Friday, December 16, 2011

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Ashes
Ilsa J. Bick
Release: September 6, 2011
Pages: 480 (hardcover)
Publisher: Egmont USA
Source: 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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11 comments:

  1. I haven't read this one yet, but I've been meaning to get around to it. Thanks for the review!

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  2. Excellent review my dear =D
    Oh God! this one sounds good! =DI love shocking ending!! specially when you never see that coming! I should move this one up in my pile regardless your lowlights XD
    btw, I had no idea this book was about zombies XD Me be intrigues now! huhuhu!

    thans so much for sharing my dear ^_^ great review!! muah!!! ^.^

    Dazzling Reads

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  3. Great review! I haven't heard of this book, but it sounds like it's right up my alley so I'll have to put this on my wishlist. I love zombies!
    New follower. =)

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  4. I hate zombies o_O But, zombies in books, lol, that I can take

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  5. I've heard this book is crazy! I really want to check it out. Thanks for the review!

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  6. Nice Review! I don't usually like books about zombies but I could make an exception with this one, it sounds really interesting!

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  7. I had a friend read this and she said the first half of the book was probably the most gripping and intense book she's ever read, but then the second half was like a whole other story and it slowed down and made what was going to be one of the best books books she'd EVER read into just a really good book. I kinda think it might be a bit too much for me, I'm not sure I'll ever give it a try, but you never know!

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  8. Yep. What Candace said. I felt the same way when I read it. First half--OMG, so freakin' awesome. Second half--huh?

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  9. I agree with your feeling that the two halves felt disjointed. I feel like it actually would've worked out really well if the author had finished book one with the first half and then opened book two with Rule. I'm still looking forward to the sequel though, despite my disappointments.

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  10. Thank you so much for the review! It sounds very interesting, I will be sure to look deeper into it :)

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  11. Intense book! I was lost in "the zap" for hours. Now I will sit in anticipation of the next book of "Ashes".

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