I cannot believe that the author is just a junior in college. This book was well written and immersive into the world of a bookstore at the end of the world. The characters were complex and I always appreciate a queer storyline.

This book says if you like The Last Of Us you'd like this and I did get slight The Last Of Us vibes but not a ton. Over all I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all readers. I love good eco dystopian books and wish there were more out there.

Boy, did this book surprise me: intelligent writing, realistic post-apocalyptic setting, sapphic romance. I loved all of it!

The story is uniquely divided into several parts: a dual timeline of what occurred before and after a cataclysmic storm, along with archival stories from survivors collected by our MC, Liz. The past timeline provides a sense of life "before," illustrating how people didn't truly believe that the worst could happen, while the present reveals the destruction caused by nature. In between these timelines, I particularly enjoyed the archival stories from survivors as they relived their experiences of survival, the storm, desperation, relief, and memories of their previous lives. I thought these stories offered valuable context without writing additional POVs - brilliant!

As a horror lover, I really enjoyed the ecohorror elements. The impending storm intensifies the tension and stress throughout the story, and revisiting the previous storm is definitely not for the faint of heart. At its core, this ecohorror forces our characters to seek purpose and healing amid their grief.

Other highlights: book store as your home base, proof of human resiliency, contemplation of being alone vs being lonely, and Liz’s imagination of what Alien overlords would say if they discovered her

The world has ended and Liz Flannery is content to live in the “last bookstore on earth” as far as she’s concerned. She’s alone but only until a stranger breaks into her store, hoping for shelter and supplies.

I did enjoy this book but I don’t really feel like I was the audience for it. I’m all for a post-apocalyptic novel but the YA vibes were very teenager-y to me. However, I was still very entertained and read it pretty quickly and enjoyed the characters. Overall, a fun read that would probably be the perfect read for a high school student. Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I honestly have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the writing style and the plot was an interesting concept. However, I found the main character to be fairly intolerable. Maybe I'm just too old for this but in my opinion Liz was too naive and extremely self-centered to the point that I cringed multiple times per chapter. The ending was fairly lackluster. It was a bit anticlimactic and left me wanting something else, though I'm not sure what. Overall though, I would say that the book is worth a read if you like post-apocalyptic stuff. Also, Maeve is fun. I loved her character.

The Last Bookstore on Earth” is a quick and easy YA debut novel that surprised me that this is Arnold’s first book AND she is only 19 years old.
The story follows 17-year-old Liz, who has been living in an abandoned bookstore in suburban NJ since a catastrophic event known as “The Storm” devastated civilization. She trades books for supplies with the few remaining survivors, finding comfort in her familiar environment that she once worked in.
Then she learns that another Storm is approaching and everything changes. Along comes Maeve, a guarded outsider seeking shelter. Despite initial tensions, Liz allows Maeve to stay, recognizing her skills could help the bookstore against the next storm.
As they work together, a deep bond forms between them, leading to a romantic relationship. I felt it was a circumstance relationship of convenience and need of comfort/companion. 🤷🏻‍♀️.
Both girls have secrets and past traumas that threaten their survival as the world around them continues to crumble.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s Publishing for the ARC read in exchange for review.

A post apocalyptic YA book set in a bookshop? Yes, thank you! This was a quick read. It’s set in a bookshop after an apocalypse in the US. Another disaster is looming and Liz learns to rely on someone other than just herself to be able to survive.

I really enjoyed this book! It was an interesting take on dystopian fiction and I thought the whole story was very well put together. Love, betrayal, and books at the end of the world. Five stars because I couldn't put it down

Set in a not to distant dystopian future, Liz is hold up in a crumbling bookstore and is determined to weather out this disaster one book at a time.

I can certainly see the UA elements in this novel and it works well for what the author is trying to portray. a 17 year old and other teens who have survived the first wave of acidic storms are doing the best they can and some of them are far more cut-throat than the others.

Liz's family was washed away in the storm which seemed to mark the end of civilization as she knew it. However, instead of staying at the home she grew up in, she no longer feels safe in that space and seeks out the comfort of the bookshop she has been working in. Her last co-worker leaves, and Liz finds herself alone, handing out books for whatever people can spare and passing along notes and letters for travelers who pass through.

It isn't until Maeve breaks into the bookstore one night, does Liz's world get turned on it's head. Maeve is far more concerned with survival and tries to hammer in the idea that Liz should either leave or shore up her defenses before the next storm threatening the horizon.

I would call this a kind of cozy post apocalyptic book with lots of heart and survival. I do think there is a level of neurodivergent representation in this book even though the author doesn't come out and say any of her characters may be neurodivergent. I like seeing her characters think and act in ways that may not often be represented in other books. It was a quick read and well worth picking up.

Happy publication day! I want to thank the publisher for the advance reader copy of this book. I stayed up until 2am finishing this one, because I just had to get to the ending.
This story had a really interesting premise and I cover that caught my attention. I was not disappointed. I really enjoyed this book and I think the author did a great job building this post-apocolyptic world. I would have liked a little more character development for our two main leads. I felt like they were kind of stuck in the same back and forth for a while before there was any development. But overall really enjoyed this!

