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zilver's review
3.0
3.5 | “Our end will bring our beginning to light.”
I need to start of by saying that reading this book with this pandemic playing out in the meantime does make the whole prepping for the End Of The World As We Know It business a whole lot more reasonable. Maybe it always was.
That being said, I kinda really dug this non-dystopian dystopia story. Because of how ingrained the prepper lifestyle is for all three Juniper sisters, it really feels like you’re on this precipice the entire story - the apocalypse might really happen at any time. It’s a bit strange to say, but it was refreshing to read a story where the apocalypse is approached with as much calm, distance, and preparedness as in The Last Girls. It’s like this: it’s likely the shit’s gonna hit the fan sometime (especially with copious amounts of references to an unnamed POTUS who keeps starting wars and tweeting his bad decisions out to the world) and the Juniper sisters are ready. They know plan A, and B, all the way until Z. And then some, probably.
The setting for TLG is one of the things that makes the story so intriguing. The amount of detail and care that went into describing the compound, the way it works, the way Honey, Birdie and Blue’s brains work as a result of the way they’ve been trained, is really fascinating.
And we all know I’m a sucker for a strong sibling bond in any story, so I was pretty certain this book was up my alley in that respect, and I was right. It was the other strongest part of this novel. The idea of despite all that’s going on, we are each other’s first priority, is just super appealing to me. That combined with the literal found family trope we had going on… britneyyeah.gif. When there are two storylines you know are going to intersect at some point during the story that just makes for a really exciting prospect, and the chapters surrounding that moment in TLG definitely had me on the edge of the couch.
“You trained us to be soldiers, to protect what’s ours, and that’s exactly what we did.”
That also leads me, though, to some of the stuff I had issues with. Because despite enjoying a lot of the story, when I sat with it after finishing the book I also felt… unresolved. And I think one of the reasons for that was the pacing of the book, because despite really liking the idea of the two different storylines, I did feel like it took too long for them to intersect. It meant that I was left with the sense that the resolution of this pretty major plot point and event in the characters’ lives was rushed.
The other thing was, and I think this was pretty major in my final feelings about the book, that I felt like a lot of the characters could have been developed a lot more. It especially struck me when it came to Blue, who, while unambiguously beloved by her sisters, is just [says something prophetic][embroiders clothes][has cool pet bird] all the time. Even Honey isn’t able to say much more than “wow, what Blue just said is even weirder than all the stuff she’s said before.” Blue doesn’t seem to have any friends, or relationships besides her sisters/mother. And when she’s supposed to be one of the core people to this story, makes it just a bit harder to get into.
Also all the antagonists remained really flat. Their motivations remained really unclear, they were just bad, angry, mean people, without there being really more to it than that. That in combination with the amount of things that were supposedly going on in the second half of the book, the violence, the paranormal (???)... It was just a bit too much for me. It feels like a case of less would’ve been more. It would’ve given some more space and depth for plot/characters that I think really needed it.
Still, I think The Last Girls surprised me in a lot of ways, and made for a really interesting story with an original setting. I’d definitely recommend it to people looking for something really fresh and exciting.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I need to start of by saying that reading this book with this pandemic playing out in the meantime does make the whole prepping for the End Of The World As We Know It business a whole lot more reasonable. Maybe it always was.
That being said, I kinda really dug this non-dystopian dystopia story. Because of how ingrained the prepper lifestyle is for all three Juniper sisters, it really feels like you’re on this precipice the entire story - the apocalypse might really happen at any time. It’s a bit strange to say, but it was refreshing to read a story where the apocalypse is approached with as much calm, distance, and preparedness as in The Last Girls. It’s like this: it’s likely the shit’s gonna hit the fan sometime (especially with copious amounts of references to an unnamed POTUS who keeps starting wars and tweeting his bad decisions out to the world) and the Juniper sisters are ready. They know plan A, and B, all the way until Z. And then some, probably.
The setting for TLG is one of the things that makes the story so intriguing. The amount of detail and care that went into describing the compound, the way it works, the way Honey, Birdie and Blue’s brains work as a result of the way they’ve been trained, is really fascinating.
