Gemina (The Illuminae Files Series #2)

It is .... I am speechless.

Amazing so enthralling oh my God this book is everything need way more of everything about this!

I really need to not read these Illuminae Files at bed time, because I keep reaching for the dang book! ("Just a few more pages. I can get by on only **insert dwindling number of hours** sleep.")

This series is one of the best book series I’ve ever read. It has everything: mystery, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, romance. At the same time, it all makes sense. It’s like real life, with a little bit of everything. It took me a while to get back into the story because it has been a while since I read the first book. It threw me off when I learned that this story follows different characters from the first one. I was disappointed when I found out. But I fell in love with these characters pretty quickly. It’s amazing how much emotion can be put into these characters who only speak through texts for the most part of this story. At one point the two stories from the first and second books collide and I was so excited when it happened! The ending was also amazing and had my heart pounding. One thing I figured out by the end is that nothing is what it seems… I loved this book! I can’t wait to read the next book, but I don’t want the series to be over!

Illuminae is one of my favorite books of the year, so it's no surprise to me that I loved Gemina as well. I must admit that I did like Illuminae a bit better. Gemina did hold it's own as a sequel and put up a great fight for first place. The action, writing, and emotional experience all packed within the covers of these pages is absolutely phenomenal. This was a book that I didn't want to go into too it with too much knowledge so I didn't read the synopsis and stayed away from the reviews on BookTube. I read this book much like I read the first one by listening to the story and following along in the physical books. The audiobook has a full cast of characters that I personally feel brings the story to life. If I tried to read this book without the audio file I think the book would fall flat and I'd lose interest in it. At least that's how I would be. I was expecting the same cast of characters and was coming taken by surprise when I learned there were new MCs in this book. Although, I do love how the authors wove the stories together from Illuminae and Gemina. It was outstanding and very well done. The imagination and thought that must have gone into the writing of this book is something I can barely wrap my head around. I would love to be able to see how they actually wrote these books and the process behind them. Gemina has a great plot that left me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well rounded and developed a lot throughout the book. The way the characters changed along with the plot throughout the book was very well done. This is most definitely a characters driven story. I am looking forward to reading Obsidio. I have my physical copy read just waiting for my turn to get the audiobook from the library. Definitely give this one a shot I don't see how anyone could be disappointed.

In some series, the second book experiences the dreaded sophomore slump. This is not one of those cases. As much as I dearly loved Illuminae, I fell even more in love with Gemina upon my reread. As a result, I had to bump Illuminae down to a 4.5 and this held the coveted 5-star spot. We are introduced to two new protagonists in Nick and Hanna. I enjoyed their rapport in this book immensely and they immediately became my favorite characters in the series, so far. Hanna could have been the typical spoiled rich girl without a brain cell in her head, but she was well fleshed out and developed. Since her father was the head of the ship where they lived, he had that strategic military background that is so important. He made sure that his daughter was just as educated and trained as he was. That made her a force to be reckoned with and I love that she was not a weak, damsel in distress. Nick also could have been the prototypical bad boy who walks on the side of danger and seduces the pretty rich girl, but just like Hanna, he was given so much more depth. I love how real the authors me the characters feel. They had layers and they were dynamic, so you were completely engaged in the story. I can’t explain why I love Nick so much without spoiling aspects of the story because he really develops throughout the book. I will just say that you need to read the series and then we can talk about it. The audiobook continues an absolutely spectacular fashion. It has definitely solidified itself as my favorite audiobook. Each character is narrated by a different person who breathes life into the characters and allows them to stand out in their unique ways. The sound effects just bring the audiobook up another level and completely immerse the reader. The book with take you on an emotional ride. I was incredibly engaged the entire time that I was reading the book and didn't feel that there were any pacing issues. You just get so invested in the characters that you will find yourself actively reacting in the real world to events going on in the book. It was brilliantly written and I would highly recommend this series to people, even if they don't feel that they are normally sci-fi fans. It will not disappoint.

The Illuminae Files has officially become one of my most loved series. I adore series that doesn’t fail to stun readers despite the hype surrounding it. Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff will break your hearts again and again and it’s obvious they had fun with it. Gemina is as funny and intense as Illuminae, if not more. As in the first in The Illuminar Files, my head was tilting this and that way (fun format perseveres!), and all sorts of ridiculous noises escaped me. With the help of Marie Lu, the authors successfully crossed genres to get this beautiful hybrid, and we just can’t get over it! I can’t wait to see how they’ll mix it up in Obsidio

