Book Review #786 - The Handmaid's Tale (The Handmaid's Tale #1) by Margaret Atwood

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now...

My Rating: 3/5

I first attempted reading this book for the first time in 2017 but gave up on it only after the first few chapters as I just found it too confusing.

I picked it up again in 2018 for the Spookathon reading challenge and even though I still found it overly confusing, I persisted in finishing it.

The main issue I had with this book was the lack of world building at the beginning. As the novel begins you are just thrown into what becomes obvious a dystopian world but it was like you were expected to already understand the terms, settings etc and this is what I found confusing.

As I have now finished the book and know all these things now I will most likely have to reread it at some point in the future to enjoy it without all the confusion.

There is so much happening in this book and even more that could be developed deeper. For this reason, I am interested in reading the sequel.

I liked Offred as the protagonist as even though the situations she was in were so far removed from anything anyone would endure in the real world, she seemed really relateable. 

Book Review #781 - Whisper (Whisper #1) by Lynette Noni

“Lengard is a secret government facility for extraordinary people,” they told me. 

I believed them. That was my mistake.

There isn’t anyone else in the world like me.

I’m different. I’m an anomaly. I’m a monster. 

For two years, six months, fourteen days, eleven hours and sixteen minutes, Subject Six-Eight-Four — ‘Jane Doe’ — has been locked away and experimented on, without uttering a single word.

As Jane’s resolve begins to crack under the influence of her new — and unexpectedly kind — evaluator, she uncovers the truth about Lengard’s mysterious ‘program’, discovering that her own secret is at the heart of a sinister plot … and one wrong move, one wrong word, could change the world.

My Rating: 3/5

I knew very little about this book before diving into it and I think this is the ideal way to approach this book because even the smallest bit of leaked information would be massive spoiler material.

I love Lynette Noni's writing style. It is very engaging and her characters feel really real and relatable. Because of the unusual plot in this book, there is not an awful lot of character development so I am looking forward to that in the next book.

I am not the biggest fan of the science fiction genre and that element was a complete surprise to me because up until that element was introduced the book felt like a contemporary novel. The writing style definitely helped me like it more than what I thought I would.

I also loved the setting. Not just Lengard which was full of mystery but the city that it is set in. I remember being completely surprised when it was revealed where it was set because I didn't expect it and also because I have been to that city multiple times and so it was familiar to me.

Book Review #776 - Hive (Hive #1) by A.J. Betts

All I can tell you is what I remember, in the words that I have.

Hayley tends to her bees and follows the rules in the only world she has ever known.

Until she witnesses the impossible: a drip from the ceiling.

A drip? It doesn't make sense.

Yet she hears it, catches it. Tastes it.

Curiosity is a hook.

What starts as a drip leads to a lie, a death, a boy, a beast, and too many awful questions.

My Rating: 2/5

I had to read this book for a book club and as an added bonus being a local author, A.J. Betts came and spoke to us about the book as well.

Firstly, the book pitched to me was not the book that I had expected to read. I was told it was a story about a girl living in an underwater city and not knowing that until she one day finds a leak.

Instead, the book was an underdeveloped utopian story that was more confusing than anything else.

I really would have liked more world building as I think what was delivered was interesting just massively underdeveloped.

Book Review #768 - The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a government 'rehabilitation camp'. Ruby might have survived the mysterious disease that killed most of America's children, but she and the others had emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now on the run, she is desperate to find East River, the only safe haven left for kids like her, and she joins a group of other runaways who have escaped their own camps. Liam, their brave leader, is falling for Ruby, but she can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all Liam. But there are also other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice - and one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living.

My Rating: 4/5

This is a series that I have been meaning to read for years and with the film adaptation released this year I finally managed to read it.

I thought this book was going to be a dystopian so I was surprised to find it was more science fiction. This made it more unique than Divergent or The Hunger Games - books I had been expecting this book to be similar to.

I read Alexandra Bracken's other book Passenger and I found her writing style very hard to read but I found the complete opposite with this book.

I really enjoyed the world building and the fact that even though it took its time setting all this up, it never once felt slow paced or boring. 

I also loved the amount of music references that were slipped in there. There was surprisingly quite a lot.

There was so much action and plot development in the second half of the book that I found it hard to grasp that this is only the first book in the series.

As soon as I finished this book I immediately bought the boxset so look out for my reviews of the rest of this series.

Book Review #732 - Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

 

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion?

Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict.

With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken.

