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Ashen Winter (Ashfall #2)

by Mike Mullin (Goodreads Author)

4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 · rating details · 1,849 ratings · 462 reviews

It’s been over six months since the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Alex and Darla have been staying with Alex’s relatives, trying to cope with the new reality of the primitive world so vividly portrayed in Ashfall, the first book in this series. It’s also been six months of waiting for Alex’s parents to return from Iowa. Alex and Darla decide they can wait no lo...more

Hardcover, 576 pages

Published October 16th 2012 by Tanglewood Press (first published October 9th 2012)

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Jun 27, 2012 karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya

second-reading review is now included after this adorable picture of me!

WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE JEALOUS OF ME!!??

first of all, i have this ARC.

5 months before the book comes out, right? but what if i told you i have already read it?? because mike mullin let me read it in manuscript form and give him feedback way back in december! and it was great! but now i have to read this ARC because i was promised a character was named after me in the revisions! but i am told i do not come to a good end! thanks...more

97 likes · like · see review

Oct 13, 2012 Giselle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic

Ashfall - one of my favourite books of all time - could not have had a better sequel in Ashen Winter. Picking up 6 months after Ashfall's ending, we are thrown into a deep desolation; the dark, cold aftermath of a Supervolcano eruption.

Alex and Darla, the fabulous couple who met in Ashfall are leaving the routine and relative safety of the farm to go find Alex's parents. What we have here, friends, is a non stop--and I mean, zero freaking breaks!--action packed thrill ride that will leave you so...more Ashfall - one of my favourite books of all time - could not have had a better sequel in Ashen Winter. Picking up 6 months after Ashfall's ending, we are thrown into a deep desolation; the dark, cold aftermath of a Supervolcano eruption.

Alex and Darla, the fabulous couple who met in Ashfall are leaving the routine and relative safety of the farm to go find Alex's parents. What we have here, friends, is a non stop--and I mean, zero freaking breaks!--action packed thrill ride that will leave you so exhausted with excitement that you might literally just find yourself breathless. Every single page of this novel is filled with intense suspense. Not the type of suspense that leaves characters as little more than words on a page, this series is suspenseful and will make your heart literally backflip because of its characters. You care about them, you want them to live and find their loved ones. Darla and Alex are the perfect team who are both amazingly competent and determined. Their strength makes me feel incompetent! The emotional investment in these people is so poignant that I found myself mimicking their state of minds; Their pain was my pain, their fatigue was my own. I honestly felt their unrelenting weariness from being thrown into their shoes while reading this novel.

A Supervolcano eruption is no unrealistic event. Sure, if it even erupts at all, it probably wouldn't happen for decades--or maybe it will. Ultimately, mother nature does as she pleases. The aftermath of such a disaster that has been created in this book and it's predecessor is unlike anything I've ever read. Sure we have dystopians and zombie novels, but nothing makes a story more compelling than one that could happen at any moment. One that makes you truly fear the possibility of this world invading our reality. Mullin doesn't sugar coat it either. It's gory, it's raw, it's violent to no end; it made me squirm and grimace. Ashen Winter is not for the faint of heart. Blood will be the least of your worries. It's the end of the world, ladies and gentleman, get ready for it!

What this unhindered reality gives us is an in depth, realistic look into humanity. Some people, after a disaster to such degree, after having seen their friends and families die without being able to do a thing about it, after living with a hunger so deep that it affects your mind, will become nothing more than savages. Cannibals. It definitely makes you think on what people will do to survive. In a world where everyone is struggling to see the next day, the worst side of human kind will show its face. And it's not pretty, people. It sickens me, and the worst part: I completely believe it.

This series is one you simply Can. Not. Miss! It's completely, unbelievable fantastic. Even the author's notes left me a little unsettled. The only thing missing, is a number for a much needed psychologist.

Bravo, Mike Mullin, you are a genius at life!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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23 likes · like · see review

Nov 19, 2012 Maja rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: highly-anticipating-2012, ya, all-action, arc-2012, failed-to-impress, male-pov, post-apocalyptic, reviewed-in-2012

Let me tell you guys, if a supervolcano ever erupts and world as we know it comes to an end, I want Darla by my side 24/7. That said, I postponed writing this review for as long as I could because it was hard to pin down exactly why Ashen Winter didn’t work for me as well as Ashfall did. It’s still hard, but I think I have some idea, at least.

