Cover Image: This Is Not a Love Letter

This Is Not a Love Letter

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Member Reviews

I honestly loved this book. I am currently reading another book titled The Hate U Give and these books are similar, yet different. They say never to judge a book by its cover, but I am a culprit of this. I honestly was like this is another silly teen book until I started reading it and I was hooked from start to finish.

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This Is Not A Love Letter was a great way to start off my year! I love mysteries. This book started the year off with a bang.

The book starts off with Chris already missing. He and Jessie are taking a “break” for one week to gain some perspective on their futures and their relationship. This was, of course, Jessie's idea. Chris wanted nothing to do with it. So, naturally, when Chris goes missing, Jessie thinks she may have scared him off by pushing him away.

When we first learn Chris is missing, Jessie has a theory immediately. Some kids from another school beat him up a few weeks prior and she is worried they may have done it again, only taken it much further. We follow Jessie throughout the investigation and see her constantly go back to these guys. Josh, Chris' best friend, has another theory. What if Chris jumped into the quarry? What if he took his own life? There are some signs pointing toward depression and possible suicide, but Jessie refuses to even think it.
“Please don't be in the river.”

“You're terrified of the river. I'm terrified of fire. You think I'd light myself on fire?”
Let's talk about characters.

Jessie is such a wonderful character. I adore her for the fact that she is realistic. She isn't perfectly beautiful and she isn't popular and doesn't have the perfect family. She also isn't a complete screw-up who deals with her pain via drugs or drinking. She is just a girl who wants to know what happened to her missing boyfriend. She is missing a father figure in her life. Her mother is a hoarder and extremely obese; she barely leaves her bedroom. Jessie struggles to help take care of the home along with going to school and applying to colleges. She is a good person but has her flaws—such as her temper, which we witness a few times in the story.

Chris is not present in the book in the current sense, but as Jessie narrates the story (directly to Chris, as this book is sort of one, long letter to Chris from Jessie) she reminiscences, if you will, about past moments with Chris. This was a great way for the reader to get to know Chris and how amazing he was. He was a stand-up kind of guy. He didn't like fighting and violence. He was honest, kind, and loving. He was part of a Jehovah's Witness family, which he struggled with a bit, and had a younger sister who adored him. Chris' family was pretty close with Jessie, so we see quite a bit of them in the book. I think the author did a great job of showing us who Chris was so that we could really feel how sad it was that he was missing.

The mystery was done very well. I was questioning throughout the book who may have hurt Chris or taken him, or possibly what he had done himself, whether it be leave town or commit suicide. The book pointed in a few different directions, but in a good way. It wasn't messy or confusing, but very suspenseful.

This Is Not A Love Letter could definitely be considered a diverse book. There is a “gay-best-friend” type of character. Jessie works as a lifeguard at a local swimming pool and meets him there. He's close to her and painted in a good light. I enjoyed his character and he plays a significant part in the book. Jessie and Chris are also in an interracial relationship (Jessie being white, Chris being black). They struggle with this slightly, as some of their peers are judgemental. Chris struggles alone with his race as well. This being why those guys beat him up prior to the story beginning. They are privileged white boys and didn't like that a black kid was being scouted for a college team, etc.
“I don't blame you for wanting to leave.

This town was built on racism...”
It is also rare to see a Jehovah's Witness family in YA (correct me if I am wrong). I think people assume they are all crazy, but this book shed a little light on how they actually think. It wasn't a highlight, but just a small hint of it. I think each of these diverse issues were written well and handled respectfully.

The only real con I had was some of the grammar. I think the author tried to show how Jessie was a “lower-class” girl and didn't speak “properly” at times. For example, instead of saying “I have to go” she would say “I got to go” (I gotta go wouldn't have bugged me as much)... I honestly just found it to be an annoyance more than anything. Not a big deal, but worth mentioning.

Overall, this book was great! I think the story is relevant and I think the author really thought out the plot and executed it to perfection. I enjoyed the characters and their dynamics. I enjoyed the mystery and suspense. I think it was an all-around great read.

