Blog Tour and Giveaway: Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Welcome to the blog tour for Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff! Today I'll be sharing my thoughts on the book, plus a fun giveaway. Enjoy!

About the Book:

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Book Three of the Illuminae Files series

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 13, 2018

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Review copy sent by the publisher

Official Summary:

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion? 

Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. 

With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken.

My Review:

Note: I am going to do a somewhat abbreviated review for this blog tour post! I started writing my usual lengthy review and realized that I was crossing into spoiler territory. I'm going to wait to post my full-length review until a month or two after publication date - definitely not for a blog tour. But you'll definitely get the vibe of my excitement for this conclusion from this short review!

Obsidio is the third and final novel in the Illuminae Files series. Just like Illimunae and Gemina, this book is written in a nontraditional type of narrative, including transcripts, notes, files, documents, entries, etc. This book follows Asha Grant (Kady's cousin) and Rhys Lindstrom (a BeiTech Specialist). There are plenty of cameos of Kady, Ezra, Nik, and Hanna.

In fact, this book is sort of written with two different (concurrent) plots; one plot follows Asha and Rhys on Kerenza, in which Asha works at a hospital as a pharmaceutical intern, and Rhys is brought in from orbit as some sort of Specialist (I've already forgotten, don't judge me). The other plot follows Ezra, Kady, Nik, and Hanna on a ship called the Mao, which combined forces with the passengers of the Hypatia. They are heading towards Kerenza for the final showdown.

I was not expecting the dual plots, but it was very cool to watch unfold! I had wondered how the previous four protagonists would show up in the final novel, and they certainly did, in a big way. As did Asha and Rhys, the "new" protagonists.

I won't say much more on the plot - you'll have to read the book! You'll have to see for yourself how things play out, how AIDAN is a factor, how the teens take on BeiTech. I will say that it was not difficult to get back into the story, even though I read Gemina ages ago, in the pre-pub ARC stage. The authors have a way of bringing you back into the action without you needing to reread the previous books. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with rereading them!

On the romance: it's a second-chance type of romance, which isn't my favorite. Asha and Rhys had a wild, fun, addictive romance back in the day (when they were sixteen or so), and then Asha's parents caught them, and Asha was forbidden to see Rhys, and Rhys was sent to military school. Three (ish?) years later, they meet again, but this time, they seen to be on opposite sides of the war, with Rhys working for BeiTech, and Asha siding with the resistance. How's that for a romance? You'll have to see how things went. Again, second-chance romances aren't something I usually enjoy, but that didn't necessarily mean I didn't like this romance.

Obsidio is an action-packed, page-turning, mind-numbing conclusion novel that will have you on the edge of your seat and glued to the pages. It comes in at a whopping 615 pages, but that'll feel like nothing when you start reading. I'm a little sad that the series is over, but definitely ready to see what else this dynamic duo writes!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | The Ivy Bookshop

The Series:

  

(Click on the covers for more information!)

About the Authors:

Amie Kaufman is the New York Times bestselling co-author of These Broken Stars and This Shattered World, and Illuminae, the first in a new series starting in 2015. She writes science fiction and fantasy for teens, and her favourite procrastination techniques involve chocolate, baking, sailing, excellent books and TV, plotting and executing overseas travel, and napping.

She lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband, their rescue dog, and her considerable library. She is represented by Tracey Adams of Adams Literary.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Jay Kristoff is the award-winning author of THE LOTUS WAR trilogy, a Japanese-inspired steampunk fantasy. Part 3, ENDSINGER, is out now. He's also co-author of the upcoming ILLUMINAE (with Amie Kaufman), a YA Sci-Fi... thing, to be released by Knopf/Random House in 2015, and NEVERNIGHT, the first part of a new fantasy trilogy kicking off in 2016.

Jay is 6’7 and has approximately 13380 days to live. He abides in Melbourne with his secret agent kung-fu assassin wife, and the world’s laziest Jack Russell.

He does not believe in happy endings.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Giveaway:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of Obsidio, US Only.

