Dustin Thao’s When Haru Was Here is a poignant exploration of grief, love, and the fragile boundary between reality and imagination. Building upon the emotional depth of his debut novel, You’ve Reached Sam, Thao crafts a narrative that delves into the complexities of loss and the human desire for connection.

The story centers on Eric Ly, a Vietnamese American teenager grappling with the sudden death of his best friend, Daniel. In an attempt to cope, Eric conjures imaginary scenarios, one of which becomes startlingly real when Haru Tanaka—a boy he met during a summer trip to Japan—reappears in his life. The twist: no one else can see Haru. As their bond deepens, Eric is forced to confront the nature of his reality and the depths of his grief.

Thao masterfully intertwines themes of grief, identity, and the supernatural. Haru's ethereal presence serves as both a comfort and a catalyst, compelling Eric to navigate the murky waters of loss and acceptance. The novel’s magical realism elements underscore the often surreal experience of mourning, where memories and desires blur the lines of the tangible world.

Eric's journey is marked by emotional vulnerability and introspection. His interactions with Haru, as well as with his sister Jasmine and other supporting characters, reveal the multifaceted nature of grief and the importance of confronting one's emotions. Thao's portrayal of Eric's internal struggles resonates with authenticity, offering readers a window into the complexities of healing.

Thao's prose is both lyrical and evocative, capturing the nuances of adolescent emotion with precision. His ability to convey profound sentiments through understated language enhances the novel's emotional impact, allowing readers to immerse themselves fully in Eric's world.

When Haru Was Here stands as a testament to Dustin Thao's skill in navigating the delicate interplay between loss and hope. Through a narrative that is both heart-wrenching and uplifting, Thao invites readers to reflect on the enduring power of love and the resilience of the human spirit. This novel is a compelling read for anyone seeking a story that delves deep into the emotional landscapes of grief and healing.

A wonderful and moving story following teenager Eric as he deals with the grief of losing his best friend. This has some really sweet moments and an ending that had me crying (both happy and sad tears)! I would definitely read more from Dustin Thao.

Drawn in from the get go, this is a beautifully written story about Eric on his journey with grief processing. The narrative was cute & whimsical and you could feel Eric’s loneliness throughout which was just so sad. The ending had me in tears. Can’t wait to read Dustin Thao’s next one.

5/5 stars! Dustin Thao does it again. His debut "You've Reached Sam" made me ugly cry so hard I almost threw up. So I had a bit of an idea about what was in store for me in "When Haru was Here." God...this book! A masterclass in grief, processing, and what letting go really means. I lost a sibling a few years ago and the author's ability to capture what that emptiness while simultaneously feeling like your world is ending feels like. The tears were worth it. Thank you to the author for creating yet another stunning book.

Whilst dealing with the grief of losing his best friend Eric Ly begins creating imaginary scenarios in his head to help him cope. Until one day one of them becomes real and the boy he met a year ago, Haru, walks into the coffee shop and sits down beside him. Eric finally has someone to connect with and help him feel less alone. But soon he starts losing his grip on reality and control over his life and he has to decide whether or not to confront the truth even if it means losing Haru forever.

Dustin Thao really knows how to break your heart which after reading 'You've reached Sam' I should've remembered. I was bawling by the end of this. This was written so well showing how easy it is to spiral into the darkness and lose your grip on reality when dealing with grief. The twist at the end of this is a real sucker punch to the gut, and I really wasn't expecting it. I flew through this in one sitting as I couldn't put it down. I will always pick up Dustins work and will always recommend.

Loved this book, the writing is brilliant, this is the 2nd book of theirs that i have read and i wasn’t disappointed at all. I will be reading all their work

Really enjoyed this book. Felt the characters emotions. When a chapter end felt the emotions that came with it. Such a lovely book. Shows that grief can take you into a different world. Makes you feel like you're in a tug of war between reality and grief world. The ending omg. Was so beautiful. Can't wait for the next book.

After reading "You've reached sam" and the strong emotional reaction it gave me (i was sobbing for a good 30 mins) I went into When Haru was Here with full expectations of having my heart ripped out and to be crying..... again lol

Dustin Thao absolutely knows how to tug at the heartstrings, and When Haru was here was another emotional, beautifully written whimsy story.

I really did struggle to connect to the MC and while I did enjoy this story a lot and it did make me emotional at certain parts, I do think this one was a little all-over the place. There were times that I got very confused and was unsure of what was happening within the storyline, and I think that affected the reading flow & experience. Rather than being sucked into the book/story, I was going back every now and then to reread parts to figure out what was happening.

However, I did enjoy this story and may potentially reread down the line to see if my opinions change on it.

Another beautiful and magical story from the brilliant Dustin Thao. Using such whimsy to address topics that are so relevant to my students has allowed them to really engage and be drawn in by this book.

Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it.

For a second there, I thought this was a horror novel. Holy heck, the way the imaginary character just shows up in places and won’t leave…there really is the makings of horror there…some psychological torment.

I get this book wanted to explore grief, but I feel like it held back a lot?? And the lack of conversation surrounding the imaginary people and scenarios?? I was convinced at one point that Eric had been hit by a train and was in a coma or had some kind of head injury.

