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Molly's Reviews > Preloved
Preloved
by
by
Molly's review
bookshelves: aussie-nz, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, young-adult, ghosts
Aug 28, 2013
bookshelves: aussie-nz, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, young-adult, ghosts
Delightful mix of sweetness and sadness.
Thank you book, for pulling me from the one-day-and-a-half reading slump, caused by Charm & Strange (fortunately I bounced right back up)!
“I unwrapped the fresh flowers left on the front mat and arranged it in the basket of the vintage bicycle that Mum kept out the front. I wasn’t even sure the bike even worked; it’s only ever served as a glorified vase. Like most of the things in Mum’s shop, Buy Gones, it was old or unwanted or broken or all of the above.
And pre-owned.
Or as Mum preferred to call it, preloved�
Amy Lee is a 16 year-old from (fictional) Middlemore, Australia, and she (as it usually goes in this kind of book) hasn't had it easy lately. After her parents divorce she moves out with her superstitious, quirky, Chinese mom. They made a life for themselves above their vintage store... and they do their best to move on. One the day her school organizes the "'80s dress-up day", Amy leaves her home dressed as Buttercup, from the '80s movie The Princess Bride. There is a scuffle involving her friend Rebecca (dressed as Kylie Minogue) and a bunch of her admirers (all dressed as clones of Jason Donovan) ... Amy offers (unwanted) assistance to her (a little obnoxious)nbestie ... they land in the square's fountain ... Amy founds a locket, and the rest is destiny.
“Whenever my mum decided to give me advice, it often sounded like this:
“Amy, don’t bring an open umbrella into the house, because a ghost might be hiding under it.�
“Amy, don’t touch the sleep on a cat’s eyes and then touch your own eyes, because you will see ghosts.�
“Amy, never tweeze the hairs off the tops of your toes, or you will see ghosts.�
If only I had listened to Mum.�
Rating 3.5
This book was what it promised to be .... a delightful, light YA coming-of-age story with a likable female protagonist (Amy Lee), an adorable superstitious mother (Ivy), with a sprinkle of young paranormal romance, in the form of a teen ghost from the '80s (Logan), complete with not-so-relevant supporting cast of friends (Rebecca, Nancy and Michael), a ghost pet dog (Mister Fozziebum), a haunted locket, a mystery of long missing teenagers ... and a very price-y stuffed owl named Ollie.
“Looking for someone?� said a voice behind me, making me jump.
It was the boy. “How did you get here so fast? You were just–�
I turned back around and started walking away from him quickly.
“Hey, take a chill pill, right?�
Chill pill? What was with the awful Eighties slang? The next thing I knew, he’d be cracking out a “grouse� and an “ace�. And Eighties dress-up day was supposed to be over.�
Maybe I expected a different kind of book after reading Fury .... more of this....
“I ran because it was the only thing I could do.
I left a trail of invisible red footprints.
I knew they were red because they were made from my blood, as the contents of my heart dribbled out.�
and less of this....
“The white light is over there.� I stabbed my finger towards the door of the dining room, trying to convey to Logan as violently as possible to get the heck out of here. “I’m now guiding the spirit towards the light.�
Mum watched me with her mouth still open, fascination on her face.�
... but in the end it was a cute mix of both. I'll sure keep an eye out for Shirley Marr.
“My mother had told me stories about hanged ghosts with long red tongues lolling out of their heads, wandering ghosts looking for their murderers, water ghosts looking for someone to drown in their place. All of them lost and aimless. But what she should have scared me with was a story about a shut down, defensive and sarcastic girl who couldn’t move ahead with her life because she was dead on the inside.�
“Back in my day,� said Logan, “music had two sides. The first side was the one that contained all the hits, all the popular tracks. Then you had the B-side, which was where the musicians could be creative, even experimental. Life had a nice symmetry, back then.�
.... and then, that *swoon* ending...
(view spoiler)
Lovely book, on second thought maybe deserving of a higher rating, like rounding it up to four stars ... done.
Oh, P.S.
Did I say I loved Amy's mom?
“Usually, I would run out as fast as I could, but today I found myself pausing in the kitchen doorframe, waiting for Mum to leave me with one of her ghost warnings.
“Amy, remember that if you get lost in a forest and the ghosts trick you into thinking every direction looks the same � take your undies off, put them over your head and spin around in a circle. Then your path will be clear.�
“Thanks not so much,� I said. Yes. I could scare away the ghosts. Along with every bushwalker and picnicker in sight. I wasn’t sure what the penalty for public indecency was these days, but I’m sure it involved incarceration.
“Your mum is cool,� said Logan as he followed me out to the front.
“My mum is weird,� I said�
Thank you book, for pulling me from the one-day-and-a-half reading slump, caused by Charm & Strange (fortunately I bounced right back up)!
“I unwrapped the fresh flowers left on the front mat and arranged it in the basket of the vintage bicycle that Mum kept out the front. I wasn’t even sure the bike even worked; it’s only ever served as a glorified vase. Like most of the things in Mum’s shop, Buy Gones, it was old or unwanted or broken or all of the above.
And pre-owned.
Or as Mum preferred to call it, preloved�
Amy Lee is a 16 year-old from (fictional) Middlemore, Australia, and she (as it usually goes in this kind of book) hasn't had it easy lately. After her parents divorce she moves out with her superstitious, quirky, Chinese mom. They made a life for themselves above their vintage store... and they do their best to move on. One the day her school organizes the "'80s dress-up day", Amy leaves her home dressed as Buttercup, from the '80s movie The Princess Bride. There is a scuffle involving her friend Rebecca (dressed as Kylie Minogue) and a bunch of her admirers (all dressed as clones of Jason Donovan) ... Amy offers (unwanted) assistance to her (a little obnoxious)nbestie ... they land in the square's fountain ... Amy founds a locket, and the rest is destiny.
“Whenever my mum decided to give me advice, it often sounded like this:
“Amy, don’t bring an open umbrella into the house, because a ghost might be hiding under it.�
“Amy, don’t touch the sleep on a cat’s eyes and then touch your own eyes, because you will see ghosts.�
“Amy, never tweeze the hairs off the tops of your toes, or you will see ghosts.�
If only I had listened to Mum.�
Rating 3.5
This book was what it promised to be .... a delightful, light YA coming-of-age story with a likable female protagonist (Amy Lee), an adorable superstitious mother (Ivy), with a sprinkle of young paranormal romance, in the form of a teen ghost from the '80s (Logan), complete with not-so-relevant supporting cast of friends (Rebecca, Nancy and Michael), a ghost pet dog (Mister Fozziebum), a haunted locket, a mystery of long missing teenagers ... and a very price-y stuffed owl named Ollie.
“Looking for someone?� said a voice behind me, making me jump.
It was the boy. “How did you get here so fast? You were just–�
I turned back around and started walking away from him quickly.
“Hey, take a chill pill, right?�
Chill pill? What was with the awful Eighties slang? The next thing I knew, he’d be cracking out a “grouse� and an “ace�. And Eighties dress-up day was supposed to be over.�
Maybe I expected a different kind of book after reading Fury .... more of this....
“I ran because it was the only thing I could do.
I left a trail of invisible red footprints.
I knew they were red because they were made from my blood, as the contents of my heart dribbled out.�
and less of this....
“The white light is over there.� I stabbed my finger towards the door of the dining room, trying to convey to Logan as violently as possible to get the heck out of here. “I’m now guiding the spirit towards the light.�
Mum watched me with her mouth still open, fascination on her face.�
... but in the end it was a cute mix of both. I'll sure keep an eye out for Shirley Marr.
“My mother had told me stories about hanged ghosts with long red tongues lolling out of their heads, wandering ghosts looking for their murderers, water ghosts looking for someone to drown in their place. All of them lost and aimless. But what she should have scared me with was a story about a shut down, defensive and sarcastic girl who couldn’t move ahead with her life because she was dead on the inside.�
“Back in my day,� said Logan, “music had two sides. The first side was the one that contained all the hits, all the popular tracks. Then you had the B-side, which was where the musicians could be creative, even experimental. Life had a nice symmetry, back then.�
.... and then, that *swoon* ending...
(view spoiler)
Lovely book, on second thought maybe deserving of a higher rating, like rounding it up to four stars ... done.
Oh, P.S.
Did I say I loved Amy's mom?
“Usually, I would run out as fast as I could, but today I found myself pausing in the kitchen doorframe, waiting for Mum to leave me with one of her ghost warnings.
“Amy, remember that if you get lost in a forest and the ghosts trick you into thinking every direction looks the same � take your undies off, put them over your head and spin around in a circle. Then your path will be clear.�
“Thanks not so much,� I said. Yes. I could scare away the ghosts. Along with every bushwalker and picnicker in sight. I wasn’t sure what the penalty for public indecency was these days, but I’m sure it involved incarceration.
“Your mum is cool,� said Logan as he followed me out to the front.
