FLOORED. I am floored.

Zila would say it’s statistically impossible for Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff to continue putting out these amazing stories (both together and individually) – one after the other. But in truth, they’re just THAT good. Kaufman and Kristoff (sounds like the name of a law firm) are back to scatter our minds across the ‘Way with more unthinkable twists and to wrench our hearts out of our chests with more romance, tragedy and soul-stopping moments.

Its hard not to compare this to the Illuminae Files but besides an amazing cast of characters and space setting we’re going to stop the comparisons there (other than to say both are great, read both!). I recently attended a panel in which Jay Kristoff was present and one of the questions was, could you change the genre of your book from sci fi to fantasy or vice versa? He answered yes and it couldn’t be more true. Aurora Rising has a sci fi setting but will absolutely appeal to fantasy fans as well – due to many strong fantasy elements (magic kinda stuff, mythology AND QUESTS). A friend recently called it “scifantasy” and I’m going to do the same because IT FITS.

Aurora Rising made me so nostalgic for stories I love: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Serenity/Firefly, Starship Troopers, Defiance, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy … elements from each are there and waiting for us to indulge in them.

And Squad 312 … this squad is so disjointed and an utter disaster in its infancy. Hold onto your butts though, folks. This is a squad we can all stan. There is witty banter, established and budding friendships, romance (insert googly eyes) and a genuine kinship between Tyler and Scarlett. I loved witnessing Squad 312 go from reluctant allies to working together as if they already know each other’s next move. I wont say much about the individual characters as I feel you just need to read the book and meet them, but the authors have done such a fantastic job of creating a team that is well balanced in knowledge, personality and background. As well as representation of sexuality, disability and ethnicity. ALSO. SPACE ELVES ARE A THING.

The story itself will keep you on the edge of your seat with it’s constant motion. The world is vibrant and well developed in ways I haven’t experienced lately. This book is one hell of a ride and you won’t be able to set it aside once you start. I was captivated!

I jumped into this book with high expectations and a lot of excitement. I loved the Illuminae Files and have read almost everything written by Jay Kristoff. Let’s just say YA science fiction has become my new niche. I love the unique characters, dynamic world building, and the pacing of these novels.
Aurora Rising was a complete hit for me from start to finish. There’s something about the quirkiness of putting together a completely illogical group of people and constructing a family. The characters play off of each other so well. Their differences and the unlikelihood of bonding lead to stress and angst that builds throughout the book.
I want to be a member of Squad 312. The character development in this book defied all of my expectations. There is something endearing about each character in this book.
• Tyler Jones, the golden boy leader who is given a mission that is bigger in the universe than he can fathom
• Finian de Karran de Seel, computer tech genius in an exosuit with a sense of humor that kills
• Scarlett Jones, Tyler’s twin sister who has a calming effect and the ability to read people and situations perfectly
• Cat Brannock, legion’s best pilot and best friend to Scarlett
• Kaliis Idraban Gilwraeth is the warrior, the guy you want on your side when up against a big brutish fleet
• Zila Madrin, petit sociopath and science genius
• Aurora, frozen for over 200 years has powers that she is unaware of
Jay and Amie have been blessed with the gift of storytelling (they are masters of their craft). Their words fly off the pages in a poetic manner leaving the reader laughing at one moment and close to tears the next.
My new copy of this novel should be sitting in my mailbox as I type this review, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Thank you to netgalley for this review copy.
5/5 stars

The "Aurora Cycle" is different from many other ones in that the story occurs after the characters graduate from school. Aurora Academy is a military school for future space cadets; and, after they graduate, there is a draft in which the top commanders get to pick their crew members for their first set of missions. Tyler Jones, who is The Top of his Class, missed the draft because he decided to explore a restricted section of a dimension—The Fold—used for space travel, stumbled upon a ship that was lost over 200 years ago, and rescued its only survivor—a girl who is the same age as him, technically. The good news is that his twin sister, Scarlett—who is a trained diplomat—and their best friend, Cat Brannock—a pilot nicknamed “Zero”—bail on the draft in order to join his crew. Unfortunately, those who make up the rest of Tyler’s crew—the science officer, the engineer, and the combat specialist—are the ones no one else wanted in their crew: an aloof girl with a trigger finger, a handicapped boy with a motormouth, and an ostracized male whose species is in the midst of a civil war and he’s not fighting in it. Then, there’s Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley—or Auri—the girl who slept in cyro for over 200 years, who awakens with mystical powers and with the top intergalactic police forces deeming her a criminal and are attempting to arrest her. Meet Squad 312! All of these characters have flaws and with them being 17 years-old, they don’t know how to deal with their insecurities, which make all of these characters more relatable and more believable.

Both the plot and the narrative are told in the point-of-views of all 7 characters! Multiple P.O.V.s are NOT new for YA books, for it allows for both character development and plot development. For example, Tyler is a leader, who jumps to conclusions surrounding his crew members—with the exception of his sister—and he would rather follow orders than question them. Kal’s species is in the middle of a civil war and he must choose between serving his tenure with Squad 312 or leaving to participate in the war. Then, there’s Auri, who is dealing with being out-of-time and understanding what is happening to her.

