Monday 9 December 2013

BLOG TOUR & REVIEW - WORLD OF ASH BY SHAUNA GRANGER

PROMOTION
ISBN: 9780988512658
Publisher: Self/Indie
Series: World Of Ash
Pages/File Size:
Formats Available:
Release Date: 2nd December 2013

BLURB from Goodreads
There are two inherent truths in the world: life as we know it is over, and monsters are real.

The Pestas came in the night, spreading their pox, a deadly plague that decimated the population. Kat, one of the unlucky few who survived, is determined to get to her last living relative and find shelter from the pox that continues to devastate the world. When it mutates and becomes airborne, Kat is desperate to avoid people because staying alone might be her only chance to stay alive.

That is, until she meets Dylan. Dylan, with his easy smile and dark, curly hair, has nowhere to go and no one to live for. He convinces Kat there can be safety in numbers, that they can watch out for each other. So the unlikely couple set off together through the barren wasteland to find a new life – if they can survive the roaming Pestas, bands of wild, gun-toting children, and piles of burning, pox-ridden bodies.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Like so many other writers, Shauna grew up as an avid reader, but it was in high school that she realized she wanted to be a writer. Five years ago, Shauna started work on her Elemental Series. She released the first installment, Earth, on May 1, 2011 and has since released four sequels, with the series coming to an end with Spirit. She is currently hard at work on a new Urban Fantasy series, staring a spunky witch with a smush-faced cat named Artemis.
***Author Links***


***GIVEAWAY***
2 - Signed paperbacks of World of Ash (US only)
2 - eBooks of World of Ash (INT)

REVIEW
ISBN: 9780988512658
Publisher: Self/Indie
Series: World Of Ash
Pages/File Size:
Formats Available:
Release Date: 2nd December 2013

BLURB from Goodreads
There are two inherent truths in the world: life as we know it is over, and monsters are real.

The Pestas came in the night, spreading their pox, a deadly plague that decimated the population. Kat, one of the unlucky few who survived, is determined to get to her last living relative and find shelter from the pox that continues to devastate the world. When it mutates and becomes airborne, Kat is desperate to avoid people because staying alone might be her only chance to stay alive.

That is, until she meets Dylan. Dylan, with his easy smile and dark, curly hair, has nowhere to go and no one to live for. He convinces Kat there can be safety in numbers, that they can watch out for each other. So the unlikely couple set off together through the barren wasteland to find a new life – if they can survive the roaming Pestas, bands of wild, gun-toting children, and piles of burning, pox-ridden bodies.


INITIAL THOUGHTS
Well I think most of you who drop by my blog will know that the post apocalyptic genre is one of my most favourite so I was really looking forward to reading this book! And I read it literally in just two reading sessions. With lots of thinking about it in between those sessions! 
My thoughts on finishing the book was "Wow another fantastic post apocalyptic book . . . definitely putting Bk#2 on my Want To Read List!"

MY REVIEW
I received a free e-copy of this book from the author Shauna Granger via YA Bound Book Tours, this was in exchange for my honest review and posting that review as part of the blog tour.
The cover shows a female possibly Kat in a mask, though not the style initially described in the book as the type Kat and Dylan wear. the colours of the cover are dark and grey which goes with the theme and the title World Of Ash. 
So would the cover alone attract me to the book in a book store? Yes definitely as it suggests post apocalyptic which I love!
So something called Pesta's which are described as old wizened gross looking people in the book are roaming the world and spreading their pox and virus. The Pestas have some kind of sixth sense in that they home in on the living people to infect as many as possible.
The virus/pox causes black marks on the skin and the internal organs to bleed, from contracting the disease it is around five days until you die. The only way to get rid of the dead infected bodies is to burn them. The government stopped collecting the bodies a long time ago. In fact the governments answer when LA becomes over run with the infection is to drop bombs on it to burn the infected away. Kat escapes just before the planes come to bomb her area. Kats dad was the first one to fall victim to the virus, he then naturally came home and Kats mum nursed him, so inevitably she caught it too. It's when she starts to become ill that she sends her precious daughter away with instructions to drive to Washington to her Uncle Grayson's. You see the people who are and will survive this terror are those that know and learn to live a more natural way from the land. As Kat's mum puts it Uncle Grayson went all "hippy" a few years ago so if anyone can survive its him. It turns out to be rather naive of Kats mum to bundle Kat into her little car and tell her to drive to Washington. Lots of other people have tried to escape the populated areas which has resulted in many roads being blocked or turned into huge car parks for abandoned vehicles.
It really is "survival of the fittest and strongest" as gangs form and shops and houses are looted. No where is safe, and how can you trust anyone?
When Dylan comes across Kat he is looking for the occupants of the house she has holed up in for a rest. Dylan wants help with his infected friend Parker. Inevitably Parker dies, there is no cure or vaccine. Whilst Dylan gets a shovel to try and bury his friend Kat takes pity on him and helps him wrap the body of his once best friend in an old shower curtain, drag the body away from the house and set fire to it with one of the few matches Kat has left.
Dylan tell Kat about the area she is in at the moment and they discuss where they will head next. After much persuading and pressure Kat agrees to let Dylan tag along with her and her recently found dog Blue. I wont explain how Blue comes to be with Kat that is told very well in the book. In fact I don't really want to say much more in detail about the book really. The book then follows the journey of Kat and Dylan. Their victories, finding a Target Store that hasn't been looted, their dangers, getting cornered in that very same Target, and their own growing friendship and mutual attraction. They grow protective of each other and end up being a formidable team. Even though they are a great team they do have some communication issues and at one point in the book almost part ways.
The book comes to an end as they have just come through a very difficult, dangerous situation and are about to set off on their journey again. The pace of the book is perfect, there's always something happening or something approaching that could be dangerous so there's lots of things to contemplate as you read. I mean what if Uncle Grayson isn't in Washington anymore? What if Washington has a  border now, will they be allowed in? Can they even travel all that way? will the bridges still be there for them to cross? Will they survive the Pestas? the gangs? Will they get enough food and water? So yes the book raises lots of questions, some are answered as the duo travel along their arduous journey, some of the questions you are still asking yourself at the end of the book.
So did I enjoy the book? I loved it. I am definitely looking forward to Bk#2! Would you recommend the book? Definitely! and to those who love post apocalyptic a must read!
Would you read a BK#2? Ooo yes please when can I read it? Would I read other books by this author? Yes, I intend to!


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