Brigid has done it again. The amazing Rev, best side character in Letters, gets center stage here in this wonderful story about strength and courage. He and Emma suffer through some incredible things and both come out bruised but stronger.
I was worried about one particular character and I was sad to realise I was right, but that was true to life as well. I loved all the rest of the side characters, especially Dec. Their friendship was amazing.
I think I cried three times during this novel, which is more than Letters. So they're clearly getting better. Can't wait for the next one.

Trigger Warning: Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Violence

4 Stars!

When I first read Letters to the Lost, I loved the characters in that book, Rev was 100000% included, in fact he was probably my favourite, and this time around we got Revs story and my heart is bursting with love for him. I knew this book was going to be slightly darker, but it had to be as we only knew bits and pieces of Revs story.

It starts off with Emma who is a gamer and trying to live up to certain expectations, it all gets a bit much for her, and then we have Rev who receives a letter from his “father”. This is where the two come together after both going for some down time and talk to each other about certain issues going on in their lives.

Characters:

Rev is hands down a character that I will NEVER stop loving. He is going through a very very difficult time, he believes that one day he will become violent like his father, and once the emails/letter starts he has a hard time coming to terms with what he actually wants to do. A new foster brother is introduced in to the mix who also has issues. I LOVED them talking to one another and growing closer, it was tough for them both, but we see a mutual respect come to light. Along with this Revs parents are the most wonderful parents I’ve ever read in a book. They are just so loving, caring and understanding it honestly made me see how much my parents do for me, and that loving parents can help define who you are as a person.

It’s really hard to talk about Emma, I liked her and I didn’t like her. I understand that she’s going through a difficult time as well, especially with her parents and her game that she’s built. What I found difficult was she seemed to push EVERYONE away, and sometimes her own needs had to come first. She praises her dad a lot because he also works with games and coding, but puts down her mum even though she tries to be there for her. That’s my negatives with Emma, but my positives with Emma are how understanding she can be. In particular with Rev, she doesn’t push him to do anything he doesn’t want, she makes things easier for him by texting each other back to back (SO CUTE I CANNOT), when he showed her his scars, she saw past them, it was just so lovely to see!

What I liked?
- REVS PARENTS DESERVE THE WORLD
- We still got to see Declan and Juliet and how their relationship was
- The back story of how Rev and his parents connected, I was just so touched.
- How Rev picked his name!
- The best moment in the book for me is when Rev has had a really REALLY bad day, and his dad picks him up and he’s trying to be there for him and Rev is pushing and pushing, yet his dad is STILL there for him
- So MUCH acceptance!
- We got to see Declan re-connect with his father!
- All of the links!

What I didn’t like?
- My only issue with this book is, that we didn’t get a definite outcome on a certain situation, and I kind of wanted to know what happened…

Overall I really really enjoyed this book, it deals with some tough topics that some people have to face in real life. I’d love to know more about these characters, and I’d recommend people to read this.

This was a great hard hitting YA novel. The characters were flawed by likeable. There were some heart in your throat moments & some twists I didn't expect!

Finished in one day. Just could'nt stop reading. I really liked Emma (kick ass) and Rev. Declan has also a big part. Some important themes are waved trough out the book. Very well done. No "whining" teenagers. But "normal" thinking ones. Hope that the Dutch fans get an translation. Read this one thanks to Netgalley!

I just loved it!
I didn't know this author and her first book of this series. No need to have read the first one to read this one and just...go for it! The characters are wonderfully well worked, their feelings and the secondary characters around them. Rev and Emma are so adorable and I had a lot of trouble discovering their stories...my heart...
I had guessed the end, what would happen to Emma but it didn't spoil my pleasure!
I go to buy Letters to the Dead, because I looooved Declean and can't wait to learn more about him!

I read Letters To The Lost last year and absolutely loved it. Rev held such a special place in my heart upon reading that and when I heard he was going to have his own story, I was so excited.

This book is so heartbreaking, raw and real. It deals with very serious subjects and Brigid does an incredible job of sharing this story. It’s also cute and fluffy in parts.

