Review posted on 4/3: http://bit.ly/2pZGIPa

MORE THAN WE CAN TELL is a story about life's brokenness, the heartfelt journey to healing, first love, and mending family ties. This contemporary young adult romance is a companion to last year's Letters to the Lost. Readers who loved Juliet and Declan will rejoice because they do make several appearances in More Than We Can Tell. I haven't read Letters to the Lost yet, so if you haven't read it rest assured that this is a complete standalone from that story.

As a young child, Rev was physically and mentally abused by his father. His foster parents—and now adoptive parents—brought him into their home, sheltering him from experiencing further physical pain but the memories of his childhood still haunt him. Old wounds are reopened when his parents take in another young teen with similar issues, causing Rev's emotional strength to crack and fears of becoming like his father spill through.

Emma has her own set of problems. As sixteen, she's developed and designed her own online game that has several players. She's made friends with many of them but it's one friendship that means the most. This friend acts as a protector when another player starts sending sexually and emotionally abusive messages to Emma. Soon, Emma's home life starts to unravel, amplifying the stress in her life. Her seemingly cold mother doesn't support Emma's dreams of being a coding master and her developer father, whom she adores, doesn't make time for her.

Rev and Emma meet during a chance encounter, confiding in one another and revealing secrets neither of them have told anyone else. Through their shared familial problems, they become confidants and soon something more.

The author spent a good amount of time developing Rev and Emma's characters and did it quite well. The problems Rev and Emma faced were real issues that could plague any teenager today, which really worked in this story. With the exception of the ending with Emma's story—which did veer off into overdramatic territory—this story felt very current and relevant. Sometimes when I read contemporary young adult (or contemporary anything) the author resorts to high dramatics to create tension and I appreciated that Kemmerer didn't do that for the most part.

What didn't completely work here was the romance and the lack of resolution in the subplots. I felt like Kemmerer did such a good job with handling the familial and emotional problems, but the relationship development and organic connection were sacrificed in the process. With the book's main focus being Rev and Emma's individual issues, the time the two of them spent together was short, which prevented me from truly feeling attached to them as a couple. There was also an abundance of subplots that were left unresolved, like Rev's foster brother and Emma's relationship with her mother and father.

If you liked Rev in Letters to the Lost and wanted to delve deeper into his story, then I would recommend you read it. This hasn't been my favorite young adult contemporary as of late, but it was still enjoyable.

* Thanks to Bloomsbury Children's for providing me with an early copy for review. Receiving this book for free did not affect my opinion.

I will fully admit I have never read Letters to the Lost, however, I think I may need to go ahead and go back and read that. I am interested in reading Declan’s story. More than We Can Tell is the story of Rev, introduced in Letters to the Lost, and Emma. Both Emma and Rev are dealing with things in their lives that they do not really have anyone to talk about them with. Emma is a gamer like her dad, something her mother, a doctor, hates. Rev, who is adopted, suddenly gets a letter from his father and it throws him for a loop. *Warning* This book does deal with a lot of issues that relate to real life like cyber-bulling and past abuse (psychical, mental and sexual).

While taking her dog for a walk Emma comes across Rev behind a church and the two start talking. They form an instant bond as both having something they are dealing with, Rev’s Father and Emma’s sudden online troll, that harasses Emma int he online game she built. Not only does Emma have to deal with this troll, she also has to deal with her parents constant fighting, when her dad bothers to come home at all.

One of the things that I liked most about this story was that Rev and Emma started out as strangers, who became friends, who became maybe something more. All while trying to deal with, and help deal with, what life was throwing at them. I also really liked the friendship between Rev and Declan, and Rev and his adoptive parents, which played out nicely with what he was dealing with from his father. Emma and Rev promised to help each other through their issues, not matter what, and those promises were put to the test throughout the story. Though you could see when things became more than friendship when Rev gets jealous of Ethan, and online friend of Emma’s. It was sad to see how Emma’s relationships outside of Rev seemed to be falling apart, between being ignored by her father, constantly felling like a disappointment to her mother, and generally having a fallout with her best friend, it seemed like Emma had no one to rely on.