What happened to Chris, though? I won't spoil it, but you should check out the book to see for yourself! :)

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Sweet but very sad YA. Jessie keeps a journal when her boyfriend, Chris, is missing. The journal is written as a long letter to Chris as Jessie tries to unravel what may have happened to Chris and how to handle her feelings. Especially in light of the fact that the two of them were “on a break” and their last interactions were not the best. Very well done and nuanced. Can’t say more without risking spoilers, but it’s a don’t miss YA for 2018!

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Jessie wants a one week break from her boyfriend Chris. The he ends up vanishing. Since they started dating, Chris has written her a love letter every week. This book is a note that she writes to him as she tries to find him. We get a history of their relationship and discover why she wanted the break. There’s some racial issues (she’s Caucasian, Chris is African-American) and mental illness issues addressed (hoarding, depression). This was a decent YA read, but a bit heavy. I just wish that more time was spent addressing some of the serious issues touched upon (don’t want to go into more detail and reveal spoilers!).

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This book never once made me smile, it never once made me feel good feelings, it was an all-over the place mess. Just the format of her writing a letter to her missing boyfriend really didn't work, especially in the beginning. She told all the back story of their relationship, he knows, he was there, MAYBE it would have been better if it had been in journal/diary format. Even a change of format could not have helped save this book for me, none of the characters were truly likable.

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This is not a love letter by Kim Purcell was surprising. It’s about a boy, Chris,
that goes missing and the character evolution of Jessie, his girlfriend, in form of a letter. I really enjoyed it, it kept my heart racing and aching. They are some trigger warnings for mental illnesses and self-arm. Thank you for the free ebook copy.

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TW: depression, suicide, racism

This is Not a Love Letter discusses difficult topics such as depression, suicide, and racism as you can see by the trigger warning I have provided. This is not a cute contemporary. If you are looking for something light-hearted, then I do not suggest picking up this book. I went through a whirlwind of emotions while reading this book. I was angry, sad, and very anxious while reading. It definitely was a book that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. My hands were sweaty, my heart was racing, and I was breathing erratically. If you do not handle difficult topics well, I definitely would not pick this one up.

Jessie wakes up one morning to pounding on her door. She goes out to find her boyfriend’s best friend Josh outside. He looks terrible; like he hasn’t slept all night. He asks her if she’s heard anything from Chris (her boyfriend.) No, she hasn’t heard a thing. This is when she finds out the devastating news–her boyfriend has been missing since the night before. No one has seen or heard from him since he went for a run.

The book is set up in a unique way. It is written as a series of letters from Jessie to Chris. She is not writing a love letter like he always did for her; she is writing an account of everything that has happened since he has gone missing. At first it was a little difficult to grasp how the book was written, but after a few pages I got the hang of it. I ended up really liking how the book was written as letters by the end.

I didn’t know that I could fall in love with a character that never even speaks, but I did. I felt every emotion that Jessie portrayed to Chris in her letters to him. I fell in love with him just as she did. Reading these letters addressed to a missing person that you can tell she is utterly in love with just broke me. I found myself crying throughout the book multiple times. This was not an easy book to read. I found myself being even more thankful that no one important in my life has ever gone missing. This book was one hundred percent anxiety-inducing. I was going through every emotion that Jessie was as I read her letters.

As I mentioned above, this book explores difficult topics such as depression, suicide, and racism. The depression and suicide part wasn’t really explored too much, just mentioned here and there but never really went into too much detail. I would have liked to see more of the mental health topic. The racism part however, was a huge part of the book. I thought Kim Purcell did a really great job of showing how blacks are discriminated against for no reason at all besides the color of their skin. I really loved that this topic was talked about so much throughout this book. She did a great job at portraying the racism that is found in predominantly white communities.

I just want to add in that this story is personal to the author. At the end of the book she wrote a note saying that she herself has been through a similar situation where a close friend of hers had gone missing. She said the emotions she put into this book were real. I could definitely feel them.

I really loved this book even though it was difficult to read. I just could not put it down. I wanted to know what happened to Chris immediately. I am rating this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kim Purcell for the advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

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I gave this book 4 stars. It was a rush and had it’s ups and downs. Very exhilarating.

