Letters to the Lost

I dropped all my other distractions to JUST READ this book! It was awesome!!!

In this story, our girl visits her mom's grave and writes letters to her and leaves them there. Our boy is doing community service at the cemetery and discovers the letters...well the most recent one anyway. And he is moved by it. The girl is pouring our her feelings and he just simply adds... me too, on her letter.

Well, when she sees that she freaks and gets mad and writes him a scathing letter back. Telling him he has NO RIGHT to mock her and that there's no way he can understand. Well, turns out he can because he has lost his little sister.

So they start writing. Then they start emailing... and they find a place through each other, to pour out their guts in a safe way.

At school, there's this dude who is shunned by all the kids because he has bad reputation. He's done some "bad" things and he is now serving time by doing community service. Yeah. Our girl thinks he's scary just like everyone else, until she has a few encounters and then she finds she is drawn to him in a weird way that makes her a little freaked out.

And as she gets to know him better, she starts feeling like she's cheating on the letter writer.

I LOVE IT!

But, these characters were awesome. So real and so lovely. The writing was just my style, whatever that means. So engaging. Deep without trying too hard.

My favorite part (besides the romance of course) is that these kids had some awesome adults in their lives. You know, how you always just assume their parents are jerks and their teachers won't give them breaks or try to understand their situations or where they are coming from? Not in this book. This book had wonderful adults who helped. And it was so refreshing.

(The dude's dad has issues, but... there's more to his story too!)

Anyway. Yeah. I devoured this one. Give me more like it!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read and review Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer! Two teens that have each lost someone they love begin an ongoing anonymous conversation by adding to a letter left and then found next to a cemetery headstone. The conversation moves to email for convenience and these two strangers help each other grieve. Declan has lost his sister and his father is in prison and no longer part of their family. His mother has married Alan, who isn’t the nicest to Declan. Juliet has lost her journalist mother in a hit and run car accident and she lives with her father. Declan has an amazing best friend, Rev, that’s dealing with his own traumatic past and Juliet’s best friend, Rowan, is supportive and caring. The email relationship remains anonymous and grows deeper and more meaningful as their grief is dealt with together. Letters to the Lost melted my heart with the complicated storyline and endearing, real characters. I love everything about this story, from the caring, helpful teachers to the awkward friends to the dysfunctional family members. All of these components create a beautiful realistic fiction novel worth 5 stars!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary review consideration.

Letters to the Lost ended up being my new favorite book by Brigid Kemmer. This is saying a lot because I don't read a lot of contemporary YA, it's just not a favorite genre of mine. And also before I read this amazing book her Elemental series was my favorite. So yeah, Letters to the Lost completely stole my heart!

Like I said I don't read a lot of contemporary YA but when I do it's most likely to be a pen pall romance, like this book. I don't know why but I love those type of romances most of all. But with this book I think it's extra special.

I adored the main characters right away. I loved how Declan and Juliet first started writing each other letters and later on they switched to texting. I really had a soft spot for Declan because I could just feel how bad he felt inside with everything that happened to him. Don't get me wrong, I loved Juliet as well. Her story as well as Declan's was quite tragic but I don't know... there was just something about Declan that I connected with.

I was not surprised to see that there was also a really great cast of secondary characters because I'm used to that from a book by this author. But damn, I loved some of those characters so much. I'm probably not the only one who thought Rev was their favorite secondary character, right? I loved him so much and I can't wait to read his book, More Than We Can Tell.

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer is not just a romance. There's so much more to it. There's family, there's friendship. Grief. Loss. The story was sweet and heartbreaking all at once. It was quite a rollercoaster for me. But I loved it all.

I devoured this book in two sittings. It would have been one, but work got in the way. The whole time I was at work I was thinking about this book and analyzing each scene. It had me hooked to find out what happens next as well as contemplate my own experiences. I found it very relatable that everyone makes assumptions about every scenario and either the character felt know one cared enough to hear them or wasnt brave enough to try to make them listen. I think the character development was great and led the reader to care. We learn about their experiences and grief in an interesting way that leaves you feeling with them. Declan is confrontational and has a temper but it's not in the sparkly abusive way some of the YA books now a days are riddled with. He was schooled several times on a socially relevant problem. You cant be upset that events dont happen as you want them if you dont commuunicate. Juliet is grieving and her emotions are on a roller coaster ride but not at all in a whiny woe is me way that has been known to be annoying in some popular books. She has self awareness and learns much about herself as she tries to pull herself out of the despair of grief. The story had some slow moments but it allowed me time to level my emotions again so I could read on just to be hit with them again and again. This is my first book for this author and I'm interested to read more like it ?

Letters to the lost gave me some serious feels. It was absolutely beautiful and very emotional. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book.

Working long hours at the cemetery for his mandatory community service, Declan finds a letter on a grave. After reading it, he decides to write back. Furious about someone reading her letter to her dead mother, Juliet writes another letter addressing the anonymous writer. Soon the two start talking anonymously and opening up to each other about the difficulties they're facing, slowly helping one another face the challenges and work through their problems. The only problem is that they know each other in person, and they're not exactly a fan of one another.

Oh my goodness, the characters, the storyline, everything was just perfect. I can't get over how good this book turned out. At first I was a bit iffy about the characters, they were both great characters but they did little things that made me mad, like how Juliet was very judgemental of Declan and how he couldn't understand that his step-father and mother were trying to help him (even though it wasn't in the best way). But their character development was mind blowing, they went from okay characters to these strong and intelligent characters that you end up falling in love with. These two really help each other be better people, even though they can't see it at first.

The story was really captivating. I started this book with a plan to read it slowly over a week, and I ended up reading it in two days. After I hit about 30% in, I could not put the book down. I don't know what it was exactly, but I just could not get myself to stop reading. I was so engrossed in it, that I had to finish the rest before I went to bed. There was lots of action, and some really great twists that even I didn't see coming.

After reading this book, I feel like I have to read more from this author. I highly recommend this book, even if you aren't a huge fan of contemporary. It will definitely hit you in the feels, and have you reading all night.

I had never read anything by Brigid Kemmerer before, but I heard all of her work is action packed and really good. Since I had never read anything by her, I was a bit skeptical. But then the reviews for this started pouring in and everyone said it was so good! It was time for me to find out for myself.

Juliet has lost her mother in a tragic accident. To cope, she leaves letters at her mother's grave. Declan is ordered by the court to do some community service, which he chooses to do at the cemetery. Soon the paths of the two cross, without them ever knowing that they did,

First things first, I LOVED the characters. I felt such a connection with them throughout the entire story. I was so invested that I found mysellf talking out loud to Declan and Rev, or giving advice to Juliet. I was really into their story and I was sucked into it every time I opened the book. I really felt like both points of view added so much to the story as well. It would have been so hard trying to explain either of their sides with only one person telling the story. With the alternate points of view we got to really meet both of them and that adds to the enjoyment of the story.

However, I was not a fan of how the events unfolded. It seemed like it was a tad bit long, but then at the end, it kind of felt rushed. Like it felt too long to her, but instead of taking out some of the scenes or just not caring, she skimped on the end. I just felt like after all that they had been through, they deserved more, you know?

I am also really, REALLY glad we get to know Rev's story. He seems like such a brilliant teen and I really need to know his story. I'm terrified of his back story, but then again I really want to know it. I can't wait until we get it next!

Last but not least, I LOVED her writing style. I checked this book out from work, and I normally don't waste my flags on library books, but this one was too good not to. I wanted to write down almost every quote, so I just decided to use the flags. Her writing was so good it had me in tears on one page and then rooting for them in another.

This book was definitely a surprise. I loved her writing style and the characters, but the ending felt a little rushed to me. I can see myself going to find and read all of her backlist before the end of the summer!

Until I started trying to write my review for this book, I didn't really realize how much it kind of hit home for me. I could relate to a lot of things in this book from my days in school. Though, not in the sense that I wrote letters to strangers at my mother's grave.

So, usually contemporary novels really aren't my jam. I basically say that in every contemporary novel review I write. And probably about every chance I get to mention it, really. But it's just so painfully true. It seems like most of the contemporary novels I read end up as DNFs or me pushing through it like a champ with my eyes glazed over.

But this one I loved. It's about two people who connect anonymously through their feelings of guilt and grief for things that have happened in their lives.

Juliet Young was a star photography student until her award winning, photojournalist mother was killed in a hit and run accident on her way home from the airport after one of her trips. She was meant to take honors photography in school, but can't even bring herself to pick up a camera anymore. Now she's not necessarily a bad student, but she seems to be tardy a lot to school because she visits her mother's grave in the mornings and the teachers are quickly losing sympathy for her.

I felt like I kind of had a love/hate relationship with Juliet. It felt to me like in the beginning of the book, she had kind of a snotty, superior attitude toward certain characters in this book for no real reason other than they were kind of the outcasts at the school. She eventually got over it, but I thought that was really annoying for reasons that will be explained below.

I also felt like I could relate a lot to some of the feelings that she had throughout the book for her mom. Mostly because I have gone through a lot of the same feelings toward my own mom. While my mother didn't die, she did move to Indiana right before I turned 17 for a guy that she met on the internet. She didn't visit South Dakota again until the BF bought her a plane ticket for my 22nd birthday.