I also liked that this story pointed out that you can’t always trust the people you meet online, and it sucks that Emma had to learn this the hard way. I also liked the resolution with Rev’s father, how Rev became a different person where he was concerned. I also liked the budding relationship between Rev and Matthew, the foster child his parents take in.

All and all this was a great story with them building to a happy ending.

Review will be posted week of April 2, 2018

If you read Letters to the Lost, you most definitely will remember the memorable character Rev Fletcher. He had a rough childhood, but is an all-around fantastic guy and has since then has moved on with his life living with stable parents who have adopted him. Meet Emma Blue, a female gamer, in a male-dominated computer world. But Emma isn't just your average gamer. She is extremely talented and has even created her own game called OverLANDS, which has quite the following. This is all well and good except her mother, who is a doctor, wants more for her than just computers and hiding behind a screen like her computer programming father. Emma starts to get these messages online from someone who she doesn't know and the messages are threatening. This is at the same time as Rev starts to get messages from his biological father and they start to mess with his head. Both Emma and Rev find each other when they both need a friend and come to realize they may have more in common than they thought. Is Rev just a typical tough guy hiding behind an extra large sweatshirt or he is something more? Emma will slowly find this out and both characters will become important to one another. Brigid Kemmerer's More Than We Can Tell is a thought provoking and powerful YA novel for not only fans of Letters to the Lost, but also for fans of darker realistic fiction.

Although I couldn't relate to Emma right away in More Than We Can Tell, I really liked her. She's smart, she's talented, and she is trying to navigate high school just like a normal kid. Her mother puts pressure on her to conform to her standards; whereas, Emma puts her dad on a pedestal, because he is also a computer geek. I liked that this book portrayed gaming and computers as many YA novels don't do this accurately, but it also portrayed the struggle between what is real and what is virtual and how that may impact your life. Also, the broader question of do you really know your "online" friends came up as well as Internet safety. These are all timely and important issues that I am glad Kemmerer addressed. Through Emma, she also was able to highlight many things that teenagers go through, such as parents and expectations. What if your parents don't agree with your interests and/or passions? How do you get your parents to take your interests seriously? What if your parents want you to go in one direction and you want to take the road less traveled? All of these questions are addressed through Emma's struggle and I liked that Kemmerer covered all of that.

I have loved Rev since I read Letters to the Lost; in fact, he was one of my favorite secondary characters that I read last year. He was so memorable, so resilient; you can't help but admire him. He goes through a lot in More Than We Can Tell and my heart broke for him many times, but I like how well-developed he was in this novel. There are many layers to Rev and I liked that Kemmerer really explored them. Each chapter alternated from both Rev and Emma's point of view, so fans of Rev were able to dive into his character way more than in Letters to the Lost.

I love that Declan as well as a few other characters from Letters to the Lost were present in this novel. I really, really liked Declan in Letters to the Lost, so I was glad he was able to return. His friendship with Rev is one of my favorites YA friendships, so to resist that was definitely a treat.

More Than We Can Tell is a bit darker than Letters to the Lost, but still very enjoyable. While I don't think it packed as big of an emotional punch as Letters to the Lost, I still found it to be compelling and an excellent read. One thing is for sure, when I want a darker and more substantial YA novel, I'm going to Bridgid Kemmerer, because she writes such memorable stories with characters that you truly care about.

More Than We Can Tell is the highly anticipated companion novel to Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer, and I’m so very thrilled to have been able to read this book! I read Letters to the Lost last year, and really, really enjoyed the story, so when I discovered that More Than We Can Tell was a companion novel, I knew I would have to check it out! I am so glad I did! I really enjoyed this book.

Before I get started on this, let me say that while this is a companion novel to Letters to the Lost, you *can* read it as a standalone novel. But, if you have the opportunity to check out Letters to the Lost before starting this book, you should. *wink*

Since More Than We Can Tell is a companion novel, the story is set in the same world as Letters to the Lost, just with different set of main characters. Most of the characters we have already met in the first book, but this story revolves around Rev. (Yes, Declan and Juliet are in the story as well, but it's Rev's story.) I was super curious about Rev when we first met him in Letters to the Lost, and once I discovered that this book was about his story, I knew I would have to check it out. If you’ve read the first book, you will totally understand why. The guy was such a mystery, and I wanted nothing more than to get to know him. Having done so, I can tell you he's definitely a pretty awesome guy.

