Review: The Last Time We Say Goodbye

Title: The Last Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: February 10th 2015
Genre: Teen & Young Adult | Suicide Fiction
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Kindle Edition
Rating:

Blurb from Goodreads...

There's death all around us.
We just don't pay attention.
Until we do.

The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be.

As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone-a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.

My Thoughts...

Absolutely heart-wrenching. Be prepared to do some ugly crying especially on the last few chapters of the book. Your heart will ache and hurt for Lexie as she struggles to come to terms with her brother Tyler's suicide. A totally honest take on grief and depression. And the eventual closure, of letting go and moving on with life.

Lexie used to have a happy life - a complete family, a wonderful boyfriend, and a bright future ahead. It all went downhill after Tyler, her younger brother, shot himself on the chest and died. Now, her father's already with someone else, her mother's slowly drinking herself into oblivion, and her brother's dead. She also pushed her boyfriend and friends away. She felt guilty for not being there for her brother when he needed her. She's sliding into darkness and would have succumb to it eventually if not for the care shown to her by her friends.

I've said this time and again, grief is a very powerful emotion. It can trigger a slide into darkness if not addressed properly. A person who is grieving can jump from being sad and lonely to depressed. Hold on to someone who genuinely cares. Reach out to a love one, a friend, a partner. Let yourself grieve but if you feel like you are having a hard time letting go and moving on, seek help. It is not a sign of weakness but rather a sign that you care not only for yourself but also to every person who matters to you.

The Last Time We Say Goodbye will make your heart ache, will make you laugh, will make you relive all the funny and happy moments you shared with your sibling(s), and will make you realize that it is okay to forgive and let go.

I would like to give this book 10 Stars if I can only do so!

Read this book. It ranks on top with All The Bright Places as one of the best books I've read so far.