I loved Rev & Emma and following their different but similar stories and how they come together.

I would recommend this book to everybody.

'More Than We Can Tell' by Brigid Kemmerer was eye opening.

Synopsis: Emma can code, and she has made her own game, but with this comes a quiet kind of danger. Rev has turned eighteen and this means his father is able to contact him again, however there's a reason he wasn't able to before and it's one that is constantly on Rev's mind. Emma and Rev both have demons to battle in their lives no matter how different they are, it's how they deal with them that could make or break them.

Emma had a lot of fire, but whether this is solely part of her personality or more with the environment she is in is the question. She mentions in the book that it's difficult to remember that when you speak to someone in real life, you're not in a game. On the internet you can say what you want as generally there are no consequences. Surprisingly it was easy for me to remember that they she was a teenager. Her emotions are all over the place on a normal day but when you factor in the divorce and online abuse, you can see why she acts the way she does. I'm glad Rev notices this (although I would have preferred if he had done it a bit earlier).

Speaking of Rev, I think he contrasts well to Emma. I was fascinated by his background and also extremely uncomfortable. Religion is something that I find difficult to wrap my head around but this was something else. What's more bizarre is that I can totally see his story being on the news. Like Emma's story, this happens on a daily basis. I think Rev handled everything the best he could. Sure he had a few flips but I can forgive him that. He's got a caring heart and I'm glad he makes use of it especially when it came to Matthew.

Both of the main issues in this book had me scared. Emma's 'Nightmare' problem spooked me the most because it's so easy to get into a situation like that. I dread the day my daughter starts to use the internet because of this exact reason. Harassment and grooming are both things that aren't easily seen. You couldn't look at a child and know that they are being groomed. You don't know who you're talking to on the internet sometimes and it is frightening to see how easy someone can turn your information around to form a connection. Rev's situation is also something that you can't see. Mostly because the main event happened in the past but his issue is just as scary. How a religious madman was able to abuse his own child in such a way is an abhorrent idea to me.

This book was better than I expected it to be. I didn't know that this was sort of a follow on from a previous book (Letters To The Lost) but I liked that it was also a standalone. It was a great book. I like books that tackle difficult subject matter and this one did exceptionally well with it all.

“We all push sometimes, just to make sure someone is on the other side, pushing back.”

Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars

More Than We Can Tell follows the story of Rev and Emma, We first met Rev in ‘Letters to the Lost’ but this can be read as a stand-alone.

Rev and Emma both have personal struggles; Rev is a foster child who was taken in and adopted by amazing parents and continue to help him to move forward after surviving an abusive childhood; when he is contacted by his birth father it triggers past feelings and hurt as well as confusion, his parents have also taken on a new foster child so there are a few changes in his life. On a night out he comes across Emma who is a game designer with a father who is quite absent and a mother who doesn’t understand her passion; they connected despite their differences.

Honestly, I was intrigued by both of these characters and their back stories but I didn’t find any chemistry between them and their dialogue felt stilted, I also felt they were quite reliant on one another despite barely knowing each other; they also spent a majority of the book apart so there wasn’t a lot of face to face interactions.

Brigid Kemmerer covered a lot of subjects in this book such as cyber bullying, physical, sexual and mental abuse, relationship breakdowns and friendship drama but I would have liked more of a resolution to these problems rather than a mention.

What I did enjoy was the mystery of Emma’s troll, I had an inkling of who it was from the onset and I was right! I was also quite intrigued about Matthew, the new foster child and my heart truly broke for him. I thought Rev’s foster parents were wonderful.

Overall, I didn’t love this book; it had its positives but for me there was more negatives and the biggest of all was the morose feel that it had. I couldn’t fault Brigid Kemmerer’s writing but I will have to pass on any more books in this series.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Rev is strong, Emma is fearless. Their worlds come together unexpectedly, but life isn’t simple for either.

Rev is use to foster children coming in and out of his life, but the new one is different. He awakens a side Rev never wanted to see of himself, a cruel reminder of his father, the monster who is trying to worm himself back into Rev’s life after 11 years.

