A drama and prose filled telling of a dystopian future where a storm has wiped out much of humanity leaving the survivors to carry on in a broken world. Overall an interesting story, but not a lot of action or suspense as you would expect from a dystopian novel.

I really enjoyed the shifts between life before the Storm and after the Storm, and the way that the two different storylines built off of each other. This was a very solid, enjoyable read, but I didn't feel like it did anything new that other post-apocalyptic climate-based novels haven't done before. I think that I would have enjoyed it more if there was more of a focus on the bookstore and the customers, rather than trying to include too much plot within the book. It didn't feel like the book was quite long enough for everything that happened within it, and I didn't see as much character growth as I would have liked to see from our main characters. Despite that, I still did enjoy reading this book, and there were parts of it that I really loved.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy!
Rating: 4.25/5 (rounded to 4/5)

I enjoyed the YA debut novel full of well developed characters, dystopian setting, and struggling relationships. With a decent pace, and numerous book references, I enjoyed the setting and the character introspection as much as I enjoyed the plot. Strongly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advanced reader copy

I love anything bookstore related, and Braun-Arnold's novel does not disappoint. The premise is unique yet familiar, and the characters are well realized. If you're a fan of books, survival, and the dystopian genre, give this one a try.

I was really excited to read this book just from the title and description, and I really appreciated the twists and turns and the revealing of secrets, but I had a lot of questions while reading. There were some things that just did not make sense- for example, the almost total lack of adults other than those passing through- but the story will be of interest to teens, and I doubt they will have the same hurdles I did. Overall, it was an interesting read.

Thank you for the ARC.

I enjoyed this dystopian tale, set partially in a bookstore, whenever there were familiar books mentioned. I was less intrigued with the story itself as the virus that wiped out most of humanity was quite terrifying! Overall, I wanted the story to be better executed and as the author is still quite young, I have hopes for their future.

The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold takes place in a future where the United States has been left in ruins due to a catastrophic weather incident called “The Storm.” A teenager named Liz
survived The Storm and has spent the last year surviving by living in a bookstore. It’s here that she meets another teenager named Maeve. Another Storm is coming and Maeve and Liz agree to help each other survive the next storm. They two girls grow closer, but have to deal with forces beyond just the Storm to survive.

This book straddled cozy and thriller. After reading this I realized how much I want cozy apocalypse books. That is exactly the scenario where I would want comfort and this book delivered during those scenes. Reading about how Liz survived and maintained her humanity was great. Also, her and Maeve’s relationship was full of sweet moments.

However, the thing with straddling cozy and thriller though is that you need to switch to thriller and those switches could be pretty sudden and jarring. For all of Liz’s humanity you can also see the dark side of a world like this.

Overall, I liked the book. The concept was very interesting. I just struggled to feel settled and maybe that was the point.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House, and Lily Braun-Arnold for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for my ARC!

"I should have known from our shared human history that destruction often causes more chaos."

I don't usually read YA but the concept of this book and the title had me intrigued.

This book is what you'd expect from a dystopian YA novel with one difference: the female main character is not what you expect. She's not your typical heroine in the survival stories. I loved the dive into her subconscious, the timeline flipping with her last days before The Storm, and her relationship with not just (some of the last surviving) people but also herself.

A tail of living in an apocalyptic New Jersey, a love story between teenagers who have to grow up in the blink of an eye. Liz, who doesn't want to leave her bookstore goes through trials and tribulations of being alone and a bit naive about the outside world. Their stubbornness shows through to the end.
This book is a great read and has a wonderful story of world building and character building, so much so that you feel that you are there with them. The only issue I had with the book was towards the end where the book climaxes and then just stops at a somewhat happy ending, it needed a bit more to the ending.

I always enjoy a good post apocalyptic book. I really enjoyed Liz’s story and seeing the changes she went through before & after the storm.

I thought this was an extremely solid debut novel from author Lily Braun-Arnold! The prose and storyline were very appropriate for a YA audience. The setting was realistic and relatable. I think that Braun-Arnold’s story was quirky, interesting, fast-paced, and a delight to read. I did find myself confused by some of the plot elements, and felt like the story could use a bit more polishing, but overall I’m really excited to see more work from this author!

This is a dystopian story that delves into who we are in our hearts. The author made the characters and situations between people very realistic. My struggle was with the dystopian part. Although I could logically accept the storm events, I struggled to believe that all the basic survival needs were or would be met. For example, it seemed inconceivable that there would be drinking water. There were to many instances where it didn't seem reasonable to believe the characters could survive.
I did enjoy the way the characters intrinsic values showed up when confronted. I wish there were more back stories of the main characters but I enjoyed the travelers stories.
It's a mixed bag for me.

Apocalyptic times have come and Liz is trying to make do and survive on her own. A storm of apocalyptic proportions came through and wiped out most of her area of New Jersey along with most of the world. Liz has holed up in the bookstore she used to work in before the storm and has helped keep herself alive by being a trading post. Customers will come by and trade goods for books or trade goods to get a letter to a loved one.

