I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall Published by Red Tower Books on December 3, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Epic
Pages: 496
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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The world is dying around her. Enemies lurk in the shadows. And she can’t remember a thing about who she is…in New York Times bestselling author Rachel Howzell Hall’s gorgeous, otherworldly blend of fantasy and adventure—perfect for fans of N.K. Jemisin and The Witcher.
LIMITED FIRST PRINT RUN featuring spray-painted edges with a stenciled design, as well as gorgeously detailed endpapers. This breathtaking first edition is available for a limited time and while supplies last in the US and Canada only.
Explosive and enthralling romantasy debut from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Howzell Hall...
Thrown into a desolate land of sickness and unnatural beasts, Kai wakes in the woods with no idea who she is or how she got there. All she knows is that if she cannot reach the Sea of Devour, even this hellscape will get worse. But when she sees the village blacksmith fight invaders with unspeakable skill, she decides to accept his offer of help.
Too bad he’s as skilled at annoying her as he is at fighting.
As she searches for answers, Kai only finds more questions, especially regarding the blacksmith who can ignite her body like a flame, then douse it with ice in the next breath.
And no one is what—or who—they appear to be in the kingdom of Vinevridth, including the man whose secrets might be as deadly as the land itself.
This was great! I admit that this book first hit my radar because of the gorgeous first edition (and I can’t wait to get my hands on the copy I ordered!). Once I read the synopsis, I knew I needed to read this book! The story was just as good as I had hoped and I found it so hard to put down that I read most of the book in a single day. Kai was very likable, and I wanted to see things work out for her.
As the story opens Kai is being robbed of her clothes and her amulet somewhere in the woods. She doesn’t know where she is and can’t remember who she is. As she tries to get her items back from the thief, she gets in a little trouble in town and must pay a debt before she can move on. I was curious about Kai’s past and loved the clues each ability or memory gave. The story had a lot of action and it quickly became obvious that Kai knew how to handle herself.
In a quest to find answers, Kai travels with the local blacksmith, Jadon, who is also a skilled fighter, his sister, Olivia, and Philia. They face one obstacle after the next during their journey. I loved that there was a lot of action to keep the story moving at a steady pace. The story kept me guessing throughout, and there were plenty of surprises along the way. The romantic elements kept me on my toes as well.
I would recommend this book to others. It did so many things well. The world-building was top-notch, and the characters were incredibly likable. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next installment!
I received a review copy from Red Tower Books.
That sounds like it would be really good.
Glad to hear this is such a good one!
The book is stunning. I’ve been wondering about this one for my cousin and, based on your review, it seems like the perfect book for out book exchange. Great review, Carole!
Adventure, fantasy and a little romance, too? This does sound awesome. 😀
I have not seen this one before, it sounds really good
I like the sound of this one and I like when the world building is really good. I like the sound of Kai trying to figure out who she is and put the pieces together of her past.