Both whimsical (there's a cat exploring space!) and heartbreaking (he's exploring space with his humans because there's an existential threat to all life!), this short SF novel is a meditation on grief and the importance of embracing life in the present.

Scout, their brother Kieran, and their cat Pumpkin are exploring the galaxy to discover why the only other civilizations humans have discovered are all extinct. This intrepid crew of archaeologists are in competition with artifact hunters sent by an uber-capitalistic hellscape corporation that keeps beating them to the punch.

They do manage to find one recording, and the playback of this is interspersed with the more action-heavy plot. The simple message of the book is that we need to take each moment as it comes, and appreciate them for what they are. To get it across, Riley August makes the reader go through a lot of grief (literally: Scout's mother died, and the entire recording we/Scout are watching are the last words of the president of a dying civilization AND focused on her relationship with her dead soulmate).

Did I cry? Well, yeah, but that felt like the point of the book. If you're a fan of Becky Chambers, this will be right up your alley. I like her books, but always wish there was a little more action - so this was even better for me.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Scout and his brother Kieran travel in deep, deep space in the distant future with Pumpkin, a cat. The cover is eye-catching, and the premise appealed to me. When humanity gained the technology to venture to distant planets, they found many places where life had once existed but where civilization and its life forms vanished eons ago. Scout's mission is to search these long-dead planets for archives to describe what caused that planet to die. He hopes to discover something that will explain what is happening at Home and thus save their world. Finally, on a dead planet, Scout finds some answers from a long-dead civilization. I failed to grasp some of the story's content or overall theme.

The narration and execution of the story failed to keep me engaged. I worried about the cat's fate but not the brothers' outcome. The ending was hopeful, but I thought it lacked a definite resolution. I believe the book will appeal to many SciFi fans. It could be described as cozy science fiction without relying on complex descriptions of advanced technology. This book was interesting, but it didn't hold my attention.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. The book will be published on October 1st.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for this arc.

I came for the cat on the cover (a cat in a spacesuit!) and I stayed for a wonderful book. The "Last Gifts" might not be what people are expecting. Both the book and what the last gifts turn out to be. “What matters most” is also a shifting entity across the book. Fair warning – there is a degree of grief in the book.

When they realize that their sensors have detected a “Hello, World” cache on a lifeless planet, Scout is ecstatic while Kieran is ready to assist his sibling in getting it. Both are aware of what it might contain and how this could help Home but Scout is driven to get it while Kieran is just business about it. Is their Home in danger yet? Somewhat and some of what bothers and worries Scout are things which appear to be happening here. Yes, I absolutely believe we are meant to draw parallels between our world and some things such as freedom of information, climate change, inequalities due to socioeconomic status, and corporations who are only in it for the money that are found in the book. But this is done with a lighter hand than I’ve often seen and acts to drive Scout beyond their own safety to foul Verity Co’s efforts. Scout and another character both have a crisis of faith in themselves and must work to overcome this.

The romance? I didn’t see it coming at all but nonetheless it filled my heart, broke it, and then put it back together. The Last Gifts also act to soften someone’s heart and show that people, no matter who or where they are, care about each other, even people they’ve never met nor ever will meet. This is a very, very character driven story. There are space techie things (as well as some odd references to couch potatoes, vampires, Wi-Fi, and that everyone loves pizza) but that’s not the main focus. Yes, I cried happy tears when I finished it. Great books are a gift. “This is one.” A

The Last Gifts of the Universe is a cozy sci fi story. I mean, that cover alone is enough for me to pick this book but I also was curious about the story. The lovely cover doesn't fool you yes this is a cozy story but also deals with loss and grief too. I cried couple of times. I love the characters and the sibling dynamic but Pumpkin stole my heart. I highly recommend this book. Pick it up you won't regret it. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let's be honest, this book sells itself by having a spacesuit wearing cat on the cover. A spacesuit wearing cat! The book itself is about the struggle between humans and mega-corperations, between knowledge and profit. Scout, their sibling, and their cat are on a spaceship trying to track down information caches left by the former inhabitants of the galaxy, in hopes of finding knowledge that might save their world. But of course the evil mega-corp is there at every turn, trying to profit from info that could save people. The fact that Pumpkin the cat puts on a spacesuit and joins the adventure is delightful. The story itself is good, but Pumkin is what elevates it to something we've not read a million times.

