What an emotional book! I’ve never read a doomsday-type book that I’ve enjoyed…until now. This story will tug at your heart and you will be completely invested in this unlikely group, the way they become a family, and their fight to survive when their world has collapsed.

It may only be the second day of the year, but this book will be on my top reads list for 2024, no doubt about that.

My only criticism of it, is that it ended and I want more!

We’ve all seen apocalyptic movies and tv shows but in this book, it actually happens for real and Daniel, Alex and their children have to find a new way to live. In their daughter Mattie’s words, not just survive, but thrive.

The writing, the characters, the story… it was everything; emotional, poignant, gripping, terrifyjng, sad, inspirational and so much more.

Learning how to live without electricity, telephones, THE INTERNET!!! Knowing who to trust, learning how to shoot and depending on the kindness of strangers.

It’s unthinkable on so many levels, but then… is it?

5⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Kate Hewitt and Storm, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Wow! I could NOT put this book down. Every chapter kept me wanting to read "just one more". This isn't the type of book that I would normally choose, but the description grabbed my attention (and that cover!), even though it isn't the indication of the book (in a good way!), and it took a whole different direction that I anticipated. I will certainly be picking up more of Kate Hewitt's books as I loved her writing style. Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for access to this arc!

Whoa. This book was not at all what I expected, but in the best way.

Daniel and Alex’s life in suburban Connecticut is imploding after Daniel loses his job and hides it from Alex for months. This betrayal cuts deep and Alex isn’t sure her marriage can survive. When their eldest daughter is expelled from school and the bank calls to foreclose on their home, Alex decides the family needs a reset. With her older son away at college, Alex pulls her younger daughter from school and takes the family to her parents’ cabin in rural Ontario in hopes of a do-over.

At the apply named Lost Lake, where they get few TV channels and the internet is intermittent at best, Alex is hoping to mend her marriage, get her younger daughter out of her shell, and get her eldest daughter away from the bad influences taking over her life. One day in, boredom and whining reign, until the world hands them an even bigger problem than their own relationship woes.

I cannot possibly say more without ruining the book for those who haven’t read it, but this one was absolutely impossible to put down. I cannot believe I started the year with this book; it will be a hard one to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and of course the author Kate Hewitt for the advanced copy of the book. The Last Stars in the Sky is out on January 24th. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. All opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One of the best books I’ve read this year. Alex & her family decide to go up to Canada and live in her parents’ old rustic cabin for 6 weeks. Her husband has recently lost his job, her daughter is suspended from school, and she wants them to spend time as a family to reconnect with each other. After being out in the cabin for a little while, they receive news that nuclear attacks have taken place on multiple large cities in the US & around the world. What started out as a family get away is now turned into a fight for survival. I couldn’t put this one down and was so bummed when it was finished. I have read other books by Kate Hewitt but this is so different than her other books. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC for my honest review. This book comes out on January 24, 2024. #booksbyashleynicole

I really enjoyed this overall. I’m a sucker for post apocalyptic type fiction and while I didn’t know that was what I was getting into at the start the twists and turns were enjoyable. The main character annoyed me at times but I felt her development was genuine. Some elements were a little difficult to believe but there were some positives too.

I stayed awake until 2am finishing this book. It definitely should have a warning about the surprising topics, but it was an amazingly written novel that I felt I had to finish despite being all of my worst nightmares. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Gripping, suspenseful, emotional, relatable – and a brilliant page-turner of a tale!

I’m a big fan of Kate Hewitt’s writing, so I knew going into this that I would get a smoothly written, thought-provoking and emotional story, but I wasn’t expecting the depth to which she takes us in this latest novel. It’s difficult to write a review without giving away any of the plot twists, but Hewitt takes a regular woman and puts her in a situation where she has to dig deep within herself to do whatever it takes to save her family.

The description is evocative and – at times – brutal. The relationships between the characters (Kerry became my favourite!) develop in such a way that you feel as if you know them. And the plot takes so many turns that I couldn’t find a convenient place to put the book down! Though the setting and circumstances are entirely foreign to me, Alex is such a believable and relatable character – as a wife, a mother and a woman – that I couldn’t fail to put myself in her shoes and think about how she would react in this situation.

And that ending! I’m really hoping there’s a sequel. Please!

I have read many Kate Hewitt books and this book was not what I expected! The characters in "The Last Stars in the Sky" were likable and drew me in almost immediately. I was invested in the story of Alex, her husband, and their daughters and thought I would be reading about how they were trying to save their marriage (as the synopsis suggests). I was NOT prepared to read about their efforts to survive a nuclear war and all of the fear that the author invoked. If you are looking to read something similar to Kate Hewitt's previous books, this is not the book for you. If you like riding emotional roller coasters, sobbing while you read, and desperately wanting to help the characters in the book- I highly recommend "The Last Stars in the Sky" by Kate Hewitt.

