Mick wants to know when he’s going to die. Luckily—or unluckily—there’s an app for that . . .Dr. Mick Strong has bought himself something unusual for his seventy-fifth a LifeTime projection. This new tech crunches data including your medical history, diet, and lifestyle to predict how much—or little—time you’ve got left.That’s all well and good, but he’s also bought them for his daughter, his grandchildren, and even his eleven-year-old great-grandson. He wants them each to wait until their next birthday to use the app. But whether they scoff at it, sneak an early look, desperately turn into a health nut, or die before their appointed time, the gift is wreaking havoc on the whole family.This dark, insightful novel about hope, fear, and stubborn curiosity reminds us that we never quite know what lies ahead—and that when it comes to love and family, there’s no time like the present.
Since 1982 I've worked as a primary school teacher in the UK, Kuwait, Japan and (currently) Spain. Using the pseudonym Jeremy Dean, I've published two volumes of memoirs covering my time in Spain teaching a class of Spanish junior children (7-year-olds) in English: Zen Kyu Maestro: An English Teacher's Spanish Adventure and a sequel: Cucarachas or Cucuruchos: An English Teacher's Spanish Dilemma Hitting the Jackpot is my first work of fiction, a RomCom, published by Bloodhound Books. The Last App, also Bloodhound Books, is a speculative family drama.
I do like a book that has a more speculative fiction style to it, The Last App slots nicely into that genre.
A service is available in the US and is making its way over here to the UK. Dr Mick Strong is the first person in the UK to sign up for this, it gives a projection of the data he may die. it does give a projection and not a prediction. Mick is wondering how long he has left and decides that he will try this and his son-in-law, Adam works for the company that owns this tech.
Imagine turning up to a relative's house to discover that they have this in place, and also they have got predictions for other family members without their knowledge or consent. Talk about a bombshell when they reveal this information!
This is a book that sits nicely within the realms of possibility, we already have tests for various life-threatening conditions or for family genes that can affect out life span. Using this the author has created a story around how a family handles this information and also how they come to terms with knowing that they have an envelope that has their projected year of death.
The author then takes things up a notch by embellishing the tech base of this novel and adds another feature that can give more information about lifestyle and living a healthier life. I think I found this more disturbing and then there is what follows!
This becomes a twisted story that has a sense of a psychological thriller to it as well as a mysterious element. It adds to the overall feel of the story and the sense that this could happen.
It is a book that I really enjoyed, the concepts and also the way it is used is great. An eye-opener to be sure. This would appeal to various readers and especially those who like speculative fiction, mystery, thriller and a slight psychological aspect to it. I would definitely recommend this one.
This book kept popping up on my Facebook ads, and I was intrigued. It's on Kindle Unlimited, so why not?
I loved this book, the characters were great, the story was interesting & different and the layout with the news articles was really interesting.
It was sitting at a solid 5 stars until I hit the end, and that let me down a bit. Unless we get a sequel with a certain character getting revenge, then I will stop being mad at the ending 👀🤞
Either way, definitely worth a read, very enjoyable 4 shiny stars 🌟
A thoroughly engrossing novel by Tom Alan. The central character, apart from The Last App itself, is Mitch, an aging British doctor, who comes across the app that will give you a Lifetime Projection. In other words, after you input data about your health, lifestyle and family history, the app will project the date of your death, developed in America. Mitch gets a projection that seems realistic but he had gone ahead and got projections for all of his extended family. His one condition is that they not open it until their respective birthdays.
Mitch's son-in-law Adam is working as a sales agent in Britain for the Last App company. The company invites Mitch to their HQ and decide to make him their poster boy for their British company. And Adam is given a major promotion to the Executive Suite. But while in the states in the company's futuristic headquarters Adam is apparently seduced after a drunken party. So he is now under their thumb as he is blackmailable. He learns that certain characters have plans that would fulfill their self-interest and not necessarily that of the company.