We're also introduced to a new character in the story as well, Emma Blue, who is a computer-coding wizard, who spends a lot of her free time creating online worlds for people to discover. She's pretty great at it as well. But, like Rev, she is going through a lot in the story, and when their paths cross one dark night, a bond is instantly formed. Though their stories were hard to read at times, they were hard *not* to read as well. The storyline for the book was so engrossing, I could hardly put it down, and when I did put it down, I didn't want to. I'm so glad I read this book.

Overall; if you can't tell by this super gushy review, I really enjoyed reading More Than We Can Tell! The storyline is addictive, and the characters are great. Brigid Kemmerer definitely has another winner on her hands, and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more books by her in the future. If you love a good contemporary novel, do check out More Than We Can Tell! (But don't' forget to check out Letters to the Lost as well!)

Happy Reading!!

Emma is an expert game maker, which no one knows. Her parents are always working and when they are home, they are fighting. Emma's mother hates that she loves computers so much and actively works to get Emma more involved in her studies and become a doctor. Soon Emma is being harassed through her game and no matter how many times she blocks the troll, he keeps coming back and hacking into more and more of her information.

Rev was adopted when he was younger, after he was taken away from his father for abuse. He still combats the many scars from this time in his life. While he is doing better, communication from his father threatens all of the progress he has achieved.

These two find each other outside of a local church and begin a fragile relationship. Each is able to confide in the other. How can this relationship work with so much baggage involved.

I loved the characters. I loved the plot. While some of it was cheesy and expected, I completely didn't care because I was so invested in the characters and the writing.

FINALLY FINISHED THIS ! Took long enough...

This book follows two people Rev & Emma. Rev is a foster kid. He comes from an abusive family. He has a best friend named Declan. And he is very quiet & not really social. Emma is a gamer. She has designed her own game. Her mom is in the medical field and her dad is a gamer as well. Rev & Emma meet one late night and they automatically form a friendship.

When I first read about the first book 10% of this book I already had a theory that R&E will become friends. I called a lot of things while reading this book. I also DNF it.

So throughout the book you just flip back between Emma & Rev. Through Emma’s POV she keeps getting harassed through her game insta message thingy from some user named N1ghtmare. She doesn’t connect with her best friend Cait who is into makeup and cosplay and runs a YouTube channel. She finds solace in another user on her game named Ethan and they become friends. She tells him how her mom doesn’t understand her love for games and constantly pressures to go to medical school. While her dad on the other hand is a gamer himself and designs games. Emma is sort of lost in life...

In Rev POV we learn that his dad abused him when he was younger which is how he ended up with his adoptive parents. He is really quiet but had a best friend named Declan. Rev biological dad reaches out to him via email (which I don’t understand why) and basically harrass him in my opinion with bible verses and whatnot asking why he hasn’t responded yet. Throughout the book rev constantly contemplated whether he should forgive his dad or not.

THOUGHTS 💭
I didn’t like this at first. I was mad that Emma had insta-love for Ethan and she had just started talking to him. I also didn’t like the insta love with Rev either but he ended up being ok. I guessed a lot of stuff throughout the book like who N1ghtmare was but that ending I was not expecting 😳 I honestly skipped a lot of chapters because nothing was happening. But the last 6-7 chapters was really intense. Idk it was an ok read. Nothing spectacular. It teaches you to watch who you talk to online 🤷🏽‍♀️

This book is amazing. It's a love story for people who don't really believe in love stories, for people who are damaged and flawed and have problems trusting other people, who are completely stubborn and also wonderful. 

I loved Emma immediately (girls killing it in what is historically a guy's world is kind of my jam) but Rev soon stole my heart, too. I wasn't sure initially where Ethan fit in, but it soon became all too clear and it made me want to shake Emma.

