This may not have made me cry but it was certainly emotional from beginning to end.

Declan finds a letter Juliet had left by her mother's grave and identifies himself so much with her words he can't help but answering it. Despite a little aggravated by having her letter read by a stranger, Juliet comes to confide in him as the two continue an exchange of secret, regrets and doubts.

I liked how both characters were built, and this says a lot. I was sure I wasn't going to stand any of the characters—I was more in this for the story. Grieving girl and rebel boy aren't my thing. And I can't even say they aren't exactly that. Nevertheless, something touched me already from the first chapters, I really cared a lot for the two. That said, the best thing in this book is watching firsthand them learn how to deal with their pain. Character development for the win.

Some of the conflict was overdone. Perhaps the two could really be so blind not to see the flaws in their preconceptions, but I just couldn't buy it. But this wasn't so bad to a point I felt frustrated for them. Another complaint of mine is how neatly things seemed to fit by the end. It wasn't that the conclusion was too farfetched but after hearing so many of their thoughts and analyzing their feelings for the whole book, the ending could have gone deeper.

This was an easy read. Even though the secret letter exchange plot has been overdone these past few years, and this book didn't bring a special twist to it, at least the characters weren't so dumb (I mean, I kept wondering why they didn't ask around who in their school had lost a mother or a sister but they weren't that keen to find out their identities, either).

When I say easy, however, it doesn't mean the plot is that light. I was ready for worse but both characters are still in a dark place in their lives. It features parental abuse, suicide attempts and the such. You shouldn't read it if that is a trigger for you. The book is not really graphic and it doesn't seem to try to shock the reader but the thematic is there. It's a dark plot but not so heavy, don't worry. I liked how the author stayed between the too light and the too strong. She was certainly sensitive in that aspect. This is a good pick for a book club, if you keep in mind the darker themes.

At the same time, because she probably opted to play it safe, the book is simply that, a nice book. The plot is well built but there isn't any shine to it. It made me not want to stop reading but it still lacked here and there.

As long as you like YA's, I don't think you'll hate it but I don't think you'll love it. This was a good release, and I liked the take on the letter exchange. There was some mystery, there was some romance, there was some drama. And that mixture came out fine—which is rare. It just didn't go beyond. I do look forward for more from this author, that is true.

I did not expect this book. It was deep and meaningful and was a really intense look at grief from all kinds of different angles. All of the characters in this book are flawed and the author doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts of their lives or personalities. Juliet and Declan are both kind of angry people, but I didn’t find that I minded like I have with characters from other books. Mostly I just felt sad for both characters. They’ve both had these huge events in their lives that completely change how they interact with the rest of the world. I wouldn’t say that either of them are particularly likable, but I still felt for them and I think that’s a sign of really well developed characters.

The cast of secondary characters was also amazing. I loved both Rev and Rowan, but especially Rev and I’m very excited that he’ll be getting his own book coming out next year. They were a great support system for the two main characters and honestly just seem like really good people. At the same time, they had their own flaws that we don’t really have time to get into in this book–but they’re there. I also just want to give a shoutout to the fact that Rev is an unashamed Christian and isn’t portrayed as a complete freak. Then there are the adult characters. Frank, Juliet’s dad, Declan’s mom and step-dad, Rev’s parents, Mrs. Hillard, and Mr. Gerardi. A lot of times YA books portray adults as the enemies or like they just don’t understand or completely absent. There is a little bit of that in this book, but there are also a lot of times when adults are present and they are every bit as flawed as our teenage protagonists. Despite those flaws a lot of the adult characters are also super enabling. I especially loved the interactions that Declan had with Frank and Mrs. Hillard. It’s not always an us vs them thing when it comes to teens and adults–sometimes adults are on your side! So I give a big thank you to the author for illustrating that. I also loved Juliet’s gradual appreciation for her father.

There is a bit of a plot that runs as a constant thread throughout the book, but it’s definitely not the focus–we’re much more focused on the development of our main characters. I think my overall takeaway from this book is that we really shouldn’t judge other people before getting to know them. I think this is most apparent in the judgments that Rowan and Brandon make about Declan and Rev. Rowan and Brandon are nice, good people, but they don’t take the time to try to get to know either Declan or Rev. They only listen to the things they’ve heard about Declan and Rev is guilty by association and because he dresses strangely. How many of us are exactly like Rowan and Brandon? Let’s get to know and love the Declans and Revs of the world.

Overall, I thought this book was really great. While there were some overused elements (the “evil stepparent” for one), I also thought that the author included several refreshing elements. I think this book will, deservedly, stand apart from other books in the YA category.

