Rush

The Game #1

by Eve Silver

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

Miki Jones's carefully controlled life spins into chaos after she's run down in the street, left broken and bloody. She wakes up fully healed in a place called the lobby - pulled from her life, through time and space into some kind of game in which 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. Every moment of the game is kill or be killed, and Miki has only the questionable guidance of Jackson Tate, the team's alluring and secretive leader. He evades her questions, holds himself aloof from the others, and claims it's every player for himself. But when he puts himself at risk to watch Miki's back, he leaves her both frustrated and fascinated. Jackson 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 the planet. She laughs. He doesn't. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Aliens, Romance, Dystopia, Paranormal

364 pages, Hardcover

First published June 11, 2013

About the author

National bestselling author Eve Silver has been praised for her "edgy, steamy, action-packed" books, darkly sexy heroes and take-charge heroines. Her work won the OLA Forest of Reading White Pine Award 2015, was shortlisted for the Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy 2014, was listed as a 2013 American Bookseller's Association Best Book for Children and a Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens. She has garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Quill and Quire, two RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Awards, Library Journal's Best Genre Fiction Award, and she was nominated for the Romance Writers of America® RITA® Award.

Eve lives with her husband, two sons, an energetic Airedale terrier and an exuberant border collie/shepherd. And a snake called Ragnar.
Contact Eve through her website at http://www.evesilver.net

Visit Eve on Twitter http://twitter.com/Eve_Silver

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every single thing about this book annoyed me. It's not a terrible book in theory: the premise is interesting and it has a strong heroine, but its execution left me so incredibly irritated.

Rush starts with a bang when we're immediately lifted into a whirlwind of a plot, one that screams originality and awesomeness up ahead. It was for sure original; awesome, however, it is not. Let's begin with Jackson, and how his character was used in this book. When Miki is pulled into this strange "game" where she's told she's on a mission to rid the earth of aliens before humanity is extinct, Jackson acts as their leader of sorts. It's obvious that he knows everything we want to know, but all he does is dangle it in front of our faces, keeping his conversations eternally cryptic and secretive, filled with non-answers, though he makes sure to hint regularly at his insider knowledge. No that did not make me "intrigued" or "captivated", it made me want to cry because it was not possible for me to find this fictional character in real life so that I could stab his know-it-all self in the face. When Miki would ask him questions, it went a little something like: "So who's on that Committee?" "Committee members." (actual quote) *twitch*

When we finally do get some answers, mostly in info-dump form at random intervals, they were much too underwhelming for the annoyance I had to suffer through to get them. Firstly, the explanations were kind of weird--the kind of weird that makes you roll your eyes and yawn. Secondly, they're underdeveloped, as if after all this time they were still hesitant to try to make sense of this whole deal. Thirdly, they contains holes that left me just as annoyed as not getting any answers at all. For instance, there's no real reason for the whole thing to function like a video game. The hit points, their "health bars", the lingo, etc. It definitely gave the book somewhat of a unique spin, but to be honest all it did for me was make me unable to take any of it seriously.

Even if you ignore the odd love triangle and sudden insta-love, the romance is bland at best. I guess it's hard to like a guy who makes me want to shove my foot in his nose, so I didn't see Miki's appeal for him at all. Shouldn't she be as annoyed with him as I am? Bleh! As for the other guy, well, I finished this book not even 24 hours ago and I don't even remember his name. Lucas? I think? Even his role in the book is disappearing from my memory every minute. He was boring! Wait.. who are we talking about? Oh what about the epic bitch she calls her best friend? Oh.. Mah Gawd! If I have been violent so far in this review, I want to save the good stuff for Carly and slap her silly (which is most satisfying!) This drama queen would get pissed at Miki for growing hair. I could not stand her at all, nor did I find any of this drama necessary to the story. It did not help for character development, it did not help for adding friendship or values to the book; it was just unpleasant.

To end, the book's "huge" cliffhanger is one I have seen attempted several times, which at this point I see as a fruitless attempt at shock since we all know it will turn out fine by the end of the sequel (if not in the first 30 pages). It's the clichéd cliffhanger.

I can summarize this book in one word (I'm just that good!):

UGH!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned something new today.

It is possible to like a book because it's unbelievable.

However, it is also possible to dislike the exact same book because it's unbelievable.

Miki was having a bad day when a car crash resulted in her waking up inside of a game where she was stuck killing aliens in order to get back to her life before. Well, as long she could keep her bracelet from turning red, that is. Avoid those alien attacks kids, or your day might just go from bad to worse!

