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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
SPOILERS
gonna start my own united faith except its just me worshipping and philosophising about jay kristoff and the power of his writing y'know - please feel free to join, I need as much emotional support in this time as possible.
on the topic of Jay Kristoff, wowee an aurora burning review. At this point I'm not surprised about how much that ending rocked my world but it still hit me right in the big ol chest.
this book.
where
do
I
even
begin.
Too many times sequels are so fucking disappointing compared to the work of art the first book is, bu I'll be damned if I EVER slander or insult Jay and Amie (rule #1 of the united faith). Plus, there's literally nothing to complain about anyway (apart from that mind fuck of an ending). This book was everything I could possibly want in a science fiction, ya futuristic book. More space elves? hell yeah! More kal and auri romance (we were robbed of smut okay), some planet-sized plot twists! heck, even poetry (every. single. kal. chapter. did. stuff. to. my. ovaries).
I thought this was the perfect amount of bonding in the squad, sweet moments, oh-fuck-they're-about-to-be-shot-down moments. It was perfectly paced, the number of bombshells dropped were split out throughout the book, the characters were developed and fleshed out even more. Don't even get me started on the character development of Zila - you really had to cut my heart out again.
I am not feeling nothing pretty accurately sums up how I'm feeling wrote now, except my emotions involve a whole lot more blistering fiery pain in the chest.
as for Kal, I am electing not to comment on him as I- who am I KIDDING. WHAT THE FUCK WHT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK.
clears throat
WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK
(I told myself my reviews were going to change into eloquent critiquing remarks yet here we are)
side note:
this was me realising what Fin's note meant to Kal:
I can't wait another year for the next book. God I'm hoping we get some sense of normality back by this time next year, so I can march right down to the next book signing and ask jay and amie what the hell they were thinking when they wrote this. Kindly thank you, but no thank you.
also lets just pretend not to notice that the background of aurora rising is the colour of auri's mind and the background colour of aurora burning is Caersan's mind and Kal's set against it, just like
I couldn't recommend this series enough. I loved this even more than the illuminae files. Jay & Amie will forever be ICONS of ya sci-fi & character development. They really know how to make you fall in love with characters, getting you emotionally invested in plot lines just to chop up your heart several chapters later.
catch me minding my own business but then remembering the end of this book and collapsing to the floor for the foreseeable future.
5 stars, no question about it.
read #2
besties, I can't keep doing this
Just as good as the first read through, I am burning burning burning with my love for these characters. They're all so incredibly troubled and dysfunctional as individuals, but together they're slightly less dysfunctional. My heart was singing at their interactions, the banter, sweet moments, budding friendships and romances = aaah bliss. Seeing how far they've come from their first interactions in AR to THIS - god I'm so proud! And yes this made the last quarter of the book hurt so fucking bad.
I lovedseeing how each of the characters grew and changed with the new challenges they faced - how they came to value one another, how their identities, beliefs and thought processes were all challenged, reshaped, reformed. A special mention must go to Auri's character arc in this story. How she came into her power, letting herself be free of the guilt and anger she felt over her past, how this was weaved into interactions with her family, as they soothed her - it was art.
I loved that Kal and Auri were able to get those months by themselves together in the Eshvaren world, getting to know each other, care for one another, learn about each other (Auri teaching Kal to make Irish brown bread >>>>>). I was worried about their relationship going down the fated insta-love pathway, but this was such a beautiful and meaningful way to expand on their romance. Oh to go into my mind palace with my new lover, where we're able to learn about each other, support one another and grow - the sheer intimacy of this blew me away.
➡ Now, I must discuss Kal - sweet, sweet Kal.
Seeing what Kal faced in this book has me feeling kinda, sorta robbed. I should've known that those sweet moments where Kal opened up to his friends at the start of the book, and opened himself up to Auri, were too good to be true. From the beginning of Aurora Rising it tore me up that Kal's situation, to put it plainly, was so incredibly unfair. It seemed no matter what he did he would lose? Either he was a traitor to the unbroken and the Warbreed clan, a disgusting murderer in the eyes of all other Syldrathi, or an aloof Syldrathi who shouldn't be trusted in general in the eyes of everybody else, including the Aurora Legion. I don't blame him at all for hiding who he truly was and for not telling anybody - for him to truly get a fresh start away from his family, he honestly had to.
