I don't know why but I didn't connect to this story as much as the first one. I don't know if it was all the extra characters or the slow pacing of the book. I was disappointed that a lot of my questions were left unanswered and I just felt like I waited over a year for this? I was underwhelmed and disappointed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. ( )

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Krista and Becca Ritchie are autobuy authors from me since their addicted series, and when I found out they were writing a sci-fi young adult duology I immediately felt the hype in my soul. It definitely was the perfect conclusion, I loved Frannie, Mykal and Court with my entire heart. Their bond and their love was something I’ve never read before. Mykal and Court are definitely one of my favorite m/m couples and I will always always keep them close in my heart. I wish we had more of Frannie and Stork for me to actually root for them (a part of me will always love Frannie and Zimmer more, my selfless baby boy [insert sad emoji]) I hope the authors will go back to write more sci-fi in the future because I feel they are doing it really well. ( )

So, I’m not known for remembering when follow-ups for books come out. It’s horrible of me, truly. I think I should probably start marking things down in a calendar but that is all beside the point. When I was approached to review the second half of the Raging Ones duology, I was beyond excited to jump on the opportunity. I remembered how much I loved the first book and how shocked I was at the ending. I worried if I’d get the answers I wanted, and if it would be satisfying. There was absolutely NO REASON TO WORRY! The Last Hope by Krista and Becca Ritchie was absolutely everything I could have asked for and more as a follow-up. Obviously, spoilers for the first book to follow.

Character developed continued and carried through the novel. We’re introduced to a new character, Stork, and goodness gracious, I loved him. I even grew to love Court after being lukewarm toward him in the first novel. Each character seems to grow into themselves, as well as their role, especially the three that are linked. We’re treated to something truly spectacular in this novel, which was initially seeded in the first book of the duology — the freedom of love and the lack of triangles. There was never once a moment of worry that we would have to read through will Mykal or Court need to choose between the other or Franny, or will Franny need to choose between Mykal, Court, Stork, or Zimmer. Love was love was love and that’s all that mattered throughout, the one cosmic universal, which I suppose in the end, might not have been that universal. But yes, reading a YA book without the stress of characters being pit against one another is such a refreshing rarity, and it’s great to see it continue in The Last Hope.

Pacing, which was my initial complaint with the first book in the duology, was perfect in this concluding novel. There was purpose to every scene, every page, and there was never any lag. In fact, it almost worried me at how well and quickly paced it was as I was sure there would be no way for the authors to answer everything. I kept looking at how much was left in the book and panicking over how it would end. Turned out there would be no need for me to worry about the ending, it was everything I didn’t know I needed. Which is another thing that makes the novel so fantastic — the ending which was something I wanted but didn’t expect! That is such a hard thing to do, especially in YA fiction. Half the time, the ending is completely predictable while the rest of the time we get endings that are such a surprise solely to surprise with no forethought or foreshadowing. Here, the ending surprised me, but was definitely an earned ending. It made sense, did not feel forced, and boy howdy, did I cry.

The Last Hope by Krista and Becca Ritchie is a marvelous ending to a fantastic duology. With expert pacing and terrific character development, The Ritchie sisters truly know how to deliver a book with an ending that delivers and produces plenty of tears — both happy and sad. If you haven’t picked up The Raging Ones, do so now and then pick up The Last Hope. It’s definitely worth it!

// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. // ( )

*I WAS PROVIDED AN e-ARC BY THE PUBLISHER FOR THE PURPOSES OF A BLOG TOUR. THIS DOES NOT CHANGE MY OPINION*

We knew that, after The Raging Ones, we were all going to be a little book hungover waiting for this book. And now that it's finally, here, I have to say, I was just as stunned as I was by the first novel.

As soon as we jump into this book, we are reintroduced to our favorite main and side characters, while also getting to meet some new ones. Something that I found different in this novel was the mood shift. In The Raging Ones, the mood was a bit lighter and more open to hope. In The Last Hope, however, the mood had shifted to become a bit darker. Don't get me wrong, this book still had it's funny and bright moments, but not as much as the first one, I'd say.

