3.5
Fair warning this book had more body gore/injury details than I was expecting made me feel nauseous at times
#ad I received this book as an ARC but the opinions are my own
While I enjoyed this book overall, the tone and story felt like the younger side of ya. This isn’t a major criticism of the author but it did read like a young persons debut novel, at times sentences felt crammed full of character descriptions while not totally necessary for that scene. Especially when the characters design had already been established. I also assumed a lot of the injuries were more severe than they turned out to be because characters fully recovered from them. Spoilers but at one point liz’s fingers described as hanging on, how did she recover in the epilogue? This could’ve been a moment about her living with her new disability etc but it just made the character seem like an inconvenience because of said disability. I expected the book to gut punch me with sadness and honestly I was more surprised when the characters made it out alive.

This was a cute and short intimate read which explored survival, forgiveness, and love in a post-apocalyptic setting. It's sapphic focus was also a refreshing take as a lot of these type of books recently have a lot of mlm focus - they both die at the end and all that's left in the world.

The idea of spending all your time and the rest of your days in a bookshop doesn't sound too bad, in my opinion.

Thank you so much for the early access!

The Last Bookstore on Earth follows teenage Liz, who has made herself the bookseller of the apocalypse. Her formulaic life is turned upside down when Maeve tries to rob her shop for supplies. Romance ensues.

I enjoyed the concept of this book. These two different approaches of dealing with the end of the world and with the loss that comes with that. I especially liked the type of apocalyptic disaster occurred in the story and the addition of Liz recording people’s stories. The discussion on the pressures of the future and then the sudden removal of that pressure was interesting and really fit this type of story.

However I really struggled with Liz as a character. She was naive to the point of irritation and at one point early on, based on the vague memory of a biology lesson, she out of nowhere shoved her hand into a generator and destroyed it down to bone and tissue. It just felt like it came out of nowhere as a way to push the relationship forward but in reality was a dumb thing to do. A couple chapters later they then go out hunting for supplies when the night before, Maeve had cauterised Liz’ wounds and I just couldn’t wrap my head around the ridiculousness of these events.

I’m sad because this book had a lot of potential but it just isn’t for me.

I absolutely loved this, a post apocalyptic dystopian world and possibly the last book shop in the world (well New Jersey I would hazard a guess!), which is run by Liz. A survivor of the world around her. This is a YA read, that flicks back and forth between the now and the before, Liz is bit of a trauma stubborn sapphic survivor. You could say reading this that she actually has not done very much at all other than survive but then comes Maeve. She is a further survivor who obviously takes her chances at entering Liz sanctuary.

This is a story very much of found family, being brave and having to make a choice that can cost you your survival. I enjoyed the slow burn chemistry between the two main characters. So much is hidden by them both that comes out throughout the story as they generally open up but this does come with consequences.

Small amount of world building which I actually enjoyed, I didn’t need to know why the world turned but it’s not zombies which made a refreshing change and generally if you were in that situation I doubt you would know much other than your living area.

The drama is all there ready to unfold, it’s a really good story that I did eat up very quickly as I enjoyed it so much. I did worry that it was going to be one of those open ended tales but again was pleasantly surprised!

Great debut, very enjoyable and would highly recommend. Thank you for allowing me to read this as part of an ARC via NetGalley. Look forward to more story’s from this author!

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this from NetGalley and can see it being very popular. I’ll be honest and say the title alone made me want to read this and I didn’t even check the blurb. It was refreshingly different from books I’ve read lately with its apocalyptic theme and was very enjoyable. It features just one point of view, and I love the inner monologue. The book takes you through the emotions of what goes on throughout the book. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

First and foremost, if the world had ended due to a climate change apocalypse, a bookstore doesn’t seem like the worst place to be. Aside from Liz’s clear loneliness at the start of the book, I think most book lovers can agree when we say there could be worse places to be stranded.

I really enjoyed the concept and writing of this book, the essence that the bookstore gives and how it represents Liz’s home on such a deeper meaning, especially after recently losing her whole family is truly quite comforting. She does encounter quite a harrowing accident quite early in the book (to keep it vague) which made my whole body feel quite uncomfortable, almost to the point where you’re imagining the pain of that happening to you. Reading about her experience during the first storm also broke my heart.

The love story between Liz and Maeve was refreshing, while they are initially very sceptical of each other, it’s nice to read about how they could still find some happiness and comfort in someone else despite the horrors happening outside their doors.