I do think that he should've told the squad earlier, instead of them hearing about it from a broadcast, however Scarlett did overreact. It struck me how quickly Tyler accepted it, hearing the news from Saedii, then moving on - yes feeling betrayal, but not letting it cloud his judgement. Scar, in her hot-headedness apparently felt so much anger and hatred, she was brutal. It hurt so much that at the core of it, Kal just wanted to be his own person, separate and away from all of the pain and suffering his people have caused - but he couldn't get that and he's still blamed for the actions of others. He did the most difficult thing, exposing the true him to those he cared about - the Kal that laughed deeply and smiled and joked with his friends - and trusting that they would see him and that they wouldn't turn him away. For Kal, a Warbreed syldrathi, to expose his feelings, desires, pain, fear, to others, would've been unimaginably hard. Which is why it hurt so much more, when his candor and honesty wasn't enough. Changing the subject before I ball my eyes out
Sweet Squad moments that made my little heart HURT:
• Fin drinking baris and inspecting Auri's chamomile, declaring it smells like flowers. Scarlett and Kal joining them to play a game of frennet. They learn that Kal has a deep, booming laugh you can feel in your chest, Scar cannot be bluffed and Fin's isn't as bad a people person as he thought.
• Kal's reoccurring teasing of "You're not much of a warrior, are you, Finnian?" and Fin always grumbles and never has a good comeback. The one time Kal said, "You look like a warrior to me Finnian", and Fin was so taken aback he couldn't come up with anything anyway.
• "She is a dream, alive and warm in my arms, and I burn with the feel of her, the smell of her, the taste of her. She is smoke and starlight, she is blood and fire, she is a song in my veins as old as time and deep as the Void, and as I feel her surge against me, the flutter-soft touch of her tongue against mine, she almost destroys me. Kiss. It is so small a word for so wondrous a thing. Need I say more?
• Zila's repetition of I am not feeling nothing. I am not feeling nothing. I love you and your big brain Zila.
• Auri stressed and worried, so Fin simply offers her a hug, and she fits perfectly under his chin. How he affectionately refers to her as stowaway - adorable!
• Scarlett sending out intercom announcements, waking everyone up with "Good morning, you incredibly good-looking people... I'll see you on the bridge when you've risen from sleep and made yourselves even more beautiful. If that's possible." I'm just saying, if Scar woke me up like this everyday, I would've single-handedly conquered at least the southern hemisphere by now.
• Auri teaching Kal how to cook stew and her mom's Irish brown bread, telling him stories of growing up on earth. How Kal is simply baffled that it's against the rules to use the stick to hit your opponents in field hockey.
If you need me, I'll be focusing entirely on these sweet moments, to make up for that shit-show of an ending and how it make me feel.
Of course, 5 stars.
gonna start my own united faith except its just me worshipping and philosophising about jay kristoff and the power of his writing y'know - please feel free to join, I need as much emotional support in this time as possible.
on the topic of Jay Kristoff, wowee an aurora burning review. At this point I'm not surprised about how much that ending rocked my world but it still hit me right in the big ol chest.
this book.
where
do
I
even
begin.
Too many times sequels are so fucking disappointing compared to the work of art the first book is, bu I'll be damned if I EVER slander or insult Jay and Amie (rule #1 of the united faith). Plus, there's literally nothing to complain about anyway (apart from that mind fuck of an ending). This book was everything I could possibly want in a science fiction, ya futuristic book. More space elves? hell yeah! More kal and auri romance (we were robbed of smut okay), some planet-sized plot twists! heck, even poetry (every. single. kal. chapter. did. stuff. to. my. ovaries).
