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A review by asparagusisreading
You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
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
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, Wednesday Books, and the author, Dustin Thao, for sending me this e-arc copy of YOU'VE REACHED SAM to read and review.
TW + CW: strong grief themes, death mentioned and described on page, light bullying, car accident, racism
Rep: gay side character, numerous Asian characters (Japanese American, Vietnamese, and Thai)
YOU'VE REACHED SAM is a contemporary novel following seventeen year old Julie as she navigates her life and grief after her boyfriend, Sam, has recently died. She had everything in her future planned with Sam: attending college, spending time in Japan, and moving out of town but, his death has changed everything. Julie misses his funeral and vigils, she doesn't communicate much with those close to Sam, and tries to remove all memories of him from her life. However, she finds a note from Sam in her yearbook and decides to try calling him/listening to a voicemail again. Sam picks up. Now Julie has the opportunity to say goodbye but it's only temporary and neither know the risks they can take with the phone calls. As she continues calling Sam, Julie is witnessing how Sam's death has affected others and battling wanting to let others in on the secret but allowing them, and herself, to grieve.
I picked up YOU'VE REACHED SAM on Libby as an audiobook and dived right in without a second thought. Even though this book is about grief and learning to be on your own/grow after losing someone so important to you, I didn't cry until the last chapter. Anyways, this book hit in all of the right places. It was emotional, it was hopeful and inspiring, it was lighthearted and quick to get through,. I found myself growing attached to the characters, starting to grieve Sam, and feeling my heartache for the characters BUT it wasn't enough to get me fully emotionally attached. If it had just a little bit more of something, I think I would've been right there with the other readers that loved this. I also felt like the main female character Julie was selfish from the time during the flashbacks to current time, even with some of her character growth. She often did things on impulse without thinking about the feelings of others or the impending consequences. I can see how grief may change the choices of someone but it seemed she hadn't changed too much throughout the book. With that being said, I did enjoy reading about each of the characters grieving in their own ways and seeing them come together as they grieved.
Overall, this is a 3 star book for me. I found it very enjoyable and an emotional read, even if I didn't tear up until the last voicemail. I flew through it with hopes something positive would come out in the end and felt bits of my own grief coming to the surface.
Recommend? Yes but, only to those that feel emotionally ready to read a book with strong grief themes in it. I anticipate many readers having a hard time getting through this or crying a lot.
TW + CW: strong grief themes, death mentioned and described on page, light bullying, car accident, racism
Rep: gay side character, numerous Asian characters (Japanese American, Vietnamese, and Thai)
YOU'VE REACHED SAM is a contemporary novel following seventeen year old Julie as she navigates her life and grief after her boyfriend, Sam, has recently died. She had everything in her future planned with Sam: attending college, spending time in Japan, and moving out of town but, his death has changed everything. Julie misses his funeral and vigils, she doesn't communicate much with those close to Sam, and tries to remove all memories of him from her life. However, she finds a note from Sam in her yearbook and decides to try calling him/listening to a voicemail again. Sam picks up. Now Julie has the opportunity to say goodbye but it's only temporary and neither know the risks they can take with the phone calls. As she continues calling Sam, Julie is witnessing how Sam's death has affected others and battling wanting to let others in on the secret but allowing them, and herself, to grieve.
I picked up YOU'VE REACHED SAM on Libby as an audiobook and dived right in without a second thought. Even though this book is about grief and learning to be on your own/grow after losing someone so important to you, I didn't cry until the last chapter. Anyways, this book hit in all of the right places. It was emotional, it was hopeful and inspiring, it was lighthearted and quick to get through,. I found myself growing attached to the characters, starting to grieve Sam, and feeling my heartache for the characters BUT it wasn't enough to get me fully emotionally attached. If it had just a little bit more of something, I think I would've been right there with the other readers that loved this. I also felt like the main female character Julie was selfish from the time during the flashbacks to current time, even with some of her character growth. She often did things on impulse without thinking about the feelings of others or the impending consequences. I can see how grief may change the choices of someone but it seemed she hadn't changed too much throughout the book. With that being said, I did enjoy reading about each of the characters grieving in their own ways and seeing them come together as they grieved.
Overall, this is a 3 star book for me. I found it very enjoyable and an emotional read, even if I didn't tear up until the last voicemail. I flew through it with hopes something positive would come out in the end and felt bits of my own grief coming to the surface.
Recommend? Yes but, only to those that feel emotionally ready to read a book with strong grief themes in it. I anticipate many readers having a hard time getting through this or crying a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Bullying and Racism
Minor: Car accident