Review: Shadows

THIS REVIEW MIGHT HAVE A SPOILER FOR ASHES

If you haven't yet read Ashes, you might want to find a spoiler-free review of Shadows.

Shadows
by Ilsa J. Black (Website | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: Ashes Trilogy, #2

Published: September 25th, 2012 by Egmont

Pages: 528 (Hardcover)

Genre: Post Apocalyptic & Horror

Contains: Lots of gore, zombie like people

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

The Apocalypse does not end. The Changed will grow in numbers. The Spared may not survive.

Even before the EMPs brought down the world, Alex was on the run from the demons of her past and the monster living in her head. After the world was gone, she believed Rule could be a sanctuary for her and those she’d come to love. But she was wrong. 

Now Alex is in the fight of her life against the adults, who would use her, the survivors, who don’t trust her, and the Changed, who would eat her alive.

Shadows starts right where Ashes left off, which if you read Ashes,  is a really good thing. After having read the first book I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Shadows - if only to know about the very first scene.  This book adds on to Ashes well and delivers in some ways that Ashes didn’t, but it also has some of its own short comings.

Review: Ashes

Ashes
by Ilsa J. Black (Website | Facebook | Twitter)

Series: Ashes Trilogy, #1
Published: September 6th, 2011 by Egmont
Pages: 465 (Hardcover)
Genre: Post Apocalyptic & Horror
Contains: Gore, zombie-ish creatures

Goodreads | Amazon | Indie

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.

I thought Ashes was really intriguing. It had a really interesting premise and I had high hopes going into it. However, I found that it was a little slow to start and spent a lot of time building up to the main story. It especially spends a surprisingly large chunk talking about Alex’s “monster,” which was a bit frustrating because once the book really starts moving there is very little mentioned about it except at a few points. The best way to describe Ashes is a rollercoaster - there’s a long buildup in the beginning but once you reach a certain point it starts moving faster and really pulls you in.