I loved the first book in this series (the two are more companion novels; each functions as a standalone) but this one is even better. Brigid Kemmerer is actual magic. Highly recommended.

I really loved this book so much. I loved both Rev and emma stories so much. I also really enjoyed the tiebacks to letters of the lost. This book was such a fast pace read and I was emotionally invested in the story. I really loved both characters POV and how we dealt with both the gaming industry and also rev abusive past. I have such a soft spot for rev and loved how adoption and fostering was such a strong part of this novel. This book is def. a tear jerker with so many unexpected twists and turns. I really hope we get Matt, book eventually!

OMG really Readers OMG how do I express my feelings about this book? If you have read her first book Letters the the Lost you know the amazing writing style and story via this author. Well I’m here to tell you that More Than We Can Tell was even better! With a story of two broken families. You just can’t help but feel everything that they are going through. The dual POV was perfect for this story and I have nothing bad to say about it. I finished this one in around 4 hours and I just couldn’t put it down.

I am not scared to tell you that I cried and was shocked by so much in this story. I don’t want to spoil anything for you so I won’t go into to much. But this story is not for the faint of heart. It will rip it out of your chest to put it back with loving care. I was so excited to connect the dots from Letters to the Lost as it’s been a good while since I’ve read it. But it is there. Declan from that story shines in this one and gets some great closure. I wish we would have gotten a little more of Juliet but she was also there. Emma all though in a better place still has her issues. I loved that she was a coder as more girls need to get into STEAM programs!! And as her mom stated don’t let the boys get you down! You have just as much right to be interested in computers or being a doctor or whatever you choose as much as they do. I loved how she was a real teenage although I do wish her parents would have been more involved in her life. And I feel sad that she didn’t feel safe enough to go to them. This is one thing I have told both my daughters. That they can come to us for anything. And they do.
As for Rev., his story is a lot sadder. Although he was very lucky not to have to go through the system and was adopted early off. Not all kids are as lucky as we find out with Mathew. During the story, you couldn’t help but wanting to give Rev. a giant hug and tell him that everything was going to be ok. As for Mathew I really enjoyed how his story went through this book and I hope to see more of him in upcoming titles set in this world.

The story overall was unputdownable. I went to get the mail the book went with me etc for everything!! Have you tried holding a kindle and doing laundry? It’s not easy!! But I did it. This book was just so good. I can not wait for another book by this author. She has become an auto-buy author for me and I’m excited what she will bring me next!!

When I finished Letters to the Lost last year, I hoped that it would be announced that there would be another book, possibly a sort of sequel/companion type story that followed Rev...and thankfully More Than We Can Tell was announced. I adore Kemmerer's writing and her ability to get readers to be completely sucked in to the story and the lives of the characters. Now that I've finished this one, I find myself asking...will there be a third novel, perhaps following another character...like possibly Matthew?

Before I get started: this is a companion book, not a direct sequel. Characters from Letters to the Lost make appearances, but the plot of that book isn’t central to the plot of this one so you can read them in whatever order you wish. I definitely recommend both of them.

I loved the companion to this, Letters to the Lost, when I read it last year. I think I loved this one a little more, though. Rev absolutely broke my heart and all I wanted was to hug him and tell him everything was going to be okay. I think I connected more with Juliet than Emma, but Emma’s story also broke my heart and I did really love her as well, even when she was a little difficult. I adored the family relationship between Rev and his adopted parents – there’s a lot of love and respect between them and it was so lovely to see. I also liked the more complicated relationship Emma has with her parents, even if I didn’t always agree with how she handled that relationship. There’s a lot of care put into this book, as it deals with a lot of serious issues such as internet harassment and parental abuse, and I felt it handled those issues really well. The friendship Emma and Rev develop was my favorite thing, other than just Rev himself. I just really love the “two people who normally wouldn’t connect meet and become extremely important to one another” trope. If you’re also a fan, I definitely recommend you give this and Letters to the Lost a try. They’re some of my favorite contemporaries.

More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer is an emotionally moving, gorgeously penned novel. While it is the second in The Letters to the Lost series, it definitely can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone book.

