I flew through this book. I couldn't get enough. I was hooked from the first page to the last page! Can't wait to read more from this author!

What did I just read? That was exactly what I thought when I finished this book! The Last One is a gripping, shocking, jaw dropping page turner!

What the heck?!?! I had no idea what to expect from this book's description, but I enjoy books set on ships so here I am. Caroline is already reluctant to leave her family when she embarks on a luxury transatlantic cruise. But when she wakes up and everyone is gone, she has no idea if it's some sort of mistake, alien abduction, emergency, or what. Things just get crazier from there as she realizes her phone doesn't work and the power on the boat goes out shortly after.
I couldn't wait to see what happened next but I wouldn't say I loved this book as I feel like the ridiculousness of the plot kind of overshadowed any of its societal commentary. I love horror movies, so I'm rounding up to 4 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

Well that was a surprise! At almost 450 pages this thriller is long but Dean manages to keep the story moving at a very fast pace to keep the reader engaged. Personally, I really enjoyed the trajectory this novel took about a quarter of the way through. Not only was it a surprise and a welcome change from more recent thriller tropes, it’s quite topical considering today’s society. The trajectory provides an avenue for a social commentary that I think is necessary.

I did have some issues with the novel, particularly the way Dean incessantly clung to the idea that women carry a crushing load of guilt for, frankly, good, albeit controversial, decisions. The internal dialogue of the protagonist, Caz, about her soul suffering guilt was overdone and, at many times, so disjointed from the action of the plot that it was jarring. I also felt that Caz’s internal dialogue wasn’t as mature as her 51 years of age.

Go into this book blind for the most enjoyment and you’ll find yourself flipping the pages quickly to get to the resolution.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advance reader’s copy. All opinions are my own.

Wow I don’t even know where to begin with this one. Going in blind is essential to the effect this book could potentially have on you. This book could have definitely been shorter which would have helped it be more of a page turner. Some of the back stories and history it gave was just not essential to drive the plot forward. Besides the minor dislikes I had this book had me mindblown to the point that I was slack jawed after some chapters. I don’t want to go into much detail because I don’t want to spoil any of the twists and turns but this one is definitely worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC on this one!

Really great and atmospheric thriller, with plenty of twists and turns. The characters were well developed answers the story very gripping. I really enjoyed this adventure and look forward to more by this author.

“The Last One” by Will Dean is an intense summer thriller about a vacation gone wrong. Caz and Pete are on the cruise vacation of their dreams, that is until Caz wakes up and Pete is gone. Actually, everyone on the ship is gone. Including the passengers, crew, and captain. Caz is stranded alone on a ship somewhere in the mid-Atlantic during this mystery. But somehow, being stranded ends up become the least of her worries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Emily Bestler Books for the ARC of this novel.

Few writer can draw you in and wreak havoc on your psyche and emotions like Will Dean. The Last One is just another example of how great of a writer Dean is.

Wasn’t a huge fan of this one. I think the premise was great but the execution wasn’t exactly what I wanted to read about. Maybe I had wanted something more along the lines of a ghost ship rather than a competition… idk. I was also disappointed in the ending, it felt like an easy out.

No. Just, no. The plot? ridiculous. The characters? annoying. The twists? DUMB. No one would believe this plot at all, and I get you have to suspend some belief with thrillers, but this was too much for me. I could not hang with this story at all. And the very end? Don't even get me started. I felt like my time was wasted while reading this. I know a lot of people will enjoy this story and the thrilling aspects, but it was not for me.

I really loved The Last One by Will Dean. I always say that I want a story to make me feel major emotions and this book checked all the boxes. I was confused, anxious, curious, grossed out, and extremely angry as I read the story and it was fabulous.

The story jumps right into it with an eerie situation that leaves you wondering and yearning for more info. As it progresses you are left with more questions and more confusion about what is taking place. There’s lots of little twists as you are given more info but it’s never enough to take that confusion away. There are scenes that had me holding my breath in anticipation of what would happen next.

