Alexandra Bracken is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I enjoy her writing style and how beautifully she constructions sentences and creates worlds within worlds. I loved the first Prosper Redding book and was devastated to reach the cliffhanger ending because I didn't realize that there was supposed to be another book! Thankfully the second one really made all the waiting worth it because the sequel does an outstanding job of writing up the stories and bringing everything to a satisfactory conclusion.

The Last Life of Prince Alastor picks up exactly where the first Prosper Redding novel leaves off, with Propser and Alastor making a deal to go "Downstairs" to rescue Prosper's sister Prue and also to help Alastor regain his power and take back his kingdom. They are quickly followed by Nell, the witch from the first book who "betrayed" Prosper but is determined to show him that she is better than that. I love the dynamic between the two of them because they are always there to help and support one another and Prosper is always willing to help Nell bolster her confidence, while Nell is always there to call Prosper to the carpet and feed him the tough truths that he isn't always willing to hear. Along their journey, they encounter a couple of allies and a bunch of mystical, demonic creatures who are after Prosper/Alastor in order to bring them to Pyra -Alastor's sister who has taken over the kingdom. They're not only hiding from the fiends but also running from something called The Void, which is in the process of eating up the entire realm and everything in it, though Pyra has promised that she can stop this from happening.

The book starts off a humorous, fast-paced journey through the Third Realm and involves Prosper and his group evading a lot of narrow misses and trying to come up with crazy plans to get out of the jams they find themselves in. However, the last half the book turns into something much deeper and more meaningful than a simple supernatural adventure. To me, the book is truly about how the past impacts everyone and how you have to make the choice, every day, as to whether you will let your past choices and the choices made in your family's past define you or if you will choose to break the cycle. The book also gives readers the message that it is always possible to change and is never truly too late for anyone. I felt like this message resonated a lot with the world now and how we seem, as a society, to be constantly torn between our past and how things have always been and whether we should work to change things so that we can stop doing things because that's how they're done. I found the end very moving and meaningful and very much enjoyed the way that Bracken wrapped up the story for all the characters involved.

I would recommend this book/duology to readers who like supernatural stories but don't want anything too scary or cumbersome. It has all the elements of a great spooky stories -ghosts, witches, fiends, curses- without anything too frightening. A very satisfying and wonderful read! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

A really fun and spooky sequel to an already unforgettable story. We start this book right where the first ended and follow Prosper while he travels to The Third Realm to save his sister. We got even more world building in this second instalment, and I loved being back in this story! The plot was action packed and the characters were diverse, unique, and well developed. The Last Life Of Prince Alastor focuses on family and friendship and the importance of doing what is right. While it is targeted for middle grade readers, I would highly suggest it to any fantasy fans looking for a spooky world, highly loveable characters, and a un-put-down-able story arc.

"What evil can come from a choice made with a pure heart and the best of intentions?"

If you know me, you know it's essentially impossible for me to talk about books without talking about The Darkest Minds. Ergo, it's impossible for me to talk about my favorite authors without bringing up Alexandra Bracken. From dystopian worlds to time travel troubles to middle-grade Halloween-ish adventures, I've never once walked away from a Bracken book without being absolutely and utterly gobsmacked. And, unsurprisingly, The Last Life of Prince Alastor was no exception.

By the end of The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding (which you can read my full review of here!), we're left with endless questions - most of these pointing to the mysterious world that is the Downstairs. The Last Life of Prince Alastor follows Propser as he attempts to navigate a realm in which he was clearly not invited to, while also following Alastor as he tries to reclaim what he deems as his rightful throne. At this point, I feel like I sound like a broken record because I always seem to suggest that it's best to read an Alexandra Bracken novel blind. But, in my defense, I really do think that in doing so, you're setting yourself up for the best wild ride possible.

"I'd made mistakes, I'd been misled, but I wasn't some helpless victim in this story."

