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Ashlight
17-year-old Aiella has lived her entire life in the shadows of caves following the post-apocalyptic aftermath of a fiery pandemic. She’s been taught that the surface is ruined by a supernatural disease, scorched by forces no human could survive.
But when a member of her found family vanishes without a trace, Aiella risks everything to find her, and emerges into a world far more dangerous than she was told.
Volcry is a fallen city wrapped in ash, ruled by a fire-wielding man who sees straight into her thoughts. Her blood holds a secret. Her name is already known. And the truth about what destroyed the world might begin, or end, with her. How much will she have to sacrifice to uncover the truth?
Ashlight is the first book in a coming-of-age YA dystopian fantasy series about hidden elemental powers in a post-apocalyptic world, with a girl who was never meant to survive on this earth, let alone change it.
But when a member of her found family vanishes without a trace, Aiella risks everything to find her, and emerges into a world far more dangerous than she was told.
Volcry is a fallen city wrapped in ash, ruled by a fire-wielding man who sees straight into her thoughts. Her blood holds a secret. Her name is already known. And the truth about what destroyed the world might begin, or end, with her. How much will she have to sacrifice to uncover the truth?
Ashlight is the first book in a coming-of-age YA dystopian fantasy series about hidden elemental powers in a post-apocalyptic world, with a girl who was never meant to survive on this earth, let alone change it.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2025
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 14, 2025
Ashlight is a very entertaining dystopian read. You feel her struggles and like a part of the underground family as you read through. The many twists and turns will keep you guessing and entertained for the whole ride! Must read!
October 10, 2025
Fresh eyes on the end of the world! This story beautifully captures the coming of age of a quirky, young female protagonist who is definitely more than meets the eye. Brought up among a small, ragged tribe of survivors, Aiella navigates life after the apocalypse with strength, determination, and sometimes clumsy naivety.
Set in a subregion of a disease ravaged PNW, the author does a wonderful job showcasing the endurance of nature’s beauty in overcoming the darkness brought on by man’s desire for power.
Overall, this is a compelling story of perseverance and finding one’s true self among the trials of entering adulthood.
Set in a subregion of a disease ravaged PNW, the author does a wonderful job showcasing the endurance of nature’s beauty in overcoming the darkness brought on by man’s desire for power.
Overall, this is a compelling story of perseverance and finding one’s true self among the trials of entering adulthood.
November 9, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I received this as an arc and the premise was so intriguing to me. I was hooked from the first page. This novel follows our FMC who is a young girl living in an underground bunker with her family, this family is made up of the last known survivors of a horrible pandemic. When an elder goes missing, she is allowed out and finds out they aren’t alone. This is definitely a coming of age story that I loved. The FMC is strong and smart but also childish and quirky, what you would expect from a young girl. There was a lot of world building in this novel so I can tell the next one is going to be even better. I can’t wait to see where this series goes.
October 12, 2025
Ashlight is a dystopian sci-fi novel with an underlying thread of found family.
Ariella lives in a small underground bunker with her 'family', the only known survivors of a terrible pandemic where infected burned from the inside out. She is the only one allowed to go outside and hunt and gather for the group, so when the Elder leaves without telling everyone, she decides to go find her.
Along her search for the Elder, Ella discovered they are by no means the only survivors and that there are worse ways of living than in their underground bunker.
This book was very much the set up for the beginning of a longer series, so there was a lot of groundwork being set without resolution. I look forward to the next book as it moves out of the post-apocalypse themes and more into the scifi!
3.5/5 stars, rounded to 4 on Goodreads
Thank you for this ARC, all opinions are my own!
Ariella lives in a small underground bunker with her 'family', the only known survivors of a terrible pandemic where infected burned from the inside out. She is the only one allowed to go outside and hunt and gather for the group, so when the Elder leaves without telling everyone, she decides to go find her.
Along her search for the Elder, Ella discovered they are by no means the only survivors and that there are worse ways of living than in their underground bunker.
This book was very much the set up for the beginning of a longer series, so there was a lot of groundwork being set without resolution. I look forward to the next book as it moves out of the post-apocalypse themes and more into the scifi!
3.5/5 stars, rounded to 4 on Goodreads
Thank you for this ARC, all opinions are my own!
October 22, 2025
Hello, people!
Do you like dystopias? If so, then read this book.
Aiella is the protagonist of the book. She is a 17-year-old girl who lived her life away from the world, after a pandemic that wiped out the majority of people. So, raised in a small group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic era, she finds her inner strength to fight.
I really liked the fact that the book is a story of adulthood, deep messages and reflections, as well as the world building. It really surprised me positively.
The story is full of mystery and suspense.
One of the reasons I love dystopian novels is that they hide but also reveal many elements of modern society. That's how I felt here.
Thank you to the author and Once Upon A Book Tour for the eARC!
This is my honest review!
Do you like dystopias? If so, then read this book.
Aiella is the protagonist of the book. She is a 17-year-old girl who lived her life away from the world, after a pandemic that wiped out the majority of people. So, raised in a small group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic era, she finds her inner strength to fight.
I really liked the fact that the book is a story of adulthood, deep messages and reflections, as well as the world building. It really surprised me positively.
The story is full of mystery and suspense.
One of the reasons I love dystopian novels is that they hide but also reveal many elements of modern society. That's how I felt here.
Thank you to the author and Once Upon A Book Tour for the eARC!
This is my honest review!
October 15, 2025
Ashlight is a dark, dystopian sci-fi with a strong dose of found family and survival vibes.
Ariella lives underground with her small group of survivors after a brutal pandemic wiped out most of humanity. When their leader suddenly disappears, she’s the only one brave enough to go looking — and what she finds outside changes everything she thought she knew.
I really liked the worldbuilding and the mix of tension, mystery, and heart. Ariella’s character was easy to root for, and I enjoyed seeing her grow as she started questioning the world she was raised in. Some parts felt a bit like setup for the next book, but it definitely kept me interested all the way through.
Ariella lives underground with her small group of survivors after a brutal pandemic wiped out most of humanity. When their leader suddenly disappears, she’s the only one brave enough to go looking — and what she finds outside changes everything she thought she knew.
I really liked the worldbuilding and the mix of tension, mystery, and heart. Ariella’s character was easy to root for, and I enjoyed seeing her grow as she started questioning the world she was raised in. Some parts felt a bit like setup for the next book, but it definitely kept me interested all the way through.
November 4, 2025
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝑅𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤:
I really enjoyed reading Ashlight. To be honest I never thought I would like it, but it had me hooked from the first page.
The FMC is young, strong and quirky. She lives underground with the last known survivors of a pandemic. These survivors are her family that she grew up with. Once the elder got missing she’s the only one that went out as she is the only one allowed to go out. As she finds out she’s immune to the disease. I won’t spoil anymore, so if I convinced you with this little bit than please go read the book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝑅𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤:
I really enjoyed reading Ashlight. To be honest I never thought I would like it, but it had me hooked from the first page.
The FMC is young, strong and quirky. She lives underground with the last known survivors of a pandemic. These survivors are her family that she grew up with. Once the elder got missing she’s the only one that went out as she is the only one allowed to go out. As she finds out she’s immune to the disease. I won’t spoil anymore, so if I convinced you with this little bit than please go read the book.
October 14, 2025
I was unsure of what to expect when I started reading this book, and I was very pleasantly surprised! It encompasses all of the elements you look for when reading a YA dystopian novel.
The main character is easy to connect with, and she kept my interest throughout the book. I love books with a strong female lead. While reading, I really felt like I was watching her grow. Ashlight has a fast-paced plot that kept me engaged.
The main character is easy to connect with, and she kept my interest throughout the book. I love books with a strong female lead. While reading, I really felt like I was watching her grow. Ashlight has a fast-paced plot that kept me engaged.
October 14, 2025
This was a fantastic read! The main character is someone you easily root for, and you start to love all of pieces of her found family immediately. The depth and life given to each of them is incredible.The world is both vibrant and beautiful, yet dark a mysterious. There's is so much ground covered throughout the book with the plot moving at a fast pace to keep you engaged! The end is satisfying, but it definitely leaves you excited for more!
November 19, 2025
Ashlight is a young adult sci-fi/dystopian, post-apocalyptic meets fantasy & magic story. It is book 1 in the new Guardians of Satera series, perfect for fans of Fallout, Silo, and/or Howl.
Thank you to Once Upon a Book Tour and the author for gifting me a copy of the book. This is a purely voluntary and honest review.
“𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆.”
Aiella has grown up in an underground tunnel with a dwindling number of other survivors since the age of 2 years old following an outbreak of a fiery, flesh-eating disease which claimed the majority of the population. When one of those survivors goes missing around her 18th birthday, Aiella is the only one who can go after her.
Between the heavy emotions and the fast-paced intensity of Aiella’s journey, there are also moments of tenderness and true family that really pull you into the story and make you feel that you’re experiencing it all right alongside her. If you pick this book up, be prepared for a whirlwind of emotions and an intense ride ahead!
Thank you to Once Upon a Book Tour and the author for gifting me a copy of the book. This is a purely voluntary and honest review.
“𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆.”
Aiella has grown up in an underground tunnel with a dwindling number of other survivors since the age of 2 years old following an outbreak of a fiery, flesh-eating disease which claimed the majority of the population. When one of those survivors goes missing around her 18th birthday, Aiella is the only one who can go after her.
Between the heavy emotions and the fast-paced intensity of Aiella’s journey, there are also moments of tenderness and true family that really pull you into the story and make you feel that you’re experiencing it all right alongside her. If you pick this book up, be prepared for a whirlwind of emotions and an intense ride ahead!
October 24, 2025
Absolutely loved this. The twists are so good and the story flows. Can't wait for the second book.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews