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All That’s Left in the World Duology
Jamie and Andrew are strangers, but they're two of the last people left alive. They don't know what they'll find on their dangerous journey ... but they may just find each other. A genre-bending queer romance about courage, hope and humanity for fans of The Last of Us, They Both Die at the End, The Hunger Games and Heartstopper.
This complete duology
- All That's Left in the World
- The Only Light Left Burning
- Plus, get ready for queer mayhem in an extended sneak peek of Erik's upcoming dark thriller Better the Devil
All That's Left in the World
When the Superflu wipes out most of the population, Jamie is completely alone in a cabin in the woods - until an injured stranger crosses his path. Life is dangerous now and, armed with a gun, Jamie goes to pull the trigger. But there's something about Andrew ... something that stops Jamie in his tracks. Jamie takes him in, and as Andrew heals and they eventually step out into the strange new world, their relationship starts to feel like more than just friendship ...
But trouble isn't far behind. As the boys make a perilous journey south, they face a world torn apart and society in ruins. And who, or what, will they find waiting for them at the end of it all?
The Only Light Left Burning
In a shattered world, Jamie and Andrew have settled in a new community, more in love than ever. Finally they've reached safety and are surrounded by what feels like their found family. But it's soon clear they want different Jamie wants to take to the road, just the two of them. But Andrew wants to stay in the safety of numbers.
With a storm closing in, they have no choice to head back into the wilderness where old enemies await, and trust is hard to find. Can they make it back to safety ... and each other?
---
"Tense, exciting, sometimes heartbreaking and always romantic, All That's Left in the World explores what it means to hold onto hope and humanity when the worst case scenario becomes reality. With characters you'll adore, and a fast-paced, mysterious plot that keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can devour them, this book is not to be missed."
- Sophie Gonzales, author of Only Mostly Devastated
"Brown has somehow achieved a book that is romantic, hilarious, warm-hearted, hopeful, and page-turningly thrilling all at once. I was hooked from beginning to end."
- Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer
"A timeless love story that could not be more appropriate for this moment, All That's Left in the World is a thrilling, heartfelt, and beautifully written debut."
- Tom Ryan, author of I Hope You're Listening
"Survival is core to the queer experience, and in All That's Left In the World, Brown takes that to apocalyptic extremes with the story of Andrew and Jamie. This is quintessentially brave, dangerous-in-the-best-way queer storytelling!"
- Adam Sass, author of Surrender Your Sons
"All That's Left in the World is unfailingly riveting and hopeful. A timely exploration of survival, trauma, and love stitched together with sharp wit and bone-deep emotion. Erik J. Brown is an invigorating voice to watch out for.
This complete duology
- All That's Left in the World
- The Only Light Left Burning
- Plus, get ready for queer mayhem in an extended sneak peek of Erik's upcoming dark thriller Better the Devil
All That's Left in the World
When the Superflu wipes out most of the population, Jamie is completely alone in a cabin in the woods - until an injured stranger crosses his path. Life is dangerous now and, armed with a gun, Jamie goes to pull the trigger. But there's something about Andrew ... something that stops Jamie in his tracks. Jamie takes him in, and as Andrew heals and they eventually step out into the strange new world, their relationship starts to feel like more than just friendship ...
But trouble isn't far behind. As the boys make a perilous journey south, they face a world torn apart and society in ruins. And who, or what, will they find waiting for them at the end of it all?
The Only Light Left Burning
In a shattered world, Jamie and Andrew have settled in a new community, more in love than ever. Finally they've reached safety and are surrounded by what feels like their found family. But it's soon clear they want different Jamie wants to take to the road, just the two of them. But Andrew wants to stay in the safety of numbers.
With a storm closing in, they have no choice to head back into the wilderness where old enemies await, and trust is hard to find. Can they make it back to safety ... and each other?
---
"Tense, exciting, sometimes heartbreaking and always romantic, All That's Left in the World explores what it means to hold onto hope and humanity when the worst case scenario becomes reality. With characters you'll adore, and a fast-paced, mysterious plot that keeps you turning the pages as fast as you can devour them, this book is not to be missed."
- Sophie Gonzales, author of Only Mostly Devastated
"Brown has somehow achieved a book that is romantic, hilarious, warm-hearted, hopeful, and page-turningly thrilling all at once. I was hooked from beginning to end."
- Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer
"A timeless love story that could not be more appropriate for this moment, All That's Left in the World is a thrilling, heartfelt, and beautifully written debut."
- Tom Ryan, author of I Hope You're Listening
"Survival is core to the queer experience, and in All That's Left In the World, Brown takes that to apocalyptic extremes with the story of Andrew and Jamie. This is quintessentially brave, dangerous-in-the-best-way queer storytelling!"
