For the last 4 years, my most anticipated new release has always been an Amie Kaufman/Jay Kristoff team up. 2015 brought Illuminae into my life and there was no looking back from there. 2016 I couldn’t wait for Gemina, and then 2017 hit…and Obsidio had been pushed to 2018, but that still didn’t make me want that book any less. So of course when it was announced that Amie and Jay were writing a new space adventure together totally outside of The Illuminae Files, I was all in, no questions asked, no plot synopsis needed. It was most definitely going to be my most anticipated read of whatever year it was coming out in.

Reader, the year is 2019, and without fail or surprise, Aurora Rising was my most anticipated book of the year. One day in March, I was at work, sitting at the reference desk and scrolling Netgalley as I tend to do, and my heart rate sky rocketed when I saw that gorgeous purple spacey cover and the word “request.” I have never hit that request button so fast. Fast forward a week to FINALLY getting the email that I was approved, and my reading adventure began.

Upon my first cracking open of the digital pages, I got nervous. Not just because Amie and Jay books are anxiety filled thrill rides, but because I noticed that there were seven POV characters, and each would be narrating in first person. That’s a loooot of voices to try and keep track of and in the past, I’ve always found that a lot of multi POV books for ME as a reader, work better in third person. I started freaking out internally. Was I going to enjoy this book? Was my MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR going to let me down?? Would I have to write a *gasp* bad review for this book I had hyped up for myself for longer than I can even remember? (I think the deal that they were writing this new trilogy was announced back in 2016, so I guess actually I do remember…)

Spoiler alert: not even a little.

Amie and Jay are so skilled in writing their characters, making them all diverse and individuals and stand outs, that it was really easy to picture them and hear their voices as I was reading. I love the seven of them so much, that it’s almost impossible to pick a favor—OK WHO AM I KIDDING?? IT’S TOTALLY SEXY SPACE ELF KAL AND HIS BROODYNESS WHICH HONESTLY SHOOK ME A LITTLE, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT MY USUAL GO TO FOR BOOK BOYFRIENDS. I love a Nik Malikov. I love a sassy snark monster who cracks jokes when everything is going to shit, and in this book that is totally Finian. (I will concede to the fact that he ended up being my second favorite) But something about Kal just really spoke to me. I also love Zila and her brain, her quiet stoicism and the fact that she tells it like it is. Scarlett is such a great mediator, Cat (ALSO a snark monster!) pilots better than anyone, and Tyler, the sweet cinnamon roll Alpha, lead them all perfectly, making the hard choices when called for. Auri, our girl out of time is also a favorite. She definitely goes through some heavy shit, but she keeps going and keeps going and also has some super badass abilities. Plus her use of pastry themed swear words are just the best, like I’m gonna say “Holy cake” for the rest of my life now. All of them work so well together in the crazy way that misfits often do and I am here for all of their future space adventures.

Plot wise, this book is fantastic and everything I never knew I wanted. There’s action and adventure, undertones of romance, scary monsters and creatures, twists and turns, and SO MANY THINGS that just work so well. The pacing is fast and flowy and there is never a dull moment. I loved this book more than I can say and I cannot wait to experience it again with the full cast audiobook.

Everything is perfect and nothing hurts, except actually EVERYTHING HURTS, BECAUSE THAT ENDING…RUDE.

*Thank you Knopf Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review*

They’re all dead. Hundreds. Thousands. Every single person on this ship is dead, except her.

I want to come up with some sort of witty introduction to this review, something to “hook” you and convince you that whatever I can ramble onto this page will be worthy of this book, but honestly, I’ve just gotta tell you up front. I'm calling it now, in April: Aurora Rising is going down as my favorite book of 2019. I honestly don’t know if anything I read for the rest of this year will come anywhere near the magnificence that is this wonderful, hilarious, heart-wrenching, suspenseful adventure in space.

Thing is, impossible always comes with a price.

I already knew I was going to enjoy this; after all, it’s another gorgeous brain-child from Jay and Amie, the authors of one of my all-time favorite series, The Illuminae Files. What I didn’t know was how well Aurora Rising would hold its own against their first trilogy, how easily it would set itself apart (despite being another banter-filler, emotional roller coaster in the stars), or how singularly consuming it would be. I constantly alternated between reading this slowly to savor it and devouring massive chunks at a time because I just never wanted it to end, but I couldn’t get enough.

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

While the plot is fantastic, the banter is hilarious, and there are some surefire swoon-worthy moments, what really sells Aurora Rising is the rag-tag bunch of misfits in Squad 312. These characters are easily some of the most lovable, precious beans I’ve ever read in my entire life. I am endlessly amazed by how well these authors can make their characters feel so real that I want to protect and love them at all costs, forever, and become so attached that I literally miss them when the book ends.

I was born with the taste of blood in my mouth. I was born with my hands in fists. I was born for war.