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Follow the tour:

Week One:
3/1/2018- Two Chicks on Books- Review
3/2/2018- YA Bibliophile- Review

Week Two:
3/5/2018- Mary Had a Little Book Blog- Review
3/6/2018- BookHounds YA- Review
3/7/2018- Novel Novice- Review
3/8/2018- Adventures of a Book Junkie- Review
3/9/2018- Feed Your Fiction Addiction- Review

Week Three:
3/12/2018- Fiction Fare- Review
3/13/2018- The Young Folks- Review
3/14/2018- A Dream Within A Dream- Review
3/15/2018- The Book Nut- Review
3/16/2018- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Review

Week Four:
3/19/2018- StuckInBooks- Review
3/20/2018- PaperTrailYA- Review
3/21/2018- Nerdophiles- Review
3/22/2018- Owl Always Be Reading- Review
3/23/2018- YA Books Central- Excerpt

Week Five:
3/26/2018- The Eater of Books!- Review
3/27/2018- Page Turners Blog- Review
3/28/2018- Book Briefs- Review
3/29/2018- Emily Reads Everything- Review
3/30/2018- Mundie Moms- Review

Waiting on Wednesday (#244): Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Book Three of the Illuminae Files series

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 13, 2018

Summary (from Goodreads):

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion? 

Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. 

With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heros will fall, and hearts will be broken.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

Illuminae review | Gemina review

Fiiiiinally this book is on its way to us! Why is it not March yet?! I need this!

Review: Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

Book Two of the Nevernight Chronicles

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: September 5, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

A ruthless young assassin continues her journey for revenge in this new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Jay Kristoff.

Assassin Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church ministry think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending Consul Scaeva and Cardinal Duomo, or avenging her familia. And after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia begins to suspect the motives of the Red Church itself.

When it’s announced that Scaeva and Duomo will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end them. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between loyalty and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world.

Set in the world of Nevernight, which Publishers Weekly called “absorbing in its complexity and bold in its bloodiness,” Godsgrave will continue to thrill and satisfy fantasy fans everywhere.

What I Liked:

***SPOILER-FREE REVIEW*** (I promise!)

Believe it or not, I wasn't planning on reading this book, and for a couple of reasons. I read Nevernight last year (a little over a year ago) and enjoyed the book, but a year later, I couldn't remember much from the book (except a key death in the ending). I couldn't remember who Mercurio or Ashlinn or Scaeva were. Heck, I almost forgot who Mister Kindly was! So as Godsgrave began to pick up speed in publicity and marketing, I felt less inclined to read the book - partly because I couldn't remember much from Nevernight. The other reason was because I thought to perhaps binge-read the series, once the third book was published. I'm glad I decided to read Godsgrave now, even though the ending was quite the cliffhanger, and there is a good chance I will forget everything while waiting for the publication of book three. Kristoff has put together an excellent follow-up to Nevernight, and it will not disappoint.

In this novel, Mia Corvere has taken on a new task in her journey to get her revenge. She is now a Blade of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but the Red Church doesn't like her pursuit of revenge. She defies the Church, and has herself sold to a gladiatorial collegium in order to get closer to Scaeva and Duomo, who will make appearances during the grand games in which the gladiators fight. In the arena, Mia sheds more blood than she ever has, but she also makes unexpected allies. Her need for revenge competes with her loyalty and her conscience. And she will discover truths that she never thought possible, truths that will change her world.

At first I was a little daunted by the size of this book - most likely, it's no bigger than its predecessor, but still. It's a fairly long book. No matter though, because it was action-packed and twisted from start to finish. At no point was I lacking interest. Kristoff has upped the ante in this book, drawn the stakes higher, and given Mia more close calls. 

Mia is as clever and as fearless as always, but she also shows some vulnerability, to herself and to a select few people. She isn't cold and unbreakable as steel like her fellow gladiators think, but she is unshakable in her goals. Mia is a fierce girl who becomes not only driven by revenge (though it is always present on her mind). What happens when she starts to care about others, and her loyalty interferes with her quest for revenge? You'll find out in this book.

There are a lot of old and new secondary characters that make significant appearances. I won't mention too many names because things will become spoiler-y really quickly. There are a few people that you would never expect to see working with Mia, a few that you wouldn't expect Kristoff to take and dig deeper and redeem. My favorite secondary characters are some new ones that you'll meet - Sidonius, Bryn, Belle, and some others. Kristoff's characters are so likable, even the messed-up villainous antagonists. And of course, there were many Mister Kindly appearances, and Eclipse too. I love Mister Kindly and Eclipse's back-and-forth banter.

I was a little wary of the idea of the "grand games", because it is a concept that isn't new to fantasy series, especially in a sequel novel. These games were extremely bloody and merciless, and even though I knew Mia would walk away from each fight (this isn't a spoiler -- I doubt Kristoff would kill off his protagonist in book two of three), I felt a little uneasy. Kristoff doesn't hold back when it comes to the blood, gore, and #stabstabstab.

On that note, this is not a Young Adult novel. I think most people should know this by now, having read Nevernight. But in case anyone needs a reminder, this is not a YA book. Definitely adult. Lots of bloody murders in explicit detail. Oh, and there is sex in explicit detail. A fair amount, and right from the start.

I didn't think I would totally enjoy this book, given the ending of Nevernight, in which one of my favorite characters dies. But I liked this sequel. Kristoff did the series justice (so far). There is a massive cliffhanger at the end of this book, which is to be expected but is still annoying, but it ensures that I'll be reading book three!

What I Did Not Like:

There are only two things that I didn't enjoy about this book, and both are preferences of mine. I don't like love triangles, and this series definitely has one going on. There is a new love interest introduced in this book, and things go very far in that romantic direction. I don't really have a problem with this ship - I just don't like love triangles and at this point, there are two love interests.

The other thing? I'm not a fan of a certain sexual act that occurs in this book. Which is funny because I read a looooooot of adult romance novels - but this thing isn't usually in those romance novels, so I was a little taken aback. You can ask me about it privately, if you wish to know ahead of time!

Also, don't get me wrong - these are not negatives in terms of Kristoff's writing or anything like that. These are things that I typically don't like - but another reader might love.

Would I Recommend It:

If you read and enjoyed Nevernight, there is no way I wouldn't recommend reading this book. It's a good sequel - dare I say an even better novel - and worth the read. But like I said above, this isn't a YA novel (I know Kristoff has a lot of YA readers), and there is a lot of explicit content (killing/mutilation and sexual acts), so I don't recommend this book/series to younger readers. But I think most people know their limits so I probably don't need to state that.

Rating:

4 stars. I'm excited for the rest of the world to read this book because I have a feeling that the Nevernight fandom will explode after going through this one! Things get more and more intense in just about every area of Mia's life, and it's all leading to a showstopping conclusion in book three. I'll be waiting for it!

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Ivy Bookshop

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Hi friends! Today is my day on the blog tour for Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff. I'm excited to share my review of this incredible book, PLUS there is a giveaway sponsored by the publisher. Check it out below!

Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Book Two of the Illuminae Files series

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They've totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

What I Liked:

Goodness, this book was amazing. I could not stop reading until I finished! I read it in one sitting because there really was no other option. I thought Illuminae was great, but this book was even better. Even better, I tell you!

On the Heimdall Jump Station, Hanna Donnelly and Niklas Malikov live two very different lives. Hanna is the daughter of the station captain, which makes her very rich space royalty. Nik isn't registered as a resident, because he and the rest of the House of Knives don't officially exist. They are criminals, and they are drug dealers. Nik doesn't want to be a part of that lifestyle, but HoK is family, and family is everything. But things start to go horribly wrong with a BeiTech team invades the station and effectively kills, corrals, or captures everyone. Hanna and Nik hide and run for their lives, causing chaos as they go. Both refuse to turn themselves in, and both refuse to make it easy. As they piece together the invasion and other strange secrets that come to light, they'll work together to keep each other - and the station - alive. But time is running out for the Heimdall, and the approaching Hypatia.

