What do you think?
Rate this book
The Last She #2
The Last City
The first rule of living through the apocalypse. Trust no one.
Ara
Is desperate to reunite with her father and put the events that happened in Boise behind her. Ara hopes to find sanctuary in The Last City, an almost-mythical place where the plague is nonexistent and she can finally discover the truth about her family. Once she arrives, she discovers the truth is stranger than fiction, and Ara wonders if she’s made a huge mistake . . .
Kaden
Will go anywhere for Ara, will do anything, but he’s tested to his limits in The Last City. Forced to join a dangerous expedition, Kaden soon finds himself separated from Ara and, once again, on the run for his life. He barely escaped alive, and now he needs to risk it all again to find Ara in The Last City . . .
Sam
Has hooked up a rigged electrical system, blasting away the silence with music, feeling almost normal since he nearly lost his life. He doesn’t know where Kaden and Ara are, and when he meets a mysterious girl named E, they embark on an adventure that will bring all of their lives clashing together . . .
The first rule of living through the apocalypse. Trust no one. All three must uncover the secrets of The Last City if they have any hope of getting out of this apocalypse alive.
Ara
Is desperate to reunite with her father and put the events that happened in Boise behind her. Ara hopes to find sanctuary in The Last City, an almost-mythical place where the plague is nonexistent and she can finally discover the truth about her family. Once she arrives, she discovers the truth is stranger than fiction, and Ara wonders if she’s made a huge mistake . . .
Kaden
Will go anywhere for Ara, will do anything, but he’s tested to his limits in The Last City. Forced to join a dangerous expedition, Kaden soon finds himself separated from Ara and, once again, on the run for his life. He barely escaped alive, and now he needs to risk it all again to find Ara in The Last City . . .
Sam
Has hooked up a rigged electrical system, blasting away the silence with music, feeling almost normal since he nearly lost his life. He doesn’t know where Kaden and Ara are, and when he meets a mysterious girl named E, they embark on an adventure that will bring all of their lives clashing together . . .
The first rule of living through the apocalypse. Trust no one. All three must uncover the secrets of The Last City if they have any hope of getting out of this apocalypse alive.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2023
66 people are currently reading
3711 people want to read
About the author
H.J. Nelson
4 books312 followersH.J.Nelson began writing on the online platform Wattpad in 2015. Her story The Last She was one of the most read Science Fiction stories in 2016 and 2017, garnering over 12 million reads, with the television rights optioned by Sony Pictures in 2020. The Last She was named one of Goodreads Most Anticipated YA Reads in December 2021. H.J. Nelson has also written for brands like General Electric, National Geographic and Writers Digest.
Book 2 in The Last She series, THE LAST CITY, will be published February 14th, 2023. Preorder your copy now!
When not writing, Nelson has lived on a boat in the British Virgin Isles, worked in two zoos and ridden an elephant through the jungles of Laos— though she considers raising two daughters her most dangerous adventure yet. You can sign up for her newsletter at hjnelsonauthor.com, or find her on Instagram at @h.j.nelson.
Book 2 in The Last She series, THE LAST CITY, will be published February 14th, 2023. Preorder your copy now!
When not writing, Nelson has lived on a boat in the British Virgin Isles, worked in two zoos and ridden an elephant through the jungles of Laos— though she considers raising two daughters her most dangerous adventure yet. You can sign up for her newsletter at hjnelsonauthor.com, or find her on Instagram at @h.j.nelson.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
June 12, 2025
I gave the first book in this series, The Last She, 4 stars because I hadn’t read anything quite like it before and I felt it was not only compelling but also so refreshing in its writing style and in how much adventure and adversity the motley crew of main characters went through during the book. It was a fantastic read and, at the time, I couldn’t wait to read the next installment.
I don’t know what happened between The Last She and The Last City, but this book has lost so much of the vivacity and suspense the last book had, and I think that’s because we went from wilderness to “civilization”, and it became evident pretty early on what the Chancellor’s (our antagonist in this book) grand plan was. In comparison with the originality and the unknown variables of the first book, the eye-rolling predictability of the evil plot in this book frankly made me a little peeved. It’s been done. It’s been done in a million ways and even the way this book does it isn’t even that original. It feels lazy.
H. J. Nelson’s writing and imagination still manages to keep my attention and make me want to see what’s coming, but I’ve lost so much interest in this series compared to the break between the first book and this book. It’s just a shame that this book seems, for lack of a better term, underbaked. Too many people focused on the wrong things, causing filler material that only served to make the book longer than it needed to be. A plot twist near the end that wasn’t even needed. A question asked repeatedly throughout the book that’s never answered. This book could’ve used more baking and more editing, to be sure.
I’ll look for the third installment when it comes in the hopes Nelson can salvage this story and resolve the whole arc, but this installment on its own wasn’t a solid read.
I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley and the author. All views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone. Thank you. Due to personal policy, this review will not appear on any bookseller or social media website due to the 3 star or lower rating. Thank you.
I don’t know what happened between The Last She and The Last City, but this book has lost so much of the vivacity and suspense the last book had, and I think that’s because we went from wilderness to “civilization”, and it became evident pretty early on what the Chancellor’s (our antagonist in this book) grand plan was. In comparison with the originality and the unknown variables of the first book, the eye-rolling predictability of the evil plot in this book frankly made me a little peeved. It’s been done. It’s been done in a million ways and even the way this book does it isn’t even that original. It feels lazy.
H. J. Nelson’s writing and imagination still manages to keep my attention and make me want to see what’s coming, but I’ve lost so much interest in this series compared to the break between the first book and this book. It’s just a shame that this book seems, for lack of a better term, underbaked. Too many people focused on the wrong things, causing filler material that only served to make the book longer than it needed to be. A plot twist near the end that wasn’t even needed. A question asked repeatedly throughout the book that’s never answered. This book could’ve used more baking and more editing, to be sure.
