Reviews with content warning for Grief - You've Reached Sam

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

284 reviews

najmanasir's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Honestly, I went in thinking I'd be fine while reading, but the last two chapters before the epilogue really got me 😭 This book left me thinking about a few things, but also had me at a loss for words. While we tread carefully around the topic of grief and loss, this book had moments I resonated with in some way or just left me in thought. You understand how different people handle the loss of someone dear and it shows that coping comes in different ways. Julie of course had her flaws, but I think that's what made her character and journey to coping more real. She experiences guilt, regret, sadness, and hope like anyone else, and I empathized with her. The switch between then and her present-day throughout the book was interesting and added depth to Julie and Sam's relationship. The magic realism also added a unique way for characters to experience closure other than Julie which was comforting to read.

While the book wasn't as plot-heavy as I had hoped for, I think the story is a really good read and could resonate with anyone who has dealt with loss or struggled moving forward from one. Saying goodbye to loved ones is never easy, but the emotions, experiences, and lessons the characters go through really brought realism to the book. Sam's perspective and feelings throughout the story also made a powerful impact on how we perceive loss. Overall, I enjoyed the read as it was a touching story with beautiful moments.

Content Warnings

angeldevoursliterature's review

Go to review page

hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Unfortunately, I wasn't really invested as I progressed throughout the story and it's not as emotional as I was expecting. Some parts were well-written, and some just fell flat. I liked how it depicted the different ways people cope and deal with grief though. I just wish some parts and characters (especially Sam) were fleshed out more.

Content Warnings

maggieparedesauthor's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Sad, so sad.

Content Warnings

tillynancy's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

chellery's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Content Warnings

elodiethefangirl's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

readwithbec_'s review

Go to review page

emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

“𝕎𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕨𝕠 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕤𝕠𝕟𝕘. ℍ𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕔. 𝕀 𝕒𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤”.

Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It beautifully captured the journey of grief experienced by Julie and her friends, each dealing with their emotions in unique ways. The ability to see how each character grieved differently was truly intriguing. I was particularly moved by Julie's connection with Sam even after his passing, and their emotional bond touched my heart. The writing style was captivating, and I adored the book cover as well.

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes. Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail. And Sam picks up the phone. In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.

Please check trigger warnings before reading this book.

★★★★☆

Content Warnings