Book Review: The Last Hope by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Whew, I cannot believe I am posting two reviews in the same month! It is quite a relief, to be honest, mainly because I am not the most active blogger. But I hope to change that in the new year! My next review will probably be in a few weeks, but definitely before 2021. As always, if you are only interested in my overall thoughts, scroll to the bottom! ♥︎
I swallow and say, “You mean that we’re human.”
I don’t know what a human is.
I don’t know what or who we are, but I haven’t known that for years. Now is no different. Learning that we’re human has only left us with more questions that need greater explanations.
— i.
Death is uncertain.
But how can you be fearless despite that uncertainty? I don’t know. Because I sense her fear. I feel mine. We’re about to land on an enemy planet that wants us dead.
Fear seems like the only sensible emotion.
I remember reading The Raging Ones as an ARC, so it has been two years in between these reads for me. But the wait was worth it because The Last Hope certainly did not disappoint! Especially with the first novel’s cliffhanger, I was excited to get my hands on the sequel, and I loved it from beginning to end.
We picked up where we left off at the end of The Raging Ones when Saltare-1 forces imprison Court, Mykal, and Franny. Eventually, they are released and sent to the Earthen Fleet, The Lucretzia. The three of them learn that to save humanity, they must train for a mission to Saltare-1 to retrieve a baby, the first of a new species, that will make Earth invisible and transport the planet to another galaxy. It was a lot of information to receive going into the novel, but it made reading so much easier (and more fun!).
— ii.
I blink back brutal emotion. Choked on a raw feeling.
Humanity.
I always dreamed about a world where people try to save other people. Now I’m aiming an arrow at what I fought for. What I went to prison for. What I would’ve died for.
I remember going into The Last Hope feeling terrified that Franny and Zimmer would end up together, especially when the synopsis informed us Franny would develop feelings for someone. I was beyond relieved to discover that it was not Zimmer, but rather, the Saltarian that rescued the three of them from prison and brought them back to the Earthen Fleet. The Fleet swapped Stork and Mykal at their births, so Stork was raised among humans (but knew he was Saltarian). And let me say, I fell in love with Stork almost immediately, and I loved his relationship with Franny. Before this novel, I was reluctant for Franny to be romantically involved with anyone except for Court and Mykal. Now that I finished The Last Hope, not only do I love her relationship with Stork (and how it developed!), but I also loved Stork’s developing friendships with Court and Mykal. And, of course, I still adore Court and Mykal together.
And since the idea of Franny/Zimmer as a romance was put to rest, it made me appreciate the friendship they had so much more. So much so that when Zimmer reached his death day, I cried really hard. I hadn’t realized I had grown attached to this character until his final moments. It made me reflect and realize that Krista & Becca did a great job creating and developing the characters for this series. Throughout this book, there were so many pivotal moments that made me realize how far the characters have come, especially Franny, Court, and Mykal.
I think the character with the best development is Court, though. He was such a closed-off, picture-perfect, personal gain type of guy at the beginning of the series and how his character developed, especially in The Last Hope. I am genuinely in awe. I cannot stress enough what a good job Krista & Becca did with their characters in this series.
— iii.
Nothing in life has ever been fair. You were raised on a planet that treats death like a celebration. I was raised on one that treats death like despair. The funny thing is, right now, I can’t tell you which is worse.
The biggest surprise about The Last Hope was how Gem, Padgett, Kinden, and Zimmer betrayed the Saltarians and joined the Earthen Fleet! I wasn’t expecting them to like, hunt for Court, Mykal, and Franny for sport or anything, but the way they defied everything they knew for friends they have known for such a small amount of time (except for Kinden and Court). These four characters were only secondary, but they still had such a massive role in the story. I think the trio could have probably accomplished what they wanted to without them in some way (through largely altering the plot), but it wouldn’t have been the same. Having such prominent secondary characters can sometimes be such a risk, especially in a book that revolves explicitly around three people. Nevertheless, KB did a great job, and there was not a single character in this story that wasn’t integral to the plot.
— iv.
I’m different. Court once said that I can still be a Fast-Tracker, but I’m more. I’m my good-natured mother. I’m my long-lost friends, and I know I’m human too—but gods, what does that even mean?
My lips fall. “I wish I were Saltarian.” I whisper a sad truth while lying along his muscular build. I’m about to sit up, but his arm curves around my lower back.
“Don’t wish that,” he says softly, almost achingly. “Your humanity is one of the best parts of you.”
