ARC received from Macmillan. All the thanks! <3 
 First Impressions 3/6/14This was definitely a book with lots of strong things to talk about. Heavy subjects, heavy hearts, heavy lessons. 
 I wasn't a huge fan of the first part of the book but the second half really explained a LOT. It let me know who Laurel was and why she was even more so affected by the death of her sister and all of the things that had happened in her past as well. 
 I liked the second half a lot better and I think it really helped me get to know the characters so much more and understand ALL of them better. 
 Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide 4/4/14: Love Letters to the Dead is definitely a unique book, and one of the most original I've read so far this year. The book is comprised of letters to celebrities that have since passed, written by the main character Laurel. The titular letters are originally an assignment for class, but the more Laurel writes and the more she shares with these ghosts of celebrities past, the more she finally opens up about everything that's happened in her recent past and the feelings that she hasn't been able to share with anyone, especially since her sister's death. 
 Admittedly, I had a hard time with the beginning of this book. I knew that it was made up entirely of letters and yet I still had a hard time getting into the swing of the narration. Each letter (which essentially made up a chapter) was dedicated to a different person and that person had a life or an experience that directly related to what Laurel was going through at the moment. I really liked the connections and how the deceased famous person involved really brought the story together, but at times, I felt like the personal life of the celebrity was a little too detailed for my tastes. I did learn a lot about their lives and things I didn't know before, but at the same time, it sort of took me out of Laurel's story and put me into someone else's when I was anxious to make more of a connection with Laurel and her life and not a celebrity that I could easily research if I had the interest. 
 Aside from the involvement of the lives of the once rich and famous, I just wasn't making a connection with Laurel for a decent portion of the first part of the book. Laurel had been having an extremely difficult time with her sister's death and rightfully so, but the ways in which she was dealing with it just kind of turned me off. Unable to remain at the same school, Laurel lives with her aunt part-time so she's able to attend a different high school and try not to live in the shadow of her older and more charismatic sister. In a new place, Laurel makes new friends and tries new things and many of those veered toward a more cavalier and rebellious-teen lifestyle. I mean, I understand. Laurel does not have an easy life and she's also feeling not only grief but guilt from her sister's recent death. I understand that she may be handling that different than I would handle it and I have no issues with that but reading about the decisions that Laurel made edged on uncomfortable and made it very hard for me to connect to Laurel as well. 
 I apologize for the lack of eloquence here, but it was just more of a feeling as I was reading that caused a big disconnect for me during the first half of the book and it's hard to put into words. It wasn't something that I necessarily "frowned upon" but just a series of subject matters that aren't usually something I connect with or thoroughly enjoy reading about. Maybe it's the fact that I was trying to feel for Laurel who was just trying to shut off her feelings and shut out her past and that made it painful to read, causing me to feel uncomfortable. Laurel has gone through quite a bit in her life that has led her to where she is at the time of the book and it's been a more traumatic road than we initially realize. 
 That being said, the second half of the book did start to come together a little bit more for me. Yes, there was a romance involved, but that wasn't the reason why. The romance, I think, helped Laurel feel the need to open up to someone else. She finally wanted to connect with someone and finally found her voice with Sky, the attractive and mysterious boy who she finds a connection to in more ways than one. Mostly, I was incredibly curious to find out exactly how May died because the reader is in the dark most of the book since we only get to see what Laurel is willing to divulge. My issue with things that are left intentionally mysterious in contemporary stories is that I find myself "hurrying" to find out what the big reveal is. LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD takes on a much slower pace so with a question rattling around inside of my head, I had a hard time focusing on what I should have been reading and anxious to find out exactly what happened. I don't mean that in a negative way -- it was more of a personal issue and I just know that's what happens when I encounter situations like those. 
 All said and done, I easily see the appeal and glory of LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD but I just had a hard time connecting with it. I feel like my review pointed out so many negatives but the positives were so subtle and the more I reflect on the book, the more I have trouble remembering what they were. The second half of the book took off for me and I think all of the answers to my burning questions helped, but overall, I may not have been the ideal audience for the book. I've also read books with a similar feel (see recommendations below) and have been totally amazed and not disconnected like I was with this one, so take that as you will. There was just an ineffable something that I didn't feel when reading this book and I wish I could have fallen in love with it.