Rev's and Emma's story moved me through the gambit of emotions. Once I started reading this book, I ended up carrying it around with me everywhere so I could continue reading it every chance I got. The themes of this story are not easy subjects to read about but Ms. Kemmerer has addressed them with honesty, compassion and created a story that just blew me away. I loved reading More Than We Can Tell and highly recommend it, along with the rest of this series.

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Ms. Kemmerer, Bloomsbury Children's Publishing as well as Netgalley for the opportunity to read/review this book.

There’s more to More Than We Can Tell than meets the eye. Rev isn’t just any character. He’s Declan’s friend Rev from Brigid’s earlier novel, Letters to the Lost. This discovery was a little bit of a mind-blowing experience, as it gave new meaning to Rev and Declan’s characters in both novels. And now that I’ve read More Than We Can Tell, I definitely want to reread Letters to the Lost.

Brigid continues her brutally honest streak with More Than We Can Tell, and her book is better for it. Parts of the novel are raw and brutal. Some scenes are haunting. Other scenes, however, are a breath of fresh air. When Emma and Rev come together, they can be their true selves, and that’s beautiful.

More Than We Can Tell is a beautiful novel that I didn’t want to put down. There were times I struggled with Emma’s naivety, but it was in keeping with her character. The novel is a standalone, but it’s totally worth reading Letters to the Lost first.

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

So when I heard Rev was receiving his own books, I was 100 percent here for it. I adored Letters to the Lost and wasn't quite ready to leave this captivating and emotional world that Brigid Kemmerer built. Going into this story, I was ready to be emotionally gutted, and that was completely true. Rev is complicated, torn, and believes himself to be broken. I wanted to wrap him in a hug and tell him it's okay to let go. His parents are truly perfect, they are the embodiment of kindness and patience and I am so grateful Rev has people like this surrounding him...and now I am acting as if the story is real life and Rev is real. *sigh*

In my defense, it feels real, Brigid seamlessly weaves a tale that is relate-able and down-to-Earth while crafting in life lessons that even my 20-something self finds moving and touching. Emma, I don't know where to start with her. I was cheering for her while simultaneously wanting to slap her for being so foolish. She got under my skin but I think this is the type of story that will leave an impact. Brigid writes strong women battling against stigmas and during a time of the #metoo movement, I feel like this story will resonate with a lot of young ladies...and maybe even some of us older ladies too.

The plot flowed effortlessly and I couldn't put the book down, once I started it I knew I was going to fall. Rev and Emma are the perfect pairing, awkward, introverted, and trying to find themselves. The story if filled with plenty of Declan which had me swooning all over again and even a new character, Matthew, who was trying to carve a hole in my heart when Rev wasn't. What can I say, other than if you want a moving, contemporary go buy this book.

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 March 9

BOOK REPORT for More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer

FYI this is a companion novel to Letters to the Lost. You in no way need to read the first book to understand this one, but it will give you a deeper appreciation of the characters.

Cover Story: Lazy Chat Bubbles
BFF Charm: Big Sister, Platinum
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: More Than Fine
Bonus Factors: The Tami Taylor Award for Amazing Motherhood and Keith Mars Award For Awesome Dadhood
Anti-Bonus Factors: Patty Chase Award for Awful Parenting, Internet Trolls
Relationship Status: When Are You Free Next?

Cover Story: Lazy Chat Bubbles

This isn’t offensive but it’s super boring. Texts have some play in the story, but they don't feel consequential enough to warrant being a cover feature. The blue is nice? And I like the chat-bubble-turned-heart. But overall this feels lazy.

The Deal:

Rev Fletcher escaped his abusive con-man father when he was seven years old, and now, at eighteen, he's put all that behind him. He’s got amazing adoptive parents, a great best friend, and, sure, he always wears long sleeved hoodies to hide the scars on his arms, but he’s got a quiet, unshakeable confidence in himself. Until. Until that three-sentence letter shows up in the mailbox, from what feels like the devil himself. It puts Rev in a freefall, and the only person he feels he can open up to is a complete stranger.

