Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders (Unstoppable book 1)

 

“Outsmart Your Enemies. Outrun the Galaxy.

Tina never worries about being ‘ordinary’—she doesn’t have to, since she’s known practically forever that she’s not just Tina Mains, average teenager and beloved daughter. She’s also the keeper of an interplanetary rescue beacon, and one day soon, it’s going to activate, and then her dreams of saving all the worlds and adventuring among the stars will finally be possible. Tina’s legacy, after all, is intergalactic—she is the hidden clone of a famed alien hero, left on Earth disguised as a human to give the universe another chance to defeat a terrible evil.

But when the beacon activates, it turns out that Tina’s destiny isn’t quite what she expected. Things are far more dangerous than she ever assumed. Luckily, Tina is surrounded by a crew she can trust, and her best friend Rachael, and she is still determined to save all the worlds. But first she’ll have to save herself.” - taken from Goodreads.

The story continues with book two, Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak.

Visit Charlie Jane Anders’ website.

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (Aurora Cycle book 1)

“The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm

A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates

A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder

An alien warrior with anger management issues

A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

They're not the heroes we deserve. They're just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I loved these authors’ previous collaborations, The Illuminae Files, I so much that I couldn’t wait to dive right into their new series. Written in prose form, this story is told from seven different points of view. That sounds completely confusing but it’s not. Jay Kristoff describes this book as a cross between The Breakfast Club and Guardians of the Galaxy and he hit the nail on the head. Realized the shocking twist literally paragraphs just before it was revealed and that cliffhanger ending is seriously leaving me dying to get my hands on the next book. Once again, Kaufman and Kristoff have left me wanting to read more space opera books.

Book two is not yet titled.

Visit Amie Kaufman’s website.

Visit Jay Kristoff’s website.

The Replaced by Kimberly Derting (The Taking book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Taking, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the series for you.

“How do you move forward after someone steals your past?”

It has been seventeen days since Kyra Agnew watched her boyfriend Tyler Wahl, her father and Agent Truman be abducted by the same aliens who took her five years earlier. The experiments/modifications they conducted on Kyra and the other Returned leaves their blood poisonous to humans. The only reason she and the others took Tyler to the Devil’s Hole to be abducted was a last ditch effort to save his life after he was accidentally exposed to Kyra’s blood. Her hope is that the aliens can cure him and be able to find him before the NSA’s Daylighter Division does.

While searching through a classified email that Jett intercepted from the NSA, they are discovered and locked out. Before that happens a popup containing only the word “supernova” is seen. Kyra is positive that it was from her father, a nickname he gave her. Simon and Jett try to convince her that it might be a trap, looking for the Returned. She takes in their looks of pity but is undeterred. The email from the NSA leads the to believe that the NSA might be holding Tyler at their Tacoma facility. Simon thinks that they should check it out even though it is the type of place the Returned should avoid. Kyra knows that Simon has his own reasons for going. She believes that the email is about Tyler because it was signed by Agent Truman, the same agent who disappeared the same night as Tyler and her father. Kyra is haunted by all that she has done and the unanswered questions. Jett knows that the Returned always come back after forty-eight hours. Kyra is the only known exception.

Simon, Jett and Kyra pack the SUV with supplies for their mission to rescue Tyler. Willow is tagging along but doesn’t think that the trip is a good idea. Things really take a weird turn when Natty decides to join them. The group is shocked even more when she and Thom share a tender goodbye. Things really get tense when Thom becomes the sixth man for the mission. He and Simon are able to put aside their differences during the trip. Throughout the drive, Kyra cannot help but wonder what Agent Truman might have in store for her.

Arriving at the Tacoma facility, they divide into two teams. Kyra isn’t happy that she isn’t initially on the team who will rescue Tyler. Plans are changed and Kyra will now be with Simon and Willow. She is floored to find out the plan for Jett’s team was to cause an explosion to draw attention away from their entrance. They make it to the enormous lab and find nothing. Willow goes off to search elsewhere, leaving Kyra and Simon in the main lab. Suddenly, the alarms stop blaring and the lights come back on. Hearing rushing footsteps, the two don’t know which way to run. Thanks to Kyra’s quick thinking and Simon’s steady hands, the two skip into a vent. Simon promises to take care of Kyra. Her worst fears come true when Agent Truman makes his presence known. He sends his best men out in hazmat suits to capture the dangerous teens. Looking behind them, Kyra sees a staircase leading down. They run through the maze of duct work until one of Truman’s agent grabs a hold of her wrist. He looks at her and says “It’s you!” Simon outs off some sort of knockout drug while Kyra holds her breath. The two are able to escape with Willow’s help.