The concept of Rush is bad-ass. I love alternate reality/virtual reality type scenarios. Unfortunately, the reader is first dragged through a lot of action without getting many answers up-front. Is this only a game? Or is it real?

Strengths of this book include a unique world, plenty of action-packed fight sequences, and writing which is entertaining enough to keep you turning pages.

Weaknesses of this book include limited world information at the start, an attempted info dump near the end which only brings more questions, and characters who are too heavily invested with each other extremely fast (this is a series, after all - I wouldn't have minded the slower build). I didn't buy the connection between Miki and Jackson because we were "told" the reasons for the connection.

Jackson reminded me of a watered-down version of Four from Divergent. While Divergent had similar world-building issues, I was always intrigued with Four. I feel like the author wanted me to form the same admiration for Jackson that I have for Four. And it just didn't happen for me. Is Jackson an interesting character? Not really. He's super hot and holds answers to Miki's questions, harping on the "man of mystery" angle. And he sort of hangs around and helps people even though he says it's not what's supposed to be done. So he fits into the formula for a standard hero; I didn't see much of a personality spark though.

One of my groups has a "what song is stuck in your head today?" topic. Today's song will most definitely be Luka by Suzanne Vega.

Was there even a point for the Luka character? By the end of the book, I was thinking that Jackson could have taken up his space in the book. Luka came into the story with a bang and then he sort of faded out. *shrug* Don't know what's going on there.

Back on the original part of my review : like/dislike holding equal parts here.

The best reason to read the book : If you're a fan of action-packed sequences or have a love of gaming, here is the draw. This was worth the read for me strictly for entertainment value. It might not have been as good as say, Ready Player One, but I can honestly say that I was never bored. Not even for a second. Having something to read which is engaging enough to keep you reading is worth a 3 star rating minimum for me, even if there are flaws in the telling.

The least convincing reason to read the book : The world details (especially the info dump near the end) felt completely ridiculous. Fiction does allow for authors to come up with whatever they want to, and the idea can be spun to meet the author's desires, but I wasn't buying the alien invasion as it was being spun. On a lesser note, the love story felt way too rushed and will make haters of insta-love squirm with discomfort.

This was good enough that I'll check out book 2.

This book provided from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 big bright stars and I'm sitting here shaking my fist at you Eve Silver!!



Let me get that half star reduction out of the way. There is a giant cliffie at the end of this book, so if that's not your thing... well, I warned you.

OH MY GOD THIS STORY!! I absolutely loved it and I wasn't sure I would.

Miki Jones is suddenly pulled from her real life into what seems to be a real life video game. She and a team of 4 others are sent into a world where she has to eliminate an alien life form called the Drau and according to some, it's every man for themselves. She is thrown in head first without training or practice and she has to depend on Jackson Tate... someone who from the very first introduction drives her nuts.

I absolutely loved the premise of this, and like I said, I was worried I wasn't going to, but as I turned page after page, I realized what a genius plot Eve came up with. These teens are basically pulled into a real life video game and it's life or death... if their wrist band turns red while they are in the game, they no longer exist in real life... or, their alternate real life.

I loved Miki. She's had her own issues growing up. After the death of her mother, she tries to control every aspect of her life and then she's pulled into something she can't control at all, and she struggles with being forced into this game where she has to take lives, even if they are evil, alien lives. But she's kick-ass - She knows how to fight and was trained in martial arts and despite her confusion, which Silver captures wonderfully, she eventually catches on and she finds that she has instincts she never would have suspected.

Jackson...



Jackson was sold to us readers as a total a- hole... but I didn't think he was at any time. I can see why Miki was frustrated with him at times, but essentially he felt this obligation to Miki and he had her back every single step of the way.

"You stay close to me, Miki Jones. Close enough that I can hear you breathe. Got it?"

Something in his tone makes my breath catch. Aiming for sassy with a nice dose of bravado, I ask, "You always take care of the new recruits?"

He clenches his jaw and seconds tick past before he answers. "Never." He sounds anything but happy.

Never.

But this time is different.

When you finally hear his story and get all the details on what's happened...



Plus he has some pretty swoony lines...

"Why didn't you just give me a light in the first place?" I'm both angry that he didn't and grateful that he's given me one now.

He says softly so only I can hear, "It seemed like a good excuse to keep you close."

or

"There hasn't been much that makes me smile in a very long time. But you do. So thank you for that."

or

He grabs my wrist and turns my hand, then lowers his head and presses his lips to my palm. Electricity dances through me, making me gasp.

His lips move to the crease of my wrist.

I stand perfectly still, my blood hammering through my veins.

I want him to do that again.