And we all know I’m a sucker for a strong sibling bond in any story, so I was pretty certain this book was up my alley in that respect, and I was right. It was the other strongest part of this novel. The idea of despite all that’s going on, we are each other’s first priority, is just super appealing to me. That combined with the literal found family trope we had going on… britneyyeah.gif. When there are two storylines you know are going to intersect at some point during the story that just makes for a really exciting prospect, and the chapters surrounding that moment in TLG definitely had me on the edge of the couch.
“You trained us to be soldiers, to protect what’s ours, and that’s exactly what we did.”
That also leads me, though, to some of the stuff I had issues with. Because despite enjoying a lot of the story, when I sat with it after finishing the book I also felt… unresolved. And I think one of the reasons for that was the pacing of the book, because despite really liking the idea of the two different storylines, I did feel like it took too long for them to intersect. It meant that I was left with the sense that the resolution of this pretty major plot point and event in the characters’ lives was rushed.
The other thing was, and I think this was pretty major in my final feelings about the book, that I felt like a lot of the characters could have been developed a lot more. It especially struck me when it came to Blue, who, while unambiguously beloved by her sisters, is just [says something prophetic][embroiders clothes][has cool pet bird] all the time. Even Honey isn’t able to say much more than “wow, what Blue just said is even weirder than all the stuff she’s said before.” Blue doesn’t seem to have any friends, or relationships besides her sisters/mother. And when she’s supposed to be one of the core people to this story, makes it just a bit harder to get into.
Also all the antagonists remained really flat. Their motivations remained really unclear, they were just bad, angry, mean people, without there being really more to it than that. That in combination with the amount of things that were supposedly going on in the second half of the book, the violence, the paranormal (???)... It was just a bit too much for me. It feels like a case of less would’ve been more. It would’ve given some more space and depth for plot/characters that I think really needed it.
Still, I think The Last Girls surprised me in a lot of ways, and made for a really interesting story with an original setting. I’d definitely recommend it to people looking for something really fresh and exciting.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
questsandcrimes's review
4.0
What’s it like to be a teenage doomsday prepper? Honey, Blue, and Birdie live on a prepper compound in the Washington wilderness with their mother, but attend regular high school. When the prepper group has internal struggle, it’s up to Honey to keep her sisters safe.
Okay, this book is so much more than that description....but spoilers though. I loved the writing of the book. It was quick, witty, and descriptive. There are these “threat assessment” sections where Honey assess individuals at the high school. These sections are so fun. I want her to do mine. Spoiler alert: 9/10 would impede group survival
Okay, this book is so much more than that description....but spoilers though. I loved the writing of the book. It was quick, witty, and descriptive. There are these “threat assessment” sections where Honey assess individuals at the high school. These sections are so fun. I want her to do mine. Spoiler alert: 9/10 would impede group survival
jenacidebybibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the Publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge via Netgalley for an honest review.
Mother do you think they'll drop the bomb?
-Pink Floyd
“Preparedness is the root of prepping.”
Sisters Honey, Birdie and Blue know they're weird. Unlike regular teenagers who worry about school dances, dating and shopping, the Juniper sisters are more versed in survival skills and tactical combat. For years they have been moving around with their mother Alice, never without their EDC bags or each other. But after settling in Washington and working and training along fellow doomsday preppers on a secret compound in the outskirts of town, things for the Juniper sisters are getting...strange. After a mission set by the compound leader goes wrong, one of the boys from the compound is forced to go out on his own as punishment. But what really happened that day on the mission is the real question, and why the mission was ordered in the first place. Suddenly life isn't all government conspiracies and stock-piling food. While trying to keep their prepper identities secret, they soon realize the truth is much more toxic than they ever expected.
“'Why did we ever come here?'
'To find our way home,' Blue says.”
I think this is my new favorite book of 2020. I mean sure, nothing can really beat the gut-punch and epic fantastical emotion show that was HOEAB, but for me...Last Girls comes damn close.
Maybe it's just the conspirator in me, or the slight hope for an apocalypse so I can run around the world mostly scared, yet completely badass in my combat boots, unpractical black jeans, ripped shirts and unnaturally large knives strapped to my legs. But in truth, it's probably the fact that I am a sucker for badass females that can take care of themselves - ESPECIALLY in the woods with a bow or a rifle. And that is exactly what the Juniper sisters are. BAD. ASS. They're fiesty, they're sharp and witty, they are experts in weaponry and hunting and can lay you on your back in .25 seconds. They are teenagers who posses the innocence of young women, but also carry a wisdom and complete sense of comfort as to who they are. They are thoughtful, tactful and at ease in their bodies. I adore them.
“We can handle them.
My sisters and I can handle anything.”
The girls live on a compound with a bunch of other preppers. Men and women, boys and girls. The compound is separated into two two sections: The Burrow, where the men reside with the weapons and artillery, and The Nest, where the women reside and grow food for the compound and tend to the animals. Every day the girls are required to take care of the animals that are used for food, to train with the rest of the compound, and to remember the most vital rule of all:
“The first rule of prep club is you don't talk about prep club.”
The compound is ultra strict about keeping the prepper business on the DL, and anyone caught violating their rules or putting their fellow preppers at risk are swiftly dealt with and banished. This lifestyle is all the juniper sisters have ever known, and it's almost like they were made for it. So even though they are always labeled the Weird Sisters at whatever school they end up attending, they also are quite aware that if a disaster ever hit, they would definitely be the last ones standing.
“If I be waspish, best beware my sting.”
Honey is the oldest Juniper sister and tasked with the responsibility of keeping her sisters in line and ensuring they always stay together. She is compassionate and strong, fierce yet approachable, thoughtful and definitely acts as the mother hen. The story is told by her and seen through her eyes, which I think was the perfect choice for a voice for this story. She is the balance of her two sisters. A piece of Blue's calm and a piece of Birdie's brash nature. She is the glue and the rational authority for her sisters, always thinking ahead and making sure they are safe.
“...a look that rides the line between aloof and ready for battle.”
Now Birdie...she's my girl. I connected with her SO much, even though she's still a bit of a mystery. She has the Fury/Amren vibes of cool and carefree murder in her eyes, and a sassy mouth like Aelin and Bryce. She fully lives up to her name in the sense that she flies out the door on a whim, doing what she pleases and when. She acts before thinking and refuses to be told what to do, but that doesn't mean she isn't an excellent prepper. Because she is. She is just as dedicated to her lifestyle as her sisters, but she likes to bend the rules more. She is the strength and unwavering determination of the sisters.
“A calm blue sea with hair to match...”
Blue is also my favorite! So yeah, okay...I love them all. But Blue is perfection! She is the youngest Juniper and is an enigma of cool, calm and collected at all times. She is unwavering in her thoughtfulness and passive nature, and is always spouting odd prophecy-like sentences that even make her sisters look at her strangely. But of course, that was why I was obsessed with her. Well, and the cobalt blue hair. Blue is so sweet and loving, definitely the heart of the sisters.
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
But this story has so much MORE of an underlying purpose weaved within it, but I of course can't say a damn thing about it because OHMYGAH, it's so good. By the end of the book I had tears forming, and when Birdie flies at someone near the end...well. I just about broke down and started happy weeping. How this tale comes together is really crafty and sly, and I loved how slowly everything was revealed. It broke me a little, in a good way, and I am still oohing and ahhing about the beauty of it all. And to make the story EVEN BETTER, the writing in it was fantastic! The sarcastic jokes, ironic Hunger Games references and witty banter between Honey and her classmate Remy was so enjoyable. I was highlighting SO MUCH while reading because I couldn't get enough of these personalities.
There are a few romantic notions in this tale, but I really liked that it didn't encompass the story or overpower the real plot. It added to the characters by bringing a necessary softness and realistic nature to them. It helped make the girls feel like actual teenagers, rather than gun-toting soldiers looking for a fight.
Overall, I loved this book. I want it to become a movie, I want to play Birdie, no I cannot act, but I have that “f**k you” look ready and the hair to match, so bring it on. Read this book. Get into the culty/Dooms Day/Apocalypse/prepper lifestyle with me and let's go be weird together.
Currently taking applications for my other Juniper sisters.
bookloversofi's review
4.0
I want to thank NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book a lot, especially its great originality and the incredible perspective that the author chose to explore, atmospheric and suspenseful. It took me a bit, in the beginning, to get fully into it, especially since the main character didn't click with me and I ended up having certain problems with her attitude, I feel that it's simply not my type of character, even so, I enjoyed most of the aspects of the book and it's a stand-alone that I would definitely recommend, for its survival and sisterhood side.
