I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book honestly, murder summer-camp cult conspiracy leaves a lot of room for saying "what is even happening right now?!" But overall it was a pretty interesting ride.

Let me start by saying I am giving the book 4 stars for the story but the actual ending itself was a solid 5 stars from me. Absolutely LOVED it, did not see that coming.

I took off a star from my rating because I didn't care for how the story was written. I understand why we are following Sloan as she heals from the camp massacre trauma but I really wanted to read more about what happened that night instead of only getting small glimpses in between therapy sessions and make out sessions. I don't know, I get why it was done that way, but it still felt like I had picked up this book in the middle of a story.

Overall however, definitely one to add to your TBR if you want to pretend you have any grasp of what's going on only to be blindsided... probably... hopefully.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. It definitely kept me interested but I will honestly say it was a strange one with an ending I didn’t expect. Would recommend it though since it was a quick easy read. Can’t say more without spoilers!! 3.5 stars ⭐️

Sloan was looking forward to her spending her summer vacation working as a camp counselor far away from her overbearing mother. There she met Cherry, and the pair instantly hit it off, flirting and talking late into the night. But soon, Sloan's carefree summer turned into tragedy when the camp was attacked by masked men with machetes, killing everyone but her and Cherry. Now, months later, Sloan and Cherry are bonded by trauma, but as new information starts coming to light, Sloan can't help but wonder if Cherry is hiding something. The more Cherry tries to prove her innocence, the less Sloan believes her. As Sloan's hazy memories slowly creep back in, will she discover that her girlfriend is a victim or the perpetrator?

After reading the synopsis, I was ready for a fun summer camp slasher, but that isn't what I got. The events take place after the massacre, and you're left sorting out the details of what happened along with Sloan. You quickly realize that she isn't the most reliable of narrators, so you don't know what to believe. I appreciate the attempt to make this a twisty, psychological thriller, but the whole thing needed work. The plot itself was just too messy. Some twists didn't make sense and left so many unanswered questions. The pacing was also super clunky and not engaging. I could look past all that if the characters were amazing, but oof. Sloan and Cherry were the definitions of toxic. Their relationship was so unhealthy. I had high hopes for this one, but sadly, it didn't deliver.

"The Last Girls Standing" is *almost* a great book. It has an exciting premise, an interesting main character, and little twists that keep you flipping the pages to see what comes next. The author does a great job of building paranoia in the narrator that transfers to the reader. Just when you think you know what's going on, something comes along to make you second guess yourself, much like the character of Sloan. That paranoia builds throughout the novel at a fun pace, but for me it fumbled a the very end. I didn't dislike the ending per se, but it felt a bit rushed and abrupt without enough answers or resolution to the central mystery. I'm all for a book having an open ending and leaving the reader wanting more, but I closed this one feeling a bit unsatisfied. Other than that, it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I love the dramatic cover and premise of this book: two final girls falling in love, bound by a tragedy that no one else truly understands. A young woman desperate to discover the truth, even if her soulmate may lying about everything.

After finishing the novel, I’m torn. I honestly liked the ending; I don’t mind a novel that’s dark, and I love me an unreliable narrator. But I can’t help but wish these dark veins were spread more evenly throughout, that way you have a better idea of what you’re signing up for. I also wish that the romance between Sloan and Cherry <i>felt</i> as desperate as Sloan claims it is. I don’t need it to be spicy, but I was looking for something a little more than lukewarm from these two. I didn’t feel like their relationship progressed or regressed in a meaningful way until the very very end. I found that I enjoyed the plot more than their relationship.

I think hindsight makes some of the things I initially disliked work: Cherry being a walking red flag from the very start, and Sloan going back and forth at least ten different times about whether she believes Cherry or not. It makes narrative sense, but it still gave me whiplash. I just think there were other ways to accomplish the same end goal.

All and all, I liked this book. I would just go into this knowing that at the end of the day, it definitely falls into the horror genre.

Thank you to Netgalley, PENGUIN GROUP/Penguin Young Readers Group, and the author for my advanced reader’s copy.

I have mixed feelings about The Last Girls Standing. I really like Jennifer Dugan's writing and how she portrayed the aftermath of a massacre and how the trauma can affect memories, what's real versus what isn't. What I wasn't a fan of, is how most of the book is trying to find the reason behind the ritualistic killings and if anyone else was involved, shift to the main character believing she can save them from the darkness..? Up until that point I thought the story was pretty good, but the ending really lost me. I felt like it didn't fit in with the rest of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Groups for a copy of this eARC!

This one's gonna be divisive, I'm sure of it, but I LOVED it. I think one of the most engaging parts of this book is how it deals with memory– there are a lot of elements that rely on the main character's memory to figure out the truth, but given how suggestible and fallible memory is, Dugan plays with what that means and what damage that over reliance can create. This is a victim surrounded by adults, and not one of them is taking care of her in a genuine way. There are attempts at boundaries and she works with a hypnotist, but this only really serves to make her worse. This reminds me a lot of The Wicker King in the way the subject matter is dealt with, though The Wicker King certainly has a more hopeful ending.

If you like having answers, don't read this, because you really don't get any. If you liked fucked up explorations of grief, trauma, survivor's guilt, and obsessive, controlling love, then you'll love this.

To preface, I read an uncorrected text. This is a tough one for me. I really enjoyed the writing but feel like the book overall ended up being a miss for me. The premise was something I found really interesting as a lover of the slasher genre. I just didn't end up connecting to the characters. I do think there will be plenty of people who do enjoy this book. I just, unfortunately, wasn't one of them.

Oh man this book. I don't even know what to say to convey how much I enjoyed this one. Dugan's writing immediately pulled me in and I could feel all the emotions and confusion Sloan was experiencing. I literally could not put this one down and finished it in a day. Highly, highly, highly recommend this one. I cannot wait to read more of Dugan's works.

The Last Girls Standing is Jennifer Dugan’s foray into thrillers. Very much of the genre in terms of 80s slasher films with a camp massacre as well as further exploring the notion of the “good” girl as the final girl. In this case, there are two surviving final girls, Sloan and Cherry, whose blossoming camp romance becomes a codependent nightmare. As usual, Dugan excels at writing codependent relationships. Both girls struggle with survivor’s guilt, their families’ expectations that they just move on, and their inability to feel normal. However, we only get Sloan’s point of view, and she has suppressed most of her memories of the tragedy. The tension between what Sloan believes and what she needs to believe was inconsistent. The pacing was also inconsistent-slow and meandering in the beginning, well paced towards the end, yet too fast at the end. I personally did not like the ending but see how the writing set it up.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley.

You had me at summer camp massacre with the final girl trope! This book was so gripping because the whole time you just want answers to what’s going on! You never know who you can and can’t trust.

Sloan is healing from a summer camp massacre trauma she and her girlfriend Cherry are the only survivors. There are even flashbacks to the night of the massacre, which are super creepy. You find out early on there’s a huge gap in Sloan’s memory of the night and that her memory had blacked out a huge portion of the night of the massacre. One day, when going through Cherry’s things, Sloan sees a photograph of two men that felt familiar, but she couldn’t put her finger on where. She initially shoved down the feeling that anything was wrong, not wanting to believe that Cherry had anything to do with the cult massacre. This brings up questions about the blank in her memory from that night and if Cherry is keeping things from her. Why is Cherry acting so suspicious and why does her rabbit carving look exactly like the masks the killers wore?

This book does a really good job of misleading you because you think you are a step closer to the truth then things get twisted even more. It’s a huge guessing game and super unpredictable. By the time I got to the end I was dying for the answers because I couldn’t figure out what was real or what wasn’t. The only part that really annoyed me was where Sloan ended up near the end of the book was too convenient, like the chances of that happening are one in a million and it seemed to have come out of nowhere. Like, of all woods in the world she just happens to be in those woods? It was so annoyingly convenient it was nonsensical. Other than that, the cult was super interesting to read about and you never really know who to trust. I kept flip flopping back and forth on whether or not Cherry could be trusted and never could decide, so I wasn’t sure to even expect at the end. If you’re looking for an unpredictable read that will have you on the edge of your seat, this is the one! I recommend this for anyone who is trying to get out of a reading slump because it is so compulsively readable.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I want to say thank you to netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll start by saying that the cover, synopsis and the queer aspects of this book are what brought me in.

The book gives off series 1980 killer vibes (I kept picturing that season of American Horror Story.) That being said, there are enough dabs at those films to make a horror fan happy.

However, this book was a struggle at parts. Slow beginning, followed by an annoying middle, and capped with a logical, yet almost predictable end. I was left with questions that were never answered. Some things didn't make sense and others felt overplayed.

There are times where the characters seemed to have a very toxic relationship and times where there was some tenderness. I'm just left wanting more from this.

3.5/5

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting book, and I feel like the ending felt almost like a short story in a way? I wish we had gotten more information on our main’s past, because it was very vaguely acknowledged and fed into the plot but we didn’t really know a whole lot of what was happening. I don’t know how I feel about the ending - maybe if we got a bit more flashbacks on the camp and what happened there I might like it better? Or more in our main’s unraveling? I don’t know.

I did read through this book pretty quickly though, I just wish there were more answers. So if you’re fine with the book being more open ended I’d say definitely go for this book!

I loved the premise of this book and I devoured it in less than 2 days. It kept me guessing and it was hard to put down. I wanted so badly to have all the answers right along with Sloan but I feel like I am still searching even after finishing the book. I wanted more from the ending. More resolution but I was left unsatisfied. With that said, the writing was great and I will definitely read more from Dugan in the future.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Setting: New York
Rep: sapphic protagonist+ relationship

I have always enjoyed Jennifer Dugan's queer YA books - she has become an auto-buy author for me - so naturally I had to request this eARC when it became available as mystery is one of my favourite genres. This didn't feel like a Jennifer Dugan book, though. It's like it's a totally different author. The characters are flat and the writing feels amateur and I'm not compelled to continue because everyone is annoying and I don't care about the camp murder. It lets itself down by being set in the aftermath because there isn't enough intrigue and the protagonist is annoying as hell, and her girlfriend is a toxic bitch.

Wow! This book grabbed me from the first page and didn't let go until the end of its roller coaster ride of a story. The main character, Sloan, and her girlfriend, Cherry, are sleep-away camp massacre survivors. However, Sloan doesn't remember what happened. Even though Cherry tells her the events of the night of the massacre, Sloan is convinced there's more to the story. I was drawn into Sloan's confusion and frustration and when she fell into a conspiracy theory rabbit hole, I fell with her.
The terror and dread Sloan feels is palpable and the romance/relationship is sweet and realistic. This is a great book for anyone who loves mystery and horror. I couldn't put this book down, but I didn't want it to end.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Jennifer Dugan's previous YA queer romance novels, including "Hot Dog Girl" and "Some Girls Do." When I discovered that she had ventured into the thriller genre, drawing inspiration from 80s teen slashers like Friday the 13th while incorporating queer/LGBTQ representation, I was instantly intrigued. Without reading any comments or reviews, I eagerly embarked on this chilling ride, ready to be captivated.

Throughout the narrative, Dugan skillfully pays homage to the classic 80s slashers, weaving in references and nods that will delight horror aficionados. As a fan of those iconic movies myself, I relished in the familiar tropes and atmosphere that she expertly recreated. It's evident that Dugan has a deep appreciation for the genre, and her homage to the era shines through.

However, the pacing and execution did present challenges for me. The slow start and difficulty in connecting with the characters hindered my initial engagement with the story. It felt like an uphill battle to become truly invested in the outcome. Nonetheless, I pushed forward, hoping that the momentum would pick up as the plot unfolded.

To my relief, the story did gain momentum as I reached the middle, and the final twist proved to be both clever and thought-provoking. It challenged my assumptions and left me questioning the motives and actions of the characters. While the journey to get there was a bit arduous, the destination was ultimately rewarding.

Despite my reservations, I recognize that this is Dugan's first endeavor into the thriller genre, and it shows potential. With her strong writing skills and knack for creating relatable characters, I am confident that her future works in the YA queer thriller realm will be more polished and compelling. I look forward to witnessing her growth as an author and eagerly anticipate her future releases.

In conclusion, while this particular book may not have fully met my expectations, it still offers an enjoyable read for fans of queer representation and 80s slasher nostalgia. I encourage readers to approach it with an open mind and appreciate the efforts made in diversifying the thriller genre.

I give it three solid stars and express my gratitude to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for granting me the opportunity to delve into this digital reviewer copy and share my honest thoughts.

The Last Girls Standing looked like a new and interesting take on the psychological thriller. Unfortunately, the book itself didn't have the same pull that the summary did. I struggled to connect with the story, and the pacing wasn't enough to keep me motivated. However, I've heard wonderful things about Jennifer Dugan's books, so I'll definitely be watching for her next one.

A LGBTQ+ thriller?! Um, yes please!!

This gave me real Friday the 13th vibes with a twist.

Sloan and her girlfriend, Cherry, are survivors of the Money Springs massacre which ended the lives of their fellow summer camp counselors. As Sloan tries to work past her trauma and pick up the pieces of her lost memories, she can’t help but to think her girlfriend knows something she isn’t saying. Is it possible Cherry was in on it or is Sloan actually going crazy?

I loved ‘Some Girls Do’, but this was honestly hard to get into. The premise sounds so promising, but it just didn’t hold my attention. When it did start to get interesting, I felt like there wasn’t enough information at all. The twist at the end was good, but once again, didn’t make sense. I’m honestly not even sure what I just read, and maybe that’s on me, I don’t know. I think a large majority of people will love this, but there were too many loose ends in this book for me.

This is exactly my type of read. Camps, murders and whoddunits. I am obviously a child raised with Jason (Friday the 13th) and Michael Myer.

This book could have been better. Its not a horrible read, but as I read I always got the feeling the writing could be more suspenseful. The pacing was a bit off for me, which usually means I don't finish a book. I did finish this one and honestly was intrigued enough, but there was something missing.