I also really adored Luka and the part he plays in this book. But I will say that I really disliked her friend Carly and the way she was portrayed. Once you read this, you'll hopefully have a better understanding of why I say that, but I don't want to give anything away. I think her reactions and attitudes really cheapened the great friendship they were supposed to have had.

If you're a fan of Sci-Fi with a touch of romance and want to read something that's filled with action and a unique and different plot, that has characters that you'll end up loving, I recommend you run out and order Rush now... It comes out in June and I know that seems like a long way to go, but it will totally be worth it. Now... if I could only find a way to get my hands on book 2....

Thank you to Harpercollins and Edelweiss for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

This review can be found on my blog, Fic Fare:

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the surface, Rush has everything going for it: a great cover, an excellent idea, a promising beginning and a pretty decent pacing. These are all things that stay true until the end. But along the line, other things crawl in between them – things like love triangles (rectangles, really), best friend drama etc. and they ruin the fun just a little bit.

However, that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Rush – it is perhaps one of the most appropriately titled books I’ve ever read. Everything but the middle part brings a rush of excitement, an adrenaline surge that forces you to turn those pages as quickly as humanly possible. These kids travel through time and space to battle aliens – the ugly, telepathic Drau that want to take over our planet and drain it dry, and all that in a setting that is purposely made to look and function like a video game. What could be more exciting than that?

Rush opens with our heroine, Miki Jones, running to save a deaf little girl from an oncoming truck and getting hit in the process. A mere second later, while her body lays broken on the ground, she gets pulled to a clearing where four other kids await… including Luka Vujic, a boy from Miki’s school. They tell her she’s been drafted to fight the Drau and that she’ll occasionally get pulled from her regular life to go into battle with the rest of them.

Miki Jones stands out in more ways than one. She lost her mother when she was fourteen and she and her father struggle with their grief in very different ways. While her father drinks himself to sleep every night, Miki desperately wants to control every aspect of her life. She is no shrinking violet, though. When she gets pulled into the game, she takes some time to adjust, but once she does, no Drau is safe from her. Eight years of kendo guarantee her physical readiness, but her bravery and adaptiveness come from a different place altogether. Even more importantly, Miki’s steel spine doesn’t mean she’s emotionless; she experiences pain and loss and grief just like everyone else, but she never wallows in self-pity. Moments of insecurity come and go, but each of them leaves Miki stronger and readier to face life, both in the game and outside of it.

When Miki gets pulled the first time, she is understandably relieved to find someone she knows already there, but Luka is not the one who steals all her attention, as much as he’d like to be at first. No, that honor belongs to Jackson, the team’s unofficial leader and a strong believer in the tough love approach. The love triangle does rear its ugly head (two of them, actually) but it is never fully developed. It is always clear whom Miki wants and even the other boy loses interest after a while.

Whatever problems I had with Rush at first were neatly taken care of in the second half. The dreaded love triangle was gone, Miki was fiercer than ever, and the action was just amazing. It took me a while to process this book, but I can honestly say it left a strong impression on me. As far as I’m concerned, the second book can’t come soon enough.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

Thank you HarperTeen for sending me the copy. No compensation was given of taken to alter this review. 

What drew me into reading this novel would have to be the synopsis. We start of with a bang, literally. Miki Jones is sitting down with her friends when she observes a deaf little girl walking on the street- unaware of an incoming truck. With the urging voice whispering in her head, she runs after the girl, saving her. However, Miki got unlucky, as she got injured. Or so she thought. Instead, she wakes up in a game with four other teens, where she must combat the Drau. In the midst of confusion, Miki learns that she has been pulled from reality against time. It's rather simple, kill the enemy then go back and live your life until the Committee pull you back again. But here's that catch that's unlike any other game-you don't resurrect once you die.

For a book I was expecting the worst out of, Rush was a bearable read that I did sort of enjoy at a glance, but realise my despising annoyance after some time of reflecting. My review is pretty much like all the other 1-2 star reviews, so check them out for more elaboration. Ideally, Rush is another one of those hit or miss novels so let's break it down.

The bad beginning:
No I'm not writing a parody of Lemony Sniket's books. I wish. The actually beginning is atrocious. While we may jump into the good stuff quickly, the very start is awful. Why? Miki immediately bombards us with her inner monologue of where her friends usually sit at lunch. THEN, for 5 pages, we have the friends literally 'oh my gawding' over a guy they have never seen. Lovely. Really.