I have felt the fondness, sadness, and whatever else Juliet feels for her mother for most of this book, but I also definitely felt the anger she feels in a little bit of it as well. So yeah, I kind of felt like I could relate to that.

Declan Murphy kind of becomes an outcast after he gets drunk one night and crashes a car into a building. People fear him because they don't really know what he's going to do, I think. For his community service, he ends up mowing the lawn at the cemetery. It's while he's doing his community service one day that he stumbles across a letter left at a grave. He reads it and and he responds.

He doesn't think he's going to get a response, but the next time he's mowing, there's a new letter there, this time written to him. Juliet and Declan don't know they're writing to each other. They eventually take it to email and continue to bond through their separate grief.

Besides Juliet and Declan, I think that the two other most important characters are their best friends, Rowan and Rev.

I did not like Rowan. In fact, I kind of hated her. She's really judge-y and has a tendency to make these nasty little comments to people that she seems to think are beneath her. She's always described as looking 'angelic.' She's kind of a goody two shoes, that one that runs to tattle to the teacher every chance she gets.

She actually really reminded me of this girl in my class in school. When I was in second grade, my parents got divorced. I had to go to the school counselor every week after that for at least the rest of that school year. Play therapy for the WIN!

Anyway, there was this one girl in my class who took it upon herself to come up to me and make a stupid little nasty comment about how my parents were divorced. Sometimes accompanied with this little giggle that made me want to throat punch her! I seriously think she sought me out every year to make a comment like that to me. I remember her making them to me in high school! "Oh, your parents are divorced, aren't they?" *giggle*

So yeah, that's probably 90% of the reason I hated Rowan.

Rev was probably my favorite character. He probably needs his own spin off book. I would read it in a heart beat. He's got such a sad/interesting story. He was adopted by a nice couple after some tragic childhood experiences. He's really down to earth and a great friend to Declan. I want to know more about him.

The romance in this book is so cute. It's definitely slow burn. No love triangle. Declan and Juliet do not like each other in the beginning so it's kind of a hate turns to love relationship? It evolved over the course of the entire book and I really liked them together. They seem to understand each other well. They help each other deal with the pain they're each feeling. I loved it.

Overall, this book was definitely a favorite of 2017 so far. If you're like me and don't love contemporary novels, I suggest you give this one a try anyway if you're feeling adventurous. The only real problem I had with the book was how much I just HATED Rowan. Other than that, I was sad anytime I had to put it down! I read basically the whole thing while I was on vacation!

Letters to the Lost epitomizes everything that I adore in a YA novel. The central plot point revolves around two teenagers writing letters (or emails or chats) to each other, without knowing the other person's identity. While of course also simultaneously having some sort of knowledge of each other in real life. The relationship between them grows deeper on an emotional level while they get to know each other, without some of the extraneous circumstances that come along with surviving the high school life. When done well, these types of books will always bring tears as you become highly attached to the characters and root for their ultimate happy ending.

In this book, Juliet writes letters to her mom that died months earlier in a hit and run accident. A war photographer, Juliet's mom corresponded most frequently and deeply with her daughter through written letters and Juliet can't figure out how to give up that connection. She continues to write and leaves the letters at her gravestone. Declan, stuck doing community service for getting drunk and crashing his dad's car, finds and reads one of her letters while mowing the cemetery. Struck by how deep her words reach his own pain, he responds to her letter. This spurs an angry letter back from Juliet, extremely upset that a stranger has intercepted her deepest thoughts. Declan and Juliet continue to write to each other and eventually set up anonymous email addresses so they can write back and forth more quickly. In the meantime, they form a confusing and hesitant friendship with each other after a couple of rough interactions in their real lives. As you watch the main characters find their way to each other in more ways than one, you become deeply immersed in the different levels of pain they're each going through and are truly rooting for them each to overcome their pasts and search for a way to make their own paths for the rest of their lives.

Overall, I loved this book. It was definitely on the heavy side. The characters are both dealing with family deaths. Declan struggles with a terrible family life and a step-father who is determined to make him feel absolutely worthless. But there are a host of supporting characters that really show up for both teens in the sweetest ways. Rev, Declan's best friend, is the kind of friend we all hope to have and be. I loved their friendship as much as I loved what went back and forth between Declan and Juliet. I was also really impressed with how they came to terms with it when they each discovered who the other person was. It didn't have the crazy teen drama that so many YA books have when things like this happened. It was a great book. It made me cry. And it made me feel a lot of things. I highly recommend reading this one!

Juliet and Declan go to the same school, they know who each other is, but have never really interacted much before. Juliet was always writing letters to her mom when her mom would travel and she kept doing it even after her mom passed away. She leaves a letter at the cemetery and Declan finds it. Reading Juliet’s letter, he related a bit to Juliet so he decides to write a letter back and leave it on her mom’s grave. When Juliet finds it, she’s furious because someone read something personal of hers. But as Cemetery Girl and The Dark write to each other, they keep getting closer. Also, Juliet and Declan start talking more and more without knowing that they are the ones corresponding to one another.

“We’re all united by grief, and somehow divided by the same thing.”

I loved the idea of writing letters to someone, not really knowing who they are. The reason is that we see how Juliet and Declan open up to one another, not knowing who’s who. They were able to share things they wouldn’t share with other people and they found relief and comfort in each other. They had something in common and that’s what brought them closer even more. I actually thought this book would be full on romance, what with the letters idea, but it actually wasn’t.

I loved that this focused more on family and loss, rather than the romance. Not only that, it also focused a lot on Juliet and Declan’s friendship. They went from not talking to each other, to interacting here and there, to forming a friendship and later on, declaring their feelings to one another. It was a sweet slow-burn not friends-to friends-to something more romance and it brought a little bit of lightness to this heart-breaking yet beautiful story.

The story has so much depth! I wasn’t really expecting that angle but wow. It really was a painful story and it broke my heart as I read it. But guys, it’s so wonderful. At times, I forgot this book is for the YA audience with how much depth it has and the topics that are discussed. The grief that Juliet and Declan have and how they deal with it in their own way… It was sad and it brought tears to my eyes. I was glad when they started writing letters to one another because, as I said before, they were able to share things they normally wouldn’t. And they were so open about everything going on in their lives. Declan’s story broke my heart the most. He’s trying to move on from the loss of his dad and sister. It was sad reading about his breakdown and just how he’s dealing with life and how alone he is.

I keep saying this story is painful and sad and heartbreaking. While it is all of those things, it is also a very hopeful story. Brigid Kemmerer did a wonderful job with the story of each character and how everything unraveled. Letters to the Lost is a thought-provoking, deeply emotional, heart-breaking yet hopeful story that will make you reflect about loss, family and friendship.

“They say time heals all wounds, but that presumes the source of the grief is finite”

----Cassandra Clare

Brigid Kemmerer, an American author, pens a heart breaking young adult contemporary story, Letters to the Lost that revolves around a high school female teenager writing letters and leaving them by the graveside of her dead mother, but one fine day and months after her mother's tragic death, she finds reply to one of her letters, instantly she realized, someone must have played a bad prank on her. Little did the brooding high school teenage boy ever knew that his grief would find a way to connect with another's through writing replies to an unknown girl's letters to her dead mother.

Synopsis:

Juliet Young has always written letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother’s death, she leaves letters at her grave. It’s the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn’t the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he’s trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he’s opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither of them knows that they're not actually strangers. When real life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart. This emotional, compulsively-readable romance will sweep everyone off their feet.

Juliet pens letters to her dead mother and leaves them by the side of her grave, who was a photojournalist. Because that's only way Juliet can subsist her grief over her dear mother's death. Little did she knew that one fine day her letters to her dead mother would get an answer back. Immediately Juliet realizes someone has played a dirty joke on her and her grief and that someone has intentionally violated the privacy between her and her mom. She must find out who did it. A bad deliberate accident led Declan to community service on local cemetery where he suddenly chances upon some letters penned by a girl to her dead mother. Declan, the bad boy of his high school, starts writing back letters on response to that girl's letters, gradually they begin writing each other back and forth, revealing their deep, dark secrets, without being aware of one another's real identity. Whereas in reality, Juliet can't resist her attraction over the bad boy, Declan and Declan remains in his own world filled with secrets, grief and regrets. Little did they knew that they are both writing to one another on a regular basis.

The story line is unique but here are quite a handful of cliched moments, which fits in perfectly with the story line. The story line speaks of grief in big bold letters and how to cope with that, but the author sometimes failed to captivate that flow of grief amongst the characters, as they are too much wrapped up in their own worlds and insecurities. So apart from that, the book will rarely ever disappoint its readers. The backdrop of the cemetery is charming, although it could have been much more vividly depicted, as this is where the whole story actually begins.

The author's writing style is articulate and is layered so well with evocative emotions that will deeply move the readers. The narrative is free flowing, sensitive and touches the base realistically. Told from the perspectives of the two main protagonists, yet despite of their thoughts, the readers will find enough space to contemplate the story line from their own view. The pacing is smooth, not too fat or too slow, laced with enough drama and despair to make the story one hell of a compelling as well as touching read for the fans of young adult contemporary fiction.

