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Vallendor #1
The Last One
The Witcher meets N.K. Jemisin in a new series from NYT bestselling author Rachel Howzell Hall where a young woman awakens in a field with no memory and learns that the world is dying—and that she is the only one who can save it from an evil, destructive force...herself.
512 pages, ebook
First published December 3, 2024
About the author
Rachel Howzell Hall
39 books2,693 followersRACHEL HOWZELL HALL l is the critically acclaimed author and Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist for And Now She’s Gone, which was also nominated for the Lefty-, Barry-, Shamus- and Anthony Awards and the Audible Originals bestseller How It Ends. A New York Times bestselling author of The Good Sister with James Patterson, Rachel is an Anthony-, International Thriller Writers- and Lefty Award nominee and the author of They All Fall Down, Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes and City of Saviors in the Detective Elouise Norton series. Her next thriller, These Toxic Things, out in September 2021, recently received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, calling the novel ‘cleverly-plotted’ and ‘a refreshing take on the serial killer theme.’
Rachel is a former member of the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America and has been a featured writer on NPR’s acclaimed Crime in the City series and the National Endowment for the Arts weekly podcast; she has also served as a mentor in Pitch Wars and the Association of Writers Programs. Rachel lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. For more information, visit www.rachelhowzell.com
Her next novel And Now She’s Gone will be published in September 2020. You can find her at www.rachelhowzell.com and on Twitter @RachelHowzell.
Rachel is a former member of the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America and has been a featured writer on NPR’s acclaimed Crime in the City series and the National Endowment for the Arts weekly podcast; she has also served as a mentor in Pitch Wars and the Association of Writers Programs. Rachel lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. For more information, visit www.rachelhowzell.com
Her next novel And Now She’s Gone will be published in September 2020. You can find her at www.rachelhowzell.com and on Twitter @RachelHowzell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,543 reviews
December 9, 2024
DNF. ❌
The writing? Choppy, cheesy. It felt overly staged, relying on predictable punchlines rather than organic wit, which pulled me out of the story. I called it quits the moment our MMC told our FMC (after about 48 hours together and maybe 3 full conversations) that she was “unlike anyone he’s ever met”…like they were “from the same CABBAGE PATCH or something”….sorry what??? No man would say that. The dialogue and flirting was SO cringey 😖.
I felt like I was in the mind (or diary) of some whimsical teenager. This is NOT an adult romantasy.
We get thrown directly into action, which should be exciting. Considering the FMC has lost her memory and wakes up to an assault in a town with a mysterious illness / rot. But everything that follows did nothing to attach me to her character.
The premise and mystery of Kai’s forgotten identity might nag at me enough one day to revisit this, but right now, I couldn’t care less. I might recommend this to someone who likes YA because that’s about at the level this was written. Immature execution of writing, characters, dialogue, confrontations. As Randy Jackson so eloquently put it, it’s a no from me dawg.
The writing? Choppy, cheesy. It felt overly staged, relying on predictable punchlines rather than organic wit, which pulled me out of the story. I called it quits the moment our MMC told our FMC (after about 48 hours together and maybe 3 full conversations) that she was “unlike anyone he’s ever met”…like they were “from the same CABBAGE PATCH or something”….sorry what??? No man would say that. The dialogue and flirting was SO cringey 😖.
I felt like I was in the mind (or diary) of some whimsical teenager. This is NOT an adult romantasy.
We get thrown directly into action, which should be exciting. Considering the FMC has lost her memory and wakes up to an assault in a town with a mysterious illness / rot. But everything that follows did nothing to attach me to her character.
The premise and mystery of Kai’s forgotten identity might nag at me enough one day to revisit this, but right now, I couldn’t care less. I might recommend this to someone who likes YA because that’s about at the level this was written. Immature execution of writing, characters, dialogue, confrontations. As Randy Jackson so eloquently put it, it’s a no from me dawg.
December 22, 2024
I need to apologize to myself for picking this book as my first read of vacations. This was the cringiest book I’ve ever read lol
October 27, 2024
This is probably the most refreshing fantasy book I've read this year. It wasn't really like any fantasy book I've read this year, and I'm very happy about that. The writing in this was good to me. I always love it when fantasy books mix modern and fantasy language, though I'm not sure what setting this book was in. This first book is more fantasy with a smidge of a romance subplot with the fmc Kai and the love interest Jadon.
I loved the fmc so much, her banter and wit were great especially in the first half of the book when she wakes up and has no memories or ideas of where she is. The world, cities, moths, and amulet stuff was interesting. Some parts were confusing because the fmc was confused but everything made sense by the end. I think the characters are complex and I loved the diversity, especially with the fmc. This is the author's first fantasy romance, I love it when Black authors write fantasy romance because they aren't popular in this genre and I'm excited for the next book! Thanks to Red Tower for this arc!
Read for:
- Unique worldbuilding
- Fantasy romance
- Slow burn
- Memory loss/amnesia
- Cliffhanger
4.25
I loved the fmc so much, her banter and wit were great especially in the first half of the book when she wakes up and has no memories or ideas of where she is. The world, cities, moths, and amulet stuff was interesting. Some parts were confusing because the fmc was confused but everything made sense by the end. I think the characters are complex and I loved the diversity, especially with the fmc. This is the author's first fantasy romance, I love it when Black authors write fantasy romance because they aren't popular in this genre and I'm excited for the next book! Thanks to Red Tower for this arc!
Read for:
- Unique worldbuilding
- Fantasy romance
- Slow burn
- Memory loss/amnesia
- Cliffhanger
4.25
February 16, 2025
men are trash in all realms, apparently
September 13, 2024
Decent setup with a pointlessly confusing closing. If I end the book and I'm not sure what the character's motivation or goal for the next book is, that's probably something you need to take back to an editor.
April 23, 2025
*closes book and immediately places in “sell to bookstore” pile* DNF at - I don’t even care what page.
This book’s description held some promise. But it’s just another Red Tower failure. I really wanted to like this book, but there are so many issues that I’m not going to take the time to dive into them. Rewrite or burn it. Sounds harsh but it’s accurate. There are too many other books out there to waste my time finishing this one. 😒
This book’s description held some promise. But it’s just another Red Tower failure. I really wanted to like this book, but there are so many issues that I’m not going to take the time to dive into them. Rewrite or burn it. Sounds harsh but it’s accurate. There are too many other books out there to waste my time finishing this one. 😒
Did Not Finish
December 3, 2024DNF around 20 or so pages.
Immediately started scrunching my face while reading this one. The writing is very… conversational? And maybe a little juvenile? It’s not my cup of tea. I just cringed at every single sentence and I couldn’t take it. 😥 So this is definitely not a book for me.
Immediately started scrunching my face while reading this one. The writing is very… conversational? And maybe a little juvenile? It’s not my cup of tea. I just cringed at every single sentence and I couldn’t take it. 😥 So this is definitely not a book for me.
March 29, 2025
DNF @pg137
SWEET CHEESE
SWEET CHEESE
January 22, 2025
The last thing I expected to start our darling new year, 2025, with was a book so bad it rivals the worst traditionally published novel I have ever subjected myself to in my entire life of reading, Sanctuary of the Shadow, but then I finished the The Last One and now I debate why I continue subjecting myself to Red Tower (RT) garbage in the first place. Sure, I might've started my goal of reading every RT book published to prove that RT cares more about a book's physical aesthetic then its interior quality (and appeals to people who feel the same), but I now wonder why I continue. I proved my point: RT books are... well... garbage. Plain and simple. I wish I had a witty, bird-brained way to put it, but up until now, I have yet to find a book published by the imprint that I rated higher than three feathers out of five.
And that is not from a lack of trying. Believe me, I have looked for every possible way to give these books credit where it is due, but thanks to flimsy narratives, dull writing, inorganically injected tropes, and flat characters, I am at a loss. But enough of my pessimistic croaking; let us begin.
The Review
It is my intention to provide you, my dearest of readers, with a well-structured review to adequately express how horrible an experience reading this book was. However, since I suffered such significant brain damage from it, I wonder if my usual... charm as I should put it will be able to shine through in my writing this time 'round. Heh, if I can spell correctly about 75% of the time, then I shall consider that a win (and I hope you do too). With that said, allow me to be positive for as long as possible and give an, albeit short, list of the—
Good
I cannot even believe I am putting a "good" section in this review, but since I already typed it (out of habit, I suppose) and I do not wish to prematurely damage my backspace button, I will put what is probably the best thing about this book:
IT ENDED
Oh yes, such a magical moment for my sanity. And if you, too, wish to experience said brilliant portion of such a tasteful masterpiece, then follow this hack: open the book, flip to page 424, stare at the blank space below the last line, and close the book. Stupendous!
The Rest (A.K.A The Bad)
With how unbelievably bad this book was, I honestly should have just titled the entire review, "the bad" as it would still apply. It is just mind-boggling to me that something like this could ever be traditionally published in the first place, yet here I perch, beak rapidly moving across my worn keyboard, prepared to explain to you why this book failed on so many levels...
1. Juvenile writing style. Arguably one of the most obvious issues this book had was how childish it read. And while I do not expect every book to have what some might call "high-brow" complex prose, I do at least, expect the adult book I am reading to not sound more like YA than YA books do. "But Valerian, writing style is in the eye of the beholder, it's just your opinion that it is juvenile, stop being overly critical!" Ah, is that so? Well, dear reader, if the previous statement was something you, yourself, were thinking, then allow me to present you with some examples of the "subjectively" bad writing style and allow you to formulate your own decision:
a) "All weary and worried, and above all, all sass and ass." (25)
b) "'Your rod's getting hard.'" (63)
c) "'Suprise,' I say, smiling. 'I'm that bitch.'" (remember that this line on page 159 is in a fantasy novel and then you'll see why it is an issue)
d)"'I feel like we came from the same cabbage patch or something.'" (Said on page 70 as a sort-of love confession from the MMC to the FMC. It was obviously very romantic.)
e)"'What?' I ask, sipping, relaxing loose as a goose." (250)
f)"Just a bird in a tree in the wild because ravens and owls and other fowls live in the wild." (284)
g) "'Gout? I'd like to think I'm more like... chronic heartburn. That's sexier than gout." (308)
h) "'I'll bring you back as something cool, like a cow...'" (310)
i) "He gags until he's the color of turnips. I'm striving for eggplant." (399)
Note: I only included context for letters c and d because it makes the lines even worse than they appear. I did not include context for the others because even with context, they still make no sense and are written terribly.
2. World building is lackluster Now this bit might be a controversial portion as there is much debate on how much focus there should be placed on worldbuilding in romantasies over fantasies. However, being that the dust jacket has the words, "explosive and enthralling romantasy debut" written on it, I find that I do not feel all that bad about commenting on false advertising, so... I will. Now, there was very little focus put on the world in this book, which might lead one to think the focus was placed on the romance side of romantasy. Well, if you thought that, then you would be wrong, as that was virtually nonexistent too. I am of the belief that the author thought she did some worldbuilding but, to me, a rotting forest and a creature called a "battawhale" is not exactly shaping any sort of definitive sense of place. The names of things were ridiculous (born-day instead of birthday, life-beat instead of heartbeat, nightstar instead of moon, daystar instead of sun, etc.) and the towns/cities they found themselves in were vague and nondescript, not adequately placing the reader in anything unique or fascinating, making their minds drift to visions of dancing rats wearing high-heels to entertain themselves instead of yet another village square with a cart of potatoes or whatever the flock they ate in this book.
3. The dialogue was grating. If the examples I provided you in reason #1 were not enough to convince you that the dialogue in the book was less engaging than watching an owl toss up a pellet, then perhaps you require the knowledge that pages, 63, 94, 95, 210, 215, and 342 were nearly entirely dedicated (or at least some minor emphasis was put on) very bad and utterly unfunny innuendo. Now, being that I, myself, act more like a fledgling than the adult bird that I am, I can find humor in innuendos. However, when nearly any bit of character-defining dialogue between the FMC and MMC is just jokes about "sword" length and literal nut jokes, I find myself aging into a featherless elder telling fledglings to stop using all this new-fangled technology with how funny the "jokes" are. They are completely out of place in a fantasy book and add absolutely nothing to the story and character-building overall. The book would be so much better without them.
4. Unnecessary SA backstory for a female character. I am starting to think I should put such a thing in my RT repetitiveness checklist with how many RT books have it. I truly cannot understand why so many authors feel the need to put this in their books when they are unwilling to show how that character works through her trauma in favor of using it as a plot device to motivate the MC into action. Just like always, Philia's past with her father's drunken friends is only given as a one-off for Kai to be angry and feel bad for her. She gets no real definition of her own, showing me that the author only stuck it in for shock value and nothing else. If an author is so unwilling to do the work in breaking down such a sensitive topic, then I beg them with every bone in my body to not use it. It adds nothing and is such a lazy way to bring tension into a story.
5. Plot convenience galore. While not exactly a new issue for RT, since it hiders any and all convincing storytelling the author was attempting to accomplish, I find it is important to mention it. All too often there were scenes/events that the author wanted to occur, but since she was not creative enough to find an organic way for them to happen, she used assorted conveniences to make them happen, and it showed. For example, on page 113, just as a cursufly is about to kill Milo the dog, Kai randomly gets the ability to control wind and blasts the creature off course and into a burning shop. This happens as needed because the author did not have any other way to get out of the hole she dug. And while this is hardly the most damning case of plot convenience, it is one of many examples found throughout the book. And while I would love to include more, being that I have so much more to say and do not wish to get character limited, I will simply leave you with the page numbers I found upon my first read-through of this book that include examples I encourage you to reread for yourself: 72, 242, 254, and 288 (this is an especially ridiculous example as, somehow, the soldiers did not see three trees randomly growing out of the ground directly in front of them).
The "Romance"
As I mentioned before, the romance side of this romantasy was just as bad, if not worse, than the worldbuilding. It added nothing to the story, and left me scratching my head wondering at what point I was supposed to have even started shipping them in the first place. It was more insta-lovey than a Disney movie, and had just as much depth as a paper plate. The MMC, Jadon, told Kai he felt like they came from the same cabbage patch, and had internal monologues about how lovely her backside was. They had RT's singular obligatory sex scene that, once again, added nothing to the story, only for the sweet, sweet love made there to be squandered when one of my least favorite tropes on earth, the miscommunication trope, reared its ugly head and shattered any possibility of a relationship between them. I think the author wanted me to be impacted by this, but since I did not exactly catch why they were in love in the first place, I did not care either way.
Characters
Kai
This RT classic's version of the "badass FMC." Does she live up to such a title? Eh. She was certainly not the worst RT FMC I have had to deal with, but she was not exactly a character I will ever reflect upon fondly. She had more struggle than most FMC women, but still had a good number of events ended in her favor where they should not have been. Though, I can give her credit for actually being violent when she is advertised as such. All too often these FMCs are told in exposition to be violent and heartless yet only kill "ugly" men that have probably SA'd someone at some point. She just killed whoever she felt like. Props to her in that regard.
Jadon
To put it crudely, this guy sucks. He has zero personality and is exactly what I imagine moldy bread to be like in human form. Probably one of the least interesting love interests in RT's lineup thus far. And that's saying something considering Hades from The Games Gods Play is an option. In a "shocking" twist, he was the lost prince of the kingdom. Who cares.
Olivia
Despite the fact that I did not finish this book that long ago, I can honestly remember nothing of this character, so that should tell you enough. She is a thief and a liar, and not in a charming way. She is in a wlw relationship with Philia which is nice, but since being a lesbian is not a personality trait, that isn't necessarily anything to help her case.
Philia
She is also uninteresting. She is Olivia's love interest and nothing else. Well, I suppose that is not necessarily true. She is also used as a plot device when the author gets bored and has nothing else to throw into this waste of paper and ink.
Veril
This is your cliche wise old mentor character. He predictably dies and says the word dearest more than anyone on the planet ever has. I did not mourn him. After all, it was one less character for me to roll my eyes at.
Misc. Things that Annoyed Me
1. The thickness of a dragon's talon being used as a unit of measurement on page 316 despite it never being established how large dragons are
2. The sheer number of paragraphs full of questions the FMC was asking herself because the author thinks her audience is stupid and cannot ask questions on their own
3. Random girl hate (339)
4. The stupid banter between the characters (excellent example on page 310)
5. Jadon being a prince
6. The antagonist women, Elyn, literally anytime she showed up on page because she was a giant mustache-twirling villain
7. Kai's dagger being named Little Lava because she "brings the heat" (212)
Red Tower repetitiveness checklist (those that appeared in bold):
*Ambiguously tan love interest
*Small FMC
*Overpowered FMC
*Edgy love interest that is at home in the darkness
*Heavy-handed messaging
*Oral scene before missionary scene
*MMC that is considered hot for the bare minimum, i.e., basic feminist takes/actions
*Harassment against FMC by a man that is thwarted by MMC
*Repetitive descriptions about how large the love interest is (in all meanings of the word)
*The best sex to have ever sexed
*FMC uses/loves strictly daggers to defend herself
*Inorganically injected tropes
*MMC with muscles on top of muscles
*Supposedly. Impactful. Phrases. Interrupted. With. Periods
Total score on the Red Tower repetitiveness scale: 8/14
Not the worst score for the RT repetitiveness scale, which is surprising. I saw on Amazon that there is a slot for a sequel for this book called The Cruel Dawn set to be released on Tuesday, August 19 which I hope is untrue, but being that I have horrid luck, I bet it will be. So, stay tuned for such a riveting piece of literature to be released, I know I will be. There will probably be a review for that from yours truly as I cannot help but force myself to read sequels to books I hate. And who knows? Perhaps it will be an improvement. For my sanity, I certainly hope so.