I thought this was the perfect amount of bonding in the squad, sweet moments, oh-fuck-they're-about-to-be-shot-down moments. It was perfectly paced, the number of bombshells dropped were split out throughout the book, the characters were developed and fleshed out even more. Don't even get me started on the character development of Zila - you really had to cut my heart out again.
I am not feeling nothing pretty accurately sums up how I'm feeling wrote now, except my emotions involve a whole lot more blistering fiery pain in the chest.
as for Kal, I am electing not to comment on him as I- who am I KIDDING. WHAT THE FUCK WHT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK.
clears throat
WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK
(I told myself my reviews were going to change into eloquent critiquing remarks yet here we are)
side note:
this was me realising what Fin's note meant to Kal:
I can't wait another year for the next book. God I'm hoping we get some sense of normality back by this time next year, so I can march right down to the next book signing and ask jay and amie what the hell they were thinking when they wrote this. Kindly thank you, but no thank you.
also lets just pretend not to notice that the background of aurora rising is the colour of auri's mind and the background colour of aurora burning is Caersan's mind and Kal's set against it, just like
Spoiler
he was when he got burned to deathI couldn't recommend this series enough. I loved this even more than the illuminae files. Jay & Amie will forever be ICONS of ya sci-fi & character development. They really know how to make you fall in love with characters, getting you emotionally invested in plot lines just to chop up your heart several chapters later.
catch me minding my own business but then remembering the end of this book and collapsing to the floor for the foreseeable future.
5 stars, no question about it.
read #2
besties, I can't keep doing this
Just as good as the first read through, I am burning burning burning with my love for these characters. They're all so incredibly troubled and dysfunctional as individuals, but together they're slightly less dysfunctional. My heart was singing at their interactions, the banter, sweet moments, budding friendships and romances = aaah bliss. Seeing how far they've come from their first interactions in AR to THIS - god I'm so proud! And yes this made the last quarter of the book hurt so fucking bad.
I lovedseeing how each of the characters grew and changed with the new challenges they faced - how they came to value one another, how their identities, beliefs and thought processes were all challenged, reshaped, reformed. A special mention must go to Auri's character arc in this story. How she came into her power, letting herself be free of the guilt and anger she felt over her past, how this was weaved into interactions with her family, as they soothed her - it was art.
I loved that Kal and Auri were able to get those months by themselves together in the Eshvaren world, getting to know each other, care for one another, learn about each other (Auri teaching Kal to make Irish brown bread >>>>>). I was worried about their relationship going down the fated insta-love pathway, but this was such a beautiful and meaningful way to expand on their romance. Oh to go into my mind palace with my new lover, where we're able to learn about each other, support one another and grow - the sheer intimacy of this blew me away.
➡ Now, I must discuss Kal - sweet, sweet Kal.
Seeing what Kal faced in this book has me feeling kinda, sorta robbed. I should've known that those sweet moments where Kal opened up to his friends at the start of the book, and opened himself up to Auri, were too good to be true. From the beginning of Aurora Rising it tore me up that Kal's situation, to put it plainly, was so incredibly unfair. It seemed no matter what he did he would lose? Either he was a traitor to the unbroken and the Warbreed clan, a disgusting murderer in the eyes of all other Syldrathi, or an aloof Syldrathi who shouldn't be trusted in general in the eyes of everybody else, including the Aurora Legion. I don't blame him at all for hiding who he truly was and for not telling anybody - for him to truly get a fresh start away from his family, he honestly had to.
Spoiler
Everybody already resented or feared him, how could he expect to join the legion and do what was right, while claiming the starslayer as his father. Adding to this: I hate that when Scar found out, she blamed the entirety of their troubles on Kal, and that he was somehow responsible for the actions of all his people - fucking ridiculous.I do think that he should've told the squad earlier, instead of them hearing about it from a broadcast, however Scarlett did overreact. It struck me how quickly Tyler accepted it, hearing the news from Saedii, then moving on - yes feeling betrayal, but not letting it cloud his judgement. Scar, in her hot-headedness apparently felt so much anger and hatred, she was brutal. It hurt so much that at the core of it, Kal just wanted to be his own person, separate and away from all of the pain and suffering his people have caused - but he couldn't get that and he's still blamed for the actions of others. He did the most difficult thing, exposing the true him to those he cared about - the Kal that laughed deeply and smiled and joked with his friends - and trusting that they would see him and that they wouldn't turn him away. For Kal, a Warbreed syldrathi, to expose his feelings, desires, pain, fear, to others, would've been unimaginably hard. Which is why it hurt so much more, when his candor and honesty wasn't enough.