The characters are really well developed from scratch, as the author explores them with enough depth, that will leave an impression in the minds of the readers long after the story has ended. The main protagonist, Juliet, is in immense pain over the death of her dear mother and her death has hit her so badly, that she has detached herself from her passion for photography, but then again, the author slightly fails to explore this pain of Juliet, instead projecting Juliet's emotions towards Declan, the emotional rush she gets every time she sees him, the anger over her letter's replies, the slow-burning affection over her pen friend. Overall, Juliet is relatable from the very core, although some of her actions are very banal. Declan, on the other hand, is a sort of dark character and that makes him look quite interesting in the eyes of the readers. Also his past and back story helps the reader understand with his grief in a better way. Declan's broodiness might annoy the readers sometimes, but overall, Declan too will impress the readers.

In a nutshell, this is a highly absorbing contemporary love story where the love story melts gradually in the hearts of the readers with enough passion and shared pain.

Heartbreaking and uplifting, Letters To The Lost is a glorious story of two teens finding each other in the midst of crisis and learning to look past the facades of those around them.

Juliet is supposed to be moving on after the death of her mother. That's what everyone around her expects. But she can't stop visiting her mother's grave or leaving letters for her. Declan is serving his community service sentence mowing lawns at the local cemetery. When he finds a letter at the base of a grave he doesn't expect the words to hit deep inside. Writing back is impetuous but it sparks a written relationship that might just be the thing to hold him together when the rest of his world threatens to explode.

I wasn't expecting it, but this book turned into a bit of a "You've Got Mail" retelling, but with a whole lot more angst and heartbreak. There have been many, many novels who claim to be the next "You've Got Mail" and I don't think one of them has ever pulled it off like this book does. Letters To The Lost doesn't boast that similarity, but it takes the best bits of that iconic written relationship - two people writing to each other, one finding out before the other, two opposites attracting and repelling at the same time - and adds deeper layers. I loved it.

It is well known that I love Brigid Kemmerer's writing. She could make any story great and I love what she has done with Letters To the Lost. It is the perfect mix of sad, touching, funny, eye opening, and downright enjoyable. I love stories where the protagonists must fight to overcome their situations. Both Declan and Juliet have tales that would knock down and keep down lesser souls. Instead they rail, they fight. The world might judge them for their attitude, but for them survival is everything. Connecting with a stranger who understands, in some way, their pain is amazing. They also learn to look beyond that first judgement, both of themselves and the people around them.

I love Juliet and Declan's relationship, both face-to-face and written. On the page they can be brutally, totally honest with each other. But when face-to-face the walls they have put up to protect themselves prevent them from seeing beyond the harsh exteriors and even harsher words they throw at each other.

But romance is not all this layered novel has to offer. I loved the exploration of family in this book. Supportive family relationships, family who are not as perfect as they seem, family secrets, family tragedy, family heartbreak, family that is founded outside of blood, family found in friendship and brotherhood. The cast of secondary characters is particularly strong in Letters To The Lost. Both Declan and Juliet have a support best-friend who plays an important part in this story. I also liked the roles of two particular teachers and Declan's community service supervisor. It's awesome to see such positive adult roles.

Letters To The Lost is a beautiful and touching romance about finding hope and safety in honesty, friendship, and starting over.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

REVIEW
I initially felt drawn to the covers, both the lighter blue background and the darker one too. Then once I read the blurb it really poked my curiosity. . and felt compelled to read it. I don't normally favour contemporary but I really fancied reading this one.

There are two versions of the cover, one has a lighter blue background than the other. I have featured both covers below along with my comments on them. In my opinion either of these covers would stand out enough to make me pick up the book and read the blurb.

The two central characters in the book are Juliet Young, who is struggling to cope with her mother's death. Juliet is so upset she cannot even touch a camera, even though before her mother's death a camera was something she always had in her hand. The trouble is her mother was quite a famous photojournalist, who traveled around the world to take the pictures people needed to see, in such places as war torn countries or disasters. Juliet was so used to sending letters to her mother when she was away due to her job, which was quite a lot of the time that she is getting comfort from writing letters to her mother and leaving them at her grave.
The other main character is Declan Murphy who used to be a "good boy" but he changed when his little sister Kerry died in a car accident. Declan's father is in prison (you'll discover why when you read the book). Sadly and undeservedly Declan blames himself for his baby sister's death. With his dad in prison, his mum is back on the dating scene and after a few disastrous dates she has met and fallen in love with Alan. It's the evening of the day they married that Declan gets drunk, takes his fathers car and crashes it. He is given community service, which consists of him helping to keep the cemetery tidy, by moving any mementos left on the graves and then cutting the grass, under the supervision of Frank Melendez.
It's whilst he is at work doing his community service at the cemetery, clearing the personal stuff from the graves that he comes across the grave of Zoe Rebecca Thorne.
Declan decides to read the letter, and he empathizes with the writer of the letter and how he feels about the loss of his little sister. Declan feels compelled to write something back, so he does. This is the beginning of a "relationship" between Juliet and Declan. Initially Juliet is furious someone has read the letter she left for her mother but the pair soon become addicted to writing to each other. Eventually they exchange email address and communicate that way, though they both keep their anonymity by choosing "nick names" Declan is "The Dark" and Juliet is "Cemetery Girl" . Both discover clues about the other but neither wants to reveal themselves for quite a long time. It's ironic that both Juliet and Declan attend the same school and would rarely speak to each other, yet in the emails they quite literally pour their hearts out to each other and become supportive friends for each other.

Both characters also have support at school, though they maybe have trouble seeing it as such to begin with. Mr Gerardo is the photography teacher whom Juliet was originally doing the photography course with. After her mother died, Juliet turned away from anything photography related. Mr Gerardo is constantly asking her to come back, it's not too late to complete her assignments. When Juliet refuses he still continues to try to encourage her to put a camera in her hands and take some photographs. It turns out Mr Gerardo is a great support to Juliet when she finally develops a mystery reel of film from her mothers personal camera!
The school support for Declan is his English teacher Mrs Hillard. She realises that Declan has a fairly genuine interest in the books they are studying and it very good at analysing them too. Yet in class Declan tends to do the bare minimum to pass. Mrs Hillard recognises that with the right sort of gentle encouragement he could do so much more!

Other characters I loved and that in my opinion stood out were little Marisol Melendez, the young daughter of Frank Melendez (Declan's supervisor at the cemetery). Marisol really takes to Declan, as children don't make presumptions like other people do about him. Declan has a small circle of people he trusts. Rev is the guy he hangs around with at school, and he has his own secrets and history to deal with. Things improved for Rev when he was first fostered but then adopted by Geoff and Kristin. They do foster all/any children who need a home. Their latest foster child is Babydoll, and Rev does enjoy looking after her, as do Declan and Juliet. Declan regularly stays over at Rev's or eats at Rev's too. It's as if Geoff and Kirsten are "foster caring him" he certainly seems to be able to speak more easily to them.

This book is told from two points of view, Juliet's and Declan's. Until I started doing my review I hadn't realised so much happened within this book.
One scene I thought was brilliant was when Frank Melendez's daughter Marisol, first meets Declan. The way she rushes up to him and hugs him. It's bitter sweet for Declan as by hugging him he instantly thinks of his own sister Kerry. At another point in the book Declan meets Carmen, Frank's wife and she jokingly tells Declan that Marisol has told her she is going to marry him! I think its great the way Carmen accepts Declan and doesn't judge him for having to do community service.

I loved so much about this book, so it's been hard to just choose a few parts to share with you. The first one I wanted to share was right near the beginning of the book is when Declan thinks about his senior photograph in the school yearbook. . . thinking it will be "most likely to be a felon" written underneath it!
I feel compelled to share is a fairly amusing one . . . where Declan is repairing a mower at the cemetery and Marisol is there repeating exactly what he says and pretends she is the one doing the fixing. Declan with the "bad boy" reputation just plays along and actually enjoys himself. He also shows his softer side when helping Rev take care of Babydoll.
I found it amusing when Declan and Juliet kept literally bumping into each other yet not realising that they were in fact sending emails to each other! I both loved and hated this fact. I found it funny when they were in person talking like strangers yet at the same time new so many things about each other. Then in other parts I was so frustrated I wanted to shake Juliet and Declan whilst screaming at the top of my voice "How can you not realise?".
Another great part of the book is centred around the dates of Juliet's mother's death and Declan's accident too. I had already pondered what this hints at. This probably sounds a little vague but all will be revealed when you read the book for yourselves.

My initial impression of Alan (Declan's stepfather) is that he is ignorant, domineering, uncaring and perhaps even abusive. I hated the way Alan spoke to Declan, always putting him down and picking faults with his behaviour etc. Then as the book and it's plot unfurl you learn more about both sides of the Alan/Declan relationship. It makes you rethink your initial assessment of Alan. I realised I was "jumping to conclusions" or being guilty of preconceived ideas. This is a theme throughout the book as Juliet and Declan are both guilty of hasty conclusions about those around them. An example of this is when Declan visits Frank's home, and is surprised to see that Frank and the Melendez family live in a middle class area somewhat like the one Declan lives in, rather than "the projects" where Declan assumed Frank would live.