Emma exists mostly online, she’s created her own game, a world she can get lost in but like so many industries it’s a male-dominated world. Her mother thinks she’s wasting her time, her father too intertwined into his own work, her best friend obsessed with makeup. Ethan comes to her rescue when it all goes wrong but is he all he seems?

Personally I haven’t read Letters to the Lost (Brigid Kemmerer’s last book) yet but I don’t feel I’ve missed anything, in fact it makes me want to find out more about what has happened. I know Declan and his girlfriend are the main characters in that, within MTWCT Declan has a big moment so I think if you enjoyed Letters then this is a must for you.

The book was intense in so many places, I really couldn’t put the book down but I would have enjoyed seeing Rev and Emma grow into a more, I just wanted more and more of both of them but I have to say I’m glad this book actually felt finished. So many YA’s out at the moment have a loose end feeling but this doesn’t, it was wrapped up nicely.

There are some pretty tough and heavy themes in the book including child abuse, adoption, divorce and online stalking but they are dealt with in a fantastic manner, if you are dealing with any of these talk to someone you trust.

Now please excuse me *runs out to buy Letters to the Lost*

Thanks to NetGallery, Brigid Kemmerer and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the ARC, in exchange for this an honest review

I received an e-arc in exchange of an honest review.
When I read Letters to the lost I was craving for more about Rev Fletcher. I was really happy to get to More than we can tell. I was so intrigued by that character, and I was really excited to learn more about him. This book was everything I expected it would be. It was intense, raw, and even hard at some point. It reminded me that even when we think we have everything under control life can get in the way. I enjoyed how strong Rev is.
In this book we learn everything that happen to him, what his father did, and how he can still do damage without being there.

We are also following Emma, she's a gamer and she created her own online game. We find out right away that she's receiving threat messages from one of the players. I didn't love that character as much as I loved Rev, I found her a tad self centered for my liking. I wish she would have opened up more to her family and friends.

Every characters back story are really intense and realistic, and important. I'm really glad I could read it.

Overall, this book deal with cyber and real life bullying, childs abuses, foster care system, divorces. violence, jealousy and mental health. It was hard to read sometimes, but we need more books like that.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the E-arc.

More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer is a new standalone novel set in the same world as Letters to the Lost (although Kemmerer is quick to point out it is not a series). It follows Rev, who appeared in Letters to the Lost, and Emma, a new character.

Rev went into foster care at the age of 7, then was later adopted. He's never seen without his hoodie, classmates refer to him as the 'Grim Reaper'.
Emma is into gaming and coding, to the point of creating her own online role playing game.
Their lives cross paths at a time when they both feel like everything is falling apart.

No one was teen angst and drama like Kemmerer. I don't know how she does it, but she something packs so much into her writing, it's as if you are living it not just a passive bystander. I'll admit, this one didn't have the emotional punch of Letters to the Lost, but it was still an emotional and engrossing book. Once I started, I just could not put it down.

I gotta know though, will we see more of Matt? Perhaps his story could be next?

**I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Rev Fletcher is dealing with issues from his past, issues that resurface when his abusive father sends him a letter on his eighteenth birthday.

Emma Blue is stuck in the online world, preferring to live in the world of the game she created than face reality where her parents are getting divorced and where she’s drifting from her best friend.

When the two meet, they are both pushed out of their comfort zone. Rev learns to trust someone outside his small group and Emma learns to leave her online world and deal with reality.

Set in the same universe as Letters to the Lost, this standalone novel holds its own and doesn’t need you to be familiar with Kemmerer’s previous novel.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were really well written and believable. I would recommend this book to other readers of young adult novels.

"I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review"

When Rev and Emma meet, they both long to lift the burden of their secrets and bond instantly over their shared turmoil. But when their situations turn dangerous, their trust in each other will be tested in ways they never expected.

