Author: Ilsa J. Blick
Pub Date: Sept. 25th, 2012
Book Two of the Ashes Trilogy
Source: Ebook bought by Reviewer
Star Rating:
Blurb:
The Apocalypse does not end. The Changed will grow in numbers. The Spared may not survive.Lori's Review:
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.
Welcome to Shadows, the second book in the haunting apocalyptic Ashes Trilogy: where no one is safe and humans may be the worst of the monsters.
First off, when was the last time you read ASHES? If you answered a year, a month, six months, or anything else you may want to check this out. SO YOU READ ASHES A YEAR AGO. I, of course, did not need to visit this site. Why? Because I am an ASHES super fan and read that beauty at least 4 times.
ASHES was a hot topic book. You either love or hate it. SHADOWS is going the same way...I think there may be a larger group of 'meh' sayers though. Not me. Not at all. I loved every single gory, bloody, dramatic, pov changing minute of this ride. I've been reading smutty smut for my other blog like not stop. I wanted...no craved gore. And horror. And a YA love triangle. Well I got two out of the three with SHADOWS...and you know what Meatloaf says:
What of the three was missing? Well it wasn't actually missing. But it wasn't resolved either. Well maybe it was who knows. Ilsa leaves us hanging there at the end again. But I am jumping waaay ahead of myself. And I just typed a big long paragraph about what was missing (kind of) and realized....umm MAJOR spoiler. Sorry I just won't tell you.
Kami lost interest in ASHES when Ellie was taken. A lot of people loved the first half of the book where wilderness reigned supreme. They felt like the Alex in Rule was a sell out. A weaker person. Really, she was strong and adapting. She was showing a different set of survival skills.
SHADOWS stars with a new narrator. But you'll like him. He holds a golden piece of info that I think a lot of ladies will love. And a lot of bounty hunters too. You know, that, Talk On Monday....T. O. M. Lame. I know but I like myself too much to not do stupid stuff like that. And really I couldn't keep it a secret anymore.
What about Alex, what about Ellie and more importantly what about CHRIS? Oh, they are all there. Alex and Chris both get featured a lot in the POV changes (that everyone hated...seriously, peeps read the refresher link I posted above it will help and really the POV changes have nothing on George RR Martin). Ellie, well, I believe she makes a very important appearance in the book. (or at least I hope she does) You just have to be paying attention.
So last night I was laying in bed thinking about this book, my review and how I left out one huge point. I called what is contained in this book a love triangle. There is a small portion where it turns into a love square. Ilsa introduces us to a new potential love interest in this book. Wolf. Wolf is everything that is bad boy love interest with a twist. The ultimate Alpha. He has a liking for violence, an air of mystery. He exudes sexuality, confidence. He is scared both bodily and mentally, He is both possessive and protective of Alex in a very unhealthy way. Ilsa puts us so far in Alex's head that we feel this connection and strange attraction with her. We know that we SHOULD not be feeling this. Wolf would never make a good love interest. He's just tooo much Alpha. Once you read the book you know what I am talking about. I am not sure if this was purposely done on Ilsa's part as a riff on the new contemp romance bad boy love interests or was just an added layer for drama. Knowing, Ilsa's writing she is pulling one over on us. Getting in our heads and messing around a bit. Having some fun and making us THINK. My mind=BLOWN!
Ilsa can never be accused of skimping on the action or gore. There are so many VOL (Vomit Out Loud) moments in this book. From "the changed" or as they are now called "the chuckies" peeling skin off and chewing on it, human cattle, zombie sex, and gross infected wounds. Alex's spidey sense picks up on some nasty stuff too. Oh, and the changed. Well, they are smart. You know how I said I can't get down with a Zombie love interest? Well......there are some very, very confusing moments in this book for Alex (and the reader). The writing was Ace's and Eights. I feel very much more connected with not only Alex, but many others. I know more about the changed.
I know, gush fest right? What this book did was leave me wanting more. For every answer Ilsa gives us she asks us three more. Frustrating? Yes! A good way to bring me back for book three? Absolutely. If you enjoy different Zombies that are still gruesome and gross, if you enjoy thinking. If you enjoy viscera and gore and vivid writing. Then you should check out this series. If you are a mamby pamby and can't handle all this awesomeness go spew it on goodreads and leave me in my post EPIC BOOK HIGH!
This is the Zombie Slut signing off...
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