This book can definitely tug your heartstrings at hard-hitting moments. I wasn’t always a fan of the way the narrative was written and certain characters seemed underdeveloped, but on the whole I think it communicates the underlying message it wants to get across well.

A week prior to the events of the book, Julie loses her boyfriend Sam in a car accident. She deals with it very badly. She does not attend his funeral or vigils, she attempts to throw out every possession of his that she owns, and she isolates herself from her friends and his relatives. It’s only when she dials Sam’s cell phone in a moment of misery and he somehow picks up that Julie seems to finally have a chance for closure.

Neither understand their connection and Sam provides little detail about how he can still reach her even in death. The only thing that seems certain is that Sam won’t move on until Julie gets a chance to say a proper goodbye. He promises he’ll pick up the phone whenever she calls until she’s ready for that last farewell. But as Julie starts neglecting aspects of her own life and resists letting go of her ability to talk to Sam, the two begin to debate if holding on is the right thing for either of them.

Honestly, I was upset that we never really get to know Sam more than we do. For such a central character, he seems to serve more as a prop for Julie’s story of healing than anything, but perhaps that was the point. I also struggled a bit with how short the timeline of events is. The book takes place only over a span of two months from Sam’s death until Julie’s graduation, and I found many developments – especially in that week after the accident – to be very sudden.

But I do think this book does a good job portraying the different forms of grief. Julie grieves very differently from Sam’s best friend, Oliver, and Sam’s cousin, Mika, for example. I was frustrated with how Julie dealt with hers at times, but acknowledge the message that everyone deals with it in their own way. I also appreciate the focus on slowly moving on after such a tragic loss while still keeping the importance their lost loved one had in their life a part of them. I really liked the epilogue, as short as it was, for exactly this reason.

This book is well worth a read and I’m sure it will reach many in its audience who will find it touching and enjoy it more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing the free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a sad and beautiful and heartfelt story. My heart was BURSTING by the end and from what everyone else has been saying about this gorgeous story, I know I'm not the only one. I really felt for the characters in this book and for their shared experiences with Sam. Definitely a tear-jerker! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!

This book was heart-wrenching and beautiful. I loved the premise of this and the way it handled grief. I love magical realism and contemporaries about grief and healing, and this book was the perfect merge between the two. I would absolutely recommend this book. It will make you cry.

"I wanted to give us a chance to say goodbye."
"But I never wanted to say goodbye."
BOY, DID THAT MAKE ME CRY!

TW: Death, grieving, pain, family loss, discrimination/racism and guilt.

What starts as a series of flashbacks showing some of the beginnings of our central couple's relationship ends in the pain of memory that shows the death of the beloved Sam. Throughout this book, we see Julie hold onto the memory of a ghost as she's given the best gift a chance to say goodbye in the way of a straight line to Sam in the afterlife. However, as Sam pushes her to say goodbye, the world around Julie seems to both open and close as she hurts the ones around her.

Pros:
This book made me cry and ache for the loss of Sam. From the flashbacks and moments on the phone with him, I knew he was a good person, and he wanted to be alive but couldn't be and that hurt. However, this book had some excellent examples of different ways to grieve and miss someone and had some moments that show you can move together instead of away and that it can take a while to heal.

Cons:
This book was far too long and highly repetitive. Also, I did not connect with Julie for a quick a long time in the book; the beginning felt so strange with just throwing us in a week later and her almost showing nothing in emotion. Also, strangely, the book felt too fast and too slow in places, which highly affected my enjoyment.

This book was good and bad, but I think others will enjoy it and I will say that it will make you cry!

This was the most heartbreaking book I have ever read and I enjoyed every single page. I loved all of the characters and the messages about grief and healing. I can’t wait to see what else this author writes!

This book has been on my radar for most of 2021 and as someone going through some pretty heavy grief at the end of 2020, I was nervous about reading this one since I knew what the premise was. I’m glad I waited a few months after getting the ARC before reading it because I was in a place where this didn’t gut me, but it was what I needed to read.

You’ve Reached Sam is a heart-wrenching story about Julie, a seventeen year old, who is trying to immediately move on from the death of her boyfriend Sam. She tries to ignore the guilt she feels for her part in his accident and skips the funeral, all the memorials, and stops talking to anyone who she knows through Sam, including his friends and family. The book starts with Julie boxing up all of Sam’s things she had acquired over the course of their relationship and leaving them for the garbage.

Is this drastic? Yes. Is it completely understandable to just try and deal with guilt and grief like this? Absolutely.

There’s a fanatical element to all of this which is that Julie calls Sam’s cell just to listen to his voice on his voicemail. And then Sam answers.

This was the bit that I thought would be too hard for me, the ability of being able to talk to a lost loved one for closure and to come to terms with it. Dustin Thao doesn’t write it as anything other than a miraculous occurrence, including rules that as a reader, you don’t question. Why should you? Here’s this opportunity that any of us would take like Julie does. And we, like Julie, would learn that it isn’t best to hold onto the things we know we need to move on from.

There were some open-ended bits that I wish had gotten more page-time, but overall, this really is a beautiful book and I’m so glad I read it. I can’t wait to see what Dustin Thao writes next.

