Last One at the Party

I really enjoyed this book. If I were to compare this to another book. I would say that it is the British version of station eleven. This is the first pandemic book I enjoyed in a while. I think because it was less about the breakdown of society and more about surviving. If liking the main character is important to you then I would be hesitant about this book. The ending was abrupt but satisfying. I read the book in one sitting.

I loved this book it was so much fun which I didn't expect.
It was great that she brought in covid - 19 and Brexit into the storyline. The preface at the beginning drew me in which was unusual.

It really wasn't depressing at all. I am not usually into something like this book, love full blown dystopian and psychological thrillers but this was really wonderful. I laughed out load at certain sections.

I can see a second book in the making as really want to know what happens - can't say anymore due to spoilers. The writing was brilliant - really want to read more of this author. She should be so proud of her achievements.

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.

I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as the publisher do it as they do it better than I do.

‘Last one at the party’ review
So this may be one of my fav books this year.
It’s not for everyone; it’s a book about a virus that supposedly wipes out the world except from the main character and even mentions the 2020 pandemic, which was mentioned with humour. I know a lot of people don’t like reading about virus’ as it’s so real right now, but I like to watch and read about viruses as it helps me deal with what we’re currently going through because they’re always described as way worse in fiction. It shows how strong we can be when we least expect it and how we take how we’re living now (electricity, heat, takeaways etc) for granted and does it in a way which is entertaining. There are also points where we see her ‘past life’ and all the people who are important to her and this shapes her character development beautifully.
I was accepted to read this early copy by @netgalley @beth_writes_stuff and I will be buying myself a copy when it comes out (Feb 4th)

I loved this! The author was inspired, she tells us, in 2018, well before Covid19. She weaves in the current situation seamlessly as we join the lead character in another global pandemic. One from which there is no cure, death in 6 days maximum. Our lead watches her husband and the world die while she remains immune to the virus. The story of her adjustment and survival to the new world is brilliantly written. It's both hard to read and hard to put down, worryingly near the knuckle at times, joyous, sad, funny and tense throughout. Brilliant!

I know some people cannot read these stories of killer viruses wiping out the population at the current time, as Covid-19 sweeps across the world. However, this book does not focus on the virus and its cause and spread, but rather on what happens next. The virus is called 6DM - standing for 'six days maximum' - the time you have once you contract it before you die.

One woman survives - we don't know her name. Living in London, this is her story of her struggle to come to terms with her new existence, to find survivors if she can, and make something of her life. However, neatly woven into the story is her past - her failing marriage, her infidelity, her friendships, her breakdowns, her dreams.

It is funny, horrific and verym very sad as we all identify with her as a human being.

Well written, entertaining and a jolly good read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Devastating,  hilarious and a spectacular journey of self discovery. A story of finding  love and strength when you discover you are all alone in the world.

"‘Fuck You!’ Those are the very last words that I spoke to another living person. If I had known that they would be my last, I would have chosen them a bit more carefully. Something erudite, with a bit more drama."

And so begins our journey and what an exhilarating rollercoaster of a ride that is

I genuinely thought this book would increase my anxiety about the current pandemic but it engrossed my thoughts abd locked out the world. It is riveting and the character is just like you or me. She's no survivalist and it makes you wonder what on earth you'd do.

At times I sobbed for humanity, for all the pain, the sadness and for her plight.  But then I'd laugh at some of her actions thinking whoa that's so true and you had the bravery to voice it! I bet you think so too.

The author has thought of the real horrors of a pandemic and its not the done to death zombies that we have seen so many times before. Some of the hurdles here are petrifying yet I believed fully in their possibility and each one had me terrified. I'd never wish to face them, not even with an army,  nevertheless each test she faces helps her grow.

But we also, through flashbacks see who she was before the pandemic and these sections really resonated with me. How many of us mould ourselves to fit, to match, to look right. Do we ever really know who we are or have we spent so long trying to be what's expected of us. Do our chanel handbags matter if there is no-one there to see them?

The writing in this book is incredible, it's gritty and oh so real. The pace had my pulse racing and until I read how it finished, I was unable to move from the sofa. Even then, I was sad it had ended.

This story is a blockbuster of a novel, wrought with emotions and action and although it is deeply sad at times it is also a tale of beauty and of how love is always there.

Highly Recommended

An excellent take on the end of the world, with a nod to Covid and the restrictions we currently face as a now past event whilst a new virus sweeps through Britain killing almost everyone in its path.
Following a lone survivor via her diary entries we learn a bit more about who she was and what happened, itnerspersed with her ever more grim mission to survive.
There are suprising pockets of humour interspersed with the realities she faces trying to find a reason to keep trying to stay alive and I was frustrated when the book ended- I wanted more!

I absolutely loved this book and really hope there will be a follow-up book.
The premise of the story is that the majority of the human race is wiped out a virus just a couple of years after Covid. The only survivor is the lead character. I am not usually one for dystopian thrillers and I went into it thinking I was not going to enjoy it. Don't get me wrong there were many parts of the book that unsettled me but the writing was so good and the empathy I had for the main character and her loyal companion Lucky surviving such a horrific disaster had me on tenterhooks constantly and in the end I couldn't put it down and read it in two days.

Breathtaking in the way in which it has had such a major impact on the way I deal with my practical and emotional reaction to our current corona virus crisis. The writing skills of this author are beyond belief, I was not able to stop reading the minute I picked up my e-reader, if I had realised what an immediate effect it would have on me I would have at least prepared some meals in advance for the day. The attention to detail is at times overwhelming but nonetheless needed to make the reading experience immersive. I have told every friend about this in every phone conversation and zoom/FaceTime call, I am becoming a ‘Last one at the party’ bore. Please read this, although with care, I have given it a five star rating, which for me is very rare. Thank you so very much Netgalley, publisher and especially the very talented Bethany Clift for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolutely perfect read for me. I was not expecting to like it as much, given that it treats difficult topics such as grief, loss, sickness, and the world after a pandemic but I truly enjoyed it.

The writing is witty and phenomenal and I felt very close to the main character who, I soon realised, was a very interesting and unique type of heroine.

This book is filled with life lessons and truths, it's at times devastating and presents the reader with an amazing journey of self-discovery.

It's one of the best books I've read this year and I highly recommended it!

I adored this book, I got swept up in it and once I had started I couldn’t put it down, I was spellbound. The story at some points was a bit close to the bone in the beginning, what with COVID-19 making an unwelcome comeback at the moment, but I was so wrapped up in her story that I soon got past that. It was so easy to relate to her worries and struggles, and I found myself crying quite a few times. The only part of the story I didn’t love was the ending, I was devastated it ended as it did, and actually shouted out loud at my kindle (much to the amusement of my husband) My only consolation is that maybe there will be a sequel as although I loved the lessons she learned about herself (and enjoyed so much her and Lucky’s journey both physical and emotional) I felt that the story just stopped midway through, that there was more to be shared.

Amazing! Maybe not the best read for a single woman during our own pandemic... thrilling and so very relatable. You really feel for the main character even if you want to shake her at points
The ending gave me chills! Still thinking about it days later...

Well done Bethany Clift, this is a stunner of a book! What a debut

Written as a diary by a survivor of the virus 6DM (6 days maximum) that is rampaging the world in 2023, and leaving nothing in its path, it pulls no punches from the outset. You hear about the mass destruction of everything that we have ever lived for and how utterly helpless humans are to stop the virus from spreading. But somehow, our heroine has escaped it - the book tracks her journey, going back and forward to explain more of the past and the present. She has to find everything, food, energy, shelter, to help her survive, and what sort of future is she going to find?
I was completely hooked and found myself thinking about it all - you can't help but think about how you might cope in the same way.
The book references the current COVID pandemic, and builds on that brilliantly and brutally, so if you are feeling anxious about the current state of the world, its probably best to skip this one, but if you like your fiction as dark and depressing as possible whilst still being entirely possible - go for it!

