Hello Blogiverse!

How the heck are you? I’ve been super busy with coursework for grad school, but luckily I’ve got this class that requires I read a number of YA novels and review them, so I’m grateful for the sanity boost. Speaking of which, I finished another book!

This time I read All That’s Left in the World (All That’s Left in the World #1) by Erik J. Brown.

I didn’t know anything about this author before reading this book, but the genre mashup of romance, YA, and apocalypse seemed right up my alley.

All right, let’s get this review started!

Blurb

What If It’s Us meets They Both Die at the End in this postapocalyptic, queer YA adventure romance from debut author Erik J. Brown. Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera, Alex London, and Heartstopper by Alice Oseman.

When Andrew stumbles upon Jamie’s house, he’s injured, starved, and has nothing left to lose. A deadly pathogen has killed off most of the world’s population, including everyone both boys have ever loved. And if this new world has taught them anything, it’s to be scared of what other desperate people will do . . . so why does it seem so easy for them to trust each other?

After danger breaches their shelter, they flee south in search of civilization. But something isn’t adding up about Andrew’s story, and it could cost them everything. And Jamie has a secret, too. He’s starting to feel something more than friendship for Andrew, adding another layer of fear and confusion to an already tumultuous journey.

The road ahead of them is long, and to survive, they’ll have to shed their secrets, face the consequences of their actions, and find the courage to fight for the future they desire, together. Only one thing feels certain: all that’s left in their world is the undeniable pull they have toward each other.

GoodReads

Amazon

***Brief disclosure***

I am an Amazon affiliate and earn a tiny commission for purchases made through the Amazon links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase. 

The Review

The world as we know it has ended with the onset of a superflu that has wiped out most of the world population. A young man named Andrew stumbles his way through the wilderness, and after getting seriously injured he is desperate to find shelter. When he finds a cabin in the woods unlocked he comes face to face with another teen named Jamison.

Thrust into a difficult situation, Jamison nurses Andrew back to health, finding himself oddly intrigued by Andrew’s personality and demeanor. But after a frightening encounter with a group of survivors, Andrew and Jamison’s temporary peace is shattered. Together they embark on a journey across the nation to find hope and freedom from this nightmare. Along the way they find forgiveness for the things they’ve been forced to do, cope with the great losses they’ve suffered, and struggle with their rising feelings towards one another.

This novel was a riveting YA adventure.

Andrew and Jamison were great main characters to follow around. I have a deep love for snarky scrappy characters, and Andrew did not disappoint. Jamison on the other hand was more softspoken and an introvert. It made for a nice balance through the dialogue and other interactions they had and helped make the chapters in their viewpoints more distinctive.

Both characters have lost quite a lot from the superflu pandemic, and they both had a lot of depth and backstory to explore that contributed to who they are now. I loved exploring that and watching them overcome their personal obstacles through adversity.

The romance element was subtle and didn’t overpower the story, which is a personal preference of mine. This was paired nicely with the apocalyptic element and its danger, which helped make each chapter memorable and meaningful. This is definitely a fast-paced book, so buckle your seatbelts!

The writing was effective and to the point, not overly flowery or drawn out (another preference of mine). I also enjoyed how realistic this fiction novel was and that it didn’t have to have zombies or vampires in it. The big bad is humans, and in many instances we get to see just how terrifying that can be. I have no complaints with this marvelous story. Any teen or YA reader will greatly enjoy the story and the different genres that help pull things together.

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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