"Aurora Rising" is a fun sci-fi book that presents the collaboration of two authors to readers who are both familiar and unfamiliar with them. While both the character development and the world-building are well done, the plot leaves more questions than answers, which means there will be a follow up to this book, obviously. Yet, the story is entertaining enough for readers to want more from this trilogy.

“I mean, you work your whole life for a Thing, it’s only natural the Thing be important to you. But most rational people would consider getting vaporized inside a derelict spaceship drifting through interdimensional space just a little more important than school. That’s all I’m saying.” - Tyler, Aurora Rising

This is the moment I knew I’d love Tyler.

Action-packed. Whiplash. Zany. You can tell this is an Amie and Jay book but Aurora Rising is not Illuminae. The format of that trilogy really set it apart. Aurora Rising better resembles other space books I’ve read.

I identified hard with Tyler, the leader. I would have made a lot of the choices he made…and had the same learning experiences. Which is funny because then I took the quiz…I got Tyler.

I sometimes found it hard to follow all of the perspectives on the audio – the voices (NOT the narration) were very similar. I really want to know about ALL THINGS AURORA. Like there’s so much to uncover there.

Fans of Aurora Rising should check out The Disasters, The Final Six, and The Devouring Gray. The first two are squad space books that are FAB so please read them and The Devouring Gray is such a dark and amazing story that I think pairs well with the darker side of Aurora Rising!

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been in a bit of a book slump lately so I grabbed this title looking for a change of pace and man did this book deliver! Sometimes with a revolving cast of narrative voices I find myself losing interest but each of the voices was unique and they all brought something to the story. I loved all of the characters, especially Kal and Fin, and how they interacted with one another given that they have almost nothing in common.

I cannot recommend this book enough!

Sidenote, love that Jay and Aimee decided to start a new series instead of piggy-backing off the success of The Illumiae Files.

I mean... how could I not love a book about a ragtag group of teens trying to save the galaxy?

Seriously though, this book was so much fun. I stayed up way too late reading last night and seriously considered calling out from work so I could finish the rest. (Thankfully, I remembered I need money to survive and ended up going in.)

I love a good ensemble cast and each perspective was so much fun to read from: you had the Alpha, the Ace, the Face, the Tank, the Gearhead, and the Brain. And a 237-year-old human who's spent the past two centuries cryogenically frozen... This book was funny, action-packed, had a little bit of romance, and awesome dynamics between all of the characters. I can't wait to see what comes next for this group!

Thanks to Knopf Books and Netgalley for the eARC!! This review will be posted to Goodreads, and Amazon's and Barnes & Noble's websites at the date of publication.

So we, like the rest of the YA SFF world, have been waiting for this book ever since it was announced. When I got the email from NetGalley that I’d been granted access to a copy, I almost died. And by that, I mean I dropped my phone in the process of screenshotting it and sending it to Paige.

I put off reading it until I got a little closer to the release date for two reasons: I wanted it to be fresh in my mind so I could write an enthusiastic release week review and I didn’t want to have to wait very long to do an audio reread. I knew I was gonna love it, okay?

What I didn’t know was that loving it would be an understatement.

WORLDBUILDING

This is the only area of this book where I have some mixed feelings. Still overwhelmingly positive, but mixed all the same.

If you follow Amie and Jay on social media (you should if you don’t), you know that this series introduces some alien races. I LOVED this and the dynamic it created. What I wasn’t such a fan of was the way information about these non-human characters was released. They were all written as basically human starting out and then there were these racial traits that were exposed as we went along. Is that he best way to do it? Arguably, yeah, it is. I just struggled, because I think I forgot a couple of them weren’t human, and then when something would come up, I was a bit taken aback because of how the reveals would impact the story.

Outside of that, I think they did an excellent job. I wasn’t sure what we were in for exactly, because my only real complaint about the Illuminae files and something that would come up in sub three star reviews for that series a lot was the repetition. The same tropes and events were recycled to drive that series to its conclusion. I didn’t see the same notes of that in Aurora, and that was SO exciting. The settings were lush and well thought out, the way different races interact with each other was great once we started to learn about them, the technology was present without reading like a weird technical manual, and the characters were *finger kiss* some of the best I’ve read lately. On top of all of that, the way those things layered together made for series debut that balanced itself well between questions left to be answered and contentedness for where we leave off.

CHARACTERS

This is where I really run the risk of being a spoilery witch, so I’m going to keep it simple. Amie and Jay have really outdone themselves with Squad 312. I know I mentioned their social media up above in a flip way, but on a more serious note, they posted some really great art and character summaries in the last couple weeks that are excellent teasers about who the individuals in this crew really are.

So you have that, but what’s incredible is their ability to write whole people. Is Tyler essentially the jock? I’m not going to lie to you. Yes, he is. But not in the late 90’s rom com way. He’s also brilliant and strategic and insecure about weird things and a loving brother and unsure of how to behave around certain people and all those little quirks and strengths and shortcomings that make characters real and good. The same can be said for all of them.

The thing that excites me most going forward is that we’ve been given snapshots of a bunch of potential side characters, and I’m itching to know how they’ll become more important as the story progresses. There’s a lot to uncover in this series (obviously, it’s the first of three!), and the squad, while good, can’t do it alone. Or, at the very least, shouldn’t have to.

PLOT

This is a bit of a slow burner, and I was not expecting that. To be fair, it’s not THAT slow, I was just expecting a start similar to Illuminae where we open with a bombing. Don’t be looking for that.

