The Last Star by Rick Yancey

Summary: We’re here, then we’re gone, and that was true before they came. That’s always been true. The Others didn’t invent death; they just perfected it. Gave death a face to put back in our face, because they knew that was the only way to crush us. It won’t end on any continent or ocean, no mountain or plain, jungle or desert. It will end where it began, where it had been from the beginning, on the battlefield of the last beating human heart.

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When I first read The 5th Wave in 2013 I was blown away. I read it during a time where I was craving a good YA sci-fi book that could potentially match my love for Partials by Dan wells -one of my favourite books of 2012- and the 5th Wave was exactly that. I gave it 4 hearts and the sequel, The Infinite Sea, I gave 3.5 hearts, because although I liked it I didn't quite enjoy it as much.

I loved Cassie's snarky, sarcastic, and at times philosophical personality in the first book. However, in The Infinite Sea I found it hard to get on with her, because I felt as though she spent most of the book moping over Evan. A boy and romance I couldn't care less about (honestly if Evan wasn't in this book it still would have been the same. His character was so pointless, the little page time he did have was so Cassie could say things like "His face lit up when he saw me...his eyes drank me in. Oh, the Evanness of it all, how he gulps down my presence like a guy stumbling upon an oasis in the desert." *gags* I also found it strange that after Ringer revealed *highlight to read spoiler* he and all the Silencers weren't actually Others, but humans, we didn't get to read  how he felt about that). It was Ringer who stole the show in TIS, she was amazing and I remember rooting for her through out. In the Last Star, however, I'm happy to report that Cassie is back to usual sassy, brave, and deeply caring self.

After the events of the previous book you can clearly see a change in the characters - from Ringer and Zombie, to Cassie and Sam. Doing what's right and wrong is no longer easy to differentiate. When do you cross a line? And what would you do to save humanity and the ones you care about?

Sam has had to grow up fast and see things no one should have to see at his age. His relationship with Cassie in this book is strained, and I really felt for her as she tried to re-connect with her brother. Zombie totally won me over in The Last Star, you can really see how much he's developed and grown as a character. He held the group together, imo, and his determination to keep everyone safe was admirable.

I have to admit I had a feeling what happened in the end would happen, and I think it was a good ending. I don't think it could have ended any other way without it feeling unnatural and forced.

Overall, I've decided to give The Last Star 3 hearts, because it was a solid conclusion to the trilogy. Also, because I've come to the realisation that I'm kind of over post-apocalyptic books, they just don't hold the same excitement as they once did.

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