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I feel like this review is a bit sloppy and doesn't adequately convey how much I loved Preloved. It's more like a high 4.5 stars than a full 5, though, and I'll get to why eventually. But first I'd like to share with you the that plays such a pivotal part in this novel. I'll wait.

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Did you see it? I feel very cheated for being an American with only Mr. Bubble to remember from my youth. I mean, is all we got here. What is with all the singing? Why is no one yelling that they want their pants off?

Anyway, now that's out of the way--the review! I found out about Shirley Marr through some good reviews from people I trust of her first book, Fury. When I went to buy it on Fishpond, I found out Shirley had a newer, shinier book just come out, so I ordered that one first. And waited impatiently for two weeks for it to arrive. When it did finally get here, my mother buried it under a huge stack of other, less important mail, so I had to wait a whole 'nother day until it resurfaced. And now here we are.

First, the bad: I initially found the plot very confusing. For the first two chapters or so, I felt like I'd jumped in at the middle of the beginning. I was a bit disappointed because I had been anticipating reading this book for so long and was worried it was a bust, but soon I got caught up in the story and all was right with my world again.

Now for the good: Everything else. There are BSC (Babysitters Club, for those of you not in know) references, a sweetly romantic prom night, "you remind me of the babe" and "as you wish" exchanges, and homages to John Hughes. There is a solid mother-daughter relationship that made me want to hug my own mum and have girly movie nights with her, even though she made me have to wait an extra 24 hours to read Preloved. There's reincarnation, superstitious warnings about ghosts, awkward high school moments, and friends who make it hard to love them. I appreciated how realistic Amy and her life were (how her parents' divorce plays out and the hangups it gives her, making new friends, keeping old ones) while also being magical (ghosts, exorcisms, reincarnations). And I loved, loved, loved Logan. He is very high up on my Leading Men I Have Loved list, let me tell you.

Oh, and there are lines like this:

"You know, if I was Andie from Pretty in Pink, I would never have chosen Blane. I would have without a doubt chosen Duckie, my best friend who had always loved me."

I am a big softy and it doesn't take much to make me tear up. Once I read that, I was gone. I started sniffling and pretending I had something in my eye and didn't stop until ten minutes after I read the last page.

The ending wasn't what I expected, perhaps because I'm used to paranormal romances where the authors drag the relationships on forever, highlighting all the complexities and reasons the couple can never be together, only to magically resolve everything in the fifth or tenth book in the series. Shirley Marr doesn't do that, not quite. The ending of Preloved was bittersweet, light but deeply moving in the same way the rest of the story was.

This an amazing book. You can't get it in the US yet (hint, hint, publishers!) but it is totally worth the wait to have it shipped from the other side of the world. Due to financial constraints, I rarely buy books anymore without having flipped through them first or knowing I already like the author. I got this one completely blind and I am so glad I did. Fury is shipping out to me soon. I can't wait to read it!