The Maze Runner ~ James Dashner

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.
 
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.
 Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.
 Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.
 Everything is going to change.
 Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.
 Remember. Survive. Run.

                                                                       Book Review

In my opinion, I found the majority of the book to be very slow paced. It took me a while to get into. It wasn't until a few chapters from the end of the novel, that I felt I was really into it, but even then it wasn't to the point that I couldn't put it down. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. I did find James Dashner's words to be effective though. I felt exactly what our protagonist, Thomas, felt. When he was confused, so was I. When he was angry or ready to act, so was I. I thoroughly appreciate that in a book. 

I haven't decided if I will continue with the series or not. If I do, it's because I really did love the last fw chapters and I do want to know what happens, but if the series continues with that slow pace, I don't really know if I want to continue. Let me know if I should or not. 

Illuminae ~ Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

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.
      Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Book Review:

Illuminae wasn't the best book that I have ever read, but it wasn't anywhere near the worst either. I enjoyed it quite a lot to be honest. It was hard to get into, but I think that may be because of the style of the book. It is told through case files, IMs, and other strange forms of text. I haven't read anything like it before, in the styling or in the plot. I found the two main characters to be quite compelling as individuals and as a couple. Kady is really smart and tech savvy (which I am not), she is also really determined and independent. Her strong-willed demeanor makes her the perfect female lead! I really loved it. Ezra seemed like before the invasion he didn't have any ambition to be more but after the invasion, he found his own passion, within conscription. 

The end of the book makes me want to know more about Ezra and the mother that he and his father have been running from. I hope that we do learn more in the next book, even though the next book, from what I understand, is told in the perspective of another set of characters from the same set of days. 

I do wish that the world/planet/whatever it is, was explained more thoroughly. It was kind of hard for me to envision. 

Pages: 599                                                                                                                                  Rate:3/5