Review of Ashes by Isla J. Bick (Ashes Trilogy 1)

It could happen tomorrow . . .

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.

Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling novel about a world that could be ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation


My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book. It was my first legitimate zombie novel and I devoured it in one sitting. My favorite cover is the yellow and black one. it is so gorgeous in person. That is the copy on my shelf. :D. but i put up all the covers so that everyone has their favorite cover up. i know. weird. okay.. where to start..

The story itself was fabulous. It was creative and new and sucked me in right from the start. I do not want to spoil it for anyone, so i will try to keep spoilers out. 

While Alex is out in the wilderness camping, a HUGE electromagnetic pulse  occurs. (happens? ignites? triggers? eh. occurs.) The pulse is incredibly painful- i mean lying on the ground coughing up blood, feeling like you are dying PAINFUL. It affects all the humans and animals. While in humans, it makes them fall down, animals go crazy. sounds awesome so far, right. However, it's what comes after the flash that is far more troublesome. Humans and animals alike are different. If you are a human, the pulse either killed you, spared you.....or changed you. The humans are terrified of each other. In the panic and crisis, they forget about basic human rights and it is everyone for themselves. The animals are smarter, the moon is changing color...and life will NEVER be the same. It is not safe to travel alone....but are the changed the biggest threat to survival....or are other people far more dangerous? think about it. 

This book blew my mind. It was also incredibly disgusting and i had a bad taste in my mouth at some parts but it was SO AWESOME. This book is told entirely in Alex's viewpoint. which was good with me. :D

The characters:

Alex: loner. teenager. troubled. has a secret. she is our heroine and she can be a bad ass when she wants to- which can come in handy when she is fighting the changed. In the first 2/3 of the book, i loved her character. she cared about Ellie and <3 Tom <3 (sorry, i love tom. we'll get to that). they essentially become a family and look out for one another. 

Tom: soldier. troubled. has a secret. hmmn. seeing a pattern here. Tom is a complete stranger to Alex and Ellie but his sense of AWESOMENESS. i mean.. decency.. won't let him leave the two girls on their own to deal with the changed. His friends are gone and teaming up seems like a good idea. His experience in combat (soldier...:D ) will come in handy. I love this guy. he is a straight up great guy, even if he is hiding something...

Ellie. snot. kid. spoiled. troubled. has the BEST DOG EVER. i love her dog. no spoilers. i just love that dog! lol. anyway. Ellie has had a rough past year. but she loses her grandfather to the pulse and cannot survive on her own. Alex knows she cannot just leave the little girl on her own and charges herself with keeping the little snot alive. Ellie and Alex grow close after Ellie settles down a little bit. They have a really rocky start though. Tom adores Ellie as well. 

all that is fine and dandy. yep. until the last 1/3 of the book. I mean, the book did a complete 360. i am not going to spoil it......but *sigh* I could have dome without the ____ ________ _______. i mean seriously. i have no one to talk about how much that bothers me. I don't like _____. i like ___. grr. anyway. had to semi- get that out of my system.  no spoilers, though. 

this book really makes you think and you are trying to solve everything in your head. you are coming up with reasons why it affected people the way it did. You are constantly freaking out while reading this book. lol. i loved it. 

is it human vs. monster? or human vs. human? 

O.o mind= blown. 

Shadows? the second book in the Ashes trilogy. 


I bought the second book. and got it from amazon the day it came out. i got to chapter 7 before i put it down.  I will tell you this now. I love a book that has an alternating viewpoint between the male and female lead characters. or even just the main characters. when the book has the viewpoints from everybody and their brother, it throws me off and i lose interest. well, apparently thats how i feel. since that is what happened. I was so hyped to read this book, but for some reason i put it down 2 weeks ago and now i cannot make myself pick it up again. what is up with that?! grr. so i guess eventually i will get the push to read this book and have it reviewed. :) but i can't make myself read it if i am not in the mood. i will get to it eventually. *sigh* everybody and their brother. grr.