Break My Heart 1,000 Times

Ever since the mysterious “Event,” which instantly killed millions of people worldwide, ghosts have been appearing like clockwork—brief, repeating images of the dead doing everything from visiting libraries to eating breakfast. Veronica’s father is one such ghost, and the high school sophomore takes comfort in seeing him every morning, even if he is just as uncommunicative as the other ghosts. Veronica’s history teacher, Mr. Bittner, also has ghosts on his mind—his late daughter isn’t returning as one—and his unhinged wife has been goading him into killing teenage girls for their daughter to “possess.” After multiple failed attempts to bring their daughter back, they set their sights on Veronica. Veronica’s friend/romantic interest, Kirk, and her ghost-obsessed English teacher also get drawn into the plot, and it soon becomes clear that some ghosts might be able to interact with humans after all. Even knowing early on who the sinister players are in Waters’s (the Generation Dead series) story doesn’t dissipate its tension (Waters gets some good twists in there, too). There’s ample creepiness in this supernatural thriller to keep readers invested. Ages 12–18. (Oct.)