AS the plot develops the family becomes upset with Mitch for having purchased projections for them without their consent. And much of the information he has input is inaccurate and crucial family health background data is missed. A projection for his grandson turns out to be wacky, a very early death.
As Adam digs into the various players at the company he realizes that all is not what it seems to be. Meanwhile Mitch greatly enjoys the ride as the poster boy for the app, giving extensive interviews and becoming very well known.
A skirmish to the death at the edge of a cliff brings the novel to a "cliff-hanger" close.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for providing me with an Advance Review copy.
This is the second book that I've read by this author now and wow, what a total contrast in genres. I loved Hitting The Jackpot which I found a little more light-hearted than this latest read - but actually on thinking about it, both take a little look into how we behave in certain unusual situations.
In this book we meet Mick. At 75 he's had a good life, but is intrigued by a new app that can predict how much more time he'll have to live. He is so fascinated, that he also buys one for the rest of his family - ranging from his daughter, right down to his great grandso, aged only 11!
I absolutely loved the premise of this story as we all know that there seems to literally be an app for everything! So why not one to predict your time of death. The only problem with it being that it certainly doesn't take into account any extenuating circumstances or indeed human nature!
As Mick requests that everyone only checks the app out on their next birthday, we see the family struggle to come to terms with the data and navigate their future based on the information they now know.
It's an interesting concept and I spent a while thinking about how I'd feel about something like this. Would I look in the first place? Would I change anything about my life plans? What would you do?
It took me a little while to get to grips with all the characters, so I found it a little slow-going to start, but the pace soon picks up and I was soon immersed.
A brilliant insight into human nature and one that will prompt a few conversations with friends and family too.
I really enjoyed Tom Alan’s first book: ‘Hitting The Jackpot’ and was keen to read his second novel. Wow, so different, not a romcom this time, but a completely new genre. What is similar is his host of different characters all trying to manage and confront a new situation. We meet Mick, the first British person to buy the Lifetime App, which will give a projection, not a prediction, of how long he has left to live. He thinks that it’s such a good idea, he buys one for each member of the family. The reader quickly gets caught up in the angst, anger and fear felt by Mick’s family and their different responses to their date with death. We also find out about the company behind the App, an all-powerful corporation, only interested in the big bucks and their chilling tactics form the background to the story. A few aspects of the novel are futuristic, but as the author points out, such Apps already exist and we may all face the question very soon: would you want to know how long you have left to live? Not just a family drama, but so much more, with unexpected twists and turns as we navigate our way through the attempts by everyone to confront their dates of death. A thoroughly enjoyable novel and one to provoke a range of personal and societal questions. Don’t miss it.
This was an interesting and engrossing read, and I was keen to find out what would happen throughout. Initially, it felt a little slow to me and it was difficult to remember who was who, but as it continued, it gained momentum and the main characters emerged. It then followed Mick who has a new app which can give you a projected date of death, which he also gives as a gift to his family members, so that they can also see when they may die. It also followed Adam who works for the company who have made this app, as well as other family members’ experiences. I could see how easily it would be to become obsessed with your life expectancy and try to include healthier ways of living, such as through diet and exercise to increase this. Also, the heartbreak with finding out a loved one or yourself may die sooner than expected was well demonstrated in this story. It also covered elements of ethicacy and morality which makes you think more about these issues, although some choices of Adam did feel a little unrealistic. Overall, an engaging read though.
I received an ARC from BloodHound Books for an honest review, thank you, and all thoughts are my own.
This was not the book I was expecting, but it's certainly no worse than that.
It is more a family melodrama set in the very near future where a company has invented an app that gives you a projection (not a prediction they maintain) of when you are going to die. It is only available in the USA, but 74-year old Dr Mick Strong has persuaded his son-in-law to get one for him, but not only for him, but for his daughter, granddaughter, grandson and great grandson (who is 11). All without their permission.
And therein lies the tale. The pred... projections come in sealed envelopes and Mick tells his offspring to open them on their next birthday. The story questions what would you do if you knew roughly when your time was up. How does the company know this, and how does it affect everyone's relatonships.
