Illuminae (The Illuminae Files)

Honestly, sci-fi is not my thing. It's one of the last genres I read stuff from, but there is something about Aussie authors that makes anything and everything worthwhile. Pretty much everyone and their whole extended family had good things to say about this novel, but I probably wouldn't have bought it if it hadn't been for the outstanding format that this book is written in (+ that hardcover ok). Welllllllll when the book arrived, I was sure that this book was not meant for me, because guess what? IT WAS THE FREAKIN' LIBRARY EDITION WITH NO DUSTJACKET AND AMAZING THINGS UNDERNEATH THE DUSTJACKET; UGH.

I was not going to read it. I WAS NOT.

But then I read it.

AND LET ME TELL YOU: THIS BOOK IS MADE OF AWESOME. (and, not gonna lie, lots of heartbreak as well)

The book seems extra long with 599 pages, right? Well, most of it is written as interviews and mail exchanges and all sorts of cool word art and whatnot, so it reads faster than you'd think. (That's coming from someone who is one of the slowest readers among all the people she knows.) I thought that it'd be hard to connect with the characters, their stories and struggles, but it was quite the opposite. The narrative from the two main characters is extremely sarcastic and hilarious most of the time, but there were moments when I had tears falling down my lashes in very ungraceful ways, because THIS. SHIP. YOU. GUYS!!!!!!!!! If you're looking for feels, this book has it in spades! It'll probably rip your heart out too at one point or another and the swoon is definitely turned to the max volume.

The rest of the characters -- some I loved (Jimmy and the surveillance guy being at the top of the list in addition to the main characters), some I hated and some I didn't care for that much, but I reckon why they were necessary to have in this book. Also, the villain is surprisingly really complex. Like. At first I wasn't sure if it'd work, and I'm still mad at some of the things they have done, but they are freakin' complex and it's so interesting to read from their POV. It's a case of I DON'T WANT TO READ THIS BUT I CAN'T SHUT MY EYES WHY IS THIS SO GOOD?????????

While I did find the technical aspects a bit tiring and didn't turn as much attention to them as expected, it's all ok. I think? If you're not a big sci-fi reader like me, you could still very much love this book. The characters totally make up for anything that may be exhausting or too complicated to translate for your brain, and that's more than enough to enjoy this story with high stakes and a great narrative. While there was one time where I was ready to burn dnf this book, but believe me when I tell you that YOU WILL WANT TO FINISH THIS BOOK.

I am all kinds of asdghjkllllllllll about these new characters who, mind you, I ALREADY SHIP REALLY HARD OK. So, yeah! Even if sci-fi isn't your jam, I totally suggest you try this book out. And come back to say hi and ask for tissues, if you need some after you're done reading; I'll be here waiting, ready to offer a shoulder to cry on. Which you'll 8/10 be needing at some point when tackling this awesomeness.

I read some of the 1 star reviews and they made me laugh. If you don't like the format, do yourself and favor and listen to this on Audible. It's BRILLIANT. And the perfect way to take the story in. I can't imagine reading it would have been better, nor could a movie do it justice. Heart pounding, gut wrenching, and at times incredibly poignant. One person complained about the "wasted" pages that listed the dead. On audio they are partially read, and brought me right back to 911. Or one could imagine standing in front of the Vietnam Wall Memorial. AIDAN's monologues had me weeping as well. All of the narrators were incredible, perfect. Same wars, same deceptions as in real life, just in a different "format." And don't be surprised if one day.. we find this story actually isn't so far from real. The future past.

When I picked this book up, I was afraid of it. I was convinced that the format would make it impossible and complicated to read so I avoided reading it for a while. I had just assumed all of the documents and files in the book were pieces the reader would have to put together and make sense of. Thankfully, I was determined to give it a try because of the rave reviews and I am so glad that I did. If you're concerned about the book being confusing like I was, my first impressions were dead wrong. Reading this book felt more like watching a movie to me than actually sitting down and reading a novel. The imagery was great, the characters were enjoyable, and everything flowed together so well. Due to the style and formatting of the book, Illuminae was a quick read despite the fact that it's 600 pages long.

The following paragraph may be considered spoilery to any individual who prefers to go into books blind. If you are one of those people, please skip this paragraph. Pretty much all of the information in the following paragraph can be found on the dust jacket. Illuminae is set in the year 2575. The book follows the journey of Ezra and Kady after they are forced to evacuate their home planet. The two end up in space dealing with many problems including being chased down by an enemy ship, their own AI possibly turning against them, their own leaders lying and keeping secrets from their people, and a deadly virus that can turn people into zombies, for lack of a better word.

The writing was beautiful, to the point where some parts were almost what I would consider poetic. There was clearly a lot of thought and effort put into the presentation of the story and I would consider it a job well done. I can honestly say that I fell in love with this book. It's just one of those books you don't even want to put down when it's done: You just want to flip back to the first page when it ends and start all over again.

If you enjoy outer space settings or are wanting to read something unique and original, you should most certainly consider picking up Illuminae.

Holy mother of all that is ... Holy. That was AMAZING. I need to process before I write a review.

Processed:
Holy smokes. This was an AMAZING book. It was so well written and thought out that I couldn't help myself. It was one of those books that I ignored the kids. Fend for yourself you 2 year old!

I'm not going to hash out the story - if you're reading this, you are interested in the book. READ IT!

What I am going to do is talk about how poetic the writing was. First of all, I need to disclaim that I listened to the story. AMAZING. All the characters were fantastic and really brought the story to life. The absolute best audio book I have ever listened to!

Secondly, it was mostly all told in file format. So, no live action per se. However, it was so real that you felt as though you were right there with the story teller. Gosh. The things that Ezra said to Kady were... sooooo romantic. Loved him. And I totally got smart ass Kady. She was great. Smart and sarcastic and... in love.

What would you do to save someone you loved? When you've lost everything? If given the chance, would you trade the lives of thousands of people for your own life?

And AIDAN. What can I say? I know that many sci-fi stories revolve around an AI that goes berserk. This is and isn't much different. Does the AI develop a sense of self? Is that an error in code? So many issues.

But the story... it is just written so well, for lack of eloquence. For example:

"When the light that kisses the back of her eyes were birthed, her ancestors were not yet born."
"I LISTEN TO HIS HEARTBEAT. HEAR HIM BREATHE. AS THOUGH BECOMES MOTION AND MOTION BECOMES ALL THAT LIES BETWEEN HIM AND HIS END.AS THE BLACK IS BURNING BLUE WITH THE LIGHT OF TINY FUNERAL PYRES."
"You deserve every star in the galaxy laid out at your feet and a thousand diamonds in your hair. You deserve someone who'll run with you as far and as fast as you want to. Holding your hand, not holding you back. You deserve more than I could ever give you, Kady. But I'll give you everything I can if you still want me to."

Right?! Perfection is in it's simplicity and poetry in it's eloquence. This is one of the best books I have ever read. Just simply fantastic.

Illuminae takes place in the future where humans have spread all over the universe and traveling in spaceships through space is nothing new.

After a small planet at the edge of the universe, Kerenza, is attacked its inhabitants have to run for their lives and hope to be picked up by nearby rescuing ships.
But the lucky few who make it aboard the ships are far from being safe just yet.
One of the ships that attacked Kerenza is on their heels, it’s goal to destroy all witnesses.
The Artificial Intelligence that is a part of the biggest rescuing ship took hits while rescuing the refugees and no one knows how stable or unstable it is.
And the attackers might have used bio weapons that are causing sickness amongst the rescued inhabitants of Kerenza.

The main characters are the former couple Kady and Ezra that have just witnessed their planet destroyed. They are now forced to put aside their own drama and do everything they can to make sure that as many on board the rescuing ships as possible survive after uncovering horrible truths that the captain doesn’t want to reveal.

The story is told through emails, military files, interviews and I could go on and on. But the point is that this is not like reading most books. I was afraid that this might make it hard to get into the story and understand what is happening but my fears were unnecessary.
Because of how Illuminae is written reading it is really an experience and I just loved everything about it, from the characters to the plot.

Both the format and the sheer scope of the story world took some getting used to, I'll admit. I didn't instantly love this, the way so many other people seem to. But once the shipboard secrets began surfacing and the mysterious plague began to afflict the survivors, I got hooked so fast it wasn't even funny.

For whatever reason, Kady and Ezra both became much more interesting to me once their paths diverged. In trying to forget each other and forge new paths, they grew into braver and funnier and far more dynamic individuals. I had so much fun reading about Kady's hacking exploits, and some of the conversations between Ezra and his fellow pilots made me laugh out loud. The last 300-400 pages flew by, as the action intensified and the stakes rose higher and higher. This is a book with an extremely high body count, no question about that, but it's also the kind of book that makes you care about every last character left on board the ship. Even, or especially, when it begins to seem like nobody will survive the (literal) madness taking hold on board.

If you're also the sort of reader who struggles to find their feet in epistolary novels, try giving ILLUMINAE a little more time to entice you. I promise you won't regret it.

How does one properly review this KICK ASS book? HOW?

Let me make this brief: The illegal Kerenza colony is attached by BeiTech and two teens, Kady and Ezra, find themselves in serious danger while fighting to stay alive. They are aboard a spaceship that is supposed to take them to safety, but they end up trying to outrun the Lincoln, a BeiTech spaceship that is clearly set on destroying them. As if that wasn’t enough, the main ship’s AI system becomes damaged and becomes… deranged. Crazy, if you will. But just to add a cherry to the top of this sundae, while trying to outrun an enemy space ship and outwit the current ship’s crazy AI system, there is a deadly plague aboard the ship that threatens to whip out all human life. No pressure, right?

THIS. BOOK. This book blew my freaking mind. GONE. *POOF* It is a 600 page book that I tore through in no time. It is so action packed and suspenseful that you cannot put it down. It is told in such a unique way that the reader (YOU) have to keep going. It is told through emails, chat logs, memos, transcripted video surveillance, official debreifs, and more. It is so completely originally told that it actually makes the story better. (PSSST: there are even sections told from the AI’s POV!)

I cannot even start to talk about development of characters because Ezra and Kady simply do what needs to be done. They are two kickass, badass characters that bite the bullet and throw themselves totally in harm’s way to try to save everyone. It does not take long to get to know the characters when the book starts and soon you feel as if you are on the ship with them. You truly feel as if you are taking the journey with these two and it is mind blowing. So many twists and turns that will keep you guessing!

The way the pages are presented are what helps set this book apart from the rest of sci-fi books. As I mentioned, most of the story is told from files, emails, IMs, etc. But some of the pages are maps of pilot’s flight journeys, or pictures written in ASCII (google that if you don’t know what it is… it’s so cool!), or text looped over the pages to represent when the AI was talking. My words are not doing this justice but I hope you can sense the passion I trying to express. It is amazing beyond what I am able to properly convey.

I do not believe there are enough descriptive and good words in the English language to properly describe how much I loved this book (or maybe I lack the right words). This book is so full of everything unique, awesome, and edgy that when you finish, you sit the book down and let out a single whisper: “wow”. The authors took a risk with this book and it paid off a million times over because it was done perfectly. All of the stars in the sky are given to this book because it is amazing and everything else positive that I am not able to say.

This is truly one of the most original and creative books that I have ever read. After reading the synopsis for this book, I was greatly excited. I can honestly say that I did not know what to expect going into this book. I didn't really have any expectations, other than I knew that the book would be good because of the familiarity with the authors. They write extraordinary books, and so I knew this one would fit the bill. What I didn't expect was for this book to leave such an imprint on me.

The first thing that you will notice about this book is the format. This book is told in an unorthodox, yet fascinating way. Coming directly from the synopsis of the book, this story is "told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more." You may be wondering how you can possibly comprehend a story that it told in such a manner, but Kaufman and Kristoff pull it off effortlessly. They tell a story that is so effective, that I wouldn't be surprised if books in this format start popping up like mad. Not only do you comprehend the story, but you fall right into it. This story will devour you whole. It is truly a visionary piece of art.

After the initial shock of not reading a traditionally structured novel, you will start to connect with the characters. These characters are going through so much trauma that you can really feel what they are feeling. While reading you come to love them and root for them.

The mystery and suspense in this book are freaking amazing! Just when you think you have things figured out, BOOM! Things get shaken up and you are left with your mouth hanging open while you race through the pages to find out what happens next. I just love the way that things played out. I was certainly not expecting all the twists and turns.

Kaufman and Kristoff tell a story so magical that you will be swept up and carried away. I guarantee that once you start reading this you will not be able to put it down. Even if you are skeptic about reading this because it is outside of your comfort zone, READ IT ANYWAY! Seriously, I cannot stress enough the AWESOME that is this book. I am highly (and agonizingly) anticipating the second part of this story in Gemina!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

The Good:

Before I start raving about this book, let me tell you how hesitant I was to read it. I really wasn’t sure I was going to like it because of the format and the fact that it was a space adventure (two things I’m very picky about.) Let me tell you I was pleasantly surprised!

Anyway, the book! What a story! This book follows a whole bunch of documents about two megacorporations fighting and the people who are caught in the crossfire. This book has a really great plot. It is fast paced, intriguing, and keeps you guessing to the end which is fantastic.

One of the things I absolutely loved was the moral quandaries there are within the book. People having to make decisions that weren’t perfect or good by any means but with the idea of ‘the greater good’ pushing them towards these decisions.

I really enjoyed the pace, I liked that I could put it down but I didn’t want to. I liked all the different elements to it and I really like Kady and Ezra, the two main characters that we follow. I’m really intrigued for what the sequel, Gemina, is going to be like. Katy and Ezra are perfectly sarcastic and I loved every second of it.

The Bad:

I actually don’t have any issues with this book. In some parts I was a little confused, but that is just me and so I would suggest you read this when you are alone so there are no distractions. The only other thing is some people will hate the layout but I enjoyed how different it was.

The Interesting:

The book doesn’t read like a novel. It is a bunch of documents that you have to follow along with from a range of sources. This is what’s called the Illuminae File and you get used to the layout after a while. I absolutely loved it because it was so different to anything I’ve read before.

The more I think about this book and all the things that happened in it, the more I love it. It was so incredibly unique.

Recommended for:

Everyone! But specifically Young Adult lovers who particularly love fantasy and space adventures. But if you love romance this would work too. Or adventure. Or mystery. Ok, everyone, read this book!

Quotes:

“I am frequently underestimated. I think it’s because I’m short.”

“Ezra: And then I said it.
Interviewer: What did he say?
Kady Grant: He said, ‘You picked a hell of a day to dump me, Kades.”

When their home planet is attacked, the people of Kerenza must escape on two United Terran Authority ships. Kady and Ezra, very recently separated (like, that morning), are two teenagers among those forced to flee.

Set in the future, Illuminae is a sci fi young adult book that takes place in space. This story is uniquely told through chat histories, computer logs, online articles, ship diagrams, and letters between high-ranking officials.

Between escaping the original attack, surviving an AI gone awol, evading an enemy ship on their tail, and trying not to contract the deadly contagion that turns people angry and homicidal, it’s really a challenge to stay alive. Kady finds her calling hacking into the ship’s computer systems to find out what the officials are hiding from the civilians. Ezra gets conscripted into the UTA to fly in battles. And among all of the madness, Kady and Ezra are trying to work out their relationship problems.

The battle to stay alive is never-ending. With heart-pounding action scenes, it’s a mystery to whether or not Ezra and Kady will survive each obstacle — and if they do, will they get back together?

There will also be two follow-up books in the series, titles and release dates to be announced at a later date.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The book starts off in the year of 2575 and two rival megacorporations are at war over their home planet and no-one living there was informed about it. Usually, your planet getting invaded is pretty s***ty on a normal day but they picked the worst day for Kady and Ezra as they just broke up a few hours ago and now they're forced to fight to get onto an evacuating fleet and off the planet.

Kady and Ezra have a lot of space between them (pun intended) but they still find that they need each other most of all when a deadly plague breaks out and starts mutating with terrifying results. The fleet's AI (think Hal 9000 but cranked up 9000 levels) is doing some crazy stuff and turning against them while nobody in charge is uttering a word about it. Luckily for Kady, she's pretty damn good with the whole hacking and computer stuff but she needs Ezra, her ex-boyfriend, to get to the things she can't. There's nothing like the destruction of a planet, a mad AI and a deadly plague to bring two people back together.

I loved this book but if I'm being honest the first sort of eighty pages didn't really hook me but then I took a break, picked it back up again a week later and I finished it in about two-three hours! I would definitely suggest this really to anyone but children since there is some gore but mature young teenagers, go for it!

Full review: [...]

ASDFGHJKL ....... WOW ..... FREX-ING AMAZING. This book proved to be a supernova of awesomeness and I am just about to state to you all ..... Just why you need this book. Because you really really need this book. - in Pros and Cons .....

Pros:-

Amie Kaufaman and Jay Kristoff. Those name alone warrant a buy. Kaufman's Starbound series (with Megan Spooner) and Kristoff's Lotus War books are just simply brillaint.
Its a sci-fi romance.
The narrative is wholly in Epistolary format - Letters, IMs, emails and official reports and found transcripts.
The year is 2575
Its a war between the mega-corporations over a planet.
Stunning and graphic world building. Like its happening right infront of us and we are a part of it.
Its a high speed chase across the silent universe and the love story of Kady and Ezra desperately fighting for survival across two different space vessels.
The style of presentation also scores pints in the pursuit of buying the tome.

Kady is a genius hacker. She is antisocial. Doesn't work well with groups. Fierce, spunky and a spitfire are some of the points to describe her.
Ezra was a sweetheart. Cocky, self-confident, athletic and very very goofy he may be but he also carries a big secret that brings him down. But points to him, he is resilient.
Even if he and Kady aren't talking at the beginning and they are on two different evacuation ships, he would keep trying to reconnect with her.
Nothing like world destruction to get your priorities straight and keep your near and dear ones closer.
Both Kady and Ezra show such tremendous character growth as the page keep turning.
Life and death.
Death defying acts.
Sentient AI gone crazy. "Am I Not Merciful"
A killer contaminant turning people into mindless zombies. Ax-ing them off one by one.
Blood
Gore
The ticking countdown of the approaching enemy vessel, Lincoln.
The military as always trying yo keep a lid on things. In the misguided attempt to keep the peace.
Heartbreaking and heart-stopping twists and turns that keep us on the edge of our seats. As we sift through the pages at the speed of light.
The raw data more than enough highlighting their dire circumstances.

And that perfect ..... perfect finale that sets things in motion for the sequel.

Cons:-

Its quite big in size.

Really not much of a con if you think about how the narrative is styled.

Come to think I didn't really find a single things bad about this book.

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff is a great book I picked up from the library. This sci-fi book took me on a heck of a trip of emotions. Kady and Ezra break up, then within hours the planet is attacked and they barely get out alive. They are separated and not sure who is living and who is dead. A deadly plague is on the loose. Rival corporations are fighting for the planet. An AI has gone nuts, the plague gets loose, it's killing people on both sides. The AI is killing people...
AWWWWW......I was going nuts reading this!!!! Kady is a computer wiz and is trying to find out where Ezra is without getting caught, she wants to get to him. The way the story is told is intriguing. It starts out with a blast and goes fast and furious...middle as a couple of slow but dangerous spots, the end...have tissues...twists and turns and more twists and turns, awww...pow! Wonderful book!!!

I feel like I normally do okay with getting my thoughts and words out to write reviews but this one is so hard because all I can think is “oh my god oh my god omgomgomg so good so so so good you should read it and go, omg, too”. Which isn’t very insightful despite how accurate.

I think the most obvious and important thing to point out first is the way it’s written. Just like the description said, it’s a dossier of hacked files mainly surrounding the two lead characters Kady and Ezra. This is probably the most unique book format I’ve ever read. I was definitely intimidated by this when I first looked into this book. However, the narrative and plot are not disjointed or negatively impacted at all and it actually makes the book extremely fast paced and immersive. The world building and character development show through in a writing style where they could have easily been lost. Though, because this is a series, I did very much pick up that this is just the tip of the iceberg for both character development and world building. I left wanting more of both Kady and Ezra but also wanting much much much more world building, not because the story felt lacking but because I enjoyed it so much I want to know more.

Kady is our heroine and she has more character development than Ezra, who I can’t really say had much other than learning to adapt to their new situation after the invasion. But I love how even through the unique story layout, you get a sense of how smart, snarky, and loving both of these characters are. Shipping them was easy but with the stakes being so high, it was also very nail biting and nerve wracking. Also Kady is a really independent, tough, hacker chick and I was all for it.

The spaceship’s AI plays a huge role and definitely gave me feels of 2001 A Space Odysessy and iRobot. The whole story is so crazy: your planet is invaded, you evacuate, the AI might be against you, the bad guys are still out for you, families are separated, there are conspiracies afoot, and an insane plague outbreak?! The plague really just elevated this story to the next level, and if done any other way could have made the story too over the top and convoluted but was so well written that it was believable and made the story better.

I’m a big romance fan so I loved the added element of the Kady/Ezra ship but I felt it did take a backseat to all the action. Also because the story is not in either of the character’s actual POV due to the nature of the story telling and layout, the romance is more removed. It was also more about Kady and Ezra really only having each other left and how the tragedy of the events affected their feelings for each other. Basically it’s still really good, but not overwhelming for those not looking for a full on romance.

This was the best book I’ve read all year (probably tied with A Court of Mist and Fury – but for very different reasons). I feel like my review is not doing it at all the justice of “OMG SO GOOD” that I feel. It’s such a cool story, very sensory, and literally had me flying through it so fast – insanity after insanity kept happening and there was never really a break in the action. I am beyond excited to read the next two books and I hope they live up to how fantastic this first book has been.

Also the book censors the swear words which I actually LOVE because 1) it was fun guessing what the words are and 2) it felt way more realistic because, while I get YA is censored, when things go south in stories I ALWAYS think to myself that the characters would be swearing their faces off in real life. Like you could never convince me in war, space invasions, battle games to the death etc etc they wouldn’t be throwing around swear words left and right. So although the words are marked out, you know they were actually there and the characters said them.

Anyways, read this book, it’s really really great. It is technically a YA novel but I feel like anyone can enjoy it, even those who don’t typically read YA.

Recommend to fans of science fiction, AI, and stories set in space, with some romance. Also recommend to everyone.

How do you review a book like Illuminae? It's one of the most unique books I've read in awhile! I am amazed at how Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff wrote this! It's so complex, yet still readable! I think that's what kept me away from it in the beginning, that it was so non-traditional in its storytelling. I wasn't sure I would be able to see what the story was actually about! But in fact, it wasn't all that hard. Sure, there were some parts I was confused, basically when we strayed away from Kady or Ezra's parts and I wasn't able to grasp what was going on there, but overall, I felt like I followed along fairly well, all things considered!

Illuminae, as you probably all know by now, isn't told like your regular story, this one is told in basically everything but the traditional sense! We have IM chats, emails, notices, journal entries...basically everything you could think of! And the story really comes across rather clear for the most part. It was when "new" characters would be popping up that I didn't quite grasp what was going on. But I did have a minimal understanding of those parts, so it wasn't a total loss!

Basically we follow two teenagers, Kady and Ezra who live on another planet that was doing some illegal things. Kady and Ezra had just broken up when a large company known as BeiTech attacked their planet causing what remaining citizens to evacuate, if they survived and managed to get on one of the fleeing ships. Kady and Ezra who had wound up running together managed to get on these ships, but they were separated when Ezra was injured and he had to go to the "hospital" like ship where all the other injured were going.

After that it becomes a race against the clock to stay ahead of the other BeiTech ships chasing after them, but then things start to get a little chaotic when one of the ship's AI, called AIDAN starts to act of its own accord. So we basically have the machines are alive and cognizant thing going on here. But thankfully(?) it's just one machine they're dealing with.

The danger felt very real when reading these different formats of text. Again, how would you describe this kind of book? There's still a good deal of tension and anticipation as Ezra and Kady manage to communicate with one another when Kady hacks into other people's accounts and IM's Ezra a lot! She's one fierce and super smart teen! We get to see them reconnect with one another this way and it was quite interesting, because again, these two are separated, so all their swoony moments are happening in IM chats or emails. It was surreal in a way, but also amazing at how you start to care for these characters when we're basically just reading one large file on everything that happened!

I tend to forget when I was reading that this seriously starts out with a letter saying the contents are a recount of what happened. And in the end, we get quite a few shocking twists and reveals!! I felt like one was coming in some sense, but I had no inkling of how it would turn out! But I was still blown away by yet another shocking surprise!! And just wow! Seriously WHOA!

It's going to be interesting to see where this series will go after everything that happened in Illuminae! I'm glad I have Gemina to read soon! Yeah, I gotta squeeze one more other book in before diving back into this chaos!! And I really do mean chaos as a good thing! Illuminae is chaos! And I can only expect chaos from the next books as well! But the thing is, it's a controlled chaos! We're all over the place with how this story is told and it gets pretty chaotic! Did I mention we also get AIDAN's point of view? THAT was seriously trippy! And while we knee deep in chaos, never once was I (overly) confused! It's astounding the way that works! Like I said, I had some "mild" confusion when we started getting emails/notices/conversation transcripts or whatever from completely new people. Introducing characters is probably the hardest thing in this book and even trying to talk about them is hard, because we're literally getting another person's account of said character! Almost two really, as you usually have Kady or Ezra in the conversation transcript or whatever, and then you gotta wonder who compiled that data and is it a trusted source?

Illuminae will seriously throw you through a loop, but trust me it's one thrilling and exciting ride!! If you're looking for that read that is totally out there and beyond comparison then seriously consider reading this one if you haven't already!

Overall Rating 4.95/5 stars--yeah...I'm going there! Sorry! It's pretty much a nearly absolutely perfect read for me, but again, I had some mile confusion with a few of the "data pieces" in the beginning that brought about new characters in a way that wasn't as smooth as I could've hoped for. I managed to follow along with the overall story arc rather well, but that mild disorientation in the beginning can't really be overlooked. But that being said, this was a slightly new reading experience for me (as I have read one that did something similar) and there was new book, new world confusion you sometimes get, but thankfully this didn't last as long as most and that's why I am only deducting the mildest infraction on the book's part! So yay!

**Stunning**. Set in the year 2575 and written exclusively with text messages and memos, this sci-fi space adventure is an incredible achievement. An unusual distinct style of writing, this extraordinary spellbinding tale begins to unfold swiftly and the reader is soon captivated. The colony of Kerenza is unexpectedly attacked and the people are scrambling to get to the shuttles to escape the missiles pounding down at a horrifying speed. Unfortunately the Artificial Intelligence Defense Analytics Network (Aidan) has been heavily damaged and unable to assist with defense or aiding the injured to escape. As hackers try to get some response from Aidan they soon discover it is running amok and has become a dangerous force with it’s intentions unknown; helping or out to destroy. Illuminae is a thrilling, mind-blowing story and one of the best sci-fi’s written. Highly recommended!!

Holy cow! How have I not read this book. This book is amazing and not usually the type of book I like to read. Don’t get me wrong I’m a Star Wars fan but this is nothing like Star Wars. This is just one of those books you have to pick up and read or listen to.

I highly recommend listening to the Audiobook. Its like listening to a movie with a full cast of charters. This book will make you laugh, cry, and hold your breath. You will fall in love with Kady, and Ezra and root for the underdogs.

This story is built on a series of emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, and interviews. Though these reports, messages, and interviews you can journey through space and time and follow the story of Kady, Ezra, and the conspiracy between fleets.

Futuristic, Sci-fi, Young Adult

Kady thought breaking up with Ezra this morning was the hardest thing she’d have to do. Instead this afternoon her planet was invaded.

In the year of 2575, two megacorporations that are rivals are warring over a planet that’s little more than a speck on the edge of the universe. Kady and Ezra are barely talking to each other and they are dealing with enemy fire raining down on them and are being forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.

Their problems are just starting, though. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results. If that wasn’t bad enough nobody in charge is telling anyone what is really going on and the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy. Kady soon realizes that the only person that can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she would never speak to again as she hacks into a web of data looking for the truth.

This is a book that readers will race to finish to find out just what is going on and how things will turn out for Kady and Ezra. Knowing this is the beginning of a trilogy will thrill readers but also have them upset to find out they need to wait for the next book to come out. Told in a very unique and original way the story pulls the reader in and doesn’t let go even after they finish the book. It will be very interesting to see how the next two books read. The characters are very interesting and they move the story along at a lightning fast pace. Anyone that enjoys space and sci-fi will love this book and even those that don’t will fall in love with this book.

I didn’t want to read Illuminae. I wasn’t even interested in it enough to read the synopsis. In fact, I never read the synopsis. Our story began on twitter, when I saw about three-four people talking about the audiobook. They said it was amazing. They were gushing not just over the story, they were gushing over the audiobook. There were people who were planning on listening to it after they’d already read the book. From that very moment, I was sold if only for two reasons.

I’d already been contemplating reading Illuminae even though I wasn’t really interested because a lot of people loved it. As someone who claims to be a YA science fiction and fantasy blogger, I should probably have a general idea of what’s hot and give it a chance.

An audiobook has to be pretty darn good for people to be gushing over it the way they were and I was looking for a new one to get with one of my audible credits.