Thanks so much to @netgalley and Hachette for the ARC

This book is really, really unsettling. It's also excellent.
Written in a style that evokes Atwood, I feel it has potential to become another classic that will be dissected in schools and recommended by book clubs everywhere.
In a pandemic, reading about another pandemic is chilling. And doubly so because it all seems so incredibly possible and even likely.
The absolute raw blunt truth of the narrator, who assuredly is not prepared for a pandemic, is heart wrenching and terrifying.
I loved this book, but it also gave me nightmares.
Five stars!

I'm a big fan of dystopian novels and was intrigued by the premise of this one. I thought I might like it at least a little. Turns out I liked it a lot.

I wondered if it would make me anxious reading about a pandemic with 100% (or very nearly ... after all our narrator is alive) mortality while living through a pandemic that, thankfully, has a far lower mortality rate. It didn't, although I have to admit that late at night I found myself getting slightly mixed up with 2020 and 2023 but I was tired and the book had really grabbed hold of me!

The blurb tells us all we need to know about the plot, but it's the execution of the plot that is sublime. We follow our narrator from the last days of humanity with lots of trips to the past and who she was then. As with all good dystopian novels, this is as much about our own humanity and our own fears as it is about the dystopia we're presented with and as such this really hit home. So many of us are pretending to be who we think people want us to be and losing ourselves in depression, anxiety and caring far too much about what other people think about us. So, when suddenly there are no other people to think about us where do we go from there?

I got so much from this book. I loved the story, I loved our narrator, and I loved wondering what I would do in her situation. Pretty sure I'd have done many of the things she did and probably spent a lot longer in Harrods trying on all my favourite designers because I'm shallow like that.

I will be recommending it to friends who are fellow dystopian fans and I will be looking out for more work from Bethany Clift. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Andover, Kansas is now as famous as Wuhan as this is where the deadly virus 6DM (6 day maximum). It sweeps the world, there’s chaos, madness and devastation as the horrific virus sweeps all in its path. The UK holds out for a while but by 24 November 2023 it’s here. This is a dystopian novel but it more about one unnamed woman’s story of survival and she tells her own tale.

You’d think reading this in the middle of the Covid pandemic would be a mistake but it isn’t! It’s riveting, gripping and deeply emotional, it’s funny in places, you applaud our narrator survivor for her fortitude and initiative, you sob with her and live in hope with her. . Her narrative is extremely honest especially as she confronts her past and you become invested in her survival along with Lucky the golden retriever who is utterly adorable in his loyalty and love as her only companion. In places it is horrifying and there are some powerful visual images of the impact of the enormous loss. As the virus hits Britain her reaction is reminiscent of the danse macabre of the Black Death with an ‘eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die’ (well certainly in six days) attitude. It’s very well written, her backstory emerges a bit at a time and her battles with mental health over the years is movingly portrayed as she tries to quell her demons. In places it’s nightmarish as the depth of the pandemic reveals her solitude. Her travels the length and breadth of the island give some fabulous images with flashes of humour which are most welcome. It’s eerie, macabre at times, there’s hope, dashed hopes and chasing a dream. She’s incredibly resourceful, brave, clever yet at the same time fragile though stronger than she thinks. The end is excellent.

Overall, I fully appreciate not everyone will wish to read a book like this in these times but all I can say is that it is fantastic. Yes, it shows the effects of a deadly virus but it’s also about love, strength, self discovery but principally about survival against all the odds. Her character shines through admirably and just as she was the last one at the party pre pandemic so she is afterwards. This book is amazing!

With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the arc in return for an honest review.

Loved this. Read it in one sitting. Found the lead character annoying at times - and would cheerfully have given her a good shake. Nevertheless it made me laugh, left me wondering what happened, and kept me interested and enthralled to the end. Really enjoyed it.

This book is set in 2023, the start of the end of the world. A new virus 6DM (6 Days Maximum) takes over the world and all of the people in it, except from our main character.

I liked the style of this book, kind of like a diary with flash backs to times where she wasn’t alone. With only the company of a stray dog she names Lucky they go in search for anybody who could be alive.

This is going to be as much as I say about this book, other than read it. It wasn’t only about death, virus’ and loneliness, it was about finding the inner survivor in you and learning how to cope in order to stay alive.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I would definitely purchase it for others to read.

Gosh I LOVED this book. I scurried through it in one sitting, couldn’t stop reading it for the life of me. Then at the end I cried because it was over. Look, its 2020, I can cry if I want to…

Last One At The Party starts, yes, with an apocalyptic event, maybe you would think it a bit close to home given our current situation but be reassured. That may be the inciting event but this one is entirely character driven. It’s not that easy to pull off a one woman show but Bethany Clift did just that.

You want to know what happens? Nope I am not spoiling a single beautiful, scary, horrifying, uplifting, edge of the seat moment of this one. It is brilliant, clever, emotionally demanding yet inspiring and is written so so well.

I make no promises on whether this is triumph over adversity or one woman’s final stand…but I will promise its worth the journey.

Highly recommended.

It's 2024 and the world is in the grips of another pandemic where everyone dies within six days maximum (hence the nickname 6DM), but our narrator has somehow survived.

You'd think reading a dystopian novel during the 2020 global pandemic wouldn't be the wisest choice, but I feel like this took you away from the realities of what we're living with. I liked the throwbacks to our current situation with social distancing, mask wearing etc.

I've always enjoyed a dystopian novel, and whilst I haven't read past the usual Handmaid's Tale, Hunger Games, etc I feel like this is a bit different. It's also not like your usual post-apocalypse zombie chases and people fighting each other - the worries are a little closer to home.

It left me with a bit of a book hangover and wondering how I'd deal with the situations our protagonist was presented with. I'd really recommend to everyone - it's funny, heart wrenching but so enjoyable.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review</i>

This book is superb and very well written. Although I found the subject matter quite upsetting to deal with at times, I was compelled to continue reading and follow the central character on her life-changing journey of self discovery. Will look forward to reading more by this author.

Get your hands on a copy of this book as soon as you can.

Wow, this is one of the most disturbing yet amazing books I’ve ever read! In equal parts terrifying, depressing and hilarious.

I didn't think I'd particularly feel like reading a book about a pandemic just now but I'm so glad I did. It's the year 2023 and a virus is spreading around the world. Pharmacies are giving the option of a suicide pill which many people take before they get infected but the lead character decides not to and instead lives her life as the lone survivor of the pandemic. I don't want to compare this to other dystopian novels as I don't think it would quite do it justice. I found this book so gripping and mildly terrifying- loved it!

Go on Rebecca, read a book about a deadly disease in the middle of a global pandemic.

I didn't know what I was getting myself in to but the description of this book had me curious. I loved it and devoured it in two sittings.

I've laughed out loud, cried, wanted to spew and fallen in love with how great dogs are, all all 4 often within the same entry. I hate/love the ending but I do think its very, very cleverly written.

I'd recommended this book to anyone, whether living through a pandemic or not. One of the books I've enjoyed reading the most this year.

What a book! I absolutely loved it. It was scary, funny, sad and entertaining. I couldn't put it down. Given the current pandemic it was that much more believable and although it is based on this premise the story is more about the journey the main character takes herself. Even though she is not hugely likable to begin with you warm to her as time goes on and the situation changes her.
Absolutely gripping and a great debut.