That stranger is Emma Blue, fellow student and online game developer, who feels like her own life is quietly falling apart. In real life her parents seem to only have enough attention to spare on each other, and it’s like World War 3 in her home. Online she’s getting unwanted attention in the form of an internet troll who sends her vile messages through OtherLANDS, her roleplaying creation. When she meets Rev lurking in the shadows behind a church (not as weird as it sounds), she finds a kindred spirit and someone who actually listens.

BFF Charm: Big Sister, Platinum



Emma can be a little…prickly. You know that thing you hate about your mom or dad, then you look in the mirror and realize, OMFG, I do that too? That’s Emma and her mom’s talent for vicious one-line zingers. And I totally get it. Emma is sixteen, and she feels unsupported and adrift and jealous of stable families. Adolescence is hard enough, and living with two people who clearly can’t stand each other and don’t make any efforts to hide that in front of their teenage daughter…well, I understand why Emma lashes out. Sometimes you just go for broke, even when you know you’re being an asshole.

So what Emma really needs isn’t a BFF right now (because she’s already crapping on the great one she DOES have); she needs a big sister to fight for her and (gently) smack some sense into her.



Ah, Rev, my pet. I can't give Declan a Platinum charm without giving Rev the same, because they are so good to each other. I contemplated giving Rev the Love charm, but even though he’s a super awesome guy, we don’t really have any of the same interests. He’s perfect bestie material, though. This book doesn’t show Rev at his total best, since he’s grappling with some weighty issues, but there’s plenty of moments where you see his loyalty, his warmth, and, guys, he’s good with children. Sa-woon.

Swoonworthy Scale: 7

Kemmerer knows how to make me drool for even the tiniest of morsels. This isn’t a particularly “romantic” book; Emma and Rev don’t even spend THAT much time together, and their personal issues really overshadow their burgeoning romance. BUT. The little moments they do have together are so, so good. I had a silly grin on my face during certain scenes…all I will say is, I never found jiu-jitsu sexy until now.

Talky Talk: More Than Fine

So this has nothing to do with the actual story itself, but the ARC copy I received had an “Á” symbol in the place of any word that had “fi” or “fl” appeared together. Note: you will never realize how many words contain those combinations of letters until they simply…aren’t there. So perhaps this odd quirk made me extra sensitive to the fact that there were multiple, multiple instances of characters insisting they were Áne fine. You’re fine! I’m fine! We’re all completely fine! (Narrator: They were not fine.)

But that was my “biggest” gripe with this book, relatively speaking. For everything else, I was charmed. Kemmerer grappled with heavy topics with ease (PTSD, the worry that you’ll become the worst parts of your parents, anxiety, abandonment issues) and created realistic, likeable-yet-flawed characters. I even appreciated the moments that Kemmerer made me ugly-cry, because there was so much emotion packed into just a few sentences. It didn’t hit with quite as much punch as Letters to the Lost (that was a snot-fest of tissues and blubbering on my part) but it warmed my heart all the same.

Bonus Factor: The Tami Taylor Award for Amazing Motherhood and Keith Mars Award For Awesome Dadhood



For Rev's mom.



For Rev's dad.

(Because they deserve their own awards.)

Can Rev’s parents be my parents? Pretty please? These two may be too good to be true, but I hope there are people like them out there, because they’re exactly what foster children need: calm, understanding, patient, non-judgmental. They took Rev in after he was taken away from his father and adopted him a few years later, and typically foster babies and toddlers (AKA why Rev is so good with kids). At the start of this novel, however, they end up with a damaged fourteen-year-old, Matthew, and everyone has to adjust. Matthew's story is also heartbreaking, and Kristin and Geoff handle it with aplomb.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Patty Chase Award for Awful Parenting



Rev’s father was one of those snake-oil, con-men faux-pastors who stole from his congregation and charmed his way out of any allegations of abuse for the first seven years of Rev’s life. There’s a special level of hell for people like him.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Internet Trolls



Emma is being harassed by a player in her OtherLANDS game and she puts up with it because “it’s just what female gamers have to deal with.” Oh, Emma, honey, NO. She’s the Admin for her game, but because she made it kind of open, there’s precious little she can do to prevent the banned player from simply creating a new account and continuing to send her lewd messages. Her story isn’t anything new to women on the internet, and that is sad.

