‘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.

OK, I did not like this book very much. I'm going to write my review in spoilers because it's potentially triggering in current 2020-2021 circumstances.
So I know the author had a note at the front of the book saying she was writing this book before COVID was a thing and didn't want to capitalise off of it, but putting COVID into the narrative of this book was...a choice. It was actually really insensitive because the protagonist, of 2023/2024, is really dismissive of COVID because of the absolutely devastating kills-you-in-6-days fictional pandemic of the book. Wasn't a fan of that at all.

So we meet our unnamed female protagonist, who writes a diary, thinking she's the only person alive in the UK. We get insights into her old life with her husband James, and her current experiences of survival. But honestly? She's not very likeable and I get that the point of the book was that she was the classic 'messy female protagonist' but I just didn't warm to her at all. I know that she has anxiety and depression but it didn't excuse how she acted in her previous relationships and friendships.

The present day sections of the book are just as messed up. I didn't connect with the writing or the character. It was just one big journey of being a complete disaster and it had a little character growth but not enough. So this was disappointing. I hope we never have a real life 6DM virus, not that anyone really knew much about it in the book.

Also the ending is one of those inconclusive ones that I don't like. No thanks. Sorry, but don't think this was my kind of end of human life book.

"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'm really glad the writer included a note at the beginning, explaining the inspiration behind the story, and how the subject of a pandemic was already thought out before covid-19 was prevalent.

It is strange to read a novel about a pandemic, when living through one, but for me, it somehow added to the experience.

We never learn the name of the woman who appears to be the only survivor of a new virus - 6DM. A virus that leads to painful death within 6 days. Watching your husband die, then finding your parents both dead, fingers entwined, is more than a human mind can take. Our girl turns to alcohol, cocaine and prescription drugs to escape the loneliness of her new reality. In the form of a diary we learn more about her marriage, her struggles with depression and panic attacks, and her longing to have a child.

I loved that this wasn't a story that had a survivor as some kind of Lara Croft action hero. She is an ordinary, flawed woman, just trying to get through each day. Watching porn to scratch an itch. Getting high. Staying in fancy hotels and swigging champagne in a hot tub.

But loneliness is all encompassing and she decides to try to make it to Scotland in case there are any other survivors.

A lot more happens than it's possible to go into, and there is a twist that I won't talk about as I don't want to spoil the story. I do feel there are unanswered questions at the end, which perhaps means there's scope for a sequel.

I loved the combination of horror and romance, the realism that makes this dystopian, but with a difference. That being that this is far more relatable, and therefore, in some ways, more terrifying than many end of days stories. There is black humour, beautiful moments of connection, and suspense a-plenty. It is thought-provoking and life affirming and truly, a wonderful debut.

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🌟

If I ever wanted to know how I would last in a post apocalyptic world as the only human, I now know. I would be this narrator for the first 60% of the book.

I thought that this book did an excellent job focusing on the trauma and uncertainty of the situation. The main character is not some survivalist woman or someone who prepared for this situation. She's just some regular woman who was living her life and struggling to figure out who she was and what she wanted. I love that she wasn't portrayed as some heroine who always made the morally right and selfless choice.

I think the mental health representation was well done and shows the struggles and fears that come asking with those issues.

By the end of this book I was probably about 80% connected to the character and I almost teared up towards the end when we learned about the "Last Night" and during that final scene. I would have loved to have had a little less of her journey in the first few months and more if what happened after the *final scene*.

Doesn't seem to have been very well researched. Also lacked a lot of detail and quite a few plot holes. Overall impression is a modern novel with a thin post apocalyptic dressing that didn't really work for me. Neither fish nor fowl it's sits uncomfortably somewhere in the middle.

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.

It took me two attempts to read this book as I’m not sure I was in the right frame of mind first time round. The premise of the story is that a dreadful virus has spread over the world called 6DM and people die within 6 days maximum of diagnosis. When I first started reading it I think I was still a bit bogged down with all the COVID-19 news and it was a bit too close to home! There are several references to COVID-19 throughout the book which describes it as merely a blip which is easily coped with. The book explores the journey of one survivor’s will to live (or not at times) and how she achieves this. Once I restarted the book, I really enjoyed it. He author has a great imagination and is incredibly gifted with her descriptions, sometime almost too realistic. For a post apocalyptic novel this was great albeit very scary.

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.

Taken out of context, this would be an absolutely brilliant book. It’s really well-written and the characters (while not particularly likeable as such) are engaging.

However, given that we are in a dreary January third lockdown, working from home, only leaving the house to walk the dog, and looking for some escapism, this wasn’t the book for me right now. I had to stop reading 25% in as it wasn’t helping my already hanging on by a thread mindset!

It’s such bad luck for the author, as I saw that she actually wrote this pre-COVID. I think once we are back into some kind of normality this will be a great book to pick up again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

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!