gabieowleyess's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5 stars.
Last week, I was snowed in while on vacation in Idaho and I only brought my ipad with me. My library has a limited amount of books that you can check out in ebook form, and this book was the first one that I found on my TBR shelf that was available. When I was younger, Cynthia Hand was one of my favorite authors ever. I’ve met her two times. She has been a huge inspiration to my writing journey. I was a little nervous going into this book because I haven’t read one of her books in four years. When picking this up, there were so many thoughts going through my mind. Like: “What happens if I don’t like the book?” and “Will my opinion of her writing change if this isn’t my favorite book?” I was really nervous, but in the end, I really am glad that I read it.
This book was not easy to read. It’s about a girl who’s brother commits suicide. It’s not supposed to be an easy book to read. I knew that this book was possibly going to be very emotional for me because I have had people in my family commit suicide. And, to an extent, this book really did hit a few of those pressure points. Cynthia Hand does a really great job of describing the weird feeling of how everything continues when a love one dies. I think that’s something that we don’t see very often in Young Adult, which made this book really refreshing. A lot of the time in YA, when someone dies, everyone around that person kinda checks out from life for a while. That is a very valid and real way that people can respond to the death of a loved one, but that was not the experience that I had. It was really nice to read about an experience that I could relate to. It was nice to see Alexis struggle with going on. It was nice to see her go to counseling. This was one of my favorite things because counseling was a huge factor (and is still) in my mental health after my loved ones died.
With all that being said, it took me a while to actually connect to Alexis. I connected to the process and the way in which she was doing things, but I did not actually connect with her until halfway into the book. Her diary entries are what really helped me get to that turning point with her. She was really closed off to the rest of the world and it was great to be able to see what she was feeling every once in a while.
I really liked the experiences that I was able to have with this book, but I cannot say that it was my favorite book. As I get older, I realize that YA is not written for me and that I may not connect with it as much as I would have when I was younger. That does not mean that I will not identify with YA books or that I can’t like them, but I just realize that it’s okay if I don’t connect with them as much as I would have when I was younger. That was the case with this book. I think that if I would have read it when I was younger, I would have been all over it, but right now, I’m not, and that’s okay. I’m happy that I picked it up because it really was a good experience.
Last week, I was snowed in while on vacation in Idaho and I only brought my ipad with me. My library has a limited amount of books that you can check out in ebook form, and this book was the first one that I found on my TBR shelf that was available. When I was younger, Cynthia Hand was one of my favorite authors ever. I’ve met her two times. She has been a huge inspiration to my writing journey. I was a little nervous going into this book because I haven’t read one of her books in four years. When picking this up, there were so many thoughts going through my mind. Like: “What happens if I don’t like the book?” and “Will my opinion of her writing change if this isn’t my favorite book?” I was really nervous, but in the end, I really am glad that I read it.
This book was not easy to read. It’s about a girl who’s brother commits suicide. It’s not supposed to be an easy book to read. I knew that this book was possibly going to be very emotional for me because I have had people in my family commit suicide. And, to an extent, this book really did hit a few of those pressure points. Cynthia Hand does a really great job of describing the weird feeling of how everything continues when a love one dies. I think that’s something that we don’t see very often in Young Adult, which made this book really refreshing. A lot of the time in YA, when someone dies, everyone around that person kinda checks out from life for a while. That is a very valid and real way that people can respond to the death of a loved one, but that was not the experience that I had. It was really nice to read about an experience that I could relate to. It was nice to see Alexis struggle with going on. It was nice to see her go to counseling. This was one of my favorite things because counseling was a huge factor (and is still) in my mental health after my loved ones died.
With all that being said, it took me a while to actually connect to Alexis. I connected to the process and the way in which she was doing things, but I did not actually connect with her until halfway into the book. Her diary entries are what really helped me get to that turning point with her. She was really closed off to the rest of the world and it was great to be able to see what she was feeling every once in a while.
I really liked the experiences that I was able to have with this book, but I cannot say that it was my favorite book. As I get older, I realize that YA is not written for me and that I may not connect with it as much as I would have when I was younger. That does not mean that I will not identify with YA books or that I can’t like them, but I just realize that it’s okay if I don’t connect with them as much as I would have when I was younger. That was the case with this book. I think that if I would have read it when I was younger, I would have been all over it, but right now, I’m not, and that’s okay. I’m happy that I picked it up because it really was a good experience.
angeliccatenorio's review against another edition
5.0
Very moving. Just finished this novel and I am extremely missing Lex, Ty, Steven, Damian and others already!!!
soojinniee's review against another edition
5.0
Usually when a book makes me cry, I always take a few seconds processing the sad moment, wipe my tears, and move on. However, this book had me continuously crying about moments that happened 50 pages before and the tears were non-stop with this one. Even after finishing it, I was still crying.