“My mum is weird,� I said�
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Reading Progress
August 28, 2013
– Shelved as:
to-read
August 28, 2013
– Shelved
September 18, 2013
– Shelved as:
aussie-nz
December 26, 2015
–
Started Reading
December 26, 2015
–
2.57%
"“Whenever my mum decided to give me advice, it often sounded like this:
“Amy, don’t bring an open umbrella into the house, because a ghost might be hiding under it.�
“Amy, don’t touch the sleep on a cat’s eyes and then touch your own eyes, because you will see ghosts.�
“Amy, never tweeze the hairs off the tops of your toes, or you will see ghosts.�
If only I had listened to Mum.�"
page
7
“Amy, don’t bring an open umbrella into the house, because a ghost might be hiding under it.�
“Amy, don’t touch the sleep on a cat’s eyes and then touch your own eyes, because you will see ghosts.�
“Amy, never tweeze the hairs off the tops of your toes, or you will see ghosts.�
If only I had listened to Mum.�"
December 26, 2015
–
10.0%
"Whatcha got there, Amy?�
“It’s ‘Amy� now, is it?"
“Don’t be like that, Amy. Your friend just has that effect on all the males. She’s like some sort of siren.�
“A what?�
“You know. One of those mythical maidens that cause men to go wild and throw themselves off their ships to their watery deaths.�
I accepted Michael’s attempt at an apology. He only seemed to turn into a wolf when his pack was around."
“It’s ‘Amy� now, is it?"
“Don’t be like that, Amy. Your friend just has that effect on all the males. She’s like some sort of siren.�
“A what?�
“You know. One of those mythical maidens that cause men to go wild and throw themselves off their ships to their watery deaths.�
I accepted Michael’s attempt at an apology. He only seemed to turn into a wolf when his pack was around."
December 26, 2015
– Shelved as:
fantasy
December 26, 2015
– Shelved as:
mystery
December 26, 2015
– Shelved as:
paranormal
December 26, 2015
– Shelved as:
young-adult
December 27, 2015
– Shelved as:
ghosts
December 28, 2015
–
10.0%
"““That girl sure has something. When she comes into the room, I swear she walks in slow motion and a wind machine blows her hair back, just like in a bad Eighties movie.""
December 28, 2015
–
11.0%
"“You know, from my experience of watching movies–�
I groaned audibly.
“Hear me out, Amy. As I was saying, based on my extensive movie viewing, I’ve actually stockpiled rules in case I need to use them in real life. For example, in the case of a zombie apocalypse, if you find yourself barred inside a shopping centre � stay there. Do not in any circumstance try to escape to an island you think has no zombies.""
I groaned audibly.
“Hear me out, Amy. As I was saying, based on my extensive movie viewing, I’ve actually stockpiled rules in case I need to use them in real life. For example, in the case of a zombie apocalypse, if you find yourself barred inside a shopping centre � stay there. Do not in any circumstance try to escape to an island you think has no zombies.""
December 28, 2015
–
11.0%
"� It’s the nostalgia old people have that makes them see the past with rose-coloured glasses. When I have grandchildren, I’ll probably look back and think this was the best day of my life""
December 28, 2015
–
13.0%
"� she had that look on her face. That classic Rebecca face.
The one that said, “I don’t fit in with the popular kids. I’m on the outside looking in because I’m a loner that no one gets, but if only you knew how I feel on the inside, and the heart of gold I possess, you would know I’m just misunderstood.""
The one that said, “I don’t fit in with the popular kids. I’m on the outside looking in because I’m a loner that no one gets, but if only you knew how I feel on the inside, and the heart of gold I possess, you would know I’m just misunderstood.""
December 28, 2015
–
16.0%
"“I patted Mum on the shoulder. I knew exactly what she was doing. She would find something she deemed worthwhile to cry about � war, disease, hunger, princesses who got divorced � to disguise the fact that she was secretly crying for herself.
“Let’s go and feed Mister Fozziebum, shall we?� Mum seemed to brighten immediately as she spoke""
“Let’s go and feed Mister Fozziebum, shall we?� Mum seemed to brighten immediately as she spoke""
December 28, 2015
–
22.0%
""Looking for someone?� said a voice behind me, making me jump.
It was the boy. “How did you get here so fast? You were just–�
I turned back around and started walking away from him quickly.
“Hey, take a chill pill, right?�
Chill pill? What was with the awful Eighties slang? The next thing I knew, he’d be cracking out a “grouse� and an “ace�. And Eighties dress-up day was supposed to be over"
It was the boy. “How did you get here so fast? You were just–�
I turned back around and started walking away from him quickly.
