Standalone Novels
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| You’ve Reached Sam | 2021 | Buy |
| When Haru Was Here | 2024 | Buy |
You’ve Reached Sam Reading Order
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Você ligou para o Sam | 2021 | N/A |
| You’ve Found Oliver | 2025 | Buy |
Dustin Thao is a Vietnamese American author who writes young adult fiction with elements of magical realism. His debut novel, You’ve Reached Sam (2021), became a bestseller and connected with readers through its premise of a grieving teenager who discovers she can still call her deceased boyfriend’s phone and hear his voice. The book’s emotional honesty and its handling of grief made it popular on BookTok and among YA readers.
His second novel, When Haru Was Here (2024), also blends realistic teen life with fantastical elements. Thao writes about loss, love, and the difficulty of letting go, using magical conceits to explore emotional truths rather than building full fantasy worlds. You’ve Found Oliver (2025) continues the You’ve Reached Sam universe. His books appeal to readers who enjoy stories that sit between contemporary fiction and soft magical realism.