Actual Rating: 2.5 stars

Picking up this book made me realize it’s been quite a while since I’ve read a dystopian novel. I think the last time I recall reading a lot of dystopian was back around 2014, so honestly I was a little worried if I would like this novel. The description seemed interesting though, and I was reeled in by the queer representation.

One of the biggest things that stuck out to me was the romance. As I said, the queer representation was what really drew me in but the romance just seemed out of nowhere. The characters sort of just woke up one day and went you know what? I think I’m in love with him. And good for them, but where was the on-screen/page development??? I’m forgetting the exact timeline, but I think it wasn’t even that long after they met when Jamie was like Oh, I think I love him. I feel like I do have to give some suspension of disbelief though considering these characters are 16/17, and I know how young love and infatuation can be, also combined with the fact that they are living in such an uncertain environment.

The characters were okay- likable enough but not really distinct in their own way. Dual POV tends to be a hit or miss for me, but in this case, I think I didn’t mind it because honestly both characters seemed very similar to me. If it had been a single POV, I think it would’ve worked out fine as well due to their narration styles, and just in general the main characters seemed to lack some substance.

In terms of plot, the idea was good but the plot line itself felt a little bit generic/formulaic. The whole secrecy about the Fosters had me curious but then the reveal was a little underwhelming for me. Then the other issues at Fort Caroline— honestly, I like how the author still incorporated systematic oppression in the novel. Because of course, with the setting being the US, even with a whole apocalypse happening, there would still be white supremacy/homophobia/ableism.

Overall, All That’s Left in the World was a fast, “pass the time” kind of read. It wasn’t particularly exciting or enthralling, but it had a decent plot idea and characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this eARC.

This was one of those books where the pages dissolved and my brain melded into the world and I forgot I was reading. This is a post-Covid world where an even more deadly global pandemic has wiped more than 50% of the world's population after society failed to adequately prepare for another deadly virus. Like most dystopians, it was eerie, heart-pounding, and haunting to see foreshadowing of a world that could be in our near future. I fell in love with both characters, Andrew and Jamie, and the side characters were easy to hate and difficult to trust. I felt like I was right alongside Andrew and Jamie as they had to learn who to trust in their found family.

Jamison lives alone, in a secluded home his mother and him relocated to after a pathogen wiped out most of the world's human population. However, one day Andrew stumbles in with a severely injured leg. Jamison does not kick Andrew out, instead he uses his Mom's medical journal and supplies to save Andrew and his leg. As Andrew heals, the two form a bond and Andrew's leaving becomes harder for them to accept. But, Andrew believes there is salvation further south, and he may be harbouring a secret for wanting to leave. So, when Andrew disappears, Jamison decides to go after him, and both their post-apocalyptic lives will never be the same.

Okay, so first of all this is a post-apocalyptic novel that deals with a flu-like plague. So, with COVID still looming, this may still be a hard topic for people to read. However, I do highly recommend this story! I absolutely loved the narrative and these characters so much. I read the ebook in two days, which for me is phenomenal (as I have a hard time even remembering to read my ebooks), but the book was so addictive. It was a quick read, in that you could lose yourself in the story and the momentum never stalled. It was very easy to empathize with Andrew and Jamison. It was so hard not to like them and root for them and just helplessly read as they face hardship after hardship.

The commentary in this book was also spot on. The "what would happen" line that changed depending on where you were. What people will justify doing in order to ensure their own survival. The real fear of people placing themselves in power who are racist, prejudiced, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic assholes. The idea that you may have found a safe haven, only to see some glaring red flags and fearing you are now trapped. But, I also liked the small moments of love and hope that these two young men found throughout. That even in this dark time there can still be pockets of goodness, and maybe, hopefully, that goodness will eventually outweigh the bad.

I also found that the story confronted the survivalist aspect of humanity as well. How both Andrew and Jamison are put into situations in which they have to make a choice to either let themselves be hurt or to fight back to save themselves. Do these actions they took, in order to save themselves, make them inherently bad people? Or was it a bad situation, in which they were given an impossible choice? I liked how both of them do not automatically just walk away from their decision, that their choice still affects them and affects the future decisions they make. It is a book about trauma and healing, how both of them must find their own way to accepting what they have had to do in order to survive in this new world.