“Hey, take a chill pill, right?�
Chill pill? What was with the awful Eighties slang? The next thing I knew, he’d be cracking out a “grouse� and an “ace�. And Eighties dress-up day was supposed to be over"
December 28, 2015
–
22.0%
""Who are you? Why were you in our backyard last night and why did you look into my bedroom window?�
“I’m Logan. Nice to meet you too. I was in your backyard because I was playing with your dog. And I didn’t look in your window last night. I was actually standing behind you in your room.�
To say my mouth dropped open was an understatement. I think I shattered my entire lower jaw when it hit the pavement."
“I’m Logan. Nice to meet you too. I was in your backyard because I was playing with your dog. And I didn’t look in your window last night. I was actually standing behind you in your room.�
To say my mouth dropped open was an understatement. I think I shattered my entire lower jaw when it hit the pavement."
December 28, 2015
–
31.0%
"“I opened the locket, looked at the photo of Logan and then shut it. How stupid was I? It was like I’d been locked up in an ivory tower for sixteen years and he was the first boy to try to climb up my hair. I was as bad as all the girls who put posters of pop stars on their bedroom walls and then screamed so loud at the concerts that they fainted.""
December 28, 2015
–
33.0%
"“I’m taking you to my mum,� I said. “And she’s going to help me ghostbuster you back where you came from.�
“What makes you think your mum is going to believe you?� said Logan, a confident smile spreading across his face that I didn’t find attractive at all. Or so said my brain to my girl hormones.
“My mum is different from other mums, okay?� I replied.
And didn’t I know it""
“What makes you think your mum is going to believe you?� said Logan, a confident smile spreading across his face that I didn’t find attractive at all. Or so said my brain to my girl hormones.
“My mum is different from other mums, okay?� I replied.
And didn’t I know it""
December 28, 2015
–
37.0%
"“The white light is over there.� I stabbed my finger towards the door of the dining room, trying to convey to Logan as violently as possible to get the heck out of here. “I’m now guiding the spirit towards the light.�
Mum watched me with her mouth still open, fascination on her face.""
Mum watched me with her mouth still open, fascination on her face.""
December 28, 2015
–
37.0%
"“Do you feel that?� I asked and then I closed my eyes dramatically, channelling my Jennifer Love Hewitt. “The spirit has now passed through to the other side.�
I opened my eyes to find Master Wu staring at me in an unimpressed way""
I opened my eyes to find Master Wu staring at me in an unimpressed way""
December 28, 2015
–
39.0%
"“Amy, I think this is the best part of us being together. It’s an unconventional relationship. I’m the ghost and you’re the freaky little girl who can see ghosts. None of that awkward boy and girl stuff.""
December 28, 2015
–
40.0%
"“Strange. I thought I heard something,� said Mum. “Anyway, were you after me? I definitely heard your voice
”Mum’s sentence trailed off and she focused on my face. I smiled innocently back at her. Just a girl in front of her computer. Doing research. I didn’t have anything incriminating in my room at all. Like a boy. Sitting on my bed.
What she couldn’t see wouldn’t hurt her.""
”Mum’s sentence trailed off and she focused on my face. I smiled innocently back at her. Just a girl in front of her computer. Doing research. I didn’t have anything incriminating in my room at all. Like a boy. Sitting on my bed.
What she couldn’t see wouldn’t hurt her.""
December 28, 2015
–
40.0%
"“Oh no. Not that look. Mum’s look of concentration. Mum was clever. Too clever for her own good, my evil ah ma � Dad’s mother � used to say. Then again, she wasn’t all that happy that Dad married someone independent with an education. She probably expected women to stay at home where they belonged, with their feet bound.""
December 28, 2015
–
42.0%
December 28, 2015
–
42.0%
"“You don’t need to know who you used to be, I wanted to tell him. Just be how you are now. Stay. Stay and bug me. I kinda like it.
But he looked so unhappy it broke my heart a little. I felt like a selfish little girl who wanted to keep the butterfly I’d found in my jam jar forever.""
But he looked so unhappy it broke my heart a little. I felt like a selfish little girl who wanted to keep the butterfly I’d found in my jam jar forever.""
December 28, 2015
–
58.0%
"“You don’t know me,� I snapped back at him.
“I do,� said Logan.
He moved closer.
“I’m not a hungry ghost, Amy � you are. I see you, this girl who lives inside herself, invisible to everyone, even to herself. You’re hungry for your mother’s touch, hungry for your missing father. You’re hungry for life and you’re hungry to be a proper character in your own story. Boy, do I know you.""
