My Rating:

Author: Jo Treggiari

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Published by: Oasis Audio

Length: 9 hrs, 48 mins.

Publisher’s Summary:  The world has ended… What comes next? Smallpox epidemics, floods, droughts—for 16-year old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, stealing with it everyone she ever loved. Even the landscape of her beloved New York City is ever-shifting and full of hidden dangers. As the weather rages out of control, she survives alone in the wilds of Central Park, hunting and foraging for food and making do with the little she has, while avoiding roving scavengers and thieves. But when an unrelenting pack of vicious hounds begins to hunt her, Lucy is not sure she can continue on her own. Then, suddenly, she is swept to safety by a mysterious boy named Aidan, who helps her escape the hounds and urgers her to join a band of survivors. Reluctantly, she finds him after her home is destroyed; however, new dangers await her. An army of Sweepers terrorizes the camp, carting off innocent people and infecting them with the plague. Lucy and Aidan realize that it’s up to them to save their friends, but Lucy doesn’t know that the Sweepers have laid a trap—for her. There is something special about Lucy, and the Sweepers will stop at nothing to have her in their clutches. Jo Treggiari spins a thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl’s unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.

©2011 Jo Treggiari (P)2011 Oasis

My Review: Ashes, Ashes is a newly released young adult audiobook. The story centers around a teenage girl, Lucy. Lucy’s parents and siblings are  dead after the plague spread through New York City and the country. She knows there are survivors but she stays hidden in her makeshift home in Central Park. Lucy struggles daily to forage enough food and water and maintain her shelter. She hasn’t bathed in ages and her few pieces of clothing are filthy and rarely washed. With no electricity, grocery stores, pharmacies or other luxuries, she makes do with her limited supplies, including a survival handbook.

After running from a pack of ravenous dogs, Lucy is rescued by another teenager, Aidan. Aidan pulls her into a tree and urges her to come with him to a safer place with other survivors. Naturally, Lucy is cautious. She’d been on her own for almost a year and she wasn’t sure she could trust Aidan, let alone a bunch of strangers.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The author, Jo Treggiari paints vivid pictures with her paragraphs and keeps the suspense rolling. Anytime I see “Young Adult” tagged on an audiobook, I hesitate. Okay, I’m a 28-year-old woman, and that’s pretty young, right? Like Lucy, I was extra cautious… But then again, her life was in danger, mine wasn’t. I downloaded, I listened, I loved. Treggiari has a winner on her hands here and now is the time to snag this one, since it’s free over at the Audiobook Community Sync: YA Listening until Wednesday, August 3, 2011 (click the link below).

Honestly, I’d say this would be a great audiobook for anyone. Don’t let the Young Adult tag worry you! Teenagers, twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings… give it a listen, you’ll enjoy it! Some folks have compared this to The Hunger Games, but I’m not leaning that way. It’s different, and great.

Narrator Review: Cassandra Campbell has a young, vibrant voice and suits this audiobook well. You could feel the emotions of Lucy seep through her voice and that added to the suspense.

Head over to Sync: YA Listening on the Audiobook Community for a FREE DOWNLOAD! Hurry! It’s available free until Wednesday, August 3, 2011.

Or download the audiobook on Audible anytime!