Of course... the media play a huge part, as I'm sure it would in real life.
I found this at times amusing and sad, and always frightingly believable. Loved it.
⭐⭐⭐ The Last App by Tom Alan just didn't work for me. I wanted to like this book so much! The cover is stunning and the description is so intriguing... it started so well but after second part it just lost me. I believe it was too slow for me. What I enjoyed a lot it was - facts! This book is full of useful facts! And in some way I believe that app like this could encourage people live better! We don't care because we can see the consequences of our decisions! App like this could be positively stimulating!
When Mick got the membership package of the app that can predict your death day he din't know how this will change his and his family life!
I would absolutely recommend this book because it's original and so different! I can easy see how this can be your next 5 star read!
This is the first book I have read by this author and took me a bit to get into and was a slow read for me but enjoyable. Mick is an old school GP that tells his family that he will only fully retire when he is dead. A new app is being released in the UK that will predict the date of your death and Mick wants to be the first person in the UK to use it. As his family are gathered for his 75th birthday dinner he opens the golden envelop in front of them that predicts he will die before his next birthday. The book is thought provoking would you want to know when you or your loved ones are going to die if this app was available to you. What would you do if you knew when you are going to die, would you change what you are doing in your life today?
One way or the other this book had to come into my world and wow, am I happy that it did. This is one of those books for me that keep me reading although some of the books that I read I may not end at all. Tom is a fantastic writer. He sure has gotten himself into show don’t tell. The story is one that is on the brink to become actual and hence it is a good read on the possible near future. Highly recommended if you like the bit of odd, the English coast and are into something that upturns what you thought would be happening in the next pages. Best part I think is ‘After three - one, two …’ and then the next section. Trust me, that is brilliant writing in my view. Thanks Tom Allen for sharing this story.
I was intrigued by the idea of this book, especially being a fan of near-future and dystopian fiction. I did find it very hard to get into and up to about a third, I thought I would not finish. However I’m glad I continued as it certainly made up for it after that and I just wanted to find out what happened to the characters and how the dark undertones would develop. The human reactions to the app were definitely the highlights with lots of opportunities for the reader to consider “What would I do?”. There were other interesting themes regarding human will to extend life, the power of social media and advertising, the obsession with 5 mins of fame, the developments in technology and AI and many others. A great compelling read.
This near-futuristic family drama is intriguing. The family themselves are a typical small town family with cantankerous Mick at the helm, Mick is angry at a world he no longer understands and is unwilling to learn to adapt to. His purchase of the LifeTime projection is unexpected - even more so the ones he's brought the rest of his immediate family - he's so disdainful of the technology and data behind the company. The way Mick gets suckered in to LifeTime is really interesting, as is the way each family member takes their own news. No doubt some of this technology is already in place or well on the way, so this is a somewhat dystopian look at our near future. An excellent read!
Dr Mick Strong celebrates his 75th birthday by buying himself a lifetime membership which will give him a projection date of when he will die. And just to mix things up a bit he's also bought one for each member of his immediate family throwing everyone into chaos. You can't help but think what would you do in this situation and many of the family members feelings are what you would expect. Being an American company the hype that Mick faces being the first UK member and also his son in law Adam working for the company makes an interesting read. This book is something different and an enjoyable read. 4 stars
What would you do if you knew the day you would die?
The Last App is an absolute page-turner, wherein you fall in love with Mick & his family, and find their family affairs relatable. This book includes a variety of moral dilemmas including predicting death, scientific conundrums, playing God, lying spouses, and untimely death. The Last App is a great read for those who enjoy suspense, family drama, compelling characters, and scientific fiction. I highly recommend The Last App by Tom Alan to any and all readers.