I loved the side characters that help the boys out too, Henri and Cara especially. Henri is tough as nails, but she is also tender to Andrew and Jamison. She helps them when she could easily have left them to whatever fate awaited in her small town. Cara was one of the most interesting characters. She suffers from PTSD, from an event that you never really receive the full story on, but she is also quiet and unassuming. Which gives her an advantage when she decides to stand up for those she cares about. She is protective and a whiz when it comes to maps. She also can sense goodness in people.

Finally, maybe my favourite plot point, was Andrew and Jamison bonding over Andrew telling him the plots to many famous movies that Jamison had never seen. And, Jamison reciprocating by telling Andrew the plots of all the Hallmark channel movies. These two are just too adorable.

Such a great take on the post-apocalyptic genre, with memorable characters that you hope make it through the worst of it and come out on the other side.

I was bored, but I kept reading. Then I was interested, then I was invested. Overall I liked it. Andrew was a rather static character in terms of growth, though it could be argued that most of his growth could have happened before the novel started, but I enjoyed seeing Jamie discover what he was capable of doing (both physically and emotionally).

While a bit too close to the reality of the past few years, this was a highly enjoyable book. The events of the book were interesting and at a steady pace. Jamie and Andrew were both dynamic characters that I was really invested in. A great read for teens who enjoy adventure, dystopias, and LGBTQ romance.

Rep: MM (gay/bi or possibly Demi)

Content: No steamy scenes and just a few funny innuendos. Not much (if any) profanity. Alludes to the “f” derogatory word for homosexual but not actually said.

All That's Left in the World is a book I could not get out of my head. The bleek landscape after a virus wreaks havoc on the world is very easy to picture and written in a way that makes you think this is how it really could be. The characters were all very interesting. When they land in basically a religious cult community it's interesting because I am sure that does exist in real life but here it is pushed to the surface in this world. I like the slow progression of Jamie and Andrew's relationship, it made it so you are more invested in it. I would definitely recommend this book to my teens.

Dystopian has been my favorite sub-genre for as long as I can remember. When everyone else was dying to be Mrs Edward Cullen, I wanted to Mr Finnick O’Dair… albeit I also wanted to be Mr Jacob Black, but that’s neither here nor there.

I absolutely loved everything about All That’s Left in the World. I’ve been waiting for years to feel like I’ve been seen in a post-apocalyptic world. Just because humanity dies off, does not mean the queers go first… unless this is the Handmaid’s Tale. Then, I understand.😂

This book definitely had moments where I was left saying KISS ALREADY! It was a slow burn, friends to lovers Dystopian Romance, which I LOVED, but I was begging the entire book for them to peck. So when it happens… it made it that much more sweet!

4.5 stars
The plot/world is a very familiar post apocalypse environment which actually works well because it lets the characters and their relationship shine and develop. Andrew and Jaime are so well developed and the growth throughout the book as they deal with their past and the present is the heart of the book.
Great read!

I loved this book. For a debut novel I was really impressed! I am hoping that there will be a sequel because this was an AMAZING book!

I really enjoyed this one. A story of two boys learning to trust each other in a post-covid, post-new-pandemic world where distrust is the new norm. For fans of post-apocalyptic shows like The Walking Dead or Y: The Last Man.

Back when dystopian novels were truly fantasy and not a present (if not right-around-the-corner) danger, I would’ve been ALL about this. But because I’ve really been struggling these past few years with the unfairness of those who bully, abuse and take advantage of others, because they can, I found myself having to skim a little, starting when people finally show up to take all of Andrew and Jamie’s food.
Of course, I couldn’t stop thinking how today’s environment--with its current pandemic, supply chain issues, multiplying anti-LGBTQ laws and a WHOLE lot of guns--made some of the events that happen in this book downright quaint. (How had a “good” enclave not been overrun already by gun-toting militias?)
Still, Andrew and Jamie’s love story is a unique and much needed addition to the dystopian genre.

This book follows Andrew and Jamie, going back and forth between them for each chapter. This book is set in a post-apocalyptic world where something deadly has spread through the world, killing most of the population. Andrew is traveling to Alexandria on a mission to deliver a message, if he can. He gets severely injured and happens upon Jamie’s house. Jamie helps him recover, and they begin an adventure through the country, avoiding danger and (of course) finding love along the way.

I thought this was great! A little bit romance, a little bit action, a LOT stressful (but in a good way!). This is set after COVID, and isn’t the same thing that we are dealing with now, but still so real! It gave me Walking Dead vibes too, just no zombies. Dealing with sketchy people, and trying to make a new way after everything has been basically set back to zero, civilization wise. The writing was great too! I will be excited to read more by this author!

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I love a good postapocalyptic thriller, especially since it's so timely. Jamie and ANdrew are both so heartwrenchingly relateable that you can't help rooting for them, and the story moves along quickly to give them many situations to react to and help their relationship and growth progress. THere was tons of very descriptive writing, which I think is necessary for a story set in a future period.

This queer, post-apocalyptic love story is set in an America that has been decimated by a superflu. Andrew has been wandering alone for months when he stumbles upon Jamie, a boy who seems to be doing quite well for himself in a small self-sufficient cabin in the woods (not that kind of cabin in the woods). The two form a strong bond, and a series of unfortunate events leads to them leaving their cabin to head south.
Forgive me for the lackluster plot summary, it's just that so much happens in this book (in a good way) that it's a bit difficult to describe. Part romance, part dystopian thriller, this book was funny, heartwarming, heart-wrenching, and had me on the edge of my seat. The romance did not detract from the adventure and vice-versa. It is well-written and engaging. The characters are *chef's kiss* (all I want is to protect them from the bad things in the world). I haven't willingly picked up a dystopian in a long time, but Erik Brown created something new and different. Even if you're not a fan of dystopian, give this one a try.
PS: I read the author's note at the end and was interested to find out that this book was written back in 2015, long before COVID was a daily concern. Weird to think about a time before any superbug now.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The world learned nothing from COVID (believable) and a bird flu type pandemic has swept...well, the world. The survival rate is devastatingly low, society has completely collapsed, and Jamie's mother was one of the victims, leaving him alone in their well-stocked but remote vacation cabin in Pennsylvania. Andrew's entire family is dead and he's traveling from Connecticut to Alexandria, Virginia for reasons he doesn't want to think too hard about when he steps in a bear trap, breaks his leg, and stumbles upon Jamie's cabin. After this apocalyptic meet-cute, Jamie joins Andrew on his trek south partially in hope of the international aid that's supposed to come to Reagan National Airport on June 10th. On their travels, they run into your typical set of apocalyptic trials (cult-y preppers, survivors who have gone insane, etc etc) - and very slowly realize that while they've become friends, they may want more from their end-of-the-world relationship.

This was an excellent novel, and I was honestly surprised to see that it was a debut. I think it probably benefits from the relative dearth of recent apocalyptic YA; there weren't any real twists, but because there hasn't been a whole lot in the genre in the past several years, I wasn't upset by the straightforward and predictable plot. It's honestly kind of a fluffy novel (are we allowed to say that pandemic apocalypse books are fluffy yet??) and just really...wholesome? The dynamic between Jamie and Andrew developed very naturally with an appropriate-but-not-overdone amount of "in love with the straight guy" angst on Andrew's part and an appropriate-but-not-overdone amount of "oh shit am I bisexual" angst on Jamie's part. The tension, both in terms of plot and in terms of their relationship, was very well and consistently built and by the end I kind of wanted to cry but in a cathartic way which is not a feeling I usually have about books.

Overall highly recommend to anyone who enjoyed the movie Contagion or anything in the 28 Days Later franchise, everyone who just needs to feel feelings about pandemics but in a good way, and the gays in the back who have been patiently waiting for the queer post-apocalyptic dystopian and/or apocalypse fiction for the past decade and a half.

An excellent rendition of teens in a post-apocalyptic world trying to survive and thrive in a seemingly hopeless environment.

The main characters of Andrew and Jamie are really well thought out. Both have their own personalities, motivations, and interests that make the interactions between the two feel genuine. I loved reading the slow burn and the relationship develop between Jamie and Andrew. It felt authentic and didn't push them to be together, the story just let them develop and progress into their own attraction and love for one another. I also liked seeing the different types of people that would survive and either thrive or have a power complex in this new world.

Their struggles and compassion for each other and those they meet is great. They're personalities and mannerisms are unique and you really feel for these characters and what they have lost. This story comes out at a time when the world is going through some many harsh times and this book gives a sweet and bitter hope that even through the worst times there are still people with fighting for and caring about.

All That's Left in the World was such a fun read! What more do you need than a post-apocalyptic glimpse at two young adults struggling to survive, only to find one another amid the end of the world? This novel has a pleasant balancing act between slower paced characterization and faster action, and it succeeds in both. I can definitely see this being a hit with the YA crowd come publication.

Despite this book being about the end of the world via a worldwide pandemic that killed 95% of the population, I had a smile on my face for most of this book. The way that the author wrote these two beautiful boys felt genuine. They felt like real people that I knew in high school (and that I know now!). Both of our main characters were absolute delights, they balanced each other and both had moments of failure and success. It was a story of these two boys falling in love, surviving, and trying to find moments in a destroyed world where they could just be teenagers.

The pace of this book was breakneck but in an absolutely good way. We had our travel montages, meeting settlements and individuals that are trying to survive (in very different ways). We had our potential for rescue, moments of “Will he die??? I swear to the gods Erik. J. Brown, I will hunt you down if he does not make it”, and the absolute reality of a person with a crush on another and does not know if they like them back!!!!!

My one qualm with the pace was that by the middle of the book we had reached a goal that I thought was the end goal. And this was the only place where I found it floundered but I can see that it was meant to symbolize how our MCs were also floundering. They had accomplished a goal…so what’s next? And while it took me a few chapters to reorient, I also can appreciate that moment now. It felt like a moment for the story to stop but it needed to continue. We needed more of Andrew and Jamie.

The stakes were high, the reality hit home. I felt myself cringing when wounds were at the forefront of the story when injuries had to be fixed or pushed beyond what they should be. I found my eyes widening in shock when previous threats returned or new ones jumped out of the bushes. The world was eerie, so very empty and the author captured it perfectly.

The romance was so sweet and I believed every moment of it. The characters questioned it themselves and that lent to the authenticity. I tend to overthink and seeing that laid out in front of me, helped me really connect with Jamie and Andrew.

I don’t want to give much more away, I want you to read this book.

Final Thoughts:

Go get it. If you love post-apocalyptic stories and can get past the very close-to-home premise, you will absolutely enjoy this book. I read it in three days only because I had to work during the day. It was reminiscent of everything good about The Walking Dead before it went on too long (in my opinion) without the zombies (which is a plus for me!).

It also took the time to remind me how much I love this genre. I was such a big The Hunger Games fan and it’s been hard to find something that upholds my love for dystopian stories. Thankfully, All That’s Left in the World reignited my love of it.

Trigger Warnings: pandemic (fictional), reference to COVID-19 pandemic, death, descriptions of dead bodies, violence/murder, guns

Representation: gay MC, bi/pan/queer MC

I didn’t know I was in the mood for a post-apocalyptic pandemic read… but I guess I was because I freaking loved this book. The characters were great, the adventure was fun, and I appreciated the comparisons to COVID after the author realized he was writing a pandemic book right before a pandemic started. Very sweet and very witty, I loved it all.

Daring to write in the oversaturated pandemic apocalypse genre, Erik Browne has produced a bog-standard pandemic novel distinguished only by its LGBTQ representation. I found Jamison too much of a Mary Sue and the general level of melodrama much too high, which diminished the novel’s impact for me. I’d recommend it because I know many people enjoy melodrama and there is a paucity of SF novels with gay male protagonists.