My immediate reaction upon finishing the book was that I totally loved it! It is sentimental, and highly emotional tear-jerker in certain parts. This book grabs your heart, squeezes it tight until you think it cannot get any better or more emotionally charged and then keeps squeezing and holding on to the very last words.

Heartbreaking and uplifting, Letters To The Lost is a glorious story of two teens finding each other in the midst of crisis and learning to look past the facades of those around them.

Juliet is supposed to be moving on after the death of her mother. That's what everyone around her expects. But she can't stop visiting her mother's grave or leaving letters for her. Declan is serving his community service sentence mowing lawns at the local cemetery. When he finds a letter at the base of a grave he doesn't expect the words to hit deep inside. Writing back is impetuous but it sparks a written relationship that might just be the thing to hold him together when the rest of his world threatens to explode.

I wasn't expecting it, but this book turned into a bit of a "You've Got Mail" retelling, but with a whole lot more angst and heartbreak. There have been many, many novels who claim to be the next "You've Got Mail" and I don't think one of them has ever pulled it off like this book does. Letters To The Lost doesn't boast that similarity, but it takes the best bits of that iconic written relationship - two people writing to each other, one finding out before the other, two opposites attracting and repelling at the same time - and adds deeper layers. I loved it.

It is well known that I love Brigid Kemmerer's writing. She could make any story great and I love what she has done with Letters To the Lost. It is the perfect mix of sad, touching, funny, eye opening, and downright enjoyable. I love stories where the protagonists must fight to overcome their situations. Both Declan and Juliet have tales that would knock down and keep down lesser souls. Instead they rail, they fight. The world might judge them for their attitude, but for them survival is everything. Connecting with a stranger who understands, in some way, their pain is amazing. They also learn to look beyond that first judgement, both of themselves and the people around them.

I love Juliet and Declan's relationship, both face-to-face and written. On the page they can be brutally, totally honest with each other. But when face-to-face the walls they have put up to protect themselves prevent them from seeing beyond the harsh exteriors and even harsher words they throw at each other.

But romance is not all this layered novel has to offer. I loved the exploration of family in this book. Supportive family relationships, family who are not as perfect as they seem, family secrets, family tragedy, family heartbreak, family that is founded outside of blood, family found in friendship and brotherhood. The cast of secondary characters is particularly strong in Letters To The Lost. Both Declan and Juliet have a support best-friend who plays an important part in this story. I also liked the roles of two particular teachers and Declan's community service supervisor. It's awesome to see such positive adult roles.

Letters To The Lost is a beautiful and touching romance about finding hope and safety in honesty, friendship, and starting over.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

REVIEW
I initially felt drawn to the covers, both the lighter blue background and the darker one too. Then once I read the blurb it really poked my curiosity. . and felt compelled to read it. I don't normally favour contemporary but I really fancied reading this one.

There are two versions of the cover, one has a lighter blue background than the other. I have featured both covers below along with my comments on them. In my opinion either of these covers would stand out enough to make me pick up the book and read the blurb.

The two central characters in the book are Juliet Young, who is struggling to cope with her mother's death. Juliet is so upset she cannot even touch a camera, even though before her mother's death a camera was something she always had in her hand. The trouble is her mother was quite a famous photojournalist, who traveled around the world to take the pictures people needed to see, in such places as war torn countries or disasters. Juliet was so used to sending letters to her mother when she was away due to her job, which was quite a lot of the time that she is getting comfort from writing letters to her mother and leaving them at her grave.
The other main character is Declan Murphy who used to be a "good boy" but he changed when his little sister Kerry died in a car accident. Declan's father is in prison (you'll discover why when you read the book). Sadly and undeservedly Declan blames himself for his baby sister's death. With his dad in prison, his mum is back on the dating scene and after a few disastrous dates she has met and fallen in love with Alan. It's the evening of the day they married that Declan gets drunk, takes his fathers car and crashes it. He is given community service, which consists of him helping to keep the cemetery tidy, by moving any mementos left on the graves and then cutting the grass, under the supervision of Frank Melendez.
It's whilst he is at work doing his community service at the cemetery, clearing the personal stuff from the graves that he comes across the grave of Zoe Rebecca Thorne.
Declan decides to read the letter, and he empathizes with the writer of the letter and how he feels about the loss of his little sister. Declan feels compelled to write something back, so he does. This is the beginning of a "relationship" between Juliet and Declan. Initially Juliet is furious someone has read the letter she left for her mother but the pair soon become addicted to writing to each other. Eventually they exchange email address and communicate that way, though they both keep their anonymity by choosing "nick names" Declan is "The Dark" and Juliet is "Cemetery Girl" . Both discover clues about the other but neither wants to reveal themselves for quite a long time. It's ironic that both Juliet and Declan attend the same school and would rarely speak to each other, yet in the emails they quite literally pour their hearts out to each other and become supportive friends for each other.

Both characters also have support at school, though they maybe have trouble seeing it as such to begin with. Mr Gerardo is the photography teacher whom Juliet was originally doing the photography course with. After her mother died, Juliet turned away from anything photography related. Mr Gerardo is constantly asking her to come back, it's not too late to complete her assignments. When Juliet refuses he still continues to try to encourage her to put a camera in her hands and take some photographs. It turns out Mr Gerardo is a great support to Juliet when she finally develops a mystery reel of film from her mothers personal camera!
The school support for Declan is his English teacher Mrs Hillard. She realises that Declan has a fairly genuine interest in the books they are studying and it very good at analysing them too. Yet in class Declan tends to do the bare minimum to pass. Mrs Hillard recognises that with the right sort of gentle encouragement he could do so much more!

Other characters I loved and that in my opinion stood out were little Marisol Melendez, the young daughter of Frank Melendez (Declan's supervisor at the cemetery). Marisol really takes to Declan, as children don't make presumptions like other people do about him. Declan has a small circle of people he trusts. Rev is the guy he hangs around with at school, and he has his own secrets and history to deal with. Things improved for Rev when he was first fostered but then adopted by Geoff and Kristin. They do foster all/any children who need a home. Their latest foster child is Babydoll, and Rev does enjoy looking after her, as do Declan and Juliet. Declan regularly stays over at Rev's or eats at Rev's too. It's as if Geoff and Kirsten are "foster caring him" he certainly seems to be able to speak more easily to them.

This book is told from two points of view, Juliet's and Declan's. Until I started doing my review I hadn't realised so much happened within this book.
One scene I thought was brilliant was when Frank Melendez's daughter Marisol, first meets Declan. The way she rushes up to him and hugs him. It's bitter sweet for Declan as by hugging him he instantly thinks of his own sister Kerry. At another point in the book Declan meets Carmen, Frank's wife and she jokingly tells Declan that Marisol has told her she is going to marry him! I think its great the way Carmen accepts Declan and doesn't judge him for having to do community service.

I loved so much about this book, so it's been hard to just choose a few parts to share with you. The first one I wanted to share was right near the beginning of the book is when Declan thinks about his senior photograph in the school yearbook. . . thinking it will be "most likely to be a felon" written underneath it!
I feel compelled to share is a fairly amusing one . . . where Declan is repairing a mower at the cemetery and Marisol is there repeating exactly what he says and pretends she is the one doing the fixing. Declan with the "bad boy" reputation just plays along and actually enjoys himself. He also shows his softer side when helping Rev take care of Babydoll.
I found it amusing when Declan and Juliet kept literally bumping into each other yet not realising that they were in fact sending emails to each other! I both loved and hated this fact. I found it funny when they were in person talking like strangers yet at the same time new so many things about each other. Then in other parts I was so frustrated I wanted to shake Juliet and Declan whilst screaming at the top of my voice "How can you not realise?".
Another great part of the book is centred around the dates of Juliet's mother's death and Declan's accident too. I had already pondered what this hints at. This probably sounds a little vague but all will be revealed when you read the book for yourselves.

My initial impression of Alan (Declan's stepfather) is that he is ignorant, domineering, uncaring and perhaps even abusive. I hated the way Alan spoke to Declan, always putting him down and picking faults with his behaviour etc. Then as the book and it's plot unfurl you learn more about both sides of the Alan/Declan relationship. It makes you rethink your initial assessment of Alan. I realised I was "jumping to conclusions" or being guilty of preconceived ideas. This is a theme throughout the book as Juliet and Declan are both guilty of hasty conclusions about those around them. An example of this is when Declan visits Frank's home, and is surprised to see that Frank and the Melendez family live in a middle class area somewhat like the one Declan lives in, rather than "the projects" where Declan assumed Frank would live.

My immediate reaction upon finishing the book was that I totally loved it! It is sentimental, and highly emotional tear-jerker in certain parts. This book grabs your heart, squeezes it tight until you think it cannot get any better or more emotionally charged and then keeps squeezing and holding on to the very last words.