Relationship Status: When Are You Free Next?

Let’s sync our calendars, Book. Your friend talked you up, and after only one date I’m ready to commit to seeing this thing move forward. How’s next Thursday sound?

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Bloomsbury Children’s. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. More Than We Can Tell is available now.

**4.5 Stars**

More Than We Can Tell was a heartbreaking and distinctly visceral look into teenage realities and its issues. As with Kemmerer’s first novel, she again beautifully converged two characters’ separate but moving stories into one powerful and hard-hitting narrative. Told in dual perspectives, both Rev and Emma will have you fully engaged in their family dynamics, their own hurdles, and their journey to finding something special with one another.

Most adoringly was that Rev and Emma were free to respond and react to the battles in their lives as individuals, but when they came together in a showing of support and understanding–of what a peer should be–, it was wonderfully compelling. As outsiders and the less understood, Rev and Emma inhabited similarly opposite struggles of the young adult; his traumatizing childhood and her parents’ absenteeism and lack of support seemed to represent who these characters were, but embedded underneath their barriers was so much depth and complexity. It’s distressing to imagine what and how much teens internalize and take on as their responsibility alone, and it was showcased wonderfully through these two down-to-earth teenagers. The issues covered were handled sensitively and with grace–not with dramatics or utilizing them to further the story–but to shine a light on how to handle them whether the reader is a teenager or a parent of one. Having fallen in love with Rev in Letters to the Lost, it was a pleasure to see his journey. His personality was so vibrant and caring, and markedly just as resilient and strong, that it was impossible not to fall for him further. Equally, Emma’s journey hit on tough gender issues, and while she was rightfully stubborn in her standpoint, she was just as vulnerable. The paradoxical nature to each character fully rounded them out and made them so very real.

Though the romance took a backseat to the plot, it was as addictive as it would have been had it been up front and center. I loved its subtlety and understated power, how it was so provocative while remaining shadowy and alluring. More Than We Can Tell was exactly those things in a nutshell: subtle and understated, with poignant characters and a hard story to tell. But it did it all wonderfully, and I was so very sad to see it end.

More Than We Can Tell is an unputdownable read for people who love mysterious good boys and angst that has a lot of context. It's the sequel to one of my favorite books from last year, the sleeper hit (at least among bloggers) Letters to the Lost.

More Than We Can Tell is a standalone, though, so you don't have to read the two books together, but MAN. If you do, get ready for some emotional reading.

The novel features Rev, a boy who has been emotionally and physically abused by his pastor father, and who has lived with wonderful foster parents since he was eight. Despite the trauma of his past, Rev is a pretty nice guy, if a bit of a loner. He has one best friend, his neighbour Declan, and he spends most of his time practicing jujitsu and helping his family with foster children.

Things change for Rev when two things happen: 1) his biological father emails him for the first time in eight years and 2) his parents tell him that they are bringing in another teen foster kid. They’ve never had another teen before, and Matthew has also clearly been abused. Matthew’s issues bring forward some of Rev’s trauma.

On the other side, we get to meet Emma, a gaming and computer genius who has created her own multiplayer role playing game. Emma’s home life is fraught because her doctor Mom seems to think gaming is a useless activity - which is both frustrating for Emma and her father, a computer game designer. They all fight a lot.

On top of that, Emma receives a harassing, sexually abusive message from another user of her game, throwing her world into a tailspin.

What happens next is both obvious and not. Because while it’s obvious that Rev and Emma will meet and find support in one another, I don’t know another book that does this kind of dark emotion as honestly, intensely, and impactfully - without losing the lightness of YA romance.

Brigid Kemmerer is absolutely amazing at banter. She just creates these incredible, swoony moments between love interests that just get you right in the feels. I loved Rev and Emma possibly even more than Letters to the Lost’s Declan and Juliet (who are mentioned quite a bit, by the way). I loved how much Rev and Emma cared about each other and their home lives. I also loved how flawed they were in dealing with them. Kemmerer builds these characters so that their actions are never predictable, but also never come out of left field. That is the mark of a real character driven narrative.