The characters:
Our heroine, Miki, could have been such a loveable and relatable character if it weren't for her inner soliloquy. Instead, I got this really infuriating MC that I wanted to strangle. Her self monologue really ruins my attitude towards the book. Miki practically repeats everything to us readers like we're duh-brains. She has this habit of expanding on pointless statements or implications of actions for a paragraph. It's like she's a paranoid detail freak. This then therefore leads onto more telling than showing as Miki is always beside us, ready to crack the code before we can even use our brains. Additionally, her inner talk also consists of boy chat. Like OMG, Jackson was staring at me- it felt way more right than Luka's stares. (Not direct quote, but similar idea) Underneath those blankets of flaws, we do actually have a kickass and strong-minded girl fighting for her humanity and normal life again.

Then we have a stereotypical best friend forever...
but then here comes some drama! Let's all mourn the breakup between Miki and Carly. a. k. a. bitchiest and most sensitive girl in the universe. But no. Miki feels sad because she has no one to trust so she gets out of her way to be Carly's friend again. It's like they are in a relationship themselves, on and off and on and off. Jealousy because you hugged a hot guy, revenge for stealing the guy I took dibs on... the list goes on and on. I'm just not quite comprehending this drama.

'"Save if for someone who wants to hear it," she says, and the line cuts off.'

If I were to choose my favourite character, that'd go to Luka. He's not annoying, trite or cryptic. But easy going and somewhat relatable. For the first half. You see girls and boys, Luka, as I begin to reflect back now, had no use. He may as well been a figment of my imagination. He's just a random possible love interest, but then disperses in the last half because he isn't needed as much any more. What a waste.

Ahh... Jackson. Jackass. Get it? Well of you combine the two it's like Jacksass. Which also works. So Jackson/ass/sass is essentially our cryptic, good looking leader. He tries to help Miki answer some of her questions but the answers are constantly cryptically useless which fires me up to a great volume. Moreover, he has serious mood swings. At intervals, I began to think he was some sort of undercover girl with the abrupt changes of attitude towards Miki.

The romance:
I haven't come across many love rectangles. Now that I have, I can defiantly conclude that I will never read a book with this as Silver's romance definitely lowered my overall thoughts. Not only is it a horror within itself but also, it was underdeveloped.

The plot:
Last I heard. There's none. And there's minimal world building. It's difficult enough to illustrate an alien world and how it functions through the mouth of Jackson where his answers are pathetic. With such scarce information when we commenced, the end basically was an info-dump.

To summarise:
A promising idea, a bad execution. That's the fact folks. Really think about this one before you decide you read this. And the ending? My initial reaction:

Oh dayum girl. That cliffhanger?! Was....


Ridiculous.

[Debby · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars

I don't even really know where to start. Maybe just with this: you know it's a bad sign when you're reading a book and rolling your eyes every other page. The overall reading experience of Rush was one filled with annoyance. And while the concept may have still delivered to a certain extent, I cannot honestly say that I enjoyed reading this book. Let's look at the reasons why.

1. I hated the main character.

Let me start here, with the main character Miki. I hate her. It isn't that she's a Mary Sue stereotypical female main character, and to a certain extent she holds her own in battles and is relatively brave. But it's her inner monologue. For one, she thinks about guys *all the time* - which maybe wouldn't be a big deal if this weren't a story about saving the planet, you know. And then, she keeps saying like, "Oh, there's not time for thinking about romance, so I won't." But then she does. And just... *headdesk*.

But what annoyed me most of all with her inner monologue is that apparently... she's psychic! And I don't mean that literally, it's not a part of the story, but on almost every page there's a case of, "Miki knows all". What do I mean by that? "He said that, but I knew he really meant that." "I suddenly realized he knew why x happened, he just wanted me to figure it out for myself." And in moderation, that may not bother me too much - it would be a sign that she has good instincts. But almost every page, people. Thus, the eye rolling began. The worst part is that she apparently thinks everything anyone does concerns her. Like "the two male love interests share a look - oh, it must be because they're both in love with me, EEP." It's not that she's really self-centered, but all these little mentions have the same effect.



2. We got the YA clichés covered!

So, should we do a little checklist of YA stereotypes? Love triangle - CHECK. Firmly established within the first quarter of the book. What does that mean? Well obviously it's not a well developed love triangle by any means.

Oh, but I suppose the author shook it up a little with the next YA stereotype - the bitchy best friend, who overreacts because of one thing and then is a typical mean girl to the main character. But eventually she becomes a part of the love triangle, so it's really a love square. Novelty! Yay!

