I have no complaints about the author's work. The book is interesting, gritty, and entertaining. However, the narrator almost ruins this. She talks in this haughty, pretentious tone that is very jarring. Her voice is strange and does not fit with the book at all. I couldn't stand it when she read Ellie's parts in the book-her version of the little girl's voice was like nails on a chalkboard. I will avoid all books read by this woman again.

I absolutley loved this book! It was beyond amazing. At points, I, ME who never gets scared was terrified! I really was. It was OMG will this ever end kind of scared. It was an unknown kind of scared. Author Ilsa J Bick has an amazing talent of writing this genre. Her characters, her story line, her EVERYTHING is over the top! If you love end of world type of books, zombie-like books, survival of end books THIS SERIES IS FOR YOU! BUT BE WARNED...there is more to this series than just your typical-the world is ended we need to survive. There is so much emotion, so much to learn about human species in general. It is actualy an emotional rollercoaster! I LOVE THIS SERIES!!!!!!!!!! **I am putting this SAME review on all three books of this series. I will not give away an spoilers and just encourage you read this series. The narrator is FAN FREAKING TASTIC!!!!!!!

top 10
It is one of those stories that could happen.

Alex. She has a great strength of character. She never gives up.

She made you feel what Alex was feeling.

When she had to leave her boyfriend in the store to go get help.

Good book. I really enjoyed it.

I was disappointed again by this narrator though I thought she did a better job than on previous books I've heard her on. The story, was very intriguing and I admit that I bought the second book to see where she goes with it. I wouldn't say it's an amazing book, but it does have some great aspects. The character of Alex you sympathize with, you worry about what happened to Tom and Ellie and you wonder about the political machinations that are occurring in Rule. All great steps into building a wonderful story line. I was put off when I realized this book was supposed to be for "young adults". Some of the themes I feel are a bit mature. Well, maybe not the themes themselves, I myself feel that the Hunger Games are great for their attended audience and make kids question their beliefs, it's perhaps her gory details that I find off putting for the intended readers age range. All in all; however, I found this book to be a solid piece of work and am hopeful to find out the next part of the story. I would recommend this piece to other readers and if it were in my physical library I would lend it out to trusted friends.

The closing as she finally makes some connections I think is wonderfully perfect cliff hanger ending for a series.

Miss Kellgren again overacts some areas. Is that her fault though, or the sound tech/directors? I don't know but am once again unimpressed by her narration although it is better than other pieces of her work.

Sometimes I was a bit disgusted with her in depth descriptions of the remains of whatever body she was speaking of. It was just unexpected for a book for this age range.

I've often wondered what it would be like to be a survivor if everything went to hell. Now maybe I might not want to be a survivor. The story had you at the edge of your seat.

The dichotomy of the young and the old survivors and the twist of the adults being the turned.

No I haven't listened to her before.

I was worried for the survivors, even the dogs. I felt sad when someone was killed. There were not very many laughs in the book.

I think the narrating of this story made it even more exciting and nerve racking. I was bitting my nails and rooting on the main characters. Even when it was a slow I was fully invested in the story.

Alex, a strong female with backbone and grit.

Alex

Beware the Changed

Overall, I liked the story, but kept thinking about the book, The Twelve. Apocalypse and creatures that feed on humans. Not at all what I expected. I really liked how Kellgren got my blood pumping in the crucial moments of crazy activity. She read it as if she was narrating while she fended off the "Changed". I do like the implications of who is left to run things and it also reminded me somewhat of Under the Dome, where people put their trust in the wrong people out of fear and routine. Overall, I LOVED the ending, which left me NEEDING to get the second in the trilogy.

The narrator was excellent and the story was engaging. Ms. Bick’s penchant for ending chapters in the middle of an action sequence is obviously designed to pull the reader along but I found it an unneeded and distracting ploy. The main problem is that the story stopped so abruptly it was as if it stopped midsentence. I can imagine how this happened. The original book was much longer (perhaps as long as the entire three part series) and the publisher asked her to cut it into pieces so that more books could be sold. I can even understand this, but to use the same tactic that she used between chapters to end a book was, for me, highly irritating. If she has confidence in her books, she should have ended it two chapters earlier. The same unresolved conflicts would have remained, but at least it would be a book with an end.

The natural growth of each character into their roles. Hero/ heroes are engaging. Story is very plausible.

Aaaaaaargh!

Good range of voice/cast members; clearly defined.

I saw some criticism of the Narrator. Well, Katherine Kelgrin certainly isn't monotone. I like to listen to books while I do other things. Monotone authors don't grab me into the stories unless I stop working and pay close attention.It isn't a bedtime story. I have also heard the narrator in other books.

Ashes kept my interest enough that I'm am already listening to the next in the series.
I don't usually like dystopian novels but I like this one.