I received this Finished Copy from Publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: Finished Copy from Publisher
Ahhhhhh! I love, love, love The Illuminae Files. (Illuminae Review – Gemina Review – Author Interview) Obsidio was one of my very top most anticipated releases of the year. I kind of freaked out when I found out I was on the tour. Today I’m gushing about the book **ahem** sharing my review and a giveaway! Here’s more about the book…
About the Book:
Title: OBSIDIO (The Illuminae Files Book 3)
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Pub. Date: March 13, 2018
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 608
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, audiobook
Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they’ll find seven months after the invasion?
Meanwhile, Kady’s cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza’s ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha’s past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict.
With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heros will fall, and hearts will be broken.
Find it: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD, Audible, Goodreads
My Thoughts:
Oh. My. Stars. I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK WITHOUT FREAKING OUT! I feel like I waited so long for it and had all these expectations and then it went and shot them all to hell by being even more amazing than I anticipated. I did not think that was possible, but it’s totally true. (It was so amazing it has me talking in run-on sentences.)
This is the third and final book in a series. I really can’t talk too much about specifics without risking being all spoilery. I am not all about that. But I still have lots to say about Obsidio and my adoration for it.
*Holy crap. I thought I was going to have a heart attack while reading every single time I picked it up. It wasn’t necessarily that every scene was life or death action (but I mean, by default they kind of are?) Illuminae and Gemina just had me wound so tight and so anxious to know what would happen. They also had me conditioned to believe that everything was a trap and/or not at all what it seemed. I don’t think I relaxed once while reading. My heart was honest to goodness racing throughout the book. I kept having to put it down and then walk around to calm down. Sometimes I was reading while at work and my students were laughing at me because I just could not handle it (especially at the end!) And I mean all of this in the best possible way. I was so freaking invested in the characters and finding out how it all ended.
*I loved the way Obsidio brought the characters from Illuminae and Gemina together. (We won’t talk about those who didn’t survive books one and two!) Not only did we get more time with the characters we know and love, we get to meet a whole new crew. I love it when this happens in a series. What I especially loved was how crazy well it was done here. I cannot even imagine the amount of planning it took to get all three books to work together so seamlessly.
*If you’ve read the first books you know Amie and Jay are tops at twists, turns, and reveals. Obsidio is no exception. I loved seeing parts from the first two books come together to form a more complete picture for the reader. We learn so much. There were times when I was so blown away that I closed the book because, as I’ve mentioned, I could not handle it. It was so freaking awesome.
*I cried. More than once. The action is nonstop and Amie and Jay are incredible at keeping the story moving. But they also give the story such incredible depth and heart. There were so many times when my heart would be racing along with the story and then come to a screeching stop. All because of one little detail or line that would remind me of the humanity of the story. It’s not a spoiler to say that every character has lost someone they know and care about. That could easily get lost in the action. The tiny moments that remind the reader of all that has been lost and all that is at stake are simply incredible.
*AIDAN. I just felt like he (it?) deserved his (its?) own mention. Oh man. This thing just takes the whole story to a new level (… of effed up AND of awesome!)
Basically, I could not be more thrilled with this book and how it wraps up The Illuminae Files. For me, there wasn’t a single thing that felt off or like it didn’t ring true to the story. I will be thinking about this one and the series for a long time. Honestly? I think I need to re-read them all ASAP! (Probably on audiobook because those are amazing!)
About the Authors:
Amie Kaufman is the New York Times bestselling co-author of These Broken Stars and This Shattered World, and Illuminae, the first in a new series starting in 2015. She writes science fiction and fantasy for teens, and her favourite procrastination techniques involve chocolate, baking, sailing, excellent books and TV, plotting and executing overseas travel, and napping.
She lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband, their rescue dog, and her considerable library. She is represented by Tracey Adams of Adams Literary.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
Jay Kristoff is the award-winning author of THE LOTUS WAR trilogy, a Japanese-inspired steampunk fantasy. Part 3, ENDSINGER, is out now. He’s also co-author of the upcoming ILLUMINAE (with Amie Kaufman), a YA Sci-Fi… thing, to be released by Knopf/Random House in 2015, and NEVERNIGHT, the first part of a new fantasy trilogy kicking off in 2016.
Jay is 6’7 and has approximately 13380 days to live. He abides in Melbourne with his secret agent kung-fu assassin wife, and the world’s laziest Jack Russell.
He does not believe in happy endings.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
Giveaway:
3 winners will receive a finished copy of OBSIDIO, US Only.
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
3/1/2018- Two Chicks on Books– Review
3/2/2018- YA Bibliophile– Review
Week Two:
3/5/2018- Mary Had a Little Book Blog– Review
3/6/2018- BookHounds YA– Review
3/7/2018- Novel Novice– Review
3/8/2018- Adventures of a Book Junkie– Review
3/9/2018- Feed Your Fiction Addiction– Review
Week Three:
3/12/2018- Fiction Fare– Review
3/13/2018- The Young Folks– Review
3/14/2018- A Dream Within A Dream– Review
3/15/2018- The Book Nut– Review
3/16/2018- Tales of the Ravenous Reader– Review
Week Four:
3/19/2018- StuckInBooks– Review
3/20/2018- PaperTrailYA– Review
3/21/2018- Nerdophiles– Review
3/22/2018- Owl Always Be Reading– Review
3/23/2018- YA Books Central– Excerpt
Week Five:
3/26/2018- The Eater of Books!– Review
3/27/2018- Page Turners Blog– Review
3/28/2018- Book Briefs– Review
3/29/2018- Emily Reads Everything– Review
3/30/2018- Mundie Moms– Review
US Tour Info:
I am so excited that I get to see Amie and Jay at the Anderson’s Bookshop stop on March 16th! If they have a stop near you I highly recommend going! You can also contact may of the stores (especially the indies!) prior to the event to order a signed copy shipped to you.
Susan Light
I cannot wait to read this last book! One of my favorite series.