The Last Star In The Sky was not what I expected. The story took a hugely different direction and I was surprised. But I fell in love with the plot and characters very quickly. I read this book a few days ago and I’m still talking about it.

“This is a chance to reset, I remind myself. Reboot. Refresh, Re-something. Take deep breaths and mindfully remember what is good about life."

The Plot- With their marriage in turmoil and a daughter heading for trouble, Daniel and Alex leave their home in Connecticut with their two daughters and head for Alex’s empty family cabin in rural Ontario, Canada for a six week stay to try and work on their crumbling family. But when a nuclear attack happens across the globe, Daniel leaves the girls behind to get to their son Sam who’s in college in upstate New York. Leaving his wife with their two daughters behind alone in the cabin to survive until he come back.

Characters- I was captivate by the complexity of each characters. Just want to make a quick note on Alex’s character development, it was top tier. In the the beginning of the book I really could not connect to her at all. She was constantly whining and pretty much dumb to everything around her. By the end of the book I was rooting for her. She turned into such a badass.

“As I watch the sun coming over the tops of the evergreens, I wonder if that’s part of the reason I wanted to come back here- to find myself in this place again, before it - and the version of me - is lost forever”

Writing and pace- The book is extremely well-written with vivid descriptions. Alternating POV from Alex and Daniel. The first 17% of the book is very slow and redundant. Once the author introduces the nuclear attacks the pace really picks up.

My Thoughts - I really enjoyed this book. I became so invested in these characters and their survival; I couldn't put the book down. This was such a thought- provoking read. The characters resilience and adaptability in the face of such a crisis left me questioning my own preparedness for unforeseen and life-altering events. Would I survive? What would I do to keep my family safe? I’m gettin goosebumps just thinking about it.

I only wish we could have seen more of Daniel and Sam's story and their journey. What else did Daniel experience? The book did not answer the question as to why there was a nuclear attack and who started it. I dont know that really bothers me. Like why is this happening?

Overall- I do recommend this book. This is a gripping story of survival that affected me on a visceral level. This plot is a possibility and that has me shook. This is my first book by the author and certainly not my last.

Trigger Warnings:
🔅SA
🔅Violence
Potential TW? Fear & the impending reality of a nuclear holocaust.

✨Thank you to NetGalley, the Author and Storm Publishing for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review✨

Playlist
🎶The Lakes- Taylor Swift
🎶You’re losing me- Taylor Swift
🎶The Scientists- Coldplay
🎶If It Makes You Happy- Sheryl Crow
🎶Only One (acoustic)- Yellowcard
🎶Zombie- The Cranberries
🎶Wish You Were Here- Pink Floyd
🎶Don’t Know Why - Norah Jones
🎶Jungle- Emma Louise
🎶Would That I- Hozier
🎶Where Is My Mind- Pixies
🎶Into The Ocean- Blue October
🎶Sign Of The Times- Harry Style
🎶Chamber Of Reflection-Mac Demarco
🎶Mount Everest- Labrinth
🎶River- Leon Bridges
🎶Sail- AWOLNATION
🎶In The End- Linkin Park
🎶Work Song- Hozier
🎶It’s The End Of The World- R.E.M

When hope is all but gone, how much can one family bear?

Alex and her family had no choice but to settle in her parents' tumbledown cabin in rural Ontario for six weeks. Everything in her life has been thrown into disarray after her husband lost his job, which meant losing their home. Plunged into a sudden downturn - to somehow survive in an old cabin without a Wi-Fi connection, saving on electricity that runs on a generator, and the next neighbor miles away - life couldn't get much bleaker than it is. But just as Alex and her family barely settle into their new routine, they face a new challenge again. This time, the challenge looms larger - one altered by a nation's collapse where chances of survival appear grim.

One thing about survival stories is that the readers know what to expect because they typically follow the same familiar structure. There were instances when I wavered between reading on and pausing to think about how horrible the characters' circumstances would end up. Survival stories like this will always have different versions of grief - one I wanted to avoid but knew I had to absorb because that's what this particular genre hopes to convey.

In terms of writing, the author wrote in such vivid detail that some readers would find it hard to "unsee" the level of authenticity conveyed by the plot. The dual narrative structure also allowed for more emotional connection, and I appreciate how the alternating perspectives also built suspense and tension. Ending each character's perspective with a cliffhanger made this book even more compelling.

While 'The Last Stars in the Sky' might seem like another gripping and poignant tale of survival, I can assure you it's anything but that. Connecting with the characters becomes hard to refuse as they reveal vulnerabilities that reflect our own. My only misgiving is that the narrative could have been more extended. Emotions are abundant from this aching piece of speculative fiction - one that will surely haunt its readers for a very long time and one that may come in handy, too. After all, a dystopian future is no longer a fictional concept - it is a reality that currently exists in nations where oppression and inequality persist.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Definitely wasn't expecting an "end times" nuclear holocaust type of novel from the overview and the feedback I initially read, but fair warning that this book is about a troubled family attempting to survive a multiple nuclear strike on major US cities.