Sweet Squad moments that made my little heart HURT:
• Fin drinking baris and inspecting Auri's chamomile, declaring it smells like flowers. Scarlett and Kal joining them to play a game of frennet. They learn that Kal has a deep, booming laugh you can feel in your chest, Scar cannot be bluffed and Fin's isn't as bad a people person as he thought.
• Kal's reoccurring teasing of "You're not much of a warrior, are you, Finnian?" and Fin always grumbles and never has a good comeback. The one time Kal said, "You look like a warrior to me Finnian", and Fin was so taken aback he couldn't come up with anything anyway.
• "She is a dream, alive and warm in my arms, and I burn with the feel of her, the smell of her, the taste of her. She is smoke and starlight, she is blood and fire, she is a song in my veins as old as time and deep as the Void, and as I feel her surge against me, the flutter-soft touch of her tongue against mine, she almost destroys me. Kiss. It is so small a word for so wondrous a thing. Need I say more?
• Zila's repetition of I am not feeling nothing. I am not feeling nothing. I love you and your big brain Zila.
• Auri stressed and worried, so Fin simply offers her a hug, and she fits perfectly under his chin. How he affectionately refers to her as stowaway - adorable!
• Scarlett sending out intercom announcements, waking everyone up with "Good morning, you incredibly good-looking people... I'll see you on the bridge when you've risen from sleep and made yourselves even more beautiful. If that's possible." I'm just saying, if Scar woke me up like this everyday, I would've single-handedly conquered at least the southern hemisphere by now.
• Auri teaching Kal how to cook stew and her mom's Irish brown bread, telling him stories of growing up on earth. How Kal is simply baffled that it's against the rules to use the stick to hit your opponents in field hockey.
If you need me, I'll be focusing entirely on these sweet moments, to make up for that shit-show of an ending and how it make me feel.
Of course, 5 stars.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Love is a drop in the ocean of what I feel for her. Love is a single sun in a heaven full of stars.”
After this book, I don't think I'm on good terms with Squad 312 after they turned their back on Kal. By far, I liked the first book better, but this one still makes me feel strong emotions, and this part was one of them. I was so furious. I understand the anger and the feeling of betrayal they felt, but they never let him explain himself, they just kicked him off the ship! I'm not sure about Zila, because she kept quiet in the discussion, but she didn't defend Kal either... I don't know if all this fuss is because Kal is my favorite character in the series or if I would feel the same with any of the other characters.
“The fear. The hurt. The anger. Dis she only leave them behind? Or did she leave herself behind with them?
Finally, we have long chapters narrated by Zila! I am not feeling nothing. From the first book she was an enigmatic character, she was present but always on the sidelines of the situation, without getting personally involved with anyone, just doing her job. Why is she like this? Now we know much of her story, the way she saw her parents die while hiding in fear of being found, how her friend Miriam betrayed her to save herself… Living all this just as a child, it was cruel.
“Know your enemy’s heart if you wish to feast upon it.”
What comes next? I really hope and cross my fingers that Kal is alive, he has to be, right? But from the way the book ended it seems that everyone died except Aurora, or at least she had an idea to save the galaxy at the last second. For sure the third book has to include a trip back in time to be able to explain the gifts of the vault and how they saved the members of Squad 312 when they needed it. Now if you ask me, I don't think Admiral Adams is the one who put those things there, he may know of their existence, but I think it was Fin and that could be one of the reasons why he's the cover of the third book, for his great role in reversing everything that went wrong in this one. We'll see if my theory is right.
