The Last to Let Go: 5 reasons this February release is a must-read

Cover to The Last to Let Go by Amber Smith. Image: Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Amber Smith’s latest release, The Last to Let Go, is a novel worth running to your local bookstore for. Here’s why.

Amber Smith’s debut novel, The Way I Used To Be, was met by young adult readers with praise, particularly for its unapologetic criticism of rape culture. Following her emotional tale of sexual assault, many wondered what she would choose to write about next. We’ve gotten our answer in her latest release, The Last to Let Go.

Utilizing her talents for writing stories surrounding serious topics, Smith unravels the damage caused by domestic violence in her new novel. The synopsis is as follows:

"How do you let go of something you’ve never had? Junior year for Brooke Winters is supposed to be about change. She’s transferring schools, starting fresh, and making plans for college so she can finally leave her hometown, her family, and her past behind. But all of her dreams are shattered one hot summer afternoon when her mother is arrested for killing Brooke’s abusive father. No one really knows what happened that day, if it was premeditated or self-defense, whether it was right or wrong. And now Brooke and her siblings are on their own. In a year of firsts—the first year without parents, first love, first heartbreak, and her first taste of freedom—Brooke must confront the shadow of her family’s violence and dysfunction, as she struggles to embrace her identity, finds her true place in the world, and learns how to let go. (via Goodreads)"

If after reading that, you’re thinking The Last to Let Go sounds like a fantastic read, you’d be correct. Here are five reasons you should add it to your reading list for February.