Book Review: The 5th Wave

Title - The 5th Wave

Author - Rick Yancey

Series - The 5th Wave #1

Genre - YA Dystopia Aliens

Published - May 7th 2013

Publisher - G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Format - Paperback

(Goodreads)(Amazon)

Synopsis

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

Review

The first wave took out the power leaving the planet in darkness. With the looming mothership it was clear that they were being invaded but the aliens are nothing like they expected. Instead chaos ensued people took off for the mountains others to Disney if it was the last days on earth.  Cassie’s family decided to just stick it out as long as they could but eventually they were forced into the woods like the others. After losing her mother to the plague that spread across the planet it was just her dad and little brother trying to survive. They had joined up with some others when the military found them taking her brother Sam and informing them that they would follow.

However before they could follow after her brother her father along with everyone else in the camp is murdered forcing Cassie to flee into the woods alone with just her brother’s bear.  Forced to go it alone without being able to trust anyone Cassie sets off to find him. Sam has arrived at the new base safe from the aliens. The military has a plan to create a child army and Sam is the newest recruit nicknamed Nugget. He’s just happens to end up joining Cassie’s high school crushes group but when they are sent out in the field he’s too young. After learning the truth Ben heads back inside to save Sam. Will Cassie find Sam or will it be too late? What about the strange boy who saves her life?

I like Cassie she’s determined and strong and willing to do what it takes to stay alive and get to her brother. We are given her story as well as Ben’s story as he deals with being in the new child army that is going to wipe out the aliens and save the world. It’s interesting to see Cassie’s crush didn’t die like she had thought but I wasn’t so sure I wanted them to meet up the more I got to know Evan Walker. Evan is the guy who saved her after she had been shot by a silencer (Alien) together they form a connection but Evan isn’t exactly what she expected. However I think that it works for them even if it’s not the expected outcome and hope to see it play out in the next book.

I’ve had this one sitting on my shelf for almost a year with the anticipation of getting to it but never really finding the time. I admit I was a little nervous with all the hype about the series I was afraid I wouldn’t love it like everyone else. Well I was wrong it was better than I expected a truly captivating fast paced dystopian alien novel. The author has combined my love of dystopian with sci fi aliens creating an intricate unique story that sucked me in and kept me hooked to the very last page. I really like the multiple prospective it’s interesting to see how things are playing out for both sides of the fence. I liked all the characters finding a way to connect with each one. The 5^th Wave was hard to put down I ended up finishing it in one day because I had to know how it would end. I honestly loved every moment of The 5^th Wave it’s a captivating book that is well written. I already have the second book sitting on the shelf and can’t wait to see how it's all going to play out.