I also loved how More Than We Can Tell addressed issues with females in gaming and online harassment. Even though Emma is well aware of how trolling and the internet works, it’s still a shock when something like that happens to you, and the way Kemmerer presents and moves the plot forward was scary but realistic. I don’t know another book that addresses these issues so strongly.

THE FINAL WORD:
More Than We Can Tell was a more than worthy sequel to Letters to the Lost. It features similarly well-drawn characters, a really emotional plot that deals with serious issues well, and an addictive romance. It also explores loving families, male teen friendships, and sexism & harassment in gaming in a well-researched way. I loved this one and could barely put it down. Highly, highly recommended for anyone who likes bad boys, or darker contemporaries, but wants something a little lighter.

Obviously I love Rev, but I really liked Emma too.  I loved how Emma and Rev discovered each other, and I especially love how they got past their awkwardness.  It made me feel little bubbles in my stomach for two young teens falling in love.

I loved the book for Rev's relationship with his parents.  I loved how they knew his acting out wasn't usual for him. I also love that Rev knows he was lucky in the home he was placed in.  He knows how loved he is, and I believe he cherishes it.

I also loved seeing how Rev felt about Declan, from his own perspective.  I love the story of how they met, and no matter what happens those two boys have each others back. 

I think maybe the end resolutions were just a bit too much.  I tend to have a problem with overkill, and I do think the parallel of what was happening with Emma, while Rev was going through what he was going through, was too much.  Therefore, I did deduct half a star.

Otherwise, More Than We Can Tell was really really good!  Really really good!

I really got caught up in Kemmerer’s <i>Letters to the Lost</i> when I read it last year, so I was happy to find out that she was writing a follow up featuring Rev, a character who grabbed my attention in the first book. However, while I liked finally getting to read Rev’s story, it didn’t quite have the same emotional impact as the previous novel for me.

Like <i>Letters</i>, this book is centered on a developing romance between two people who are going through tough times. Rev, who was taken away from his abusive father at the age of seven, starts receiving messages from him when he turns eighteen. Hearing from his father again after so many years emotionally paralyzes Rev, and he can’t decide how to respond. Rev then meets Emma, who is dealing with her own problems—the implosion of her parents’ marriage and being harassed by a troll through an online game she designed for a school project. The two of them provide support for each other when it feels like they can’t turn to other people in their lives for help, and their feelings grow from there.

Rev’s part of the story is very good. His background is horrific. It’s easy to empathize with his pain and confusion as he has to confront the toxic stew of pain, love, and religion created by his father, who was the charismatic leader of his own church. Rev knows he should reject his father, but the remnants of the love he felt as a child and of his father’s authority as God’s voice make it really difficult for him to follow through. It’s not surprising that he has difficulty shutting the door on his past.

Emma was a little harder for me to take, however. It’s not that she doesn’t have valid problems. The trolling she experiences was sickening to read, and it makes me livid that anyone has to face that kind of thing. It’s also obviously difficult to deal with a marriage that’s cracking up and parents who are so focused on their own lives that they are out of touch with their child. But Emma lashes out at people constantly, even people who don’t have any role in her problems, like Rev and her best friend, Cait. (It’s really not cool to crap all over the things your best friend likes, even if you are having issues.) Emma excuses herself by saying she’s not good with people, but that’s not an excuse for being hateful. And because she is kind of awful so often in the book, it was harder to root for her and Rev to be together as a couple. He just seems too good for her.

Overall, though, this was a decent read, particularly if you enjoyed <i>Letters to the Lost</i> and wanted to know more about Rev.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

A stand alone story in the world of Letters to the Lost - this one focuses on Rev, Declan's best friend, and some new characters. This is a darker story because of the content (online harassment, child abuse). But it is just as amazing as Letters. I loved the characters in this, especially the way they try to rally around each other and protect each other. I have enjoyed everything I have ever read by this author. I will read anything she publishes because she always delivers great stories with characters I adore. Highly recommend.