Finished reading The Last Gifts of the Universe by Riley August. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The book will be released on October 1st.
I think it's pretty obvious why I requested this book, in case it's not, it's the kitty in a spacesuit. Reading the blurb I expected maybe a cozy sci-fi adventure or just a straight up space opera esque story, with a dash of humor. It was some of that, but mainly it was a book about grief. How do I keep doing this to myself???? I see cozy and next thing I know I'm ugly crying with snot pouring from my nose. Did I miss an advertising memo? When did cozy start meaning emotionally draining?
My copy of the book had a lot of formatting issues that should be fixed before it comes out, but made POV transitions difficult to detect. There was also something going on with the letter 'f' but not always, just often enough to be jarring. Again, that should all be fixed by release, but it made it difficult to read and I ended up skimming some areas.
Ultimately, I think the book was fine. The world hit too close to home. The characters were fine. The cat was cute. It just wasn't what I was hoping for based on the cover and blurb.

I enjoyed this space-set story with themes of loss, grief, and what it means to be alive and find the value in small moments in the face of adversity.

This felt a bit like a children’s fiction story, but not in a bad way—it was charming and the simplicity made way for the more internal themes. The protagonist characters are good, the antagonists are bad (but maybe they can be redeemed!) and the cat is cat.

It was a quick and easy read.

This sci-fi space adventure is well worth a read. You’ll fall in love with Scout, their brother Kieran and their feisty cat, Pumpkin. Riley August has written a story that is at turns both hilarious and poignant. Join the crew of three as they race to find data on long-dead worlds that can perhaps save humanity from certain death.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

"It's strange what hindsight does. Takes all the layers of emotions and flattens them, turns them either good or bad. It can take time to see the shadows as something beautiful."

Thank you to NetGalley, Riley August and Hanover Square Press for the E-ARC!

When you see a book with a cat in a space suit on the cover, it becomes a must-read. I'm so glad I picked this up, and if you're into space adventures, never giving up when the odds are against you, and cats, you should too.

This is the story of Scout, their brother Kieran, and their space travelling cat Pumpkin as they search the galaxy for cache's from dead civilizations. No one knows how so many planets became devoid of life, but Scout is determined to figure it out. On one of the planets they visit, they uncover a message left by an alien species. With it's help, Scout sets on a path to discover the last gifts left to them in the universe.

This is a very character driven story. Although it's filled with new planets, spaceships and tech, and even monsters, the character's are the most important. As you journey through space, discovering new secrets, you learn more about Scout and their family, and even about the life of Blyreena, an alien from a different world.

My favourite aspect of this book was actually the excerpts from Blyreena's message. I loved learning about her life, about her world, all the trivial and basic things that make a person who they are. I found myself feeling all types of things while reading about her highs and lows, the good and the bad. It was such a good addition to the story.

I'm glad to have picked up this book, and hope that other's do as well! Who wouldn't want to read a book where a cat demands boops at the most inconvenient of times?

This is the story of Scout, their brother, and their adorable space-faring cat named Pumpkin. They are Archivists, hired by their Home world to excavate lifeless planets. One day they happen upon a planet who left a message indicating that they know what ended their world thousands of years ago. Scout and company must then race against rivals to find the rest of the messages.

I really enjoyed this one from start to finish. Imagining a cat in a tiny spacesuit was just the start. I liked how the messages from the people of the lifeless worlds told their story. This was a beautifully written book, and it was very hard to put down.

I wasn't aware until I was halfway through the book that it had been an indie title, the winner of the SPSFC2, which is the Science Fiction 'version' if you will, of the SPFBO fantasy book contest. That didn't change anything about the book for me, but it was really great knowing that writers from that contest are also being recognized by traditional publishers as well. 

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes the type of science fiction that Becky Chambers writes. This was a great one and I look forward to reading more from this author!

