Letters to the Lost

I have to thank my lucky stars at times that I do take notice when I have been recommended a book to read. After devouring Letters to the Lost, I am now thanking a galaxy of stars because I found this to be such a beautiful and addictive read. I’m sitting here trying to put my thoughts and feelings into words and I’m struggling because I don’t think I can write the review that this book deserves. I absolutely love the way that the author has penned this story. Her writing style is incredible. The intensity is perfect. I connected with the characters instantly, which allowed me to experience the emotions that they were feeling. My heart hurt so much for Juliet and Declan at times. Their relationship is one that I absolutely adore which of course then made me fear that something, at some point in their story, was going to ruin who they are to each other. Juliet and Declan’s story is a must read. It is a story about loss and grief, love, expectations, guilt, despair and hope - let’s not forget the hope in all of this. I was so absorbed in the story that I didn’t realise that I was crying until my tears reached the book I was holding. I found Brigid Kemmerer’s words to be so very powerful, her messages touching and thought-provoking, and to be honest this story was so much more than I expected. I’m a huge fan of epilogues and I was initially disappointed that Letters to the Lost ended without one. Now, having had time to reflect, I actually am grateful to be able to make my own decisions on what happens next for Juliet and Declan…. I want only good things for them both from now on! This book is one that I recommend to everyone to read. I know that this story will stay with me for a long time and I’m certain you will feel the same way too.

How weird is it for me to say I accidentally started reading this book but just didn't stop when I started? Don't get me wrong, I had every intention of reading it because it sounded amazing (full disclosure: it really is amazing), but when it arrived in the post this morning, I read the first page (I do it with all of my paperbacks because that's how I roll) and suddenly found myself 100 pages in some time later and thinking "well, no point stopping now." It's now three in the morning and I've just finished the book, much to my dismay. It's been a long time since I've been THAT enthralled with a book and it's characters. This book reeled me in from the very first page and still hasn't let me go, even though the last page has been read. I was thoroughly engrossed and couldn't year myself away from the pages for very long. The characters were beautiful. They had depth, they had demons they fought every day, they were flawed and perfect. The growth they both go through is admirable and was a treasure to read. I found myself relating a lot to both Jules and Declan, the emotions and feelings they sometimes conveyed have been a huge element in my life, so connecting to these characters was an easy thing for me. Through that, I grew very attached. I didn't want the book to end, I wanted more from Cemetery Girl and The Dark. The story was compelling and captivating, and I honestly felt like I was on the same journey as them as I read the book. Beautifully written, flowed flawlessly. It would be a crime to give this book any less than five stars!

Really enjoyed this book and found it an easy read. I found myself getting really caught up in the relationship developing between Declan and Juliet and how their back stories were slowly revealed to the reader throughout their correspondence with each other. I was a little disappointed that there was no real romance to speak of until the very end of the book but I do understand that that wasn’t the main focus of this story. I did find myself really wondering about Rev and wanting to know more about him and wishing he had his own story.

I’m a ‘little’ older shall we say than the intended reader of this book but oh my goodness......it took me right back to my teenage years and stirred up all of those rollercoaster emotions and excitement that get dampened down with age! Absolutely brilliant book, full of teenage angst and dark, broody emotions. Well rounded and interesting characters that make you feel like you want know more and more about them. Downside, I read it far too quickly and didn’t want it to end. Just read the next book ‘More Than We Can Tell’ which follows the story of ‘Rev’ who is one of the secondary characters in this book. Another great book that is a must read but ‘Letters to the Lost’ remains my favourite. Brigid Kremmerer you really know how to tell a story!

I really adore Kemmerer's writing style, I could get lost in her books for hours. Letters to the Lost was beautiful and heartbreaking. The grief that Juliet and Declan are experiencing is so raw and fresh, I felt my heart ripping into a million pieces for these fictional characters. Declan's story in particular resonated with me, his stepfathers attitude was just so real. Having been the odd one out in my childhood household, I just felt that the emotions and the feelings were so well described. I could write for hours about this book, and how much I loved it. I really hope we get a third book, because these characters are wonderful, and their stories really show that there whilst there is so much hurt and pain in the world, there is also kindness, love, friendship and so many other wonderful things to counterbalance the bad.

Good read

When I first bought this I was expecting a cute love story about opposites attracting I was wrong I loved how it showed that having somebody to talk to helps you through your problems and gives you the strength and confidence you need to overcome them It was a beautiful story and the characters felt so real rather than being someone who lives in a fairytale First book I read written by this author but I will definitely be reading more

What a great book!! I don't even know what to say, I enjoyed this so much. Brigid manages to write YA books that touch on deeper subjects so well. There is romance involved but it's not the driving plot. There's so much more to the story here. I love the secret penpal kind of trope or whatever you wanna call it. And to see all these truths unravel the way they did? Amazing.

