This novel is a feminist suspense thriller that is topical and relevant in this post #metoo era. Trigger warnings for violence against women, stalking, sexual assault and relationship abuse.

There were unexpected twists that I enjoyed. The novel starts slow and there are unnecessary repetitions in the first few chapters but then the story starts to flow.

While, I enjoyed the topics discussed, I didn't like how the story unfolded, a more linear approach would have made the story more interesting.

Further to this, I am still struggling to settle my thoughts on Dana Diaz and Amanda Dorn.

Amy Gentry's has done it again! She writes with such a deft hand that leaves me wanting more and more. I tore through this book and thoroughly enjoyed all of the neck-breaking twists and turns. #LastWomanStanding #NetGalley

*** 3-3.5 Stars ***
Publication date: January 15, 2019

This book is considered a "revenge thriller" but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. Dana Diaz is a tiny feisty Hispanic girl trying to make it in Austin, TX as a stand up comedian. I think what happened was the book focused so much on Dana and her career at the beginning, I started to lose interest. In hindsight that build was necessary and made the revenge part more interesting. A lot of #metoo incidents were brought up in this book, acknowledging the current social hardships women are dealing with daily.
I felt the ending was strong and the twist was good, unpredictable, but I wasn't wowed. I've read some really great psychological thrillers recently, so I may just be hard to please in that category now. I had not read Amy Gentry's other book Good as Gone, but I still plan on reading it as I did enjoy her writing style and flow in this book.

** Special thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

I had enjoyed Amy Gentry's first novel very much so much to my delight and surprise, the publisher approved me for an ARC of Last Woman Standing, which is coming out in a few short weeks. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dana Diaz is a very relatable narrator and character, and I give props to the writer for making her half Mexican and half Jewish, and not the skinny ideal for women in comedy. Dana has had bad things happen to her by men, so you think she would be more on guard and less trusting. I don't think she was a great or reliable judge of character. From the moment Jason was mentioned, I felt Dana had put him on a pedestal without realizing it. I didn't trust him right away. This book is very timely with the MeToo movement and it *should* feel satisfying to get some revenge on men who have wronged women. But it doesn't feel satisfactory for some reason. Some of the writing and "scene transitions" were a bit clunky but hopefully that will get cleaned up before publication. All in all, I do reccomend Last Woman Standing as a book to read either as a loan from the library or kindle unlimited if it is an option.

This novel was very thrilling and interesting. It was one of the timeliest books I’ve read this year; a big theme is women getting justice for their assaults or abuse by men, reminding me of the MeToo movement. The world of stand up comedy was interesting to read about and I applaud the author for choosing the main character to be a stand up comic; I haven’t read any thrillers or any books with this type of character. One of the more enjoyable books I’ve read in 2018. Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the copy in exchange for review.

Full review to come.
I deeply apologize, but life is a handful lately and I'm using all my free time to read, not review. I hope everybody understands.

This Strangers on a Train style story took the Me Too movement and gave it a vigilante spin as two women seek vengeanceon the men that have hurt them. It was a quickly paced story that didn't always go as I expected it to, but note that it might be a bit triggering as there's a fair bit of detail and page space given to the experiences that Dana and the other women in her life have had with assault and harrassment.

This book is about two women who meet and decide to help each other get revenge on the men in their lives who have abused them. This fits perfectly with the #me too movement of today. I feel the book is well written but I didn't really connect with the characters. The many twists and turns keeps the story interesting and the ending was a surprise. I liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes mystery\thriller stories.
Thanks to Net Galley for this advance copy.

Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry has so many twists and turns it will keep your head spinning until the very last page.

Donna Diaz is a stand-up comedian trying to break into a business which is mostly male dominated. Moving back to Texas after an unsuccessful run living in LA with her childhood friend Jason, another comic who is still in LA, Donna starts to begin stand-up again from scratch. After one of her shows she meets Amanda Dorn, a very sophisticated computer programmer. They begin to bond over their problems with men who dominate in their careers and how women are not taken as seriously. They start to relay stories of sexual harassment and abuse they have encountered while trying to reach success in their businesses.

Amanda comes up with an idea on how to get back at their harassers. At first hesitant, Donna agrees and what starts out as a way to get revenge and feel empowered turns into a sick game of betrayal, paranoia and blackmail.

