Book Review: Crash by Eve Silver

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Crash
The Game #3
Author: Eve Silver
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction | Aliens
Released: June 9th 2015
Review Source: Katherine Tegen Books

A thrilling action/suspense novel for fans of The Fifth Wave about contemporary teens pulled in and out of an alternate reality where battling aliens is more than a game—it's life and death.

Miki’s life is falling apart around her. Her dad and best friend are lying in the hospital. The Game is glitching, making missions more frequent and more deadly. And someone close to her is waiting for the right moment to betray her.

Miki feels like she’s hanging on by a thread and the only thing keeping her tethered is Jackson’s hand in hers. Yet telling him how much she needs him, how much she loves him, feels like the biggest challenge of all. And if Miki really wants the missions to end for everyone, she’ll have to let go and be ready to fight when the walls between the Game and reality come crashing down. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that she’s got a whole lot left to lose.

Crash is the pulse-pounding conclusion to the Game trilogy fans won’t want to miss.

If you think the first two books of this series are full of actions, wait until you read Crash. The final conclusion to this trilogy is beyond thrilling. Many secrets are revealed, the game is changed and what can I say, more swooning over Jackson! Crash is the perfect ending to The Game series. I seriously enjoyed this one the most.

Fear not, Crash is fast paced. Miki is as amazing as always, yet a little bit more of a badass than ever. If you read the first two books, then you know the second book did not end on a good term for Miki. Her father and Carly were both in a car crash, which left Miki heartbroken. Never the less, this motivates her to find ways to change or even end the game. (You will have to read to find out). In Crash, she faces more difficult tasks. For starter she comes face-to-face with an important leader, then learns the truth about someone that could help out. Someone with information that can actually help Miki and Jackson change/end the game forever.

Full of suspense, betrayals, lies and twists, Crash’s end is bittersweet. Many of my questions were answered. Miki and Jackson, well what can I say? They are meant to be together. I loved how Jackson shows another side of his on this book – a more vulnerable side. We are so used to his cockiness, it was nice to see that he can also need help once in a while. Which makes him fit perfectly with Miki.

Like I said before, I honestly enjoyed Crash the most. I think Eve ended this trilogy flawlessly. I think everyone will be pleased with this ending.

Book Review: Rush by Eve Silver

Rush
The Game #1
Author: Eve Silver
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction | Dystopia
Released: June 11th 2013
Review Source: Katharine Tegan Books
 

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game — her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos.

In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

Imagine this: You’re in a life threatening situation. You’re on the brink of death, nearly tipping over the edge, but, you don’t die. Instead you’re taken to a different realm. You’re there to play a game. Complete that game and you’re taken back to your old life, free to live your life as if you never nearly died...until the next time you’re pulled back into the game to complete another mission. The catch: you die in the game, you die in real life (did that remind anyone else of Freddy Krueger?). They say no good deed goes unpunished, Miki learns this when she was hit by a truck in an attempt to save a girl's life. Now she's stuck in the cycle of Game playing and battling sadistic aliens.

I swear, this book isn't as crazy as it sounds, well, it kind of is but not in a bad way. Rush was fantastically executed. I haven’t read a massive amount of YA science fiction novels but this one was by far the best I've read. I got pulled into the story like the teens get pulled into the game, unexpectedly and without a choice. It was fun, new and intriguing and the fact the author was hesitant to share the answers we all wanted--well, needed--only made the appeal more likable.

Personally, I think Rush should have focused more on the Game side of things more. The romance was a nice touch to the novel, but I feel like it was overpowering sometimes and the sci-fi part should have dominated and been explored more, but I'm only saying that because I loved that aspect of the novel!

It was fast paced, with Miki being half action girl, half normal gal, it was a good balance. The gaming characters were really well developed considering the fast paced nature, but, her friends and father outside the game felt left out. But I’m not worrying, there’s still book 2 for that development.

This does end in a ciffhanger, which is all the more reason to dig into Push straight away!

Favourite quote: 

“Of course. I died today, and now I'm going to fight aliens with a light saber. Maybe after that we can look for mermaids. Or unicorns."
"No," he says. "Just aliens."
Was that the barest hint of humour in his tone?”

Book Review: Push by Eve Silver

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Push
The Game #2
Author: Eve Silver
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction | Aliens
Released: June 10th 2014
Review Source: Katherine Tegen Books

It’s either break the rules or die.

Miki Jones lives her life by her own strict set of rules, to keep control, to keep the gray fog of grief at bay. Then she’s pulled into the Game, where she—and her team—will die unless she follows a new set of rules: those set by the mysterious Committee.

But rules don’t mean answers, and without answers, it’s hard to trust. People are dying. The rules are unraveling. And Miki knows she’s being watched, uncertain if it’s the Drau or someone—something—else. Forced to make impossible choices and battling to save those she loves, Miki begins to see the Committee in a glaring new light.

And then the Game crosses a new boundary, pushes harder into Miki’s and her friends’ lives, and there’s nothing in the rules that can save them now.

Push is the sequel Rush fans will be screaming for.

I have to admit, I am not much of a gamer. And I really do not like reading about something I am not interested in but I am glad I did with this series! Part of my reading goal this year was to pick books I wouldn’t normally read and The Game series is one of them. With the packed action and many twist plots, Push had me on edge.