Anyway, I was a little concerned for the first couple chapters, because it was feeling disjointed, but then there was AN EVENT that tied everything together. So my advice is, stick with it until the mission starts, because when pieces fall into place, they fall into place fast and you start recognizing things as breadcrumbs instead of random vignettes.

I think my favorite thing about the plot as a whole is the way fantasy elements were weaved into the story without feeling out of place. Space elves have been mentioned a lot in the marketing for this series, and that’s completely accurate. There are so many little tidbits referencing new and old fantasy staples that somehow feel completely natural for the purple alien to be talking about. Usually, mixing genres like that feels clunky to me, but not in this case.

I don’t have a lot of coherent plot based thoughts on this book, because honestly, I don’t think it would be fair to speak on it too extensively. A lot groundwork was laid precisely and beautifully, but until we know where it’s going, we don’t really know how effective it is. What I can tell you is that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

SUMMARY

Aurora Rising has earned 4.5 stars from me. While it was a very nearly perfect read for me, I think my affection for the authors contributed to overlooking a couple technical things, namely the jerky start and introductions to the various characters/races that I mentioned above. I’m hoping the pacing, at least, will be adjust a little in the finished copy. Even if it’s not, this is a magnificent book that anyone with even a passing interest in YA SFF has the chance to enjoy. My one additional comment is that is does read YA. There’s is no content that would push it anywhere near the line of adult literature, even though I know that question is often asked whenever Jay is involved.

The nitty-gritty: Action packed space opera with a well-rounded ensemble cast, Aurora Rising is another winner from the unstoppable writing duo of Kristoff and Kaufman.

Having read and loved the marvelous Illuminae Files series, you can bet I was excited to see what Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff would cook up next, and I’m happy to say I thoroughly enjoyed Aurora Rising, the first in their new trilogy. While not quite as edgy and well plotted as their last series, Aurora Rising still gives readers plenty to love, and I found the characters and plot engaging enough to hold my attention and then some. This book is firmly planted in young adult/new adult soil, though, so adult readers might find some of the dialog a bit on the cringey side. But some it is so funny that I couldn’t help but laugh out loud anyway.

Tyler Jones is the top Squad Leader in his class at Aurora Academy, and the day he’s been working towards for the past five years is almost here. Because of his status, Tyler will have first choice of squadmates during the Draft. The night before Draft day, Tyler is restless and decides to take a ship into the Fold to clear his head, the interdimensional portal that allows ships to travel instantaneously across the galaxy. But once inside, Tyler picks up a distress call and hastily decides to rescue a girl, the only survivor of a ship that's been lost for over 200 years. Tyler’s heroic act makes him late to the Draft, and he’s horrified to find out he’s been left with the dregs of the Academy for his squad, which include his twin sister Scarlett, childhood friend Cat, a disabled Betraskan named Finian who wears an exosuit in order to walk, a Syldrathi named Kal, and Zila the science officer. Together they officially make up Squad 312.

Meanwhile, Auri, the girl who Tyler rescued, is shocked to find herself two hundred years in the future, when she was on her way to the planet Octavia to join her parents. Confused and saddened to realize that her parents must be dead by now, Auri must navigate a new world, full of unfamiliar technology and alien species.

Squad 312's first mission is to take supplies to a ship full of refugees, but when they arrive, things start to go south. They discover Auri has hidden herself in one of the supply crates, and even worse, a ship full of the GIA—Global Intelligence Agency—has followed them and appears to want custody of Auri. But Auri surprises everyone with her hidden ability to not only defend herself but to cause destruction, a terrible talent that only manifests when she’s in a trance. Now the squad is on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of the GIA while trying to solve the mystery of Auri's powers.

I find stories with ensemble casts to be some of my favorites, and we get a fantastic ensemble in Aurora Rising. The chapters alternate among all the characters, so we get to hear the story from everyone’s point of view. There are some characters who don’t get as much page time, though, like Zila and Finian, but with seven characters to juggle, it doesn’t surprise me and I did think the authors did a great job of making each one seem more or less well-rounded. Of course I have my favorites, and Kal and Finian were probably at the top of the list for me. Kal is a Betraskan, a tall humanoid alien with elf-like ears and long blond hair (sound familiar??). Kal was the broody, romantic character, mysterious, muscular and good-looking, and I loved how Auri thinks he looks like Legolas from The Lord of the Rings, and she calls him “Mister Middle-Earth.”

And I loved Finian because of his over-the-top humor. Fin seems to be bisexual and wants to jump in bed with EVERYONE in the book, so his lines were really funny. He’s simultaneously turned on by Tyler’s tight pants and Scarlett’s low-cut uniform, and it was pretty amusing to watch his head swivel back and forth when they’re both in the room! And I’ll take this opportunity to mention that the humor in this book felt very “college frat house” to me. There’s lots of sexual innuendo, waggling of eyebrows, mention of how “hot” the characters are, and even some eye-roll inducing euphemisms for body parts, like “fun factory” (I mean, ugh). Finian always chimes in with a sexual comment no matter what the group is talking about, and even though it’s pretty funny, it does get to be too much at times. But I guess that’s what you can expect when you put a bunch of eighteen-year-olds in a room together…

There’s a heavy Star Trek vibe in this story, and I could tell the authors pulled influences from lots of sources, although I don’t know if it was deliberate or if it just evolved that way. But in addition to Star Trek, I got Firefly and even Day of the Triffids vibes. I have to say that Kal really reminded me of Worf from Star Trek, which confused me a bit because he looks just like Legolas!