I felt a little disappointed with the ending of this book. I was so engaged for three fourths and then we got to the end and I was just sad. This is not a happy ending book and I didn’t feel like much was really resolved. It just goes on long enough to make us cry.

This book definitely delivered with the mystery element. There were so many different angles to consider, each equally probable. I think the author did an amazing job of that. Finding out what really happened was a bit of a downer, but I don’t think the book was long enough to go with the other option.

I liked that there was talk about how damaging racism is. I’ve noticed that a lot of YA won’t touch the subject unless that’s the entire plot line. It’s a controversial topic but it must be talked about.

I obviously share a first name with the protagonist and to me that was important. I was constantly holding her up to very high standards. You see, I haven’t liked any of the protagonists named Jessie that I’ve read about in the past because I hold them to the highest standards. I need to be able to relate to them and generally like them. I assume that’s how it is with anyone who shares a name with a protagonist. I am happy to say she lived up to my standards. She is Jessie approved.

Overall, although I was unimpressed by the ending, I would definitely suggest giving this one a read.

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This thriller of a YA romance unfolds through a mix of flashbacks and present day moments during the search for a missing teen boy. It is told through "letters" that Jessie is writing to her boyfriend, Chris, who is missing. They are about to graduate from a high school and were on a week long "break" initiated by Jessie - and not wanted by Chris. The author pieces out info about each character so that I kept changing my mind about what happened to Chris - Was he taken or killed by the town bullies who didn't like that a new black kid stole their shot at a college sports scholarship? Did he run away on his own in his anger at Jessie? Is he hurt and lost in the woods? I liked the action and the mystery of the plot, but I found the letter writing technique took me longer to get invested in the characters and all of their back stories. I'd recommend it to teens who like "sad" books with intrigue and relationship drama.

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3.5

This book is a heavy one so be warned going into it. The author brought in some rough topics such as mental health and racism.

The story focuses on the main character Jessie who is writing journal entries to her boyfriend Chris who has gone missing. I enjoyed this book and coming to the conclusion I had to hold back the tears.

I believe the downfall of the book was some parts dragging while others were to short. I was into the book and wanted to see how everything unraveled, however, it wasn’t a book that was hard to put down.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Although the title foreshadows that this will not be a romantic story, I went into this novel expecting a contemporary romance - but it hit so much harder than that. There are so many important themes covered in this novel, including but not limited to; racism, mental disorders, family dynamic, and friendship. I felt as though each of these was dealt with head-on and compassionately, however at times I felt that it was taking over the overall suspense of the novel.

Overall, I thought this was a very powerful, painful, and thought-provoking read. I felt Jessie’s pain, and her manic episodes wondering what happened to Chris, and she brought so much life and energy (both positive and negative) into her letters. I was on the edge of my seat, and couldn’t put this novel down until I knew what happened. It is such a realistic story that I think is able to reach all reader’s through it’s biggest question of “what could I have done differently?”

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THIS. BOOK. IS. AMAZING. Not only did this book have me on the edge of my seat and car seat, but I stayed up so long. The author also put in her notes that she also experienced the same thing as Jessie, the main character, went through and it touched my heart. The author also handled suicide/police investigations very seriously. I myself never had to deal with the police in a situation like this but it did make me upset and made me realize how once you turn 18 everything is different. I can relate this to THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas because it does deal with racism. If you loved that, I highly recommend this book.

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I really enjoyed this book about a high school girl searching for her missing boyfriend. Though there were a few moments that didn't feel terribly authentic (like when she does a little breaking and entering looking for his phone), I think that many students would identify with the story. I also think that they will appreciate the many issues going on throughout the story- race, sexuality, mental illness, and poverty.

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I don't know if I expected something different or what, but this book just didn't grab me like I had hoped it would. The main character seemed a bit self centered, and it just didn't work for me.

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The cover of this book is honestly so beautiful. And fitting too. And just from reading the premise, I knew this book would be a heart-breaker. The story is written like a letter, from Jessie to Chris. A week before graduation, Jessie told Chris they should go on a break, to "get some perspective" on their future. But then, Chris disappears, and Jessie remembers the three boys from the rival high school that beat Chris up three weeks ago. She's determined to prove that they had something to do with Chris' disappearance. But Chris is one of the black kids where they live, and people refuse to believe that his skin color could be part of the story. And yet, Jessie is also missing pieces - and the truth is not too easy to process.

