Overview

In the tradition of Thirteen Reasons Why and All the Bright Places, The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a deeply affecting novel that will change the way you look at life and death. From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand comes a stunning, heart-wrenching novel of love and loss, which ALA Booklist called both shatteringly painful and bright with life and hope in a starred review. Since her brother, Tyler, committed suicide, Lex has been trying to keep her grief locked away, and to forget about what happened that night. But as she starts putting her life, her family, and her friendships back together, Lex is haunted by a secret she hasn't told anyone--a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Full Product Details

9781481533041

Table of Contents

Reviews

The characters involved are many...but each story line is distinctly important and carefully woven in. Details of Ty's last days, Alexis' sense of guilt, and the incident itself are revealed slowly and are often unexpected but always believable. -- Kirkus Reviews The narrative unravels in perfect pacing...Readers will be drawn in by the even pacing, the heavy moments never overwhelming the teen's story. Raw, emotional, and gripping, this book is Hand's first realistic fiction title, and fans of her popular Unearthly series will follow her genre change willingly. Libraries should jump at having this book, not only because of the author's previous work, but because it is an excellent and thoughtful exploration of grief. -- School Library Journal [Hand] persuasively conveys the aftermath of suicide and the ways those left behind struggle with grief, anger, and guilt. -- Publishers Weekly A quietly powerful, emotionally complex novel that will echo with readers long after it is finished, both shatteringly painful and bright with life and hope. -- Booklist (starred review) A moving, stand-alone contemporary YA sure to bring on tears. Emotionally gripping from start to finish, this realistic novel takes a look at tragic loss, grief, and how everyone's journey varies. What makes this particular story so remarkable is that nothing in it is random or insubstantial; everything has meaning-even something as simple as a card game or text message-and the interconnections are woven flawlessly. Hand does a beautiful job delivering a powerful message. -- RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars, Top Pick!)

The narrative unravels in perfect pacing...Readers will be drawn in by the even pacing, the heavy moments never overwhelming the teen's story. Raw, emotional, and gripping, this book is Hand's first realistic fiction title, and fans of her popular Unearthly series will follow her genre change willingly. Libraries should jump at having this book, not only because of the author's previous work, but because it is an excellent and thoughtful exploration of grief. -- School Library Journal A moving, stand-alone contemporary YA sure to bring on tears. Emotionally gripping from start to finish, this realistic novel takes a look at tragic loss, grief, and how everyone's journey varies. What makes this particular story so remarkable is that nothing in it is random or insubstantial; everything has meaning-even something as simple as a card game or text message-and the interconnections are woven flawlessly. Hand does a beautiful job delivering a powerful message. -- RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars, Top Pick!) The characters involved are many...but each story line is distinctly important and carefully woven in. Details of Ty's last days, Alexis' sense of guilt, and the incident itself are revealed slowly and are often unexpected but always believable. -- Kirkus Reviews [Hand] persuasively conveys the aftermath of suicide and the ways those left behind struggle with grief, anger, and guilt. -- Publishers Weekly A quietly powerful, emotionally complex novel that will echo with readers long after it is finished, both shatteringly painful and bright with life and hope. -- Booklist (starred review)

Author Information

Cynthia Hand is the New York Times bestselling author of the Unearthly trilogy. A native of southeastern Idaho, she has graduate degrees in creative writing from Boise State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. For the past seven years she has taught writing at Pepperdine University in Southern California. She and her family have recently moved back to Idaho, where they are enjoying the fresh air. Julia Whelan, winner of numerous Earphones Awards, won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Romance Narration in 2013 and has also been a finalist for an Audie Award in other years. She was named one of AudioFile magazine's Best Voices of 2010, and two of her audio narrations were shortlisted for the American Library Association's notable recordings of 2010. Her narration of Jandy Nelson's The Sky Is Everywhere earned a place in the first round of 2011 Grammy nominations for Best Spoken Word Album. She is a former child actor who has appeared in multiple films and television shows, most notably ABC's Once and Again. After receiving her college degree, she returned to the film industry and is also a writer.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available