A Note about the Audiobook

So here we are today, I’m writing this review and you are reading it. Some bloggers said that the audiobook could be confusing if you hadn’t already read the book and, while I can see why that might be for some people, I didn’t really have any problems. There were a few times I had to take a moment to piece some stuff together simply because I was unprepared for the story’s format.

Illuminae is told through a series of recording, IMs, interviews, an AI (artificial intelligence), medical reports, hacked documents… you get the idea. I recognize that this may be an immediate turn off for some people and I would understand that. Picking up a novel and physically reading a story told in such a manor isn’t for everyone, personally, I don’t know if I would have. That’s when the audiobook comes in. There are two points to consider before embarking on this audiobook though.

If you are new to audiobooks and not adept at ingesting recorded media like this, you may want to try with a story that’s a bit more familiar. By that, I mean something that’s written in a more traditional fiction format. There is a constant shift between the use of IMs and narrative from medical reports, etc. that things can get mixed up pretty fast.

On the flip side, if you have no problems ingesting this type of media or don’t freaking care, I applaud you and encourage you to make Illuminae your next audiobook.

I’ve listened to a fair amount of audiobooks by now, not a lot, but enough to have heard average narration and jaw-dropping narration. If you don’t know anything about Illuminae or have no interest in it whatsoever, listen to this audiobook. We have been truly spoiled and I am very much looking forward to the sequel. Even if you’re not big on audiobooks, this one is a totally different from any I’ve ever heard. I imagine reading the book and listening to it are two completely different experiences, and that alone makes investing in this worth it. The narration was done by three people but sounded more like a full cast with some very cool sound effects.

Setting and Style

Illuminae takes place in space aboard two ships and is basically your worst nightmare. A disease is set loose on one of the ships. The AI turns rogue and tries to kill everyone in order to protect them. Did I mention this disease makes everyone go crazy and basically kill or torture each other and/or themselves? Creepy. I know. Did I also mention that the AI is insane? Yes. You are in for a treat.

I know this is unappealing for a lot of people, but the audiobook actually bleeps out half the curse words (i.e. you get the beginning but not the end). From what I understand, this is because of the systems the characters are using. Now, there is a lot of swearing in this books (which usually isn’t my thing so content warning), but the way the system would cut out on the characters mid-swear actually kind of made the story more real for me for some reason.

Characters

Kady and Ezra are our two main characters and I immediately enjoyed their banter and verbal fights. It got pretty funny at times and just made them as a couple more endearing. I know you don’t hear that everyday but it’s the truth. They’re both sarcastic and snarky but so real. Maybe that’s what I like most about them. They feel like real people.

Now lets talk about the AI, AIDAN. The AI was freaking insane and became more human than was comfortable for the characters (and me, hello, freaky). When AIDAN first started actively narrating, I just thought that was a cool way to tell the story, then it turned into something more. I don’t know about other people, but I kept waiting for the AI to somehow spring into existence as a real human being. Honestly, I would have believed it too and was kind of hoping it would happen.

The Part Where I Explain Why I was Blown Out of the Water

By the end of the book, I absolutely cared for Kady and Ezra as well as AIDAN, even though AIDAN was responsible for a lot of the pain they went through. The ending itself shocked me. For a while there, I was numb and horrified by something that had happened. In the closing chapter though, I was mentally cheering Kady on (because I was at work and it’s socially unacceptable to make comments so enthusiastic out of the blue). It completely took me by pleasant surprise. I approve.

Basically, I approve of this entire thing and no audiobook comes recommended any higher than Illuminae.

I have to write this while everything is still fresh. I'm going to tell you right here, right now that this book is absolutely freaking amazing! It blew my mind. So much so that I'm having a hard time forming coherent sentences. I've sat here already for at least five minutes trying to think of something besides, "OMG" and saying "It's so amazing!" again. This is a review. I have to be somewhat intelligent, right?

I had received a digital ARC of Illuminae from Netgalley a few weeks before the publish date. I tried to read it on my e-reader, but the format didn't translate well and I had a really hard time reading it. This was because of the app that I had to use to read the ARC, which was DRM protected. The app did not do well with the format of the book. PLEASE don't let this stop you from buying this digitally if that's how you want to read it. I didn't get a Kindle copy, or similar format. I think this format would be great on Kindle or Nook, etc.

I probably read about 40 to 50 pages into the ARC before I just decided to buy the book when it came out and write a review then. I really liked what I did read, so I was so very excited to get the book. I'm so glad I bought it too. The cover art is beautiful. The dust jacket is this weirdly semi-transparent plastic that allows you to see peeks of what is underneath it. Then, on the actual book itself, is a bunch of writing. All over the place. Excerpts, sort of, from the book. But nothing spoiler-y.

You open it up and are greeted with a beautiful black and white image of space. Take time to admire these gorgeous details. Seriously. Then jump right into the story. If you like sci-fi and like YA, you will love this. Going into this, I honestly didn't really know what it was about. It's kind of a survival story, with romance and a sickness that causes people to become something that I find so much more terrifying than the idea of zombies.

There were at least three different incidents when I said to myself (or maybe out loud, I can't remember), "No way!" My lovely brain always seem to try to think of every possible outcome to a story. So many times I am not surprised by endings or plot twists. I hate that sometimes because I love surprises! However, I never hold it against a book if I predict something that happens in the story. Unless it is horribly obvious. This book though. Oh man! It got me good.

I don't want to go into too much detail on what the book is about. I don't know about you, but I like to go into books blind, or mostly blind. Illuminae's two main characters are Ezra and Kady. They used to date, but broke up the day the BeiTech attacks. Beitech is a rival corporation to the corporation that is mining on the planet they live on. They escape with the aid of 3 ships in the area. One ship from BeiTech is left to pursue them. Two of the three ships that are fleeing are not equipped for battle and the one that is has extensive damage from the fight. The artificial intelligence on board the damaged ship, AIDAN, was also damaged during the fight, which creates other problems. The rest of the story is trying to survive by fleeing the warship and also trying to survive the illness.

Illuminae can be brutal and intense, which were not things I was expecting. Yet, it also gave me chills in some parts. It's a great story all around and I highly, highly recommend it! Not surprisingly, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars!

Ahoy there me mateys!

I couldn’t sleep so I starting reading this in my bunk at 8 Bells (4:00 a.m. for you landlubbers) until I felt tired enough to go back and catch a little bit more shut eye until I had to be on deck.

So this novel was recommended by several of my fellow bloggers as one of the best books of 2015. I am sadly going to have to disagree. Now don’t get me wrong, the book certainly had its fun moments. I certainly enjoyed the character of Kady Grant. As usual a smart intelligent feisty girl – who happens to be a kickass hacker. Ezra, her love interest, not so much. I couldn’t help it. He was just too immature sounding for me and really seemingly had little to do with the plot overall. While their relationship is sweet in parts, I have to admit that overall they just seemed not to work for each other. As a side note the AI in the book is crazy and fun.

The interesting part of the book is that it is full of illustrations and “hacked” documents like interviews, computer logs and other quirky things in odd formatting to make things more interesting. Too bad that I read it on my kindle because I was in my bunk in the dark. I had a hard time seeing the details in my digital copy because I couldn’t enlarge the illustrations. I suggest if you read a copy, get one in paper format. My favorite illustration showed what happened to Kady in the airlock. For the formatting, layouts, and illustrations this book is worth a read.

However, be forewarned that the plot in parts is slow. This book is also the first in a series. While I enjoyed the ending of the novel overall, I have to admit that I have no urge to read additional books in the series. While it is not a best book of 2015 for me, it was an enjoyable way to spend the wee hours of the morning. But give it a shot . . . it might just work perfectly for you.

If you liked this review see others at [...]

Title: Illuminae
Series Number: The Illuminae Files #1
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

One sentence summary: A corporation attacks an illegal mining operation forcing a teenage ex-couple to flee onto different ships and run.

Theme(s): There are both good and bad parts to having an AI. Corporation v government. Science can be used for both good and evil.

What I liked:
I love the style. This is written in a current day epistolary format. Meaning that some of the conversations are text conversations, thoughts from the ships AI, and government documents. This brought me into the story in a different way and to a different level than any other book I've read. (It also made the book a fast read, which I appreciated.)

The interweaving of three different, fairly normal, science fiction fiction plots to make something brand new and wonderfully interesting.

What I disliked:
Nothing. This is wonderful, can't wait to read the next one.

Rating: 10/10 – Amazing read. Lives on my bookshelf. Happily recommended to all friends. Willing to read again, and again, and again.

I started seeing Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff pop up online a long time ago and I was immediately intrigued. When I finally got around to buying it, I was a bit daunted by how thick it was. It’d been a while since I read something so substantial, but I can tell you, ever single page of this was worth it.

First, let’s talk the structure of the book. I don’t want to go into too many details because how this book was compiled is half of the beauty of it, but it’s also too cool not to mention. This story is told through hacked documents, including emails, military files, IMs, medical reports and interviews all collected into this file by the Illuminae Group. I’ve seen this format done really well before (The Dead House comes to mind) and I’m a big fan of this kind of compilation storytelling, but Illuminae brings this to a whole new level. It’s not just text, these documents look like documents. It’s not just documents, either. The way information from the AI, AIDAN, is represented, the way certain incidences are represented, this isn’t just a book, it’s an experience and it was really, really cool. You have to see it for yourself.

The story is also well done. It’s a story of survival and the lengths in which people will go to save themselves and the ones they love. There’s technology on the fritz, a virus turning people into crazy killers, an enemy ship in strong pursuit and a lot of other secrets going on behind the scenes that Kady eventually end ups unraveling as she fights for her life and the life of those on her ship.

I really liked Kady as a character. She was the typical sarcastic heroine that I’m usually drawn to, but she was also so selfless in what she was doing. Everything she did was for the survival of the people she loved, and that put her in some otherwise difficult situations. There was a love in her life, but their love existed over a distance and didn’t really interfere with the story or her choices. In fact, this love actually kind of drove Kady to the heroism that she fell into, which I can always appreciate.

I don’t want to give anything away but I thought the ending was pretty great. I liked how Kady handled herself and the ally she takes on even after everything that has happened to her, it was an unexpected relationship that you kind of come to respect in a way. She pushes through, she sacrifices anything she has left of herself to try and save her people. It was pretty cool to read, Kady is definitely someone you want on your side when you’re facing your end and I’m glad I met her.

There’s a lot of violence and death in this, some of which is described pretty vividly. But it all comes together in this really strong way, like I said, it’s more of an experience than anything else and I really, really enjoyed every little part of it. It is refreshing and entertaining and all around a great, fun read that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for something a little different.

Originally posted on citygirlscapes.com

I love this novel! First of all I love the format, There really is no one single narrator; Illuminae is told through a series of recovered documents, emails, instant messages, and more. The closest thing I’ve read to this is World War Z by Max Brooks, but Illuminae is even more unique than that outstanding novel.
Illuminae sucks you in with the invasion of a planet and the frantic flight of two teenagers trying to escape. The next thing you know there’s a possibly homicidal AI on a spaceship and the people on board are stuggling to survive not only the aforementioned invaders, but the crazy AI onboard. I started reading Illuminae at bedtime and finished at 4am. I just could not put it down. I grabbed the sequel, Gemina, as soon as it came out and loved it just as much (review coming soon). Run, don’t walk, to go get this book and read it ASAP. You won’t regret it!

Visit my blog for more in depth reviews and recommendations.

Knopf went all-out to promote “Illuminae” (Knopf, $18.99, 608 pages), a young adult romance with glitzy graphics, a scifi setting and plenty of derring-do. The whole thing, however, depends on reader involvement with rebellious girl genius Kady Grant (apparently so beautiful even machines fall in love with her) and clever jock Ezra Mason.

The two get thrown into an interstellar business war, battle what are essentially zombies on a spaceship, and deal with a loopy AI that is happy to kill to preserve. If you’re getting the idea that this didn’t work for me, you’re right, as all the fancy graphics couldn’t disguise the essential vapidity of the plot and the unexplained ability of Kady Grant to have everyone fall in love with her (while at the same time she’s a coding genius who’s smarter than the best and brightest).

On a small planet in the year 2575 Kady thought the worst part of her day was going to be breaking up with her boyfriend Ezra. Unfortunately, enemy fire starts raining down on their planet when two rival mega corporations begin a war. Rushing to evacuate the planet Kady and Ezra end up on different ships.

The attack turns out to not be the end of the problems, there's a deadly plague breaking out aboard the ships and the fleet's AI which should protect them may be turning into another enemy. Kady begins to use her hacking skills to try to find out what is going on and being kept from them.

Illuminae is the first of a new fast paced action adventure triology by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff that is completely made up of a series of different types of documents compiled of the events. There are emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more to read that make up the entire book.

I have to say it really took me a while to get used to this format for a book and even ending I'm not sure I'm still a fan of it. But with that being said I did find myself becoming more and more intrigued with what was going on in the story and getting attached to the characters the farther I got into the book. In the end it's an edge of the seat, what is going to happen adventure that I didn't want to put down.

Overall, took some getting used to this style of book but the story is great once I did. Would recommend checking this one out if for no other reason than it's definitely different.

I'm not huge on sci fi reads but thankfully this wasn't too sci fi in content overall. It was however nothing like what I was expecting. Told in email, messenger and file point of views, this took a bit to really get into. In fact I had to set it down numerous times because it just wasn't holding my attention. I think with all the rave reviews for it I was a bit disappointed in the beginning. I think my expectations were too high. I missed that this wasn't told or laid out like your typical book.

However when I pushed through and got into it (sadly really not until about 25 to 20% in) I really started to get the hang of it and even enjoyed it.

Will I continue on with the series? I think so, if for no other reason, to see where it goes from here and because once I got into it, I really did have fun with it.

I didn't go into this book with crazy high hopes; simply because of all the hype still surrounding it. I also wasn't sure that I could honestly read a 600-page book written in texts, emails, and small notes scattered throughout the pages. After awhile, I got used to the format, and surprisingly, didn't mind it.
I will say, though, that I was so impressed by the artwork and detail-cover to cover; at times I thought-yea ,this will for sure be a 5-star book.
The AI system and the conversations Kady had with it, were awesome at times-except the constant sarcasm-like I get it already-things are going sideways and your still saying "I owe you a lollipop" to the computer...totally...
There were times I was totally creeped out-like when the little girl was walking down the hallway dragging a human heart-and just how the plague had affected the people.
Yet, the ending brought it down to a 4-maybe 3.5. I didn't want to-but had to simply based off the ending - just felt like a typical YA book in that regards.
Overall, this was a quick , fun, and beautiful read.

(There is honestly so much to talk about so this review may got long.) Illuminae is such a talked about book among the book blogging community and for a really great reason. It had taken me awhile to finally pick up Illuminae but I am so glad I did because it was honestly such a great book. I had pretty high expectations for it because everyone loved it so I was excited to see what it was all about. Illuminae was such an awesome, epic, and suspenseful book. I loved the characters and the wonderful plot it had as well.

I was excited to meet Kady and Ezra when I first the synopsis for this book. I had actually read about twenty pages from the book when I had an eARC of it (Had to stop unfortunately because I couldn't read some of the text because it was so small and I wasn't able to zoom in.) and I went into this book having a small taste of the personality of the characters. But if it's one thing I can say about them, Kady and Ezra definitely have opposite personalities. I feel like they're the "opposites attract" kind of couple. One likes to plan ahead, one just wings it. They are different but they both are such awesome and (in their own way) badass. Both of them care for the other so deeply for each other and think very rationally (sometimes) in certain situations.

A sci-fi novel where a planet was invaded? I'm already excited. Throw in a couple who had just broken up? Where is my money? As if things were already going wrong! Now here! Deal with a betrayal from you AI and plague!

(Image Source)
I was expecting a lot to happen in Illuminae and for it to keep me on my toes. Amie and Jay delivered and omg they gave me two-day shipping when I was supposed to get 5-12 business day shipping. It was so great and definitely exceeded the expectations I had had. Sogoosogoodsogood. Constantly kept me on my toes and wanting to know what happennnsss. I stayed up reading this book and I definitely haven't done that in forever. So many things surprised me, broke my heart, made me excited. Illuminae was really just a rollercoaster of emotions and I am so excited to ride it again in Gemina. (Synopsis, where you at?)

Illuminae is a truly special book because of the way it is told. I had seen pictures of the book before reading it but there is just something special and different. Turning the page to find a spectacular picture made of words was just awesome. The formats this book was told in was really cool as well. Getting to read conversations through chats and emails, reading action scenes through a security feed (It makes more sense if you have read the book) and reports, all of it was just really awesome. There were so many ways that not doing the traditional style could have gone wrong but Amie and Jay pulled it off perfectly.

I gave this book 5 stars because it was such a perfect read. I loved the characters, plot and the whole format of this book.

I stayed up pretty late, actually it was early again, to read 600 pages in one sitting.

A mining colony is bombed, some citizens are rescued by 3 ships of the Fleet, and the bombing ship chase the Fleet to destroy all witnesses. Then things go really wrong. This is not your typical YA SFF romance novel.

The format of this book is not standard: It consists of files, chat logs, ship memos, and other pieces of files. First page left me feeling, what is this supposed to be. 2nd page, interview log of two survivors, got me hooked.

Interesting detail: the dialogue-heavy format means that no one in this book has skin color unless it is described as they are puke-scared. Names give us diversity, but in my head-canon everyone is of a blended race.

I have already ordered the next book in the series.

ASDFGHJKL. THIS BOOK IS AH-MAZING. Completely and utterly amazing. The characters: amazing. The writing: amazing. The layout: amazing. The authors: amazing. The— okay, you should’ve gotten the point by now.

I actually can’t believe I waited so long to read this book. I’ve seen it around for soooo long but I never gave it any thought. And I sincerely regret that Mister Kristoff and Miss Kaufman. I truly do. Because this book has already become one of my favorites of all time. It’s just so good. (A memo I’m sure everyone else got a few light years ago, while I was still emerging from my nutshell).

I really, really can’t form any coherent sentences about the book. It was just so… amazing. It’s a book that you start expecting something amazing or simply a good book, but when you finish, you just can’t believe how perfectly amazing it is. No, I’m not exaggerating.

For a group of characters being portrayed through a series of interviews, camera transcripts, and documents, the cast in ILLUMINAE is incredibly fleshed out and realistic. Especially Ezra Mason and Kady Grant, the two characters the story pretty much revolves around. Ezra is a fabulous character, from start to finish. He was incredibly funny, sweet, and courageous. And Kady. Kady was smart, sarcastic, and wait for it… amazing. Even the secondary characters were perfect, even the AI was wonderfully written.

Warning: ILLUMINAE is sad, not to mention gruesome. But by some miracle, you’ll be smiling through potential tears. And that’s just one of the many magic tricks Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff will weave.

The artwork in this book is as amazing as everything else. The swirls, the numbers, the shading, the layout – there’s not a single page that I skipped and when it comes to 608 pages, you might think there are pages to be skipped, but you most certainly won’t skip a single one in this tome.

The spaceships, the story-line, and the deadly virus in this book are a whole other something that just blew my mind. The extreme detailing was just perfect and I loved how everything is connected together in this beautiful and tragic pattern.

I’ll be honest, I was skeptical of ILLUMINAE: tons of pages, different formats telling the story, and SO MUCH HYPE. But my review doesn’t even cover how amazing the characters, setting, and plot are. ILLUMINAE is a book you don’t want to miss out on, it’s a novel that’s out of this world, pun intended. I just keep saying ‘amazing’, and when I do that, it means the book is too good for Asma to explain. I can’t do it justice at all.

Before you start, make sure you tie up all human contact, grab some food, lock your doors and then you begin. Because once you start, you’re not going to stop.

Originally posted on IceyBooks

Sometimes, when a book gets a ton of hype, I get a little skeptical but I also feel more inclined to at least take a look during a stroll at a bookstore. And I'm so glad I did because ILLUMINAE more than lives up to every ounce of the hype.

I started reading ILLUMINAE on New Years Eve, thinking that I'd just read maybe twenty pages or so and continue reading the rest the next day. So I read twenty pages. Then I read two hundred more the same evening. Because I legitimately could not stop reading.

Teens on two space ships, a mutating, dangerous virus, an unforgettable AI, and an enemy space ship ready to destroy them looming ever closer come together to make this book unputdownable.

I haven't read a found materials book in a long time (maybe ever?) but I have to say, I loved the format. The book is written in e-mails, IMs, interviews, etc. and has intense action and conflict right from the start that kept me ripping through the pages. There are loads of twists (some of which had me cursing out loud while I read), lots of people die, so many scenes broke my heart, and it was just an incredibly good read.

Finally, a note on format: this book is beautiful with some truly creative formatting that had me literally flipping the book around to read certain two-page spreads. I've confirmed with some people who have read the e-book version that the formatting does not work nearly as well in the e-version, so if you get it, I highly recommend getting the print version. It's a brick (nearly 600 pages), but the formatting actually makes it a surprisingly quick read, and I promise you, it is so worth it.

Diversity note: All the major characters, as far as I can tell, were cishet and white with exception to one Chinese character. There's more diversity with minor characters both with race and sexual orientation (mostly really minor characters, to be honest), but representation was lacking in the major cast, aside from PTSD and other mental health issues common amongst trauma victims.

When I first heard about Illuminae it became an instant anticipated release for me. I finally got a chance to read it over my Christmas break and I loved it! It finished it in 3 days and it is 600 pages long!

The book itself is beautiful, it is set out in a creative way of letters, Instant Message chats, surveillance footage, etc. And there is some awesome artwork throughout the pages, it is really cool novel and definitely not the kind of book you can read on a Kindle!

The plot was brilliant! If you are a fan of Star Wars, Dr. Who and even 2001: A Space Odyssey you will probably enjoy this book. The book takes place 500+ years in the future and it tells the story of a boy and girl whose planet is destroyed and they find themselves aboard two spaceships with the other survivors. However, this is only the beginning of the story so much happens in this book that I can't talk about because it would be a major spoiler, but it just kept getting better and better as I read it. There were so many thrilling twists and turns that kept popping up, a major one being at the end of the book (!). This book is a roller-coaster ride and I can't wait for the release of the sequel, Gemina, later this year, I need to know what happens next!

I enjoyed getting to know the two main characters, Ezra and Kady and how their stories intertwined, I even just loved how the authors showed how they were affected by the destruction of their planet.

However, there were a few things that I didn't like about Illuminae that I know other readers might have a problem with too and that was the presence of cuss words, even though they were censored out, and some sexual innuendos that made me feel uncomfortable. If it were not for these two things I would be giving this book 5/5 Stars.

I am giving it a 3.95/ 5 Stars because I know it isn't the kind of book I can recommend to everyone. But if the above two issues don't bother you and you love Sci-Fi I highly recommend this book.

“Illuminae” is a book like none other I have ever read. It felt like I was watching a documentary while playing a video game, with the occasional break to notice I was actually reading a book.

I don’t even know how to write about it without spoiling it, because even the format in which the story is told seems like it would be better as a surprise. There is romance, a lot of humor, some crazy space stuff, a conspiracy, viruses, etc. If you can think of it, it is probably in the book.

The beginning is a little slow, but once you get used to the unusual format the pace begins to pick up. By the end it feels like you just started reading. I really do wish I could say more, but I hate spoiling something so darn fun. And trust me, if nothing else, this book is fun.

I highly recommend “Illuminae” for upper middle readers and up, especially those with a love of video games (hint: Portal) and science fiction. The quick-read format makes it an excellent choice for reluctant readers.

This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Attempted this again and I am glad I did. I have previously attempted to read this and I just could not get into it. Everyone loved it and I was told it gets better and comes together as you keep reading, so I decided to give it a go.

First off, I still missed my narrative as there were times I was totally confused. Even at the end of the story I was still trying to peice together what happened. It may be due to the format or from being sci fi which I am not normally a fan of anyways. However; I made it through the whole book.

There were certain parts I really enjoyed and others I did not care for at all. I loved the romance and looked forward to the contact between Kady and Ezra. I wish there was more detail in a little less sci fi talk when it came to certain events, but I do feel most of it all came together in the end.

Overall, I am glad I gave this another chance and I most likely will continue on with the series.

CitB: stay on task, grasshopper. we let the Alexander burn us out of the sky, your red hot love will be subsumed by a bigger, hotter flame
ByteMe: how do you even function in society?
CitB: it’s a struggle

Before this moment, I have never wished to be something other than what I am.

###

Normally I try not to let myself get swept up in all the excitement over the Next Big Book; I’ve been burned one (or fifteen) times too many. But ILLUMINAE? Deserves all the hype and then some. It’s a twisty-turny, roller coaster ride with a little something for everyone: action, adventure, romance, suspense, science fiction, horror. Zombies, spaceships, and an insane artificial intelligence. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The story starts with a bang – literally. The year is 2075, and the planet Kerenza is under attack. An illegal mining colony located far from the core, Kerenza is the site of a power struggle between two mega-corps: Wallace Ulyanov Consortium (WUC), which operates Kerenza, and its competitor, BeiTech Industries. Rather than report Kerenza’s illicit activities to the United Terran Authority (UTA) and bury the WUC in fines, BeiTech chooses a more lucrative and diabolical route: kill everyone on Kerenza and steal the planet for itself. Since it’s an illegal settlement, chances are that the WUC will write off the loss rather than report it to the UTA. That’s BeiTech’s gamble, anyway, and it’s a safe one. Only they didn’t wager on there being any survivors.

Enter seventeen-year-old Kady Grant and her boyfriend Ezra Mason. Errr, make that ex-boyfriend: the two broke up just before the attack. Along with 6,000 other survivors, and despite their lovesick squabbling, Kady and Ezra make it to the escape shuttles and off Kerenza. Kady winds up aboard the science vessel Hypatia, while Eza lands on the UTA warship Alexander – the only military ship to respond to Kerenza’s distress signal (likely blocked by BeiTech). Also traveling with the fleet is the heavy freighter Copernicus.

Their mission, whether or not they choose to accept it: make it to the Heimdall waypoint some 6.5 to 7 months away, with limited supplies and a damaged warship, before BeiTech’s last remaining dreadnought, the Lincoln, catches up to them and nukes the only remaining witnesses to mass murder. As if this isn’t complicated enough, Kaufman and Kristoff layer on the danger and intrigue with a military conspiracy; a virus variously called Phobos or the Shakes that turns the afflicted into deranged, violent, semi-zombies (think: the Reavers in SERENITY); and a duplicitous AI named AIDAN who’s increasingly going off-script – for everyone’s good, natch.

There’s so much to love here, starting with the format. Normally I’m a huge proponent of e-books (three words: space, weight, lighting!), but ILLUMINAE is a book that deserves to be savored in hard copy format. Told through a mix of chat logs, emails, memorandums, video footage, ship schematics, maps, and other hard data, ILLUMINAE is a friggin’ work of art. Seriously, it’s lovely. Crafty books can sometimes feel a little gimmicky, but not so here. Oftentimes the graphics complement the story, driving home certain points or themes (especially in the case of AIDAN’s memories) and further immersing the reader in the story. Plus it’s so darn creative!

(Although, as a side note, the strikethrough on the edited reports is a little heavy. Maybe make it a little thinner next time, design team?)

Originally I requested (and received) an ARC of ILLUMINAE through NetGalley (thank you Random House!), but it wasn’t available for download on my Kindle. I hate reading e-books on my iPad (too reflective!), but I gave it the old college try anyway. (I really, rilly wanted to read this book!) The documents in particular proved difficult to read (the text was quite pixelated), and the ship schematics and Wikipedia entry were downright impossible (too small). That’s when I jumped ship and decided to wait for the book’s release. I ended up buying a hardcover and am so glad I did.

This isn’t to suggest that the finished e-book will definitely have the same issues; I really don’t know. But trust me when I say you should opt for a print copy anyway.

Also awesome are the characters and plot. Kady and Ezra are just adorable together; I can’t remember the last time I rooted so hard for a pair of crazy kids (Lyra and Will excepted). At first I feared that their bickering would get real old, real fast – but the cooling-off period necessitated by their physical separation restarts their relationship in a fresh, welcome way. By the time Kady and Ezra finally reunite – in cyberpace, that is, through email and illicit chats – they’re different people. Whereas Ezra has been conscripted into the military and now flies Cyclones, Kady and her mentor are elbow-deep in AIDAN’s data stream, trying to uncover the truth behind…well, everything: the bombing of the Copernicus, the threat posed by the Lincoln, the nature of the Phobos virus. Ostensibly, the two play for opposing teams: the establishment and the outsiders. Yet both desperately wish to survive – if only for the sake of the other.

AIDAN also makes for a compelling villain/savior; his expanding self-awareness, coupled with his evolving feelings towards Kady, had me at the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to see what he/she/it becomes in book number two.

The plot, as I’ve already said (but cannot stress enough), is riddled with twists and turns and reveals and take-backsies. Unreliable and downright dishonest narrators further complicate matters, while the book’s seemingly objective nature (it’s presented as a report) provide a handy curtain to hide behind. In both plot and tone, ILLUMINAE evokes some of my favorite shows and movies – most obviously FIREFLY and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, but also a certain 1981 flick that I won’t name because spoilers (!), but gave me mad nightmares as a kid.

