Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Wow. That was the first word that entered my mind as I finished reading “Ashes” by Ilsa J. Bick. This story was intense and definitely not my usual read. It’s a thrilling tale of a survival in a world of chaos. Plus, um, it takes place in dah U.P. of Michigan, my college turf. It gets a little gold star for that.

So basically, Alex, a seventeen year old girl with a brain tumor, goes out into the wilderness. It’s kind of a last hurrah, a need to feel alive and connected with her deceased parents. Her treatments aren’t working. She’s out of options. She can’t smell, so she’s losing memories along with her sense of taste, etc. She’s out in the woods and runs across a Grandpa and his sassy young granddaughter. They share a cup of coffee and then BOOM! The world goes cra-zay due a bunch of EMPs going off. Some people, like the grandfather, drop dead while others are changed into something not quite human. Desperate to figure out what is going on, Alex takes the granddaughter and begins the journey to the ranger station. Along the way, she meets Tom, a soldier on leave from Afghanistan, and the three join forces and become a family of sorts, doing their best to survive in this strange new world full of familiar landscapes.

This story is essentially two stories (both about Alex and this apocalyptic world), put together. It seems a lot of my fellow reviewers enjoyed part 1 far more than part 2. The first part follows the story I summarized above, while the second part moves into Alex settling into a culti-ish community for protection. She battles with the decision to stay safe and accept the strange culture or to be free out in the wild. While I agree that the survival story was much more exciting, I really enjoyed seeing Alex in captivity, having her deal with the emotional troubles caused by her actions in part 1 and becoming attached to members of her new town. I’m not usually a reader of thrillers/survival stories, so had it continued to go on I probably would have put the book down. It was INTENSE. Wonderful, cinematic, but super intense. I needed a breather and so did Alex. It makes sense why she ended up where she did and why she struggled, trying to decide whether to stay or go. I liked it, but readers who prefer that level of intensity all the time, may be disappointed.

“Ashes” is NOT a book to read before bed or to give to young teens. It is chock full of violence in Alex’s battle to survive. Some of the descriptions are quite graphic and grotesque, but are appropriate to the story. As I said before, it’s intense. Be prepared for an adrenaline rush and the inability to put the book down.

"Ashes" came out this week by Egmont Publishing. I received a digital ARC via Netgalley.com for review. This book was also my Pick of the Month for the September Authors are ROCKSTARS! podcast.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Oh “Hourglass” how I love thee... let me bullet point the ways.

• Smart - It’s obvious that Ms. McEntire is a smarty pants and I mean that in the nicest way.
• Rich, real characters - I fell in love with these characters.
• Unique plot - This book kept me on my toes - THANK YOU.
• Cliffhanger free ending, but yet I am dying for more - THANK YOU x 2.

“Hourglass” is one of the best books I’ve read this year. It’s a time slip romance, but it’s so real. Em (short for Emerson, which is an awesome name and I may steal it if I have a little girl next time around) is probably my favorite YA heroine of all time. She’s snarky, yet tender hearted. She is definitely a brave and strong young woman, yet she’s vulnerable and has lived her teen years being troubled by her ability and the death of her parents. You see, Em can see (and talk to) images of the past. So, she may strike up a conversation with someone only to find out that she’s the only one who can see them. So, it’s hard to get close to people when most of the world thinks you’re coo coo for Cocoa Puffs. Em lives with her brother and his wife, who are kind souls who just want to help Em. Her brother hires consultants to try and deal with his sister’s ability. Most of the time, they turn out to be whack jobs, but this time... he hires a hottie who also sees the things Emerson does. To steal questions from the goodreads.com summary, “Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?”

This book was addictive and I am sure it will become a big hit. I see it appealing to nerds like me (come on, she makes a reference to Star Trek AND Doctor Who!) and to girls like my sister who love a good addictive YA romance. All the characters are easy to relate to and very real. I love the relationship dynamic with Em and her brother. It’s adorable and so heartfelt. I honestly cannot rave enough about the authenticity of Ms. McEntire’s characters. So often in YA fiction, the character development is sacrificed in order to keep the plot moving and keep teens interested. Ms. McEntire was able to keep the plot moving at an engaging pace and create real, genuine people that we come to care about. (Be sure to have a tissue box handy. She had me sobbing!) She tops it all off with creating a lovely atmosphere for each scene. Seriously, this author is amazing. I cannot say enough nice things, so I think I’ll just shut up now. PRE-ORDER A COPY TODAY! (Oh and if you pre-order, you can also get yourself a poster of the “Hourglass” cover. Check out Ms. McEntire’s blog for details.)

“Hourglass” is published by EgmontUSA and is scheduled to be released on June 14th of this year. I received an ARC from the publisher for review. The author Myra McEntire will be on the AuthorsareRockstars.com podcast this month, so be sure to give it a listen for more on this wonderful debut title.