I really enjoyed this YA sci-fi book. Both authors do a great job of making these books feel authentically sci-fi without overwhelming the reader. Did feel a bit of a copy of Illuminae, but I love the alternating POV for each chapter.

Aurora Rising is a high stakes space adventure. I haven't read their previous work, but now I'm going to blast away to my TBR pile and do so. The story immerses us in mystery, danger, and tension. I will always be a sucker for groups of misfit heroes and Aurora Rising is exactly that. Talk about characters with rough edges coming together to smooth each other out, to work in harmony. And I already need to read the next one!

Dynamic writing duo Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff are back with another thrilling space opera with Aurora Rising, the first book in their new Aurora Cycle trilogy. This futuristic sci-fi tale is a wild journey through the galaxy with a group of lovable misfits, unwittingly thrown into a dangerous mission that reveals a centuries long kept secret with dire implications for humans and aliens alike. Kaufman and Kristoff deliver a solid first installment to the Aurora Cycle.

Tyler Jones is the top graduate of Aurora Academy, an interstellar military institution. He’s ready to form his squad and begin service to the Aurora Legion, a neutral organization intent on keeping peace throughout the galaxy. Everything Tyler has worked so hard for is jeopardized when an off-duty training session the night before the Draft turns into an impromptu rescue mission for a girl in cryo-sleep trapped in a decrepit spaceship. Having missed his chance to recruit the squad of his dreams, Tyler is left to lead a group of misfits, outcasts, and discipline cases. As Tyler and Squad 312 embark on their first mission, they must learn to come together as a team to face the mounting threat facing the galaxy.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Squad 312 may be the losers of Aurora Academy, but they are most definitely the stars of this book. There is the goldenboy leader (Tyler), sassy diplomat (Scarlett), hotshot pilot (Cat), quirky scientist (Zila), genius tech expert (Finian), and of course a badass alien warrior (Kal). Rounding out the squad is Aurora, the girl two centuries past her time. Each character has a distinct personality and are very likable. Despite their differences, Squad 312 complements one another extremely well and bring out the heroes in each other.

• I live for the banter Kaufman and Kristoff write for their characters. It’s funny, clever, and just plain old entertaining to read about characters going back and forth with each other in life or death situations.

• There is a cool omniscient narrator in between chapters that reminded me of a certain character in The Illumine Files. This narrator was a clever way to add context to world-building for readers.

• The plot moves quickly and there was plenty to hold my interest from the introductions of various alien species, a particularly exciting heist, and a couple of daring escapes on land and in space.

LOWLIGHTS

• I was expecting Aurora Rising to be told from two points of view: Tyler and Aurora. So, imagine my surprise when I learn that each of the seven characters gets at least one point of view chapter. These chapters are not evenly distributed, and I would have liked more time in the heads of certain characters.

• I’m disappointed that I’m not a fan of the romantic storyline in this novel. There are two potential couples that emerge from the story, but I didn’t connect with either one of them. I felt like there wasn’t enough build-up for these couples, nor did I see/feel the chemistry between them. I’m hoping I’ll have a change of heart in the sequel.

Final thoughts: Filled with Kaufman and Kristoff’s trademark wit, high-stakes plot, and fast paced action, Aurora Rising is sure to be another hit with young adult sci-fi readers.

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

This book review will be posted on our site on May 11th, 2019 and shared on our social media on May 14, 2019.

If you’ve read The Illuminae Files you’ll know that when Jay and Amie get together the reaction is explosive and exciting. And Aurora Rising was no exception. From the very first page I was completely sucked in. I’m chuckling right now cuz I just read the synopsis and it describes these characters to a T.

I mean, who wouldn’t want to read a book with characters like that?! They were all so different but they learned to work together. Misfits finding a family with each other. You will love them.

Even the dedication started it off the right way.

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

You just knew this book would be amazing. And while it has to do with space, it has nothing to do with The Illuminae Files. Jay and Amie just have this space thing down and this is why we love them.