The story is divided cleanly into three different parts, and my favorite by far was the middle part, which involves a very cool heist and had one of my favorite settings in the entire book. I wasn’t as crazy about Part 3, which had a different feel from the rest of the story. But I can see why the authors included it in this book, because it does set things up for the sequel.Overall, this was a fun beginning to this series, and I’m so happy that Kristoff and Kaufman are writing together again. Dual writers are always a crapshoot, but these two are solid and have so many books under their belts, that you can’t help but get a slick and polished story from them. I’m already looking forward to the sequel!

Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.

*This book was given to me by NetGalley for review purposes*

"Do moons choose the planets they orbit? Do planets choose their stars? Who am I to deny gravity, Aurora? When you shine brighter than any constellation in the sky?"

*swoon*

This was really great. If you liked the Illuminae Files, but weren't a fan of the format, this could be for you. Or if you like accessible, easy-to-read science fiction, with not a crazy amount of world building. I was a big fan of the friend group, and really enjoyed the small moments of platonic love between the characters. Some of the plot points were a bit predictable; the reveal of a particular character was easy to guess. I enjoyed that the romance wasn't center stage, and the parts that were romantic were adorable and not cringey.
I know that this doesn't take place in the same world as the Illuminae Files, but there are a lot of similarities between that series and this book. It's the same general concept of a group of misfits getting together against all odds to defeat some common enemy. You can also guess which characters will end up with who, romantically (if this follows the same formula as the Illuminae Files). I did enjoy that this book had a bit more diversity among the main characters than the Illuminae Files.

Overall, another great book from Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. Is anybody even surprised?

I ended up getting a physical copy, so I will not be reviewing the E-ARC. As the page format is more to my liking. I will come back and edit my review when I am finished.

“If your squad was hard to find, or you’re still looking, then this one is for you.”

Friends, this book is such a damn treat that even the dedication has me weak in the knees. Aurora Rising is one of my most anticipated releases of 2019 and I nearly had a coronary when my request on NetGalley was approved. After fangirling over the Illuminae Files intensely, I had a lot of expectations for this book and I am happy to say that this was the fast-paced, character-driven adventure that I was looking for. This book has it all: political intrigue, an adventure through space, and a precious found family made up of a ragtag group of misfits.

“A billion stars are waiting to greet me […] For a brief second, all the Milky Way is silence.”

Aurora Rising is told in the alternating first-person perspectives of our six main characters. That’s right, there are six or seven POVs in this book, and if you’ve read my reviews for awhile you know that I typically struggle with multiple POV narratives. I am so pleased to say that I didn’t have a difficult time at all keeping track of the action, story, or characters because each POV has a distinct voice and the narrative flows easily. Which is honestly masterful.

The humor and writing style for Kaufman and Kristoff books just feels like home for me and it was so fantastic to dive into a new space world of their making. Honestly the way that this book opens up is so darn clever and self-aware, and I was gripped instantly. The downside of this was that I felt a little jarred on the worldbuilding front: I was sucked in based on the characters and Tyler’s predicament but had a lot of questions about what is going on. Which definitely appears to be the point because the information does come once the pressure and high stakes situation is resolved, doled out slowly.

This may not be a problem for every reader, but I am one that likes to dig into the nitty gritty details and understand everything, which is why worldbuilding is so important to me as a reader. I found myself wanting to know more about the world, their traditions, & history and being confused because there were a lot of terms specific to this world that were used long before an explanation came. For example, the uniglass was mentioned a number of times but it wasn’t until chapter 5 (14%) that we got a description of what the technology does (it’s cool as hell by the way, I want one). That being said, the narrative and action is so engrossing that I was captivated from the first page and completely devoured what we were given.

“Once we walked the dark between the stars, unequaled. What have we become?”

This is a character driven and action-packed story, much like the Illuminae Files. I found that the worldbuilding is secondary to the characters and most that we learn about the intricate worlds of the galaxy in 2380 is shared in relation to our main characters and the people that they meet. There are many planets and alien species that the humans, referred to as Terrans, have encountered and we as the reader experience this information as our outsider Aurora O’Malley encounters it. Which I love as a storytelling device because it makes the exposition feel authentic and not info-dumpy as there is a reason to explain everything within the narrative. With the addition of her uniglass Magellan, she is able to research the history to find out what happened over the last 200 years and I enjoyed the little Magellan briefings interspersed throughout the book for additional worldbuilding.

Our ragtag group of misfits known as Squad 312 is ultimate squad goals. I absolutely love every single one of these characters with all of my heart and the path from dysfunctional to found family made my heart grow three sizes.

Zila Madran: Brains is freaking hilarious and so misunderstood. She’s a quiet and quirky scientist with tons of knowledge, even if she doesn’t get all of the rules of society like “don’t shoot people with your disrupter pistol.”

Tyler Jones: Alpha is a total Golden Boy that until now has always followed the rules.

Scarlett Jones: Face is Tyler’s twin sister fluent in her own brand of sarcasm (“scarcasm”) as well as many other languages. Which is helpful as a diplomat.

Aurora “Auri” O’Malley is our girl out of time.

Kaliis “Kal” Idraban Gilwraeth: Tank is Syldrathi (alien Elf) and a badass warrior with a soft compassionate side.

Cat “Zero” Brannock: Ace is a badass pilot with tattoos that gives me so many Kara Thrace vibes. She’s the childhood friend of Scarlett and Tyler and is totally not in love with Tyler.

Finian de Kerran de Seel: Gearhead is a bisexual Betraskan (alien) tech-whiz that can tinker with anything. He’s disabled and has to wear an exosuit but has sarcasm and jokes for days.

If you love AIDAN from the Illuminae Files, you will no doubt enjoy Magellan! He’s the smart aleck uniglass that Tyler gives to Auri that likes to chime in at inopportune times with his knowledge and I love him.

“‘This thing may be smarter than I am,’ I murmur.
‘Aw, don’t feel bad, boss. You’re only human.’
‘I wasn’t talking to you.’
[…]
‘I’m seventeen times smarter than him. And three times better looking. You should be talking to me.’
‘Silent mode,’ Tyler orders. The uniglass falls quiet.”

I don’t have many legs to stand on with this, but my friend demanded that I include my comment about Aurora Rising being like Dragon Age in space… without dragons in my review. Okay this is largely because they say “Maker’s Breath,” but I also kind of saw similarities between Kal and Sten from DA:O and it made me giggle. This was not helped by the fact that there was a “such as they are” response to questions. Now I want to play those games again. But I digress, one of the things I love about Kaufman and Kristoff’s books are the Easter eggs and references they leave: they are a damn treasure.

In addition to our cast of characters, I absolutely loved the attention to detail when it comes to the technology and science, even though it took some time for it to be explained in the midst of the life-and-death opening. From the Fold that makes their space travel more efficient to the uniglass, it felt like a world within our human possibility but appropriate for a couple hundred years in the future.

Aurora Rising is a stellar start to another amazing adventure in space with Kaufman and Kristoff at the helm! They are incredibly talented in not only creating lovable and three-dimensional characters you fall in love with, but also in crafting a beautifully written and quotable story. While I was left wanting for a bit more worldbuilding, this book is well-plotted and action-packed without any dull moments. This book is funny and heart-breaking. I loved reading this book and I will be counting down the seconds until I can continue with my favorite squad!

REPRESENTATION: bisexual rep (Finian), characters of color (Auri is half-Chinese, Zila is black), disability rep (Finian)
CONTENT WARNINGS: death, loss of a loved one, persecution, racism, torture, war

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of Aurora Rising in exchange for an honest review!

I am still shocked that I was provided an e-ARC of Aurora Rising; thank you to the book world for blessing me. Recently, This Mortal Squad did an Illuminae Files buddy read & I quickly became obsessed with the world that Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff created. Obviously when I found out about Aurora Rising, I was on it. & holy wow — spoiler alert: this book gets 5 stars from me.

Also — hey fellow video gamers, am I the only one who thinks about the Mass Effect series every time I read a Science Fiction book? Think it’s about time for a replay..

So, Aurora Rising is like really good. That’s it. That’s the entire review. Y’all can go home now. Nobody asked Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff to go as hard as they did — but they did & I’m Shooketh. This squad, my friends, this squad. I don’t even know if words can be formulated enough to explain how much I love Squad 312.

As with the Illuminae Files, Kaufman & Kristoff created a cast of beautiful, colorful, phenomenal characters that you’ll just want to squeeze their cheeks, boop their noses & hope they don’t kill you afterwards. When I started my read of Aurora Rising, I wasn’t entirely sure I would enjoy these characters. I was a little eh & ugh for a minute, but out of nowhere I found myself vowing that I’d die for the squad. I don’t even think I can choose a favorite; like, I thought I could.. but they’re all amazing in their own misfit-y way.

Aurora Rising also shines with the humor that Kaufman & Kristoff had in their previous series. I giggled a lot with the dialogue used. It was such a casual & fun read — & of course, very gutting, because it’s Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff & their goal in life is to make you fall in love & then suffer at their hands. Fortunately, I love emotional pain & beg for it in the books that I read.

& on top of the laughter and the tears, Aurora Rising is a non-stop ride. There’s so much action & so much sci-fiy goodness; it takes a hold of you from the collar of your shirt & refuses to put you down until the Acknowledgments.

Magellan is a nice little add-on to the story as well; it’s Tyler’s old uniglass that is given to Aurora. A uniglass it basically a tablet chocked full of knowledge & fun that even Siri is Shook. Magellan strikes up facts & information throughout the read, and is even used as an in-between for chapters to give the readers more knowledge of the Aurora Cycle universe.

I really hope this review is giving Aurora Rising justice, because I honestly loved it so much. I can guarantee that this book will make it on so many BEST OF 2019 lists (it’ll definitely make an appearance on mine). Aurora Rising is exhilarating, it’ll make you emotionally compromised, it’ll force you into falling in love with the most unlikely squad of all-time, and it has aliens — what more can you possibly want? I love this book & I can’t wait for my finished copy to arrive in a couple of days so that I can enter the Aurora Cycle once again.

