Title: The Last One
Author: Rachel Howzell Hall
Publication: December 3, 2024
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Genre: Romance/Fantasy
Pages: 496
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SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
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.
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
I hope with all of me that this is the first book in at least a duality, though I’d love it to be a series. The romance was slight but it was present so there’s a chance (me with my fingers crossed) that it grows in additional books. This story with a FMC named Kai and a MMC named Jadon stumbles a little with scene length but does not stumble when it comes to the well rounded character of Kai. She is flawed, she is strong, and I love how she works through all of her emotions.
Jadon, the blacksmith that comes to Kai’s rescue as she’s thrust into a town with zero memories of who she is, is a little less transparent. His character is very hot and cold and it was a little irritating but that was proven necessary by the end of this book. Still, because of all the twists and turns and secrets, his character doesn’t feel so well rounded but that isn’t a negative. I think that is something that will work itself out with more books.
I would have given this book a full 5 stars but some of the scenes felt rushed while others seemed to drag. I don’t know if any of the details come into play in further books; that remains to be seen. Instead, I give this book a solid 4 stars and it deserves every one. The budding relationship, the trauma, and trials that Kai faces gave me visceral reactions. I felt her pain. I felt her anger. I laughed and I cried while reading this book. The deep moments between Jadon and Kai made my heart ache; they were beautiful and sexy. The story goes from zero to sixty and doesn’t stop. It was shock after shock and I couldn’t keep my jaw from dropping for the last 50% of this book.
If you like High Fantasy, you will like this book. The magic system is easy to follow which is nice but the names of realms and monsters are harder to follow. A key or a map would be helpful to look back on while reading. But be warned, it does end on a cliffhanger.
I hope you take the journey into Vallendor and enjoy the adventure you’re sure to find!