I seriously could not read this book quickly enough. The beginning was a little slow (like, the first one hundred pages or so), but I kept turning pages as the book went on. It's about 650 pages but I got through the story very quickly. Once the invasion occurred, things got crazy. And the "alien" predators business made me want to read faster too. Once the story started coming together and pieces of the story were happening more and more, I couldn't stop reading. One sitting, people. That's pretty difficult for adults with busy lives!

On the surface, one might think Hanna is a stereotypical spoiled princess. She likes clothes and hair and makeup, and she only has to ask her father for money to get it with no questions asked. But Hanna has a very different life; her childhood and teenager life have been spent training in martial arts and other forms of defense. She's intelligent and physically strong, and mentally so as well. 

Nik is a different kind of strong. He's seen the real world, and he's seen jail. He might not know fancy combat stances, but he is a fighter. He is also a shameless flirt when it comes to Hanna, with hearts in his eyes. He sells drugs to Hanna (she wants them), but he genuinely likes her. Nik isn't a pothead or a criminal - he's a good guy, and a selfless one, at that. I liked Nik more than Hanna, and with good reason.

The romance is between these two! Hanna has a boyfriend in the beginning of the story (they celebrated their six-month anniversary), but she doesn't feel the spark of love. I think a lot of that relationship was very physical but not emotional. Hanna and her boyfriend are separated quickly, and as Hanna really gets to know Nik, she finds that she isn't really thinking of her boyfriend. And then she finds out some things about the boyfriend... let's just say that Nik is the most honorable person in the book.

My second favorite character (behind Nik and ahead of Hanna) is Nik's cousin Ella! Ella is a hacking genius, similar to Kady. But Ella is confined to a chair, after her body was weakened from an infection. Ella is such a bada**, more than Hanna. She's honest and to the point, and saves Nik and Hanna so many times in this book. Ella is a great cousin and wonderful friend.

So many twists and turns in this book! I like how Kaufman and Kristoff set up the twists and turns. There are times when you're like, huh, that's weird, and that EXACT thing pops up again later in the story and you're like ohhhh, that's why. Like the cues are subtle, but they are there, and I love how it all starts to make sense as the story moves to the climax.

Honestly I don't want to say too much more because I'm afraid of spoiling things. So much happened that could be considered spoilers. I know that the books in this series are companion novels, but it's important to read each of the books and in order. The overall series story builds in a fascinating way. As much as I liked Ezra and Kady, I liked seeing the story from Nik and Ella's POV too. The timing worked so that it was like two storylines colliding at the very end of this book.

As with Illuminae, this book is told in transcripts, surveillance video commentary, logs, IM chats, and reports. I didn't think I would enjoy this type of storytelling, because it really removes you from the characters and character development, but the authors did a great job of developing the protagonists and establishing connections for the readers.

The science fiction aspect was great in Illuminae, but it really ramps up in this book! There are some really cool reveals in this book that I can't say specifically (spoilers), but they are cool. The futuristic setting is a Jump Station in space. There is so much technology and advancements, and it's clear that Kaufman and Kristoff did their research well, as well as used their imaginations well.

Overall, I was more than pleased with this book. The ending isn't necessarily a cliffhanger but it definitely leaves me wanting more, so I can't wait for the third book. I'm sure the showdown will be all kinds of epic!

What I Did Not Like:

I just did not like that Hanna had a boyfriend before this story started, and she's still with him when the story starts. Hanna likes him and cares about him but isn't sure that she loves him. They've been together for six months, and they've definitely been doing things in the last six months. There are several reasons why I didn't like her boyfriend... you'll see why. In any case, there is only one OTP, and really there was NO love triangle (trust me -- I don't think Hanna and her boyfriend even kiss in this book). But I didn't like the existence of a current boyfriend, to be honest.

