Rounded to 4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am offering my honest opinion voluntarily.

CONTENT WARNING: gore, murder, blood, mention of death of a child, mention of suicide

You know when read a book where by the time you get to the end, it feels like the author has come to your house, ripped your still-beating heart straight out of your chest, taken the keys to your own car, driven it over your heart multiple times, and then drove off in your car shouting “have fun waiting a year for the sequel, sucker!” Because that is exactly how I felt after reading this book. But I honestly wouldn’t do anything differently because yeah, it was really good.

To start with, if you didn’t like the first book, you’re probably not going to like this one. I reread the first one to prepare for this one, and listened to the audiobook version. As I listened, I picked up on some nuance that I maybe didn’t notice last time, or perhaps just forgot in the last year. And while El isn’t exactly the easiest character to empathize with in the first book, she has a bigger glow-up in this book than cauliflower has had in recent years.

Don’t get me wrong — she’s still prickly and determined to not be likable, and always hovering on the edge of fulfilling her dark prophecy of becoming the ultimate dark maleficer that her family predicted she would ultimately turn into. And the school seems determined to force her hand this year. But … she’s working her hardest to prevent that. And it earned her major points in my opinion. Over the course of the year, she works really hard to change her destiny and rose ever higher in my esteem. She went from being one way at the beginning of the year and did a complete 180. I can’t tell you much more about her own arc because … spoilers, but trust me when I viewed her completely differently by the end of the book, and actually grew to respect her a hell of a lot more than I did at the beginning of the book.

The side characters grew a lot as well. Even the Scholomance itself turned into a major side character. Rather than just being a setting, it has a personality all its own and becomes a major player in the story. Orion was a little whiny in the story, and his character arc was strange to me, although he was struggling with his own issues. He was hard to figure out, but he also kind of faded into the background a bit in this story.

I loved how everything developed, and the unpredictable nature of the story thus far made it difficult to predict what was going to happen around the next corner. There’s nothing better to me than a story that isn’t predictable. There’s so much going on in this story: the daily struggle of staying alive in the Scholomance, as well as trying to form alliances, figuring out your future, the political alliances of enclaves, and the conflicts both within and outside of the school were all major factors in the workings of the story, all combining to create a fascinating story that kept me entranced from page 1 until I finished the story.

And speaking of the ending — if I thought the cliffhanger ending in book 1 was a killer, it’s got absolutely nothing on the ending of this book. Thankfully, Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog posted her review just as I finished reading so I had someone to vent to and organize my thoughts. On that note, when you finish this book, feel free to reach out and process with me if you need to. Because I guarantee that you’ll need to process it with someone. But it’s a good one, and I’ll be impatiently waiting for the next book to find out what the hell is going to happen now.

I enjoyed The Last Graduate as a follow up to A Deadly Education. I really liked watching El continue to make and grow her friendships with her fellow students. The ending has me in my feelings but in a good way. I will 100% be reading the next book to see how the story line plays out.

This was such an interesting sequel in the trilogy. I am still convinced I would not survive in this school.
I enjoyed El and Orion's growing relationship. The school is still attempting to protect/kill everyone. It is like one big case study on how to survive outside.
Wait do these magical creatures kill humans too?
There's more political movements in this book as El is a senior and they are trying to get positions in enclaves. But are the enclaves safe after there is some gossip that comes in with a freshman.
The study of languages seems intense! Since the school can switch things up whenever it wants!
Another crazy cliffhanger! Omg can't wait to see what will happen with the 3rd book.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/09/30/%f0%9f%8e%a7-the-last-graduate-by-naomi-novik/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

4.5 hearts

I love this author and I'm enjoying the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/282152-the-scholomance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Scholomance</strong></em></a> series.  I've always loved this author but I'm not usually a fan of young adult and this is a high school setting.  We do get some of the pettiness and cliques.  <strong> The Last Graduate</strong> is the second book and thank goodness I just saw this week it will be at least a trilogy.   The ending is abrupt and I would have had so many questions.

In <strong>A Deadly Education</strong>, we met El.  She has always been a bit of an outcast because of her type of magic.  He mother is a famous healer but she doesn't share that as she wants to make it on her own.  Somehow she ends up friends? with Orion Lake who is from the huge New York enclave and everyone wants to be his friend.  The enclaves are groups who come to the school together and plan to help each other survive.  Eventually, she manages to make a small group of friends.

<strong>The Last Graduat</strong>e moves on to their senior year which is typically a run through a hall of monsters to get back out to the real world again.  Students spend their entire 4 years learning magic to help them survive. But El and Orion are able to fight any monsters together, even the worst ones.  El tries not to become more attached to Orion as she doesn't want him to give up his dreams and place in an enclave for her.

