Review: You & Me at the End of the World by Brianna Bourne

You & Me at the End of the World

by Brianna Bourne 

July 20, 2021

358 pages

Goodreads Summary:

This is no ordinary apocalypse...

Hannah Ashton wakes up to silence. The entire city around her is empty, except for one other person: Leo Sterling. Leo might be hottest boy ever (and not just because he's the only one left), but he's also too charming, too selfish, and too devastating for his own good, let alone Hannah's.

Stuck with only each other, they explore a world with no parents, no friends, and no school and realize that they can be themselves instead of playing the parts everyone expects of them. Hannah doesn't have to be just an overachieving, music-box-perfect ballerina, and Leo can be more than a slacker, 80s-glam-metal-obsessed guitarist. Leo is a burst of honesty and fun that draws Hannah out, and Hannah's got Leo thinking about someone other than himself for the first time.

Together, they search for answers amid crushing isolation, but while their empty world may appear harmless . . . it's not. Because nothing is quite as it seems, and if Hannah and Leo don't figure out what's going on, they might just be torn apart forever.

Review

I had no idea how thought-provoking You & Me at the End of the World would be when I started reading it. The premise of the book is simple but in truth, the story gives you a lot to unpack.

Character-driven, You & Me at the End of the World is a quiet yet powerful book. With the world empty, our two main characters had a lot of time to think. While trying to figure out where the rest of the population went, Hannah and Leo each undergo a self-discovery journey they didn't know they needed. Along the way they experience road blocks and setbacks but ultimately what they come to realize about themselves was more enlightening than any dance or music could've been. "Just like me, she knew that trying could lead to failing, so sometimes she just didn't try at all." (p. 341)

There's a slow burn romance with all the tension and almost moments. It's a bit of an insta-love where even the characters realized it- I liked that. And besides the obvious- being the last two people in the world- Hannah and Leo are both young and attractive. It really was inevitable they'd fall for each other. I most enjoyed the open communication between them. That's how you start a meaningful relationship.

You & Me at the End of the World is a thoughtful addition to the book world. It's deep and poignant where you least expects it. I highly recommend the story to readers, especially teenagers, who are feeling (a little) lost (in life).

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.