Emmy Jackson

Civilization has fallen, ravaged by apocalyptic wars and an infertility epidemic caused by the Empty Cradle virus. Ivy Aniram, a trader who is also one of the few women untouched by Empty Cradle, makes a deal with Corey Sanderson, a farmboy who longs to escape the isolated rural town of his birth, in order to escape a trap set by that town's elders. So begins a long and dangerous journey across what used to be America, aided by some and threatened by many. Along the way, Ivy and Corey learn to rely on one another and their new companions... but as the title implies, sometimes even that is not enough.

Emmy Jackson's story is set against a world of considerable depth and detail, which somehow comes across without any obvious 'infodumps' (other than the quotes from the notes of one of the characters, a historian). Unlike many 'post-apocalyptic' novels, this is one that is largely persuasive in how it presents life going on and even thriving. It also helps that the pacing of the story is solid, the action when it comes is riveting, and the characters have depth and chemistry. I'm eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.… (meer)