With Ashfall, Mullin set pretty high standards for the rest of the series, and although he met them with Ashen Winter, he failed to bring anything new int...more Let me tell you guys, if a supervolcano ever erupts and world as we know it comes to an end, I want Darla by my side 24/7. That said, I postponed writing this review for as long as I could because it was hard to pin down exactly why Ashen Winter didn’t work for me as well as Ashfall did. It’s still hard, but I think I have some idea, at least.

With Ashfall, Mullin set pretty high standards for the rest of the series, and although he met them with Ashen Winter, he failed to bring anything new into it. To me, Ashen Winter didn’t feel like a new book, but rather an extension of its predecessor. It became just an endless string of action scenes and they all blended into one. This lack of oscillations in the pacing bothered me in the first book as well, although the problem wasn’t quite as pronounced.

In addition, I expected this one to be just a bit more emotional. In Ashfall, Alex was still learning to be something other than a protected and pampered boy. He was brave, but he still thought like a teenager, for the most part. By the end of book one, and especially in Ashen Winter, everything he went through gave him a level of maturity one doesn’t usually see in sixteen-year-old boys. Because of that maturity, I expected a better emotional connection between me and Alex, but unfortunately, I didn’t get it.

Alex is very serious by nature and, truth be told, he had very little to laugh about in Ashen Winter which made his occasional humorous remarks all the more entertaining. Mullin used this wisely to break the tension in all the right places and make the book a bit lighter where it would otherwise have been too horrible to handle.

"The men didn't help at all-just kept playing cards. That seemed awfully sexist to me, but I guessed they weren't the enlightened kind of canibals."

I’m not sure whether Mike Mullin always intended for Alex and Darla to have this steady, mature relationship or he’s just very good at listening to his readers, but reading about these two, their relationship dynamics and their appreciation for each other, is a rare and true pleasure. Alex often says that he already feels married to Darla, which would sound positively ridiculous coming from any other teenage boy, but his overall maturity allows for such statements. They both carry around so much responsibility it’s only natural that it reflects on their love life as well.

The third book already has a title – Sunrise, and should be released in 2013. I love that title, it gives me great hope for Alex and Darla’s future.

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Apr 20, 2012 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved it. Better than the first! Review coming in September.

9 likes · like · see review

Jul 12, 2012 Barbara, aka VampAngel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, reviewed

The ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I started reading Ashfall before going to bed. That was a BIG mistake. I ended up being up all night reading. And, not satisfied with looking at the sun coming up while tired as hell, I just couldn't stop. So, I picked up Ashen Winter and began reading it that morning. WITHOUT ANY SLEEP. Yes, I'm crazy. Nothing new here, so let's move on. I read the two books in a row and was done close to 1pm. Let's just say...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads

It is a well known fact that the second book in a trilogy tends to be the weakest book of the series. It drags, it sets up the story for the epic conclusion, and it is simply an all-round fest of boredom for the reader. Mike Mullin’s Ashen Winter however, is (thankfully) one of the few exceptions to this rule. Ashen Winter is filled with danger, romance, and heart-pounding action that is certain not to disappoint.

While Ashfall followed the story of Alex and his journey to reach his parent...more

8 likes · like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 Greg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-for-kids, fiction

I'm so far behind in reviewing books I've read. This might not sound like the end of the world, but it's the only way that I have a chance to remember what I've read and what I thought of for at least some of the books I've read a year or two down the road. For example, today someone voted on a review of mine and the name of the book didn't even ring any bells. Even after seeing the cover of the book and reading the review I didn't remember having read it. It sounded like a fairly interesting bo...more I'm so far behind in reviewing books I've read. This might not sound like the end of the world, but it's the only way that I have a chance to remember what I've read and what I thought of for at least some of the books I've read a year or two down the road. For example, today someone voted on a review of mine and the name of the book didn't even ring any bells. Even after seeing the cover of the book and reading the review I didn't remember having read it. It sounded like a fairly interesting book though, and if I hadn't apparently read the book I might consider reading it. What would I do without my internet out-sourced memory to keep things straight?

In an effort to save my past for myself I've got to get my ass in gear.

Welcome to one of my reviews, where I talk to myself a lot and say things that aren't very relevant to the book or anyone else.

The great thing about an intro to a review like this is that I can put off for a few more minutes what book I'm going to say I'm 'reviewing'. No, I'm fucking with you, I know exactly what book I'm going to write about, and nothing that I've said so far has any relevance to it.* Of course, you, the reader, know right now what book I'm 'reviewing' while what I'm intending to review could be different from what you are reading right now. I'm very envious of your knowledge. I could have been lying about knowing what I'm going to do here.

