I don't know how to articulate my thoughts on this one. I read one review that said, "too cozy for a thriller and too much of a thriller to be cozy," and that's pretty accurate.

I would have loved a cozy post apocalyptic Sapphic romance about the bookstore bartering system. I would have enjoyed a post apocalyptic thriller about defending Liz's shelter. But the two blended together left me feeling unsettled through the whole thing. There are weird gruesome details about some things and a complete lack of details about other things. But an 18-year-old having to survive on her own isn't an easy thing. Still, it was a long journey for not much to have changed.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

"Two teen girls fall in love and fight for survival in an abandoned bookstore weeks before another cataclysmic storm threatens to bring about the end of the world in this unforgettable YA debut. Perfect for fans of Station Eleven and The Last of Us.

The world is about to end. Again.

Ever since the first Storm wreaked havoc on civilization as we know it, seventeen-year-old Liz Flannery has been holed up in an abandoned bookstore in suburban New Jersey where she used to work, trading books for supplies with the few remaining survivors. It's the one place left that feels safe to her.

Until she learns that another earth-shattering Storm is coming...and everything changes.

Enter Maeve, a prickly and potentially dangerous out-of-towner who breaks into the bookstore looking for shelter one night. Though the two girls are immediately at odds, Maeve has what Liz needs - the skills to repair the dilapidated store before the next climate disaster strikes - and Liz reluctantly agrees to let her stay.

As the girls grow closer and undeniable feelings spring up between them, they realize that they face greater threats than the impending Storm. And when Maeve's secrets and Liz's inner demons come back to haunt them both, they find themselves fighting for their lives as their world crumbles around them."

No, don't trade the books! Well, unless they're shitty books...

This book left me feeling torn. I appreciated the concept and premise, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations. I anticipated that the bookstore would have a more significant role beyond merely serving as a shelter and trading hub. For Liz, the books were important, but the bookstore primarily represented her safe haven, especially when The Storm arrived. The relationships felt authentic within the context, though there were moments when I forgot that the protagonist was just 18 years old. (3.5*)

Amazing book will definitely recommend to friends and family love the characters development. Love the plot line

There was just enough detail... not too little and not too much, to keep me hooked and imagining the world described as I went along reading. I felt like I could have been watching this as a movie or a TV series.
With that said, I really enjoyed this book, and if the world were to have something happen like in this book... I would want to be just where our MC liz is. A bookstore or even a library. Day by day surviving. Fighting to keep her happy space (in many ways), loss and gaining of friends. I definitely would love to see a continuing storyline for this.

The story was slow to unfold and the self important whine of the narrator, made this a struggle to get into.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold is a first person-POV YA Sapphic sci-fi taking place after apocalyptic storms have left teenage Liz alone in her old workplace in New Jersey. As Liz takes letters and writes down the stories of people passing through her hometown, she has little to comfort her but her books. When Maeve, another young woman, comes to the bookstore, Liz learns that there’s a lot more going on in her town than she thought. With interspersed passages from the stories of other survivors, The Last Bookstore on Earth depicts the harsh realities of the end of the world but also some of the better parts of humanity.

There are a lot of references to classic and modern literature, such as Percy Jackson, The Giver, and Anna Karerina. Liz is a big fan of reading and watched all of The 100, a post-apocalyptic YA series that got a TV show and is very, very different from the life that Liz is leading. I really liked the references because, while they might make the book feel dated in teen years, it helps encapsulate exactly when the apocalypse happened, references Gen Z pop culture (The 100’s Clexa is notable for being a very popular Sapphic ship, for instance), and helps paint Liz as someone who is very well-versed in literature but also as someone who is unprepared for the life she now has.

Maeve and Liz’s relationship involves a lot of secrets. We don’t learn a whole lot about who Maeve was before or what is going on outside the bookshop, but Liz also doesn’t tell Maeve that much about her own past either. Their relationship is more defined by two very lonely people who have no one else finding each other despite the world ending. Loneliness defines who they both are and their relationship as even when they are together, they are still alone until they can learn to trust and let other people in.

We get flashback chapters of the build-up to the end, including the slow disintegration of Liz’s parents’ marriage and insight into her relationship with her twin sister, Thea. These chapters help show just how normal Liz’s life was but also how lost she felt: waiting for college acceptance letters and yet not excited about pursuing higher education but with no other real plans in mind. In some ways, a future wide open, with zero social obligations, would seem ideal to someone who doesn’t want any of the options presented to them, but Liz quickly learns that that isn’t the life that she wanted either.