Until next time, dearest readers,
-V.W.
P.S. do not forget to bring the heat
And that is not from a lack of trying. Believe me, I have looked for every possible way to give these books credit where it is due, but thanks to flimsy narratives, dull writing, inorganically injected tropes, and flat characters, I am at a loss. But enough of my pessimistic croaking; let us begin.
The Review
It is my intention to provide you, my dearest of readers, with a well-structured review to adequately express how horrible an experience reading this book was. However, since I suffered such significant brain damage from it, I wonder if my usual... charm as I should put it will be able to shine through in my writing this time 'round. Heh, if I can spell correctly about 75% of the time, then I shall consider that a win (and I hope you do too). With that said, allow me to be positive for as long as possible and give an, albeit short, list of the—
Good
I cannot even believe I am putting a "good" section in this review, but since I already typed it (out of habit, I suppose) and I do not wish to prematurely damage my backspace button, I will put what is probably the best thing about this book:
IT ENDED
Oh yes, such a magical moment for my sanity. And if you, too, wish to experience said brilliant portion of such a tasteful masterpiece, then follow this hack: open the book, flip to page 424, stare at the blank space below the last line, and close the book. Stupendous!
The Rest (A.K.A The Bad)
With how unbelievably bad this book was, I honestly should have just titled the entire review, "the bad" as it would still apply. It is just mind-boggling to me that something like this could ever be traditionally published in the first place, yet here I perch, beak rapidly moving across my worn keyboard, prepared to explain to you why this book failed on so many levels...
1. Juvenile writing style. Arguably one of the most obvious issues this book had was how childish it read. And while I do not expect every book to have what some might call "high-brow" complex prose, I do at least, expect the adult book I am reading to not sound more like YA than YA books do. "But Valerian, writing style is in the eye of the beholder, it's just your opinion that it is juvenile, stop being overly critical!" Ah, is that so? Well, dear reader, if the previous statement was something you, yourself, were thinking, then allow me to present you with some examples of the "subjectively" bad writing style and allow you to formulate your own decision:
a) "All weary and worried, and above all, all sass and ass." (25)
b) "'Your rod's getting hard.'" (63)
c) "'Suprise,' I say, smiling. 'I'm that bitch.'" (remember that this line on page 159 is in a fantasy novel and then you'll see why it is an issue)
d)"'I feel like we came from the same cabbage patch or something.'" (Said on page 70 as a sort-of love confession from the MMC to the FMC. It was obviously very romantic.)
e)"'What?' I ask, sipping, relaxing loose as a goose." (250)
f)"Just a bird in a tree in the wild because ravens and owls and other fowls live in the wild." (284)
g) "'Gout? I'd like to think I'm more like... chronic heartburn. That's sexier than gout." (308)
h) "'I'll bring you back as something cool, like a cow...'" (310)
i) "He gags until he's the color of turnips. I'm striving for eggplant." (399)
Note: I only included context for letters c and d because it makes the lines even worse than they appear. I did not include context for the others because even with context, they still make no sense and are written terribly.
2. World building is lackluster Now this bit might be a controversial portion as there is much debate on how much focus there should be placed on worldbuilding in romantasies over fantasies. However, being that the dust jacket has the words, "explosive and enthralling romantasy debut" written on it, I find that I do not feel all that bad about commenting on false advertising, so... I will. Now, there was very little focus put on the world in this book, which might lead one to think the focus was placed on the romance side of romantasy. Well, if you thought that, then you would be wrong, as that was virtually nonexistent too. I am of the belief that the author thought she did some worldbuilding but, to me, a rotting forest and a creature called a "battawhale" is not exactly shaping any sort of definitive sense of place. The names of things were ridiculous (born-day instead of birthday, life-beat instead of heartbeat, nightstar instead of moon, daystar instead of sun, etc.) and the towns/cities they found themselves in were vague and nondescript, not adequately placing the reader in anything unique or fascinating, making their minds drift to visions of dancing rats wearing high-heels to entertain themselves instead of yet another village square with a cart of potatoes or whatever the flock they ate in this book.
3. The dialogue was grating. If the examples I provided you in reason #1 were not enough to convince you that the dialogue in the book was less engaging than watching an owl toss up a pellet, then perhaps you require the knowledge that pages, 63, 94, 95, 210, 215, and 342 were nearly entirely dedicated (or at least some minor emphasis was put on) very bad and utterly unfunny innuendo. Now, being that I, myself, act more like a fledgling than the adult bird that I am, I can find humor in innuendos. However, when nearly any bit of character-defining dialogue between the FMC and MMC is just jokes about "sword" length and literal nut jokes, I find myself aging into a featherless elder telling fledglings to stop using all this new-fangled technology with how funny the "jokes" are. They are completely out of place in a fantasy book and add absolutely nothing to the story and character-building overall. The book would be so much better without them.
4. Unnecessary SA backstory for a female character. I am starting to think I should put such a thing in my RT repetitiveness checklist with how many RT books have it. I truly cannot understand why so many authors feel the need to put this in their books when they are unwilling to show how that character works through her trauma in favor of using it as a plot device to motivate the MC into action. Just like always, Philia's past with her father's drunken friends is only given as a one-off for Kai to be angry and feel bad for her. She gets no real definition of her own, showing me that the author only stuck it in for shock value and nothing else. If an author is so unwilling to do the work in breaking down such a sensitive topic, then I beg them with every bone in my body to not use it. It adds nothing and is such a lazy way to bring tension into a story.
5. Plot convenience galore. While not exactly a new issue for RT, since it hiders any and all convincing storytelling the author was attempting to accomplish, I find it is important to mention it. All too often there were scenes/events that the author wanted to occur, but since she was not creative enough to find an organic way for them to happen, she used assorted conveniences to make them happen, and it showed. For example, on page 113, just as a cursufly is about to kill Milo the dog, Kai randomly gets the ability to control wind and blasts the creature off course and into a burning shop. This happens as needed because the author did not have any other way to get out of the hole she dug. And while this is hardly the most damning case of plot convenience, it is one of many examples found throughout the book. And while I would love to include more, being that I have so much more to say and do not wish to get character limited, I will simply leave you with the page numbers I found upon my first read-through of this book that include examples I encourage you to reread for yourself: 72, 242, 254, and 288 (this is an especially ridiculous example as, somehow, the soldiers did not see three trees randomly growing out of the ground directly in front of them).
The "Romance"
As I mentioned before, the romance side of this romantasy was just as bad, if not worse, than the worldbuilding. It added nothing to the story, and left me scratching my head wondering at what point I was supposed to have even started shipping them in the first place. It was more insta-lovey than a Disney movie, and had just as much depth as a paper plate. The MMC, Jadon, told Kai he felt like they came from the same cabbage patch, and had internal monologues about how lovely her backside was. They had RT's singular obligatory sex scene that, once again, added nothing to the story, only for the sweet, sweet love made there to be squandered when one of my least favorite tropes on earth, the miscommunication trope, reared its ugly head and shattered any possibility of a relationship between them. I think the author wanted me to be impacted by this, but since I did not exactly catch why they were in love in the first place, I did not care either way.
Characters
Kai
This RT classic's version of the "badass FMC." Does she live up to such a title? Eh. She was certainly not the worst RT FMC I have had to deal with, but she was not exactly a character I will ever reflect upon fondly. She had more struggle than most FMC women, but still had a good number of events ended in her favor where they should not have been. Though, I can give her credit for actually being violent when she is advertised as such. All too often these FMCs are told in exposition to be violent and heartless yet only kill "ugly" men that have probably SA'd someone at some point. She just killed whoever she felt like. Props to her in that regard.
Jadon
To put it crudely, this guy sucks. He has zero personality and is exactly what I imagine moldy bread to be like in human form. Probably one of the least interesting love interests in RT's lineup thus far. And that's saying something considering Hades from The Games Gods Play is an option. In a "shocking" twist, he was the lost prince of the kingdom. Who cares.
