Mini ARC Reviews: Goodbye Days & Letters to the Lost

It’s been quite a while since I posted some mini-reviews, so here are my shorter reviews that I was frankly too lazy to write full-length ones for. These books have a common theme: grief, so sit down, relax, and see what I thought about them!

Goodbye Days  by Jeff Zentner
Series: n/a
Publication: March 7th 2017 by Crown Books for Young Readers
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

---

GOODBYE DAYS is my first Zentner book, and it was genuine, heartbreaking, and an honest story of grief and loss of loved ones.

The plot was super realistic and really makes me wary of driving and texting now. Carver’s thoughts seem so honest and it was such an accurate representation of his loss and dealing with the consequences of his and his friends’ actions.

Carver was a pretty relatable character, and I understood his motives throughout the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the incorporation of flashbacks and ensuring that each of the three friends had distinct personalities.

Do I recommend? Yes! While I enjoyed this one, I didn’t feel as connected to the plot as I would have hoped. Definitely consider this one if you’re into a story that explores grief in its many forms.

Thank you to Crown Books  for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

---

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer
Series: n/a
Publication:April 4th 2017 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

---

LETTERS TO THE LOST had a beautiful cover and an intriguing synopsis so I was pretty excited to read it. I honestly enjoyed it so much that I finished it in one sitting last night.

I love the incorporation of letters and emails between Declan and Juliet, and the mystery between who each was talking to was super profound—each character, minor characters included, had complex ideas and emotions, and I loved reading about each character.

If you’re into books that build up romance deeply and beautifully, definitely check this one out. The love and the range of emotions between the two main characters is incredibly palpable, and honestly, there’s nothing I can complain about in this book. This one will probably be one of my favorite books of this year.

Thank you to Bloomsbury  for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

---

Have you read any of these books yet? What are your favorite books that focus on grief? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!