Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

AshesIlsa J. BickRelease: September 6, 2011Pages: 480 (hardcover)Publisher: Egmont USASource: Netgalley

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions. 
Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP. 
For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human....read more at Goodreads.

Mini-Thoughts: It begins with the Zap, and then all hell breaks loose. Everyone has either died from the EMP, miraculously survived, or have changed into flesh eating zombies. Alex's life dramatically alters from coping with an illness, to being thrust into a survive at any cost situation. There's a blanket of steady uneasiness draped over the story as Alex's journey continues, and it only continues to tighten its grip. Bick builds the suspense, keeping you hooked and terrified for Alex. Ashes is simply thrilling, terrifying, and filled with jaw-dropping twists.
Highlights: Ghost and Mina¹. Bick excels with building curiosity about just what is happening in this story, I was constantly intrigued. The revelations in the latter half were fascinating. The ending was shocking, I didn't see it coming. 
Lowlights: The first and second half felt disjointed, both had their pros and cons. The first half was lacking emotional connections with Alex that I found to be present in the second half. The second half lacked excitement or any action (until the end) that was present in the first. The ending² was also a lowlight. 
Note: Ashes is not for the faint of heart. Zombies. Zombies eating people. Zombies killing people. People killing people. Fair warning. Rating: 

1 Both are dogs. So, naturally, they are awesome (and helpful). 2 The ending was both "my mind just exploded, what a great twist!" to "how could you do this to me, Ilsa J. Bick? You can't end it like that!!"  


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