Bea Crenshaw shows up in the third installment of Brenda Marie Smith’s Braving the Light Series. Thing is, Bea died in book one.
But that doesn’t stop her from being able to see what’s been happening for the past two years. Bea can only observe, but somehow, her granddaughter, Maddie, knows she’s there.
Two years ago, a solar pulse wiped out Earth’s electric grid. No more computers, cell phones, automobiles, planes. Suddenly it’s a fend-for-yourself world. Bea Crenshaw might not have foreseen a solar pulse but she did plan for the future and had a stock of food, tools, and other goods set by. Now Bea is gone, and her grandson Joaquin, known as Keno is tasked with keeping his family–and ultimately his community–alive. He’s lost his Nana, his sister, his uncle, and countless friends from the chaos left by the solar pulse. And now Northern Lights–not meant to be as far south as Texas–frequently, and sometimes frighteningly, appear in the night sky.
In this third installment, Keno has left his pregnant wife and the rest of his family. It’s not meant to be permanent but Keno struggles to live with the death and destruction caused when he and his neighbors defended themselves against an out-of-control outside gang (in Book 2). Visions of burning bodies and anguished screams torment his dreams. Now he’s looking for a safe place to move his family where the soil is fertile and abundant enough that they can grown their own food without the worry of invading gangs.
With the help of his newfound friend, Billy, Keno discovers an abandoned rehab center with high walls, shelter, and arable land. Trouble is, the next door neighbor, Will, is doing everything he can to keep Keno busy working on his farm and he seems to have no inclination to let Keno return to his family and move them to the center.
In the meantime, a new threat has arisen: a gang known as the Raiders has formed. Led by a woman of questionable sanity, they ransack homes and often kill anyone left behind. Back home, Keno meets with resistance from his family and neighbors when he finally returns and tries to convince them to move to the rehab center.
The whole time, Bea is there in spirit, watching her family deteriorate physically and mentally, desperately trying to figure out a way to help. Her granddaughter Maddie feels her presence, knows she is there and what she wants, but no one believes her.
Chapters rotate between three major characters: Keno who is desperately trying to protect his family, his cousin, Milo who resents Keno’s prolonged absence and has troubles of his own when his mother’s mental health rapidly deteriorates, and Bea, who watches it all and wonders why she must watch it all unfold and not be able to help.
Everything comes to a head when Milo and his friend, Danny, are captured by the Raiders who are coming dangerously close to the rehab center. Keno and a bunch of others head out in search of the boys, and eventually confront the raiders.
Does everyone live happily ever after? I guess you’ll have to read If the Sun Spares Us to find out.
In the meantime I give it Five whopping stars.
Susannah Willey Writes 
Sounds like a good story to follow
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Oooh, this sounds like something I’d like to read. Guess this goes on the wishlist/to-read list!
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You might want to start with the first book of the series
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I put the whole trilogy on my list 😁
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