This is another book that instantly attracts your attention with the cover and the title. The book was an easy read to read through. Dystopian isn't as popular as it used to be so I loved reading a new release with those elements. I loved the bookstore. Overall a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love apocalyptic stories and anything sapphic so I was super excited about this one. I love the idea of lesbians in bookstores.

4.75 ⭐️

🌈 Rainbow Ratings:
Representation: 9
Atmosphere: 10
Intrigue: 10
Narrative: 9
Build-up: 9
Originality: 9
Wow Factor: 10

The Last Bookstore on Earth follows young Liz as she navigates life post-apocalypse, sheltering in the bookstore she once worked at. This refuge becomes a hub where survivors stop by to share stories, trade, and leave letters. For Liz, it’s not just a place of work—it’s home and her lifeline. But her quiet existence is upended when a mysterious young woman visits one night, bringing news that the apocalyptic storm which nearly wiped out humanity isn’t over yet. A sequel storm is brewing.

The imagery in this novel is stunning—vivid and cinematic. I felt like I was watching the scenes play out in real time. The characters are deeply thoughtful, their emotions raw and authentic. Liz is especially relatable. As much as I enjoy dystopian novels, I know I’d likely be one of the first to go in an apocalypse! Liz’s reluctance to step out of her comfort zone and her focus on mere survival resonate with many of us. She’s not out to rebuild civilization—she’s just trying to stay safe in the only world she knows.

Enter Maeve, who gently pulls Liz out of her shell. Their dynamic is heartwarming, and the story's climax is as satisfying as it is gripping.

I can’t recommend this book enough! Big thanks to the author and TBR & Beyond Tours for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For more of my thoughts on this exciting release, check out my bookstagram (@blackgirlbujos).

Storms have wreaked havoc on Earth. Liz Flannery stays in an abandoned bookstore in New Jersey where she used to work, trading books for supplies with the few remaining survivors. Another Storm is coming, and Maeve breaks into the store to stay the night. The two butt heads, but Maeve has skills able to repair the shop so it could possibly survive the Storm. While they develop feelings for each other, Maeve’s secrets and Liz’s inner demons come back to haunt them both. Now they're fighting for their lives as their world crumbles.

The Storms that hit the country were brutal, involving literal acid rain that harmed and damaged everything it fell on. Liz hides away from the world in the bookstore, still using whatever water and food stores that had been there when she had a fellow coworker staying there with her. It was damaged, but safe enough for ordinary weather conditions. Liz collects stories of survivors who passed through and serves as a message center. Maeve is the daughter of a former NYC superintendent, so she has some practical skills to help repair the shop since Liz refuses to leave. She's caught up in the past as much as Maeve isn't and wants to leave. Other survivors are still out there, and some of them aren't interested in peace, only hoarding potential supplies and resources. Maeve knows some of these survivors, and Liz is still dealing with grief.

With the tight timeline punctuated with glimpses of the past before the first Storm, the story feels almost claustrophobic before the danger ratchets up. Maeve and Liz bring out different sides of each other; Liz needs to push past her comfort zone, and Maeve needs to care about others. The end of the world is a tough place to be, and survival depends on so many factors. In this novel, it's the connections to others that make a difference.

In the year since The Storm (a massive days long event with corrosive acid rain that killed large numbers of the populace), Liz has lived out of a bookstore in New Jersey that's slowly falling apart, trading books for necessities. An encounter with a raider-turned-roommate/sapphic love interest changes things for her in this mostly gentle apocalypse that leans into its ecological horror elements towards the end.

I enjoyed my time with The Last Bookstore on Earth. The dialogue is snappy and fun, though some of the pop-culture references felt either dated (The 100, the Pirates of the Caribbean films), or like they are quick to become dated, which distracted me a bit from the story. Some of the tonal shifts from cozy to eco-thriller to body horror threw me off a bit, and made the pacing and style feel slightly uneven.

Lily Braun-Arnold’s debut novel, The Last Bookstore on Earth, is an exquisite and thought-provoking journey through a post-apocalyptic landscape, one that skillfully blends the power of storytelling with the resilience of the human spirit. Set in a world ravaged by disaster, we follow Liz, a former employee of the title bookstore, who now resides within its walls as a survivor of the storm that altered everything. While The Last Bookstore on Earth may not have initially seemed like the typical read for me, Braun-Arnold quickly captivated me with her intricate world-building. The beginning, though initially slow, serves as the perfect foundation for what gradually evolves into a profound and engaging story, pulling readers into a dystopian reality that feels both so far away and heartbreakingly familiar. Admittedly, the ending left me with a lot of unanswered questions, which I personally found unsatisfying, but this is a minor critique in light of the overall strength of the novel. As a debut author, Braun-Arnold has crafted a remarkable work that reflects not only her creativity but her sophisticated grasp of narrative structure. Her writing sparkles with wit, charm, and a certain type of boldness that makes her character development shine. The infusion of a brief romance, while initially surprising in a dystopian setting, serves to humanize the experience and adds an unexpected layer of warmth to the stark backdrop of post-apocalypse survival. I enjoyed that once the romance was brought into play it was not made the main focus which is often what drives me away from books. In sum, The Last Bookstore on Earth is a thrilling debut. If this novel is any indication of what Lily Braun-Arnold has in store for the future, there is no doubt that she will continue to rise as a literary force.