Olivia
Despite the fact that I did not finish this book that long ago, I can honestly remember nothing of this character, so that should tell you enough. She is a thief and a liar, and not in a charming way. She is in a wlw relationship with Philia which is nice, but since being a lesbian is not a personality trait, that isn't necessarily anything to help her case.
Philia
She is also uninteresting. She is Olivia's love interest and nothing else. Well, I suppose that is not necessarily true. She is also used as a plot device when the author gets bored and has nothing else to throw into this waste of paper and ink.
Veril
This is your cliche wise old mentor character. He predictably dies and says the word dearest more than anyone on the planet ever has. I did not mourn him. After all, it was one less character for me to roll my eyes at.
Misc. Things that Annoyed Me
1. The thickness of a dragon's talon being used as a unit of measurement on page 316 despite it never being established how large dragons are
2. The sheer number of paragraphs full of questions the FMC was asking herself because the author thinks her audience is stupid and cannot ask questions on their own
3. Random girl hate (339)
4. The stupid banter between the characters (excellent example on page 310)
5. Jadon being a prince
6. The antagonist women, Elyn, literally anytime she showed up on page because she was a giant mustache-twirling villain
7. Kai's dagger being named Little Lava because she "brings the heat" (212)
Red Tower repetitiveness checklist (those that appeared in bold):
*Ambiguously tan love interest
*Small FMC
*Overpowered FMC
*Edgy love interest that is at home in the darkness
*Heavy-handed messaging
*Oral scene before missionary scene
*MMC that is considered hot for the bare minimum, i.e., basic feminist takes/actions
*Harassment against FMC by a man that is thwarted by MMC
*Repetitive descriptions about how large the love interest is (in all meanings of the word)
*The best sex to have ever sexed
*FMC uses/loves strictly daggers to defend herself
*Inorganically injected tropes
*MMC with muscles on top of muscles
*Supposedly. Impactful. Phrases. Interrupted. With. Periods
Total score on the Red Tower repetitiveness scale: 8/14
Not the worst score for the RT repetitiveness scale, which is surprising. I saw on Amazon that there is a slot for a sequel for this book called The Cruel Dawn set to be released on Tuesday, August 19 which I hope is untrue, but being that I have horrid luck, I bet it will be. So, stay tuned for such a riveting piece of literature to be released, I know I will be. There will probably be a review for that from yours truly as I cannot help but force myself to read sequels to books I hate. And who knows? Perhaps it will be an improvement. For my sanity, I certainly hope so.
Until next time, dearest readers,
-V.W.
P.S. do not forget to bring the heat
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2024
I was anticipating this release but unfortunately it just wasn't my favorite. The premise is fascinating - a mysterious girl, Kai, wakes up in the woods with no memory of who she is. Right off the bat there are hints that she's powerful. A mysterious amulet, uniquely colored eyes and hair, and she can read minds? Sort of? I struggled to understand this because she'd get snatches of thoughts every once in a while but it was so unclear how this power was supposed to work.
This mind-reading thing also took away from her dynamic with Jadon, the love interest who she is forced to live with after an altercation with his sister, Olivia, that leads to her being taken captive. The siblings negotiate her release and take her on so that she can work to make up for her transgression (which was literally not a transgression and was blown out of proportion, but whatever). Through her mind reading we see that Jadon is instantly attracted to her. Instantly. I just thought it took away from the whole bitter, reluctant allies thing they had going on. And some of the flirting was so cringey...
I did love how humorous Kai's character was. the author did a great job on Kai's inner monologue - she has some hilarious quips and thoughts in passing, and her dialogue is also great if bordering on a little... juvenile at times? The book just dragged on a little too much, and Kai was the only character that I thought was really strong. I'm still going to read the next book because I need answers -- I wish we had gotten a bit more, it started to get repetitive.
This mind-reading thing also took away from her dynamic with Jadon, the love interest who she is forced to live with after an altercation with his sister, Olivia, that leads to her being taken captive. The siblings negotiate her release and take her on so that she can work to make up for her transgression (which was literally not a transgression and was blown out of proportion, but whatever). Through her mind reading we see that Jadon is instantly attracted to her. Instantly. I just thought it took away from the whole bitter, reluctant allies thing they had going on. And some of the flirting was so cringey...
I did love how humorous Kai's character was. the author did a great job on Kai's inner monologue - she has some hilarious quips and thoughts in passing, and her dialogue is also great if bordering on a little... juvenile at times? The book just dragged on a little too much, and Kai was the only character that I thought was really strong. I'm still going to read the next book because I need answers -- I wish we had gotten a bit more, it started to get repetitive.
January 2, 2025
okay, I'm gonna say it. don't bother reading the reviews on this one, because most people DNF'd it, or rated it poorly because it was delayed so much, without even give the book a chance and/or a full read. lowkey really upsets me that people are doing this, because this book is phenomenal.
onto my review!
you need to read this book. ASAP. the plot twists I did not see coming. and you grasp onto some characters so hard, and then you get the shock of a lifetime. so glad that this was my first read of 2025, and I do not regret it.
onto my review!
you need to read this book. ASAP. the plot twists I did not see coming. and you grasp onto some characters so hard, and then you get the shock of a lifetime. so glad that this was my first read of 2025, and I do not regret it.
January 4, 2025
I wish I could give this book 0 stars that’s how much I hated it. I know I can’t completely blame the audiobook narrator because they aren’t her words but she was sooooo over the top and for what reason? I’d never read another book she narrates. My goal is to DNF more books I hate in 2025 because this was 5 days and 469 pages I’ll never get back.
We start with a girl who has no idea who she is and by the end… we still have no idea who the hell she is. I mean literally, in the last two chapters they’re like “we’re gonna explain things” and yet… they didn’t? No side character got a resolution at all? Half the characters just disappeared? Another character tried to kill the FMC and I genuinely wished she had succeeded. I wouldn’t wish this book on my worst enemy or pick it back up even if I was stranded on a desert island with no other entertainment.
No. No. No. bad. Awful. Bad.
Please don’t pick this one up no matter how much the cover or sprayed edges try to pull you in. I tried to look up summaries online and every one I found was the reviewer saying I “DNFed” this book. So if you’re looking to have any idea what happens in this book… you’re sol.
We start with a girl who has no idea who she is and by the end… we still have no idea who the hell she is. I mean literally, in the last two chapters they’re like “we’re gonna explain things” and yet… they didn’t? No side character got a resolution at all? Half the characters just disappeared? Another character tried to kill the FMC and I genuinely wished she had succeeded. I wouldn’t wish this book on my worst enemy or pick it back up even if I was stranded on a desert island with no other entertainment.
No. No. No. bad. Awful. Bad.
Please don’t pick this one up no matter how much the cover or sprayed edges try to pull you in. I tried to look up summaries online and every one I found was the reviewer saying I “DNFed” this book. So if you’re looking to have any idea what happens in this book… you’re sol.
August 6, 2024
Update: I think this might be my favorite book of the year. Definitely one of them. The story is fresh, the characters are fully formed, the magic system is good, and the plot twists.. oh, the plot twists.
Holy sh*t! Will review closer to release. Preorder this book now if you want the special edition. It will sell out!
Holy sh*t! Will review closer to release. Preorder this book now if you want the special edition. It will sell out!
July 13, 2026
⭐️ 3.5 / 5 Stars — Surprised Me in the Best Way!
I picked this up during a Book Outlet sale when I was trying to get back into reading. Since I bought the two-book set on a whim, it was definitely a risk—especially seeing its surprisingly low rating here on Goodreads. But honestly? It was way better than I expected!
What worked for me:
Pacing & Plot: The story moves along at a great pace and kept me hooked with plenty of unexpected twists and turns.
World-Building & Lore: The world-building is easily one of the highlights. The lore feels deep, detailed, and really well thought out.
Locations & Characters: I loved how many different locations we got to visit throughout the journey. Plus, there’s a great cast of side characters that you actually get to know and care about.
It’s definitely an underrated read in my opinion. If you're on the fence because of the average rating, it's worth giving it a shot! I'm genuinely excited to jump straight into the next book in the series.
I picked this up during a Book Outlet sale when I was trying to get back into reading. Since I bought the two-book set on a whim, it was definitely a risk—especially seeing its surprisingly low rating here on Goodreads. But honestly? It was way better than I expected!
What worked for me:
Pacing & Plot: The story moves along at a great pace and kept me hooked with plenty of unexpected twists and turns.
World-Building & Lore: The world-building is easily one of the highlights. The lore feels deep, detailed, and really well thought out.