LETTERS TO THE LOST is an incredibly moving, beautifully written, and intensely emotional story that promises to put every reader’s heart through the wringer. It is a story of grief, anger, love, loss, and loneliness that is both extremely fragile and immensely powerful. It is poignant. It is tragic. It is devastatingly heartbreaking. It is the must read book of 2017. Juliet was not ready to say goodbye to her mother, even though it seemed everyone thought it was time she did. She idolized her mom. She missed her terribly. And she blamed herself for her mother’s death. She couldn’t be the friend she used to be. She couldn’t do the things she used to. All she had was her pain and the connection she had with her mom through the letters she wrote and left at her gravesite. Declan was angry all the time. He couldn’t stand the fact that his mother remarried and he despised the man she was married to. He hated being judged by people that didn’t even know him. And he detested his court-ordered community service. His dad may be the one in prison, but he was just as responsible for what happened to his sister and he was being tormented by the guilt. His best friend couldn’t understand what he was going through and his mother didn’t seem to care. But when he reads a letter that had been left on a grave, he thinks he might have found someone who does. Brigid Kemmerer has done an exceptional job of creating empathetic and relatable characters whose anguish can be felt and understood. Juliet and Declan are both so very lost and can’t find a way through their pain. They both blame themselves for their losses and are riddled with guilt. They are barely coping. They can’t accept their new realities. And alone they aren’t strong enough to fix what’s broken in themselves. But together, through their letters, they might be. LETTERS TO THE LOST is a love story. But first and foremost it’s a story about letting go, about trust, about asking for help, about being brave enough to find and face the truth, and about having the courage to go on living. It is tough and messy and one heck of an emotional rollercoaster. It is heartrending and courageous and brilliantly executed. It’s an exquisite and riveting and deeply affecting read that will be instantly likable and unputdownable.

I fell in love with this book. I started it to get a break from studying and I couldn’t put it down. It’s so beautifully written, the strength in every word, every line shifts something in the reader. It’s painful and heartbreaking but also healing. Both characters have a lot of pain inside. Buried. And they find ways to heal together. To make their own path. Read it

Brigid Kemmerer wasn’t even a blip on my radar a week ago, but you can damn well believe she’s on there now. This is undoubtedly one of the most beautifully written, emotionally affecting, character driven, young adult stories I’ve read in years. Juliet Young has recently lost her mother in a tragic accident. She’s drowning in her grief, but finds comfort in her almost daily visits to the cemetery, where she writes and leaves letters to her mother at her grave. Declan Murphy has been written off by most people as an irredeemable delinquent. After a drunken joy ride resulted in major property damage, Declan is working off a community service sentence doing maintenance work at the local cemetery. It’s here that he finds and reads a letter left on a gravestone; a letter Declan has no right to read, but which resonates with him on a personal level, to the point that he’s compelled to write back. The story follows Declan and Juliet, as they connect through correspondence (beginning with hand written letters and progressing into frequent email chats). They manage to keep things anonymous, even while sharing huge, often emotionally fraught moments of their personal lives with one another. They find themselves growing desperately closer as they share in each other’s pains and frustrations, challenging and supporting one another in their attempts to overcome their grief and anger at the world around them. What Declan and Juliet don’t know is that they know one another in real life, at least peripherally speaking, attending school together and even interacting, somewhat caustically at first, on a semi-regular basis. Their epistolary connection develops rapidly, especially as they grow closer to discovering each other’s identities. But when they discover the truth, will that connection still hold true? This story was angsty as hell, but in the most delicious, emotionally poignant and personally satisfying kind of way. I’m one of those readers who wants to be knocked around the emotional wringer - especially if the characters come out the other side emotionally richer and happier for it. And that’s exactly what I got here and I enjoyed every moment of it. My favourite aspect of this story was how strong the character development was. From Declan to Juliet, all the way through to their friends, teachers, and oftentimes infuriatingly apathetic parents, each and every character was genuinely crafted - honest, raw, and so very human in their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. I absolutely loved this story and I’ll certainly be back for the sequel featuring Declan’s best friend and my personal favourite secondary character, Rev. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! <3

Letters to the lost was a excelent read. There is so much charcter developement, the plot moves well, and the writting is very good. the characters are very relatable and human. The romance in this book is very minimal and its clean, which i really appritiated. tha main characters dont get together becouse of looks or anything like that. there is one kiss at the end of the book but its very brief and not drawn out at all. there is mentions of sperm and a particular boys 'manhood', but its not in a mea way at all and in complealt diffrent contexts. there is mentions of suicide, child abuse and alcaholics and how fatel it can be to the people arond them. there is also a part where you find out that one of pople that the story is partially centered around has been cheating on her husband. its not graphic, but it does say that the photos showing her cheating portray her nude along side another nude man, ect. not graphic at all but something that some poeple might be sensitive about. I suggest reading it before the second one, but it doesnt really matter. make sure to reread after the second book though if you read in order though!

Nice book