3.5 rounded up. I really enjoyed the concept of this book, and the discussion of grief, which is often taboo. However, there were moments where the story lagged due to repetitive narration. Yes, grief can be like that but it wasn't the grief and more the teen drama that kept coming up.

This was unfortunately too hard for me to read. However, from what I did read, I can tell how carefully the subject of grief was handled and written, which is exactly what made it so hard to read.

You've Reached Sam is a romance book with fantasy elements, giving a second chance to high school lovers Sam and Julie who was separated by death due to a car accident. Julie was dealing with grief and survivor's guilt when she found a unique connection to Sam — she could call him through her phone.

I picked up this book because I saw this book has made a lot of people cry. I don't usually cry in books, and unfortunately, this one didn't do the job, too. I did, however, feel the grief and guilt eating Julie and Sam — including the sadness everyone around them felt, too.

The book definitely had the potential for 5 stars, but there's something about the main character that prevented me for loving her that much.

You've Reached Sam will tug on your heartstrings, especially if you've experienced losing someone dear to you. It discussed dealing with grief and moving on perfectly — how to honor those we've lost and carry them in our hearts forever.

A beautiful book about loss and grief that had me bawling through the pages and for weeks after. I get the success and hype. It’s one to remember and be read by all!

This novel transcends the boundaries of a typical young adult book, and offers readers a deeply moving narrative that delves into the complexities of grief and the transformative nature of human relationships.

A beautiful and heartbreaking story of love and loss, this novel will go down in the tearjerker hall of fame alongside books like The Fault in Our Stars.

This book was a lot! I expected all the heavy feelings to make me feel a lot of things really deep down and yet, it was just okay. I couldn't imagine having your entire life through upside down when you're in high school and just getting ready to start the life you had planned for yourself. The loss of the person you're got such deep feelings for is never easy but when you're handling so many emotions at such a young age, it's even harder.

This book made me sad, but it was not really my cup of tea. It was a very easy read, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of the main character and the magical realism. Normally, I like magical realism. I just didn’t expect it in this book. I still enjoyed it! 3 stars

Das Buch ist ein unheimlicher Pageturner. Ich habe es regelrecht verschlungen. Es ist eine Achterbahn der Gefühle in dem einen Moment unfassbar schön und im nächsten einfach unfassbar traurig. Wirklich ein gelungenes Werk.

This book really pulled at my heart strings.
The book opens on an already emotional note and immediately you know the main theme of this book is grief and how you deal with it.
It also really surprised me.
It was really easy to read even though the subject matter wasn’t. It felt very realistic in the characters reactions and I also really liked how open they were to listening to each other.
This is a story you go into knowing there probably won’t be the happy ending, where everything works out in the end.
It’s more about trying to deal with life and it’s unpredictable nature and for that I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

i am a mess I AM A HUGE MESS. i love when books make me feel so much and when i know just by turning that last page that the book left a mark on me and it won't go for a long long time.

This has been in my TBR for awhile now. This is the sort of book you need quiet time away from things because you'll spend quite a lot of time with tears running down your cheeks. I cried a lot. This is a touching story about love, loss, and family.

Just tears. All the tears. In the best way possible. This book broke me and then put me back together.

Deeply moving with a bittersweet ending I knew would happen yet couldn't prepare for. YOU'VE REACHED SAM had me sobbing. This book was such a beautiful story about grief after an unexpected loss. I could feel Julie's sadness, anger and guilt with such sharp focus. The synopsis was dead-on. I could see the magical realism similar to a Makoto Shinkai animated film. I really enjoyed the play on connection/ disconnection with Julie's cell phone. I wish there could have been more of Julie with Sam's family though. Overall, this book was heart-rending and beautiful.

This is a story that I expected to ball my eyes out to but, I only shed a few tears. This is a story of young love and young grief. I think that this story has so much potential to help many people work through these emotions. This is the book that I wish I would have had when my best friend passed away almost 8 years ago because I think it would have been the perfect book to help me process my grief.
I feel like this is a book that I will recommend to parents to help their teens process the loss of a friend or even a loved one.

This YA contemporary novel is a haunting exploration of grief, with an otherworldly twist that drives home the emotional impact. The book follows Julie, who gains a second chance to speak with her boyfriend through phone calls after his tragic death in a car accident. Although the story was sweet, there were also difficult moments as Julie worked through the personal process of her grief and the process of letting go of the boy she’s lost. In that way, the sweetness is accompanied by an aching sadness that permeates the book. I thought it was a beautiful way to show the highs and lows of the grieving process, and I cried so much while reading it!

i think this is the type of book that is meant to purposely make you cry, like the author set out to make his readers cry and not write a story that was worth crying over. i understand why people have been obsessing over this book for years but i think it was a little rushed and i could tell this was Dustin's debut

It’s really not hard to make me cry while reading a book, yet somehow this book managed to fail. I love a then and now timeline, but the way there were dreams, memories, and flashbacks felt a little chaotic in its organization. It didn’t feel that we were learning anything important for almost the first half of the book. It also took me half the book to care about the characters, especially Julie. I didn’t mind Julie’s personality, and thought she did her best trying to contend with her grief while others expected different things from her. I ended up caring more about the supporting characters than Julie and Sam though. Mika’s shenanigans to get Sam and Julie together and putting Taylor in her place, Oliver’s clinginess and fun personality, and Tristan’s earnestness were the best parts. Overall, it wasn’t the worst book and it wasn’t the best, but the ending was really sweet.

In "You've Reached Sam," Dustin Thao delivers an emotionally resonant YA romance that transcends the boundaries of love and loss. Set against a backdrop of heartache and healing, the novel revolves around the tender and poignant love story of Julie and Sam, two individuals brought together by fate and separated by tragedy.

Thao's writing effortlessly captures the essence of young love, infusing the narrative with genuine emotions that evoke both laughter and tears. The novel's exploration of grief is sensitively handled, and readers are invited to share in Julie's emotional journey as she grapples with the loss of her boyfriend, Sam.

Julie's character is beautifully developed, and her introspective nature adds depth to the story as she navigates the complexities of grief and acceptance. Thao paints a vivid picture of their relationship through a series of heartwarming flashbacks, allowing the reader to witness the growth and depth of their connection.

The story's pacing is well-crafted, guiding readers through a rollercoaster of emotions as Julie discovers a mysterious voicemail left by Sam after his passing. This discovery sets her on a path of healing and understanding, leading to unexpected revelations about their love and shared dreams.

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Thao's prose is lyrical and heartfelt, capturing the essence of young love with tender precision. The dialogues between characters are engaging and natural, fostering a genuine connection with the reader and allowing them to immerse themselves fully in the story.

In conclusion, "You've Reached Sam" is a captivating YA romance that skillfully navigates the complexities of grief and the transformative power of love. Dustin Thao's evocative storytelling and well-drawn characters make this novel a must-read for those seeking a touching and heartfelt exploration of young love and the enduring bond between soulmates.