This is a fast paces story which shows the struggles of women and the men who hold all their power. It is also very relevant in the Me Too movement which is going on. What would some women do to get revenge on men who have harmed them both physically and emotionally? As Dana gets drawn into Amanda's sick game she must use her wits to outsmart her. But is Amanda as crazy as she seems or just crazy like a fox?

Who will be the last woman standing?

Last Woman Standing comes out January 15. Thank you #NetGalley #Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advanced copy.

*** Advance copy provided by NetGalley***

A bit of "Strangers on a Train" mixed in with the #MeToo movement but a lot more tech savvy. It is going to be really hard to review this without giving up any spoilers but I will do my best! I think this was written in a way that kept you questioning which perspective was the "right" one and how far we would go if pushed. The topic of #MeToo was incredibly timely and engaging. I think all women can recognize some of the conversations and retorts that men have when these topics come up. I think that results in a lot of rage so I found Dana's actions realistic. The one thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the "Betty" character. It felt like an excuse to use that character to perform some of the actions as if Dana could distance herself from it. It is probably all a matter of self justification. It could just be that the type of comedy that Betty performs makes me uncomfortable (and yes, I know that is the point, I just don't find it funny).

I haven't read any of Amy Gentry's other books but I look forward to them now!

This book was absolutely gripping. I can't wait to read the author's other titles. This is kind of a mystery/thriller with a stalker-y vibe. Longer review to come closer to pub date.

Last Woman Standing is a story about taking matters into your hands, getting revenge by any means necessary. I like that this was about women taking control, and learning to navigate what is right and wrong in terms of revenge. The plot was interesting, but the delivery was just not there. I wasn't completely invested in the main character and that made it hard for me to empathize and connect with her. While this book didn't thrill me, it did make me think, which I think is very important. As a woman, it made me question myself and what I would do if put in their shoes. I believe the themes presented in this book about feminism, empowerment, rape, and etc are significant, but not highlighted enough to keep the reader invested throughout. I applaud Amy Gentry for tackling a serious topic while also attempting to make it not appear heavy/weighed down, but something was lacking. Overall I liked the the story but didn't love it. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

While this book has a good message, it went in a direction I didn’t like. I found it hard to connect with the characters and, unfortunately, found the comedy routines unfunny. The suspense was lacking and the small twist was easy to figure out. I read this on an international flight and it didn’t hold my interest the way I had hoped it would. OK, but not one to write home about.

I read Amy Gentry's book Good as Gone and really liked it, so I was excited to read this book. Unfortunately this book fell flat for me. I just couldn't finish it. I never felt a connection to the main character Dana, plus her personality started changing after she meets Amanda... The stranger that wants to take revenge on men that have wronged them. It felt too much like women trying to make men pay for abusing and belittling women, which was annoying and self righteous in my opinion. Hopefully her next book will be better.

A few chapters in and I already wanted to interview Amy Gentry. Let me set the stage. Quite literally...Dana Diaz, a standup comedian, is doing a set. It all flows, but to her, it feels stale. Maybe it's that her life is going nowhere since she moved to Austin. She had to get away from LA; the guy she loved, didn't like her back. And after she ended up in a limo with a famous comedian, who proceeded to assault her sexually, she knew it was time to get out.
When my life feels stale, I grab an extra piece of chocolate and watch one more episode of whatever show I'm obsessed with. Maybe I plan a trip...In fiction, the moment you think can use some pizzaz; you know you are in trouble. Enter the person that will rip your life apart. This is Amanda Dorn, a computer programmer, who with femme fatale precision inserts herself into Dana's life, seemingly intuiting what Dana needs to kick her future into high gear. Win the funniest person in Austin? Why not? Get revenge on that famous comedian? Hell yes!
And here we come the reason I can't wait to read the interviews; there is no doubt that the comedian mentioned is based on Louie C.K.; Dana was in awe of him, but he used it to rub one out while she had to sit there aghast.
Now Amanda had her own sets of troubled encounters, and she suggests a Strangers on the Train scenario where they will take care of each other assaulters. At first, the revenge is measured, but soon it escalates, and Dana is trapped, much to her own doing.
I read this book almost in one go, the first chapters were excellent, contemporary, fresh, and shall I say it...woke. But, once it gets the ball rolling, the similarities to current events brought me a bit ot of the narrative. It's tricky basing a revenge story gone bad on such a sensitive subject. It makes the lengths to where is willing to seem a bit outlandish. It can be uncomfortable to have #MeToo experiences used for the purpose of entertainment.
But all in all, Dana is highly relatable, comes alive, and Amy Gentry's style is gripping and lets the story flow smoothly towards its untimely end.

