At its core this book is about trauma and healing and although it tried to pull you in to feeling for these characters I never quite did. I think she writes the healing well and makes you feel the loneliness but I didn’t quite connect the way I was hoping to. As a quiet exploration of the issues it does it well, it just doesn’t have a big hard hitting moment I could grasp onto.

Going into this book I did not really know what to expect. I have never read anything by this author before but I have seen her books. As I started this book it took me a minute to get into the story because I wasn’t sure where it was going. I must say that I am glad I stuck with it to the end. At the heart of everything this is a story of trauma, loneliness, and finding yourself. I think by the end of this book you may need to have some tissues handy. The characters are wonderful as you get to know them. The adoptive parents, Bill and Liz like to adopt children that need special care because of their traumatic past. They let the children explore and take their time to get use to the place. They live on a rural and quiet piece of land. That is also haunted. The writing is so atmospheric and gripping. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher Dutton Books for Young Readers for letting me read this book in advance.

I was given a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Mila is aging out of the foster care system, so when she's offered a slot at a farm community she gladly accepts the position and gains a place to live.  The family she joines has fostered many kids.  Nina and the rest of them see ghosts, but she soon learns that she'll need to confront her ghost to have a fulfilling life.  Loved it.  #Netgalley #WatchOverMe #NinaLaCour #fostercare

Nina LaCour is the YA author you go to for a beautifully written story that deals with some hard issues. A little slow for me but I see a lot of people loving this one.

This moving YA novel follows high school graduate Mila as she moves to a farm run by two foster parents. She settles into her role as a teacher, and soon finds herself coming face-to-face with her past. Nina LaCour’s quiet and powerful stories always pack a strong emotional punch and this book was no different. I was particularly captivated by the characters’ relationships with the ghosts of their pasts and Mila’s understanding that recovering from trauma may be a slow road but one made easier to bear with support from those who care about her. Nina LaCour never disappoints and her latest is sure to be a winner for readers both new to her work and those familiar with it.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this book up. It was full of sadness and the pain that comes from dealing with grief. Beautifully written!

Nina can do no wrong. I love her sad, haunting, melancholic writing and her characters are always diverse, well-rounded, and hit you in the heart. This book discusses grief, pain, loss, and in such a beautiful and lyrical way. While not my favorite LaCour book, I will always love her books and writing and definitely flew through this!

This was a beautifully written book that told a very quirky story.  It begins normally enough, but all of a sudden it talks bout ghosts being seen dancing and playing out in the field at the school as a matter of fact.  At first it surprised me, but then I got comfortable with the ghosts.  And then as the story progresses, step by step, the realization of who the teachers and children are at the school along with Mila's realization and even that tends to seem normal as the reader gets caught up in the story.  If you as the reader like something quite different from the normal realistic book, this is one to read.

Another lovely story by Nina LaCour. She's just such a wonderful writer and my high school students love to read her books. This one is a ghost story about trauma, healing, and acceptance. I often have students ask me for a "sad book" and this one fits the bill -- it is a sad book but it is so much more.

I didn't really know what to expect from this book, but I ended up really loving the themes present and where the story went by the end. I found the first half to be a bit boring, and wasn't nearly as interested in life on the farm/teaching the kids as I was about finding out what the ghosts were and what they meant, as well as learning more about Mila's past. 

But the last half had me on the edge of my seat, and I ended up reading it in a single sitting because I had to know what was going to happen next. While this was a sad, haunting read, I loved the hopeful note the book ended on. Overall, this was such a different book from what I'm used to reading, and I'm really glad I picked it up!

nina always impresses with her almost lyrical writing while addressing real issues. i have been a fan since everything leads to you and have yet to be disappointed

Beautifully haunting and vivid, as LaCour's writing always is. Another book from her that I will carry with me. Full review in 2020 favourites video.

A haunting eulogy to the grieving of loss innocence that abuse victims can feel in their adulthood, Nina LaCour's WATCH OVER ME hits you in every emotion-bearing organ possible.

I’ve never read The Turn of the Screw, but this was extremely enjoyable. So many emotions reading it. A journey of ghosts and trauma to remember.

WOW! This book was fantastic. I am a huge fan of Nina LaCour's writing, and just as I had predicted, the writing in this book was beautiful. I also loved the characters, as I felt emotionally attached to them and genuinely cared about them while reading this book.

I'm not going to lie, this book freaked me out a bit. I'm easily scared by really anything and this managed to do it. I think this book is best suited to those who are not babies such as I, but overall I really enjoyed it. It was a pretty fast read, but it packed a punch. It dealt with a lot of deep and emotional topics, but I think it handled them beautifully. There was an overall theme of healing and growth that I loved to see, and think it really lightened the book at times. This had the option of becoming a very dark book, but that aspect of people that need each other banding together and growing together really made it enjoyable. I think it was a great book, just maybe better suited for someone else:)

Nina LaCour's lyrical writing takes us through a, extremely delicate experience with such grace, passion, and fearlessness. This was a pleasure to read.

Thanks to Penguin Teen for gifting me this book. It was small and mighty. I still don't have a lot of experience with magical realism, but if they were all done like this, if would be a favorite genre.  I loved the interpretation of the ghosts, and what they signified.  I really love Nina Lacours  books!

Watch Over Me 
By Nina LaCour

A remarkable, motional, and heart wrenching YA story with great characters and fantastic haunting story line I enjoyed reading.

Mila has finally graduated high school and at 19 is out of the foster care system. looking for a fresh start, she accepts a position in an isolated farm in the coast of Northern California where besides being a refuge, is also a place where the past will haunt and live through past traumas and memories. 

This was an unusual read full of emotional triggers, yet beautiful and so immersive that will have you turning those pages in this quick read gem of a book. Overall, this was a book that touched upon the themes of grief, resiliency and with beautifully complex characters that I loved reading about.

A stunning reimagining of the Turn of the Screw. A lovely story about belonging, a sad story about trauma, and an unforgettable story about the ghosts we try to ignore.