What do you think?
Rate this book
When the Ashes Fall
When the unthinkable happens, not everyone is ready. Not everyone knows what to do.
Lacking any survival knowledge, she finds herself in the shelter of the city's Liberty Tunnels with a group of strangers, none of which know much more than she does. The odds are against them. Panic, hunger, and sickness are rampant. The tunnels increasingly become more dangerous.
With limited skills, Abby must pull it together, not only get her and the girls out of the tunnel shelter, but to survive long enough to make it home one last time.
Lacking any survival knowledge, she finds herself in the shelter of the city's Liberty Tunnels with a group of strangers, none of which know much more than she does. The odds are against them. Panic, hunger, and sickness are rampant. The tunnels increasingly become more dangerous.
With limited skills, Abby must pull it together, not only get her and the girls out of the tunnel shelter, but to survive long enough to make it home one last time.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 23, 2013
58 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 21, 2018
Actual rating - 3.5
July 28, 2014
Warning! You won't be able to stop reading this book!
This book was an emotional rollercoaster! If you love books about disaster settings, then you will want to put this one on the top of your "to read" list. It started with a bang (no pun intended) and continued to keep me so interested that I actually lost track of time. This author really knows how to make her characters seem so alive. I don't want to spoil anything but you will need to keep a box of tissues handy!
This book was an emotional rollercoaster! If you love books about disaster settings, then you will want to put this one on the top of your "to read" list. It started with a bang (no pun intended) and continued to keep me so interested that I actually lost track of time. This author really knows how to make her characters seem so alive. I don't want to spoil anything but you will need to keep a box of tissues handy!
September 24, 2020
Never disappointed
I know when I start a book by Ms. Druga that I am going to lose a few tears and that I am going to become wrapped up in the lives of the characters. This book was no disappointment. I highly recommend it.
I know when I start a book by Ms. Druga that I am going to lose a few tears and that I am going to become wrapped up in the lives of the characters. This book was no disappointment. I highly recommend it.
November 2, 2015
If by chance a major disaster wipes out a massive percentage of the population--the evil in countless humans will run rampant. Warlords will seize power resulting in endless beings suffering at their hands. People who were rather decent before the catastrophe will become savage with greed for themselves or their families. Kindness and honesty may be just words from our past, and instead of helping each other, humans will turn back time to the dark ages.
Knowing all of these predictions could come true, the cruelty in some books becomes troublesome, that's one reason Druga's books and I get along famously. She writes often regarding the exemplary behavior of people during dark periods of humankind's worst nightmares.
The story centers on a woman named Abby and her two daughters who travel to the city to have an amusing day. On the way home, she drives into a large tunnel when suddenly a nuclear bomb hits the city they just left. Several survivors find a smaller tunnel into a mountain that keeps them away from the fallout, and for a brief while they're safe.
They must leave the tunnel eventually, plus their hearts are yearning to travel to a husband and son still at home. Along the way, each person met shows compassion (except one unknown assailant in the story for just a few lines), now that's the world I would love to be in if events turn to devastation.
Druga's books are always effortless to read, and the only problem I find with them--they eventually must come to a conclusion.
This review is from my blog: http://somanybooksssolittletime.blogs...
Knowing all of these predictions could come true, the cruelty in some books becomes troublesome, that's one reason Druga's books and I get along famously. She writes often regarding the exemplary behavior of people during dark periods of humankind's worst nightmares.
The story centers on a woman named Abby and her two daughters who travel to the city to have an amusing day. On the way home, she drives into a large tunnel when suddenly a nuclear bomb hits the city they just left. Several survivors find a smaller tunnel into a mountain that keeps them away from the fallout, and for a brief while they're safe.
They must leave the tunnel eventually, plus their hearts are yearning to travel to a husband and son still at home. Along the way, each person met shows compassion (except one unknown assailant in the story for just a few lines), now that's the world I would love to be in if events turn to devastation.
Druga's books are always effortless to read, and the only problem I find with them--they eventually must come to a conclusion.
This review is from my blog: http://somanybooksssolittletime.blogs...
March 9, 2015
Another end of the world story that just sucked me in. I have tried to read a couple other books by this author and just did not enjoy them, but this book I really liked. I thought the circumstances that the characters found themselves in were very believable and their struggles were brought to life by the author. I like my end of the world novels to star people who chose to do the right thing no matter how hard that thing may be, and this novel delivered.
June 30, 2016
This was so good....at the end i was like....
April 25, 2018
A possible future ... captivating and scary as hell!