3. The romance makes me want to barf.

There is so much wrong with this romance that I can't even. Okay, so it's a love triangle for a while, but there's obviously one side that dominates. Jackson is typecast as the mysterious, bad boy, asshole who secretly has a heart of gold. The author tried to make this into a love-hate relationship, but failed miserably. Why? From the first time they meet, Miki is basically drooling over how hot he is and whatever. Every now and again he says something cryptic and she narrates that she hates him, but then goes back to drooling just like that and imagining how mindblowingly epic a kiss with him would be. (Not exaggerating.) I'm sorry, but if you're going for a love-hate relationship, you have to do it better than that. This was so poorly developed and transparent. I honestly couldn't care less whether they ended up together or not. Besides not caring for Miki at all, I also had no attachment to Jackson. And I haven't even begun about how she trusts him completely while he mysteriously seems to know all about the game, the aliens, while no one else does - that's just weird, man. Be suspicious!

Aside from that, the romance was filled with such juvenile ridiculousness as:

I pull out the little water bottle at my waist, take a drink, then hesitate. Cutting him a sidelong glance, I think about his lips on my water bottle, then mine, then his. I look down at my lap and take a slow breath. Then I turn my head and hold the bottle out toward him.

He smiles a little, like he knows what I'm thinking. I feel that smile shimmer through me all the way to my toes. His fingers brush mine as he takes the bottle from my hand. He tips his head back and takes a drink, and I watch the muscles of his throat move as he swallows.
ARC of Rush, Eve Silver

But at about 80% we got the kicker:

"I'm trying to stay away from you. I'm not a good guy, Miki."

There he goes again with the mysterious warnings. "Are you saying that to convince me, or yourself?"

...

He smiles a little. "I know I shouldn't be here alone with you, yet here I am. Because I want what I want, not what's best for you. That proves my point. Not a good guy. No mixed message there."
ARC of Rush, Eve Silver

... Twilight? Anyone?

4. Plot... what plot?

The plot I was expecting was filled with action-packed battles with aliens and an exciting mystery of what this game is and why Miki has been pulled. It fell short. There were three "missions"/games where they fought with aliens, but they were really short. All of the book is interspersed with romantic musings, which seem totally out of place. And the battles that were there were hard to believe. The descriptions of the aliens fell short. What I can tell is that they're made of light and have weird eyes. If you're hit by the light or look in their eyes there is "unspeakable pain" or something. The humans get these "cylinders", which shoot black shadow-y stuff by psychic command, as their weapons. The fighting itself was often described as, "I shot, spun, shot again." I missed the kind of thoroughness of, for example, Angelfall , where the battles are described so magically that the evidence that the author took up fight classes for research drips off the page. I suppose it also helps that there was too much telling and not enough showing. Indeed, the writing is nothing to write home about.

And in between these few battles, Miki is occupied with her high school drama of the love triangle, with the guys competing for her affections, the best friend being mad at her, etc. Also, she tries to find answers as to what the game means, who controls it, and so on, but that seldom yields fruit and at no point was there a surprising answer. I expected to be wowed and shocked, but I spent most of the book as a passive observer, which made it all a little... boring.

Summing Up:

I think it's fair to say I will not be continuing with this series. Spending a whole book either being bored or rolling your eyes will do that to you. While this obviously wasn't a book I loved, it also wasn't a book I hated. I was just bored. It doesn't stand out. The best I can say about it is it's pretty short, but it would have benefited from more pages, so that the world building could have been more thorough, the game could have been explained better, and the relationships between characters could have developed more gradually (and thus believably).

Time for a PUN: The romance, which was way too prevalent, and the overall plot felt RUSHed.



GIF it to me straight!



Recommended To:

Maybe... more middle grade readers? It's all a bit juvenile.


*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.

[Hafsah Faizal · Rating 4 out of 5]

With terrifyingly real games and aliens bent on taking over Earth, RUSH is an action-packed novel that will have you awed in no time.

Miki Jones has been keeping her carefully built world in control for awhile, but when she's pulled into a real life game, she loses control. Miki and four others are sent on multiple missions to terminate the Drau, frightening and ruthless alien beings. But is it really a game if you can actually lose your life fighting these aliens? Filled with breathless action, RUSH is sure to leave readers stunned.

Let's just say that my expectations for RUSH weren't exactly sky-high, namely because of the countless negative reviews on Goodreads. But Eve Silver knows how to write a captivating story, and I couldn't flip the pages fast enough. The characters had their own back stories, and by the end I knew quite a lot of stuff about secretive and arrogant Jackson Tate, the 'leader' of her team. And when characters have their own back stories, I am bound to be hooked in a story, because suddenly, these characters are real - they have lives, and their deaths could shatter my heart.

Read Full Review Here

[Dear Faye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this and my other reviews at The Social Potato!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my thoughts in any way.