I've read a handful of books about suicide and grief, and I felt like most of them failed to affect me. Even the few books that did affect me in some way weren't able to fully capture me in a way that this book did. Reading this book had me feeling like something was constantly tearing away my heart and putting it back, only to tear it away again. I admit, many moments and scenes in this book were cliche and can be found in just about any book about suicide and death of a loved one, but the ways the author portrayed them were different. I had a feeling what the last text message Ty sent to Lex read, but I still found myself gasping slightly and feeling hallowed after it was revealed. The way Cynthia Hand presented it was so raw and real. It was neither idealized nor romanticized.
Romance was very minimal in this book and it was like a breath of fresh air. All the books I've read about topics like these had romance as the main focus. The main character experiences grief, but it's all good! Because the main love interest would always be there to offer a shoulder to cry on. However, in TLWSG, Lex is alone. She does have one or two potential guys in the book that she could have been involved romantically with, but neither of Lex's relationship with them overshadowed the main focus of the book. In fact, most of the scenes of romance were from when Lex was reminiscing about the past. They were just a part of her grief.
I think this book packed a punch with me mostly because Ty was Lex's younger brother. I've read about grief over friends, older siblings, lovers, etc. but never about younger siblings. All of these are equally sad, but something about younger siblings just get to me. In your eyes, they will always be a baby to you. There was actually one memory Lex had with her brother, that seemed very similar to one memory I have with my brother. So it really got to me.
Besides Lex, there was also another character who I really felt for. Damian, one of Ty's best friends. He was a very minor character, but my heart hurt for him too. I wanted to cradle him in my arms. He was such an adorable character and it really hurt to read about him crying.
I've read a handful of books about suicide and grief, and I felt like most of them failed to affect me. Even the few books that did affect me in some way weren't able to fully capture me in a way that this book did. Reading this book had me feeling like something was constantly tearing away my heart and putting it back, only to tear it away again. I admit, many moments and scenes in this book were cliche and can be found in just about any book about suicide and death of a loved one, but the ways the author portrayed them were different. I had a feeling what the last text message Ty sent to Lex read, but I still found myself gasping slightly and feeling hallowed after it was revealed. The way Cynthia Hand presented it was so raw and real. It was neither idealized nor romanticized.
Romance was very minimal in this book and it was like a breath of fresh air. All the books I've read about topics like these had romance as the main focus. The main character experiences grief, but it's all good! Because the main love interest would always be there to offer a shoulder to cry on. However, in TLWSG, Lex is alone. She does have one or two potential guys in the book that she could have been involved romantically with, but neither of Lex's relationship with them overshadowed the main focus of the book. In fact, most of the scenes of romance were from when Lex was reminiscing about the past. They were just a part of her grief.
I think this book packed a punch with me mostly because Ty was Lex's younger brother. I've read about grief over friends, older siblings, lovers, etc. but never about younger siblings. All of these are equally sad, but something about younger siblings just get to me. In your eyes, they will always be a baby to you. There was actually one memory Lex had with her brother, that seemed very similar to one memory I have with my brother. So it really got to me.
Besides Lex, there was also another character who I really felt for. Damian, one of Ty's best friends. He was a very minor character, but my heart hurt for him too.
Spoiler
Both of his best friends committed suicide.megandukebooks's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't get as much out of this book that I hoped. It was good, but it didn't leave me feeling amazed.
darabrnrd19's review against another edition
5.0
I picked up this book during March and then I stopped reading it but this month, I've decided to pick it up again and continue where I left off. And I did not expect the amount of tears I cried when I was in 200+ pages. I thought it's not that deep but the letter Tyler wrote for Ashley got me.
ajsterkel's review against another edition
3.0
Likes: Honestly, when I started this book, I wasn’t sure if it was a “me” novel. It sounds very angsty. Then, within the first few chapters, the main character sees the ghost of her dead brother, freaks out, and throws her phone at him. When I read that scene, I was like, “Yep, I’m going to enjoy this story.”
The main character, Lex, is dealing with the recent suicide of her younger brother, Tyler. I think the author handles Lex’s emotions realistically. Lex keeps analyzing everything that happened on the day her brother died. She feels guilty that she didn’t answer his text messages in time. She feels guilty that she went on a date instead of staying home with him. It’s sad to watch her struggle, but it’s also relatable. I think most of us wish we could go back in time and get a do-over with an event.
Speaking of dates, there is romance in this book, and I didn’t hate it! Sure, it’s a bit unrealistically perfect, but it’s sweet and doesn’t take over the whole plot. I appreciate that.
I love how Tyler’s depression is handled. It’s not extremely obvious that he’s depressed. He goes to school, has friends, plays sports. This novel shows that depression can be hard to spot. You never know what’s going on inside another person’s head. I also like that Tyler doesn’t have “reasons” for committing suicide. He kills himself because he’s depressed. That’s it. There’s no one to blame. Nothing extraordinarily terrible happened to him. Tyler’s suicide is Tyler’s fault and no one else’s.