The chapters alternate between their perspectives, and there are quite a few of them, but each of their voices are so particular to that character that I felt like I could’ve easily recognized whose eyes I was looking through, even without the chapter headers informing me. That alone is a nearly impossible feat for writers to manage, but it works so well here. We have:

👑 Tyler Jones, Alpha: Iconic golden boy image; he doesn’t drink, doesn’t swear, treats people fairly, does what’s “right” whenever possible, and manages to be totally lovable despite his absolute Lawful Good alignment.

❤ Scarlett Jones, Face: Tyler’s twin, absolute queen, can be sweet as pie but would probably skin you alive if you harmed a single hair on her brother’s head. We stan.

🚀 Catherine ‘Cat’ Brannock, Ace: Pilot extraordinaire, hot-headed, tattoos everywhere, definitely not in love with Tyler, recipient of mixed feelings from readers and characters alike.

👽 Finian de Karren de Seel, Gearhead: Betraskan (alien) force who lives for sarcasm, rude jokes, and hotties of any and all genders. He’s disabled and lives inside a mechanical exosuit, and I would probably do just about anything to keep this little jerk safe. (Side note: as a queer reviewer who has invisible disabilities, I personally gave Fin’s diverse rep an A+ score and thought it was brilliantly and thoughtfully written.)

🧝‍♂️ Kaliis ‘Kal’ Gilwraeth, Tank: Syldrathi, AKA hot/tall/muscular/scary space elf, and also did I mention MY SWEET BABY. Mostly violent and generally misunderstood, a quietly angsty little soul. Jay and Amie, so help me if you do ANYTHING to hurt him... 😡😡😡

🔫 Zila Madran, Brain: Small, adorable, owner of oddly specific earrings, and a raging beastie who shoots first and asks questions never. Zila is… strangely and incredibly endearing.

✨ Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley: Last but not least, the title character, Aurora. Lost in cryo-sleep for 200 years, she’s understandably baffled, terrified, and a little bit furious. Oh, and she does freaky, scary, violent things with her mind. It’s dope.

“Who am I to deny gravity? When you shine brighter than any constellation in the sky?”

Seriously, I could spend another twenty pages gushing about this book. I’m already dying to reread it (and have the audiobook pre-ordered for exactly that purpose!), and can’t wait for the second book. Reading Jay and Amie’s work always means signing up for equal parts laughter and heartbreak, and a healthy dose of literally counting the days until the next installment, and it’s worth every damn second.

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I picked up this one because I’ve heard great things about Kaufman and Kristoff’s Illuminae Files and because I’m interested in reading more science fiction.

Aurora Rising reminds me of The Expanse in that we have a small crew exploring a mystery that involves aliens, space chases, and blowing things up. Plus, blue stuff.

The world building and character development aren’t quite on part with the T.V. show, however.

I never felt fully invested in the characters. While the mystery surrounding Auri is interesting, the character development is superficial. The frequent changes in point of view make it difficult to settle into the narrative. There are seven(!) points of view, and each POV is told from the first person. I don’t believe all of the POVs were necessary for the story, and it’s frustrating to swap POVs when I’m invested in the last POV.

Furthermore, I never felt urgency for the characters’ fates. While they get into some pretty bad situations, they always manage to escape with the help of Auri’s newfound abilities or the team’s mad skills. They’re labeled as a squad of misfits, but each member is actually a genius in his or her respective field. Outside of their personality issues, they actually make up an all-star team.

In spite of my issues with this novel, I did enjoy the humor. It makes for a light, entertaining read. I would be interested in seeing where Kaufman and Kristoff take us with book two.

Note: the seven POVs include those of Tyler, his five squad members, and Auri. Furthermore, each narrative is interspersed by search results pulled up by Magellan, Auri’s uniglass (the futuristic equivalent of a cellphone/tablet); these search results provide information about the world.

Content: language, alcohol, kissing (hetero and homosexual), suggested sex scene (memory of the past), lots of flirting (and fangirling/boying over gorgeous characters), bisexual character, poligamy, alien species with more than two sets of grandparents (not sure how that works), violence (guts get spilled in terrible ways but not told in extreme graphic detail).

5 bright burning stars across the galaxy for Aurora Rising.

It was fun, fresh and action-packed from the jump and immediately captured my interest. A sci-fi adventure that's in equal parts funny, nail-biting, witty and surprising, it features a great diverse cast that makes this page-turning read even more enjoyable.

With seven POVs, it definitely lets you get inside the heads of our heroes. Out of all the POVs, Kal's, Tyler's and Aurora's were the best for me. I was more emotionally invested in these 3 characters more than the other 4, although I had a soft spot for Scarlett's sass. Finian was funny in a roll-your-eyes kind of way, but his humor was very welcome. Zila and Cat were passive and nearly forgettable.

The novel was set at such a great pace and so easy to follow, even with all of the alien terms and references. It was really spectacular and I'm really excited to see where this series is headed.

This was fine, but I had high expectations from Illuminae, which I loved. These characters felt derivative. Parts were like a Spock/River Tam fanfic. Some of the plot was really interesting, especially near the end, but it took a long time to hook me.