I’ll look for the third installment when it comes in the hopes Nelson can salvage this story and resolve the whole arc, but this installment on its own wasn’t a solid read.
I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley and the author. All views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone. Thank you. Due to personal policy, this review will not appear on any bookseller or social media website due to the 3 star or lower rating. Thank you.
August 31, 2022
Thank you to the author for an advanced beta version of The Last City.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Last She, so much so that I finished it in one sitting. But The Last City was a step up in characters, plot, stakes, and mystery. All the clues woven throughout kept me asking questions the whole way through, and made me want to face-palm at all the reveals for not figuring them out straight away.
I really enjoyed the new characters, with the addition of an extra POV.
If you enjoyed The Last She, definitely give the sequel a try!
I thoroughly enjoyed The Last She, so much so that I finished it in one sitting. But The Last City was a step up in characters, plot, stakes, and mystery. All the clues woven throughout kept me asking questions the whole way through, and made me want to face-palm at all the reveals for not figuring them out straight away.
I really enjoyed the new characters, with the addition of an extra POV.
If you enjoyed The Last She, definitely give the sequel a try!
February 16, 2023
Here is a video I made for the book:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRtC3v2u/
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5/5 STARS
This is book 2 in this YA post apocalyptic dystopian series that reminded me of The Walking Dead meets Divergent. I absolutely loved it! I was not sure where it was going to go after the first book, but it was just as good and I didn’t want it to end. It should be more popular than it is! There is adventure, a little sci-fi, romance, found family, suspense, & multiple POVs. I can’t wait for the final book in the series!
Thank you Wattpad Books for the gifted copy! 🧪
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRtC3v2u/
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5/5 STARS
This is book 2 in this YA post apocalyptic dystopian series that reminded me of The Walking Dead meets Divergent. I absolutely loved it! I was not sure where it was going to go after the first book, but it was just as good and I didn’t want it to end. It should be more popular than it is! There is adventure, a little sci-fi, romance, found family, suspense, & multiple POVs. I can’t wait for the final book in the series!
Thank you Wattpad Books for the gifted copy! 🧪
May 23, 2023
4.5*
Okay I am going to get my one qualm of this one out of the way before we get to all the good stuff: It took me a second to get back into this world and characters. But no need to worry, this book certainly doesn't suffer from the dreaded "middle book syndrome". In fact, quite the opposite. I found the story very exciting, and the way the author developed the plot to work really well, feeling like a complete story in itself rather than just setup for the final installment.
The book has three points of view, but they all are pretty necessary, and they all weave the story together in a way that really works. Of course, we're catching up with the titular "last" She, Ara, as she attempts to figure out what the heck her dad had to do with the apocalypse, and why he wants her to go to this other titular "last" city. Her newfound love interest from book one, Kaden, is back to help her out, and we also get a point of view from Kaden's brother Sam, who I adore. This was actually handled really well- I worried it might complicate the story, but instead it works really well to let the reader know what is happening in multiple locations. Speaking of which, I love that we get a lot more insight into the world, and get to travel to new locales in this installment.
Basically, this installment is going to answer a lot of Ara's (and the readers') questions, but it's going to give us a whole new batch of questions going forward, and I love that. There is a lot that happens in this story, and a lot of it was pretty shocking. Because I don't want to spoil anything for people who haven't read the first book either, I will keep this short and simple, and say this: If you enjoyed book one, I think you'll like this one just as much if not more. And if you didn't start the series yet, you really should, because I love messy apocalypse fare.
Bottom Line: One of the best "middle books" I have read in a looong time, this one ups the ante and brings even more thrills to the series! Cannot wait for the next book!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Okay I am going to get my one qualm of this one out of the way before we get to all the good stuff: It took me a second to get back into this world and characters. But no need to worry, this book certainly doesn't suffer from the dreaded "middle book syndrome". In fact, quite the opposite. I found the story very exciting, and the way the author developed the plot to work really well, feeling like a complete story in itself rather than just setup for the final installment.
The book has three points of view, but they all are pretty necessary, and they all weave the story together in a way that really works. Of course, we're catching up with the titular "last" She, Ara, as she attempts to figure out what the heck her dad had to do with the apocalypse, and why he wants her to go to this other titular "last" city. Her newfound love interest from book one, Kaden, is back to help her out, and we also get a point of view from Kaden's brother Sam, who I adore. This was actually handled really well- I worried it might complicate the story, but instead it works really well to let the reader know what is happening in multiple locations. Speaking of which, I love that we get a lot more insight into the world, and get to travel to new locales in this installment.
Basically, this installment is going to answer a lot of Ara's (and the readers') questions, but it's going to give us a whole new batch of questions going forward, and I love that. There is a lot that happens in this story, and a lot of it was pretty shocking. Because I don't want to spoil anything for people who haven't read the first book either, I will keep this short and simple, and say this: If you enjoyed book one, I think you'll like this one just as much if not more. And if you didn't start the series yet, you really should, because I love messy apocalypse fare.
Bottom Line: One of the best "middle books" I have read in a looong time, this one ups the ante and brings even more thrills to the series! Cannot wait for the next book!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
September 15, 2023
This is such an underrated series. I wish more people were talking about it! Definitely if you like The Last of Us, you will likely enjoy this also. It has very similar vibes. This second book (which avoided the dreaded Middle Book Syndrome™️, yay!) also had vibes of the TV show The Outpost (which I also enjoyed). The writing was solid, the pacing was excellent. My only real complaint was that at times the narrators sounded similar. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this one, and I can’t wait to pick up the third one next year!
March 22, 2024
I loved this one too I'm sure part of its the visual of knowing and visualizing parts. The other is I am a fantasy girl and if you can get me lost in a world I hadn't imagined I am happy :)
February 10, 2023
I’m so excited to have finally read the sequel to The Last She! I was afraid the second book wouldn’t be as good as the first. I was not disappointed. This sequel surprised me at so many times. I was expecting the story to go in this direction. I definitely couldn’t predict what was coming next. I don’t want to say too much and ruin something. Just know that if you loved book 1 you will love this one also. We get to see more about the virus and the lasting effects.
*thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc.
*thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc.
January 29, 2023
I didn't think this book could exceed the first one, but man, let me tell you! I love the introduction of new characters like Talia, Septimus, and Walter. I also enjoyed the surprises we got from other characters. We are not just stuck in this apocalyptic world anymore, we are glimpsing at the future and the steps that one take to secure that future for themselves. It really is a greedy type of book. People have what they have, and they will do WHATEVER it takes to keep it. I absolutely loved the action and point of views. It was all perfectly executed to allow us this connection piece into the third book.
Talking about the third book, I WANT IT NOW!
5/5 stars for the action, characters, hope, and love!
**Thank you NetGalley for providing a free review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily!
Talking about the third book, I WANT IT NOW!
5/5 stars for the action, characters, hope, and love!
**Thank you NetGalley for providing a free review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily!
March 12, 2023
3.5 stars
After reading the first in the series, The Last She, I was left with so many unanswered questions and so many unfinished storylines.
Thankfully, this sequel answered a few questions that I had, and created more to be finished in the third installment. It took me a few chapters to really get into this, especially after how the first novel left off. We find out that Sam is alive (and was nurtured back to life by a random man that is not alluded to in the beginning of book two - we open onto Sam living by himself in the mall - no mention of the earlier man/rescue.)
We get to see Ara and Kaden traveling to the Last City in search of Ara’s father and sister. Instead, we soon find out that Ara has an unexpected living relative within the city with a great deal of power. Kaden felt like a side character in this, not giving anything to the story. However, Ara and Sam’s viewpoints gave us so much in terms of plot and story development. At least with Sam’s perspective we got to see Boise like in the first novel, as well as have a bit of an adventure with M. Ara’s perspective was all about uncovering what is really going on in “The Last City”. So that left us with Kaden’s perspective where he just lamented about how much he loved Ara and failed everybody in his short life.
In terms of Ara and Sam’s chapters, we had so much more action and drama than the first novel, and we got some answers we were looking for in the first novel in regards to some of the medical testing as well as the city itself. It was also great to get some new characters, even if they weren’t 100% fleshed out.
Good news! This didn’t suffer from middle book syndrome - if anything, the first novel suffered from that and this one felt like the true beginning to this series. This was much better paced, but I still had some issues with “time jumps” or “scene jumps” as I did with the first. I just think it’s Nelson’s style of writing that makes it a bit harder to connect moments.
Overall, I enjoyed this more than the first, and am excited to see the finale and how things will finally get resolved in this apocalyptic world!
YA Sci-fi Reads:https://youtu.be/cddSq8PPvFE
After reading the first in the series, The Last She, I was left with so many unanswered questions and so many unfinished storylines.
Thankfully, this sequel answered a few questions that I had, and created more to be finished in the third installment. It took me a few chapters to really get into this, especially after how the first novel left off. We find out that Sam is alive (and was nurtured back to life by a random man that is not alluded to in the beginning of book two - we open onto Sam living by himself in the mall - no mention of the earlier man/rescue.)
We get to see Ara and Kaden traveling to the Last City in search of Ara’s father and sister. Instead, we soon find out that Ara has an unexpected living relative within the city with a great deal of power. Kaden felt like a side character in this, not giving anything to the story. However, Ara and Sam’s viewpoints gave us so much in terms of plot and story development. At least with Sam’s perspective we got to see Boise like in the first novel, as well as have a bit of an adventure with M. Ara’s perspective was all about uncovering what is really going on in “The Last City”. So that left us with Kaden’s perspective where he just lamented about how much he loved Ara and failed everybody in his short life.
In terms of Ara and Sam’s chapters, we had so much more action and drama than the first novel, and we got some answers we were looking for in the first novel in regards to some of the medical testing as well as the city itself. It was also great to get some new characters, even if they weren’t 100% fleshed out.
Good news! This didn’t suffer from middle book syndrome - if anything, the first novel suffered from that and this one felt like the true beginning to this series. This was much better paced, but I still had some issues with “time jumps” or “scene jumps” as I did with the first. I just think it’s Nelson’s style of writing that makes it a bit harder to connect moments.
Overall, I enjoyed this more than the first, and am excited to see the finale and how things will finally get resolved in this apocalyptic world!
YA Sci-fi Reads:https://youtu.be/cddSq8PPvFE
December 14, 2023
4.5*
I’ve read the first one in french, the sequel in english and will read the third one in english, but I have to admit I don’t know that to expect from the finale. One thing I appreciated more was Ara and Kaden’s relationship grow and the fact there was a bit (I said A BIT) less Ara-Kaden trying to save one another. The story was more concentrate on the Last City than the character, which wasn’t a bad thing, we knew them already, it was time to learn more secrets about the post-apocalyptic world they were living in.
Why I took away half a star? because everything was predictable. From the city’s secrets, Talia, Emma’s origin, Ara’s father life story, the labs, Ara’s entierely and even M (but I give that one a free pass since I gasped when I figured it out). It was still enjoyabled but I could see clearly what would happen a 100 pages in advance.
As for the end, I understand… but I’m not sure about where it’s going. I liked the whole plague, dystopic, romance post-apocalyptic thing with families and blood and everything. Now I feel like the finale will be more sci-fi and it’s not my forte. So it’s to see.
I’ve read the first one in french, the sequel in english and will read the third one in english, but I have to admit I don’t know that to expect from the finale. One thing I appreciated more was Ara and Kaden’s relationship grow and the fact there was a bit (I said A BIT) less Ara-Kaden trying to save one another. The story was more concentrate on the Last City than the character, which wasn’t a bad thing, we knew them already, it was time to learn more secrets about the post-apocalyptic world they were living in.