Overall Rating: 4
Language: Moderate
Violence: Moderate. Some brief descriptions of child abuse.
Smoking/Drinking: Moderate
Sexual Content: Moderate. Mostly due to one scene at the end of the book–not graphic.

Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an incredibly heart-warming story. I was captured from the very first words.

Juliet is struggling to find her bearings after losing her mother. She's lying to her father and her friends saying everything is fine while she continues to leave letters at her mothers grave.

Declan is working off some community service by landscaping at the cemetery. It is there that he first gets to know Juliet through her letters to her mother. He begins leaving her notes and they get to know each other without actually knowing who the other is.

Juliet and Declan actually do know each other in real life, and their relationship is rather volatile. They both develop theories about who the other is, but Declan is the first to figure out who he is corresponding with.

I have read Brigid's books in the past and was a big fan of her Elemental series. I was so impressed with her move to contemporary novels.

This story is powerful with stunning characters. I am especially interested in Rev and can't wait to learn his full story.

Letters to the Lost is incredible. There is romance and loss. There is friendship and family relationships. There is character growth and acceptance of self and others. This book has it all. Congratulations Mrs. Kemmerer. You have secured me as a fan for life.

Review will be posted week of 3/20/17
Juliet's mother is a photojournalist who spends most of the year traveling to dangerous places and taking awe-inspiring photos. She is due to return from a trip and en route is involved in a fatal car accident leaving behind Juliet and her father. Juliet's world, obviously, is turned upside down and instead of continuing with her hobby of taking photographs (which reminds her of her mother) and hanging out with friends, she has isolated herself and spends most of her time at her mother's grave writing her letters. Enough time has passed and now her friends, as well as teachers, are starting to be concerned. Enter Declan Murphy. He's the town bad boy who has got caught driving drunk and in turn has to do community service at the cemetery mowing the lawn. While working at the cemetery, he finds a letter on a grave and reads it. That letter is Juliet's and he writes a short reply. This starts an unlikely correspondence between the two and even though they don't know who is actually writing, they realize they both have a lot in common with each other. Juliet knows that this person is from her hometown and goes to her school, so she could be passing him in the hallway everyday. The problem is that Juliet does know Declan in real life and let's just say they did not hit it off. Brigid Kemmerer's Letters to the Lost is one of my favorite books of the year and tugged on my heartstrings.

I really liked the character of Juliet in Letters to the Lost. My heart went out to her as she has so much to deal with at such a young age. Her mother left a huge hole in her life and she was struggling to fill that void, especially with her dad being in his own little world. Once Juliet starts communicating with Declan and their notes turn into emails, it started to give her a place to talk and work through her grief. I absolutely adored Juliet and Declan's emails as it was very reminiscent of You've Got Mail, one of my favorite movies.

The dramatic irony here is that readers know the person writing to Juliet is none-other than troubled Declan Murphy. She doesn't know this, but we do, which adds a special element to Letters to the Lost. Declan has his own issues. He is dealing with a death in his life as well and things aren't always as they seem with him. His home life is really hard and his mother as well as his stepfather are pretty horrible. Writing to Juliet really helped him cope with his issues as well, but Declan slowly figures out it is Juliet he is writing to and the dynamics in their real relationship shift a bit with this new information.

But what happens when these two star-crossed lovers finally want to meet in real life? Will Juliet be horrified to know that the person writing her is Declan, who she knows from school and really doesn't like? But as she starts to get to know Declan in real life a bit more and realizes there is more to him than being the resident bad boy. Declan starts to wonder if maybe he should tell her that he is the one writing her. I love that this novel explores the fact that people are more than just their reputations and it's ok to branch out. You may surprise yourself with how much you have in common with someone even though they aren't from your normal social circle and essentially, that is what happened with Juliet.

The writing is so heartfelt in Letters to the Lost. The characters are so wonderful. Even the secondary characters, such as Rev, are so memorable. Rev was my favorite; he is Declan's best friend and I adored him. Also, I am thrilled that he will be getting his own spin-off novel.

If you are looking for a heartfelt book to read this spring, I urge you to pick up Letters to the Lost. It may make you a bit melancholy from time to time as Juliet and Declan have to deal with so much, but ultimately, it's about hope and finding friendship and maybe even love in unexpected places.