Last Woman Standing is a raw edge of your seat thriller. Read this book in one sitting and the twists keep coming at you . The author did an outstanding job with this story and an ending that will literally stay with you.

Tl;dr: Last Woman Standing is a furiously angry novel. In fact, its fury overwhelms the plot, but it certainly does make you think..

Last Woman Standing confronts not just the magnitude of harassment women face, but also the odd and tangled place women who refuse to be silent find themselves in.

In making the main character, Dana, a comedian, you might think this will be a thriller with dark humor.

It's not--which I think is the point--although I think it will displease some readers. Comedians often mine humor from dark places and Dana, who by the end has harnessed her rage into an up and coming career, has found that she's most successful when becoming "Betty," a woman who furiously strides through life, destroying anyone and anything that she comes across. And that--furious rage--is the heart of Last Woman Standing.

It starts in a familiar place: Dana, having left Los Angeles to return to Texas after an estrangement from her best friend and writing partner, Jason, that still has her questioning what happened and what she did wrong (even as she knows that she's a victim, she's unable/unwilling to think about that)--meets Amanda after a difficult set.

Amanda and Dana quickly become friends, and as Amanda reveals she's in Austin for revenge against the man who cost her entire career because of an unsuccessful sexual harassment suit (she also has an abusive ex), Dana finds herself drawn into Amanda's plans--first, they benefit her, then she helps Amanda, and then she starts to wonder exactly how far Amanda is willing to go for revenge--and more interestingly, how easy it is for her to be part of it, and how powerful it makes her feel to hurt men who've intimidated/harassed/assaulted women.

And that frightens Dana, just as Amanda reveals her ultimate target and frightens Dana even more.

Is Amanda crazy? Is Dana in danger? Who is she in danger from? Can she save herself?

Sort of, very much, the ultimate villian is (sadly) very obvious, and kind of.

It's that last question and answer that propels the story, unleashing a ferocity that consumes everything and produces a different Dana. One who is sharper, stronger, but so tired by what she sees that anger is all she's got to keep her going.

By the end, Amanda, who is so consumed by her plans for revenge that it carries a very heavy toll, is ultimately the most sympathetic character. Why? Dana herself puts it best:

"I needed her to tell the truth once more in court, where a dead woman was easier to believe than a live one every time."

While the plot of Last Woman Standing can't hold up to what it's saying, Ms. Gentry has created two very memorable characters in Dana and Amanda. The abuses each womam has suffered, and the way they both change from it--in Amanda's case, to be eaten alive by a system that can't/won't deal with a woman's rage out of anger at it or fear of it (I vote for both, but lean more towards fear)--and in Dana's case, to embrace the anger and channel the exhaustion that comes from realizing that being a woman means always facing:

"...the endlessly reflected faces of abuse...Once you see that struggle, you can't unsee it. You can profit by it or get crushed by it, but you can't escape it."

Told you--furiously (and I would add gloriously) angry.

This book started out rather slow for me. It has a good concept, I just wish there could have been more going on in the beginning. I did like this book but, like I said, I wish it'd would've sucked me in sooner. It was almost like I was waiting for it to get good.

In Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry, Dana Diaz is a stand up comedian in Austin, TX. Not exactly the comedy capital of the world. She gave the LA comedy scene a try with her best friend from childhood, Jason, but it did not pan out. One night after a really bad comedy performance, she meets Amanda. They sort of hit it off as friends. Amanda confides in Dana about men who have done her wrong and how it would be great to ruin them. What happens after this is crazy! I don't want to give too much away about the plot. The beginning of the book was slow for me. The middle was awesome and the end was meh. All in all this was an original thriller and I would recommend it.

This book (and review) contains discussion of sexual assault.

Amy Gentry follows up Good as Gone with a tightly paced and morally murky thriller that combines the sweet, ancient pleasure a revenge story brings with the modern pain of the #metoo movement.

Dana Diaz is a rising stand-up comic at an important gig – the next rung on her battle to climb her way up the ladder of Austin, Texas’ club scene.  Her next goal is to compete in the Funniest Person in Austin contest, a goal she’s unlikely to achieve due to a crowded field.  Austin is Dana’s fresh start after years in Los Angeles and a pitch meeting turned into a disaster that’s estranged her from her best friend Jason, a rising fellow comic with whom she’s been friends since high school.  She’s been trying hard to reinvent herself, but she’s bombing until one woman in the audience starts to laugh after Dana cuts a sexist heckler off at the knees.  Amanda Dorn saves Dana’s night, and in gratitude Dana buys her a drink.

