First, this book was such a fast-paced, nail biting read. I have been looking forward to this book for a couple months and to finally read it and for it live up to my expectations was completely phenomenal!
Secondly, the absolutely loved the characters in the story and I grew completely attached to each and every one of the them.
Nonetheless, I can’t wait for this book to come out because I’m ordering me a copy immediately just to have on my shelf. What a great read. I will definitely be reading more from this author!

The plot in this book is unlike any book that I have ever read. I will say despite the rating, I was kept on the edge of my seat the whole time, and there was something that made me keep reading to see how everything was going to shake out. I just didn't love the way everything wrapped up. Maybe I was over thinking it but I was disappointed in the build up. Without giving anything away, I also didn't like the ending :/ There was a lot of potential here, but I felt like it wasn't delivered.

Caz and Pete are on their way to New York via The Atlantica. A new experience in the travel industry that is supposed to be unlink anything you have experienced before. They have a wonderful time exploring the ship on their first night. They have a great dinner and go to bed only for Caz to wake up alone. She looks around for Pete, and in the process realizes that she is completely alone on the ship. There are no captains. No deck hands. No nobody. Where did everyone go? What has happened?

She runs into someone named Danny when she is looking for food. They in turn run into Francine and finally Smith to round out the group of 4 that are the sole survivors of whatever has happened. They are in survival mode when the power goes out. They realize that they are on a reality TV show of sorts that has tasked them each with a challenge that they unwittingly signed up for when purchasing their tickets. The overall winner gets $5 million. The others get $50k each. What are each of them willing to do to get this money? What have they been through to be where they are now? What is really happening here?

This book reads like an episode of Survivor with the added element of the dark web. Again, there was something about it that kept me wondering what was going to happen but I was not a fan of how everything "wrapped up." I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a long-time fan of Will Dean's Tuva Moodyson's mystery series; he's a master of creating a sense of place and then plotting a story that takes full advantage of the setting. And not for nothing, Tuva is an unforgettable and deliciously flawed heroine. I was excited to see he was tackling a locked-room mystery aboard a ship, and The Last One surpassed my (high) expectations. I'll be recommending this book on the 11 August episode of my podcast 'The Library of Lost Time.'

Loved all of the twists and turns in this story! Knocking off a star since I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style itself or the way the backstory was interwoven throughout the narrative, but I still really enjoyed myself and flew through this one!

Goodness I hated this book. I started skipping pages just to figure out what happened. I thought this would be a mystery and it was actually… Hunger Games? It was horrible and I have no words for the ending it was so bad.

I went into this book almost completely blindly. I had never read anything by this author but the cover and title intrigued me. We quickly learn our characters and the odd situation they’ve found themselves in…a situation that gripped me and kept me up all night reading! After we find out the truth, we get one final plot twist that was simply chef’s kiss. I will definitely be seeking out more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis of this book is short for a reason! The first twist hits about 1/3 of the way through the book and will ABSOLUTELY SHOCK you, and then the twists KEEP ON COMING!!! This book is 400+ pages but doesn’t at all feel that long because you will want to read it in one setting. I literally could not put it down and was hooked from the very first page. I won’t say too much else because you want to go in completely blind for maximum impact of the jaw dropping and heart pounding twists. This book is an absolute must have, and you want to add it to your August TBR and preorder now!

I received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review. What a story! Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed how the story was going to go. It makes you wonder if there are companies and people out there that are sick enough to do these things. When Caz wakes up alone on the Atlantica, she has no idea what is in store for her. And neither do we as readers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. This totally missed the mark for me! I was so sucked in until the admiral appeared, then it just became dumb! It drug on and on and the end was just not great!

This was a wild ride. You go into this book thinking it's one things and honestly it's not...it had me guessing and I couldn't put it down.

This was the scariest book I’ve ever read. I read a lot of thrillers and watch a lot of horror, but this is it. I already have an aversion to boats, especially CRUISE SHIPS, now I have more fears😆

Who wants to get on a ship full of people and sail across the ocean, unable to get off, small rooms, germs, a mile of black ocean and sea creatures beneath you? NO THANK YOU. Now I can add the chance of psychological torture to that list.

Perfect summer read for the beach, as long as you stay on the sand and don’t go for any boating adventures.

Thanks so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for the chance to get a jump on this book!

Wow! This book was so hard to put down! I kept waiting for the plot to become boring or predictable but loved every twist and turn that kept coming. It really kept me guessing motives and intentions the whole way through. A bit of shock and horror along the way this was an awesome summer read! Thank you netgalley and will dean for the arc!

"The Last One" by Will Dean follows Caz and Pete as they embark on a luxe cruise aboard the RMS Atlantica. However, their dream vacation quickly turns into a nightmare when Caz wakes up to find Pete mysteriously missing and the ship eerily empty. This should have set the stage for a thrilling and suspenseful tale, but unfortunately, it falls flat.

One of the main weaknesses of "The Last One" is the lackluster character development. Caz, as the protagonist, feels underdeveloped and lacks depth, making it challenging for readers to connect with or invest in her journey. The supporting characters also suffer from a lack of meaningful development, reducing their impact on the story.

Furthermore, the pacing throughout the book is inconsistent, with prolonged periods of stagnation and moments that feel rushed. This imbalance hampers the flow of the narrative, undermining the potential for building tension and suspense. As a result, the story struggles to maintain readers' interest.

