The Last Bookstore on Earth

Braun-Arnold’s poignant sapphic debut dystopia turns a suburban New Jersey bookstore into a haven for survival and romance in a world of “death, and rot, and memories.” After acid rain ravages civilization and kills her parents and twin sister, 17-year-old Liz Flannery shelters in the only place that feels safe: the bookstore where she used to work, and where she now trades books with fellow survivors for necessities. After a year in hiding, Liz’s solitude is disrupted by mysterious, street-smart Maeve, whose past hints at violence and trauma. Despite misgivings, Liz allows Maeve to stay, realizing she needs Maeve’s know-how to fortify the dilapidated bookstore before the next disastrous storm. As they work together, animosity warms to affection and romance—until Maeve’s enemies find them, unleashing deadlier chaos than the pending tempest. Liz narrates with tongue-in-cheek sass, interspersing her story—a vivid homage to books, music, and their power to unify and comfort—with memories of prestorm life and excerpts from the logbook in which she records survivors’ tales. Endearingly awkward romance pushes toward a hopeful resolution that heartens this desolate vision of a postapocalyptic future. Protagonists cue as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Lily Dolin, United Talent. (Jan.)