 

 

My Rating: 8/10

 

 

This is the third and final book in the Illuminae Files series and is the sequel to Illuminae and Gemina.

 

This book follows the same method in joining the characters we already know in Kady, Ezra, Hanna and Nik whilst also introducing us to new characters in Asha and Rhys.

 

I felt like we spent too much time with already established characters and not enough with the new ones causing Asha and Rhys to feel a little under developed.

 

The book was as fast paced and action packed as the previous two and struggled to put it down throughout.

 

I loved that AIDAN played a larger role than he did in Gemina as I find him the most fascinating aspect of this entire trilogy.

 

Whilst I found I didn't like this book as much as the previous two, I still thought it was a really solid and satisfying end to a remarkable series.

 

I will be attending Jay Kristoff's Likel1k3 book tour next week so look out for my post sharing my pictures of my signed books in this series!

Book Review #713 - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

It's the year 2044, and the real world has become an ugly place. We're out of oil. We've wrecked the climate. Famine, poverty, and disease are widespread.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade is obsessed by the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this alternate reality: OASIS founder James Halliday, who dies with no heir, has promised that control of the OASIS - and his massive fortune - will go to the person who can solve the riddles he has left scattered throughout his creation.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that the riddles are based in the culture of the late twentieth century. And then Wade stumbles onto the key to the first puzzle. Suddenly, he finds himself pitted against thousands of competitors in a desperate race to claim the ultimate prize, a chase that soon takes on terrifying real-world dimensions - and that will leave both Wade and his world profoundly changed. 

My Rating: 10/10

I am definitely not a gamer and so I was a little hesitant to read this book but as I had recommended the movie adaptation of this book to my brother who is a gamer I thought I'd check out what I was recommending. I found that this book completely blew me away with how much I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I absolutely loved the world building in this book. It felt completely fleshed out after just the first chapter.

There were countless 80's references that flew completely over my head but they were done in such a away that I felt like I wasn't missing out on anything. I probably would have loved the book more (if that is even possible) had I understood these references though.

Wade Watts was such a reluctant hero but that was what made him so relatable. He also felt very genuine. 

The world inside the OASIS was amazing. The way technology controls the world also seemed like a plausible realistic setting of a future world.

The world outside the OASIS however is not so good hence why people spend the majority of their time in a virtual reality world.

I loved the whole mystery egg, clue solving element to the story. The way it was presented seemed like a video game in itself. 

The main antagonists in this book are called the Sixers. I hated them for obvious reasons but they surprised me numerous times throughout the book at the lengths they went to in order to get what they wanted. 

The massive battle at the end was my favourite part of the book as I loved how action packed and pop culture heavy it all was. 

The overall way the book was presented would make it translate well onto the big screen. 

Book Review #707 - Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

My Rating: 8.5/10

I actually think I loved this book even more than Illuminae if that is even possible. 

I found that I didn't like Kady and Nik as much as Kady and Ezra but that's the only negative I can think of at the moment. 

I loved how much the story progressed especially in ways that I never ever saw coming. I loved all the new settings and characters as well. 

It took me a little while to get into the book because of the distances style of writing, but once I got settled I read in practically non-stop, all 600 pages. 

This book was action-packed and constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. 

I love how unique the formatting of these books are although it makes me feel a little distanced from the characters and story when I first start reading. 

Book Review #702 - Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi

EXILED from her safe home in the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria finds herself in the outer wastelands known as the Death Shop. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent energy storms will. There she meets a savage, an Outsider named Perry – wild, dangerous – who is her only chance of survival. 

But Perry needs Aria, too, and they are forced into an unlikely alliance that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

My Rating: 6/10

This is a YA dystopian series that was popular when it was first released but not one I ever seemed to get around to reading.

First of all I thought that the world building was not as strong as I would have liked it to have been, just even on a basic scale. 

Aria grew up in the pods, an underground area that is protected from the outside elements where they have superior technology. This upbringing made her rather sheltered and privileged.

On the other hand, Perry grew up outside in the elements where everything is about survival. I loved his relationship with his nephew Talon. In fact Perry's whole family dynamic was an interesting element that I hope to see explored in future books.

I found the plot progressed rather slowly. Most of the book is Aria and Perry travelling and so there was very little action for long periods of time. 

Overall, I think I probably would have enjoyed this book more had I read it during its hype, but I still managed to enjoy it and I looking forward to continuing on with series sometime hopefully this year. 

Book Review #695 - How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

“Every war has turning points and every person too.”

Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy.

As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.

A riveting and astonishing story.

My Rating: 3/5

The book starts with Daisy going to live with her aunt and cousins Edmund, Isaac, Osbert and Piper. It is also alluded to numerous times that Daisy has an eating disorder so this book does tackle much deeper topics.

At first I found this book really hard to read. It is told almost entirely through inner monologue and really long sentences. The lack of speech marks is what bothered me the most.

The protagonist Daisy was not easy to like or get along with. She was a typical moody teenager.

The book is just under 200 pages long but it is so incredibly slow paced that it felt much longer.

For that reason I definitely liked the second half of the book more than the first half. The second half focuses on Daisy and her 9 year old cousin Piper's quest for survival after they are separated from the male cousins (Piper's brothers) after the outbreak of war.

At first Daisy and her cousins are very naïve about the war. When the British Army take them away, separating them is when the book significantly picks up the pace.

The romance was another aspect I didn't particularly enjoy because Daisy happens to fall in love with her cousin. They never even really acknowledged what they were doing was wrong. This whole interaction made me cringe.

The ending was rather abrupt and I did not like it at all but then I am not sure how else to end a book with this type of topic.

For a book about war, I thought that Daisy was left rather sheltered. There was only 2 or 3 moments throughout the book that she saw the real traumatic nature of war. My view was further solidified when we are briefly told Edmund's way of life during the war. I can't help but think this book could have been a lot better had it not been a young adult novel.

I also watched the movie adaptation after reading this book. I was unable to watch the movie in one sitting because it was just as slowly paced as the book. I did really love Piper in the movie though, she really encapsulated the youthful innocence with a war going on around her.



Book Review #693 - Obernewtyn (The Obernewtyn Chronicles #1) by Isobelle Carmody

In a world struggling back from the brink of apocalypse, life is harsh. And for Elspeth Gordie, it is also dangerous. That's because Elspeth has a secret: she is a Misfit, born with mysterious mental abilities that she must keep hidden under threat of death. And her worries only multiply when she is exiled to the mountain compound known as Obernewtyn, where—for all her talents—Elspeth may finally and truly be out of her depth. Then she learns she’s not the only one concealing secrets at Obernewtyn.

My Rating: 3/5

This is the first book in 7 book long high fantasy series that I have heard so many good things about. 

The first book in a series is usually where the author introduces the characters, setting, plot etc. This book was no different except that I felt like I was being told rather than shown all this which left me disengaged at times. 

Elspeth, the narrator was an unique character. She was rather unpredictable in her behaviour and she contradicted herself through her behaviour numerous times throughout the book.

I loved the setting of the mountains and the bush land even though I think it could have been described better. 

As I mentioned before, the story is mainly told rather than shown which made the book feel incredibly slow. The author did write this book when she was still in high school so I am definitely going to continue on with the series to see if the story gets better as the author matures and develops. 

Book Review #691 - Rebellion (The 100 #4) by Kass Morgan

Centuries after nuclear war destroyed our planet, humanity struggles to rebuild. It’s been a month since the dropships landed and the Colonists joined the Hundred on the ground. The teens, once branded juvenile delinquents, are now leaders among their people.

The Colonists and the Earthborns are celebrating their first holiday together when, to everyone’s horror, they’re attacked by a group of strangers whose unusual battle cries fill the air. The newcomers kill scores of people, seize prisoners, and pillage crucial supplies. When hotheaded Bellamy and his analytical girlfriend Clarke discover that Wells, Octavia and Glass have been captured, they vow to get them back at all costs. But as they go after their new enemies, Bellamy and Clarke find themselves increasingly at odds, unable to agree on a plan to save their friends. 

Meanwhile, Wells, Octavia, and Glass are being slowly brainwashed by their captors, religious fanatics with one goal: to grow their ranks and “heal” the war-ravaged planet… by eliminating everyone else on it.

But centuries of radiation exposure have taken their toll, forcing the cult to take drastic steps to survive. And unless the rescue party arrives soon, the teen captives will face a fate more terrifying than anything they could imagine. In this thrilling fourth installment, the hundred fight to protect the people they love on the dangerous planet they always dreamed of calling home.

My Rating: 3.5/5

This book was released about 2 years after the initial trilogy and doesn't add anything to the overall story. 

The plot in this book is nothing we haven't seen before. A new threat kidnaps some of Clarke's friends, and Clarke and the remaining friends go on a quest to rescue the kidnapped friends. 

Whilst the plot was really basic, I just loved being back in this world and surrounded by these familiar characters. 