I was a little skeptical about this one going in because I am not typically much of a sci-fi person; however, I was pleasantly surprised. I knew there was a lot of talk about the Illuminae series, and I do want to get around to reading that as well, so I went ahead and requested to read this one on Netgalley. I was able to get into it and finish it quickly. I really enjoyed the humor of the characters and just found that they were fun overall. It is told from different points of view throughout, and though we usually have our favorites, I found it easy to enjoy the chapters of any of the characters. This is a space adventure story that I think will be an easy sell to my high school students. I am looking forward to more in the series (though I know I will be waiting a while)!

Aurora Rising is the first installment in co-authors Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman's The Aurora Cycle trilogy. Things you should know. If you've read the Illuminae series by this writing duo, you will enjoy this book. The big difference is that the authors have chosen to alternative POV's between 7 characters in order to tell their story. Yes, I did say 7 main characters so you will want to make sure you get your highlighter ready so that you know who is who.

This is an eclectic group of characters lead by Squad Leader First Class Tyler Jones. Tyler is 18 and at the top of his class at Aurora Academy in most categorizes. He is eagerly waiting for the Draft to pick who will become part of his first crew. But, after his heroism in rescuing a girl we soon learn is Aurora Jie-Lin O'Malley from a stranded ship known as Hadfield said to have disappeared 220 years ago, Tyler ends up with a crew that includes not only his own sister, and a girl that he may or may not have feelings for, but a range of characters from humans to aliens that have a whole lot of issues and baggage.

Meet the crew:

Scarlett Jones, Ty’s older-by-several-minutes twin, is the team’s Face (ambassador). She can speak all known languages. She knows her brother, the most decorated Alpha at the Academy, got screwed when he saved Auri's life. For 5 years, the two of them have worked hard to get where they are after losing their father. Scar has a laundry list of ex-boyfriends, but it's her loyalty to her brother and her friendship with Cat, that are her most important features.

Catherine "Cat" Brannock is the teams Ace pilot. She decides to stand alongside Tyler even though they both have a bit of a past together and she doesn't know if there are true feelings for him, or if it was just a one time ride in the hay with no regrets. Things continue to be awkward between the two. Zila Madran is Human (Terran) who is scientist who has a fondness for shooting her bunkmates, and being a sociopath. Zila may be top of her class in the sciences but she has a nasty tendency to use her classmates as lab rats.

Betraskan Finian de Karran de Seelis is in the top tenth percentile of his class and is the master of Tech Division but his black belt in snark can make him a difficult hang. He's 19, he's a smart as a whip, but sometimes carries a chip the size of Jupiter on his shoulder. If he's not careful, someone will knock him down to size. Syldrathi combat specialist Kalis (Kal) Idraban Gilwraeth, aka the squadron’s Tank. His race and the Terrans have recently signed a peace agreement ending years of conflict. But, Kal is on an island all is own as a warrior class who choose to help the Aurora Legion instead of people fighting against each other. Auri considers him to be elf like in nature.

Finally, there is Aurora Jie-Lin O'Malley (Auri) who left Earth with hundreds of other colonists only to find themselves lost in the Fold which allows inter-stellar travel between worlds. Auri is mysterious, beautiful, with a curious gray streak in her hair and an eye that just happens to glow at times. Auri has lots of secrets that I won't spoil because it leads to more questions that the authors will have to unravel in the next two installments.

Let's talk about the book, shall we? After Tyler and his crew are given their first mission after the draft failure, there is a wicked curve ball thrown at them from those Tyler has trusted for the past 5 years. You've got to have faith that I'm not going to spoil anything in this book other than to tell you that once the crew arrives at its mission destination, all hell breaks loose.

The crew is chased by some really dangerous people, including their own. The crew also has to try to solve a serious mystery that may have galactic consequences for all known races. They have to decide whether or not to stick together or abandon all hope and let's the chips fall where they might. There is intense action in this book right from the beginning and doesn't let up.

The last chapters of this book crushed my soul and let me weeping. That's nothing new if you've read anything by this writing duo, especially Kristoff. I will only say one negative about the copy I received. I could not read the graphics that appear before every chapter. If I had a finalized copy of the book, perhaps my review would have been higher. The graphics tell information that I believe is necessary to enjoy what the authors have created and the alien species that have their own identity and conflicts as well.

Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman brings a new spark to the sci-fi genre. And it asks one question: can a group of misfits become heroes and save the entire galaxy?

Jay Kristoff describes this book as The Breakfast Club meets Guardians of the Galaxy, and that is exactly what Aurora Rising is.

Aurora Academy’s “golden boy”, Tyler Jones, is determined to have the best squad in the galaxy after the Draft. But he never expected to be the one to find Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, a girl who has been is cryo-sleep for 220 years. Causing him to miss the Draft, Tyler is now left with a group of losers, discipline cases, and sociopaths. Poor guy has to not only deal with a girl out of time but also a squad he never wanted.

