Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer-Review and Giveaway
LETTERS TO THE LOST
by Brigid Kemmerer
Release Date: April 4, 2017
Genre: YA, dark romance
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 4, 2017
Juliet Young always writes 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 Declan nor Juliet knows that they’re not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.
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REVIEW: Juliet Young has always written letters to her mother, a world-renowned photojournalist. When her mom was away on assignment they would always write to each other.
So even in her mothers death she has continued to write to her. Leaving her handwritten letters to her mother at the cemetery. They are private and personal and just between
her and her mother. Its her way of staying connected to her mother. That is until someone reads one – and has the audacity to respond.
Declan Murphy is full on juvenile delinquent – at least that’s what everyone thinks of him. While doing his court appointed community service, he spends his time mowing the lawn
at the local cemetery. Part of the job he must do is pick up everyone’s personal belongings from the graves before he mows the lawn. There he finds a letter that
so entirely speaks to him, he has no choice but to respond. How could another person feel exactly the way he does. How can they know what it feels like to be him.
But, when Juliet realizes that someone has read her personal letter to her mother, and not only that but responded to it, to say she was quite upset is an understatement. When she writes back to let the person know that she feels that they have violated her privacy she has no idea what this will begin. And so begins a series of letters that help to heal both Juliet and Declan. But nothing comes easy. To find their way they must first find themselves.
Juliet is undoubtedly broken – she has been since the death of her mother. She has no one she can turn to or even begin to explain how she feels responsible for her mothers death.
She is the one that begged her mother to come home early from her trip. She is the one responsible for her being in the cab when she was. She knows had she not begged her mother to come home she would be here today. Declan has had a life just a rough. His father killed his sister and he too feels that he bears the blame of that. If he had just driven them that evening instead of telling his dad to drive himself. His sister would still be alive. He lives with that burden every day. He hasn’t dealt with any of this the way he should have. Instead he has broken the law and further feeds into what everyone thinks of him. His pain was absolutely real and my heart broke for him. Several times I was brought to tears with his words and how broken he was.
What an amazing, turbulent, truthful and powerful story. This story follows two teenagers through some stuff that no teenager should ever have to face. But through their letters – they realize that they are not alone in this. That someone is willing to listen and perhaps see beyond what’s masked on the outside. I enjoyed both characters of Juliet and Declan. Both tormented and tragic in their own lives. But when they begin to open up to one another – something magical happens. And it happens without judgment. When we can truly see the person for who they are not what their outward appearance seems to say. I loved how they interacted with each other at school – not knowing who the other was. Not knowing that they have a connection with each other and just don’t know it yet.
I loved the secondary character of Rev, Declan’s best friend. His story was just a complicated and complex as any I have ever read. I want to know so much more though. His ending in this book was perfect and left me teary eyed and smiling. I can’t wait to share this story with my teen daughter – she is going to absolutely love it as much as I did. Highly recommend.
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Erin
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BRIGID KEMMERER is author of LETTERS TO THE LOST (Bloomsbury; April 4, 2017), a dark, contemporary Young Adult romance; THICKER THAN WATER (Kensington, December 29, 2015), a New Adult paranormal mystery with elements of romance; and the YALSA-nominated Elemental series of five Young Adult novels and three e-novellas. She lives in the Baltimore area with her husband and four sons.
Brigid Kemmer’s publiscist is offering a finished copy of LETTERS TO THE LOST to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.
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