The Last Letter

by Susan Pogorzelski

"Pogorzelski's exceptional debut shares the challenges, dreams, fleeting optimism, and difficulties of 15-year-old Amelia Lenelli at the turn of the millennium." - Publisher's Weekly

"This book is a MUST read!" - Minnesota Lyme Association

"Teens reeling with personal and national crises will find themselves in this teen girl’s voice." - Judge, 25th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards (Honorable Mention)

Write one last letter. That’s what fifteen-year-old Amelia’s psychologist says when she tells him about her time capsule—a My Little Pony lunchbox she’s buried in the backyard garden after listening to the preacher on the corner shout about the end of times.

One last chance to leave her mark when the world's been shaken to its core by a national tragedy not even the preacher sees coming.

One last story of humanity’s ability to endure, like in all those historical disasters her mother recites like fairytales.

One last reminder of her existence, when her illness has turned her into such a ghost of her former self, one more exhale is all it will take before she disappears completely.

One last letter to tell the world how she’s lived and who she’s loved and what she’s trying to survive.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Health

277 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 2016

About the author

Susan Pogorzelski is the award-winning author of Gold in the Days of Summer and The Last Letter. When she's not writing novels of nostalgia and the magic of everyday life, she works as a consultant and editor at Brown Beagle Books, is an intuitive energy practitioner at Susan Dawn Spiritual Connections, and is the founder of LymeBrave Foundation. She lives in South-Central Pennsylvania with her beloved family and pets.

Reviews

[Barbara (The Bibliophage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a coming age novel, with some medical mystery at its core. Amelia (Lia) is a normal high schooler who starts experiencing physical, mental, and emotional changes. Some people in her life think this is "normal" teen age stuff, but Lia fears it's much scarier than that. She tells us her story in a series of letters to the unknown someone who'll dig up her old lunchbox time capsule someday.

The author writes Lia as a typical teen, as well as representing the health changes she goes through. Some days Lia is a tad dramatic, other days she's really insightful. She has a bestie, a crush, and siblings she doesn't always understand. I've definitely known teenagers just like that.

Her health and body are are falling apart, though, and that's a hard thing to capture without being maudlin. I think Pogorzelski does just that - walks the fine line between corny and compelling. As someone who lives with the same illness (at a much different age), it feels to me like The Last Letter is right on the mark!

[Melenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF I like the idea of it...

[Mary Coder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Letter

A Novel

By Susan Pogorzelski
Published by Brown Beagle Books

Write one last letter. That's what fifteen-year-old Amelia's psychologist says when she tells him about her time capsule--a My Little Pony lunchbox she's buried in the backyard garden after listening to the preacher on the corner shout about the end of times.

One last chance to leave her mark when the world's been shaken to its core by a national tragedy not even the preacher sees coming.

One last story of humanity's ability to endure, like in all those historical disasters her mother recites like fairytales.

One last reminder of her existence, when her illness has turned her into such a ghost of her former self, one more exhale is all it will take before she disappears completely.

One last letter to tell the world how she's lived and who she's loved and what she's trying to survive.

Susan Pogorzelski is the award-winning author of Gold in the Days of Summer: A Novella. Her first full-length novel, The Last Letter, is a semi-autobiographical account of her experiences living with Chronic Lyme Disease.

This is a story that touched my heart and is the first of its kind that I have found as that tells about the daily struggles of living with a complex chronic and invisible illness. From the onset of symptoms and the gradual and perpetual fight to recieve a diagnosis and proper care not to mention acceptance and understanding when ill, readers will learn what it's like to feel alone in a struggle for your health
And sufferers will relate to the feelings of isolation,depression, anxiety and loneliness of living everyday in pain and not knowing how you'll feel each day and if you'll ever be well again.  This is a story that takes place in the aftermath of 9-11 so it adds the element of feeling like the world is crashing down around you and the emotion of how fearful that feels  when it has been and very well could be the absolute truth.  This story will move you whether you're chronically ill or perfectly healthy, it will inspire you to stand up for yourself and to be brave in the face of the unknown. It will uplift your spirit and give you hope and positivity when facing the uncertain and it will make you appreciate each day you have to start over and live life gratefully!  This story touched me and I promise  that everyone, especially those with invisible illnesses whether physical, mental or both will read this little novel
And love it.
Susan Pogorzelski is the award-winning author of Gold in the Days of Summer: A Novella. Her first full-length novel, The Last Letter, is a semi-autobiographical account of her experiences living with Chronic Lyme Disease. Lyme disease and similar "invisible" illnesses are shared by hundreds of thousands of people across the country and the world. Sharing our stories and our struggles can be the greatest source of comfort and inspiration when facing an illness that makes it difficult to find either. This story will relate to a wide variety of readers, but particularly those who are dealing with Lyme disease or another chronic illness that is hard to live with, understand and share about with others.
▪︎  🦋  ▪︎  🦋  ▪︎  🦋  ▪︎  🦋  ▪︎  🦋  ▪︎  🦋  ▪︎
#bookreviewpost #bookblogpost  #newbookpost  #booknerdsofig #bookstagrammer  #bookbloggin #reviewpost #honestreview
#ireviewbooksnstuff #illreadit #illreadandreviewit #galleyreviewer #womenwhoread #iread  #readmorebooksyall #sendgalleysplease #sendmoregalleysplz #ineed2read #morebooks #booksandbeauty #readmore  #beautifulmind  #beautyandbooks  #readthis #honestedits #bookrec #honestreviewer
#ireviewbooksandbeautyandstuff