(Slight Spoilers!) The only thing that confused me a little is the timeline between Liv and Maeve meeting and the second storm. I thought that it had been at least about 3ish weeks (of their month countdown), which puts their timeline correct for when Eva comes back and says the storm will be in the next week, but it confused me into thinking it had only been a week or two which doesn’t seem like quite enough time for Liv’s arm to heal as much as it had? It may be my interpretation of the text, but it didn’t quite add up.

Besides that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

This is the first book I read in 2025 and what a way to kick off the year!

While there is romance in this book, it’s an apocalyptic survival story first and foremost. The cast of characters is small, with less than a dozen characters total, and only three at the heart of the story, but that’s to the book’s benefit. We get to understand how small Liz’s world has become, and we really get to know the characters and their relationships incredibly well.

I really enjoyed the flashbacks to life before The Storm, and I thought they fit in with the overall story really well. We slowly get to understand more of Liz’s character, culminating in the disastrous day when she lost everything.

One of the biggest themes of the book is, to quote Hamilton, ‘who lives, who dies, who tells your story’. Liz is a collector of other people’s stories, and it was a very powerful storyline to see her come to terms with her own story. She’s eighteen and still finding her place in the world, and that storyline really spoke to that.

This whole book is beautifully written, and explores the people – rather than the events – of an all-too-likely climate apocalypse. I believe there is something in this book for readers of all ages, who have ever experienced (and overcome) loneliness.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

3.5 stars - entertaining read but somewhat lacking in the details that would make this come to life.
Post-apocalypse and our main character, Liz, is holed up in the last bookstore on earth. She’s not left the building in over a year, but has a stockpile of tins and the occasional visitor who will often leaver her something of use. We’re given very little to explain what happened, or why, but as the book progresses we learn a little more about how the world as we know it has come to an end.
Liz has become accustomed to a solitary existence, but one day her peace is disturbed by someone desperate to find shelter from the predicted second storm.
Maeve is handy. She helps Liz make some vital repairs to her environment, but her need to gather stores also brings danger to Liz’s door.
The romance felt rather borne out of convenience, and there were some elements that just made little sense. However, I can see this going down well as a sort of introduction to the genre.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this before publication.

Teenage post-apocalypse media will always have me instantly hooked, and this didn't disappoint.

Light touch on reasoning for the horrific apocalyptic events, and impending follow-up events, but enough for savvy readers to understand/assume climate change. The MC, Liz, is very Normal Teen in abnormal circumstances, and as such doesn't always make the best decisions, or even make any real sense, but i like that - she doesn't instantly become wise and worldly just because she's one of the few to survive, she somehow bumbles through regardless.

Loved the setting, and really liked the structure of the narrative being interspersed with stories from other survivors, introducing other voices and more background in a manner appropriate to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This is an enjoyable enough read but I found it to be slow and a bit flat.

The main character is an ordinary girl who has sought refuge in a bookshop from what appears to be a nuclear aftermath. Nothing in particular happens and then another ordinary girl, albeit one who, unlike Liz, has developed survival skills, breaks into the bookshop. The girls hit it off and Maeve stays. Then nothing much happens. It is not until about three quarters through that there is any excitement or tension but when it comes, it is reasonably good.

I didnt realise that this is a YA book so I was surprised at how dull and safe this post apocalyptic society seems to be - no gangs of people with ill intent rampaging through the countryside pillaging etc., and it is only near the end of the book that we are told that there was a period of shooting and unrest immediately after the storm but things (rather improbably I think) have apparently settled down now and people come to the bookshop bringing food and useful things to exchange for books and to leave messages in case loved ones come by..

A quick and reasonable read but not very compelling

If you enjoy a chatty protagonist in an end of the world setting this book is perfect for you. The inner workings of Liz’s brain provide a comforting insight to brain of a 17 year old girl who is stuck on her own in a post natural disaster world. It’s an easy read to sink your teeth into and is a nice pallet cleanser for when you’re between some heavy series or in a reading slump.

⭑⭑⭑⭑✩

~

I really enjoyed this one. It was a great quick and easy YA read set in a realistic dystopian Earth (which I appreciated), with dystopian elements that were simple and realistic, which made it more of an enjoyable and impactful read. And anything set in a post-apocalyptic bookstore already has me hooked from the get go🤣
Highly recommend for anyone into LGBTQIA+ dystopia / end of the world vibes
~

Thanks to NetGalley and Lily Braun-Arnold for the ARC 🫶🏼

Many thanks to NetGalley and to Penguin Random House UK for offering an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book overall, but I thought it suffered in a couple of aspects, such as pacing and characterisation.