The story is kind of different because it is almost all a flow of El telling us what happens in the senior year.  Showing is supposed to be better than telling.  There was some limited showing.  I really loved the book anyway. We see a very different senior year preparation than has been made over the last hundred years because of El's philosophies and choices, and Orion's devotion to her. I really liked El and how she had compassion and integrity.

Wow with that ending, I am so thrilled to know there will be another book!   I think now we will get to see the world beyond the school and I can't wait!

I have really enjoyed Naomi Novik's recent books, and especially A Deadly Education. I was thrilled to receive an ARC of The Last Graduate from Netgalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is described as a "crossover" novel - one that's YA, but will also be enjoyed by adults. I am not a big YA reader, but I think often a book is billed as YA just because the characters are young. This book is not focused on issues/topics for younger readers - the characters in The Last Graduate are dealing with, literally, life and death situations - in addition to actual life and death, the book deals with issues of friendship, loyalty, individuals and how (or whether) they will work together for the common good.

But, let's get real - I don't really want to read a philosophical treatise on these issues. Here, there are compelling characters, trying to survive in a crazy situation, and trying to figure out how to get out of it, as well as trying to figure out why it is what it is. I don't want to get too detailed - the evolving understanding of the main characters, especially El, is fascinating, and best followed as it develops..

The plot is compelling and keeps you reading. It's a "just one more chapter" book, that kept me reading way too late the night I started it! It's a really good read, and one of the books I expect I will read again, because it was such a pleasure. I can't wait for #3 in the trilogy!

The Last Graduate continues El’s journey to subvert the prophecy that has dictated her life and the expectations of those around her. While there are changes to El’s life and her character, her growth since A Deadly Education and during The Last Graduate doesn’t turn her into a completely different person. Thank goodness because I love her just as she is. In this book, the layers are peeled back further to reveal El’s true nature, the one she’s tried so hard to hide underneath her prickly attitude and sarcasm. Her actions in the book and her vulnerability felt true to her character.

El learning to navigate her new relationships is a highlight of the novel.  Her friendships with Liu and Aadhya, which always felt tentative to her before, are strengthened and reaffirmed. Orion’s appearances are sparser here, but he remains a thorn in El’s side, albeit one that doesn’t hurt as much anymore. Finding friends and realizing she is no longer alone has also led to weight being lifted off her shoulders. She can smile and laugh, imagine life beyond graduation, and even want to change the world. 

The Last Graduate is not as fast-paced as the first book, but it is nearly as engaging. Attacks by mals are expected, and people trying to kill you are just a normal part of the day. These aren't as surprising anymore. I finished it quickly, but I needed to take a break to process the damn ending. To be honest, I’m still processing it. If you enjoyed A Deadly Education, you’ll enjoy The Last Graduate. A year will feel like an eternity as I wait for the final book.

I absolutely adore Naomi Novik, and this book was no exception. Also, the ending of this book was JAW DROPPING. I need the next installment immediately.

I loved parts of the first book but didn't like the slow slow burn romance or much about the flat main character. This was all fixed in this book. The plot was similar but it felt more action based. I felt our main character had more growth. This book makes me crave the next book.

I just reviewed The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. #TheLastGraduate #NetGalley

Naomi Novik does it again - producing an excellent sequel to a Deadly Education. is a senior at the Scholomance and plans to survive to graduate. She has gathered a few allies and actually stands a good chance, but the school has developed a craving for her. If she can handle the maleficaria that continuously come at her, and if she can pass the increasingly difficult assignments, she must still come up with a way to escape the Scholomance with her life and that of her allies. Of course she could give in to her destiny and become a great dark sorceress, but that's not in her plans. Novik continues an excellent tale and will produce the end of the trilogy in 2022. She's an expert at world-building and character development which shows in this well-developed sequel. Read and enjoy! Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read an ARC.

The first book took me a silly long time to connect with, but once I did, I really liked the world Novik was creating. The second installment did not disappoint. The characters are interesting, the plot full of wonderful little turns and side intrigues, and the ending...well, the ending left me slack-jawed and stunned...and really glad more is coming. A good continuation of the story...but it's not finished!

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. The Last Graduate begins directly after the end of the last book, which means that I spent the first few minutes trying to remember the last book. El is still the cranky grump that we grew to love in the last book, but she had a strong character growth in this book. I enjoyed getting to watch her relationships and alliances grow, and I felt how hard she fought emotional attachments. The school itself becomes even more of a character. There is so much I want to talk about, but the spoilers! I will warn, however, that I got two minutes from the end of the book, and had that icky feeling that there wasn't enough book left for what needed to happen, and I was right. I will probably be mad about this cliffhanger for a few days though.

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik is the second installment in the Scholomance series. During their final year, El, Orion, and the other students at Scholomance are faced with graduation and the terrifying ritual that can have grim consequences. Initially, El is confident her and her friends will live through the ritual, but as the year goes on and violence escalates, El becomes more unsure. Will El and her friends survive this harrowing ritual or will their lives be flipped upside down, or worse end?

This was an enjoyable follow-up to the previous book that added to the previous storyline. I enjoyed seeing El expand her circle and grow as a character as her life got bigger. I also appreciated that her character was determined and action-oriented to try and deal with the terror her and her friends face. This also provided some interesting commentary about equality and privilege and how that intersects with who lives and who dies.

The pacing of the book was consistent with a whirlwind ending that leaves you at the edge of your seat by the end. The mood throughout is angsty and makes you feel tense the entire time. The book definitely makes the reader want more and I can't wait for the next book!

Many thanks to the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Excellent follow up to the first in the series. It had me reading as fast as I could through the last word! And what an ending!! Please hurry for part 3! I don’t know how long I can last at the edge of my chair!

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey Publishing for an e-arc!

I really enjoyed the second installment of this series. I think the characters are really developed and I love when that happens in a series. The language that Novik uses is incredible and some of my favorite insults include you jumbled bag of screws and you aardvark. I also love the urban fantasy setting. it's so clearly suburbia but with magic, evil, charms etc. This book certainly didn't hit the sequel slump and I was excited to see what was going to happen next. THE ENDING THOUGH!! I realize why there will be a third book because we really were left dangling on the side of a cliff here. I need to know how the series will conclude and I look forward to even more character growth in what's to come.

I read the first book and liked Orion enough to be curious about this sequel. Through the first half of the book, there was no development of our main character (and there really wasn’t any from the entire first book.) The people trying desperately to help her are forgettable. I couldn’t even tell you who she was allied with or what their personalities are. Being constantly side-tracked from whatever action was happening to introduce this new type of mal, how it grows and eats and got there, what magic needs to happen, it’s kill count, it’s mother’s maiden name, and SSN, was incredibly jarring. Especially for it to be killed super easily by El the next paragraph and never seen again. Then we get to hear her complain again that she’s too nice. We are constantly (and I mean constantly) reminded that the school is dangerous, people die or are severely injured, and it’s exhausting. I’m sorry but I will not be recommending this or picking up the third one.

I have begun to really love the trend of having what might be demand a “dark” character as the main characters of the book. The Last Graduate continues where the Deadly Education left off, with El trying to figure out how to survive graduation, while she struggles through the friendships that she has started to collect. It is all the same characters, with a few new ones added in and the cliffhanger at the end is a 10 out of 10 for me. I couldn’t help but be invested in the plot, and the character development. This is one of those rare times that I am truly reading a book because I need to know more about the main character.
The plot also kept me guessing which is always a bonus!

Wow. That’s all I can say. I received the arc for The Last Graduate and then went to pick up A Deadly Education and Imwas blown away. I actually loved the world-building. This is definitely not completely adult it does have more of an NA feel but I didn’t mind either way. I was blown away and all I can say is…

THAT. ENDING.

Please let the next book come quickly. Please. Please. Please.

I loved seeing El grow and the focus of the books shift from her and Orion to include the other friends she’s reluctantly made along the way. I loved every second of the book and that cliffhanger ended me. I’m deceased and can only be brought back to love by a copy of book 3.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in advanced. You’ve introduced me to a new favorite fantasy series.

This starts out a little slow, it fooled me into thinking that this was only a sequel. This is a classic in its own right. The characters, more and better. The morals, growing and changing and all encompassing. The plot, getting faster the whole way until the pace is unbearable. The ending, is everything! So good! Absolutely unbearable wait until the next book.

Novik really impressed me with this expert followup to my favourite book from last year in “A Deadly Education”. The way she slowly peels back the layers of El’s inaccurate assumptions about the people and situations she comes into contact with cleverly subverts the reader’s expectations without cheap fakeouts common to less competent attempts at similar narrative efforts. Even the assumptions the reader makes about the title of the book itself is subverted as the story progresses.

Ugh that ending just sent a dagger through my heart and now I have to wait who knows how long until I can find out more. I cannot believe that ending, it had me on the edge of my seat waiting for something horrific to happen and then the very last line. I have no words to express just how I am feeling after reading that last line. I loved this book right up until that last line which destroyed me.