I've been reading a lot of dark books lately, maybe because it's winter and typically pretty dark and gloomy outside. Or maybe just because I tend to love psychological thrillers and suspense and they tend to be pretty dark. And Last Woman Standing is definitely one of those dark reads.

Comparisons have been made to Strangers on a Train and I can definitely see why. When Dana Diaz, a comedian trying to find her place on stage, meets Amanda Dorn after a difficult show, the two start talking about the difficulties they've faced in their lives, especially when it comes to men. When Dana finds herself drawn into a pact, she realizes the consequences are far more than she could have anticipated.

This is a fascinating and disturbing look at what it means to be a woman in a man's world, the danger and violence women can and do face anywhere at any time. Gentry dives deep into this, through the world of stand up comedy (highly unique), as well as the tech industry (highly timely). Gentry also explores the bonds (or lack thereof) between women, and the power and harm of obsession.

I did guess a large percentage of the major revelation before it happened, but this actually upped the tension for me, because I could see what was coming and as a reader could do nothing about it.

Gentry has proven with this and her debut book that she is a talented writer who knows how to write dark, tense psychological thrillers and suspense. I'm excited to see what she comes up with next.

This story was plucked from the current headlines.. only with a “what if” sort of twist at an ending. Immediately after starting the book, I felt connected with the main characters, and found myself looking for more time to read this book. In a sea of domestic thrillers, this one had something that makes it stand out of the crowd.

An interesting read that kept me turning pages!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two women meet in a bar and begin to commiserate over their mutual mistreatment by men and before she knows it, comedienne Dana Diaz becomes involved in fulfilling her new friend's revenge fantasies.

This was a dark story with lots of twists and some pretty violent scenes. Recommended for fans of Gone Girl.

When I started this I thought that a novel based around #metoo was a great idea, and that there would be loads of them in the coming year. I do still think it's a great idea, but it was wasted on this book. All the characters are hateful, including the protagonist who I really wanted to like as she's a female comedian (interesting), she's Latina (interesting) and she takes revenge on men who sexually assualt women (interesting).

But then – well. No spoilers, but if you're looking for a sisterly solidarity book, this ain't it. Dana is quite happy to hate on and screw over any woman she meets. And needless to say, every man in it is awful too. It didn't help that I found all the comedy routines so unfunny, particularly the apparently 'genius', Amy Sedaris-inspired character Dana starts to play, who everyone else finds hilarious for some reason.

I wish this book had focused more on the life of a struggling stand-up comedian, and on the moral implications of the revenge, rather than on a twisty-turny and ludicrously contrived plot.

Maybe I would have liked this book more if I'd liked the characters but I couldn't find a single one that I cared about. I tried to find sympathy for Dana but she totally lost me when she resorted to the foul-mouthed routine that seems to pass for comedy with some people. I don't like it in men OR women but it seems particularly out of place when we're supposed to feel sympathy for Dana being sexually harassed. That was horrible, of course, and shouldn't happen to anyone; but you would think "jokes" of a sexual nature would be the furthest thing from her mind and the last thing she would want in her act.

The writing is good and it's an interesting (though not original) premise but I just didn't care for the story.

Sadly this book was a flop for me and sort of reminded me of the book Strangers on a Train. I enjoyed Amy's book Good as Gone, so was excited to receive an ARC of this book. I feel this book had a lot of potential but just fell short in so many ways. I have never read a book with a comedian main character and found the main character Dana to be a character I didn't like from the first chapter. I hope Amy's next book is better.

Dana is trying to make it in the comedian world fighting for the top in a "man's world". She has had to put up with sexual advances within the industry as well as her personal life but has never felt comfortable telling anyone, even her best friend, Jason until she met Amanda. The two become close and make a pact from the beginning to take care of each other. Perhaps they should have explained what each meant by take care before making the pact.

When Dana feels like life is getting too hard, she goes back to Jason for comfort. Amanda feels as though Dana still owes her and wants her to return.

A story about figuring out who your true friends are and facing your past all with a smile on your face and making everyone else laugh.

The book wasn't exactly what I expected. It was good. Thank you Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I read Gentry's Good As Gone a while back, I was floored at just how RAW of a read that was. While Last Woman Standing is a different category, it's still quite raw in terms of the victimization and harassment of women, comics or otherwise.

Gentry gives us Dana Diaz - an aspiring comic who has been on the brunt end on more than on occasion. When Amanda enters her life, here comes the outlet she needed... because sometimes the inactions taken in the past explode into actions in the present.

