Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Title: Illuminae 
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Format I Read: ARC (Hardcover--eep)
Pages: 608
Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Romance
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Stars: 5
Goodreads Link

Guys, Illuminae is literally going to redefine the world of books as we know it--it is absolutely revolutionary. I'm honestly astounded by the magnificence and ingenuity of this novel. I'm still reeling, so excuse me if this review is gibberish.

My experience while reading Illuminae was unparalleled. I did a buddy read with Aila (@ One Way or An Author) and we gushed over every other sentence. I'm not even exaggerating about that. We started it at around 8pm on Friday night, stayed up until 1am, and finished at 3pm on Saturday. We could barely put it down to eat and shower--not kidding. I actually wrote all about Aila's and my emotions in my mini-review, which I posted back when I first finished the book in July. You can check out our frantic, mildly incoherent, and jittery reactions (no spoilers) here.

For those who are unfamiliar with the absolute masterpiece that is Illuminae:

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.

First of all, the book is absolutely beautiful. The ARC is a hardcover work of art. I'm absolutely serious when I said that it's a work of art. I wanted to spend hours on each page. I was stuck with conflicting temptations: I wanted to read the book as fast as possible to figure out what happened next, but I wanted to savor each and every word and take my time. Eventually, the suspense won and I devoured the book. This book was more than just words--it was an entity, in and of itself.

I really did not think I was going to like Illuminae this much. I didn't think that it would be possible to become attached to the characters or immersed in the story if it was just told in a bunch of impersonal documents. Yet, within the first few pages of the interviews, my heart was in the hands of the authors. They then proceeded to inflate it and make it gush with swooning emotions, and then they proceeded to crush it into smithereens with dismay and agony. Yeah, these authors are damn powerful. I swear, they're magicians.

The story itself was such a fantastic blend of genres. You get the suspense and action of science fiction (and I'm talking about science fiction, like throwback to when science fiction was edgy and completely pure, not watered down at all). You get the swooning and the angst of a romance. You get the mystery and puzzle of a thriller. And it's all completely seamless. You find yourself yearning for any snippet of conversation between Ezra and Kady. You find yourself gnawing at your fingernails as you try to figure out who could die next. You find yourself flipping through all the possibilities and all the possible intentions of each character. You find yourself completely captivated.

The characters were unbelievably likable--lovable, even. Like I said, within the first few pages, I was already attached to all them. Everything they felt, I felt. Every time a new character was introduced, even a minor one, I found myself loving them, hating them, feeling them in my bones. I don't know how many times I said "God, Kady is such a badass" or "Ezra is so swoonworthy" or "God, James is hilarious" or "What the hell is Torrence thinking" or "Byron is a freaking genius" or "AIDAN is so creepy." Kaufman and Kristoff made me feel more deeply for these characters than I've felt in way too long. They were charmingly real. They found humor in a miserable, chaotic situation. They refused to buckle under the destruction surrounding them. They held an undying loyalty for their loved ones. They were amazingly complex. They were characters that stick with you and haunt you long after you turn that last page.

The plot was so perfectly constructed. The conflict was so complicated, yet so simple. It had so many details and factors that came into play, yet it all seemed so clear at the end (the end is such a whammy, guys). There were just so many layers to the conflict, so much complexity. I'm not going to go more in depth, for fear of spoilers. But honestly, Illuminae was anything but ordinary. It was one of the most extraordinary books I've ever read.

I honestly don't know what else to say. This book has genuinely left me speechless. This is the best book I've read all year. It deserves all of the hype it's been getting because it is literally going to change history. I'm not exaggerating. Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff have created a new wave of literature, and I'm so glad that I got to experience it.

This is one book that you MUST pre-order. Honestly, you need to pre-order it. Like right now. Go. Go pre-order it.





Okay, so I'm assuming you've pre-ordered it at this point. Good job! You're going to thank me later, trust me. Enjoy the sweet agony of Illuminae, everyone.

The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong

Title: The Masked Truth
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Format I Read: ARC
Pages: 320
Genres: Thriller, Contemporary
Release Date: October 13, 2015
Stars: 5
Goodreads Link

I honestly don't know how to write this review. I'm still reeling from that wild ride. Wow. I'm quivering, shaking, absolutely dying right now. The Masked Truth deserves every single one of those five stars--it deserves more than just those five stars.

