Review – Illuminae (The Illuminae File, Book 1) by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 608 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 20, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-0553499117
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Illuminae Files series
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars

“This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.

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

This is the first book in the Illuminae Files series and was an amazing read. This book was so interesting and intense. It’s a large book but it’s impossible to put it down. I stayed up way too late finishing this.

Kady and Ezra live on an illegal mining planet and one day during school the planet is invaded. Kady and Ezra just broke up but Kady decides to save Ezra anyway by picking him up in her truck and from there things get really crazy. They end up on two different spaceships with a hostile spaceship in pursuit, the AI running their warship seems a bit insane, and now people are getting sick.

I loved the creative way everything was put together and was very impressed with how cohesive and intense the story was. This is a very unique format to an intense story. There are typical sci-fi elements such as spaceship battles and an AI that is questionable in his defense of humanity. There are also other elements to the story with the spreading illness and Kady and Ezra’s relationship.

I barreled right though this novel and could not stop. It does get pretty gory and gruesome towards the end, so just be aware of that. It gets kind of freaky and I wanted to leave the lights on for a bit after I finished it!

Overall this was an amazing and intense read that I could not put down. The format is very creative, the story is intriguing, and it’s very intense. This is a series I just can’t wait to continue!