Word to Dreams

I would like to thank the author for providing me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.

Anyone who has been following my blog, or even just my reviews, knows that I love a good post-apocalyptic read. Give me dystopian any day. So there is no doubt that when I saw the opportunity to read World of Ash, that I jumped at the chance. Thankfully, I was not disappointed.

Taking place after a disease, brought on and still being spread by paranormal creatures, has wiped the majority of mankind off the map, this story follows Katarina aka Kat and a stranger who happens upon her, Dylan and their travels from lower California up through northern California. The entire time they must do what they can to not be captured by other survivors who are bent on destruction, not be infected with the fatal pox, find food, water and shelter on a daily basis and learn to trust one another while building a friendship in a world where things just don’t seem to exist anymore.

The author’s way with imagery set the tone straight on with the book. She put you in the thick of the story, made you fully aware of the dangers and what was at risk if the slightest error in judgment was committed. You saw through Kat’s eyes, felt her fears, her pain, her desperation and you traveled with her in this new world created from complete and utter destruction on multiple levels. It’s not an easy accomplishment what the author did, but she did nearly flawlessly.

I would have liked to know more about the Pestas. With everything going on, there had to be more known about these things that created and spread the disease that would have been provided to the public, in a way to protect themselves, before everything went to complete chaos. They are touched on a bit through the book, but just not enough to satisfy my interest.

The introduction of a four legged friend made the story even that more enjoyable. Imagine being alone for months and suddenly finding companionship in an animal that needs you just as much as you need them. There’s nothing hokey about this storyline and it showed Kat as she really is, a caring person whose future is that of a voyager, taking one day at a time and hoping that in the end she finds what she is looking for.

The chemistry between Kat and Dylan was very believable. She meets up with him when he is at his most vulnerable and gets to know him from there. In turn, he gets to see her at her weakest and the two become wayward travel companions. Together they deal with danger, loneliness, learn of each other’s losses, boost up one another and bounce things off each other without resentment.

This book works for any age level that loves this genre. A solid scifi dystopian without the blood and gore that many think they need, but don’t and without graphic details that turn some readers off. When details are needed, they are there, but the graphic nature is left primarily up to the reader’s imagination. I look forward to reading about Kat and Dylan’s further travels and situations they will find themselves in.