Title: Illuminae
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Genre & Age Group: Science fiction, romance, young adult
Goodreads Synopsis:
This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.
BRIEFING NOTE: Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.
Source: Public library
Considering my history with disliking fantasy or extreme sci-fi novels, I did not expect to like this book. Besides the genre, the format of this book is also not something I am normally used to, nor is the length. However, the hype sucked me in. Despite all of these concerns, I actually adored Illuminae!
To start off, I really liked the characters, specifically the main heroine Kady. Kady was an incredibly brave, selfless, and strong girl. I honestly don’t know how she managed to survive through all of the obstacles she was faced with- it was crazy to see her bounce back and recover from them every single time!
Ezra was also a pretty cool guy, though I found him to be a tad unmemorable. I do hope to see his character develop more when I pick up Gemina, though, because he is definitely still deserving of it. Oh, and also, I loved the way he and Kady were always there for each other- they have become one of my most major ships! ❤
AIDAN, the artificial intelligence, was simply hilarious to read about! He often had these really kooky revelations and opinions that had me chuckling throughout the novel, and I am super excited for more of him!
Illuminae is one of the most event-filled, action-packed novels I have ever picked up. Not only is it extremely plot-driven, but it is also super fast and nothing left me bored at all, and books of this type often have the potential to put me to sleep.
All in all, if you are looking for a futuristic story set in space that is packed with punch, then Illuminae is your dream book. Both the characters and the plot were absolutely astonishing. However, although the story was entertaining, it was a little long and strenuous to read at times due to the format (it was cool though!), so for this reason, I will be deducting one star. Anyway, I can’t wait to see what happens in Gemina, and I have my fingers crossed that it will be just as awesome- or even more so- than this one was!
kdrewkthebookworm.wordpress.com 
Agreed! Illuminae is so action-packed, and the format is incredibly creative (but doesn’t diminish from the storytelling). I listened to the audiobook version, which ended up being my favorite audiobook listening experience to date. So fun!
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Awwww I’m so glad you enjoyed this Kayla! I was a little put off by the length and format at first too! But I agree that Kady totally won me over… well and all the marvelously fun plot. Ezra kind of dropped off the map near the end of the book and didn’t get to play as huge part as I’d have wanted him to… so I look forward to more of him in Gemina too. 😀
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