Reviews with content warning for Animal cruelty - The Last Word

I recently finished reading a rather unique book that really challenged my expectations. The story was both predictable and unpredictable at the same time, which was quite fascinating. On one hand, the book was a little annoying because it seemed to drag on, but on the other hand, as the plot unfolded, I found myself growing sympathetic towards the characters. The outlandish nature of the story was both a positive and a negative for me, as it added an intriguing element to the narrative but also made it a bit hard to relate to at times.

Despite these contradictions, I have to admit that I ultimately found the book to be quite good. The author's ability to draw me in and make me genuinely think and feel showed skillful storytelling. Instead of being frustratingly clueless which is a cliche in most mystery/thriller books, the main character, Emma, was portrayed as a thoughtful and intelligent protagonist, even when her actions seemed questionable at times.

There were even moments that I couldn't help but find a bit humorous, particularly when the different points of view clashed in a somewhat comical way. For instance, there was a part where

Emma claimed the killer had screamed, only for the next paragraph to reveal the killer’s perspective, denying the scream. This unexpected humor provided a welcome break from the intense and adrenaline-filled plot.

Overall, I think I would recommend this book. Its outlandish nature is what gives it its charm, and while you might have a sense of who the killer is, the real mystery lies in how events will unfold.

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bethreadsandnaps's review against another edition

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3.25

3.25 stars

Housesitter Emma is lolling her days away reading ebooks with her dog at her feet on Washington State Strand Beach. After she leaves a 1 star review, the author gets increasingly hostile, and then he comes after her in a prolonged game of cat and mouse.

The premise of this novel is fantastic and has leaked into other novels in other genres, namely rom coms. Emma rarely leaves the house, and besides reading her only hobby is playing hangman with an older man 1/4 MILE down the road via telescope. Ummm, well, that’s kind of crazy. And, yes, things get crazier. The reader hears from another narrator, and then there is a book within a book concept.

As the novel continued, it got so over the top that I wasn’t creeped out by it. Just wanted it to be over, and some details revealed in the second act connected the dots but weren’t talked about until the third act.

Trigger: dog in jeopardy

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mariadebnamcarey's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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hapalyn's review against another edition

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mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Finished in one sitting. The first 25% was so tense, kind of scary, and I was really excited. However, after the initial confrontation at the front door, it went downhill. Not super scary or exhilarating afterwards. The ‘twist’ felt predictable and the ending was plain old boring. However, I can see people not super into thrillers reading this and being wowed

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orizenda's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Some parts I was like… Emma is so stupid sorry. But this was a fun book. I didn’t really see the main “twist” or secret or whatever you want to call it beforehand. The one about the author stalker main guy was painfully obvious so idk if that was supposed to be a twist but that made me mad at emma. but anyway. I was glad it was more than just a thriller

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novalove177's review against another edition

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1.5

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books_unraveling's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was seriously good and seriously messed up. Quick and suspenseful read, exceeded all expectations. This gave massive slasher vibes. Definitely my favorite book from this author so far!! (And I’m not just giving a good review because I’m creeped out by the prospect of pissing an author off with a bad review🤣🤣)

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