In a world ravaged by the collapse of civilization, where the dead walk and the living fight for scraps, survival is more than instinct- it's the only thing that matters. Bella Grant, a 21-year-old engineering student, finds herself thrust into a chaotic new reality. When she's saved by Max, a stoic military captain with a dark past, the two must rely on each other to stay alive.
But the infected are not the only danger. In this new world where trust is a fleeting memory, Max and Bella discover that the greatest threat to their survival may come from the living. Ruthless and desperate survivors are willing to do anything to claim what's left, testing their courage and their growing bond in ways that could break them.
With enemies at every turn and their bond growing stronger, Bella and Max must face the question: will they make it through this brutal new reality, or will the dangers of survival tear them apart? Is there hope left, or is humanity truly lost? And most of all, can they find a way to keep what remains of their lives intact?
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Note : This is the first book in a two-part saga, but can be read as standalone. The story will continue in ALL THAT FOLLOWS, where the scars of survival run deep, and the world is far from done.
In a world, where showing emotion is a dangerous weakness, love becomes the only beacon of hope.
No one noticed exactly when people began to fall victim to the broken life of monotony, but by the time humanity realized that witnessing strong emotion triggered violence in the infected, it was too late.
Evelyn Li is not a fan of risk. Confined to the safety of an underground bunker for the past two years, when Evie stumbles upon a radio broadcast hosted by a mysterious boy with a sharp tongue and an impressive record collection, she's inspired to embark on a mission fuelled by the belief that her family might still be out there (and definitely not because she's desperate to finally meet the boy whose voice has been her sole companion since the darkness descended).
Jonathan Johnson is not an optimist and definitely not a romantic. He wasn't at all surprised when the world ended or even when the Soulless took over the streets. With the weight of rising tensions in the colonies, an absentee father, and heart-breaking tragedy resting on his shoulders, Jonathan would much rather escape into his record collection and secret radio broadcast than deal with the general bleakness of life in the apocalypse. As he is reluctantly roped into Evie's search for links to her past, Jonathan begins to wonder if he can ever truly escape his.
Together, the unlikely pair must navigate the treacherous landscapes of both the unforgiving world around them and the complicated emotions within. Will their connection withstand the trials of a world consumed by darkness, or will it become just another casualty of the apocalypse?