Word Spelunking

When I finally picked up The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze (coolest name ever!) I had been in a bit of a YA slump, reading books that just failed to WOW or impress me. But luckily this book proved to be different and immensely enjoyable.In a stark, dystopian future, the world is a very different place since the Seventeen Days. For 17 days and nights the world was bombarded with every natural disaster imaginable (hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcano eruptions). At the end of those 17 days, England found itself isolated from the rest of the world, with communication impossible thanks to no electricity and impassible ocean waters. In this savage land, Roamers (cannibals) haunt the woods, while a new, dangerous group calling themselves the New Guard is quickly growing. When the New Guard attacks Buckingham Palace, killing the king and capturing Princess Mary and Prince Jamie, Princess Eliza finds herself alone. Determined to avenge her family, the princess infiltrates the New Guard’s training camps, intent on killing Cornelius Hollister, the leader and the man who took her family away from her. But she never expects to find a new reason fight for more than revenge and to just maybe fight for love.The Last Princess offers readers a fast-paced, refreshing dystopian story. Exciting and well-written, with a kickbutt heroine, this book had me captivated from beginning to end.With the dark, startling dystopian English setting, author Galaxy Craze has crafted a world that is both grand and chilling. The idea behind the Seventeen Days and the natural disasters it produced may not be entirely original, but it does make for intriguing consequences. And Craze’s post-apocalyptic world is well-developed and deftly laid out for readers. The idea of Roamers, revolutionary groups like the New Guard, poverty, starvation and criminal activity in the wake of a post-apocalyptic event are all realistic notions, and Craze explores these things in a way that is both frightening and enthralling.Princess Eliza is a strong, likable heroine. Her strength, determination and feistiness are very genuine and believable. I had no problems easily connecting with this girl. Princess Mary and young Prince Jaime are endearing characters and, most importantly, are characters that readers will believe are worth fighting for, worth saving. Wesley, our heroine’s love interest, is engaging and swoon-worthy in unexpected ways. And Cornelius Hollister makes for a truly sinister villain.The story is fast-paced, and at times, can feel rushed. A lot happens from beginning to end and I would have liked to have seen some things expanded upon more. The romance between Eliza and Wesley is by no means insta-love, and the spark and chemistry between the two is believable, but I wouldn’t have minded a slower progression of their relationship. But there’s definitely plenty of room for their relationship to grow and evolve in future books.I really loved the battle and fighting scenes; they’re very well written. And I like that the author wasn’t afraid to be a bit bloody, gory or violent. There’s definitely some general predictability, but this didn’t bother me or keep me from being thoroughly entertained. The book ends with a resolved conclusion to Eliza's adventures in book one, but with an enticing cliffhanger that sets up the sequel. MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Galaxy Craze's The Last Princess is an exciting and refreshing dystopian, with a kick-butt and likable heroine. I really enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait for the sequel!