Oh my god!!!.... sniffles... I mean wow!!! What a book... I was shocked, stunned, gripped, hooked and terrified and saddened. I know for a fact I would not have lasted that long before I would have hurt myself or even just wanted to die. My family mean so much to me and also my friends that knowing I was alone.... no I would have tried to find ways to go. I gradually over the course of the book did not like the main character I just found her a bit annoying... I did sympathies with how upset she was about her parents death but I don’t know didn’t quite like her. It’s still good just bloody hell... what a tear jerker.

What would you do if everyone was dead after a world pandemic & you were the only person left? A book that make's you seriously think what could happen. One woman who tells us her story of what happens to her & I want to know more! A great read that I finished after two sittings. Recommended read.

Absolutely brilliant book to start the year on!
First off I should say that this is about a pandemic, and the author herself acknowledges at the beginning of the book how this may make reading it harder - she had written it before COVID-19 hit and the timing was coincidental.
Because of this some parts of the book where particularly hard to read, however I am SO glad I was able to get past them and read the whole novel.
The lead character is brilliant, you grow to really like and understand her, despite questioning some of her decisions along the way. I love women’s fiction and really enjoyed the fact that this book had lots of these elements, but in a futuristic, end of the world setting. I loved the fact that she went to harrods and posh hotels, that she didn’t always get it right and that she was definitely not a perfect heroine. Seeing her grow stronger throughout the book was brilliant and I thought the ending was perfect. Absolutely 5 stars from me and I will be on the lookout for future books by this author.
Thank you so much for this arc, which I was provided with in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I just loved this book it was so addictive and such a compelling story that just took over my life. Narrated by a woman and describing events both past and present while she is desperately trying to survive the devastation of a pandemic that appears do have wiped out everyone but her it’s a strange choice to be reading at the moment but for me it really worked. I loved the survival instinct of this woman and although she is clueless about so many things the instinct to try is brilliantly portrayed.
This sound a bit all doom and gloom but the book really isn’t it’s funny, compassionate and full of hope especially at times when things are becoming desperate. I also liked the fact that as she reminisces about the past we see a different side to her and I can really praise Bethany Clift for the wonderful writing that made this book so compulsive and for me a five star read.
Please give this book a go it’s got so much to give and although the subject line is close to all of us right now it really is about so much more than that and I absolutely loved it.
My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Last year I experienced more reading slumps than I’ve ever had. Yet, from the moment I turned the first page in Last One At The Party my mind was still and I was utterly transfixed.

I’ve read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction. Beth’s debut was the first I’d read during a pandemic so I approached it with a little trepidation. I needn’t have done so, yes there are some pretty harrowing scenes but that’s not the essence of the story, this is a novel about what it is to be female when the world is crumbling around you. What it takes to find yourself when there is only you left to find and most importantly of all, the inner strength that finds you when all hope is lost.

I finished it months ago but I still think of it often and ahead of writing this review found myself thinking of which book it’s comparable to, the answer is none as it’s refreshingly original, but if you tried to imagine a delicious blend of Station Eleven and Bridget Jones Diary you’d be on the right path.

It reads like a dream, the plot itself sometimes feels like more of a living nightmare (don’t even get me started on the seagulls...) with every single word perfectly plotted to create a story like no other. Sometimes I laughed, sometimes I cried but I always related and I never wanted it to end.

I implore you to give your anxious minds a well earned rest and pick up this book, its special, very special and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

This is a triumph of a debut and well worth all the 5 star reviews it must surely get.

Last one at the party is about a lone woman surviving the end of the world due to a virus called 6DM (6 days max - amount of time you have to live after contracting it) that wipes out the human population. It is less a story about a pandemic and more about how this lone woman has to shift from urbanite to survivor. The preface sets the scene and lets you know how the author came about the story and is a great introduction.

There is strong character development as she goes from raiding Harrods for Birkins and champagne to surviving the perils of foraging, fending for herself and maintaining her sanity. We also learn more about her past and how it shaped who she is. I wasn’t sure what to expect but this woman is strong, brave and determined. I truly don’t know if I could survive if I was in her situation.

The book is filled with lots of highs and lows both in the past and the present, as well as the crazy tension in certain scenes. The ending .... sigh. You have to read it - spoilers would ruin it. I loved this story. The pacing is a little slow in the beginning but then it picks up and I found myself holding my breath till the very end. Amazing - highly recommended.

This debut was amazing yet terrifying definitely a top contender for books this year already, and a story that will stay with me for a very long time. I found myself thinking how reading is quite an isolating experience and aware of how isolated this book made me feel, especially when reading at night in the dark alone in silence. Every sense of dread and panic within the book envelops you, yet I could not put it down. The feeling of isolation and loneliness from the main protagonist was overwhelming at times but none the less I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the authors ability to have a characters story impact me in such a way.

This will not be a book for everyone. It's 2023 and a deadly pandemic wipes out everyone across the globe, yet there is a sole survivor, fighting against herself before and after the deadly virus hit and now finding herself fighting to stay alive, and for reasons to stay alive. Bethany's writing immerses you into the world of the protagonist fully. Referencing back to our current pandemic some may struggle with the contents of this book, but it is the graphic and gripping storytelling within this novel that makes it a truly harrowing and fantastic read

tw: pandemic, gore

felt like i was reading half of this with my eyes closed, feeling a bit sick, but power through that feeling! it’s so worth it!

set in 2024, a flu called 6DM (bc you live for 6 days max after you get it) destroys civilisation within a matter of weeks. the uk learns from 2020 and destroys the channel tunnel, closes the borders, but before long everyone is dead, apart from one woman

going into it you have to be aware that covid 19 is referenced, 2020 is used as a preparation and a warning for the way 2024 and 6DM is handled. it’s so eerie and strange to read about times you’re currently living through

i loved the development and the journey this unnamed protagonist went on. she experiences depression, grief, addiction, joy, relief, as she travels up and down the country, attempting to find anyone, just anyone else. she gets a dog, which helps, and lists between giving up and powering through, and it puts you in the horrible mindset of how you would possibly deal with being the last person on earth

it’s funny too! the protagonist’s thoughts are quick, her humour is dark, and some of it is so absurd you have to laugh or you’ll cry. and there’s waves of hope that feed through it that meant i wasn’t in tears the whole way

as someone who was completely panicked about covid at the start and has had huge waves and struggles since, i really do recommend this one, once you get through the downfall of society, and the descriptions, i really loved

read it!!

October 2023 the world became aware of the deadly virus 6DM, so named because once infected the person had six days maximum. Despite putting protective measures into place by the end of November the first cases had been reported in UK and the unknown female protaganist of this novel started the journal that is the main part of this novel.

Was it sensible to read this during the Covid-19 pandemic? Probably not, but in truth if it hadn't been for the current situation I probably wouldn't have given this a second glance and I'd have missed out on a terrific read.

Just a few days after 6DM reached UK with over 2.6 million infected the UK Government announced that there was no cure and was offering 'death pills' instead, available to anyone who wanted them at multiple outlets.

I found this not only a compelling read but a really well written one too. There was wit, compassion and humour as the lone female found herself alone in London, roaming the streets and houses, browsing through shops helping herself to luxury items and sleeping in the best hotels. But don't think this is a lighthearted fluffy novel, there's a dark side too and the authors vivid scene setting made parts of this worthy of a place in a horror story. Most importantly though there's hope and thats what made this such a fascinating read.

In a journal written over the months following the outbreak its interesting to see how the central characters needs and behaviour changed as realising that not only had the virus seemingly not affected her, she could actually be the only person left and as such she needed to change and she needed to become self sufficient.

