Thursday, May 21, 2015

Audiobook Review: 4 reasons I loved The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

Title: The Last Time We Say Goodbye
Author: Cynthia Hand
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: 10th February 2015
Time: 9hrs 20mins
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Book Source: Library Borrow Box

Synopsis: 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.


4 reasons I loved The Last Time We Say Goodbye:

I was already in love with Cynthia Hand's beautiful, lyrical writing ... her Unearthly trilogy blew me away a few years ago. It wasn't a difficult choice to pick up The Last Time We Say Goodbye and it more than lived up to my high expectations.

The exploration of grief is beautifully and sensitively done. Before you shout me down and say not another one of those books. I swear it's different. The strength of The Last Time We Say Goodbye is in its down-to-earth simplicity, it's the raw, simple, messy truth that is grief. It focuses on Alexis's grief following her brother's suicide ... the gaping hole in her chest, the shock, sadness, guilt, anger. It's about family relationships and the devastation suicide wreaks on a family. Ultimately it's a story of hope and forgiveness and living with loss.

Julia Whelan is one of my favourite narrators. She has this uncanny ability of becoming a character, and pulling you in to share the story as a participant not just an observer.

That ending. Tissues ... enough said.


Connect with Cynthia Hand


16 comments:

  1. Tissues, aye enough said, I know the book, good

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    1. lol I know you usually steer clear of these B :)

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  2. Ohhhhhhhhh this sounds GOOD!!!!!!!!!

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    1. are you listening to audiobooks yet Julie? You totally should, you'd get so much reading done while you're creating ... win/win :)

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  3. Oh, this sounds like a book I've love.

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    1. yes I think you'd like it Deb, let me know if you do give it a go.

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    1. a bit of a departure from her fantasy trilogy but every bit as good!

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  5. I have loved the couple of books I have listened to with Julia Whelan narrating (Nora Robert's books). This sounds like a teary one indeed. I like books that explore something difficult and that give a reader an experience.

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    1. I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy it Kathryn. I loved Julia Whelan's narration in The Witness, she's just as convincing in this one.

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  6. I love Julia Whelan's narration too. This book sounds like a great one to listen to. Thanks for the recommendation.

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    1. You're welcome Nise, hope you 'enjoy' it as much as I did!

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  7. yep it was a bit of a sob fest at the end Felicia but it wasn't depressing!

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  8. Fantastic review! I definitely want to read this and I'll have to see if we have the audio at the library. I listened to The Fault in Our Stars and it was really good though crying while driving isn't entirely safe :)

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  9. I am wondering if I've listen to Julia Whelan before. I love Cynthia Hand, do you know I bought the final Unearth book on release day and still haven't read it. *facepalm* Lovely review!!

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  10. This looks good, even if a downer. I'll have to look for it.

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