Damn, I really don't know what to make of Rush. I have to admit that the blurb and cover made me a tad bit excited; I anticipated this book for months. Before reading, I got The Hunger Games vibes from it, but after I finished the book, I can safely conclude it has more of a Divergent feel than anything else, with its fast-paced and action-packed scenes. But yet, it left me half fulfilled and half... empty. It's not a bad book. In fact, I'd go ahead and say it's better than some published YA sci-fi stuff out there, but like others before me, I liked some parts and vehemently hated many others. Let's wing it again, shall we? Trust me, ramblings will abound.

The plot is actually pretty simple. It's not something that would exercise your mind and leave you wondering about the meaning of life for days on end, but it's successful in a way that it would leave you entertained. It's reasonably paced and full of well-written action scenes that I couldn't get enough of, but it has also left me confused and full of questions. For the first... I dunno, 85% of the book, we're left in the dark with regards to the "Game". So apparently aliens are coming to take over the world, but instead of fighting them head-on, certain teenagers who has met death are chosen to fight them in a sort of parallel dimension/alternate reality. You get points for every kill, penalties for every injury, and if you complete the mission you "respawn" in real life, healed and miraculously unscathed.

As someone who doesn't quickly suspend her disbelief, I found this concept intriguing, but full of loopholes as well, and I was hungry for answers. What? How? WHY?? Quoting from a status update, why do they have to do it when they "die"? Why can't they kill them outright? Why this game? Why are there fucking points every time you kill something if these things aren't even video game enemies but REAL enemies? It doesn't help the fact that every time the main character would ask something that would help her (and us!!!) understand the situation, the people with the information wouldn't offer her any answers. Jackson (or should I say Jackass? Okay, I kid - he came off as a douche but he did soften my heart later) would give her cryptic and one-word responses, teasing the main character, teasing us, and I just found all of that completely unnecessary. I mean, dude! The fuck! Why are you stalling important information?!?!

I mean, seriously. There were times when the withholding of vital info became a tad old and annoying. So, there was this scene where something happened in a facility in Arizona. It was apparently so huge and so fucked-up it left the other team members quite traumatized. Of course, we have to know what happened, right? Why mention it if it isn't important? But when you get the following lines, you just won't help but feel steam coming out of your ears:

"Tell me, it might save my life."
"If it isn't like Arizona, there's no reason for you to know."
"And it if is like Arizona?"
"Then you'll find out soon enough."

Okay. So he won't give her fucking answers either way. DAFUQ!! It was highly frustrating for me to have to follow this set-up. We DO get answers later on, but we'll reaaally have to wait for a while for them to really make any fucking sense. And the explanations? They weren't even worth the wait. You'd think they'd have explosive, gut-wrenching explanations for this and that, but noooo... they were so "random" and "trivial", you'd find yourself asking, "THEN WHY ALL THE FUCKING SECRECY!!!



Aside from that, though, I think the plot was pretty decent. There are still a lot of unanswered questions and loopholes I want explained, but hey! There will still be succeeding books so I hope those get explored.

The heroine, though? It really took me some time to like her. In fact, I only started to like her in the last 10-15%. The rest? I felt like bitch slapping some sense into her. GIRL, SERIOUSLY! She prided herself as having 8 years of kendo under her belt, trained by her grandfather who was a master, but in the first few missions they had, she was as helpless as a newborn babe. I got that she was scared, but there's this thing called common sense, and it seemed like she didn't have it in the first half of the book. She'd be warned not to do this, not to do that, be careful of this and that, but she would go ahead and do all of them anyway D: No, girl, no!

She would oftentimes try to be sarcastic and witty, but they'd always come off as trying hard and sometimes mean and insensitive. According to her, this was because sarcasm's her defense mechanism when she encounters something she doesn't understand, but it only left me rolling my eyes. There was even a point where she also withheld vital information from her teammates, which only seemed to me as hypocritical, especially since she was so flabbergasted with all the secrecy, and here she went, doing the very same thing she hated getting from her peers.

She did get better in the last 30 or so percent, though. When she became assertive and finally pulled her shit together, I became proud of her and really felt she was as strong as she bragged herself to be. The only downside is we have to wait for a while for that to happen, but hey, better than nothing, eh?

I did find the romance quite... weird. I didn't think the blossoming relationship between Jackson and Miki had any real substance and foundation. It seemed to me that they just suddenly liked and *loved* each other out of the blue. I wish there were more developments and instances that would justify their bond with each other. Half of the time they were together, Jackson was being a douche with his cryptic nonanswers. I mean, if I were Miki, I'd be punching the lights out of him T_T It did get a tad sweet later on so that's forgiven. Luka's sudden romance and interest in Carly did strike me as the oddest thing ever, though.. It was like, completely random. As in I found myself asking, "Did I miss something? Why'd he suddenly like her and why are they suddenly flirting??' I hope this gets explored in the later books, though... OR ELSE!! O_O I kid. There's no 'or else'.

