*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

A captivating, heart-breaking conclusion to a stunning duology that left me breathless, with tears in my eyes. Writing this review without spoiling the plot is going to be a true challenge. But also, I have finished this book hours ago and I struggle to articulate just how good it is. I started it yesterday and I dreamed out the story at night...not one dream but multiple dreams about this world. Then since I've finished the book I can't stop thinking about it. Is this what a book hangover feels like?! I can't remember the last time I have been so consumed with a plot and characters.

I think I will start off with the imagery, which is breath-taking. I loved the travel from space to different planets. From purple skies, to water worlds, to endless stars, Becca and Krista paint a vivid image that my mind can't help but recreate. And the imagery extends to the character descriptions. From gruesome scars to horrid tattoos, Franny, Courth and Mykal have been through the ringer.

This rag-tag team is inspiring, with their resilience and ability to rely on each other in moments of weakness, I couldn't help but cheer them on and hope for the best. Court and Mykal are forever a ship I will go down with. They had my heart soaring and I couldn't help but swoon. They are just perfect together, end of discussion. And Franny meets someone and as soon as this happens, I had a feeling how the plot would play out and my inkling was confirmed later on in the story.

And the secondary characters aren't to be neglected either, they all added a family dynamic and much needed support and comedic relief. The plot had captured my high fantasy loving heart. So many plot twists and turns, and when things just start to look up, danger is lurking right around the corner. The story was action packed with tender-stolen moments sprinkled throughout. I had trouble putting it down and I am having even more trouble accepting that its over.

By the half way point in the story, I was hopeful. By the 75% mark I was emotionally gutted. At some point I was sobbing so hard I had to stop reading because I couldn't make out the words. Just such a beautiful tale and while I know death is to be expected in YA fantasy...I wasn't ready. I was not prepared, and I still feel the hole in heart, d*mn fictional characters. The ending had me grinning from ear to ear. It was just a truly beautiful story, a masterpiece of epic fantasy, romance, and high-stakes. I can't wait to re-read it.

The Last Hope was a sequel I was waiting for since finishing The Raging Ones. I was blowing away by the first book and the twist at the end of it, but this sequel didn’t really hit up with me.

The start was very promising, with the introduction of a new character, a new part of the world to explore and know, a mystery, a legend, a mission to accomplice. There was plenty of tragedy and surprises, but… while proceeding to reach the middle of the story, the plot started to lose its fascination.

The point is that, the core of the book, the mission and the legend felt completely wrong to me. I admit from now I’ll not directly put a spoiler, but I’ll definitely quote a few words that can be perceived as spoilers, so from now on read at your own danger.

In The Last Hope, the stakes are high: Earth is in danger and our protagonist must follow a not well clear legend that may save the planet from Saltarians. Stork, a new introduced character, will be their guide and trainer. If that wasn’t enough, he holds a good quantity of secrets of Court, Mykal and Franny’s life.

I’m going to say that the only part I found very interesting are two. One is finally learning the truth. Understanding a little more of the personal lore of the three main narrators was something I was craving for since quite a time. It definitely didn’t deliver something I was expecting and there were little touches that didn’t disappointed me at all.

The second is that an important discussion takes place. It’s about boundaries and what unite Court, Mykal and Franny. It’s about sharing feelings and sensations, what is right and what is wrong, what one is sacrificing for the others and when they shouldn’t, because they deserve a life of their own. I did find it very well done.

But now it’s time for the not so good parts. An important character is introduced in The Last Hope: Stork. Now… Stork is not exactly the classic bad boy you should dump in the trash as soon as you can. Yet, I don’t think that we weren’t so far away. Yes, Stork has a mission and a huge responsibility weight on him. He has secrets, he must guide the protagonists towards a last hope indeed.
At the same time, he definitely manipulates them, especially Franny, with a sort of moral blackmail, playing on her desire to know the truth. During the whole novel, feelings grows between him and Franny but half of the time, Franny attraction was often mixed with I felt to be a huge discomfort.
So, Stork have a upper hand on her, because she keeps following him for the truth, while teasing her and putting her in position that weren’t exactly relaxed. He has the habit to call her “dove”. I don’t know in which world it’s considered attractive to have a dude, who holds the knowledge of who you are, calling you by an animal name between mockery and some kind of “courtship” behaviour.
If it’s that what allocishetero girls find attractive, I’m sorry.

