Books are my Bag Awards - ALL THAT'S LEFT IN THE WORLD wins the Young Adult Fiction Award
“From fiction that alters our perspective on the world to non-fiction and poetry that demands change, this year's shortlists, as ever, reflect the very real tastes and interests of readers today, and the books that local bookshops know their communities are clamouring to read.”
The Guardian - Young adult books round-up
“In Erik J Brown’s debut, All That’s Left in the World (Hodder, £7.99), a super-flu significantly more deadly than Covid-19 has decimated the population. Two lonely, displaced boys make a treacherous journey down the eastern seaboard through a society in ruins, punctuated by escaped zoo animals and, most treacherous of all, other survivors. A slow-burning, heartfelt love story plays out against this post-apocalyptic backdrop, bringing hope and nuance to familiar survivalist themes.”
PHILLY WEEKLY - THE END OF THE WORLD AS ERIK J. BROWN KNOWS IT
“The result is just this really expert blend of humor and heart, set across a desolate landscape dotted with hope. Brown drops in elements of mystery and romance in the speculative novel, creating something that’s so wildly riveting, and truly one of the best debuts publishing this year. And yes, I know it’s March. It’s that good, that I’m confident enough in saying that.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - ALL THAT’S LEFT IN THE WORLD [Review]
“Debut author Brown hits familiar dystopian tropes of authoritarianism, violence, and occasional pockets of kindness, showing that apocalypse isn’t just about the physical demands of staying alive. In allowing the protagonists moments of laughter and warmth amid so much loss, he gets to the terrifying heart of societal collapse: the loneliness and guilt of outliving friends and family—and the resulting hope in connection.”
GOODREADS - MARCH’S MOST ANTICIPATED YA NOVELS
“Here’s a dilemma: What if you’re in the mood for a postapocalyptic sci-fi story and a queer YA romance—but you only have time for one book? We have good news to report. Debut novelist Erik J. Brown covers all the bases with All That's Left in the World, in which a vicious pathogen has wiped out virtually all the world’s population. Two young men must navigate an empty land where all they have left is each other.”
BUZZFEED - 40 New YA Books Releasing Before Spring That You'll Want To Get Your Hands On
“Marching bands, magic, mysteries, mirrors, Mamma Mia, and more are waiting for you in this season's newest reads!”
KIRKUS - ALL THAT’S LEFT IN THE WORLD [STarred Review]
“A haunting story that’s sure to delight (and terrify). Readers will find this infectious; highly recommended.”
Bookriot - THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO NEW WINTER YA BOOKS 2022: JANUARY-MARCH
“Welcome to a new year and whole roster of new winter YA books in 2022. Find here your ultimate guide to books hitting shelves in the first quarter, including brand new books from beloved authors and new voices, from standalones to series books, and from fiction to nonfiction. There’s something here for every kind of reader, including those who are new to this exciting category of books.”
THE NERD DAILY - Must-Have 2022 Queer Book Releases
“2022 is promising to bring some truly delightful and thematically unheard of queer releases our way and we’re excited to dive right in once it’s January! From a thrilling fairytale retelling that’s pitched as Sleeping Thorns meets Indiana Jones, a 1920s-inspired story in which magic can be consumed like a drink, all the way to countless queer debuts and Casey McQuiston’s highly anticipated YA debut, we’ve compiled all the releases with LGBTQIAP+ representation you won’t want to miss out on in 2022!”
BUZZFEED - 32 Great LGBTQ+ Young Adult Novels To Warm Up Your Winter
“If The Road were gay, funny, and romantic, while still being utterly thrilling and page-turning, it'd be Brown's debut, which follows two boys who find each other and a path to survival as a deadly plague destroys the world around them. Jamie and Andrew have lost everyone they love, and they know they're in danger of following in their fatal path; between the other desperate survivors and the rampant disease, things are utterly terrifying. But finding someone to click with, be with, and trust is no small thing, and even if there are a million questions about how to move forward, one thing they do know is that they want to do it together.”
WATERSTONES - The Children's Books You Need to Read in 2022
“Bursting with adventure, romance, unforgettable characters and side-splitting silliness, discover the children's and young adult books to make your 2022 courtesy of our hand-picked list of magical mayhem, compelling real-world drama, picture book perfection and much, much more.”
THE BOOKSELLER - UK RIGHTS: “Hachette Children’s falls for Brown’s ‘fresh’ debut YA romance”
“Wallace said: ‘It’s hard to know where to start in describing how wonderful this book is. Erik has captured the speculative power of How I Live Now and combined it with the heart of Love, Simon. What I’m most excited about, aside from the stunning cover, is how timely this book feels for the YA market. A queer romance with a high concept, of-the-moment hook like this feels fresh and invigorating – I hope readers enjoy coming with us on this journey.’”
BOOKBRUNCH - UK Rights: Queer Post-Pandemic Romance to HCG (Subscription Required)
“Hachette Children’s Group has acquired a queer YA romance about courage, hope and humanity from debut US-based author Erik J. Brown. All That’s Left in the World is aimed at readers aged 12+ and will publish in paperback in March 2022. Tig Wallace, Senior Commissioning Editor at Hachette Children’s Group, bought UK and Commonwealth Rights (excl. Canada) from Ben Fowler at Abner Stein.
EPIC READS - 27 LGBTQ+ Books You Can (and Totally Should!) Preorder
“Pride Month is over, but that’s no reason to stop celebrating LGBTQIAP+ books, authors, and stories! We love when queer characters grace the pages of everything from contemporary, fantasy, historical, and everything in between–and we love it even more when they’re the star of the show.”
Check out the EXCLUSIVE COVER REVEAL for ALL THAT’S LEFT IN THE WORLD on LGBTQreads.com!
Today on the site I’m thrilled to be sharing the cover of All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown, a post-Apocalyptic m/m (gay and bi) YA releasing March 8, 2022 from Balzer+Bray!
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - Rights Report: Week of March 29, 2021
”Kristin Rens at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray has acquired, at auction, All That's Left in the World and a second untitled YA novel by debut author Erik J. Brown. Andrew and Jamie are strangers who find each other after a deadly pathogen has killed off most of the world—and everyone they love. On the road together in search of civilization, it's clear both boys are hiding things from one another. Publication is planned for March 2022; Michael Bourret at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal for North American rights.”