In summary, I am already doing my got-to-pee dance over and making grabby hands at the sequel. This? This right here is why I usually choose to binge read series, people. COUNTDOWN TO THE LOSS OF MY PATIENCE: 0 HOURS 7 MINUTES.

I've been hearing a lot about this book, and as I really enjoy sci fi/dystopian YA novels, I thought I'd give it a try.

Initially, I had trouble adjusting to the format. It's presented in a World War Z or Robopocalypse format: reports, emails, transcripts, and more. It makes for a rough beginning, when you're first getting into the novel, but it quickly becomes absorbing. I stopped noticing the transitions as I became more and more interested in the storyline. It's an ambitious novel, to be sure, but the authors pull it off very well. What's more, it doesn't feel as long as it is because of this format, so don't be intimidated by the length of the novel.

The story is gripping; the characters are sympathetic, and it's a great twist on the genre. If you enjoy epic sci fi novels and/or love stories, this is a novel you shouldn't miss.

While I have never read a book by Jay Kristoff before, I loved the These Broken Stars series that Amie Kaufman was a coauthor of. The first time I saw her mention Illuminae on twitter, I knew it was going to be epic.

Illuminae was not your typical book. Sure it had words and was on paper, but it was more of a hodge-podge collection of miscellaneous papers. (With some really wonderful graphic art thrown in.) Which honestly sounds questionable, but was actually really, really well done.

We were learning about these events involving Kerenza, the Alexander, and the Hypatia sometime after they've occurred. The information was brought to us by official reports, interviews, diary entries, messages, and analysis of video records just to name a few. The whole set up reminded me of a mystery or maybe an archaeologist's dig site. We know something happened, only we needed to scour various sources to gather all the details needed to pierce the story together. Thankfully, this mysterious Illuminae group had already done the work for us.

At its heart, Illuminae followed two recently broken up teenagers as their world was suddenly bombed.

I really loved Kady and Ezra. They really complemented each other well. I needed to know why they broke up because their chemistry was off the charts.

Kady was this young hacker girl who wanted to get off the off-the-grid illegal mining planet she called home. She was smart and resourceful, but she was also sarcastic and a rule breaker when it suited her. Meanwhile, Ezra was athletic and I think he was rather well suited to the role he ended up in. He also had that same vein of snark that Kady had and I loved it. The two of them were fiercely loyal and they both had their scars you couldn't help but want to fix.

Story wise, Illuminae was epic and emotional. The book started off by killing a large number of people when Kerenza was attacked by several BeiTEch dreadnaught ships. Once the three ships -the Alexander, the Hypatia, and the Copernicus- fled the planet's orbit, the stakes only continued to rise. The saying "you are your own worst enemy" was never truer. Even without the enemy's pursuit, there were a lot of dangers lurking within the walls of the three ships.

WORDS TO LIVE BY
"I'm sorry I didn't write you back. I should have. I mean, when you say "I'm never going to speak to you again," you don't think your planet's going to be invaded that afternoon. It was more, you know, an opening position on negotiations. I was angry." (Kady, ARC pg67)

"you have me
until the last star in the galaxy dies
you have me" (Ezra, ARC pg 232)

"Miracles are statistical improbabilities. And fate is an illusion humanity uses to comfort itself in the dark. There are no absolutes in life, save death." (Aidan, ARC pg 433)

OVERALL
Illuminae is definitely a must read book. I really cannot stress how fantastic it was. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. There was a couple you just needed to root for. But most of all it was a great story, with lots of layers, and the book left you feeling as if you lived through the order right alongside them.

Originally seen on www.emilyreadseverything.com

I just want to gush about this book. It was everything I could have possibly wanted and more. The way that its written, it uses copies of records to tell the story. The plot moves on through memos, instant messages, ship schematics and writing in shapes. I absolutely love this sort of narrative. The plot is completely different but the style of this book reminded me of two other long time favorites of mine; House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski and S by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst. So if you like this sort of style, check those out next. All three are masterful.

One of my favorite things about this book is that what little romance there is takes a backseat to the story. Its subtle, understated and absolutely perfect. The main characters knew each other before the adventure started but they broke up the same day that the attack started. Their history shows through at every step in their story but they spend their time focusing on what’s going on around them and what needs to be done. The messages that Ezra sends Kady when he is apologizing were some of my favorite parts of the entire book. So cute!

I’ve already spouted about what a huge fan I am about this sort of format. I think the schematics and documents make the story more real. You are completely immersed in story from the very beginning. This book was also a perfect example of a slow build into an all encompassing disaster. First there is the attack. Then there is an illness on one of the remaining ships. Then the fleet’s AI begins to malfunction. All of this is in the blurb, so none of these facts are spoilers. Still, isn’t it so exciting to know that that’s just the beginning?

I honestly can’t think of anything about this book that I didn’t like. It was action packed, fast moving and engrossing. If you like sci fi, you will definitely like this book. Even if you don’t like sci fi, its highly likely that this will be the book that changes your mind.

I need to start this review off by just saying that Annie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s Illuminae is unlike anything that I have ever read before. From the plot to the actual storytelling—everything about Illuminae is unique. There wasn’t a moment spent while reading this novel where I wasn’t on the edge of my seat and completely into it. This book is everything. Honestly, if you don’t give it a read, you are missing out on something great.

Set in the year 2575, when Kady breaks up with her boyfriend Ezra, the very last thing she expects is for her planet to get invaded by a megacorporation that is interested in starting a war. Narrowly managing to escape on a fleet of ships, both Kady and Ezra find themselves trying to outrun a warship—the Lincoln—that is dead-set on leaving behind no survivors. The threat the warship poses is nothing compared to the threats that are beginning to appear onboard the ships Copernicus, Alexander, and Hypatia. A deadly airborne virus has begun to infect survivors, leaving them feral and bloodthirsty. And the Alexander’s AI, the only thing that can save them from the oncoming warship, is showing malicious intentions. For Kady and Ezra, safety and survival have never been so far away, and there’s no telling if they’ll make it.

I loved this book.

I cannot emphasize how much I love this book. I had my doubts before reading (because the few things I’d read about it were nothing but people raving about how fantastic it was), but now I can tell you with complete and total honesty that this book is just amazing. The way that Illuminae’s story is told is unique and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. There is no typical first person or third person point of view where everything is told through chapters of prose. Illuminae is told through transcripts of conversations, IMs, documents detailing videos from security cameras, and other ‘found’ footage. It takes a bit of time getting used to, yes, but the way that Kaufman and Kristoff present the story is immersive and innovative.

The way that the story is told makes Illuminae all the more haunting to read. Readers will feel like they’re reading something that actually happened, something that was real, making Illuminae something forbidden to them. It’s a story that leaves you on the edge of your seat, hoping that your favorite characters make it to the very end and unscathed. There were far too many moments where I was left with a horrible feeling in my stomach as I watched some of my faves meet their utter demises.

The protagonists of the novel, Kady and Ezra, are both such flawed characters. They feel very real when you read their interactions with one another and the other characters in the plot. Even though they’re both exes, you can watch as they begin to fall back in touch with one another, and readers will wonder if there’s hope for their romance yet. Will they be able to get back together even though Kady is on the Hypatia and Ezra is on the Alexander? We just do not know, but there’s hope.

In the end, Illuminae is a novel that I’m going to end up holding on very closely to my heart. It’s been too long since I’ve read something as truly unique as Illuminae. The stakes are raised with every single new piece of information that’s offered to us. The characters are all amazing. The storytelling is on point. Nothing is ever what it seems, and I’ve shed far too many tears on the pages of this ARC. It’s with great excitement that I await the next installment to The Illuminae Files. I know only greatness will come from these stories.

I would recommend Illuminae to just about anyone. Fans of sci-fi, romance, action, adventure—whatever—Illuminae has it all. If you want a storyline that will suck you in and keep you flipping pages until the very end, then you’d best get reading.

Illuminae is one of those books I was sure I’d never read. I saw a copy at Wal-Mart flipped through it and thought this doesn’t look like my cup of tea so I passed on it. But I saw that the audiobook was available through the library so I thought why not?

Let me begin by telling that the audiobook is beyond amazing. AMAZING. If you have the possibility to read and listen to the audiobook at the same time, I highly recommend it. The narrators are absolutely amazing. It is a full cast of narrators so every character mentioned has a different narrator and the sound effects really enhance the audiobook and it’s like a movie going on in your head.

Illuminae is written in intercepted IM’s, emails, surveillance reports, interviews, journal entries etc. That sounds crazy right? How can one tell a story through all that? Will it work? This is one of the reasons I wasn’t planning on reading the book it just looked weird. But it works, the story is carefully woven through each IM, email, surveillance report, it took a while for me to get use to the way the story was written but after about 10 pages I was hooked and you couldn’t catch me without my headphones listening to it.

I can’t even explain to you what this book is about because I can’t find the words. I was lost, confused, worried, heartbroken, scared for even the minor characters. I had a few minor heart attacks. I was intrigued definitely intrigued.

I also fell in love, deeply in love with Ezra. He stole my heart after this line:

“You deserve every star in the galaxy laid out at your feet and a thousand diamonds in your hair. You deserve someone who’ll run with you as far and as fast as you want to. Holding your hand not holding you back. You deserve more than I could ever give you, Kady. But I’ll give you everything I can if you still want me to.”

If you haven’t read this yet, what are you waiting for? You need to pick this up. The hype is real. The hype is actually right this time! Pick it up and pick up the audiobook as well and be prepared to be mind blown.

Illuminae is a fun read, mainly because it's told through a collection of transcripts, emails, reports, interviews, etc. Very clever, but not at all difficult to follow.

The story starts off with a bang, as the two main characters are interviewed about what happened the day of the attack. Which just happened to be the day that the couple broke up. What lousy timing!

Due to a personnel shortage, Ezra is conscripted as a fighter pilot. Kady wants nothing more than to keep her head down, despite having a way with computers. She deliberately fails the assessment tests and winds up using her talents to hack into the system to find out what the authorities aren't telling the survivors. What she finds is not reassuring.

Remember HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey? AIDAN, the AI on one of the ships, reminded me a little of HAL when he decides that he is right and the humans are wrong. Every time AIDAN replied that he was unable to comply with an order, I heard:

I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.

AIDAN just wants to protect the fleet, even if he has to destroy it. Bummer when an all-powerful artificial intelligence goes rogue.

Really enjoyed this story, though I don't usually like sci fi space operas. I don't really think it's science fiction, despite taking place aboard spaceships, one with a rogue AI computer. Guess because there wasn't too much science talk, which makes my eyes glaze over immediately!

This was a fast read for me, despite being a little over 600 pages. The story sucked me in right away and I read it in less than 48 hours! I usually shy away from big books like this, but the premise was too good to ignore and I'm so glad I didn't let the size intimidate me.

Great characters, a fascinating premise with a fast-paced plot, awesome writing, and OMG the suspense! I was frantically turning pages to see what happened next!

Highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read! Even if you don't normally like science fiction or YA, I think you'll like this one! Yes, it's just that good.

I’ve been meaning to read this book for ages… like since it came out. Heh.

When I bought it, the sales assistant was very pleased for me. She warned me that she’d got to 200 pages, worried that she wasn’t enjoying it, gave it another 50 pages… and then finished it at like 3am the next morning. So it was good to know that at least one other person found it a bit hard going and then BANG it got better.

That’s kinda how I found it too.

The overview: this is written in a ‘found footage’ format – emails, reconstructed IM chat, reports, etc. It’s reconstructing the events which have happened over the last twelve months from the moment that a bunch of space ships suddenly opened fire on a colony, and just a few people manage to escape courtesy of a UTA (United Terran Authority) ship that happened to be nearby. The focus is Kady Grant and her ex-boyfriend Ezra, whom she helps to escape because dude, she’s not that cold.

As I alluded to, there was definitely a bit of a dead patch for me; I was finding the interaction between Kady and Ezra a bit laboured. But it seriously picked up, and while I didn’t finish it in one sitting I came very close (about 80 pages one night, the rest the next day). I can completely understand why this has already been optioned for turning into a film.

I really liked the format. Although something I’ve very bad at is keeping an eye on the dates of things like emails or reports, it was an important thing to try and remember because checking the progress of events was sometimes vital, so I found myself going back a few pages sometimes to check on them. I loved the inclusion of things like the space ship specs, and there were a few sections where the authors and designers did some wonderful things with typography and format and it really added to the atmosphere and aesthetics. Giving the AI a very particular look – white type on black (except its direct speech, which was grey) was brilliant. Obviously this isn’t going to work for everyone, and it would be really dangerous to see this overdone – it would be so easy for it to become a cliche (maybe it already it is and I haven’t seen it? It’s still fresh for me) – but for now, I’m loving it.

As well as some fairly excellent action scenes, Kaufman and Kristoff also engage in some philosophical issues. The main one is that of AI sentience and how humanity might deal with it, deal with it going against their instruction/commands/ demands. It’s just slightly off-central – the plot doesn’t work without it but they could have had less introspection; I’m glad they didn’t, though, because for me it lifted the book just that bit into not-just-rolicking-fun.

Things I suspect Kaufman and Kristoff are fans of: Battlestar Galactica (the reboot); the Expanse series by James SA Corey; Arthur C Clarke’s 2001.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

Firstly, on formatting: having all of the names of the people who died on Copernicus actually listed? Slayed me. And then followed by pictures of the same? Magnificent touch. And then when I started picking out names of my friends from the Australian spec fic scene? SHEER BRILLIANCE I LOVE YOU.

So then there’s the twist. Oh. My. I really didn’t expect it: that the AI, AIDAN, has been mimicking Ezra for simply hours to lure Kady over to the Alexander to fix the problem it has that only ‘meat’ can deal with? That’s magnificent. I loved it. Because I’d been getting a bit sick of those two – and indeed I’m not completely over my annoyance at their relationship, although the revelation of why they broke up made it slightly better for them to get back together – and to then discover it was actually a ploy… Kaufman and Kristoff, NICE WORK.

I still don’t entirely love Kady and Ezra as a couple. I think this is partly an issue with me being old and cynical, because I think “17? 18? really?” – which is mostly my problem. But I’m not going to not read the rest of this series. I fully intend to read the heck out of the next book, that’s for sure, and shove this book into the hands of whoever I can find that’s just about old enough to appreciate it.

This was a book that caught my eye immediately when I saw it in someone's Waiting on Wednesday blog post and then my need to read it only grew as I read a few trusted blogger's reviews. I love Young Adult Sci-Fi, but the fact that this one was written more in epistolary format grabbed my curiosity and it was inevitable that I would read it. (Thank you to an angelic SIL who had a reader gal's back)

And wow, I am still processing. I came to the startling conclusion early on that one can indeed become emotionally invested in a book even if its told from bits and pieces like transcripts, messages, memos, surveillance videos, etc. This story had impact right away. It was exciting, intriguing, twisting, horrifying, and all around amazing.

The story opens in the future on a planet far away from earth when seventeen year old, Katy gets a front row seat to the destruction of her mining colony home by a rival mining company before the evacuation by government ships who happen to be in the area on maneuvers. Three ships take in the mining colony refugees- a mining freighter, a science vessel, and a state of the art government battle carrier. Katy is a refugee on the science vessel and tells the government interviewer her story of being at school, upset after breaking up with her boyfriend, Ezra, and then observing the attack and invasion by the other mining corporation troops and vessels. Katy and Ezra watch everything getting destroyed and a noxious black gas released over the mine itself. They are separated from their families even though they try to get to them. It is catastrophic.

But the danger has only just begun because one of the rival corporations' warships is hunting them and their battle ship took damages to its wormhole drive and artificial intelligence unit, AIDAN, that won't allow it to move quickly. The Alexander must protect both the other vessels even while working repairs that will take too long. And if that isn't enough, a plague is discovered on board the freighter because it houses the refugees that came from the mine that was bombed by that black gas.

Things are drastic so the general conscripts mining colonists who show any aptitude in the areas the military needs help. Ezra is trained as a fighter pilot. Katy is a brilliant hacker, but manages to avoid the conscription. She is concerned about how the military is keeping the civilian population in the dark. Ezra lost his dad and Kady is on her own too. She realizes her anger at Ezra serves no purpose now and they begin reconciliation.

As they work to escape the other warship, horrific events occur to leave Kady living in a nightmare. People are dying and everyone left is in a fight for their lives. Kady's brilliance, fierce courage, and determination are all she has left to do what she can to help save lives, but she pays a dear cost to make it so.

Alright, this ended up being a late year read that will go on my unputdownable pile. As I pointed out earlier, I was amazed at how connected I felt with a story told in such a unique format. I took the advice of the other reviewers and got this in paper copy because of how it made some of the creative page formatting easier to read and the illustrations easier to peruse, too. There were pages where the words swirled around against a space background as it gave radio transmissions of fighters and the times that drawings made with words were easier to see that way.

The story was Kady's, but many people including Ezra, AIDAN, other refugees and personnel took turns getting their point of view. Kady has a smart young girl's arrogance, but she matures with each new hardship she faces. Ezra comes across as simple to read until his full background becomes known. Other characters are introduced to Kady and Ezra through their new community on the ships and it was neat how their personalities showed through even things like memoes. I think the character that most intrigued me was AIDAN and I can't even say why without offering spoilers. I loved watching Kady overcome so much and Ezra was easy to love, but AIDAN wrenched a lot of consideration and emotion from me.

This is no easy book. There is so much loss and I cried a couple times. There are no guarantees and the life is hard. I wanted Kady to have her happy ending, but I wanted it for everyone I came to know in this struggling group. But there are twists on twists and so many fall along the way. The ending was breathtaking and magnificent. It was the type of last 25% that leaves the reader immediately diving back and rereading sections and going back to the earlier sections to see how new twists changed everything they thought. I am whimpering a little at how long I must wait to see what happens next.

So, yep, this is a definite recommend to YA Sci-fi Romance fans. I don't think I would put it in the hands of younger teens because of the violence, but older teens and adults will find it a riveting and unique read.

I feel like Illuminae is one of those books where it's nearly impossible to write a review. Impossible to write without giving anything away. One of my friends told me to read Illuminae without reading the blurb on the flap, book summary, or any reviews; I'm so glad I listened. To be honest, I had absolutely no intentions of ever reading this book. I was firmly entrenched in the "this book is so over-rated and over-hyped" camp and never planned on leaving. But when one of your friends who, like you, isn't the biggest fan of science fiction insists you give it a try- well, you give it a try! So, I'm here to tell you that you need to give Illuminae a chance. Look past the hype and the genre and allow this book to steal a piece of your heart (I can promise you it will). I'm so glad I stepped outside of my comfort zone on this one. Read it; you won't regret it!

*Review published on Page Turners Blog*

First, I have to let you know that I listened to the audiobook, and boy oh boy, am I ever glad that I did. It is absolutely the best audiobook I've heard in a very, very long time. Science fiction stories for me are never about the inevitable galactic wars or Death Star-like weapons. The best stories are about the people that inhabit these worlds and their similarities to our own situations. Mega-corporations behind a deadly attack? Even in our world, cyber-hacking is a form of corporate warfare, so this was a logic-jump I easily made.

Amie and Jay capture this world perfectly in their large cast of characters (don't worry, you will easily keep track of them), which center around Kady and Ezra. I cannot say enough about these two. They are simply EVERYTHING that is right and perfect in this story. I, especially, sympathized with Kady. She had that stark determination that allows her to never, ever, ever give up even when the odds seem impossible.

I want to say something about AIDAN, the artificial intelligence on board. This particular character type never gets old for me. HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey is such a chilling antagonist. My heart always leaps when I see R2D2, the true hero of Star Wars. And then you have the omniscient telescreens in 1984. AIDAN plays such an important character in this story, and without any spoilers, you can never be too sure if he's being helpful or if he's not. That left me second guessing throughout, which made the stakes in the story so much higher.

So, as I kept listening and trying to figure out the "what's next" moments, there was a "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT" moment in a giant, giant plot twist that I DID NOT SEE COMING. Nope, not one inkling. I might've been more than a little panicked, and it was good that I was parked at my kid's school and not driving around the city when this part came on. HOLY TOLEDO. What a moment. I immediately ran to twitter to express my anxiety. I couldn't believe what occurred and I almost couldn't bring myself to finish the story, because my heart was beating way too fast.

But, finish it I did, and I'm so glad that I did. Amie and Jay, I hope you write that sequel really fast because there will be many readers who will need to know what happens next in that crazy-good world you've created.

A quick aside regarding the design of the book. Yes, it's thick but it's written in so many different styles -- a journal, documents, transcripts. I guarantee that you will turn those pages quicker than you every have. The design worked perfectly for the flow of the story. And the audiobook with it's cast of actors captured the pages perfectly. It was like listening to the audio feed of a movie. Speaking of which, Brad Pitt and Warner Brothers have optioned Illuminae for a movie. I can hardly wait. This is one story that begs to be on the big screen.

★★★★½
Illuminae is the first installment in co-authors: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff's young adult, science fiction series titled The Illuminae Files. Ever since reading the Starbound series, I've been following Ms. Kaufman and this novel has been on my TBR since it was first announced. I have to admit I've never read Mr. Kristoff before but based on my enjoyment of the writing in this book, I'll be adding some of his titles very soon!

Illuminae was a wild ride with a good amount of twists and turns. The suspense was high and got stronger as the book progressed until it had me completely crazy by the end. The tone of this story is dark but I loved it. It is told through a variety of methods and perspectives and as every event comes to pass, the pending doom gets more and more palpable. But the characters bring a lot of humor as they cope with the devastation and even during the darkest moments, I found my mood lighten soon afterwards.

The Illuminae Files is another series I plan to loyally follow. It was fast-paced and I felt incredibly engaged throughout. I experienced Illuminae via audiobook and it was well-done. As noted in the synopsis, the story is "told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more" and although you'd think it would be incredibly dull or confusing via audio, it wasn't. Each method/perspective is narrated by a different voice which was incredibly helpful in keeping track and providing some quality entertainment. Based on a friend's review located HERE, the paper/e-book version offers the reader visuals which you obviously don't experience via audio so take all these factors into consideration before deciding how you want to experience Illuminae. Either way, you're a winner. Your brain and emotions will explode with the adrenaline rush that comes along with an engaging new read. Enjoy!

My favorite quote:
“The universe owes you nothing. It has already given you everything, after all. It was here long before you, and it will go on long after you. The only way it will remember you is to do something worth remembrance.”

Title: Illuminae

Author(s): Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: The Illuminae Files, book one

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I was given this book as a Christmas gift, and to kick off my new reading year, I reviewed it!

One of my cousins gave me this novel for Christmas, and when I unwrapped it, I almost cried. It was so heavy and hefty in my hands, a literal brick. I was so excited to dive in that when I finished Emma, I started reading immediately. At first, I was a little apprehensive; it seems, with this book, it was either loved or hated, no in between. But I'm happy to tell you all that I loved this book.

It was the first work I'd read of either of these authors, even though These Broken Stars has been on my Kindle since the Christmas before last. The format is certainly unusual; it is, literally, an entire dossier. This won't be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. It was different and exciting, and even though Illuminae is absolutely massive, the breakneck pace made me fly through the pages, desperate to peel back layers of legal documents to see what was happening. I won't give anything away--I don't want to spoil it!

But to sum this book up: It literally has something for everyone. Exciting characters that were lovable, breakneck pacing, unusual formatting (to say the least), intergalactic plots, action, horror, and humor. I loved every single heart-pounding, frightening, tender moment of this book, and I cannot wait to see what else these two bestselling authors have in store--can I have the sequel? Now? Please? The bottom line: An exciting entry into a brand new series, this bestselling blockbuster, the brainchild of two young adult fiction titans, Illuminae was a high octane thrill ride into space and beyond! Next on deck: Black Iris by Leah Raeder!

I have been disappointed by alot of recent science fiction novels, almost to the point of thinking I no longer liked that genre. Until this book came along, that is. This one was pure fascination for me and time listening to the audio book just whizzed by. It took me a while to get oriented to the unusual format, which you can read about in the description and other reviews. It also took time to figure out the why of the "censorship" or bleeping of the swear words. At first, I wondered if it was censored by my public library, from whom I received the book. That didn't sit right with me. Doing a little digging around in other reviews and blogs, I found it was part of the story. More acceptable to me!

The narration was way above average. Lincoln Hoppe, one of my very favorite narrators, did a fine job as Aiden, the AI, who had a big role in the story. The female voice by Olivia Taylor Dudley, was also age appropriate and very excellent. Both added immensely to the listening experience. I saw in some review/blogs a worry that this book might miss alot from an audio experience as there was much to see visually in the paper version of the book. Well I am here to say that the audio version was wonderful and I am going to get the paper version, mainly because I enjoyed the story so much and want to revisit with both versions together. To get the FULL experience both ways, that is.

I will leave it up to you to read the book description. If you like sci-fi, this is new and refreshing, with believable characters that are well explored and developed. If it could be called young adult fiction, it would be for more mature young adults. However, I think it is just as appropriate for old adults.

A highly recommended fun listen!

Kady Grant lives on a speck of an ice planet jump stations away from Earth. Like most teenagers stuck in her situation, she's desperate to get away and explore the 'verse and put her genius-level computer (hacking) skills to use. Her boyfriend, Ezra Mason, is not. And on a very regular school morning, Kady breaks up with him. By the afternoon, spaceships are attacking their settlement. By that night, hundreds are dead, she is on a different spacecraft from Ezra and her mom and a dreadnought from the very terrifying and intimidating BeiTech is trailing behind. When an AI takes matters into its non-corporal hands and a virus begins to run rampant between the remaining colony's ships, Kady must make up with her ex-boyfriend, the boy she swore she’d never talk to again, to bring everything to light.

In ILLUMINAE by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, an AI playing God asks, "Am I not merciful?" and by the end, it's not hard for readers to wonder if the authors are asking the questions themselves. The answer, in short, is a resounding no. This book is not merciful in the best of ways. It shatters expectations, shreds your feelings and leaves you feeling as breathless as if you were stuck without oxygen in a breached deck on a spacecraft.

After finishing ILLUMINAE, I spent a good while clutching the tome to my chest, unable to digest what I'd just read. From start to finish, this book shoves you headlong into the action, not allowing you to get acclimated to the pace of the book or the high stakes. Told from varying points of view (including that of an insane AI system named AIDAN), the book's narrative is a combination of messages, ship wide communications, surveillance summaries, journal entries, memorandums --- pretty much everything except linear prose. It's brilliant. At first, it can be a bit hard to orient yourself, but as I mentioned earlier, you don't have time to get acclimated and that's okay. You get used to it.

That's why I recommend trying to read as many pages in a chunk as possible. And I seriously think you can finish this book in an afternoon --- I know many friends with advanced copies have stayed up late into the night to finish it. It demands your attention and you'll find it impossible to put it down.

This book is not merciful in the best of ways. It shatters expectations, shreds your feelings and leaves you feeling as breathless as if you were stuck without oxygen in a breached deck on a spacecraft.

The book's many conflicts provide intersecting twists and turns that will have your stomach in just as many knots. By page 600, you'll care for these characters as if you had spent years with them. Kady and Ezra are interesting, endearing protagonists, the perfect vessels to tell this story. And the host of secondary characters that we're treated to (James McNulty, Byron) are just as incredibly drawn. Because of the fast pace, we're treated to snippets of character introspection. Not a lot of telling going on here, friends. And that's okay. We don't need to be told anything because it all unfolds brilliantly through the multiple narratives --- messages, surveillance summary, the AI's records. And through each character's actions, we're treated to such a complete history of their character it's as if we were provided with extensive dossiers beforehand. I dare you not to struggle with coming up with who your favorite character is.

Also, I am utterly stunned by the world-building and how everything is supported by research! Lots of it, from the looks of the documents that make up the book (and acknowledgment page). Through every page of medical documents, message transcripts and classified army documents, the world unfolds around you and leaves you completely entrenched. It's very hard to pull yourself out of ILLUMINAE once you've started. You're gripped from the opening interview and hooked until you get to the acknowledgements page. This book is a tour de force and hopefully not one of its kind. I'll need to read thousands of more books like this, especially from these authors, and I am so glad that this is a series. My only question is, why I can't have book 2 now?

You will not be disappointed by ILLUMINAE, by the magic Kaufman and Kristoff are able to create and the way your heart will clench and break 100 throughout the book. Bring tissues, chocolate and noise canceling headphones. You're going to want to buckle down for this one and you probably won't be able to take a breath until you're done. But it will all be totally worth it.

The authors credit the IRS for introducing them to each other --- both Australian authors, they had to fill out separate tax forms than if they were in the U.S. --- and by the end of ILLUMINAE, you might be calling the IRS to thank them, too. The collaboration here is seamless; I truly cannot tell where Kaufman ends and Kristoff begins, and that's perfect.

So go forth and pick up ILLUMINAE. It will probably be the best decision you make for a long while.

Reviewed by Brianna Robinson

I run. I use audio-books with the rule that I only get to listen when I am running. I look for books that motivate me to run because I can't wait to hear what happens next. " Illuminae" is different. For me, as a 78 yr-old who runs 8-miles a day, and as a person who has loved Sci Fi for over 65 years, I have found the audio versions of Illuminae and Gemina to be the most interesting and well thought out bit of Sci Fi entertainment that I have experienced yet! I love the courtroom dossier format, the complexity of the story, the human dynamics and their interactions with a very smooth talking Ai, and the multiverse concept that can explain everything including current-day, trash-talking teens who live on a distant world in a distant future who casually jump through wormholes just to see night skies filled with entirely different stars. The science isn't bad either as long as one accepts the multiverse concept. So my proof that I think this is REALLY good;. I'm almost through my third listen of Illuminae and can't wait to run to Gemina for the third time. Also, I can't wait to hear the third book in this series. I hope my wait won't be long.

VERY COOL! The format alone was intriguing to me! I was worried that this book would not flow well or that it might feel overly official but I was very wrong. While it did take me about 25 pages to get used to the format, I quickly became hooked and could not put it down. (Sleep was lost.) And the delivery was not excessively dry because the documented conversations are sometimes funny and the person who put the Illuminae files together, added their own snarky humor.

I was able to connect with the two main characters through their dialog and digital conversations. Ezra provided comic relief but I loved Kady, who uses her own genius to find out what is going on, the most. My only hangups with Illuminae were with the reasons and motivation behind some secondary character’s actions. Everything else was pretty much awesome!

Do I recommend it? Yes! Illuminae will keep you on the edge of your seat as you feel like a detective who is slowly illuminating all of the lies and secrets. If you are looking for something a little different, a step outside of the YA norm, I highly recommend Illuminae.

Read my full review and let us know what you think about The Illuminae Files here: <a href="http://www.bookseriesrecaps.com/review-of-illuminae/">Rapid Review of Illuminae</a>

I have been wanting to review this book since October, but like every year, I'm thrown the reality curveball from teaching high school English. No matter how much I want to read and review, I'm always swamped undeneath a pile of essays to grade. But, thankful for Thanksgiving break, I can take a moment, take a breath, and review this amazing book.

When I first received the book in the mail, I was a bit overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude. Putting myself into the mindset of a teen, I thought to myself: if I saw this on the shelves, would I pick it up? The average teen probably would not, but here are a few reasons why he/she would if taking the time to pick it up off of the shelf.

First, you will notice on the cover that this is the first book of a new series, which is always enticing for readers. Since Twilight, young readers (and let's be honest, adults) have been clamoring for the next big series. While The Hunger Games has just ended its film run, and the Divergent series will end soon, readers are hungry for something to hold onto. And this just may be the answer.

Second, have you flipped through the pages at all? They are beautiful. A mix of computer instant messages, confidential files, prose, artistically created pages, etc., the book is definitely catering to a reader who would be overwhelmed by just looking at the book's size. Because of the variety of text, the book doesn't take very long to read. A "reader" will probably finish the book in just a few days and have to find something else to occupy some time waiting anxiously for the sequel.

But let's move past the "look" of the book and talk about the content. No matter how "pretty" a book is, the content, the plot, the characters, the story will carry a reader through to the end.

Kady and Ezra used to date, but like most teen relationships, it just didn't last. Once their colony is attacked, Kady and Ezra are safely evacuated, but not to the same place. Kady is sent to Hypatia while Ezra is sent to Alexander. On Alexander, Ezra puts all of his effort into becoming a pilot, while on Hypatia, Kady uses her hacking skills to see what the other ships are doing. Personally, I love Kady. Her humorous defiance is refreshing, though reminiscent of Katniss Everdeen (but there's nothing wrong with that), and I was more inclined to read her excerpts than Ezra's because of her spunky persona.

While Kady is hacking into another ship's system, she reconnects with Ezra. Hesitant at first to talk with him again, she realizes that the information she has found is more important than some silly love story. I won't go into detail here, but I will tell you that this information involves artificial intelligece and a plan to the change the world as they know it.

Like most YA novels out there, a love story does have a thread throughout the novel, but it's not overwhelming and it's not inauthentic. You will root for Ezra and Kady, not just to be together, but to save the world.

An explosive new series that is perfect for science-fiction lovers, romance lovers, YA lovers, graphic novel lovers. If you are any kind of reader, you will love Illuminae.

There is so much fun to be had in reading a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, heart racing, chewing your nails over what just happened and what might happen next. Illuminae is that kind of book. Don't be fooled by its intimidating size; Illuminae was well-crafted into the page turner that it is. A space war story told through a series of dossiers/case files/emails/instant messages/AI computer thoughts, Illuminae may not be the most original story the galaxy has ever encountered, but the storytelling more than make up for that.

The formatting of this book is stellar. I loved that it isn't a narrative, but the story is still clear, regardless, and that if the story ever isn't clear, that murkiness is noted by the characters themselves. It's definitely cool when authors give confirmation to the reader that yes, in fact, something should be weird about what s/he is reading right now. There are also many pages where the words are all over the page or creating pictures of some kind, and the effects of all of that are fascinating (though I'm sure the effects are highly diminished when read on an e-reader).

I found that I was almost immediately attached to the characters, and even really rooting for Kady and Ezra's love story, which is a huge part of the book, and yet I did not find myself wanting to puke over that love story. That Illuminae can successfully keep me from heavy eye-rolling over love-sick teenagers is a feat in itself. It may have had something to do with the knowledge that the two teens had already been in an established relationship previous to the current events in the book.

I also enjoyed several of the minor characters, most notably Byron, Kady's "sensei," and Jimmy, Ezra's squad mate. Those friendship feels, though! The development of those character relationships were spot-on. AIDAN is probably my favorite character of all. I love that Kaufman and Kristoff wrote Its calculations so poetically. Sure, we all fell in love with the Bicentennial Man (Robin Williams, may he rest in peace), but that was just dipping our toes in the water. AIDAN is AI love to the max... even if It is crazy AF.

As for Phobos Beta: DON'T LOOK AT ME. (So terrifying.)

I won't discuss the plot for fear of spoilers. Just know this: if you have never tried a space sci-fi adventure book before, you better make this book your introduction. If you are a seasoned sci-fi vet, enjoy the thrill ride.

I tend to be highly skeptical of books that reach the level of hype that Illuminae has. For whatever reasons, I often don't quite get what everyone is talking about. So when I got completely hooked into Illuminae I was really surprised and then I honestly didn't care about anything but staying up to finish it. This book terrified the hell out of me. Ezra and Kady are teenagers who just got into an ugly breakup when their illegal mining settlement is invaded, friends and family are killed and they escape to different rescuing ships. This book doesn't pull any punches from the first pages. There's death on a massive scale here and it's terrible. As people try to survive on these overcrowded, under staffed ships the leadership doesn't realize their AI system that runs nearly all functions was more damaged than they thought. AIDAN thinks he's doing what's best but the results are horrific. By the time they shut the system down, it's far too late. Plus, they're being chased by a massive dreadnought planning to blow them out of the water and without AIDAN they're powerless to flee or fight back. Plus, they haven't realized the people who attacked Kerenza used a bio weapon that turns people into homicidal, psychotic animals.

Through all of this, Kady and Ezra are talking via chat and emails. Their banter is amazing and so much is conveyed between them in these moments. They may have broken up but they're certainly not letting each other go. Ezra ends up conscripted to fly small fighter ships and Kady purposely avoids conscription so she can find out what's really happening. She's a hacker of extraordinary talent and she uses every bit of her intelligence, cleverness, and amazing courage to team with others and stop the lies, keep people safe. She's sarcastic, bitter, angry and brilliant which makes her a fearsome enemy but a joy to read. Her badassery in this book cannot be understated. I hung on to her every move, more and more on edge not sure of how this would all play out. There was no way I was going to bed last night before finishing it. It was fantastic!

This book is dark. Bad, nasty things happen and it never gets easier to read. But there are also moments of snark and genuine levity that break the it up. The characters, amazing plot, and the relationships are all there. I honestly don't have a bad word to say which is so unlike me! If you have the chance to read the hardcover compared to the ebook then do it. This is a story told via hacked emails, reports after the fact, surveillance footage, and records from an insane AI system. There are graphics with text that really shine in large format. I think the impact would definitely be affected if I've read this on my Kindle instead. Definitely get your hands on it!!

We’ve all heard about Illuminae, a wonderfully original new book co-authored by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. After all, the hype has been almost incredible – rarely do we see such a strong and intense publicity campaign. For months before its release, Illuminae was practically everywhere. For those of us who keep track of all things bookish, it was a must read we coveted for far too long.

I must admit that all that advertising made me a bit nervous. I have a black, cynical soul, inherently suspicious of all things “wholly unique” and “utterly captivating”. I was wary of this book, reluctant to start it, somehow sure that I would end up completely let down. I was never happier to have been wrong in my life.

Illuminae IS unique and captivating, told in a series of transcripts, IM sessions, e-mails and various other documents. It has very little in the way traditional narration and that in itself is something to celebrate. Visually, it is a stunning work in which each page brings a new surprise. I can’t even begin to imagine how much effort went into compiling this book, how many hours of thinking and planning, how many drafts and ideas were discarded along the way. Illuminae is an endeavor that required brilliance and bravery, both of which Kaufman and Kristoff possess in abundance.

I’d rather not say too much about the plot, as I went into this blindly and I wish the same for those of you who haven’t read it. I’ll say this, though: Illuminae is a thrill ride with something in it for everyone: enough science fiction and technical jargon to satisfy even hard core sci-fi fans, enough action to keep the easily bored glued to their seats, and certainly more than enough romance to keep my little heart happy and content.

Another thing I want to mention is that I read this book in two formats, switching between print and audio whenever I felt like it. One would think that such a visually interesting book wouldn’t be suited for the audio format, but a full cast audio shouldn’t be dismissed so easily. Both formats bring something new and different, and both have their advantages. Whatever you choose, you can’t possibly go wrong.

In any case, Illuminae seems to be almost universally loved and I’m happy to join in on worshiping Jay and Amie. Give it a chance if you haven’t already. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Oh, and also, they named a character James McNulty, and anyone who honors The Wire is definitely a friend of mine.

(A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.)

This book is one of the most unique books I have ever read. It is all material compiled in a dossier following some pretty tragic events.

The planet Kerenza IV was attacked by BeiTech warships. Kady Grant and Ezra Mason had broken up that morning. Now they were fighting to stay alive. Kady ended up aboard the science vessel Hypatia while Ezra ended up aboard the UTA warship Alexander.

The story follows what takes place in the months following the Kerenza disaster. The fleet of survivors aboard ships Copernicus, Hypatia, and Alexander are fleeing from pursuit. The BeiTech warship Lincoln is pursuing the refugees, likely to eliminate all witnesses to the attack at Kerenza.

Ezra ends up conscripted into the UTA military as a fighter pilot. Kady ends up covertly learning hacking skills aboard the Hypatia. All is as well as could be expected as the refugee fleet flees towards civilization and, hopefully, help.

Then, unexpectedly, the artificial intelligence of the Alexander, AIDAN, attacks the Copernicus. Some survivors of the Copernicus are quarantined aboard the Alexander and AIDAN is shut down. There is a problem, though. Without AIDAN, the Alexander and the Hypatia cannot outrun or fight the Lincoln. And the Lincoln is fast approaching. However, AIDAN may have had a reason to order attack on the Copernicus.

Really, this is such a unique book. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the way everything unfolded. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to see what happens next. I don’t even know what other words to use. This book was amazing!

This review first appeared at Orandi et Legendi (http://catholicamanda.com).

Let’s start from the beginning. I was very excited to read this book and counted down the months to its release. The hype surrounding Illuminae made me want to read it even more. I followed every little piece of info about this book I could find online, and the release date couldn’t come soon enough for me. Then it did.

And I started reading.

And something VERY unexpected happened.

Something I did not see coming.

I couldn’t get into the book. The first 25 percent was almost a DNF for me. Can you believe it? I certainly couldn’t.

But I told myself to hang in there and look past everything I found confusing in the story and just sit it out. At almost 40 percent, I started getting into it, but only way, WAY later, was I hooked.

So, now that I’ve finished it and especially enjoyed the last 30 percent or so, I am already looking forward to the sequel. I have to give kudos to these two authors who have created such a work of art. My confusion at the start and everything else aside, I want to applaud them for coming up with such a great story idea and then bringing it to life. I would love to see this as a movie, but chances are Hollywood would botch it anyway.

Also, lots of love to Amie and Jay, or whoever was the brain for including The Silent Scream in this masterpiece. It was incredibly appropriate and spoke a thousand words!

I never saw the twists coming, and I had a serious love-hate relationship with AIDAN. The dialogue was spot-on and again you guys...AIDAN! I was super impressed with how the AI was written. Very believable and simultaneously scary.

Despite a slow start, this turned out to be a terrific read and I think the collaboration between these two very talented authors was a great idea!

MY THOUGHTS
I was so excited to read this book!! I love both of the authors' other book series and add the fact that the book sounds fantastic, this book needed to be in my hands! I am glad to say that this book is the ultimate sci-fi! It tells a new story in an entirely unique way!

This book takes place in the far future. Kady and Ezra just broke up this morning and that means like the worst that can happen, until their small planet is attack. Their small planet ends up in the middle a war and ultimately destroys the planet. Three ships are able to rescue a few thousand people, Kady and Ezra included, but their problems are not over. The ships must travel through space towards help while an enemy ship is on their tail. That's not all. There's something deadly afoot in these ships...

What is very interesting about this book is how the story is told. It's told completely by various documents. Interviews, emails, IMs, camera footage transcripts, etc. It was a bit odd and confusing at first, but after awhile I got so used to it! And, really, it's such a unique way to tell the story and I became completely absorbed! First of all, you would like it would be hard to connect to the characters or really anything with this type of format, but no, it really wasn't. The characters were spectacular and while it took me awhile to understand the world, it didn't take that long. Really, the whole futuristic world was done very well. I know I'm raving here, but everything worked!

I really just want to mention the emotions that this book caused. I kind of knew that this would happen as both these authors have a history of it. I think this is something that I just loved, even if it may have ruined me. I just think it's amazing when authors can get me to connect with the book and the characters so well. Also, SO MUCH HAPPENS! That's part of why I'm being so vague in my review. Yeah, the synopsis gives a whole lot away, but I think it's for the best that you guys find things out through the documents.

Lastly, there are plot twists. Round of applause for plot twists!

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, my review is a mess, but just read this book! I was expecting awesome, but I was still blown away! This is going to be an entire series, so I am very excited to read more!

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: .Illuminae is one seriously dramatic and terrifying young adult sci-fi novel. This novel isn’t for the squeamish

Opening Sentence: So here’s the file that almost killed me, Director.

The Review:

Holy moly! Illuminae is one seriously dramatic and terrifying young adult sci-fi novel. It is set in the distant future of 2575. My heart was pounding reading the documents of Kady Grant’s harrowing adventure. I definitely recommend Illuminae to anyone who enjoys a good science fiction story and for those who like the found footage/documentation type reads. I felt Illuminae was an all-round fantastic book! Its’ synopsis is one that I feel truly encapsulates this book!

Illuminae starts off crazy and doesn’t stop. It begins with an interview of Kady Grant and Ezra Mason (separately) about what happened on their home mining camp of Karenza. Kady’s day starts off with her breaking up with her boyfriend, Ezra. It ends on a spaceship racing away from the world she knows after it was attacked and destroyed by the BeiTech Corporation.

Things do not slow down from there. Kady knows some shady stuff is going down. She uses her hacking skills to uncover documents and footage that lays out the story of what is happening on the spaceships. She also uses her considerable skills to find out who survived and didn’t survive the attack on Karenza. A catastrophic event occurs in space and Kady makes sure she can find out the truth of the event.

Kady wants nothing to do with Ezra. She made sure he escaped the planet but that was all she wanted to do with him. After the second tragedy, Kady has to initiate contact with Ezra again. She needs his help to further uncover the truth. Ezra and Kady are on different spaceships so she needs to manual help with hacking. After Ezra’s help, Kady uncovers a terrible truth, that the people on her colony were exposed to a terrible and deadly virus. This virus is crazy and so very terrifying. I felt this was way worse than the zombie virus. The infected are blood thirsty, insane crazies who still have their mental faculties of problem solving intact. They use that towards killing more people and infecting them.

If the virus wasn’t enough to deal with then the insane AI, AIDEN, just takes the cake. AIDEN’s directive is to protect life at all costs but somewhere along the way its directive got skewed. AIDEN does some really f’ed up stuff to those aboard all three spaceships with survivors of the Karenza attack.

I’m going to straight up say that I loved Kady. She did everything she could to uncover the grisly details of the entire book. She even pretended being stupid with computers just to throw people off her trail. She was pretty badass throughout the book. When push came to shove, she was prepared to throw her life away in order to save her fellow survivors. She was terrified but she never completely broke down.

My copy of Illuminae was off of NetGalley. I couldn’t read some of the more detailed pages so I did miss some information. The small print just wouldn’t show up on my computer screen. I would wholeheartedly recommend getting a hard copy of Illuminae. The electronic copies are going to be hard to read. I know I will be picking up a copy. I want to see what I missed.

There were times during the writing, that I was surprised by the language and some other details. I do not want to spoil anything except to say that everything comes around and there is a satisfying answer to everything!

**Side note: I may not be the only crazy one to catch this Easter egg. But I’m a huge fan of heavy music and I laughed my butt off at the use of the band members’ names from Lamb of God. Although the memo itself was quite sad and tragic. So I laughed at that but felt bad because it was a bad scene.**

Overall this novel is not for the squeamish. There are LOTS of deaths, some might be graphic. There is a lot of cussing, of course it is covered with black squares that I can’t recreate here. Plus, I’m a weenie and just terrified of space and space movies. I definitely recommend this book to for those who are not faint of heart. If you are not a fan of the document type books, I think you should still give this one a try.

Notable Scene:

Hey K,

I’m not sure if you’ll get this. I mailed you last month, but maybe it didn’t go through. If things aboard the Hypatia are anything like things over here, it probably didn’t. Maybe you’re busy. Or you don’t want to talk to me. I get it.

It was my birthday yesterday. Eighteen years old, can you believe that? Good news is I can drink legally, now. Bad news is there’s nothing to drink. Even the water’s in short supply. :P

They’ve got me doing tests. Not just me – there’s a whole bunch of us. VR sims and psych analysis and physicals. They’ve drafted a whole bunch of the Kerenza refugees into the UTA over here. Not sure if they’re doing the same on the Hypatia. Wartime conscription they called it. And now I’m eighteen, they’re looking at me. Which I guess means we’re in deeper **** than anyone figured.

I had a dream about you last night. No, not like that, relax.

It was the day of the attack, and I see you in your truck in the parking lot. And I run up to the window and knock, but you don’t let me in. You just stare, like you don’t know me. And I pound on the glass and yell your name, but you just shake your head. And then you drive off and leave me there. Weird thing is, there’s someone who looks exactly like me sitting right next to you the whole time. And he’s laughing.

And then the ships come.

You think it means something?

Anyway, I hope you’re ok. Write back and let me know. Even if it’s just to say you got this.

Love E

FTC Advisory: Knopf Books for Young Readers/Random House provided me with a copy of Illuminae. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Wow! I'm so impressed by 'Illuminae.' My husband read this book first, and couldn't recommend it enough. I can now understand why. The crafting of Kaufman and Kristoff to first imagine, and then figure out how to create this fascinating novel, is quite impressive. But it would have fallen flat if not for the additional level of humanity and character it also displayed brilliantly.

From the start, we are thrust into action, intensity, and suspense. Kady and Ezra just happened to break up the day their planet was doomed. As Kady and Ezra are rescued, they are not out of danger yet. Not even close. What proceeds after the attack is nothing short of addicting. Who attacked them? Why? Are they going to be able to flee fast enough to get out of mortal danger? Who's in charge? Who survived? Will Kady and Ezra reconcile? And so many more questions.

But I will not go into detail. Because I really loved the journey this book took me on. It was a wild ride. So many twists and turns. A rich bevy of secondary characters. Truly heartbreaking situations to experience. Heartfelt depths I wasn't expecting. Danger at every turn. And a love story that felt like it spanned the universe. The stars of the show are definitely Kady and Ezra. I absolutely loved these two. And the AI took it to a whole new level.

The size of this book may be intimidating (almost 600 pages), but it is completely worth it. And it goes quickly, as it is constructed around an amazing conglomeration of documents, emails, IMs, schematics, files, reports, interviews, and some very creative usage of word play and graphing. The uniqueness of this book is stellar. I loved how all the pages and their graphics were displayed.

I absolutely loved 'Illuminae' and highly recommend it. The end of this book leaves us in a good place. No major cliffhanger or anything. But it does leave us with a taste for the future. I cannot wait to see what amazing things these authors think of next!

5+ Stars! Added to my favorites list!

Kady and Ezra live in a small mining colony on a distant planet called Kerenza, life is hard but it's always been peaceful until the day an army descends and the colony is destroyed. The only survivors are now on three ships desperately trying to reach civilization and safety before their enemies can catch them and murder the only witnesses to what happened on the planet. After another terrible tragedy Kady becomes convinced that the ship commanders are keeping secrets from them and, along with a hacker friend she has made, she becomes determined to find out what is really happening on board the Alexander.

Having read and enjoyed books by both Aime Kaufman and Jay Kristoff in the past I wanted to read Illuminae from the moment I first heard about it. Illuminae is like nothing I've ever read before and I absolutely loved the untraditional format the story takes. Readers have to put the pieces together from interview transcripts, emails, instant message conversations, diary entries, briefing notes, diagrams, blueprints, observations made from CCTV footage and much, much more and I was surprised at how well this format works. I'll admit I was worried it would be hard to follow or that I'd have trouble connecting to the characters because of the way the story is told but I actually found it incredibly engaging and it was nearly impossible to put the book down once I'd started reading. Because there aren't normal chapters I'd constantly be telling myself just one more document, or I'll just read this conversation but finding I'd read another fifty pages before I knew it.

The characters are brilliant, Kady is intelligent and a fighter who will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth. She thinks nothing of standing up to superior officers or hacking her way through the system to find out what is really going on and I loved the way she dealt with everything that is thrown at her. Ezra is more trusting and finds it hard to believe that there could be anything untoward happening but he steps up when it really matters and believes in Kady enough to help her in any way he can. I though that the relationship between them was brilliant, they had literally broken up a couple of hours before their planet was invaded but it was obvious from the beginning that Ezra still had feelings for Kady and wanted to rebuild things between them. Kady is more standoffish at first and I found her harder to warm up to but as you start to get to know her you understand how damaged she is by everything she has lost and that she is terrified of having her heart broken all over again.

I don't really want to say too much more about the plot because I'd hate to spoil the journey you're about to embark on but Illuminae is incredibly fast paced and addictive and I loved every minute of it! If you're even slightly curious about this book then I'd urge you to find a print copy in a bookshop or library and just flick through a few random pages, I can pretty much guarantee that something will capture your attention and make you want to give it a try. I'm so incredibly excited that this is the first book in a trilogy and I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on a copy of the next book so I really hope the authors are writing fast and I won't have to wait too long!

Plot: Illuminae has been marketed as a space soap opera and it describes the novel perfectly. We are introduced to our characters and world in a high energy evacuation from a hostile corporation. The same energy is constant throughout the novel and the body count will more than double by the end of the novel. Prepare tissues, you'll need it.

I'd be remiss to comment on Illuminae without taking a minute to praise its format. Illuminae is not your typical novel; it is told through multiple perspectives in multiple formats: instant messages, video surveillance footage, newspaper clippings, pictures, you name it. Everyone asked me if Illuminae was difficult to follow, but it's not. If anything, it made me more willing to sacrifice sleep in order to finish it ("just ONE more page" is something I told all of my loved ones). This is definitely a book that you want to own physically, the amount of detail and the creativity in Illuminae makes this book worth its cover price, and then some!

Characters: Our main characters are Kady and Ezra who awkwardly just broke up before their home planet was attacked. Even though they are our main characters, we do get insights from several other characters, including the ship's A.I.

Illuminae is unique because it managed to give its characters breath with very little back story. There are characters who literally appear on a page only to die, and I mourned their death. I laughed with these characters, I sighed with relief, I held my breath, and I cried (oh did I cry) with these characters.

World Building: Illuminae's strength is that it knows no limitation. Because we are reading this novel through a "report," we are not bound to follow only one or two characters. We can explore different airships and understand the history of the planets through pamphlets and other documents. The futuristic world of Illuminae is so complete that I didn't even have a problem with the scientific lingo. Sci-Fi and I have such a love/hate relationship, and Illuminae is Sci-Fi done perfectly.

Short N Sweet: No review will do Illuminae justice. Just take my word for it, and believe that this is a reading experience that you don't want to miss out on! Am I not merciful?

I don’t like sci-fi. I will probably repeat this to you when I am old and decrepit on my deathbed, leaning in for another sip of chicken broth as I grab you by the lapel, yank you close and hiss, “I don’t like sci-fi” into your face with my gross, old lady mouth. Wow, that was a little too much even for me. Sorry, guys.

Illuminae, though? It took all my expectations of what a sci-fi book means and slammed them into the ground so hard that they shattered. “You think sci-fi is boring?!” it yelled, doing the Cha-Cha Slide on my heart. “Not today!”

If I had any preconceived notions of what the dynamic duo of Kaufman and Kristoff (K squared?) were calling sci-fi, I was pleasantly wrong in all ways possible. I figured this would be Titanic in space. Boy, was I wrong.

How I’d Describe This Book to My Friends
Take your favorite sassy couple from any book of your choice. Add in life-threatening peril, a lifestyle of living in space not unlike the one from Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, and a pinch of zombie virus, and you have the beginnings of Illuminae.

When we first meet our heroes – Kady and Ezra – they just broke up. Terrible timing for them as, unfortunately, not long after the split they get caught up in a major attack on their little, remote planet. Kady ends up on one rescue ship, and Ezra the other. With the enemy bearing down on them, options are rapidly becoming smaller and time is running out. If that pressure wasn’t enough, what initially seemed like PTSD from survivors of the attack rapidly morphs into the start of a zombie-like virus, with deadly – and disgusting – results.

And just in case that isn’t enough pressure for you, let’s just go ahead and say that the AI that runs the ship Ezra is on it uh … a bit less than savory in his ethical actions, and is becoming worrisome as time goes on.

What follows is an action-packed book, told in everything from emails and IMs to ASCII art. I am a sucker for a good epistolary novel, and this is no different. I loved my time with Kady and Ezra (especially Kady, a badass young woman with an amazing skillset of coding know-how) a lot, so much so that I bought Gemina (book #2) immediately upon finishing Illuminae, and I was at a hotel in Tampa, Florida. I could have been at the pool, or even better – asleep. But instead I finished this book. That alone should tell you something.

Bottom Line
If you don’t really like sci-fi stories, but you do enjoy snark and the good clean fun that comes with it, you cannot pass up on Illuminae. The romance is realistic, the scary parts appropriately bone-chilling, and I never felt lost or confused, just nervous and anxious for our beloved star-crossed lovers. Please give this one a try, sci-fi haters. I promise you won’t regret it.

Thank you #FirstInLine for giving me the amazing opportunity to read Illuminae! Whoever said "don't judge a book by it's cover" obviously never read Illuminae! This book is jaw-droppingly beautiful! I really thought I'd have trouble understanding everything, in reality the stunning visual stimulation helped connect me more to the story than would have been possible had it been a traditional book!

Basically it's a futuristic sci-fi centering around a romance. It starts out with Kady breaking up with her boyfriend Ezra. Their home is invaded and destroyed, they realize they need each other more than ever before. Here's a quote from Ezra to Kady:

"You deserve every star in the galaxy laid out at your feet and a thousand diamonds in your hair. You deserve someone who'll run with you as far and as fast as you want to. Holding your hand, not holding you back. "

There is no such thing as a "slow part" to Illuminae, this story definitely stays in the fast lane the entire length of the book! I'm not the type to pick up a futuristic sci-fi book, but Illuminae gripped me from the outside cover all the way to the very last page!

Considering everything Kady is faced with (read the summary) she handles everything like a boss! Are you ready for a non-stop adrenaline packed ride? I hope so, because once you open the VERY FIRST PAGE you better sit down and buckle up, because you're in for one hell of a ride!

There comes a time in ever reader’s experience where you get to encounter a character that you love to hate. What about a character you hate to love? For me that’s AIDAN! From the get-go AIDAN really made his way under my skin. What I did not anticipate was the astounding amount of character development he experienced throughout the story. I really came to admire AIDAN, which was a HUGE surprise for me! He’s a villain, but has a way of making you root for him.

4.5 Explosive Stars!!!

Whoa! What did I just read?? I had been itching to read this book since all the buzz first started. And then when my copy came in, I admit I was a little nervous. As I'm sure most everyone else is in the same boat, never have I read anything written like this before. So unique and completely captivating!

The year is 2575, 'Illuminae' follows ex high school sweethearts Kady and Ezra, who are barely speaking after their recent breakup. The story is set aboard two space shuttles racing towards a safe haven after their planet has been wiped out in a fight between two major corporations.