I haven’t read much from Brigid Kemmerer, but after reading Letters To The Lost, I’m definitely a fan! This book was such an addictive read from start to finish and I found myself doing the “just one more chapter and then I’ll go to bed” bargaining with myself … only I couldn’t stop saying it! The story itself is poignant and emotional but the way it’s told is riveting and enchanting.

Juliet writes letters to the mother she recently lost… a famous photojournalist who was gone more than she was at home. She leaves them at her grave as a way to cope with the loss of this woman who was larger than life and who she admired more than she can put into words. Her grief is overwhelming and she is self-aware enough to know that it’s harming the relationships in her life and even possibly her future. When she returns to her mother’s grave to find someone had read her letter… and left a note on it for her, she’s both stunned and incredibly pissed off.

Declan Murphy is trouble. At least that’s what everyone thinks. On the surface, he’s a guy who got drunk and crashed his vehicle into a building and is now doing court-ordered community service. He’s comes across as angry and violent… and scary. But that’s not who he really is, people just haven’t taken the time to dig deeper. His family was torn apart and he hasn’t coped with it well, and his current home situation is one of the major stressors in his life and then he finds a letter on a grave... and he can’t resist leaving a mark.

Soon enough Declan and Juliet find themselves exchanging letters and opening up with each other in ways that they both find it impossible to do so with the people in their lives. The anonymity is key for them both, and they find that while they are curious who they are talking to, they are afraid that it will ruin the connection and bond that they have found with each other.

As I mentioned above, the way Kemmerer tells the story will have you enthralled. I have read several other stories where it’s told in a similar way, so that’s nothing new, but I think what really hooked me were the layers to this story and the overwhelming emotions. Both Declan and Juliet are hurting and they are dying to share this pain with someone who can understand it, yet neither have that in their real life and where Kemmerer excels here is that she writes in a way that makes the emotions palpable and has her characters jumping off the page and into your heart. I felt and understood the emotions conveyed in this story and the rawness of each of their pain was heartbreaking but so beautifully written.

The eventual romance that emerges from the deep emotional connection these two form was really wonderfully done. There are some incredibly sweet and swoony moments that those who are looking for that bit of romance will absolutely love.

Letters to The Lost isn’t only about two lost souls finding each other… it also explores family and friendship themes. The relationship between Juliet and her father and her best friend are explored deeply and it was so wonderful to see such positive relationships in a YA read. I also loved Rev who is a secondary character who should have his own book in my opinion. (apparently it’s happening! Yay!) The friendship between him and Declan was just so well done, and while these are secondary characters, they are a major part of the story being told.

If you’re looking for a read that will have you invested in the characters and their stories, a read that has amazing relationships and a beautiful story of grief and friendship and family and love you’re going to want to read this one. I’m excited to add a finished copy of this to my bookshelf!

I have read every single one of Brigid Kemmerer’s books, and I have not been disappointed yet. When I first read the description of this one, I was a little surprised to see that it’s a straight-up contemporary (considering that her Elementals Series is paranormal and she wrote so many of those). But as I read, I started to realize that I was falling in love with it for the same reasons that I fell in love with the Elementals books: her characters. Kemmerer writes characters that I can’t help but connect to, and whether she’s telling a contemporary story or a paranormal one, her books focus on the characters and what drives them—and, often, the pain behind their stories. Letters to the Lost is a beautiful example of this.

What Fed My Addiction:

Heartbreak.
Honestly, if Declan and Juliet’s stories don’t tear you to pieces, you have to be made of stone. They’ve both experienced tremendous loss in their young lives, and neither of them have figured out how to process it. There were so many times that my heart broke during this book, for both the main characters. Tears were definitely shed.

Juliet has been clinging to her mother’s memory like a lifeline by writing letters to her (something they did while her mother was still alive, so it makes her feel close to her), but at the same time, she’s completely avoiding living and anything that reminds her too much of her mother. She’s given up her passion for photography because she doesn’t believe she can ever live up to her mother’s legacy. She can’t seem to drag herself out of the pain and sorrow that have surrounded her since her mother’s death, and she’s tired of people telling her to move on. Juliet doesn’t want to move on—she wants to hold onto every scrap of memory she can manage to pull up from her spotty history with her mom.

Declan is recovering from a tragedy of his own, but I won’t reveal what it is since his story unfolds as the book progresses. Like Juliet, he holds onto pain and guilt, unable to move past it—but he responds with sullenness (and sometimes surliness). He has a reputation for being trouble, and he doesn’t figure there’s any way to make people see him in any other way. In a lot of ways, he’s given up.

The Letters.
Declan and Juliet communicate via letter, and neither of them know who they’re writing to. Because of the nature of letters, they can be a lot more honest and open with each other than they’d be in person, especially since the letters are anonymous. The letters reveal so much about these characters and their hidden pain, and a connection is forged between Declan and Juliet that’s both intense and believable.

Perspective.
One of the major themes of the book is how Juliet and Declan only show one side of themselves to the world—and they judge each other based on preconceived notions. Juliet has heard the rumors about Declan and she has no reason to doubt them—especially when he doesn’t exactly put his best foot forward when they meet in person. Declan makes his own assumptions about Juliet as well.
This book reminds us that we don’t ever fully know someone’s story, that we can’t know what goes on in someone’s heart and mind unless we’ve walked in their shoes—or cared enough to truly listen.

What Left Me Hungry for More:

Declan’s surliness.
The only thing that holds me back from giving the book a full five stars is that Declan sometimes borders on being an actual jerk in real life (not in his letters). The thing that saves him is that we get his perspective and we know his pain—we can see how he’s been judged and why he sometimes lashes out when he feels like he’s being unfairly targeted. Still, I couldn’t help but feel like Juliet was sometimes justified in her criticisms of his behavior, and there was a little part of me that wondered if Juliet could (or maybe should?) truly fall for Declan before he had all his issues figured out. (Of course, the implication is that he’s managed that by the end of the book, but the realistic part of my brain wondered if it was that simple….) Still, since we got Declan’s POV and could see where he was coming from, I have to admit that I mostly fell in love with him.

If you are a fan of heart-wrenching contemporaries, you need this book in your life. Kemmerer manages to pull the reader in and make us love her characters, even through their flaws. I give this book an easy 4.5/5 Stars.

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

Oh my God, these characters are amazing! Two teenagers who have suffered a tremendous loss and who are lost in a mix of guilt and grief and isolation, find each other through letters left in a cemetery and learn that maybe they aren’t as alone as they’d thought. As they exchange letters, their painful pasts unfold and lead them on a path that has the potential for either healing their hurt or revealing a truth more agonizing than either could have imagined.

The way Kemmerer writes Declan and Juliet’s pain is so real, so gripping, that the pain is its own character. It’s so sharp and so agonizing that it feels solid, like an object you could pick up and hold in your hand or throw against a wall. She takes fictional storylines and interweaves them with very real issues that young people face every day, such as bullying, something that has been addressed in the YA genre many times; however, Kemmerer brings a unique point about bullying to the surface in Letters to the Lost, and I think readers will walk away a little more aware of their preconceived notions about other people, and I love that Kemmerer is able to do that so subtly.

I don’t want to give anything away, so I am not going to say any more about the story other than READ IT. You will love Letters to the Lost. It just might be Brigid Kemmerer’s best book yet.

Oh, and Rev’s book is up next.

Let the anticipation begin!

Declan Murphy has a guilty conscious because of his past. His dad’s in prison, his mom’s remarried to a guy who’s a jerk to him, and he’s the reason his baby sister is dead.
Declan has to do community service for running into a building after drinking a bottle of whiskey. He has to mow lawns at a cemetery where he finds a letter leaning on a headstone. Normally he is supposed to throw things like that away but he reads the letter instead and decides to write back.
Juliet Young is sad and lonely because her mom has been dead for a few months, and everyone’s tiptoeing around her waiting for her to work out her grievances and do the things she used to love to do.
Juliet’s mother was a photographer who would take action shots where wars were being held. She was coming home from an assignment when the cab she was in was struck in a hit and run. Juliet feels guilty because she asked her mom to come home early and apparently she was, to surprise her. She used to write letters to her mom all the time when she was away on assignments, so to help her cope, she writes letters and leaves them on her mother’s gravestone. After finding that someone not only read her letter, but also wrote back, she’s furious at first, but curiosity gets the better of her and she starts to write letters to the mystery writer also.
At first they don’t know who they are writing too. The anonymousness of it is just what they both need. Declan can’t talk to his mom because she’s way too involved with her new husband, and Juliet can’t talk to her dad because he’s grieving too and it’s just easier for them to tiptoe around each other. They can voice their issues in a way they never could before and deal with their grief and help each other out sometimes just by reading what was written.
I loved this book. I couldn’t stop reading it because it was so gripping, and had so many twists and turns. You feel so much for these characters. You want them to figure out who the other is, but at the same time you don’t because they come from two separate worlds and you’re not sure how they would react if they figured it out. The way they talk back and forth helps each other so much that it’s exactly what they needed at that time. It had me so emotionally invested and I cared so deeply about both of them that it would affect my mood. This story blew my mind so many times and I cannot recommend it enough.

