Gemina (The Illuminae Files)

Gemina is another awesome, crazy tale with so much adventure and twists and turns at every corner. It was so good that I couldn't put it down until it was finished! The books are just so beautifully done. This series is a definite favorite of mine!

Gemina is everything Illuminae was and more! There's new file types including beautiful drawings by the one and only Marie Lu. The characters are so kick butt you are rooting for them the whole way! Overall an incredible YA Sci-Fi that is unlike anything else you've ever read! Amie and Jay are a true dream team!

Way better than the first book! It seems like the authors were able to solidify their writing style together in this novel. Also, the characters are way more likeable in this book! And the romance isn't as cheesy. Just right amount of fluff.

Challenging to read as each entry is a different format....but the story keeps you jumping! Do not read on a device. Many chapters are not legible on device. This is the second installment. Read the first book!

Challenging to read as each entry is a different format....but the story keeps you jumping! Do not read on a device. Many chapters are not legible on device. This is the second installment. Read the first book!

I cannot express the absolute love I have for this book series. I read an ARC of Gemina months ago and it completely blew my mind. If you like sci-fi with a side of romance, this series is for you. Do yourself a favor and please please read this book <3

Great sequel but did not move as fast as Illuminae did.

Gemina is a book written by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. It was copyrighted in 2016 and was published by the Knopf Books for Young Readers. Gemina is the sequel to the smash hit Illuminae otherwise known as the Illuminae Files. In this sequel, the story takes place on the space station Heimdall which is the battleship that is closest to the Kerenza system which the Beitech company had attacked in last book. The story takes place after the Kerenza invasion and follows a group of auditors sent from Beitech to take over the Heimdall station. The auditors mission is simple. Their job is to take over the Heimdall station before the science vessel Hypatia arrives and then destroy both ships. By eliminating all witnesses on board Hypatia and Heimdall, no one will ever find out about the Beitech invasion of Kerenza. The novels was written in the same kind of format that Illuminae had used which was the e-mail format. However, one of the main characters Hannah Donnelly, the daughter of the Commander of Heimdall, was an artist. She kept a journal throughout the book by drawing pictures in her journal instead of writing in it. This added a new element to the story that was not there in Illuminae. The author was able to use Hannah’s drawings to tell part of the story along with the e-mails giving the scenes a more overall description of what was happening. Gemina is a great sequel to Illuminae and the ending opens the door wide open for another book. Fans of Illuminae will love Gemina. I would recommend this book to young adults ages 12 and above.

Space station Heimdall. The keeper of the wormhole that should allow the Hypatia - and everyone on her - to finally reach safety. Unfortunately, Heimdall has just become a target for Bei-Tech, as the company frantically attempts to prevent any communications about their activities. When a team of killers is smuggled aboard Heimdall to with the mission to destroy her, all hell breaks loose - along with some creepy slithery things and an unlikely partnership that might be the only thing that keeps everyone on board Heimdall (and maybe the universe) from death. Picking up right after Illuminae, Gemina digs deeper into the events orchestrated by Bei-Tech - and it will keep you on your toes.

First - if you've have not read Illuminae, it's not an absolute requirement, but it would certainly be helpful. There are a lot of references back to that first book that might not make sense. Plus - it's just a seriously amazing book, so...there's that. Also, the book’s format is the same as Illuminae – composed of transcripts, emails, and schematics (among other things), it is not your everyday novel. But the format enhances the story in a way that standard format would not.

As for Gemina - wow. My brain was mush by the time I finished it. So much crazy sciency stuff, a bit of old-school horror, plus some romance and a few psychopathic killers - once the book starts, it simply does. not. stop. There is violence, but it doesn't feel gratuitous in any capacity - it's literally kill-or-be-killed here. I must confess, I was a little anxious about whether book two would be as amazing as book one, simply because the first book was so unusual and exciting that it blew me away. But...my fears were absolutely unfounded. Kristoff and Kaufman make a terrific writing team, and I think they must have some sort of crazy alien mind-meld going on. Devastation will ensue if they don’t write together again after this trilogy is (*sob*) complete.

Long story short? Get this. Read it. Maybe cower under your blanket if you’re reading at night with a flashlight. Definitely double-check your vents. But READ GEMINA!

PLACE: Heimdall space station, a waypoint that's way in the middle of nowhere.

TIMELINE: Hypatia space shuttle, the last remnant of survivors from the Beitech attack on Kirenza detailed in Book One, due to arrive at Heimdall in T-minus 15 days. Hypatia is hoping to find solace there. Hypatia is about to be disappointed because...

SCENARIO PART ONE: Hanna Donnelly, the sassy soldier in training, is not happy to be at Heimdall, where the only quality time she gets to spend with her father, the Station Commander, is when they read Sun Tzu and practice Krav Maga together. She feels a LITTLE better to have an excellent boyfriend, a military officer named Jason Merrick with a James Bond voice, to keep her company; and she's entertaining a naughty flirtation with the station's Bad Boy, Nik Malikov of the House of Knives, who keeps her supplied with dust and innuendo. Plus, she's convinced her father to spring for a killer designer jumpsuit she can wear to the big Terra Day party they're having that night. Until....

SCENARIO PART TWO: Beitech has no interest in having their evilness exposed to the world. They are going to make sure no one on Hypatia or Heimdall survives Hypatia's arrival. Enter a team of assassins, dispatched in secret to the space station by Leanne Frobisher herself. Their mission? Take over the space station during the Terra Day festivities. Kill everyone on Heimdall. Then when Hypatia arrives, kill everyone on Hypatia. (This includes the heroes from our last book, for those of you playing along, including Kady and Ezra.)

The first part of their plan goes pretty well. They take control of Heimdall. They kill a bunch of people. But...Hanna and Nik avoid the web, and suddenly find themselves two rogue agents (with a secret, awesome weapon in the form of Nik's scrappy cousin Ella, a computer nerd extraordinaire) trying to figure out what the XXXX is going on. And how they can retake command of the ship, rescue the survivors, and maybe, finally, give Hypatia a place to land.

COMPLICATIONS: Oh, there are plenty of them. Nik has a secret he's keeping from Hanna. Two, actually, Whoops, maybe three. And they keep coming out at the worst times. For instance, the House of Knives is dealing in a kind of crazy drug that they harvest from killer eels, and those killer eels are sort of being stowed on board, and sort of might have gotten kind of loose during the fighting. And...well, that's the least damning thing he's done. Nik's been a bad boy.

And there's a lot more also. This transcriber is pretty good at predicting plot twists and this transcriber was shocked multiple times while reviewing this dossier. Shocking plot twists. Well done.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. The format, as with the first book, is a strength and sometimes a distraction. Like Illuminae, it is written in the form of IMs, Wikipedia-style entries, transcripts, and, yes, dictated at times by a malfunctioning computer. It lives somewhere between a novel and a graphic novel, where text style and even illustrations are part of the story. Hanna's journal is one of the formats; there is a bullet hole at the start of the journal and blood spreads across the pages as you read through. Who was shot? Do they live? XXXXXXX.