I feel like Thao wanted readers to fill in the blanks in too many places where the blanks should’ve been filled. Sadly this book just didn’t live up to what it could’ve been.

After falling in love with Dustin Thao's writing when reading "You've Reached Sam" I could not pass up the chance of reading "When Haru Was Here".

Another tragic story with twist after twist. It is going to take a little while for my heart to recover from this.
This is a beautifully written story that will keep you engaged page after page.
This is the sort of book that stays with you for a long time.

Dustin Thao has once again consumed my life with his words. I look forward to seeing what he has in store for us next.

It took me a little while to get into the book because I didn't know why I could believe and what I couldn't for the longest time. But once I grapsed that, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the book. The twist! The twist made my heart drop. I can't believe his sisters died too. Poor guy!

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this book

I listened to this book by audiobook and the narrator did a really good job of trying to get me engrossed in the story, but unfortunately, I did not connect to the story as much as others I have seen review this book and I found that quite upset by that.

The story is about a guy who is dealing with grief and loneliness after losing his best friend when he died a year ago, during this time he connects with a guy called Haru (who is a figment of his imagination) to deal with his pain and try to feel he has some sort of a connection 💔... I thought the characters were a little bland and I didn't feel a connection to either of them throughout the story which left me not caring what happens to the characters. Even tho I get the story and what it's trying to convey I felt like something was missing that would have had me enjoy the story more.

My personal book of the year - I’m calling it right now!! I’m on track to finish 300 books before New Year’s, and no book I’ve ever read, this year or before, has made me cry like this one had!!!

To sum up the emotional roller coaster this reading experience was, it broke my heart twice in the first 40 pages. It continued to do so several more times throughout the book, but I stopped counting when I reached double digits. Some books have a hurt/comfort trope, where one character is hurt or injured, and another takes care of them and helps them through it — this book had all of the hurt and none of the comfort!! I was legit bawling my eyes out at several points (I read page 115-290 today, I didn’t cry before that point but it certainly hurt me to the point where I could feel it in my chest), and hyperventilating and laughing and being fed chocolate by my partner who was both laughing at me and asking if I was okay.

There are so many twists in this story, you couldn’t believe. The plot seems to be going one way, and then with one sentence at the end of the chapter, Thao completely changes direction and you’re left wondering what is even real. There was one twist where I shouted “what–no!!!” and immediately started crying again, and I thought the book couldn’t possibly hurt me any more at that point but it did!!

Maybe I’m extra emotional because of everything that’s happened in the world this week, but I’m tempted to reread You’ve Reached Sam now to see if I get as emotional by Thao’s first book (I didn’t the first time around — I liked the book but it didn’t affect me the way this one did)! This book has similar vibes, but I just felt everything so much more; every time something or someone hurt Eric, I felt it in the core of my soul, and I’ve never read anything like it!! Parts of it reminded me of the anime film Your Name — but I won’t spoil anything my saying what parts!

Anyone who wants an emotional rollercoaster following a 19 year old Vietnamese-American boy in Chicago absolutely needs to read this book! I’m actually scared for whatever I read next now, as nothing can live up to this, not for a long time!!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My ARC expired and I purchased a paperback but all thoughts here are my own.

When Haru Was Here is most definitely an emotional roller coaster. That deals with overcoming grief and the pain that occurs when losing someone you love, someone you care about a friend or a family member.

I will admit that I do still have from chapter 15 - the end left. But I myself thought I was ready for a tale like this but now I am not so sure. Dustin has a way of making me feel the same as Eric in a completely different context as no one I love that much has died. But I understood Eric's pain his need for thinking up different scenarios just to cope with the grind of everyday life.

This is also a perfectly lovely book for LGBTQ+ and Haru was a dreamboat cannot deny that.

Highly recommend this book and do hope to get through to the end one day.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and kept me turning the pages. The ending was very sad.

After the death of his best friend, Eric Ly creates imaginary scenarios in his head to deal with his grief. Until one of them becomes real, and a boy he met last summer – Haru Tanaka – walks into the coffee shop and sits down next to him. The only thing is, nobody else can see him.

Simply breathtaking. Emotional , devastating. Yet uplifting.
Must read

I definitely had low expectations going in to this, but I liked the premise so wanted to give it a go. I understand why people like Thao’s writing, but for me, it’s just too simple and messy.
Unfortunately, like You’ve Reached Sam, this book was way too all over the place. Sure, Thao’s books are easy to read and will definitely be right for someone, however, that’s not me. The story was too loosely plotted and far too here, there snd everywhere for something that should have been dynamically simple.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s and Netgalley for the ARC

unfortunately, for me, this book was way too all over the place. as always, dustin thao's books are easy to read and I genuinely enjoy his writing. however, the story was badly plotted and far too chaotic for such a simplistic depth

It felt like I was going into this book completely blind because the blurb didn’t prepare me at all for it! I knew it was gay and sad, and I spent most of the book thinking that Haru was some supernatural entity or the spirit of a someone that Eric had dated.

But then it all unravels and none of that is true and Eric’s ex is dead but it’s not Haru and then THAT PLOT TWIST AT THE END?! Caught me completely off guard and I had to backtrack to make sure I hadn’t missed something because WHAT 😭😭

An incredible story about grief and coping and just being a teenager on top of everything else.