Title: The Last Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Cynthia Hand
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Day: February 10, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: eARC received by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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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.

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand, The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a gorgeous and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and letting go.



This book was one of the best books I have read this year. Granted it is only February, but I can tell already that this book will stay with me for a while. Cynthia Hand is known for her Unearthly series, which my definition is paranormal so going in I didn't know what to expect. But man, this book was brilliant.

Lex is one complicated and intense character. Her life is filled with horrible events, first her parents divorce and her father leaves with a another woman. Then her brother commits suicide in their garage. I felt for her even before I knew the whole story. This book is hard to review for the shear fact that I don't want to spoil anything, so much happen but it doesn't feel like that much happens, if that makes any sense! I loved every part of this book. I loved that Ty, her brother, was as much a part of this book as Lex was. With flashbacks to his life before his death it made it seem like he was as much alive as he was in Lex's memory. What I think made Lex such a remarkable and relate-able character was withe the way that she dealt with her grief. She not only refused to deal with her brothers death properly but she also distracted herself with school work and grades, And it wasn't until the end that we really see her come to grips with what happened and what she could have done to change things.

The end. Jesus it destroyed me on so many levels. I think I ugly cried so the last two chapters. I can't really explain what happens in the end because it encompasses so much of the entire story and what Lex goes through during the book. I absolutely LOVED this book more than I ever could have imagine. It is really hard to try and put my feeling into words, and I hope I did an okay job of it here. But if you love contemporary AT ALL please read this book. And as a side note, please read the Author Note at the end as well. Cynthia is an amazing woman and what she went through ad the strength she had to put it on paper is amazing. Please read it.