WARNING. Do not read on ebook.

RECOMMENDATION. Read Illuminae first. You could probably follow without it, but why would you want to?

CAVEAT. The science gets pretty hard core at the end. Make sure to load up on protein before reading.

Gemina is the second book in the projected three-book series,"the Illuminae Files". It is the year 2575; one mining company has destroyed the planet of a rival mining company, attacked the rescue ships, and have sent an audit team to destroy the one remaining group of people that may know what has been done: the Jump Station Heimdall. Hanna, the station captain's spoiled daughter, and Nik, member of the notorious House of Knives crime family who supplies Hanna with recreational drugs, find themselves fighting for the lives of the entire station against a deadly, professional strike team.

Like Illuminae, Gemina is told in an nontraditional way, using surveillance footage summaries, instant message transcriptions, Hanna's journal, and more. Again, Kaufman and Kristoff do an amazing job using this ambitious presentation. It moves quickly, tugging the reader along a nonstop roller coaster. The story is moving, funny, and intense. There were times I gasped as new information was made available, and once I said out loud, "I didn't see THAT coming!".

As excellent as this book is, I don't recommend it to anyone who has not already read Illuminae. Though the two stories feature different locations and characters, one must be familiar with the information gathered in Illuminae to appreciate Gemina.

This is an amazing book, and a worthy sequel to the first. I give a universal recommendation to read Illuminae, and then to immediately put Gemina on pre-order!

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

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)!

Illuminae is one of my favorite books of the year, so it's no surprise to me that I loved Gemina as well. I must admit that I did like Illuminae a bit better. Gemina did hold it's own as a sequel and put up a great fight for first place. The action, writing, and emotional experience all packed within the covers of these pages is absolutely phenomenal.

This was a book that I didn't want to go into too it with too much knowledge so I didn't read the synopsis and stayed away from the reviews on BookTube. I read this book much like I read the first one by listening to the story and following along in the physical books. The audiobook has a full cast of characters that I personally feel brings the story to life. If I tried to read this book without the audio file I think the book would fall flat and I'd lose interest in it. At least that's how I would be.

I was expecting the same cast of characters and was coming taken by surprise when I learned there were new MCs in this book. Although, I do love how the authors wove the stories together from Illuminae and Gemina. It was outstanding and very well done.

The imagination and thought that must have gone into the writing of this book is something I can barely wrap my head around. I would love to be able to see how they actually wrote these books and the process behind them.

Gemina has a great plot that left me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well rounded and developed a lot throughout the book. The way the characters changed along with the plot throughout the book was very well done. This is most definitely a characters driven story.

I am looking forward to reading Obsidio. I have my physical copy read just waiting for my turn to get the audiobook from the library.

Definitely give this one a shot I don't see how anyone could be disappointed.

Ladies and gentleman it happened, I finally read Gemina the second book in the Illuminae files. I know, I know it was time since the final book is already out but what can I say. I’m slow like that. The thing is while I enjoyed the first book, it had it charm I wasn’t as overcome with is as it seems others were. That is one reason why I pushed reading it, the other one was because I simply didn’t have the book until this January.
I love Jay Kristoff’s books and I find Amie Kaufman’s writing style interesting as well but what really attracted me in this series was the formatting of the books. The whole files clipped together interspersed with pretty art and such is kind of unique idea, don’t you think?? So yes, the art is really pretty in it but the magic of the formatting vanished for me with the first book. Yes, it is interesting and quirky but if you look at it closely you notice that it is basically full of confusing and meaningless stuff as well. I mean some of the pages basically impossible to read with the swirling patterns and such and don’t even get me started on the supposedly ‘bloodstained’ pages, where the writing disappears under black splotches. Alas I was just over this whole thing; I read it purely for the story in this case, not like with the first book.
I still enjoyed this book. I even liked the plot and the characters in this one way better than the first ones. It was just more interesting, complex and dynamic if you ask me. That said the plot has certain predictability to it since it basically follows the same pattern as the first book. Which means a lot of things, you cold foresee from pretty far away. I still enjoyed this storyline better. Also on a side note I just realized ho much similarity is there between this series and the Starbound series, or is it just me??
I finished this book surprisingly fast considering the thickness of it but if you consider the space between lines and such then you realize that the book is not as long as it first looks like.
The characters were the best part to this book. I loved all of them, even the villains, especially them. They are created in such a spectacular way, they give so much to the plot.
Anyway there is Hannah, whom I first didn’t like. She presents every bad quality of a spoiled rich teenage girl you can think of. But then tragedy strikes and she completely transforms. It was phenomenal to follow how she navigates the situation, her strength, logic, her cunning and tenacity. It was simply amazing and she quickly because my favorite character in the book. She was so smart and brave.
But Hannah wasn’t the only strong female character in the book. There was Ella, the resident hacker extraordinaire. I just loved her. Despite the lemon life threw at her humor and vivacious outlook at life was phenomenal. These two girls took the cake for me.
As for Nik, well he was a bit puny for my taste. So yes maybe his was the most realistic reaction of them all, and he had a certain type of humor as well. But for the big, tattooed gangster to be the most challenged among the three of them was a bit disappointing. However he had a role and he played it perfectly.
I liked this book but it still not my favorite. I probably going to read the next one sometimes in the future just to find out what happens in the end but I’m not in a hurry to get to it. Sorry, I guess I’m just not into this kind of books as much.

This picks up about a month after the 2575 events in "Illuminae", from August 1 to August 16 of that same year. The report is given in 2576 when BeiTech (BT)--namely, Leanne Fobisher--is on trial.
And it's much more obvious here than in the first book who is compiling the reports, chats, pictures, etc. here.

This book is not as good as the first, though I read it almost as quickly. In the first, there was something quotable on almost every page (so I didn't take note of it like I usually do), but here there was really nothing that jumped out at me. There is a lot more cursing, it's not as funny, and it's grittier. There are murderers, gangs, an annoying pop song (OK not gritty, just random and I wasn't sure until the end if it was a red herring or not), drugs, and quite a lot of sexual content (though not explicit). Not only that, but some of the text is too dark to read on darker pages, even when it shouldn't be (IM vs. having it against 'blood' on a page). And some of the handwriting is tough to read. Sure, realism is good, but it frustrates me more than it brings me into the story.

I did really like the science-y parts of it. There are different ways of tracking people and objects. <i>Heimdall Station</i> has a wormhole, which still aren't stabilized but can somewhat be controlled, at least more so than in the 21st Century. And, by the end, we learn what a Gemina is through the multiverse theory.

I also like that some of the presentation is the same, though there are quite a few different media, including the Hanna's drawings.

Still, I feel this is a solid 3.5 stars and I seriously wavered for almost the entire book between giving it enough credit for a 4-star (GR "Really Liked It"; the store "Like It") rating, or leaving it a 3-star (GR "Liked It", the store "It's Okay"). Balancing the two sites helped.

