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Jacqueline West, Writer

Bestselling author of The Books of Elsewhere and Dreamers Often Lie

LAST THINGS

May 2, 2019    Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,   

My next book comes out in six days.

Look at this gorgeous thing!!

A little write-up:

New York Times–bestselling author Jacqueline West captivates readers with a dark, hypnotic story about the cost of talent—and the evil that lurks just out of sight. Fans of Holly Black and Victoria Schwab will be mesmerized by this gorgeous, magnetic novel.

High school senior Anders Thorson is unusually gifted. His band, Last Things, is legendary in their northern Minnesota hometown. With guitar skills that would amaze even if he weren’t only eighteen, Anders is the focus of head-turning admiration. And Thea Malcom, a newcomer to the insular town, is one of his admirers. Thea seems to turn up everywhere Anders goes: gigs at the local coffeehouse, guitar lessons, even in the woods near Anders’s home.

When strange things start happening to Anders, blame immediately falls on Thea. But is she trying to hurt him? Or save him? Can he trust a girl who doesn’t seem to know the difference between dreams and reality? And how much are they both willing to sacrifice to get what they want? 

Told from Anders’s and Thea’s dual points of view, this exquisitely crafted novel is full of unexpected twists and is for fans of Holly Black’s The Darkest Part of the Forest and Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood.

This will be my ninth published novel. My eleventh book, if you count poetry collections. It still feels unreal.

Whenever readers ask me which of my books is my favorite, I say something about how I can’t possibly pick, they’re all like my children, each one is different, bladdy blah. But from now on, I think I’ll have to give a different answer.

This one is my favorite. LAST THINGS.

I can’t wait to send it out into the world on May 7th.

Reviews have been lovely so far. A few favorite bits:

…A suspenseful tale wrought from power chords, creeping darkness, and disquieting twists.  — Kirkus

West uses evocative language, including song lyrics, to enhance the ominous atmosphere in this updated Faustian thriller; her pitch-perfect depiction of music conjures pulse-pounding concerts and Anders’ passion for metal. A dark and lovely saga, ideal for fans of Brenna Yovanoff and Holly Black.     –Booklist

The action escalates like the fast-paced chords of a heavy metal bassline when everything Anders loves is threatened… Hand this worthy addition to any YA collection to fans of mystery, music, and horror. –School Library Journal

Here’s a blogger review that I loved (thank you, Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile!): http://www.hopelessbibliophile.com/2019/05/book-review-last-things-by-jacqueline.html

Interviews about the inspiration behind the book are popping up: https://theunofficialaddictionbookfanclub.blogspot.com/2019/04/interview-with-jacqueline-west-for-last.html

http://www.literaryme.net/2019/05/blog-tour-last-things-by-jacqueline.html

…And check out the official LAST THINGS playlist, if you want to listen to the music that inspired and fueled me (you know you do): https://sweeterthantaffy.blogspot.com/2019/05/last-things-by-jacqueline-west-official.html

Instead of a solo launch, I’ll be part of an amazing YA panel at St. Paul’s Red Balloon Bookshop on May 14, where you can catch me, Pete Hautman (Road Tripped), Kirstin Cronn-Mills (Wreck), and Bryan Bliss (We’ll Fly Away) talking new books, writing habits, and all things YA. Plus there will be treats. If you’re nearby, please come hang out with us. https://www.redballoonbookshop.com/event/mn-ya-spectacular

Ooh — AND — I’ll be a guest on The Jason Show, which airs throughout MN on KMSP/Fox9, at 10:00 a.m. on May 9th. You can catch the episode on Hulu or YouTube later.

I should mention that you can preorder the book right now and make my day. Please choose your favorite independent bookstore if you can (IndieBound can help you out). Amazon and B&N have got it too, of course.

If you do read the book — and better yet, if you like it — you can give me the best writerly gift possible, and recommend it to other readers, or post reviews on Amazon, B&N, and Goodreads. All these things matter more than I can say.

Thanks so much, readers. LAST THINGS and I will see you out there.

Spectacles

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