duskbladedrow's review against another edition
4.0
It has been awhile since I have read a book that left me confused about how I feel. Did I love it? I'm not sure. There were many elements that I enjoyed, but others that left me scratching my head. Going to have to think over this one.
sc104906's review against another edition
2.0
Find my original review on my blog: https://wp.me/p8jcuj-2nV
Buckle up for a sci-fi retelling (esque) of Anastasia. Stacia lives in a remote world where she spends her time hanging with her friends Pol and Clio. When their remote planet is invaded by the rulers of the universe, Stacia learns that she is actually the missing princess Anya, the last in the line of the previous rulers. Now the man who assassinated her family is determined to catch her. Stacia and Pol are able to escape for the Rebel hideout. While Stacia makes friends there, she has a bad feeling about the rebels and takes off with Pol to destinations undetermined. Stacia has access to an important power and she will need both old and new friends to help her determine who to trust.
This was a high fantasy book that I wasn't expecting. I typically don't get into high fantasy, and this was a struggle for me. I believe if you enjoy those type of novels you will like what you find here. I thought the Clio storyline was interesting and I found myself most intrigued by one race of people that had the ability to control gravity.
Buckle up for a sci-fi retelling (esque) of Anastasia. Stacia lives in a remote world where she spends her time hanging with her friends Pol and Clio. When their remote planet is invaded by the rulers of the universe, Stacia learns that she is actually the missing princess Anya, the last in the line of the previous rulers. Now the man who assassinated her family is determined to catch her. Stacia and Pol are able to escape for the Rebel hideout. While Stacia makes friends there, she has a bad feeling about the rebels and takes off with Pol to destinations undetermined. Stacia has access to an important power and she will need both old and new friends to help her determine who to trust.
This was a high fantasy book that I wasn't expecting. I typically don't get into high fantasy, and this was a struggle for me. I believe if you enjoy those type of novels you will like what you find here. I thought the Clio storyline was interesting and I found myself most intrigued by one race of people that had the ability to control gravity.
alexperc_92's review against another edition
4.0
I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Anastasia meets sci-fi in this amazing adventure of family, lost legacies and action. I enjoyed the plot and the twists and also the way Stacia, while she didn't plan to become a symbol, became a warrior of her own might and tried to save the ones she loves. I love Jessica Khoury's characters because I can relate to them so much!
Anastasia meets sci-fi in this amazing adventure of family, lost legacies and action. I enjoyed the plot and the twists and also the way Stacia, while she didn't plan to become a symbol, became a warrior of her own might and tried to save the ones she loves. I love Jessica Khoury's characters because I can relate to them so much!
iggyebab's review against another edition
2.0
I can not pinpoint exactly why, but this book felt flat to me. The characters were interesting but there was something missing. The story idea was fascinating,the writing was fine, but the execution was lackluster.
It would ant a terrible book but I don’t think I will remember much about it.
It would ant a terrible book but I don’t think I will remember much about it.
missprint_'s review
4.0
"If you control your self, you control your fate."
Stacia knows all about the rebellion that tore through the Belt of Jewels sixteen years ago leaving the entire royal family dead, but it's always felt removed from her quiet life on Amethyne with her parents and her best friends, Clio and Pol.
When the Direktor Eminent comes to Amethyne looking for Princess Anya, the youngest member of the murdered royal family, Stacia realizes the dangers of the Union's authoritative regime have always been closer than she realized. Stacia is loath to believe the claims that she is the lost princess. But doubt doesn't help when the shooting starts.
Escape comes at a price as Stacia and Pol are forced to leave Clio behind. On the run, forced to question her entire history, Stacia will have to embrace her true identity and claim her birthright if she wants to save her friend or her planet in Last of Her Name (2019) by Jessica Khoury.
Khoury's latest standalone is a nail-biting story inspired by the lost Russian princess, Anastasia. Stacia's first person narration and her richly imagined world bring this story, and its complex technology, to life in this new interpretation of a familiar story.
High action and shocking twists come together to make Last of Her Name an unforgettable reading experience. The high stakes of Stacia's journey to reclaim her birthright contrasts well with quieter moments between Stacia and Pol as they both try to decide what Stacia's true identity means for their already changing relationship.
Last of Her Name is the lost princess space opera of your dreams. Highly recommended.
Possible Pairings: Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza, Romanov by Nadine Brandes, Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray, Lifel1k3 by Jay Kristoff, Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston, Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte, This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada, The Pioneer by Bridget Tyler
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
story_sanctuary's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, wow. I really wanted to read this book after reading and loving FORBIDDEN WISH by the same author. It’s so different, though, that I kept hesitating to read it, but I’m glad I finally jumped into LAST OF HER NAME
I think my favorite part is the story world. The belt of planets named for jewels with different environments and different humans adapted to life on those planets made it seem really believable and unique. It felt like Star Wars meets Anastasia, and I loved that.
Some parts of the story felt a little slow to me, especially toward the middle of the book. I felt like it took a long time for Stacia to come into her own and begin to make strategic moves and become an active player in her story. Early in the story especially, she seemed to look to others a lot for what to do. I think I really got hooked on the book once she began to take charge and make decisions herself.