Each time I start reading a book from The Illuminae Files, my initial thought is that I’m not going to like it. I always worry that I’ll find the book’s structure to be gimmicky and that it will distract me from what is actually taking place in the story. And each time I’ve been dead wrong. I love everything about this series and not only does the book’s structure not distract from the story, but it actually enhances it and makes it feel all the more authentic, like you really are sitting there reading a case file about an incident aboard a space station.

When Gemina opens, we meet our two new main characters, Hanna and Nik, polar opposites with seemingly nothing in common aside from the fact that they both live on Jump Station Heimdall. Hanna is the pampered daughter of the ship’s captain, while Nik is a member of a prominent crime family. Although they have nothing in common, one view Nik and Hanna share is that they are on the “most boring” space station in the universe. But all that is about to change… Heimdall is the station Kady Grant and what’s left of the Hypatia crew are fleeing to after the events of Illuminae, the first book in the series. The Hypatia is trying to get news of an invasion that killed most of the residents on the planet Kerenza, including proof about who was behind the invasion.

Once we meet Hanna and Nik, it’s off to the races on a heart-pounding adventure as those responsible for the deadly invasion have dispatched an elite strike team to attack Heimdall. Their mission: to ambush and destroy the Hypatia, thereby destroying all evidence of their murderous actions on Kerenza. Once they get aboard Heimdall, they immediately round up all of the station’s residents and lie in wait for the Hypatia. Guess who they missed though? You guessed it, Hanna and Nik. The burden of saving their station, the Hypatia, and possibly the known universe falls on the shoulders of these two young people. Nothing like a race against the clock to help two people bond…

Oh and did I mention the snake-like alien predators that have somehow gotten loose aboard the station who are picking off residents one by one? No? Well, yes, as if they didn’t have enough to contend with, there’s that too. So needless to say, Gemina is an action-packed, thrill ride full of danger and suspense and I thought it was absolutely brilliant! 4.5 STARS

Gemina picks up right after the cliffhanger in Illuminae. But instead of following Kady and Ezra, we follow a new set of characters on Jump Station Heimdall. BeiTech wants to cover their tracks, and now they're using any force and means necessary. On top of that, there is some other illegal activity going on in the dark depths of the Heimdall, which causes a huge problem of its own.

Immediately I felt major Die Hard vibes mixed with Alien. There are so many layers to the plot which kept me up late at night binging until my eyeballs got dry. It was such an entertaining ride!

The new main cast of characters:

Hanna - Sarcastic, quick thinking, and a badass fighter. Hanna is the daughter of the Heimdall's commander, Charles Donnelly. She has the reputation for being a spoiled rich kid.

Nik - Nik is our bad boy. His family belongs to the House of Knives, which is known for their shady business and illegal activities. Oh, and did I mention Nik is Hanna's drug dealer?

Ella - Nik's 15-year-old hacker cousin. Ella's computer hacking skills reminds me so much of Kady. She is sharp-tongued, badass, and basically a genius.

Jackson - Hanna's handsome boyfriend who works for the Heimdall Security Division.

I'll break down the good and the bad:

The Good:

• Ella. I loved her attitude and how she didn't take crap from anybody.
• The format of the book. I love the mixed media format of Illuminae, so naturally it carried over to Gemina. The case files, illustrations, blueprints, IMs, radio transcripts. All awesome. My one gripe is that I had some trouble seeing the dark grey ink overlaid on black paper. But thankfully those types of transcripts didn't show up too often.
• Hanna's journal and her illustrations. They were so fun and well drawn (mad props to Marie Lu.)
• Fast paced and so much action. There was no rest reading this book. You will want to binge the entire series.

The Bad:

• The dialogue. I will probably get a lot of hate for this, and I am really not trying to sound like I'm a million years old. But the sarcastic dialogue between the teens became a bit much. I totally get it. I am a sarcastic person, too. I just think the authors may have tried a bit too hard to make the teenagers sound like what they think teens sound like? It didn't come off as realistic or genuine. I was getting a headache reading Nik and Ella's dialogue. I don't know, guys, maybe I AM old. Haha!
• Similarities to Illuminae. While I was very entertained by everything in Gemina, I couldn't help but notice how the plot and characters paralleled Illuminae a bit too much.
• The lead terrorist. He gave me major Hans Gruber vibes (hence why I mentioned Die Hard earlier). This isn't actually a bad thing, but he really did fit the typical 'Hollywood terrorist' stereotype, so his character didn't feel original to me.
• Insta-love. Eh... I might be the only person who wasn't a fan of the romance. It was just way too convenient.
• Predictable twists. I was able to predict them all. Again, not a bad thing, but I could see them coming from a mile away.

I think this is one of those books where you read it purely for amusement. Don't overthink the science or the character development. I don't watch action movies for the feels; sometimes I just like to see the big bad monster smash things, which will entertain me just fine. That's my takeaway with Gemina. I can't wait to start Obsidio!

I don't know that I would have gleaned everything that was going on in this if I hadn't previously read it. I felt like the audio was difficult to follow in certain sections. If I rated on the audio version alone my rating would probably be 4-Stars. What follows here is my review of the book edition:

This series is the cat's meow and dog's bark and the ram's bahhhaah…all that shit and more…It's not going to be for everyone…but damn, it should be. I think so, anyway. The format is crazy, and it (for me) may be part of what makes it so good…that, and the amazing and intricate plot. Nothing is off limits in this series.

I read this both from a hardcover book (that my daughter bought me for Christmas) and a Kindle eBook that I borrowed from the library at the same time. I'm so glad that I did it this way. Because…the eBook is good for low lighting and when I was at work, seriously though, that book is lug…and the actual lug of a book is perfect for those pages with small, teeny tiny pictures/documents and such on them. I flipped back and forth between the two constantly. I also used an Audible credit for the Audiobook of Gemina, which I plan to listen to right before Obsidio comes out in March 2018.

This was amazing!! I didn't think anything could top the first book, but Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman have completely blew me away!! This book was EVERYTHING!

I love books that are written in this style. I feel like a spy and I feel like I am right in the middle of everything just like the characters! I enjoyed all the new characters as well and I think these two authors did a great job transitioning them in. My favorite part was how snarky and hilarious certain scenes were. It made the pages not feel so cold and man I just loved every minute of this!

If you loved Illuminae you will adore this one! It's exciting, twisty, sci fi craziness that leaves you begging for more!! I cannot wait for the last installment!!

I received a review copy from the publisher at no cost

My Thoughts

The Count:

14 GASPS!
18 OMG!
13 OH NOES!
21 YES!
7 YOU GO GIRL!

Yes, it was that kind of book.

The story follows the point of view of the heroine, Hanna, of the Heimdall station where Kady from the ship Hypatia is heading. The story is told through a collage of emails, texts, IMs and Hanna's journal entries.