- Adam Sass, author of Surrender Your Sons
"All That's Left in the World is unfailingly riveting and hopeful. A timely exploration of survival, trauma, and love stitched together with sharp wit and bone-deep emotion. Erik J. Brown is an invigorating voice to watch out for.
- GenresQueer
727 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 19, 2025
About the author
Erik J. Brown
6 books2,335 followersErik J. Brown is the internationally-bestselling author of All That's Left in the World and the sequel The Only Light Left Burning.
His books have received starred reviews from Kirkus, The Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books, and ALA Booklist.
His second novel, Lose You to Find Me, became a USA Today Bestseller.
Erik is also the co-host of the YA Book Podcast YA-OK where he and Alyssa Ljub of Netflix's The Circle talk with new and established YA authors about writing, publishing, and all things YA!
He lives in Philadelphia with his family.
You can find him on Instagram @ErikJB and TikTok @ErikJBrown
His books have received starred reviews from Kirkus, The Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books, and ALA Booklist.
His second novel, Lose You to Find Me, became a USA Today Bestseller.
Erik is also the co-host of the YA Book Podcast YA-OK where he and Alyssa Ljub of Netflix's The Circle talk with new and established YA authors about writing, publishing, and all things YA!
He lives in Philadelphia with his family.
You can find him on Instagram @ErikJB and TikTok @ErikJBrown
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 29, 2025
Honestly one of the best apocalyptic mlm I've ever read.
February 4, 2026
post apo but gay??? say no more!!!
February 17, 2026
I loved this so much. Stayed up till 2 am to finish.. the lion scène OH MY GOD! Would recommend
July 21, 2026
I could read this book a thousand times and still not get bored of the story, now i need to get my hands on the second book and hope that there will be a 3rd!
September 20, 2026
I really wanted to give this story more stars, but I feel like it was lacking in a lot of ways, that wasn't really balanced by what was included. Firstly, the things I enjoyed.
I loved the growth of the relationship between Jamie and Andrew. Andrew's fear of being found out to be gay, Jamie's gradual realisation that he is in love with Andrew, both of them being too awkward and shy to admit it to each other before it's nearly too late. All of that was so heart-wrenching and real, and I loved that the dual POV in the story gave you both sides. Seeing those glimpses in to their viewpoints as individuals was really lovely.
I really enjoyed the variety of people that they met, showing the range of people who survived the end of the world and how not only the good ones live. I felt so terrible for the boys when they left their little cabin where everything was so perfect, especially for Jamie having to leave behind the house he shared with his mum in her final days. The fight for survival among the others they met seemed very much like how I imagine people would be at the end of the world. The anxiety, the fear, the will to survive even if it means other don't. The clear image that even though most of the world has died off, religious zealots are still going strong. Also meeting people like Henri, and Cara to show that there are still good people if you look for them, and trust them.
One of my favourite scenes was definitely the lions. I think that's one thing that doesn't get discussed enough in apocalypse settings; what happens to the zoo animals? Having to fight off wild animals in the middle of a city is a very surreal thing, but could well be a reality in those times!
My main gripe with the book was the lack of story from anyone else. I would have loved to hear more about Henri, I would have loved to hear more about Cara and exactly why she was having panic attacks. Obviously PTSD shared a part there, but why? What happened that was so terrible that she literally freezes for hours at a time when she's confronted with something she feels is scary?
How easy it was to leave Fort Caroline is also another major thorn for me. They were so easily able to get their bags back, get food, keep their first aid kid, get free of the town. Yes, they were chased down, but then the guys following just... Gave up? I get that it couldn't go on forever, but the lack of effort to exact their "revenge" just fell a bit flat for me. I feel like it could have been expanded on so much.
Also, they never ran out of food. They traipsed half way across America, walking almost the entire way, and not once do they go hungry, or even thirsty. They can always light a fire, and they are always conveniently by a town or forested area where they can settle down. I understand that there's a lot going on in the books, but just that little bit of realism would have been amazing.
Overall, I did enjoy the book. The genre is somewhat new to me, having only read a couple of dystopian-esque books previously, but I do find myself middling which is why it only gets a 3 from me. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a fast paced, easy read, but be warned: you'll probably cry.
I loved the growth of the relationship between Jamie and Andrew. Andrew's fear of being found out to be gay, Jamie's gradual realisation that he is in love with Andrew, both of them being too awkward and shy to admit it to each other before it's nearly too late. All of that was so heart-wrenching and real, and I loved that the dual POV in the story gave you both sides. Seeing those glimpses in to their viewpoints as individuals was really lovely.
