A review by readsbyti
You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

I had hope for this one; but was left disappointed by the end. i liked the concept of getting to say goodbye one last time and was fine with the book until 50% in. it felt like it should’ve have a more urgency throughout. instead of letting Julie get comfortable with the fact she can speak with her boyfriend, it needed to be more she NEEDS to make the steps to moving on before they lose their connection. i get grief is different for everyone but the way she acted dare i say she didn’t deserve to be able to speak to him especially when she didn’t attend his funeral, didn’t attend is vigil’s, threw away his belongings and deleted basically her life (another point unti itself) AFTER A WEEK…

I found it hard at times to be on Julie’s side when multiple people say she is “took” Sam from them from Oliver feeling abandoned by his own bsf to Mika not having solo pictures with his own cousin and James in the flash back saying she was taking Sam from away from him, it doesn’t sit right with me and her own memories concur with it, it felt very Sam + Julie… and the others, I guess as they are teenagers its that teenage love where no one else matters but idk. additionally her refusal to interact with people outside of calls with Sam pissed me off, she didn’t even speak to Sam’s family following his death and only reached out after his little brother went missing which i think was like a month and a bit after his death.. girl? she acts as if other people didn’t also lose their son, cousin or friend girl bye. 

overall an insufferable person, the way she treated tristan was utter shite, she promised long before Sam’s death to go to the festival with tristan as a supportive FRIEND but suddenly she’s being an utter bitch disappointing someone AGAIN thinking “boohooo Sam will be hurt by this?” babe Sam is dead… another point against her is instead of plugging her very alive friend whose film was played at the festivals she plugs her dead boyfriends cd to a bands manager and then doesn’t even give said cd to him... so insufferable. would’ve preferred a story about Mika or Oliver and Jay.