Love Letters to the Dead (Paperback)

"An amazing story!" by Chene T. - 3 November 2014

I love everything about this book. Ava literally broke my heart. Initially I was a bit weary from reading mixed reviews about it on goodreads but the concept and the way it was written in the form of letters just drew me in. I loved the raw honesty in this book. Ava knows how to draw you in and connect you to the very heart if the matter. My heart squeezed at the tender moments & ached at the sad ones. Its quite a heavy read and Ava covers some serious teen issues which are very real in today's society. Characters & Story line: 5/5 Sometimes I find it a bit tough to connect to YA books but Ava did a wonderful job. The characters are colourful and are dealing with very real issues that teens are dealing with in our society. Laurel - I really just love the name Laurel. She is a shy misfit who is dealing with separated parents and the death of her sister. She misses May terribly and is about to start High School. May was Laurel's everything. Laurel's journey is so real and you cannot help but be touched by it. Laurel & Sky - I really enjoy the sweet slow burn chemistry between them. It is a typical high school romance and is filled with all the things teenagers have to deal with. Sky - I just loved him. Sky is not cocky or arrogant but sweet with some mystery. Natalie & Hannah - These are the friends Laurel makes at High School. Natalie is friendly & nice to Laurel. Hannah is an interesting character but I didn't like her too much. May - May is such a big part of the book. She is Laurel's sister who dies tragically before the book starts. She sounds like a wonderful fun, person and is missed terribly by her entire family. You get to know quite a bit about her through Laurel's memories and letter/journal entries. Laurel has a tough time when she realises her sister was not as perfect as she wants her to be. Plot, Pace, Writing style: 5/5 I love the unique concept of writing letters to different people as a way of telling Laurel's story. I really connected to Ava's writing style. Its not a slow book but not a fast one either. I enjoyed the modernness of the book (people, songs). Cover talk: 5/5 Love it! It's just beautiful. The title sounds Final Thoughts: This is an amazing book. It touches on so many tender issues and is a bit if a heavy sad read but totally worth it. LLTTD ends on a beautiful note. I will definitely read more of Ava's work and look forward to seeing great things from this author.