REVIEW: Unearthed by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

*Thanks to Netgalley & Disney-Hyperion for an ARC in exchange for a fair review*

Publisher's summary:  

When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.

For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.

In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race.

___________

I enjoyed pretty much every moment of this book from the exciting opening--Amelia caught without her backpack by another set of scavvers and then 'rescued' by Jules, then their alliance to find a forgotten temple, some amazing puzzles and hijinx that would have made Indiana Jones proud, a developing friendship/bond, trust and something more.

These characters have superb presence and dialogue. They are as spunky as they are complex.  I found the story adventurous and exciting--a real treat that I had trouble putting down.

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Book 2 in the Illuminae Files continues with a sci-fi saga on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where readers meet two new characters who will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. Immersed in their lives among the space station, they are unaware that Kady Grant, Ezra Mason and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home not only from these deadly assault teams but also from vicious predators snacking on station residents.  Toss in a malfunctioning wormhole ripping the time/space continuum in two and readers are in for a treat!

“Her eyes shining with the light of it.
Beneath, between, beyond.
Along the endless circle.
Down the ceaseless spiral.
And waiting for her on the other side?
Just like he promised.
...
“A whole sky of different stars.” 

Gemina is another feast for the senses with the narrative told through a dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics. The print version is a visual wonderland thanks to the care given the narrative and layout by Kaufman and Kristoff as well as the absurdly awesome additional illustrations by Marie Lu. The complexity of plot and character development is astounding as is the projected voices of key players Hannah, Nik and Ella.  I was pleased when Katy, Ezra and ADIAN joined the game and can't wait to see what transpires for the third novel in 2017.

A quick addition - while the print is AMAZING, I can't speak highly enough about the full cast audio as well.  I own both and it was truly an experience to immerse myself not only in the text but also the stellar audio production.

Final rating: ALL THE STARS! 

Follow the authors on Twitter: @misterkristoff @AmieKaufman

#Gemina #Illuminae #YA #teen #audiobook #awesomeness

REVIEW: Starbound Trilogy by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars is the first in the Starbound trilogy. The Icarus is the finest luxury spaceliner in existence. Lilac LaRoux, heir to the LaRoux empire, is the daughter of the richest man in the universe; however, she is suffocated by her father's insistence of controlling every aspect of her life. Tarver Merendsen is a dashing and decorated, if cynical, war hero, who takes a chance to flirt with Lilac, not fully knowing who she is.  When the Icarus plummets from hyperspace onto the nearest planet, Lilac and Tarver are the only survivors. Together, they must travel across eerie deserted terrain of a failed terraformed planet where they learn a devastating truth that will changed their lives forever.
I really enjoyed this book.  I loved the idea of two star crossed lovers from different classes.  Lilac and Tarver have great chemistry and readers will enjoy their banter as well as watching how their relationship builds.  I was often reminded a bit of Jack and Rose from Titanic, especially all the references to how amazing and indestructible the Icarus was designed to be, much like the Titanic in 1912. There is great depth of character which allows the blooming romantic relation to appear believable.  I like the supernatural element and its impact on the characters as well as the "big picture" which frames the rest of the series.

The audiobook is great. I recommend this for romance readers who like futuristic fantasy, science fiction, and adventure. This is well written and uniquely interesting.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The second book in the trilogy features Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac as star crossed lovers on opposite sides of a war. Lee is a captain of forces sent to crush rebel forces on the terraformed colony of Avon. She hates insurgents, especially since a similar rebellion led to the deaths of her family years before. In turn, Flynn shares no love for the forces who executed his sister for daring to stand up to their broken promises.

Desperate to find any advantage in the unrelenting war, Flynn kidnaps Lee with hopes that she'll be a bargaining chip. However, when his rebel cohorts plan to execute her, Flynn chooses another path.  As the fighting heat up, other strange occurrences--namely "the fury" which overcomes individuals who seem to be taken over by some other force--brings Lee and Flynn together as well as Tarver and Lilac from These Broken Stars when they realize all roads lead to LaRoux Industries.

