milymily22's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
alaskanbookwyrm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
readabookorfive's review against another edition
5.0
Trigger warnings; abuse, violence, mentions of suicide
I don’t want anybody to be scared anymore. I got this. I promise.
The Last To Let Go is a really beautiful book. It’s such a hard hitting story following 16 year old Brooke who comes home one day to find that her mother has killed her abusive father and then it follows the trail and how Brooke, her brother and sister cope with what has happened.
I really liked Brooke as a main character, I really felt for her and what she was going for and I started to get annoyed with some characters around her because it did start to feel like everyone was beginning to rely on her for everything. But, at some points she did frustrate me especially when it came to Dani. I lot of those issues could have been solved if she had just talked to Dani and told her what was going on, I know that she was embarrassed and scared about what was going on with her family but if she had just talked to Dani she would have had support around her!
I also liked Callie and Aaron but we didn’t see enough of Callie, I was so invested in her journey but we didn’t really see enough of her honestly. Aaron was frustrating in some parts, again, it was so horrific knowing what he’s been through, I’ve been there I know how horrific that is but I just really wanted more for him, I wanted him to be trying harder and he wasn’t and it was frustrating. I would have actually liked to see some of the story from his POV because we only get Brooke’s then we only get one perspective on the story and I think it would have been good to see some of it from Aaron’s.
I think Amber Smith’s writing is absolutely beautiful! It all flowed so well and went really quickly, I read this book so quickly and it’s because her writing flows so well and is just so gorgeous.
Overall, I really loved this book! It is a book I definitely won’t be forgetting any time soon because of the story, the characters and the writing. I can’t wait to pick up her other books now!
I don’t want anybody to be scared anymore. I got this. I promise.
The Last To Let Go is a really beautiful book. It’s such a hard hitting story following 16 year old Brooke who comes home one day to find that her mother has killed her abusive father and then it follows the trail and how Brooke, her brother and sister cope with what has happened.
I really liked Brooke as a main character, I really felt for her and what she was going for and I started to get annoyed with some characters around her because it did start to feel like everyone was beginning to rely on her for everything. But, at some points she did frustrate me especially when it came to Dani. I lot of those issues could have been solved if she had just talked to Dani and told her what was going on, I know that she was embarrassed and scared about what was going on with her family but if she had just talked to Dani she would have had support around her!
I also liked Callie and Aaron but we didn’t see enough of Callie, I was so invested in her journey but we didn’t really see enough of her honestly. Aaron was frustrating in some parts, again, it was so horrific knowing what he’s been through, I’ve been there I know how horrific that is but I just really wanted more for him, I wanted him to be trying harder and he wasn’t and it was frustrating. I would have actually liked to see some of the story from his POV because we only get Brooke’s then we only get one perspective on the story and I think it would have been good to see some of it from Aaron’s.
I think Amber Smith’s writing is absolutely beautiful! It all flowed so well and went really quickly, I read this book so quickly and it’s because her writing flows so well and is just so gorgeous.
Overall, I really loved this book! It is a book I definitely won’t be forgetting any time soon because of the story, the characters and the writing. I can’t wait to pick up her other books now!
mox_lad's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
burstnwithbooks's review
4.0
Whew. Okay then. This book just took my forehead and sent it through google translate. It’s still the same forehead but WOW ALL OF THE WRINKLES. It made me tense, upset, NEARLY cry (I’m cold hearted, this is unusual), and just genuinely confused. It was incredibly well done, and I don’t think I could possibly be happier with how it turned out. Full review definitely to come! This book comes out in a week- Feb. 6! Keep an eye out for it!
illiteratepaige's review against another edition
4.0
i really really enjoyed this book. i expected a lot from of it because of course amber smith wrote the way i used be (and that’s an incredible story), but i was extremely pleased with this book! i was incredible and made me stomach churn. *spoiler zone* i wish i could see into their lives in the future to see if everything turns out okay in the end.
tatis729's review against another edition
im definitely still interested in the book and will probably finish it in the future, but for right now it’s just not the kind of book i’m looking for
cgreens's review against another edition
2.0
I was disappointed in this after loving The Way I Used to Be, the author's first novel.
I appreciated that Smith branched out and didn't have an all-white, all-middle class cast of characters.
However, I found this book tedious and the characters hard to connect with. I was interested in the storyline, but . . . nothing moved forward in it. I was looking forward to learning how the trial would turn out and all the inevitable twists and turns, annnnnd then it abruptly stopped as a storyline midway through the book. Nothing seemed resolved or even believable--Jackie out of nowhere, Caroline being super nice and accommodating out of nowhere, Dani appearing all of a sudden and for some reason also liking Brooke, where the hell did Aaron go, nothing more about Callie, nothing more about what actually happened the day of the stabbing, nothing more about Carmen, nothing more about Brooke's truancies, and on and on. It's like the author kept coming up with more and more plot elements and then forgot about them. I'm annoyed that Brooke got such an optimistic ending when Eden from Smith's other novel had such a vague one, as I had so much more buy-in with that character and a desire for her to succeed.
With Brooke, I like her as a character, but everything is just left unresolved and unexplained. I didn't like any of the other characters and didn't feel that I ever got to know them.
I appreciated that Smith branched out and didn't have an all-white, all-middle class cast of characters.
However, I found this book tedious and the characters hard to connect with. I was interested in the storyline, but . . . nothing moved forward in it. I was looking forward to learning how the trial would turn out and all the inevitable twists and turns, annnnnd then it abruptly stopped as a storyline midway through the book. Nothing seemed resolved or even believable--Jackie out of nowhere, Caroline being super nice and accommodating out of nowhere, Dani appearing all of a sudden and for some reason also liking Brooke, where the hell did Aaron go, nothing more about Callie, nothing more about what actually happened the day of the stabbing, nothing more about Carmen, nothing more about Brooke's truancies, and on and on. It's like the author kept coming up with more and more plot elements and then forgot about them. I'm annoyed that Brooke got such an optimistic ending when Eden from Smith's other novel had such a vague one, as I had so much more buy-in with that character and a desire for her to succeed.
With Brooke, I like her as a character, but everything is just left unresolved and unexplained. I didn't like any of the other characters and didn't feel that I ever got to know them.
notlikethebeer's review against another edition
5.0
This is a really really tough novel that doesn't shy away from complicated or messy or difficult. However, it's also important, and nuanced, and honest, and so so good. I loved that the three siblings followed their own path in navigating grief and understanding; I also really really loved the amount of nuance that this novel allowed for. I think it took me a little while to fully figure out where the plot was going, but I'm not sure that's a bad thing- it was a slow burn in terms of themes, which feels unusual given the plot, and that's pretty interesting! Massive content note for suicide, murder and domestic abuse.
miaelizabeth13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0