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this book! Whether you like science fiction or not, this is great fiction. The page count is hefty but the book reads very quickly - it won't take you as long as you think it will, to read this book. Plus, the romance is sweet (again, no love triangle), and the protagonists are very likable (especially Nik!). The story is told in a unique way, but that isn't all that makes the story special!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. (This rating isn't just because of the existing boyfriend aspect.) I can't wait to read the next book! I know it's going to be about a third couple, but I hope we get to see more of Ezra/Kady and Nik/Hanna in the final book (and I think we certainly will)!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Follow the Authors:

Amie Kaufman: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Jay Kristoff: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Giveaway:

Win a finished copy of Gemina! Courtesy of Penguin Random House. USA only, ends 10/12. Good luck!

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Review: Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

Book One of the Nevernight trilogy

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Publication Date: August 9, 2016

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

What I Liked:

I'm going to be completely honest - when I first started reading this book, I struggled with it. I had been so excited to read it for months, and I'd finally gotten a review copy earlier in the year, and I'd been tearing through my summer review books in eagerness to get to this one. And then the time came, and I started reading... and barely made it past chapter one. I don't know what it was. The story was okay, but not boring (at least from the first chapter). I still desperately wanted to read the book. But something was off, and I struggled to get past chapter one. I read several adult romance novels in the interim, a few YA books, and finally, I returned to this book, and tried again. And promptly read it from start to finish in a few hours. I don't know what held me back initially (maybe my mood?), but it didn't bother me the second time around!

Mia's family was brutally taken from her by the Senate years ago, and she has been bent on vengeance ever since. She has been trained by a man named Mercurio to become an assassin, and the time has come to join the Red Church, to become a Blade of the Lady of Blessed Murder. She and about thirty other acolytes learn and fight and compete to become a Blade - only four will be granted the title and role. But there is a traitor in the midst, a killer who has no mercy on acolytes. And the killer has a greater motive than killing acolytes, one that goes beyond achieving the title of Blade.

First and foremost: this book is not a YA book, or an NA book. People, PLEASE do not make the mistake of thinking that this is one of Kristoff's YA books. It's not. There are very explicit sex scenes (scenes I'm used to reading in steamy adult romance novels - you know how much I love my romance novels), graphic violence, lots of profanity... none of which surprise me in an adult novel (whether it's adult romance, adult contemporary, adult sci-fi, etc.). I might expect cunnilingus in an adult novel. But not explicitly so, in a YA novel. The author and publisher are marketing this is as an adult novel.

So, ADULT STORY, PEEPS. If you're not comfortable with some very detailed sex scenes, or some graphic violence, or a ton of profanity, maybe this isn't for you. Yes, Mia is sixteen. That does NOT make this book a "YA" novel or an "NA". No way. Check out the price of the hardcover - it's $25.99 (USD). No Young Adult novel in the history of Young Adult novels has ever been that expensive (usually a YA hardcover is $17.99-$18.99). ADULT BOOK, EVERYONE.

Phew. Now that we have that out of the way... I really liked this book! It's my first solo Kristoff read, and I was quite pleased. I already talked about how I struggled to read past chapter one, but I don't think that was any fault of Kristoff's. When I tried again, I couldn't stop reading. Each chapter got more twisted and intriguing, especially once Mia (and Tric) arrive at the Red Church.

The brutal training school setting is nothing new to fiction, but I absolutely love these types of stories. This one reminded me a little of An Ember in the Ashes (yes, I know, that one is a YA book). The training at Red Church is murderous (not even exaggerating), brutal, physically and mentally demanding. Imagine all of your instructors trying to kill you, whether by sword, or poison, or ingestion or inhalation of vapors... yup, these assassins are no joke.

Mia has been hardened by a terrible and heartbreaking past. Her father was hanged as a traitor when she was ten. Her mother and baby brother were taken from her shortly after. She was facing the end of her life then, when she struck back and found a way to survive. Mercurio found her, took her in, and began to train her to become an assassin, to join Red Church.

Mia is so strong and so fierce, in an intense way. She has a gift/curse that few have - she can control and speak with shadows. At Red Church, she gets no special treatment though. Mia wields her power (the shadow power and her physical power) well. She's sixteen and sometimes makes not-so-great decisions, but Mia is very smart. In fact, by the end of the book, she seemed to have gotten cleverer and cleverer. Though not as cold and bloodthirsty as she thought herself to be. I like her a lot!

