I enjoyed reading this book. It was well written with a steady pace. Zoe found the FarTrade which introduced new characters. The cliffhanger was great and I am looking forward to reading the third book.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. Awesome storytelling. Compelling characters and gripping plot. Looking for more from this author.

Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Final Trade. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Honestly, I am growing aggravated with the number of dystopian books that portray the chaos that ensues after a disaster (whether it be war, apocalypse, or zombies) by including women being treated like property. They are enslaved, abused, and demoted to the level of animals in The Final Trade, which gave the book a more familiar than unique feeling. I did like the fact that the main character, Zoey, is strong and has the determination that it takes to survive in a male dominated world.

Picking up from where The Last Girl ended, there is a continuity of story from the first book to this one. That being said, the author did not progress the plot far enough in The Final Trade, making it feel more like a bridge to another novel than a book that can stand on its own. I would be hesitant to recommend it to other readers, as I am not sure if I would continue with the series if given the opportunity. Readers who like The Last Girl may find The Final Trade as a satisfying sequel, but I found it to be only more of the same.

This book surprised me. I was utterly shocked how invested I was in this book. Very well written and relatable characters

At the end of The Last Girl, Zoe and her friends helped her attack the ARC and rescue some of the girls who remained there... but not all of them. Her friends Lily and Terra were killed, as well as Lee's father, Simon—Zoe's Cleric when she was imprisoned in the ARC. Zoe nearly died after being shot, and was left temporarily paralyzed from her injury. Worst of all, Lee abandoned her because she was a constant reminder of his father's death.

In The Final Trade, Zoe has regained the use of her legs and life goes on as usual. While interrogating a NOA spy, she discovers the location of copies of records on all the women formerly held in the ARC. In the pursuit of this precious knowledge, the terrible truth about NOA's association with the "Fae Trade" comes to light, and Zoe sets her sights on a new mission... to destroy the Fae Trade.

The Final Trade is book two in The Dominion Trilogy series, and there's never a dull moment in this action-packed sequel. The story is told from the perspective of Zoe, as well as that of a mysterious woman called Wen, who travels with the Fae Trade as a cook. While Zoe plots the destruction of the Trade, Wen and her friend are planning their escape. Both sides of the story were equally compelling, and when the two merged, it set the stage for an explosive reveal that slowly built from the beginning of the book.

The evil specter of NOA takes a backseat to the Fae Trade this time around. Ingloriously repulsive and chilling in its purpose, Hart does an excellent job of portraying the depravity of the Trade without going too far.

With intense situations and thrilling action sequences alongside moments of raw emotion, The Final Trade makes for a powerful read that will have you clamoring for the final book of the trilogy. Highly recommended for readers of dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels.

“Sometimes the smartest decision is the last one you want to make.”


The Final Trade, by author Joe Hart, is the second installment in the authors The Dominion Trilogy. The story takes place (6) months after the events of The Last Girl. As a summary, this series takes place in a not too distant future. A future that saw a pandemic called "The Dearth" spread world wide. It is now a world where only boy baby's are born, while girl babies are sent to a militaristic
compound run by National Obstetric Alliance, or worse. It is a world where women are a valuable commodity to be sought out, traded for, or sold into slavery.

As the story opens, the author offers a brief glimpse into the past. This glimpse is key because it has everything to do with Zoey, and who her parents were (although the author doesn't give us any hints as to who they could be.) Are they still alive? How did Zoey end up at ARC? We simply do not know. But, it is the one thing that drives Zoey so hard to find answers after being held for 20 years while also being promised to meet her parents when she turned 21. Zoey has some issues hanging over her head. While she escaped along with Rita and Sherell, she's the reason why others didn't.

In the present, Zoey chases after a spy who got too close to the camp where she, Merrill, Sherell, Tia, Rita, Eli, Ian, Chelsea, and Newton called home. Zoey has been training hard, learning how to shoot, and healing her once broken body thanks to Merrill, Ian, and Chelsea. Sometimes she pushes herself too hard. In the ensuing chase, Zoey learns that there is a place called Riverbend Missile Silo (Southern Idaho). As the group arrives, they discover that Riverbend may hold key answers to Zoey, Rita, and Sherell's parentage, and they also learn about something called the Fae Trade.

What's interesting about this book, is that it is way, way darker than the previous book. It is apparent that Zoey is also becoming the de facto leader of the group. But, Zoey still needs answers, and she is willing to go to the darkside in order to find them. This means making some hasty and unwise choices while leaving others behind. This means traveling to Riverbend. This means putting down without emotion or regret anyone who harms her friends who have become her family. This also means that Zoey and a few others will end up traveling to one of the stops on the Fae Trades way to Seattle, aka the Last City.

This is where we meet Wen. Wen is traveling along with the Fae Trade. The Fae Trade is a traveling carnival that travels coast to coast. We also meet the Elliot & Sasha Preston who operate the traveling circus known as Fae Trade. Wen is a cook, but she is also a slave and food taste tester for the Preston's. She also has plans to escape with a guard who she befriended. While she may have some sort of freedom, she can't go anywhere outside of the Trade alone for fear of being picked up by a man who wants his own personal slave.

The Final Trade has a whole lot more violence than the first installment. In reality, it all lays at the feet of Zoey who is responsible for a large majority of killings, and bloodshed. It is also her actions that lead to one of the more violent scenes in the entire novel. One could honestly say that this book is about who Zoey wants to become. Does she want to become a killer? Or, does she want to become a beacon of hope for others? Can she hold her unit of friends together, or will her actions be the death of everyone she's come to love?

“Some things are too heavy to manage on your own. Certain burdens will break a person if they insist on bearing them alone.”

Thank you to the publishers Thomas & Mercer for letting me read this sequel, after reading book one i really wanted to find out what happened next with Zoey now she has escaped the confines of the ARC, What will the new world offer the survivors? and will mankind survive? The story has a bit more action than the first and flowed really well, it leaves on a bit of a cliff hanger which leaves you wanting book 3, which I started as soon as I'd finished.

This second book of this series we get away from the compound where Zoey was raised and see what happens to her on the outside the main side story is that of the "circus". Which is more of a slave trade with fights for the prizes which are women. Also we learn more of the side stories of the people who are helping Zoey keep safe and heal physically and mentally. Now this book had a lot of things that reminded me of Mad Max: Beyond Thunder Dome. But at the same time it was unique in it's own way. Without giving any away as I have read all three books in the series I will say the more this author writes the better they get. Each book is developed even better than the last one. I highly recommend this book especially if you are into the dystopian styles of books.

Good sequel. This time Zoey and her group are trying to stop the Fae Trade, a carnival that also deals in human trafficking (especially women). Lots of violence and many end up dead. Zoey is a real fighter, and she gets shocking news at the end of the book.
On to the third book!

Cracking installment of this trilogy. You do really need to read the first book. This book delivers some great action and intriguing further detail about the dearth. I can't wait to read book three. I really love Zoeys tough flawed character.

Sequels often fall short, but that wasn't the case with this amazing follow-up to The Last Girl! It's just as gripping as the first, and I CANNOT wait to see what happens next in this series! I do believe it will be landing on my favorite series page once I complete it.

What a great series. I can't wait for book three. Fast moving book, great characters, great storyline, really good writing. Really enjoying this set of books!