No I'm not.**

Review time. Seriously.

This is the sequel to a very enjoyable book about a super voclano erupting and sending a large portion of America into a catastrophic winter. I hate to say it, but this wasn't as good as the first novel in the series. But, my opinion might be different from yours. I really like the premise of the series, and I like the characters and the survival element is top-notch. I even like the TKD (although the main character's skills have seemed to branch out a bit from traditional TKD in this book to incorporate some Judo and BJJ, it's good to see a fighter developing into a well-rounded Mixed Martial Artist). I especially loved the autistic character. He was amazing. What I would have liked was a more character driven instead of action and plot driven story (which seems to be a strange request to make for a dystopian action novel, but I can still kvetch about things). As I've said in some other reviews (which I'm sure you already know because everyone reads each and every review I write and takes copious notes to use against me in threads that I'm not even involved in, in order to follow my future reviews that make call-backs to older reviews, and so they can be possibly be the proud winner of the inevitable contest over who gets to be the editor of my collected and annotated reviews), my eyes tend to glass over when there is too much action going on. I just stop following what is happening. I try my hardest to keep being an attentive reader but instead I start to skim. I can't help it, I just don't get into action heavy writing. There are chuncks of this book that move non-stop from one action sequence to another, and there were some spots where I wanted to yell, please stop (not literally, but this is the sort of thing where I could say literally if I were the type of person who literally says literally everytime that something isn't literally happening), and fortunately (for me, maybe not for you, maybe you love action sequences) they would abate and some fairly interesting plot and character development would jump in. Then I would be happy with the book again, and overall I ended up being quite happy with the book. Maybe you will be, too.

This might be the best sequel you read this year that has a fairly high amount of cannibalism going on in it.

P.S. Thank you so so so so so so so much to the publisher and author of this book for helping me achieve my dream of attending BEA and scoring bags and bags of free books (including this one!). I know you were helping out Karen and probably don't know who I am, but thank you anyway!

* This could have been a review for some book on the effects the internet has on memory or something. Not that I would probably actually read a book like that but still the introduction could possibly have some relevance to some review.

**One (maybe you, definetly me) could pose the question, how many more times are you going to try to get away with this nonsense? Just write your fucking review already.(less)

13 likes · like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 Amy or "Ames" rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian-or-post-apocalyptic, male-authors, read-in-2012, netgalley, arc, young-adult, free-read, series-continue

First, I'd like to apologise for cussing out Mr. Mullin's name for the first third of the book. I told myself it was only a book but it got to me. Action, terror and death almost from the very first page. I was on edge, longing to shout at Alex to shut up and listen to his woman. I decided to go without sleep at about 33%, sleep is for the weak anyway. I needed closure and I needed it NOW! I saw some of those bad things coming, they were inevitable. But...but...I got scared. Alex + Darla = formi...more

11 likes · like · see review

Apr 20, 2012 Bookish♥Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: series-read, favorites, read-in-2012, top-10-of-2012

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

- - -

*This review contains spoilers for Ashfall - book 1 in this series!*

Ashen Winter takes place roughly 10 months after the events of Ashfall. Alex and Darla have made as much of a home as possible with Alex's aunt and uncle on their farm. Things are going as well as can be expected until a small group of bandits shows up out of the blue and tries to kidnap the young girls (Alex's sister and cousin) from the farm. Through Alex and Darla's...more

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 25, 2012 Ariana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley, 2012, male-pov, series

3.5 stars.

Define loss:
The disappearance of something cherished, such as a person, possession or property.
Define hope:
The emotional state which promotes the belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. Despair is the opposite of hope.
Define human nature:
It refers to the distinguishing characteristics, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting, that humans tend to have naturally.

So what makes us different when we lose all those characteristics, when the...more

8 likes · like · see review

Sep 26, 2012 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, books-like-crack, cover-love, depressing, dystopian, favorites, for-review, i-cried, net-galley, post-apocalyptic, thriller, young-adult, iowa, dont-read-this-while-eating

Wow. This book. Wow. I'm speechless and I don't know what to say, so I am going to try and wing it. Like usual.

I read Ashfall back when I first started book blogging. If I recall, it was one of the first books I ever reviewed. It may have even been before I started my book blog. I'm not really sure. Don't go read it though because I am sure that review sucks. I DO remember loving the shit out of that book. It was dark, edgy, violent, and really, REALLY, depressing, which in my opinion, is ever...more

6 likes · like · see review

May 08, 2013 Brandi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

4 3/4 Stars (lolz)

Mike Mullin can tell a hell of a story.

In this follow up to Ashfall we pick up with life at Warren and the routine of family life in the post volcano world. Darla is still MacGyver and smarter than almost everyone, and Alex is still making stupid decisions left right and center, all while making you fall for him.

Alex
The one minor complaint I had in the first book was that once in while I didn't believe Alex's voice, but rather could hear the author speaking through Alex. It w...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Steph rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-유, series-ongoing, young-and-new-adult, the-sky-is-falling, arc-netgalley, 12x12in2012, 2012

Ashen Winter was a fantastic read! The first book in the series, Ashfall is a great read as well, but ASHEN WINTER topped it. In Ashfall, we meet Alex. What is great about this meeting is that initially he's just a typical teenager going about his business when the world turns upside down. Now, six months later, he and Darla, a friend he made while on his journey to find his parents, are living at his Uncle's farm in Illinois. They've managed to stay alive despite the continued fallout from the...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I can not wait to read this book!! I loved how the last one wrapped up. It was a complete story and could have worked as a stand alone but left you wanting more as well. Very excited!

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 13, 2012 Regina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, post-apocalyptic, arc-publisher-netgalley, will-continue-series

Better than the first! *pumps fists in the air*

Badass group review here: http://badassbookreviews.com/group-di...

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Feb 19, 2013 Faye (The Social Potato) marked it as did-not-finish

Shelves: young-adult, what-the-hell, unnecessarily-long, survival, science-fiction, post-apocalyptic, could-ve-been-better, stupid-heroes-heroines, net-galley, arc

Did not finish after 30% :( So, so, sorry! Here's a rundown why I didn't like it enough to finish it (but I won't give any rating):

* I find it highly annoying that Alex is such a wussy. He's all talk, but he doesn't walk the walk. He tries to act all tough, but it's always Darla saving him. Aside from that, he's too carebear for me. Hello! You're in a post-apocalyptic world where it's every man for himself. Why are you still nice to someone who tried to kill your freakin' family? What a nutjob.

*...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Paula rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kobo

Fantastic follow up to Ashfall! Full of action, intelligent and exciting adventures, dubious plans, and interesting new characters. It's a dream for an end of the world reader! It's got a little bit of everything...and this time, even a few sexy scenes for Alex!

I just love Mike's writing style. It really reminds me of seasoned sci-fi writers. It's incredible, considering this is his second book. His writing flows well, and is descriptive enough picture while reading, even through some of the mor...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 15, 2012 Michelle (In Libris Veritas) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, science-fiction, post-apocalyptic, young-adult

If someone asked me to recommend a ‘post apocalyptic’ series I would definitely have to go with the Ashfall trilogy. The third book isn’t even out yet but this is already one of the best in that genre I’ve read. It has everything I want from a post apocalyptic story and more. When I read about the aftermath of a catastrophic event I want to feel that terror and the anguish that comes with loosing everything you knew. I realize that’s a bit morbid, but it’s a vital part of the story and if you do...more If someone asked me to recommend a ‘post apocalyptic’ series I would definitely have to go with the Ashfall trilogy. The third book isn’t even out yet but this is already one of the best in that genre I’ve read. It has everything I want from a post apocalyptic story and more. When I read about the aftermath of a catastrophic event I want to feel that terror and the anguish that comes with loosing everything you knew. I realize that’s a bit morbid, but it’s a vital part of the story and if you don’t feel it then the story didn’t impact you the way it should. I also want to feel the hope that comes with trying to start over and trying to better your life, and furthermore I want to feel that connection the characters have with each other. Mike Mullin does that perfectly with Ashfall and Ashen Winter, he makes you truly feel the story that’s in front of you.

Ashen Winter starts off quickly and gets you right back into the action, it also quickly let’s you know that this story isn’t going to be an easy ride for Alex and Darla. It also keeps it’s pace throughout the whole story with very few slow moments because there is always a reason to keep moving forward and to keep turning the pages, be it a good reason or a bad one. It’s just a gritty and emotional as the first book, and it really had me hanging on to every word. I was practically Alex’s cheerleader, even for the smallest things that he accomplished and if he ever failed it left me feeling a bit defeated as well. This one is about cherishing relationships just as much as it is about survival, because sometimes the two become so intermingled that it’s nearly impossible to separate the two.

