Review Detail

Let's just go ahead and stamp "Not My Kind of Book" on this one to start with.

I don't do "terrifying" in...anything, really. I don't like being scared. But Harmony went on and on about this book and it was an Egmont book, so finally I caved and bought it. Shortly after, Harmony made me read it.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to, though.

Alex goes through a lot of character growth. She was pretty unlikable to start with, but so much happens to her and she experiences so much in her journey, that she becomes more and more likable. Less a bratty teenager and someone so much stronger and wiser.

The side characters were diverse and well built. We had Ellie, who may be the most bratty person on the planet. Tom who was wonderful and lovely. And then we had the many people she meets later on who all have very different motivations and beliefs and obviously they aren't all good.

The story itself had a lot of twists and turns to it and there was always something new to worry about. Always something unexpected and interesting. You can't tell at all how this story will end when you start reading. It's not even worth trying to figure it out. But it was definitely entertaining and it really sucks you in.

Ashes is definitely well written. Ilsa J. Bick knows what she's doing. Creepy and desolate but hopeful and exciting and just...an awesome balance all around.

Despite all this good, we've already stamped the book. We didn't have the right chemistry, you know? Maybe some day we'll work things out and I'll read the other books in the series, but right now, our relationship isn't really stable.

Ashes did click with a lot of other people though. And I didn't really have a problem with the book (except for two Me-Specific problems that y'all probably don't care about). So if you think this might be a You kind of book, definitely grab it!