A great read, totally compelling and totally recommended.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the advance copy for review purposes, I was under no obligation and all opinions expressed are my own.

An excellent trip into the dystopian genre. What would I do if I were the last standing?
This is Excellent!

Genre: Science Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Release Date: 4th February 2021



Trigger Warnings: Swearing, References to COVID-19, Death, Drugs, Illness, suicide.



December 2023.

The 6DM virus has ripped through the world and life as we know it is over. Once you've got it, as the name implies, you've got Six Days Maximum left alive. The only way out? T600 - but it's not a cure, it's a suicide pill.

The UK has blown up the channel tunnels, started to fight over the one single tea plantation left in the country and tried its hardest to stop the spread. They had a practice run back in 2020 and handled it terribly but this time they've done everything right ... and it's still not enough. The doomsday clock has reached midnight. The human race is finished.

But by some miracle, she's still alive. Well, surviving anyway. After spending her entire life hiding in the shadows to please others, there's nobody left to impress but the golden retriever she found wandering around the abandoned street. Is she truly alone in the world? If there's others left out there, how can she possibly find them? And if there isn't ... there's always T600.

Our nameless heroine was all of us in our end-of-the-world fantasies - torn between the dread looming over us and the excitment of going whereever you want, drinking whatever you want, taking whatever you want with no consquences. Watching her journey into this newly savage world was morbidly hilarious and spine-chilling at the same time.

This entire book was a neck-snapping, visceral contrast page by page, jumping from champagne and cocaine to churches full of bodies and leaving me reeling trying to peice together the world being created here.

"Last One at The Party" is by far the only book that I've come across that has been able to honestly and respectfully reference the 2020 Pandemic without coming across as crass or gimmicky - everything was handled sensitively but of course it could be unsettling to some readers.

Addictively haunting and oddly beautiful, this was a deliciously dark story that is perfect for any fans of dystopian fiction, if you loved The Loneliest Girl in The World or The Girl With all The Gifts I can't reccommend this enough - with all the quirks of a classic apocolypse but with it's own unrepeatable, iconic identity.

Right from the very first, expletive line of this book I was sucked into a different world and stayed there in some otherworldly daydream until the very last page that somehow broke me and made me smile all at once, leaving me with painful questions and just enough answers for a dangerous glimmer of hope.

I have just one issue with this story - I'm extremely annoyed I'll never get to experience reading this for the first time again. But you can, and you definitely should.



RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany Clift for an ARC in return for an honest review

I loved this book. I wondered what it would be like to read a book about a pandemic whilst in the middle of one, but it was no problem. The book is so well written and absorbing, that I was totally immersed in this world and not ours.
I absolutely raced through it, always a good sign.
We meet our main character as she discovers she is the only survivor of a virus that has killed everyone else. What follows is her self discovery on who she is and how she can survive, as well as a more practical journey to try and find others. I loved the early days of the walking dead and this combined that vibe with a really strong and interesting female lead. It’s funny, heartbreaking, gory, tender and thought provoking. The flashbacks to life before also make a really good contrast to the desolation of being alone.
I’m really looking forward to what Bethany Clift does next and highly recommend this one. Very different to what I’ve read previously.

Last One at the Party has a cover that makes it look like a descendant of Sex & The City, and I would never have considered it had I not seen a glowing review on Facebook - but I’m so glad I did. It’s a brilliant story about a woman who finds herself the sole survivor of a deadly pandemic (much more deadly than this one!) in 2023, and has to learn to cope on her own as she looks back on her life before everything changed. The foreword explains how this was written pre-Covid and that she had to rewrite it to incorporate the events of the last year. You’d think it would be depressing but it’s not - I loved it and feel almost bereft that it’s over.

The narrator is 36 and working a dull job in a London office when the first reports of a horrific new virus emerge out of the USA. Dubbed 6DM, for six days max - how long you have to live - it sweeps the globe and within weeks she’s nursing her dying husband - who has always looked after her - and freaking out about what to do. When the buzz of drink and drugs wears off, she sets off to find other survivors, picking up a stray golden retriever she calls Lucky, new life skills, and an appreciation for the life that she was never previously happy with - but how can you go on when there’s nobody left?

I’ve always rather enjoyed post-apocalyptic fiction - it’s just a shame how often zombies have to feature. It might be strange for some reading this in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic: if the worst you’ve suffered is not being able to go to the pub, it might put things in perspective, whereas if you have lost someone to it, this could be triggering (and I’m very sorry.)
I’d idly pondered how I would cope in this scenario - probably a good deal better than our unnamed heroine, I imagine. Forget getting bombed out on tramadol, I’d be stockpiling chocolate, raiding a camping shop for a solar charger to keep my kindle running, finding the newest campervan I could manage and heading for the warmest part of Britain. But then it’s not my story and there wouldn’t be the same suspense as she fends off unexpected but terrifying threats (no zombies, I promise).

The most difficult part of PA stories is always the ending - since you can’t reset, you can’t imagine a truly happy outcome, and you don’t want it to be depressing, so I really wasn’t sure how Clift would finish this, but actually really liked the outcome - no spoilers. I loved the character’s evolution - particularly after we learn everything she’s suffered. Initially I hated her for not saving the animals, but she does redeem herself and it’s easy to judge when you’re not in her situation. She acknowledges her selfishness - which turns out to be a handy survival trait, and her behaviour is probably quite realistic. This is the author’s first novel and I’ll be looking out for whatever she produces next.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review.

Reading about a deadly pandemic during a pandemic was never going to be easy but this book is a triumph. Without ever finding out her name I feel like I really know this lone woman. The journey she & the reader go on is crafted in incredible style, some of it is horrifying (there’s a lot of death) yet some of it so sensitive & gentle, a real exploration of self. This is definitely one of those stories that will stay with me for a long time.

I think this was my favourite book of 2020. Despite being in the middle of a pandemic reading about the end of the world was very different. I was impressed by the way Covid-19 and Brexit were worked into the storyline. The preface at the beginning drew me in immediately.

I read it in two sittings, only because I started it at 10pm and by 3am I knew I just couldn’t keep my eyes open, no matter how much I wanted to! It is a story of survival rather than the pandemic and made me question how I would cope with waking up to find everyone else dead or dying…. what would I do? what would I think? There are funny bits, there are sad bits, there are thoughtful bits. It really does have everything.

I felt the ending left me hanging somewhat. Which I can’t talk about here as I don’t wish to give any spoilers. All I will say is I really hope there is a second book! The story and characters are so well described and

As a debut novel, this was EXCELLENT. The writing was brilliant and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

I received a proof copy of this book in December ahead of a campaign by The Book Fairies, where they hid copies around the UK on 31 December.

A woman surviving a killer virus and coming to terms with her new existence. Funny, horrific and very, very sad. Well written and entertaining in these troubled times. My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Just brilliant!!! I love post apocalyptic books and I have to say that this book is fantastic. It’s just the type of book that captures your imagination. This book is very different from the usual post apocalyptic books I’ve read, there are no zombies, aliens or genetically modified nanites. I have to say that the ending of the book isn’t what I expected at all. It’s a book I could read again. The book is up to date with what has happened during the 2020 Covid-19 and Brexit as they are mentioned in the book. To say that we are already living with a pandemic this book isn’t depressing as some people might think.

A pandemic break out in Kansas and it soon sweeps though out the world. The UK cut’s its self off from the rest of the world hoping to keep the virus away from its shores.

But in November 2023 the virus 6DM (Six Days Maximum) which is the longest time your body has once you’ve caught it. However one woman seams to be surviving, while everyone dies around her even her husband.