Content warning for depictions of gore, including via machinery

I would recommend this to fans of the fast-paced voice-y YA style that are looking for a post-apocalyptic story and readers looking for a story of messy Sapphics trying to survive the end of the world

**The Last Bookstore on Earth** by Lily Braun-Arnold is a poignant and imaginative young adult novel set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by climate change. Here's a detailed review:

**Summary**:

The world is teetering on the brink of another catastrophic storm after an initial disaster has already decimated civilization. The story centers on Liz Flannery, a seventeen-year-old who has taken refuge in an abandoned bookstore in New Jersey, trading books for supplies with the few survivors who pass through. When Liz learns of the imminent storm, her life is upended by the arrival of Maeve, a mysterious girl with secrets that could either save or endanger them both.

**Review**:

- **Setting and Atmosphere**: Braun-Arnold crafts a world that's hauntingly recognizable yet utterly transformed. The bookstore setting serves not just as a backdrop but as a character in itself, symbolizing the last bastion of culture and humanity.

*Quote*: *"I wasn’t always so alone at the last bookstore on Earth. (At least I think it is. Most cell-phone towers are down, and global communication is on the fritzy, so who knows if it’s actually the last bookstore on Earth. It is to me.)"* - This quote captures the isolation and the subjective reality Liz clings to.

- **Character Development**: Liz is a compelling protagonist, her growth from a survivor to someone who dares to hope again is well-paced. Maeve's character adds depth, bringing tension and romance into the narrative.

*Quote*: *"Though the two girls are immediately at odds, Maeve has what Liz needs—the skills to repair the dilapidated store before the next climate disaster strikes—and Liz reluctantly agrees to let her stay."* - This hints at the initial conflict and the necessity that draws them together.

- **Plot and Pacing**: The plot balances moments of introspection with bursts of action, creating a narrative that keeps the reader engaged while exploring themes of survival, love, and redemption. The impending storm adds a ticking clock element that heightens the stakes.

*Quote*: *"As the end of the world approaches, is there time for one final love story?"* - This question encapsulates the high stakes and the hopeful romance against an apocalyptic backdrop.

- **Themes**: The novel delves into themes of loss, survival, the power of literature, and the resilience of human connection. It's a meditation on how art and storytelling can provide solace and meaning even in the darkest times.

*Quote*: *"A thoroughly original, intimate, and sometimes harrowing meditation on survival, forgiveness, and learning how to love again at the almost end of the world."* - This praise from Nicola Yoon highlights the novel's emotional and thematic depth.

- **Language and Style**: Braun-Arnold's writing is evocative, with a poetic quality that elevates the dystopian setting. Her prose captures the despair and beauty of a world on the brink, with dialogue that feels authentic to the characters' circumstances.

*Quote*: *"I will die surrounded by Poe, Nietzsche, and Shusterman, wedged halfway between Young Adult and Classics, and one day some alien archaeologist will find my body and study it like Pompeii."* - This line showcases the author's ability to blend humor with the gravity of the situation.

**Conclusion**:

"The Last Bookstore on Earth" is a beautifully written debut that combines the urgency of a survival tale with the quiet, introspective moments that define human experience. It's a story that resonates with contemporary fears about climate change while offering a tender exploration of love and hope. Lily Braun-Arnold crafts a world where books become not just a refuge but a symbol of enduring human spirit and connection.

**Rating Breakdown**:
- **Plot**: ★★★★☆ - Well-paced with enough twists to keep readers engaged, though the resolution of some conflicts could have been more nuanced.
- **Characters**: ★★★★☆ - Liz and Maeve are well-rounded with clear growth arcs, though secondary characters could have been fleshed out more.
- **Setting**: ★★★★★ - The bookstore is vividly imagined, serving as a perfect metaphor for the story's themes.
- **Themes**: ★★★★★ - Richly explored, providing depth beyond the survival narrative.
- **Writing Style**: ★★★★☆ - Lyrical and engaging, though occasionally the prose might feel a bit overwritten for some readers.

**Overall Rating**: ★★★★☆ - A strong debut that offers a unique perspective on the apocalypse genre, focusing on personal connections and literature's enduring value.

Thanks to Delacorte and NetGalley for this eARC.

It is a testament to its readability that I finished this postapocalyptic book. I needed something different, and this was. I can’t really recommend this at this particular moment, but your mileage may vary for contemplating the after all the shit hits the fan in our world. I guess you could land a worse place than a bookshop. I did feel there were sometimes steps missing in plot and characterization, but it is that kind of book, you know? I’m sure others will love, but wasn’t super for me in this moment.