Hanna is what seems a first, a spoiled daughter of the elite, but she may have the appearance of a party girl, but in truth has been quizzed and trained as a general by her military father. Nik is the unlikely and unwitting hero at first but it turns out that he has what it takes. Again, the Romeo and Juliette vibe of Illuminae is with us again. Nik is basically a drug dealer who supplies Hanna and her friends with a hallucinogenic made from a lamprey-like slime that his family is growing in some cows near the station reactor.

The Beitech corporation is out to wipe out any witnesses to their evil misdeeds and only Hanna and Nik seem to be able to save what is left of the Heimdall crew. With time counting down between the Hypatia docking at the Heimdall and a crew of assassins on the loose, the pair must kill or be killed.

Wow - the story just blasts through and I can't believe how quick it all went. The images drawn by Marie Lu are just spectacular and add so much to the story. I devoured this in 24 hours and sat there stunned because it was that good. The characters are well done and very believable. I don't even want to admit to that one character I liked at first turns out to be an idiot. Even my favorite artificial intelligence computer makes an appearance towards the end.

Parents: there is some violence, a few kisses and this might be your next favorite book, so read it first while the kids are in school and then pass it on. I recommend reading Illuminae first.

An action packed, heart pounding sequel! Kauffman and Kristoff don't waste any time thrusting readers right back into the dangerous world they introduced their readers to in Illuminae. Not only does this story take place during Illuminae's same time frame, it's also written in the same manner.

GEMINA introduces readers to a new couple, Hanna and Nik. While they're very much the main focus of the story, Kady and Ezra are also part of the story. I'll be honest, I had a harder time liking Hanna and Nik. I'm not sure why, because it had nothing to do with the way they were written. Kauffman and Kristoff's written was great, but the characters and I just didn't seem to hit it off like I did with Kady and Ezra. Or maybe it's because I didn't find them as believable as a couple, like I did with Kady and Ezra. Kady and Ezra's relationship felt natural, but Nik and Hanna's felt more like they were using each other, which I know wasn't the case.

Once again, Kauffman and Kristoff had me liking a sci-fi. Until I read Illuminae I could count on one hand how many sci-fi books I had read. What I loved about Illuminae, I liked about Gemina. I liked seeing the story told from a different perspective. There's so much that's going on in the story, the IMs, files, video surveillance transcript, emails, etc add a lot more detail to the story. I like that this is a book that compliments the first story in this series, and it can also be read as a stand alone.

I love the way this series is written, but for some reason I had a harder time getting into this story. What I finished in one sitting w/ Illuminae, took me longer to get into with this book. Thankfully the second half of the book made up for it. That ending more than made up for the slump I felt in the middle. Now I'm wishing I had the next book in the series.

Rating: 5/5

Genre: YA Sci-Fi/ Horror

Recommended Age: 16+ (mature content, language ((censored)), violence, gore, jump scares, a usual Jay Kristoff book).

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. – the store.com

Hey look I finally read GEMINA! And OMG I AM WRECKED! I NEED THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES! PLEASE JAY AND AMIE?! Anyways, on with the review! While this book is in a strictly mixed media format like Illuminae, it’s different. You get excerpts from a trial in this book and excerpts from a character’s journal that are in a scanned format and the way that the characters communicate to each other are very different from Illuminae. I don’t want to go into detail about it, but I will say that the difference in the communication worked for these characters very well in my opinion. I considered how Illuminae was wrote and tried to see in my mind if Gemina could have been wrote the same way, but I think the way the authors wrote it was very true to their characters, which I would rather have then equal writing styles. The characters included, while not all of the side characters were well defined, was very well done overall and I was surprised by the characters motives and actions throughout the book. I thought that plot was also very different from Illuminae. In Illuminae you have 4 main arcs in the book, while in this book you have 3 major arcs. This book spent more time on two of the arcs and it felt more drawn out, which I thought did well to accentuate the horrors in this book. This book also dealt with a topic that I am extremely picky on. I think that this “thing” that the book did is very hit or miss in books and in my opinion makes or breaks a book for me. I think that I might need to do a reread of it in order to get a better opinion of it, but from the first read through I think it was pretty well done.

However, even the best books that I read have some issues. The pacing in this book is slower than in Illuminae and while I thought the pacing was very well done I can see where other people might get put off by it. I think that it worked well to keep the reader in suspense, but others might not think the same as I do. I also think that there were some plot points in the book that were just done away with way too early and easily in the book then I believe they should have been. I don’t want to go into detail about it, but if you read the book then you might know what I’m talking about. Also, the “thing” described up above might be a breaking point for some readers because it depends on people’s interpretations of the theories surrounding the “thing”.

Verdict: I love this series and I love how it is written. Since starting a readalong of Illuminae I do realize that a lot of people don’t like this format style, but I do and I think it’s very well done. I’ve read books where mixed media is used and the book is just… bad and doesn’t do justice to the format, but this book isn’t one of those bad books. Amie and Jay make this book work and make these characters come alive through the screens of their palmpads or computers. Definitely will still recommend for sci-fi lovers and horror book lovers.

I somehow neglected to write a review of Illuminae when I read it last year. It may have had something to do with my response to the novel, which was complex. I was completely riveted to the page throughout. In fact, I swallowed it in a single night. However, I wasn't sure if it would prove to be a re-read for me, primarily because I felt a distance between myself and the characters. The separation enforced by the epistolary format, on top of the protagonists' themselves separation for the majority of the novel combined to make me feel a bit wistful. I suppose I just wished I felt a level of closeness to them that matched the level of commitment I felt to the unfolding story. Which was to say complete and utter. There was, interestingly, no question of whether or not I would be picking up the sequel. Also somewhat interesting was how I felt nothing but excitement that the sequel would follow a new couple. And so it was that Gemina fell into my lap and swallowed me whole.

Hanna Donnelly has essentially made Jump Station Heimdall her playground. No matter that her extravagant exploits have become more a way of surviving the tight confines of her life as the only daughter of the exacting station captain than anything else. No matter that they involves the occasional rendezvous with her own personal dealer—himself a member of the notorious House of Knives crime family. No matter that her model (if slightly milquetoast) boyfriend disapproves wholeheartedly of said dealer and has to sneak around to meet her so as not to raise the wrath of her father. Nik Malikov has a thing for the privileged princess who occasionally patronizes his "establishment," and he takes plenty of flak over that fact from the various and sundry cast of cutthroat characters that comprise his family. No matter that the tattoos on his skin tell a story that may or may not be more complex than they at first appear. No matter that their whisperNET repartee is fast becoming the best part of every single one of his days. No matter that each successive requirement from his family takes him farther and farther away from the kind of person who might actually stand a chance with a girl like Hanna. What neither of them knows is their "home" is about to be thrown into chaos and violence the likes of which even the notorious Malikov's have yet to see. And their connection, limited and superficial as it has heretofore been, may prove the only link to survival either of them have.

"BRIEFING NOTE:
First relevant point of contact between Hanna Donnelly and Jackson Merrick on Heimdall's whisperNET system. For full effect, read everything Merrick says in a loin-stirringly deep, uppercrust accent while listening to smooth jazz."

