paranormal reads then you might just enjoy this one.
When I started reading Through her Eyes I found it quite hard to get into, and then there were patches of interesting parts. Overall, it was quite an up and down shift in the interest levels for me. I did find some parts of the book to be a bit spooky and I thought that was really awesome.
I’m not really sure how I feel about the characters, they all had their strengths and weaknesses but Tansy’s were a bit overbearing at times. I found it a little hard to relate to her but I think that is because I’ve never really been a new kid at school. Tate and Beth were really interesting people though.
I felt that parts of the story were touched on and then ignored for a long time within the book that I sort of lost interest in the story a little bit. I did find the whole idea really interesting and I enjoyed following it through and seeing what had actually happened and what was happening to Tansy.
Overall, I thought that Through her Eyes was an alright read. It just wasn’t really my type of book and while there were parts that I enjoyed there were also a lot of parts that weren’t so interesting. I would say if you’re a fan of paranormal reads then you might just enjoy this one.
May 2, 2012
Carissa Moran
I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was haunting, mysterious, spooky, and yet it was also calm and refreshing. This is something different from my read, and let me tell you, I'll definately be reading others books with similar story lines! Throughout the whole story I was attempting to figure out weather Tansy was crazy, dreaming, or telling the truth. It was a big mystery to me the whole way. For the most part I thought of her as crazy. How could she like someone she doesn't know? Someone who is dead as a matter of fact.However, the whole of idea of being able to travel to the past, as someone else, through photographs is awesome! The way Henry was described throughout the story creeped me out. Ha. Not sure why. Most of the time, I was debating weather Henry was a bad person or just like Tansy, lost and confused. In the end, I found my answer. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a spooky, mysterious, and romantic book. Oh yes, did I mention romance? No, I didn't. Technically, it isn't the teen romance you'd expect. Its a scary one. One where you don't know what will happen, who will get hurt, and what is real or not!
So, yes I really enjoyed this book & yes, you SHOULD read it.
Stop reading these reviews & go read the book! (:
I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was haunting, mysterious, spooky, and yet it was also calm and refreshing. This is something different from my read, and let me tell you, I'll definately be reading others books with similar story lines! Throughout the whole story I was attempting to figure out weather Tansy was crazy, dreaming, or telling the truth. It was a big mystery to me the whole way. For the most part I thought of her as crazy. How could she like someone she doesn't know? Someone who is dead as a matter of fact.However, the whole of idea of being able to travel to the past, as someone else, through photographs is awesome! The way Henry was described throughout the story creeped me out. Ha. Not sure why. Most of the time, I was debating weather Henry was a bad person or just like Tansy, lost and confused. In the end, I found my answer. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a spooky, mysterious, and romantic book. Oh yes, did I mention romance? No, I didn't. Technically, it isn't the teen romance you'd expect. Its a scary one. One where you don't know what will happen, who will get hurt, and what is real or not!
So, yes I really enjoyed this book & yes, you SHOULD read it.
Stop reading these reviews & go read the book! (:
November 1, 2012
This book is about a girl whos mom is a famous author. She writes the haunted and scary type stories. The way she wites her boks is, wherever she wants her book to take place, she will move to the place that best suits her. So its turns out that house they move into is the house that her grandpa dan used to live in. when he was kid. Aperently there is a creepy story abut a boy named Henry who killed himself by jumping off of a bridge. So the first thing that the main character tansy wants to do is find out who this henry is wants to find out what made him want to hurt himself in the ways that he did. She ends up finding all of these things, the poems that he wrote, the watch he had that seemed to always stop at the time 12:22, and a crystal. She starts to see things that other people can't. Her whole reality is changing. She starts to go into the life of a girl named Isabel who was having a romantic relationship with henry, and the Papa dan now was aperently best friends with them. They were like the three musketeers. Then there is Tate. He is the guy that Tansy is always hanging out with. So now she has to choose wich life she wants to be in and stay with. to find out what she does you'll just have to read the book.
February 22, 2013
Tansy Piper is the daughter of horror author Millicent Moon (who is a female Stephen King without all the money and movie deals). Millicent has moved Tansy all over because she believes it helps her to live in the place she is setting her book in. This time they are moving to Cedar Canyon, Texas. Tansy is tired of moving and not being able to stay around and make friends. She also lives with her grandpa, Papa Dan, who has some kind of dementia.
When Tansy and her family get to Texas she is drawn to the turret of their new home where she sets up her dark room to develop photos. In the cellar she finds a journal, pocket watch and crystal pendant. She is drawn to them and strange things start happening. The journal belonged to a troubled boy named Henry who killed himself centuries before. With the pendant, her photographs and the journal Tansy finds herself transported to the past and the present starts changing to black ad white. Tansy starts to wonder if she really wants to stay in the past with Henry who she thinks understands her or to stay in the present where she has met a couple people that she likes. Tansy has to get away from the pull of Henry before she really does lose touch with reality.
When Tansy and her family get to Texas she is drawn to the turret of their new home where she sets up her dark room to develop photos. In the cellar she finds a journal, pocket watch and crystal pendant. She is drawn to them and strange things start happening. The journal belonged to a troubled boy named Henry who killed himself centuries before. With the pendant, her photographs and the journal Tansy finds herself transported to the past and the present starts changing to black ad white. Tansy starts to wonder if she really wants to stay in the past with Henry who she thinks understands her or to stay in the present where she has met a couple people that she likes. Tansy has to get away from the pull of Henry before she really does lose touch with reality.
July 8, 2013
Read my review on how 'Drink Slay Love' was put on my series disappointment list? Guess what?
