ASHEN WINTER Scares Me

And maybe it's not for the reason you think. But because it's so, so real. If you haven't read ASHFALL yet, you should. I read it on the way home from Denver, and the first thing I did when I made my shopping list was add vitamins to it.

And not just Flintstones for my kids. But bottles of vitamin C for my food storage. Because ASHFALL had that much of an impact on me.

See, I live along an earthquake fault, and we're counseled to be prepared for an emergency. I've seen dozens of supply lists, attended emergency preparedness fairs, the works. Never once have I had someone tell me I need to have vitamins. I hadn't even thought of it.

So it was with great trepidation that I picked up ASHEN WINTER. What was I going to find lacking this time? Bandages? Check. Warm clothing? Check (sort of). Fuel? Shoot.

ASHEN WINTER takes place several months after the close of ASHFALL, and while Alex's situation hasn't really gotten worse, it certainly hasn't gotten better.

Note to self: emergencies could last a long time. Surviving the initial catastrophe might only be the beginning.

Things definitely go bad in the first chapter when Alex discovers a bandit with something that used to belong to his parents. And off he and Darla go, back into the wilderness -- full of uncertainties and bad guys -- to find his family.

Note to self: not knowing what happened is worse than knowing.

I'm not going to go through every point of discovery I had as I read the book, but know this. It's scary. And the reason ASHEN WINTER is so perfectly fearsome is because it could actually happen.

And I like that in books. I like a healthy dose of contemporary realism mixed in with my fantasy.

If you haven't read ASHFALL yet, get your copy today! And be sure to pick up ASHEN WINTER too -- because you won't be able to stop after one book. Oh, and we're giving stuff away! A signed copy of both ASHFALL and ASHEN WINTER!! Be sure to fill out the Rafflecopter to win! a Rafflecopter giveaway