AND DAMN YOU CLIFFHANGER

Ok. That's a long-winded review.

OVERALL...

* If you're a fan of Divergent and fast-paced, action-packed books, I think this one will be right up your alley. I found such instances highly enjoyable and fun to read, and I was able to visualize them in my mind as if I was playing a movie.
* Get this if you want to read a concept that's highly intriguing. The game set-up is pretty fun to read, but you may need to wait for a bit to make sense if you're the questioning type like me. Otherwise, it's all entertaining.
* The main character was highly annoying at first. But I approved of her once she grew some balls, so, yeah. If you find yourself being irritated, stick to it; she'll get better.

Final verdict: 3.5 / 5 stars

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow... Mmmm I'll more than likely have bruises on my legs tomorrow because I kicked my coffee table while I was frantically fangirling over that ending!


I just finished Rush about ten minutes ago and I'm surprised I can even form sentences or thoughts right now.

I ordered Rush in a huge summer book haul and it's been sitting on my bookshelf for weeks now... Mainly because I had no idea what this book was about it was just recommended to me because I'm massively obsessed with aliens! Like crazy obsessed. I also dabble a wee bit in video games too aka Nintendo 64, so this seemed like a good fit for me. So when I finally picked it up and looked it up on goodreads and read what it was about I thought " yeah this doesn't sound like my kind of book even with the aliens" ...

*clears throat*
Wait a second... Can someone please hand me a glass of water because ya girl is choking on her words.

When this book started I was kind of confused and still doubtful but about half way through is when my opinion changed. Things started to become more clear and questions were being answered. I love the two main characters so much. Miki is sarcastic and sassy with just the right amount of fear. Jackson is cocky and annoying but in all the right ways to make you love him. Miki friends though I could careless about them especially Carly. If she was my best friend I would straight throat punch her! She's a serious B. Anyways, I loved the game references so much more than I thought I was going to too.

So you're probably now wondering about my rating... The reason that I gave it the 4.5 instead of the full 5 is only because I felt like the plot was a little Swiss cheese... experiencing a few holes. Hopefully those gaps will be filled in book two. Besides the few VERY small holes the plot and concept of this book are so unique and amazing. This book is packed with action as well. There's hardly a moment when something isn't happening. I never found myself wanting to page skim or sighing hoping something will happen. I will say I'm not the biggest fan of the whole love at first site concept in books, but I really didn't mind it all that much in here even though I'm a little so/so on the way it was explained (that sounds odd and confusing but if you read it I think you'll pick up what I'm putting down.) On top of all the aliens, action, and my oh so favorite romance this read has one of the best cliff hanger endings ever! (applause worthy for sure!) My hands are itching already to get a hold of Push... Which i might add is currently sold out in my area and it might be the death of me.

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Ender's Game, Counter Strike, and Rachel Hawkins.

Read this review and others on our blog:
http://southernbredsouthernread.blogs...
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[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really fell in love with this book! It is a fresh of breath air in the YA world!

Miki is one kickass character. Right form the beginning you fall in love, she puts herself before others. And when she wakes up in a different sort of world she has no idea what to do or think. She is completely lost and not in control! When Jackson and Luka start to explain what is about to happen, she thinks they are kidding. But no here she is thrown into the middle of some game where it is life or death!

When they switch back to real life, she is lost and a wee bit hysterical but she still stays put together. She is taking it in stride, well most of it and when Jackson enters her life he turns it upside down. He is just like her, he understands her like noone else. As she starts to fall, she realizes she doesn't know much about him, and when she does learn will she be able to see past it all to her true feelings?

This is a great, action packed, full of awesomeness book! The ending hints at another book and it can't come out soon enough. The characters are down to earth, and you just fall in love immediately!

[Lovetoread · Rating 5 out of 5]

ZOMGGGGGGGGG. THIS.WAS.SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..GOOOD .I just...I'm speechless and I wanna laugh and cry because that ending was just brutal and mean.AND HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO MY POOR HEART.....I can't...
My first reaction was:

and then it slowly switched to this:



Okay no but seriously I really did enjoy it. I absolutely devoured this book.I've never read this fast.It was action-packed,funny,mysterious,so so good.It sucked me right in and I wasn't even bored.Not even a second...and I even dreamt about it(weird,I know).That's how good it was.