I would absolutely love if the author decided to continue on with the series but overall I am satisfied with how it ended. 

Book Review #689 - Homecoming (The 100 #3) by Kass Morgan

Weeks after landing on Earth, the Hundred have managed to create a sense of order amidst their wild, chaotic surroundings. But their delicate balance comes crashing down with the arrival of new dropships from space.

These new arrivals are the lucky ones—back on the Colony, the oxygen is almost gone—but after making it safely to Earth, GLASS’s luck seems to be running out. CLARKE leads a rescue party to the crash site, ready to treat the wounded, but she can’t stop thinking about her parents, who may still be alive. Meanwhile, WELLS struggles to maintain his authority despite the presence of the Vice Chancellor and his armed guards, and BELLAMY must decide whether to face or flee the crimes he thought he’d left behind.

It’s time for the Hundred to come together and fight for the freedom they’ve found on Earth, or risk losing everything—and everyone—they love.

My Rating: 5/5

I think this is my favourite book of the series so far. Where book 2 hinted at possible things happening, this book delivered them. 

There was less of Clarke in this book which I disliked as she is by far my favourite character. Wells and Glass (my 2 least favourite characters) narrated a large portion of the book. 

Whilst the TV show may be a long way past where the book currently is, in general terms (the plots are ENTIRELY different), I love the amount of depth the book has compared to the show. 

Like with the show, these books always end on a cliffhanger and so I will be most definitely be picking up book 4 very soon. 

Book Review #681 - Day 21 (The 100 #2) by Kass Morgan

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.

It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth. They're the only humans to set foot on the planet in centuries...or so they thought. Facing an unknown enemy, Wells attempts to keep the group together. Clarke strikes out for Mount Weather, in search of other Colonists, while Bellamy is determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. And back on the ship, Glass faces an unthinkable choice between the love of her life and life itself.

My Rating: 4/5

Like with the first book, the number of narrators bothered me, however this time I struggled to get over that annoyance as I felt like it continually disrupted the rhythm of the story. 

There are definitely stronger narrators than others which disrupted the flow even more. Clarke is definitely my favourite character and either Wells or Glass are my least favourite. 

Plotwise, not much really happened that developed the plot to any great extent. There were quite a few shocking revelations revealed that will make me read book 3 but at this stage I think I definitely prefer the TV show adaptation. 

Book Review #664 - The Storm (The Rain #2) by Virginia Bergin

"I'll tell you a weird thing about apocalypses - a thing I didn't even know until I was in one: they seem pretty bad, don't they? Well, take it from me: they can always get worse."

Three months after the killer rain first fell, Ruby is beginning to realise her father might be dead . . . and that she cannot survive alone. When a chance encounter lands her back in the army camp, Ruby thinks she is safe - at a price. Being forced to live with Darius Spratt is bad enough, but if Ruby wants to stay she must keep her eyes - and her mouth - shut. It's not going to happen. When she realizes what is going on - the army is trying to find a cure by experimenting on human subjects - Ruby flips out . . . and makes an even more shocking discovery: she's not useless at all. The Storm begins . . . 

My Rating: 3.5/5

Given the way The Rain ended I was really interested to see where the story would go from there. 

The huge buildup in the first book was Ruby being reunited with her father and half-brother Dan. This happened late in the book and was a MASSIVE disappointment for both Ruby and the reader for reasons I can't mention for the sake of spoilers. 

Ruby's behaviour in this book was even more reckless than in the first book. 

In The Rain, Ruby cared about her appearance way too much whereas in this book she didn't care about her appearance at all. It was an interesting way to show Ruby's mental stability. 

The book is made up of largely Ruby's inner monologue and as she doesn't have a filter she is very honest. She can get rather annoying at times, usually when she goes off on useless tangents. 

The romance between Ruby and Darius again felt rather out of place as it did in the first book so thankfully it was not that big of an issue in this book. 

When Ruby went to the army base about half way through the book, I found this portion rather boring and this was largely because Ruby's inner monologue stalls and she is is not at her witty and humerous self. 

There were also numerous plot twists around this time that were never fully answered or developed.

The book ended rather open ended, possibly leaving the door open for a sequel.  

Book Review #659 - Article 5 (Article 5 #1) by Kristen Simmons

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

My Rating: 3/5

Dystopia is one of my favourite genres though this one fell a little flat for me.

Like with most dystopians this book takes place after a world changing war. I would have liked the reason or cause of the war to have been expanded upon as there was absolutely no depth in this area. 