The conclusion worked for me. I feel it’s a plausible explanation and while it was elaborate, it felt reasonable. The big cliffhanger made me want to scream. I was so angry. I felt that the last paragraph was enough to make me drop my rating to 3 stars and proclaim my dislike of the book. Then, I sat with my emotions and realized I actually really loved it. It was the same feeling I had at the end of Saw when Jigsaw stood up and slammed the door to lock them in. That confusion and realization and anger all bubbling into one intense reaction.
Once I accepted the ending, I could picture a rewind of the story (like they love to do at the end of thriller movies) where you see the stuff you didn’t see the first time around so you can understand how this crazy ending makes sense. And having a book give you that huge emotional reaction is pretty fantastic.

I have shared this review on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvznh6FrHO0/?igsh=Njc2MDc3cXJ1aGxh

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5743207689

And Amazon

Thanks to Netgalley, Atria books, and Will Cain for this ARC. What can I say ? ! I found this story so fascinating. I’ve taken quite a few cruises and next time, I might not fall asleep the first nite, or even the second. I enjoyed all the various ways these people stayed alert and alive. Though I wasn’t sure how it would end, it didn’t expect it the way it did…And the last sentence in the book was awesome ! Now what ?! 4 stars only because I didn’t care for the ending with actors in this scenario.. a great pick for a book club discussion group..

WHAT A BOOK! I had no idea what to expect going in, but this book is perfection. The pacing, plot, character development... I recommend this book to everyone I know.

This book was trippy! At first I was so confused why our MC ends up on a cruise ship alone, but as she soon figures out she’s not alone. The book gave major black mirror vibes and now make me terrified to go on a cruise. There were parts that kind that were dragged out, but felt it was necessary to really understand the atmosphere/ vibes. The ending wasn’t what I expected, but overall a good thriller. Thank you netgalley and atria books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review:

Ehhh, this book was not for me. I am
not into science fiction type books. This felt that way and I lost interest quickly

The Last One by Williams Dean
★★★ 3/5 stars

• synopsis
The Last One is about a middle aged woman who goes on a cruise with her partner. They dine & laugh, having the best first day. She goes to sleep next to him, but wakes up alone. She's now the only one on the massive ship.

🚢 Read if you like
-locked room thrillers
-survival reality shows
-short bingable chapters
-cliffhanger endings
-Lost, Titanic, or Black Mirror
-the movie Passengers, but on sea instead of in space
-unlikeable characters

🚢I thought it’d be fun to share the notes I made while reading this one↓

-It’s giving the passengers + titanic + lost + survivor
-where the heck is everybody?
-why is this MCs internal dialogue so repetitive
-what the hell is going on
-why did they leave the dogs??
-stfu rats 🤢
-ok this is borderline sci-fi. Like black mirrors.
-I’m sorry, jump into the Atlantic Ocean? No thank you I’ll hang with the rats.
-WTH. The last page. The last line. Talk about wanting to throw my book across the room. 🙄🙄🙄

• my thoughts
This one had a very unique, memorable premise, a lot of twists, & for the majority of the book i was hooked. But at a certain point the twists went too far fetched, & I had to suspend a little too much belief for it to work. It was far too long, it definitely could’ve been 100 pages shorter. But this honestly still would’ve been a 4☆ read just for originality alone - until the end. The last chapter was criminal. In just a few words on the last page, the thing turned upside down & totally left me hanging. So frustrating!!

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for the opportunity to read this ARC ◡̈

The Last One is a gripping thriller from author Will Dean. Oringinally, the reader is led to believe that this will be an ordinary but engrossing thriller with the typical newly married couple goes on honeymoon and scary things ensue. But this is not the case. Can awakens in the morning to find her partner Pete missing and as she emerges from her room on the midsize 1000 passenger luxury liner finds that she is the only one aboard. What happened to the other passengers? And will the reader ever find this out? Will she ever find out? Throughout this original plot Dean keeps the reader fully engaged. Telling more would be a spoiler. This is a very entertaining read.

Oh man, if you want to be fully invested in a book and finish one in one sitting, this is the one for you!! Loved it.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book @netgalley and the publisher

I absolutely loved the premise of this book. I enjoyed following the story as it unfolded and was eagerly anticipating the big reveal. After the reveal the story took a turn that I didn't personally love. It felt a little predictable at times and especially the final twist. The characters weren't very likeable and were at times insufferable. With that said the story kept me engaged and has me never wanting to board a cruise ship.

While I personally just found this meh (too many plot holes and suspension of belief for me) I can see my students who love this type of book reading this so I will recommend to them.