Once the lone survivor has lost her husband, she starts to realise that she appears to be the only person still alive. So she goes on a shopping spree in Harrods, drinking expensive champagne as she stacks trollies with designer things, expensive food along with anything that takes her fancy.

One she’s loaded up her car she goes to her best friends house to see if he’s still alive. But like everyone else he was dead. She found him in bed with two hot guys and a huge bag of cocaine. So she knew that he at least went out in the way he wanted.

She decided that she would stay there as his place was far nicer than her’s. He had all the mod cons as well as his own night club in the basement so for a while she went on a cocaine and alcohol binge.

One day she realises that she needs to go to the TV studio as it was still broadcasting. Once she arrived there it was obvious that someone had thought of everything. The doors were open and someone had kindly put up posters pointing the way to the way to the studio.

She ends up cussing herself that she wasted so much time feeling sorry for herself in her drug and alcohol haze instead of seeing if someone else had survived.

When the power finally went out she knew she had no other choice but to leave London and go in search of other survivors.

On her travels she wasn’t totally alone as she found a golden retriever that was half starved, as it was still locked up in a house. She released the dog thinking the dog would just go off and fend for himself, but he just kept trying to follow her. So she picks him up and puts him in the car with all of her supplies.

They travel all the way up to Scotland stopping every so often to beep the car horn to see if anyone is still out there. Most of this is done in a haze of Tramadol as she finds that she needs it to keep on going.

The journey isn’t that easy as she comes across different obstacles, such as getting caught in a snow storm, running from giant rats or packs of dogs. When she finally meets another person they threaten to shoot her.

She keeps on wondering as to the point of going on trying to keep herself alive. When she realises something, which changes her mind. She heads off to a place that she has been to before an eco cabin in the country that she know she could try and make as her home.

Will she always be on her own will she finally find other survivors??

This is a brilliant book. I like others would like to know about some of the missing pieces, so we can only hope that the author is able to do that in another book if we are lucky.

I loved this book so much that I have ordered a Signed Hardback Edition from Waterstones and I can’t wait for it to arrive!

‘The end of everything was her beginning.’

A woman’s heart-wrenching, nerve-racking and hilarious journey of self-discovery after she’s the only survivor of a virus that wipes out humanity.

I wasn’t really sure how I’d feel about reading a book where the human race’s been wiped out by a virus in the middle of the pandemic. But I couldn’t get enough of the book once I’d started it — it was everything that I needed it to be. 

It

was gripping, heartfelt, completely riveting and brutally honest, too. 

While the virus does play a big part in the book, obviously, it’s also an incredible story of love, strength and survival against all odds.

"Everything had stopped.
And it would never start again.
Ever."

Last One at the Party is a sensational debut that everyone needs to read. I was strangely apprehensive when I started this book. The moment I first saw that striking cover and read the synopsis I knew I had to read it and I wanted to love it. But the fact that it was billed as Science Fiction worried me as it’s a genre that isn’t usually my thing. Well, it turns out I was wrong. When it’s this book I love Science Fiction.

December 2023. The world as we know it has ended. People have been wiped out by a virus known as 6DM (6 Days Maximum); an illness with a 100% mortality rate that kills its victims in a cruel and gruesome way.

Against the odds one woman has survived. And now she must find a way to not only survive, but live in the post-apocalyptic world she now inhabits.

WHAT. A. BOOK. If, when you close a book, you’re left reeling, wanting to scream at the author that they can’t end things like that and are desperate for more, then you know it is one you won’t soon forget. Even after reading a number of other books since, this one lingers. I can’t get it out of my head (and now I won’t be able to get that Kylie song out of my head either).

"This is a story about life, not death."

Razor-sharp, witty, riveting and achingly real, the author examines what it means to live and be human. She says in her note to the reader that opens the book that this is a story about life, not death. And it is. Death will inevitably feature in abundance in a post-apocalyptic story about a deadly virus, but despite this she has crafted a tale with a message of living your best life and staying true to who you are at its heart.

You can’t get much more timely than a book about a virus killing off the human race being released during a global pandemic. The novel was written before Covid-19 but the author has gone back and woven current events into the story. The effect is an authenticity that would be missing without the pandemic. If this had been released before 2020 it would still have been a fantastic book, but it wouldn’t have hit so hard. It would have seemed a little far-fetched rather than something that could happen.

The name of our protagonist is never revealed, adding to the mysterious and dream like quality of the book. She is a fantastic character; flawed, fallible and messy, she is recognisable as any one of us. I liked that the author made her so relatable. That she didn’t immediately go into survivor mode and act like a hero. I loved that her immediate response to being possibly the last person alive is to make her Hollywood movie dreams come true and live it up in lavish hotels, shops til she drops and create a bucket list of the sites she wants to see in London. She was so much fun to read and I liked her.

"I don't want to be alone anymore."

But she wasn’t the only compelling and memorable character. There were others who left their mark. Her best friend was fabulous and I still laugh thinking about his hilarious coming out story. And Simon the rooster was comedy gold. My favourite character of all has to be Lucky, the Golden Retriever who accompanies our protagonist on her journey. Thank you Bethany Clift for giving her such an adorable and heartwarming sidekick.

Last One at the Party is a sensational debut that you don’t want to miss. Funny, heartwarming, unsettling and yet hopeful, when I turned the last page I was left emotionally drained and desperately wishing I could hug everyone I love.

I feel I need to start this review off with a warning: this absolutely will not be the one for everyone. That said, I thought this book was thought-provoking and captivating as much as it was harrowing, gut-wrenching, and potentially the most terrifying book I've read in a long time. I'd go as far as saying it is a must-read, an essential addition to anyone and everyone's To Be Read List.

Just maybe don't read it while we're still in lockdown.

I read this in one sitting, because it was one of those books I feared that if I put it down, I'd never pick it up again. Speaking from a purely narrative content standpoint, this book was terrifying. The reality it conjured, the images it painted, it was all horrific, dark and perhaps a little too close to the truth of the current global situation. However, the author handled this all with grace and a simple, straightforward writing style.

Similar to The Handmaids Tale and The Road, we never learn the main narrator's name. I didn't even notice at first, I didn't realise until she herself pointed it out about 60% of the way through the book. Her story pulled me in, her struggles and her emotions felt real and practically leapt off the page. If you're someone who can stomach reading a book about a global pandemic, while living through one I would definitely recommend this book. If that sounds a little too close for comfort, I'd definitely suggest adding this one to your list and coming back to it.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

From the very first page of this book I knew it was going to be a winner. It was fantastic.

Right at the beginning the author Bethany explained in depth how she had come up with the idea for this incredible survivor story.
Driving home from work one night on a country lane, she could hear no sounds, see no cars, just a few cows dotted around.

She explained that she began to Panic as she felt like she was the only one left in the world.

She took that idea and grew it.

Can you imagine the conversation when the authors sister asked her if her novel was coming true ? the outbreak of Covid in China had spread worldwide they both didn’t know that the world would soon be in lockdown.

Sounds spooky right?
Well that’s exactly what happened next the world changed as we know it.

The virus outbreak in Kansas is where this outbreak called 6DM (6 days max) is first discovered. It devastates the whole of the USA. The UK is sitting smug after blowing up the English tunnel and seeing no cases.

But before long the virus hits the UK and this dystopian novel really begins.
I had mixed views at first reading this because of its links to the pandemic.I shouldn’t have and I really hope for the authors sake that this doesn’t put off readers picking this book up.

The narrative is raw, the characters are real.

We hear about her past and her backstory is dripped bit by bit to the reader until we really get under her skin and are totally ensconced in the character. No name is given to her. She remains nameless throughout.

Alive and fighting to stay that way, with no idea why the virus is not killing her.