The sly, staccato wit in this series is just so on. Set as it is against a near constant threat of death, dismemberment, or worse, this wit is sometimes a lifeline, for both the characters and the readers, I suspect. As with its predecessor, the entirety of Gemina is told in the form of found footage, including an impressive and fabulously inventive assortment of documents, all of which are being presented as evidence in the tribunal addressing BeiTech Industries' involvement in the "alleged" attack on Jump Station Heimdall. A number of familiar (and terrifying) faces make appearances upfront before we are hurled into making the acquaintance of a whole host of new personages who each play a pivotal role in the horrific events that went down on Heimdall. One of the most enjoyable aspects of reading Gemina is getting to see exactly what was going on at the jump station while the events of Illuminae were taking place. The two timelines overlap, and I found it heightened my experience with Hanna and Nik knowing just what was happening with Kady and Ezra at the same time. And, yes, this overlap means we get to spend some much-coveted time with a certain AI that I'll confess I've been missing something fierce. It's passages are among my very favorite (and are some of the most unsettling, of course). And, yes, I'll go ahead and say that I found my emotions knit tightly with Hanna and Nik in a very short time, partly because they do spend more (though still not much) time in the actual vicinity of one another, and partly because I'm just a sucker for the particular quality of banter you get when you pair up a crime lord's son with a military captain's daughter.

Which leads me to the most excellent of all the elements of this novel—Hanna Donnelly. Quite simply, she is stone cold awesome. Raised by her father to master any number of forms of combat, her princess persona is a very thin facade indeed. The relentless pressure and pace of the novel reveal the core of steel underneath the facade and it was a viciously satisfying pleasure to watch her tear her way through the fabric of her nightmare and never, not ever give in or give up. And perhaps just as importantly, she does all of this without sacrificing a shred of her humanity, with all its attendant vulnerability and desires. She blew me, Nik, and the entire population of Heimdall away. And I can say that allowing that I am nursing a pretty healthy crush on Nik Malikov. They are right together. But Hanna. Hanna is whole in a way that resonated with me profoundly. She is the reason Gemina is the force that it is. She is the reason you simply have to read it.

Gah, these books are amazinggg!!! Seriously, this sequel might have told from the perspectives of new characters and entirely new setting, but it's nonetheless equally as thrilling, heart-pounding, romantic, shocking, spellbinding, and will have you frantically turning the pages to find out what happens next... and who will be standing. This story was just as gripping as ILLUMINAE, and was filled with intense action, monsters, and wickedly intense science, and it actually ties in really well to the overarching series. While Ezra and Kady are still my most beloved, but Nik and Hanna are absolutely amazing. While it took me a little while to warm up to Hanna, it's impossible to deny how strong and motivated and ultimately awesome she is. A warrior in all sense of the word. Nik is also very interesting, tragic and complex. Ella is also completely hilarious and someone whom I'm missing right at this moment. The design of the book is even more impressive than in the first book (though I might be a little biased since some of the sketches were drawn by Marie Lu, one of my favourite authors), and it adds to the immersion. I couldn't be more excited about how this will all come together in the next and final book! I need it now!

All right, these books are just CRAZY good fun. If you didn't read Illuminae, you SHOULD, but you can still read this one without that story. Be aware that this book is not 650 pages of full-page text; the story, like Illuminae, is told through text conversations, reports, pictographs...it's wild, but still easy to follow. And in some cases, provide a very, very cool effect.

I thought I wasn't going to like this one as much, given that our heroes are a bored, spoiled, drug-using daughter of the station commander, and the drug-providing young member of a notorious gangster family. But throughout the story...the hostile takeover of the station on which they live...both show what they're really made of. Both are stronger than they realized, and have a heck of a lot more moral fiber than you'd suspect. It isn't too long before you're rooting for them. Hanna especially; with her father's military training as "games," she's like a blond teenage John McClane in space. And you have to love another young member of the crime family...Nik's cousin Ella, who uses a wheelchair after an illness, but is a grade-A hacker and helps coordinate the "resistance."

So in addition to the hostile takeover, there are killer serpentine aliens loose on the station, and the control of a not-entirely-stable wormhole to consider. And something so bizarre it will blow your mind, just when you think you've had all you can take. This ride will leave you breathless until the very end.

For those who are wondering, Kady and Ezra aren't the main characters here, but they do make an appearance. Along with another old friend.

BOTTOM LINE: If you liked Illuminae, you'll love this. If you didn't read Iluminae, try it and Gemina anyway. They're different and thrilling, and have a unique presentation.

ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 STARS.

Aaaaaaand we’re back! ?

Oooooh, boy. How do I even begin to review this one?

So, as all of you know, I loved Illuminae. Like, I loved it, loved it. That book is, and always shall be, one of my favorite thrill rides.

So when I won an ARC of this in a giveaway, I was ecstatic. Seriously, you guys. I almost started crying. I started it with a grin and a hope that it would be as fantastic as the first book.

Only, now I’m finished with it, and I’m not quite sure how to rate it. :/

Illuminae was explosive and so, so stressful. I was practically tearing my hair out while devouring that book, but I loved every second of it. There’s definitely action in Gemina, but it takes longer to escalate and the horrors on board of the ship are more insidious than before. Which is fine, just different.

I don’t know why, but for some reason I wasn’t able to connect with this book as well as I wanted to. It has nothing to do with the quality of the storytelling or the characters; both are vivid and well-developed. And I’m thinking maaaaaybe I feel this way because I’m still reeling from the first book? I’m not quite sure. (I’m also struggling with some personal issues that kind of make it hard for me to connect with things in general right now, so perhaps that could be a cause?)

Another thing I noticed was, though there are a lot of direct messages between the characters, there are more video transcriptions than text messages. As a result, I felt a little more removed from the characters than I did in the last book. I also felt what happened at the very end because of the twist (no spoilers here!) could have been explained a little bit more clearly, but, eh, that’s a nit-pick.

Let me tell you what I enjoyed about the book, though, so you don’t think I didn’t like it. I did, really.

So, Hannah, one of our main characters, draws, and Gemina incorporates some of the drawings in her notebook (illustrated by the lovely Marie Lu) into the story. While my copy of the book didn’t include these drawings, the ones I’ve seen are pretty darn good, and, based off of what I’ve seen, they add a lot of character to this book overall. (Also, this picture of Nik, another one of our protagonists? Sa-WOON! He makes me snort with laughter, the little rascal.)

Also, AIDAN’s back, you guys, and just as snarky and cynical as ever. It was fun to read his perspective again; though he’s very intelligent, his ignorance of human mannerisms and colloquialisms made me crack up. I missed my AI buddy. I want to hug him, but I don’t think that’s possible (and, even if I could, I’m a bit worried he might blow me up if I tried).

