Emma’s bad review of an author’s horror novel sparks an online argument with the author. Then disturbing things start to happen to Emma. Has the author come to seek revenge for her mean-spirited review?

I loved the premise of The Last Word — a digital scuffle between a writer and reader leads to mayhem. Everyone has probably seen this play out in real life to a lesser degree at least once or twice. Taylor Adams turns this scenario into a fast-paced, over-the-top, suspense-filled story with twist after twist. I appreciated the use of sarcasm and a little bit of humor to offset the gruesomeness of this horror and thriller mash-up.

Set aside some time because this addictive and scary read will make you want to put life on hold until you get to the end of this wild ride!

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for a copy of this book. All opinions in this voluntary review are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

This is the first Taylor Adams book that I e ever read, so I went into it blind! I was really surprised by the writing and plot! While I knew what it was about from the blurb, it was a lot more fast-paced than I expected (which is a good thing)! Every time I thought I knew exactly what was going on, I really didn’t. There were so many twists and turns that kept me guessing from start to finish! While I did guess some things correctly, most of them I didn’t! Overall, I thought that this book was well written, succeeded at keeping my attention through the whole thing, and well-paced. I would definitely like to read some more of Taylor Adams’ work!

Rounding up to 4 stars. I was gifted the physical copy of this book as well from the publisher. I read about the first half here courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley and then finished with the physical book. I really enjoyed this book as it is definitely a WILD ride. It would play out like a great horror movie. It reads as such. Some of the parts did feel a bid out there but overall I was highly invested and enjoyed this nail biting thriller!

I really enjoyed No Exit, so I was very excited to receive an ARC of this author's newest book.

I don't know exactly, but this book just really fell flat for me. The premise, while interesting, was just over the top and ridiculous at times. It almost seemed ironic, given the main plot of the book and an author who gets revenge on those who gives books 1 star reviews.

There were a lot of coincidences throughout the book, and as the main character alluded to many times in the book - that many coincidences is not good in a fictional book.

I think a lot of people will like this one, but I was overall disappointed.

Thanks William Morrow and Netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

What if there were consequences for each one star review you wrote???

There is something about Taylor Adams’ writing that is just so… approachable. She writes like I talk. She seems like the kind of person who I could have an adult beverage with. And so when I discovered that she was releasing a new book, I knew I had to read it.

Within minutes of starting this one, I was hooked. I had to force myself to put it down and go to bed, because my first instinct was just to brew more coffee and stay up until I was done.

Add in the fact that it’s a book, about books, and I’m a total goner. “Book-ception” is one of my favorite themes.

Have you ever written a one-star review and thought to yourself, geez I hope the author doesn’t read this. I’d hate for their feelings to be hurt. I have. And this book takes that to the extreme. Throw in a couple random “Last Unicorn” references for good measure (Taylor, if you read this, Schmendrick was also MY favorite), and this has been my favorite of her novels to date.

Also… the ending! *chefs kiss* I won’t ruin it for anyone, but… it was perfect. I don’t find myself crying at the end of many (any?) thrillers, but I couldn’t help it with this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow Books and Taylor Adams for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy of Taylor Adams’s newest thriller, The Last Word!

After tragedy strikes Emma Carpenter’s life, she runs away to the Pacific Northwest coast to be alone and regroup…at least, she thinks she’s alone. As strange things start happening at the large house she’s staying at, Emma begins to think she’s not as alone as she thought.

If you dislike when books aren’t especially believable, you might want to skip this one. The Last Word was entertaining (maybe a little slow at times) and creepy, but I found myself going ok really? a few different times. It was an engaging read if you like thrillers but if not, skip this one.

This book. Oh my gosh. It is definitely my favorite read of the year so far! It had everything-- a relatable plot (I mean the one-star thing, thankfully not the author taking revenge-thing), humor, satire, horror, suspense.. It had it all and it was just so clever and entertaining. There were parts of the book that I was literally laughing out loud (the hiking car scene, I'm dead) and then moments later, I was actually scared and wondering what the hell I was doing reading this book alone at night. This book was bananas and bonkers in every way that I love. I just finished it and I already want to reread it.

I am not the kind of reader who scares easily; I read psychological thrillers the way some people watch rom coms. But this book marks the second time that Taylor Adams has given me the creeps. Like her 2017 release, No Exit, her newest novel had me checking to make sure my doors and windows were locked and shutting the curtains long before dark. Nobody in this novel is quite who they seem to be and everyone is suspect. Adams writes in such a way that I found myself on the edge of my seat the whole ride. There is a lot of gore in this story (think slasher flick), just letting the squeamish know beforehand. Overall, fantastic book. Congrats to Adams on another job well done.

Read if you like:
🔪 Slasher Films
🧠 Psychological Thrillers
😭 Depressed MC’s
🔀 Twists ans Turns
⭐️ 1 Star Reviews

I really enjoyed the first 40ish percent of this one as it was so suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat! I loved the way the story was set up with thinking one thing but then another is wholly true in the end. The twists and turns were well done.

However, slasher films are not my vibe and this one definitely started having those vibes after that first 40%.

The ending was well done with many twists and turns that left me floored because I didn’t see that ending coming, and it did leave me a little wanting as I wasn’t sure it was an ending that quite fit but was good nonetheless.

Overall, not sure this one was my cup of tea, but if you like the above and like a bit more action in your thrillers I recommend checking it out! Thanks to the punisher for my ARC.

This book, literally had me on the edge of my seat 90% of the time! And just when i was absolutely certain I knew what was going to happen...nope! A twist, and then another, and then another! The protagonist was angsty and dark, understandably. And the two other main characters, gah! I really wish this would be turned in a movie!

What if you left a one star review and then found yourself trapped in a deadly cat and mouse game with a psychopathic author? That’s all I knew going in, and oh boy y’all this book RULES. I had so much fun with it! The pacing is genuinely incredible, to the point that fifty percent in, I was like “how are they going to keep this action up? So much is going on…”, but it keeps the pace brilliantly with perfectly timed twists. It held its own as a locked door horror tale for longer than I assumed it could sustain. But it never felt dull. It never lagged. Once shit starts ramping up it just never stops. Twists are revealed at perfect precision. The protagonist is so badass but has so much understandable baggage following a horrible tragedy. This book is just so good. It’s funny in a weird dry way, while also having devastating moments and intense themes including grief and suicide (trigger warning). Thrillers are my favorite genre and this one included enough surprises to really impress me. Five stars!

My review will be posted on my instagram @boozehoundbookclub, on the pub date.

The perfect thriller for book lovers. When a negative book review goes wrong our protagonist soon realizes she is not as safe behind her keyboard as she thinks.

Something about Taylor’s writing style just feels so realistic I am actually physically anxious while reading. I get so nervous for the characters, the villains feel like they’re coming up behind me. I love everything this man writes and this book was no exception. It was equal parts insane, traumatic, heart wrenching and lovable. I loved the first half so much, the second half felt a bit slow but there were still a few twists thrown in the end that made it all worthwhile. I encourage all of you to check this one out when it releases!!! And Taylor, I promise to never leave you a 1 star review 😉

Taylor Adams never disappoints. His twists and turns within his thrillers always leave me guessing and turning the pages to find out what happens next. The Last Word is no exception.

Emma is a house sitter who is living in a remote location with her Golden Retriever, Laika. She passes her time reading and playing hangman via a whiteboard and telescope with her neighbor across the lake, Deek. After reading a particularly bad book called Murder Mountain, Emma posts a one star review and is shocked when the author responds and basically orders her to take down the review. She refuses and soon after, strange events start happening.

The ride is a bit wild but ultimately, the story compelled me to continue on to find out if there is someone threatening Emma and who is behind the acts.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow publishing for the ARC of The Last Word in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book for so many reasons.

Emma reads a terrible, self-published Amazon Kindle book, and decides to leave a brutally honest one star review (we've all been there). She is taken aback when the author emails her and politely insists she take her review down. Emma politely declines, and the demands become more aggressive. Before we know it, Emma is being stalked, harassed, and attacked by the author.

The plot was laughable, but in such a great way.

The book is written both from Emma's perspective and the perspective of the author as if he has written another horror book about murdering Emma. The juxtaposition of what is really happening, and the grandiose story the author tells makes for a fantastic read.

There was a plot twist at the end that you almost see coming, but then you don't, but then you start to become suspicious at the end. Overall, you just want to keep reading to see what happens to Emma and her golden retriever, Laika in the end.

I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

A Bad Book Review Turns Deadly

The Last Word is an action-packed psychological thriller about a reader who writes a book review that sparks an author’s rage--leading to a contentious and violent game of cat and mouse that leaves the book reviewer fighting for her life.

The novel opens with our heroine, Emma, leaving a one-star review on Amazon for the book Murder Mountain, written by H.G. Kane. Unexpectedly, the author contacts Emma and demands she remove her review. Soon after their combative email exchange, some creepy and scary events occur, putting Emma’s life in imminent danger.

Emma is a badass protagonist and one of the main narrators. She is smart and uses her intelligence and quick wit to her advantage. I didn’t love her in the beginning, but she grew on me quickly. I was rooting for her to win. In addition to her POV, the reader also experiences the thoughts of her nemesis. Parts of the story take place in what seems to be H.G. Kane’s next novel, "Murder Beach," creating a book within a book narrative, including the “author’s” acknowledgments page.

This secondary book added a new layer to Emma's story. I found it fascinating when this book didn't always align with Emma's story, creating some complicated narrative gaps--I wanted to explore these gaps more.

The atmosphere is creepy--I was a little jumpy while reading this, but I caught on to the scare tactics and remained calm. Adams weaves in a lot of humor in contrast to the fear, and I appreciated the humourous tone she takes when it comes to pointing out cliche book tropes, especially in the horror genre. This book had me scared and laughing at the same time.

My favorite part of this book is, of course, the amazing dog, Laika--she is my favorite book dog of 2023. Her thoughts and contributions to the events in this novel were spot-on (for those concerned, she makes it out alive).

The plot is a little over-the-top, but it works. There are a lot of twists and turns, some of them ridiculous. The characters are a whole lot crazy, but Emma and Laika balance out the crazy.

The Last Word is a fast-paced, action-packed read that, surprisingly, has a lot of heart. The next time I write a one-star review, I might think twice!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and William Morrow in exchange for an honest review.

A book's nightmare coming true all because of a negative review?

The book Emma reviewed was terrible in her opinion, gave it a rating of ONE, and then the author wouldn't let up as he told her take down the review.

Emma refused, but then the author found her and terrorized her just like in the book that was rated a ONE.

As Emma is living the nightmare of the killer one inch away from her, she hears poor Laika, her dog, whining upstairs in pain from the poison the killer fed her.

The tension in THE LAST WORD is so palpable, you will be jumping at any sound in your surroundings as you are reading.

The book is very cleverly written as the real drama unfolds and we read the story the author is playing out - Emma knows what will happen because she is living it.

Read it and find out what happens, but have a lot of time on your hands, and read this book in broad daylight.

It is pretty gruesome, but those who know the work of Mr. Adams don’t need to be forewarned.

Warning top reviewers - you never know who may retaliate from a bad review. :) 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher for an honest review.

What a ride!! This was a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time!! I liked how it all played out in the end. Was a little slow in the middle getting to everything but overall a suspenseful read.

A digital copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and William Morrow. The opinions are my own and freely given.

I am very scared to leave any type of star rating on this book!

This book is the story of Emma Carpenter. A woman who left her life behind and is housesitting for Jules on a Strand Beach Washington. Emma packed up her dog, Laika, an English Cream Golden Retriever, and cut off all family and friends. The closest neighbor is an older man Deacon "Deek" Cowl, who is quarter mile away. She communicates with him through a telescope and a white board, they play hangman, and write messages to each other. That is the closest interaction she has with another human.

When she reads a book, Murder Mountain, a decides to leave a bad review on Amazon, the author contacts her telling her that she has made a mistake and asking her to change her rating. One night she decides that she is going to break her contract with Jules and leave the house, when a man shows up on her doorstep and she trapped. Throughout the night she is terrorized by this man and fights back to the best of her ability.

I liked the way Emma had a conversation with Laika, and Laika seemed to answer her back, if only in Emma's mind. This book seems to be told from Emma's point of view and the point of view of an author writing her story of that fateful night. Yes, some of the things that happened at the house seem a little farfetched but if you read this book for what it is and what "real life" would be, it is very good. Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow and Taylor Adams.

WHAT A RIDE! This book grabbed ahold of me and didn’t let go. I felt legit anxiety through the entire thing. You might think you’ve figured it out but you are wrong. Another stellar suspense thriller from Taylor Adams.