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A review by breedawnwriter
You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
“But the truth is, no one experiences grief the same way, and we all come out of it differently."
Before this, I can think of two other books that have truly made me cry so hard that I couldn't even see the pages: Undivided by Neal Shusterman and The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman.
But this is the first book that has ever made me cry in the first chapter.
This is the first book that has left me to sob and cry my way through it.
This is the first book that I've ever put down, with tears streaming down my face, to ask, "Why is this so hard to read?"
You've Reached Sam is a heartbreaking story about grief, second chances, and the hope that lingers in between the broken shards of a life we planned with such care.
This is probably the most painful story I've ever read because there have been times in my life when I was Julie...when I wanted a chance to say goodbye...when I didn't know how to let go and move forward. I've always been a planner. I like to know what's happening and I struggle with true spontaneity. This part of Julie's story felt like looking into a mirror because everything she felt and thought was something that I could have written at a point in my life when grief was all I knew.
I lost a friend in high school. We were never close friends, but he was always nice to me. We were both seniors, and after he died my entire senior class fell apart. It wasn't until he was gone that I realized he'd been the glue holding us together. That experience changed me forever because it was the first time I'd ever truly experienced grief.
Reading this book brought all of those feelings back. It reopened so many old memories of the people I've lost.
But I've learned that no matter how much time passes, grief never truly goes away... It is such a universal feeling that affects everyone differently, which is why these kind of stories are so important. When we're in the midst of our grief, we think we're alone and that nobody understands. But it's stories like this one that reach into our darkness and remind us that we are known...that we are never alone...and that those we love will always be with us.
All of that being said, if you have recently lost someone or are in the midst of grieving, I recommend letting this book stay on your TBR a little longer. You've Reached Sam offers a very raw and honest glimpse at how grief affects not only ourselves, but also the people around us. When I first lost my friend, I needed to step back from stories that involve grief as a main plot point, and if you need to do the same, please know that there is nothing wrong with that. You need to take care of you, and if that means taking a break from certain stories, then don't guilt yourself about doing what's best for your mental health during fragile times. <3
(On a side note, this book did contain some grammatical problems, including a sentence fragment that didn't feel intentional, several typos, and a missing apostrophe. I'm a grammar girl, which is why I even care to mention these. However, this book is an absolute masterpiece and none of these errors detracted from my lovely and cathartic experience of reading this story.)
Content Warning: Death, grief, car accident, racism, cursing, alcohol, and bullying.
Before this, I can think of two other books that have truly made me cry so hard that I couldn't even see the pages: Undivided by Neal Shusterman and The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman.
But this is the first book that has ever made me cry in the first chapter.
This is the first book that has left me to sob and cry my way through it.
This is the first book that I've ever put down, with tears streaming down my face, to ask, "Why is this so hard to read?"
You've Reached Sam is a heartbreaking story about grief, second chances, and the hope that lingers in between the broken shards of a life we planned with such care.
This is probably the most painful story I've ever read because there have been times in my life when I was Julie...when I wanted a chance to say goodbye...when I didn't know how to let go and move forward. I've always been a planner. I like to know what's happening and I struggle with true spontaneity. This part of Julie's story felt like looking into a mirror because everything she felt and thought was something that I could have written at a point in my life when grief was all I knew.
I lost a friend in high school. We were never close friends, but he was always nice to me. We were both seniors, and after he died my entire senior class fell apart. It wasn't until he was gone that I realized he'd been the glue holding us together. That experience changed me forever because it was the first time I'd ever truly experienced grief.
Reading this book brought all of those feelings back. It reopened so many old memories of the people I've lost.
But I've learned that no matter how much time passes, grief never truly goes away... It is such a universal feeling that affects everyone differently, which is why these kind of stories are so important. When we're in the midst of our grief, we think we're alone and that nobody understands. But it's stories like this one that reach into our darkness and remind us that we are known...that we are never alone...and that those we love will always be with us.
All of that being said, if you have recently lost someone or are in the midst of grieving, I recommend letting this book stay on your TBR a little longer. You've Reached Sam offers a very raw and honest glimpse at how grief affects not only ourselves, but also the people around us. When I first lost my friend, I needed to step back from stories that involve grief as a main plot point, and if you need to do the same, please know that there is nothing wrong with that. You need to take care of you, and if that means taking a break from certain stories, then don't guilt yourself about doing what's best for your mental health during fragile times. <3
(On a side note, this book did contain some grammatical problems, including a sentence fragment that didn't feel intentional, several typos, and a missing apostrophe. I'm a grammar girl, which is why I even care to mention these. However, this book is an absolute masterpiece and none of these errors detracted from my lovely and cathartic experience of reading this story.)
Content Warning: Death, grief, car accident, racism, cursing, alcohol, and bullying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Cursing, and Racism
Minor: Alcohol and Bullying