***Review has been done with conjunction with Nerd Girl Official***

Letters to the Lost was emotionally breathtaking and beautifully crafted. The story that unfounded was filled to the brim with pain and heartache. I don't even knew how many times I found myself with tears in my eyes, my heart in my throat and with the incessant need to make their lives filled with love. But I held out hope that over time, they would help each other find not only strength, but love too.

It all started out from a letter Juliet left her mother, at her gravestone. And Declan came across the letter, while he was getting ready to mow the cemetery's grass. For his court ordered community service. That letter resonated deep inside of Declan, so he simply wrote back "Me too". To let the girl know that she wasn't alone in her thoughts and feelings. And from there, their communication slowly escalated over time. The found kinship, they found someone to release their most secretive thoughts with. They no longer felt alone. Yet they had no clue who the other was, even though they went to the same high school.

I loved the path this story took, and I loved even more that it wasn't easy. That nothing was glossed over. That we got to see their varying shades of pain, and that it was splattered everywhere for us to witness. Especially since not everyone in their lives knew their darkest, deepest thoughts. But we did. And Juliet Young and Declan Murphy knew that about each other too. When I started this book, I didn't think it would have as dark of a feel to it as it did. But the words they wrote to one another and their feelings they talked about sometimes felt as though I was drowning in an endless abyss with them. It was powerful, and their pain was so acute.

While they were still teenagers, they both had so much growing up to do. Juliet could at times be cold and judgemental. And she compared herself to her dead mother, which always made her come up short. Yet, I loved this girl. Especially when she would contemplate her word choices or how she treated someone. And that had a lot to do with Declan. Because not only did the letters make her question how she acted around others, but when her and Declan ran into each other in person, it had a similar affect. Not at first of course, but slowly over time. And when they did interact in person, it was explosive. If only they knew who they were baring their soul to.........

Declan was dark, his own worst enemy, and he was so tortured from his past. Especially since he placed the blame of an event on his own shoulders. Not only was his home life troubling, but he was an outcast at school. Yet he had this ability to radiate power, and he was sexy as hell. So Declan easily broke my heart, while also making me fall for him. And when he was completely honest in his letters to Juliet, he took my breath away with his words. It was so different than how he acted around so many others.

Letters to the Lost alternated between Juliet, Declan and their letters to one another. While the book seemed to move at a somewhat slower pace than I'm use to, I loved it. We got to witness their interactions with not only every single letter, but we also learned everything about their home and school lives, and also their friends. It gave me a deeper sense of knowing them. Letters to the Lost was definitely an emotional book, and I can't wait for Rev's book next year! He was Deacon's best friend, who I absolutely adored, and I think you'll fall for him too!

*ARC kindly provided by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I've been wanting to read Brigid's Elemental series for a while now, but Letters to the Lost was a wonderful first experience with the author because I absolutely loved this story. So well-written and emotionally driven, I was invested from beginning to end and had to take a breather when I had finished.

Both characters had a lot to deal with and perhaps would have continued keeping everything inside if they hadn't found each other through one of Juliet's letters to her deceased mother. As a result, they ended up building a deep bond that helped heal their hearts. And even though initially, it came off invasive on Declan's part, I believed it was meant to happen that way because he was given the chance to share his pain and show that there was more to him than what others had presumed. I mean, Juliet's story was without a doubt sad, after all, she'd lost her mother so suddenly and thought it to be her fault somewhat. But Declan's story really pricked at my heart. He'd been let down so much by the people who were supposed to love and care for him. It's a wonder he survived that long with the kind of pain that lived in his heart. But thankfully he had the support of his best friend and towards the end was able to find some closure.

It's difficult for me to put into words just how much I liked Juliet and Declan and overall story. I felt as if I was in every moment with them, feeling their emotions, crying and smiling, and rooting for their happiness. When they had started communicating through letters, and then soon after through emails, I thought it was just fascinating. But whenever they encountered each other in person, having no clue who the other was, I'd get so frustrated with Juliet judging him like everyone else. And not that I'm justifying Declan's aggressive reactions, but I felt like his anger was due to the way he grew up and because he was always frowned upon. Glad Juliet saw his real side and that both overcame so much by the end.

I could go on and on about how great a story Letters to the Lost is but I don't want to spoil it too much for you. All I can say is please read it. The writing is wonderful; inviting. It holds your heart captive and you just can't pry away from the characters. Even days after finishing the story, I'm still thinking about it and still feeling the emotions. I'm now eager to read another Brigid Kemmerer novel.

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 letters 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 with respect to 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 these relationships 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 also so many wonderful ideas and concepts that I adored. 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 part 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 quote is quite a powerful statement, and this was a gift Juliet gave to Declan. When he thought he was not able to rise above his mistakes, she reminded 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.

Characters anonymously writing notes to each other and finding love? Definitely a theme I have read and enjoyed before but Letters to the Lost took this theme to the next level – so heartfelt, touching, and downright unforgettable!

Both Juliet and Declan are grieving over the deaths of people close to them and handling it in different ways. Juliet writes letters to her mother and leaves them on her gravestone. Declan allows anger and guilt to consume him, often pushing away anyone who comes close. But when these two connect anonymously through letters and emails, they find they are not alone and in each other they find solace and someone to help inspire them to heal. But in person they are classmates who don’t get along.

This is absolutely a character driven story. We really get a chance to dive into these characters, into their stories and the emotional turmoil they are experiencing. Juliet is quite fragile and heartbroken and probably exactly how I would be in the same situation. She was written with so many real and raw emotions that I couldn’t help but connect with her and feel for her situation. She is hanging under a cloud of despair and guilt, feeling as though she is in someway responsible for what has happened to her family. Guilt is something Declan was experiencing as well though he let his grief manifest into anger, anger at everyone. These are two people who seemingly would have nothing to do with each other outside of the letters but I loved seeing them connect outside of them as well. The characters are so well done and written with so much heart. I ached for them in their times of grief and smiles for any victory they achieved through their journey of healing. Even Rev, Declan’s best friend who also has a tragic past of his own, was unforgettable and someone I needed to know more about (he is getting his own book!).

I stayed up incredibly late at night to finish this book because I could absolutely not put it down. I was so invested and when I finished I was in awe of the story I just read. This was my first Brigid Kemmerer novel (WHAT?!) and it absolutely will not be the last! She has a talent for capturing such captivating and compelling characters and creating a plot so moving and brilliant. This is definitely not a book to miss!

This is my first book read, by this author. After reading this book I have downloaded her other series that I’ve seen floating around but haven’t picked up. NOW I MUST READ THEM ALL!!! Other reviewers are saying this is Kemmerer’s BEST book so far. And if that’s the case I cannot wait to see what more this author has coming up! She is someone I’m going to be keeping an eye on from now on!

This book intrigued me so I requested it from Netgalley, lucky me I got approved. Contemporary books are always picked up with caution. It’s very rare I find a contemporary I like or even more rare that I love. This book I love.

This book goes back and forth between two points of view. Juliet, who is reeling from the death of her war photographer mother and she is really struggling to move on from that. She is so grief stricken that she is just a mess and losing those around her because she can’t move forward. And Declan, he is the misunderstood guy who everyone fears, but who nobody truly knows or has even really tried to know. Because of ONE mistake he is branded the “bad boy” and because of that he refuses to show anyone anything more than what they branded him as.

This story is a dark version of You’ve Got Mail. Where instead of two healthy people writing to each other, we’ve got two damaged people seeking refuge and understanding in each other.

I absolutely loved this story and layers of Declan and the slow progression and character development between him and Juliet. I loved the reality of his life and how people will act the way they are seen and branded.

Not gonna lie I can’t stand lots of crying in my characters regardless of the fact that it’s understandable. It’s pretty legit and even though I’m like here we go again-a tiny voice said, “but you’d cry this much too if it were you.” so I let it go.

I was FLOORED with the revelation of aspects in characters. I didn’t see it coming! I just loved the depth and reality of the overall story and felt the author did a fantastic job with this one.

Overall I loved this dark version of You’ve Got Mail and can’t wait get started on other books by this other as well as books she’s got coming out!

Sexual Content: mild/moderate
Language: mild/moderate
Violence: mild
Drugs/Alcohol: mild

This book’s exploration of grief and guilt sucked me in and kept me reading, so much so that I finished it in a single evening.

Juliet’s mother was a photojournalist who regularly traveled to war zones, but it was a car accident on her way home from the airport that killed her. Juliet blames herself for asking her mother to hurry home, and she’s been having difficulty coping with her loss. Declan Murphy knows something about loss as well; his little sister was killed in a drunk driving incident that he believes he could have prevented. His inability to forgive himself has caused him to spiral out of control, so much so that he’s wound up having to do community service mowing the local cemetery. When Juliet leaves a letter to her mother on her grave and Declan comments on it, they begin to write to each other anonymously. Each of them takes comfort in sharing their grief with a stranger, but their in-person interactions when they cross paths are disastrous. Will their bond survive the loss of their anonymity?