Locations & Characters: I loved how many different locations we got to visit throughout the journey. Plus, there’s a great cast of side characters that you actually get to know and care about.
It’s definitely an underrated read in my opinion. If you're on the fence because of the average rating, it's worth giving it a shot! I'm genuinely excited to jump straight into the next book in the series.
June 27, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sassy and Ambitious
I went back and forth on this one as I was listening on audible. It has some slow moments as well as scenes that initially felt like fluff/filler until they actually evolved into something meaningful later on.
I REALLY appreciated the voice of the FMC. She was absolutely represented as a WOC and it was so refreshing to see this level of fantasy with ✨flavor✨. I enjoyed her word choices, her attitude, her perspective on what she was experiencing, and felt connected to her as a character.
the MMC feels weak in a way I don't love. He wavers a lot in the story and makes decisions that end up being harmful, and even cruel. I'll read the second book, but so far, he deserves a slap in the face and not much else.
The story is interesting in that it is pretty different from the Romantasies that are popular right now. I would definitely recommend giving this a try, but just accept that it's trying to be it's own thing. ❤️
Sassy and Ambitious
I went back and forth on this one as I was listening on audible. It has some slow moments as well as scenes that initially felt like fluff/filler until they actually evolved into something meaningful later on.
I REALLY appreciated the voice of the FMC. She was absolutely represented as a WOC and it was so refreshing to see this level of fantasy with ✨flavor✨. I enjoyed her word choices, her attitude, her perspective on what she was experiencing, and felt connected to her as a character.
the MMC feels weak in a way I don't love. He wavers a lot in the story and makes decisions that end up being harmful, and even cruel. I'll read the second book, but so far, he deserves a slap in the face and not much else.
The story is interesting in that it is pretty different from the Romantasies that are popular right now. I would definitely recommend giving this a try, but just accept that it's trying to be it's own thing. ❤️
April 9, 2025
3.5 Stars!
I feel like this author, Rachel Howzell Hall, doesn't know who the true villains are.
This book opens with a bang. Kai, our protagonist, wakes up in the woods, not knowing who she is, where she is, or how she got here. I was invested from the very beginning.
I wouldn't say this is a Romantasy, but given some of the Romances I've read, maybe it is. I think it's not Romantasy because there is no romance. Jadon, our "love interest" is horrible. He lies to and gaslights Kai, and his actions put her in direct danger. I hated him. I hated Olivia. I hated Philia. Veril is great.
Despite wanting Jadon and Olivia particularly to die slowly and painfully, I did enjoy this book. Kai is my girl, and Veril is my heart. I liked to world this story was set in, and if there is a book 2( that ending tells me there will be), I would read it.
I don't know quite who to recommend this to, other than people who read the same types of romance that I do.
I feel like this author, Rachel Howzell Hall, doesn't know who the true villains are.
This book opens with a bang. Kai, our protagonist, wakes up in the woods, not knowing who she is, where she is, or how she got here. I was invested from the very beginning.
I wouldn't say this is a Romantasy, but given some of the Romances I've read, maybe it is. I think it's not Romantasy because there is no romance. Jadon, our "love interest" is horrible. He lies to and gaslights Kai, and his actions put her in direct danger. I hated him. I hated Olivia. I hated Philia. Veril is great.
Despite wanting Jadon and Olivia particularly to die slowly and painfully, I did enjoy this book. Kai is my girl, and Veril is my heart. I liked to world this story was set in, and if there is a book 2( that ending tells me there will be), I would read it.
I don't know quite who to recommend this to, other than people who read the same types of romance that I do.
April 30, 2025
DNF 37%
Lo intenté, juro que lo intenté pero no puedo continuar.
La historia arranca muy bien y la premisa de que la protagonista despierta en medio de un bosque sin recordar nada, ni siquiera su nombre, es muy buena, acto inmediato tenemos acción y las dudas comienzan a llegar una tras otra, pero ¿entonces qué pasó? Eso mismo me pregunto yo. El libro simplemente se va en caída libre.
Los diálogos se vuelven absurdos, la relación entre los personajes es más plana que nada y el romance entre la protagonista y su interés amoroso es tan soso que aburre, y además se avientan frases como "Estoy impresionada por lo dura que está tu madera-le digo bajando la mirada, más abajo..., más abajo..., ahí" y luego tenemos este estilo de redacción (que en lo particular a mi no me gusta) donde le dan a las palabras la terminación de ITA... chiquita, vocecita, marquitas, nubecita, etc, etc, en resumen, no es un libro para adultos, a mi yo de 17 años le habría gustado pero mi yo de ahora definitivamente no.
Cada capítulo se me iba haciendo más aburrido y pesado que el anterior y en algún punto introducen de golpe elementos de fantasía que no sabemos ni que son ni cuál es su beneficio.
Por último, odié a Kai, la protagonista. Era insufrible, y para nada empaticé con ella.
October 19, 2024
Thank you to Edelweiss and Red Tower for an advanced reader's copy of this book.
Packed with action, twists and turns, and a unique and fresh take on romantasy, Hall introduces us to Kai, who has lost all of her memories. She finds herself in a haggard and dingy town, riddled with disease, and full of people who don't trust her. What is Kai's story? What is the importance of her moth amulet?
Full of morally grey characters- and I mean almost all of them except one or two- The Last One is almost cinematic in its writing and style. There were a few points in the middle that lagged for me, and use of modern language that took me out of the book, but overall this was a very solid start to a brand new series. You'll find no fae (thank goodness, really), no shadow daddies (at least not yet, also thank goodness, really), no retelling (also thank goodness, really) but a host of new creatures and peoples, rich and diverse.
Packed with action, twists and turns, and a unique and fresh take on romantasy, Hall introduces us to Kai, who has lost all of her memories. She finds herself in a haggard and dingy town, riddled with disease, and full of people who don't trust her. What is Kai's story? What is the importance of her moth amulet?
Full of morally grey characters- and I mean almost all of them except one or two- The Last One is almost cinematic in its writing and style. There were a few points in the middle that lagged for me, and use of modern language that took me out of the book, but overall this was a very solid start to a brand new series. You'll find no fae (thank goodness, really), no shadow daddies (at least not yet, also thank goodness, really), no retelling (also thank goodness, really) but a host of new creatures and peoples, rich and diverse.
December 13, 2024
dnf :( the plot was unclear and all over the place, character motivations were simply not present, dialogue was tacky and characters were cheesy, and for the life of me i couldnt figure out wtf the setting of this story even was. i could go on and on but i am trying to be nice. i gave this book grace for the authors first foray into this genre, but i couldnt get that grace to extend beyond the 27% mark. if anyone knows what kai’s deal is lmk because thats the only reason i held on so long
January 14, 2025
DNF @48% / 2 Stars / 2 Steam Fans
TOOOOOOO SLOW!! Also, too repetitive and boring. It started interesting but then fell off.
Read in Week 2: Jan 5 – Jan 11, 2025. Video book reviews available on my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk (https://www.youtube.com/@stephsromanc...) and TikTok: Steph's Romance Book Talk
TOOOOOOO SLOW!! Also, too repetitive and boring. It started interesting but then fell off.
Read in Week 2: Jan 5 – Jan 11, 2025. Video book reviews available on my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk (https://www.youtube.com/@stephsromanc...) and TikTok: Steph's Romance Book Talk
December 12, 2024
Ehh. Is what I can say . The plot pacing was very shaky , I couldn’t stand the early interactions between Kai and Jadon and then the not finding out the real information till the last 20 pages should have come much earlier and given the internal struggles more time to stew.
March 24, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ | Maybe it’s just me, but didn’t feel any connection to the characters. I didn’t get any of the feels with this one.
February 3, 2025
⭐️Rating: 2.5
🌶️Spice: 1
🚨SPOILERS AHEAD.
📚For the TLDR, here’s my general review and critiques of the book:
Two words can describe the reading experience of “The Last One.” Confusing and disappointing.
I was really looking forward to this book as the dust jacket is gorgeous and the moth is what truly drew me to this book as a lover of the little creatures. Even more beautiful is the art on the hardcover itself of the snake. Add in the sprayed edges and I had high hopes for this book. Unfortunately though, it looks better than it is.
The book spent more time on Kai taking baths than it did with flushing out the actual main plot. So much of the book was spent going into vivid details of things that could have been skipped through and had the same impact if Kai gave the reader a short one to two paragraph summary of what happened off the page between point A and point B then moved on. Instead, we spent 400 pages going through miscommunication, sexual tension edging, and one-paragraph-long conflicts solved in the most random and non-sensical ways that it just turned corny. And all of it wasted any page time for the actual plot of the book. It’s so disappointing. Especially because the concept of the story is actually very interesting.