Letters to the Lost was such a good read! It is a dual POV between Juliet and Declan. They seem to have nothing in common on the outside. Two paths that should never cross. Juliet is suffering from the loss of her mother whom she idealized so much. She leaves letters on her grave and that is how everything changes.
I loved the representation of Juliet not wanting to take pictures because that was her and her mother's thing. A lot of people don't understand how something "so small" could be a trigger for grief. I liked Juliet as a character for the most part. She was a little judgmental but most teens are it was refreshing to see her try to grow. My issue with her was something she said about her dad. It seemed out of nowhere and just plain mean.
Declan is presented as a bad boy with a fuck the world attitude especially when the characters are together in person under Juliet's POV. When he begins writing to Juliet it becomes clear that that is not the case at all. I loved him the most. His family, the issues, his friends, and his end. I can't say too much other than that because spoilers. He grew so much through the story.
REV! He is getting his own book and that is jump up and down screaming worthy! I am so ready for this.
This story follows a side to grief I don't think is often seen. A great read!

Favorite quote
"Every moment is meaningful."

3.5/5

A grief-heavy young adult contemporary, Brigid Kemmerer's newest novel Letters to the Lost is a step away from her usual supernatural genre. It's not exactly an easy look; both main characters are struggling with family, life, and growing up in addition to their losses. Juliet has just lost her mother, Declan has lost his sister, his father is in jail, and his stepfather hates him. By way of leaving letters in a graveyard, these two lost teens forge a bond by communicating with each other by letter, and then email -- all the while without knowing who the other correspondent is.

The overall premise of Letters to the Lost is engaging, and though the various storylines (both romantic and nonromantic) verge a bit predictable in how they develop and conclude, the characters have heart. Juliet can be a bit frustrating in her slow realizations about people in her life and in her general stubbornness, and Declan seems determined to fight the entire world. But they're two teens and they're human and they're just doing the best they can in two very shitty situations. Kemmerer's characters aren't perfect but that's because they are authentic. Though I found this to be just a bit too long and a bit too predictable to fully love, Letters to the Lost is heartfelt and realistic YA contemporary story.

My Review: I loved the cover of this book and being an avid letter writer was intrigued by the synopsis. This was a little outside my normal genres as I don't read a lot of contemporary, especially YA but rather enjoyed this story. At times it was a little cliché and reminded me of a sappy chic flick. With that said, I really liked the characters, they were each unique and I really enjoyed getting to know them and their individual background stories (I think Rev deserves his own book - and I just found out one is expected next May). I also loved the format of this book, the various script and text fonts really added to the story and added to both Declan and Juliet individual voices. It is a quick moving story but does contain some pretty hard, and trigger, subjects including abuse, suicide, alcoholism, neglect, and more. Based on this book I will be seeking out more of Kemmerer's books.


My Rating: I really enjoyed this book, more than I ever expected. While some of it is a little cliché, the characters really saved it from going too far over into that realm. I give this one a rating of Four Paws.

Unfortunately, the copy provided was a PDF and I couldn't get it to format on my Nook to a readable size so I am not able to read it.

Letters to the Lost is an epistolary novel by Brigid Kemmerer.

Declan Murphy is working off his court-ordered community service hours at a cemetery. One day he finds a letter left at someone's headstone from their daughter. Declan feels connected to the composer of this letter (Juliet Young) and so he responds with two words. These two teenagers are both dealing with guilt and grief from their own personal tragedies. They seem to be able to help each other cope with and reflect on their past and current experiences. As their correspondence continues, it becomes more difficult for the two of them to maintain the anonymous relationship that has allowed them to be open and vulnerable with each other. Their words eventually lead them to realize that they may not be strangers after all, but do they want to reveal their true identities? They come to depend on hearing from each other. When their public lives begin to collide and overlap, they are at risk to lose the comfort and companionship they found in their writing.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to what Kemmerer does next.

Lots of great raw emotion in this novel! Letters to the lost is a bittersweet story about two sad and lost teens.
Juliet lost her mother. Since then, she spends lots of her time in the cemetery, writing to her mother and leaving the letters on her gave. And one day, Declan, the notorious-criminal-bad boy-whatever finds it and replies. es, it does sound a little cliche, but i must say the story was sad and sweet. The characters are so heart-felt and this story couldn't help but resurface the same heartfelt feelings as within P.S-I love you and Me Before You. Simply put this book is heartbreaking, hopeful and unputdownable!

"Pain flares in every word…The kind of pain that isolates. The kind of pain you’re certain no one else has felt, ever.”

This was not exactly what I was expecting, but still a good story. Jules and Declan are easy to like and makes you root for them to figure out a way to heal. In a mix of tragic and hopeful, Letters to the Lost has a lot to say about loss, grief, and guilt, and how sometimes you need someone going through the same thing to help pull you out of the dark.

