A review by mariebrunelm
The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester by Maya MacGregor

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

After a series of meh books I was doubting my ability to fall in love with a book. Thankfulky Maya MacGregor had my back! 
If you're looking for something to read after watching Heartstopper and you've already read all of Alice Oseman's books, look no further! This book has STELLAR representation. It is darker than Oseman's books because of the heavier emphasis on trauma, but in the background it's a story about queer joy, and healthy boundaries, and respect.
We meet Sam Sylvester, who's just moved in with their dad in a new city, ready for a new beginning. We know from early on that something terrible happened to Sam, triggering the move. But they're determined to leave it as much behind as possible, and focus on their passions. Or obsessions. One of these is the recording of "half-lives" - fragments of life from teenagers who died before reaching their 19th birthdays... A date which is coming soon for Sam. What they hadn't expected was that one of the teens had lived in Sam's new house... and died there.
This book was a-mazing. Such a gift. I didn't want it to end but I couldn't stop reading either. It was just full of love and even though some dark things happen, it made my heart full. If I had to say one specific thing that particularly brought me joy... Junius. Sam's Black, aro-ace, single dad is too precious for this world and will soothe your heartaches page after page. 
Rep: non-binary autistic MC on the ace spectrum. The author, as they say in the acknowledgments, is queer, non-binary and autistic. 
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