The best part about this series is, by far, the relationships and dynamics between characters. Of course, my favorite is still the bond that Court, Mykal, and Franny share, now known as lifebloods. I could not believe I wanted all three to be together when The Last Hope could not have shown a more familial dynamic between Franny and her boys if KB tried. I still love Court and Mykal together, and it physically hurt my soul when they broke up for a bit. But thankfully, at the same time, Franny and Stork were falling in love with each other. I’m personally very protective of Franny, and I still think Stork is a great character and an excellent match for Franny. They started as sort-of-but-not-really enemies, and they built a bond based on trust and partnership. Add the off-the-charts chemistry they share, and you have an excellent relationship! The moments between Padgett and Kinden were also cute. The way they act makes it feel like they are so the mom and dad of the group.
But more importantly, the non-romantic relationships were the best. As I mentioned, Court, Mykal, and Franny’s bond is the best relationship and possibly the best thing about this series. But I also loved how other dynamics evolved, mainly Court & Kinden and Mykal & Stork. Kinden is so desperate to be there for his brother, but Court is afraid Kinden is there only because he misses the old Court (named Etian). But Kinden has proved over and over again that his brother is Court, not Etian. That moment between these two brothers was so significant, and it contributed to Court’s character so much because he no longer had to be insecure about Kinden’s motives. From then on, Court knew Kinden wanted to be Court’s brother, not Etian’s. I am marveling at how KB weaved character development with pivotal relationship moments.
Stork and Mykal were an interesting dynamic since they were the babies swapped at birth. While Stork still chose the Earthen Fleet in the end, he was still bitter about being torn from his parents, and understandably so. But Mykal was relentless in forming a brotherly bond with Stork and acted as if they were brothers from day one. Stork kept pushing Mykal away, but he slowly let him in, and they became the brothers they were meant to be. Their history was surprising, their progression was beautiful, and their friendship was rewarding. And that is what every relationship felt like in this series—rewarding. Seriously, I was impressed and completely captivated by how KB developed their characters’ dynamics from start to finish. Great job!
— v.
Life is precious. I was never taught just how much lives are worth our sacrifice and devotion and love. On Saltare, life means something different, but there is a world out there waiting for us and for new generations. A world still worth fighting for.
As for the plot, while I enjoyed it very much, I found the pacing was a bit awkward at some points of the novel. The beginning of The Last Hope felt like whiplash since there was so much going on, but then things slowed down and picked up a natural pace. I also felt like the end of the novel was rushed, and I envisioned this series as a trilogy. And given the amount of content we received, it would have made more sense as a trilogy. However, this factor did not upset me too much since I know that KB’s publisher most likely only gave them room to do a sequel instead of a full trilogy. Considering this factor, they did a great job cramming everything in.
— vi.
The man who raised me sat me down and said not to hate who I am because that’s a surefire way to die before you’re dead.
The writing was also really well done. Some of it was a bit repetitive, but it makes sense when there are four different POVs in the first person. I especially loved their takes on humanity and how they crafted the differences between Saltarians and humans. Seriously, most of my Kindle highlights revolve around death, humanity, Saltarians, and the relationship between the three. I would love to see them write more science fiction/dystopian literature in the future!
— vii.
Truth being, I’ve had plentiful opportunities to ask Stork about Earth. Once he’s been freely spouting facts, that is. But I never spoke up.
I knew and I’ll be knowing that ugly surroundings can’t frighten me away. I’m used to ugly, and no matter where we go, the happiest I’ll ever be is with them.
Reaching Earth together is the mightiest victory. Everything else is just an extra blessing.
Overall, I adored the characters and relationships, and I loved the book overall. Despite the moments where the plot pacing was weird, KB did an excellent job wrapping up this story and doing the characters justice. I would love to see them write more YA and/or science fiction in the future; I think the genres suit them well. And honestly, as of right now, I think the genres actually suit them the best compared to their other books.
Have you read this duology? If so, what did you think of it? Did you like the characters and the relationships? Were you expecting more than just a sequel? If you read this series and KB’s new adult books, how do you feel about the different approaches they took in developing their books in different genres? If you only read their other books, would you be interested in picking up The Raging Ones? I would love to read what you are all thinking!
I also write for an entertainment website, TV Fanatic, so if you are interested in all things television, check out my articles! And in case you missed it, my last book review was for Chain of Gold! I have a few book reviews planned in the future, but if you have any suggestions on books I should read, feel free to drop a comment or contact me.
Rating: ★★★★ | GoodReads