Admittedly, and I think a majority of book lovers can agree, sequels have a way of being incredibly nerve-racking. Personally, my biggest fear with sequels are the dreaded recaps. Even though I'm pretty sure I have the worst memory of all mankind, I don't want to spend 50 or so pages being spoon fed what happened in the last book because it simply becomes repetitive or boring. LLOPA does remind us what happened in the last installment, but only in small side notes and not full chunks of a chapter. This may seem like a small thing to notice, but it already puts the book on my goodside. (That, and the fact that I get to revisit some of my favorite characters with my favorite author. I might just be a little bit biased here).

In the same vein, because we're falling into a whole new realm (we are quite literally falling through an open mirror), some substantial world building has to be done. From the moment we're in the Downstairs with Prosper and Alastor, we're immediately introduced to the off-putting smell, the perpetually-dark sky, and how the land is laid out. We're right there with Prosper as Alastor explains the Downstairs to him and how their overall hierarchy works. And because of Prosper's complete inability to keep himself out of trouble, we meet Ogres, Fiends, and Ghouls along the way. The description to this new world feels natural, realistic, and instantly drew me in.

"I am always right, Alastor said. There are only degrees of how correct I am."

I truly cannot stop thinking about how well Prosper was written as a character. There are countless complexities and realistic tendencies woven into him in this sequel that I can't get over it. Prosper goes through a constant internal pull when he's trying to decide between what's right and wrong, and it just felt so humane. Similarly, there were often two different Prospers because, at times, he felt like he needed to put on a brave face when other times all he really wanted was a little bit of help. Even though I'm now 22, I could relate to so many of the thoughts that Prosper had.

When I read books with the intentions of reviewing them, I take notes in my phone, and my favorite note taken for LLOPA was definitely: "Honestly just talk about how much you love Alastor." As weird as it is to say that I missed reading in the voice of a parasitic malefactor, I really did. I missed his clever insults - some of my favorites from this book being "Gorbellied, crook-plated measle" and "Abominable, crusty thumb" - and his cunning schemes. I can't delve deep into the specifics of why I loved him so much in this book for fear of spoilers, but you've got to trust me on this one; his character development is unreal.

Alex aways somehow finds a way to introduce side characters that embellish the story and add to the main characters, not take away from them. We meet elves, shades, new changelings (friendly reminder that I still love Toad with my whole heart), and they each add a new level to the story. And with that, they add even more plot twists that will be sure to leave your jaw on the floor. Furthermore, Alexandra Bracken brings in her ability to discuss big problems readers of this genre might encounter in their own lives, but she stays on track with the plot; it doesn't feel forced whatsoever. There's one plot point with Nell that I really think every single reader can relate to; I know I can.

"You're a good friend, Prosper Redding."

"You're a better friend, Nell Bishop."

It's important for a story to be entertaining. It's fun to escape to a world that's not like your own, but it starts to get really impressive when an author can include elements of our world into a fictional one. Even in a world filled with monsters threatening to take over the human realm, we can still afford a lesson of how we should treat others even when they're different than us. 

And again, without giving too much away, the plot is so intricately planned and executed. When you think your questions are close to being answered and the story is going to start wrapping up, yet another plot twist hits you in the face and pushes you forward. You're right there with Prosper as he looks for answers to his questions and tries to make his own connections. The twists will even keep you guessing until the very end.

"When a castle is crumbling, you do not stop to find the crack that began it all, you try to hold all of the fracturing walls together in any manner you can, to the best of your ability."

The fantastical elements of this book are nothing short of amazing but, what really grounded this story for me, where the natural moments between Prosper and Nell. There were small conversations of reassurance and general friend banter that made them feel like real people. I could even see myself having these same chats with some of my own friends. Nell also even has an incredibly realistic experience with a Barbie Flower which genuinely had me thinking, "that's me! that's me!"

AH! I keep having to press the delete button on so many sections of this review because I don't want to spoil anything, but there is just so much I could talk about. This could probably easily turn into a 7 page, MLA formatted literary analysis. So please, please, please go pick it up so we can talk about THAT ENDING, and I can stop rambling about it here.

The Last Life of Prince Alastor officially comes out on February 5, so make sure you run out to your local bookstores or place a preorder! 

The absolute BIGGEST thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for providing me with an arc to review!

Overall: 4.5 white foxes out of 5.

