What do you think?
Rate this book
The One Who Refused to Feed: Ashes of The Living
Book 2 in “The One Who Refused to Feed” saga, continuing the story begun in The One Who Refused to Feed: The Real Horror is What You Can't Forget.
When the world fell, the virus didn’t stop at the living.
The vaccine finished what it started.
Safe Zones and miracle briefings were for people who still believed in plans. Ash never got that luxury. Her world is a rusted pipe, a battered notebook, and a handful of people she can’t afford to lose.
Cal, ex-office guy turned rulemaker with a rifle.
Boone, who laughs so he doesn’t crack.
Betty, who once locked a door on her own family.
Travis and Evan, father and son, stitched together with anger and love.
Maya, fifteen, still counting every stranger’s face in case one of them is her little brother.
They hide out in a cabin in the Pennsylvania woods and pretend the rules are simple.
Stay quiet
Stay small
Stay unseen.
Then the dead stop behaving.
Some don’t rush. They hold back. Watch. Tilt their heads like they’re trying to remember something. Cal has seen one of them up close in a ruined town. A small hooded figure, the horde seemed to move around instead of devouring, and it’s eating at him more than he wants to admit.
When a supply run goes sideways, and a nowhere town turns into a death trap with thousands of dead pressing in on a volunteer fire station, their neat rules blow apart.
Pinned on a rooftop with their pasts and their bad calls for company, the group has to face an ugly choice:
Keep treating every monster the same.
Or accept that some of them might be changing and so might they.
Ashes of the Living is a raw, character-first apocalypse about found family, impossible choices, and the shifting line between human and monster.
If The Last of Us and The Walking Dead are your thing, this is your next stop.
Just be ready to question who you’re rooting for.
When the world fell, the virus didn’t stop at the living.
The vaccine finished what it started.
Safe Zones and miracle briefings were for people who still believed in plans. Ash never got that luxury. Her world is a rusted pipe, a battered notebook, and a handful of people she can’t afford to lose.
Cal, ex-office guy turned rulemaker with a rifle.
Boone, who laughs so he doesn’t crack.
Betty, who once locked a door on her own family.
Travis and Evan, father and son, stitched together with anger and love.
Maya, fifteen, still counting every stranger’s face in case one of them is her little brother.
They hide out in a cabin in the Pennsylvania woods and pretend the rules are simple.
Stay quiet
Stay small
Stay unseen.
Then the dead stop behaving.
Some don’t rush. They hold back. Watch. Tilt their heads like they’re trying to remember something. Cal has seen one of them up close in a ruined town. A small hooded figure, the horde seemed to move around instead of devouring, and it’s eating at him more than he wants to admit.
When a supply run goes sideways, and a nowhere town turns into a death trap with thousands of dead pressing in on a volunteer fire station, their neat rules blow apart.
Pinned on a rooftop with their pasts and their bad calls for company, the group has to face an ugly choice:
Keep treating every monster the same.
Or accept that some of them might be changing and so might they.
Ashes of the Living is a raw, character-first apocalypse about found family, impossible choices, and the shifting line between human and monster.
If The Last of Us and The Walking Dead are your thing, this is your next stop.
Just be ready to question who you’re rooting for.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 24, 2026
About the author
Biale Drageo
3 books42 followersI write sh*t and stuff.
Dark stuff, mostly. Sometimes horror. Sometimes thrillers. Sometimes love stories that clearly needed adult supervision.
My books usually include grief, obsession, questionable decisions, emotional damage, and at least one person who should have asked better questions earlier.
I don’t really write heroes. I write people trying very hard not to become the worst version of themselves.
They fail a lot.
More at www.bialedrageo.com
Follow the writing and the weird here:
📸 Instagram: biale_drageo
🎥 TikTok: @biale.drageo
Dark stuff, mostly. Sometimes horror. Sometimes thrillers. Sometimes love stories that clearly needed adult supervision.