As I mentioned before, I am not much of a gamer and The Game series is well, about a game. But the world of this game is pretty amazing. Fighting against aliens always involves actions. And Push didn’t disappoint because it’s packed with actions! This is the reason why I am glad I read these books because there is not one page that doesn’t involve action. There is always something going on. Even though I felt like Rush is more packed with action, I felt Push is the book in which we get to understand Mikki. Rush was more an introductory to the game and Push is the one that tells you more about her life. We get to see how Mikki starts learning to comes out of her shell and becomes alive. She starts making impossible choices and at the end this comes rewarding.

As much as I am a fan of actions, I am also a fan of romance. I felt Push had the right amount of romance mixed with this packed action game. And I just love Jackson and his adoring face. This book had me on edge and swooning. Double the fun! But like in every series, there is always a cliffhanger! Push left off on a revelation and I cannot wait to find out more!

YA Author Smackdown Round 4: Eve Silver | Rush | Giveaway

Make sure to visit Shortie Says..., BooksWithBite, and ReadingTeen for the first three rounds!

Eve Silver

The story of RUSH:

Rewind to 2011: I had two ideas for young adult books. The first was a post-apocalyptic story set in the frozen Northern Waste with ice truckers and rebels and Reavers and action. The second was…well, we'll come back to that.

I loved both ideas, so I tossed a coin and went with the first idea. I wrote a proposal, sent it to my agent. The timing for that proposal was off and it didn't sell. Clouds gathered, heartbreak ensued and I was all...

 

Sad!

Then I moved on and focused on idea two, but I was afraid…



Fear! Terror! Anxiety!

…because it was so out there, so weird, so about aliens...



Awesomely cute aliens!

Ummm...different aliens...



Pizza aliens!

No...not pizza aliens, either...

Anyway, even though it was a really odd idea, the more I thought about it, the more excited I got...



So I got busy...



and soon sent the first part of the new proposal to agent, who was all...



At which point I became…



Even more TERRIFIED!!!!!!

…that I wouldn't do the story justice or that I'd write it and it wouldn't sell (just like the last proposal and the two before that).

But I persevered and wrote RUSH, a story with a kick-butt heroine…



…a kick-butt hero…



…with cool shades (read the book to find out deets)…



…and aliens that explode in a burst of light, sort of like this:



…but not really because they aren't psychedelic flowers.

Maybe something more like this:

Check out KATE KARYUS QUINN's round over at www.goodchoicereading.com!!!

Then leave a comment telling us your thoughts!

Stop by WastePaperProse tomorrow for the FINAL ROUND!

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

IN BOOKSTORES JUNE 11th!

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Eve Silver lives with her gamer husband and sons, sometimes in Canada, but often in worlds she dreams up. She loves kayaking and sunshine, dogs and desserts, and books, lots and lots of books. Watch for the first book in Eve’s new teen series, THE GAME: RUSH, coming from Katherine Tegen Books, June 2013. She also writes books for adults.

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Book Review: Rush by Eve Silver

Rush
The Game #1
Author: Eve Silver
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Science Fiction/Aliens
Release Date: June 11th 2013
Review Source: Katherine Tegen Books
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

From the cover of the book I didn't know what to expect when I received the ARC in the mail. I figured this was a Dystopian novel but when I started reading, I found out it is really Science Fiction and definitely not Dystopian.

The book follows Miki Jones, a high school student who lost her mother and lives with a father who is doing everything he can to hide the fact that he's been drinking more than he should so she won't worry. One day Miki sees a young girl in the middle of the road outside the school and she's about to get hit by a truck. Miki hears a male voice in her head and it ushers her to save the girl. Luka, a boy who recently moved back to the school rushes with Miki to save the girls life and Miki's life is forever changed.

Miki wakes up in The Lobby, surrounded by bright white light and believes she must be dead. She worries about her Dad but then she is greeted by a familiar voice, the voice that was in her head ushering her to save the girl. The voice belongs to Jackson, a tall, dark and handsome albeit mysterious boy who wears sunglasses everywhere he goes and never takes them off. Luka is also there in The Lobby along with two other people, Tyrone (Ty for short) and Richelle. They try their best to fill Miki in on what is happening but they don't have a lot of time because The Game is about to start. What they do manage to tell her is that they were pulled from the real world to The Lobby and this is where they gather their supplies to go into The Game. They are a team now, but it's every man for themselves against The Drau (an alien race that has come to Earth to take over the planet). Those chosen to enter The Game are supposed to keep the Drau at bay before they can take over the planet.

When they get back to the real world, time has not passed. You respawn back in your real life right where you left off. Miki does not die this time, she gets out of the path of the truck and with the help of Luka, saves the girls life. But Miki can't get Jackson out of her head. Not that she is still hearing him in her thoughts, there is just something about him that makes Miki want to get to know more about his story. She also wants to understand more about why she is now a part of this game and what happens if you die to the Drau inside The Game and also if there is ever a way to be truly free again.

I love all of the characters in this story but Jackson and Miki are my favorites. Jackson is brooding and handsome. Miki is smart and extremely inquisitive. They make a very good team in The Game. Jackson is always looking out for Miki even though it is supposed to be every man for themselves. I was forever wanting the story behind why he wore the sunglasses all the time. There is a definite romance component between these two and it is very reminiscent of the romance between Tris and Four in the Divergent series.

If you're a fan of Science Fiction stories you will very much enjoy this first installment to The Game series by Eve Silver. I put her up there with Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth in her writing and story telling abilities and due to the HUGE cliffhanger ending, I am now stomping my feet and huffing around my house like a five year old because I need to know what happens next. I loved this one so much, that I'd love to see it made into a movie because that's how I read it, like I was seeing it play out in front of my eyes. This truly was a magnificent story and I hope you will all enjoy it as much as I did.