Want to talk about this book or see me review your favorite? Just let me know!

Great book that my son and I enjoyed reading. The characters were believable with thorough backgrounds. I recommend to all fantasy lovers.

Prosper Redding: The Last Life of Prince Alastor
By: Alexandra Bracken
Disney-Hyperion
Children's Fiction 448 pages
#ProsperReddingTheLastLifeOfPrinceAlastor#NetGalley

I was lucky enough to receive this book as an ARC through Net Galley. I read the first book last year and really enjoyed it. This is the finally book in the duology. She did not disappoint me in this last book. I really can't go to much into this book because it is the conclusion to the series.
We continue our adventure with Prosper and Alastor. They are going after Prosper sister who was kidnaped by Alastor sister into the downstairs realm. We get to see how they continue how to work together and some new friends they make in this world. I gave the book 4 stars. I recommend that you read this duology to your children or read yourselves.

*Thank you Disney Book Group for sending me an eARC copy of this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
*Please refrain from reading this review if you have not yet read The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding (Prosper Redding Book #1).

4.25 / 5 stars
The Last Life of Prince Alastor continues the tale of Prosper Redding. Alexandra Bracken weaves well-represented friendship, self-finding, good purpose and understanding, as well as change for the beneficial within this novel. Prosper Redding must journey to the Third Realm to find and save his sister as he tries to do what is right along the way.

I enjoyed being back in this world and learning more about it. Alexandra Bracken gives the reader more insight to the realm of fiends and their culture. I also appreciated the flashbacks between Alastor and Honor Redding. It was interesting to compare Honor to both Alastor and Prosper in this story. The journey that Prosper takes in this novel is very fun and entertaining. The world of the fiends is so rich with description and craftsmanship. The reader gets to learn more about characters from the previous book as well new characters that Prosper meets along this action-packed journey to save Prue.

Alexandra Bracken includes a lot more character growth within this novel. The reader gets to see how these two worlds compare and how they affect each other. I think Middle Grade readers will greatly appreciate the tale of Prosper and his companions. I believe that students can learn from this journey and have a great reading experience as well. I would recommend this one to my students and others.

Bracken strengthens the world building in this sequel while introducing new settings and characters while keeping reference to the original characters. I enjoyed the new character viewpoint of Alastor and all of his mind boggling monikers. Great and fun read overall!

Just as unpredictable and delightful as The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding, The Last Life of Prince Alastor is a fitting conclusion to the story of misfit Prosper and his inner fiend, Alastor.

Disclaimer - I received a free copy of this eBook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This one begins exactly where the first volume left off - which puts us straight into the action! (Unless you've read The Dreadful Tale of Proper Redding, this one won't make any sense). Clever and fun, like the first book, this one is also a little spooky. As Alastor and Prosper try to navigate their way through the malefactor's realm to save Prue, we are introduced to a lot more backstory and a lot more fiends. The character development is believable and you begin to understand motivations. What would you do to save your family? What lengths would you go to? We never really know what we're capable of until we're put in a situation where we're desperate.

I enjoyed this one just as much as the first (especially the parody of amusement parks) and hope Ms. Bracken writes more stories set in Prosper's world. I definitely recommend this middle grade novel to anyone who likes a little spookiness with their humor, ghost stories, or an interest in the Salem Witch Trials.

I had such a hard time catching on to the inner dialogue between Prosper and Alastor, I found it extremely tedious and it felt like it slowed the pace. Really wanted to like this book, but couldn't find it captivating enough to go further.

An excellent follow up to Prosper Redding and a satisfying conclusion to the two book series. We learn some more about Alastor and Prosper and Prue and Nell. Everyone grows as characters. There are friendships and lessons. Def recommended to 5th-8th grades and all others interested.

Seriously! I completely loved this book. It picks up right after the first, which was honestly refreshing, considering a lot of books have time jumps. Every book that Alexandra Bracken writes I feel like gets better and better. I’m not going to go into details as it’s a sequel. All that I can say is that this book delivered and I recommend reading this duology !