I always have nightmares about my indoor cats accidentally escaping the house, trying and failing to grab their little bodies as they flee from a scary noise or an intruder, eventually losing them to woods or city. If you’re like me: don’t read this book. The amount of danger the cat gets shoved into, the number of times he almost successfully runs away on dead planets because of the violence his humans throw him in the middle of… phew. My palms sweat every time the main character, Scout, put that cat in danger, which was roughly once a chapter. Leave. The cat. On the damn ship.

I need you to know that I went into this book with positive vibes, but somewhere around the 25% mark my annoyance reached the point where everything, every single little thing, irritated me. I hate to be this person today. I’m sorry. But here we go:

Nothing in this book stands up to more than two seconds of scrutiny. Not the tech, or the lore, or the characters’ motivations (Scout, by the way, is, incredibly selfish and unthinking). The entire plot is just hopping from one planet to another looking for the same thing. Like, four whole times. I love a road trip but can we have at least different excuses for planet hopping? The thing we need is here! No wait, it’s here! Actually it’s over there! It just became repetitive and stale very quickly.

And these dead planets we’re visiting? Supposedly completely alien to us, nothing like humanity has ever experienced, and yet… the aliens are just like humans, only purple. Their society is like ours, only… they are purple people. Alien infrastructure and technology completely unknown to us, and yet our main archivists easily traverse their cities and landscapes because “we just know what we’re doing” and AI somehow magically fills in the rest? How does your AI know anything about this alien planet if it’s… ALIEN???

The story was meaningless, often ridiculous, the villain was uninspired, and the characters were plain or unlikeable. Then there’s this whole passage reflecting on fond family memories of pastries, and that’s all it’s ever described as: pastries, with a fruity smell. Are the pastries flaky, are they golden brown? Are they rectangular, or more like a croissant? Is the fruity smell from a filling or a frosting? What fruit is it?? Like, describing a baked good just seems to be such easy writing that I’m baffled it wasn’t even attempted. To be fair, I was hungry while reading this scene, but still. Please tell me about the pastry. It’s not even alien.

I knew within two chapters that this book was directly in my lane.

Cozy elements combine with a riveting adventure to tell a story that asks us to look at our own motivations behind exploration and innovation. Thrilling and hopeful, Last Gifts of the Universe is a story that continued to deliver. Themes of grief, greed, and the things that define humanity exist alongside a space traveling cat, video games, your favorite hometown pizza, and the love of family.

A gem of a novella, I’ll be passing this along to many a reader. Fans of Becky Chambers who are seeking the thrill of Project Hail Mary should run, not walk, to their TBR.

I was in when I saw the cat in a spacesuit and read that the main character is a space archivist.

This is a really moving story about grief and the loss of, well, everything. Two narratives are intertwined - Scout's (our space Archivist), and the first person narrative left by an alien that Scout recovers. The stakes couldn't be higher (the entire universe is at stake), but it's also intensely personal.

That's not to say there's not action and danger and cozy space pizzas to be had. There is, and a great deal of it. But it's the sense of grief that stays with me.

In other cases I might be frustrated to not see our characters save the universe, but this stands alone. There could be other books set against the same backdrop, but this story satisfied me as a snippet out of its situation. A really lovely book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"The Last Gifts of the Universe" is a fun romp through space. (With a space cat!)

Looming in the background of the story is a terrifying presence that has the potential to wipe out all life in the universe. Our protagonist, Scout, is determined to find the information needed to potentially stop this terrifying presence, but is constantly thwarted a private company who wants to sell the information.

I enjoyed the author's commentary of private business, how we react to grief, and I really enjoyed the love story that was intertwined into the action of the rest of the story.

Unfortunately I didn't really connect with any of the characters, and I thought the ending fell flat. While the story was fast paced and easy to read, I desperately wanted more from everything! The story potentially could have benefited from being longer, as some of the fast pacing was extremely fast, but I still would have been disappointed by the ending.

I will read more by this author if the opportunity presents itself. And shout out to the fantastic cover art!