They band together and become closer for the experience, but it certainly describes a harrowing situation.

This story wasn't quite what I was expecting and, at first, I was irritated with the twist of the
plot, thinking it a bit farcical. However as i read on I became drawn in, gunning for each of the characters as they encountered new challenges.

An intense book following a city family trying to survive a new life in the wilderness of Canada as their world collapases around them.

Despite my initial scepticism I was quickly invested in the story. I only wish we could find out what happens next for the family!

This is a riveting page turner, from beginning to end you never see most of what is going to happen.
As this read begins we are finally in Canada having left Connecticut, and it is not a happy time. Daniel has lost his job, and as a result they have lost everything, and going to remote lake in Canada.
What you never see coming is the nuclear attack, and then Marshall Law. It becomes survival and lawlessness, and yet, you see signs of compassion.
This is a family, Alex and Daniel and two daughters, their son is at College, and when the unthinkable happens Daniel leaves to find his son. You have to think the way things are, will they ever see there Dad/Husband again?
In the end, and wow, I think it was the end, but we end on a cliff hanger!
I received this book through Net Galley and Storm Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.

Thank you NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read The Last Stars in the Sky by Kate Hewitt. As someone who picked up this book solely based on the allure of the beautiful cover, I found myself in a narrative that totally surprised me!

This emotional and thought-provoking book delves into the aftermath of a nuclear attack on the United States, weaving a story around a family seeking respite from their own challenges, only to be thrust into an unimaginable apocalypse. Reading how the characters came to terms with the daily struggle for survival and the unrelenting fear for the safety of their loved ones painted a stark picture of how swiftly our lives can be upended.

The characters resilience and adaptability in the face of such a crisis left me questioning my own preparedness for unforeseen and life-altering events. The author skillfully portrays the fragility of our sense of normalcy, compelling readers to contemplate the fragility of our existence and the unpredictability of our futures.

To be honest I read this book simply because of the author, I love all her books and didn't even read the synopsis and this book did not disappoint!
The book is about a family that move out to the middle of nowhere to recollect while their son is in college. All seems well until disaster strikes the world and they need to survive out there while the husband goes to find their son. It's written so well, with so much detail and emotion that it made me think of life in a different way, and how things can change in the blink of an eye.

I enjoyed this book! This book is different from what I typically read, although my favorite TV sore is The Walking Dead. I liked how the story progressed, but did wish there was a little more development of the side characters in the cottage. I would definitely read a second book in this series and think the end is set up great for a second book!

Well I was not expecting a nuclear apocalypse AT ALL when I picked up this book- and it sounds like not many other reviewers were either! I found it an exhilarating read though- much darker than my usual genre so I found myself feeling quite on edge but it was fascinating and genuinely thought provoking. I read it incredibly quickly as I couldn’t stand the suspense of not knowing what would happen and it feels very much like there could be room for a sequel. Very well written and fun to read something different than usual!

I was so excited to see a new Kate Hewitt book available from NetGalley and so without reading the synopsis, I put in my request. Whoa! Like her other stories that take the reader on an emotional ride, this story was raw and chilling and kept me thinking “What if?”

With their marriage in turmoil and a daughter heading for trouble, Daniel and Alex leave their home in Connecticut along with their two daughters and head for Alex’s empty family cabin in rural Ontario, Canada for what was meant to be a six week stay to try and salvage their crumbling family. But when a global disaster strikes, Daniel leaves the girls behind to get to their son who’s in college in upstate New York. What transpires is a highly traumatic, dangerous and heart-wrenching experience for each family member.

This is a gripping story of survival that affected me on a visceral level because while frightening, it is in the realm of possibility. Written in a two person perspective, the connection with Alex and Daniel was deep and I was kept on the edge of my seat with each chapter.

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Kate Hewitt for this gripping tale in exchange for my honest opinion. Publication date: January 24, 2024

Alex and Daniel, along with their two daughters, retreat to an isolated cabin in Ontario, Canada in an effort to save their marriage. Alex feels betrayed by Daniel and is unsure if their relationship will survive. A week after their arrival the world as they know it is shattered and the problems they thought they were escaping become minuscule in their new reality.

The Last Stars in the Sky examines the human condition and what happens when survival is at stake. What are we willing to endure? How are we able to adapt? What are we willing to sacrifice? Kate Hewitt’s superb characterization and sharp writing immerse the reader in a world fraught with danger and uncertainty. This is speculative fiction at its best because the dystopian setting is entirely believable and terrifyingly possible.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.