I love the plot. A lot. I liked the amount of diversity in social issues that were addressed: racism, mental illness, and class imbalance all played a part in this story, and I felt like the intersectionality of these different issues really reflected the real world in a much more realistic manner. I'm not too sure what I feel about the ending, to be honest, as the story went in a direction I expected but didn't like too much.

I felt like some of the side characters could have been developed more, as some of them seemed to just be there to progress the plot forwards by providing information or adding to Jessie's emotional conflict. In fact, though we never saw much of Chris, I felt like I learned about his personality and his struggles simply through context and Jessie's memories; therefore, he was my probably my favorite character just because he was so complex. Because I liked him so much, I felt myself becoming more and more involved in the search for Chris.

I didn't have a problem with the writing style and how a lot of it used "you", as in Chris. I did get a little tired of lengthy narrations and found myself skimming. Still, there were some really beautiful lines that are testimonies to how great of a writer Kim Purecll is.

Overall, I'd still definitely recommend this to people to read, as I feel like it addresses a lot of important issues in today's society in a very extreme and eye-0pening way. Either way, I feel like this is a story that'll leave you thinking and maybe even shedding a few tears.

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Jessie is dreading graduation and all of the decisions that will need to be made. This is why she tells her boyfriend, Chris, that they need to take a one week break from their relationship. She doesn’t want a break up … just a break. Then Chris disappears and she begins questioning all of the things she thought she knew about him. Is he dead or alive? Did he willing leave their small town or is there a murderer in their midst?

This Is Not a Love Letter is a stand-alone mystery written in the form of a series of letters. Every week, Chris had written Jessie a love letter. Now, Jessie is using this same outlet to let Christ know how she feels and what is going on around her. Readers will feel like they are helping Jessie process her fears and guilt as she begins to unravel the truth behind Chris’s disappearance. A good read but not a satisfactory ending.

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To keep both her heart and her mind from shattering, after Chris vanished, Jessie kept a running letter to him in her mind and in her heart. She told of her secrets, times they shared, emotions they shared and what she has been left with since he disappeared.

THIS IS NOT A LOVE LETTER is a labor of love, of need, a declarations of truths and emotions, hopes, fears and the guilt a seventeen-year-old girl feels for “not knowing.” It is Jessie’s way to find answers, to feel connected to Chris, to hang on to the hope that their love will bring him home. It is also her punishment, her catharsis and her own way of clarifying who they were and what they had. It is her way of responding to the love letters Chris gave her every day.

Kim Purcell has written a powerful story of loss and confusion and pain. She has taken an interracial teenage love story and made it all about the truths of small-minded intolerance, big-hearted acceptance and how love is colorblind. You will be drawn into their story, their relationship, Jessie’s secrets and finally into the secrets Chris withheld.

Beautiful, dark and emotionally gripping, Kim Purcell has penned a tale of coming of age and clarity, all while the reality of life continued in search of the boy with a bright future who went out running one night and never returned. If this isn't a love letter, nothing is...truly a shining gem that should be read by all ages.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Disney-Hyperion.

Publisher: Disney Hyperion (January 30, 2018)
Publication Date: January 30, 2018
Genre: YA Fiction |
Print Length: 368 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

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This book got to me. I was bawling my eyes out because the book dealt with depression and racism. These topics are important to deal with, and i found the story hard to read because i felt Jessie's emotions. I'm glad to have read such a book and get these feelings from the story.

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I loved this book. I liked the unique format of Jessie writing a letter to her missing boyfriend. I liked the way flashbacks were used to fill in missing spots. But I mostly liked getting so deep into Jessie’s thoughts and emotions. There were a few things that drove it down to a four star for me but they are definite spoilers.

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Did not finish. :(
I'm sorry, I did not finish this book. The amount of vulgar language in the book makes it just not for me. I was so intrigued by the mystery, by the diversity in the book and the way the author was handling a racially charged relationship. Loved all that, and if not for the language I would have loved to continue. Thank you for the opportunity!

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