Ashfall (Ashfall, #1) in Pick-a-Shelf

Nov 05, 2011 D.G. rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, reviewed, post-apocalyptic

**4.5 stars**

I'm not much for survivalist kind of books but I loved this one. It scared the hell out me though - I'm really not ready for a situation like this. Thankfully, it's not bound to happen in my lifetime. :)

This is the story of Alex, a typical teenager who has to grow up fast when he finds himself alone in the midst of the biggest natural disaster of his lifetime. He's separated from his family (by his own choice) and now that he doesn't have them, he finds that he misses them terribly. **4.5 stars**

I'm not much for survivalist kind of books but I loved this one. It scared the hell out me though - I'm really not ready for a situation like this. Thankfully, it's not bound to happen in my lifetime. :)

This is the story of Alex, a typical teenager who has to grow up fast when he finds himself alone in the midst of the biggest natural disaster of his lifetime. He's separated from his family (by his own choice) and now that he doesn't have them, he finds that he misses them terribly. He then decides to trek 150 miles to find them and is confronted with the best and worst of humanity.

Although Alex is just 16, this is a really mature sort of YA. The horror of their situation is not glossed over so we know when they are hungry, dirty and even how they manage their bodily functions. There's a lot of fear and the realization that the world as they knew it has ended and that they must be wary of strangers in a way they never were before.

It really touched me how Alex decided to follow his heart and not let himself be swept away by fear. It would have been really easy for him to just look out for himself but he realizes that he's alive because of the kindness of others and he pays it forward when he can even when that's the hard thing to do.

This is not a romance but it has one of the most tender and romantic relationships I've seen in a long time (both in YA and adult fiction.) Physical attraction is not even the first thing for them because really, they are not looking their best. Their relationship is about sharing the good and the bad and just being happy of every minute together, knowing that someone they love has their back and always will. However, they are teenagers in love so of course sex is part of the equation and I loved, simply LOVED, how sex is addressed as something natural and normal. Alex is not the type of asexual teen that can kill a person but never feels anything below the belt like we see in a lot of YA. Instead he's a normal young man who reacts at the proximity of a pretty young woman even in dire situations. :)

I'm really excited to read the sequel...I don't know how much I'll be able to wait before I learn what happens next.

(Provided for review by Tanglewood via netGalley.) ...more

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