Alex and Darla are still the perfect team, with strengths and weaknesses that compliment each other. I love how strong of a character Darla is and how different she is from other female YA characters. She does what she needs to do to survive and she’s not afraid to put herself on the line if something or someone needs to be protected. Though she does end up being a bit too cautious at times and that’s where Alex comes in. He’s a brave but he’s also the one that sees the emotional aspect everything occurring, and it leads him to some rash actions. If he sees someone else in need he’ll do what he can to help them even if it’s not in his best interest, Darla keeps him from going overboard. They balance each other perfectly. You also finally get to meet Alex’s parents, which was both a relief and an irritation. It’s long been noted that I tend to hate parents in YA fiction, and his parents are really no exception. That being said I understand exactly where they are coming from when it comes to being over protective, I just don’t like when parents overlook their child’s strengths because they still see them as vulnerable. We are also introduced to Alyssa and Ben, who are brother and sister and quite the odd pair.

So what’s the final verdict on Ashen Winter? If you’ve read Ashfall and loved it, then I think both know you need to read this. If you haven’t read Ashfall then I completely recommend that you do. Of course if you can’t handle things like: cannibals, detailed injuries, and some violence…then it’s probably best you don’t read it or if you do just be ready for it. I have no choice now but to wait for the third book, though I’ll be rather impatient about it.

I received this from Tanglewood and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Oct 08, 2012 Edi Campbell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I wanted to like this one, I really did. I LOVED the first book and couldn't wait to read the sequel. The writing is great and you have to admire an author who pays so much attention to detail. For me, however the devil was the details. There was just too much time on the road which met with one bloody event after another. Even thought it started to feel pointless, I kept reading to know what happened to Darla. Things reached a point where they settled down but, there just wasn't enough complexi...more

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Oct 10, 2012 ✿ℎazℯℓ✿ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Time to post my review... :)

I have to say...this has been an exhaustingly beautiful read. I abandoned it for quite sometime because I was really getting too involved with the characters... is that weird?

I was emotionally invested from the start since I truly loved the first book. It's even hard for me to place a spoiler-free review.

The plot was GREATLY WOVEN. I don't know where Mr. Mullin gets his ideas, but he's just pure genius. I never know what's gonna happen next. I usually don't like sur...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 09, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, dystopian-fantasy

*Genre* YA, Dystopian
*Rating* 4.0

*Review*

Ashen Winter picks up six months after the brilliantly released Ashfall ended. We find that Darla Edmunds and Alex Halprin are still at his uncle Paul’s home knowing that somewhere out there in the midst of all the super volcanic devastation are is his parents Doug and Janice who left Warren to look for him while leaving his sister Rebecca behind.

Once Alex and Darla leave the relative safety of Alex’s uncle’s farm (after getting a surprise visit from ban...more *Genre* YA, Dystopian
*Rating* 4.0

*Review*

Ashen Winter picks up six months after the brilliantly released Ashfall ended. We find that Darla Edmunds and Alex Halprin are still at his uncle Paul’s home knowing that somewhere out there in the midst of all the super volcanic devastation are is his parents Doug and Janice who left Warren to look for him while leaving his sister Rebecca behind.

Once Alex and Darla leave the relative safety of Alex’s uncle’s farm (after getting a surprise visit from bandits who attempt to take Alex’s sister Rebecca), they find that things have gone from bad to really bad. As usual, Darla continues to be the brains behind the operation and her story is the most poignant and one that I continue to eagerly anticipate. Unfortunately, we get less of Darla this time out after Alex makes yet another horrific mistake and is forced into rescuing her.

With Darla out of the picture after falling into enemy hands, Alex becomes more determined and more forceful with his actions. He takes constant risks, makes idiotic mistakes like forgetting to take the safety off his freaking guns, and ends up meeting two new characters in Alyssa and Ben, who are brother and sister. Alyssa has done some horrible things in order to survive and keep Ben with her. I don’t find fault in her actions. It’s the end of the world, and unfortunately you have to use what you have at your disposal. Ben’s character totally blew me away. He is absolutely brilliant and a high-functioning autistic teen who knows about military tactics and weaponry. Had it not been for Ben, I would have found this story a bit less appealing than Ashfall. I doubt that Alex would not have survived to see the next installment, nor would he have found his parents.

As you read Ashen Winter, you are exposed to the more savage, unrelenting side of humanity and are shown to just what extents people are willing to go through to get what they want and live. The more time goes without a break in the current situation, the more bleak things become for those who survived Yellowstone catastrophe. We are reintroduced to several characters from Ashfall including Rita Mae the librarian who really cares for Alex and what happens to him as well as the commander of the Black Water refugee camp. We also get the long awaited reunion between Alex and his parents and an ending that really surprised me.

Ashen Winter is a decent sequel to Ashfall yet leaves room for the next book in this series. Definitely looking forward to the conclusion of this series sometime in 2013.

*Auto Approved 04/03/2012* via Netgalley.com
Expected publication: October 16th 2012 by Tanglewood Press (less)

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Oct 23, 2012 AH rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-netgalley, young-adult, post-apocalyptic, own, read-oct-2012, survival

That was intense!

Imagine the unimaginable – the huge super volcano of Yellowstone has erupted. The Midwestern US is under a foot or so of volcanic ash. It’s cold. Winter is extra-long, extending into the summer months because volcanic ash blocks out the sun. Resources are virtually non-existent. Society, or whatever is left of it, has changed for the worse.

Ashen Winter takes place 10 months after the events of Ashfall. Sixteen year old Alex and his girlfriend Darla have been reunited with Alex’...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-april-2013, science-fiction, young-adult

I know I said I wasn't going to do any more reviews, so I will try to keep this short. You would have to call it dystopian young adult fiction, but it is SO much better than the run of the mill fare that passes under that heading.

In ASHEN WINTER, Alex is now sixteen. The world around them is still in winter from the mega volcanic eruption in Yellowstone. He and Darla are staying with Alex's uncle Paul on Paul's farm in Illinos. But Alex feels he has to make the effort to find his parents, and, i...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

First there was Ashfall, which was a terrific read, and here is #2 in the series, and it holds up!!! Most second volumes in trilogies are a bit of a disappointment, but Mullin kept it going! Alex and his girlfriend Darla leave the relative safety of his Uncle Paul's farm to find Alex's parents and reunite the family. It doesn't take long before everything goes to ruin—and disaster after disaster follow in quick succession. It seems that every chapter ends with a new crisis, and that is just fine...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Maddie Powell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, ya-lit

Alex and Darla are safe, but biding time until he can go and find his parents. It's hard for them to leave the farm with their old and new family, but a run in with bandits gives them hope and a desperate need to find and save Alex's parents. The rifle his Dad left with is left behind after an attack by bandits speeding the departure date to now. Now Alex and Darla are not only fighting the cold and lack of food, they know they are up against FEMA, bandits and other refugees that will do about a...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Wally rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, boy-hero, death, doorway-plot, families, girl-hero, sex, series, survival, teen

Six months after the events of Ashfall ended, Alex and Darla are still at his uncle’s farm in Iowa, surviving the Yellowstone volcano’s long winter. A raid by bandits reveals a shotgun that belonged to Alex’s father, and sets him on a course to find his parents, who had left the farm in the previous book to find him. He and Darla start out, only to be endlessly diverted, slowed, and even trapped, all while facing deep hunger and an increasing number of wounds to body and spirit.
I looked forward...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Brooklyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, reviewed

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. goodness. goodness gracious. i dont even know what to say. i was done with this book before i even knew what had happened. well. to begin, it sucked me in from the very beginning. i couldnt put it down. i read till all hours of the morning, only to get up in the morning and continue reading! i loved how crazy alex is over darla, how persistent he is in getting her back. i love how theyre so... connected. it makes me get all warm and fuzzy inside. i want them to get married and have post-apocalyp...more goodness. goodness gracious. i dont even know what to say. i was done with this book before i even knew what had happened. well. to begin, it sucked me in from the very beginning. i couldnt put it down. i read till all hours of the morning, only to get up in the morning and continue reading! i loved how crazy alex is over darla, how persistent he is in getting her back. i love how theyre so... connected. it makes me get all warm and fuzzy inside. i want them to get married and have post-apocalyptic ass kickin babies!:D my life would be so complete.

i did have a few issues with the.. like the climate. it just seemed so wack. one second, it was freeeeezing in the house. so cold, they had to sleep in a room together. but then, the next second, they were in a more exposed terrain with nothing to warm them, and theyre surviving HOW? just one of my pet peeves. mike mullin wasnt very consistent with making his atmosphere seem realistic.