My books usually include grief, obsession, questionable decisions, emotional damage, and at least one person who should have asked better questions earlier.
I don’t really write heroes. I write people trying very hard not to become the worst version of themselves.
They fail a lot.
More at www.bialedrageo.com
Follow the writing and the weird here:
📸 Instagram: biale_drageo
🎥 TikTok: @biale.drageo
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 17, 2026
Mi-a luat două luni să termin cartea asta. Nu pentru că nu mi-ar fi plăcut, ci pentru că am citit-o în format de e-book și mereu aveam tendința să întind mâna spre o carte fizică. Am citit cam 59% până pe la mijloc de aprilie, iar restul de 41% a fost parcurs într-o singură seară. Așa de tare m-a prins încât am zis că e momentul ei și nu o mai las din mână.
Am trăit fiecare moment al poveștii și mi-aș dori din suflet să văd un film inspirat din aceste cărți ale lui Biale Drageo pentru că așa am trăit fiecare moment, ca într-un film. Scriitura este una atât de vie încât nu ai cum să nu fii acaparat de acțiune.
Am trăit fiecare moment al poveștii și mi-aș dori din suflet să văd un film inspirat din aceste cărți ale lui Biale Drageo pentru că așa am trăit fiecare moment, ca într-un film. Scriitura este una atât de vie încât nu ai cum să nu fii acaparat de acțiune.
January 16, 2026
Second in this zombie apocalypse series, this book continues with the characters from the first, they are well developed and we find out more from their past. Definitely has those moments of feeling on the edge of your seat excitement from being chased by flesh eating zombies which is a must have for me.
There is a blurring of the human/ zombie lines and we learn more of the story of how this apocalypse came to be.
The author writes in a way I can’t help but find myself plopped right there in the story watching it all go down. Also a nice twisty zinger I have not experienced in this genre was a nice touch. This book felt more filled out, robust, looking forward to the next. Enjoyed!
Thank you to the author for a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.
There is a blurring of the human/ zombie lines and we learn more of the story of how this apocalypse came to be.
The author writes in a way I can’t help but find myself plopped right there in the story watching it all go down. Also a nice twisty zinger I have not experienced in this genre was a nice touch. This book felt more filled out, robust, looking forward to the next. Enjoyed!
Thank you to the author for a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.
March 29, 2026
The original review was deleted... no clue why. I don't have the mental bandwidth to type a legit review right now.... but just know if this isn't on your tbr it should be.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ashes of the Living
Book 2 of "The One Who Refused to Feed"
The world is gone, destroyed by a virus and a vaccine that made things worse.
Ash and her small group of survivors aren't looking for a miracle—they’re just trying to stay alive. Hiding in a cabin in the woods, they live by three simple rules: Stay quiet. Stay small. Stay unseen.
But the rules are changing because the dead are changing.
Some have started to wait. They watch. They think. After a supply run goes wrong, the group finds themselves surrounded by thousands of the undead.
As the horde closes in, Ash and her friends must face a terrifying reality: the monsters are evolving, and to survive, they might have to evolve, too.
This book was given to me by the author for my honest review.
Thanks Biale. I enjoyed it very much.
P.S.
I wish it hadn't started with vaccines because of the state of politics right now. You know, the science deniers.
Book 2 of "The One Who Refused to Feed"
The world is gone, destroyed by a virus and a vaccine that made things worse.
Ash and her small group of survivors aren't looking for a miracle—they’re just trying to stay alive. Hiding in a cabin in the woods, they live by three simple rules: Stay quiet. Stay small. Stay unseen.
But the rules are changing because the dead are changing.
Some have started to wait. They watch. They think. After a supply run goes wrong, the group finds themselves surrounded by thousands of the undead.
As the horde closes in, Ash and her friends must face a terrifying reality: the monsters are evolving, and to survive, they might have to evolve, too.
This book was given to me by the author for my honest review.
Thanks Biale. I enjoyed it very much.
P.S.
I wish it hadn't started with vaccines because of the state of politics right now. You know, the science deniers.
February 3, 2026
Ashes of the Living is a character driven continuation that focuses less on the dead and more on the people left behind and the difficult choices they make to survive.
The author’s descriptive writing is immersive and vivid, especially in the “before the fall” moments through Cal’s perspective. The world feels tangible and real, with details that pull the reader directly into the story.
The characters are the heart of this book. Betty is quiet, firm, and undeniably strong, while Ash carries the heavy weight of truth and responsibility. Cal’s reflections are tragic and emotionally resonant, and Boone represents a fragile but necessary sense of hope. The characters feel grounded and deeply human as they struggle to stay present and hold onto their humanity in an unforgiving world.
This installment leans more into emotional depth and dynamics within the group rather than constant action, reinforcing the idea that the dead are predictable, but the living are not. Overall, this is a well-written sequel that expands the world and leaves me eager to continue the series...especially to learn more about Allie!
The author’s descriptive writing is immersive and vivid, especially in the “before the fall” moments through Cal’s perspective. The world feels tangible and real, with details that pull the reader directly into the story.
The characters are the heart of this book. Betty is quiet, firm, and undeniably strong, while Ash carries the heavy weight of truth and responsibility. Cal’s reflections are tragic and emotionally resonant, and Boone represents a fragile but necessary sense of hope. The characters feel grounded and deeply human as they struggle to stay present and hold onto their humanity in an unforgiving world.
This installment leans more into emotional depth and dynamics within the group rather than constant action, reinforcing the idea that the dead are predictable, but the living are not. Overall, this is a well-written sequel that expands the world and leaves me eager to continue the series...especially to learn more about Allie!
March 6, 2026
As with the first book I finished this second installment in the wee hours of the morning. Today I haven't been able to think of much else. The thing I love about Drageo's writing is it doesn't feel like I'm reading a book, it's like watching a movie with the subtitles on. Book one made me silently scream into the void, this story started right in on my heart and by chapter three I was once again sobbing violently and wanting to take away the pain of characters that I have let live rent free in my brain.
The range of emotions that I felt throughout this was one extreme to the other, I love that there wasn't time to regroup or simmer. This combined with the higher stakes had me in a vice grip right up until the end. And let's be so real, I'm pretty sure that I forgot how to breath in those last chapters.
I was really excited to see the return of character and really keen on the new additions to this group of survival misfits. I also am a sucker for back stories so it was a treat to get more of that this time around. And Allie? Allie is an enigma that I will be following until the very end.
The range of emotions that I felt throughout this was one extreme to the other, I love that there wasn't time to regroup or simmer. This combined with the higher stakes had me in a vice grip right up until the end. And let's be so real, I'm pretty sure that I forgot how to breath in those last chapters.
I was really excited to see the return of character and really keen on the new additions to this group of survival misfits. I also am a sucker for back stories so it was a treat to get more of that this time around. And Allie? Allie is an enigma that I will be following until the very end.
February 23, 2026
Ashes of the Living, the second book in The One Who Refused to Feed series, delivers just as much action, heartbreak, and rich world-building as the first book. I was hooked on this book from start to finish!
One thing I loved about this book was the use of going back in time to witness what happened to characters during The Fall and seeing how each character experienced it differently, even within the same family. Those contrasting perspectives added so much emotional depth and realism to the story. Be prepared to love every character, because each character has its own personality.
The evolution of the zombies was especially intriguing, and I appreciated getting a glimpse into the doctors’ minds as they tried to understand what was happening while the world around them unraveled. I liked that these weren’t just zombies that ran fast or did something generic. These zombies were much more complex and made you think about who these zombies are, and if they could still be alive and aware of what’s going on around them. Maybe they aren’t just the mindless creatures that everyone thinks they are.