I'm torn here. On one hand, I like that the book made it more about working through grief and finding the strength to open yourself up again instead of about the potential relationship between Declan and Juliet. Yet, my inner romantic was screaming for a little bit more to happen between the two. But, I get why things happened the way they did. It was a little dramatic and angsty at points, but was understandable considering everything they had had thrown at them. Follow their journey for yourself and see if Juliet and Declan can manage to lead each other away from their grief and out into the light, or if they're just writing Letters to the Lost.

P.S.: I can't wait for Rev's book! He was my favorite character!

Letters to the Lost connects two teens isolated by grief in an anonymous exchange. Juliet is mourning the death of her mother, who was a world-traveling photographer, whilst Declan is grieving for his broken family and criminal record. Anger, angst and questions of fate and destiny abound in this book that's a perfect read for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why, This Song Will Save Your Life and Tell Me Three Things.

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

I am not really sure how to start this review other than saying that while this book didn't blow me out of the water, it was a read that captured my attention. I liked the story, I didn't love it, but I did enjoy it. Juliet and Declan use letters as a form of communication that ultimately leads to them learning how to heal and unload the burden of grief they each carry. I think stories about overcoming grief are important and to have a keystone aspect of the story be the dying art of writing letters, it is romanticized.

The story was okay for me but the plot twists seemed to be clumped together and the ending left me wanting more. While I did enjoy the story, I would have loved another chapter or epilogue at the end. The plot twists seemed to be piled on at the end of the story instead of spaced around. I also remember while reading and I looked down at 37% and thought to myself how is there still so much left when one of the truths is already know. I am not going to spoil the story but I would have liked to see a little more fluidity and falling in love in person aspects.

In terms of character development, I almost feel as if some of the secondary characters were better developed than Juliet and Declan. Declan's step-father is a truly horrendous character who I wished, on multiple occasions, would get hit by a bus and die. Declan's best friend is fascinating and I want desperately to know more about him and be inside his head. Declan and Juliet had their ah-ha moments and changed but for me, again, it wasn't fluid. It was like flicking a light-switch and magically they are both changed for the better. And while I was glad to see love grow from that grief, I would have liked to see it paced a bit better.

Juliet is devastated by the death of her mother and she deals with her grief by writing letters to her mom. She leaves these letters at her mom's grave. Declan is serving his community service mowing the grounds of the cemetery and finds these letters. As he and Juliet start exchanging anonymous letters (and then e-mails) they each work through their anger and pain.

I didn’t find this to be a particularly outstanding YA but it was very sweet and an easy read.

The book is predictable in the typical manner of YA romances, though it did have some depth to it. I enjoyed hearing the way that Juliet and Declan challenged each other’s stereotypes and found the way they grew as a result to be heartwarming. Though it does follow the good girl goes for bad guy archetype, it did so enjoyably.

The strongest point of this was really their parents—Declan’s relationship with his stepfather evolved in a thoughtful way and their interactions felt extremely real. Similarly, Juliet’s dealing with her grief over her mother and the decisions she had made was insightful. These aspects really made the book a strong read.

If you’re looking for an easy read, this is a good choice.

Juliet and Declan were both suffering from great losses and they carried a great deal of guilt related to these losses. Both were dealing with it in their own way. Juliet was writing letter to her dead mother and withdrew from life. Declan took a more self destructive path, but neither were really healing until they began corresponding with each other.

"I want to fall into him. I want to let someone else carry this weight, even if it's just for a little bit. "

I will start with the most important part for me - the feels. There were so many times when I experienced chills or had to blink away tears. Both Juliet and Declan had lost someone who was important to them. They had loved these people. They missed these people. They believed they played a role in the death of these people. That's a huge burden to bear. My heart just ached for them. For Declan, the pain was multiplied by the way he had become ostracized by his peers, his mother, and his stepfather. There were so many times that I wanted to simultaneously slap him and hug him. It wasn't all sad though, there were also many times that I smiled, sighed, and laughed. I thought Kemmerer did a great job building that balance into the story.

"And yes...I can't help myself. Declan is prickly and explosive and sharp, but buried deep below all that is a boy who's caring and protective and loyal. "

I became invested in both main characters quite quickly. They were so broken and wounded, but Kemmerer slowly showed us how they were healing once The Dark and Cemetery Girl (their online alter egos) began their relationship. It didn't happen all at once, but the people around them started seeing some positive changes, and I enjoyed looking for those small steps towards them becoming whole again as well.