Listen, as woman who has been through her fair share of harassment, there certainly is a fine line of what you think you should fight against and whether or not it's worth it. I tried to get a manager fired but instead he was just sent to another restaurant, where I'm hoping he didn't harass anyone there... and it's this type of "justice" that gives women a sense that it's not worth it. Just because he's not in the same place to bother me and the other girls who complained (to me, and me who took it higher), instead of being punished or corrected, he was just sent away. Out of sight, out of mind? Nope. It just doesn't work that way and this particular incident was an extremely small action compared to others. I have been lucky that it never escalated to something worse and it's sad that I think this way.

But I digress, back to this read. I don't particularly get triggered by books but those who do, this may be a hard read for you. Keep this in mind when reading, straight from the author: "I started writing Last Woman Standing before the #MeToo tidal wave, unaware of some of the worst offenses by famous comics - though I'd heard some rumors. When the first big story broke, I worried that people might draw conclusions about who certain characters represented. But as more and more stories came to light, I realized that this type of behavior was just too ubiquitous in the industry to any one person. Which would be funny if it weren't so sad. Rage, like comedy, is unforgiving."

This book definitely went in a direction I wasn't expecting from the beginning. I found the beginning a bit slow quite frankly, but I also *know* Gentry and she has a purpose and I'm glad I continued. One, I'm certainly going to have less delivery services from now on (or at least for a little bit) and two, guys that won't believe women are probably a bit guilty of something themselves. STOP BLAMING THE VICTIM.

But on a less serious note, the revenge game is nothing new to the genre, but the manipulation and strategic movement and underscoring of what is happening in the world intertwined was well done.... I don't understand why men just don't get it - DON'T PISS OFF WOMEN. We are patient, calculating and vindictive... but only when we have to be *wink*. But man, crazy is as crazy does and UFF, Amanda...….

I don't think this book is going to be for everyone considering the slow-ish start and the topic, but I think it's worth the read.

I have a weakness for Strangers-on-a-Train style intrigue so I was particularly pleased to get an advanced copy of Last Woman Standing for review. Setting the thriller within the world of stand-up comedy made it feel very fresh and new. I enjoyed the twists and turns and leave the book still unsure of what really happened within a key relationship. The book unapologetically addresses gender discrimination and sexual assault so be warned if that is a trigger issue for you.

Thanks to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and the author Amy Gentry for an advanced electronic review copy

The main character of this book is a female aspiring comedian in Austin, Texas. She makes a new female friend who suggests that they take revenge on the men who have harassed or otherwise wronged them, with each taking on the other's target to diminish the likelihood of getting caught. Needless to say, things get complicated, with lots of twists, most of which I didn't predict. The book starts out more of a straight contemporary fiction novel before eventually veering into psychological thriller territory. I really enjoyed Amy Gentry's first book, "Good as Gone," so I was excited to get an advanced copy of this one, but I have to say I didn't enjoy it quite as much. Some aspects of the book were so over the top that I wasn't quite sure if they were meant to be satirical or a serious, and I wasn't thrilled with the ending. That being said, it definitely was an entertaining (if sometimes disturbing) read, and a very interesting and different spin on the whole "me too" movement. 3.5 stars.

"It had nothing to do with justice and even less to do with preventing future misdemeanors by petty offenders. It had been vengeance, plain and simple."

Dana Diaz is a struggling stand-up comedian wanna be when she meets Amanda after a particularly uninspired set. "Short, stacked, and Latina", Dana hasn't had much luck breaking into the scene and she blames it on an event that happened to her when she lived with her BMF, Jason, in LA. As Dana and Amanda talk, they find that they have something in common -- they've both been taken advantage of by men. Amanda suffered from the effects and lost her IT job. Dana was assaulted by a man she was looking at to mentor her. As these things do, their chat leads to a crazy plan -- a swap -- each will "take care of" a man whose name is on their lists as having violated them. This scheme is put into action and leads both in a direction they had not anticipated. Oh wait...one of them had.
NO SPOILERS.

Well, I wanted to like this book given its timely nature with #metoo and so many stories in the media about women suffering because of sexual things done to them by men. Women who kept quiet and didn't speak up thus never going that extra step or preventing those same men from going on to do the same to other women. It was what appealed to me when I read the book, but this story wasn't what I was anticipating for a couple of reasons.

First of all, I hated all the characters. I couldn't muster up one bit of empathy for any of the women or the men. Second -- I hate comedy routines and there wasn't a single line in the book that came from a routine that even made me crack a smile much less laugh. It just wasn't funny, it was crass and stupid and yeah, I guess I can't take a joke. So without anything to hold onto or to care about with the rising action, I wanted to quit reading the book but forced myself to finish without connecting to it in any way. The first half or so was totally boring and, although it picked it up a little in the second half, I just didn't care and slogged on to what I thought was a totally horrible ending.

