Grab a tissue box because You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao will leave you crying like a baby. This YA contemporary story deals with grieving the loss of a loved one. Completely character-driven, the author takes you through a journey of loss, reconnection, friendship, and letting go. Prepare yourself because there won’t be many times to smile.

Author: Dustin Thao Pages: 304 Genre: YA, Contemporary, Fantasy Publication: 9th November 2021

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Synopsis:

How do you move forward when everything you love is on the line?

Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail. And Sam picks up the phone.

What would you do if you had a second chance at goodbye?

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Disclaimer: I received an early copy of You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao from NetGalley for free in exchange for a review. Although, all my opinions are my own and truthful to what I felt while reading.

My review:

The story is pretty straightforward. The very first chapter tells you exactly the story you are about to read. I’m used to the first chapters being duller since they focus on presenting the characters, settings, relationships, and the story that is about to unfold. Although I wasn’t ready to be slapped in the face by all the feels.

Julie is undeniably the full protagonist of this story. And more than having to deal with her grief and her ability to keep in contact with Sam, she also has to deal with other people’s grief and how they expect her to act. All eyes are on Julie, and that also adds to everything she is already feeling.

I was expecting at some point to have a little mystery unfold, but nothing happened. That is one of the criticism I have about You’ve Reached Sam. Nothing really happens. On one hand, the story doesn’t need anything to happen. The focus is on Julie as she deals with Sam not being around anymore. But on the other hand, at times, the story gave me the impression that maybe something was being kept from the reader. Although that proved to be nothing.

Letting go isn’t about forgetting. It’s balancing moving forward with life, and looking back from time to time, remembering peoplein it.

^{You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao}

In between the lines, I find the story to be about not letting go and how that affects grieving the loss of someone very dear. The narrative creates that situation in a magical way with Sam and Julie connected through their phones. However, the problems that arise are real. Not everyone grieves the same way, and not everyone can let go of someone they love. And they might not have the opportunity to talk with the dead on the phone, but that doesn’t mean the outcome won’t be the same.

For most of the story, I was a mere spectator of Julie’s life. Until the last page, I watched the story unfold, lost in my perspective of it all, and then the inevitable ending. Suddenly, my eyes start to water without any warning, and I’m left in a mess. Yet, despite all the sadness, the book is hopeful in a way. After all, life still goes on even when some people are not around anymore.

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