Because I buy a lot of books each year, I need to carefully consider each purchase (sadly, I'm not independently wealthy). But when a new novel by authors Amie Kaufman and Kay Kristoff comes out, I will automatically buy it. I really like their humor, and storytelling. Aurora Rising, their newest book, is full of suspense, fun characters, and an intergalactic space heist. I loved it!

What I Liked:

Characters:

This is definitely an ensemble cast with seven characters onboard the spaceship. I love that we get to find out the backstory of each character, which really makes us care about them.

But the main story is about Aurora, a girl woken up from a cryogenic sleep 250 years later than she planned. Aurora is the eyes of the reader as she must navigate this new reality full of various species of life-forms, spaceships, and planets. She also seems to have superpowers!

I liked how purposeful and kind Aurora was. Even though she must be freaking out a bit at all the changes, she is never mean. She also doesn't curse ("Son of a biscuit-eater!"). I liked showing that not everyone drops F-bombs in novels.

Tyler was also a great character. At the top of his graduating class, this cadet was looking forward to a choice first assignment with a crew of his own choosing. Instead, he gets all the cadets no one wants, and a mission he can't understand. I liked that even though he faced adversity, Tyler took on the challenge, and remained in control.

Each member of the spaceship's crew has a specific role. Kal, the warrior, is a fascinating character. He reminded me of Spock on Star Trek, a person fighting to tame his violent nature. He is instantly attracted to Aurora (his society calls it "The Pull"), but is slightly horrified he has feelings at all for a human.

Storytelling:

The authors keep the storytelling interesting by changing the point of view in each chapter. Each chapter starts with a "file" on a different job on the crew, or a different species of person (sort of reminding me of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy). Then the chapter begins with the character that fits that file. Eventually, we get to hear from each character. This was really fun, and made it easy distinguish between personalities.

Suspense:

There's nothing like a book where all the characters have a bounty on their heads! It seems like they get out of one mess only to jump into another. This kept the book at a fast pace. I didn't notice the book was almost 500 pages! I could not put it down.

Representation:

There is such a variety of people in sexuality, skin colors, temperaments, and physical abilities, that it gladdened by heart. I especially liked the portrayals of Fin and Zila. Fin needs an exoskeleton in order to move. But that doesn't stop him from being a smart-ass. I really like his inner dialogue showing how angry he was at his family for sending him away. Plus he is makes hilarious sexual innuendoes about everyone in the book.

Zila appears to have zero social skills, but the crew really values her input. She is almost always correct when she offers a solution on what to do. She is also a character with black skin and kinky hair, something that science-fiction books rarely include.

Romance:

The relationship between Kal and Aurora is complicated. Kal feels "The Pull" towards Aurora. But there is more than attraction at work here. They actually have a lot in common. Both have lost their families and have power they cannot fully understand. I like how Kal tries so hard not to show his true feelings for Aurora, (because he doesn't want her to feel any obligation to return his affections) and Aurora's compassion for Kal. They would make a great couple. But will Kal risk rejection and make his feelings known?

Story:

This is essentially a heist story, as we learn an ancient artifact is the key to

Aurora's mystery. The only problem: The artifact is in the private collection of the galaxy's most notorious gangster. Add that shady galactic government agents are after Aurora and the chase is on!

Each situation seems to provide a reason for one of the characters to showcase their talents. With every ship chasing them, Cat performs feats of piloting that are thrilling to read. Scarlett (the diplomat) can talk her way out of most situations. When that doesn't work, Kal (the warrior) will fight them out. Fin shows off his MacGyver skills as he creates tech on the fly. Zila (the scientist) provides knowledge when it is needed most. Tyler is a natural leader that his team wants to follow, even when it makes them outlaws. And Aurora... You have to read the book to find out what she can do!

AURORA RISING is brimming with action, adventure and plenty of feels as this intergalactic Sci-Fi epic—featuring a ragtag cast of characters, launches readers into space with this new series and sets them on a quest to literally save-the-girl, save-the-galaxy.

THEY’RE NOT THE HEROES WE WANTED. THEY’RE JUST THE ONES WE COULD FIND.

This was such a fun read and with a cast of seven YA main characters—4 girls and 3 guys—all with quirks and three-dimensional personalities, you can’t help but ending-up adoring them.

What I loved reading about in this new series opener is how different each crew member is — different species with unique abilities and talents are featured.

Told from alternating points of view, with a focus on Tyler’s and Aurora’s perspective, this is definitely a series to pick up if you enjoy lots of banter and a diverse cast—space is bigger and badder than you can hope for. Kaufman and Kristoff don’t disappoint and Squad #312 brings it.

Danger and adventure take on an exciting edge in space where Kaufman and Kristoff’s imagination sore.

Alien civilizations, galactic space-station, and the folding of space make for an exciting read. It was like watching an episode of the original Star Trek where space is an open door to what might be out there.

“The FoldGate flare, brighter than the sun. And without a sound, I plunge into an endless, colorless sky. A billion stars are waiting to greet me.”

There are dangerous heists, a masked-ball, space-walks from a dying ship and plenty of monsters to keep your attention and turn the pages.

The story does a great job of balancing the adventure while allowing us to get to know each of the crew members. It ends with an adrenaline-infused bang leaving readers satisfied but definitely leaving room for more as the crew realizes the quest is not over but only the beginning of an epic adventure.

In the End

AURORA RISING is a must-read for fans of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s writing and readers of YA science fiction. Space travel, conspiracies, ancient civilizations, and new alien species—plus tons of banter and camaraderie between our crew members make for an exciting new series.

I absolutely loved this book, couldn't stop reading it! Great chemistry between characters who form a ragtag military crew. Despite their differences they form deep friendships among one another. Witty dialogue adds to an action packed plot. Highly recommend to those readers who love sci-fi!

Links COMING!

The Buzz

I started reading Jay Kristoff hardcore last year... he was my most read author actually. I originally was going to pass on Aurora Rising because I was kinda done with The Illuminae Files type stories... but then Kristoff's character art seduced me!! I LOVE diverse group stories with multiple POVs. And actually the authors use a technique here I use in my own work so that was neat to read too.


The Premise

The premise doesn't really tell you what Aurora Rising will be about... and that's a good thing because it allows the story to open like a mystery. But it also makes for unrealistic expectations. And those are going to kill Aurora Rising for you if you expect the same story found in The Illuminae Files. While the writing style and the character banter is the same the focus is totally different. We follow a newly formed squad of Legionnaires recently graduated from Aurora Academy, a peacekeeping military group. They're sent on a mission they never expected!!

A squad working together. This isn't about one girl's epic hacking skills or another's excellent martial arts... The squad works together using their skills to do the mission and it creates a different dynamic! This group dynamic is what I LOVE reading about!! The way POV was used is really neat too. You get to see the different characters through the eyes of their squad mates and it gives you a larger view than we normally get to see. There is also a focus on other races. This isn't something our author duo has touched on before but they really excel at it!! It plays into the group dynamic in a stellar way and actually is what the book is really about... alien relations.

I want you to go into Aurora Rising not knowing much though. Sure, this is really very different from The Illuminae Files, but in a good way. It's about the group working together for peace keeping alien relations!! If you enjoy having quite a bit of mystery and a touch of romance mixed in with your action and adventure then you'll enjoy this even more... But beware going in thinking you know what Aurora Rising is about... allow Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman to have the opportunity to WOW you with a totally different collaboration!!


My Experience

From the first page I loved the opening. Ty is our Alpha of the squad (i.e. the leader) and its really important to want to follow where ever he leads and I was definitely caught up in the action! It's not his peeking dimple either, though that didn't hurt. He's a good kid but I never felt he was being goodie two shoes about it. He's just passionate about wanting to be a person his dad would be proud of.

When we got to Auri, the girl he rescues, is when I was hooked! She's totally thrust into this unique experience and nothing is making sense. The worst of it is she's all alone. She's not a Legionnaire and hasn't gone through all the training that the others have. Even the misfits among them have a role to play within the squad. I really related to her awkward predicament and loved learning more about her as the story progressed.

The beginning was just so good! Tight, mysterious, hardcore and I loved the squad! Socially obtuse Zila, sarcastic jerk Finian, cold Kal, punk Cat, adept Scar and tactician Ty. We did eventually fall into the typical heist trope. It's not the funnest trope to me and I've recently read a couple books with this at its core, but in the end it totally kills and I ended up enjoying it. I did spend some time screaming at Cat. I can't handle jealous chicks who act stupid but I was guessing prematurely so was relieved how that turned out.

It was part 3 though that I really loved!!! I love this kind of story where there is exploration and learning involved. Where it feels like a mystery with tons of action. A kind of thriller on steroids and with a fantasy feel. I can't tell you about this part because you really want to go in as free of assumptions as possible. It totally pays out though for all the mystery set up in the beginning! Yeah at one point I was screaming at the book but that's all part of the fun. Seriously going on my Best of 2019 shelf!!


Why will you be missing out if you skip Aurora Rising?

-The Banter!
Our squad of elites and misfits totally kill interpersonal relations. I just loved the sarcasm, the bite, the humor, the banter between them. Squad 312 may seem like they don't belong together from the outside but after this adventure you'll totally change your mind!

-The Feels!
Ty and Scar are fraternal twins and the sibling love is immense. I totally loved older Scarlett's relationship with her brother. Then we have Cat who is out of her mind jealous, and I totally get it. And we have Kal and Finian who both start having feelings for some of the squad.

-The Skills!
You know how when it comes to groups the leader tends to be the one always in the spotlight?! Yeah, this isn't that sort of book! Our cadets each have a role to play in the group and we actually see that in action! Whenever Kal (my fav) or Zila (my 2nd fav) stepped up I was so pumped!!

-The Action!
The way this squad is shown... each of the moving parts (i.e. cadets) has a part to play and we get to see that in real time on the page. So Scar, Finian, Zila they each get to rock some of the action too even though Kal is their tank. It's seriously so fun, fair and epic!

-In other words seeing Squad 312 GO GO GO!
The villain is a major creeptastic bad guy... No spoilers but you aren't sure what the custard is going on for a while but when you do... you're blown away. And we get to see our squad go up against all this and use their stellar selves. It's not without sacrifice.


Cover & Title grade -> B+

The title Aurora Rising is pretty evident from the very start of the book. We are dealing with an Aurora Academy squad. The leader finds a girl named Aurora. They are near an aurora star! Aurora Rising is very indicative of the squad gelling as a group and Auri finding her place in this new future.