From the first page, Armstrong yanked you into the story. I was immediately immersed in the world and characters she created. The book starts with Riley's every day worries: the date she's missing to babysit a little girl, thanks to her scheming ex-best friend. It's all so trivial. Riley even opens the prologue with, "If there's anything more tragic than spending your Saturday night babysitting, it's spending your Saturday night babysitting after canceling a date with the guy you've been dreaming about all year" (ARC 1). However, Riley quickly gets doused with ice water as she witnesses the murders of her babysitting clients. The first chapter then opens with the same line, but adding, "You stupid, stupid girl. You had no idea what tragedy is" (ARC 7). And I was hooked.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Riley is diagnosed with "situationally related anxiety and depression leading to post-traumatic stress disorder." Her life is turned upside down. She ends up at a weekend therapy camp in an abandoned warehouse with five other trouble teens and two counselors. Oh, and three masked men with guns. The group is held hostage, but things go awry, as expected. People start dying and blood starts running.

Luckily, Riley isn't alone in her desperate quest for survival. Her partner in her escape attempts is Max, a guy with whom she had previously attended group therapy sessions. She knows him as the sarcastic Brit who rarely shares anything about himself. But it seems that he's hiding the diagnosis to a mental illness that will tie him to the "crazy" stigma forever: schizophrenia. Max hides this diagnosis, but it gets more and more difficult to differentiate between what's real and what isn't...

For those who prefer the Goodreads synopsis to my scrambled introduction:

Riley Vasquez is haunted by the brutal murder of the couple she was babysitting for.

Max Cross is suffering under the shadow of a life-altering diagnosis he doesn’t dare reveal.

The last thing either of them wants is to spend a weekend away at a therapy camp alongside five other teens with “issues.” But that’s exactly where they are when three masked men burst in to take the group hostage.

The building has no windows. The exits are sealed shut. Their phones are gone. And their captors are on a killing spree.

Riley and Max know that if they can’t get out, they’ll be next—but they’re about to find out that even escape doesn’t equal freedom.

Like I said, from the start, I was attached to the characters. Riley was an incredible heroine and main character. I found no flaws in her. She was realistic, she was strong, she was kind, she was brave. She was everything I aspire to be. And her "issues" were so well-written. I really felt her guilt, her belief that she was nothing more than a coward who hid under the bed with the little girl while the Porters were murdered downstairs. It was eye-opening. As the story goes on, you're reminded how easy it is to believe other people are heroes (like Riley believes in Max's bravery), but not to believe in yourself. Riley just fit as the perfect heroine.

And then there's Max... oh, Max. Max was brutally real (in case you haven't noticed, I loved the realism of this novel). The writing style that Armstrong used in his chapters perfectly captured the chaos he fills within and the way that he fights his illness. The scattered thoughts and frazzled comments conveyed the struggle he goes through every day. It was so amazing to read something so spot-on. Armstrong dealt with the mental illnesses in the novel in the most real and open way, starting such a serious discussion about such an important topic. She reminded the world that schizophrenics aren't schizophrenics; they're people with schizophrenia.

Even the minor characters--like Brienne, another girl trapped by the monstrous men--sucked me in. I loved how everyone had a story, a background, a personality. Even stuck-up rich kids like Aaron had depth. Everyone was a person; everyone was real. That was so fantastically refreshing. I didn't feel like any character in this novel was just there to serve as a plot device. Everyone had a meaning, a purpose, a personality. That was so astoundingly impressive.

And the plot... wow. The Masked Truth was the perfect example of a hold-your-breath, grasp-your-chest, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller. I loved the twists and turns that it took, especially at the end. It both started and ended with a bang--truly captivating, page by page.

I honestly cannot recommend any novel more than this. If there's a single book that you preorder in 2015, I ask that it be this one. It deserves each and every one of these five stars. Congratulations to Ms. Armstrong for writing such a fantastic, real, and entrancing novel!

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Title: Ten
Author: Gretchen McNeil
Format I Read: Kindle
Pages: 296
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Stars: 4
Goodreads Link

For those of you who enjoy mysteries reminiscent of Agatha Christie, but like a little taste of YA, Ten is definitely a book you need to pick up. McNeil eloquently and expertly wove a tale that adapted And Then There Were None in our day and age, with a cast of teenagers who are somehow all connected.

I’m not one to normally read the mystery and thriller genre. My genre is typically romance with a side of paranormal, mystery, thriller, etc. However, above all, Ten was a mystery novel. It had a side of romance, but the main focus was the murder and the suspense. This was a really refreshing change of pace for me! I really adored this novel and couldn’t put it down.

In case you haven’t heard of Ten:

SHHHH!
Don't spread the word!
Three-day weekend. Party at White Rock House on Henry Island.
You do NOT want to miss it.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

McNeil created a fantastic puzzle that kept the reader guessing. I spent the whole novel trying to figure out who the murderer was; I even fell for McNeil’s trap and guessed the wrong person, just like some of the other characters. In the end, I wasn’t disappointed. The murderer had such an intricate plan and the puzzle fit together perfectly. Everyone’s role made sense and it all just worked.

I also really loved the homage to And Then There Were None. It was cool how McNeil even included a dead fakeout, like Christie does in the novel. In Christie’s mystery, the deaths follow a nursery rhyme about ten little Indians. In McNeil’s story, the deaths follow a different pattern, though every single murder has a meaning. I thought that was a really cool addition to the puzzle! And, of course, the base of the story was the same. A mysteriously absent host invites the characters to a party on an abandoned island with no exit routes.

McNeil also added some cool aspects to make the story realistic. The characters were invited through Facebook. The storm prevented them from getting off the island. It definitely felt more believable. It’s easy to say, “There’s no way they’d be stuck on an island in the 21st century. They have so much technology!” However, McNeil makes sure to cover all of her bases and make it completely plausible that the characters are stranded.

I also really enjoyed the characters. McNeil adds a fantastic layer of casual diversity. There’s a girl with anxiety and other disorders who needs to take medication. There’s a black football star. There’s an Asian singer. It was really refreshing to see such a diverse cast of characters! I also loved all of their backstories, especially the friendship between Meg and Minnie. They had a really complex and interesting history.

Overall, I’d probably give Ten 4.5 stars. It was an interesting, pull-me-in, edge-of-your-seat novel that I ate right up. I’m going to round down to 4 stars, just because it wasn’t a wow book. However, I had no complaints. I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking for a taste of suspense in their TBR!

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Mini Review)

Title: Illuminae 
Author: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Format I Read: ARC (Hardcover--eep)
Pages: 608
Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Romance
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Stars: 5
Goodreads Link

Okay, so this review is going to be a little different... As you can see, Illuminae doesn't come out for three months. This means that it's a little too early to post my real review. However, I decided that I'd post a little "mini review" of sorts.

I did a buddy read with Aila (@ One Way or An Author) and we gushed over every other sentence. I'm not even exaggerating about that. We started it at around 8pm on Friday night, stayed up until 1am, and finished at 3pm on Saturday. We could barely put it down to eat and shower--not kidding.

Because I'm still too emotional to write a coherent review, I've decided to start building the totally deserved hype for this book by sharing Aila's and my emotions! I've screenshotted a bunch of our messages from our buddy read to show just how amazing Illuminae is. Seriously, it was a roller coaster. I recommend that everyone pre-order this book--it's going to change literary history. It's even almost 50% off on Amazon right now!

For those who don't know what Illuminae is about:

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.

And now... into Aila's and my reactions!! (I've tried to make sure there are no spoilers--just emotions)

Even from the start, we were obsessed and in awe over this damn book. We were literally giddy, even when we hadn't even cracked the spine yet.

The book had such an amazing balance and pulled off something that we didn't think was possible. We were sucked in within the first page.

Notice that Aila soon changed her name to "Aila (Lt Sugarpants)". And notice how quickly things escalated and the caps long turned on (and really never turned off).

In addition to AMAZING action, Illuminae had just about a million swoonworthy moments. There's a fantastic blend of genres!

We've already boarded our ship and we will sail with it until the end. And we're still reeling with how impressive this book is and what an amazing feat it is. Which demon did you sell your soul to, Amie and Jay?

We soon approached incoherent rambling and screaming. I think that my autocorrect is permanently scarred by these conversations.

And then there was the inevitable contemplation of an all-nighter. We were like addicts who didn't even want to stop for sleep.

We didn't think that we'd be talking much during this buddy read, but we literally messaged each other on EVERY SINGLE PAGE.

Jay and Amie managed to make you laugh one second and cry the next--it was an emotional roller coaster that you never wanted to end.

We constantly needed someone to vent to because our emotions were overwhelming us. To the right, you can see that we kinda lost the ability to formulate real sentences.

We literally couldn't even type sentences, guys. It was just a series of cursing and crying and death. We were completely overwhelmed by the magnificence.

And then we started reaching the end... And we didn't want to finish. But we also needed to read the amazing words that Amie and Jay wrote...

And then it was over... And we pledged our lives to Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff and vowed to worship Illuminae for the rest of our pitiful mortal lives.

And now we're trying to figure out how best to proceed.

And there you have it! Our overwhelming emotions brought about by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.

Seriously, guys, PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK. It got 5 huge stars from me (and that's only because there's a 5 star limit. I want to give it 50000 stars). I honestly think that it's going to change history.

Full review to come--stay tuned closer to the release date (October 20)!

Share in the comments: did you like this type of mini-review? Or do you prefer the traditional reviews?

At First Sight by Patrice Wilton

Title: At First Sight
Author: Patrice Wilton
Format I Read: Kindle
Pages: 344
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Thriller
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Stars: 2
Goodreads Link

If I’m completely honest, this book felt like a cheap knockoff of Safe Haven, the book by Nicholas Sparks and the movie with Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel. It was an underdeveloped, fast-paced, unrealistic, and unbelievable attempt to recreate virtually the same plot. I hate to say it, but I found this novel utterly disappointing and am only giving it 2 stars—which is being generous.

For those who are unfamiliar with At First Sight:

War veteran Brent Harrington, a helicopter pilot who lost his sight when he was shot down in Afghanistan, is now back home in the US and struggling to come to terms with the fact that his sight may never return. Natalie Connors, a beautiful young woman fleeing an abusive relationship and looking for a fresh start, is hired by Brent’s best buddy, another war veteran, as a home health care aide to help Brent adapt to his newly darkened world. Thrown together by fate, they take the first tentative steps toward love…

But when Natalie’s vicious ex tracks her down, can the passion and tenderness she and Brent share protect her?

At First Sight is a highly emotional story about two damaged people and the healing they must go through before they can commit and find their happily-ever-after.

First, the writing. The writing was completely bland. It felt childish. The dog spoke. It spoke. Instead of just saying “Sam barked,” Wilton actually wrote “Woof woof.” In quotation marks. I felt like I was reading a children’s book! It just seemed so silly. I couldn’t get into the writing style at all.

Second, the characters. The characters made no sense. They had no depth. Brent went back and forth so many times that I got whiplash. He wasn’t even remotely believable. I understand the struggle he was going through and I understand how frustrated he must feel. But his emotions and his actions made no sense. As with Natalie! She gave me whiplash, too, with how many times she switched between, “I want to stay, I love him,” and “I need to grow, I can’t stay.” God, make a decision already! And the minor characters were no better. They were completely flat and boring.

Third, the plot. It was all just so messy. Both the “suspense” plotline with Carl and the romantic plotline with Brent were disappointing. The big confrontation with Carl was a complete flop. It didn’t live up to the buildup at all. The romantic plotline, like I said earlier, was just too wishy-washy. The characters went back and forth every second. The romance also just had no development. One second, Natalie was blunt and closed off. Next second, she was making out with him. One second, Brent resented Natalie’s presence. Next second, he was risking his life by crossing the street alone just to get her her morning coffee. It was unbelievable.

I did like some things. I really liked how Brent had a psychosomatic disorder. It was cool that Wilton touched on that because I feel like it’s very unknown. It also has such a stigma on it, just like mental illnesses: the whole “why don’t you just get better if it’s all in your head?” It was interesting to see that come in play. I also liked that Natalie was focusing on herself and her self-confidence and development. That was encouraging. If only she stuck to it and didn’t want to back out for a boy every other minute!

Though this book had a lot of potential, it didn’t live up to my expectations at all. For those who like fast-paced romances with a cheap suspense subplot, go for it. It should be a nice, mindless summer read for those who are looking for something to snack on at the beach. But this definitely isn’t a wow book that you’ll devour.