The premise is original, detailing an apocalyptic event which kills a large part of the population. The main character Liz takes refuge in the bookstore that used to be her place of work, and it becomes a sort of trading post for people passing by, who leave each other messages or pick up books in exchange for other items that Liz might need. The message here that people need escapism and literature even in the darkest of times was, I thought, really sweet.

I also liked how the author didn't shy away from gory description of injury and actually flinched at some parts. The main character lost her entire family in the first apocalyptic event and is now getting the building ready to withstand another event, which she hears is impending - but none of the cast of characters are sure when exactly, and therefore how long they have to prepare.

I didn't really feel that the chemistry between the main character and love interest was believable or that the "enemies to lovers" trope was well executed. There was one singular POV as the book is narrated in first person, and the author failed to highlight any reasons why the MC is falling for, or even likes, the LI. I couldn't get through the opening chapters quickly enough, but the book significantly slows down around 70% of the way in. I didn't lose interest per se, but I thought once a third character was introduced in the dynamic, everything became pretty rushed, and the MC's feelings did not make sense to me, but they may have done if the author had spent longer on this. The inner monologue of the MC is very much telling us rather than showing us.

Essentially, before that 70% mark I would have been eager to buy/gift a copy of this book to others, but I do think the final third was a bit of a letdown and could have used more polishing and detailing.

Usually dystopians are heavy, grim narratives about how we’ve inevitably destroyed our world through our own stupidity and although The Last Bookstore on Earth definitely has elements of that, it also has a rare message of hopefulness throughout.
Liz is not our usual struggling downtrodden survivor of the apocalypse whose rage allows her to rise up and overthrow the establishment. She’s very much a normal teen in abnormal times, trying to make the best of a bad situation. Is she willfully ignorant? Probably. Does it somehow work for her? Pretty much.
The story manages to blend minimal adventure and tender romance with the profound impact of climate change and somehow keeps you engaged throughout.
The story follows Liz, a solitary survivor haunted by the past, and Maeve, a mysterious newcomer with a hidden agenda. As their world teeters on the brink of annihilation, their paths intertwine, sparking a connection that could be their salvation or their downfall.
The characters are relatable and endearing. The romance, while tender and heartwarming, is tastefully executed, avoiding explicit content and focusing on the emotional depth of the relationship rather than spicy scenes- so perfect for younger readers.
While the book delves into serious themes of loss and survival, it never loses sight of its core message: love, even in the darkest of times, can be a powerful force for good.
As dystopian fiction experiences a resurgence, The Last Bookstore on Earth stands out as a must-read for fans dipping a toe into the genre.

I thought this was a great and realistic take in what any normal teenager would do when suddenly faced with the end of the world and no support system.

Liv isn't great at everything. She has no survival skills, doesn't know how to keep the bookstore standing and isnt an incredible hero that can save the day. She's a kid who should have been going off to college when an apocalyptic storm takes out society and leaves her with no one.

So she does what most of us would likely do - stays somewhere that she knows and that feels safe. She trades books for things and generally stays to herself, without learning many skills that could keep her going. I am Liv and Liv is me.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as content with their lot in the new world as Liv is and this soon becomes apparent, resulting in chaos and bloodshed, neither of which she's ready for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Liv's development was slow but interesting and the interspersed chapters revealing her life before the storm gave valuable insight. I also enjoyed her budding relationship with Maeve.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for a fair and frank review.

I found this book pointless. It was based on the destruction of earth. Liz owns a bookshop where people leave notes on a cork board hoping their loved ones come in and they find one another in the event they come in too. The writing was bad and it finished with no actual conclusion at all. I am not sure what the author was trying to do.

4.5 stars

I mean, it's a YA book (which I love), it involves a bookstore (ditto), and it's a dystopian type thriller (another win) - so surely there was absolutely no way I wasn't going to enjoy it.

I was reading this as Storm Darragh was wreaking havoc across England, and the wind and rain that kept me company overnight, whilst once was calming, in tandem with reading this had become quite eery.