alex is one of my favorite heroes. hes a hero without you realizing hes a hero. he has tons of scars and cuts and bruises all from him standing up to the bad guys and protecting what he thinks is right. you dont realize how freakin awesome he is until alyssa starts asking him about all his scars. then you get that feeling in your heart like.. this kid is perfect. handsome (or so the book says), strong, brave, and totally in love. FANGIRL MODE, ON. i kid, i kid. but still. alex is super awesome. hes perfect.

as for darla. shes so strong. just as brave as alex, if not braver. shes one of my favorite female characters, of course. even though we didnt see as much of her in this book (though we did see more of her than you would normally see of the missing girlfriend in other novels), she remained a frequent part of the story through alexs thoughts. congrats, mullin. way to go. i also think that its okay for darla to let go sometimes. like alex, she doesnt need to be strong all the time. alex and darla are just such a perfect couple. so unlikely, but so beautifully molded to fit each other.

dont even get me started on alyssa. that little witch should have just minded her own business. and going psycho on, whats his name, clevin? yeah, clevin. WTH? back off girlie. let the man take the stand. and DONT. i repeat DONT touch his knives. im going to admit here that i was more ticked by the fact that she actually touched one of alex's personal belongings than the fact that she existed in this story. oh, and about her continuously trying to make a move on alex. cant you see the mans taken? BACK WOMAN, BACK. DOWN GIRL. i liked her brother ben though, a lot. ben was one of those invaluable characters, but you dont realize that until later either. more than once, he devised flawless plans that allowed alex to continue with his journey. i also loved the way he spoke, how he only answered direct questions, how he called alyssa the sister unit, how he called alex lieutenant... and thats just a few of the things i liked about him. ben was like, one of my fav characters through the entire book.

alexs parents just made me mad, of course. his mom was half retarded (once again, WOMAN, HE IS TAKEN. OPEN YOUR EYES FOR GOODNESS SAKES AND SEE THAT HE LOOOOVES DARLA.) good gawd. she was clingy and annoying. i kept thinking, bet you wish youre back with mom know, huh, alex, HUH? his dad was a psycho too. no way. i did not like that juicebag, at all. no. no. no. his parents were almost as bad as black lake, trying to keep him captive in the camp. NO. BACK OFF. HE HAS A MISSION. GO DIE. luckily, we ditched his dad near the end. thank you jeezus. i hate tag alongs. i like it better when my main character is either a) a solo player or b) has a kick ass partner.

i liked the idea of the Peckerwoods. of course, cannibalism is going to be something that would occur in a situation like this, and mullin does an excellent job of portraying it. the dirty white boys though? WTH. all through the book, the peckerwoods are this huge issue, this giant problem. then, thanks to ben, black lake takes em out in one swoop. too easy. so instead, this group that was literally no threat in the beginning and that has the lamest gang name in the history of gang names (come on. the dirty white boys? writers block, mullin?) decides to rear its ugly little face outta the snow. no. get outta here. out. go. it just annoyed me so bad. especially since they ended up with darla. i was pleased when she ended up a mechanic though, and not a whore. thank god for small miracles.

so all in all, this book was just as good, if not better than the first. i really hope that the third book lives up to its expectations. end strong, mullin. (less)

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Jan 12, 2013 Robert Kent rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade-ninja-reviews

The first passage from Ashen Winter I want to share with you is actually the first paragraph of the book:

Ten months had passed since I'd last seen the sun. The rich blue of that final August sky was fading from my memory. Colors are slippery: If you cover your eyes and try to remember blue, you see black. Now we had a yellowish gray sky, dark as a heavily overcast day. Darla said Yellowstone's eruption had hurled billions of tons of fine ash and sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, and it might...more The first passage from Ashen Winter I want to share with you is actually the first paragraph of the book:

Ten months had passed since I'd last seen the sun. The rich blue of that final August sky was fading from my memory. Colors are slippery: If you cover your eyes and try to remember blue, you see black. Now we had a yellowish gray sky, dark as a heavily overcast day. Darla said Yellowstone's eruption had hurled billions of tons of fine ash and sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, and it might be years before the sky returned to normal. I said the dim light was depressing.

Not only is that first line a heck of a hook, this paragraph delivers most of the exposition you're going to need to enjoy the book. Presumably, most readers have already had the pleasure of reading Ashfall, but a writer can't count on that. So here in a single paragraph Mike has filled us in on all the essential details. Sure, we're still going to need to become reacquainted with Alex and Darla and everybody else and the events of the story serve to expand Mike's vision of the apocalypse. But if for some reason the reader skipped Ashfall, the stage is set for them to still enjoy the new story.

