SuitabookHaunt Me
Liz Kessler
- Reading
- Consider checking in before and during reading because suicide, bullying, panic, grief and a troubled romantic attachment are central. Allow space afterwards to discuss whether the relationship felt caring or concerning.
- Themes
- Bullying, anxiety and isolation: Erin moves after severe bullying, experiences panic attacks and struggles to participate in school and relationships. The story gives sustained attention to the effects of cruelty and isolation, though one response says some mental-health issues fade from focus.
- Romance and dependence: Erin falls for Joe, a ghost who is confined to a bedroom and can affect the physical world when distressed. One reading finds the romance plausible and emotionally effective; another regards Erin’s withdrawal and Joe’s frustration as an unhealthy relationship.
- Death, grief and the supernatural: Joe is dead and uncertain about his condition, while his brother Olly carries guilt and grief; Joe’s unexplained past drives the suspense. The supernatural premise is used to explore unresolved loss and attachment, with a darker, sometimes creepy atmosphere.
- Worth knowing
- Pay particular attention to how the story frames Erin’s isolation and her attachment to Joe, especially because one response describes the relationship as unhealthy while another finds it plausible and emotionally effective.