You've Reached Sam

by Dustin Thao

You've reached Sam by Dustin Thao is a beautifully written YA novel, that both made me happy and broke my heart at the same time. Thao's debut novel really set the tone for his writing style, I hope he writes another book soon.

* spoilers below *

Sam and Julie are the perfect high school couple, they have it all figured out, their college future and their future together. When Sam dies suddenly, Julie is crushed, and she doesn't know how to continue on with the future plans they made without him. One day Julie decides to call Sam's cell phone just to hear his voice on the voicemail, but what happens shocks her, Sam answers the phone.

What would you do if you could call your lost loved one's cell phone numbers and could talk to them for one last time? What would you tell them? It's a hard question to think about, and Julie treats every time he answers like it's the last time she will ever talk to him. Sam gives Julie the push and courage over their phone calls, so she can move on and live her life without him. She finally gets a chance to say goodbye to him, she never got that chance before.

Triggers: Young death, depression.