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
You can find more fo my reviews on my blog A Book. A Thought.
In Last Girls, we follow the Juniper sisters: Blue, Birdie, and Honey, who live in a doomsday preppers community, where they've been trained to survive any possible destruction or "end of the world" as we know it. One day, a danger awakens from within and Honey must put everything they learned to the test to keep her and her sisters safe.
I really enjoyed the plot itself, in fact, since I knew what it was about I had an interest in reading it, it's a YA suspense/thriller that has all the condiments to keep you hooked from the first moment since jumps quickly into the action. I like how the author handles intense moments and the action too because I felt that it was also like watching a movie, which I really liked. I don't want to dig too deep into the plot itself because I think exploring it yourself is part of the fun, it has unexpected twists that genuinely blew me away, and it takes interesting paths to follow.
Exploring also the doomsday preppers lifestyle was very interesting, especially because I didn't really know much about it, rather than having seen this dynamic in some movies, so I really liked that it was the focus of the story, it makes it unique and quite peculiar, to distinguish it from other books of the genre. In addition to touching on these topics, the book covers a large range of situations, it talks about family, friendship, love, and personal grown, it also touches on topics such as terrorism and conspiracies. Overall, I really enjoyed each one of these aspects, which is great.
On the other hand, I had a difficult time with the characters, especially with Honey, who has a very distinctive personality, is somewhat abrupt, terribly honest and can also be very hurtful with others, but behind all that, I must admit that there's an artist sensitive soul inside her and a protective sister that I liked to see. On the other hand, I loved the character of Blue, it was my favorite, for some reason the smallest of the Junipers touched my heart with her personality so mature for her age and was the only one whom I could really connect with. Then we have Birdie and she's the trouble-maker type, and impulsive, and I feel pretty unbiased about the character.
But the magic happens when they're all together because I completely LOVED their sisterhood, the way they protect each other, the concern and love is remarkable, and it made me feel so good to read a sister dynamic like this one, simply I loved it. We have more secondary characters but honestly, I don't feel that any of them has a great impact other than being there as a love interest, and I'm sorry to say that, but it's something that almost always happens to me, and that's that I didn't enjoy the romance as I expected, it seemed to me that it developed hastily.
The writing style is wonderful, I ended up super committed to it, but I confess that at first, I found it somewhat difficult to follow. Even so, I would be interested in reading more of the author, even more, if she continues writing about this type of plot, so exciting and intriguing.
This is a super personal opinion that didn't prevent my enjoyment of this story at all, but I do think it would have been more beneficial and accurate to follow a single plotline or at least two at most. The author expands this story too much, so we have many sub-plots ramifications that can be somewhat distracting from the main topic and can even make reading somewhat dense. Especially when you start reading it's a confusing structure, for me, it was super enjoyable, though and I would recommend it.
It's a brilliant point of view on survival, resilience, intelligence, challenges, and family bonds. I think that it also explores the human being very well, and how sometimes we react to being placed in extreme and unexpected situations. Although the characters can be a challenge to follow, they have varied personalities, and each one represents a possible outcome or reaction, which I appreciate and understand 100% what the author wanted to convey with this book. I'm thrilled to see that it has such positive reviews so far; I think it deserves it!
My First Thoughts 04/30/20
I really enjoyed the originality that this book gives us, it's entertaining and it keeps you wanting to know what will happen from the beginning, which I loved. On the other hand, there are some factors that I didn't like that much, above all they have to do with the characters and their personalities, but I'll talk more about it in my full review SOON
goody_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I really loved this book. It’s a mix of Hunger Games and a little Maze Runner.
The MCs are 3 sisters raised on a doomsday prepper compound. The style is a mix of POV shifts and letters written by one of the sisters. There are dark family secrets that keep the story interesting and complex.
Secrets, betrayal, a lot of Shakespeare references, and an appreciation of art make this a compelling story. Would read another from this author.
The dog does NOT die. Neither does the bird.
The MCs are 3 sisters raised on a doomsday prepper compound. The style is a mix of POV shifts and letters written by one of the sisters. There are dark family secrets that keep the story interesting and complex.