The world-building was immersive and vivid. I felt completely transported into the story, my heart racing alongside the characters whenever they faced danger. This sequel expands the series in all the right ways and left me eager for more!
One thing I loved about this book was the use of going back in time to witness what happened to characters during The Fall and seeing how each character experienced it differently, even within the same family. Those contrasting perspectives added so much emotional depth and realism to the story. Be prepared to love every character, because each character has its own personality.
The evolution of the zombies was especially intriguing, and I appreciated getting a glimpse into the doctors’ minds as they tried to understand what was happening while the world around them unraveled. I liked that these weren’t just zombies that ran fast or did something generic. These zombies were much more complex and made you think about who these zombies are, and if they could still be alive and aware of what’s going on around them. Maybe they aren’t just the mindless creatures that everyone thinks they are.
The world-building was immersive and vivid. I felt completely transported into the story, my heart racing alongside the characters whenever they faced danger. This sequel expands the series in all the right ways and left me eager for more!
Review of advance copy received from Author
What do you get when you throw together someone who barely laughs and holds onto rules with a vice grip, someone who uses humor as armor to survive the day, and a woman who is the perfect middle ground between them?
The One Who Refused to Feed: Ashes of The Living by Biale Drageo focuses on survivors of a zombie apocalypse who have formed an unbreakable bond that can withstand every challenge a new day in their broken world throws at them. Book 1 made me tear up, so I couldn't wait to dive into the sequel!
In Ashes of the Living, we finally discover what exacerbated the zombie outbreak. Picking up right where the first story ended, Betty finds her way back to the group, and at last, Ash meets Cal and Boone.
This book features:
● Feeders out to get humans.
● Zombies who aren't following the "zombie playbook."
● Humans who remain inhumane in a time when they should be working together.
● Survivors trying to hold on to their humanity in a world forcing them to make decisions they never would have faced before the outbreak.
The author used every tool in the box to tell this story, utilizing a multi-perspective and experimental narrative.
I grew so much closer to the characters this time around. Betty, the steady heart; Boone, the lingering optimist; Ash, the newcomer and Cal, the de facto Leader and, dare I say, rigid survivalist. I finally understand why Cal is the way he is. The first-person chapters from Cal’s perspective allowed me to step out of the 'observer' role and get directly inside the head of the group’s most cynical survivor. But the real standout? The author pushed the boundaries of perspective even further with a chilling second-person narrative to recount Cal's experience on the day of the 'fall.'
This author has an incredible way of using short, sharp breaths of prose to crank up the anxiety in sections of the story. In those moments, every clipped sentence feels like a ticking clock, turning even the quietest scenes into high-stakes moments. It’s less like reading a book and more like feeling a pulse under the page.
I loved the dynamic the new characters, Travis, Evan, and Maya, brought to the story. And honestly? I really understood Evan’s rage. That said, I found myself craving more scenes with Allie! I really wanted her to be featured more in this installment, and I’m still holding out hope for a reunion with her dad.
The ending was intentionally left open in such a compelling way, and I’m definitely intrigued to see what happens next. However, I’ll admit I spent the final chapter waiting with bated breath for a payoff with Allie and Ash that never quite arrived.
I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars (rounded up to 4).
Rating Breakdown:
✦Violence/Gore: 2/5
✦Pacing: 3.5/5
✦Character Depth/Motivation: 4.5/5
✦Twists/Surprises: 3.5/5
✦Resolution/Satisfaction: 3/5
✦Prose/Voice: 4.5/5
I highly recommend reading Book 1 before diving into this one! While this installment didn’t move me to tears like the first, it’s still a solid read for anyone following the series. This book is recommended for lovers of a post-apocalyptic story that focuses on the psychological impact on its survivors rather than just the physical decay of the world.
Thank you to Biale Drageo for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Read it in one day. If you liked the first book, you will love this one. Aslo feel like the writing is a step up.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews