Thinking about purchasing.  Science fiction is not a huge appeal for my demographic. Two authors are better than one.

The ending is phenomenal. It is a young young adult, which I found that I couldn’t connect with as well. However this book is meant for teenagers, so they will love it.

I absolutely loved this book! I'm not normally a big sci-fi reader, but this made me want to read more. It's action packed from the beginning, the characters are all unique and well written, and the story just blew me away. There were a couple twists in there that really got me, and that's hard to do. I typically know how a story is going to go, but this one kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing throughout. I could not stop reading and had to immediately get the next book! Definitely in my top favorites for 2020.

There were a lot of criticisms raised when the cover of this book dropped, and I think I have to land more on their side. I was excited for this book after loving Illuminae, but the magic of that book just wasn't here, like it wasn't there in Obsidio. I think I'm done reading books by these authors.

Aurora Rising is excellent fun, and a good start to a new series by dream team Kristoff and Kaufman. If you liked The Illuminae Files, you definitely want to be reading this series as well, which has the same quality of writing, humor, plotting, and world building as the prior series. That said, it's not quiiiiiite as good as Illuminae, but it's pretty great and I have high hopes for the following books in the series.

WHAT I LIKED
The pacing is excellent, and I flew through this book as a result. Kristoff and Kaufman make a great team because the plot's always solid (Kristoff has massive skills here) but the pace tends to be faster than his solo works. From the very first mission, shit doesn't stop hitting the fan.

Obviously I'm a huge fan of misfit space crews, so like hello this fits the bill. Admittedly, considering that Tyler supposedly got stuck with the dregs for three of his crew members, everyone on the teams seems like absolute first round draft picks, but to be fair I don't know what the other options were like. And it does fit with this being the best of the best at Aurora Academy.

The whole cast is charming and bantery, minus the "sociopath scientist" of the description who doesn't talk enough for me to have a real sense of who she is yet, though obvs I'm hopeful. Their interactions are fun, and I suspect I'll ultimately come to love them a great deal. So far, I don't love them but I do like them a lot.

WHAT I HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT
The romances so far have potential and are interesting in some ways, but I don't ship them? It's tough. What worked for me about the romance was that the story doesn't go in the hackneyed direction of having Tyler and Aurora be the ship, even though he was the one who discovered her. HALLELUJAH.

Aurora and Kal (aka hot alien elf?) are the ship I'm most interested in atm. They've got a sort of fated thing going on but in a potentially super shippy way rather than an instalove way. Like, Kal's got the ponfar for her, and that could be my jam, but again I'm not in the feels on this yet.

Meanwhile, the romance between Tyler and Cat absolutely is not working for me at all. It all hinges on them having hooked up once, but because of their working relationship Tyler hit the brakes, so she's mad and he's sorry and they're both super in love but denying it. Listen, I get the appeal of this trope, but it's just not my trope. And, honestly, I don't feel the chemistry between these two at all? So I'd love to see them move on to other people, but we'll see.

Also, I'm really feeling the bi energy to the cast so far, especially from Finian! However, I'm concerned because there has been no sign of an actual romance that's not m/f. So I hope that changes? Fin's definitely hooked up with guys, and there's a fakeout make out between guys, so it's not like it's not there, but I still wouldn't mind a non m/f ship. JUST SAYING.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
There are a lot of flashback scenes in italics, particularly at the start, and they're the only things that killed the pacing a tiny bit. Flashbacks are tricky, and I didn't think this method worked. The opening few chapters especially were choppy because it kept switching back and forth between current timeline and flashbacks. I think the back story could have been conveyed more effectively than it was.

Too many POVs. Ultimately, this might be a plus in the series, but so far the POVs sound too similar and, aside from Tyler and Aurora, they don't get enough screen time for me to really get to know the characters any better than if I'd only read them in Tyler and Aurora's POVs. Zila's POV especially seems pointless since she has less than a page at a time and adds nothing but commentary. I get that this is done as a joke, but it really doesn't seem worth it from a narrative perspective. The myriad similar POVs are why I think this book didn't pull me in emotionally the way Illuminae did with its more focused cast. That method used by The Illuminae Files and The Lunar Chronicles of slowly adding POVs might have been more effective here. Then again, Aurora and Tyler are the blandest of the bunch, so maybe that's why we didn't start with just their POVs.

TO SUM UP
Really super fun even if a couple of elements made the book a bit more distancing than their prior work. The plotting and pacing are excellent, and the cast of characters shows serious promise. I'll absolutely be on board for book two.

Aurora Rising
by Amie Kaufman; Jay Kristoff
 Read an Excerpt
Random House Children's
 You Are Auto-Approved
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Teens & YA
Pub Date 07 May 2019   |   Archive Date 31 Jan 2021

I read this book to see if we should purchase it for our young adults. 
Thanks to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the ARC. 

4 star

To get it out there first thing: Aurora Rising is something completely new and different from Illuminae. The series aren't connected aside from a few tiny interweaving details (like the lysergia plague). Aurora is an all-new story with an all-new cast so if you have not read the Illuminae Files, that's okay! Aurora is something you can definitely read! And if you weren't a fan of the funky formatting in Illuminae, I promise that Aurora is a much more typical book with the story told in regular prose with minimal formatting in a few interstitials between chapters. If you've read These Broken Stars, it's like the interview sections between chapters there. But mostly the book is regular text. But if you ARE an Illuminae fan, have no fear! This book, while not in the same format, DOES contain the same kind of high-adrenaline space adventure with elements of horror and wtfuckery with a lovable cast of weirdos and misfits told in that classic cheeky style we all love Amie & Jay for.

I think Amie & Jay are really good at coming up with wild stories that include familiar elements from stories we know and love but twisting them into something wholly unique and new. If I had to comp this series, I'd call it Guardians of the Galaxy meets Breakfast Club meets Star Wars meets Ocean's Eleven meets Jurassic Park meets The Ruins meets Lost in Space. There's a little bit of everything for every kind of reader. It probably shouldn't work.... but it does. And even though there are intentional nods or unintentional similarities to these franchises, Aurora Rising manages to be wholly unique.

It's pretty cool to have a book that seems like a straightforward action space adventure romp switch the plot literally in the middle of the book and turn into a heist. With a dinosaur. As a mood reader, things like this can really keep me hooked on a story. There are a lot of really cool, interesting books in existence, but I don't know of another book that hits all of my interests quite so neatly. I think this duo has an immense talent for wild, wacky, literally out of this world creativity.

Something I mentioned in my review for Obsidio remains true here: one of Amie and Jay's greatest strengths as a writing duo is how much they make me care about their characters. I adore this ragtag group of misfits, and I am ALL IN on them. Although most of the Illuminae Files was comprised of documents and not straight up prose, the series was still a full, what, 2000 pages? that we got to know that crew. In contrast, Aurora Rising tops out under 500 pages, but I'm still invested. I want to know more about literally all of our kids (especially Zila, who has short but important chapters), and I just want them to be safe and happy, dangit! And I can't think of a single combination of characters that doesn't end in some sort of hilarious or heartwarming conversation. I love when you have an ensemble cast that mixes really well.

This series is absolutely amazing and devastating. I actually have read Aurora Burning this year, and HOO BOY, y'all are in for a good time, but also may I suggest a fluffy pillow and some tissues, maybe? The entire Aurora Cycle is one heck of a ride, and I'm loving every minute. Well.... most minutes. This series is exactly the fun, irreverent space romp I wanted it to be. I have no idea how we're all going to wait until book 3, but I have no doubt it will be just as worth it as the first two. Highly recommend!

I’ve finished. I want more. 

I’m not going to give anything away here. I just want to say, Amie and Jay are masters of this craft. They create squads in space with a flow and ease that we mortals do not deserve. 

If you liked Illuminae Files, you will love this. Witty banter, amazing characters, brilliant world, twists and turns, mystery, laughs, tears, FEELINGS. All of it. 


Thank you to the publisher for providing me this arc.

Unfortunately, due to comments made by one of the authors, I will not be reading/supporting this series. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'll admit I was late to the game with this one and on the one hand I want to lament my folly but on the other hand, considering that the second book recently came out and I can now dive into it IMMEDIATELY makes it seem like a wise decision. After absolutely DEVOURING The Illuminae Files, I committed to reading any and everything that Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff blessed us with, so here I am. Aurora Rising is smart, gripping, fun, fast paced, and original. I LOVE the world that is being built here, the vast history involved, the connections, the tension, the emotions, the relationships, the action, EVERYTHING! I am floored by how unique and real and fully fleshed out all of these characters are and am in awe of how the writing duo is able to create such a diverse cast of characters in such a way that I am attached to every single one of them. Each voice is nuanced and vital and valuable and I just can't wait for more. 5 out of 5 wine glasses.

This book rocked my world. The world building and in-depth detail on this book is insane. Any Jay Kristoff book has the most crazy details that tie into the ending of the books. I need MORE!

i looove this book, the second read helped me understand a lot more better and piece together what i didn’t catch from the first read, i can’t wait to read aurora burning, ugh it’s gonna be so good!

I absolutely adored this fresh take on a rag-tag group of space teens! This kept me hooked since page one and found all the characters wildly engaging and unique.  Jay and Amie always impress when they collaborate and this is no exception.

This book was everything I expected and much more, from the writer duo behind the New York Times bestseller, the Illuminae Files. The books by Jay and Amie work on every level. 
Usually I prefer if a book has only one or two different POV but in this book I was able to keep up and even enjoy the perspectives of the different squad members.
 Without spoiling any of the fun, the plot centers around the members of squad 312, a girl who unintentionally “travelled” to the future and of course some enemies bent on taking over not just one world but the whole Universe. 
Each of the six members has a specific role in the squad. Whilst all of them have very different personalities, they compliment each other and end up working towards the same goal as a team. 
As always I Loved the humor and the unexpected funny scenes. It was impossible not to like multiple characters and put down the book halfway through. 
This was my kind of sci-fi book, that felt like the love child of the 5th element and Elfen Lied (in the best way possible).
Looking forward to the next chapter in the life of Squad 312.