Kemmerer got me to sympathize with and root for both Juliet and Declan. Each of them is dealing with some dark emotions that are perfectly understandable in the context of their grief. Their anonymous connection allows them to express feelings that they don’t feel comfortable revealing to others, and in doing so, both of them begin the process of healing. They also begin to fall in love with each other through their words. I really liked the way their romance developed through the novel, and the final scene where they admitted how they felt about each other—sigh. Loved it.

I did have a few minor quibbles with the book. You expect angst with this type of story, but there were a few moments when the angst was dialed up to 11 that I thought would have benefitted from a little restraint, particularly in regard to Declan’s family problems. Declan’s complicated family life also gets on the road to resolution a little too quickly. One conversation with his stepfather and a promise of family therapy seems to be all it takes, which seems questionable given the emotional baggage the entire family is carrying around. Those few things aside, though, I enjoyed the story a lot.

In fact, I’m kind of hoping Kemmerer will write another book centered on Declan’s friend Rev. That character really caught my interest. He’s got his own tragic backstory and related emotional issues that I’d like to see explored in more detail (with a happy ending, of course).

Highly recommended for readers of contemporary YA who like dark and angsty romances.

An eARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Juliet's mother traveled a lot because of her job. Juliet used to exchange letters with her and after the awful accident that killed her mother she keeps writing them and takes them to the cemetery. When one day someone replies to her letter Juliet is upset at first, but the writer seems to understand her. That's why Juliet writes back. She has no idea who the person behind the letters is, but they don't stop exchanging them. The last thing Juliet expects is that she's writing to someone she knows well.

Declan is doing community service at the cemetery. He lost control one night and he's paying dearly for it. Something is broken inside of him, but writing to Juliet helps him heal. They don't know who they're trusting with their secrets. What will happen when they find out? Declan and Juliet go to the same school and Declan doesn't have a good reputation. Will Juliet give him a chance to explain himself and discover what he's really like or will she write him off based on gossip?

Letters to the Lost is an impressive love story. Declan and Juliet have both lost someone they love. They're mourning and are dealing with plenty of guilt. My heart ached for both of them. They're really young and have to shoulder so much responsibility already. When they start writing they've finally found someone they can open up to. They understand each other and could use the support and friendship. As they know each other well it's bound to come out who's behind their aliases and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to their relationship afterwards. I read the book in one sitting because I was curious and too moved to stop at the same time.

Brigid Kemmerer writes about loss in a raw and empathic way. Letters to the Lost is a fast-paced story with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. It's an emotional book about parents who are constantly falling short. This is a sad topic, but because of the beautiful friendship Declan and Juliet are forming there's also light. Letters to the Lost is a great multilayered book. The story is compelling, meaningful and thought-provoking.

Ever heard the expression ‘frozen in grief’? That’s where Juliet finds herself. Her mother, a world class photojournalist, was killed on the way from the airport while returning from an assignment. Juliet blames herself because she was impatient and pressed Mom to get home. She’s shed friends, interests, decent grades and has become a shell. Her method of coping is to write letters and leave them by her mother’s headstone.
Declan is locked in his own grief, but deals with it by surrounding himself with a giant bubble of anger. It’s been growing and festering since his alcoholic father had an accident that killed his little sister. He blames himself for it happening. His mother divorced his dad and remarried. The relationship between them, as well as the non-relationship with his new stepfather is cold, fragile and full of friction. It hit the breaking point when Declan took his father’s truck and ran it into a building.
When he finds one of Julia’s letters during his court ordered community service while mowing the cemetery, something has him write a reply. It’s impulsive and uncharacteristic, but as the back and forth on paper continues, both feel better.
At the same time, they begin to connect at school, although neither knows that the other answers the letters. It’s not long before the soul baring goes electronic when each teen creates a new email account just to share stuff. Add in incredibly supportive friends, the ultimate disclosure about their secret connection and you have one heck of an emotional story.
This is an excellent book for all libraries to own, not only because of the quality of the story, but because it has the power to reach teens who are locked in a similar cage of grief.

This book was all kinds of beautiful. First of all, let me just say that going into this book, I didn't really know what to expect. I don't usually love contemporary books (even though some of the ones I have read lately have been surprising me), and I'm usually not big on romance either. But somehow Letters to the Lost pulled it all together in a heart wrenching, page turning novel that left me lying on my bed for hours wondering what I should do with my life.
Juliette, the female main character, was surprisingly relatable. She felt real, and her pain felt real, and the whole time I was reading I just wanted to reach into the book and hug her and tell her that everything was going to be okay. And, even more surprising than my attachment to Juliette, I felt the same way towards Declan. AND, on top of that, THEY WERE SO OBVIOUSLY THEIR OWN PEOPLE AND HAD COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORIES.
If I had to pick one thing to love about this book (which is really hard to do, believe me), it is that every character was individual. They all had depth to them, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if I bumped into one of them while walking down the street (read as: walking through the grave yard).
I also love the complexity of the characters emotions. And not just of the main characters emotions. I mean EVERY CHARACTERS emotions. Yup. That's right. ALL THE CHARACTERS HAD EMOTIONS. And pasts. And futures. I cannot explain to you how refreshing that is. It was wonderful.
Also, I have to say that the amount of romance was perfect. It just melted my heart. It was too beautiful. Just too beautiful. I need more.
I am going to give Letters to the Lost 5 out of 5 hearts (or 10 out of five, but I don't think that's possible). If you haven't already ordered this book, I seriously suggest you do it now. Just do it. You won't regret it. I promise.

Grade: B-
An ARC was provided by Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: I am very conflicted about Letters to the Lost. On the one hand, it's a YA story reminiscent of You've Got Mail. On the other, it felt like a very typical YA book at times.
I liked how Declan and Juliet got started by writing letters to each other and then switched to email and an IM-like chat. I really liked Rev and his friendship with Declan. I loved watching Juliet's relationship with photography change, although the relationship with her best friend could've used some work. It felt a bit stereotypical at times, although I liked that the one guy was more interested in her than Juliet, but it didn't cause a problem in their friendship.
My biggest beef with the story was the parent-child relationships. Juliet's mother is dead, and she and her father aren't close. In fact, her father doesn't seem to really care about his daughter. Declan's father did horrible things, his mother was basically complicit, and Declan's stepfather is awful. I really wish the parents hadn't all been bad parents because that's so overdone in YA, and I'm tired of it.
Finally, I just didn't feel deeply invested in the story. I wanted to so badly, but I expected more from Letters to the Lost.
Some foul language.

The Verdict: Kind of good, but it didn't strike a chord with me.

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 write letters to her mother and leave them at her mother's 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 knowing who the other person 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.

As Declan and Juliet grow closer, they each have some personal demons to battle. Even before they realize how long they have been corresponding, they begin to rely on each other for a distraction from their troubles and for strength to face themselves.

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. It's a terrific YA enemies-to-lovers romance. Letters to the Lost has it all. Congratulations Mrs. Kemmerer. You have secured me as a fan for life.

Let’s start off by talking about the cover. Beautiful, isn’t it? A captivating cover really adds to the emotion of any book.
It took me a few days to finally be able to write this review. I had to really process what was going on.

This was truly not a plot driven book, instead a character driven read which was captivating and emotional to read.
You read stories every other day and it’s a perfect moment where you are entertained…just like watching a movie or your favorite TV series. But then every once in a while, you pick up a book and it truly grabs you. Reels you in, tumbles your emotions, swings you around on one of those swing roller-coaster rides and then eventually spits you out leaving you expose…naked like fish bones…
At the end of the day, 90% of novels are simple fiction and on the market to entertain. However, there will always be someone who can relate no matter how unusual or weird. In this case I can relate completely with Juliet and Declan. I’ve experienced both their worlds in my own life.

For the full review, head on over to my blog www (dot) mycarnelianspace (dot) weebly (dot) com

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow.
That pretty much sums up this book for me. Once I started reading, I just couldn't stop. The emotion and pain in this story was so real and raw that I really felt like I could connect and sympathize with the characters. Their pain became my pain.

I really loved how the main characters developed their friendship through the letters and emails. I think there is a real honesty in that, as almost anyone would be more open and vulnerable when they aren't actually signing their name to what they're saying. The letters and emails allow the reader to get an even deeper understanding of these characters. It's interesting to see how the characters interact, both online as their alter egos, and in person, not realizing who each other really is. I also thought both main characters had a very interesting and believable story arc. The author does a very good job of developing each character's scenario. Even near the end of the book, I was still surprised and shocked by some of the things that the characters discovered, which I loved. It always makes me happy when a book can surprise me.

The writing of this book is beautiful, and the dialogue is excellent. Like I mentioned, there is a lot of pain and grief in this story, but you get to the end still feeling hopeful. The way the author is able to describe the grief, as well as the hope, really tugs at your heart. There were also some lighter moments sprinkled throughout the book that made me laugh and smile. I think there's a great balance to this story.

Overall, I give this book a solid five stars. I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone, and I will be buying myself a copy when it is released.

I so enjoyed this book. The characters and story captured my attention from the get-go. I simply devoured it.

I loved the way the reader gets to know both of the main characters. We see their own perspective, as well as how they view each other. Like in Geekerella, the characters get to know and like one another anonymously while in real life they don’t particularly like each other. Again, I’m a sucker for a enmity to romance story.