Why I took away half a star? because everything was predictable. From the city’s secrets, Talia, Emma’s origin, Ara’s father life story, the labs, Ara’s entierely and even M (but I give that one a free pass since I gasped when I figured it out). It was still enjoyabled but I could see clearly what would happen a 100 pages in advance.
As for the end, I understand… but I’m not sure about where it’s going. I liked the whole plague, dystopic, romance post-apocalyptic thing with families and blood and everything. Now I feel like the finale will be more sci-fi and it’s not my forte. So it’s to see.
February 13, 2023
I really liked this sequel of The Last She. The first book was good and this just brought it to the next level. I absolutely loved the new characters that were introduced in this book, like Talia and Septimus. I also really liked getting Sam's perspective, and I would definitely say he is my favorite character. This is a very good apocalypse perspective that makes for a very good book. I think the story is very well done with all of the twists and turns. Some of the connections did seem kind of out of nowhere, but mostly made sense. I thought that this book was very well written, and I cannot wait for book three!
September 9, 2024
I read the last she probably around a year ago and then never got to reading the second one for whatever reason. And now I have! I do really love the story idea, but at some parts it felt a little stretched for Ara being the last she because there’s actually more then just one but then I guess that does get explained it just takes awhile! This book did have me clueless about who M really is and I feel so stupid that I didn’t guess it lol!! I do like that H.J. Nelson is good at adding fun twists that make you want to sit down and read. It did take me quite a bit of time to get to that point but we eventually got there! Really liked the new characters and it was fun to read about Sam from his own perspective! Can’t wait to read the third one!
May 5, 2023
4.5 ⭐️
This book had everything I wanted from the first one and more
This book had everything I wanted from the first one and more
May 14, 2023
In the beginning I was into it but as things go on it gets slow and frustrating. By the end, I felt like it has taken us 2 books to get to the actual plot of the series
August 17, 2023
I really enjoyed the first book but this book I thought lacked character depth and development. I think it’s a easy fun sci-fi read and I’m interested to see how they will finish the story!
December 27, 2023
I’m just sorry I discovered this series before it’s finished because now I can’t binge them. Can’t wait for the next one!!
March 17, 2023
i don't know what to say about her second book in this series, I was waiting for it for a longtime and it was worth the wait for sure, cz it just has made my heart flutter, cry, get angry, and just feeling compassionate toward all the characters really, and the ending just left me hanging now in wait for her third book, and that's not fair i wanna know what happened this minute, as the ending had many twist that it would make you wonder what would really happen, would all of the misery ends or would there be more heart aches.
Let's first talk about what this book has made learn, that never trust anyone easily, and always seek for the things that you believe is right, and just look for the right love cz it will always be the cause that would make you keep going on, cz finding a cause is usually hard but once you have love you don't need to look for anything else, as of hate it would lead you go to your misery directly, other than this that the family bond can't never ever be broken even when there is betrayal something in the blood can't be changed, and for sure there is some exceptions in any case and here in the story there is too , and regarding the sisterhood is the best cz once you have it you can never let it go cz it is the strongest out of all the bonds, and after all i learned that sacrifices doesn't always mean to trust that person cz sometimes people might sacrifice something in order to gain you so just be careful all the time.
so Let's finally move to the story , I can't believe I said a lot up there it would be a long review, I guess.
so as the story carries on with Ara in search of the last city while knowing that they have no one left as Sam and Issaac are dead, Kaden is missing, her father might be too, but she has to go there in hope she can find her sister somehow and Kaden as he knows she would be there, as she is about to reach the last city she was about to be killed when Kaden shows up saves her with Talia one of the last city guardians, would they survive there or would things happen,
if you don't want spoilers you can just skip the rest of the review cz i wanna say it all here now,
as they enter and she test invalid she is held captive but no one else but her grandfather the leader of the last city like whaaaaaaaaat how, and why and just what will happen now, will they be safe as kaden was also tested invalid and he hid it so well that no one knew about that, would Talia help them get out of there and figure out the truth behind the plague or would she not, as both of them face many turns and they get separated again somehow , but somehow so connect " won't say what" would she find her father and sister or what, will you have to read to know,
and another shocking truth Sam isn't dead he is alife and breathing alone waiting for Kaden to be back, but as a girl comes to his hiding place and threaten to kill him if he didn't help he would he leave the place or would he follow the girl that came or no, will you have to read to know,
what would be the turn point in the book and how did it make me cry and afraid and happy at the same time i can't even explain.
I guess i talked a lot again so let's just move to the characters for now ,
Ara, the bravest girl i have ever seen, the last she that deserves the title for sure, the cure for the hopeless people and just the love that we are look for, i for sure loved how she grew up in this book and how she developed not to leave anyone behind and learned that sometimes a family is a family after all and the support will never dies out, and her cause will always be to have kaden by her side
Kaden , my fav man character, even though he is so broken and hurt inside he would never leave his lover side he will always look after her and just question everything so she is safe and not hurt and he might even sacrifice himself for her, and I loved how things developed with him and how he is trying to get past his pain of losing his brother and that everything he couldn't do to his brother he is trying to do it right this time, perfect person.
M, the girl that teaches you what lonliness mean and how to keep your guard up no matter what and to always act by yourself cz there is no one can help you but you, even though she is so broken inside she wanted just to do the right thing and reach the place she wanna go with a broken but brave heart, her character is just the mean but so sweet one.
Sam, omg I just cried on most of his scenes he is just that boy who is growing up and learning how to be brave man who thinks well and do things correctly even though he started as sm1 who doesn't even know how to handle girl but the improvement in his skill were just mind blowing loved him more, wanna have him as my little brother plzzzzz .
Talia, the badass guardians that hold a dark story that we don't even know what would it be at the end, and how many secret does she have, is she really sweet or is she really a mean girl, a mix of all the above, one of a kind character for sure.
her Grandfather, omg the leader or the lost city , the one who is just has too many dark secret that you wish him dead, and all of his cause is just a bullshit thing, I really hated his character i just can't love him at all
i don't know what to say else but one thing i got to say i fell in love again with the book and i can't wait for the third book to be out.
A side note: what made me even happier talking to the author while reading it, as she was so sweet to really engage with me and answer to all my reaction and msgs and I'm even more excited to share my thoughts on the third book even though I didnt read it yet,
Let's move to the quotes :
or maybe never even lost. It felt wrong to hope for a better future
There is only the peace that you find. That was what Issac had told
I wouldn’t build a new team. I wouldn’t put down roots here.
But I would be here for Ara. I wouldn’t let her see the way the deaths of everyone I’d failed suffocated me, like a weight slowly dragging me deeper and deeper into darkness.
I would be there for Ara the way I hadn’t been for Sam and Issac.
I would protect her with everything I was—or I would die trying.
And because I don’t think we should give up on everything from the world before.” Or at least, Issac and Sam hadn’t. They’d always been dreamers, readers, believers—it was something I envied them. Something I hadn’t appreciated until I’d lost them
I wasn’t sure why the lies came so easily. Maybe I’d gotten too used to not trusting others. Or maybe since Sam and Issac died I’d lost faith in humanity. Whatever the reason, a day of tracking had brought me to one simple conclusion: Septimus wanted to be found.
Guess I don’t really belong anywhere now.” “Join the club
Well, Kaden, I hope whatever you’re out there doing isn’t as stupid as this
Guess it’s time to find out if I’m crazy too
Wondering why the world wants you dead when you aren’t sure yourself
we walked through the ruins, two shadows bonded by darkness and death.
I don’t want anything from you. I don’t want to take you prisoner—I just want you to be happy. All things I couldn’t say. So instead I whispered, “Are you okay?”
I guess survival does that to people: binds them together or tears them apart
I wondered if I’d found a small bit of Issac’s peace here, in an abandoned amusement park, with a man I barely knew, without even knowing how
I thought what we had meant something. I thought I meant something.
I knew what Kaden would say. He would have told me it wasn’t wrong to defend ourselves. That just because we did bad things, it didn’t make us bad people.
Kaden was always so good with words. And promises that went to shit.
Because beyond the shriveled body of an old man was a voice that had once been musical, eyes that had once held laughter, arms that had once protected his daughter from the world.
“Father?”
Maybe it’s a good thing he’s gone. You shouldn’t trust someone so completely like that. People just let you down.”
I trust you. I just barely managed to stop the words from leaving my mouth.
The apocalypse only sucks if you let it. That’s what I’d been telling myself. Now I realized that wasn’t true. The apocalypse only sucks if you don’t have someone you love to spend it with
I only hurt more for those that I’d lost.
The best thing about the apocalypse wasn’t the stars, or endless arguments, or the books that belonged only to me.
The best thing about the apocalypse was her
Forgive me, Sam. Forgive me, Issac. Forgive me for moving on.
Forgive me for living when you’re both gone.
The peace that you found when there was none
What if He wants us to appreciate everything that still remains?
It was a high I didn’t have words for. A moment I wouldn’t have traded even if it meant having the old world back
Yesterday we were two people forced to depend on each other—today we were something different. Something new. I didn’t care if we freed a thousand monsters or a thousand innocents, as long as we did it together.
You wanted the truth, some dark voice whispered to me . No one said it would set you free
He gave me a soft, sad smile. “He was my father too.”
I wasn’t sure why those words hit so hard, but they did. My father had trusted his father—who had ended the world
It felt like something had broken inside me forever—like a weight had fallen away that I hadn’t even known had been crushing me. It felt like the moment I found my father alive; like a spring had burst open in a desert, making everything new again
Curiosity had replaced horror. And something told me that as much as I didn’t want the truth, it might be the key to freedom
Each sound mocked me because they weren’t her. Part of me wanted to scream, or break something. Instead, I packed up the remains of my camp in silence
Bastards stay rulers—until you bring them down. Good luck, Sasquatch
The peace I’d been looking for since Sam had died: it’d been right in front of me the whole time
Let's first talk about what this book has made learn, that never trust anyone easily, and always seek for the things that you believe is right, and just look for the right love cz it will always be the cause that would make you keep going on, cz finding a cause is usually hard but once you have love you don't need to look for anything else, as of hate it would lead you go to your misery directly, other than this that the family bond can't never ever be broken even when there is betrayal something in the blood can't be changed, and for sure there is some exceptions in any case and here in the story there is too , and regarding the sisterhood is the best cz once you have it you can never let it go cz it is the strongest out of all the bonds, and after all i learned that sacrifices doesn't always mean to trust that person cz sometimes people might sacrifice something in order to gain you so just be careful all the time.
so Let's finally move to the story , I can't believe I said a lot up there it would be a long review, I guess.
so as the story carries on with Ara in search of the last city while knowing that they have no one left as Sam and Issaac are dead, Kaden is missing, her father might be too, but she has to go there in hope she can find her sister somehow and Kaden as he knows she would be there, as she is about to reach the last city she was about to be killed when Kaden shows up saves her with Talia one of the last city guardians, would they survive there or would things happen,
if you don't want spoilers you can just skip the rest of the review cz i wanna say it all here now,
as they enter and she test invalid she is held captive but no one else but her grandfather the leader of the last city like whaaaaaaaaat how, and why and just what will happen now, will they be safe as kaden was also tested invalid and he hid it so well that no one knew about that, would Talia help them get out of there and figure out the truth behind the plague or would she not, as both of them face many turns and they get separated again somehow , but somehow so connect " won't say what" would she find her father and sister or what, will you have to read to know,
and another shocking truth Sam isn't dead he is alife and breathing alone waiting for Kaden to be back, but as a girl comes to his hiding place and threaten to kill him if he didn't help he would he leave the place or would he follow the girl that came or no, will you have to read to know,
what would be the turn point in the book and how did it make me cry and afraid and happy at the same time i can't even explain.
I guess i talked a lot again so let's just move to the characters for now ,
Ara, the bravest girl i have ever seen, the last she that deserves the title for sure, the cure for the hopeless people and just the love that we are look for, i for sure loved how she grew up in this book and how she developed not to leave anyone behind and learned that sometimes a family is a family after all and the support will never dies out, and her cause will always be to have kaden by her side
Kaden , my fav man character, even though he is so broken and hurt inside he would never leave his lover side he will always look after her and just question everything so she is safe and not hurt and he might even sacrifice himself for her, and I loved how things developed with him and how he is trying to get past his pain of losing his brother and that everything he couldn't do to his brother he is trying to do it right this time, perfect person.
M, the girl that teaches you what lonliness mean and how to keep your guard up no matter what and to always act by yourself cz there is no one can help you but you, even though she is so broken inside she wanted just to do the right thing and reach the place she wanna go with a broken but brave heart, her character is just the mean but so sweet one.
Sam, omg I just cried on most of his scenes he is just that boy who is growing up and learning how to be brave man who thinks well and do things correctly even though he started as sm1 who doesn't even know how to handle girl but the improvement in his skill were just mind blowing loved him more, wanna have him as my little brother plzzzzz .
Talia, the badass guardians that hold a dark story that we don't even know what would it be at the end, and how many secret does she have, is she really sweet or is she really a mean girl, a mix of all the above, one of a kind character for sure.
her Grandfather, omg the leader or the lost city , the one who is just has too many dark secret that you wish him dead, and all of his cause is just a bullshit thing, I really hated his character i just can't love him at all
i don't know what to say else but one thing i got to say i fell in love again with the book and i can't wait for the third book to be out.
A side note: what made me even happier talking to the author while reading it, as she was so sweet to really engage with me and answer to all my reaction and msgs and I'm even more excited to share my thoughts on the third book even though I didnt read it yet,
Let's move to the quotes :
or maybe never even lost. It felt wrong to hope for a better future
There is only the peace that you find. That was what Issac had told
I wouldn’t build a new team. I wouldn’t put down roots here.
But I would be here for Ara. I wouldn’t let her see the way the deaths of everyone I’d failed suffocated me, like a weight slowly dragging me deeper and deeper into darkness.
I would be there for Ara the way I hadn’t been for Sam and Issac.
I would protect her with everything I was—or I would die trying.
And because I don’t think we should give up on everything from the world before.” Or at least, Issac and Sam hadn’t. They’d always been dreamers, readers, believers—it was something I envied them. Something I hadn’t appreciated until I’d lost them
I wasn’t sure why the lies came so easily. Maybe I’d gotten too used to not trusting others. Or maybe since Sam and Issac died I’d lost faith in humanity. Whatever the reason, a day of tracking had brought me to one simple conclusion: Septimus wanted to be found.
Guess I don’t really belong anywhere now.” “Join the club
Well, Kaden, I hope whatever you’re out there doing isn’t as stupid as this
Guess it’s time to find out if I’m crazy too
Wondering why the world wants you dead when you aren’t sure yourself
we walked through the ruins, two shadows bonded by darkness and death.
I don’t want anything from you. I don’t want to take you prisoner—I just want you to be happy. All things I couldn’t say. So instead I whispered, “Are you okay?”
I guess survival does that to people: binds them together or tears them apart
I wondered if I’d found a small bit of Issac’s peace here, in an abandoned amusement park, with a man I barely knew, without even knowing how
I thought what we had meant something. I thought I meant something.
I knew what Kaden would say. He would have told me it wasn’t wrong to defend ourselves. That just because we did bad things, it didn’t make us bad people.
Kaden was always so good with words. And promises that went to shit.
Because beyond the shriveled body of an old man was a voice that had once been musical, eyes that had once held laughter, arms that had once protected his daughter from the world.
“Father?”
Maybe it’s a good thing he’s gone. You shouldn’t trust someone so completely like that. People just let you down.”
I trust you. I just barely managed to stop the words from leaving my mouth.
The apocalypse only sucks if you let it. That’s what I’d been telling myself. Now I realized that wasn’t true. The apocalypse only sucks if you don’t have someone you love to spend it with
I only hurt more for those that I’d lost.
The best thing about the apocalypse wasn’t the stars, or endless arguments, or the books that belonged only to me.
The best thing about the apocalypse was her
Forgive me, Sam. Forgive me, Issac. Forgive me for moving on.
Forgive me for living when you’re both gone.
The peace that you found when there was none
What if He wants us to appreciate everything that still remains?
It was a high I didn’t have words for. A moment I wouldn’t have traded even if it meant having the old world back
Yesterday we were two people forced to depend on each other—today we were something different. Something new. I didn’t care if we freed a thousand monsters or a thousand innocents, as long as we did it together.
You wanted the truth, some dark voice whispered to me . No one said it would set you free
He gave me a soft, sad smile. “He was my father too.”
I wasn’t sure why those words hit so hard, but they did. My father had trusted his father—who had ended the world
It felt like something had broken inside me forever—like a weight had fallen away that I hadn’t even known had been crushing me. It felt like the moment I found my father alive; like a spring had burst open in a desert, making everything new again
Curiosity had replaced horror. And something told me that as much as I didn’t want the truth, it might be the key to freedom
Each sound mocked me because they weren’t her. Part of me wanted to scream, or break something. Instead, I packed up the remains of my camp in silence
Bastards stay rulers—until you bring them down. Good luck, Sasquatch
The peace I’d been looking for since Sam had died: it’d been right in front of me the whole time
May 16, 2024
It’s an interesting read, but overall a bit predictable.
February 16, 2023
I believe The Last City is a great read. It is even better than the first book The Last She. There is a more developed and complex storyline and definitely pulls you in the further you read. I highly recommend it and look forward to book that will follow this in the series. A well deserved 5 stars!
February 6, 2023
Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad Books for allowing me to read and review this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Last City is the sequel to The Last She, an apocalyptic story about surviving as the final girl among a crowd of guys. I really enjoyed The Last She, so I was definitely pumped for The Last City. The sequel did not disappoint! We get three different point of views: Kaden, Sam, and Ara as they take separate paths to discover truths and uncover secrets, and figure out who to trust in this well-thought-out world. I very much enjoyed the action and the non-stop adventure while following these three brilliantly developed characters. I love the way H. J. Nelson paced the story and the writing is exciting. The Last City is an adrenaline rush and I'm super impatient for book three!
5 stars
The Last City is the sequel to The Last She, an apocalyptic story about surviving as the final girl among a crowd of guys. I really enjoyed The Last She, so I was definitely pumped for The Last City. The sequel did not disappoint! We get three different point of views: Kaden, Sam, and Ara as they take separate paths to discover truths and uncover secrets, and figure out who to trust in this well-thought-out world. I very much enjoyed the action and the non-stop adventure while following these three brilliantly developed characters. I love the way H. J. Nelson paced the story and the writing is exciting. The Last City is an adrenaline rush and I'm super impatient for book three!
5 stars
January 20, 2023
Ara and Kaden are travelling to the Last City, a mythical place that supposedly survived the plague that ravaged the world. Ara hopes to find her missing father and sister there, but what she actually discovers is something she never expected...
I enjoyed the first book, but I think that this was better. The action was non stop with so many twists and turns and dramatic reveals it felt like I was just holding on and enjoying the ride!
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the first book, but I think that this was better. The action was non stop with so many twists and turns and dramatic reveals it felt like I was just holding on and enjoying the ride!
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2023
I can't believe it took me until page 286 to figure out who M was.
January 11, 2024
I give it a solid 2.5
It was honestly interesting to read and wasn’t bad in terms of keeping me entertained! But it just got weird? It didn’t go the direction I thought it would at all after reading the first book. To me the plot is just odd. The main characters are okay, nothing special and kind of forgettable to me. I think it’s an okay choice if you wanna be entertained and then forget about it, and not fall in love with the characters and storyline.
It was honestly interesting to read and wasn’t bad in terms of keeping me entertained! But it just got weird? It didn’t go the direction I thought it would at all after reading the first book. To me the plot is just odd. The main characters are okay, nothing special and kind of forgettable to me. I think it’s an okay choice if you wanna be entertained and then forget about it, and not fall in love with the characters and storyline.
May 14, 2023
I’d like to preface this by saying- Wattpad books are severely underrated.
H.J. Nelson is a fantastic writer, she built a fantastic story and world in the first book, and in the second she expanded it to new heights.
“The Last City”, the second book in the “The Last She” series, is a great continuation to the first book. It brings in new challenges and new settings that could have muddled it but instead built it up and made it better.
I’m not usually a fan of multiple POVs in books, I usually feel like there’s too much information and too much going on. But the multiple POVs in this book felt like a natural progression and seeing the story from different angles made it more rounded.
Ara, Sam, and Kaden were such good characters and my love for them never faded after the first book. The strong and badass woman that Ara was never faded. Kaden’s *non-toxic* book boyfriend behavior was just perfect. And lovable Sam continued to be so lovable that every time I read from his POV I was so happy. And what made me so happy about that, was that in second books, characters personalities and growth tends to fade. But H.J. Nelson made sure that didn’t happen.
My excitement for reading about them again was evident as I told so many people about “The Last She”. I’ve loved this series for so long and I’m so happy that others get to read the completed, published versions. I can’t be critical of this book… I loved it completely.
H.J. Nelson is a fantastic writer, she built a fantastic story and world in the first book, and in the second she expanded it to new heights.
“The Last City”, the second book in the “The Last She” series, is a great continuation to the first book. It brings in new challenges and new settings that could have muddled it but instead built it up and made it better.
I’m not usually a fan of multiple POVs in books, I usually feel like there’s too much information and too much going on. But the multiple POVs in this book felt like a natural progression and seeing the story from different angles made it more rounded.
Ara, Sam, and Kaden were such good characters and my love for them never faded after the first book. The strong and badass woman that Ara was never faded. Kaden’s *non-toxic* book boyfriend behavior was just perfect. And lovable Sam continued to be so lovable that every time I read from his POV I was so happy. And what made me so happy about that, was that in second books, characters personalities and growth tends to fade. But H.J. Nelson made sure that didn’t happen.
My excitement for reading about them again was evident as I told so many people about “The Last She”. I’ve loved this series for so long and I’m so happy that others get to read the completed, published versions. I can’t be critical of this book… I loved it completely.
June 3, 2024
I’d like to preface this by saying- Wattpad books are severely underrated. HJ Nelson is a fantastic writer, she built a fantastic story and world in the first book, and in the second she expanded it to new heights. “The Last City”, the second book in the “The Last She” series, is a great continuation to the first book. It brings in new challenges and new settings that could have muddled it but instead built it up and made it better. I’m not usually a fan of multiple POVs in books, I usually feel like there’s too much information and too much going on. But the multiple POVs in this book felt like a natural progression and seeing the story from different angles made it more rounded. Ara, Sam, and Kaden were such good characters and my love for them never faded after the first book. The strong and badass woman that Ara was never faded. Kaden’s *non-toxic* book boyfriend behavior was just perfect. And lovable Sam continued to be so lovable that every time I read from his POV I was so happy. And what made me so happy about that, was that in second books, characters personalities and growth tends to fade. But HJ Nelson made sure that didn’t happen. My excitement for reading about them again was evident as I told so many people about “The Last She”. I’ve loved this series for so long and I’m so happy that others get to read the completed, published versions. I can’t be critical of this book… I loved it completely.
