*I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review of this book*

The Last She has proven to be one of those books I've read that has stuck with me. I'm still thinking about Ara and her journey.

Ara hasn't seen another human in months, but finds herself following a group of men, with the plan to steal ammunition from them. When she finds herself in a predicament that gets her captured by this group of men, who discover that she is not a young man, as they originally thought, and that she is, in fact, the last she that they are aware of. Kaden, Sam, and Isaac work together to try to show Ara that she is safe with them, however, Ara fights for her freedom, soon finding that she can trust at least these men. However, there is a concern for the larger group that they are taking her to. The clan, as they have been calling it, proves to be more dangerous for Ara in more ways than she could have imagined.

Ara continues working to find a way to escape and continue on her journey. Will she succeed?

#NetGalley #TheLastShe #HJNelson

Super interesting take on a dystopian story. I really connected with the main character and found the writing style very pleasing. It was a nice easy read and I was very surprised when I came to the last chapter. I’m very interested in seeing what else is author put out

This book surprised me!!

The plot twists had my jaw dropped and made it hard to put down. I binged it in 2 days.

Ara and kaden were just…..UGH. The ending still has me scratching my head. Well done!

The premise of this book made me super nervous to read it and although I was wrong to be nervous, I was not wrong in thinking that this book would portray a brutal vision of the not-too-distant, post-apocalyptic future.
In this version of the future, a virus has wiped out most of humanity, leaving Ara alone as she navigates a landscape sparsely peopled by only males. The cover blurb compares the story to The Hunger Games, but I appreciate that this story of survival has no formal set-up, no games to overcome.
I adorned the main character of Ara, a tough, athletic type whose drive to find out the whys of her new world keeps her human once civilization disintegrates. I also thought the pacing was superb: each new chapter introduces nail-biting stakes that kept me turning the page to the very end, and then hoping for a follow-up so that I could find what will happen next.
The only downside I found with this story was a handful of passages that contained repetitious images or words.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves YA dystopias but is ready for a story without a game or maze hook.

The Last She gave me all kinds of flashbacks to the early 2010’s, when my fave sub-genre of YA, Dystopian, was super popular. It was giving me aspects of The Fifth Wave (minus the aliens), The Darkest Minds (minus the magic), and Matched (minus the government control on relationships).

This was like if the Zombie virus broke out, but humans have all but obliterated them. It’s only been a few years since the outbreak, but humans are living. The virus just took out more women than men, so Ara feels like she’s the only one left. Of course, she’s been in hiding for years now, so she doesn’t really know exactly what’s out there.

When she starts following some men in the woods where she lives so that she can steal supplies, she’s surrounded and caught. None of them have seen a woman in a very long time… at this point is when I started getting scared that there was going to be a sexual assault, which is what I think the author wanted you to expect. It did NOT happen here, or anywhere else in the book, but the expectation was always there.

I will say that one of my big big big TRIGGER WARNINGS is animal death in books. Whether on page or of a beloved family pet off screen. Both happened in the book along with something horrible having to do with one of them that I won’t spoil for anyone who doesn’t want to know. I’m not sure if I had known, I would have read it…… but after the initial pain, I moved on.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the book. I definitely love this genre and need more. I will be reading the next 2 books and I’m excited for them.

Before I get into my review, can we talk about how fierce this cover is?

Ara is the last woman alive after an apocalypse that turned humans and animals rabid with the desire to kill. She's managed to survive with the help of her father, but when they are separated, and Ara begins to fears the worst, she is left to navigate the world alone with his last message- "Go back to the beginning."

This message fuels her desire for answers as she begins the journey home. Along the way, she is kidnapped by a group of male survivors and forced to return to their base.

This book had tons of potential but I struggled through most of it as there were some blinding gaps in the writing. First of all, the relationship dynamic between Kayden and Ara was lacking and literally, the only thing sustaining me throughout this book was the hint of a love triangle.