There are some real “heavy” issues in this book. Juliet is dealing with the loss of her mother and Declan has some family issues as well. These were key to the story and the development of the characters, however, Letters to the Lost never read like an “issue book.” It felt very authentic and cohesive. Just really well done.

I loved the interactions between Juliet and Duncan… both through their letters and in real life. They are really interesting and compelling characters. Watching them connect and help each other really affected me as a reader. I also enjoyed getting to know a bit about their friends (and, in some ways, families.)

Letters to the Lost packs an emotional punch. I highly recommend it.

I have never read anything by this author but the cover and the synopsis had me intrigued. From the beginning of the book I was pulled in and held underwater. Both Declan and Juliet are fighting their own personal battles. Both in the midst of grief, anger, loss, misunderstanding. When Delcan finds the letter in the cemetery, he as no idea who wrote it, he just feels compelled to write back. Juliet feels like her privacy has been invaded when she finds the return letter. Those are supposed to be for her mother, not for the whole world to see. Soon they both are eager for the letters and find hope and understanding with someone they don't think they know. This book is about two teenagers that have had terrible losses in their life and how different both have dealt with it. It is about renewing life, heartbreak, misunderstandings, family, and how everyone handles grief differently. I was sobbing by the end of the book, deep breath stealing sobs. I could feel their emotions like I was living their life. A must read!!!

Brigid Kemmerer has done it again. Letters To The Lost is one of the best YA books I've had the pleasure of reading. Both Declan and Juliet, the main characters of this story are deeply developed with back stories that most people who have lost someone in their life can relate to. As they write back and forth to each other, you find more and more tangled webs of emotions, followed by a pair of stunning revelations near the end. Minor characters as well in the form of Rowan and Rev are fleshed out beautifully and makes you wanting to learn more about them as well. As a reader who has lost their own mother, I was able to align with a lot of emotions in this story. It's beautiful, painful, and dark at the same time.

I was really excited for this book, but never got around to it. Even with a few friends telling me it was amazing. And maaaaaan, it totally is.

I loved Juliet and Declan. They both have so much grief that it's palpable. Their friendship is so precariously balanced and it's absolutely delicious reading it all unfold.

There were sweet moments and heartbreak and a few really really really great scenes I didn't see coming. I could have done with a million times more kissing and maybe an epilogue, but I loved the hopeful feeling.

I'm pretty sure this will be one of my top books of the year.

**Huge thanks to Bloomsbury for providing the arc free of charge**

Strange but compelling novel that has similarities to the movie "You've got mail " :
(which was the modern version of "Little shop around the corner").
The kind of person who will connect with this story will probably be a teen who has lost a parent.
The happy ending is inevitable, but no less satisfying for us having suspected it all along.
Poignant bitter sweet & tapping into the longing of all who struggled with loss,guilt ,teenage love & self esteem, whether you take away just a story or deeper insights from this book will depend on where you've come from.
An intriguing, refreshingly different read

A new addition to my favorites list. WOW! This one hits hard. I empathized with the characters and their struggles. The author was able to weave the story in such a creative way. I felt my heart breaking while reading. I devoured it in 2 days, down to the last drop like a kid eating ice cream. I will definitely look into this author's other works. (Technically there's a sequel but it's a stand alone.)
A MUST READ FOR YA FANS SAYS Litsy's IheartYA.

I enjoyed Letters to the Lost more than I expected to. It was emotional and heartfelt and surprising in all the best ways. I love reading about secret identities slowly falling in love with each other - it's a guilty pleasure of mine, but it also means that the romance is slow-burning, so there's no insta-love. You get to know characters from the inside out. Their dynamics are slow and sweet. And the situations surrounding Juliet and Declan, such as grief and prejudice, were really deep and well-covered. I can only be impressed at how everything was handled.

Thank you NetGalley / Bloomsbury for providing me with a copy

Letters to the Lost is a raw, gritty, haunting story of love and loss.
Told in alternate POVs, Juliet and Declan begin an unlikely correspondence which leads to a fervent period of self-discovery.

Juliet and Declan are gritty, fierce and complex characters and their story bursts from the page, sweeping the reader up and into their world.

The only thing that didn’t work for me is the up and down of Declan’s relationship with his mom and step-dad. I think its eventual outcome just doesn’t have sufficient depth to be plausible.
@crushingcinders

I literally read this in one sitting because I couldn't put it down, it was sooooo awesomely good! I loved Declan and getting past his bad boy persona. I loved Juliet and seeing her personal grief over the loss of her mother was so real, I felt like I was going through it with her. I loved Rev for being such a loyal best friend, and I loved Brigid for making this story come together in such a flawless touching way. <3

I'm not one that usually reads Contemporary novels but this story really intrigued me and I really wanted to pick it up and read it. I didn't really know what to expect but I ended up absolutely loving it! I thought it was so interesting and it definitely made me cry quite a few times. I really enjoyed getting to know all of these characters and really getting to know Declan's and Juliet's story and background. I think all of these characters were wonderfully written and developed and that made this book so much better. I also really liked the format of this book with the alternating point if views between Juliet and Declan with the letters at the beginning of the chapter. (

Thank you Bloomsbury for sending me an early digital copy in exchange for a honest review.

Letters to the lost deals with many sensitive subjects that I believe are very important and need to be discussed more. I feel like the way Brigid Kemmerer dealt with emotional scenes was amazing and the way she could bring humour into the story made it wonderful to read and I think that the contrast is essential to why this book actually works.

"You can't make your own path with your eyes closed".

I loved the way the relationship between Declan and Juliet starts in a completely different place from where it ends. If you enjoy slow burning, relationships that are full of angst and that are actually done well, you will love this book! The friendships were so well written and you get to see both female and male friendships and how they actually stick together and support each other no matter what. That is one of my favourite things about the entire book. Rev's character was very intriguing and the one thing I was a little disappointed about was that we didn't get to see more of him, but I've seen that there may possibly be a companion novel coming centred around his character so I'm super excited for that!

The character progression is amazing and I don't feel like there was ever a moment while I was reading it that I got bored. The plot just kept moving and went in directions I was not expecting. I really found it refreshing how we got to see through both of the main protagonists eyes so clearly and got to see exactly what the characters were thinking. I also found it really easy to distinguish who's point of view I was reading from and that on its own made the story flow together amazingly well. The plot of this book is very character driven so if you don't enjoy that in a book then you may not enjoy this, but if you do I would highly recommend it. I really found that it worked and overall found it very enjoyable.

I will definitely be picking up a physical copy upon its release because I loved this book so much!

The character development in this novel is impressive and refreshing. I felt that I truly knew the characters, but not because Kemmerer told us about them... because she SHOWED us them: their fears, their hopes, their dreams of their futures. I feel that any readers who are fans of Dash and Lily's Book of Dares or The Sea of Tranquility would love this novel.

Brigid Kemmerer’s compelling LETTERS TO THE LOST is a thoughtful, insightful, and heart-rending exploration of pain, guilt, and false perceptions. The narrative unfolds at a steady pace, with just enough twists and perfectly placed reveals to keep the tension at a high and often gut-wrenching level. It had me reading well into the night. A must read for teens! Adults will enjoy the novel too. And safe for middle schoolers—a bonus! Buy this book. LETTERS TO THE LOST will keep you thinking long after you finish the last page.

Heart-wrenching read. Julie has just lost her mother; Declan ' s father caused his sister's death. They begin writing anonymous letters to each other, and come to depend upon one another to make it through their grief. Their chemistry is on point, coupled with the "will they figure out each other's true identities?" dilemma. Loved it!

Heart-breaking. Hopeful. Unputdownable.
Love, love, LOVED THIS! Declan and Juliet will break your heart and stitch it back together again. And I need Rev's story like yesterday. :D

Perfect for fans of Emery Lord, Sarah Dessan, and Huntley Fitzpatrick.

I loved this book! This was my first Brigid Kemmerer novel, and I ama huge fan now. Her prose is absolutely beautiful. I'm a former high school teacher, and the teens in this book absolutely act and sound like their age. The friendship between Declan and Rev is heart-warming while still living in reality, with sharp edges and peaks and valleys but a believable tight trust and loyalty. Some of the twists were predicted yet did not feel predictable. It was suspenseful without gratuitous drama or violence, just suspenseful in a way a great novel should be! The chemistry between the two protagonists was well-explored and well-crafted. Bravo!

A dramatic, emotional story that is full of realistic characters. The plot was smoothly written and the author had clear reasons for why she wrote the scenes she did. I enjoyed earning about Declan and Juliet and was impressed by their strength and perseverance throughout the novel. Definitely worth recommending!

Thank you to Net Galley for the early copy!

Be prepared to read this in one sitting. Who cares if you're up until 3am the next day, it is worth every single minute! The characters captivated me from the very first chapter, and I HAD to know what was going to happen with them. Brigid does an amazing job of creating complex and realistic characters. I'm a high school teacher, so these students could have easily been ones in my chemistry class (no pun intended). I appreciate a non-formulaic or cliched ending, and there are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Please tell me when this is going to hit the big screen!