I didn't love This Shattered World quite as much as the first book, especially since it took a bit for the connections between book 1 and 2 to present themselves.  Once Tarver and Lilac made an appearance, this story picks up exponentially. I liked that the romantic relationship between Lee and Flynn was gradual without full declarations of love and devotion declare immediately. I appreciate the intricate nature of the plot development with The Whispers and look forward to reading the conclusion.  As a last tidbit, I recommend the audiobooks of this series. The production value with its attention to detail is stellar and enhances the overall narrative experience.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In this conclusion to the series, significant events come full circle. Sophia Quinn has a killer smile and has quickly developed the ability to con her way out of most tight situations after her escape from Avon.  She's on a mission--to take her revenge against LaRoux Industries for the death of her father. Enter, Gideon Marchant, a computer hacker and whiz kid, who has his own reasons for taking down LRI. Forced to work together, Sophia and Gideon just might find what they both seek plus more than they bargained for.

I loved how all three books finally came together.  Readers will remember Sophia from book two and Gideon has a significant connection to Lilac and a past relationship from book one. Lilac, Tarver, Lee and Flynn are back for most of the action which is again tied to the Rift created by LRI and the imprisonment of the otherworldly "Whispers." This group will have to work together in order to save all they know from the most ancient of the Whispers whose prolonged imprisionment has left it eager for vengence in the form of all humankind's demise.

Readers won't be disappointed with how this all comes to fruition.  Overall, I think my favorite trilogy couple is Lilac and Tarver but I like the realism developed between all the other characters. The relationships are plausible and relateable and I love the frest twist on science fiction story telling which Kaufman and Spooner infuse throughout the series. These books are truly unique but will appeal to a wide readership interested in quality narrative including action, adventure, politics and, of course, romance.

The audiobook was again truly stunning so defnitely check it out!

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Follow the authors on Twitter: @AmieKaufman @MeaganSpooner



#Starbound #TheseBrokenStars #ThisShatteredWorld #TheirFracturedLight #YAlit #futuristic #romance #teen #amreading

REVIEW: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review

Expected Publication: October 20, 2015

Illuminae is so truly unique it is difficult to describe in mere words.  This is a multigenre, fast paced futuristic science fiction drama. Set in the year 2575, readers learn that two megacorporations are at war over the tiny, ice encrusted Kerenza. The morning of a devastating attack on her planet, our feisty teen heroine and hacker extraordinaire, Kady Grant, has just broken Ezra Mason's heart. However, while barely on speaking terms, they have to work together to survive. Separated on two separate ships, Kady soon discovers that the only person who can help her is her ex who she vowed to never speak to again.

And yet, surviving this attack is just the tip of the iceberg. While trying to outrun the Lincoln, which wants to blast both the Hypatia and the Alexander to bits, we learn that a deadly plague (think homicidal Jack from Stephen King's The Shining) has broken out aboard a ship carrying survivors and the ship's Artificial Intelligence A.I.D.A.N., whose primary job is to protect, might actually be plotting to kill them all.

It is hard for me to express the coolness factor for this book.  It is a visual feast and readers really need to get their hands on it to absorb the experience. Truly, the composition is like nothing I've ever seen before.  It's an action packed thriller filled with big, bad greedy corporations, tight lipped and corrupt political leaders and a psycho super computer! Plus, it's a love story with realistic characters! Teen readers will love the format and the snarky dialog.

The feels are tremendous. I had more than a few panic stricken moments spent shouting at the book pages, willing Kaufman and Kristoff to quit torturing me. I know that I will wait with baited breath for the next book now that even more delicious characters and complications have arisen at Illuminae's conclusion.

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Follow the authors on Twitter: @AmieKaufman @MisterKristoff

#illuminae #review #YAlit #sciencefiction #awesomeness