Another thing I enjoyed is how Gemina balances building on the old with introducing the new. This story, while it holds its own, is also deeply connected to the events in Illuminae, and we really see that here (especially in the reappearance of some of Illuminae‘s characters). We get to know Hannah, Nik, Ella, and the Heimdall, and I really enjoyed reading Hannah’s interactions with the Malikovs and Hannah’s and Nik’s interactions with Ella. They were funny, realistic, and sweet. (And Nik and Hannah make me grin so wide, you guys–mainly because Nik’s adorable, of course.)

We also learn more about BeiTech and their plans, as well as things we only heard about in passing in Illuminae. For example, we get to see more of Kady’s dad and the work he does on Heimdall (and, speaking of dads, I laughed so hard at Hannah’s email exchanges with her dad. Those were waaaaay too accurate, hahaha.). Kady and Ezra (and, of course, AIDAN) also get page time, which gave me those warm fuzzy nostalgic feelings. (And trust me: In this series, you learn to treasure those, because they’re really rare, heheh.)

The result of all these things is the same fun, exciting story, but from a different perspective–one with action, relatable, vivid characters, the desperation of survival, and a twist that’ll make your eyes wide and your jaw drop. (I really wish I could say more about that twist, but you’ll have to read it and see for yourselves!) A worthy successor to Illuminae, at the very least, even if I didn’t connect with it as well as I’d hoped to.

BeiTech has a diabolical plan to destroy the Jump Station Heimdall. The assault team is in place but has met with an unexpected resistance. Hanna Donnelly, the daughter of the station captain, and Nik Malikav, a member of the House of Knives cartel, are reluctantly thrown together. Can Hanna and Nik avert the complete annihilation of Jump Station Heimdall?

Initially I was not a fan of Hanna or Nik, and found myself missing Kady and Ezra (from ILLUMINAE). Neither character is initially heroic as both appear quite self-centered at first. However, Hanna and Nik quickly grew on me as I fell in love with their spunky attitudes. I couldn’t help but cheer as they faced unthinkable odds.

GEMINA is the second book in The Illuminae Files and intertwines with the first book, ILLUMINAE. I would suggest reading ILLUMINAE first as the twists and turns of GEMINA will make far more sense if one has the foundation established in the first book. Besides, The Illuminae Files is just too darned good to miss even one page of the storyline!

Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff once again perfectly meld together the written and visual world to create a stunning science fiction novel. I love the way they use various media forms to tell the story, whether it’s transcripts of on-line chats, diagrams, or surveillance footage summaries. The Illuminae Files is one of the best series I’ve read! Absolutely mind blowing!

WUT just happened to my brain?! It went all, KERBLAM. I sped-read this thing LIKE A BOSS. A CRAZY 14 YR OLD BOSS IN A WHEEL CHAIR NAMED AFTER A TERRAN MYTH.

Y'know. I was so EXCITED for this book to come out. Excited, and yet, apprehensive as well. Illuminae was so ahead of time, so different from any other reading experience I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy. The dossiers, the snarky remarks of the people putting the reports together...it was...it was an experience. Once of which I was slightly concerned would come off as old or tired in the second book, Gemina.

OH DANG WAS I WRONG. SO VERY, VERY WRONG.

Russian mobs, sympathetic cows, "Blluuuuuuue oceaaaaaan," and the most prevalent non-existent ear worm I almost wished I could listen to. ALMOST. This book had me cracking up while simultaneously FLIPPING FRANTICALLY to get to the next page. This action is TENSE, NON-STOP. It was such a thrill. The romance between the two? LOVED IT. It was a leeeeeetle rushed, and a sort of secret about Nik's past that's not really a secret for the Obligatory Main Characters' Temporary Separation seemed a bit tropey, but those are minor, almost miniscule nick-picky things at most. SPOILER ALERT: People die. Lots and lots of people. Good people. Bad people. But if you've read the first book (and you should DEFINITELY READ THE FIRST BOOK,) then that is to be expected. I applaud authors who are not afraid to eviscerate or brain-splatter some red-shirts for the sake of some good ol' fashion ultra-violence. Ya heard? Yes, you get a pseudo-princess who knows krav maga, and an anti-hero who's really just a dude with a heart of gold, but MAN, I DON'T CARE. Applause to Kaufman and Kristoff for making ME, SNOB of YA, actually ENJOY these tropey things. AND THAT IN ITSELF IS A MIRACLE. The book, like the previous, is a piece of art in itself, this time adding character illustrations from a diary, instead of the black entries of Kady's diary. It's a nice correlation between Kady from book 1 and Hanna from book 2. There are obvious similarities, but they have vastly different voices. Me likey differences. Shakes things up - keeps things fresh.The profiles of the Specials ops teams? Priceless. And TWISTS! I LUUUUURVE it when authors surprise me. Nice job of setting my expections up like bowling pins, only to come in from the roof with a zamboni and SMUSH them into PIN DUST.

Overall, one of the best books I've read this year. TREAT YO'SELF and READ THIS!

I liked "Gemina" more than I liked "Illuminae". I am almost completely sure it is because I liked the characters of Hanna and Nik more than I did Kady and Ezra. I love the format of the series, and how it is told in chat messages, and surveillance video, maps and such. I thought the storyline as a whole was stronger than in the first book. The ship being taken over by terrorists (basically) was interesting and led to new areas of intrigue. I liked the way Kady and Ezra worked back into the story near the last third of the book. There were a couple of really good twists in "Gemina" as well and I didn't predict them which is always a good sign in my opinion. There was one thing that drove me nutty and I took a star off because of it. Maybe it had to be this way for the authors to get across the point of what was happening at the end of the book. Basically in the climax at the end the story is told ALMOST word for word over again. If it was just a page or two it would have been more easily tolerated but it went on quite a few pages and basically I slipped into skimming at that point which I hate to do. At the very end of the book, we have a clear idea of what direction will be taken for the next (and last?) book in the series. I thought that was a nice touch.

After not really loving Illuminae, I went into this with relatively low expectations. Maybe that's why I liked this one so much more. Or maybe this one was really just that much better.
I liked Hanna and Nik a million times more than Kady and Ezra. They were more entertaining, more unique, and just better characters in general. All of the characters in Gemina were more dimensional than in Illuminae, even if they still were a little too similar for my taste.
The plot in this one was pretty similar to the plot in Illuminae, and none of the twists surprised me (not that they did in Illuminae.... you know what? I'm just going to stop talking about Illuminae now.), but I still found them enjoyable. Even though the twist in this one was more "out-there", I found it much more believable and enjoyable (than Illuminae... Ugh why am I still talking about this? I'm hopeless).
I loved that in this second installment in the series, I could actually tell the difference between who the characters were, and it didn't sound like they were all 12 year olds. It was great.
I would definitely recommend reading this one if you've read the first one (even if you didn't necessarily like the first one... like me) because this was So. Much. Better. Like 10000% better. Also, if you like sci-fi, you should give this series a go. It's not so bad after all. Also I can't wait for Obsideo now!! If it follows this pattern of getting better, than it is going to be amazing!!
I am going to give Gemina four out of five hearts.