I really enjoyed the variety of people that they met, showing the range of people who survived the end of the world and how not only the good ones live. I felt so terrible for the boys when they left their little cabin where everything was so perfect, especially for Jamie having to leave behind the house he shared with his mum in her final days. The fight for survival among the others they met seemed very much like how I imagine people would be at the end of the world. The anxiety, the fear, the will to survive even if it means other don't. The clear image that even though most of the world has died off, religious zealots are still going strong. Also meeting people like Henri, and Cara to show that there are still good people if you look for them, and trust them.
One of my favourite scenes was definitely the lions. I think that's one thing that doesn't get discussed enough in apocalypse settings; what happens to the zoo animals? Having to fight off wild animals in the middle of a city is a very surreal thing, but could well be a reality in those times!
My main gripe with the book was the lack of story from anyone else. I would have loved to hear more about Henri, I would have loved to hear more about Cara and exactly why she was having panic attacks. Obviously PTSD shared a part there, but why? What happened that was so terrible that she literally freezes for hours at a time when she's confronted with something she feels is scary?
How easy it was to leave Fort Caroline is also another major thorn for me. They were so easily able to get their bags back, get food, keep their first aid kid, get free of the town. Yes, they were chased down, but then the guys following just... Gave up? I get that it couldn't go on forever, but the lack of effort to exact their "revenge" just fell a bit flat for me. I feel like it could have been expanded on so much.
Also, they never ran out of food. They traipsed half way across America, walking almost the entire way, and not once do they go hungry, or even thirsty. They can always light a fire, and they are always conveniently by a town or forested area where they can settle down. I understand that there's a lot going on in the books, but just that little bit of realism would have been amazing.
Overall, I did enjoy the book. The genre is somewhat new to me, having only read a couple of dystopian-esque books previously, but I do find myself middling which is why it only gets a 3 from me. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a fast paced, easy read, but be warned: you'll probably cry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2026
Recensione – All That’s Left in the World
All That’s Left in the World mi ha conquistato e l’ho divorato in appena due giorni. È un romanzo post-apocalittico che, pur non proponendo uno scenario particolarmente nuovo nel genere, riesce a sfruttarlo molto bene per raccontare qualcosa che va ben oltre la semplice sopravvivenza.
Lo sfondo post-apocalittico funziona soprattutto perché permette al romanzo di concentrarsi sull’animo umano quando vengono meno le strutture sociali che lo hanno sempre regolato. Ogni personaggio risulta interessante e, in qualche modo, fondamentale per mostrarci cosa succede quando leggi, istituzioni e convenzioni morali iniziano a scomparire. Il mondo è ormai quasi privo di regole e di morale, ma i protagonisti sono persone cresciute all’interno di una società che quelle regole le aveva ben radicate dentro di loro. Ed è proprio qui che entra in gioco uno degli aspetti che ho apprezzato maggiormente: la morale è quasi un personaggio del libro.
I protagonisti vengono continuamente divorati dal conflitto tra ciò che è necessario fare per sopravvivere e ciò che, secondo i principi con cui sono cresciuti, non avrebbero mai dovuto fare. Si trovano quindi a compiere azioni che in un altro contesto sarebbero impensabili, cercando allo stesso tempo di rimanere le persone che erano prima che il mondo cambiasse. E il peso di queste scelte si sente per tutta la storia.
Il romanzo porta così con sé diversi interrogativi molto interessanti: è meglio restare nella certezza o andare alla scoperta, accettando l’incertezza di ciò che ci aspetta? Vale davvero la pena continuare a combattere? Quando si diventa una persona cattiva? E, soprattutto, come ci si può redimere dopo aver fatto qualcosa di ritenut imperdonabile?
Ho apprezzato molto anche la storia d’amore tra i due protagonisti. È tenera, dolce e funziona molto bene sia presa singolarmente sia come parte della trama più ampia. Una cosa che ho particolarmente apprezzato è che il romanzo non sembra mai esistere soltanto per raccontare la loro relazione: l’amore è importante, ma la storia ha molto altro da dire. I due personaggi e il loro rapporto diventano anzi uno dei modi attraverso cui il libro affronta i suoi temi più profondi.
Molto bella anche la scelta di alternare i punti di vista dei due protagonisti. Mi è piaciuto poter vivere la storia attraverso entrambi, anche se qui arriva forse il mio principale difetto del romanzo. Le loro voci narrative non sono sempre abbastanza distinguibili: avrei preferito che ciascuno avesse caratteristiche più marcate nel modo di pensare, comportarsi e raccontare, così da poter riconoscere immediatamente chi sta parlando anche senza dover fare riferimento al nome del capitolo.
Nonostante questo, All That’s Left in the World è stata una lettura che mi ha coinvolto tantissimo. È un romanzo che parte da uno scenario già visto, quello della fine del mondo, ma lo usa per parlare di morale, identità, amore, colpa, sopravvivenza e redenzione. E soprattutto riesce a lasciare delle domande anche dopo aver chiuso il libro.
All That’s Left in the World mi ha conquistato e l’ho divorato in appena due giorni. È un romanzo post-apocalittico che, pur non proponendo uno scenario particolarmente nuovo nel genere, riesce a sfruttarlo molto bene per raccontare qualcosa che va ben oltre la semplice sopravvivenza.
Lo sfondo post-apocalittico funziona soprattutto perché permette al romanzo di concentrarsi sull’animo umano quando vengono meno le strutture sociali che lo hanno sempre regolato. Ogni personaggio risulta interessante e, in qualche modo, fondamentale per mostrarci cosa succede quando leggi, istituzioni e convenzioni morali iniziano a scomparire. Il mondo è ormai quasi privo di regole e di morale, ma i protagonisti sono persone cresciute all’interno di una società che quelle regole le aveva ben radicate dentro di loro. Ed è proprio qui che entra in gioco uno degli aspetti che ho apprezzato maggiormente: la morale è quasi un personaggio del libro.
I protagonisti vengono continuamente divorati dal conflitto tra ciò che è necessario fare per sopravvivere e ciò che, secondo i principi con cui sono cresciuti, non avrebbero mai dovuto fare. Si trovano quindi a compiere azioni che in un altro contesto sarebbero impensabili, cercando allo stesso tempo di rimanere le persone che erano prima che il mondo cambiasse. E il peso di queste scelte si sente per tutta la storia.
Il romanzo porta così con sé diversi interrogativi molto interessanti: è meglio restare nella certezza o andare alla scoperta, accettando l’incertezza di ciò che ci aspetta? Vale davvero la pena continuare a combattere? Quando si diventa una persona cattiva? E, soprattutto, come ci si può redimere dopo aver fatto qualcosa di ritenut imperdonabile?
Ho apprezzato molto anche la storia d’amore tra i due protagonisti. È tenera, dolce e funziona molto bene sia presa singolarmente sia come parte della trama più ampia. Una cosa che ho particolarmente apprezzato è che il romanzo non sembra mai esistere soltanto per raccontare la loro relazione: l’amore è importante, ma la storia ha molto altro da dire. I due personaggi e il loro rapporto diventano anzi uno dei modi attraverso cui il libro affronta i suoi temi più profondi.
Molto bella anche la scelta di alternare i punti di vista dei due protagonisti. Mi è piaciuto poter vivere la storia attraverso entrambi, anche se qui arriva forse il mio principale difetto del romanzo. Le loro voci narrative non sono sempre abbastanza distinguibili: avrei preferito che ciascuno avesse caratteristiche più marcate nel modo di pensare, comportarsi e raccontare, così da poter riconoscere immediatamente chi sta parlando anche senza dover fare riferimento al nome del capitolo.
Nonostante questo, All That’s Left in the World è stata una lettura che mi ha coinvolto tantissimo. È un romanzo che parte da uno scenario già visto, quello della fine del mondo, ma lo usa per parlare di morale, identità, amore, colpa, sopravvivenza e redenzione. E soprattutto riesce a lasciare delle domande anche dopo aver chiuso il libro.
April 5, 2026
I reallyyyy wanted to give this book more stars, because it was very cute and fun, but it just lacked substance for me. I admit that I picked this book for an easy, fun read, and it was that, but I also feel that the story involved some serious topics (PTSD, discovering one's sexual orientation, falling in love with a straight person and therefore experiencing one-sided love, etc.) that were not as emotionally gripping as I hoped they would be. It fell a bit flat for me.
Like, Cara's story - what is her story? We only saw her panic-crying with no real explanation, and I really thought her story would have been a nice addition. As it is, it felt like she was there only to serve as a convenient third person in the group.
Also, the blurb didn't specify that it was about 16-year-olds, so it was a bit too "young" for me, ha. And the teacher in me kept thinking that I’d want teenagers to get more out of this book - more depth, more emotional impact, and more to actually think about, especially since the story itself really had the potential for it. Oh, but one topic I think was quite well presented is the constant anxiety of being discovered as gay when you don’t know whether people will be accepting or aggressive bigots about it. I really empathised here and felt it was genuinely well portrayed. I felt angry and worried for Andrew every time he went through this.
Despite it all, the book was a fun read. I really liked the references to pop culture – even if I didn’t get all of them, they made the story feel more real. The two main characters had distinct personalities and quirks that I enjoyed reading about.
I also really liked a few lines that were beautifully written, I just wish there were more of them. Also, the opening scene and the first kiss scene were great. I don't think I've read a better first-kiss scene - it was so cute and humorous, I smiled the whole time :-)
Lastly, I wouldn't agree with the author that there were no gay post-apocalyptic books before, have you heard of the author Lily Mayne? :D But that's way more adult, like 18+ only haha.
Like, Cara's story - what is her story? We only saw her panic-crying with no real explanation, and I really thought her story would have been a nice addition. As it is, it felt like she was there only to serve as a convenient third person in the group.
Also, the blurb didn't specify that it was about 16-year-olds, so it was a bit too "young" for me, ha. And the teacher in me kept thinking that I’d want teenagers to get more out of this book - more depth, more emotional impact, and more to actually think about, especially since the story itself really had the potential for it. Oh, but one topic I think was quite well presented is the constant anxiety of being discovered as gay when you don’t know whether people will be accepting or aggressive bigots about it. I really empathised here and felt it was genuinely well portrayed. I felt angry and worried for Andrew every time he went through this.
Despite it all, the book was a fun read. I really liked the references to pop culture – even if I didn’t get all of them, they made the story feel more real. The two main characters had distinct personalities and quirks that I enjoyed reading about.
I also really liked a few lines that were beautifully written, I just wish there were more of them. Also, the opening scene and the first kiss scene were great. I don't think I've read a better first-kiss scene - it was so cute and humorous, I smiled the whole time :-)
Lastly, I wouldn't agree with the author that there were no gay post-apocalyptic books before, have you heard of the author Lily Mayne? :D But that's way more adult, like 18+ only haha.
June 27, 2026
Bardzo wciągająca i przemyślana fabuła, chociaż przez środek trzeba było się trochę przemęczyć. Polubiłam bohaterów (zwłaszcza Andrew) przez to, jak świat opisywany jest z ich narracji. Zwłaszcza przy nim właśnie czułam, jakby był prawdziwym człowiekiem, wielowymiarowym. Nie jestem w stanie jednak dać jednak 5 gwiazdek przez zakończenie, które było bardzo, nie wiem, "proste"? Chyba miałam po prostu wyższe oczekiwania po tym, jak świat został opisany w pozostałej części książki. No i dochodzi jeszcze tajemnica Andrew - wiem, że ludzie (pozdrawiam moją książkową siostrę) widzą w niej sens, ale ja totalnie się do nich nie zaliczam. Mam wrażenie, że sam autor wiedział, że jest to mocno naciągane, więc powiedział to ustami Andrew, ale i tak nie mogłam tak po prostu nad tym przejść. Mimo wszystko bardzo polecam tę książkę dla osób szukających historii, w której mogą sobie na dłużej posiedzieć i polubić bohaterów, uważam, że warto ją przeczytać, nawet jeżeli książki o tej tematyce to nie jest to coś, co czytacie na codzień.
Pszczoły z p*nisami, odmeldowuję wykonanie zadania 🫡🫡🫡🫡
Pszczoły z p*nisami, odmeldowuję wykonanie zadania 🫡🫡🫡🫡
March 15, 2026
One of the strongest elements of the series is its emotional depth. Rather than focusing only on action or destruction, the author highlights themes of human connection, resilience, and rebuilding trust after trauma. The relationship between the two main characters evolves naturally as they face loss, danger, and difficult choices together.
September 26, 2026
Honestly such a refreshing book to read, it starts off straight away no slow waiting for characters to meet, and although at times it felt like the book was about to end despite the hefty amount of pages left, it was a great book to read! Would definitely recommend and I will be buying the next book in the series!!
May 15, 2026
I just read this book in one sitting and I absolutely love it, it’s one of my favourite books now and i wanna reread it immediately. I love the slow burn and the whole setting in the apocalypse and I gotta say I cried many tears when Jamie got shot
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2026
I've never read such a good postap book. The slow burn... I wish I could read this book all over again without knowing what's on the next page.
August 19, 2026
First book I’ve ever read and fell in love with it <3
October 6, 2026
I love this book is read it like 3 times now and I still love it
Review of advance copy
I absolutely recommend this book to people who love a cute dystopian romance with such a great storytelling!! All the stuff happening in this book just makes you hooked and wanting to read more! I recently got into reading, so you can take my word for it. Love this book... I don't know what else to say ;)
February 7, 2026
4,75( dem hade inte behövt gå igednom så mycket😔) inte på dåligt sätt eller kinda
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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