You start the morning off with Abby, who is heading into the city with her daughters, Addy and Mel. You watch as she does her business then takes off to do some shopping in another area. You become alarmed as everyone around her begins to panic and rush to get out of the city for some reason that isn't clear. You stay tense as she hurries to get out of the area. Then, your heart pounds when there is a blinding white light, deafening explosions, and Abby's van crashes as it is flung violently into the line of cars ahead of her.
That is how this gripping story about a nuclear apocalyse begins. It was so hard to put down, and refreshing as Abby isn't military or a prepper, and doesn't have survival skills. It's interesting being in the mind of someone who doesn't know exactly what needs to be done, who is injured, and has to depend on others. I was fascinated by this story from beginning to end.
This is my third book I've read by Jacqueline Druga and I plan on reading many more. There are a few spelling and grammar mistakes but none that take away from the story. I love her style of writing and am adding every one of her books to my wishlist.
You start the morning off with Abby, who is heading into the city with her daughters, Addy and Mel. You watch as she does her business then takes off to do some shopping in another area. You become alarmed as everyone around her begins to panic and rush to get out of the city for some reason that isn't clear. You stay tense as she hurries to get out of the area. Then, your heart pounds when there is a blinding white light, deafening explosions, and Abby's van crashes as it is flung violently into the line of cars ahead of her.
That is how this gripping story about a nuclear apocalyse begins. It was so hard to put down, and refreshing as Abby isn't military or a prepper, and doesn't have survival skills. It's interesting being in the mind of someone who doesn't know exactly what needs to be done, who is injured, and has to depend on others. I was fascinated by this story from beginning to end.
This is my third book I've read by Jacqueline Druga and I plan on reading many more. There are a few spelling and grammar mistakes but none that take away from the story. I love her style of writing and am adding every one of her books to my wishlist.
June 11, 2018
Depressing
A mother takes her two daughters into the city for a mother/daughter bonding experience. Unfortunately, there's a nuclear attack and a bomb hits the city. Fortunately they are in a tunnel when the bomb hits. Unfortunately, an EMP generated by the nuclear device causes all the vehicles in the tunnel to crash, and the family barely gets out alive.
There are other survivors in the tunnel, but many are injured, and some were exposed to radioactive fallout.
Results: this is depressing because everyone is exposed to radiation, and there's not much hope. It's too sad to recommend.
A mother takes her two daughters into the city for a mother/daughter bonding experience. Unfortunately, there's a nuclear attack and a bomb hits the city. Fortunately they are in a tunnel when the bomb hits. Unfortunately, an EMP generated by the nuclear device causes all the vehicles in the tunnel to crash, and the family barely gets out alive.
There are other survivors in the tunnel, but many are injured, and some were exposed to radioactive fallout.
Results: this is depressing because everyone is exposed to radiation, and there's not much hope. It's too sad to recommend.
December 6, 2023
A great book.
It was a good read although not up to the best. A lot of it was slow-moving sitting in a tunnel with nothing happening so there wasn't a story to tell really and it did speed up towards the end hence the fourth star. Not her best in my opinion but still very readable.
It was a good read although not up to the best. A lot of it was slow-moving sitting in a tunnel with nothing happening so there wasn't a story to tell really and it did speed up towards the end hence the fourth star. Not her best in my opinion but still very readable.
September 27, 2021
The WORST book by this author to date! The mom was weak, and out of touch with reality. I'm surprised that Ms. Druga penned such a horrible character! Made it to about halfway, and gave up. What a waste!
February 3, 2022
Self published so no editing, wrong words used, bad punctuation etc. Good for a first try. Lacking in character development, plot expansion and verbal creativity, basically just a narrative of surviving a nuclear hit. If targeted towards young readers it could rate a 3 star.
June 23, 2024
Wonderful
Ms. Druga didn't disappoint.
A nice tale of a mother's love and determination to survive a direct hit from a nuclear strike in the city by waiting out the worse in the traffic tunnels in the mountain.
I will never forget Jonsy. I shed tears.
Ms. Druga didn't disappoint.
A nice tale of a mother's love and determination to survive a direct hit from a nuclear strike in the city by waiting out the worse in the traffic tunnels in the mountain.
I will never forget Jonsy. I shed tears.
October 1, 2024
When I first started this book I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. But then I ended up loving it! I think Jonsy and Bub were key to the story. But I loved how the story ended and that’s unusual for me to say about a book.
April 25, 2025
Once again
I hardly ever leave written reviews but this writer is an amazing story teller! She makes me feel as if I'm right there, like I truly know the people. Thank you for what ever made you take the plunge to share your stories!
I hardly ever leave written reviews but this writer is an amazing story teller! She makes me feel as if I'm right there, like I truly know the people. Thank you for what ever made you take the plunge to share your stories!
October 27, 2025
When The Ashes Fell
This is one of my favorite books by Ms Druga. It kept my attention throughout. While there are many typos and mistakes, I am able to make corrections in my head. The story is fascinating and spellbinding and I really couldn’t put it down. I do recommend it.
This is one of my favorite books by Ms Druga. It kept my attention throughout. While there are many typos and mistakes, I am able to make corrections in my head. The story is fascinating and spellbinding and I really couldn’t put it down. I do recommend it.
June 12, 2020
My favorite of hers so far. I was actually crying through the last couple of chapters.
October 3, 2023
good read.
Loved this, sad at times, story flowed great, characters believable, I love Jacqueline’s writings . Took me 4 hrs to read couldn’t put it down.
Loved this, sad at times, story flowed great, characters believable, I love Jacqueline’s writings . Took me 4 hrs to read couldn’t put it down.
January 9, 2024
Good easy read.
April 12, 2016
I think this is the best book I have read by this author. The characters are believable and well-written and the situation is described in enough detail to make you thankful we were able to avoid nuclear war (so far...fingers crossed). The depictions of radiation sickness and the will to survive to see your family one last time are heartbreaking. There are wonderful characters that are found in a nursing home, in the tunnel, and in the camp. Everyone is trying to do their best to survive. Not everyone does. When they find out why they were nuked, the futility of nuclear weapons is painfully obvious...at least to us.
January 22, 2014
I'm a little over halfway through this book and I'm enjoying it. My only complaint is....it wasn't proofread very well, if at all. They are simple mistakes, a missing word, an extra word, etc, but it is distracting. The plot and characters are interesting and the writing is pretty good. It would just be better if the author found a good proofreader. --ok, I finished it and while my opinion is the same concerning the grammatical errors, I really enjoyed the book. I'll definitely read more by this author.
March 11, 2014
I enjoyed this novel. Many apocalyptic novels deal with the decline and decay of society while offering us a hopeless view of humanity. I found this novel to be a page turning sobering look at a mother's struggle save her daughters. This novel, although tragic, focuses on the good left in humanity. I found love throughout this read; the message is how love, in all it's forms, gives hope and the foundation to build new lives.
I must warn readers.. I found myself sniffing and a bit misty-eyed near the end. Good read for all ages.
I must warn readers.. I found myself sniffing and a bit misty-eyed near the end. Good read for all ages.
August 27, 2016
I am usually wary of first person narratives, especially in this genre. The main character often comes to the realization of what happened and what to do, presumably so that the reader understands. This book was different. The main character is slow to realize what is happening and often simply reacts without thinking. The dawning realization of their plight is horrifying to her and to the reader. It seems a lot more realistic as to how many would cope with such a situation.
August 16, 2014
Great book
Great book
not often I leave reviews. this book was an emotional ride for me...I actually cried. this was a realistic story and the characters were those I could attach myself to and become emotionally involved. thoroughly enjoyed from the beginning to the end. awesome job!
Great book
not often I leave reviews. this book was an emotional ride for me...I actually cried. this was a realistic story and the characters were those I could attach myself to and become emotionally involved. thoroughly enjoyed from the beginning to the end. awesome job!
September 28, 2014
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this read. It went quickly, the action was fast paced and character development, though a bit of an after thought was sufficient.
Will have to try a few more of Ms Druga's books.
Will have to try a few more of Ms Druga's books.
April 5, 2015
So far, this is my favorite book by Jacqueline Druga. I love apocalyptic fiction, and Ms. Druga writes a lot of it! I like how she didn't mask how bad things could be, how she made me as a reader root for her characters, and I liked how she ended the book.
November 5, 2014
Compelling
I read this very quickly as I had to know that this group I had grown to love would make it out. Definitely in need of a good proofreader but at least it did not ruin the story. Scary to think this could come true.
I read this very quickly as I had to know that this group I had grown to love would make it out. Definitely in need of a good proofreader but at least it did not ruin the story. Scary to think this could come true.
July 23, 2016
A Heartbreaker . ..
for what was lost, yet wonderful for all that still remained. Hope, the greatest motivator. Love, what hold us together. And the real possibility that we could really be that dumb !!! Daaa!!! A must read!
for what was lost, yet wonderful for all that still remained. Hope, the greatest motivator. Love, what hold us together. And the real possibility that we could really be that dumb !!! Daaa!!! A must read!
December 27, 2013
This is one of the better post-apocalyptic novels I have read. There is not real violence, just the struggle of a few people to get home after a catastrophic incident, and the challenges they face,
January 26, 2014
Interesting take on a post nuclear war scenario, as told by a woman with her two children. The woman was completely unprepared. Good story in the first person and a fast read.
June 4, 2015
Loved this book! It was a quick read but once I started I couldn't stop!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews