Ashes, Ashes Review

A thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.

Epidemics, floods, droughts--for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she's rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can't continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There's something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.

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This book had my attention at page one. The uber realism about what life would be like after a world ending scenario like the one Lucy lives through is staggering. What would you do if everyone you ever knew died of a mysterious plague? Would you try to make it alone like Lucy or see if you could make it in a shelter, knowing that people were being taken almost daily? A tough question.

The description in the audio clip describes Lucy's attempt to make turtle soup. It had me gagging as she tried to prepare the animal for cooking and then finally the smell of what she was going to be eating. Not that she had a whole lot of choices. Given the situation, Lucy did a great job of making it out in the wilderness.

Lucy is a strong character who never stops trying. I really enjoyed her character and the storyline. The only issue I had with the book was the handling of the dogs. Being a dog lover, it is hard for me to read about dogs being used to track and shred human beings. I know it is completely possible, but it wasn't my favorite aspect of the book. If not for that, I probably would have rated the book higher.

All in all, I thought it was a great adventure. There was no glossing over hardships that someone living in the wild would have to endure. The same with the commune when Lucy joins the group. Each situation has risks and I thought Treggiari did an amazing job of shedding a realistic light on them. The romantic tension between Aiden and Lucy is palpable and the book keeps you guessing as to how it will end up until very close to the end.

This book was sent to me by the publisher for an honest review.

4/5 Stars.