On the whole, though, I think the characters are really memorable and well-developed. I loved the way Stacia ended up with a team around her, and I loved each of those characters. I think fans of Claudia Gray’s DEFY THE STARS and Beth Revis’s ACROSS THE UNIVERSE will want to read LAST OF HER NAME.
I think my favorite part is the story world. The belt of planets named for jewels with different environments and different humans adapted to life on those planets made it seem really believable and unique. It felt like Star Wars meets Anastasia, and I loved that.
Some parts of the story felt a little slow to me, especially toward the middle of the book. I felt like it took a long time for Stacia to come into her own and begin to make strategic moves and become an active player in her story. Early in the story especially, she seemed to look to others a lot for what to do. I think I really got hooked on the book once she began to take charge and make decisions herself.
On the whole, though, I think the characters are really memorable and well-developed. I loved the way Stacia ended up with a team around her, and I loved each of those characters. I think fans of Claudia Gray’s DEFY THE STARS and Beth Revis’s ACROSS THE UNIVERSE will want to read LAST OF HER NAME.
freewings21's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I honestly found this book kind of hard to get through. Mainly because of the fictional racism that I felt wasn't handled well. It kept being in the back of my mind even as the book moved away from it. It could have been handled better or left out entirely. You can show dictators being awful without having literal slurs on the page.
archivy's review
2.0
Mehhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Edit for review:
I wanted it to be better than it was.
It's basically a retelling of Anastasia but in space only Anastasia doesn't know she's Anastasia. The concept and ending were my favorite parts of the book - if the whole book had been like the last quarter of the book I probably would have liked it a lot more. I also actually would have liked it more if it had maybe been split into two books rather than just a standalone. This just felt far too rushed, imo.
I ended up reading this for a themed book club of mine which the theme for the month was March Madness. As for the madness, I'm making this a spoiler for those who want to read this book and go into it not knowing much... -
It is a quick read though..and fun for the most part. So worth picking up if you're looking for something quick and easy.
Edit for review:
I wanted it to be better than it was.
It's basically a retelling of Anastasia but in space only Anastasia doesn't know she's Anastasia. The concept and ending were my favorite parts of the book - if the whole book had been like the last quarter of the book I probably would have liked it a lot more. I also actually would have liked it more if it had maybe been split into two books rather than just a standalone. This just felt far too rushed, imo.
I ended up reading this for a themed book club of mine which the theme for the month was March Madness. As for the madness, I'm making this a spoiler for those who want to read this book and go into it not knowing much... -
Spoiler
Stacia's lineage has a psychological link to a giant sentient crystal that floats/lives in the depths of space. Because "science" (it does get explained in the book, I just don't feel like getting into it). Throughout the story though b/c she's unaware of this link, she begins to believe she's going crazy like the rest of her family supposedly did. Without fully spoiling things, she begins to believe that she's seeing things she could have sworn were there and for a time doubts her own reality.It is a quick read though..and fun for the most part. So worth picking up if you're looking for something quick and easy.
wildflowerz76's review
3.0
After the royal family was systematically murdered, a group called the Committee has ruled space. But in a small community of wine merchants, 16yo Stacia doesn't worry about politics. She loves anything mechanical and spends her time on that and having fun with her two best friends. But when a Committee ship comes to their small town, revealing one of their group is the lost princess, Anya, Stacia is shocked to find out that it's her. (Yes, it's a VERY loose retelling of Russian history).
Overall, this book was okay. Stacia is a total Mary Sue who is good at everything, all the time. The love interest is lame and totally not needed for the book. I had an issue though...she flees the planet with one of her best friends and the whole time, she just wants to save her other BFF. She's pretty single-minded. And there's a reason, BUT she never once mentions trying to save her parents. She always refers to them as her real parents, so CE they raised her, and appears to love them, but she NEVER talks about saving them...just her friend.
Then there's the world building. I don't mind a magical element. Even in SF. But if you're going to blend the magic into the SF, you better do a REALLY good job of it. And this is NOT a good job.
This is another Tome Student Literary Society book for high school next year. The main character is a straight, white, cisgender female. There are other races of aliens, but no POCs and no LGBTQIA, unless you count a SUPER vague hint right at the very end, but I really don't.
Overall, this book was okay. Stacia is a total Mary Sue who is good at everything, all the time. The love interest is lame and totally not needed for the book. I had an issue though...she flees the planet with one of her best friends and the whole time, she just wants to save her other BFF. She's pretty single-minded. And there's a reason, BUT she never once mentions trying to save her parents. She always refers to them as her real parents, so CE they raised her, and appears to love them, but she NEVER talks about saving them...just her friend.
Then there's the world building. I don't mind a magical element. Even in SF. But if you're going to blend the magic into the SF, you better do a REALLY good job of it. And this is NOT a good job.
This is another Tome Student Literary Society book for high school next year. The main character is a straight, white, cisgender female. There are other races of aliens, but no POCs and no LGBTQIA, unless you count a SUPER vague hint right at the very end, but I really don't.