Burning cities, rotting bodies, killer rats, rabid dogs.
She feels like she’s in a apocalyptic movie.

This is a story of strength, determination and self discovery.
Its fabulous it’s scary, shocking and very real.

Fantastically paced it deals with emotions, and how she has to battle everyday to survive.

I can’t say anymore without spoilers but I am saying it’s highly recommended. Stomach turning, laughable moments, and sheer terror.

5 stars from me.
Thank you @hodderbooks and @bethanyclift

Wow wow wow! A book this good comes along so rarely: one which I want to read every moment of the day, but which I simultaneously try to force myself to put down just so that I can enjoy it a little longer. I loved everything about this book: I loved the main character, her present story, her back story, and the way the book was written. There are moments of tenderness, fear, horror and extreme tension, all so well-written!

***slight spoiler in this paragraph***
I had one question which went unaddressed: is she immune to 6DM, and if so, why? I don't mind that it wasn't answered, but I do mind that the protagonist didn't ask/speculate.
***spoiler over***

All in all, this was totally a 5* read and I will definitely search out future books by Bethany Clift. Highly recommended.

I didn’t know what this book was about prior to jumping right in. I had seen it recommended on Instagram so put my request in. Well firstly it’s a pretty brutal book about a pandemic. I wasn’t sure how much I was enjoying it halfway through until a phone call describing it to a friend then made me realise how invested I actually was! I went through phases of liking and disliking the main character but thought the story was brilliantly told, taking you through every emotion possible. If you are quite anxious right now regarding the covid pandemic I would give it a miss but grab it at a later date. Score rounded up to 5 from 4.5🌟

Debated over reading #LastOneAtTheParty (who watches Contagion during a global pandemic?) but devoured in 1 go. Dark, honest humour in our voice, a journey of strength & survival through mental health, loneliness & grief, written so cleverly with insight, understanding & much needed F-bombs. Just like the current 3 lockdowns, a total rollercoaster of emotions...sobbed over the losses and spat my gin out at the wry observations of lockdown life and what really matters. Totally recommend, this will be one of the most talked about books of 2021!

Last One at the Party is all about self discovery and finding yourself. It's a clever debut by Bethany Clift which hits a little harder due to the current world situation as there are some parallels in the book as to what is happening now with the global covid pandemic, which makes the book an even more interesting read, as Bethany wrote it in 2018 way before we knew covid was a thing.

How hard for the author who has clearly worked so hard to write this book to have to launch it during an actual pandemic. I am sure she must have felt absolutely awful as the Covid pandemic began to spread worldwide, as the plans came together to publish her novel. She need not worry however #LastOneattheParty is a lovely book. It is funny, sad, horrific in parts, and absolutely intriguing. I absolutely believe that it is going to be a hit - as despite the on-going real life pandemic, I found this book a total diversion and thoroughly enjoyed it. (Please tell me there will be a part 2????)
Read it people - you won't regret it!
Thank you to the talented Bethany Clift, her publishers and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this fab book. It is FIVE stars from me.

I read this book in two days, I simply could not put it down. I found the story extremely funny, but also heart breaking at the same time.

At first, I wasn't too sure about the Covid 19 references, and thought it a little too soon to include in a fiction novel, but the story quickly gripped me and I became engrossed and invested in the life of the unnamed narrator.

The story is written in a diary form and does not hold back in describing the brutal and lonely reality of the world the narrator has been left in. I've not read many dystopian novels, but I found this incredibly realistic which only added to the horror and enjoyment. I loved living through this pandemic with the main character, and how she responds to being the last survivor.

I would not hesitate in recommending this book to everyone I know. I can't believe this is Bethany Clift's debut novel, and will definitely be reading anything else she publishes.

What a read! I can remember the last time I was so engrossed in a book! A dystopian novel set in the near future, this is shocking , heart-warming, sad, happy, gross and sometimes scary. It has the whole spectrum of emotions going on and as it is set out like a diary - it's like someone is talking to you. Set in the present and peppered with memories as we get to know our MC at the same time as she is experiencing revelations about herself. Totally engaging and the main character is likably flawed as she goes on her journey of self-discovery. LOVED it!

In the Last One at the Party, the world has recovered it's balance from COVID-19 , only for the 6DM virus to hit in 2023.. The virus is called this because you will live for a maximum of six days before you will inevitably die a horrible death. The population of the world is wiped out... except for one woman who finds herself alone with a world of opportunity, danger and discovery in front of her.

Well I've been searching for the right world to describe the experience I had reading this book. Can you say you enjoyed a book like this about death on a massive scale and not seem like a budding psychopath?!

For those who feel they can't cope with a book about a pandemic whilst they are living through one - I get it. I requested this book at the end of summer when the numbers were falling and some normality was returning. However I started to read it in the context of a Lockdown 3..0 and new and more dangerous strains of COVID-19.emerging, I started it with some trepidation.

In truth, I loved this book. It's so cleverly written.
The writing is so compelling that even with all the grisly details, death and destruction necessary to ouline the start of 6DM pandemic, I did not want to stop reading. In fact, it was strangely comforting to hear about a pandemic that was worse than the one I am experiencing.

The narrative of the last woman is so sassy and engaging. and I was fascinated with her experience of the pandemic and her fight for survival as she discovers she is alone. She is an amazing, incredibly real character and I was fascinated to see her change as a person throughout the novel. I really enjoyed the snippets of her pre-plague life and how the informed me about who she was at the person.
I loved how the author crafted the perfect balance between the tragic and chilling events of the novel with the uplifting and hilarious moments - I would have chills of terror running down my spine and then be laughing out loud within the same couple of pages. Generally, I am not a fan of the type of ending used in the book but in this case I feel like it was spot on.and I feel like the last woman and her story will stay with me for a long time.

I can't wait to read the next book from this author.

Thank you so much Bethany Clift, Negalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to review this book.

I am not sure whether the timing of Bethany Clift’s stunning novel is incredibly fortuitous or horribly disastrous, depending on whether people living through a real pandemic will be open to reading a book about a fictional one that virtually wipes out the human race and triggers the breakdown of life as we know it. Clift explains in her introduction that she wrote it before anyone had heard of Covid 19, but it certainly gives a very powerful resonance to the story. The narrator, a woman in her 30s, is an unlikely heroine- she suffers from panic attacks and depression, and only feels validated through her relationships with men, for whom she believes she must pretend to be the sort of woman they want. When she does not succomb to the agonising 6DM virus (6 days maximum to live once contracting it) when everyone around her does, she doesn’t try to make plans, but instead loots designer clothes from Harrods, luxuriates in the deserted Langham Hotel and chugs champagne and pain-deadening drugs. But eventually the will to survive kicks in, and she draws on resources and a practicality that she never dreamed she possessed, setting off on a journey to find any other survivors and to find a new way to live. The author does not spare us the horrors of the situation- the description of the sickness, death and decay is visceral, with every kind of body excretion making an appearance. Harrowing incidents occur at every step, with a heartbreaking encounter at London Zoo and the newsreader Moira Stuart, obviously already sick herself, making the final BBC news broadcast, being particularly unforgettable. The tension builds, but the dark humour of the writing keeps a balance, and as time passes, a sense of hope begins to creep in, although the ending left me wanting to know more. It won’t be for everyone, but I hope it finds the audience it deserves, because it is an amazing and original book that, despite some grim content, is ultimately life affirming.

After the pandemic of 2023, one un named woman narrates the fate of the world.
Maybe not the best subject to be reading about during Covid lockdown, but a very interesting scenario and a well written and constructed work of fiction.
The life story of the survivor is told in flashbacks which although gave the woman more character and went in part to explain her character, sometimes interrupted the flow of the survival story.
This dystopian novel is not for the faint hearted but it certainly holds your attention!