Franny is just as headstrong in this novel, with a fierce eagerness to survive. She's become fearful of death and begins to second guess herself a bit more than before. Mykal and Court are the same as before, though, but with a more apparent brotherly love over Franny.

I loved the dynamic of learning in this novel. Not only were the characters introduced to new concepts, but we, as readers, were as well. You were really able to set yourself in this book and imagine just what was happening, and I loved that the authors made that possible with this. A lot of sci-fi books can be found lacking in that aspect, but not from the Ritchies.

Again, the character development in this novel was phenomenal. The storyline pushed smoothly through this sequel, and I loved that it didn't feel like an entirely different book. It was still clutching on to the first novel, and I reveled in that.

The only problem that I had with this book was the ending. I felt that it was rushed and forced, which ultimately saddened me, more than anything. I felt that there could've been a much different way to write the ending than the way they did and that it wasn't properly carried through.

For that, I rate this book 4.25 stars. I did love this book, and I do suggest that you continue the story of our favorite three characters as soon as you can. I look forward to whatever the Ritchie sisters release next. ( )

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

The Raging Ones (the first book in this series) ended with a major cliffhanger that left me reeling. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with Franny, Court, and Mykal, so their less-than-stellar circumstances had me worried for their safety and sanity. The Last Hope was everything I wanted it to be and more. It was a sequel I was eagerly anticipating, and I'm happy to say it exceeded my expectations.

Initially, I was worried I'd feel lost. The authors have created something futuristic and entirely new, with different planets and galaxies that have their own customs and languages. In the first book, I felt like there were a few cracks in the story that didn't always add up, but that wasn't the case with this one. All of my questions were answered, and the intricacies of the story were explained in a way that was both believable and authentic.

The characters! The characters are my favorite aspect of these books. Court is stoic and the rock of their group, and his relationship with Mykal made my heart swell with happiness. Mykal's dialect is a little different from theirs, but it suited him perfectly. When he started calling someone "baby brother" without a second thought, I thought my feelings would explode. He's physically the strongest of their group, but is capable of being unbelievably gentle. He and Court balanced each other out beautifully. Franny is equally happy for their coupling, and encouraged them to be together even if she had to avert her attention through the bond. They're all so willing to make sacrifices for each other, and their friendship was sincere and something to be aspired to. Franny is the one that desires answers about their link and their pasts, and the boys are willing to risk their lives for her questions. Seriously, these characters... so amazing.

Outside of the group, the secondary characters from the first book play a smaller role, but we're introduced to Stork in The Last Hope. I wasn't sure about him at first, but he quickly found a place in my heart with the others. He's hurting, like soul-deep wounds, and feels torn in two directions. He can either respect the dying wish of the people he loved, or share their secrets with the people he feels deserve those answers. He struggled to maintain a balance between the two, and it broke my heart to see him suffering to do the right and honorable thing. Stork was a very complex character, and he added another layer to their group dynamics. I enjoyed seeing him and Franny slowly learn to trust one another, and how he slowly became a significant part of their lives.

Zimmer, Kinden, Padgett, and Gem are still around, and their presence only improved the overall story. They have a history with Court, Franny, and Mykal, and it was nice seeing them grow together as a group. They've all been through so much, and they genuinely care for each other. Zimmer might be my favorite of those four, and I enjoyed his easy friendship with Franny. They understood what it was like to be Fast Trackers, and found comfort in each other's company (purely platonic).

Even with everything going on, the authors manage to further develop their already complex and complicated characters, and still move the story forward. There are a few small time skips (a few weeks here, a few days there) that helped with how long the book felt, which isn't long at all, and I never felt lost or confused within the story.

There are some darker aspects to this one... there's cruelty and violence, some bloodshed and fighting, and very clear divisions between the wealthy and the poor. Influentials are willing to pay Fast Trackers for their bodies, knowing they likely need the money to survive. It's a setting that is both foreign and familiar, and is was interesting to see how the characters navigated their ever-changing surroundings.

The Last Hope is a book I would've willingly sacrificed sleep for. The characters were lovely and fantastic, the story was unique and remarkable, and I am so glad I took a chance on this series. I know these characters will always have a place in my heart, and I look forward to reading more books by this author duo.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on August 6, 2019. ( )