I agree with the reading age. It's ideal for teenagers and young adults (any younger and I think they'd find it a bit too scary). But as an adult in her 30s, I really enjoyed it too, but I probably got different things out of it. I could understand the family aspects, the survival and whatnot, whereas younger readers may like it more for the friendships and romance and see it more as an adventure.

It is mainly set in the present time, after the storm, but it does occasionally flash back to before the storm; when there are the first rumours of the storm, what people plan to do, we meet families, and it all helps paint a vivid picture of what caused these characters to be where they are now.

This whole story is held together by one, and then two, young women. It's a tough environment to live in at any age, even an experienced adult would struggle physically and emotionally, but these two teenage girls are just about holding it together, and the book rests on them and they work brilliantly.

It's a mixture of dystopian, thriller, YA, romance - all with bells on. I can totally see it on the big screen.

My one negative I suppose is that some of the dialogue is a bit ropey, a bit unrealistic, but I can gloss over that considering it's 1) aimed at younger readers, and 2) the characters are trying to stay alive and probably aren't thinking about the readability of their sentences.

Not to get too deep about it, but it does have some interesting themes. Let's be honest, there's been a lot of talk of World War 3 and Armageddon, a climate crisis that dooms our planet. There always has been and always will be. But for me, it's not the thing that will doom us. It might wipe some out, but it's who we become afterwards that's the problem. You may think you'd never hurt a fly, but when someone is standing in the way of your child getting enough food to survive, you'll be surprised what you can do. And for me, that was what is so interesting about this book. It's not so much about the storm, it's about what the storm represents and what the storm creates, more than what it takes away.

Quick, easy, post apocalyptic read. Definitely made for a young adult audience but with just enough horror to make it, at times, brutal.
Liz was mildly annoying in her overall naivety but to be fair I am 37 and most things annoy me these days 😅 (I have firmly entered my grumpy old lady era early 🤣) having said that her naivity was also endearing. I loved that she inadvertently set up a trading post in her desperation to find social interactions in her new normal. Maeve was the typical "tough cookie with the gooey interior" and I loved how they each brought out more of the other.

If you’ve watched any type of post-apocalyptic tv drama like “The Last of Us”, then The Last Bookstore on Earth is essentially a milder young adult versions- albeit in written format.

The front cover and the book’s title initially grabbed my attention; promising the beginnings of something great. And overall I found The Last Bookstore on Earth to be a quick and easy read. It’s worth noting that the story is clearly geared towards a younger audience as both the plot and the content lacked the usual angst and nitty gritty detail expected in this particular genre. For example, it’s established that the Earth is now suffering from acid rain that melts people on the spot, but there isn’t a great deal of backstory as to why, or how that has come to be. Whilst it doesn’t take a genius to point towards some form of climate change, it is these aspects of the story which are very light touch.

The setting is mainly focused on the bookstore itself, which does get a little tedious after a while; part of the enjoyment of these types of stories is being able to explore what a barren and abandoned world would look like. I did also find one of the main characters Liz, to be fairly naïve of the dangers of just staying put in the bookstore, and ignorant of most things farther than the bookstore’s stoop – I ultimately chalked that up to the age of the character. How worldly wise would any teenager really be in an end of the world scenario?

However, as a debut novel from the author, the book is a nice read with some interesting components. I liked that whilst Liz is holed up in the bookstore that she essentially sets up a local trade point, offering books (who’d have thought!), in exchange for goods. This obviously works as a mechanism for the wider plot in allowing other characters to enter, and providing a reason for unscrupulous folks to want what Liz has. It also provides the opportunity for Liz to collect stories from her customers, which increases the amount of supporting characters readers come into contact with, even though they don’t directly feature on the page so to speak.

Definitely for a much younger audience than myself, but certainly worth picking up if you like the genre and fit the target audience in terms of age range.

In the year since the world fell apart due to The Storm, Liz has been living in her old place of work, a Bookstore

She has set up some alliances and trades to survive, never really knowing what the world outside is like now

But when Maeve breaks into the store to settle, thinking it empty, her and Liz strike a tenious alliance for Maeve to help Liz fix up the shop for another incoming Storm

The two girls have their own pasts, old friends and lingering traumas... but can they find a new place with each other despite the dangers lurking and getting closer...

I love post apocalyptic fiction and I can't imagine a better place to be after the end of the world than surrounded by books!

Coming out in January, the 9th, so loads of time to get those preorders in. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the review copy, all opinions my own