As their ships are being pursued, a deadly virus sweeps through one of the ships and begins to mutate. The fleets computer, "AIDEN" who is supposed to protect them, seems to turn against them and the authorities are keeping mum about it all.

Kady, still angry with Ezra, breaks her silence with him when she realizes she will need his help to figure out what's really going on.

There is plenty of Star Wars like adventure for those seeking action but my favorite thing about this book is probably the interactions between our main characters. There is so much funny dialogue between Kady and Ezra and their chemistry is explosive! I couldn't get enough of them. A new favorite couple of mine for sure.

This story is told entirely from hacked IM's and emails, surveillance reports, interviews, journal entries, etc. This unique writing style did throw me off a little bit at first. It took awhile to get the hang of if but once I did it was smooth sailing! 'Illuminae' is a scary, action packed, and intense journey. Mind blowingly epic with some heart wrenching moments and twists and turns that you won't see coming. A must read for everyone!

In this brilliantly conceived and written novel, former couple Kady and Ezra find themselves on two spaceships fleeing the destruction of their deep-space mining colony, able to communicate only thanks to Kady's computer-hacking expertise. The enemy who destroyed the teens' home is pursuing them, and the artificial intelligence that's supposed to save them might be plotting their annihilation. Meanwhile a killer virus is spreading on one of the ships, and the estranged couple have to rediscover their love for each other and their will to survive.

When I first heard the buzz about this book, I feared that its conceit--the whole story is told through hacked documents, email exchanges, and the like--would turn out to be nothing but a gimmick. Happily, that's not the case; the experimental style works perfectly to tell this tense story of intrigue, mysteries, and lies. And some of the technical razzle-dazzle--such as when the frantic communications of a squadron of fighter pilots are poured in every conceivable font and direction across a double-page spread--is, quite simply, dazzling. Then, too, the musings of AIDAN, the ruthless AI system with the soul of a poet, are weirdly lyrical and gripping. And the developing relationship between Kady and Ezra, who discover just how much they need each other, is genuine, touching, and sweet.

I found the second half of the book somewhat less engaging than the first, maybe because the technique started to wear the tiniest bit thin by then, or maybe because the plot elements (killer viruses and insane AI) started to seem a bit too familiar. Regardless, this is an exceptional book, one I'm sure will be copied endlessly but never equaled.

I really enjoyed reading Illuminae and the stories of Kady and Ezra and the people aboard Hypatia and Alexander.

I really loved how they formatted the book, complete with mission reports, chat communications, memos, etc. It's definitely a unique way of presenting the story in multiple POVs. It got confusing at first but once you get the hang of it, it gets easier. And it's easy to go back and refresh your memory with the details because you know what kind of report or communication you're looking for.

I loved reading Kady and Ezra's story, it made everything else, story-wise, bearable. The other stories weren't bad but it was a space attack so it was really fist-clenching, heart-thumping action. Kady and Ezra's story gave me a break from that.

It's the first book of a trilogy but I like that it can stand on its own, whether you read the other books or not. But I'm still going to read the other books! :)

<b><a href="https://booksncalm.wordpress.com/2015/10/30/illuminae/">Review also on Books N' Calm</a><b>
First off, I can talk about how awesome & beautiful the book cover is (both the cover & the hard bound covering). I love it. They both interact with each other to create the image you get for the online cover image. It’s so different to what I’ve seen.Also the way the story is displayed is great & different. The story is told in files, reports, IMs, interview & a bunch of other things like that. These things that tell the story aren’t just plain text. They’ve been formatted. For example, the files look like it was a file itself was printed on the page. Anything that happened to the files, shows up on the file. Which is awesome but it did make it a little hard to read certain parts. I also, kinda wished that some parts were in color. I feel like they would have given a bigger effect/impact. The book was designed so beautifully!

Now onto the actual content of the book. I really enjoyed the story line. It was different and it have a love story. But the love story was a small part of it instead of it being a big annoying part of it. The love story was realistic. It drove, Kady, the main character to do things that love would do. I did wish for a second that there wasn’t a love story but then I realized that the love story Calcutta adds to the story & is needed. I did get a bit confused at parts, but that’s probably more because of fast I read. The story is set in space which was great!! Space is amazing!

There wasn’t much diversity in the story…at least from what I could tell.

This is a book you should read by a physical copy, at least in my opinion. It may be a book that is okay to read by ebook. As I mentioned earlier the story is told through file, IMs and other things like that. So they may be in picture format on an ebook. I’m not sure though.

This book is amazing!! I honestly don’t know what to say. This is a book you just have to read.

It's hard not to finish this book without a "well dang.". I may have used a few other choice descriptive words to pop a cherry on top of that feeling at the end. I never saw anything coming, nothing was predictable, nothing went as planned in my mind. The cast of narrators was absolutely fantastic. Their perfect reading had me nervously running and sweating with the crew. I was there, what an experience !
I'm not going to go over the story. This is a book to go into blind, no expectations. Be surprised, shocked and enjoy the ride.
Aiden was the most interesting, nutter, murdering, helpful, merciful living not living character. The authors made me question myself on my beliefs with him. I hope there is a spark if him in the next books. Katie was everything a heroine should be, that's all I'm saying.
Listen to this one, it is an audiobook you'll not soon forget.

This was such a fun book to read. Don’t let the 599 page count turn you off of this book.

The story is told through instant messages, e-mails, official reports, and transcripts of video footage. Through these various documents, the story is told of Kady and Ezra who escape from a planet that is attacked by a megacorporation. Kady ends up on one ship trying to hack her way to the truth of what really happened and what is currently happening with the refugees. Ezra ends up on another ship, conscripted into their military, and becomes a pilot. Both are on the run from another ship, the one that attacked their planet and is trying to eliminate the last witnesses.

This was a fast-paced, edge-of-your seat novel. Despite the dire circumstances, it was witty and endearing. Kady is so smart for her age that it’s hard to remember she’s only 17 until you hear her sarcasm and snarkiness come through in the different transcripts.

Illuminae is such an entertaining and unique read. I really and truly do NOT recommend that you read this on any device. It needs to be read in its printed form. I can’t imagine how the different documents and images would translate to an eReader of any kind. Even if it formatted correctly (and I’ve seen people complain about it NOT in other reviews) you would lose something in the experience. Not only that, but it has the neatest cover (the hardbound dust jacket) of any book I’ve ever seen. Waiting for the next installment of this trilogy isn’t going to be fun.

Last night I finished the very good "Illuminae: The Illuminae Files_01". Thanks to the Davis County (Utah) library system for me being able to check this book out. This book has 599 pages, but it's approximately only about 400 pages of reading. This book was released on October 20th, 2015.

It features this line on the cover "First survive. Then tell the truth".

This is a very enjoyable book. I'm hoping since this is "Files_01", that there will be a "Files_02". There certainly seems to be enough story left remaining to have at least a second book.

"Illuminae" tells the story of a love triangle between teenage boy Ezra Mason, teenage girl, Kady Grant, and the self-aware AI AIDAN. The action starts on the planet of Kerenza, site of an illegal mine, which is owned and ran by Wallace Ulyanov Consortium (WUC). They're raided and attacked by the corporation Bei-Tech, which is a competing mining company. About 3 hours before the attack Kady broke up with Ezra- but it seems like the two have a bond that won't ever break. It's not a traditional narrative, instead it's a collection of interviews, journal entries, messages between Kady and Ezra and thoughts from AIDAN itself.

AIDAN (Artificial Intelligence Defense Analytics Network) is aboard the Alexander. The Alexander is ran by a government organization United Terran Authority (UTA). After a valiant defense of the people that's aboard it, the Alexander was able to escape Kerenza. However sadly it was damaged in that initial attack. AIDAN was designed not to hurt the people aboard the Alexander. Was it the damage it suffered at Kerenza or something else- but the self-aware AI started making decisions that wasn't in the favor of it's crew and civilian refugees.

The Alexander escapes with science spaceship, The Hypathia, and heavy freighter, the Copernicus. Their advanced technology that can successfully navigate wormholes was damaged. They set out on a slow motion race to the Heimdall Jump Station, which is a 6.5 to 7 month journey. They have the Bei Tech warship, the dread naught Lincoln (BT042-7N) on their tail. The Lincoln trails by a bit but they eventually will catch up to The Alexander and The Hypathia. The Copernicus was destroyed by AIDAN after leaving Kerenza.

The book follows the events over the few months following the Kerenza attacks. The book follows the love triangle of Ezra, Kady and AIDAN. The Phobos virus also makes an appearance and an intriguing cast of characters make up the book.

I highly recommend this book and give it a solid A grade. I love the layout, design and the writing style of Kaufman and Kristoff. Hopefully they're busy working on a follow up now. I love the characters, especially Kady and Ezra, and their love story. AIDAN is a bit too malevolent to me and I never quite trust it. But the book is full of humor, romance, friendship, courage, the beauty of the human intellect. I suggest this book to all fans of reading.

The book I'm reading now is Earnest Hemingway's "A Farewell To Arms", I'm liking it so far.

themusicaddict

Unlike anything I've ever read. The style of story telling was a little off putting at first, unexpected but I was told from someone I trust to stick with it. 10-20 pages later I could not put it down. People will look over your shoulder and ask what you are reading and you won't be able to accurately convey what it is. You'll just know that for you, the reader it works. The story itself is very well done, the characters are well fleshed out and very believable and the science is good enough that's it sounds legit. (Maybe it is, I wouldn't know) Some parts are too hard to read on your phone or small reader like a kindle. I had to read it on my tablet but the 600+ pages go very quickly. Too quickly in fact, I want more.

The year is 2575. The small mining colony at Kerenza has just been destroyed by the BeiTech Corp and no one is certain why. Survivors are split amongst three ships: the Hypatia, a research transport; the Alexander, a military ship; and the Copernicus. Until today, Kady Grant and Ezra Mason were just two typical teenagers in the midst of a break-up: now they must survive the utter destruction of their homeland; face a virus that turns its victims into savages; the needless destruction of the Copernicus; a chase through space (hey, that rhymes!); and a killer Artificial Intelligence system gone on the fritz. A complicated story told through intercepted e-mails, classified documents, interview excerpts, radio transmissions and personal journal entries, "Illuminae" challenges readers to piece together a juggernaut of a tale in real-time, just as the main characters themselves must solve the puzzle that they are trapped inside. A powerful, fast-paced, fabulously fun sci-fi read, "Illuminae" is a book that you really need to grasp physically, as something is lost on the small screen of an eReader. If you love sci-fi and adventure-filled tales, please do go grab yourself a copy before your next log-in.

For parents: Please note that this book contains an excessive amount of 'bad language'. While this adds a certain authenticity to the story, this may be a problem for certain readers and should be taken under consideration.

Length: 608 pages.

What follows is my critique of a new concept as executed by this matter.

In choosing the format they did, I respect Random House for taking such a gamble.

I realize I am older, some might declare me as a senior citizen but I don't think of myself as such. Well, not unless I try running...

The format selected for the paperback is annoying in at least two ways.

1 - the number of trees used to publish this is enormous. Most pages are set in double space to resemble government reports or transcripts, etc. further, some pages included are to represent confidential data and, hence, are more like illustrations except that there is not even that quality. Then, there are illustrations that are of space as one might view it while in a space ship or whatever. I'm thinking this book could have been consolidated into 240 to 280 pages, had they published in a conventional manner.

2 - More challenging from a reader's viewpoint, many of the pages have artsy impressions akin to that found in stationery in hotel rooms. This interferes with the legibility for the reader. Well, for me, anyway.

Now don't get me wrong. I think the writers have put together a great story with a good plot. Well, a decent plot, anyway. I know that I was intrigued by the description. I just can't read it in its present format.

Having stated the pros and cons of the print format, I do hasten to note there is planned a cd and a Kindle format. Perhaps the Kindle version will omit some of my misgivings regarding legibility. Certainly it will eliminate my concerns for wasting so many trees. Also, it will be easier to fit into a backpack...

I suspect, though, that the cd is going to be a massive success. Certainly, in an audio or video format, this will be eminently successful and will eliminate all my negative impressions. In fact, I intend to by the CD immediately after it is released

Although I have faith that the CD will be great, and although I feel the Kindle version could be much better for me, I have to rate this according to what was presented to me for review.

My honest opinion of the print version is four stars after re-evaluation.

This was hands down the BEST audiobook I've ever heard. Let me just make something very clear, I am not into space adventures and sci-fi fantasies. Like EVER. Yet, here I am giving this praise. It was madness and genius all at once. I will admit that it took me a little while to get into it. But I feel like I had an advantage since it was an audiobook. Reading the reviews given by the readers it seems most struggled accepting their obsession in the beginning. I did as well. I think it is because I immediately knew I was traveling far out of my comfort zone. I was headed into a completely different galaxy of material and I really didn't think I'd enjoy that transition. Change is scary. Thank God I kept with it. This was so much fun, and so creative. The cast did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life for me.
Kady is such an unlikely hero. But she cute and adorable, and I wish I had a sliver of her techie talents. I am technology dysfunctional. I loved the alternating POV. And I am one of the few people who seemed to enjoyed the teenager angst of Ezra and Kady. I figured out one of the big twist at the end, but I was shocked by some of the others. This kept me guessing for sure. I am looking forward to the next adventure in this series.

Briefing note: The following dossier is the first of The Illuminae Files, a collection of transcripts, emails, hacked military files, medical records, video snippets, and other classified materials. The events described include a rogue A.I., chemical weaponry, and interstellar warfare.

This book quite literally gave me chills. I was astounded at the beauty of the story, the writing, the characters, the ideas, and everything else that came together to create such a novel. The audio book is voiced by an entire cast and is accompanied by music, sound effects, and the raw emotion that comes with humanity. The actual reading of this book would also be a treat with its sprawling lines of code and text, but the manifestation of each character as they came to life on my speakers added another dimension; it felt as though this was a performance piece and was even truly meant to be heard.

I have no words except that this is a must-read.

I am writing this review having reread the books 1 & 2 and finishing the last one. This series ends well - that is something I always like to know. It is an amazing series, but it is not for the faint of heart. People die, a lot of them. But yet....somehow the series never goes quite as dark as it could. It is good, really good.

On another note - I have read the Kindle version and the paperback version - the book version is better, hands down. The way that the book is presented is SO much better read in book form. You can read it in Kindle form, but you pick up more of the nuances in book form. FYI

At first, I didn't think I was going to care much for this book. It is not your typical narrative. It is a collection of files that for a narrative of sorts.

Kady and Ezra escape from an illegal mining facility on a remote planet only to find themselves being chased and forced to speak to each other when they had recently broken up. I thought this would really annoy but I ended up liking their weird relationship.

I also was surprised to find I really liked AIDAN the artificial intelligence on the warship. Past science fiction novels that include an AI as a main character fell a bit short for me. I think the combination of places our information came from helped me see the AI in a different way and one I could enjoy.

I'm glad I gave this book a chance because I almost stopped reading it on page 15. I really enjoyed it.

What can I say about this one that no one else has yet? Let's be real, this book totally lives up to the hype both with the fabulous structure (I'm a sucker for epistolary/mixed media so I was already inclined to like this) and with the fast paced plot of the story. This definitely had the feel of those 80s SF horror movies I love so much with everything from enclosed space with no way out, to viruses spreading through the population, to AI on the fritz, to space fighters, and finally to corrupt corporations going all scorched earth to try to hide their crimes. Just fantastic overall and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel & the 3rd book when it drops in March.

A good friend recommended this book to me, so I had to pick it up just to see what all the fuss was about. And, oh man. When you read it you might notice the similarities to many sci-fi stories. Destroyed planet, warring spaceships, virus outbreak, malfunctioning computer. You've probably heard it all before, but this book combines all these things and presents it in the best way I've ever read. It feels a lot like the podcast Serial, but even better.

I listened to the audio version and it is really cool. Granted, I know I'm missing a lot of information that I would have seen in the physical or e-copy, but the sound editing and voice acting is on point. I suggest reading the physical copy first and then listening to the audio version or reading the book along with the audio version.

I only have two complaints. 1) I get that perhaps the government/military might black out curse words in a formal dossier, but it is awful listening to. 2) I feel like AIDEN was too poetic. Regardless of how it was programmed, it comes across as a Shakespeare hipster.

I'm looking forward to the second in the series.

I love the idea of this novel. I was hooked on the plot since I started the novel, but unfortunately, I was unable to finish. In theory, the format of the book seemed amazing, but I was only really interested in the interviews. Reading this book seemed more like a job than something I would enjoy (reading the emails, etc). However, this may just be me. Even though I wasn't that fond of the format, I still gave this book a relatively high score because the plot seemed very interesting. While I only got about 50 pages in, I stopped the book wanting to learn more about the characters but unable to focus in on what was being communicated. Definitely give this book a chance. If you're unsure about the format, check the book out of your local library. If you can get into the format (I highly doubt you won't be interested in the plot if you're a fan of science fiction), then I would recommend purchasing the book. It might take a bit longer to read, but I'm sure it's worth it.

This was SUCH a good book. And there are SO many reasons why. And I'll list a few for you:

#1: It's so pretty!
Because, guys, this book had pictures! Made with words! One page was actually space and planets and it was so cool that I literally sat there and stared at the page for at least a minute or two.
And there were other cool/pretty pages. Like the battle. Don't get me started with the battle. Because that page just gave me so many feels. I could feel the fighters' fear and determination, and the absolute chaos of the fight. All of this with just one page of words.
It's hard to explain, really, but you'll get it if you read that page.

#2: The spacey-action!
Yes, this book takes place in space! In spaceships! And all of the action (both the behind the scenes action and the actual fighting action) was in space! It was so cool!
Honestly, that should be all I have to say about this point.

#3: Kady!
Let's face it, this book would not be nearly as interesting without Kady in it. I mean, I'm a sucker for badass characters (either boy or girl) and Kady was definitely badass. Well, not in the way that most people would expect. She couldn't really beat anybody up, or physically defend herself, but, well, you'll see for yourself.

#4: The bad guy!
Or, at least, one of the bad guys in this book. This one appears in about the middle-ish part of the story; you'll know who I'm talking about when you get there (which, you totally should get there... cough, cough: READ THIS BOOK). This bad guy had such growth and depth to him, and had more than just the label of "bad guy." It was just great.
Oh, not to downplay the other bad guy(s). They're cool too!

But alas, this book was not perfect.

You really need to dedicate yourself to this book at the beginning. A lot of information is thrown at you for probably the first 100 or so pages. And it's really easy to misunderstand or not catch certain details unless you are paying close attention.

Also, I felt that a lot of the characters were sort of underdeveloped. Which, actually would make a lot of sense, since this book is not written from the character's perspectives, but in the form of documents and chats. But, still, a lot of the characters were really one-dimensional, and it was a little difficult to differentiate some characters from others (because they sounded/acted so similar).

"But Kim," You may ask, "why would you rate this book a PERFECT 5 stars when it had these downfalls?

Well, because, despite these flaws, I enjoyed this book.

If anything, my extra dedication to this book made me enjoy the book more. And I also feel like Illuminae was mainly intended to be an action-packed book. If there was too much time spent in the development into the characters, I feel like it would've taken away from the books fast-paced feel.

Still, though, I am expecting more depth in the characters in the sequel.

And I can't wait for this sequel!

I finished Illuminae half an hour ago, and my heart is still pounding. I like sci-fi movies/TV a lot (Firefly!) but not so much the books. I'm not a fan of plaguey horror stories or movies, but I loved it here. And honestly, there were some pretty horrific moments. I don't read YA much at all, but this one totally worked for me, probably because it was a survival story and not a romantic story (though it does have a love story).

Illuminae is a story that shouldn't have appealed to me at all, but worked for me in every way. It's so crazy-ambitious and creative. The authors are absolute geniuses, and their publishing house should be commended for publishing something so different. I can't wait to read Gemina.

ILLUMINAE by Amie Kaufman is a fast-paced science fiction novel using transcripts, instant messages, and other interesting means to tell an amazing outer space story.

Katy and Ezra are survivors of an attack on their remote mining colony. With the enemy in hot pursuit, a virus wreaking havoc, and an unstable artificial intelligence system in charge of the nuclear weapons, the two teens must use all their skills and resources to escape alive.

The first heart-pounding book in the new Illuminae Files series sets the stage for what’s likely to be a popular new young adult science fiction series. The author’s skillful use of fictional documents to convey the action will be attractive to many readers.

With so much of the fantasy market consumed with dystopian works, librarians will find a huge audience for this science fiction novel. This YA adventure also fits right into the resurgence of interest in science fiction works like Star Wars and Star Trek works.

To learn more about the author, go to http://amiekaufman.com.
To learn more about the series, go to http://www.randomhouse.com/teens/illuminae/.

Published by Random House for Young Readers on October 20, 2015. ARC from the publisher.

Let me start off by saying this, before I started this measly attempt at book reviewing, I avoided super hyped books (books that were hyped on Tumblr and Goodreads mostly). It would take me years to get around to reading them, most were surprisingly good. Others were complete duds for me, so when I made this blog and ventured into the book community on Twitter. I was a little overwhelmed with hyped books and arcs, to say the least. But when I heard about Illuminae, I was intrigued, Twitter had blown up over it, so I was curious. Somehow I was lucky enough to win a copy through Twitter!

So here I was with this HUGE hyped book on my lap and I admit, I was a little nervous. But the dossier format of the book sucked me in fast and before I knew I couldn’t put Illuminae down. It blew my mind, the format, the story, the characters, just everything about it. I tried and tried and tried to write out a whole review for it, but it was impossible to put my feelings about this amazing book into words.

This was amazing!!! OMG! I haven't read a book that thrilled me this much in a very long time. I loved the story, the way the story was told, and the characters. It was just brilliant!

I have always loved when stories tell a story using emails and letters and this story takes it a step further by using transcripts and classified files which as just brilliant in my opinion. It gave the story a whole other level of intensity and it really worked with the story.

There isn't one thing I would change about this story and that is a rarity for me. I even loved the ending and was very happy that it wasn't a horrendous cliffhanger. I think fans looking for something different and suspenseful will devour this book!

This book is beautiful. It's everything a good book should be. It has action, good characters, a insane AI, and a lethal virus.
It will BLOW your mind. The format will take a little getting used to, but when you do, it's incredible. Telling the story through emails and IM's and secret files makes this a very compelling story that is like nothing else. At 599 pages this might seem like quite a daunting read, but thanks to the format and a lot of pages being filled with beautiful art and schematics and the like, it really only feels like 450 tops. You absolutely must get the hard copy, I think that you will miss out on a lot of the things that make this book special if you just read it on a kindle screen.
I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the universe outside of their little fleet and how much world building they'll do in the next one.

In no form or fashion can I articulate the cluster of tears and laughter and wonder which has replaced my heart because of this book. It. Is. Incredible.

Due to the unique presentation of this book as a dossier of conversations & events rather than a straightforward narrative, every character comes to life as a fleshed out individual with just a few words splattered on the page. The authors have also gifted us readers with every kind of considerable banter possible, including:
- Flirty banter
- Student/mentor banter
- Friendship banter
- Hero/villain banter
- Hero/grey area character banter

The book is beautiful and explores the boundaries of what defines a book. I scrutinized every page, every piece of ASCII artwork, every contour of words speckled in space, but I am sure I missed a lot of secrets hidden within. Illuminae will be a delightful reread.

Do yourself a favor and get a physical copy, not an e-copy. So much love and hardwork went into weaving a new form of storytelling. Get this block of art and fall in love with Kady & Grant as their lives get turned upside down shortly after a nasty break-up

I will not ruin your experience with another synopsis. Just read it, you will not be disappointed.

However, just in case...this is not some deep metaphorical literary science fiction novel that is supposed to make you contemplate the human race or the consequences of artificial intelligence. It does give you characters to love, characters to hate, and scenes that will make you laugh, cry or bite your nails to the quick. It is an action packed roller coaster ride with enough twists and turns to give you vertigo. Just hold on tight, and enjoy the ride.

I can see why this book receives so many mixed reviews (the layout is unique and takes getting use to), but I loved the story. I enjoyed the multiple POVs, in a way I felt it slightly reminiscent of The Martian, but I could have done without many of the layouts. While I thought it tied everything together in the end, there were a few layouts that I felt unnecessary. And I also liked that the format allowed for more twists and surprises. Even with the multiple page designs I still felt strongly connected to the characters, Kady in particular. What surprised me was how much I like AIDIN. Although artificial intelligence, AIDIN is such a complex character who displays great almost anti-hero characteristics. The ending of Illuminae leaves the story wide open and I am so excited that I received an ARC of Gemina so that I don't have to wait until October to see what happens next.

3-1/2 stars. I won a copy of an Advanced Reader Copy from First in Line, for which I am very grateful! (Although, it was odd that it wasn’t delivered until the book was officially released.) This book was an experience! It was also a visual delight. Instead of being written in the traditional form of a novel, it is a collection of reports from multiple sources (emails, schematics, military files, instant messages, medical reports, interviews, etc.) that tells the story of several spaceships involved in a series of aggressive attacks. If I hadn’t won the book, I probably would have gotten the e-book version and I’m not sure if the translation to e-book would work as well as the hardcopy book in this case.

The main characters are two teenagers and the Artificial Intelligence system of one of the spaceships. Not only did Illuminae hold my attention, but it tugged at my heartstrings a couple times. It was compelling, creative, and interesting. It had action, suspense, danger, humor, romance, and science. It was a satisfying story and I look forward to the sequel.

#FirstInLine

This book is one of the best books I have ever read. The book contains imaginative "dialog" with non stop action that will grab you for the beginning to the end of the book. What you read are transcripts of reports, emails, copies of dialog, drawings, schematics and some very imaginative word patterns that effectively convey what the authors are trying to say. The story starts as a distant planet doing illegal mining is attacked by a corporation intent on taking over the mining operation. They kill as many as they can with both conventional and bio weapons. Survival becomes #1 for refuges that escape on 3 rescue ships with a large battle cruiser chasing to destroy the survivors. Just can't let the universe know what they just did to the planet. Under all the action is the story of two teens who broke up in the beginning of the novel before the attack.Their relationship after is the major thread that drives this novel. Plenty of action. Good vs bad. Raw survival. No way does this feel like a YA novel. Cannot wait until the next installment.

Wow! An epistolary novel in space! I know that the story is pretty simple and straightforward, but the epistolary form in which is told is very unusual. The novel is presented as a secret file containing the communications between a young woman and a young man on two spaceships belonging to a fleet of refugees (think of Battlestar Galactica). But more than the enemy ship which wants to destroy them, the real danger comes from the apparently mad artificial intelligence that controls their main ship and from a virus that turns human beings into some kind of zombie. And in addition to their emails, the rest of the book is composed of officers releases, emails, images of surveillance cameras, journals and records. They all build a great science-fiction novel and a book that demands to be read in it's glorious hardcover format (but the ebook format is quite ok and much easier to keep in the hand). A must read!

In a Word : WOW!

< LoAding >
< eRror >
Emotions swirling, whirling like a universe being devoured by a black hole. I FeeL ...
< ErroR >
anxiety and pain and laughter and fear and happiness...
and pain!
< ErroR >
And I LoVed every minute of it

< AM I NOT MERCIFUL? >

The Story
< I watch the girl.
So much of what she loves has been taken from her.
Her family, her home, her planet.
She is a speck of stardust in a sea of loss,
but she does not let it stop her.

I watch the boy.
So much of what he loves has been taken from him.
His family, his home, his planet.
But in the memory of her eyes
he sees the distant shining glimmer
of that one human element, hope. >
The mining planet of Kerenza IV has been attacked. Now, thousands of survivors are fleeing aboard the spaceships Hypatia, Copernicus and Alexander. This is their story, told through a series of messages, emails, schematics, coding and video surveillance.

This is a story of love and loss. Of humanity and what it means. Of friendship and of war. Of fear and of bravery.

What I liked:

This book will crush your soul with anxiety and pain and watch you die a hundred times. It will murder you with images and words and watch you burn like a sun. It will take you on a journey you have never experienced, so fresh and unique and beautiful.

If you have ever taken the time to flip through this book you may have thought to yourself….
"ok, this looks craaaaazy."
Well ... you're right ... crazy awesome!

To be honest, I have not had great luck with “file type” stories in the past. I was very concerned that the format of this book would remove me from the story, from the characters, and from this world. Well chum, no need to fret! The depth of these characters and this world had no problem transcending the format of this book. In fact, the incredible design of this book somehow managed to greatly intensify my experience and my connection and MY ANXIETY! I felt so incredibly connected to these characters and to this amazing story.

As far as characters go, there are no shrinking violets here. Our female MC Kady is totally awesome in a "use your brain ladies" sort of way and I LOVE it! The whole cast of characters in this story really drew me into their struggles, emotions, and relationships!
The writing. Again, another fear I had about the "file like" format of this book has been completely laid to rest! No worries here chum! The writing is absolutely beautiful and poetic and so well constructed. I am in awe!

The emotional roller coaster this book provided was so intense, it was out of this universe!
We have love ...
and action ...
and fear ...
and pain ...
and humor ...
and dangers of all sorts ...

“There is something in humanity more suited to the mechanics of murder than any machine yet devised.”

In Conclusion:

This book is unlike anything I have ever experienced before chum. It’s a piece of art and should be in a museum. I kid you not, this book absolutely slayed every expectation I had.

To be quite honest, the cover is what really drew me in with this one. It’s different than any YA I’ve seen, and I’m a sucker for secret documents and conspiracy theories. When I picked it up and flipped through it to see all of the different formats, styles, and “documents”, it was irresistible.

I read this book at the beginning of the year when it first came out and again, just recently, for my book club. Both times I absolutely loved it. It’s 600 pages but reads like 200. Each time, I blew through it and was just as invested the second time as I was the first.

In a playwriting class I’m taking, one of the first things we were told was that our setting should be so alive that it should be like another character. I didn’t understand that until I reread Illuminae. The setting is so vital and active in the book it truly is like another character. I mean, it literally comes to life. I found so much of this world to be believable. Pulling off futuristic, borderline dystopian worlds are, in my opinion, hard to pull off and Kaufman and Kristoff crushed it with this one. I particularly loved the way the authors included things like lingo (my favorite being “dusted”, personally) that made the world seem all the more authentic. The setting and environment were so cleverly used to build up the plot. I closed the book wanting more, more, more, and I’m hoping the second book in the series, Gemina, delivers.

The plot of this book pulled me in from line one, and it never let go. One of my favorite plot devices is starting the story off with a huge question. It’s so hard for me to resist, because no matter what I always want to know the answer. Kaufman and Kristoff did this quite successfully, and had me frantically flipping pages until the very end for answers. It’s not easy for me to be invested in a plot when I already know what happens, and it’s not common for me to reread books at all, but even the second time I found this book investing. I still read it in a little over the week, and probably would have read it faster if I didn’t have classes. For the second time, it consumed my life. Again, I love the way the setting helped push the plot forward, as well as the unique way the story was told. This book had the most unforeseeable plot twists that continued to shock me, even the second time. I’ve never read a sci-fi book I liked, so this was surprisingly enjoyable. I loved the smooth way the plot unraveled for the reader. Overall, it was fast-paced and improved by the setting, characters, and unique way the book was written. (Trying to stay spoiler free while expressing my love for this book was nearly impossible.)

I’ve said a thousand time that I love character-driven stories, and this book is a great example of that. Whether I loved or hated them, I was definitely emotionally invested in the main characters of this story. They were all so full, and I was able to grasp a clear image of them in my mind. During my first read, I thought Kady was my favorite, mostly because she was introduced first and, though she has a bit of an attitude, she’s also pretty badass. However, during my second read (and after I already knew the entire plot of the book) Ezra quickly became my fave. I don’t know if it’s the parent-son relationship issues he has that seem to cause me to gravitate toward characters, or if it’s just the way he deals with the situation. I don’t about anyone else, but I also consider AIDAN a main character, and one of the main antagonists of this particular novel. I don’t know why, but I was surprised they had so much life. The role they played before I even realized they were a character, and how they sneakily influenced so much of the story was wildly interesting to me. With my second read, I was able to pick out the seeds and see where a lot of it began but with my first read everything this character did was a surprise. I hated them and felt sympathy for them at the same time, something I think is hard to accomplish. At first, I didn’t think there was a way for me to feel bad for them but this book is so full of twists I even surprised myself.

This is a book in which I felt the side characters were also important and full of life in their own way rather than just plot devices. I felt something for a lot of them, rooted for them, was sad/happy when they died/survived. Quite honestly, this book was much more full of emotion than I expected. One side character that’s of particular note is McNulty, whom I felt was so well-characterized for a side character. The impact he had was small but significant, and that goes for several other small characters as well, such as Torrence and Chau. Again, whether I loved or hated them, I felt something, and that’s one of the things that really makes a novel for me.

One of the things that first grasped me about this book was how unique it was, at least compared to the books I’ve encountered, especially in YA. At first, I wasn’t sure if it would really help the story or if it were just something to make the book stand out but it was executed so smoothly. The various kinds of documents push the story forward, and the constant change-up of format makes the book a fast read. The only thing I didn’t particularly like were some of the text talk portions. They were a bit cringe-worthy at times, and personally weren’t believable to me. The two authors certainly wrote as one; their voices, styles, and ideas merged together perfectly and created a gem of a book. They did such a fantastic job of revealing the plot through various kinds of documents, chat threads, and personal journals. There wasn’t a boring moment I can remember or useless piece of information given. It all fit together so perfectly, and I just loved this book.

I listened to the Random House audio version of this book first. It was done like a radio play with separate readers taking separate roles and sound effects. Very exciting but also with very poignant parts and a few times making me feel the awe of the universe (or the Verse, as they call it). After listening to this I looked up reviews of the books. I loved Kaufman and Spooner's Starbound trilogy and wanted to know more about her new effort with a different writing partner- Jay Kristoff. Reviews were talking about the unusual presentation of the book with the story going forth in e-mails and with the use of text formatting that is part of the story. Yes, the reader has to put a little more effort into reading it, but the effort is definitely rewarded. I bought this for my library and I will be talking this one up to everyone.
The situation has been spoken about in many reviews so I don't have to go into that. Just read it. Or listen to it. Or both.

This was so GOOD. One of my favorite books of all time, hands down. Also, listen to people when they say to read this on audio, because its the best audio of all time, too.

Kady is one of the best characters ever written. She is so clever and funny. Ezra and her are perfect. Aidan is so mysterious, I went back and forth between loving and hating him. This is one of the most original books I've ever read, I couldn't stop listening and stayed up too late and didn't get a whole lot done at work because I couldn't think about anything else.

It's the year 2075 and Kady has just broken up with her boyfriend Ezra. Kady and Ezra live in a clandestine mining colony on Kirenza, an ice-covered planet. Suddenly this peaceful colony is attacked by enemy fire from a spaceship from he BeiTech corporation, a rival mining company. The BeiTech spaceship, the Lincoln, deploys a chemical weapon that infects many who have fled with a mutating virus that those on the rescue ships call the Phobos virus. In a recycled air system like that aboard the badly damaged United Terran Authority rescue spaceship, the Alexander, the refugees from Kerenza begin to exhibit signs of psychosis and murderous bloodlust. Then the Alexander's artificial intelligence unit seems to become an enemy and the enemy spaceship Lincoln is closing quickly. Using an innovative format, this tale races along at breakneck speed. The suspense is taut right up until the end of this wildly imaginative sci fi thriller and you will NEVER see the ending coming. Fortunately or perhaps unfortunately, this splendid tale is the first of a trilogy.

*Spoiler FREE Review*
Where do I begin? This book is incredible. One of the best books that I have ever read. Possibly even my favorite book that I have ever read.
This book has been sitting on my shelf since June of 2015, I believe. My aunt got it for me for my birthday because I wanted it, but I never read it. I finally picked it up in March and it was one of the most incredible experiences that I have ever had. No joke. I bought the audiobook via recommendation and listened to it while following along in the physical copy. If you are able to, I HIGHLY recommend reading the Illuminae Files books this way. Get the audiobooks and follow along in the hard copy. You won't regret your decision. Even if you're not really an audiobook person. This wasn't like a normal audiobook. It was better. It was different. And following along in the physical copy just adds to the experience even more. This is a very visual book. Even with that being said, if you can only get one format, get the audiobook. I know. I know. This is that crazy awesome visual book (and it IS awesome), but the audiobook is even more awesome. Everyone should use the audiobook, whether you can afford to get the physical copy as well or not. This is a book that was MADE to be listened to. It's like a movie that you can watch with your eyes closed where you don't miss being able to watch the screen because the words and the music and the sounds are just SO GOOD on their own. GET THE AUDIOBOOK! (And the physical copy to follow along in if you are able to.)
...
Now that we've got that cleared up, the book itself. I loved it from the get go. The story is so fun and I felt for the two main characters, Lady and Ezra, from the get go. They are such a funny and endearing pair and I love them. Even though they are seperated, being carried by two seperate space crafts, you can tell that they work well together despite their personality clashes. I am very different from both of them, but I still felt connected to them, which is an important thing for me when I read a book.
This book starts off funny and cute despite the fact that it starts of with the destruction of a planet, but the last 100 are so pages get extremely dark and I liked that. The whole mood of the story shifts and it works very well. It's one of those books that feels like a completely different book at the end than it did at the beginning. But it works extremely well. I love the AI, AIDEN. He's written fantastically. He felt real...but not real all at the same time. And I could really feel his destruction in the way that he talked as the story progressed.
It is told in a genius manor. It is a story that I am already dying to read (listen to) again despite the fact that I finished it less than a month ago.
Do yourself a favor and PICK THIS BOOK UP.

I think would made this book over the top enjoyable for me was reading it, while listening to the audio. The audio for this book is brilliant. Different voice actors, and sound effects added in, really made the story come alive. It was like a movie playing out in my head. I read and article that described the book as Battlestar Galactica meets 10 Things I Hate About You. Definitely got the Battlestar Galactica vibe from it.

The protagonist Kady and her boyfriend Ezra have just parted ways, and on that fateful day, their planet is attacked. What you learn through out is there is much more than just rivaling spaceships. They're cover up, a strange illness, and an AI system; that I am not sure if it was trying to be helpful, going mad, or simply in love with Kady.

The book is written in epistolary format, and really beautifully done. It may be hard for some to grasp, but I really enjoyed the format. If you enjoy science fiction, YA, with a little sweet romance; I think you will enjoy this book.

This book was SO SO GOOD!
I don't know what I expected but it wasn't this. It was heart-wrenching, but still funny at times. The censorship bothered me a bit at the beginning but the rest of the story more than made up for it. I cared about every character even the ones I thought I didn't like. Plot twist after plot twist kept me engaged throughout the whole thing. I probably could have finished this faster, but I kept putting it down because the feels were actually too much for me at times. The AI brought up interesting questions for me and I actually thought this was a pretty potent description of war. The format was amazing and I knew I was going to like it but I didn't think I would appreciate it as much I did. I'm going to be doing a full video review of this because I loved it so much!

I am so so glad that I decided to read this book, I hesitated a little bit before buying it because I knew that it was told through emails, chats, reports, images and many other formats, so I thought maybe I wasn’t going to get the whole experience because I wasn’t going to be reading from the main characters PoV, but, boy was I wrong!!

The way is narrated allows us to get the entire picture of what is going on in the story, we get to see how the event are affecting different characters, and I never felt like I couldn’t connect with them, on the contrary, I felt that much more connected to them and the story.

I don’t want to say much about what it about because if you go into it blindly like I did you are going to be really surprised by some things that happen.

I can’t wait to read Gemina!

A friend loaned me an ARC of this book, and I burned through all 600 pages in a single day, despite the protests of my abused eyeballs. It's an incredible story, with enough twists and turns to feed an entire trilogy...and that's in the first 200 pages! The unique storytelling (through documents and video transcripts and pages where the type takes shapes of its own) make it sink more memorably into your brain, but the story and characters alone would have been enough to hook me. The authors kept raising the stakes and torquing the tension until you couldn't believe they had more yet to give. I feel so sorry for everyone who has to wait months for this book to come out-it is sure to be the next big thing and well-deservedly so.

“The universe owes you nothing, Kady. It has already given you everything, after all. It was here long before you, and it will go on long after you. The only way it will remember you is to do something worth remembrance.”

Five years a friend loaned me a copy of House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I got a quarter of the way into the 700 page tome and decided it just wasn’t for me. I absolutely hated the non-traditional formatting the author used to tell his story. I considered taking scissors to the book in order to “correct” it a handful of times before I finally called it quits. I promised myself that I was done with “unique” formatting. My OCD simply couldn’t handle it.

I stuck with that promise until Christmas, when I asked for Illuminae. I couldn’t help it. I knew going in that the formatting was going to be interesting. I knew that I would probably hate it. The reviews were just too good to ignore. Plus, I can’t get enough space opera. So, I broke my promise and I read it. It took me a grand total of three days to blow through all 599 pages.

Guess what? I didn’t reach for my scissors once.

Illuminae is wonderful.

Kaufman and Kristoff took a risk with the storytelling and it really paid off. I was certain there would be issues with character development due to these decisions. I was wrong. Katy and Ezra were extremely well developed and easy to love. They even utilized IM chat speak in order to show the differences in personality. It was very well done (if a tad bit annoying at first).

This book was like reading a puzzle. The reader is constantly storing information provided in the dossier in order to piece together the entire story. It made the story more engaging. Nothing was obvious or predictable, and nothing was given away too soon. I found myself on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book.

To top it all off Illuminae is the most beautiful book I have ever owned. Each page is more visually stunning than the next. I can’t imagine the amount of work that went into creating this graphic masterpiece. It is truly stunning.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Science Fiction or just wants to read something fun and attractive with a nice romance. My only suggestion would be to buy it in hardcover or paperback, as this book would be nearly impossible to read in ebook format.

5 Amazingly Brilliant Stars

This was one of the funnest books I have ever read. I liked the fact the story is completely told through surveillance footage accounts, e-mails, secured documents, etc. Even if you don't understand all the science jumbo, you can still keep up with the story and see what's happening from every part of the story as it unravels to its explosive conclusion. There was romance, but overwhelming to the point that it took over the story. Kady and Ezra are very lovable characters. Ezra is the sweetest guy ever. All I can say is that this book is amazing. Maybe one of the best sci-fi books I've ever read. This book will not disappoint you. You can't help but to like it and enjoy its unique layout. Kady totally made that ending awesome as hell. Girls got spunk.

My new obsession. Oh my goodness, my new obsession. 600 pages of nonstop action, romance, Star Wars type battles, zombies, blood, insane technology, fighter pilots, a girl hero with pink hair. This book has it all.

Added to all that, it's written in this amazing, incredibly creative format different to anything you will ever read. At one stage you read while turning the book, the picture around the words one of space, and you are so immersed in the book by this stage that you actually feel you are in one of these fighter pods, doing a 360 in space while a dreadnought manned by an evil interstellar corporation looms. Absolutely immersive. 600 pages of holding your breath, crying, laughing and dreading the end of the book.

I love how once you get to the end, the book sort of reiterates all your favourite different formats of the book and promises you a continuation of all this in Book 2. By that stage, all you want in life is this next book. Oh, I can't wait!!!

I'm obsessed and in love with a book.

Actual rating 4.5

Kady didn’t realise, when she broke up with Ezra, that their world was about to end. Literally.
If only she had known, maybe she would have held off.
________

INTERVIEWER: All right, then. Let’s talk about something that makes you happy.

Ezra Mason: … You mean like lingerie models?

INTERVIEWER: Tell me about your girlfriend.

Ezra Mason: Wowwww.

Ezra Mason: You’re really bad at this, chum.

Ezra Mason: Like. If Bad was a sport, you could Bad for your planet.
________

Now they’re on two different ships, trying to escape the pursuing enemy who wants to make sure there are no witnesses. Kady has hacked into the system, and across the void they’re trying to work out what’s going on, why they were attacked, and who they can trust.

Someone’s hiding something from the rest of the fleet, and Kady and Ez are determined to find out what it is… or die trying.

The rest of this review can be found at: http://magazine.100percentrock.com/reviews/book-reviews/201510/142176

I was browsing for something light and distracting after some difficult audiobooks. These stories are clever in unexpected ways. In the style of a modern epistolary novel with digital content rather than letters. Maybe others have done it but this was well done. Audiobooks done with a cast are new for me but I liked it. Age old themes: the ugly individual struggle for a common good; leadership through difficult decisions; perspective matters; strength vs hubris. Well done and enjoyable.

You can tell the authors had a blast writing this book. This is not your "father's" science fiction - it is an SF saga. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff lacks the typical narrative - in fact there is no story, at least not in the typical prose. The reader discovers what is happening through various discourse, documents, and diagrams as found in the report of events prepared by the Illuminae. It's as if we are experiencing life as it happens via emails and memos - a technique which not only engages the reader, but takes them prisoner as they become compelled to discover what happens next.

On the day after 17 year old Kady dumps her boyfriend Ezra, all hell breaks loose when their home planet is attacked by BeiTech Industries in retaliation for their illicit mining activity. That's one way to eliminate the competition. Luckily Kady had taken the car to school that day and reluctantly allows Ezra to ride along as they race to one of the two shuttles which are able to make it safely off the annihilated planet to the protection of space ship Alexander (who luckily happened to be close enough to intercept their SOS). Although Flagship Alexander successfully fights off the attacking enemy ship Lincoln, its capacity to jump through space has been so badly damaged that travel to the safety of the nearest space station will have to be the slow, old fashioned way.

Danger continually pops up throughout this epic (600 or so pages), sometimes in the form of a rogue computer reminiscent of 2bi001's Hal or via a bio virus which rapidly spreads and turns those infected into raving lunatics - a sort of outer space version of Night of the Living Dead. If that doesn't cause enough of a crisis, the Lincoln is in pursuit while the damaged Alexander has to shut down their Artificial Intelligent computer, AIDEN, after it has gone rogue and taken command (with devastating results). Throughout, Ezra (an innately talented fighter pilot) and Kady (a secret, but effective, computer hacker) find themselves on separate ships, interacting through correspondence and other activities as they strive to reunite and rekindle their former romance.

The authors keep you guessing with death and violence more prevalent than survival. Expect to hold your breath on more than one occasion and don't get too attached to any of the characters (although many become endearing through their brave actions as reflected via internet dialogue). There are lots of heroes in the midst of tragedy with a sliver of hope that our favorites will survive. Even if you think you've figured it all out, there are too many surprises to be smug about correctly envisioning future outcomes. The diabolical AIDEN, with its flawed inner core, leaves us conflicted with love/hate feelings as we at first root for its demise and then want it to survive against all the odds.

Four and a half stars plus some excited anticipation for the rest of the trilogy coming out in 2016 and 2017. This one should make a big impact on the young adult crowd which could easily eek over to adult and teenage readers. I personally think it is a little violent for younger children, but it's not as if The Hunger Games and Divergent were G rated books either.

A thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's 2575 and Kady thought the worst thing to happen to her was breaking up with her infuriating boyfriend Ezra. Unfortunately, she was dead wrong. Just a few hours later, their planet is attacked by a rival megacorporation that wants the planet's resources. Kady and Ezra had to depend on each other (and a little bit of luck) to escape with their lives onto evacuating spaceships with the rival company's warship in constant pursuit. It later becomes apparent that their enemies attacked them with a biological weapon that has infected some of their people and created an epidemic of catastrophic proportions. If that wasn't enough, their ship's AI who is supposed to be protecting them may be their biggest enemy, but none of the higher-ups are telling anyone anything. Kady hacks into the ship's computer, determined to figure out what's really happening. She realizes the only person who can help her is the only person she never wants to speak to again: Ezra.

Illuminae blew me away. The story is told not in a conventional narrative, but in a compilation of hacked files, interviews, reports, schematics, instant messages, and descriptions of security footage. I've seen a few books that use this style, like The Dead House, and I haven't seen it be truly effective until now. This style does a great job of immersing you in the story and the world with crazy amounts of details. The variety of narrative plays with how the story is conveyed: different points of view, and comments in the margins. I like the different word density of each chapter and how the author plays with the tempo of the story. Some pages, mostly near the end, are so incredibly artistic and unique that it brings to mind the amazing post-modern work of Mark Z. Danielewski. The typography captures the mood of the scene and it's just plain beautiful.

I liked the characters right from the beginning. Kady and Ezra's testimonies about the disaster that changed their lives, killed their friends and family, and destroyed the only home they ever knew were full of snark and defiance towards those questioning them and each other. Their romance is sweet and organic, but doesn't overpower the story. It figures largely in the beginning, but when the greater conflicts start rearing their ugly heads, it takes a backseat while still affecting the relevant characters. I liked that they were two distinctly different people and had a lot of disagreements, fights, and resentment. However, both of them had similar angst and pain over the horrific events that destroyed everything.

Initially the plot sounded like way too many things all together, but each story line fits together like a well crafted puzzle. There are three main conflicts: the rival megacorporation out to kill them, the rogue killer AI called AIDAN, and the airborne, mutated bioweapon that causes extreme rage and violence in the afflicted. Once I started the story, it felt that everything fit together organically and nothing seemed out of place or overpowering. The rival megacorporation takes a bit of a back seat near the middle simply due to proximity, but comes back with a vengeance at the very end. AIDAN and the rage filled infected people are more immediate threats. AIDAN is malfunctioning and has become more than he is supposed to be. I don't consider him evil, much like HAL 9000, and he learned things like humor and sarcasm by the end of the book. The infected people are super creepy and the disease is airborne. They start out with a fever and then end delusional and murderous with the intelligence of the person they once were. Not only do they have loved ones faces, but they can strategize and lure prey. All of them hate being looked at and that one common thread just turns the creep factor up to eleven.

Illuminae is an epic science fiction adventure with a healthy dose of horror that has made it into my favorite books of the year. I didn't find anything lacking or annoying. The writing flows well and had me at the edge of my seat for most of the story. The different styles of narrative and type lend a freshness and provide a unique vehicle for the story. This concept has always interested me, but I've never seen it executed as well as this. I am so incredibly excited for the rest of the series that I can't stand it!

I read this book last year and am just now reviewing it because I just read the sequel to it. This was a fantastic book. So different in the way it is written yet extremely compelling. It takes a little bit to get the hang of the style but once you do it is like watching (experiencing?) a movie. There is a little bit of romance, a little bit of sci-fi horror and a really terrific story. The sequel is pretty amazing as well!

Original Post On: undercoversco.blogspot.com

I wrote down one thought while I was reading this book. That thought just happened to be "Eh it's great, but I'm hoping for more. Btw LOVE the interviews and IMs". That thought stood true for one third of the book. I loved the concept, I loved the characters, I loved the writing/style, I loved the interviews and IMs especially more, but there were parts where I felt were confusing and a bit boring.

I am very for a strong protagonist who knows how to hack. This plague is a very--dare I say, sucky--situation to be currently having to deal with. One of the reasons I love this book is Kady's overall attitude about everything, this also including her personality. It wasn't light by any means, but it was a perfect balance between determined, sassy, and brilliant. It's one of those books where I can't help but wish that these characters were actually real and I could get to know them in person.

The writing style was very original. The small details in pictures and hacked files were a beautiful touch, though sometimes an overload of objects to direct my attention to. I found myself enjoying the creativity that was put into everything.

There was a portion of this book that was told in other people's points of views, but there was a larger portion told in Aidan's point of view. Told in the point of view of the program that was trying to kill them all. The program's point of view was not the most exciting portion to read. His thoughts were very disorganized and could get boring at times, but it was interesting to get experience nonetheless as it was told originally and in a very compelling format.

Kady and Ezra's romance was one of the things I loved the most about this book. It was sweet and adorable in more ways than one. Every interview, every IM that passed between them made me smile and erupt in feels. I could honestly FEEL the chemistry through the pages and loved every single moment shared between them.

This book was incredible and was set in this new world that you HAVE to get to know. These ships, these events, are something that shouldn't be missed out on. It's a brand new world filled with action, adventure, and just what I was expecting when I picked up Illuminae.

Wow. This book was amazing and definitely worth the read!
The format is very unique; while it certainly builds the story it can be slow at times, especially in the beginning. The premise of it being a dossier of files is enthralling, especially as one from Kady, the Illuminae, to the leader of BeiTech as a statement and evidence of the truth. Oh, (spoiler) and the unexpected reveal that the leader of BeiTech happens to be Ezra's insane mom.
I particularly enjoyed AIDAN's point of view. Though it wasn't as much a file as a sort of narration, not to mention my uncertainty as to how those words and thoughts were made and recorded, AIDAN's account was beautifully written and his character surprisingly dynamic and complex. "Am I not merciful?" Quite, in a rather... odd way...
As for Kady and Ezra, I thought there was good development on Kady's part, but I think Ezra could have been further built upon, especially concerning his past and his mom.
I am very glad none of them died though; I was frantically trying to hold onto the hope that they would meet face to face again. And boy am I mad at AIDAN for lying TWICE to Kady about Ezra!
I think the biggest thing that caught me was the story itself, full of twists and turns as things become clearer, battles rage, and people die.
I hope the sequel will prove worthy.

Katy Grant is the hero of this story. Katy is a smart, rebellious, computer savvy teen with a sarcastic wit. Katy’s survives the breakup of her boyfriend, Ezra, and the invasion of her colony who escape to a fleet of space ships only to be placed in more difficult and seemingly impossible situations to survive. Along the way she saves not only herself, her ex-boyfriend and the remaining humans.

The story is fast paced; action oriented and has similarities to the caring, tough I can figure it out against all odds hero from Hunger Games. What makes this unique is the format of the book. It is in-between a book and a graphic novel. The story is told chronologically in a compiled report called the Illuminae File. The report includes snippets of Katy’s journal, where she confesses, whatever they don’t want me to see, that’s where I’m digging. I need to be where the secrets are. It includes lots of text messages between her and Ezra and crew members. I swooned over this text message: You deserve every star in the galaxy laid out at your feet and a thousand diamonds in your hair. You deserve someone who’ll run with you as far and as fast as you want to. Holding your hand, not holding you back. The file includes word art in round, swirling, explosive patterns, diagrams, maps, countdown counters, and lists. To make it look like a compilation of original documentation some lines have crossed out words and all swears are blacked out for the readers mind to easily fill in, “I’m on a XXXing derelict warship”. The Illuminae file author’s personality comes through via briefing notes that sometimes appear like post-it notes on the top of the page. Here’s an example: The command priority channel actually gets used by the commanders of the fleet here, as opposed to a pair of lovesick teenagers. Wonders will never cease.

It’s compelling and clever sci-fi that is easy and enjoyable to read with something for everyone, romance, a teenage hero, survival, and action. It is over the top at times and I had to suspend belief many times like I did when I saw the new Jurassic Park, when the teenager was able to quickly bring back to life in hours decades old rusted out jeep. It is about a teenage girl saving the world because she is smarter than most of the adults who are portrayed as negative and useless. If it wasn’t for the clever and interesting format of the book, I would have rated it a 4.

A book that completely took me by surprise. I feel like I should start off by saying I am not a huge Sci-Fi fan. I mean if I have read 1 maybe 2 Sci-Fi books I’d be surprised but let me tell you that I really really liked Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. A book about an interstellar war, a deadly virus, some space ships, artificial intelligence and a break up. I know what you may be thinking that sounds like chaos right? if I’m being honest that’s exactly what it is but it’s a chaos you will not want to stop reading.

This book is so unique. This story is told through documents, emails, IMS, transcripts and many other unusual but very creative recollection of events. It is truly a work of art. From the moment I set my eyes on this book I was captivated. I have to admit it does take a little while to get used to the way this story is told. Like for me the first 100 pages it’s all about getting used to the way this book is structured and organized. Because it is truly something I have never seen before. I have to say I did read this book pretty quickly and I do think it’s an easy read but beware don’t fly through this. Pay attention to details and the little things in the page. TRUST ME, it’s so well thought out that you will not want to miss a thing.

Plot wise this book was amazing. It has a little bit of everything and the story itself is just incredible. I loved the whole war between the biggest corporations and I loved the chaos in all of it. This book has tension, action, humor, romance, friendship and many other amazing things. And it still blows my mind how a love story was included into so much plot and chaos but I have to admit I found myself enjoying it.

Now let me tell you a little about the characters. I liked them. What’s really interesting is that we are not reading from any of their points of view or reading their thoughts, we get to know them and understand them by reading their conversations, what they do and their reactions. To me that was pretty freaking fantastic. So yeah, I know a lot of people think you may loose like bits and pieces of their personality and I understand but I didn’t really mind. I did have problem visualizing and understanding some of the things that happened, Hence the 4.5

And last but not least, I have to confess that this whole smart computer, artificial intelligence stuff scares the living *beep* out of me. And still I want to understand how Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff made me feel so emotionally invested in a I quote “Artificial Intelligence Defense Analytics Network”. Its bizarre.

I could be here all day talking about this book but I wont so let me just say that I recommend this book. I think people should give it a try and read this amazing book even if it’s just to experience it. This book came out yesterday guys so go pick up a copy at your nearest bookstore or order it online. Just pick this book up.

I don't normally leave reviews, but this one deserves a few words.

HOLY WOW.

I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I mean, I like sci-fi, and the idea of reading a book in a format of file snippets and testimonials intrigued me, but maaaaaaan. That was GENIUS. And INTENSE. Actually, had I known just how intense this would be, I probably wouldn't have listened to Julie (thanks, my dear) and read it. Because there were elements of Event Horizon and I Am Legend in here. Both films scare me to bits, because each contains one of my two greatest fears: Space and mutagenic viruses that turn perfectly normal human beings into rabid blood-thirsty monsters. Just, NO. I am so done losing sleep over things like this.

And then I read this, which combines the two. Basically, I'm not sleeping for a week.

Horror aside, I couldn't flip the pages fast enough. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. THE ACTION WOULD NOT STOP. And did I mention that it was intense? Like heart-pounding, nail-biting intense. And the format! SO COOL. It was a little awkward on my Kindle, but I just maxed out font size, and we managed all right. I loved the artwork and poetry and use of (page) SPACE.