For readers who love space then this book is sure to be a new favorite! There’s a lot of information woven into the story as Kristoff and Amie Kaufman build this world. And it’s amazing. It feels familiar and new at the same time which makes it easy to relate to the characters, too. There is some space lingo that made it hard to follow along concerning the dialogue but once the story begins flowing easily it becomes more natural.

With seven different POVs, Kristoff and Kaufman’s writing is at its best in Aurora Rising. There is no doubt that they make a great team and their strength is always the characters they develop. Squad 312 makes Aurora Rising a fantastic read. The group instantly has such a fun chemistry with one another. All of them are smart and bring different strengths to the team.

Tyler Jones is their trusted leader who will do anything to keep them safe. His twin, Scarlett, loyally stays by his side and is definitely the “mom” of the squad, as she ensures their well-being. Cat is a character readers will either love or hate but there’s no questioning how fierce she is. Kal is the brooding warrior. Zila is the smartest person in the galaxy (probably). Finian challenges Scarlett on being the most sarcastic of the squad. He’s also a fighter — despite Kal constantly questioning whether he’s much of a warrior or not.

Rounding off the group is the unplanned squad member, Aurora, who is the character at the center of Aurora Rising. She wakes up in a completely new world and becomes isolated. She’s just lost everything she’s ever known and loved. And now she’s the one who will lead this squad of misfits to their possible doom.

Squad 312 travels throughout the galaxy with faith being the only thing keeping them (somewhat) sane. They don’t know their future or what is at stake as their journey begins, but they’re ready to surrender and see this mission to the end.

Aurora Rising is a great beginning to what is sure to be an epic series. With space as its background, the characters will pull readers into this epic adventure! This is a story about finding a home in a place you least expected to. It’s about finding your people and having faith in the ones you love. I highly recommend this book to fans of sci-fi! Aurora Rising goes on sale on May 7th so make sure to pre-order and get your copies!

NOTE: I do not think this review is spoilery? There is one quote at the end that if you read far enough in the book you will understand, but you literally have to read 97% of this book to even come close to understanding it.

Me: *Reading Aurora Rising trying to figure out if I’m actually enjoying it or not*
Aurora Rising: *92% complete*
Me: I SWEAR TO GOD IF THIS ENDS THE WAY I THINK IT’S GONNA END I’M BURNING DOWN A SMALL ISLAND.

“We the legion. We the light. Burning bright against the night.”

Honestly, just fuck me up why don’t you?

It took me an unnecessary amount of time to actually get in to AR. I’m not sure why to be honest, because this story has an INTENSE amount of action, plot and a great mix of characters. The world of Aurora Rising is so elaborately constructed, you would think that it really is the state of our galaxy and the authors just did the research. It’s all so well thought out for a YA novel. Do you understand how amazing it is to create multiple races with their own homes, military forces, belief systems and societal norms? Then you have to create an entire history for each and every one of these species and the ones that came before them. Not just the main characters backstories. No EACH FREAKING SPECIES and make it believable instead of just some half-ass slapped together mess of “Oh they do this because of some random reason and you just have to accept it because I wrote the book and you didn’t.”

Can we talk about the fact that I gravitated towards the sociopath more out of all the characters? I really feel like I need to do some deeper analysis on that bit of information, but who cares she’s a BAMF (and I’m not just saying that because it’s also the sound of the disruptor pistol that she’s so fond of.)

Kaufman and Kristoff are masters of their craft and an unstoppable duo. I have yet to read a book by one or both of them that I did not like and I really was getting stressed when I was half way through the book and wasn't as insta-enthralled with it as I was Illumine (Especially because I’ve already ordered like three copies, but I digress). But I had to remind myself to step back and remember this is a new universe they've built from the ground up with so much more going on. I was able to really appreciate it for the magical creation that it is.

Squad 312 is my clan.

I close this review with one painful, out of context, heart wrenching quote. Because honestly you should read it for the sake of finding out what this line freaking means:

“...as I look on them with eyes that are still mine for the very last time, I see him turn and look back at me. And somehow it’s all right…Because I know he loves me.”

Seriously…FUCK ME UP.

I loved ILLUMINAE, also written by this dynamic author duo, as well as LIFEL1K3, which Jay Kristoff wrote on his own, and UNEARTHED, which Amie Kaufman wrote with Meagan Spooner. So when I saw AURORA RISING, I was interested...more so when I read the book description. After reading the book, I'd say AURORA RISING is my favorite of the bunch.

The story starts with Ty running out of oxygen as he endeavors to save a girl suspended for 200 years in a cryogenic chamber on a lost spaceship during a space storm. And the action never lets up.
It has a bit of a Star Trek feel, with 6 characters (both human and alien), who make up Ty's newly-formed squad undertaking intergalactic humanitarian missions. A stowaway lends an unexpected element to their team. The story is told from all 7 of their points of view.