*To be more specific I would rate this 3 1/2 stars

A fantastic piece of climate fiction, sure to leave you thinking about Liz and the Bookstore for days after finishing this story.

In The Last Bookstore on Earth, we meet Liz, 17, living in the remains of the bookstore she used to work at. The world is nothing like it used to be after an earth shattering weather event and Liz is just trying to get by. That all changes however, when someone breaks into the bookstore.

Liz must navigate not just how to survive but also how to connect with people in these dangerous times. Can she really trust another person when so much is at stake?

This was a thoughtful, immersive read, truly one of the best YA dystopian novels I have read in a very long time. I would recommend this to both adults and teens, anyone looking for a book with dark themes but also with some glimmers of hope.

How do you find your normal when the world is no longer the same? In The Last Bookstore on Earth , Liz tries to find her new normal, living at the same bookstore that she used to work in before the apocalypse started and deadly acid rain storms erupted everywhere. To Liz, life in the bookstore is now routine and she has established a trade system with those who pass by. The bookstore in itself is a character, a living space and carved into a new home for Liz.

Most of the story takes place within and around the bookstore, and is centred around Liz’s survival in this new world. I really enjoyed the way this was written because you easily find yourself standing in the middle of the bookstore, imagining the shelves and the cracks in the building. The writing strikes at your heart and makes you feel so much - you experience every emotion that Liz goes through. This is such a beautifully crafted story about living and surviving in a time when everything seems to be working against you.

Maeve’s arrival adds another layer to this story. She is a girl with secrets, and like everyone, has gone through a lot because of the Storm. Her personality is a direct contrast to Liz, making the two perfect foils for each other. Where Maeve has constantly been on the move, Liz has stayed at her bookstore refusing to leave. The two could not be more different and yet I felt like the progression of their relationship (in the wake of immense adversity) felt like the utmost natural thing.

Beautifully emotional and packed full of tense moments too, The Last Bookstore on Earth will leave you on an introspective note, and wanting more of Liz and Maeve’s story. I am so so glad I read this and that this became my first 5 star read of the year!

After a horrific climatological disaster destroys society as we know it, Liz, a 17-year-old recent high school graduate, has managed to carve out a small life for herself living in the remains of the local bookstore she used to work at part-time. She has to scrounge and barter to stay alive and her whole world consists of her books and whichever strangers happen to stop by that day, but everything changes when a mysterious person breaks into her bookshop in the middle of the night and changes Liz’s cozy life forever.

If there is such a thing as Cozy Dystopian, this is it! The stakes for our characters are relatively high, but much of the book deals with the practicalities of functioning in a post-apocalyptic world, grappling with survivors guilt, and learning to trust someone new when all the rules of modern society are thrown out the window. I thought the pacing was good, with enough peeks shown of the original world-ending disaster to keep me intrigued without giving away everything too quickly. The writing is charming as well, easily readable for its intended YA audience with plenty of humor and tongue-in-cheek moments that don't detract from the weight of the situation. The main characters are believable in their ages by their thoughts, actions, and dialogue which is something not every YA book gets right. I found it highly enjoyable and would recommend it to any reader who enjoys dystopian fiction, YA or not!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the author for this ARC copy! All opinions are my own and willingly shared.

I enjoyed this post-apocalyptic climate fiction, but the immaturity of the narrator indicated that it was definitely YA.

Narrated by Liz, a teenager who is living alone in the bookstore where she worked before the storm that ended the world as she knew it (and ended her family), Liz has stayed in the bookstore because she doesn't believe she has anywhere else to go. People sporadically come and go, and she acts sort of as a post office for people to leave things with others. She also writes down their stories, and they offer her food and valuables in exchange. She's still fixated on Ava, her former co-worker, and crush, having left several months before.

Liz is a little worried when a regular customer tells her that there is another storm coming, as the store isn't in the best shape, with a hole in the roof but she doesn't really have the skills or materials to fix anything. Then Maeve breaks into the bookstore one night, claiming to just need a place to crash. After some initial squabbling, they decide to work together, after Maeve finds a generator and Liz gets hurt trying to start it.

Everyone is dealing with PTSD and there are groups of people around, but luckily, up to this point, Liz has remained safe. But has associating with Maeve now put Liz in danger, too? And what if they don't get repairs done before the next storm?

I recommend it if you like climate and post-apocalyptic fiction, suitable for young adult readers.