If I was watching this on the big screen, I would’ve been at the edge of my seat, but since I was in bed reading, the best I could do was sit up straighter. 🙂 This book was so much fun! Excitement, antics and emotion. The trifecta if ever I heard of one. Amie and Jay knocked this one out of the park! Can I just say that this book will be SO MUCH FUN in audio‽‽ Seriously. I’m glad I have it preordered. The kiddos loved listening to The Illuminae Files and I know they’ll love this as well. Be sure you have this preordered so you can start reading or listening right away. You don’t wanna hear spoilers!

I cannot wait till the next one!!

This is Star Trek meets Guardians of the Galaxy, but with a misfit cast of characters that feel so fresh and unique. I absolutely loved this fun new addition to the world of YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy and can’t wait to recommend it to everyone.

I have to be honest, as an adult reader I didn't love this book. If someone asked me my personal opinion about it, I would respond "it's okay".

But guys.

Teen readers are going to LOVE this book. There are multiple romantic pairings, humanoid aliens, hawt space elves who mate for life, and action all over the place. The Sarah J Maas crowd is going to love this one. I'm looking forward to recommending this book to several teens at my library and that gorgeous cover art is going to be an easy sell.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Aurora Rising delivers an exhilarating journey into the depths of the universe with a multiple POV story that will be perfect for fans of Illuminae.

The book follows the path of squad 312 as they are first brought together. The characters each have a distinct personality that shines through each scene, even if they aren’t one of the primary POV. There’s someone for everyone in this group, whether you like by-the-book perfectionists or fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants wild cards. Some characters are exactly who they appear to be while others have a multitude of layers.

The plot is the most difficult part to review without spoiling, but I’ll attempt nonetheless. I’m the kind of person who goes into books as blind as you can be, forgoing even reading descriptions. If you’re reading this, you are not. So, you won’t be quite as surprised by the plot as I was, but I will tell you that there is still plenty that this book offers to surprise you. It is a shifting beast that is beautiful and terrifying. There was one minor plot point that I did not enjoy because I do not enjoy when readers are intentionally misled if it does not serve the plot and in this instance, I felt it did not. Do not fear, there are enough plot points that you will not know which one I am referring to until it is revealed. Despite that one issue, the overall path that the plot takes is exciting, enjoyable, and unpredictable. Are there some moments where you can guess what is going to happen next? Of course. Just take a moment to imagine the horror of a story that is completely unpredictable. The plot would feel entirely random. But in Aurora Rising these moments are blended where you feel both the comfort of knowing what will happen and the shock of surprise in equal measure.

Aurora Rising has a vibrant and full setting. Each area is described beautifully and leaves the reader wishing more places would be explored. The word-building is astounding with each planet having their own quirks that makes them unique, even the planets that are never explored, only mentioned.

These characters, plot points, and planets are described in the beautiful language that Amie Kauffman and Jay Kristoff are known for. For those unfamiliar with their work, they meld together words of their own creation and recognized words with finesse. They create strong visual imagery that leaves you knowing exactly what they envisioned. If you're familiar with Jay’s Nevernight novel, Aurora Rising opens with a similar style of writing though, in my opinion, not nearly as beautifully. Flashbacks of the recent past are shown with the last sentence of the scene being mirrored in the opening of the next. This style doesn’t continue throughout the entire book so if you’re not a fan of this style of writing, fear not, it is only the opening sequence.

Overall, this is a captivating book that any sci-fi fan would enjoy, in particular those who are fans of the authors’ other series, The Illuminae Files, as Aurora Rising has a similar vibe, though it is not an epistolary novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, plot, setting, and writing style of the book and I feel most readers will as well. The characters are complex, the plot is riveting, the worlds are diverse, and the writing style is stunning. I hope you feel as at home with the squad as I did!

This book brought back so much vibe from The Illuminae Files. I suspect that Jay & Amie fans will love this book as the writing style is very similar. Though the underlying plot was similar (they know something, we must kill them) the story as a whole was fun and unique. I loved the different class systems and the world building that stems out of this world. There is an entire culture, history, and religion that is coming into play in the book that seems bigger than just a group of misfits banding together for the greater good. With non stop action, the book was un-put-downable and kept me entertained from start to finish.