This perfect existence for apocalyptic times is upended when Maeve breaks into the store looking for shelter. Maeve warns Liz that another storm is coming, and it is coming sooner than what people think. With as much help as Maeve brings Liz, she also brings trouble. Maeve has some secrets that she keeps from Liz that end up coming to haunt them later in the book. Both Maeve and Liz are queer and the forced proximity makes them fond of one another and a relationship blooms. However, both are forced to battle human and environmental elements to survive. Who wins? Give this book a read to find out.

I will say I am not a big YA reader but the plot of this book really caught my attention, especially because I like humanity-ending storms/post-apocalyptic stories. Also, when it comes to romance, I definitely need some spice to kick it up for me. So anyone reading this review, there is some kissing but that is about all that happens in this story, so if you’re looking for more, it’s not in this book. I read this knowing I wasn’t getting that. For a YA book, I didn’t feel like I was reading a YA book. I tend to stay away from them because of how they can be written a little childish and that wasn’t this book. Other than knowing the character's ages and the fact that the description says YA, I wouldn’t have guessed I was reading YA.

One way I can tell whether I really got into the book is my reactions. This book made me cry. That’s a tough one to admit but this book made me shed a couple of tears. Well written.

My first job was at a bookstore, I'm queer, and dystopian lit is my fave genre, so this book was a no brainer for me to grab. Unfortunately, it wasn't mind-blowing. It was a good, solid read, but the main character was naïve and made some terrible life choices. I'm not saying I'd survive an apocalypse (I'd be the first to die), but goodness gracious, I hope I'd be smarter than Liz. If you want a quick read with a few twists, this is a good one to grab. Thank you netgalley for the arc!

I loved the effort of writing a dystopian book in this day and age, and I will forever jump on them, especially when they are as gay as this one. The premise was unique, which I mostly liked--a girl in a bookstore running a kind of letter service for anyone who comes by. However, it felt like it dragged on for too long, and I found myself becoming both bored and frustrated with Liz.

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Set in New Jersey, this is a dystopian themed story, set mostly in a bookstore owned by the main character, a young woman named Liz Flannery, who has been living in a somewhat abandoned bookstore as a storm is on the horizon. After all, most people have moved away, passed away, or are hiding, as the world seems on the brink of the end.

As this begins, there isn’t a lot of action, she has an occasional person stop by, but as time passes, she feels as though there is a sense of uneasyness that seems to grow, until one day when she hears that another storm is on the horizon, which is when everything in her life changes.

When Maeve enters her life, it is by breaking into the bookstore, not out of any malicious intent, but looking for a place where she can find some shelter. Time passes, and eventually, their relationship grows into more than friendship.

Still, there are other, perhaps more dangerous, moments than the storms. Eventually they are forced to face the fact that they need to fight for their lives, if they want to live.


Pub Date: 07 Jan 2025


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press

I don't know how to articulate my thoughts on this one. I read one review that said, "too cozy for a thriller and too much of a thriller to be cozy," and that's pretty accurate.

I would have loved a cozy post apocalyptic Sapphic romance about the bookstore bartering system. I would have enjoyed a post apocalyptic thriller about defending Liz's shelter. But the two blended together left me feeling unsettled through the whole thing. There are weird gruesome details about some things and a complete lack of details about other things. But an 18-year-old having to survive on her own isn't an easy thing. Still, it was a long journey for not much to have changed.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

"Two teen girls fall in love and fight for survival in an abandoned bookstore weeks before another cataclysmic storm threatens to bring about the end of the world in this unforgettable YA debut. Perfect for fans of Station Eleven and The Last of Us.

The world is about to end. Again.

Ever since the first Storm wreaked havoc on civilization as we know it, seventeen-year-old Liz Flannery has been holed up in an abandoned bookstore in suburban New Jersey where she used to work, trading books for supplies with the few remaining survivors. It's the one place left that feels safe to her.

Until she learns that another earth-shattering Storm is coming...and everything changes.

Enter Maeve, a prickly and potentially dangerous out-of-towner who breaks into the bookstore looking for shelter one night. Though the two girls are immediately at odds, Maeve has what Liz needs - the skills to repair the dilapidated store before the next climate disaster strikes - and Liz reluctantly agrees to let her stay.

As the girls grow closer and undeniable feelings spring up between them, they realize that they face greater threats than the impending Storm. And when Maeve's secrets and Liz's inner demons come back to haunt them both, they find themselves fighting for their lives as their world crumbles around them."

No, don't trade the books! Well, unless they're shitty books...

This book left me feeling torn. I appreciated the concept and premise, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations. I anticipated that the bookstore would have a more significant role beyond merely serving as a shelter and trading hub. For Liz, the books were important, but the bookstore primarily represented her safe haven, especially when The Storm arrived. The relationships felt authentic within the context, though there were moments when I forgot that the protagonist was just 18 years old. (3.5*)

Amazing book will definitely recommend to friends and family love the characters development. Love the plot line