Brigid Kemmerer has done it again and has me hooked on a book of hers. I have read all of the Elemental series and loved her story telling with that series so I was not too shocked that I loved this book as much as I did.
I had no idea when starting this book that it was the second book in a series when I began it but it did not feel like I was missing anything when reading this book due to the way the books are set out.
Revs story was truly heart breaking and my heart broke for him in this book. At the same time I wanted him to see his own self worth and how lucky he was to have what he had now.
Emmas on the other hand annoyed me a little bit, the way she handled things drove me a little crazy but at the same time I could understand her feelings with her parents.
I ended up giving this book 4.5 stars out of 5 stars and I can't wait to get hold of the first book so I can read about the other characters in this story.
I can not recommend Brigid Kemmerers books any more strongly.

Onto the second book I read in a day (but scheduled the review for the day after), we have the same characters, but the focus has moved to Declan's best mate, Rev, who is the adopted son to two wonderful human beings. 

Rev was abused as a child. His mother died close to his birth, and his father was a leader in a church... taking his beliefs to the level of starving and beating Rev into obedience. He was home schooled, never saw a doctor, the works. It's only when his hand is held on the hot plate of the stove and his arm then broken in his struggles when he tries to run away from home, and his neighbour finally witnesses him vomiting, hurt, and absolutely petrified of his father. 

His adoptive parents are beyond lovely and patient. When he first comes to them he can't sleep for fear his father will come for him, and he's also been raised to think black people are evil... but through their kindness and intelligence he slowly begins to trust and understand just how many things his father was wrong about. That was all when Rev was about seven.

In this novel he's now eighteen. The laws restricting his father from him fell away along with his status as a minor, and within weeks of his birthday he receives a letter and then emails from his former-father. As if that isn't enough his parents have taken in another child - something he's generally used to - but instead of being a baby or kid it's now a young teen, who has also been through hell to the point of grabbing a knife for protection and staring at people while they sleep.

Rev also has to be there for his mate who wants to go visit his father in jail for the first time, and then the girl he's only just met is getting harassed online for being a gamer and her parents are getting a divorce. It's all going on, and Rev is getting more and more worried he'll turn out exactly like his father, and hurt the ones he loves.

Through this novel we see people who need lessons and patience in how to view a situation from eyes not their own, and give trust for people from the outside to reassure them that they are not bad, and everything will be okay. The hardest thing is understanding that some people out there aren't just bad, they're also misguided into thinking that they really are doing the best for the people they love - and that kettle of fish is so much harder to deal with. 

This is a beautiful and hard book, and you just have to focus on the fact there are good people out there, instead of those who are really quite shit. The poor kids in this book. We just need more like Rev and his parents.

Rev is a complex character who has been adopted by him foster parents. When his parents adopt more children he is happy but then they bring home Matthew who is a teenager too.

Rev hears from his biological father who abused him and was not allowed to contact him till he turned 18 and it unsettles Rev.

Emma escapes her day to day life through online gaming. There she can ignore her home troubles and get parents. She even built her own online game. But when she starts to get harassed by another player she can’t even escape online.

When their paths collide, they do not know if it is fate or just that they both needed to get our of the house. But they start talking and soon realise they have more in common than the would expect.

A great, addictive read that covers a broad range of challenging topics. This is not a simple boy meets girl story where it all ends happily ever after. There’s are twists and a gripping finale.

This novel is incredibly well researched and insightful. The prose is simple, straightforward and powerful and the relationships and characters draw you in to the point where you feel what they feel.

It covers a lot of difficult topics such as child abuse, sexual assault, kidnapping, and a myriad of other traumas. Kemmerer writes with great empathy and compassion. No person in this story is perfect but they are very human and very real.

A difficult, confronting but fulfilling and enjoyable read.

More Than We Can Tell is a companion novel to Letters to the Lost, following the main secondary character, Rev and a new character, Emma. It's not necessary to read Letters to the Lost, but it does add to the charm of this book that you get to find out how Juliet and Declan are getting on now. I wish all books by the same author happened in the same universe, it's such a sweet idea!

Rev was severely abused when he was a kid. His father contacts him for the first time in a decade and it brings back all of his traumatic feelings. It's pretty descriptive and will almost definitely be triggering. He's also dealing with his parents taking on a new foster kid and feeling helpless to stop aggressive reactions.