A Goddess who has lost her memory of her past finds herself somewhere new and foreign and surrounded by people all working against her. Her closest allies turn out to be her biggest enemies. Who she is trying to be is actually a total night and day switch of who she was. Upon learning this information it seems she is actually going to revert back into this evil version of herself?
That is such an interesting concept! But it is executed so poorly that it doesn’t get its justice. When I finished the book I smacked it shut and just… heavily sighed. This book had all the components to be so much more but between corny conflicts, cringey dialogue from inconsistent characters with contradictory motivations, unfinished plot points, and useless filler being more fleshed out than the actual main bread and butter of the plot, it was a confusing and disappointing disaster.
I truly hope that, if there is a second book in the plans, Rachel re-prioritizes the plot and gets characters and their thoughts, feelings, and motivations in order. A second book could truly make up for a lot of the issues here so easily if handled correctly. And despite my criticisms and overall feelings toward this book, if there is a second one I will be reading it in hopes that it can save and fully revive the potential it carries.
📚For anyone interested in the WHY for my thoughts on this book:
📌Note: This review will be quite long as I’m going to recap parts of the story in which I personally have grievances with and/or general criticisms. Unfortunately, there are a lot.
In just the first few pages I already felt very indifferent to this book. Part of me enjoyed Kai’s inner monologue. The sass was nice and relatable. But it also just felt… odd and out of place. It felt too modern for a fantasy setting. This continues throughout the book as well. A very specific instance of it being a point in which Jadon uses the word “vibes.” This would have worked if the life Kai forgot was that of the modern world and her fall from the sky was her landing in a new dimension where we find this fantasy world — but that’s not how the story goes. It pulled me enough out of the story to have me questioning if I wanted to even continue the book merely 5 pages into it. But I really wanted to love this book so I continued reading.
Right away, Kai finds herself in a bad situation. She’s captured by the town jailers after a large public spectacle and at risk of being thrown into a cell or, worse we find out, the home of one of said jailers. But fear not because for no real reason at all the girl who stole from her and then was attacked by her… comes to her aid? Even further, that girl’s brother steps in as well to save Kai from the cartoonishly evil jailers. Just the first of many conundrums she finds herself in for all of two minutes.
Kai is then sentenced with earning twelve geld as her fine to pay to the town. This is treated as no easy task and will keep her stuck in town forever. Except not… because the next day, her first day of work, she earns nine geld despite not even showing up to all of the jobs she had been scheduled for that day. Eight geld alone all came from one man — Jamart. This same man is the reason Kai finds herself wanting to free everyone who wasn’t as lucky as her and didn’t have anyone step in to keep them from being jailed.
When she finds herself at the jailhouse, after talking to the prisoners inside and insisting she will free them, she makes a point to tell the reader about one of her tears hitting the dirt. Now, I thought this would have significance as earlier, back at Jamart’s house, he thanks her and claims she answered his prayers and blessed him. He even has an altar with a carved woman who looks suspiciously like Kai and it is covered in flowers. It felt like it was spelling out that she was some type of Goddess of nature at least, so the teardrop in the dirt felt like it was something that would come back later. She’d return to the jail to rescue the prisoners and, what do you know, the spot she had stood in during her first visit has suddenly bloomed with flowers and foliage. But instead, we never see this spot again.
That night, the village is raided by an army, and Kai runs onto the battlefield to join the fight. In the scrimmage, we are presented with the second instance in which a problem only exists for two minutes. Kai plans to keep her promise to the prisoners in the middle of this battle. With nothing but a garden hoe in hand, Kai easily runs through soldiers and reaches one of the jailers from earlier — Narder. Just as easily, she kills him and takes his keys. There is a moment of pretend difficulty when, oh no, his key ring has six whole keys on it. How will our heroine ever find the right key and rescue the prisoners now? Easily. Not a single soldier bothers her in her trial and error with the door and all half dozen keys. She easily rescues everyone inside the jail mere hours after deciding she would.
At this point in the fight, it’s basically just her and Jadon fighting off the army. Our unarmored Kai is simply plowing through soldiers and coming out of it with, forgive me if I’m wrong, but I believe zero injures. I don’t think she even received a small cut or bruise from the battle. That is until we run into a “behemoth” of an enemy who just turns out to be another obstacle that’s flawlessly dealt with in two minutes.
Are we seeing the trend of nothing having any risk or consequence? All of this takes place before we’ve even reached the hundredth page. It continues though, in another scene later on when Kai is cornered in the woods by the second surviving jailer, Johny, and some friends of his. But as you can guess, they are swiftly dealt with just as everyone else. This time though it’s by the… scales… of a giant snake who specifically protects Kai and “speaks” to her. More specifically, it is the snake painted onto the hardcover of the book. So it must be a significant creature yes? No. No, it’s not. We never see this giant snake or any of its kind again.
Something that was also never see again is the hint of Kai having healing abilities. The day after the battle, Jadon’s neighbor - Grey - rushes to their home and asks Jadon to come see Zinnia, his wife. She has been sick and dying long before she was introduced to the story and her condition seems to be worse. The healer is with those wounded from the previous night so they can’t help. Kai offers to go instead of Jadon though. When she gets there, using the light she can see from people that indicates their health, Kai can tell Zinnia doesn’t have long left. She even makes mention of Zinnia’s heartbeat slowing. When it does, Kai begins to remember a poem about healing and recites it in her mind. After, Zinnia tells her “Thank you.”
Later that same day, when the town is attacked by an army of otherworldly creatures this time, Zinnia is seen standing strong on two legs with a healthier glow. She even catches her dog when he jumps into her arms and runs to her barn. Kai asks how it’s possible but that’s all the acknowledgment this ability is given. Personally, I find the execution of this, as everything else, poorly done. These healing abilities should’ve been introduced the day before. It would have made sense for Jadon to have gotten injured in the battle against the Emperor’s men. Nothing serious, but enough to warrant a look from a healer. Since the healer was busy though, Kai tending to Jadon would make sense. Then they could realize that she was able to heal him — even if just a little. This would then make her going to Zinnia the next day also make a lot more sense. She could knowingly heal Zinnia the same way and not raise any questions as to the how or why Zinnia was suddenly up and moving. Instead, we’re left with unanswered questions because, again, this healing is never utilized or even brought up again.
Moving on to characters, they’re all a mess. Benefit of the doubt to Kai, she doesn’t know who she used to be or who she wants to be. The townsfolk might as well just not exist because they contribute nothing where they should. They hate Kai but then she helps defend the village and some like her now but plenty still want her dead. So why, when a powerful threat of a woman, Elyn, shows up to their town and demands to know where Kai is, promising them goods in return after showcasing her ability to increase their crop sizes, do none of the villagers speak up? Not a single one! They want Kai dead and gone but when an opportunity to rid themselves of her is presented they stay quiet! Kai reads the mind of one later on who even asks themself why they didn’t turn her in and I’m asking the same question!
None of the characters choices and motivations make sense! This is especially true with Jadon. He is an entire mess of confusing contradictions. There’s not enough time in the world to go over just how messily he is written. This all comes to light brighter than the damn sun at the end of the book when his secret identity is revealed. And then two pages later his even secreter identity is revealed. I can’t even wrap my head around who he is as a person because so much happened and he acted so contradictory throughout the end in ways that contradicted things of the past that all I can say about Jadon is I have so. many. questions.
And so does Kai. Which is never good when even the ending of your book confused the main character the whole time. She has no idea what’s going on and neither does the reader. That’s the consequences of waiting until the last twenty pages of a four-hundred-twenty-five page book to actually get around to fleshing out the story.
Elyn insists her purpose is to kill Kai but spends all of their time together exposition dumping. It’s too much information all at once, especially when you add in a character that, yes, a creature mentioned his name once in the very beginning of the book, but, is brand new yet so integral to the story and our main character’s past. And on top of it, Jadon and his two secret identities and his double crossing but not double crossing, at least not double crossing that character but actually double crossing this character but actually this and that and “I found myself falling in love with you,” “I choose you.” It’s too much to cram into so little pages.
🌶️Spice: 1
🚨SPOILERS AHEAD.
📚For the TLDR, here’s my general review and critiques of the book:
Two words can describe the reading experience of “The Last One.” Confusing and disappointing.
I was really looking forward to this book as the dust jacket is gorgeous and the moth is what truly drew me to this book as a lover of the little creatures. Even more beautiful is the art on the hardcover itself of the snake. Add in the sprayed edges and I had high hopes for this book. Unfortunately though, it looks better than it is.