Siblings Scout and Keiran, and their cat, Pumpkin, are exploring space on behalf of the Archivists, looking for some weapon or defense or even information about whatever/whomever has completely destroyed almost every civilization out there. Their mission sends them to a solar system and caches of information... but of course it's far more complicated than that. What elevates this from the usual space exploration adventure is Pumpkin, who not only is on their spaceship but has her own spacesuit and gets to explore with them.

eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.

Another book that SURPRISED me in the best possible way. Initially was only planning to give this a 3 out of 5, but by the end I am giving this a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a millennial's space opera fever dream mixed with every dystopian novel we grew up reading. There are a lot of little references and easter eggs that many might not understand had they not grown up in the 90s/00s. Despite its whimsical writing style and space-faring cat, the story had a darker shadow following it, where a mysterious entity is destroying sentient life across the universe and capitalistic companies are competing with altruistic anthropologists for said knowledge.

I did not expect this story to worm its way into my heart the way it did, but its depiction of grief and how to move on from it was beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review!!

Honestly? I can understand why this book would merit a 4 or even 3 star rating for some people. It’s way too short for what it wants to do, and the overwhelming amount of millennial cat-lover quips are a little much? But hear me out - I think that the message in this book hits WAY harder than it needs to.

I almost DNFed this book simply because it was too close to the stress of current life on Earth. Corporations want you to die if you can’t help them turn a profit, and they’d let the world burn with a smile on their face if they were holding a dollar while doing it.

I couldn’t do it. I wanted to know more - I devoured this book, letting its revelations about grief and trying despite the futile feeling of it all open up little parts of my brain I didn’t know could be put into words.

It’s not perfect, not by a long shot, but that’s why I liked it so much. Scout could be annoying, Kieran could be stupid, but name me one person who isn’t! I think that this book should be read by anyone who sees the point in trying for a better life, even if everything else around you is mind-blowingly terrible.

_The Last Gifts of the Universe_ by Riley August is a bittersweet, emotional, and unputdownable science fiction read. Scout, an Archivist, and their technology-gifted brother Kieran, are tasked with finding helpful relicts on dead planets that were destroyed by the same force threatening the siblings’ people. When they find an alien message that promises helpful information, they must follow the lead that proves to be dangerous but also healing (also it features an adorable and fierce feline named Pumpkin). This book is tragic but hopeful, and will resonate with the reader.

Okay, so I went into The Last Gifts of the Universe with some skepticism, but came away absolutely loving the novel. Pumpkin is, obviously, my favorite character. I really think our sci-fi readers are going to have a blast with this book, so we will be purchasing a couple copies, and may end up reading it for our Sci-fi book club, too.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

Things that appealed to me about this book: archiving, cats, and a short page count. Things I didn't expect about this book: hating June so much, crying my eyes out, and a nearly 300 page count. I guess the Goodreads page is incorrect on that front.

The Last Gifts to the Universe is a story about two siblings who are travelling through space searching for cache data remnants of intelligent life, following a trail of planets left cold and dead with no signs of life and no explanation as to why. And they're dealing with Verity Co, the corporation who charges exorbitant amounts of money for information they have copywritten, like the cure for the common cold, or the secrets to saving the universe.

Scout is our nonbinary main character who loves their brother, Kieran, and their cat, Pumpkin. They lost their mom a year ago, right before taking off on their archivist journey to space, and so far they haven't had much of any success retrieving important cache data. Everything is Hello World messages or corrupted. Until they find one cache that speaks of the nameless thing eating planetary life. And Verity Co snags it right from under their noses. And the next one, and the one after that--- and it's up to Scout, Kieran, and Pumpkin to obtain the last cache that might have the answers they need.

The answers are actually in the life story of an alien who details the love she has for her husband, the first cache they managed to scan. The answers don't actually go to the question they need, but they're still answers. This made me cry a lot. I never like seeing animals in danger so I was absolutely bawling like a baby. The love story in the cache is absolutely heart-wrenching. And I hate June SO much, oh my god, she's so insufferable. But there's so much heart in this story, so much love. I hope that maybe there will be a sequel. Because this does end unresolved. So, take those three warnings with you: animal endangerment, familial death, and unresolved ending.