What I loved: the skilled-yet-outcast adventurers struggling to come together as a team, the mystery behind the spaceship lost for 2 centuries, fast pacing, plenty of action, and humor sprinkled throughout the story. The plot has high stakes and enough twists to keep fans of young adult spec fiction on their toes. And if you like heists, you just might find one of those in the pages of AURORA RISINGas well.

This book is a must-have for fans on ILLUMANAE, the rebooted STAR TREK movies, and YA fiction lovers more broadly. Highly recommended.

Find more reviews of recently published books at thewingedpen.com.

This book is everything I want out of a YA Science Fiction novel. There's a rag-tag group of people, who are forced together, being chased across space by a mysterious governmental agency, cryptic messages, a weird interrupting AI, and war to be had. I loved every moment of this book and I'm so excited to see what comes next, we have 22 targets & whole lot of crap to get through! I can't wait for the next book.

Back to space with Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff!
If you loved Illuminae, you’ll love Aurora Rising. If you were partially a fan of Illuminae, you’ll love Aurora Rising. Who am I kidding? Everyone, you’ll love Aurora Rising. It’s told in a traditional format, unlike the Illuminae Files, and it is amazing. Mind-blowingly good writing.
There’s a big debate over whether plot or characters matter most, and I always choose both. After all, you can’t have a good book with just good characters or plot, right? After reading this, I am convinced that you could, in fact, have a bestseller with only amazing characters and no plot. Coming into the novel, I was worried, because there are seven main characters and seven points of view that the story is being told from. Normally, when reading multiple POVs, I just get really involved in one of them, and spend the entire time waiting to go back to that POV. Not this time. I loved all of the perspectives that I read through. Amie and Jay have already introduced the characters on their social media, so I’ll just break them down simply here.
• Tyler: your captain, golden boy, perfection walking. Finds himself grouped with a bunch of losers and has to lead them.
• Scarlett: the diplomat (Face). Tyler’s twin sister. Has a list of ex-boyfriends, and is looking to expand. Speaks multiple languages, but her native tongue is sarcasm.
• Cat: pilot (Ace). Tyler’s best friend that is not in love with him. She’s a badass, and she will kick your ass.
• Fin: techie (Gearhead). Bi as hell. He finds himself surrounded by beautiful and badass people and is 100% here for it, and I am 100% here for him. Also, crazy cynical and an alien. He will grow on you and you will want to protect him at all costs.
• Kal: Fighter (Tank). “Hot space elf who thinks he’s better than you” really says it all.
• Zila: the smart science one (Brain). She might be a psychopath or a sociopath, but honestly, you’ll still love her. Just don’t let her point a gun at you. She has the smallest POV parts in the book, she says a lot in a few words.
• Aurora: the girl out of time. She’s the titular character but is more focused on discovering herself. Also, can destroy stuff with her mind!!
The characters are truly where this book shines because…the plot is kinda weak when you think about it. Think of the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2, and basically you have Aurora Rising. I still love it to bits, but…yeah. There is definitely room for plot improvement in book two, now that (mostly) everything isn’t shrouded in mystery. There are also a lot of things that seem like a big deal in the book but aren’t really focused on.
Another concept seemingly out of another franchise is the idea of the Fold. I don’t think it is explained in the best way, but it really reminded me of tessering from A Wrinkle in Time. It’s a little bit different, but it is explained in the same way. Instead of going from point A to point B (A--------------B), you can enter a folded space where distant is different (A--^--B). The Fold is an in-between space, and traveling inside it lets you cross many leagues in shorter amounts of time. It is also very dangerous, of course.
Back to my Illuminae comparison, did you love AIDAN? The idea of a sentient artificial intelligence has invaded Aurora Rising too. Magellan is cute, smart, and some-what annoying, but honestly, he’s hilarious, and I feel like the characters don’t appreciate him as much as they should.
Do you like fantasy in space? Are you a fan of kicking ass and taking names with a band of misfits? Do you also want to get to the bottom of an age-old conspiracy?! Then read Aurora Rising! Heart-stopping and breath-taking, this book will have you glued to it until you finish the last page. And then you’ll join me as we wait for Amie and Jay to publish book 2!

4.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy YA and Sci-fi.

As soon as I started this I knew it would be a LOT of fun! It very much reminded me of The Guardians of the Galaxy, The Breakfast Club, and Stranger Things. I also loved the addition of a heist and a space elf. I most enjoyed that this book starts out action packed, and there are not a lot of moments of downtime. The squad moves from one piece of the puzzle to the next and there isn't time to be bored. I found this book funny, mysterious, sad, relevant to today's issues, and a little bit romantic. I liked that the chapters switched perspective, and the quirky crew that was brought together. Overall I really loved this book and am very excited to see where the series goes.