Well, I'm unsure where to start. I will say that I ADORE this book and I'm not sure my review will do the book justice- but I'm going to try!

I adore this author, although this is a debut; this author has made her presence known on social media! This book has definitely confirmed that I am a HUGE fan girl of this author.

Reading about a pandemic during a pandemic is something I didn't think I would do. However, this is a book that has been on my radar for a while. This book is set in the future and the pandemic spreads too quickly to be tracked.

I have been engaged very quickly and found myself unwilling and unable to put this book down. This is a completely unique novel that I have devoured and know that I will re-read this one. I have been on an emotional rollercoaster with this character and found this completely captivating and well-written.

There is a part of this book, where the author describes part of the pandemic with no online shopping. This has been a bit like a horror story- online shopping (book buying) has kept me sane during our lockdowns.

The desperation of the main character is clear throughout this and you really do feel the emotions that she is experiencing. This moves from desperation to the solitary loneliness. I felt quite emotional reading about our main characters visit to her parents house. This really does bring the reality of the pandemic.

I adore the descriptions within this book, the author has definitely made things realistic. One of the memorable descriptions is the comparison between the death pill and the virus deaths.

I also love that the author has mentioned depression within this one. It has been discussed that everyone is individual which I can honestly say is needed. Everyone deals with the pandemic differently and thats comply acceptable.

There has been a twist in the end part of the book, I have literally gasped and been on the edge of my seat. I absolutely need more, the author has ended this in a way that I don't know if there's a follow up coming or not. An absolutely amazing book which has been an absolute pleasure to read. A definite five star rating and a book I cannot recommend high enough.

There is a wonderful saying that you should never judge a book by its cover and this is so true with this book. As a straight, over 50's male I would never normally go anywhere near a book like this, with its neon pink and darkk blue cover, but when I read the blurb it really intrigued me. Looking at the cover it reminds me of a chick-lit release and although the author does have that kind of writing style at times it is definitely not chick-lit. There is more mentions of excrement than in an annual subscription to Farmers Weekly, there is humour at times of great tragedy and there is a sense of positivity, and of a strong woman, that flows throughout the story.
How would you spend your time if you had just lived through a pandemic that had killed everyone you know? Would you give up, go searching for other people, or plan what you are going to do with your future?
Thinking about book stores I am not exactly sure where this dystopian tale would fit as its slots into so many genres, although I am sure in years to come we will have a pandemic genre. The book has been advertised as General Fiction or Science Fiction/Fantasy but there is also elements of horror and humour in the book. My interpretation however is more of a psychological thriller as the story does concentrate a lot on the mental and emotional state of the the main character and the way that the mind can play tricks with us through dreams and different perceptions. You also get to see the good, and bad, sides of the character.
If you have been affected by anxiety, depression or other problems throughout the current pandemic then this may not be the book for you to read right now. It is troubling, thought provoking and does make you look more at the world that you live in. Also this story takes place in the very near future so it connects you even more with something like what we could have been living through now.
I really hope that the author continues to write more books in this near-future format and she must be commended on this debut release. I am sure we are going to see many more books on this subject matter released in the next few years but this book acts as a great start for a pandemic genre
Many thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Bethany Clift for providing me with a digital advanced review copy of this book in returned for an unbiased review.
The book is released in hardback, e-book and audio format on the 4th February.

WARNING: as this is a novel about a severe plague and the months afterwards, there are several descriptions of bodies in various stages of decomposition.


Oh my god, that ending! Bethany has killed us with it. Not satisfied with killing practically the entire fictional human race, she is starting on the real human race too.

Ok, ok. Less hyperbole, more facts, right?

Fact: This book creeped me out so much I had to sit up for an hour watching Family Guy and playing colourful games on my tablet to calm down, and the whole time I was thinking 'when the power goes out I won't be able to do this any more.'

Fact: The writing style is fantastic, conversational and brilliant. I was a hundred pages in without feeling it at all. Although books that jump timelines don't always work for me, this one was great, perfectly judged to feel right.

Opinion: I think what really got to me in this one was the isolation. Most post apocalyptic books have groups of survivors coming together for good or bad. This one - does not have that. I'm an introvert, a pretty severe one, and I was still seriously contemplating getting up to check on my housemates just to make sure they were still there and I wasn't suddenly alone. It's so well written.

Fact: This book will put off a lot of people who won't be able to read it because of current circumstances. That's ok. Maybe they'll come back to it sometime. I did love the few little references to Covid mixed in early on, with everyone social distancing and and wearing masks.

Opinion: This is going to be one of this year's stunners. Fabulous. I would really love to read more set in this world, if Bethany was so inclined? ::looks hopeful::

It did feel to me like I had chosen an odd book choice ,reading about a pandemic while we are all living through one, but that is the difference, this is terrifying and scary and we are living in very uncertain times, but for the most part we are still living thank goodness. Imagine if you found yourself alone and possibly the only survivor ? This book brilliantly describes what happens to the only known survivor. I think it is very well done, it is scary, uncertain and really describes the panic and journey one woman finds herself going through.it is not a negative book though and personally I couldn't read it fast enough I really wanted to find out what was going to happen. I thought it was really good ,no spoilers from me ,but I think this is a really good book, and I was really invested in the journey. I would recommend it to other readers.

This book will not be for everyone
It’s a book about a woman ( we never know her name ) who is the sole survivor of a pandemic in 2023, the virus is 6DM ( 6 days max ), interestingly in the forehand letter the author tells how she was writing this book when Covid appeared and how she had to add the parts about it to the story
It’s her story, in a kinda Bridget Jones, plus gore of exactly what she sees, feels and experiences as the only person alive, parts of the book are also her back story
It’s refreshingly written, pure in word as she is thinking, rude, gory, filter free, dramatic, scary, reassuring and all manner of words that come to mind
Is it good? I am not sure the author is looking for that description tbh, is it moving, horrific, lol funny, sorrowful and a tad too realistic then 100% yes
It’s a shocker but then life is at the moment and this book really made me think how much worse it could be
You will either be amazed by it and devour every word or hate it from page 1 and not get much further
I am marking it on solely on how it made me feel, good, bad, sad, happy, horrified and elated

10/10
5 Stars

This book had everything, a great esy read, it was funny, thought provoking, and gripping.
Couldnt put it down.and really made me look at things in life.

Well... let's read about a pandemic whilst going through a pandemic! Great idea... Although 6DM the virus in this book is a tad (understatement) more deadly than C19. the 6DM standing for six days maximum, the time you have got left alive after infection. I say alive, it's a bit grim all told. And it's mortality rate is nigh on 100%...
I say nigh on, well, this would be a pants book if there wasn't a survivor... and it is this survivor that we follow as she tries to keep going, to find food and shelter, and companionship. All the time analysing her past failings and reaching deep within herself to find the strength to carry on. Facing danger of many kinds at pretty much every turn.
A book that gripped me from the off and held me captive throughout. Making me hold my breath constantly, breathing out another sigh of relief. Feeling for her every step of the way.
It's an emotional roller coaster and also very funny - the balance is struck perfectly. It also defies genre as it encompasses quite a few along the way. It's a character driven book with just one character so you better believe she is a strong enough, well defined character to carry the whole book. To the part that, at the end, I didn't want to let her go...
All in all, a cracking read that I have no hesitation in recommending. Maybe some might want to store it for a while til the dust of the shtstorm we are currently in settles a bit. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Such an amazing and timely novel, this is more than a book about a pandemic, this is the story of one woman looking back at her life whilst struggling to come to terms with being the last person left alive. There's a wonderful sense of humour threaded into the horror of the present and the pain of the past. I laughed, I cried and I will be recommending this to everyone.