So, that's all I've got. I am sorry I picked it up and wasted my time. I think the author's message got lost somewhere in the ridiculousness of the whole sordid story. In short, I lost the plot. I kept waiting for there to be ONE decent man but he never showed up! Despite everything that's going on out in the real world, there are some men who don't assault women. Anyway, if YOU are assaulted by any one at any time -- speak up. Save yourself from that inner rage and guilt. Rant over.

I do want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for granting my ill-considered request to read and review. It didn't work for me, but I'm sure others (as noted in some of the reviews I've recently read) will find it "razor sharp" though I thought it dull and pointless.

Thank you to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Amy Gentry for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

I’m going to try a bit of different review format for this book review. Let me know what you think of it. Thanks!

Trigger Warning: sexual assault, domestic violence, murder

Like:
- Good representation of women in comedy
- Presents information and an opportunity to discuss different types of sexual violence
- The twists & turns are timed very well
- A high intensity thriller
- Use of up to date technology in crimes
- Main character: Dana

Love: —

Dislike:

- Revenge because of being sexually assaulted
- Most of the plot was about getting back at the men — made me feel incredibly uncomfortable
- Beginning: lots of information presented all at once and seemed forced
- The cold realization that the characters, and readers, have at the end

Wish that:
- There was a less intense way of proving the men sexually assaulted them
- We were about to explore more about Dana’s relationship with her mom and other close friend
- I could feel less uncomfortable about the main plot line, of revenge

Overall a revenge thriller that will keep you reading, but if you’re like me make you feel very uncomfortable. Well written, action packed, and interesting.

Overall I give it 3.5 stars. It took awhile to get me interested and invested but the twists paid off. Some parts of the end left me thinking and wondering but from beginning to end it was a unique thriller with some thought provoking ideas about men and women in show business. This book does deal with a lot of topics that have been in the news regarding sexual assault, abuse, date rape, and scandal, representing these topics from multiple sides.

Edge of your seat reading. Heart pounding and exhilirating. Don't start this winner at night if you plan on sleeping any time soon because not only will you not be able to put it down you will not stop thinking about it even when you're not reading it. Definitely pick up this winner. Happy reading!

Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry is a tale of revenge and suspense for the #MeToo era. In this second novel from Amy Gentry, our protagonist Dana Diaz is a stand-up comedian in Austin, TX. She had made the trek to Los Angeles to make it big but returned to Austin after a traumatic incident. After bombing at a show one night, she meets Amanda, a friendly fan whose professional and personal life also suffered at the hands of a #MeToo offender.

Amy Gentry was clearly inspired by the #MeToo headlines because there are a number of episodes in Last Woman Standing that we can match to real-life famous men from Hollywood to Silicon Valley. Reading the episodes that Dana and Amanda went through was difficult. Amy writes about sexual assault and harassment with deep empathy for her characters and any victims that may be reading. As we learn about our main characters' backgrounds and their revenge plots unfold, the pace of Last Woman Standing is damn near magnificent.

Since our main character is a stand-up comedian, there are stretches about comedy competitions with comedic monologues. I'll be honest, this isn't my jam but it does add characterization of our supporting cast that we may not get otherwise. As any good mystery reader, I was trying to guess the twist from page 1. While Last Woman Standing is a great suspenseful novel, the twist isn't the hardest to guess, just be warned. 

If you're looking for a woke suspense novel, I would encourage you to pick up Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry. It does have a few things that may not be your exact cup of tea but it is thoughtful, well-written, and perfect for the insane world we live in. 

I received an ARC copy of Last Woman Standing from NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in exchange for an unbiased review.

Dana Diaz is an aspiring comedian trying to make it in Austin, TX--with the ultimate goal of making it back to L.A. someday. She once lived there with her best friend, Jason, but left in a bit of disgrace. While performing in L.A., she meets Amanda Dorn, a computer programmer who applauds during her set and catches Dana's eye. The two bond over being women in a man's world and soon learn that both have had similar struggles with harassment. But then Amanda proposes a plan: they'll each seek revenge on a man that has harmed the other. Dana quickly finds herself pulled into Amanda's revenge schemes. She also finds herself unable to trust anyone--even her friends.

I really loved Amy Gentry's GOOD AS GONE, so I was so excited to read this one. It didn't appeal to me as much as GOOD, but I enjoyed pieces of it. This was a weird but also interesting book that certainly capitalized on the momentum of the #metoo movement and did a good job of highlighting the aftermath of sexual assault and violence against women.