Replete with a wormhole, invading forces, computer systems and space ship environs Gemina doesn't let down. Lots of action and fun dialogue keeps the story moving in this sci-fi adventure. Leading female roles with wit and keen minds played against ruthless adults. Teen characters primarily drove the story and romance of some kind played out in almost every scene. Teen boy's interested in sex at all costs dominated the banter between Hanna and her suitors. Both the bad boy drug dealer, Nik, and the seemingly straight-laced geek talked as though they wanted the same thing from the heroine.

An interesting set-up of parallel universes during the climax of the novel didn't go far enough for my tastes. Kaufman and Kristoff left the opportunity to delve into philosophical and emotional implication largely unexplored.

I liked the variation of voices on the audiobook: male, female, young and old. Some of the computer voices were a bit creepy however. Still, a great direction for audiobooks to be moving.

My husband and I both enjoyed Illuminea so much that we purchased the audiobook of Gemina almost immediately afterward.

What I Loved: I’m still really enjoying this world that has been created, and the way that these books are laid out. This time we start out in a court room reviewing documents against BeiTech. From there we are told a story once again through the IMs, documents and video surveillance cameras as we were previously. Similar to Illuminea, we are dealing with not only BeiTech and another invasion, but another outside conflict – this time in the form of human-eating aliens.

The characters in this book grew on me as the story progressed, which was good because I didn’t care much for Hanna at all at the beginning. The characters Hanna and Nik are both just as fun and witty as Kady and Ezra were, but very much their own people. The best character by far, though, was Nik’s cousin. I just LOVED her ‘voice’ throughout the entire book. Hanna’s was kind of amazing when she applied all of her convenient training – and started scaling the ship like a super-spy. Nik was an awesome hero and ladies man <wink.>

Not So Much: So there is some drug usage in this book. It does play it’s part I suppose, but I never care for any kind of drug recreational usage in a YA novel. It’s just a ‘thing’ for me. I was also disappointed at first of the lack of Kady and Ezra in this book, as I had grown to love them in Illuminae. I did really enjoy this book, but honestly, it really just followed the same exact outline of Illuminae – granted the story was different, and the aliens were some bad dudes, the general outline is there. I really hope that the future book will not fall into the same rut.

The Verdict: I don’t think it was possible for this to have been better than Illuminae no matter what way you shake it. I really do love the world that has been established, and at this point I really want to see BeiTech go down – hard. So I will be listening or reading anything else that comes up in this series. As far as clean goes – the cussing was cut back by a LOT in this book (though as it was previously – all cussing is blanked out in the actual book the audiobook makes it clear what is being said). I mentioned the drug usage previously – and that would really be my big hang-up with the whole YA genre.

This review also appeared on Wayward Kitsune.

Although you’re not reading this, my biggest thanks to you for giving me one of the best gifts in 2016, my co-employee! I really regretted the fact that I did not read Gemina sooner because it’s so mindblowing I’m still picking up my brain pieces at the moment.

Like the Illuminae, Gemina was written in epistolary format complete with letters, transcripts, journal writings and drawings, chat messages, etc. The variety of methods that Kaufman and Kristoff used to tell the story surely guaranteed a phenomenal and wild ride.

The plot was also a feast for the mind as it challenged every brain cell of mine. Illuminae was all about escaping BeiTech and surviving a psychotic AI named Aidan. Gemina is all about recapturing Jump Station Heimdall (which as you can remember is the Hypatia’s aimed destination in Illuminae) from a group of BeiTech mercenaries. Obviously and eventhough AIDAN’s (my favorite AI character) presence is only minor, I can say that I enjoyed Gemina more mostly because of the following reasons:

1. The villains- OMG! Even if they’re cold blooded murderers, their interactions and what happened to each one of them as they tried to fulfill their tasks were really hilarious.

2. The Lanima- Ok, who wants to get high?

3. The banter- Seriously, with the gravity of the situation our beloved Heimdall residents are in, it’s astounding to know that it was so hard not to smile while navigating the whole story.

4. Our characters- I love Kady, Ezra (and their relationship) and Aidan but Nik, Hanna and Ella had their own brand of charm. Although a part of me was quite disappointed that Nik was one of those bad boys with a dark past and that his characterization was mostly defined by that, I was still happy with the overall characterization of our trio. Hanna, of course, was just… can I marry her or something?

5. Gemina- Ok, go figure, guys. I thought Gemina was some sort of a galaxy Goddess that our trio has to summon while high on dust. How very wrong I was.

6. Just a simple boy- I really really like this phrase. Makes me want to have a matching shirt with “Just a very simple girl” printed on it.

7. The whole setup of Jumpstation Heimdall- OMG! I want to live in a space station surrounding a wormhole. Hanna must be out of her mind for declaring it as a boring residence area.

8. AIDAN- I don’t think any Illuminae book would be complete without our psychotic AI resident.

9. Kristoff and Kaufman- You, guys, are the best. The Illuminae Files is one of the most innovative series I’ve read in my reading career. If somebody asks me to list down all the reasons why I’m thankful for being born in this lifetime, I’d definitely include your names and the Illuminae files, authors.

10. Basically everything. Authors, hurry up with the third book.

This series is slowly killing my dream of space travel. Gemina jumps us from following Kady on the Hypatia to meeting Hanna and Nik on the Heimdall waystation. Hanna is the commander's daughter, and Nik is part of a notorious crime family and her drug dealer. And it's probably their latest drug deal which saves their lives and allows them to save the others on the station. Of course, BieTech has to take out everyone who knows about their operation, which means taking out Heimdall since the Hypatia is on its way there. But things are not as they seem on the isolated station.

Gemina was a wild ride! It's once again formatted as a dossier full of IM logs, video transcripts, pages from Hanna's journal, and various other necessary documents. This is such a fun and engaging way to read the story. It's like being right there in the action, which was actually kind of scary at times. Illuminae had a rapidly mutating virus, and this time we get a rapidly growing alien species with one thing on it's mind: feed! I loved how this creature came to be on the space station, and I honestly didn't expect it to take the turn that it did. But then again, there's a lot of clever coincidences happening here.

I did get a bit of a brainsplotion near the end of Gemina. WTF is going on?! How is this happening?! I love what is happening?! Explain! Even though the entire thing is set in space, it takes a very super Science Fiction turn which had me furiously flipping pages! How in the universe did that happen!? Did they really fix it?! What was that ending?!

Gemina does end on a cliffhanger! I want to know what they did?! Is everyone okay?! Who is everyone!? Is BeiTech getting what's coming to them?!

Re-read Review:

In some series, the second book experiences the dreaded sophomore slump. This is not one of those cases. As much as I dearly loved Illuminae, I fell even more in love with Gemina upon my reread. As a result, I had to bump Illuminae down to a 4.5 and this held the coveted 5-star spot.