Outside the building looking for the others, the three into Agent Truman again. He isn’t dressed in a hazmat suit like the others and is holding a gun. The trio is stunned when he pulls the trigger and shoots Simon. Willow goes to charge him and he shoots her as well.. Kyra cannot believe neither had blood spilled. Taking awhile to heal themselves, Several of Truman’s soldiers rush forward. They shoot a net at them, trapping Willow. Simon and Kyra run, leaving Willow behind, and meet up with the others.

Are Kyra and the others able to rescue Willow? Why wasn’t Agent Truman protected against Kyra’s blood? What has happened to Tyler? Will Kyra be able to find him? Was the popup message really from her father? Does Kyra’s heart completely belong to Tyler or is Simon worming his way? What is so special about Kyra that Agent Truman will stop at nothing to get her?

This trilogy will be completed in 2016.

Visit Kimberly’s Derting’s website.

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux book 5)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the first four books in the series; Obsidian, Onyx, Opal and Origin, Stop. I don't want to ruin the ending of the series for you.

"They'll need each other to survive..."

It turns out that Daedalus was right, the Luxen have come to Earth with the intent to take over. Katy is in a cabin in Idaho with Beth and two Origins; Archer and Luc, wondering why Daemon and his family left to join the newly arrived Luxen. She has no idea when or if he is coming back. So far, the Luxen have been silent since their arrival. When she is the last to discover that Dawson's girlfriend Beth is pregnant, Katy and Archer head to town to a supermarket for some supplies. While there, the unexpected happens. Super strong Luxen arrive who are able to take over human bodies. Trying to save a frightened child, Katy knowingly draws the Luxen's attention. Archer isn't happy and these new Luxen don't know what to think of a hybrid and an Origin. Battling their way out, they notice that the store and outside look as if the zombie apocalypse without the zombies has arrived. Before they can get out of the store, Katy feels a pull and Archer is unable to stop her. Thinking that she has found Daemon, Katy is blown away when it is Dawson instead. Then, Katy's world goes dark.

Dawson has taken Katy back to the mayor's house where the Luxen have set up base. The Luxen is charge has assimilated into the mayor's body and goes by his name, Rolland. The Luxen who invaded seem to know a lot about Earth but they had no idea about the hybrids or Origins. Dee is more than happy to inform Rolland all about Katy including the fact that her and Daemon's lives are not intertwined. Rolland is counting on families like the Blacks to help them out. Rolland leaves and Daemon asks Dee about Katy. Supposedly she is alone and still unconscious two days later. He wants to know why she didn't tell Rolland about Beth. Dee says that Beth is weaker than Katy and is probably long gone. That secret needs to buried for now. Daemon makes his way to the room where Katy is and becomes furious to find that she is not alone. After a confrontation, the other Luxen leaves and Daemon is devastated over Katy's condition. Haphazardly laying on the bed, Daemon is moved to help her. Touching her brings him to his knees and he begins to heal her. He stops before he is completely done, knowing that she will soon wake up and leaves.

Katy wakes up to Dee in the room. Having last seen her two days earlier, Katy cannot believe the change in his attitude. Dee states that they have seen the error of their ways since the others have arrived. She is to bring Katy downstairs when she wakes up. Walking into an office, Katy sees Rolland, a couple of other Luxen and Daemon, who won't look at her. Walking towards him, it isn't until she is directly in front of him that he looks at her. Daemon places his hands on her shoulders and moves her away from him. Rolland asks Katy if she expecting a more personal greeting. With her mind warning her, Katy says that she doesn't know what to think. Sadi, beautiful red head, says that she isn't impressed with her and trails a hand down Daemon's chest. Katy becomes unglued. Another Luxen, Quincy, goes to touch Katy and she reacts to defend herself. Rolland asks Daemon to restrain her and he does. Katy is shocked and hurt but even more so when Quincy lays a hand on her chest like she saw happen at the supermarket. The room is surprised when Quincy says that he cannot assimilate with her like other humans. Rolland wants to know what else is different about Katy and the other hybrids. Daemon tells him several things but both he and Dee lie through omission. Neither mentions that Katy and Daemon can communicate like other Luxen when he is in his true form. Katy wonders what is really going on when Daemon and Quincey get into a fight.

Why are Daemon and Dee acting aloof towards Katy? What is the real reason the Luxen have invaded Earth? Who is their leader? What will happen to Beth, Lux and Archer? Will Daedalus be able to stop the Luxen or will it be someone else? Will Katy ever see her mother again? Can life ever return to some normalcy for Katy? And will Daemon be a part of her life?

This thrilling conclusion to the Lux series ties up all of the loose ends.

Visit Jennifer L. Armentrout’s website.