Amanda, it turns out, is a software engineer, and she understands only too well what it’s like to deal with indifference and cold, sexist and racist hostility.  Amanda won a sexual harassment suit but the industry has blackballed her, so she went to LA to try acting, ending up back in Austin after breaking up with an emotionally abusive boyfriend.  This bonds the two women, and a friendship springs up.  Dana reveals that she was recently drugged and sexually assaulted by Aaron Neely, a comic she had admired, after the nightmarishly unsuccessful pitch meeting; when she learns from Dana that Neely will be judging the quarter-finals of the comedy contest, a fed-up Amanda uses her tech expertise to capture Neely at an extremely vulnerable moment and film it.  But now that they’re blackmailing Neely with the footage, Amanda thinks that Dana should do her an equable favor – and she asks that Dana take out Doug Branchik, her sexually harassing supervisor, by making it look like he’s cheating on his wife. After dealing successfully with both Neely and Branchik, the list of people the women want to take revenge upon gets longer and longer. There’s the men who harassed Amanda online, and Fash, Dana’s sexist rival for Funniest Person in Austin.  Soon, the women are engaged in a game of paranoia and revenge, satisfaction and fear, but eventually it’s not good enough to humiliate the people taunting them and things escalate – to assault and murder.   Dana wants out, but Amanda has one more name on her list – and so does Dana – and she suggests they do the unthinkable; she’ll murder the man who raped Dana as a teenager, and Dana will murder Amanda’s emotionally abusive ex.  Can Dana escape the tangled web of paranoia and lies she’s woven?  And is playing with Amanda playing with fire, or is she really the best friend Dana’s ever had?

Last Woman Standing is one hell of a ride. Partially a Strangers on a Train pastiche, partially a modern thriller with all the trimmings, it calls out both sexually abusive creeps and those who take advantage of the healing of others to create chaos.  It’s enthralling, and even though it’s laced with tropes you’re used to seeing, it feels very fresh and current.

Dana is a marvelous heroine, and quite easy to sympathize with. Hers is a journey toward independence from reliance on others, on easy stereotypes - and even the truth.  This is a story about how Dana learns to claim herself from the maw of unoriginality, fear and banal revenge… by learning how to lie.  The story wisely stays anchored in her PoV, and not a drop of plot fat is wasted in the telling. Dana’s head is always cluttered with pitch ideas, remnants of her haunting failure; when it becomes uncluttered, then you know you’re in for it.

Amanda, on the other hand, is an open book scribbled over with deceptive phrases.  She is sometimes too smug to relate to, too overly confident, too in control of what’s happening,  and occasionally seems too omniscient to be human.  She doesn’t often feel as clever as the narrative needs her to be.

The key to the book is Dana’s relationship with Amanda, and Amanda’s relationship with Dana – and how that fits into Dana’s relationship with… Dana.  It’s twisted and complicated and quite fascinating; a hall of mirrors of a narrative.  Even when Dana creates Betty, a blonde, big-mouthed alter ego to get ahead, it’s a mirror of the mask she’s already put on to hide her double life of revenge with Amanda.  Even in Dana’s other major relationship in the book, the one she has with her career, the dance of doubles continue.

The #metoo movement and the ugly revelations it’s brought to light hang over the narrative like smog over San Francisco Bay, along with the facile racism of Hollywood and the casual sexism of nerd culture.  It’s impossible to avoid drawing a connecting line between Neely’s crimes and those of the various real-life celebrities who have come under fire recently; and it’s impossible to look at Amanda’s story and not feel the elephantine echoes of Silicone Valley’s sexist malaise.

There are a few small flaws, like a couple of too on-the-nose moments, such as calling Dana’s rival ‘Fash’, and a death that happens late in the book, which strains the bonds of irony and falls right into self-parody.  Nothing will make you feel older than a flashback to Jason talking about watching Late Night with David Letterman and having to stop to Google jokes from his 1980s monologues, but it also dates the book.

None of this detracts from this intense, absorbing and darkly funny exploration of paranoia and revenge.  Last Woman Standing is a winner – just don’t read it too close to bedtime.

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