I think my main issue stems from the author's inability to properly articulate the motives of not only the main characters but also the supporting characters, which leaves readers stumped as to the logic being implied.

Let's look at this scenario: Ara is the last woman alive and she goes into an encampment with men who haven't seen a woman in years. There is not one lustful look or lewd comment being made and that astounded me.

I appreciated the attempts at mystery with Ara's role but it was a bit obvious that she is special because of her survival so pretending otherwise is silly.

I feel the need to say again that there is potential within the story but the character development, plot, and intent need to be ironed out.

Thank you to Watpad books for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

What if you were the only woman to survive a deadly virus that came on and spread rapidly?
Ara used to have her father by her side to help her navigate this new world. It's been months since she lost him and has been on her own. Her father has told her not to trust any men, it's too dangerous in a world like this. She had every intention of staying on her own, in search of what her father wanted her to find, until she stumbled across Kaden and his crew. When they catch her tracking them and stumbling into their territory, they take her captive. Kaden tells himself it's to protect her but he can't help but feel he's made the wrong decision. Will she find her way back to the beginning like her father asked or will she be stuck with Kaden's crew forever? What will happen to her when he brings her to meet the rest of his clan?
I love dystopian stories but am always nervous going into them. I always wonder how it can be made different enough from all the others and hold a reader's interest. I've not been disappointed yet and loved this book! It was filled with action, had many twists and turns, and had me flipping through the pages rapidly. I barely put this book down as I needed to know what was going to happen with Ara and her journey! I recommend this book to dystopian lovers and can't wait to read more work by H.J. Nelson.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I really appreciated that this book was an action-packed adventure novel, but it was also mediocre at best. I think this is a really good first attempt at this story, and I would be willing to try again at the second book, but there is room for improvement in terms of the character development and world building.

Ara is the last female alive. A horrible virus has killed billions worldwide, with the death toll for women and girls much higher. On her own, Ara must survive in a world where being a female puts a target on her back. She survives on her own for years. She is careful and cunning, until she gets caught. She is captured by Kaden, who takes her back to his group of men, under the guise of protecting her. Ara knows she needs to escape if she wants to live free and not be treated like a precious commodity.

This is a very interesting concept and was an entertaining book. It was post-apocalyptic/dystopian with a little dash of romance. I didn't fully feel invested in Ara and Kaden's relationship so there were times it fell a little flat and I wish it had been fleshed out more. It felt a little rushed, maybe a touch of Stockholm Syndrome at play, and just felt a little insta-love at points.

There were times where the writing was a little clunky and the main character didn't make sense with her words vs. actions at times. The plot twist was good, if a little predictable. There was an opportunity for a sequel so I would love to see where the storyline goes.

TW: animal death/gore, attempted assault, violence

I found this one super thrilling! Enjoyed the plot and the characters. Such a refreshing YA novel! I have never read anything like it. Great book and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Ara is, as far as she knows, the only female survivor of a plague that desolated the world. Alone since her father disappeared, she runs into a group of men led by Kaden who captures her to 'protect' her. Her mission is to get 'back to the beginning' set by her father's words. Will Kaden help her with her mission?

Dual POVs, with both of the protagonists being survivors, personal and insightful of its character. Ara is stubborn, determined, suspicious of others, while Kaden is inherently kind even after what he has been through, more trusting and open to possibilities and truly adventuresome. I enjoy the way they interact. Both POVs are equally captivating. You like the characters more and more as the story progresses, even some unexpected ones. And you really despise other ones.

Presenting lots of interesting, clever details, very realistic descriptions, some even beautiful, all of these building the world for us. You really feel like you're in this post-virus. world. An attention-grabbing pace where the suspense is palpable and the flow of the narrative feels natural, with its well-written characters. There are many moments when you want to knock some sense into the characters, but that just means the author has succeeded in making us care.

This has a generally intelligent laid-out plot that is in no way predictable. Except for one plot device/ offer made to the enemy that just seemed silly to me, so wrong for the characters, wrong for the story. But I must begrudgingly admit it is mostly a hiccup and leads to better things.

Questions that arise reading this are: Is there a line anymore when the future is at stake. Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?

Difficult situations bring out the best or the worst in people. What matters is the journey not the destination, and here the journey is quite enjoyable and the destination 'reeks' of a great sequel. Let us not forget the epilogue which made me want to scream and cheer at the same time.

2.5 stars

Arabella (Ara) Edana lives in a world where women do not exist, because they were all killed by a mysterious plague. The plague wiped out almost all women, a good amount of men, and turned animals feral. Separated from her father, Ara starts trailing a camp to steal their supplies—until she’s kidnapped and shackled in an abandoned mall.

This book really had potential. The premise and storyline it had (at the beginning) had me invested, until it started to fall apart. Strong Ara who had survived for three years with very little help, now becomes dependent on these random men who kidnapped her. And then she starts falling in love, and you’ve lost me.

There is a very fun plot point that involves a medical research center that is only a blip. If the story focused more on that, I would have enjoyed it much more. Instead, it follows 30 other plot points, and everything becomes muddled and confusing.

This book is also a mixture of fun apocalypse and terrifying apocalypse, and the mood was all over the place.

This definitely feels like a first draft. There are good bones, and plenty of room for improvement.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad for the chance to read this advanced review copy.

CW: animal death/gore, attempted assault, violence

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but was pleasantly surprised at how interesting it is. There is a romance but it's not solely a romance, there is mystery but it's not solely a mystery, there were science fiction elements, but it's not solely a sci-fi. You can see where I'm going here I suppose. There is a good mixture of all of these elements, culminating in a very readable , compelling book.

Firstly, a big THANK YOU to the author H.J. Nelson for the entertainment, and to Wattpad Books Publisher/NetGalley for the advance copy.
Can't believe I'm saying this, BUT I'm not as thrilled with this story as I set out to be. Partly, this is my fault. I set myself for failure a lot, but let's start off with the things I liked. This was a solid idea and there were parts I thought were well done. I can see where many readers absolutely LOVE this story. Kaden as a character was magnificent and the world building was on point. Isaac was a character I wish I had as a sidekick and Sam...oh Sam. The character development and world building were what saved this book for me. I hope in the following books the author keeps up the good work there. Where others have failed to connect me to a dystopian world that is believable, Nelson has been successful.
Now for the not so good...
I had a very hard time relating to the main character to the point of skipping over some of her monologue. She lacks substance and is all over the place. I understand her stress and that the situation she finds herself in is frustrating and confusing, but she was giving me whiplash. I can only describe my reaction to Ara as trying to talk to someone on a mobile with crap signal; there were all these gaps and false starts.
I feel like there was a lot of leading the reader, instead of a natural flow to the story. A realistic situation in this world would have looked much different. In a world of men and a single female is found...there would be carnage. There were parts that I thought could be completely taken out (example: Colborn's Horde). Subtract that portion from the book and it would not matter. The story could be reworked to the same outcome. The whole scene where she is taken to an underground bunker by Gabriel I would rather read as a deleted scene. These scenes just felt like filler and I don't appreciate time suckers.
All things said, when/if a second book is released, I think there's enough potential in the story that I"ll definitely give it a read,
The Last She by H. J. Nelson Review by Patricia O. #TheLastShe #NetGalley #YAbookreviews

ANOTHER FIVE-STAR READ. This one was awesome! This book has it all! Action, adventure, romance (no smut), and THE APOCALYPSE! The Last She was a fast read, sitting at just under 3,500 words, I knocked this out in a day because I have no self-control.
I got this title as an ARC from NetGalley, which has opened my horizons to new books, many I have loved! It takes place in a dystopian future where a plague has wiped out massive amounts of the population, mostly men are left. Ara, our 19-year-old MC, has survived a few years after the plague hit the world and is the last surviving woman. She is separated from her father, and must continue on her own to 'go to the beginning'. Drilling in the 'men are the enemy', by her father Ara strives to avoid all forms of life to include animals that were also affected by the plague. In her search, she comes across a band of men, the first humans she has seen in months, led by a ruggedly handsome Kaden. Their adventures take them through the highs and lows of trusting one another along with battling the elements and forging a future for themselves while navigating their feelings for one another.
This was truly a great beginning of a (fingers-crossed) duology. Their love is adorable and feisty (strictly YA). I will warn anyone that reads it that your heart will ache and then you will be angry and then you will be left...with a cliffhanger. Ara is by far one of my favorite female characters to date, she is gritty, tough, and badass! There are a couple of trigger warnings as well to include assault. The storyline was great and I thoroughly enjoyed the author's voice and story-telling. My only complaint with this was the occasional confusion I had when flash-backs were in Ara POV, I had to double back a couple of times to make sure I didn't skip a page or something. I'm so ready to learn more about Kaden's background and conclude that flippin' cliffhanger! This was originally published on WATTPAD so I have crossed my fingers that the sequel isn't too far behind. I loved it!

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

Great premise, and very original! The writing was a bit sparse at times for such an unprecedented situation, but the plot kept me reading and the characters were so well-developed and distinguishable. Definitely going to check back for more from this author!

This is a great book about a post apocalyptic love story. There was a bit of some draw back. 1. The story seemed to change near the end. The Last She is about the last female. Then we find out that there is another girl and possibly MORE. SO I felt a little like it was changed at the last minute to make the book into a series.
2. the bad guy was a typical bad guy. The reader isn't left with too much of an understanding of why the bad guy is the way he is or what his intentions are. We have the love interest tell the reader that the bad guy is bad, but he didn't give off any bad guy vibes.
3. the virus, the end of the world was never explained in ANY detail. Some detail would have been appreciated, some back story would have been appreciated it.

The love story was interesting, the virus/plague was a good element to the story, and the play of the tribe was good.

Overall a good start to a series. There always has to be a series with post apocalyptic stories.

A very addicting story during this time of our lives but has some issues. So I will do a quick run down of things. The pace is slow, many choices are really stupid that these adult (yes adults) make, for being the last woman on earth (or so we believe) only one man gets her and fairly early in their meeting, a lot of unanswered questions, and a confusing plot at times. This story does a dual-narrative which may explain some of my issues from above that were not clear. Authors sometimes do fail with the transitions of PoV and here is a great explanation of that struggle. Those things said the plot was confusing but still there egging you to go forward in the story. The characters that you do get to learn more about are well created and loved. The ending was well, I believe this book will have more to it than just this but overall I am not sure if I’ll read it.

One of my favorite genres is apocalyptic / post apocalyptic so when I read the synopsis of The Last She, I knew I had to read it. It was described as The Hunger Games meets The 100 and was about a near future world in which most of the world population dies due to a plague. In fact, there are no known women left. Only men.

Enter Ara who is a 17 year old girl who hasn’t seen a human being in months, let alone another female. Ara gets found and captured by a clan of men and throughout the story, is doing anything she can to escape as she’s looking for her father.

The premise was interesting but the story was definitely not anything close to The Hunger Games or The 100. I had a hard time liking any of the characters that much except maybe Sam. For me, the book was ok. I read it in bits and pieces as it didn’t hold my interest for more than a few chapters at a time.

I thought this was a stand alone, but it ended on a kind of cliff hanger. I haven’t decided if I want to pick up the sequel yet.

*Thanks to Wattpad and NetGalley for the advance copy.*

When I saw the description of The 100 meets The Hunger Games I was all in!
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This absolutely did not disappoint. The last woman on Earth, a savaged society and a plague sets Ara’s world on fire.
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It’s time to go back to the beginning. I loved this. I cannot wait for the next two books!
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Thank you #wattpadbooks and #NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review