The Last 8
An LGBTQ YA "sci-fi romp" (Kirkus), The Last 8 is a thrilling high-stakes survival story about the last eight teenagers left on Earth after aliens attack, praised as "An extravaganza of nonstop action" (School Library Journal)
Extinction was just the beginning...
Clover Martinez has always been a survivor, which is the reason she isn't among the dead when aliens invade and destroy Earth as she knows it.
Clover is convinced she's the only one left until she hears a voice on the radio urging her to go to the former Area 51. When she arrives, she's greeted by a band of misfits who call themselves The Last Teenagers on Earth.
Only they aren't the ragtag group of heroes Clover was expecting. The seven strangers seem more interested in pretending the world didn't end than fighting back, and Clover starts to wonder if she was better off alone. But when she finds a hidden spaceship within the walls of the compound, she doesn't know what to believe...or who to trust.
The Last 8 is perfect for readers looking for:
- heart-pounding young adult survival books
- tween and teen LGBTQ books
- sci-fi Latinx teen books
- expert world-building and
- relatable, funny, diverse characters
Praise for The Last 8:
"The Walking Dead meets Alien in this expertly plotted debut. Teens will want to follow Clover on her next adventure!" -- Zoraida Cordova, author of the Brooklyn Brujas series
"The Last 8 is diverse and immersive science fiction...With its powerful world building and emotional twists, The Last 8 is a beautifully fresh take on the idea of an alien apocalypse." -- Foreword Reviews
"A sci-fi romp with ample intergalactic twists to keep readers satisfied." -- Kirkus Reviews
"This debut is, at times, both joyful and heartbreaking ... Pohl's characters are tough, funny, and brave as they manage to persevere despite the debilitating weight of grief." -- Booklist
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Community Reviews
Okay, so imagine the world ends because aliens decide to play a violent game of cosmic dodgeball with Earth. Everyone’s gone, except for Clover Martinez, our plucky, emotionally damaged protagonist.
Clover is your classic tough-as-nails, doesn’t-need-anyone kind of protagonist—which is exactly why she survives when aliens show up and obliterate humanity. Honestly, good for her. I, too, like to think I’d survive the end of the world, though my “survival” would mostly involve hoarding snacks and crying under a table.
She’s got survivor skills, trauma, and a radio that catches a signal leading her to… Area 51? Sure, why not. Sounds like the perfect place to hang out when you’re battling an alien invasion.
When she arrives, she finds seven other teens who are the last survivors of Earth (or at least Nevada, I guess). Cue The Breakfast Club meets War of the Worlds, but with less chemistry and more awkward mistrust.
The premise is solid: aliens, survival, a ragtag team of teens who might just save the world. But here’s the thing: the execution? Eh. The characters are tropey and not in a fun, self-aware way. We’ve got the brooding one, the comic relief, the one who’s way too calm considering aliens just wiped out humanity. And don’t even get me started on the “hidden spaceship” plotline. It’s thrown in so abruptly that I genuinely wondered if I’d skipped a chapter.
To be fair, there are moments of brilliance. The opening is raw and emotional, and Clover’s internal struggle—survivor’s guilt, grief, loneliness—is genuinely compelling. If you like your apocalypses with a side of melodrama and aren’t in a hurry to save the world, give this book a shot.
Clover is your classic tough-as-nails, doesn’t-need-anyone kind of protagonist—which is exactly why she survives when aliens show up and obliterate humanity. Honestly, good for her. I, too, like to think I’d survive the end of the world, though my “survival” would mostly involve hoarding snacks and crying under a table.
She’s got survivor skills, trauma, and a radio that catches a signal leading her to… Area 51? Sure, why not. Sounds like the perfect place to hang out when you’re battling an alien invasion.
When she arrives, she finds seven other teens who are the last survivors of Earth (or at least Nevada, I guess). Cue The Breakfast Club meets War of the Worlds, but with less chemistry and more awkward mistrust.
The premise is solid: aliens, survival, a ragtag team of teens who might just save the world. But here’s the thing: the execution? Eh. The characters are tropey and not in a fun, self-aware way. We’ve got the brooding one, the comic relief, the one who’s way too calm considering aliens just wiped out humanity. And don’t even get me started on the “hidden spaceship” plotline. It’s thrown in so abruptly that I genuinely wondered if I’d skipped a chapter.
To be fair, there are moments of brilliance. The opening is raw and emotional, and Clover’s internal struggle—survivor’s guilt, grief, loneliness—is genuinely compelling. If you like your apocalypses with a side of melodrama and aren’t in a hurry to save the world, give this book a shot.
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