Each time I start reading a book from The Illuminae Files, my initial thought is that I’m not going to like it. I always worry that I’ll find the book’s structure to be gimmicky and that it will distract me from what is actually taking place in the story. And each time I’ve been dead wrong. I love everything about this series and not only does the book’s structure not distract from the story, but it actually enhances it and makes it feel all the more authentic, like you really are sitting there reading a case file about an incident aboard a space station. When Gemina opens, we meet our two new main characters, Hanna and Nik, polar opposites with seemingly nothing in common aside from the fact that they both live on Jump Station Heimdall. Hanna is the pampered daughter of the ship’s captain, while Nik is a member of a prominent crime family. Although they have nothing in common, one view Nik and Hanna share is that they are on the “most boring” space station in the universe. But all that is about to change… Heimdall is the station Kady Grant and what’s left of the Hypatia crew are fleeing to after the events of Illuminae, the first book in the series. The Hypatia is trying to get news of an invasion that killed most of the residents on the planet Kerenza, including proof about who was behind the invasion. Once we meet Hanna and Nik, it’s off to the races on a heart-pounding adventure as those responsible for the deadly invasion have dispatched an elite strike team to attack Heimdall. Their mission: to ambush and destroy the Hypatia, thereby destroying all evidence of their murderous actions on Kerenza. Once they get aboard Heimdall, they immediately round up all of the station’s residents and lie in wait for the Hypatia. Guess who they missed though? You guessed it, Hanna and Nik. The burden of saving their station, the Hypatia, and possibly the known universe falls on the shoulders of these two young people. Nothing like a race against the clock to help two people bond… Oh and did I mention the snake-like alien predators that have somehow gotten loose aboard the station who are picking off residents one by one? No? Well, yes, as if they didn’t have enough to contend with, there’s that too. So needless to say, Gemina is an action-packed, thrill ride full of danger and suspense and I thought it was absolutely brilliant! 4.5 STARS

This series continues to be so fascinating. I love the style and how different it is from other books but so fitting of our current culture. The illustrations from the journal were some of my favorite parts of this installment. And of course Aidan, everyones favorite smart ass. Here are some of my favorite quotes. "We had to sacrifice several kittens to ancient blood gods in order to crack the encryption on this thing. But you know, these particular kittens were jerks so..." "The thing about bumblebees, you big bad wolf, is that five hundred years ago the were nearly wiped out. It would have been a catastrophe. But the hung on, and they survived. Wolves on the other hand, did not." "She is a child on this battlefield of bone and flesh. And she is losing."

This book is every bit as good as Illuminae, it was kind of impossible to stop reading and I was so mad at myself when I forgot the book at my boyfriend’s house for an entire week, by the end I was suffering from withdrawal syndrome! In Gemina we meet two new characters and it takes place a little time after the event in Illuminae, Hanna Is this badass girl who has been trained by her father her entire life, she knows how to fight, defend herself and she is also super smart. Then we have Nik, he belongs to a criminal family that specializes in doing very illegal stuff in the ship where they both live. When the ship gets attacked these two have to unite to save their home and family. It was so much fun to be back in the Illuminae world, I thought that I might have trouble getting into the format of the book again but that wasn’t the case. Both Hanna and Nik are very compelling and have a lot to offer, their personalities clash but also complement each other in a beautiful way. The book was a complete rollercoaster of emotions for me, I was afraid, sad and shocked all within a few pages, the reading is addicting and the science stuff was surprisingly easy to understand, these books are just amazing, there is no other way t describe them, you can tell that a lot of work has gone into them, not just because of the format but because both Amie and Jay created a world that keeps growing and growing and they seem to know what they are doing with it. I can’t wait to read the next one.

Honestly, I think fans of hard, science-based sci-fi would get more of a kick out of GEMINA than I did. I spent most of the last third of the book going, "Well, there's something wrong with the wormhole, and if they can't re-boot it reality is going to splinter," because all of the theoretical physics and space-time continuum stuff was so far above my head. The story follows two new characters, Hana and Nik, who are on opposite ends of the space station's hierarchy. When their station is taken over by enemy agents working for BeiTech, they're forced to work together to keep the rest of the station's inhabitants alive, drive out the agents, and prevent the fabric of reality from being ripped in two. There are enough twists and turns to give you whiplash, and I wasn't as pleased about where (or how) GEMINA ended when compared with ILLUMINAE. It was great to get the cameos from Kady and Ezra, and the ticking clock timeline made for some spectacularly breakneck action scenes. If you like your sci-fi a little more character-based, I might recommend the other series that Amie Kaufman helped to co-write. However, if you enjoy snappy dialogue (like, choke on your drink snappy), wonderful characterization, and the best freaking enemies to lovers romance that I've read all year, accompanied by wormholes and programming lingo, you'll probably enjoy this.

This book was SO much fun to read. The characters and action live up to the first book. Each voice is so distinct and creative - I love Nik so much. The art is especially amazing in this one - Marie Lu's illustrations add so much to it, I wish there was even more. The one thing i do want to warn reader of is that if you have a vision disability, you may want to read this one on audio. There were some parts that were a little difficult for me to read because of the design (I have limited vision). It only impacted maybe a couple dozen pages, so i'll be getting it in audio as well when I want to reread.

Gemina is the second installment in co-authors: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff's YA fantasy series titled The Illuminae Files. These two authors work magic together on the page. It's exciting and engaging and it blew me away. Gemina is action-packed and full of strategy, which I loved. It's intricacies do require the reader to pay close attention though. I made it about 75% of the way through just to start from page one all over again because I was confused and lost. I made sure to slow down my audio speed the second time around to ensure I didn't mindlessly pass by pertinent events. While the horror element completely captured me in the first installment: Illuminae, the action scenes are the highlight of Gemina. Kick@ss heroines are my kryptonite and the female lead in this installment is amazing. I hear that the ebook/paper book editions have visuals which I can't comment on since I listened to the audio...but THE AUDIO!!! Such a great audiobook experience. Highly recommend. I can't wait for the next one! My favorite quote: “And now, born from the ashes, she’s a warrior in bloodied black.”

This book was just as beautiful as the first and equally as thrilling. I need the next book, NOW.

Deserves more than 5 stars Futuristic Sci-fi, Young Adult Hanna always knew that when she moved to a space station at the edge of the galaxy it was going to be the death of her social life. What she never thought was that it might actually get her killed. Hanna is the daughter of the Heimdall space station captain. A daughter that has always been pampered. Nik on the other hand is a reluctant member of a notorious crime family. They struggle with dealing with the realities of life on board the galaxy’s most boring space station. They have no idea that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right towards Heimdall with news of the Kerenza invation. An elite BeiTech team invades the station which throws Hanna and Nik together to defend their home. If that wasn’t enough they are also dealing with a malfunctioning wormhole that can rip the space-time continuum in two, and an alien predator that is picking off the crew one by one and all of it before dinner. Now Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their survival but the fate of everyone on the Hypatia and possibly the known universe. They’ve totally got this though, at least they hope they do. This story is just as good as the first book in the series. It will also have readers wanting more from this world now. The characters make for a funny and fast paced story that readers won’t want to put down until the very last page and then they will be mourning that it done. The book keeps the humor flowing well through the whole story but the story will also take the reader on an emotional roller coaster that is jam packed with action that keeps going until the very end of the book. Anyone that reads this book even if they like some of the different genres that this book can fall into, will fall in love with both the series and the characters. It is proving to be an unforgettable series that will end up on the keeper shelves. This is a must read for everyone that enjoys sci-fi, futuristic, or young adult books.

Source: Publisher My Thoughts The Count: 14 GASPS! 18 OMG! 13 OH NOES! 21 YES! 7 YOU GO GIRL! Yes, it was that kind of book. The story follows the point of view of the heroine, Hanna, of the Heimdall station where Kady from the ship Hypatia is heading. The story is told through a collage of emails, texts, IMs and Hanna’s journal entries. Hanna is what seems a first, a spoiled daughter of the elite, but she may have the appearance of a party girl, but in truth has been quizzed and trained as a general by her military father. Nik is the unlikely and unwitting hero at first but it turns out that he has what it takes. Again, the Romeo and Juliette vibe of Illuminae is with us again. Nik is basically a drug dealer who supplies Hanna and her friends with a hallucinogenic made from a lamprey-like slime that his family is growing in some cows near the station reactor. The Beitech corporation is out to wipe out any witnesses to their evil misdeeds and only Hanna and Nik seem to be able to save what is left of the Heimdall crew. With time counting down between the Hypatia docking at the Heimdall and a crew of assassins on the loose, the pair must kill or be killed. Wow – the story just blasts through and I can’t believe how quick it all went. The images drawn by Marie Lu are just spectacular and add so much to the story. I devoured this in 24 hours and sat there stunned because it was that good. The characters are well done and very believable. I don’t even want to admit to that one character I liked at first turns out to be an idiot. Even my favorite artificial intelligence computer makes an appearance towards the end. Parents: there is some violence, a few kisses and this might be your next favorite book, so read it first while the kids are in school and then pass it on. I recommend reading Illuminae first.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog*** Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff Book Two of the Illuminae Files series Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers Publication Date: October 18, 2016 Rating: 4 stars Source: ARC sent by the publisher Summary (from Goodreads): Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed. The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault. Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion. When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands. But relax. They've totally got this. They hope. Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless. What I Liked: Goodness, this book was amazing. I could not stop reading until I finished! I read it in one sitting because there really was no other option. I thought Illuminae was great, but this book was even better. Even better, I tell you! On the Heimdall Jump Station, Hanna Donnelly and Niklas Malikov live two very different lives. Hanna is the daughter of the station captain, which makes her very rich space royalty. Nik isn't registered as a resident, because he and the rest of the House of Knives don't officially exist. They are criminals, and they are drug dealers. Nik doesn't want to be a part of that lifestyle, but HoK is family, and family is everything. But things start to go horribly wrong with a BeiTech team invades the station and effectively kills, corrals, or captures everyone. Hanna and Nik hide and run for their lives, causing chaos as they go. Both refuse to turn themselves in, and both refuse to make it easy. As they piece together the invasion and other strange secrets that come to light, they'll work together to keep each other - and the station - alive. But time is running out for the Heimdall, and the approaching Hypatia. I seriously could not read this book quickly enough. The beginning was a little slow (like, the first one hundred pages or so), but I kept turning pages as the book went on. It's about 650 pages but I got through the story very quickly. Once the invasion occurred, things got crazy. And the "alien" predators business made me want to read faster too. Once the story started coming together and pieces of the story were happening more and more, I couldn't stop reading. Read the rest of my review on my blog, The Eater of Books! - eaterofbooks DOT blogspot DOT com :)