Novel Minded: Review: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Title: Ashes
Author: Ilsa J. Bick site
Release Date: 9/06/2011
Format: ARC
Publisher: Egmont USA
Source: Won in raffle

"It could happen tomorrow...

A cataclysmic event. An army of "The Changed."

Can one teen really survive on her own?

An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky, destroying every electronic device and killing billions. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human...

Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the Changed, Alex meets up with Tom---a young army veteran---and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse.

This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to survive."

Synopsis by goodreads.com

Ashes had me hook, line, and sinker after the first chapter. This book is completely action packed. It’s a fast paced, page turner that will have you up until 2 in the morning. There’s never a dull moment. Not to mention this book is scary as all hell; as the back cover entails, it really could happen tomorrow. You’ve got a girl, secluded in the woods, and out of nowhere birds start falling from the sky, people dropping dead, and if that weren’t enough you have to worry about fast, smart, flesh hungry, zombies. The descriptions in this book are great, completely sucked me into Alex’s world. Ashes as ambiguous a read as the main characters name, perfect for action seeking male audiences as well. And the cliff hanger ending will leave you begging for more.

**SPOILER ALERT** The only problem I had with this book is the darn love triangle. I mean come on; do we really need another one of those in YA fiction today? But mostly that’s just me. I’m a bit of a hater of the ever cliché, love triangle. I’m sick and tired of them!

But that point aside, I think that Ashes may be the YA book to read this year. “The Hunger Games” may finally have a rival. Yep, it’s that good.