Obviously, with the huge (and "huge" probably isn't a strong enough word, let's be real) success of the Illuminae Files series , Jay & Aime's next book was destined to be at the top of everyone and their mom's reading lists. And look, I was cautiously optimistic? Optimistic enough to give it a try, clearly, cautious because Obsidio... well it was not my fave .

So, I am pleased to report that I definitely enjoyed Aurora Rising!! Let us talk about why:

•The characters are incredible. I daresay I like them more than those of Illuminae. I felt a much stronger connection to them, and just plain cared more about them. I loved that they were (begrudgingly so, at first) such a cohesive team. Even when they didn't really want to be, they were loyal to the core. And they were all such different and unique personalities that it was pretty easy to differentiate, even with so many points of view.

•Fine, so it low key reminded me of The 100. I'm not sorry, you know that will always be a plus for me. Especially Aurora, for reasons I won't explain (and not because of spoilers for this book, but spoilers for The 100 hah).

•Space adventure! Obviously if you're picking this up, you're absolutely here for space adventure. And yes, it delivers. There is a ton of action and shenanigans.

•It read super fast. I was shocked when I found out it was almost 500 pages! You'd seriously never guess, it didn't bore me, or drag, or lag. Good stuff.

Truly, the only thing that I have reservations about is the same thing that irked me about Obsidio- it felt kind of safe? I mean, maybe that is because of my aforementioned Obsidio bias, but I guess I just didn't feel a huge sense of doom, even given the dire situations the gang found themselves in. Regardless, it was worth it.

Bottom Line: Such an enjoyable and entertaining sci-fi adventure, complete with characters that I laughed with, and felt sympathy for.

Fan of The Expanse and missing it during this seemingly never-ending hiatus? Like YA books? You might want to pick up Aurora Rising, the first book in The Aurora Cycle by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. There are a lot of similarities aside from the fact that they’re both set in space.

Unable to sleep the night before the draft that will decide his crew, top recruit Tyler Jones goes out to explore and ends up in a daring rescue mission after he discovers a cryo-pod in an abandoned ship in Aurora Rising. His heroics almost cost him his life and force him to miss the draft, meaning that he ends up with the leftovers – the people no one else wanted. Our plucky band of misfits soon find themselves embroiled in a centuries-old conspiracy centered around the young occupant of the cryo-pod Tyler found.

Honestly, The Expanse comparison didn’t hit me until I sat down to type this review, but it’s apt. A ragtag space crew whose lives are in danger because of their captain’s bone-headed hero complex who end up fighting for their lives against an odd alien species that completely obliterates anything it comes into contact with and is such a contagion that infected areas are essentially removed from history. In retrospect, I feel a bit ridiculous for not spotting the similarities sooner.

There are also obvious comparisons between this and Kristoff and Kaufman’s last team-up, Illuminae.

The heart and soul of any book are its characters, and Aurora Rising is no exception. Squad 312 are misfits, but they’re misfits for a reason, and that reason basically boils down to they ain’t got time for this crap. Two of the squad members are aliens who have to deal with the prejudice that comes with that, while other squad members are “rejects” because they just don’t know how to people the way command wants them to. There are issues at first, but everyone learns to work together, and they may not be sitting around a campfire singing “Kumbaya” anytime soon, but there are some solid team dynamics by the time we get to the cliffhanger at the end.

That said, each character gets at least one POV chapter, which gets a bit jarring and means that some of the characters lack depth. Tyler and Aurora are the most fleshed out, which makes sense since we spend the most time in their heads and they are the most likely “main” characters. The additional perspective is welcome in certain circumstances, though, so I’ll allow it – especially with regards to Finian and Kal, the two aliens in the crew. It’s extremely interesting learning about their cultures and family dynamics, and I hope that’s something that is explored further in future books. Good diversity among the squad, so extra points for that.

Overall, the plot is well developed and has a good pace. Aurora Rising hits the ground running and never really stops to take a breath. It’s not terribly original, but let’s face it, it doesn’t have to be. It just needs to be entertaining, and it is. I also think it manages to avoid a lot of problematic tropes (or if it has them, you’re meant to think they’re ridiculous) while remaining nuanced and mysterious. There is definite tension in multiple parts, and without spoiling too much, this is a book where you’d be right to be concerned for their safety.