Favorite character: Kal
After this book, I don't think I'm on good terms with Squad 312 after they turned their back on Kal. By far, I liked the first book better, but this one still makes me feel strong emotions, and this part was one of them. I was so furious. I understand the anger and the feeling of betrayal they felt, but they never let him explain himself, they just kicked him off the ship! I'm not sure about Zila, because she kept quiet in the discussion, but she didn't defend Kal either... I don't know if all this fuss is because Kal is my favorite character in the series or if I would feel the same with any of the other characters.
“The fear. The hurt. The anger. Dis she only leave them behind? Or did she leave herself behind with them?
Finally, we have long chapters narrated by Zila! I am not feeling nothing. From the first book she was an enigmatic character, she was present but always on the sidelines of the situation, without getting personally involved with anyone, just doing her job. Why is she like this? Now we know much of her story, the way she saw her parents die while hiding in fear of being found, how her friend Miriam betrayed her to save herself… Living all this just as a child, it was cruel.
“Know your enemy’s heart if you wish to feast upon it.”
What comes next? I really hope and cross my fingers that Kal is alive, he has to be, right? But from the way the book ended it seems that everyone died except Aurora, or at least she had an idea to save the galaxy at the last second. For sure the third book has to include a trip back in time to be able to explain the gifts of the vault and how they saved the members of Squad 312 when they needed it. Now if you ask me, I don't think Admiral Adams is the one who put those things there, he may know of their existence, but I think it was Fin and that could be one of the reasons why he's the cover of the third book, for his great role in reversing everything that went wrong in this one. We'll see if my theory is right.
Favorite character: Kal
4.5 ⭐️ fun, epic, dramatic, a touch predictable but a good time
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"I do not feel nothing" - Zila
I love this so much! It's just so much fun and the audio just makes it that much better. The voice talent has just been so amazing and I cannot get enough!!
Squad 312 are back and not without some surprises on the horizon that threaten to split the group even further. While I love all the crew members, there was something a little samey about Tyler that could have been upped and he did exactly that in this outing. His enemies to lovers journey with another character was just so great and I really loved getting back to the silliness and teen angst that makes true YA so much fun!
I am still obsessed with Kal considering i listened to this and Shane West's voice is just phenomenal, but I loved the changes in his character arc that while werent a super surprise, really added a little oompf to his set up with Auri.
As ever, I love Scarlett and everything she stands for lol I need she, Finn and Zila to be protected at all costs. Speaking of Zila, I was very happy to have her get more chapters this outing but it still wasnt enough for me considering how much the others feature. I'd like to see more of her in book 3 which is currently downloading, right now....
I love this so much! It's just so much fun and the audio just makes it that much better. The voice talent has just been so amazing and I cannot get enough!!
Squad 312 are back and not without some surprises on the horizon that threaten to split the group even further. While I love all the crew members, there was something a little samey about Tyler that could have been upped and he did exactly that in this outing. His enemies to lovers journey with another character was just so great and I really loved getting back to the silliness and teen angst that makes true YA so much fun!
I am still obsessed with Kal considering i listened to this and Shane West's voice is just phenomenal, but I loved the changes in his character arc that while werent a super surprise, really added a little oompf to his set up with Auri.
As ever, I love Scarlett and everything she stands for lol I need she, Finn and Zila to be protected at all costs. Speaking of Zila, I was very happy to have her get more chapters this outing but it still wasnt enough for me considering how much the others feature. I'd like to see more of her in book 3 which is currently downloading, right now....
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Aurora Burning
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The story continues! And of course the cliffhanger at the end of this one means I’ll have to keep going through the next one! Luckily it was already available on @libby.app!
The same wonderfully crew is back for a multiple pov and full cast story! The audiobook on this was fun to hear all the voices and they did a great job with the sound effects. This one felt a little slower than the last one with a training period in the middle but overall a good continuation for the next book.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Rating: A+++++++
Frankenstein will forever be my favorite book...but this comes darn close.
Frankenstein will forever be my favorite book...but this comes darn close.