This was a new kind of book for me. I usually steer clear of dystopian, apocalyptic, isolated character stories as they really spook me out. But coming out of a hard and lonely year that felt a bit like the world was ending at times, this booked called to me.

Last One at the Party is the touching, heartbreaking, riveting story about a woman's story of survival in a world where she is utterly alone. I loved this and would recommend it, but be mindful that this novel gives voice to a world wiped out by a deadly virus. I wouldn't recommend this to people struggling with our COVID-19 climate.

It’s 2023 and the end of the world...a disease has wiped out the entire human race...except for one woman. This book tells the story of that woman and what she does when she finds herself alone in London.

I live in the UK and when I first started reading this book, it was the beginning of the latest lockdown and I did wonder if it was sensible to be reading about a fictional disease that wipes out most of the human race. At times, it definitely felt a little bit close to home. But this realism was also the strength of the book. In most ways, the main character behaved in ways I could identify with. It didn’t hold back on the grim reality of the situation (some of the descriptions are not for the faint hearted!) but also managed to find some humour in it.

We learn more about the main character’s back story as she writes about it in her diary and I was really impressed with the focus on mental health. I thought it was wonderful how openly and honestly this was discussed. The language she uses in her diary also felt real and relatable. Nothing about it felt forced or like fiction.

Within a few pages, I was fully invested in the book and by the end, I was desperate to find out what happens to her. I won’t give anything about the ending away but it felt right and made me cry.

All in all, I was hugely impressed with this book and would like to congratulate the author. I wouldn’t recommend that anyone struggling with their mental health as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic reads it at this time (early 2021) but I would highly recommend it to everyone whenever they feel up to it. I will certainly be recommending it to friends and family.

Thank you to the publisher and the Net Galley UK for the opportunity to read this pre-publication.

I love a good dystopian story, but it always seems that the lead character either has a team of supporting characters who have just the rights skill set or the character themselves was born with survival knowledge.
Last one at the party is different, because the lead character isnt like that. She’s just a normal person who is used to turning the tap on for water, the heating on when she gets cold and getting food from a supermarket. She doesn’t have a big group of friends who happen to be into archery, allotments or other such skills that they may have shared at least some wisdom on. She’s so real and relatable its almost a little scary.

In a world, post covid, where a new pandemic hits – 6DM there is no escape. Everyone is catching it and dying within six days. There is even a pill you can take to kill yourself before it gets too bad. But there is at least one survivor. One woman who is completely lost, and basically flip flops between plans and ideas either due to what she finds, or what she can or cant access. Zigzagging all over the country, with her sidekick Lucky – who really is a CoStar in this story she looks for safe refuge and other survivors.

Whilst the promo for the book is more about survival in the aftermath of a pandemic I think it showcases how animals really can impact our lives. Especially dogs, the unconditional love and support, the motivation and companionship changes how you live your life, which really comes through this story. It also supports why my friend is scared of Pigeons.

Whilst the story is very much in the present, we do get some flashbacks to the past helping build the characters, both alive and dead. These help you judge the characters who didn’t make it past the six days and make you wonder how they would have survived in the newer world.

I loved this book, it was a little different, at times a little too real and there are some parts I wish I hadn’t been eating while reading. I had to keep reading to know if anyone made it to the end, and if so who else was out there, but also I needed to know what happened to Lucky! It made made laugh, chuckle and feel emotional at times, all emotions I rarely get from a dystopan book. I think a lot of people might be thinking about the current Covid world when they read this but for me this is different, yes there are references to ‘during the Covid pandemic’ but its not really part of the story – although the way things are going it feels that this could be more of a warning than fiction, and is almost worth remembering if that days comes!

Last One at the Party is about an ordinary woman alone in the world after the virus decimates the rest of the population. The virus 6DM (or 6 days maximum) starts in a small town in America and quickly spreads to other areas of the world. Our protagonist isn’t adept at surviving and decides if she is the last person left alive, she might as well have some fun.

Last One at the Party is one of the best end of the world books I have read. It is witty, unique and humorous. It has a gravity about it at times but without being too bleak.

I loved that the protagonist was flawed and not at all suited to surviving on her own. Prior to the virus she has suffered with long-term anxiety and depression and one of the best things about the book is that it helps shine a spotlight on both of these things.

It is important to state here that this is not a book about a pandemic but a book with a pandemic in it. The author makes it clear from her author’s note that this is the case. It is about a life not death.

Last One at the Party is set in 2024 in the UK. The UK government and its people watch in horror as the virus known as 6DM spreads across the globe. However, they have learnt their lesson from the events of 2020 and as they have fewer ‘friends’ post Brexit they close borders and blow up the Channel Tunnel. It isn’t enough to stop the spread though.

“And they needn’t have bothered with the military or police. No one wanted to leave the safety of their home.

People stayed in, hugged loved ones close, and watched horrific images on the tv whilst thanking God for our tiny little Island.

Just a quick warning here for those who are squeamish this book has some rather graphic descriptions of rotting bodies and various other unpleasant things so it may not be the book for you.

“We may not have known much about the virus, but what we did know was terrifying.

No one knew what the incubation period was, but it started with a head cold, then fever, vomiting, diarrhoea. Within 72 hours your vital organs started to disintegrate. Not degrade or even fail: DISINTEGRATE.”

After a short time of their being no cases in Britain things return to a semi normality but the protagonist is out for lunch with her friend Ginny and is discussing survival plans when Ginny points out quite how unsuited she is for survival. This was a big moment of connection for me in the book because the below passage could have been written with me in mind.

“Did I have any idea how unsuitable I was for how life would become? Could I grow my own food? Make my own bread? Did I own chickens? Could I milk a cow? Did I know how to make my own clothes? Did I have any transferrable skills? Obviously, the answer to all these was no.”

In the end though these plans are not needed for most people because somehow or other the virus gets into the country.

The protagonist is at work when she finds out and she and the other childless people decided to go out and get really drunk. She ends up with a free day hangover whilst her husband engages in some polite looting to try and get them some essentials. In doing so he ends up with the virus.

“James sneezed at 4.36 a.m. on December 3rd and I knew he was going to die.”

James having the virus and her reaction is the first clue to our protagonist being a little bit selfish. While her husband is dying, she goes for medicine for him but then ends up getting drunk in a bar so she can face his death.

In the end though she is there for him in his final moments.

“And, in the end, I was with him forever.

It was just his for-ever, not mine. The next twenty-four hours were the worst.”

After his death she sets out to find out if her parents and friends are alive and, in the process, we learn more about her life before the virus. This may have made the rest of the novel pretty depressing if it wasn’t for the protagonist having an important revelation along the way.

“It was hopeless.

I was hopeless.

And then I stopped.

It wasn’t just hopeless, it was also ridiculous. If I was the last one alive in a land of plenty, why was I sitting in the cold, eating stale bread?

I should at least have been sitting in the cold, eating stale bread whilst drunk on the finest champagne in the land.”

What follows is a series of hedonistic choices from our main character involving drink, drugs and breaking into Harrod’s food hall.

Somewhere along the way though she learns how to survive not just alone but with herself. She also encounters some wolves and some incredibly scary rats. The rat scene in particularly made me feel sick with anxiety for her.

Last One at the Party is poignant, timely and already a favourite book of the year.

“Everything had stopped.

And it would never start again.

Ever.”

Absolutely loved this book! A great story and really well-written. It kept me really absorbed all the way through and the ending left me wanting to know what happened next. Highly recommended.