I can’t wait to see where this story goes.

Aurora Rising is an exciting first book in a new series by Kaufman and Kristoff. There is a rag tag team who become unlikely allies when they are faced with a mysterious and impossible situation. True to form, this is a snarky, action packed adventured filled with great details, imagination and fantastic characters. I cannot wait for another book!

5/5 Stars

..but really all the stars in the galaxy! I loved this new squad so much that I think they're my new sci-fi obsession!

Pacing
This was one of those stories that I couldn't put down even with risk of losing my job the next morning, because no amount of coffee in the known universe was going to wake my tired self up! But I. Could. Not. Stop. Reading! I had to know what was going to happen and it was such a easy, fast read.

Characters
All the characters had unique, individual personalities so even though there were multiple POVs I never felt confused. Aurora was easily a favorite main character, because she felt a little lost among the living with everything going on in her life and I gravitated towards that feeling. Tyler was the sarcastic, hot-shot, handsome squad leader that tried to do what was best for the whole team. Cat was the angsty pilot who always came off a bit strong. Scarlett was the beauty with brains and sass. She was always talking sass with Cat. Finian was the gearhead and source of dry sarcasm, pointing out the obvious and usually went off on a comedic tangent in most of the conversations. Naturally, he was my absolute favorite. Kal was the squad's strategist, muslce, and resident space elf. I'm hoping more of his personality jumps out at us in the next book. Zila was the sociopathic scientist/medical officer that shot first and asked questions later. Her short chapters made me laugh out loud and I hope to read more background about her character in the rest of the series!

Overall
In short, this book was everything I wanted it to be and bits I couldn't have imagined. If you love the sci-fi genre, I can't recommend it enough! It was absolutely a blast to read with fully developed characters, an amazingly built world, and the sarcasm filled crazy space situations that we all love. I can't wait to see where the story takes the squad next!

Highly recommend if you love:
• Sci-fi crews filled with universally diverse characters, sarcasm and wit
• Space adventures and shenanigans
• Multiple POV
• The idea of Hot. Space. Elves.
• Sassy and overly informative A.I. characters
• Stories that make you laugh and make you feel
• A bit of mystery that you figure out along with the crew
• Some creepy/thriller bits because space is not all fluffy, cute clouds!

I feel ridiculously lucky to be granted an advanced NetGalley copy. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Random House Children's for allowing me the opportunity to read this amazing digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. I cannot wait to read everything these two authors write in the future!

***Audiobook review - I've also listened to the audiobook and I can say it's equal to the Illuminae Files in character, sarcasm, and feeling. Just like that series, this audiobook also includes a full cast packed with action.

I went into Aurora Rising with sky-high expectations after The Illuminae Files (and all of their other amazing books). And yet this book still somehow still exceeded them. So here are my top five reasons to read Aurora Rising!

1) It blends science fiction and magic in a brilliant way and the world-building is FANTASTIC.
2) #SquadGoals I just adored every member of the squad and how they came together. It was such a joy to watch! Plus all of the characters were so well-developed.
3) Excellent pacing. This book just flew by and it was a struggle to put it down.
4) The humor! I love when a book can make me laugh and then make me tear up a few pages later.
5) Just read this book, I promise you won’t regret it. (But if you need a real fifth reason, there’s a sassy AI and some truly excellent world-building notes in between chapters. Which include a princess bride reference)

In case you couldn’t guess, Aurora Rising gets a full five stars from me!

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you to the publisher and author for this ARC through NetGalley

I have no words to express how much I loved this book. I LOVED IT!!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book just as I knew I would. When I received this review copy from Netgalley I was over the moon excited to read it. The atmosphere in this one will keep you on your toes just as well as the Illuminae files. As always the plot was well written and had you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I can’t believe I basically read the whole book in one sitting! I will buy this for anyone and everyone I am physically able to if they can’t get their hands on it!

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!

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.