The cover fascinates me because I wonder why they chose character art?! It's pretty, don't get me wrong. It hints at Auri's half Chinese blood. And the constellations are a neat effect with the purple color scheme. It's just not how I imagine Auri's eye looks. And it doesn't really tell you much! It doesn't really support the premise very well either as it talks about the group and leaves Auri as an after thought. I would have preferred a planet and ship cover. Though a monster cover would have been best if unrealistic as it would have intrigued me way more.


If you're a fan of star trek (my parents are such huge fans!) then you know what you're getting involved in... Aurora Rising is a fun squad goals read with a diverse cast of aliens! It's a rollicking adventure with a space heist and so much more... I wish I were skilled enough to be on the team and go on their adventure even though the risks of surviving is low. That ending is epic and I can't wait to see where Auri's power and Ty's squad ends up in the sequel!!

I was provided an ebook copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review all thoughts are of my own. I have never read anything by Jay Kristoff or Amie Kaufman before. Not even their previous book Illuminae, so when I was accepted by Netgalley to read this book I was not for sure what to expect. I'm not a huge fan of science fiction or space in general. In all honesty I thought I was going to hate the book or just find it meh. But I loved this book.

First thing I loved was this cover! Isn't it stunning? The summary was something I didn't look at till after I read most of the book. The thing that really got me excited to read the book was the character art and book trailer the authors posted on Instagram. If you haven't seen it I suggest looking at it asap.

Another thing I loved about this book was how the teams are made up of different species each specializing in a certain set of skills.

The characters are so diverse and nothing like I have ever seen before. I found myself connecting with some more than others and I really need to know if my OTP will make it.

The plot of this book is unlike any others and it brings to life one of my fears. How scary would it be to be in a frozen state sent off to space and those around you all die. The plot twists in the book are also killing. Ive heard before how Jay Kristoff was evil as a writer and I can see now why people think that. But for real Jay Kristoff has earned the spot as one of my favorite authors. He's so nice and I see how much work he puts into socializing with his readers to make them feel valued. I'm sure Amie is the same.

I recommend this book with every fiber of my being. Book 2 needs to hurry up!

Wow this book was a whirlwind of action and adventure. I had so much fun reading Aurora Rising. We follow several different perspectives, they’re all misfits that make up a part of a squadron brought together by chance. There is the alpha, the brain, the gearhead, the face, the tank and the ace; all which play a vital part in possibly saving the galaxy. Along with this we have crazy space battles, different alien species, powerful ancient beings and those with goals of universe(?) domination. Definitely cant wait for the next book in this sci-fi trilogy.

Kaufman and Kristoff did it again, recapturing the magic of Illuminae in a new teens-in-space drama that grabs your attention and doesn't let go. Set in a future world where space travel is made practical by the Fold, an expanse connecting regions of space that would otherwise be light-decades away, the story begins with Tyler on the eve of graduation from military academy. He chooses to take one last trip into the Fold, where he discovers Aurora, the lone survivor of a colony ship launched centuries before. Along with a team of misfits and delinquents, Aurora and Tyler struggle to survive and uncover the mystery of Aurora's past. The world building in Aurora Rising is impressive, with alien civilizations and traditions introduced organically. The romances are a little forced, but do provide some real tension. Overall, a great choice for sci-fi lovers or teen readers seeking something totally new.

I read and loved the Illuminae Files, but I was a little worried Aurora Rising would not live up to the that series since it was going to be told in regular book format (and not with the amazing unique format in Illuminae). However, I had nothing to worry about because Aurora Rising freaking blew me away.

Aurora Rising is told through seven POVs and switches between them fairly quickly, which helped me speed read through this book in just a couple of days. So let’s break down our crew of misfits—we’ve got:

Tyler—the Goldenboy and leader
Scarlett—the twin sister, flirt, and expert diplomat
Cat—the best friend and badass pilot
Zila—smart, anti-social, and will do anything in the name of science
Finian—a sarcastic jerk and mechanical genius
Kal—angry, violent, misunderstood, and going to protect Aurora at all costs
Aurora—our girl who was lost in space for 200 years and now has telekinetic powers

The book begins right as Tyler is rescuing Aurora during a storm that is about to destroy them. Talk about a hook, amiright? Due to this daring rescue, Tyler missed the Draft, where he earned the first four picks as the top in his class. This a major bummer as now he’s stuck with the crew nobody wanted…well them and his sister and best friend who were not abandoning him under any circumstance. As they’re sent out on their first mission, a lowly supply run that must be some kind of joke, they find Aurora stowed away in the cargo bay and their true mission is revealed. All of a sudden they’re fugitives on the run, trying to figure out why this girl has powers, why they were assigned to protect her, and what in the world they are going to do next.

Sound amazing, yeah? Well add in a heist and a creepy ancient enemy, and now you got a freaking epic story. I absolutely loved everything about Aurora Rising—the crew, the plot, the setting. I did not want to put this book down, so much so that I even wanted to call in sick so I could keep reading (I didn’t but I was very tempted). It kept me on the edge of my seat and the wait for the sequel is going to be a hard one.

Overall, you’re not going to want to miss out on Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s newest sci-fi adventure! Fans of Illuminae will love the cast of characters and action. I know I did! Aurora Rising is definitely a new favorite, I cannot wait for my beautiful finished copy to arrive and for news of the sequel!