Dana is an intriguing character; I liked that she was a comedian, because that's not a character you usually see in books! She's also a minority and a fairly strong female--all pluses. No one expects her to be a comic or funny. It's also heartbreaking and eye-opening to see how much she's been through: as we learn about her experiences, we see how often she's had to endure sexual harassment, sexual violence, assault, and more during her career and life.

"It was true that my appearance--short and brownskinned and shaped like my mother minus the control-top pantyhouse--did not prepare most people for my extracurricular activities."

Even worse, so many of the women in the book seem to take this behavior as par for the course. To get ahead, they must endure being harassed, or they see this sexual assault as part of life. For instance, maybe it's just part of the acting business, Dana rationalizes.

"Maybe I really was the only one who couldn't take the joke."

The plot of this book was a little complicated for me; it seemed to struggle to find itself between fiction (a struggling comic attempting to find herself) and thriller (revenge scheme gone horribly wrong). For me, it really took off when it became more of a thriller. There were lots of twists and turns, most of which were quite surprising. Some of them were bizarre. Amanda and Dana's plans are a little crazy and things sort of spiral from there.

Still, I liked Dana overall, even if she made some questionable decisions. I appreciated how her character highlighted the plight of violence of women. As the book went on, it became more exciting and interesting, even some parts were a little crazy. 3+ stars.

LAST WOMAN STANDING by Amy Gentry is her second novel, a very edgy, very contemporary psychological thriller, totally apropos to today's exposure of the rape culture. Ms. Gentry deeply examines her characters, and in this novel, contemporary society and culture is also a character in itself. Dana Diaz is a stand-up comic who hopes to "make it to the big time," but carries a tremendous amount of baggage. As a female comic, she is often overlooked or heckled. As a female, she has suffered. Back in Austin after a failed stint in L.A. during which a male asserted his "prerogative," causing her post-traumatic stress and fear of expressing or asserting herself, Dana encounters another woman with issues, Amanda. As their budding friendship stutters along, with Dana holding tightly to her "secrets," which involve molestation and rape, Amanda begins to reveal her agenda. Sounding good on the surface, as striking a blow against contemporary rape culture, Amanda's ideas soon prove to be both dangerous and also illegal; and Dana comes to discover that she also has a dark side, just like the men who have abused women.

I'm stuck between 3 and 4.

Two women meet in a bar... That's not the joke set up, but it could be. One is a stand up comic and the other is a former programmer. They drink and talk about their lives. Amanda seems to know that Dana has been hurt, but really how much of a stretch is that? Is it a lucky guess based on mere statistics or does she have some insight?

The story gets crazy quickly. A revenge pact gets out of control. At one point it seems as if the Me, too is being exaggerated to make the women look unhinged. It's easy to lose yourself a little when you finally get control, though. The question is: Can you bring yourself back? or Can balance be restored? or maybe Can you do the right thing the right way?

In essence, we all love the idea of revenge but what will we really do and how far will we really go?

This book goes over the top and sometimes seems to paint some characters as hysterical. But it makes you think.

This modern day take of Strangers on a Train had potential but came up short, in my opinion. The subject matter is certainly current, but the story lacks the creepy feel I expected and even hoped for. Part of that could be due to the slow start. It's not a particularly long book, but it sure felt that way, considering things didn't start to pick up until past the halfway mark. I actually set it aside several times for something more engaging and only finally pushed through out of sheer determination. Things do pick up in the last forty percent or so, and there are some twists, but most of it is predictable. There are several potential triggers as these women discuss why they want revenge, and there is some rather graphic violence. The idea of a main character who is a stand-up comedian was interesting to me and while I realize that this book is not supposed to be funny, I would've expected Dana's act to draw at least a few chuckles. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't find anything funny about the so-called comedy. That aside, I think this could be a good story with some tightening up, but as it stands, it was decidedly underwhelming for me.

This book was full of surprises that I never saw coming and I enjoyed almost every single one of them! I loved the bond Dana and Amanda formed, and loved watching it fall apart only to have a mutual respect show through in the end. I was extremely happy with how Jason ended but disappointed in the way Carl was able to come out on top. However, I do think it showed an extremely important reality that there will always be another abuser or harasser. The only issue I had was that Dana didn't know who her rapist was until years later even though it was someone that she was so familiar with. I just found it very difficult to believe due to the way in which the rape was described and they way she came to realize who her rapist truly was. Besides that, I really enjoyed the story and the characters throughout and will definitely recommend this thought-provoking read.