I honestly went into this book with zero expectations. This probably made it a little harder to connect with the main character Kai however, I did enjoy the morally grey side of her. It’s nice to have female characters be morally grey but especially when it’s in tandem with the male main character. I did find some of the plot points to be predictable which left me wanting more in an empty sort of way. I’d like to see where this series goes.

3.5 ⭐️
I can appreciate the effort the author put forth into crafting and writing this story. Overall, it was of a different caliber from the usual fantasy books I read. I do see potential though. Strengths: world building and memory loss trope.

WOW WOW WOW!!! I've read everything by Rachel Howzell Hall and she's among my favorite authors. One thing I love is that no two books of hers are alike. But this?!? I need more of it. Not just a sequel- a full series, merch, and a movie deal. The world-building is *chef's kiss*, the plot is fresh, and the slow burn is impeccably done.

PROS:
- Kai and everything about her. Absolute Black girl magic.
- 'Morally grey' done RIGHT. Everyone has secrets, and the way they move to hide them is executed perfectly.
- Action from JUMP. From the moment Kai sets out to reclaim her amulet ish pops off, and nothing stops or slows down until the last page. (DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE LAST PAGE.)
- Representation. I know some feel that the 'modern dialogue' (AAVE if we're being honest) can take you out of the world-building, but to hear how *I* would sound in a fantasy realm is truly invaluable. Please don't stop.

CONS:
- Cliffhanger. I know we have a love/hate relationship with them but this one hurt a little extra. Borderline cruelty.
- Honestly, my only *real* critique is that sometimes Jadon reads as inconsistent. We have this firm idea of who he is but sometimes his actions and words don't align- not morally, but in the way he's written. It could just be me but it was the only thing I could focus on during my second read-through.

All said and done this is a near-perfect standalone, despite being Hall's romantasy debut. GIVE US MORE.

DNF at 14%
I really wanted to love this. The premise was so good, the cover is so beautiful. It held such potential for my interests.
I loved how sassy the FMC is, even through her overzealous-diary-entry-like-thoughts. But the line "I feel like we came from the same cabbage patch" is what did me in. I think middle school me would have ate this up, but unfortunately I could not get past the cringe. Big sigh.

This preview definitely sucked me in and left me wanting more. I want to know who and whay Kai is, I want to know her story, where she is from. I will definitely be getting the full book.

Shame on me for not realizing preview meant just a short snippet when I thought it meant just a rough, unedited version of the book. It is hard to really give this a review when I only got about 67 pages or less of the novel.

The book starts out as a female wakes up confused as to where she is and realizes that she has had some of her things stolen. She goes into the town to try to find the thief that has taken her amulet and cloak when she stumbles on the girl discussing the items with a merchant. The town appears to be on starvation mode as everyone looks sickly thin. Our main character then chases down the thief and starts to choke her when a man then tries to arrest her. Luckily, the thief we learn is Olivia, comes to this confused female (who can read minds), and helps her get out of going to jail. The unfortunate news is that she has to stay in town to earn 12 geld to pay the jailers. Olivia and her brother take her in. She realizes her name is Kai.

That was about all the preview contained. I'm not sure if I would continue on with this book. The writing at times felt very childish and I have a feeling the book is coming to come across as cheesy. Also authors need to get more slowburn into their characters - you can instantly predict that there is insta-love and attraction between Kai and Jadon. As I said this preview gives more child/YA rather than adult fantasy.

Love, love, love this book! The wit and humor of the author is really top notch and brings a whole new enjoyment for this fantasy reader! Definitely gonna be one of my top reads of 2025!

*The Last One* is a thrilling and immersive tale that grips you from the very first page and doesn’t let go. Set in the haunting and perilous kingdom of Vinevridth, the story follows Kai, a protagonist as enigmatic as the land she’s thrust into. With no memory of who she is or how she arrived in this desolate place, Kai’s quest for answers becomes an electrifying adventure filled with danger, intrigue, and unexpected connections.

The world-building is stunningly vivid. From the eerie sickness that plagues the land to the unnatural beasts lurking in the shadows, every element of Vinevridth feels alive and ominous. The Sea of Devour looms as both a goal and a mystery, adding a sense of urgency that propels the narrative forward.