We are introduced to two new protagonists in Nick and Hanna. I enjoyed their rapport in this book immensely and they immediately became my favorite characters in the series, so far. Hanna could have been the typical spoiled rich girl without a brain cell in her head, but she was well fleshed out and developed. Since her father was the head of the ship where they lived, he had that strategic military background that is so important. He made sure that his daughter was just as educated and trained as he was. That made her a force to be reckoned with and I love that she was not a weak, damsel in distress.

Nick also could have been the prototypical bad boy who walks on the side of danger and seduces the pretty rich girl, but just like Hanna, he was given so much more depth. I love how real the authors me the characters feel. They had layers and they were dynamic, so you were completely engaged in the story. I can’t explain why I love Nick so much without spoiling aspects of the story because he really develops throughout the book. I will just say that you need to read the series and then we can talk about it.

The audiobook continues an absolutely spectacular fashion. It has definitely solidified itself as my favorite audiobook. Each character is narrated by a different person who breathes life into the characters and allows them to stand out in their unique ways. The sound effects just bring the audiobook up another level and completely immerse the reader.

The book with take you on an emotional ride. I was incredibly engaged the entire time that I was reading the book and didn't feel that there were any pacing issues. You just get so invested in the characters that you will find yourself actively reacting in the real world to events going on in the book. It was brilliantly written and I would highly recommend this series to people, even if they don't feel that they are normally sci-fi fans. It will not disappoint.

Original Review:
Gemina is the thrilling sequel to Illuminae and absolutely stands up to its predecessor. The entire concept is so unique and interesting to read as the plot is pushed forward through courtroom testimony, video transcripts, and chat logs. The reader is introduced to a new cast of characters aboard the Heimdall, although there is a cameo from at least one character from the first novel.

BeiTech needs to clean up their mess after the attack on Kerenza, then the failed destruction of all of the ships that came to her aid. The countdown interspersed throughout the book never let the reader relax, always wondering if they'll survive or will BeiTech be able to cover up their crimes? The new main characters Gemina are just as relatable, or hateable as their predecessors. Readers also get a deeper look into the world that the authors built, which is highly appreciated.

There's not too much else to say without spoiling the plot, or that of the previous book. Highly recommended to fans of young adult/teen novels, science fiction, and really unique book formats. And of course, read Illuminae first. You won't regret delving into this series!

Gemina takes place on space station Heimdall, which if you’ll remember from the first novel is where the Hypatia (the ship our heroes from Illuminae are on) is traveling. Hanna is the space station managers spoiled daughter. Bored, Hannah is scoring some drugs for a party with her friends when Bei Tech strikes the station. Hanna, her drug dealer friend Nick, and his paraplegic cousin Ella are the only ones not being held hostage. It is at this moment that daddy’s little girl turns into trained warrior with a ferociously sassy attitude, and She Kicks Ass!

There are so many nuances to this storyline that I really don’t want to give anything away. But I’ll give a couple hints because I just can’t help myself. I mentioned in my review of Illuminae that it felt kind of like 2001 A Space Odyssey, well Gemina is more like Aliens. You see, while Hanna and Nik are being hunted by Bei Tech, everyone else is being hunted by these nasty, gross, creepy creatures. I am not fond of horror, but this was thrilling and gross, really gross.

Hanna and Nik, while only acquaintances previously (although he wanted more), become emotionally entangled. There is nothing more sexy than a couple who fights evil fiends together! The format of the physical book is just as fascinating and enlightening as it was in Illuminae. The story is told through, texts, emails, video footage, etc. The pages are illustrated just as if you were reading government documents. Hanna, an artist, keeps a journal and draws her feelings in it and this method gives the book so much more of an impact!

I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by Illuminae (book 1 in this series) when I read it. It started off as a "Battlestar Gallactica" feel and then quickly turned into "Event Horizon" in space which was INSANE IN THE BEST WAY.

So I had ridiculously high hopes for Gemina and I was not disappointed!

The style of the book is just so damn clever. I love the use of different documents, online coorespondance, and summaries of video recordings as a narrative style. The added illustrations (of which I didn't get to see all of them as this is an ARC) add depth and intrigue and character development that further immerses you in the plot.

The set of main characters are complex, snarky, dark, and badass. The plot, which I will not give away even an ounce of spoiler, is INTENSE. S*** gets real REAL fast in Gemina. And the twist. Oh my God the twist. You may think you're ready but trust, you are not. It's brilliant.

If you like sci-fi/space epics/dark fantasy/incredibly well written books - you MUST READ THIS SERIES.

"Patience and Silence had one beautiful daughter. And her name was Vengeance."

Gemina is the second book in the Illuminae Files Trilogy and probably my favorite.
In this book, we're following the attack on Jump Station Heimdall.
It actually took me a little longer to get into this one and get attached to the characters as much as I was in Illuminae. But once the action started, it REALLY started and had me hooked.
There was more action in Gemina, I feel, more so than Illuminae. It also read more like a regular book due to the 'Surveillance' documentation sections. But that didn't make it any less incredible or exciting.
Our main characters are Niklas, Hanna, and Ella. Niklas and Ella are cousins and are in House of Knives, a 'family' of criminals. And Hanna is the Commander of the Space Station's daughter.
I didn't really like Hanna in the beginning of the book but once things went to hell in the Station, Hanna turned into the bad ass I was hoping she'd be.
I really enjoyed the fact that there was another secondary danger in this one just like there was in Illuminae.
Though both were completely different in the horrors of what they actually were and what they accomplished.
We also explore more how this universe sort of works (i.e. wormholes, traveling, the culture, etc.)
Something that I will always enjoy out of these books is their slang.
I'm having a difficult time with Gemina and describing things without having the need/want to spoil things, to be honest. Because most things in Illuminae were very similar in Gemina.
The action, the tragedy, the companionship/teamwork and the horrifying other aspects aside of BeiTech's grunts.
After the ending of this installment, I can honestly say I'm way beyond excited and ready for the next and last book in the trilogy!
Again, if you loved/enjoyed Illuminae, you'll adore Gemina!

Honestly, I think fans of hard, science-based sci-fi would get more of a kick out of GEMINA than I did. I spent most of the last third of the book going, "Well, there's something wrong with the wormhole, and if they can't re-boot it reality is going to splinter," because all of the theoretical physics and space-time continuum stuff was so far above my head.

The story follows two new characters, Hana and Nik, who are on opposite ends of the space station's hierarchy. When their station is taken over by enemy agents working for BeiTech, they're forced to work together to keep the rest of the station's inhabitants alive, drive out the agents, and prevent the fabric of reality from being ripped in two.

There are enough twists and turns to give you whiplash, and I wasn't as pleased about where (or how) GEMINA ended when compared with ILLUMINAE. It was great to get the cameos from Kady and Ezra, and the ticking clock timeline made for some spectacularly breakneck action scenes.

If you like your sci-fi a little more character-based, I might recommend the other series that Amie Kaufman helped to co-write. However, if you enjoy snappy dialogue (like, choke on your drink snappy), wonderful characterization, and the best freaking enemies to lovers romance that I've read all year, accompanied by wormholes and programming lingo, you'll probably enjoy this.