The secondary protagonist is Tric, another acolyte whom Mia meets before finding Red Church. Both of them were trying to find the Maw, and so they wander in a ghost town to find it, together. At the Church, their kinship remains, and they watch each other's back. I underestimated Tric; I thought he seemed a little goofy and weak, but he isn't. He is a very good acolyte and assassin-in-training. He wrestles with his own demons from the past, and I felt for him all the time. I liked him too!

I like how Kristoff tells the story. We do not get everything from Mia's past all at once. The reveal is slow, throughout the book, which may be a bit confusing at first. We don't get Tric's whole story all at once either. Kristoff subtly weaves in backstory, present story, and foreshadowing, and it is masterful.

I've already mentioned the setting of Red Church (the training school type of setting), and I should mention that this is an adult fantasy novel. You could guess the fantasy part, since we're talking about assassins and a Republic and Senate and whatnot. Oh, and Mia being able to command shadows. I love the world that Kristoff has created, though I'm terrified of it!

There are plenty of secondary characters besides Tric that I really liked (and some I hated, with good reason), though I won't bore you with the details. I must say, I never underestimated Hush, and with good reason. Same with one of the girls. Nope, I saw that coming. 

The climax of the book was something I saw coming, and that's either because of slightly too-good foreshadowing, or reader astuteness. I like how Kristoff brought it about, like a puzzle coming together. It was exciting and terrifying and one part shocked me, because it seemed to come out of nowhere. 

Now would be a good time to mention the romance... I liked Mia and Tric together. When they first meet, there is a lot of sarcasm exchanged, and some banter. As their friendship continues, they get to know each other better, and rely on each other more. And then their relationship turns into more. Did I already mention the explicit sex in this book? Good. I'll have you know that there is no love triangle in this book. I'm not sure what to expect in book two, because Mia and Tric's relationship isn't all rainbows and sunshine. But I'm hoping for certain things to happen. Or one certain thing, specifically.

Overall, I liked this book. It's intense, intriguing, sexy, and a little horrifying at times, but without doubt extremely enjoyable. Oh, and Kristoff leaves us with a nice big cliffhanger at the end, so I guess I should compliment him for making me crave book two right this very moment... sigh.

What I Did Not Like:

A few things. Maybe it was the book/Kristoff, maybe it was me, but I already mentioned how I struggled to get into this book, the first time I tried to read it. I was supposed to review this book in mid-June (and I picked it up and tried reading at that time), and it's now almost mid-July. So. 

There is a part of the romance's plot that makes me a little anxious! Those who have read the book know what I'm talking about. I don't want to say anything more, for fear of spoilers, but know that it's nothing love-triangle-y. I'm not sure how to feel about the aspect though!

Would I Recommend It:

For those who like ADULT fantasy novels... yes! I would recommend this book. There is nothing controversial or debate-sparking about this book, if you know that it's an adult novel. It's adult, people. Nothing controversial about explicit sex and violence and profanity in an adult book (trust me, I know). Ever read Game of Thrones? Or books by Guy Gavriel Kay? Lots of explicit content in those. And they're not considered controversial. Just because Kristoff has written YA books in the past doesn't mean that this book is YA (because it's not!). So, I recommend this book to people who read adult novels and like adult fantasy.

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. For reasons I'm not stating specifically in this review. You'll have to find out and decide for yourself. But I really liked the book and cannot wait to read the next one! It needs to be here now. Perhaps binge-reading this series might have been a good idea! No regrets though.

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Waiting on Wednesday (#174): Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Book Two of The Illuminae Files series

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

Summary (from Goodreads):

The highly anticipated sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller that critics are calling “out-of-this-world awesome.” 

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

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I loved Illuminae! This book is going to be awesome, I'm quite sure. :)

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Welcome to the blog tour for Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff! I am SO excited to be a part of this tour! Illuminae was an excellent meta-fiction novel, and I hope you all read it! You could win a copy today!

About the Book:

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Book One of the Illuminae Files series

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 20, 2015

Summary (from Goodreads):

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

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My review | Extra content on First In Line | Series Website

The Giveaway:

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Science in Fiction (#8): Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!

This month, I'm featuring Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff!

Illuminae is set in the year 2575, over half a century from modern times. Kady and Ezra's home has been invaded, and they are forced to leave their planet. The population that survived the invasion escaped to spaceships, which are being pursued by the invaders. Surviving the invasion was one obstacle - surviving on the ships in space is quite another.

Illuminae review

Illuminae is a really cool novel! The story was amazing, but I especially loved the construction and execution of the novel. Written entirely in chat logs, security footage, messages, classified documents, this book is not of the form of a narrative. Which made it all the more interesting! 

There are so many science-y aspects of this book. Life in space? Woah! We've sent a man on the moon (in 1969, with Armstrong and Aldrin), but to have craft and humans flying around like in Star Wars? Totally not there! This book reminded me of Star Wars. There are warships, civilian spaceships, piloted ships with teams, machinery that was basically droid-like (in a scarier way though). This aspect of science is so cool - life in space, technology in space.

Another aspect of science in this novel is one of more terror - biological warfare. As is stated in the official synopsis of this book, a plague is spread from ship to ship, and it mutates as it goes. It is deadly and quite scary. Once you contract it, your life is over; you're living, but no one will want to be around any of the infected once they are infected. I don't want to give anything away about the plague, but trust me, it is terrifying just to READ about.

According to Merriam-Webster, biological warfare is defined as 

the use of harmful living things (such as germs that cause disease) as weapons in a war.

Which is what happens in Illuminae - the invaders infected a group of the planet's population while invading and whatnot, and some of those people survived the invasion and got on the spacecraft. 

Biological warfare is super scary, horrifyingly smart, and very unethical. I say it's smart because if you have no heart or soul, sure, wiping out a population by infecting like, one person, is smart. I suppose. But unethical. Heartless. Cold. Inhuman. I can't even think about this happening for real. And yet, there are always whispers about how 1) the next world war will be over water resources and 2) the next world war will involve lots of nuclear weapons - and biological warfare.

I don't agree with biological warfare (obviously). I wouldn't inflict it on my worst enemy, the "enemy group/country/whatever". There are certain groups that exist today that deserve horrible things, but biological warfare is so wrong. Innocent people are liable to be caught in the crossfire, and that is not okay. But I could see some groups employing this tactic.

Thoughts on biological warfare? Space? Star Wars? 

Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Book One of the Illuminae Files series

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: October 20, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

What I Liked:

If you saw my updates on either Goodreads or Twitter, you probably noticed that I sounded almost reluctant to admit that I liked this book. Don't get me wrong! I have wanted to read this book for a very long time. I've also had an ARC for months. But many people have read it by now, and the hype was killing me. So when I finally got to this book in my review schedule, I was scared. I didn't want to read it as much anymore. Plus, it is HUGE (600 pages). I'm fine with 400-450. But 600+? I don't have time for that. Luckily, this book proved to be an exception in every way!

Kady and Ezra's home planet has been invaded by BeiTech, a megacorporation that has been illegally exploiting resources from the planet. Kady is evacuated on one ship (the Hypatia), ad Ezra is evacuated on another (the Alexander). Ezra is conscripted as soon as he turns eighteen, and is trained to be a pilot - Second Lieutenant Ezra Mason. Meanwhile, Kady uses her computer and systems skills to hack into the data systems of the Hypatia and Alexander to figure out what is going on, what the General and Captain aren't telling the refugees. Kady and Ezra are up against biological warfare, surprise attacks, and speedy pursuit of the megacoporation, but nothing is going to stop either of them from trying to make it out alive. 

The most fascinating and unique about this book is the way it's presented. It's not a typical narrative, in which one person (or two or three or six) tell a story, in present or past tense. This story is told via hacked documents, security footage, incognito chat logs, classified messages, etc. At first, I was like, this isn't going to be that interesting. I need a narrative! I need to know what the protagonist is thinking, feeling, and so on! The thing is, this mode of storytelling is quite genius. Kaufman and Kristoff did a flawless job of putting together the documents and messages into a clear and engaging story. It's so cool how it is done!

Kady is a unique character in YA lit. Yes, she is your typical spunky chick, overly feisty and fierce and whatnot (not EVERY girl is like that...). But she's also incredibly antisocial (not a team player at all), a bit awkward, nerdy, sarcastic. She is used to getting her way, and breaks up with Ezra because he told her no to something she wanted. I didn't like Kady at first (I thought she was conceited), but I ended up liking her a lot. Putting her in life-or-death situations really changes a person, especially when you're up to your eyeballs in dead or crazy people, contaminated breathing air, and lies.

I love Ezra. He is the perfect amount of cocky, self-confident, goofy, and honest. He is a massive guy (6'5''), an athlete, and a sweet person. He loves Kady, and he is crushed when she breaks up with him. Even when they're on two different evacuation ships, Ezra never stops trying to contact Kady. Kady ignores him for months, but Ezra keeps messaging her, I love his resilience, his attitude towards most things, his protective side. He has so many issues to work through during this story. I just want to give him a hug!

The book takes place over months. Literally the months just roll by after Ezra and Kady get evacuated, and it's made known by how quickly Ezra's birthday comes up, and then by how quickly he becomes a pilot. We know the timing of everything because there is a countdown to when the ship that is pursuing them - the BeiTech ship - will intercept them. The countdown is a good feature of this book, and very nerve-wracking!

This book is full of twists and turns, surprises and good foreshadowing. It's 600 pages and there are lots of shenanigans and general craziness that happens. A disease has been released within the refugees (while they were still on the planet), a system on the Alexander has gone haywire, and the refugees are definitely being kept in the dark about many things. Kady is on the Hypatia trying to figure out what is going on, and how to tackle the haywire system problem. Ezra is simply trying to survive, as he has had to engage in nasty military activity. The plot is very engaging, you will not be too bothered by the length of the book. 

The world-building of this novel is stunning! Again, you'd think it would be hard to convey this through emails and chat logs and security logs and records. But it's all about the simple phrases, the matter-of-fact remarks, that the difference. There aren't necessarily large chunks of details about things. So you have to pay attention to nuances!

The romance consists of the exes - Kady and Ezra. As you can imagine, the made of storytelling isn't going to be very demonstrative of physical chemistry and romance. However, Kaufman and Kristoff write in subtleties. Even though they broke up, Kady and Ezra know they aren't done with each other. And throughout the story, there are so many funny and cute and sweet moments between these two. You have to read to the end of this book to figure out what happens to them!

And of course, in general! The ending is heartbreaking, yet perfect. I absolutely love the ending, though I feel like there is a part of the ending that is just totally dropped into the book (like, the reason for the book's title, for one). But I am quite satisfied with the ending. Until the next book!

What I Did Not Like:

The ending, as I mentioned, has that one thing that is totally just plopped in. I feel like that part of the ending could have been more worked into the story. There is one TINY hint in the book (when I read it, I was like, yup, this is going to reappear at some point, if Ezra made such a big deal about it), but I think it could have been more of A Thing in the story. The origin of the book's title, at the very least.

Loooong, this book was long. While I read the book fairly quickly, it was still, well, long. This is a con for me because I just do not have that kind of time! I recognize that this is entirely an Alyssa problem.

Would I Recommend It:

Science fiction fans (like myself!) - you will enjoy this one! It reminded me of Beth Revis's Across the Universe series. Stuck on a ship that is filled with lies and crazy people. Or something. This book is so thorough and well-put-together, and despite its length, it's a very entertaining story. Very heartbreaking at times, yet so excellent.

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I liked this book! I'm not sure it will end up in my top ten of 2015 (hence the 3.5-star-rating), but it is definitely one I will have on my mind for quite some time. And I will definitely be getting my hands on the sequel next year, as soon as I (legally) can!

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