The central mystery of the empty ship fails to live up to its initial promise. The reveals and twists lack originality, and the resolution feels hurried and unsatisfying. The lack of payoff and the missed opportunities for deeper exploration of the mystery leave readers feeling unfulfilled.

While the setting of the deserted cruise ship offers potential for a menacing atmosphere, it ultimately falls short. The descriptions lack vividness and fail to create a strong sense of place or imbue the story with the desired eerie ambiance. This further diminishes the tension and fails to fully immerse readers in the setting.

In conclusion, "The Last One" by Will Dean disappoints with its underdeveloped characters, inconsistent pacing, lackluster mystery, and subpar execution of the setting. While the initial premise held promise, the eventual result falls flat, leaving readers unsatisfied. Regrettably, this 2-star novel fails to deliver on its potential and offers a reading experience that lacks the desired thrills.

ARC Review:
4.5 Stars
Oh my gosh! What a freaking ride! Whatever you're expecting, it's probably not this. You will be pulled in every direction imaginable, thinking through a million different theories in your mind, and just when you think you've got it, a new twist will catch you off guard. I can't describe my genuine love for this book and the creativity that went behind it enough, and although there's not much I can say without giving it away, I'll give you just a few of my MANY thoughts on what this book reminded me of, at at least one point or another along the journey. If you like any of the following, READ THIS BOOK!!
•Thriller mixed with dystopian vibes
•Escape room puzzles
•Survivor-style tv shows
I could give a million different movies and shows this reminds me of, but it would take all of the fun away. You'll be holding your breath, feeling disturbed and anxious, flipping pages late into the night all the way up until the very last sentence. And then you'll be thinking about it for days to come!

Cliff notes review: mix of Survivor, Saw, Black Mirror and Lord of the Flies with a cruise ship backdrop.

Positives: fascinating plot/ premise, picks up the place quickly, could easily visualize as a movie

Negatives: 448 pages is hella long for a suspense, limited first person POV only gave Caz’s backstory and what it did give was rather repetitive in regards to her dad’s gambling with little other character development, ending was WAY too ridiculous, like borderline “LOST” kind of ending

Wow! This was one wild and intense ride that I absolutely could not put down. In fact, about halfway through, the intensity was unimaginable. I was white knuckling my way through at 1am and gasping so loud, I woke my husband.

This is unlike any other book I’ve read – and very 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘔𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 -esque. In fact, two days after finishing this book, I watched an episode that was indeed 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 similar. I won’t name it to avoid spoilers, but IYKYK!

Read if you like:

✨survival thrillers
✨claustrophobic settings
✨unique plots

My thanks to @atriabooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

Are you ready for the trip of a lifetime?

Beware - nothing is as it seems. Nothing.

I love books such as this one which spotlight what we humans will do when we are pushed to our limits!

With mixed vibes, including The Lord of the Flies, this book examines morality in the most extreme and bizarre conditions. It’s intense, bordering on fantasy, fed by the setting, and extremely atmospheric. Just when you think the ride is over, or paused for you to catch your breath, there’s another twist and your adrenaline is kicked into high gear AGAIN.

In short, Caz wakes up on the first morning of her cruise to discover that she’s completely alone. Her boyfriend, Pete, isn’t in their cabin and when she pops her head out into the hallway, she discovers that it’s eerily quiet and the cabins are empty. Upon exploration, she quickly discovers she’s alone. No captain. No crew. No passengers. How do thousands of passengers just disappear? You’ll have to read to find out.

This is my first introduction to Will Dean’s books. I was impressed with his heart-pounding tale examining family, trust and survival. However, I was, at times, shaking my head in disbelief, laughing at the absurdity, and pulling the brakes so that I could go back and re-read sections.

I had to wait much longer than my 13th date to get on a cruise ship, but I’ve been addicted to cruising since.

I was gifted this copy by Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I love the cover for this book. It is very hard to review this book without mentioning spoilers. But here it goes . . .

The blurb for this book is an interesting concept. Caz (Caroline Ridley) goes on a cruise with her boyfriend Pete.. It should be a trip of a lifetime. After their first wonderful night, Caz wakes up with Pete missing and the ship seemingly empty.

It is described as a white-knuckled mystery.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book. However, it didn’t quite work for me based on what I enjoy reading. Some of the things that happen are so far fetched that it stretched the mystery genre (again for me). This would never happen. Does this make this book a fantasy? A alternative reality? I’m not sure. I think that is where this book doesn’t work for me. I can see how some will find this book very enjoyable and entertaining. It is fast paced. It pushes Caz to the limit and she is given impossible choices.

If you go into this book without limiting it to the mystery genre and you enjoy survival stories with a very improbably situations, you might like it.

Side note, there is a reference in this book to one of my favorite books. I enjoyed that Easter egg and reference. The part of this book around that was well done.

I am trying to decide if I loved this book or hated it. I think it was well written. It was completely different than what I had expected. I got pulled in right away. There were a couple parts where it dragged for me a little. I felt like there was both a lot going on and not much going on at the same time.

I liked that the chapters were short. There were a lot of twists and surprises in this book. A lot of it made me so mad (which I think the author intended). I feel like the story was well thought out.

I think this is an excellent book for readers who always figure out the twists. I feel like most people will not figure them out.

This book left me with a lot to think about. I feel like it is a book that will stay with me for a while. I will also say that I absolutely hated the very end of the book (the last paragraph).

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Will Dean for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What did I just read??? Holy cow that was a ride I blew through in less than 5 hours. Could not put it down. I need a support group just to talk about that ending.