The Last One coming December 3, 2024 from Red Tower Books; 496 pages
Content Warning: Death, violence, sex, profanity
About the Author: “Rachel Howzell Hall is the author of thirteen novels, including the bestselling thriller What Fire Brings and The Last One, the explosive debut romantasy in her new series. A two-time nominee of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Rachel is also a former member of the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America and was a featured writer on NPR’s acclaimed Crime in the City series and the National Endowment for the Arts weekly podcast” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Rachel Howzell Hall on the following platforms:
When Kai wakes up in the woods with no memory, she is immediately thrust into an unfamiliar world of cruelty, sickness, and violence. Spurred by the desire to recover treasured items that have been stolen from her, Kai ends up in the village of Maford, in the company of a handsome blacksmith, Jadon, and his troublesome younger sister, Olivia. While Kai works to regain her lost memory and identity with the help of these new companions, she learns more about her role in the desperate and brutal world around her. As the group journeys through the realm looking for answers to Kai’s mysterious background, they encounter strange creatures, new and old allies, and wicked beings intent on their destruction. Suspense and danger build, and so too does Kai’s intense connection with Jadon. But will the answers Kai seeks threaten everything she has come to value?
As an avid fantasy reader, I was intrigued and excited by the summary for this novel. However, I felt quite lost throughout the book; while all fantasy novels require some extensive worldbuilding, I felt like I was constantly being exposed to random new creatures and segments of backstory on every page. In this respect, the novel, especially in the middle, felt quite repetitive, and plot elements all seemed to blur together without actually contributing anything to the story’s progress. It was slightly disappointing that a detailed explanation of the story’s driving conflict and substance was only delivered within the last 10-20 pages of the novel, with plot twists being thrown in every few sentences, creating an overwhelming reading experience for me as I tried to finish the book. I was also expecting more from the novel’s romantic element. The relationship between Kai and Jadon was driven by banter and very un-subtle innuendos, and while I love banter when done well, there were many points where I did not feel the genuine connection between the two that I had hoped to. With that being said, Hall developed a very compelling voice for her female protagonist, and the world she built was captivating and complex, if at times quite confusing. I would be interested to see how this story and world progresses in the next installment, but I don’t know if I would approach a sequel with as much enthusiasm as I felt initially picking up this title.
The Last One releases on December 3rd, 2024.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank SparkPoint and Red Tower Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Sam Parker, Pine Reads Review Social Media Manager
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