I LOVED this. I laughed a lot. I cared SO MUCH about the main characters, which surprised me considering the aforementioned format. I even cared for AIDEN, the ship's Artificial Intelligence, by the end (which was SO well done). The story scared the crap out of me with its vivid and gruesome imagery (*spoiler* Code Blue, anyone? the ten-year old girl? O__O THE. HECK.), and being that I like to avoid scary things, I probably won't read it again. But I'll be reading the sequels, even if it means watching a lot of Disney movies afterward.

If you're looking for a stunning and original sci-fi book that refuses to let you go until the end (and you don't mind a bit of horror mixed in), CHECK THIS OUT! Thanks to the authors for hijacking my mind for a solid 24 hrs.

This was not a book, it was an experience. Not a story so much as gathering information from a bunch of sources and putting the story together yourself. IMAGINE THAT?!? Putting together the story for yourself...with all of your perceptions and knowledge or lack of knowledge and your expectations and all that other stuff. You don't know a lot more than you know and there's way more going on and its hard to sift through and sometimes confusing but It was so good!!!
I have never read anything like this book so there is nothing to compare it to. I am not entirely sure that I would read it again but I might because it was so incredible.
If you like things that are different and slightly confusing and really really interesting, give this book a try.

I so enjoyed the writing in this book. Outstanding dialog and plot twists. With that being said, it's hard to end a book well and this one is no exception. After what I thought was an extraordinary ending it becomes cliche and undone in the next 20 pages. Sigh. Think Hunger Games when they spit out the berries... There is zero chance that I would read book two of this series BUT I still recommend it highly and can somewhat forgive the marginal ending given the rewarding read up until that point.

First of all, I would go into this book blind. I’m not a big fan of sci-fi books BUT I have noticed that I’ve enjoyed every sci-fi book I’ve read…weird, huh? Anyways, all I knew about this book was there is a little romance and it’s set in space. THAT’S IT. AND THAT’S ALL I NEEDED TO KNOW.

Starting off this book, you are thrusted into a world where you have to try and piece things together, but all the information is interesting, because..guess what??? IT’S NOT TOLD IN THE NORMAL WAY! Nope. You heard me right! This book is told through recovered videos, IM’s, documents, interviews and much more! I honestly admire how Amie & Jay decided to be extremely unique and different with this different book format! It’s a hit or miss for some people, and from what I’ve seen, it’s 98% a hit! (YAY!!!)

Okay, so what makes this book SO great besides the format? WELL, THE CHARACTERS! I feel like this book is character driven, and the characters in Illuminae ARE MY FAVORITE. Kady is our main character and not only is she relatable and in charge of a lot of serious business, but she’s just AWESOME. She has a great sense of humor, is brave and just amazing. I wouldn’t mind if she were my best friend! She’s honestly one of the BEST female characters I’ve ever read. She’s that great. Then we’ve got Ezra, which is fantastic. I love him, so so so so…..so so so much. (New book boyfriend material! That’s how serious it is.) Then we have AIDAN which I still have mixed feelings about. Overall, the characters are great and are definitely my favorite aspect of this story!

Only complaint about this book is that every once in a while there were a few pages that were boring to read. It was text just going on and on and it kind of seemed like info dumping, but not really? This book is really action packed, so when it wasn’t like that, I felt like things were just dragging. The plot was interesting, though! There was always something going on and it’s always making you curious on what’ll happen next

Too many feels right now to capture all I want to say, but want to say something before the explosion fades. This is easily one of the best books I have ever read, EVER! I would like to start by saying I never read Sci-Fi - in fact I would go so far as to say I really don't like the genre at all. But this book... Perfection. Honestly. I can't praise it enough. There were so many twists and the characters were easy to see, despite very little description. It's funny, with so few descriptors I had to make up how the characters look, of course, and I gave Kady pink hair before I found out she actually has pink hair! You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be enchanted. Seriously. Go read this book. Now. Go.

Kady has a problem with authority, but is a genius with computers. Ezra regrets his breakup with Kady, but after they have to evacuate their home planet the two are separated. And after a tragic attack, Kady and Ezra begin communicating again and look for answers to a strange sabotage from within.

The Illuminae is a uniquely written novel. Told from various interviews, emails, logs, chats, and more – the story follows both Kady and Ezra as their paths diverge and intersect. And a complex web of intrigue unfolds throughout this suspenseful science fiction story. The size of the book looks impressive, but reading is quick and easy with the stylized writing and often illustrated pages. It was visually fun to read, which added to the already intriguing story.

I didn’t think I would like this book much. I don’t generally enjoy sci-fi books or movies. But the format of this one intrigued me. It’s right below 600 pages, but read a lot faster than a normal book because of the format.

I really liked Ezra a lot. And I did like Kady, which is a win for the authors because I normally don’t care for the female characters as much. AIDEN was interesting. It felt like towards the end it was starting to become more....human? I dunno. But I’m excited to see where everything goes.

I absolutely love this book! A remote planet is destroyed with bio-terrorism by a corporation, and the corruption is deeper than anticipated. There's a love story with heart and longing, snark, humor, and an AI that isn't to be reckoned with. this book is a rip-roaring space opera with high stakes, lives on the line, and the outcome of the bio-terrorism isn't without repercussions on the space ship (where no one can hear you scream). A stellar beginning to a trilogy that is told in an alternative format of text messages, internal memos, dossiers, and transcribed video footage. it's a fantastic story that made me laugh, cry, and cheer for the good guys, as well as the not so good guys.

Ok when I first started listening to this audiobook I was disappointed to find that it was going to be told through a series of interviews and emails and such. I didn't think it would translate to audio book well and I knew I was probably missing a lot of cool illustrations in the book. BUT I was very pleasantly surprised. The whole cast of voice actors did an amazing job of bringing this story to life. There were just enough audio effects to make this story more dimensional and enjoyable. It had the feel of a radio play. If you're thinking about the audio version of this book I highly recommend it.

I think this book is more attractive for its style than its story. The characters are flat, the plot is going in many different directions and the writing was mediocre. It’s great for action and suspense, but not for a real in-depth emotional connection. What it reminds me of is if you were to have never seen an episode of Doctor Who before, and watch a random one in the middle of a season, you’d be confused, the plot would be all over the place, a million things would be going on and there would be characters that you know are supposed to be important but you really just don’t care.

Illuminae is like a venus fly trap and I am the fly. It acts all innocent and harmless until, before you know it, it has you in its clutches and won’t let go. I struggled a lot in the beginning to grasp what everyone was talking about when they said it was so amazing. I got through the first 100 pages and didn’t really *feel* anything towards the characters. I didn’t care if they lived or died and I wasn’t particularly blown away by the writing. I mean…it was *good* but it wasn’t blow my socks off amazing. However, I kept going and I’m glad I did.

Illuminae is given to us in the form of a case file. The story is told to us through a series of IMs, surveillance summaries, maps, and emails. It’s a lot to follow, but once you get into the thick of it, things become much clearer. You start learning the character’s personalities and what drives them. You start loving and caring about the characters until you reach the end of the book and go…”I want more.” Now…I didn’t particularly like Kady. She was kind of annoying and she didn’t give a shit about what consequences her actions would have. I mean…She went to an infected, desolate ship on her own without even making sure it was in fact Ezra she was talking to! I mean I guess they needed it for plot reasons but gah! She’s kinda stupid for being so intelligent.

AIDAN on the other hand I really liked. Even though he was an insane AI who killed thousands of people, I still liked him. I liked the life that Kaufman and Kristoff gave him. It was so interesting seeing inside the brain of someone who isn’t supposed to really think for itself. I think that is what ultimately made me love Illuminae. The way Kaufman and Kristoff captured AIDAN’s essence was so amazing. Ezra too…I liked him way more than I liked Kady and I think Ezra deserves so much better. I loved reading his chats with McNulty because you could totally see what type of person he was through just his chats. You could see that even though he’s a jokester, he actually cares deeply about so many people.

The ending was action packed and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I mean I kinda guessed what would ultimately happen because they needed a reason to write a second book (though having different characters be the main character would have been kinda awesome…though I have read zero reviews for Gemina so who knows what’s gonna happen!) but I was still biting my nails wondering how they would accomplish everything they needed to. I think the Afflicted was the main thing that had me jumping any time Kady had to make a run for it. They were insane, but they could still think rationally (at least some of them) enough to come up with a plan to catch and kill someone. I’m a little intrigued to see if they come into play again in Gemina.

I totally recommend this book! It honestly doesn’t feel like 600 pages at all and it will keep you hooked until the very end. I work two jobs and I managed to read this in 3 days, so you can definitely wipe this off your TBR very quickly, even if you’re a slow reader!

I listened to the audiobook and luv'ed it. I did put it down a couple of times but finally finished it and was crying through most of the last several chapters. If they ever make this a movie the might have a hard time with all the different points of view but if they handle like a documentary style it might work.

I did think Kady at times was a bit of a snob especially when it came down to it's either you or them question of survival. Her attitude toward the temp Captain of the Hypatia made me want tot kick the girl's butt. But it's better if your heroine has flaws else you can't relate.

This is my first Sci-fi read! I was so enthralled I read it in 2 days, that's crazy for me, and its a thick book! Though some pages are very quick.

It was brilliant! I loved everything from the way it's written to the characters to AIDEN! Yea, aiden was maybe crazed, but he/it grows on you!
Some love and bad guys! I just loved it!
And like any good book the plot twist was very unexpected and amazing!
(I never claimed to be good at words, or reviews. Lol)

This book was so original in the way it told the story indirectly. The reader uncovers what happened as documents, video clips, and IMs are revealed which made it a mystery, but it's also a SyFy space opera. It had nuances of Dune and themes of corrupt big business and plenty of twists so you don't know who is trustworthy and what is real - or red herring. I loved the relationships too! I read the sequel Gemina, immediately after, and can't wait for Obsidio. I've also listened to the audio version - equally entertaining, but you miss out on some gorgeous and creative computer art.

To be honest, I almost put this book on my DNF list, and I'm so glad I didn't.

The reason why I almost gave up on this book was because I didn’t understand what I was reading at all 60% of the time. “Who really is BeiTech and why did it invade Kerenza?”, “Oh, but wait, so Kerenza’s a planet or what?”, “OOH so AIDAN’s an AI? In a ship called Alexander? Did I get that right?”, “Hold up, so did he really die or not?? I’m confused”, “WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?!?”

These questions kept on popping in my head, and it was only halfway through the story – and the exact moment the action was already building itself up – did I find out the answers to my questions. I won’t answer them for you, because that’s the irritating – yet fun – part. You need to figure all the information out yourself through the hacked data given in the book or else nobody will answer it for you (unless, maybe, you have a friend who’s read and understood the book a hundred percent).

I could relate to the romance, for the most part. As a teen that uses instant messaging 24/7 and talks to people I hold dear using my phone, I could imagine what the characters were feeling as I read Ezra and Kady’s chats, as well as the others. So I didn’t have a problem with that.

For the plot – oh, the PLOT. It’s amazing. It’s mind-blowing. It’s confusing, yet I’m still so gripped by it. I don’t even know why. Maybe it’s because it’s the type of sci-fi book I’ve never read before? I’m not sure, but for one thing, I liked it. And maybe you’ll be mind-blown, too.

Overall, I really loved Illuminae. The only thing that's pulling me back from giving it 5 stars is because it’s the type of book you need to be patient with. It’s the type of book you need to learn to understand and feel for yourself. The chats of Ezra and Kady might not appeal to others unless you open your mind and think what they were possibly thinking and feeling while they were sending their IMs, or else it’ll feel like an empty conversation to you. You also need to pay attention to every file you read, because you might want to go back to the previous pages after something is revealed in the book.

So if you don’t like those types of novels, as well as strikethroughs and censors that are present 80% in the story, then Illuminae probably isn’t for you.

This book is completely gorgeous so I had to buy it! Luckily it's also a completely fantastic story that's unlike anything I've ever read. To be fair, I'm not usually one for sci-fi and I especially don't like when books aren't in regular text format but it works so well for the story. Also the pages are just beautiful and while there was one certain part that bothered me I won't say anything since it's a spoiler! There were some times I found the book to be a bit predictable so that's why I took out half a star. Please read!

This is hands down my favorite sci-fi ever. Filled with action, mystery, deception, romance, swoon, and kick-butt characters, I'm immediately going to start the sequel. Don't let the length scare you away--it's told in emails, texts, data reports, and schematics so it's much shorter than appears. But, I wanted it to be longer--it's that riveting and edge-of-seat reading. I'm so thrilled this is a series and can keep reading about these characters I've come to know and love.

I bought this book for my sixteen year old son (who will normally only read Manga) because of the visually stunning way it is written and he raced through it. Then my twelve year old son devoured it and told me that I HAD TO READ IT.
Illuminae is told through interviews, text messages, and other documents, with certain words blacked out, meaning there is no one narrator. Still, the story is remarkably easy to follow — as well as being engaging. This is a fun and dynamic way to tell as story that, I imagine, will appeal to even reluctant readers.
I really felt for the characters and their plight. They were in an impossible situation, trying to get information in the midst of huge cover ups. Their world had been destroyed and everyone had family and friends who had been killed. Even through the documents and descriptions of videos, the reader can relate to them and how they must feel in this terrible situation.
And there are some great twists, all of which are there to see in the documents, if you know where to look.
The adventure, conspiracy, a quest for justice, and characters the reader can root for, combined with dynamic storytelling and page formatting make for a compelling read.

Amazing book in a really cool format! I really enjoyed the writing, and the characters were all interesting. The action in this book is pretty much non-stop, and I almost couldn't put it down (I probably wouldn't have if I had more time to read in day). Kady is so cool and human in her character really rang true. Also, Aidan is probably one of my top favorite villains, as he is so darkly twisted. If you love to be entertained and want to go for an emotional ride, this book will do that and more.

The authors have created something new and exciting here. Don't let anyone tell you it is derivative. Sure, there are echoes of other great science fiction writers here, but truly great work will always echo the human condition. And they manage to achieve something so few seem to be able to do, which is to create a love story between teenagers that doesn't make you roll your eyes. Add to that the truly mesmerizing format, and you've got a book with real staying power. The irony here is that this is a book chock full of technical innovation that needs to be read in traditional format to be fully appreciated. Good on you, mates.

WOW WOW WOW!!!
This book is just mind blowing. I loved every second of it. Even though it is 600 pages long I read it so fast and I could not put it down. I think the way it is written and the different ways the writing is presented just makes it so exciting and really draws you in.
And hello that all of those plot twists I mean ohh my gosh! I rarely get very emotional when reading a book but I cried so many times reading this, it was just one of the most epic books I have ever read.
The story just pulls you in and you just instantly fall inlove with these characters.
There was also so much actual science in this book, I find that a lot of science fiction books lack that real science aspect but this book had everything.
I cannot fault this book at all and I highly highly recommend it. Even if your not a science fiction fan this book is so much more than that and I know everyone will love it.

I have to be honest...I really wanted to love this book, but I had to return it. The layout drove me nuts. I just wanted to read the story, which seemed like it would have been a great story, but I couldn't get over the chopped up story lines, emails, and diagrams. It didn't flow enough for me.
I bet the story would have been good from all of the comments, but I just couldn't get past all of the bouncing around and not being able to use my own imagination by reading a descriptive story line. Maybe I'll give it a shot another day, but as of now, it was not for me.

A dossier of classified documents is compiled after an Intergalactic disaster occurs, where one small and distant planet is attacked. The story of the attack, the survivors, an evolving artificial intelligence “being,” and especially young adults Kady and Ezra is told through this compilation of instant messages, emails, online journals, interview and surveillance transcripts, memos, medical and military logs, and so much more.

When Kady broke up with Ezra this morning, they thought the day couldn’t get any worse. But that was before their planet was viciously invaded and attacked by BeiTech Industries. Kady and Ezra are rescued, but by separate ships, with Kady on the science vessel Hypatia, and Ezra on the United Terran Authority’s battlecarrier Alexander. The Alexander escorts Hypatia and freighter Copernicus towards safety, and as their “jump” capabilities are not working, this journey takes months while the invading company’s Lincoln pursues them. Meanwhile the ships’ AI is malfunctioning in interesting but terrifying ways. As Ezra and many other civilians are conscripted into the Alexander’s military ranks, Kady escapes conscription by purposely failing the aptitude tests, hiding her ace hacking skills. As Ezra trains to learn to become a fighter pilot, Kady focuses on hacking through the ships’ information in pursuit of the truth of the situation, which the captains are keeping secret. As she discovers more and more alarming and shocking information, and as a a mutating virus sweeps through the ships, Kady and Ezra need to overcome their differences, and their distance from one another (emotional and physical) to work together to solve the problems plaguing the ships, all before the Lincoln catches up with them.

My Thoughts:

First let me just say “WOW!” That is the first reaction I had to this book, about 2 pages into it. This sentiment continued to bounce around my head throughout the entire reading of this behemoth, creatively told story. Also let me say for the record that I do NOT recommend reading this in e-book format, as its visual story-telling medium is not best suited for digital reading. I will be purchasing the hardcover version so I can re-read it and experience it the way its meant to be experienced.

So, now that I’ve expressed the WOW-ness of this book, let me get more specific. This is not an easy, light, “just to help me fall asleep” kind of book. Rather it is more like a devastating, cataclysmic, life-altering, “call into work sick tomorrow because you stayed up all night reading” kind of book. My favorite kind.

The Point of View: The story is told from an interesting and unconventional (i.e. AMAZING) point of view. Rather than the traditional 1st, or 3rd person point of view, we experience this story as if someone plopped a large brown folder full of confidential documents on your desk. We are essentially reading a report on the initial attack, and the events that followed, through a set of compiled documents including: instant messages, emails, online journals, interview and surveillance transcripts, memos, medical and military logs, photographs, and so much more. This is a completely unique method of story telling which I have never experienced before. Authors Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff have just torn open a whole new vista of opportunity for sci-fi/speculative fiction story-telling. They have turned this genre on its head.

The Characters: The story has a huge cast of characters who we are introduced to through their personal and professional correspondences, but focuses mostly on three main characters. Kady is a young woman who excels at hacking, sarcasm, and is not in touch with her romantic side. Ezra is a sweet, funny, sentimental romantic. And the third character is AIDEN, an evolving artificial intelligence “being.” AIDEN reads quite a bit like Spock, which is very enjoyable to me. The incredible thing about this book is that even with such a huge cast of characters, Kaufman and Kristoff manage to give each one a distinct personality and voice, most impressively of which is AIDEN. Additionally they shy away from traditional gender roles, which means some female characters are often tough as nails leaders, and some male characters can be more intuitive or sensitive. This is something I’ve noticed in Kaufman’s other series with co-author Meagan Spooner (These Broken Stars) and which is an excellent addition to the sci-fi genre. So don’t expect all of the captains to be big, domineering men!

Illuminae is science fiction (or speculative fiction) at its very best. There is plenty of technology drama, intrigue, mystery, suspense, action, plot twists, and even romance (impressive given the main characters are not physically on the same ship). It has computer hacking and biological warfare. It has goose-bump inducing creepiness, gasp-out-loud twists, “edge of your seat” suspense and quite a lot of humor. This is by far the most artistically and unconventionally written story I’ve personally ever read, and I couldn’t have loved it more. This is a great choice for anyone who is a fan of science fiction and space opera, as well as those who simply enjoy a spectacular story. Though marketed as Young Adult, this novel easily crosses the genre and will be enjoyed by those of all genders and ages. Don’t miss this one, because it’s almost certainly going to be “the next big thing.”

Written by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, Illumminae follows the lives of two teenagers, Kady Grant and Ezra Mason, as they are pulled into a war that neither of them completely understand. The morning their planet was attacked, Kady decides to break up with Ezra after a long relationship. Just as she thinks things could not get any worse, her planet Kerenza is under attack by the evil corporation Beitech and the massive ship, the Lincoln. While the two make it off the planet alive, many others are not so lucky. On different ships and barely talking to each other, Ezra and Kady must figure out just what happened to their planet while battling other, more sinister forces.
The authors tell the epic story through the use of debriefs, emails, text messages, interviews and web pages, making the reader think that they are actually reading real accounts of the actual events that happened in the book. This creative style gives the novel a truly unique feel and make it unlike any novel written before it. The novel also boasts plenty of epic battle sequences, from a cat and mouse chase between the two spaceships to entire planets getting invaded in almost the blink of an eye. This makes for a quick read, but the reader will have no shortage of action while reading.
While the means of telling the story are unique, it is also the novel’s disadvantage. Telling the story through interviews and other means limit other aspects of the story such as character development. Illuminae has no shortage of interesting characters, but I felt interviews and emails were not enough to flesh out these characters fully and lead the reader to relate to any of them, mainly Kady and Ezra, who are meant to drive the plot forward. While it is refreshing to see a different style used, characters take importance over style. It was also a little difficult to follow the plot sometimes, which could have been avoided using typical storytelling methods.
Like it or hate it, Illuminae is a pretty good shift for reader’s looking for something new, boasting great action sequences and plenty of mystery. I would recommend this novel to those thirteen and up, since the sequences can get pretty violent.

Interesting concept and it really drew me in the story. Kady will remain to be one of my favorite characters because of her determination. My only issue was that I wanted to get a bit more closure and something more about Aiden in the after math. Besides that, I thought this book's unique format was a creative way to tell a story.

The Illuminae audiobook was nothing short of amazing! It’s cleverly written style, voices, and sound effects created a wonderful book to listen to. We did feel that AIDAN was a pretty irritating character, that created unnecessary conflict in the book. However, it is nothing compared to the rest of the amazing storyline of this book. Looking forward to our next road trip to listen to Gemina!

Believe that I waited so long to read this! SOOOO GOOOD!!!! Though I hoped for a different ending, it was still epic and thrilling and AIDEN makes Hal look like a child throwing a temper tantrum in comparison. Those two together, though 0_o

Lots and lots of love for this book! If I could do a heart in text in so would.

Spectacular all around.

Please let this turn into a movie!!! =) =) =)

Five stars!

Girl breaks up with her boyfriend, planet gets destroyed, and then there’s the viral outbreak…

If you aren’t curious yet, then maybe the format will grab your attention. Hacked e-mails, video transcriptions, ship records… You get the idea.

Kady and Ezra end up on separate evacuation ships after their mining colony is destroyed by a ruthless enemy. Despite tragic losses, they start to make new lives for themselves on board, moving on without their home and without each other. Things are bad, but there’s hope. Then things get worse. A plague has appeared and starts to turn shipmates into vicious beasts, who brutally savage anyone who get in their path. Oh, and the AI on one of the ships is taking matters into its own hands.

I adore the unconventional formatting, but all of that would be wasted if there wasn’t a compelling story behind it. Action, adventure, romance, science, horror… there’s an excellent mix of all these things. Kady is my favorite, with her ambition, tech skills, and grit. I’m thrilled that there are two more books to come. I don’t buy many hardcovers, but I have zero regrets with this one.

This is the story of Ezra and Kady caught up in a space war. It is told in documents, memos and IMs. In some ways it feels like a 600 page graphic novel. That might sound off putting but it succeeds on every level. The format is winning from the very first few pages and you get drawn into the frenzy. This is a very fast paced, action filled work. It is also a love story of two teens who can't stand each other yet cannot bear their separation. There is loss, tons of violence, intrigue and heroics. It is the best kind of space opera.

I feel that just about anyone could enjoy this book, regardless of genre preference. Don't let the size of this book throw you....I read it in one night. Highly recommended and fondly cherished.

Let me tell you about ILLUMINAE. I read it while commercial fishing in Alaska--as in, having my own dangerous near-misses, adrenaline rushes, almost-foundering vessel, and sleep deprivation to deal with--and yet, whenever I could squeeze a free moment from my fish-slimy day (or night), my bloodshot eyes were glued to this book. The time spent was well worth it.

The format is, of course, what's most talked-about, and while it's endlessly fascinating and beautiful, that's not what makes the book. The pace and tension never let up, the characters are kickass (ah, AIDEN and Zhang!), the horror creeps up on you until it leaps for your face with bloodstained claws, and on top of all of that, it actually made me weepy a few times. Need I go on?

Just buy the ----ing book. You won't regret it.

I loved this book! It's so unique - written in the form of documents, emails, and other information gathered by the Illuminae group covering an event that happened when a mining planet was invaded by a corporation. The main characters of the report, Kady and Ezra, had just broken up when their planet was attacked. As their story continues throughout the documents, secrets get uncovered. This one is a page turner!

You MUST listen to the audiobook even if you already read the ebook. I didn't read the ebook. I'm not that patient, the format is not for me. But the audio is amazing. The cast of characters, the acting, the STORY. Fantastic. Best book/audio I've read/listened to in years. I hope the next one does not take two years, but the scope of this story is so big, I would be surprised if it didn't. If you like YA SF but you're worried about the format get the audio. You will not be disappointed.

Apparently someone decided this audiobook needed to be "cleaned up," so every part of every off-color word has been removed to protect the innocent. Since it happens frequently in dialogue it becomes truly annoying (as well as idiotic since it is still clear what the word had been before it was cleansed. Really stupid and for me, lowered my review by two stars. Maybe better to read this one.

Just wonderful. I took advice of 1 star reviews & did not read Kindle version. To get full impact & appreciate its stunning creativity, read it in hardcover. It was in my library's Youth section, but don't let that dissuade you. I am 63, been reading Sci-fi for over 50 years, & don't normally bother posting 5 star reviews, (usually just 1 star as warnings-paying it forward for all the 1 stars I rely on before purchasing). I usually avoid joint authors, but I am really glad I gave this a try! I laughed & teared up & can't wait to read the sequel! I am also going to check out authors' other books.

In this upcoming YA Sci-fi novel, the year is 2575, and a war between two "megacorporations" has broken out over a tiny ice-covered planet at the edge of the 'verse. Kady just broke up with Ezra, but now they have so much more to worry about. They scramble to escape their planet alive, and must navigate life as refugees fleeing from enemy warships, separated from each other and their families. In addition, the ship's AI is seemingly going insane, and a rapidly mutating plague is spreading. Now Kady and Ezra must work together as they try to figure out exactly what is going on, and find a way to get out of this alive.

What really makes this book stand out is the fact that it is told through an interesting compilation of IMs, military documents, interviews, emails, medical reports, personal diary entries, mixed in with artistic full-page images. This format of story telling sucks you in to the heart of the drama and action.

ILLUMINAE was an exhilarating read, and had a shocking ending. I found myself so invested with the characters lives, I even gasped out load a few times while reading! That's how invested I was, it definitely took me by surprise on multiple occasions! There are some interesting perspectives in this book that I have not seen done much before, which was refreshing! The characters were great, and it surprised me how connected I felt to them despite the story being told in a seemingly disconnected style.

I loved this book because it was original in its story-telling style, yet had the best aspects of action-filled sci-fi adventures. Not only that, but this book was pretty much a work of art with the way it was told, the cover alone was amazing! I can't wait to get a physical copy! I would definitely recommend to fans of YA Sci-fi and Fantasy.

For full review please search "5 Girls Book Reviews" in a search engine and/or Facebook "5 Girls Book Reviews"

REVIEW BY: Arianna, age 13 years, 1 month

MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:

This book was breathtaking and intense!

My favorite character was without a doubt, Kady. Even with everyone she loved gone, she stayed strong and survived against all odds. Everything that could go wrong (i.e. mass death/destruction, a mad computer and people gone crazy) happened, but Kady got though it all and conquered everything.

This review is also on my blog, The Library Canary: http://thelibrarycanary.blogspot.com/2015/09/review-illuminae-by-amie-kaufman-and.html

How do I even begin to describe how awesome and amazing this book is? The first thing I should say is that it is the most uniquely written book I’ve ever encountered. It’s not your standard book with chapters and just written word. No. This book is full of IM exchanges. Confidential memos. Transcripts of communications. A log of the thoughts of the AI system running a battleship. Diagrams of the ships’ interiors and exteriors. It’s literally a dossier of information about the attack on a planet called Kerenza and the subsequent attack on the battleship Alexander. It’s so cool looking, but still, I was a little worried that I wouldn’t get it with all the scattered information. No worries. Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff are geniuses. They weave the story into all of these various documents and turn it into a comprehensive, coherent and completely badass story that will have you begging for the next one and praying that somehow this makes it to the big screen (because seriously wouldn’t this make an awesome movie???).

The battle scenes were definitely my favorite part of this book. Here’s the thing. They aren’t really described. We get snippets of words floating around on the pages. On black pages. And for some reason that blackness makes you feel like you’re in space. And those snippets of words and shouts and orders and screams and death and explosions make you feel like you are there. You are in the battle with the other pilots and the chaos surrounds you and you’re maneuvering and dodging and doing your damn best to survive. The chaotic way this book is written puts you right in the thick of the action.