Very interesting post-apocalyptic scenario where our main character, Liz, has been existing where she worked, a now abandoned bookstore. She has the occasional customer but has been on her own since her friend, Eva left her. Being that alone has to do something to a person and she’s waiting for the next potentially acid rain to come through with its own destruction. Enter Maeve, another survivor who happens across the shelter of the bookstore. It’s an intriguing if not terrifying love story. Enjoyed it.

Thank you #netgalley for this ARC copy of #thelastbookstoreonearth

I will start by saying not every book is for every reader. It may be the current climate but I found this book hard to get invested in until about 80%, and then it ended so abruptly. Overall, it’s an interesting read just not my personal style.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

The Last Bookstore on Earth is the posy-apocalyptic (climate-induced) story of Liz, who lives alone in a former bookstore and Maeve, who stumbles in one night and just might stick around. I really enjoyed the way this book featured both the hardships and horrors of living in such a world and the sweet story of Liz and Maeve falling in love. This book is sure to be a hit with teen readers, many of whom are (rightfully) scared of the role climate will play in their futures.

A truly magnificent debut--I'll be looking forward to more from this author!

I am always blown away by the appeal of post-apocalyptic books for my taste, and this was no exception. The characters are believable, and what a lovely lesbian young love. There is just enough adventure and interactions to keep the reader engaged. If the book is used in classrooms, there are tons of entry points for discussion. As a book to read for fun it is fantastic!

As soon as I read the plot summary for TLBOE, I knew I had to get an ARC. Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley, I did, and I'm happy to report that I was not disappointed.
Though it occurs during apocalyptic times, it juxtaposes tenderness by the main character finding love. It's realistic-semi-borne of circumstance but with a real-world level of attraction and skepticism. Even in the brief amount of time spent getting to know Liz and Maeve, I was rooting for them.
There's so much more to the story than romance, TLBOE hits a sweet spot during a climate-induced possible end-of-the-world scenario. Not much of the novel is spent on how food and shelter are acquired, but rather when friends and community ties start disintegrating. Or remain intact.
The focus is on relationships, past and present.
There's also some action, some bad guys, humor, and a touch of mystery. I enjoyed it very much. Then I found out that the author is a junior in college and my mind was blown. What a talent! I look forward to a long, successful career for Lily Braun-Arnold.
#NetGalley

Once I started this book, I found it really difficult to put down. Liz reminded me of one of my friends, and that made her character really endearing to me. The ideas here felt very grounded in reality, and played to that very well. Fans of apocalyptic tales will definitely enjoy this one!

I loved the contept of this book, it sounded very interesting, and let me tell u, it really was! Soo interesting, I really enjoyed it and I really liked the main character.

This book was an incredible story of two teenage girls fighting for what they love. In a post apocalyptic book, it was nice to see the girls fighting for what they love in their small corner of the world.

I think the concept of this book ended up being better than the execution, at least to me. The idea of a dystopian/post-apocalyptic world centered around a bookstore acting as a lending library/waystation/post office for the survivors is so cool. Especially since the main character collects the stories of the people she meets--what they were doing before the Storm hit, what they miss most, how they're coping now. There are excerpts of these stories after every few chapters or so, which added a nice touch to the story. Unfortunately, that's about all I liked from this one.

The 1st-person POV was not my favorite and the writing style itself felt very repetitive--lots of the same sentence structure being used back-to-back on the same page; would've been okay if it was just used occasionally for emphasis, but it was used far too often so it ended up diminishing the impact. The romance itself felt underdeveloped as well. The only thing tying the two characters together was circumstance; other than that, there didn't really feel like anything connecting them. I think this would've been fine if that was the point of the romance, but it wasn't.

I really wish that the bookstore had had more of a focus than it seemed to--particularly in the flashbacks that occur almost every other chapter. While I appreciate that the flashbacks were utilized as a tool to both set-up the main character's back story and the lead-up to the Storm, I wish they had focused less on her family drama and more on how the bookstore ended up being such a critical facet of her life, enough that she'd risk keeping it safe during an apocalypse. It just felt under-utilized given the importance it later plays in the story.

While there were some decent horror elements throughout (particularly in later chapters), I feel like overall this just didn't end up working for me.

very fun/interesting thriller about these mysterious "storms" of acid rain or somesuch stuff. it was a bit too cozy to really pull it off, though, and a bit too thrillery to pull off cozy. 3.5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Liz Flannery didn't expect to be the only person with shelter until someone tries to break in. Liz befriends Maeve to keep from being lonely. Maeve suggests repairs to be made and a supply run for water and food. Trouble happens along the way but is it trouble for Liz or Maeve? What about the next Storm? Find out in The Last Bookstore on Earth.


I would like to thank Delacorte Press for this ARC via Netgalley.