Another fantastic collab between Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff! 

Look, my review is hella late to the game, so Imma keep this brief. This book? Fantastic. 
Yeah at times it hit my sci-fi limit, but the fantasy and amazing characters keep me tugging along. I was concerned about where the romance was going to, but now I think I know and I'm hoping I'm right. 

The story??? I'm at the edge of my seat. I'm so excited for the sequel to come out. I have no idea how everything will go done and I'm so worried for the characters, but I believe in them!! That ending though UGH I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS!!! 
Another series with amazing characters and a gripping plot to keep me wanting more.

OH. MY. GOSH. So my heart has officially been torn out of my chest and left for dead. This book was a rollercoaster ride of emotions that I am struggling to explain right now. If you are a person who loves to admire squad goals, wants to go on an epic space adventure, or just loves sass - welcome aboard. This story was so well crafted that I can't even begin to explain how much I liked it. And I liked it a lot. I am dying to read Aurora Burning right now so forgive me if I decide to hole myself up and refuse to leave until it has been released. 

So yeah, 5/5 stars for me. I was a huge fan of the story and the characters. While my heart might be destroyed, I know it can be repaired once I know what happens in book 2. Right?

AAAHHHHHH Loved this new book from Kaufman and Kristoff!! While not as good as Illuminae I enjoyed these crazy cast of misfits and had trouble putting this book down once I picked it up. It was fun and fast paced and I really can't wait to see where it is all going!

Not my favorite from these two.

For some reason, I had a really difficult time really getting into this one. I finally finished it just the other day but it took me most of the year to read it. I'm sure that had a negative effect on my rating and enjoyment of it but I just couldn't read more than a few chapters at a time and had no strong pull to pick it back up again. I'm so sad about that because I loved their Illuminae Files series.

I think some of it was because I had a really hard time getting a strong handle on any of the characters. I don't remember this being a problem in previous books and maybe I just wasn't focused enough but I couldn't keep the characters, their positions in the group, or their nicknames or who liked/hated who. There were so many characters but several of them sounded the same, it was hard to remember whose POV I was reading from at the time. And that made it hard for me to care about any of them.

Also, I had a difficult time figuring out the overall goal of the group at any point in the story. I know it's pretty standard from these two for readers to not know everything that's going on and to be figuring it out on the way but it seemed like much of the story was just led by Auri's visions and no other purpose was offered and no goals and endpoints really seemed to be present until the very end. And without a clear purpose or a real villian or enemy and just a girl who isn't supposed to be there with weird abilities wasn't really enough for me.

Again, I know it could have been how disjointed my reading of this was. I'm certain if I had read it straight through, my thoughts on it would be different. But that's just how it goes sometimes. My son, on the other hand, read this in a weekend and loved it. So it definitely could just be me. I didn't love this one but I'll read the next one.

Also [spoiler} I really hate the Pull thing they pulled between Kal and Auri. I'm tired of imprinting or mating or destiny or whatever it's called. I'd much prefer instalove by both parties, even though I hate that, too. Just don't do that. They handled it about as well as they could with Auri saying she wanted some time to see how she could feel about him but still. I hate it. (hide spoiler)]

Tyler is ready to command a flight crew for the Aurora Academy, but in the early morning on draft day, he decides to go out for a flight and ends up finding the last survivor on a flight that never reached its destination. Aurora went into cryo-freeze over 200 years ago and needs rescuing, so Tyler brings her back to the academy. He ends up taking the last crew members of the draft for his crew, along with his sister Scarlett and friend Cat. Little do they know they'll be sent on the biggest and most dangerous mission ever in order to save the universe from an ancient threat that has resurfaced and that is after Aurora...

There's only a certain type of sci-fi I like to read, and this book definitely fits in the "I loved it so much!" category. I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened. The action was almost non-stop, there was strategically placed humor, and the writing was so realistic and nail biting. I didn't like the profanity and didn't agree with some of the views and lifestyles presented, but other than that, I enjoyed and loved this book so much. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book and highly recommend this series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and also purchased a hardcover from Amazon. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I'm not typically drawn to science fiction, but Kaufman and Kristoff's Illuminae series is one of my obsessions. So, how was I supposed to pass up another series from them with a band of misfits fighting corruption?! This is written like a traditional book, unlike their other series, and I definitely missed that creativity here. Seven characters have their own point of views, and my biggest frustration with the book was how everyone sounded the same to me. The plot felt pretty predictable, and the hints of romance didn't feel earned. It was somehow both rushed and boring, and I'm just So Okay With It.