Rating: ★★★★★ 
First Read: May 2014
Re-read: March 2017

It was my first time re-reading a novel, to be honest. I’ve always wanted to do so before, but I just didn’t have the extra time given that I’m always exhausted when I get home from work and the weekends almost always feels like it’s too short.

With Love Letters to the Dead, since I’ve only read it through an e-copy version back in 2014 when it was first released, I was really eager to re-read it. It’s really one of my most favorite contemporary novels, and I’m so happy that I finally got my own copy of the physical book.

This book was just so beautifully written, it makes my heart ache in a good way. There are books that you like, but there are books that you can relate to and love and cherish and will keep touching your heart.

When I first read this book three years ago, I didn’t even know where to begin with, so I ended up not writing a review at all, in fear of not giving the book its justice. Right now, I still don’t know where to start or what to say.

Ava Dellaira brings us a story of Laurel

— a girl who just wants to find and pick herself up after her sister’s death. Her life has been full of tragedy, but her hope and love for a lot of things keeps her going most of the time.

“I think a lot of people want to be someone, but we are scared that if we try, we won’t be as good as everyone imagines we could be.”

Her letters to renowned dead people was really interesting and lovely and the way she talks to them through her letters really kept me turning the page. I can also totally relate to her when it comes to not telling the people I love what I really feel towards something. It has always been like that for a lot of people, I guess, because it’s really hard opening up your thoughts, your pasts and your problems to people and her reason was just the same as mine. I am always afraid that if they knew, they would leave.

 

“You can be noble and brave and beautiful and still find yourself falling.”

 

Each of Laurel’s letter revealed pieces of what really happened that night when May died and also a part of her personal story

— how broken she feels deep inside, how her family ended up the way it did, and I also liked that in each of her letters, we’ve seen how the her friends grew throughout the book.

I also liked her relationship with Sky. It wasn’t perfect, just like every love story, but it was beautiful and heartbreaking and lovely all at the same time.

 

“When we are in love, we are both completely in danger and completely saved.”

 

I literally have moments when reading the book that I felt like it was dragging because it is such a page-turner. One of my favorites in this book were the poems Laurel shares from her English classes because I am also a big fan of poems and Elizabeth Bishop.

Love Letters to the Dead sucked me straight from the first page until the end. It is a beautifully written book that is deeply moving

— it gives its readers hope and is filled with realizations about life. I recommend this to readers who loved Perks of Being A Wall Flower and The Fault In Our Stars and mostly to anyone who’s looking for something that will change their perspective about life and love.

 

“Truth is beautiful, no matter what the truth is. Even if it’s scary or bad. It is beauty simply because it’s true. And truth is bright. Truth makes you more you.”