ADD ANOTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get too connected to characters so when I finish a series (or series worthy book) {That's right! I'm talkin' to you Jennifer Archer} I feel as though the characters die and i'll never see them again! Which is mostly true. I just CAN'T read a book more than once. The thrill of not knowing isn't there. Ya know what I mean? You don't? Here's an example:
You go to a theme park, ride the biggest, baddest roller coaster there then take a spin in the tea cups!
Pathetic and unworthy for me to read a second time, the thrill's just not there! I seek thrills. When I feel particularly tired after skatboarding off a barn roof into hay (From: Touch By: Jus Accardo) {I haven't done that yet, but believe me it's on my bucket list!} I read a book...FOR THRILLS!!!!!
.....................................
HOW DID I GET SO OFF TOPIC?!?!?!?!?!
To put it shortly: Tansey, Tate, Beth, Mom, Rooster Boy, Shana, (Can't say I don't mind seeing rooster boy and Shanna die..) Papa Dan, Henry, and Isabel are dead. *Spoiler, skip now!* (Ironically Daniel, Henry, and Belle died before I offed em'!)
ADD ANOTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get too connected to characters so when I finish a series (or series worthy book) {That's right! I'm talkin' to you Jennifer Archer} I feel as though the characters die and i'll never see them again! Which is mostly true. I just CAN'T read a book more than once. The thrill of not knowing isn't there. Ya know what I mean? You don't? Here's an example:
You go to a theme park, ride the biggest, baddest roller coaster there then take a spin in the tea cups!
Pathetic and unworthy for me to read a second time, the thrill's just not there! I seek thrills. When I feel particularly tired after skatboarding off a barn roof into hay (From: Touch By: Jus Accardo) {I haven't done that yet, but believe me it's on my bucket list!} I read a book...FOR THRILLS!!!!!
.....................................
HOW DID I GET SO OFF TOPIC?!?!?!?!?!
To put it shortly: Tansey, Tate, Beth, Mom, Rooster Boy, Shana, (Can't say I don't mind seeing rooster boy and Shanna die..) Papa Dan, Henry, and Isabel are dead. *Spoiler, skip now!* (Ironically Daniel, Henry, and Belle died before I offed em'!)
September 3, 2012
I read the very first page of this book and decided there was no way I was going to read another book abut a ghost. I tend to stereotype them and consider them to be much of the same thing: girl has no friends but somehow gets in contact with a ghost; ghost becomes her friend; they fall in love; girl has to choose whether she wants to be a ghost and blah blah blah.
I decided to give it another chance and I have to say that I enjoyed it very much. Tansy has to live in Hick Town, Nowhere; population-open land and bad accents. I felt really bad for her because she's just this girl that really wants her mother to be able to settle down and use her creative talents to better fathom where her next book will be than to actually move there. Technically this is a ghost story but really it's a teen romance. In some places it gets truly eerie but it makes reading Tansy's story that much more interesting.
The comic relief in the form of a tiny Shakespeare spewing geek is the absolute best parts of the book.
I decided to give it another chance and I have to say that I enjoyed it very much. Tansy has to live in Hick Town, Nowhere; population-open land and bad accents. I felt really bad for her because she's just this girl that really wants her mother to be able to settle down and use her creative talents to better fathom where her next book will be than to actually move there. Technically this is a ghost story but really it's a teen romance. In some places it gets truly eerie but it makes reading Tansy's story that much more interesting.
The comic relief in the form of a tiny Shakespeare spewing geek is the absolute best parts of the book.
September 11, 2012
I wouldn't say i loved this book, but i definitely enjoyed it. I loved the idea of traveling through photographs to old memories. Since my mom is a photographer, it wasn't that hard imagining it. I also like how Tansy never directly spoke to the spirit of Henry, in that way it was unique. This book took us through the bitter-sweet love story of Bell and Henry, but i wish we had known more about Henry, and Daniel. I also liked that even though Tansy was drawn to Henry, she had enough common sense to be freaked out, unlike some books. This book was certainly different for a ghost story, and i enjoyed it.
P.S.: Was listening to 'My Heart Will Go On' by Celine Dion when I read the ending, including the letter from Bell^^ Fits perfectly~
P.S.: Was listening to 'My Heart Will Go On' by Celine Dion when I read the ending, including the letter from Bell^^ Fits perfectly~
March 28, 2012
WOW! Great book! I have never read something that kept me guessing with every character until the very end! Just when you think you have it figured out Jennifer takes it on a little different spin! I found myself shouting out loud toward the end after a MAJOR unexpected twist! Well worth the read to the end! It comes together well, and every part, strange as it may be comes to a point!
September 17, 2012
Been wanting to read this for a while......and boy was it worth the wait!!!!!!!!!!!! This book doesn't really have any particular paranormal theme to it--vampires, werewolves, etc., just a hint of ghostly activities--and yet, it still captured your attention and wouldn't let go. Kinda like Henry's gaze........A must read!
September 22, 2017
this book was certainly the best i'v read by far. the suspense was terrific and the story line was a major one upper.
a lot happened that i wasn't expecting and i was surprised by some choices the characters made but it all tied up at the end and it made perfect sense as to why did what was done.
it was an amazing book and i recommend reading it.
a lot happened that i wasn't expecting and i was surprised by some choices the characters made but it all tied up at the end and it made perfect sense as to why did what was done.
it was an amazing book and i recommend reading it.
May 24, 2013
The book was good I read it in 7th grade and in 9th grade I'm writing a book report about it and it feels like I read the book the day I first got it in my hands. I might be a teen but I know what's a good book and what's not. I give this book two big thumbs up.
June 17, 2013
Interesting book for teens or adults. Past and present come together in a small Texas town where Tansy Piper is the new girl trying to fit in. I liked the characters and the mystery that kept me guessing.
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