The other issue is about the plot. It felt just… wrong? There was need to find a solution for the novel, and write the final story of the trio, so a legend, a search, a random book about prophecies were thrown in.
In a sci-fi world, with spaceships, aliens, planets and so on, why they would believe about a prophecy written a book? When an entire species is in danger, is a prophecy by a disappeared author the solution to save it? Because I can’t believe that was the last hope for the humans. It just sounds like a big nope.
And, to add more notes on this, the explanation of why it happened felt like someone who was trying to connect plot lines and solution but throwed in some stuff that maybe was going to work out. Just… no.

Another important question is about the worldbuilding too. It’s stated that humans were shaped multiple times by wars and other catastrophic events. Reason why, now, they dress in ancient-oriented manner, featuring Roman sandals and such. First, I do think it’s a big nonsense, because why in all the cultures around the world they picked up Romans (this sound like a very white centric view) and why dress in such not protective manner against an alien species that, multiple times, it’s stated to be superior to them on many fronts.
They do have spaceships, but they dress like that, knowing their enemy are aliens that can’t die but only be incapacitated? Eh, I’m not sure this can work out for me.

And to add to all of this: in the novel we will see some old familiar faces! Too bad we won’t have the space to explore them and their really life changing decision, all the moral implications and much more…

In the end, The Last Hope was a very nice read for discovering the destiny of Franny, Court and Mykal, but for me lost a great part of the fascination and interesting I felt while reading The Raging Ones. While I could have looked over certain aspects (worldbuilding talking here), maybe in name of the secrets that were revealed and the relationship between the bonded trio, I really cannot help but feel bugged by the “magical baby factor” and how it was handled.

This is the second and final book to The Raging Ones. The trio of Court, Franny and Mykal and their last hope, the baby picks back up where it left off. It was a satisfying ending to a good world building on the enemy starship they found themselves on. The writing was engaging and I found that I was always entertained. I look forward to more books by this duo.

DNFed this one at 25%. I was very interested in the book but once again, sci-fi just wasn't for me. I had a hard time following along and just couldn't get into the story. The writing style was fine and I liked the characters, just not a book for me.

The second in a duology, The Last Hope is the perfect blend of scifi and romance. If you havent read The Raging Ones you must read it, like NOW! It is fast paced, yet doesnt feel rushed. This book is absolutely as good as the first one, this is a wonderful series and I cannot wait to read more from these authors!

Imprisoned for weeks on an enemy starcraft, Franny, Court, and Mykal have sat with an unfathomable revelation. But as they fight to stay alive, escaping prison means trusting a young mysterious stranger. He knows everything about their lost histories, and when answers aren’t given freely, the bonded trio are forced to join a mission. One that will determine the fate of humanity. Legend says, a baby—the first of her species—has the power to cloak and teleport planets. Tasked with retrieving the infant, Court fears the baby is just a myth, and if they fail, they’ll never find the truth about their origins.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review through Macmillian publishing. I was excited when Kristie and Becca Rithie reached out to me about reviewing the sequel to their first book The Raging Ones. If you haven’t red The Raging Ones yet, WHY NOT? But also, you can hop over to my review here. I was left completely stunned at the end of the last book and have been eagerly awaiting the sequel. I had very high hopes for the conclusion to this series. No pun intended.

My favorite about the sequel to this book is much it allowed the reader to explore this book’s universe. Readers learned a lot about the main characters’ home planet in the first book, but this book allowed us to learn about the other planets in the solar system and the larger picture that was only hinted at in the first book. There were some exciting twists in regards to the universe in this book, which is a rare thing to find in a setting. I don’t want to spoil anything, but question everything you think you know based on the last novel.