Ember, the protagonist was frustrating at times but I mostly enjoyed her unique voice. 

The book bills itself, and actually sets off as a story about an ultra strict government when in fact it is more a roadtrip book with a dystopian backdrop. 

I didn't particularly like Chase - the male love interest and I think this was because there was so much history between he and Ember before the book starts and so I felt rather distanced from not only him, but his relationship with Ember. 

Book Review #647 - The Rain (The Rain #1) by Virginia Bergin

It's in the rain...and just one drop will kill you.

They don't believe it at first. Crowded in Zach's kitchen, Ruby and the rest of the partygoers laugh at Zach's parents' frenzied push to get them all inside as it starts to drizzle. But then the radio comes on with the warning, "It's in the rain! It's fatal, it's contagious, and there's no cure."

Two weeks later, Ruby is alone. Anyone who's been touched by rain or washed their hands with tap water is dead. The only drinkable water is quickly running out. Ruby's only chance for survival is a treacherous hike across the country to find her father-if he's even still alive.

My Rating: 4.5/5

As a huge fan of the dystopian genre, I was really intrigued by the premise of this book as it seemed so unique compared to others in the genre. 

Firstly, the book is set in the current day, not decades or even centuries into the future where a dystopian society has already begun. 

Secondly, there are no zombies, aliens or controlling governments. Instead, the earth's most needed resource water is the ultimate villain. 

When I first started this book I loved how open and honest Ruby (the protagonist) was. It was almost like she had no filter and I loved this because I felt like I truly knew her. 

Ruby's relationship with her step-father Simon was a favourite dynamic of mine in the book. Ruby went from hating him unconditionally to having to completely trust him. 

I loved how Ruby rescued all the neighbourhood dogs and transported them around with her as this is something that I could see myself doing in that situation. 

There were moments though where I wanted to reach into the book and slap Ruby. For example, she walks outside with no protection from the rain and she seemed more concerned about her physical appearance than her actual wellbeing. Like instead of thinking of sources of clean water, she is raiding shops for makeup and clothing. 

The whole romantic aspect between Ruby and Darius did not impact the story at all and felt rather out of place in the story. 

The way the book ended I am glad that I have already ordered the sequel entitled The Storm. 

Book Review #645 - The Infinite Sea (The 5th Wave #2) by Rick Yancey

The riveting follow-up to the New York Times bestselling The 5th Wave, hailed by Justin Cronin as “wildly entertaining.”

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I picked up this book after about a year since I read The 5th Wave. 

The Infinite Sea doesn't offer anything in way of refreshers in order to help those who hadn't recently read The 5th Wave like myself. 

Due to this, I was a little confused to begin with as to who all the characters were. It wasn't until Cassie was the narrator that I found some stability with the story. 

The last quarter of the book (when it is told from Ringer's perspective) was rather slow and boring although developed the plot immensely. 

I will probably have to reread both The 5th Wave and this book before I read the third and final book in the trilogy The Last Star to prevent being confused like this time. 

Book Review #617 - The 100 (The 100 #1) by Kass Morgan

My Rating: 4.5/5


Source: Bought


Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads

Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents -- considered expendable by society -- are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves -- but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope. 

I have heard nothing but good things about not only this book (and the series) but its TV adaptation as well. 

When I first started reading this book I thought that there were way too many characters and I couldn't keep track of them individually. It is told similarly like Pretty Little Liars where there are multiple narrators that change from chapter to chapter. 

Once the characters individual personalities developed (which didn't take that long) I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. 

I would have liked more in the world building area as I had so many unanswered questions in this regard. 

The way the book ended was totally unexpected and I really need to get my hands on the sequel as soon as possible. 

Book Review #612 - Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

My Rating: 4.5/5


Source: Bought


Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads

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.

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.

This is the first new release book I have read in such a long time. I don't really like spending full price on books but it was 100% worth it with this book. 

Because the book is 100% told through instant messages, files, reports, surveillance footage etc the characters did come across as slightly one-dimensional and I felt distanced from them throughout. 

The overall plot of the book reminded me of 2001: A Space Odyssey, although Illuminae was a lot faster paced and much more exciting (it did include space zombies after all!) 

Overall, I really enjoyed the unique layout of the book as it made it incredibly easy to read. The never saw the plot twist coming which is a rarity for me. 

It did take me a while to get into this book. I am not sure where exactly but after a certain point I was hooked. I went from wondering where the story was going to not being able to put the book down seemingly on the same page.