Reviews

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

mijntjeguus's review against another edition

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4.0

This book was just amazing. I loved it so much. The writing was really nice but there were moments where I rolled my eyes. The famous “I released the breath I didn’t know I was holding” showed up again. But other than that I really loved it. I think the characters are really interesting and they got me really interested in the story. The plot was great as well. I really recommend this book

lielos99's review against another edition

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Thoughts to come

mirthesportel's review against another edition

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3.0

On the ‘was on my tbr for like a decade’ mission I listened to the audiobook of The last Namsara. Narration was fine, story was a bit boring and confusing at times to get into. A bit repetitive at times but I liked the fact that with this ending you don’t necessarily have to read the sequel… which I personally wont do. Overall not a bad book.

shireenjo's review against another edition

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5.0

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This novel is definitely in my top ten of the best YA Fantasy with Dragons novel i've had the pleasure of reading this year. I was hooked from the first page and absolutely loved the old stories (the old tales) that was interspersed throughout the book....that was unique and made the story much more interesting.
To be honest, Asha was not the most likable protagonist in the beginning of the story but as it progresses, her perception of the world and of people around her changed for the better (from hunting dragons to the divided class structure and even her own family members)
There's a slow simmering love interest and wish we get to read more about the other characters in Asha's life.

Overall, a fantastic debut and eagerly anticipating the next title from the series.

shireenjo's review against another edition

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5.0

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This novel is definitely in my top ten of the best YA Fantasy with Dragons novel i've had the pleasure of reading this year. I was hooked from the first page and absolutely loved the old stories (the old tales) that was interspersed throughout the book....that was unique and made the story much more interesting.
To be honest, Asha was not the most likable protagonist in the beginning of the story but as it progresses, her perception of the world and of people around her changed for the better (from hunting dragons to the divided class structure and even her own family members)
There's a slow simmering love interest and wish we get to read more about the other characters in Asha's life.

Overall, a fantastic debut and eagerly anticipating the next title from the series.

alyssaindira's review against another edition

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4.0

**NO MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW*(

“Once there was a girl who was drawn to ancient wicked things. Things like forbidden, ancient stories.”

Hey guys, so I finally got around to reading this book, and goodness, this was a journey. I thought I would dislike this book. I was a bit confused as it started, I did not like how the present timeline kept getting yeeted in favor of an older prose. The writing screamed YA, and I thought I had all the YA cliches figured out. Boy was I wrong. Sure, there were some cliches, but it was a tale onto itself. I began to enjoy the stories within the story. Their prose was magical and elegant, but best of all, simple. The lessons learned from the stories, the insight? It was all so deceptively simple. ANd beautiful, and magical. I enjoyed the simple YA style, with it dipping into a bit more complex narrative when needed. I got lost in the story, and I began to care about the characters. So much so I was sobbing towards the end of this book, clutching it with my fingers in hopes everything would be alright.

Asha believes she is a wicked, cruel thing. That is all she has known, and all she thought to be. She held the notions of society to her heart, until she didnt. I liked how it wasnt...instant for her, she had to consider and tussle with some of the new pieces of information she was dealt with. Which is normal. NOthing should be instant, not even love. Lust, maybe, attraction, but for a deeper commitment, for understanding, it takes time. And I am proud of Asha for taking the time to consider what she truly wants in life, what she truly deserves.

Mmm..torwn, tbh I dont have much to say about him. He is couragous and likes music, and is a pillar of strength on his own, but eh..he just didnt do it for me. I liked his dragon better. Honestly, I think the story would have been stronger if Asha fought for herself, and claimed herself, ya knoww, #feminism

I kinda liked Dax more, but unless peeps want incest, he couldnt be asha's love interest. But I was intrigued by him. The supposed heir, the one who was spineless. Ah..I want his pov, cause his interlacing in the novel were intriguing and I would love to learn more about that.

Lastly, I loved and ached for the dragons. Right away, I wanted them to be free, and live happy. Not hunted...same for the skral...I wasnt really happy about this dynamic, was very uncomfortable actually. But the dragons, they deserve to be prized and cherished, nothing else. And hopefully, they will be.

Alright, this is the end of my ramblings. If you want your own, read the book.

harvypat18's review against another edition

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5.0

4.5 ⭐️
This book is so underrated. I could not put it down and I devoured it in one sitting. Things it includes that I loved:
-Non-stereotypical, well done POC rep
-A smart, driven protagonist
-Phenomenal worldbuilding. Literally the world building kept me HOOKED.
-And did I mention DRAGONS????
The slave-royalty relationship mentioned in the synopsis made me hesitate because I thought it would be very toxic and concerning, but honestly, it was nothing of sorts. It was a cute, fluffy romance and the author addressed the elephant in the room every time it came to their relationship, which I personally appreciated.
Something I did not like though, was the loose mention of “slave” in the book. It felt ignorant to actual historical events. Even in a fantasy’s world, I feel as thought another word could have been utilized.
Overall it’s a really well-done concept. I will be putting off reading book two, only because it follows two different characters, but do plan on reading it soon!

huh_3's review against another edition

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4.0

Woah, I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but it wasn’t that.

I’m really excited to continue this series and see what happens next

thevintagebookishgirl's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

labunnywtf's review against another edition

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1.0

Yay, I'm done with this book and I can pretend I never suffered through it.

I originally was classifying this as Fantasy 101, but even Fantasy 101 has better character structuring than this does. And better plot. And better not making my eyes roll back in my head.

The tiny pieces of dragon stories and lore sprinkled throughout were the absolute highlights of this book. I think the author had a lot of good blurby stories, without the ability to flesh them out, so they all got slapped in here, surrounded by a sludgy plot with literally no substance. Like melted jello that still has bits of fruit in it.

So glad to be done and moving on to something better.