Secrets, betrayal, a lot of Shakespeare references, and an appreciation of art make this a compelling story. Would read another from this author.
The dog does NOT die. Neither does the bird.
alyram4's review against another edition
4.0
3.75/5 stars
Pretty good, but not my absolute favorite. I'm rounding up though because there's so much that I really like, and the negatives don't weigh so much on me. I like the characters, even though there are times I get slightly annoyed. However, it's very far and between, so it doesn't bother me. I do wish that I couldn't felt more for them, as I wasn't connecting to them on an emotional level. The story I thought was great! There were many times that things I was genuinely surprised, and the books went on paths I wasn't expecting. While it does slightly remind me of other books, it's not enough for me to directly compare them. It holds strongly on its own, and I think it's worth checking out if you want to try out something new!
Pretty good, but not my absolute favorite. I'm rounding up though because there's so much that I really like, and the negatives don't weigh so much on me. I like the characters, even though there are times I get slightly annoyed. However, it's very far and between, so it doesn't bother me. I do wish that I couldn't felt more for them, as I wasn't connecting to them on an emotional level. The story I thought was great! There were many times that things I was genuinely surprised, and the books went on paths I wasn't expecting. While it does slightly remind me of other books, it's not enough for me to directly compare them. It holds strongly on its own, and I think it's worth checking out if you want to try out something new!
becandbooks's review
3.0
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Trigger warnings: school lock-down/perceived attack on school grounds, commune living
Representation:
I have mixed feelings about this book and we are going to sort through them. But first, please stop comparing this to Wilder Girls. Yes - this is another female-cast, survivalist book. but that's all the similarities. While Last Girls has some merit, it is not the masterpiece Wilder Girls was.
Last Girls is the story of three sisters who live in a prepper commune. Their days revolve around school and preparing for the eventual end-of-days. I have seen a lot of reviews talk about this being a fast-paced book, however for me it really wasn't.
For a book that begins with a school lock-down, the first half of this book was incredibly slow in my opinion. It took me a while to get engaged enough to really want to continue.
Despite the issues with pacing, there were a lot of things that I really enjoyed in this book. I love how family-centered the entire story was. Not just with the main trio of sisters, but the way is was instilled throughout the entire plot.
I also really enjoyed the aspect of piecing together the two sides of the story. The books is broken into two main perspectives, one is the Juniper sisters, and the other is the seemingly unrelated Toby. Brodsky did incredibly well with how she slowly blended these two halves together.
The relationships between the characters were weaved really well, the sense of family was truly a highlight. However, when it came to the individual characters they lacked development and emotional connection with the reader. This, paired with the inconsistent pacing lowered my feelings for the book overall.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book. This does not impact my opinions whatsoever.
Trigger warnings: school lock-down/perceived attack on school grounds, commune living
Representation:
I have mixed feelings about this book and we are going to sort through them. But first, please stop comparing this to Wilder Girls. Yes - this is another female-cast, survivalist book. but that's all the similarities. While Last Girls has some merit, it is not the masterpiece Wilder Girls was.
Last Girls is the story of three sisters who live in a prepper commune. Their days revolve around school and preparing for the eventual end-of-days. I have seen a lot of reviews talk about this being a fast-paced book, however for me it really wasn't.
For a book that begins with a school lock-down, the first half of this book was incredibly slow in my opinion. It took me a while to get engaged enough to really want to continue.
Despite the issues with pacing, there were a lot of things that I really enjoyed in this book. I love how family-centered the entire story was. Not just with the main trio of sisters, but the way is was instilled throughout the entire plot.
I also really enjoyed the aspect of piecing together the two sides of the story. The books is broken into two main perspectives, one is the Juniper sisters, and the other is the seemingly unrelated Toby. Brodsky did incredibly well with how she slowly blended these two halves together.
The relationships between the characters were weaved really well, the sense of family was truly a highlight. However, when it came to the individual characters they lacked development and emotional connection with the reader. This, paired with the inconsistent pacing lowered my feelings for the book overall.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book. This does not impact my opinions whatsoever.
what_the_puck's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
nyxalinthegreat's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? No
5.0
Such a great book!
na4a1ie's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5