Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Illuminae 
Author: +Amie Kaufman & +Jay Kristoff 
Series: The Illuminae Files 
Release: October 20th 2015 
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers 
Source: I received a copy via FirstInLine in exchange for an honest review Genre: YA Rating: 4 Stars 

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 mega corporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit. 

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again. 

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

My review of this unique YA sci-fi...

"First survive Then tell the truth."

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 very first page 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!

My Favorite Character...

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.