Blackbird: An Ash & Ruin Companion Novel

Ash and Ruin

by Shauna Granger

What if YouTube warned of the end of the world? Would we even take it seriously? Or just assume it was some lame, internet hoax?

Maggie has her first college finals to prepare for; she doesn’t have time for pranks and conspiracy theories. But a super flu has broken out on campus and her dorm mate keeps coughing, threatening to get her sick before she can get through the tests and get home for Christmas.

More and more people are coming down with the super flu and the vaccines aren’t working for everyone and when one of her professors is dragged out of the classroom by cops and doctors, Maggie realizes she’s waited too long to leave campus.

Finals are the last thing she should be worrying about—she needs to get home, but can she make it in time?

ebook

First published June 1, 2018

About the author

Like so many other writers, Shauna grew up as an avid reader, but it was in high school that she realized she wanted to be a writer. She released the first installment of her Paranormal YA Series, The Elemental Series, Earth, on May 1, 2011 and has since released four sequels, with the series coming to an end with Spirit. In December of 2013 she release the first in her Paranormal Post-Apocalyptic trilogy, World of Ash. She is currently hard at work on one too many projects, trying to organize the many voices in her head. It's a writer thing.

You can find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorShaunaG...

Reviews

[Carien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Ash & Ruin trilogy and the first companion novel, so you bet I got my trotters on this one.

And this is yet again a great read.

The story is set at the start of the outbreak and I loved how Maggie acts like most people would: waving her mother's worry aside she continues to go to her classes so she won't miss her finals. Failing seems a worse fate than catching the flu. When she finally realizes things are bad it may be too late to get out.

Maggie's reaction to everything feels believable. Once she is aware of the situation her common sense kicks in and she and her traveling companions try to make it home. I love how this story is not about heroes doing heroic things, but shows ordinary people trying to make the right decisions in a bad situation.

I was hooked from the start and was rooting for Maggie to survive and succeed. I loved both her and the people she hooks up with. Together they face lots of danger and peril on the way to safety. I was on the edge of my seat to discover how they would manage to survive.

And the ending!

I need a sequel! You can bet I'll be stalking Granger's social media for news.

[Lyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a theory: Shauna Granger is from an alternate timeline where the apocalypse has actually happened. I don't know how else to explain the epically horrifying, nightmare-inducing realism she channels in her post-and now peri-apocalyptic novels!

This book gave me anxiety in the best way possible. With relentless pacing, chilling world building, snappy dialogue and an extremely relatable heroine, I sometimes had to remind myself to blink. And breathe. I HIGHLY recommend.

p.s. While BLACKBIRD is technically a companion novel to Granger's excellent ASH AND RUIN trilogy, it definitely stands alone and even acts as something of a prequel. But honestly, it takes a whole new view of a world I thought I already knew and loved to be scared of!