"I should be thanking you. I followed your lead and did something unexpected. You're right. It was terrifying. Let's do it again. "

I had so much ire toward their parents. Both Juliet's dad and Declan's mom really dropped the ball, and allowed their children to climb into this hole of grief. I will thank Kemmerer a thousand times for all the wonderful auxiliary characters she assembled as a support system for Declan and Juliet. So, thank you for Rev and his parents for their endless love and affection. Thank you for Frank for his wisdom and understanding. Thank you for Rowan and her mom for always being there and giving Juliet a home away from home. I am even going to thank you for Mr. Gerardi and Mrs. Hillard, the two teachers who never gave up on these kids. It was quite beautiful the way all these different types of relationships were explored, and also that Kemmerer allowed them all to grow and change throughout the story as our MCs grew and changed.

"And right there, in the middle of his own crisis, Rev knows exactly what I need to hear. "

There were so many wonderful ideas and concepts that I adored too. Juliet and Declan discussed this idea of people only seeing a "snapshot" of you and basing their opinions on this brief glimpse of you. That you are more than this bit that people choose to see, and that you can do more than what they expect of you.

"We were wrong," she says. "You make your own path."

This is quite a powerful statement, and this was gift Juliet gave to Declan. When he thought he was not able to rise above his mistakes, she reminds him that he can make his own path.

"You were the first person to see all of me, Juliet. The first person who made me feel like I was worth more than a reputation and a record. "

Overall: A touching story of survival, redemption, and healing, filled with some really beautiful messages about making your own path and not letting one bad decision decide your future.

I really liked this book and reminded me of you got mail. Declan is working at the cemetary doing community service and Juliet is going there to visit her mother. I loved Declan's support of friends and family. Rev needs his own book stat. Juliet is trying to get her life back to normal after the death of her mother. I enjoyed the romance and flirting :) I stayed up much late to finish this book but I enjoyed the parents in the book.

It's been a while since I've read a book that stops me from going to sleep on Sunday night. I was up until 1am, I tried to stop half way through the book but I just had to find out what happened next. This book has left me itching to write a review so I sat in English today writing a quick draft. This book is coming out April 4th and I'm definitely going to be recommending it to my friends because it is such a gripping novel. This book caught me in its trap around the 100-page mark and from there I had no choice but to finish it at once.

This book wasn't unrealistic and I feel like the main characteristics acted in an interesting but realistic way. The idea of having an anonymous pen pal to voice your worries and rant to sounds amazing and I can definitely see why both characters would want to keep it going.

Declan was my favorite of the two POV's to read. Not because I have a thing for bad boys, but because even though he didn't mean for Juliet to read his addition to her letter, he was there for her when it counted. When I was reading, I will admit that I figured out the ending, because let's be honest here it wasn't going to be an unhappy ending. To be completely honest the book isn't the most original but that's what I figured when I picked it from NetGally.

The only reason I wouldn't give this book a full five stars is because it was predictable and I skim read some portions. I'm not saying that is predictability was a bad thing, it just made the book lose a little bit of its amazingness (that's definitely not a word oops). I will also say that I wish I had gotten a little more romance at the end. Maybe just a chapter more or even an epilogue would have made the book even better.

I will say that some parts of the book did seem a little cliche and at times I did cringe a little. None of this made the book worse, though, it just comes with the type of book I guess.

Cemetery Girl and The Dark. From letters to emails, telling someone they don't know their deepest secrets. I believe there are times we would all wish for a secret friend with no preconceived thoughts about us to talk to. No judgements, just an ear to listen and encouraging words to let them know they are not alone. That is what Juliet and Declan have found in each other.
Goodreads

This book was just too incredibly melodramatic for me. From the beginning everything felt SO over the top and blown out of proportion. I know these teens were going through some really tough things, but honestly, because of the way it was portrayed, they mostly came off as whiny to me. I think bringing the Kevin Carter photographs into it sort of killed the story for me. I googled the photographs they were mentioning and saw a bunch of his other stuff as well. Honestly, it was horrifying. I couldn't get those images out of my mind the entire time I was reading, and Juliet comparing her situation to the kinds of suffering depicted in those pictures killed any chance of me connecting with her character. It was just too much. I was having some trouble really connecting with her and Declan to begin with, but between that and Juliet's random temper tantrums, which everyone just seemed to accept or ignore, it was hard for me to get through this one. They did have a few cute, swoony moments thrown in here and there. But overall this felt like an overwrought angst fest to me. And I felt bad about feeling that way because, even if it wasn't as extreme as war or famine, these characters had gone through some serious stuff, and I should have cared. But I really didn't.