3.75 stars

This book was a really fun and satisfying conclusion to the Propser Redding series. This book picks up immediately after the ending of the first book, with Prosper heading into the Downstairs, with Alastor, to rescue his sister Prue from the queen of the fiends, Pyra. Propser is immediately swept in the mayhem of the Downstairs, and with the help of old and new friends, he must find out where his sister is and save her while trying to save the human and demon realms as well.

I liked where the plot went in this book. There was a lot of really interesting twists and turns throughout the book and it kept me guessing as to what was going to happen next. There was also a lot of really great world building in this novel. As we are being introduced to the Downstairs for the first time, I was glad to see so much description about all the different types of fiends and areas that we visited throughout the novel. Plot wise, my only critique would be that although some interesting developments were introduced fairly early on in the novel, they were either not addressed again or did not come into play as much as I thought they would. There were also some aspects that I found predictable. I did enjoy how the novel wrapped as a whole and felt very satisfied with what ended up happening to Propser and his crew.

Charactereise, we saw a lot of interesting development from both Alastor and Prosper. I enjoyed seeing Propser struggle between choosing to do what would help him and his family and doing what was right. We saw him develop a lot as a character, and we saw him slowly turn into the best version of himself. Alastor had a more subtle character arc in my opinion. It did not seem like he changed all that much, but by the end we saw the subtle changes come to a head and we got to see Alastors true colors shine through. As with the first book, I would have loved to have seen more development of the minor characters, especially the ones that were introduced for the first time in this book.

Overall, this was a satisfying end to a series and I would recommend this book to people looking for a fun, adventure story.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The sequel starts right where the first book ends. This is only a two-book series so I think they must be read in order. The novel is targeted at a middle grade audience but the writing will attract readers of all ages. The setting of this book is in the demon realm which I didn’t like as much as the creepy Salem setting in the first one. The magical elements are intriguing and the characters are fleshed out well enough. There is lessons about the importance of family and also how we might do things we shouldn’t in the name of family. Overall, a satisfying duology that I would recommend.

The Last Life of Prince Alastor concludes the very abbreviated two-book "Prosper Redding" series. The story seems weirdly truncated and I had to repeatedly check to confirm I hadn't somehow missed an installment of the series along the way. I genuinely think the series suffers by having only two volumes, with much of the content from the first half of volume 2 rendered mostly unimportant as a result of plot twists in the latter half of the same volume. I read the two books nearly a year apart however, and it's possible the pacing would seem less choppy were the books read back to back.

Another enjoyable book by Alexandra Bracken. You must read her first book, The Dreadful Tail of Prosper Redding, in order for this one to make any sense. After that, this book blends a lot of fantasy elements (witches, demons, etc) in a fast paced story. It takes place in a few towns placed in Massachusetts which lends some credible backdrop to the story. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This is an amazing second book! It is one to share between children, parents, teachers, and friends. There's a strong theme of friendship, courage, and protecting the ones you love (especially family). It's not preachy but allows the reader to come to the conclusions on their own which side ought to come out on top. And the worldbuilding is top-notch. Prince Alastor will have you craving more from Bracken!

In this sequel to The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding, Prosper must find his sister, Prudence, in the Demon Realm. Prince Alastar is still inside of him and Prosper isn't sure if he can trust him even with the contract that Alastar made to help him. Action packed and with twists and turns this book is sure to have readers captivated.

While this book had some clever components and sharply funny moments, it was a significant step down from the first book in the series.

So much of what was good about Bracken's first Prosper Redding book was about atmosphere, and the decision to set the second book largely in the demon realm damaged that badly. The setting for this book had some clever moments (the Disney World parody was excellent), but otherwise it felt half-baked and generic.

The plot felt convoluted and meandering at times, and the heavy-handed moralizing was obnoxious and made me actually hate the book at times.

The book isn't a complete failure by any means, but it's a huge comedown from its predecessor.

What a great part two of a sweet, wonderful duology. I love middle grade books for their nonstop action and commitment to really endearing their characters to us. I loved getting into Alastor's mind and learning of his backstory - I am fully satisfied with this second half of the Prosper Redding tale and can't wait for this to get into more eager hands in the winter.