Feedback
I really don’t even know where to start with this review. So this is actually my first book by either Jay Kristoff or Amie Kaufman and I enjoyed it so much. First, this world is amazing. Such detail and explanation of the future really made me understand. I never felt lost, expect when it comes to the Betraskan family tree, in this world full of space travel and aliens. It was very easily explained which is great in a sci-fi novel because then I can truly enjoy the story, which I did immensely. It started off so strong and never lost that intensity. The story took such a turn that I never expected but it was so refreshing to read. I flew through this book as I did not want to put it down at all. The secret of who Aurora is and how Squad 312 kept trying to unravel this mystery had me hooked. Everything was so smoothly written that you wouldn't even be able to tell that two different authors wrote this book. The ending was just wild. I would have not really guessed that was the way it was going to go but man, did it just skyrocketed the whole story.
Even though this story was absolutely amazing, it truly was the characters that made it. Aurora was the center of it all since being discovered after 200 years in the fold. I really enjoyed her character and how well she took to all the adjustments. I would have been so lost if it was me but Aurora was a strong and smart character who blindly trusts these new people in her life. Tyler was a fantastic alpha. He was so smart and tactical, exactly what you needed for that type of position. The one thing I liked best about his character though was he was never a dictator. He always took the consideration of his other teammates and made the best judgement calls after listening to everything they had to say. Scarlett was just fantastic. As Tyler’s twin their relationship just bled through the pages. She is sexy and sassy and smart all at the same time. Definitely someone who would be the perfect Face of the team to handle diplomatic measures. Cat was an interesting character. She was so headstrong but completely devoted. I’m so glad there were the intense flying scenes to see her fly. Kal, oh my breaking heart. I loved his character so much. The whole time he tries to fit this warrior inside of him and I just want to be in smooth in combat as he is. Then the whole Be’shmai thing - ughhhhhhh!!!! Zila was an interesting character. I am going to be excited to learn more about her in the future novels. And I saved my favorite for last… Kilian. So he may be the biggest asshole on the whole station but I loved his character. He was so sassy the whole time and seriously had me cracking up. He was so smart (just like the rest of the team) and never let his disability take the better of him. I loved how he just pushed through everything and he truly became my favorite character. All of the points of views were perfect and I’m so glad the authors didn’t just focus on one.

Final Thoughts
Overall, Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman was all I wanted and more. With such an interesting story, these two really made it enjoyable. A full cast of sassy and smart characters really drove the plot of this book. It was such a unique adventure and ending that really makes this sci-fi book stand out. The characters really drove this whole thing home and I cannot wait to read more about Squad 312. I highly recommend this book to everyone - it is truly enjoyable.

If you’ve been missing the TV series Firefly or are waiting with bated breath for Guardians of the Galaxy 3, I have some good news. Aurora Rising, the latest collaboration from authors Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, is the answer to your prayers.Tyler (Ty) Jones, Squad Leader, First Class, 98th percentile of all cadets in Aurora academy, possessor of a lethal set of dimples and startling good looks, is about to have his ‘golden boy’ record ruined. It’s the night before the draft, that special day when the Alphas (captains) get to choose their squads. As the academy’s star Alpha, Tyler will have first pick of all the cadets. His squad will be made up of the best of the best of that year. Or will it?Ty, suffering from the worst case of insomnia in his life, takes a spaceship on a one man cruise into the Fold. It’s a space between space that, like an accordion, can push in and condense the galaxy, making travel across the long distances between stars possible. While there, Ty stumbles upon the impossible: a 220-year-old missing colony ship containing a single life, the cryogenically frozen Aurora (Auri) Jie-Lin O'Malley. She’ll be reawakened if Ty can manage to get her off the ship and away from the storm barrelling towards them.He does manage it, but the rescue costs him. By the time they make it out of the Fold and he completes a rigorous med-bay scan, the draft is over. Ty’s dream squad is now the “losers, discipline cases, and misfits” who were left over when all the other Alphas had taken their pick. He’s stuck with: Syldrathi combat specialist Kaliis (Kal) Idraban Gilwraeth, aka the squadron’s Tank. An elf like creature with the strength of ten men, Kal’s fighting a losing battle with his dark side. Zila Madran may be top of her class in the sciences but she has a nasty tendency to use her classmates as lab rats. Cat Brannok, their Ace (pilot) is good at her job but things have been a little bit awkward between her and Ty since That One Night. Betraskan Finian de Karran de Seelis is in the  top tenth percentile of his class and is the master of Tech Division but his black belt in snark can make him a difficult hang. Scarlett Jones, Ty’s older-by-several-minutes twin, the team’s Face (ambassador), can talk the birds down from the trees but can use that same tongue to strip a man of his pride, hope and reason to live.As if all that wasn’t bad enough, Ty finds himself with another difficulty. Auri is in desperate need of a second rescue, as the GIA, the scariest government agency around, is after her. They’re convinced she’s the trigger that could “start a war millions of years in the making.” And Ty - and his little band of underdogs - are her only friends in the universe.This is a light,fun YA novel brimming with humour and inclusivity. Teens who prefer their sci-fi cheery, amusing and with an upbeat tone regarding the future will find a lot to love here. Our band of eccentrics are, of course,  actually a group of loyal, moral, misunderstood geniuses who have what it takes to deal with whatever life throws at them. They are all wonderful, except for Ty, who is perfect - a great leader, good friend and savvy captain. In fact, his only imperfection is that he can be so perfect he forgets to be human. Auri is as solid yet mysterious, beautiful yet strange as any girl out of time can be; her frozen state has left her with universe-changing information and  it’s her job to convince Ty’s squad that her galaxy-saving intel is worth risking their lives and careers for. There are tragic backstories to add some depth to everyone but really, that just serves as an excuse for the occasional pout, snark or brood. The overall tone here is sunny, with intermittent moments of tear-jerking or sorrow-inducing stress. There is some romance here but it’s mostly at the handholding, briefest of kisses stage.  YA fiction has a range right now of books that are for teens but are meant for all ages, and books that appeal strictly to a teen/new adult audience. This is definitely in that latter category.In terms of the plot, most science fiction novels are amalgamations of and riffs on tales that have gone before. The author’s skill (or lack thereof) shows in how well they are able to spin these old tropes and standards into something wholly new. Aurora Rising is a good work but you can’t help but hear echoes of what inspired it as you turn the pages. The plucky characters à la Guardians of the Galaxy, the mysterious, pivotal gal à la Firefly; and since I don’t want to spoil the plot, I won’t name the 1970s movie the book’s villain seems to come from. This novel is definitely a unique tale but the edges haven’t been smoothed off its influencers enough to make the pieces unrecognizable. Even mixed all together, the popularity of the general narrative - band of lovable oddballs rescues humanity - gives the tale a very familiar feel.That is both a good and bad thing. Fans of that trope will love finding it so well done here. Unfortunately, though, not doing more than delivering the expected premise means that the book doesn’t quite reach DIK status. In sci-fi/fantasy, delivering a completely fresh take on the old ideas is the gold standard. Simply delivering a well done variation of them is only silver status.Which Aurora Rising totally is. It’s a solid B of a tale; good, fun, easy to read and a nice way to spend an afternoon. Devotees of the authors will be delighted and those looking for snarky teen sci-fi fun will find a lot to enjoy here.Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/KoboVisit our Amazon Storefront