Dislikes: I got frustrated with Lex, especially in the beginning. She’s sometimes ungrateful, whiny, and self-centered. I especially disliked her when she was moaning about having to talk to the expensive therapist that her mother is paying for. I guess I can’t complain about Lex too much. I was also an ungrateful, whiny, and self-centered teenager. She’s realistic.
There are actually two suicides in this book. While Tyler’s is handled brilliantly, the other one is mostly glossed over. Then Lex becomes a fake pity friend to a kid who she thinks is going to commit suicide. That whole plotline is too underdeveloped for my tastes.
My final complaint is the story’s pacing. It’s very flat. It often feels like the plot is about to pick up and get moving, but then it doesn’t. There are a bunch of little plot threads that start strong and then fizzle. The ghost thing that got me interested in the story didn’t go anywhere. I feel like I spent most of the book trying to figure out where this story was heading. Nothing really happens until the last 50 pages. This is a fairly long novel, so I got impatient with the large amounts of nothing that happens.
The Bottom Line: A realistic look at suicide and how it changes a family. I think the book could have been shorter.
Do you like opinions, giveaways, and bookish nonsense? I have a blog for that.
The main character, Lex, is dealing with the recent suicide of her younger brother, Tyler. I think the author handles Lex’s emotions realistically. Lex keeps analyzing everything that happened on the day her brother died. She feels guilty that she didn’t answer his text messages in time. She feels guilty that she went on a date instead of staying home with him. It’s sad to watch her struggle, but it’s also relatable. I think most of us wish we could go back in time and get a do-over with an event.
Speaking of dates, there is romance in this book, and I didn’t hate it! Sure, it’s a bit unrealistically perfect, but it’s sweet and doesn’t take over the whole plot. I appreciate that.
I love how Tyler’s depression is handled. It’s not extremely obvious that he’s depressed. He goes to school, has friends, plays sports. This novel shows that depression can be hard to spot. You never know what’s going on inside another person’s head. I also like that Tyler doesn’t have “reasons” for committing suicide. He kills himself because he’s depressed. That’s it. There’s no one to blame. Nothing extraordinarily terrible happened to him. Tyler’s suicide is Tyler’s fault and no one else’s.
“There's death all around us. Everywhere we look. 1.8 people kill themselves every second. We just don't pay attention. Until we do.” – The Last Time We Say Goodbye
Dislikes: I got frustrated with Lex, especially in the beginning. She’s sometimes ungrateful, whiny, and self-centered. I especially disliked her when she was moaning about having to talk to the expensive therapist that her mother is paying for. I guess I can’t complain about Lex too much. I was also an ungrateful, whiny, and self-centered teenager. She’s realistic.
There are actually two suicides in this book. While Tyler’s is handled brilliantly, the other one is mostly glossed over. Then Lex becomes a fake pity friend to a kid who she thinks is going to commit suicide. That whole plotline is too underdeveloped for my tastes.
My final complaint is the story’s pacing. It’s very flat. It often feels like the plot is about to pick up and get moving, but then it doesn’t. There are a bunch of little plot threads that start strong and then fizzle. The ghost thing that got me interested in the story didn’t go anywhere. I feel like I spent most of the book trying to figure out where this story was heading. Nothing really happens until the last 50 pages. This is a fairly long novel, so I got impatient with the large amounts of nothing that happens.
The Bottom Line: A realistic look at suicide and how it changes a family. I think the book could have been shorter.
Do you like opinions, giveaways, and bookish nonsense? I have a blog for that.
notblue's review against another edition
4.0
This was honest to god one of the saddest yet most satisfying books I've ever read.
lyndsayreads's review against another edition
3.0
Probably more of a 3.5/5 stars.
I have a lot to say, but I want to let it sit with me for a little bit before I write or film a full review. I did enjoy it, but I also had some issues. I'll flesh out my thoughts and put them here later.
I have a lot to say, but I want to let it sit with me for a little bit before I write or film a full review. I did enjoy it, but I also had some issues. I'll flesh out my thoughts and put them here later.
readaroundtherosie's review against another edition
5.0
I'm torn between giving this book 4 stars, or 5 stars.
On the one hand, this book tore me to pieces and made me an emotional wreck, in a beautifully crafted manner- the writing was lovely and it was difficult to put the book down, and God, the emotion in this novel will stick with me for a very long time. For that, I absolutely adore it.
On the other hand, the side characters fell a little flat, and this was a very character-driven novel.
That's the only, even remote, let down.
So overall I'd say 4.5.
Gosh, my face is a mess.
On the one hand, this book tore me to pieces and made me an emotional wreck, in a beautifully crafted manner- the writing was lovely and it was difficult to put the book down, and God, the emotion in this novel will stick with me for a very long time. For that, I absolutely adore it.
On the other hand, the side characters fell a little flat, and this was a very character-driven novel.
That's the only, even remote, let down.
So overall I'd say 4.5.
Gosh, my face is a mess.
vacanteeth's review against another edition
2.0
it was alright when i read it but honestly, just unmemorable