Book Review: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Author: Ilsa J. Bick
Release Date: September 6th, 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA
5 Stars - AMAZING READ! 

Synopsis:

Alex has run away and is hiking through the wilderness with her dead parents' ashes, about to say goodbye to the life she no longer wants to live. But then the world suddenly changes. An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky zapping every electronic device and killing the vast majority of adults. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who has changed... Everyone still alive has turned - some for the better (those who acquired a superhuman sense) while others for the worse (those who acquired a taste for human flesh). Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the zombies that are on the hunt, Alex meets up with Tom - an Army veteran who escaped one war only to find something worse at home - 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 find food, shelter, while fighting off the 'Changed' and those desperate to stay alive. A tense and involving adventure with shocks and sudden plot twists that will keep teen and adult readers gripped.

*Spoilers*
This book scared me half to death, and I loved it!  I loved how it started when the apocalypse happens and not just after.  Alex's fear pours over you through the authors words.  You taste it, you hear it and you feel every ounce of it.  There are definitely no boring parts to this story.  Alex becomes a big sister to Ellie, a scared to death stubborn little girl. Their family extends as they meet Tom and he becomes a father figure to Ellie.  He wants to do everything he can to protect them, while hiding a terrible secret.  Ellie and Toms eventual friendship blossoms as they are pulled even closer when they journey off the mountain.  Their fates are intertwined to levels they have no idea of.  Their relationship is challenged even more when Ellie s kidnapped from them. Unfortunately their story goes from bad to worse, and Alex is left wondering if Tom is even still alive.             
I could not put this book down, it was a page turner til the end.  If you like zombies, drama and epic journeys, pick this book up!  The cliff hanger from hell ending has left me holding my breath, eager to know what happens next, and if Tom and Ellie are still alive.              
synopsis and photo courtesy of Goodreads