Ten months after civilization burned in a rain of nuclear fire, Harper Cody faces a situation scarier than shooting bad guys—having hope.

The people of Evergreen try their best to cling to the modern world, but life inexorably slides toward a society resembling the Wild West. With each passing week, supplies of modern goods dry up, forcing people to adapt, improvise, and re-learn old ways of doing things.

Harper’s feelings for Logan slip into frightening territory, but at least her little sister appears to have coped with her trauma. Madison doesn’t even grumble about having to work on the farm over summer break.

But the war isn’t done with her yet. Right as Harper begins to hope the future might not be so bad, the nuclear wasteland proves even the most innocent looking things can kill her.