Occasionally, I'll pick up a book and know within the first several pages that I'm in for a five star read.  Aurora Rising is one of those books.

These characters.  I fell for them hard, and the banter between them is hilarious.  All are so fully-developed and relatable, and with seven different POVs, that's a tremendous feat to accomplish.  That many POVs may throw off some readers, but each voice is distinctive, and I knew exactly who was speaking.  And such fantastic character diversity (and I don't mean humans and aliens).

Talk about no-win situations - these authors throw their characters into several, and you're just sure there's no way they'll survive - and then things happen that I won't give away, but trust me, you'll be surprised at the originality and creativity.  The last 15% of this book really put me through the wringer - hidden secrets, big emotions, high-stakes danger.  Make sure to carve out a good hour or so when you won't be disturbed.

Even with all the action, death-defying moments, and a tension-filled heist, Aurora Rising leans heavily on themes of family, friendship, faith, and finding your crew.  It's an unusual, but charismatic mix of Guardians of the Galaxy, The Breakfast Club, and Six of Crows, and a novel you won't want to miss.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Mothercustard!! This book is A-MA-ZING! Amie and jay have crafted another gorgeous world that feels so believable that coming back to reality is a massive culture shock! This is another instant classic of the YA genre and I can't wait for everyone to be talking about the depth of these characters and the range of emotions that this book will make you feel. You'll laugh and cry and smile and never want to leave. I think that this book is arriving at a perfect time for us to see that your friend groups are going to evolve and some people have stigmas around them like our Tank, Kal, the Gearhead, Finian, and the Brain, Zila.

Our main girl, Auri, is by far the best character I have seen in a YA novel she is vulnerable but comes into her own and is a COMPLETE badass. She is brave and ready to support her new friends even when things go REALLY haywire.

Honestly, I was a mess when I finished this and I can't wait to get my hands on every single version of this book that I can.

P.S. PLEASE GIVE ME THE NEX ONE I NEED!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me the opportunity to early read and review Aurora Rising. My opinions are my own and have not been influenced by this opportunity.

WOW. That’s it, that’s my whole review.

Mostly kidding, but also, how am I to be expected to review this masterpiece? Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff are the greatest duo to ever duo and I hope we are blessed with 50 more books from the two of them. They did such a fabulous job with The Illuminae Files I never imagined they could top those books, but Aurora Rising just might take the cake in Sci-Fi for me and I have no regrets that I’ve purchased roughly 5 copies of this beautiful book, including the coveted Goldsboro edition 😜

“But to reject my darker side only strengthens it. To lock it in a cage, to deny it is part of me … I cannot stop being what I am.”