The book spent more time on Kai taking baths than it did with flushing out the actual main plot. So much of the book was spent going into vivid details of things that could have been skipped through and had the same impact if Kai gave the reader a short one to two paragraph summary of what happened off the page between point A and point B then moved on. Instead, we spent 400 pages going through miscommunication, sexual tension edging, and one-paragraph-long conflicts solved in the most random and non-sensical ways that it just turned corny. And all of it wasted any page time for the actual plot of the book. It’s so disappointing. Especially because the concept of the story is actually very interesting.
A Goddess who has lost her memory of her past finds herself somewhere new and foreign and surrounded by people all working against her. Her closest allies turn out to be her biggest enemies. Who she is trying to be is actually a total night and day switch of who she was. Upon learning this information it seems she is actually going to revert back into this evil version of herself?
That is such an interesting concept! But it is executed so poorly that it doesn’t get its justice. When I finished the book I smacked it shut and just… heavily sighed. This book had all the components to be so much more but between corny conflicts, cringey dialogue from inconsistent characters with contradictory motivations, unfinished plot points, and useless filler being more fleshed out than the actual main bread and butter of the plot, it was a confusing and disappointing disaster.
I truly hope that, if there is a second book in the plans, Rachel re-prioritizes the plot and gets characters and their thoughts, feelings, and motivations in order. A second book could truly make up for a lot of the issues here so easily if handled correctly. And despite my criticisms and overall feelings toward this book, if there is a second one I will be reading it in hopes that it can save and fully revive the potential it carries.
📚For anyone interested in the WHY for my thoughts on this book:
📌Note: This review will be quite long as I’m going to recap parts of the story in which I personally have grievances with and/or general criticisms. Unfortunately, there are a lot.
In just the first few pages I already felt very indifferent to this book. Part of me enjoyed Kai’s inner monologue. The sass was nice and relatable. But it also just felt… odd and out of place. It felt too modern for a fantasy setting. This continues throughout the book as well. A very specific instance of it being a point in which Jadon uses the word “vibes.” This would have worked if the life Kai forgot was that of the modern world and her fall from the sky was her landing in a new dimension where we find this fantasy world — but that’s not how the story goes. It pulled me enough out of the story to have me questioning if I wanted to even continue the book merely 5 pages into it. But I really wanted to love this book so I continued reading.
Right away, Kai finds herself in a bad situation. She’s captured by the town jailers after a large public spectacle and at risk of being thrown into a cell or, worse we find out, the home of one of said jailers. But fear not because for no real reason at all the girl who stole from her and then was attacked by her… comes to her aid? Even further, that girl’s brother steps in as well to save Kai from the cartoonishly evil jailers. Just the first of many conundrums she finds herself in for all of two minutes.
Kai is then sentenced with earning twelve geld as her fine to pay to the town. This is treated as no easy task and will keep her stuck in town forever. Except not… because the next day, her first day of work, she earns nine geld despite not even showing up to all of the jobs she had been scheduled for that day. Eight geld alone all came from one man — Jamart. This same man is the reason Kai finds herself wanting to free everyone who wasn’t as lucky as her and didn’t have anyone step in to keep them from being jailed.
When she finds herself at the jailhouse, after talking to the prisoners inside and insisting she will free them, she makes a point to tell the reader about one of her tears hitting the dirt. Now, I thought this would have significance as earlier, back at Jamart’s house, he thanks her and claims she answered his prayers and blessed him. He even has an altar with a carved woman who looks suspiciously like Kai and it is covered in flowers. It felt like it was spelling out that she was some type of Goddess of nature at least, so the teardrop in the dirt felt like it was something that would come back later. She’d return to the jail to rescue the prisoners and, what do you know, the spot she had stood in during her first visit has suddenly bloomed with flowers and foliage. But instead, we never see this spot again.
That night, the village is raided by an army, and Kai runs onto the battlefield to join the fight. In the scrimmage, we are presented with the second instance in which a problem only exists for two minutes. Kai plans to keep her promise to the prisoners in the middle of this battle. With nothing but a garden hoe in hand, Kai easily runs through soldiers and reaches one of the jailers from earlier — Narder. Just as easily, she kills him and takes his keys. There is a moment of pretend difficulty when, oh no, his key ring has six whole keys on it. How will our heroine ever find the right key and rescue the prisoners now? Easily. Not a single soldier bothers her in her trial and error with the door and all half dozen keys. She easily rescues everyone inside the jail mere hours after deciding she would.
At this point in the fight, it’s basically just her and Jadon fighting off the army. Our unarmored Kai is simply plowing through soldiers and coming out of it with, forgive me if I’m wrong, but I believe zero injures. I don’t think she even received a small cut or bruise from the battle. That is until we run into a “behemoth” of an enemy who just turns out to be another obstacle that’s flawlessly dealt with in two minutes.
Are we seeing the trend of nothing having any risk or consequence? All of this takes place before we’ve even reached the hundredth page. It continues though, in another scene later on when Kai is cornered in the woods by the second surviving jailer, Johny, and some friends of his. But as you can guess, they are swiftly dealt with just as everyone else. This time though it’s by the… scales… of a giant snake who specifically protects Kai and “speaks” to her. More specifically, it is the snake painted onto the hardcover of the book. So it must be a significant creature yes? No. No, it’s not. We never see this giant snake or any of its kind again.
Something that was also never see again is the hint of Kai having healing abilities. The day after the battle, Jadon’s neighbor - Grey - rushes to their home and asks Jadon to come see Zinnia, his wife. She has been sick and dying long before she was introduced to the story and her condition seems to be worse. The healer is with those wounded from the previous night so they can’t help. Kai offers to go instead of Jadon though. When she gets there, using the light she can see from people that indicates their health, Kai can tell Zinnia doesn’t have long left. She even makes mention of Zinnia’s heartbeat slowing. When it does, Kai begins to remember a poem about healing and recites it in her mind. After, Zinnia tells her “Thank you.”
Later that same day, when the town is attacked by an army of otherworldly creatures this time, Zinnia is seen standing strong on two legs with a healthier glow. She even catches her dog when he jumps into her arms and runs to her barn. Kai asks how it’s possible but that’s all the acknowledgment this ability is given. Personally, I find the execution of this, as everything else, poorly done. These healing abilities should’ve been introduced the day before. It would have made sense for Jadon to have gotten injured in the battle against the Emperor’s men. Nothing serious, but enough to warrant a look from a healer. Since the healer was busy though, Kai tending to Jadon would make sense. Then they could realize that she was able to heal him — even if just a little. This would then make her going to Zinnia the next day also make a lot more sense. She could knowingly heal Zinnia the same way and not raise any questions as to the how or why Zinnia was suddenly up and moving. Instead, we’re left with unanswered questions because, again, this healing is never utilized or even brought up again.
Moving on to characters, they’re all a mess. Benefit of the doubt to Kai, she doesn’t know who she used to be or who she wants to be. The townsfolk might as well just not exist because they contribute nothing where they should. They hate Kai but then she helps defend the village and some like her now but plenty still want her dead. So why, when a powerful threat of a woman, Elyn, shows up to their town and demands to know where Kai is, promising them goods in return after showcasing her ability to increase their crop sizes, do none of the villagers speak up? Not a single one! They want Kai dead and gone but when an opportunity to rid themselves of her is presented they stay quiet! Kai reads the mind of one later on who even asks themself why they didn’t turn her in and I’m asking the same question!
None of the characters choices and motivations make sense! This is especially true with Jadon. He is an entire mess of confusing contradictions. There’s not enough time in the world to go over just how messily he is written. This all comes to light brighter than the damn sun at the end of the book when his secret identity is revealed. And then two pages later his even secreter identity is revealed. I can’t even wrap my head around who he is as a person because so much happened and he acted so contradictory throughout the end in ways that contradicted things of the past that all I can say about Jadon is I have so. many. questions.
And so does Kai. Which is never good when even the ending of your book confused the main character the whole time. She has no idea what’s going on and neither does the reader. That’s the consequences of waiting until the last twenty pages of a four-hundred-twenty-five page book to actually get around to fleshing out the story.
Elyn insists her purpose is to kill Kai but spends all of their time together exposition dumping. It’s too much information all at once, especially when you add in a character that, yes, a creature mentioned his name once in the very beginning of the book, but, is brand new yet so integral to the story and our main character’s past. And on top of it, Jadon and his two secret identities and his double crossing but not double crossing, at least not double crossing that character but actually double crossing this character but actually this and that and “I found myself falling in love with you,” “I choose you.” It’s too much to cram into so little pages.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2025
First and foremost, I loved Kai. She’s a strong, sassy heroine with a fiery spirit and a fierce sense of confidence. She never takes crap from anyone and stands her ground no matter who she’s facing. Honestly, she completely carried this book for me. I was hooked on her journey, especially the mystery of her lost memories and how she slowly pieces everything back together.