November 8, 2024
The Last City is the second book in The Last She series and should be read after the first book. It picks up a few months after the previous book ended and follows the point-of-views of Ara, Kaden, and Sam. I really enjoyed learning more about Sam in this book, who has been living on his own in Boise since recovering from his accident. Meanwhile, Ara and Kaden travel to The Last City, which really brings a dystopian element to the series. Like the first book, The Last City pulled me in from the beginning and kept my attention until the end. I enjoyed continuing the stories of Ara, Kaden and Sam while also meeting some interesting new characters along the way too. We are able to learn more about the mysteries from the first book, while continuing to have action, adventure and romance. Apparently, there’s a 3rd book in the works, so I’m really excited to see where the story goes next!
I received a free review copy of this book through NetGalley, but all opinions expressed here are my own.
I received a free review copy of this book through NetGalley, but all opinions expressed here are my own.
December 30, 2022
This was a wild ride. I loved this book even more than the first one; it was so much more in depth with the world building and characters (I still love Kaden so much) and it was full of so many twists and turns, I couldn’t get enough. One of the best dystopian stories I’ve read, hands down. I wish I could say more but there are so many potential spoilers I could give, so just do yourself a favor and read these books!!
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴄɪᴛʏ will be released 2.14.2023, so mark your calendars!
Big thank you to NetGalley, H.J. Nelson & Watt Pad books for this arc!
ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴄɪᴛʏ will be released 2.14.2023, so mark your calendars!
Big thank you to NetGalley, H.J. Nelson & Watt Pad books for this arc!
December 30, 2022
Better than the first book, and hard to put down. I can’t wait to read the third book and discover the great mystery teased at the end!
February 9, 2023
When Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group, sent me an email asking me if I was interested in reading “The last city” since I had read “The last she” (the second book in the series) I jumped at the opportunity since the book the last she was one of the many that I have read, that really stay with me, it wasn't that hard to enter the story and understand what was happening, and even leaning a few big revelations in the story way before the main characters mwahahah), but I would suggest, if you’re a new reader to this book series, to grab first “The last she”, because you really need to understand what happened there to fully realize what is going on here, that aside, it is much easier to read Ara here and understand her than in the first book, actually now, she only wants two things really, to come together with her family (her father and her sister Emma, since there wasn't any body to lay to rest back on Ara house, that can only mean that she is alive, and be with Kaden. Kaden thinks he lost all his family and so he only has Ara, he will find her and help her make come true her own desires, even if all he wants is going back to Boise, and Sam just wants his brother to come back to him and that is how this second book in the story began, and I must tell you, the first 5 to 6 chapters, the story drags a bit, but just endure through it, and it will get so much better, people come together, secrets are revealed, others do all they can for love.
This is a nice YA read, there’s action, some scares, but is pretty much safe for all ages, and like always I wont give any spoilers really, but I will tell you that, this books ends in a cliffhanger, you’ll want desperately know what comes next, because things are made clear that our heroes are not safe and all hell breaks lose, maybe what comes next is even worse of what happened before the first book even started and believe me, you’ll want to dive in in this story, I know I want.
Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.
This is a nice YA read, there’s action, some scares, but is pretty much safe for all ages, and like always I wont give any spoilers really, but I will tell you that, this books ends in a cliffhanger, you’ll want desperately know what comes next, because things are made clear that our heroes are not safe and all hell breaks lose, maybe what comes next is even worse of what happened before the first book even started and believe me, you’ll want to dive in in this story, I know I want.
Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.
March 2, 2023
I read the first book titled "The Last She" and wasn't overly impressed, but, the story kept me interested enough, so I decided to give this one a go. Needless to say, I didn't go in with high hopes.
This one was paced so much better than the first.
We begin with Ara and Kaden as they are headed into the Last City which is where the first book leaves off. There are 3 narrators throughout the book instead of just 2 like in the last. This worked well as you find out what happens back in Boise while following Kaden and Ara.
The adventure continues with Ara and Kaden in the Last City trying to find out Ara's family secrets. They discover quite a few interesting things and get thrown into some dangerous situations. The new characters were interesting and helped make the story more engaging. I really enjoyed Talia and Ara's relationship.
There were a few times when it was a little confusing as to how much time passed. However, I think the author really found her stride in this one and the storytelling worked well with the world building and descriptions.
I felt more invested this time around. I really liked Sam's chapters more than Ara and Kaden's. They were thoughtfully done and I felt like incase there with him, feeling what he was feeling. I don't know why but even though Ara is supposed to be the main character and we do know some backstory about her, I still don't feel like I know her. We know basic facts about her life, but not really her feelings. Not much is ever said about her mother, which is odd since she died during the plague. It's always memories of Emma. I feel like we are told about Ara's life but in a matter of fact way. Kaden's life before the plague seems more natural.
The action was steady and there were some cool twists. The ending tied up some loose ends and set up for a 3rd book. Some things were a little cliche, but overall I enjoyed the ride. I will be looking forward to part 3.
This one was paced so much better than the first.
We begin with Ara and Kaden as they are headed into the Last City which is where the first book leaves off. There are 3 narrators throughout the book instead of just 2 like in the last. This worked well as you find out what happens back in Boise while following Kaden and Ara.
The adventure continues with Ara and Kaden in the Last City trying to find out Ara's family secrets. They discover quite a few interesting things and get thrown into some dangerous situations. The new characters were interesting and helped make the story more engaging. I really enjoyed Talia and Ara's relationship.
There were a few times when it was a little confusing as to how much time passed. However, I think the author really found her stride in this one and the storytelling worked well with the world building and descriptions.
I felt more invested this time around. I really liked Sam's chapters more than Ara and Kaden's. They were thoughtfully done and I felt like incase there with him, feeling what he was feeling. I don't know why but even though Ara is supposed to be the main character and we do know some backstory about her, I still don't feel like I know her. We know basic facts about her life, but not really her feelings. Not much is ever said about her mother, which is odd since she died during the plague. It's always memories of Emma. I feel like we are told about Ara's life but in a matter of fact way. Kaden's life before the plague seems more natural.
The action was steady and there were some cool twists. The ending tied up some loose ends and set up for a 3rd book. Some things were a little cliche, but overall I enjoyed the ride. I will be looking forward to part 3.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews