Hello? by Liza M. Wiemer

Title: Hello?
Author: Liza M. Wiemer

Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary

Release Date: November 10, 2015
Source: BEA

Summary from Goodreads:

One HELLO? can change a life. One HELLO? can save a life.

Tricia: A girl struggling to find her way after her beloved grandma's death.
Emerson: A guy who lives his life to fulfill promises, real and hypothetical.
Angie: A girl with secrets she can only express through poetry.
Brenda: An actress and screenplay writer afraid to confront her past.
Brian: A potter who sets aside his life for Tricia, to the detriment of both.

Linked and transformed by one phone call, Hello? weaves together these five Wisconsin teens' stories into a compelling narrative of friendship and family, loss and love, heartbreak and healing, serendipity, and ultimately hope.

Told from all five viewpoints: narration (Tricia), narration (Emerson), free verse poetry (Angie), screenplay format (Brenda), narration and drawings (Brian).

Review

Hello? was a book that hit me hard. The first character we meet is Tricia and she's fallen apart over the death of her grandmother. To say this hit close to home would be a sever understatement. I've mentioned before on this blog that my grandmother is my world and I can't imagine my life without her. Seeing Tricia grieve her grandmother was like looking ahead into my future and it was a pretty devastating outlook. But as tough as it was for me to start this book, my feelings are a testament to how honest the writing is. I connected with Tricia immediately.

Although I didn't personally relate to the other characters on as deep of a level, they were similarly real and I could sympathize with their struggles. Each character was going through something different and I was invested in their well being. This book really tackles facing your fears and trying to moving forward the best you can. It was about being honest with yourself and others. These characters all had a hard time of it but ultimately displayed so much strength that it was inspiring.

But what I thought made this book really special was how all of these characters connected and how they helped each other move forward. I wouldn't say every character lived happily ever after but there was hope and a positive outlook for each of them. I especially loved how Tricia and Emerson were brought together. It was a little storybook and a lot perfect. Hello? really celebrated life's mysteries and miracles which I found beautiful.  Like, I would like to think that my grandmother will always be looking out for me and I'll take comfort in the small signs, real or imagined.

I thought it was very creative that Brenda's chapters were written in screenplay format and Angie's chapters were written in free verse poetry. I don't know if I LOVED reading it this way but it definitely shook things up. This book was just so easy to read.

I think fans of contemporaries that have a bit of a darker focus but a lot of growth and healing will enjoy this one. There are so many diverse characters to relate to. I can definitely see myself revisiting Tricia's story to borrow some of her strength.