4 stars.

I'm not sure where to start. This book was very well written and compelling and heartbreaking, yet I had trouble getting through it. I think it's because I was expecting a tear-jerker and that wasn't it for me. The feeling that I felt most reading this was annoyance. While I felt for the main character, her level of selfishness was a bit too much for me and I couldn't help but put myself in Sam's brother's or Mika's place and feel for them instead.
I understand that grief can be selfish and you can't control how you feel after a loss but it was hard for me to think about the other people suffering here. Cause Julie wasn't the only who lost Sam despite what she thought for a good part of the book.
I did, however, really fell for the side characters. they were all very interesting and I liked seeing Julie grow too.

Anyway, this was still a very good book and I hope people love it more than I did...
And I will be looking for more books by Dustin Thao.

A beautifully written novel. When Sam dies, his girlfriend looks for any way to connect to him. When she decides to call him she finds a the connection she has been looking for. Haunting and heartbreaking, yet full of hope, Dustin Thao's prose leave you wanting more.

What a lovely book! I don't think it's much of a spoiler to say that this story is about how the main character Julie is dealing with the sudden loss of her boyfriend Sam. I have gravitated away from YA books over the years but I am so glad I picked this one up. Friendship, loss, grief, and moving on are all dealt with in an honest and tender way that made this book a joy to read.

“I know nothing makes sense right now. The two of us talking again. I’m sorry I don’t have all the answers for you. I wish I did."

Julie and Sam's relationship is revealed not only in flashbacks but in their conversations on her cell phone. Julie can only talk to Sam on their phones, and while she is talking to him, she actually begins to heal from his loss. Julie withdrew from absolutely everyone including Sam's family and her friends when he died suddenly, and their phone conversations actually help her process her grief and her emotions in a very poignant way.

There is obviously a touch of fantasy and magical realism to this book but the prose flows so well and the story is actually so believable that is was very easy for me to accept that Sam could call Julie. She begins to work through her emotions and process the guilt she feels over Sam's death. These sound like very heavy and emotional themes but the author's style is so fresh that I kept reading late into the night.
Music plays a big role in this book and fits into the story perfectly. There were a few very minor plot holes but nothing that kept from enjoying this very unusual story. And yes, one of the reasons I wanted to read this book was because of the gorgeous cover! This story is a very emotional and rich book filled with memorable characters. I loved the way Julie learned and grew from the tragic events in her life and reconnected with those who were most important to her. A tender, honest book about grief and love.

“How do I know if this is real?”
“Because this is real. I’m real, Julie. You just have to believe me.”

2.5 stars rounded to three.

The author did do an excellent job at showing how people can grieve differently and begin the healing process in different time frames. Parts of this book was definitely sweet and gave me all the feels. The story concept was intriguing. How the memories that we were given through flashbacks of the past came in a fade in, fade out, all jumbled up sort of way was an interesting technique, but didn’t work for me. This book showed the slow, painful grieving process. The story was a bit repetitive at times. I really did not like the ending. It just wasn’t for me, but I know many people who loved this book.

Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #You’veReachedSam

This book caught my eye right away, from the premise to that stunning cover. Wow what a read– I was feeling ALL the emotions throughout this book. I've already recommended it to my friends!

Of course, we all wish that we were able to call our loved ones who have passed away on the phone. Julie is lucky enough to be able to do that when she loses her boyfriend, Sam. She holds a lot of guilt and grief surrounding his death, and it is clear she is in need of a way to move on and heal.

What I struggled with is that, at least, initially, Julie uses the fact that she can speak to Sam as an excuse not to move on or heal. She misses vigils for Sam and stops talking to her friends. She doesn’t show up when others need her. While I understand that grief can be (and is often) isolating, it was hard for me to reconcile Julie actively letting down her friends in those ways.

Sam does tell Julie that he’s worried about her not moving on, but he also is certainly part of the problem. He tells her that she can’t tell anyone about their conversations, and that if she does, their connection would be terminated. Of course, this messaging is going to cause Julie to pull away from the people around her.

I am glad that Julie’s relationship to her grief changes throughout the story. She realizes the importance of being there for her friends and for Sam’s family in their moments of need. That growth is so important to her grieving process, and I am happy she is able to work to repair those broken relationships. However, up to that point, it is hard to connect with a character who is not treating those around her well.

You’ve Reached Sam gives the reader snippets into Julie and Sam’s relationship before his death, which helps the reader invest in their relationship and shows the reader what Julie has lost. It is clear that their romantic relationship was based on a strong friendship, which is so important. It remains clear that their phone relationship doesn’t live up to their previous relationship.

You’ve Reached Sam didn’t have the emotional impact for me that I expected, but it is certainly a story that addresses grief with thought and care.

I love a good tearjerker. Books, movies, TV shows, whatever - if I know a cathartic (and sometimes ugly) cry is coming, I'm all in. So when I heard that 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗩𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗔𝗠 required a box of tissues while reading, I couldn't wait to have my heart ripped out.

Unfortunately, this YA book didn't bring on the waterworks for me. Yes, Julie, a high school senior, is dealing with the tragic death of her first love, Sam. Yes, her grief and that of their friends is moving. And yes, the flashbacks that reveal who Sam was and who he could have been are sad. But Julie is so unlikable to me that it overcomes everything else.

At first, I cut her some slack - she's a grieving teenager after all - but even in the flashbacks, she's selfish and unpleasant. My feelings about her so colored the rest of the story (in a moment of loneliness, Julie calls Sam's cell phone and he picks up, creating a connection between the two that allows them closure) that what should have been a beautiful and touching look at moving on and letting go left me thinking it was too bad Sam hadn't found someone better before he died instead.

Dustin Thao's writing is lovely and this is an ambitious debut that I know many other people loved. I'll definitely read whatever he writes next so don't let my strong feelings about Julie sway you - if you're looking for an emotional read, this may be the book for you.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy to review.

“If the ending is this painful, I don’t know if this was worth it at all.”

Thank you Wednesday Books for the gifted book. All thoughts are my own.

When I first saw the cover of You’ve Reached Sam, I knew I had to get my hands on it! The cover isn’t the only thing beautiful about this book.

The story was absolutely beautiful! But also so heartbreaking. I needed a few days to recuperate from the trauma I endured 😅
I loved both Julie and Sam, though I wish we could have gotten to see Sam more.

One of my favorite things about the story is how the author showed what grief looks like for some of us. Grief can be ugly and so unhealthy.

While I loved the magical realism, I wish we had gotten more information about it.

Overall, "You’ve Reached Sam" is a heartbreaking, and emotional book. If you need a good cry I highly recommend this book.

You’ve Reached Sam may be categorized as fantasy, but the grief depicted within this debut novel is very real. The story depicts a teen named Julie grieving the loss of her best friend Sam. Those who have grieved a loved one know all too well the painful feeling of wishing you could have one more phone call. This book depicts love, loss, and those illusive phone calls we have all desperately wished for in our lives. It’s clear to see that this one comes with TW’s and those should be reviewed before reading.

For me, this book was a slow burn and I wished the pacing was a bit faster. That said, I’ll be looking for more from Thao in the future. I liked his writing style and the way he built his characters. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this story, even though it didnt move in the direction I thought. A really refreshing look at grief, perspective, and love.

When I was more age-appropriate for the YA genre I absolutely loved a good, cry-inducing read. I read plenty with sudden deaths, drawn out terminal illness and more. I probably would have enjoyed this one more then. It opens with Julie - only two weeks after the unexpected death of her boyfriend of three years, Sam. A high school senior, Julie's grief separates her from her friends, class mates and family, unable to share in their excitement for the future when it feels like all of her plans have completely fallen apart.

To try to move on, Julie impulsively attempts to purge Sam from her life altogether. But in desperate regret, she calls his cell phone... and he answers. This rather mystical connection reminded me a lot of Rainbow Rowell's LANDLINE. But this one doesn't balance any of the grief or heartache with any humor, happiness or much hope - even Julie's memories of happier moments are weighed down by her sadness. Julie pushes so many people away in her life that it makes it hard for even the reader to connect with her. It's not a long book - though it covers a lot of the school year and the pacing really dragged for a while for me before it started building towards anything.

I appreciated the diversity of the cast, but none of the relationships here felt particularly authentic to me. I couldn't share in Julie's grief, because the author didn't make me care much about Sam either. And honestly, I was surprised by how forgiving Julie's teenaged friends really were. Maybe if I had felt connected to the characters, I would have enjoyed this more, but unfortunately, this one just didn't reach me.

This was such an interesting premise for a book, I was hooked right away. The writers descriptions are very clear and I was able to picture the scenarios. It does jump around a bit with memories and dreams, and it is not always clear which is which. The end absolutely brought me to tears.



Net galley provided me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review, thank you.

2.5 stars.

I thought the premise of this book was very interesting. Julie's boyfriend Sam dies in an accident. But a few weeks after his death, she finds out that she can still talk to him on her phone. I liked this idea, exploring what we might do if we had a second chance to talk to loved ones who had passed away.

Overall, I didn't love this story though. I think I just didn't feel the connection between Julie and Sam, which made it hard for me to invest in the whole story. We learn about most of their relationship through dream-like flashbacks, and it may be the flashbacks that were the struggle for me. I sometimes could not tell if Sam was really a good guy or if Julie and Sam's relationship was healthy. Maybe I have just read too many books where there is a dark secret revealed, and I was waiting for a dark secret in this story as well. But it never came, and I was just expecting something deeper or more complicated from the story.

I think this story will pack an emotional punch for many readers, even though it didn't quite work for me.

Release Date: 11.9.2021
Review Date: 11.18.2021

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

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. Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. 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.

I'm going for a 3.5 on this one. I just finished this one and I'm trying to decide how I felt. I enjoyed the story to this and feel like it would make a good movie. Some of the dreams and how it would jump from one memory to another would be really good on screen. One problem was the timing of the story, there were a lot of random time skips, and at one point they were descussing graduation in four weeks but it felt like more time than that passed between the discussion and the actual graduation. The ending felt slightly rushed but overall I enjoyed this one. Will keep an eye out for more by the author.