“I do,� said Logan.
He moved closer.
“I’m not a hungry ghost, Amy � you are. I see you, this girl who lives inside herself, invisible to everyone, even to herself. You’re hungry for your mother’s touch, hungry for your missing father. You’re hungry for life and you’re hungry to be a proper character in your own story. Boy, do I know you.""
December 28, 2015
–
58.0%
"My mother had told me stories about hanged ghosts with long red tongues lolling out of their heads, wandering ghosts looking for their murderers, water ghosts looking for someone to drown in their place. All of them lost and aimless. But what she should have scared me with was a story about a shut down, defensive and sarcastic girl who couldn’t move ahead with her life because she was dead on the inside"
December 28, 2015
–
58.0%
"“I ran because it was the only thing I could do.
I left a trail of invisible red footprints.
I knew they were red because they were made from my blood, as the contents of my heart dribbled out.""
I left a trail of invisible red footprints.
I knew they were red because they were made from my blood, as the contents of my heart dribbled out.""
December 28, 2015
–
59.0%
"You do realise you’re dusting a stuffed owl with a chicken feather duster,� I said as I opened the door gently and slipped in.
“Well, they are both deceased,� said Mum in her defence and she put the duster down.
“It’s weird, that’s all,� I said quietly. “Not a good day?�
Mum held up the price tag around Ollie’s neck for me as I walked over. It now read $140. Yikes � a $41 price jump in one day.
“That bad, huh?"
“Well, they are both deceased,� said Mum in her defence and she put the duster down.
“It’s weird, that’s all,� I said quietly. “Not a good day?�
Mum held up the price tag around Ollie’s neck for me as I walked over. It now read $140. Yikes � a $41 price jump in one day.
“That bad, huh?"
December 28, 2015
–
60.0%
"“It felt weird without Logan � the little-angel-and-little-devil rolled into one � over my shoulder. I felt so alone.""
December 28, 2015
–
61.0%
"“Mum had one of those looks on her face that sat between composure and falling apart, like the split second before a biscuit soaked in coffee crumbles in half.""
December 28, 2015
–
66.0%
"Amy, remember that if you get lost in a forest and the ghosts trick you into thinking every direction looks the same � take your undies off, put them over your head and spin around in a circle. Then your path will be clear.�
“Thanks not so much,� I said. Yes. I could scare away the ghosts. Along with every bushwalker and picnicker in sight."
“Thanks not so much,� I said. Yes. I could scare away the ghosts. Along with every bushwalker and picnicker in sight."
December 28, 2015
–
Finished Reading
December 29, 2015
–
74.0%
"“Now life is just one continuous, endless loop,� I said. I could have been talking about myself. “Without much order. You can skip things if you’re impatient. Or you can totally disregard order and shuffle things to suit yourself. It’s all so � meaningless.�
The words felt bittersweet on my lips.""
The words felt bittersweet on my lips.""
December 29, 2015
–
74.0%
"“Back in my day,� said Logan, “music had two sides. The first side was the one that contained all the hits, all the popular tracks. Then you had the B-side, which was where the musicians could be creative, even experimental. Life had a nice symmetry, back then.""
December 29, 2015
–
85.0%
"“He pulled me along like we were bound unwittingly together with an invisible red string, like cousin Audrey and Uncle Adrian.
Like the dragonfly that Mum, as a young girl, tied a piece of thread around to keep it as a pet, I was taken.""
Like the dragonfly that Mum, as a young girl, tied a piece of thread around to keep it as a pet, I was taken.""
December 29, 2015
–
96.0%
"“I guess this is goodbye,� I whispered. “Of course not,� replied Logan, and he looked at me tenderly. “This is just until we see each other again, in another lifetime.�
“And you will be the owner of a little vintage shop, and one day I’ll just wander in and find you there. I’ll be looking to buy an old VHS copy of The Princess Bride.""
“And you will be the owner of a little vintage shop, and one day I’ll just wander in and find you there. I’ll be looking to buy an old VHS copy of The Princess Bride.""
December 29, 2015
–
96.0%
"“You promise me? You have to promise me, Logan, or else this would be � I don’t think I could ever get over it. A billion lifetimes and I’d still never get over it!�
“As you wish,� Logan whispered. I wished he hadn’t said it. I was definitely going to cry now."
"
“As you wish,� Logan whispered. I wished he hadn’t said it. I was definitely going to cry now."
"