The world-building is really cool, complex and a little confusing at first but it all clicks into place by the end. The magic system and setting are unique and kept me interested the whole way through. The fight scenes were also a highlight: action-packed and really well done.
The male main character felt a little weak for me, and I didn’t connect with him much, but I’m hoping he’ll grow on me in the second book.
Overall, I enjoyed this read mostly because of how much I adored Kai. If she hadn’t been such a standout character, this might have been a 3-star for me. But if you love strong, powerful female leads and great action scenes, this one is worth picking up!
The world-building is really cool, complex and a little confusing at first but it all clicks into place by the end. The magic system and setting are unique and kept me interested the whole way through. The fight scenes were also a highlight: action-packed and really well done.
The male main character felt a little weak for me, and I didn’t connect with him much, but I’m hoping he’ll grow on me in the second book.
Overall, I enjoyed this read mostly because of how much I adored Kai. If she hadn’t been such a standout character, this might have been a 3-star for me. But if you love strong, powerful female leads and great action scenes, this one is worth picking up!
December 9, 2024
I received this “preview” of the first six chapters on NetGalley.
I won’t be finishing the book.
Memory loss and miscommunication tropes right from page one?
It’s a no from me.
There is very little when it comes to world building, so no getting sucked into the setting.
The FMC has no idea who she is, so you can’t get sucked into her.
Miscommunication so you don’t even want to.
I don’t know if I could have possibly thought up a worse way to start a book. I mean, no world, no main character and no plot?
Where the preview leaves you, the FMC has been beaten, stripped, left for dead, attacked, nearly jailed (implied SA/torture/etc would happen in said jail) and is now going to work around farms and town to pay off a debt that isn’t hers.
She’s “powerful, built bigger, so strong” but is bested repeatedly by sick and dying people.
So 6 chapters in and FMC only had vague ideas about who she might be.
I think this book would have been stronger if there was a prologue to ground the story before starting the whole memory loss/miscommunication thing
I won’t be finishing the book.
Memory loss and miscommunication tropes right from page one?
It’s a no from me.
There is very little when it comes to world building, so no getting sucked into the setting.
The FMC has no idea who she is, so you can’t get sucked into her.
Miscommunication so you don’t even want to.
I don’t know if I could have possibly thought up a worse way to start a book. I mean, no world, no main character and no plot?
Where the preview leaves you, the FMC has been beaten, stripped, left for dead, attacked, nearly jailed (implied SA/torture/etc would happen in said jail) and is now going to work around farms and town to pay off a debt that isn’t hers.
She’s “powerful, built bigger, so strong” but is bested repeatedly by sick and dying people.
So 6 chapters in and FMC only had vague ideas about who she might be.
I think this book would have been stronger if there was a prologue to ground the story before starting the whole memory loss/miscommunication thing
December 4, 2024
The Last One
Wow what an incredible fast-paced journey! Full of monsters, mayhem, and mysteries this book was hard to put down from the start.
Kai was an interesting character and I enjoyed her fierceness and independence.
Jadon was mysterious and intriguing! I enjoyed uncovering his secrets and Kai’s along the way.
The story took so many twists and turns and the one in the end… so good! I don’t want to giveaway anything but this book kept me on my toes for sure!!
There were lots of tropes in here to enjoy like; mysteries, gods/goddesses, battle scenes, action-packed, quest, magic, otherworldly creatures, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, self-discovery, warrior protective MMC, fierce determined FMC, reluctant allies, morally grey characters, feminine rage, and so much more!
Wow what an incredible fast-paced journey! Full of monsters, mayhem, and mysteries this book was hard to put down from the start.
Kai was an interesting character and I enjoyed her fierceness and independence.
Jadon was mysterious and intriguing! I enjoyed uncovering his secrets and Kai’s along the way.
The story took so many twists and turns and the one in the end… so good! I don’t want to giveaway anything but this book kept me on my toes for sure!!
There were lots of tropes in here to enjoy like; mysteries, gods/goddesses, battle scenes, action-packed, quest, magic, otherworldly creatures, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, self-discovery, warrior protective MMC, fierce determined FMC, reluctant allies, morally grey characters, feminine rage, and so much more!
June 23, 2025
My first official DNF. Don’t let the pretty sprayed edges fool you - this was so cringey and the writing was so bad.. I got 3 chapters in and couldn’t take it anymore.
October 12, 2025
3.5★s
She regains consciousness while lying on her back in a field, her clothing being taken by a sickly-smelling young woman. She gives chase but is inexplicably weak and knows instinctively that she must get back her leather vest, her cloak, her boots and jewel-studded gold moth amulet. Following the girl into a settlement where a market seems to be taking place, her stature and her state of undress bring her to the notice of an official, especially when she catches up with the thief and tries to retrieve her possessions. Her name is demanded of her, but it seems the blow that knocked her out has taken her memory.
But in the crowd, she’s aware of a woman whose thoughts come to her. As do, suddenly the thoughts of all those around her. She’s under threat of being confined in a filthy jail by a nasty-looking character when the young thief’s brother, an attractive, well-built blacksmith, comes to her defence. Leaving this run-down little village will entail covering a fabricated debt, but the woman is determined to escape. When she does remember her name, it seems she has been named after a fierce and cruel goddess. Or is she one?
Thus begins Rachel Howzell Hall’s first foray into romantasy, and the first chapters promise action, intrigue, sexual tension and some blackly funny dialogue.
Howzell Hall certainly lets her imagination run free when it comes to the otherworldly creatures that populate her novel, along with mortals and immortals of various stripe, ability and inclination. In between the battles, of which there are (perhaps too) many, the exchanges between the protagonist and the blacksmith are full of innuendo, which does get a bit repetitive.
And the protagonist occasionally acts like a giddy teen, giving the whole thing a YA feel that drags on for too long. There are many shouted declarations and accusations when betrayals are exposed. While this volume does eventually reveal who and what she is, the explanation of just how she got to be where we first find her, is complicated and political. After a cliff-hanger ending, readers will need to be quite enamoured of the protagonist to venture into the second, equally wordy, book of the series, The Cruel Dawn.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC.
She regains consciousness while lying on her back in a field, her clothing being taken by a sickly-smelling young woman. She gives chase but is inexplicably weak and knows instinctively that she must get back her leather vest, her cloak, her boots and jewel-studded gold moth amulet. Following the girl into a settlement where a market seems to be taking place, her stature and her state of undress bring her to the notice of an official, especially when she catches up with the thief and tries to retrieve her possessions. Her name is demanded of her, but it seems the blow that knocked her out has taken her memory.
But in the crowd, she’s aware of a woman whose thoughts come to her. As do, suddenly the thoughts of all those around her. She’s under threat of being confined in a filthy jail by a nasty-looking character when the young thief’s brother, an attractive, well-built blacksmith, comes to her defence. Leaving this run-down little village will entail covering a fabricated debt, but the woman is determined to escape. When she does remember her name, it seems she has been named after a fierce and cruel goddess. Or is she one?
Thus begins Rachel Howzell Hall’s first foray into romantasy, and the first chapters promise action, intrigue, sexual tension and some blackly funny dialogue.
Howzell Hall certainly lets her imagination run free when it comes to the otherworldly creatures that populate her novel, along with mortals and immortals of various stripe, ability and inclination. In between the battles, of which there are (perhaps too) many, the exchanges between the protagonist and the blacksmith are full of innuendo, which does get a bit repetitive.
And the protagonist occasionally acts like a giddy teen, giving the whole thing a YA feel that drags on for too long. There are many shouted declarations and accusations when betrayals are exposed. While this volume does eventually reveal who and what she is, the explanation of just how she got to be where we first find her, is complicated and political. After a cliff-hanger ending, readers will need to be quite enamoured of the protagonist to venture into the second, equally wordy, book of the series, The Cruel Dawn.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC.
February 9, 2025
DNF at 31pgs. Book was so cringey and felt like it lacked the confidence of even the author attempting a fantasy book. The magic felt under developed.
Even the opening line almost had me closing the book.
Even the opening line almost had me closing the book.
March 20, 2026
DNF at 25%
Red Tower books strike again. What the hell did I just read?
At least the FMC was tall, unlike your standard Romantasy protagonist?
(The bar is in hell)
Red Tower books strike again. What the hell did I just read?
At least the FMC was tall, unlike your standard Romantasy protagonist?
(The bar is in hell)
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