The main character, Kady is a hacker. After breaking up with her boyfriend, her planet is attacked and she’s forced to flee with said ex-boyfriend to the Alexander and the Hypatia, two ships rescuing refugees before their planet is blown to smithereens. Kady ends up on the Hypatia while Ezra (the bf) ends up on the Alexander. Ezra is immediately conscripted into the military and trained to be a pilot. Kady keeps her head down and no one really notices her, but the whole time she’s hacking into the system, digging for information about what really happened and why. And that is the meat of the story. What’s really going on here? Why did certain events take place? You think you know the answers and then your jaw drops to the floor as the authors throw twist after twist in your face. And you’re furiously turning the pages to find out what happens and before you know it, it’s over and you’re crying for the next book.

Seriously. Amazing. The pacing is just right, not too fast, but definitely keeps you turning the pages. Even though the information is given to you kind of piecemeal, it’s still easy to follow the story that’s unfolding. I can’t gush or rave about it enough. It’s incredible and you have to read it. And while I’m on this book-pushing part of my review, you have to read it in physical format. I know they’re selling it on Kindle, but I’m just not sure how an ebook could possibly do this one justice. With the diagrams and the unique way this story is written I just think that this is one you HAVE to have the physical book when reading. Trust me on this, okay?

So I did have two tiny issues with the book. The romance. I never really felt it. It was sweet and cute and I believed in it, but it didn’t give all the feels I wanted it to. Maybe it was because Ezra was just so damn nice and I always fall for the bad boy? I don’t know exactly what it was. It wasn’t instalove or anything. I believed in them as a couple. I just missed those warm fuzzies.

And then there is a little bit of a zombie feel to the book due to certain circumstances and I’m just not a fan of zombies so that part made me cringe a little. But I overlooked it because I was already so invested in the book. And it wasn’t a deal breaker for me at all. And if you like zombies then this won’t be a problem at all. Just thought it was worth mentioning.

But other than those two teensy, tiny things, this book was phenomenal. I’ve decided that Amie Kaufman is a master of all things space and I obviously need to go read some more of Jay Kristoff’s work because he is a master as well. I can’t wait for the next one!

Don't think I've ever read a book this long, this fast. Great plot, great protagonists, nonstop action, perfect snark and love the book design. Wish I'd had the foresight to have book two on hand as I'm beyond eager to read it...Good thing I do have book three so the next wait will be seconds, not days.

I have NEVER read a book like this before!

It took me a little while to get into it, but once I read more and discovered the interior design that Jay and Amie came up with, I was hooked. The design is so cool and interactive that it just took my breath away.

I loved the plot of this story as it went along, too. I don't read many space stories, but this one was completely exceptional. I'm really glad I finally picked it up after all this time.

Firstly, I'm not so sure I'd get this book for a 7th-grader.

It's got some pretty dark stuff in it.

In fact, without going too far into the spoilers territory, it kinda reminds me of Star Wars: Death Troopers. Going from bizarre at first to "creepy as all hell" later on.

That aside, I got this book because I way familiar with Jay Kristoff's previous series, which was The Lotus Wars -- all three of the books in that series were excellently done, and he certainly let the tragedy flow freely.

So -- again, fair warning -- I'm wagering this series is going to be no different.

Still, when I got to the ending, I felt....hm....
Is there a single word that does a good job of expressing "Well, that was great. But...where's the sequel -- I want it NOW."

Put it this way -- I finished this book feeling quite a bit better about the future prospects of this series than I did about the next two Star Wars films.

Review originally posted on Fiery Reads!

To sum up this book in one word: Whoa.

Illuminae’s been the book to read this year, and when I finally got my hands on it, I was ecstatic. I heard a lot of great buzz about it, so I dived into it thinking I would love it. And I did, for the most part.

It took me a little while to really get into the book. It starts off right in the action, and for awhile I tried to play catch up as I pieced together what happened when Kady and Ezra’s planet was attacked. Here, there were a lot of “wiki” pages that described the attack. They felt a little boring to me, and they were a struggle to get through at times. However, the book really starts to pick up around the 100 page mark, and from then on, I was hooked.

I didn’t really connect with the romance of the book. In the beginning, there were some cute parts, but towards the end, it wore on me and I found it very cheesy. Maybe that was just me, though. I don’t doubt that other people will love the couple in the story.

My favorite character is AIDAN by far (Kady was pretty badass, though, I have no admit. There’s no denying she’s an intelligent, selfless lady). I applaud the authors for writing a “character” as complex as him. I won’t say much for fear of spoiling the book, but many of the deepest, most profound quotes come from AIDAN. And that “buzz line” of the year that everyone’s talking about? When I read it, a chill went down my spine and I had to set the book down for a minute. It’s that good.

I didn’t see how there could be sequels until the very, very end of the book. There’s a twist that I didn’t see coming, even though I’m sure those that are more intuitive than me can put together. It leaves the door open for more sequels that I’ll definitely be checking out.

This book was amazing. The battle scene pages were beautiful and probably the most unique pages I’ve ever seen in a book. Major props to the people in charge of the layout. And of course, A+ for Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. The characters were well developed and the plot was wholly original and engaging. This is a book that deserves all the hype it’s receiving–and will lead the way for YA sci-fi to burst into the scene with a bang.

Ok WOW. This book was incredible. From the writing style and design and cover art to the plot and characters, Illuminae is a masterpiece. It literally had me both laughing and crying, and perpetually on the edge of my seat. I wasn't going to read this cause I'm usually not a fan of sci-fi but picking up this book was one of the best reading decisions I've ever made.

This book blew me away. I'd heard the structure was different than most novels, and I'd wondered if it could work. Well, it is different and it definitely does work. Despite the "found footage" aspect, I felt connected to all the characters. I swear, I was even worried for the computer. There were twists galore. I highly recommend Illuminae. One note: sometimes two-page spreads/illustrations are used, so I imagine this works better in print (as I read it) than electronically.

Got this book from First on Line and very happy I had the amazing opportunity to review such an amazing story of love, courage, strength, determination, and the will to survive. The story started off with a huge bang and ended with a bigger bang. It had my mine rolling over its own intelligence while the story keep on plotting for the next danger. Kady and Ezra will be together in my heart forever. Such strong willed young teens were able to survive and find that love was still amiss all the havoc. My heart broke when kady thought that going to the ship Alexander was the only way to save Ezra and she finds out she was wrong. I was heartbroken and scared that she had to try to bring Aidan back to control while having to go through a ship infested with humans that were contaminated. I felt every emotion, fear and helplessness that Kady had to live through in order for her to save everyone. Amazing book don't forget to pick up when it's released.

Could.not.put.it.down.....Wish like all get out In could start book two NOW. The only negative things I have to say are that this really was a struggle to read in eBook format. Even being able to pinch and zoom, was not helpful. I recommend reading physical copy. It got a bit, graphic Had I not been so enthralled with the story, and the style, I might have considered stopping ( a little Wayward Pines esque for me). Love the style, love the story....Fast paced, thrilling, absolutely can see why they want to make it a movie.

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 3 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Publisher
Reviewer: Ariel

Illuminae is the first in a new YA Sci-Fi series from author Amie Kaufman and and Jay Kristoff. If you’re looking for a space adventure, with a little bit of romance thrown in, told in a unique way, I would suggest picking this one up.

The story begins when Kady and Ezra’s planet is destroyed, and the survivors are brought onto three different spaceships: Alexander, Copernicus, and Hypatia. The three ships are still on the run from Lincoln, the ship that attacked Kady and Ezra’s home. As if that isn’t stressful enough, we have AI’s going haywire and giving their own orders, and a deadly virus attacking the citizens and the crew. Now it’s up to Kady and Ezra to figure out what’s going on, as well as keep themselves alive.

I really liked Kady and Ezra as characters. The two teens broke up the morning their planet was attacked, and now they have to team up, which only makes things a little bit awkward. They’re both a little sarcastic, and a little sassy, which I like. Kady has a very “kiss my ass” attitude, which I thought was really amusing. She’s a great leading lady who is determined to get to the bottom of things and protect the people she loves, even if she’s scared to death as she’s going through it. She seems to have a bit of an authority problem, which is always good for a few chuckles. But she also has a few really vulnerable moments which remind you that in the end, she’s just a seventeen year old girl who is trying really hard not to die.

Ezra is a sweetie, and a romantic. The whole time Kady is trying to find a way to get to Alexander (she was brought to Hypatia) Ezra is trying to talk her out of it and keep her alive. While the two have their issues, they definitely still care about each other. He knows that Kady is strong, and capable of figuring out what is really going on with these ships, but he worries about what would ever happen if she gets caught, something that Kady doesn’t seem to care about as long as she saves everyone else.

The story is told through reports and transcripts and IMs which I thought was a really cool choice. You get the perspectives from several characters this way, and you get to know what’s going on in both ships. It kept things moving, so I didn’t find myself bored too often. There were a few plot twists towards the end that I didn’t see coming, and those were pretty exciting, but I didn’t find myself really into the plot until about halfway through. Once the virus breaks out and AIDAN, the AI system, starts going crazy, I started getting interested, but it took a while to get there.

While I liked the characters, and I liked the way in which the story was told, and I liked the premise of the novel, when it came to actually reading it… it just didn’t do it for me. I don’t think it had anything to do with the writing style, the quality, or anything else. So while I’m giving Illuminae 3 out of 5 controllers, if this sounds like it falls into your niche, or if you think you would really enjoy it, definitely pick it up. It isn’t a bad book by any means, just wasn’t my particular cup of tea.

Audiobook

I liked this book up until the ending and then it was "give me a break". Not believable at all! It's made me second guess reading the rest of the series. 3-1/2 stars for most of the book, it would have been 4 stars without the ending.

Read the Ebook & listened to the audio 'book'-a performance piece with a cast- alternating. Both had aspects the other couldn't-the screams of the mad, the word trails of the fighter pilots across a Star-strewn Page. Each was excellent on its own. The story, told in a disjointed assembly of memos, interviews never easily let me leave. I found this in the 'teen' section, but this is up there with hunger gamed as a mature drama. Good solid action, very visual in either format. Id recommend this to older teens and adults who like harder SciFi.. Some brutal scenes, no sex, and expletives are almost comically censored.

Awful story. It seemed like it could be interesting in the beginning but the charm quickly disintegrated as it got more and more... stupid. I couldn't dispel my awareness of how ridiculous it was, but I don't like quitting books halfway so I ended up trudging through the whole thing. That's how I know it doesn't get better, it only gets more ridiculous. The whole time I was reading, I was aware of how hard the authors were trying to make it awesome. Everything about the plot was just garbage, the writing was insulting how relevant and "cool" it tried to be, and the non-traditional formatting approach had potential but quickly got irritating. Sorry to be so rough, but I wish I had never bothered.

I don't know, maybe a teen would like it, the authors certainly tried hard enough to make it teen-friendly. Eye-rollingly so. This book doesn't leave you with a thoughtful sense of heart, it's just simple entertainment. So if you want to be entertained and can stop yourself from thinking too hard about what's written on the page, maybe this will work for you. But, to be fair, in the range of YA novels being pushed today, this book sits comfortably in terms of quality. On the lower half, though. Feels like they wrote this to get it turned into the latest YA series-to-film adaptation.

Let's just call this book what it is: a YA science fiction/horror graphic novel. It's unique from the get-go. The format made it somewhat disjointed, and it was hard sometimes to tell who was speaking and how the dialogue fit into the overall plot. And the plot itself isn't as convoluted as the length and size of the book would lead you to believe. But that isn't to say that it's simplistic; it definitely has its twists and turns and does not end the way you think it will. But overall, a good action read.

3.5/5
I had a really really really hard time getting into this. I was just avoiding picking it up to finish it because I just don't enjoy the science fiction genre. I really enjoyed the third and fourth act however. I think I could get behind the sequel and read it when it is released, but if that beginning was changed, then it would definitely be a different review from me. I am just kind of mixed.

Um WOW! This book is something else. It's so fast paced after the first few pages and was so hard to put down but alas I do have bills to pay and a job that helps me pay those bills. I did stay up very late one night to finish it however. I can't wait to read the next installment.

What am amazing read: I book like an investigation docket, made of testimonies, interviews, audio and video files, transcripts, medical logs, emails, all related to an attack on a mine on a distant planet and the love story between two teenagers caught in a dangerous game, on a battle ship plagued by a deadly virus, run by a mad IA. I devoured it in one sitting. looking forward to the sequel.

Do you like science fiction? Read this book. Do you like thrillers? Read this book. Do you like beautiful and brilliant writing? Read this book.

It is told in such an innovative and creative way and it is not a gimmick at all. There is no way this story could have been told better.

Everything about this book is fantastic from the plot to the characters to the design to the writing.

I cannot wait for the next book. This is a must read and must buy - totally worth getting in physical form.

This book is so much more than five stars. I was invited into the pages and could not only imagine the atmosphere, but all of my senses were collectively entranced from the first page, to the last. When I bought this book, I was expecting it to be cliche, and a little boring, but I have never been so wrong. This book was absolutely thrilling. Thinking I wouldn't be able to connect to characters that like in 2575, was a huge mistake. Most good authors can describe how a character and how they feel. But this was so wonderfully written that if felt like you were with th the characters every step of the way.

Favorite Quote:

"Part of being alive is having life change us. The people around us, the events we live through, all of them shape us. And that's what I think you're afraid of."

Words. SO MANY WORDS NEEDED TO DESCRIBE MY FEELS. Oh where do I even begin. I must say the formatting of this book is quite possibly the most unique, intriguing, fantastic idea I may have ever seen or read. This is not told like a typical story at all. It is told between emails, chat conversations, dossiers, mission reports, ship schematics, computer logs, etc. Yet it flows seamlessly together to create a vivid world, characters you root for, characters you can't wait to die, characters you get attached to in a singular page before they are erased. All together it creates an incredible yet terrifying story with such pull that I just could not put it down.

To me, this story was powerful. It had so many elements. It was heart-wrenching, full of adrenaline, thought provoking, terrifying, full of tough decisions with a few light-hearted touches in between.

Honestly while an incredible read, this is not a story I would have wanted to live. We have an airborne virus that turns people into zombie-ish type monsters. I don't know if zombie-esque gives the description justice. They go insane, violent, yet still somewhat cognizant of what is going on. Anyone can turn into an afflicted person if they breathe the same air. Still doesn't feel like I described it well enough but moving on. On top of that we have an AI that can no longer be controlled and is quite possibly psychotic. It justifies killing people on the ships by the thousands. If that isn't enough a warship is after them to erase their knowledge and the only way to stop it is to have the psychotic AI online to fight back. All the time knowing you will most likely not be able to turn it back off. [Read more...]

You can feel the hopelessness, the desperation, the sinking realizations when someone is about to make a terrible decision. Yet what other decision should they have made?

The writing is incredible, the characters compelling. Kady was a strong heroine and you really felt for her. What she is put through, the decisions she makes. She was a fantastic lead. I felt Ezra could have used a lot more depth but I guess I can't have everything. AIDAN was creepy, interesting, and oh so...merciful. Heh. They had so many side characters, many that you adored on the first page of meeting them.

Kaufman and Kristoff make a powerful team for this story. So well written, I could envision everything as it happened. I loved pretty much everything. I don't know how I felt about the very very very end. I felt it was coming to such a traumatic and tragic end. Part of me wanted it to end that way. Poetic and beautiful. But then where would we be for future books? I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for the next one. I have it marked on my calendar so I can get the sequel the day it comes out and I FULLY PLAN TO DROP ALL OTHER BOOKS FOR THE NEXT IN THIS SERIES. That good. Period.

This book is 'hyped', way over priced and is a gimmick more than than a good read. Don't be fooled by the number of pages. If it was written in a traditional, flowing way it would probably have taken up less than half the number of pages. It is written in the 'clipped' style of a person texting or emailing.
I'm afraid I won't be, as other reviewers? have commented, eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

This book was incredible!! The storytelling method takes a little bit to get used to and understand, but once you get used to it, it is one of the highlights of the book. The storyline is put together incredibly well, and is full of so many twists and turns that you almost never know what to expect. The characters are dynamic and grow with the book. I became connected to many of them even though they were only mentioned a handful of times. Illuminae was enthralling and beautiful, and I would highly recommend it!

My daughter suggested this book to me and I was intrigued based on its' strange format. But GOSH I loved this story! While the format IS different since it is told through emails, mission briefings and such - it is an AMAZING story and an easy read. I DO highly recommend this book as well as it's sequel "Gemina".

I wasn't sure if i wanted to reAd this becAuse of its unique structure of the book but I'm glad I did. This was a rollercoaster ride of suspense. I never saw anything coming. I was totally gripped by fear and suspense. I couldn't put this book down. I normally am not captivated by book thAt don't contain much romance but this was Amazing!!
Read this book. You will not be disAppointed!!!

I really don't want to give this book four stars because mostly I was reading it as 'okay, pretty decent' but there were moments of brilliance, so four stars it is! I really liked the dossier style of the book---kept it very sci-fi and intriguing. Good use of jumping around to various 'sources' by author. VERY annoying how juvenile the messages are between characters, but she definitely nailed 'angsty teen' well because I wanted to send them to their room to grow up pretty much the whole book. Will definitely read the next book.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, this doesn’t affect my opinion! Thank you!

ASDFGHJKL;

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS FANGIRLINESS, UNINTELIGABLE FANGIRLINESS. SPOILERS WILL NOT OCCUR. FREAKING OUT WILL.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

*cough* I loved this book *cough*
What I liked

I was worried. Worried about how many people loved this book, worried about how good it sounded. Something like this can’t be as awesome as it seems right? RIGHT? Well ladies and gentlemen, I was wrong. WRONG! Illuminae was FANTASTIC!

This isn’t a normal book and that sounds really weird. This isn’t a book that is written from the POV of the characters (mostly), Illuminae is made up of text messages (IMing or somethingish?) pictures, journal entries, and so forth. For me, this is both AWESOME and mind blowing. How the heck did they manage to tell a story this fantastic, without even flat out telling us what was going on? Like seriously, this was fantastic and the whole text message story telling thing made this a FAST read.

I loved the characters, A LOT! They were all loveable, even nutty AIDAN. I loved how they blacked out the swearing, I loved how the characters were tough and sweet and just… I can’t even put my thoughts into words… they just rocked.

My heart was literally pounding during this book. LIKE OH MY GOSH! The disease is horrifying O_O I don’t even want to talk about. I don’t want to think about it, or imagine it. OH GOSH! DON’T LOOK AT ME!
What I didn’t like

WHAT WAS NOT TO LIK-

Oh. Oh wait…

I didn’t like how some pages were incredibly hard to read on the nook L, there were some pictures and pretty typography that was too blurry for me to read on this eARC version *cries*

And the characters texting skills *cries*! One of my biggest pet peves, other than repeating myself a hundred times, it when people can’t spell. I hate it when people type u, r, lol, luv, etc. It drives me nuts DX
In a nutshell

READ. IT. PLEASE! I hope you like it as much as I did! The characters were fantastic, the story intense and heart breaking. Illuminae is probably my most loved book of 2015, and if not, it comes close.

I am absolutely blown away by this book. I am overwhelmed. It's art. It's an experience. I listened to the audiobook alongside reading the hardcover and it was THE BEST going back and forth between the two. It was like listening to a movie with the full voice cast and sound effects. And then being able to open up the book and look at all of the unique pages of storytelling? *swoons*

My heart was hammering for the last half of the book. And how about one of the most intense endings ever??? JUST WOWOWOW. EVERYONE GET THIS BOOK. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. It's an immediate all-time favorite of mine.

If there was a bigger hype monster in 2015 than ILLUMINAE by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, I don’t know of it. A quick scan of my Goodreads feed was bursting with 5-star ratings. I’m not normally one for hard-core sci-fi, but I also think I’m one of those people who DOESN’T get wary when something is super hyped. I get CURIOUS. Thankfully I was able to grab an (awesomely made) ARC at BookExpo, so that when I finally dove into it, I could hold a copy on my hands. Once I got it in my hands, I could hardly put it down for anything, even showering. I got mad that I had to go to work (kind of the norm, tbh, so EXTRA mad). I just basically had to devour it and its insane twists and clever graphics. I am all in with this series, guys. I loved ILLUMINAE.

To just look at ILLUMINAE is to maybe be a little intimidated because it’s huge. But guys. One of the BEST things about this book that’s full of the best is the structure and layout. I know, super boring place to start right? Except NO. The way this book uses chat transcripts, documents, images–it’s all amazing. There are a few times when you actually need to TURN THE BOOK to read the words. I got such a kick out of this because it was so different and interactive. LOVE.

But now to the meaty stuff: Kady, Ezra, and the computer of one of the spaceships that rescues them from their home planet of Kerenza when it’s attacked under pretty random circumstances. AIDEN, the acronym/name of the AI computer system on the Alexander. Yes. The computer is a character. Don’t mess with the AI, legit.

Kady and Ezra have a very complicated relationship, mostly because they break up within the first few pages of ILLUMINAE. I loved the tension between them that’s marked with some residual feelings that fluctuate. They each wind up on two different spaceships–Kady as a rebellious computer genius aboard the Hypatia (I think…I read this book in October) and Ezra as a pilot aboard the Alexander (or the Copernicus…see previous parenthetical disclaimer)–but learn to communicate as their situation grows more dire: Spaceships are trailing them to finish what they started in Kerenza and the ships are running out of time to escape them and they know that if they get caught everyone will die and LIVES ARE IN THE BALANCE AND IT’S SO TENSE.

Adding to the tension? A biological weapon that the bad guys–a company called BeiTech–released into the ships that causes people to gradually flip out and become paranoid and maniacal and deadly. It’s not pretty. When one of the ships becomes hopelessly contaminated with the disease, it’s AIDEN that DECIDES (YES I KNOW) to BLOW THE SHIP TO SMITHEREENS. *emoji of the eyes bugging out of your head* As much as I loved Kady and Ezra–and I loved them so much–what really made the drama for me was AIDEN. When the computer starts acting independently from its commanders is when things REALLY get bonkers. It’s the actions of AIDEN that wind up pulling your heartstrings and making you gasp, and that happens more than once.

ILLUMINAE is one of the most engrossing page-turners I can recall reading in a long time. I was on the edge of my seat reading it. I was nervous and scared and sad and angry and all the feelings. And the way it ended? DANG, AMIE AND JAY! The whole thing just, like, blows open and I’m dying for GEMINA now. Can’t recommend ILLUMINAE enough, guys. Don’t stress the hype. BUY INTO IT. THE HYPE IS REAL.

This book is brilliant. Its told in a series of hacked emails, messages, diary entries, instant messages and file reports. It is unconventional. And its amazing.

This story has intergalactic space travel, war, artificial intelligence gone awry and a deadly virus aboard the ship. It took me just a bit to get into the story but once I understood all the elements I was ready to go.

First time in a while that I've stayed up so late to finish a book, but like is it even possible to put this book down? Especially in the last 200 pages? Nope. Definitely not possible. Such a cool book and such an interesting way to tell a story. I loved it and can't wait to read the next one!

When you pick up Illuminae, the first thing that grabs your attention is the book jacket. It's beautiful. Then you see the cut outs and you look underneath and it's seriously cool. At first you get sucked in by the uniqueness of the format,that reads like a dossier, then the story sucks you in until the very end, and then it leaves you slack jawed and thinking "what? wait! How? Whoa!" You will love this book...it's just THAT cool!

One of the most inventive books I’ve read in a long time. Visually stunning, visceral, and voicy as hell with propulsive story-telling. If you still miss Battlestar Galactica and Firefly, read this book.

Even though everything is 2-D, the idea of piecing together a story through files and transcripts worked well in this. I enjoyed the characterizations, the pacing, and the overall story. The entire trilogy is a fun read!

This was a very fun read. I really enjoyed the format, the characters, and the plot. I know some reviewers did not like the unconventional format, but I found it to be perfect for the story. I can't wait to read "Gemina" (and "Obsidio" when it is available).

Ok so when I first saw how this was written I turned the book away. I did not figure I'd like the interviewed way it read or that someone was later watching the feed and that's how the story played out. I saw a person say how good this book was and I turned back to it. Wow, this was a really cool story. Blew my mind in places. It was very engaging and I stayed up late reading as much as I could. Kudos to ILluminae.

This is one of the best books I have read. SIMPLY AMAZING. At first it was a little odd getting into the way it was written, but once I did, I couldn't stop reading. This book reminded me of a mixture between the movies Starship Troopers and Promethius. Anyways, what a ride this book was. A rollercoaster ride. It really hits you in the gut too. Can't wait for the next one! The authors deserve a standing ovation for this masterpiece.

If I could, I’d give this book a star for every star in the ‘verse! I’m a hopeless romantic and adventure junkie. And this book was perfect in EVERY. SINGLE. WAY. I cried in the last few pages was angry throughout reading, and now a little more skeptical of my electronic devices (r u there AIDAN?). Illuminae was absolutely breathtaking and I’m going to buy Gemina and Obsidio TODAY!

Wow, this book is amazing!!

I've never read anything like this before. It was fresh and fun. I wasn't sure if a story could be told through a collection of documents, but it can. The format is visually engaging, making the experience feel more comprehensive than most books.

The plot is fast-paced, with enough intrigue to drive the story forward. There were a few plot elements that could have been better explained, or reasoned out. But overall, I found it very compelling, and just plain fun.

It is rare for me to find a book I enjoy this much. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!

This book was such an adventure! I was so nervous being a sci-fi which I dont typically read and the format was so different, but holy cow did this book not hook me in right away. It was a never ending action packed thriller where you didnt know what was going to happen and the audio book was the perfect full cast that I could listen to again and again

So I picked up this book because it fit a challenge category and I was completely hooked by page 1...Illuminae is uniquely written and it captivated me as the story is told not through traditional writing, but by a series of surveillance reports, emails, and private message conversations. Perfect blend of sci-fi meets mystery with a dash of love. I look forward to the upcoming sequel.

This book blew my mind.
It has been awhile since I've read a book that really gripped me, and this was it. I admit I was hesitant at first since the story is told via IMs, memos, emails, and reports. I thought it would take away from the story and you would lose the ability to connect with the characters on an intimate level. I definitely had nothing to fear.
This story is amazingly crafted, the charcters are unique and real, and the suspense just grips you from start to finish. The twists and turns were thrilling, and the plot is really well thought out and detailed. Anyone a fan of Amie's work will love this book, along with YA readers, fans of sci-fi, thriller, and a little bit of romance.
Absolutely amazing. Highly recommeded!

Sheer creativity alone earns this book 5 stars. I am so impressed with the ingenuity of these authors. I was totally blown away at how they chose to tell this narrative. You've got to give this book about 100 pages but once you get the nuances of the different genres they are dealing with and you understand the story, you will be captivated. Great read. I already have the second on hold.

Illuminae was told in a very unusual way that surprisingly worked. Kady is very bad*** and would make an awesome movie heroine and possibly inspire future coders. I never knew I could want to physically hurt Artificial Intelligence until reading this book.

The only problem I had was that because of the style of this book, it did not read well on a Kindle Paperwhite. Even when you make the text bigger, some pages stayed the same. It might have been better on a bigger screen ...

5 stars * 6.71×10e8 mph

I just finished reading Illuminae. If I never read another book in my life, I will die happy knowing I’ve read the best there is. There is no comparison to anything else I’ve ever read. It was a completely unique experience.

I am going to stand on my rooftop and shout to the world. “READ THIS BOOK!”

This was a lot of fun. I wasn't sure if I would like the format, but it worked well. I suspect this was much better as a physical book then it would have been on an ereader. The book uses a lot of interesting layouts for some pages, and I don't know how well that would work on a screen, particularly on a smaller screen like a phone.

Totally unusual and compelling book. I finished it in no time---two evenings. I was in tears at the end for Kady, Ezra and strangely for AIDAN as well. I understand the next book will be about different people but hopefully this story keeps going since it is far from settled. The gauntlets have been thrown as they say. We need the rest of this story.

4.25/5

Highly recommeneded for: visual readers, YA sci fi fans, people super-into-space-right-now-because-they-read-The-Martian

Of course, the main draw to this book is it's visual appeal. It has a few pictures, but still reads like a book and not a graphic novel. It is so amazing to see what devices the authors chose to tell the story. The devices turn this 600 pager into a really fast read. Don't be put off by the size...some pages have one word on them.

The story itself is very good. Really great twists. When I thought I had it figured out...nope...til the end.

The characters...are one of the two main reasons the book did not get a higher rating from me. They are not badly developed by any means, but they are...YA trope-y. I guess I'm getting a little sick of the main female character being "tiny but stubborn." That being said, she did not annoy me like others have and I still enjoyed her character most of the time. The other characters were good but could have seen a bit more development. I was getting people mixed up all the time because many did not stand out enough.

The other reason the book didn't get quite as high a rating is that it just didn't have my attention the entire time...definitely MOST of the time, but some parts I was saying to myself, "Yes, I get the point," and skimmed a bit.

I loved how the visual effects portrayed the artificial intelligence. The AI became one of the characters, and we see it's development in a really interesting way.

In general, this is a recommended read for me. The story is great; I can't wait for the next installment.

I really wasn't planning on reading this...It was suggested to me by the store after looking into The Young Elites and Red Queen. I thought "ugh, space". For whatever reason I decided to give it a go and it was a great read. I love the mixed media, and for a book by two authors, you couldn't tell, which is such a good thing.