Ashen Winter is all of my favorite things about Ashfall expanded. There are more desperate people struggling to survive, more rape, and most important, more cannibals:) There is, in fact, a gang of roaming rapist cannibals for Alex and Darla to tangle with. If you thought Alex got beat up and punished the last go round, you haven't seen anything yet. Mike never seems to be happier than when he's hurting poor Alex.

Yet, for all of that, Ashen Winter, like Ashfall before it, is a love story. Alex and Darla aren't just horny teenagers staying warm in the ashen apocalypse, they're soul mates destined to find each other--too bad so many people had to die to make that happen:) Mike knows the heart and soul of the Ashfall series is their relationship and so he wisely uses this second volume of the trilogy (I know how it all ends) to test that relationship and flush it out--which is as much as I can say without spoiling.

Ashen Winter is the rare sequel that's better than the original and you're going to love the third book in the series (I know its title, but I'm not sure that's public information yet). Rest assured I'll be reviewing that one here (and I hope to be thanked in the back) as Mike Mullin is one of my favorite authors and the Ashfall series is one of the best series of books I've ever read.
(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Leah Perkins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: rrr-recommended-reading-for-roni

SEQUELS DONE RIGHT! It is so gratifying to have a sequel that doesn't suffer from middle book syndrome. You know where the book is just a big waste of space leading up to the finale. No sir, Mr. Mullin does not disappoint! Gosh, things get hairier the longer this goes on! There are a lot of nail biting, jaw clenching, and grimacing moments along the way as everyone fights for survival. Gracious, cant these kids get a break?!!

Let me just say that I wanted to give Alex a big huge "round house kick...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Maybe not quite up to the level of the first in the series, bit short of a true four for me.

When almost the entire United States is covered in a layer of ash from the explosion of the super volcano at Yellowstone and then the world is covered in snow and ice, it sucks to be separated from your mom, dad, and little sister. But then again while traversing Iowa and eventually managing to get into Illinois, Alex meets the girl of his dreams.

Those were some of the ups and downs of the first novel Ash...more Maybe not quite up to the level of the first in the series, bit short of a true four for me.

When almost the entire United States is covered in a layer of ash from the explosion of the super volcano at Yellowstone and then the world is covered in snow and ice, it sucks to be separated from your mom, dad, and little sister. But then again while traversing Iowa and eventually managing to get into Illinois, Alex meets the girl of his dreams.

Those were some of the ups and downs of the first novel Ashfall. The sequel gives us the same roller coaster pace of good things, or at least better things, that happened after all hell breaks loose and everything goes wrong again and again. The tragedy is so relentless, that it's hard not to read it and think oh hell, not again. It really is just one damn thing after another.

Ashen Winter opens with Alex's decision to go west away from the comfort and security of his uncle's farm to seek out his parents who have been gone for six months looking for him. Of course, Darla insists on going along as well. And really Alex probably wouldn't make it far without her. When the farm is attacked by a cannibal bandits called flensers, Alex'a uncle notices the bandits carried a shotgun that he gave Alex his father before they trekked westward. With only the barest of information on where they might be, Alex decides to head off.

It's hard to stay ahead of the mercenary company running the refugee camp and to stay away from the two gangs that seem to be running life after the Ashfall: the Peckerwoods and the Dirty White Boys. Some friends back in the town of Worthington help Alex when he loses what matters most to him in the world: Darla.
The thought that the gangs that have her might eat her or rape her or possibly both--now the order in that case would be pretty important, I guess--has him following into danger to try to bring her back. And once again he finds himself imprisoned in a FEMA camp.

Can't give away too much else without spoilers, but the readers that enjoyed the harsh conditions and near constant danger will like seeing how Alex manages to get out of most every scrape--although not without a good many wounds.

Early on, all the bad things that kept happening seemed to pile on so fast and so seriously, that I was getting a little sick of reading, but by the middle of the book I was more engaged and anxious to see what happens next. Who knows when the third book in the trilogy will be out, but I will probably read it--just got to be ready for the relentless assault this survival series delivers.(less)

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Mike Mullin’s first job was scraping the gum off the undersides of desks at his high school. From there, things went steadily downhill. He almost got fired by the owner of a bookstore due to his poor taste in earrings. He worked at a place that showed slides of poopy diapers during lunch (it did cut down on the cafeteria budget). The hazing process at the next company included eating live termites...more

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“I never would have guessed that matches and lighters would be among the things I'd miss the most if civilization collapsed” — 4 people liked it

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