Mick, a semi-retired GP has a surprise for his family - he had become the first person in the UK to purchase the new LifeApp, which uses your data to estimate how long you have to live. Not only that he has bought the app for every member of the family to be opened on their next birthday. enjoyable to watch Mick evolve from cantankerous old fogey to social media superstar as the posterchild for LifeApp. A great read which raises intriguing questions - would you want to know how many days if life you have left? And
The Last App by Tom Alan took me a while to get into and I did put it down a few times, as it had too many characters in it and my mind started to drift!. Then I picked it up again and started to read it. Still had too many characters in it - note book at the side of me and I do hxte this when this happens but I am glad I did not give up on it. It turned out to be an interesting book, not my favourite book I have read this year but a challenging one!
A good holiday read but not a fast pace book if you are after a quick read.
What if…there was an app where you could learn when you are going to die?
Dr. Mick Strong is interested. The app exists. The company compiles medical data and lifestyle choices. The App uses algorithms to determine the outcome. Mick decides to give each of his family members a membership where they all receive their death date to be opened on their birthdays. He felt that if he knew when he was going to die, he would make decisions about what he should do in his life. Should he retire? Does he have plenty of time to continue to live as he currently does?
Dr. Mick Strong is also the first British person to receive these memberships. He becomes the face of the company, as they prepare to launch their product in Britain.
His son-in-law, Adam, works for this company. In time, things are beginning to happen that has him questioning the validity of this project. How accurate really is this app? Can this company be trusted?
Tom Alan has created a wonderfully original story. His characters and their development is flawless. I definitely recommend this novel!
An absolutely riveting read that raises interesting questions about how much you would allows technology to invade/dictate your life choices, how far a person would go to extend their life, even if only by a few hours, our willingness to believe in snake-oil salesmen to outwit mortality, the ethics of big data and tech companies and how far they are willing to go to protect their product. It is a sobering wake-up call as to what the future could hold if we stop thinking for ourselves.
Is this dark or really a fictional adventure into an evolving world playing out before us where technology impacts life in a way we cannot begin to grasp? Without getting “deep” the story unravels and builds with suspense as to what decisions people will make and how it will impact them.
Intriguing and thought provoking and an interesting and fascinating read. I found myself questioning things throughout and wondering just where this would take us!
I really liked this book. Considering it was all centred around an app I really liked how it all was done. The bubble city gave me Hunger Games Capitol vibes may the odds be ever in your favour, and just like in Hunger Games, in The Last App there was also a team of people behind the scenes pulling the strings trying to make things happen just the way they wanted. It was different to what I was expecting but enjoyed it anyway.
I struggled to get into this book and honestly considered giving up reading it. I persevered though and I'm glad I did. Around a third of the way through it really picked up and I enjoyed the book.
It was an intriguing concept and I thought it was done in a way that was believable and it was generally written well.
I particularly enjoyed the rapid page break style of writing during the action near the end. It set a fantastic pace for what was happening.
I received an ARC copy of this book. The description given sounded like something that I would like to read. This book wasn’t terrible. I did finish it. The description was better than the story. It dragged on and I couldn’t wait for it to be over. The concept was really good just didn’t hit my expectations.
Absolutely page turning. The futuristic ideas that I could see so possibly becoming realities. The characters who all had different views and thoughts. It was so believable and I just couldn’t stop reading.
I struggled with this book, I found it difficult to like any of the characters and it felt a bit slow. I liked the idea behind it and it certainly makes you question would you want to know how long you had to live and if you did would you do anything differently?
Compelling and original, a great concept very well executed. I always judge a book by questioning whether I’d read it again after I’ve finished it, and I will definitely be revisiting The Last App in the future!
Not at all what I was expecting. This reads as a critique on corporate and media manipulation . The human reactions to the app were the most interesting and enjoyable parts of the book . I wish that angle had been much more defined
This was quirky, slightly dystopian, but had a hint that it could almost be believable in the not too far off future. Get yourself a projection of when you're gonna die, and the app will help you extend or shorten your life on a daily basis. I would read it again.
If you new how long you had left to live and what time what would you do?? It sounds interesting but just didnt work for me I did finish the book but found it a bit slow.