[David Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book for anyone who suffers from Lyme Disease or any other chronic disease. The author did a great job of describing the life of a teenage girl who suffers from fatigue, aching muscles and joints and extreme anxiety but does not know what the diagnosis is. This book is a very well written semi autobiographical account of the struggles both physical and mental that anyone with a chronic disease must suffer through.

[Kate Kaput · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Susan, who I know from blogging, asked if I'd like a copy of her first full-length novel, I responded with an enthusiastic yes. This YA book is a semi-autobiographical account of her own experience living with Chronic Lyme Disease, written from the perspective of a teenager in the early 2000s. It was hard for me to follow in the beginning, but that turned out to be part of the point - that Amelia, the main character, was losing herself to her illness. A really good read that's sure to bring comfort & support to others struggling with, as Amelia repeatedly calls it, "this damn disease."

[Brenda Sieglitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susan's books are wonderful. This story was exceptionally edited-a mistake never found! I loved reading this story of a teenage girl with the complications of high school romance and the underlying illness - it was full of mystery, and heartache, empathy, understanding, longing. Great read.

[Myndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel was told in the form of letters to an unknown reader via a time capsule. The letters show this young girl's struggle as she battles a mystery illness that consumes her body, mind and basically her whole life.

The letters were very emotional to read, there was so much pain, confusion and heartbreak going on for not only Lia but her family as well. I can't imagine watching my daughter go through something like this, and since my daughter is around the age of Lia now, that's where my mind went for most of the book.

I hope more people will read this book and more awareness will be brought to Lyme Disease. I have a friend who battled it, and even I didn't know how truly awful it could be. I hope I was never a Mollie to my friend.

[Kelly Gladney · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I was getting the feeling that it was too teenage angsty. But then her struggle becomes understandable and you begin really hoping things start to turn around for her. I didn't have any idea how bad Lyme disease is, like many people I'm sure. Of course I'd heard of it but I really didn't know much about it or the fact that you're pretty much fighting it the rest of your life. I think the author was able to relate her struggle through the character in way that will help people better understand what someone with Lyme disease is going through. I also thought there was some beautiful writing along the way too.

[Tammy Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was overwhelmed by the feelings this book evoked. Many won't "get" it unless you have struggled with a horrible illness like Lyme Disease. The point of the book is the loneliness felt by those who are unable to keep up with the "crowd." It is beyond frustrating how people expect you to "perform" as they would expect you to - how quickly they move past you without so much as a backwards glance. This author conveyed the struggles of the chronically ill person with precise detail.

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Letter... a young girl describes her daily life through a series of letters she places in a time capsule in her back yard. Relationships, friendships, school issues, and her depression/ constant fatigue are discussed in the journals and with her therapist. Elevated YA novel, felt disconnected in a few moments. Random interactions with some characters. Did not love the ending.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Goodreads and Brown Beagle books for a delightful story. "The Last Letter" is a well-written book that starts out as a story about a teenage girl with angst, continues with a medical mystery, and doesn't really end because the heroine has a chronic disease. Her journey continues.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The was a great quick read book. Don't read the back cover about the author until you have read the book.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

inspiring story, easy read, great writing. very powerful read for those experiencing chronic illness or those that want to know how to show up for those individuals.

[Lupita · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8
The epilogue was so sweet

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book about living with “invisible diseases”. i learnt so much about lyme disease but also friendships, relationships and memories. beautifully written

i’ve been in a 2 month long reading slump so finishing this book was so satisfying

[Crimson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for my first September read! It's a miracle 🤣

I won this in a goodreads giveaway and I honestly wasn't expecting much. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

This was really well written. It was a relatable coming of age story dealing with chronic illness, written in the form of letters. There are some parts that drag, but it was worth it to push through them for sure.

I'm glad that I read this book. This really was a great representation of chronic illness in young adults, and as someone who was medically and socially gaslighted for my own chronic illness over the years, it really hit home for me.

[Marla Lindblom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of letters telling an inspiring story you want to know. Received as a goodreads giveaway, I feel fortunate to have read this book and recommend others read it also.