Kai is a compelling heroine—resourceful, fierce, and unrelenting in her pursuit of the truth. Her encounters with the blacksmith, a character as frustrating as he is fascinating, bring depth and a touch of humor to the story. Their interactions crackle with tension, and their interactions are layered with secrets, banter, and undeniable chemistry. Their evolving dynamic keeps you on edge, wondering what will happen next and whether they can truly trust each other.

The twists and turns in the plot are masterfully woven, keeping you guessing about the characters’ true identities and motives. When you think you’ve uncovered the answers, the story takes another unexpected turn, pulling you deeper into the mystery of Vinevridth and its dangerous allure.

The Last One excels at blending action, suspense, and romance into a seamless and gripping narrative. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy richly crafted worlds, strong-willed heroines, and complex characters with slowly unraveling secrets. This book will leave you eager for more and haunted by its vivid imagery and unforgettable characters. It is highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy with a spark of romance and a dash of mystery!

Thank you for this preview!I am so ordering the book now because it really started to get interesting and fully convinced me to want to order it. Running to get the audiobook because I really want to know how this book follows through to the end!

Thank you for the preview! I’ve been seeing this book around and have debated picking it up. The world seems very refreshing and the story itself seems like it’s going to be very fast paced (which is nice!). However the first few chapters had me slightly confused on what was going on and there were a few cringy parts but overall it was a great start!

I received a preview of The Last One and I have to admit, I am really intrigued! I can't wait to read the rest of this book to find out what happens!

Thank you Entangled for the preview.
This has some sass from the beginning. It seems to be faced paced, crazy romantasy I can't wait to finish!

This one has been on my tbr for so long, however afte finishing the preview I'm not convinced I'll read the entire book. Certain lines felt a bir cringy, and i struggled to get into it. However the world itself is refreshing so I may end up trying the actual book in hopes it develops more and draws me in.

I loved the beginning of this story, I was drawn into it with the mystery of Kai's amnesia and the people in this small place where she woke up, promising love between the main characters and refreshing world build.

This story had a lot of potential for me but it fell a little short with the characters and the plot. I enjoyed the world and the action but I felt like the plot was convoluted with too many complications revealed at odd times.

The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall is set up to be a great new fantasy. This little chapter sampler pulled me in from the very beginning, and I can't wait to read the full novel! I loved the chaotic beginning and felt like it was really setting me up in the story, feeling what Kai was feeling with her confusion, distrust, and miscommunications with other characters in the story. There was just enough to pique my interest, and I look forward to what would develop between Kai and Jadon. I just know there's something there! I am looking forward to continuing this read from Rachel Howzell Hall.

Thank you, NetGalley, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Entangled Publishing for this preview!

This review is based on a 6 chapter preview ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is not based on the entirety of the book.

That being said, I DNFed this after 2 chapters, and even pushing through that far felt like a struggle. The writing felt choppy and poorly done, so I was struggling to follow along. We also start off with both amnesia and miscommunication, which makes it very hard to even start feeling any level of investment into either the character or the world (didn't even get far enough to get a name for either of those). There was not much information given in the first couple of chapters, and what we did get I had a very hard time finding believable or authentic in any way. I will not be continuing with this.

A quick taste of the book and a great preview. Looking forward to reading the book upon publication.

The opening of the Last One reminded me a bit of the Prisoner - our hero wakes up in a quiet village without any knowledge of who she is or what she was doing - but we suspect she had quite a life beforehand!. She is quickly drawn into the town when her clothes are stolen (I admit, it was hard not to groan in solidarity) and she ends up living with feisty thief Olivia and older brother Jaden.

Though this reading was just a preview, I really enjoyed the homage to classic fantasy tropes while seeing the unique aspects of Howell Hall's world building - you can tell that the author has a background in mysteries, since this is positioned as more of a thriller to unlock than most romantasies.

Reading this preview has encouraged me to purchase the book - I am really interested to see how some of the themes (there is a brief mention of colonialism) and the relationships develop over time.

I've seen tons of readers discussing this book so I downloaded this preview. Reading it, I can tell it would be hard for me to really get into this story so I'm glad I just downloaded the preview and didn't request an ARC.