Emma is a coder. She's created a game called OtherLANDS and is being harassed by someone called NightMare. It's very predictable where her storyline is going, and felt like one of those short films they show you in school about Internet safety. Her parents have a turbulent relationship and Emma doesn't feel like her mother understands how important coding is to her, despite her father also being a game developer and so she knows it's not a waste of time and actually a career.

One thing I didn't get on with in this was the writing style. Neither Emma or Rev's voices felt distinct as the same devices were used for both first person POVs. I got a little tired of the  repeating-sentence-but-in-italics-for-emphasis thing. It took away any impact the sentence had to begin with.

I also felt the dialogue got stale pretty quickly. A lot of the conversations followed the same pattern of question-answer-question--unconvincing response. The most common exchange throughout the book was: 'are you okay?', 'I'm fine', 'I don't believe you.' and I wanted a lot more than just a Q&A session between Rev and Emma.

Honestly, I didn't feel much of a connection between these two. I got the sense that it wouldn't have mattered who Rev met by the church that night, he would have bonded with them. I wasn't as involved in their chemistry, probably because they spent most of the time apart.

Overall, I liked getting to see more from Rev, and Emma had a lot of things going on in her life with an impeding divorce, cyber bullying and falling out with her best friend. I just wish that there had been more of a sense of Rev and Emma being together rather than working as such separate characters. If the book had been 100 pages shorter, it might have achieved that. I'd recommend if you've read Letters to the Lost and are a fan of multiple POV stories.

I would qualify this as more of a spin-off than a direct sequel. It can be read without actually reading Letters to the Lost and you still get the full story. That said, the full story is a lot. At time it can be too much.

Rev and Emma both have very complex personal lives. There is never a dull moment in this book. Emma is being sexually harassed by an unknown player named N1ghtmare, her parents are fighting and her relationship with her best friend is falling apart. Rev is struggling to deal with the reappearance of his abusive father, his new foster brother, and his best friend’s situation. If this sounds like a lot of conflict for one book - you’re right.

While every second was interesting because there are two POVs and so many subplots almost nothing is solved in a satisfying way. The romance feels strangled by all the excess plots, it struggles to breath and becomes extremely serious over a week. Everything happens in a week. Every time I remembered how little time has passed I was shocked. So many bad and life changing things occur, and also they fall in love?

The relationship develops through several weird Q&A sessions. Neither Rev or Emma are really in a good place to start something right now to be honest. They’re both dealing with so much emotional trauma that it’s weird romance is even on their minds. It’s almost like Kemmerer couldn’t quite decide on what subplots she wanted and just shoved them all in. They overshadow the romance and each other.

The plot with Declan’s dad seems unnecessary, it doesn’t take too much time but this isn’t his story. Matthew or Rev’s Father could have been good conflict but together it’s a lot to handle. Emma’s parents would have been enough without N1ghtmare and then also Ethan clouding the picture. It’s hard to imagine a worse week. Her life suddenly turned into an avalanche of terrible for some reason.

It was an exciting read, that’s certain, but I just feel lost now that it’s over. So much happened that I didn’t really get to know Rev or Emma outside terrible events. Who are they normally? I really don’t think their love can last when it was built on such frail legs. I’m also a little tired of “the internet is dangerous” subplot. It’s as tired as afterschool specials about doing crack. It feels dramatic and preachy.

If you were head over heels for Letters to the Lost, then you’ll adore this book. You get to spend more time with old characters and meet some new ones. If you were so-so on the book, or just looking at this on its own its a bit overwhelming.

MORE THAN WE CAN TELL gives nothing short of a rollercoaster of emotions! I laughed, cried, smiled, and cried again. It's perfect for fans of Eliza and her monsters & fans of Brigid's earlier works. Rev captured my heart in Letters to the Lost and I fell for him even more as I read. The issues touched upon are hard hitting and incredibly relevant. I can't wait to push this book on everyone I know!