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alongreader's review
3.0
Clover and the remaining teenagers are drawn back to Earth by a distress call, but once there they find themselves trapped. Things are not as they seem and the Last Teenagers will have to pull together if they're going to survive.
This is quite a different beast from the first book. That one was about survival; this is mostly a mystery, and some characters are sidelined for most of it. I read it all, but I wasn't very engaged and I didn't feel like I would miss it if I put it down. It's still a good series, this part just didn't click with me.
This is quite a different beast from the first book. That one was about survival; this is mostly a mystery, and some characters are sidelined for most of it. I read it all, but I wasn't very engaged and I didn't feel like I would miss it if I put it down. It's still a good series, this part just didn't click with me.
iam's review
4.0
I adored [b:The Last 8|36349389|The Last 8 (The Last 8, #1)|Laura Pohl|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1527523506l/36349389._SY75_.jpg|58031013], and while I liked how it it ended, I always love books answering the "what comes after [we saved the world}?" question.
Read this review and more on the blog!
Content warnings include: post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, flashbacks to suicide attempts, imprisonment, exclusion of people for not being "normal", meeting absent parent for the first time; mentions of death of parent, absent parent, death.
I loved Clover in the first book, and I still love her now. Not only is she aromantic, which is a rep I desperately want to see more of, she also has one of the most unique personalities I've encountered in YA fiction. Not necessarily because this sort of personality doesn't exist - but because it feels like it's often shied away from, particularly for girls. Clover is calculating, the opposite of outgoing, rational and likes to hold back and observe rather than get involved especially when it comes to interperonal interactions, but she also isn't afraid to be hands on and take responsibility. I love her love for the sky and her love for her friends, and how seeing them fight hurts her.
And most importantly, at no point does she turn around and say she's "not like other girls". Generally, her interests and skills, and those of the other characters, are never gendered in any way.
As in the previous book, some things about the plot just felt... overly convenient, or like obvious questions were just ignored until asking them wouldn't call out inconsistencies. I still liked the plot a lot - there weren't any outright plotholes, and had a great time reading the book, but it did irk me a little at times when things just seemed... too easy.
Which isn't to say there isn't tension or conflict. In fact, there is a lot. It switches between a big junk of action to barely anything happening while interpersonal dynamics and struggles took center stage for a big part of the book, before it switched back to action towards the end.
Some of the between-people things didn't feel quite resolved, but at the same time they were issues that had obvious solutions in talking them out.
Plus, the characters are teenagers, so...
That said, I love these teens. The entire group is great and wonderfully diverse, though some definitely got more attention than others, and I would have loved to see more of each of them individually.
Overall I liked this series a lot. It's a curious spin on alien invasion with great representations all around that doesn't take any of the more popular tropes and dynamics, instead taking a wholly different direction that I loved to see.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Read this review and more on the blog!
Content warnings include: post traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, flashbacks to suicide attempts, imprisonment, exclusion of people for not being "normal", meeting absent parent for the first time; mentions of death of parent, absent parent, death.
I loved Clover in the first book, and I still love her now. Not only is she aromantic, which is a rep I desperately want to see more of, she also has one of the most unique personalities I've encountered in YA fiction. Not necessarily because this sort of personality doesn't exist - but because it feels like it's often shied away from, particularly for girls. Clover is calculating, the opposite of outgoing, rational and likes to hold back and observe rather than get involved especially when it comes to interperonal interactions, but she also isn't afraid to be hands on and take responsibility. I love her love for the sky and her love for her friends, and how seeing them fight hurts her.
And most importantly, at no point does she turn around and say she's "not like other girls". Generally, her interests and skills, and those of the other characters, are never gendered in any way.
As in the previous book, some things about the plot just felt... overly convenient, or like obvious questions were just ignored until asking them wouldn't call out inconsistencies. I still liked the plot a lot - there weren't any outright plotholes, and had a great time reading the book, but it did irk me a little at times when things just seemed... too easy.
Which isn't to say there isn't tension or conflict. In fact, there is a lot. It switches between a big junk of action to barely anything happening while interpersonal dynamics and struggles took center stage for a big part of the book, before it switched back to action towards the end.
Some of the between-people things didn't feel quite resolved, but at the same time they were issues that had obvious solutions in talking them out.
Plus, the characters are teenagers, so...
That said, I love these teens. The entire group is great and wonderfully diverse, though some definitely got more attention than others, and I would have loved to see more of each of them individually.
Overall I liked this series a lot. It's a curious spin on alien invasion with great representations all around that doesn't take any of the more popular tropes and dynamics, instead taking a wholly different direction that I loved to see.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
wiltar4evr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
kappareads's review against another edition
4.0
*I received an ARC from Netgalley
Read more reviews on my blog here!
This book is the sequel to THE LAST 8, which I wholeheartedly recommend you read! It handles themes of suicide ideation and depression, but this is just such a good duology. For my review on the first book, clickhere!
The moment I picked up this ARC, I kind of figured I might end up reading the whole thing in one day.
And I did.
If the first book is about survival, this book is about recovery and moving through the past to have a better future.
The book handles the characters dealing with the fact that the Earth is no longer in danger, and the group reacts in different ways to that. The first book was about making friends, this book is about maintaining them and the bumps that go through it. I still love this friend group, even if they fight more in this one. It's made clear that these people may not have become friends if it wasn't for the fact that they thought they were the last survivors.
Once criticism from the first book was the main character, Clover, doesn't go through much more character development besides opening up to new people. In this one, however, Clover goes through a lot of character development as these poor teens get access to therapy!
As I went through the book, I started to guess some of the twists, but this was overall still an enjoyable read, that I didn't mind it.
The book still holds similar humor from the first book, which I enjoyed as it's a good break from these teens who are depressed and have PTSD.
Small spoiler relationship wise, but I will still die on the hill that is queerplatonic Raelyn and Clover. Like, you could probably see it implied, but look, I was loving every moment they had together.
I rated this book 4 stars, the same as I gave the first book. This book is an interesting conclusion to the first book, handling heavy topics with moments of levity.
1/23/2020: Review to come, but I just want to mention first that in the last 5% of the book, a song is referenced, so I put it on to finish off the book, and I damn near cried
Read more reviews on my blog here!
This book is the sequel to THE LAST 8, which I wholeheartedly recommend you read! It handles themes of suicide ideation and depression, but this is just such a good duology. For my review on the first book, click
The moment I picked up this ARC, I kind of figured I might end up reading the whole thing in one day.
And I did.
If the first book is about survival, this book is about recovery and moving through the past to have a better future.
The book handles the characters dealing with the fact that the Earth is no longer in danger, and the group reacts in different ways to that. The first book was about making friends, this book is about maintaining them and the bumps that go through it. I still love this friend group, even if they fight more in this one. It's made clear that these people may not have become friends if it wasn't for the fact that they thought they were the last survivors.
Once criticism from the first book was the main character, Clover, doesn't go through much more character development besides opening up to new people. In this one, however, Clover goes through a lot of character development as these poor teens get access to therapy!
As I went through the book, I started to guess some of the twists, but this was overall still an enjoyable read, that I didn't mind it.
The book still holds similar humor from the first book, which I enjoyed as it's a good break from these teens who are depressed and have PTSD.
Small spoiler relationship wise, but I will still die on the hill that is queerplatonic Raelyn and Clover. Like, you could probably see it implied, but look, I was loving every moment they had together.
I rated this book 4 stars, the same as I gave the first book. This book is an interesting conclusion to the first book, handling heavy topics with moments of levity.
1/23/2020: Review to come, but I just want to mention first that in the last 5% of the book, a song is referenced, so I put it on to finish off the book, and I damn near cried
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great story, I enjoyed what they dealt with, and the mystery of what was going on, and it was a great end to the duology!
bugbug03's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dianakalaf's review against another edition
5.0
7 adolescentes doidos salvando a terra de alienígenas e acompanhados de uma cachorra perfeita. O primeiro é um dos meus livros favoritos do mundo, e esse não fica pra trás! A Laura faz TUDO
laromyura's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5