All of my favorite characters from the first book returned here. I would have liked to learn more about some of the secondary characters, but not much more information was given about them. However, it was great seeing the main character’s new relationships form and evolve with the plot. Franny definitely became my favorite out of the protagonists through this story. I connected with her struggles and thought her plot arc was the best developed.


My main hope for the plot in this sequel was to have all of the questions I had from the first book about the main characters and their origins finally answered. This book definitely accomplished this, I appreciated how the authors dropped answers throughout the story, rather than wait until the end to tell us everything. While the ending was satisfying, with all loose ends tied up, it felt a little bit too much like the authors were trying to tie a pretty bow on everything. I would have liked for a slightly edgier conclusion to match the tone of the rest of the series.

The Last Hope is the conclusion to Krista & Becca Ritchie’s romantic science-fiction duology. I loved seeing more of the character’s universe, the development of the characters and getting all of my questions answered. I would have liked to see the secondary characters grow more in this story and an ending that better suited the tone of the rest of the series, but overall I highly recommend this series to any fans of romance and science fiction.

The Last Hope Is Available Now To Purchase On Amazon, Barnes And Noble Or Through Your Favorite Local Bookstore.

*I WAS PROVIDED AN e-ARC BY THE PUBLISHER FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS BLOG TOUR. THIS DOES NOT CHANGE MY OPINION*

We knew that, after The Raging Ones, we were all going to be a little book hungover waiting for this book. And now that it’s finally here, I have to say, I was just as stunned as I was by the first novel.

As soon as we jump into this book, we are reintroduced to our favorite main and side characters, while also getting to meet some new ones. Something that I found different in this novel was the mood shift. In The Raging Ones, the mood was a bit lighter and more open to hope. In The Last Hope, however, the mood had shifted to become a bit darker. Don’t get me wrong, this book still had it’s funny and bright moments, but not as much as the first one, I’d say.

Franny is just as headstrong in this novel, with a fierce eagerness to survive. She’s become fearful of death and begins to second guess herself a bit more than before. Mykal and Court are the same as before, though, but with a more apparent brotherly love over Franny.

I loved the dynamic of learning in this novel. Not only were the characters introduced to new concepts, but we, as readers, were as well. You were really able to set yourself in this book and imagine what was happening, and I loved that the authors made that possible with this. A lot of sci-fi books can be found lacking in that aspect, but not from the Ritchies.

Again, the character development in this novel was phenomenal. The story line pushed smoothly through this sequel, and I loved that it didn’t feel like an entirely different book. It was still clutching on to the first novel, and I reveled in that.

The only problem that I had with this book was the ending. I felt that it was rushed and forced, which ultimately saddened me more than anything. I felt that there could’ve been a much different way to write the ending than the way they did and that it wasn’t properly carried through.

For that, I rate this book 4.25 stars. I did love this book, and I do suggest that you continue the story of our favorite three characters as soon as you can. I look forward to whatever the Ritchie sisters release next.

This is the best book I’ve read in 2019. And I don’t see anything topping it. This is a high bar, but this may be the best book Krista and Becca have ever written. I thought The Raging Ones was a great story, but this was so much better.

I’m going to avoid spoilers, but eventually I thinking I’m going to have to go there. Maybe I’ll do a discussion video on my YouTube channel.

The characters are fantastic. I think Franny is still my favorite, but Court and Mikhal are also fantastic. I started to really like Court (as his own person) and not just as part of the friendship trio or a couple. There was so much great character development in this story. Not just the main three-I love the side characters, too. There’s a new character introduced in this book who I’m living for.

That plot!!! I had no idea where this was going to go after The Raging Ones ended. I could never have predicted this plot, but it was exactly what I needed. Just like the first book, so much happened, but it was paced perfectly. After these two books, Krista and Becca could teach a master class in story construction.

Sci-fi isn’t a genre I reach for all the time. Sometimes it confuses me too much and interferes with my enjoyment. This was the perfect amount of sci-fi world building for me. The Ritchies’ word choice was a great tool for explaining differences. I can’t wait to re-read The Raging Ones (again) with all the new knowledge I have.

I have no idea if Krista and Becca will ever write another non-contemporary story, but I really hope they do. The world needs more stories like this. I also can’t wait for the audio book. I hope it has the same narrators as the first one, because they were spectacular. Their voice-acting with this beautiful story would be beyond perfection.

OK, I’ll stop fangirling now.

I love these authors m. Becca and Krista Ritchie have been long time favorites of
Mine. With this YA Sci-Fi duet, they have shown they can write outside their main genre. There were able to weave romance in to a unique plot Sci Fi Book. Given that I mainly only read romance (new adult and contemporary mostly) I was pleasantly surprised how much I like this book. It didn’t have quite the same impact as the first book, and the ending wasn’t quite what o expected. But I like it all the same.

One of my favorite releases of 2018, The Raging Ones, had me at the end of my seat and screaming for more. It's sequel and conclusion, The Last Hope, is quite the fitting end to Court, Mykal and Franny's story. If you haven't read The Raging Ones, beware of possible spoilers to that book ahead.

This duology has always been a little bit science fiction and a little bit fantasy. I think that's one of the reasons I love it. The Last Hope absolutely expands upon the world-building presented in the first book, as well as the history of the Saltare planets and Earth. We get answers about the link and why Court, Mykal and Franny are the only ones with this bond. We also see and learn more about fan favorites such as Court's brother Kinden, Zimmer and the Soarcastle sisters. Finally, we are introduced to a new character, Stork, who is by-far my favorite of this book. He has a huge role to play in the story, despite his somewhat mysterious obligations and origins.

The Last Hope picks up very soon after The Raging Ones ended with that epic cliffhanger. Thank goodness for that! I can't get into too many details of what happens without spoiling the story, but the trio is in dire straights and near the end of the line. They meet the character Stork, who has been searching for the trio. He has the answers they seek, but to earn those answers he needs their help with what is essentially a search and rescue mission. A mission the whole human race is dependent upon.

As the trio traverses their newfound identities, they also further build their friendships and find romance. This story has always been largely character driven, while taking place in an imaginative and unique setting. The trio is regularly faced with tempering their emotions for the sake of others, while learning how to use their link to their advantage.

I wouldn't say this sequel had a different feel than The Raging Ones, but it certainly opened the story to a far grander world and history than I had originally anticipated. I really, really love how this ended too. Seriously, happiness galore.

Overall, this is definitely still a favorite of mine and I highly recommend this duology!

I love Krista & Becca’s other books that are more romance, but strong family and friends connections is a major factor. Although this is sci-fi, it also has loveable characters and those strong bonds I love so much & still weaves in some wonderful romance.

Honestly, Stork, Mykal and Franny’s dynamic remind me a lot of Loren, Ryke and Lily from their Addicted/Calloway series. ❤️

Usually I stick to Christian fiction books but this was a nice change. However i would advise discretion for young adults as there are some things parents may not want their children reading like that of 2 guys in a relationship that is discussed

4.5 stars

After weeks of being detained by the enemy, Court, Franny, and Mykal started to lose hope. In their desperate need to escape, a stranger offered them a way out by dangling the knowledge of their pasts for them to join an important mission that put the fate of humanity in their hands. Now, they must decide what’s important and how much they willing to risk to understand where they came from and save the planet at the same time.

While I enjoyed book 1, it didn’t really leave a deep impression so I went into this with no specific expectations. I’m pleased to say I enjoyed this book much more than the previous one.

Court, Franny, and Mykal faced new experiences and environments in their quest. I loved seeing how they learn to adapt to their new surroundings and exploring their own humanity. And the new main character was a good addition in keeping the characters interesting.

There were a lot of things happening throughout the book, with secrets, twists and turns that some I figured out and some took me by surprise. I enjoyed the romantic element but it felt stilted at times.

The Last Hope is a journey of self-discovery and survival. It’s the conclusion to The Raging Ones duet and would appeal to readers who enjoy romantic sci-fi.

I finally read book one and I was absolutely bored. I skimmed big chunks of it and never once felt lost. That doesn't bode well for a story.

This series had an interesting premise. I loved the idea of a "death day." Court, Mykal, and Franny started out as interesting characters. I loved the "love" between Mykal and Court, but I didn't love it enough to see if the authors explored it in more depth in the second book.

The twist of the 3 of them being humans was also intriguing. I didn't see that coming, maybe due to me skimming. But again, I'm not interested enough to try book two.

I'm usually a huge fan of this sister duo, but this time around they couldn't hold my attention.

I think that The Last Hope is a satisfying follow-up to The Raging Ones by Krista & Becca Ritchie. The standout of the story for me continues to be the relationship between Franny, Court, and Mykal. It's so genuine, pure, and ripe with drama, tension, and heart. And the setting still feels real to me. The science in the plot is a little hand wavy, and not as engaging but it doesn't detract from the story at all.

After her mother died when she was only 6, Franny grew up on the streets working hard and partying even harder with the other fast trackers who will all die before they turn 30. Passionate and rebellious Franny doesnt do anything half way. Court could have had that life had he not been a child genius adopted by a wealthy family, but after spending five years in prison for going against peoples death day he becomes acquainted with a great deal of pain. Cold and calculating Court only lets a chosen few close to him and his boyfriend Mykal is one of them. The rugged Hinterlander who was suppose to die as a babe brings warmth and positivy wherever he goes. A perfect balance to Courts reserved personality. We also get a chapter from a fourth character who helps them escape prison. Full of grief, secrets, and determination to honor his commanders, Stork hopes to lead them all on a dangerous mission to save earth.

Despite knowing each other a long time we still get a romance full of wonderful angst as Court and Mykal try to hide their link by keeping their distance from one another. The relationship they share with Franny could have easily been seen as polyamoury, but sadly thats not how it played out. I still really enjoyed their strong friendship. Because they share emotions they can tell when one of them isnt happy and try their best to make things right. It was sweet how giving and self sacrificing they were for one another. Franny tried hard to give them space to be together despite sharing senses and the boys tried to encourage her to find someone even though they would have to experience what she does. They dont want her to suffer without human connection for their sake, especially when she keeps denying her growing attraction to Stork. As for the other side characters, we dont get to know them that well.

After the jaw dropping revelation at the end of the first book we slowly start to unravel the mysteries of the main characters past and what those secrets mean. Their main goal is to infiltrate a new planet and track down a myth in the hopes they can stop a war, but it took a while to get started because the characters are first imprisoned and then spend a bunch of time training for the mission. Besides the need to discover the truth, its the friendships and romance that kept me engaged during the first half. I found it frustrating that Stork wasnt allowed to give them any information unless their mission was successful. They could all die without any answers and thats just cruel, especially considering how the whole mission hinges on a myth they found in some random book that might not even be accurate. I have no idea how the author of this old book could have known a baby with these crazy powers would be on a specific planet at this very convenient moment. It definitely required some suspension of disbelief.

In this sequel we get to explore more of the world since the main characters have finally left their planet. Theres some fun space travel and an exciting trek across a waterworld. I wish we got more descriptions of the alligators on this planet because I live for any unique world building element. One example of this was how everyone was seperated into different classes based on their death day. Theres the babes who die very young, the fast trackers who can live up to twenty nine, and the influentials who can live long into their hundreds. I thought the death day reader technology was interesting, but I do have questions like if they can't die before their death day can they be put into a coma until then or does that somehow count as being dead. I enjoyed this more than the first book, but that might be because I listened to it on audio. I feel like the full cast of narrators really enhanced the story and Im happy I decided to pick up the conclusion to this duology on audiobook.

What a great ending! I’m sad to see it end and the hangover is terrible but wow! That was one hell of a ride.

The Last Hope picks right up where Krista and Becca left us hanging in the last book. I couldn’t wait to read what was in store for these characters and they certainly didn’t disappoint.

I love Court, Mykal and Franny. Seeing their relationships grow. They have to manage their powers. To grow with them and learn. Mykal and Court grow closer together and well, Franny, might find someone new. I loved reading how more confident they got. I felt like a proud mom. Lol

The Last Hope is a tale of magic, fate, friendship and love. With twist and turns at every corner you’ll be left wondering what’s going to happen until the end. I really hope we get a spin-off of these books. So. Good.

Hello everyone, I'm back with another special article! Thanks to Wednesday Books, I got the opportunity to read in advance Krista and Becca Ritchie's second and last book in The Raging Ones duology entitled The Last Hope! 
I was so excited to read this final chapter, especially after the cliff hanger that they had left us with, in The Raging Ones.
For this review, I won't go into too many details, as the book comes out today, I don't want to spoil any book lovers out there.

So let's dive into this review:
When the story starts, our favorite trio is in a very critic situation. As we remember, at the end of The Raging Ones, they escaped their planet by stealing the Saga starcraft to reach space. But once they were out of reach, they ended up being captured by another enemy and got locked away because of their 'newfound identity.'
Mykal, Court, and Franny have been imprisoned for a month, and they are in pretty bad shape, mentally and physically. They have lost hope of ever leaving their cell alive, and they have only question in mind, what are they? 
I started reading The Last Hope with a bit of apprehension because I'm not a massive fan of duologies. I'm afraid to find the endings rushed, and I also find it hard to say goodbye to amazing characters after such a short time! 
But I was pleased with how The Last Hope turned out. The fluid writing of the authors completely soothed my worries away, and the compelling plot transported me into this new and fascinating rollercoaster of a world! Another aspect that I adored was the dynamic between the characters. In this final chapter, the trio would find their friendship and special bond put to the test with the arrival of new characters. 
Back to the plot, I was mindblown by the surprising turn of events that happened towards the end of the book; I did not expect the outcome of this plot twist.
Even though I thought it went a little fast, in the end, the story was still coherent and true to our expectations. All the important questions I asked myself from book one, and at the beginning of book two were answered, thanks to the additional POV of a new character, which was essential to the evolution of the plot. 
One more thing, this book wouldn't be complete without its romantic content, and Krista and Becca Ritchie are pros at writing deep and passionate relationships. Whether it is friendship or romantic relations, we've got our fill with The Last Hope. Franny, Mykal, and Court embarked on this journey alone, but it's clear that throughout their adventure, they got stronger together, and they opened themselves to others.
In conclusion, I gave this book five stars; I believe that the readers who enjoyed The Raging Ones won't be disappointed with The Last Hope. This book really enthralled me; I laughed, I cried, I swooned, oh my! I highly recommend it to all sci-fi and fantasy book lovers out there; so if you are intrigued by the story and you want to know what will happen to Court, Mykal and Franny, then go get a copy of the book!

I was provided with an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

This was such an amazing second book for this duology, and I loved every minute. I love Franny, Court, and Mykal, and seeing their bing grow and develop. We got a new POV here in Stork, who became an instant fave for me. This book had so many reveals and twists and turns, but it all played out awesome and the ending was exactly what I wanted. I really hope we get more fantasy from these authors!!

Full review at https://megabunnyreads.home.blog/2019/08/16/the-last-hope-by-krista-becca-ritchie/

I was a huge fan of the first novel in this series so I was super excited to get my hands on book two. While it had a little bit of a slow start for me, it picked up about half way through and I really enjoyed it. I thought the beginning left something to desire, and then the end felt rushed, but all together the story as a whole was really unique and interesting. The characters were very likable and fun to get to know and the story line and world building was fascinating, but there were times when I felt like the story wasn't paced correctly and that made the story feel a little off to me. I really liked this novel, but the pacing issue threw me off and made this a 3 star instead of a 4 star read. I would definitely still recommend this novel to readers who enjoy sci-fi/YA/fantasy novels! Thank you to NetGalley for sending this novel in exchange for and honest review.