By Miranda A., Severna Park Sr. High School
You've Reached Sam was a depressing read. Thao manages to pull out the main characters' journey of grief to be the entire book and luckily ends in a place they find comfortable.
As we watch the main character overcome her boyfriend's death we learn more about their relationship together and how her friends and community reach to bring her out of isolation and into a world of support. We also see how some don't give her excuses and the harsh reality that she can't float by her entire life protected by her loss. Julie makes an odd connection to Sam after his death that at first offers her comfort, but we see more and more that she has to let go.
This story of love and loss and how an individual can overcome grief and how they carry it may bring realizations of what it really means to grieve. The protagonist, Julie, is a strong young woman who has big dreams of pursing a college outside of her hometown. As this death fills her life, she sees that she cannot let it consume her nor can she escape it, instead she must accept it.
This book is for a reader hoping to learn more about how to manage loss and how it affects a person. It is also for a reader who enjoys a romance now tainted by a sadness heavier than nostalgia.
Click here to check out You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao