This was an average thriller with a unique concept. The book started out fast paced and slowed down for about 100 pages in the middle. The book seemed to drag in the middle with no real purpose. I would have enjoyed the characters back story and why they were chosen for the TV show rather than the characters arguing about lighting recliners on fire. The characters needed more depth to get attached to them. Thrillers do not need to be that long, but the short chapters definitely made it seem quicker.

The ending with the main character stuck on a empty plane seemed like the book could have been set up for a book 2. Overall, still kept me engaged.

Oh my, this book....

When Caz wakes up alone on a completely deserted cruise liner, she is understandably shaken. With no idea where all the other passengers have gone, including her partner, Caz is forced to navigate the massive ship alone... or is she?

This book took off right from the get-go. With short chapters that often ended in cliffhangers, I found myself unable to put this book down. As soon as you think you have it figured out, you'll realize you don't. The characters had me second guessing everything - who can Caz trust, are the others really who they say they are, what happened to the hundreds of other passengers? This book will keep you guessing, and guessing and guessing. I highly recommend this page turner and hope to God Will Dean writes a sequel!

A big thank you to Will and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review of The Last One by Will Dean. #TheLastOne #WillDean #NetGalley

Ugh. I really hoped for more from this one. I'll start by saying that this book really hooked me in the beginning, I was flying through it until around 50% when I got stuck and actually put the book down for well... 3 months. I finally picked it back up to finish it and just felt like I was ready for the end to come already. The overall concept of this book is super unique and unlike anything I've read before but for me it seemed wayyyy to far fetched at some points. Unfortunately it just wasn't my cup of tea. BUT I can totally see how some reader would absolutely love this, so don't let me keep you from reading it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

3.5

The flow was a little off for this one. At 7% we find Caz alone and the plot really starts, but by 32% we were still waiting for the story to really start.
A unique premise but it did drag on a bit.
Cliff hanger ending that I loved and made me wonder what was happening or if it was all real or made-up.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

THIS BOOK

I had no idea when I started reading this book that it was going to take the turn it took. My jaw was on the floor. And then it hit the floor even more (is that even possible). Then when I thought I could pick it up, it fell all the way to the basement.

I will reread and reread and reread this book. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I will gift this book to all my friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Last One by Will Dean in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This sounded fantastic and let me tell you that it was! This is one action packed, suspenseful, page turning quickly book! I couldn't read this fast enough to find out what was going to happen next. I will say at times I thought it was on the border of being sci-fi which I'm not a huge fan of but I did thoroughly enjoy this book.

Will Dean is a very good writer and I enjoyed his last two books, especially the Last Thing to Burn. Unfortunately, this book was more of a miss.

The premise of a passenger on a ship waking up to find the boat mostly abandoned was intriguing. The reason behind the abandonment is best left for the reader to discover within the book. The first person narrator's reference to past trauma seemed disconnected to the happenings on the ship, and the book would have been more successful if some additional background was provided prior to the ship experience.

I normally do not mind endings that are unresolved. This book had so much drama that a closed ending would have been preferable to wrap up this book, unless a sequel is planned (which I assume is not, based on the author's unrelated upcoming novel).

What a wild ride. The longer you read it the more confused and involved you were. Waking up and finding most of a cruise ship gone with limited supply is a bananas plot and so unique. I had no idea where it was going or why. I can't say I was a big fan of the ending and how it was all wrapped up but props to the author for finding a unique story and writing it in a way that didn't border on absurd,

This book was really gripping from the start! I didn’t know what direction the story would go when Caz woke up alone. I still can’t believe the production for the reality show was allowed to do what they did! The bodies in the ballroom was too much to put them through! The ending did feel a little rushed but overall it was a great read.

I flew through this book. I couldn't get enough. I was hooked from the first page to the last page! Can't wait to read more from this author!

What did I just read? That was exactly what I thought when I finished this book! The Last One is a gripping, shocking, jaw dropping page turner!

What the heck?!?! I had no idea what to expect from this book's description, but I enjoy books set on ships so here I am. Caroline is already reluctant to leave her family when she embarks on a luxury transatlantic cruise. But when she wakes up and everyone is gone, she has no idea if it's some sort of mistake, alien abduction, emergency, or what. Things just get crazier from there as she realizes her phone doesn't work and the power on the boat goes out shortly after.
I couldn't wait to see what happened next but I wouldn't say I loved this book as I feel like the ridiculousness of the plot kind of overshadowed any of its societal commentary. I love horror movies, so I'm rounding up to 4 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

Well that was a surprise! At almost 450 pages this thriller is long but Dean manages to keep the story moving at a very fast pace to keep the reader engaged. Personally, I really enjoyed the trajectory this novel took about a quarter of the way through. Not only was it a surprise and a welcome change from more recent thriller tropes, it’s quite topical considering today’s society. The trajectory provides an avenue for a social commentary that I think is necessary.

I did have some issues with the novel, particularly the way Dean incessantly clung to the idea that women carry a crushing load of guilt for, frankly, good, albeit controversial, decisions. The internal dialogue of the protagonist, Caz, about her soul suffering guilt was overdone and, at many times, so disjointed from the action of the plot that it was jarring. I also felt that Caz’s internal dialogue wasn’t as mature as her 51 years of age.

Go into this book blind for the most enjoyment and you’ll find yourself flipping the pages quickly to get to the resolution.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advance reader’s copy. All opinions are my own.

Wow I don’t even know where to begin with this one. Going in blind is essential to the effect this book could potentially have on you. This book could have definitely been shorter which would have helped it be more of a page turner. Some of the back stories and history it gave was just not essential to drive the plot forward. Besides the minor dislikes I had this book had me mindblown to the point that I was slack jawed after some chapters. I don’t want to go into much detail because I don’t want to spoil any of the twists and turns but this one is definitely worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC on this one!

Really great and atmospheric thriller, with plenty of twists and turns. The characters were well developed answers the story very gripping. I really enjoyed this adventure and look forward to more by this author.

“The Last One” by Will Dean is an intense summer thriller about a vacation gone wrong. Caz and Pete are on the cruise vacation of their dreams, that is until Caz wakes up and Pete is gone. Actually, everyone on the ship is gone. Including the passengers, crew, and captain. Caz is stranded alone on a ship somewhere in the mid-Atlantic during this mystery. But somehow, being stranded ends up become the least of her worries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Emily Bestler Books for the ARC of this novel.

Few writer can draw you in and wreak havoc on your psyche and emotions like Will Dean. The Last One is just another example of how great of a writer Dean is.

Wasn’t a huge fan of this one. I think the premise was great but the execution wasn’t exactly what I wanted to read about. Maybe I had wanted something more along the lines of a ghost ship rather than a competition… idk. I was also disappointed in the ending, it felt like an easy out.

No. Just, no. The plot? ridiculous. The characters? annoying. The twists? DUMB. No one would believe this plot at all, and I get you have to suspend some belief with thrillers, but this was too much for me. I could not hang with this story at all. And the very end? Don't even get me started. I felt like my time was wasted while reading this. I know a lot of people will enjoy this story and the thrilling aspects, but it was not for me.

I really loved The Last One by Will Dean. I always say that I want a story to make me feel major emotions and this book checked all the boxes. I was confused, anxious, curious, grossed out, and extremely angry as I read the story and it was fabulous.

The story jumps right into it with an eerie situation that leaves you wondering and yearning for more info. As it progresses you are left with more questions and more confusion about what is taking place. There’s lots of little twists as you are given more info but it’s never enough to take that confusion away. There are scenes that had me holding my breath in anticipation of what would happen next.

The conclusion worked for me. I feel it’s a plausible explanation and while it was elaborate, it felt reasonable. The big cliffhanger made me want to scream. I was so angry. I felt that the last paragraph was enough to make me drop my rating to 3 stars and proclaim my dislike of the book. Then, I sat with my emotions and realized I actually really loved it. It was the same feeling I had at the end of Saw when Jigsaw stood up and slammed the door to lock them in. That confusion and realization and anger all bubbling into one intense reaction.
Once I accepted the ending, I could picture a rewind of the story (like they love to do at the end of thriller movies) where you see the stuff you didn’t see the first time around so you can understand how this crazy ending makes sense. And having a book give you that huge emotional reaction is pretty fantastic.

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