title: Love Letters to the Dead: A Novel
author:  Ava Dellaira 
description: Gr 9 UpDebut author Dellaira's heart-wrenching epistolary novel begins with Laurel's freshman assignment to write a letter to a dead person. She starts with a missive to Kurt Cobain, who had been a favorite of her recently deceased older sister, May. Gradually, through the teen's letters to other dead celebrities (Janis Joplin, Amelia Earhart, River Phoenix, and more), readers will begin to piece together the history of her splintered family life, including her parents' divorce and mother's virtual abandonment following May's unexplained death. Laurel is devastatingly, emotionally fragile, but she makes friends at her new high school and even starts to develop a serious love interest. Her misconstrued hero-worship of May gradually evolves into a deeper understanding of her beloved sister's strengths and many imperfections. Beautifully written, although a bit choppy in sections, particularly regarding the dead addressees' lives, this powerful novel deftly illustrates the concept that writing is an especially valuable form of healing for those dealing with overwhelming pain and grief. Best for teens who enjoyed Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower (MTV, 1999).Susan Riley, Mamaroneck Public Library, NY
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  CLAIMED
  
  
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  The Immortal Love Series
  
  
  Book 6
  
  
  
  
  
  Anna Santos
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright © 2019 Anna Santos
  
  
  All rights reserved.
  
  
  Inquiries about additional permissions should be directed
  to:[authorannasantos@gmail.com](mailto:authorannasantos@gmail.com)
  
  
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  Cover Design by [Moonchild Ljilja](https://fantasybookdesign.com/)
  
  
  Edited by May Freighter
  
  
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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and
  incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used
  fictitiously. Any resemblance to similarly named places or to persons living
  or deceased is unintentional.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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