Let’s jump right into the characters of Aurora Rising because I felt this was a very character driven book and they are so impressive to me I don’t know how not to just flail around about all these babies and what they have to go through. First up is Tyler, the Alpha of Squad 312 who sports a killer set of dimples. Tyler is so brazenly heroic I almost couldn’t help but laugh, he wants nothing more than to be the top Alpha to ever grace Aurora Academy but then he manages to get himself stuck leading this rag tag group of misfits and all hell breaks loose.

Aurora is the mystery girl that could potentially be the trigger for a war that’s been brewing for a million years, you know, just an average day no big thing 🤷‍♀️ she is so lost and confused and I just want her to find all the answers she needs. Fin is the SASSIEST member of the team, holy cats did he have me cackling while I was reading. Every word that comes out of his mouth is so clearly a defense mechanism and honestly I lived for it. I think I loved reading his chapters most of all, I enjoyed seeing him develop as a character and seeing the struggles he goes through.

There are so many more characters of this rag tag group: Kal, Scarlett, Cat, Zila.. I could talk about them for days but my review would be incredibly long at that point, and if that’s the case you might as well just read the book! As a group they all go through such a huge character arc, they learn so much about themselves and it was wonderful being able to see them change and grow throughout the story. Characters learning from their mistakes, and applying that new knowledge to future choices is such an important thing to see in a book that is so strongly based on its characters.

The last third of the book or so took a turn I was NOT expecting and damn, was it crazy. I expected something wild to happen though because that was how The Illuminae Files were, and honestly I was hoping for something like this. I don’t want to spoil what happens so I’m going to leave out any details but like, it gets a little creepy actually. The way I felt reading Illuminae and being absolutely terrified at what was happening/what could happen some day, that’s exactly the feeling I had reading Aurora Rising. Amie and Jay are so good at their craft, they truly know how to bring out the right emotions in you to force you to keep reading, to find out what happens.

“But I believe of all the places I have not fit, I fit here a little better.”

Whether you like Science Fiction books or not I think Aurora Rising is worth giving a chance to. It is so much more than just about space and Sci-Fi, it’s about friendship and the bonds it takes to make or break it. It’s about family and what you will and won’t do for them. It’s about finding yourself and finding your place in this world.

All quotes used in this review are subject to change and will be reviewed against the final copy when published.

Aurora Rising is a space adventure story of a crew of misfits who are forced to work together and find themselves in the middle of a galaxy wide conspiracy and must now fight for their lives. I will admit that this book was full of tropes and I did feel like some of the relationships and character interactions seemed too rushed or forced but at the end of the day, this was just a lot of fun to read and what more can you really ask for. There were times in the middle where I felt a little annoyed at the way the story was going and some minor eye rolling but there is just something about the way these two authors write together that I have a great time with. It wasn't quite at the same level of Illuminae for me personally but it still had that same fast paced, action packed good times that I fell in love with in that story and that's all I really wanted out of this book. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

This was such a fun read, another group of misfit teens out to save the galaxy! I was expecting a fast and humorous read and that is exactly what I got. Plus isn’t that such a stellar cover! I love it.

The story is told from all seven of the character’s points of view, which might seem like a lot, but they are all so different from each other that it was easy to tell them apart. I was sort of expecting the story to be formatted like The Illuminae Files, but it isn’t. It is straight up narrative, although there are some inserts from an AI at the end of the chapters, giving some historical info and other background information that pertains to the plot.

All of the characters are nicely fleshed out and very different from each other, although they do fall into the typical YA types of characters, (and of course they are all described as being beautiful).

Ty is very much a leader and everyone looks to him for the answers and the plans. But he struggles with self-doubt.
His twin sister, Scarlet, is the diplomat with a snarky attitude. Although she is very charming when she needs to be.
Zila, the science officer, is the one character we don’t get as much background or chapters from, but what we do get, makes her very interesting.
Cat is the pilot, and grew up with Ty and Scarlett. She was very intense and spent a lot of time just being angry about everything.
Kal is Syldrathi, ie warrior alien, and has a lot of anger issues because of this. He is of the hit first ask questions later type of character.
Finian is also an alien, Betraskan, but he also has some physical disabilities. This isn’t discussed as much as I would have liked. He is a tech wiz but still has an attitude when it comes to interpersonal relationships.
And finally we have Aurora. The girl two hundred years out of her comfort zone. She is pretty lost and lonely most of the time, but as her story unfolds she becomes the most important person in the story.
Then there is the plot. It is very fast moving, hard to put down and has some good twists that kind of blow your mind. The crew starts off not trusting each other very much, except for Ty, Scarlett and Cat, they are considered to be the dregs of the academy. But as the plot progresses and things start to go seriously wrong, they start to work together and come together as a team. The snark and repartee between them keeps things amusing and a little bit light, even when things are going to hell around them. The concept of the Fold, which is how they travel around the universe so quickly is well explained, and I liked the fact that they have to use kids because if you travel too much in the Fold as an adult you go crazy apparently.

If you enjoy fast paced space adventures you will definitely love this one. I just love it when there is a group of kids who have to learn to work together to save the galaxy.