♥I loved the world that was created.I've never read about a 'game' world before and I really enjoyed that because I play and love videogames so I knew exactly what they were talking about.The decription was on point,really well-written,so good job Miss Silver.

♥ I LOVEDDDDD the characters.
I'll start with Miki.I adored her and she's such a badass.You don't wanna mess with Miki.She has some killer Kendo skills.Lol. She's so strong,mature,funny,sarcasric,brash.I just loved her.

Jackson........whoooooo.Hot Damn....




He's such an asshole,but he's so gorgeous with his sunglasses and hnggg.LOL

Luka is awesome too.Pretty smoking hot too but I preferrrr...You know who *wink wink*.He's also sweet and caring.

For the other characters,Tyrone,Richelle,Carly etc...Loved them too.Really enjoyable characters.

I honesty have nothing bad to say about this book.I don't know why it has a 3.90 rating on GR but that's beside the point.I really enjoyed it, didn't disappoint at all.I can't wait to read the sequels an it's definitely one of my favs now. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Note Sorry for all the gifs.I really needed to express myself.LOL.x

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in 2013 when it first came out and I liked it when but I had some problems with the characters. I've been thinking about Rush a lot lately so I decided to reread it. I thought my opinions on this book would have changed in the last two years but surprisingly, they've stayed pretty much the exact same.

Rush is super fast paced in the first 100 pages. I really liked how fast Silver jumped into the story. It did slow up in the last 100 pages but it wasn't boring by all means.
I loved the concept and plot of this book. It was a little far fetched but honestly, I didn't mind. I love the idea of a real life video game and having aliens involved was so crazy and fun.
The thing that brought this book down for me was the characters. They were very typical YA characters and I found them to be boring. Miki was likable enough but Jackson and Luka made me want to pull my hair out.
Jackson was the brooding bad boy and Luka was the nice guy that is just so nice that it's annoying.

Overall, I really enjoyed Rush. The characters aren't the best but I loved the writing and plot so much. I'm definitely going to be reading the rest of the series soon.

[rin · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT THE FUCK

sorry, no time for comments on this book, need the second right now

p.s. cliffhangers suck
p.p.s. the plot is truly awesome. it's interesting and keeps you reading even if you don't feel like reading at all
p.p.p.s. I really liked Miki. she's amazing. she's cool, she's kick-ass, she's control freak (I feel you, Miki!!111) and she's clever (and she gets some points from me for reading Bleach :D)
p.p.p.p.s that twist with Jackson was predictable tbh
p.p.p.p.p.s also, I've got mixed feelings about Jackson (like I like him and slightly dislike simultaneously (he has his issues of course but something about him is odd))
p.p.p.p.p.p.s. I still think he's cool and interesting and I've fallen for his attitude (it's so in my nature) and I totally love the Jackson/Miki couple
p.p.p.p.p.p.p.s. I like the fact that the triangle turned into nothing (I hope it'll stay like this)
p.p.p.p.p.p.p.p.s. I was going to point something here but I'm so excited I forgot what it was
p.p.p.p.p.p.p.p.p.s. NVM NEED THE SECOND BOOK ASAP

[Danielle (Love at First Page) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars

The Game trilogy by Eve Silver is the perfect type to binge read. We are given a fascinating concept, a fast and perfectly paced plot, a swoony new book boyfriend, and a romance that made my heart race. I didn't really know what to expect going into this series - except that it's completely triangle free - but Eve Silver definitely has a new fan. I read these books so quickly, dying to know what would happen next and to spend more time with Miki and Jackson.

Read my full series review here!

[Wendy Darling]

I...just don't get this.

[booknuts_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original review found http://beawesomebeabooknut.blogspot.com/

Holy MOLEY! FREAKING LOVED this book, gave it a WHOPPING 5 bight gold stars on Goodreads and I will own this book!
Rush is just as the title implies – a rush. From page one to the last, Eve Silver yanks her readers to a world that’s both real and science fiction. I was HOOKED from the first chapter and I can't rave enough about how much I LOVED this book! I threw the book across the room because of the RUDE cliff hanger at the end and I Simply. Can't. Wait. for the next book! a whole FLIPPING year! GAH!

The idea of being "sucked" into a game isn't new thanks to Tron and others like unto it. However, everything else was a concept to me! The thing is about this though it's not really a Tron book either! AHH where to begin...

Miki Jones was a great, very relatable character. When she was literally yanked out of her real-life and into an unknown world where the surface, after an attempt to save a deaf girl from being crushed by a truck and as a result killing her in the process. This world you may think that it’s some sort of a holding cell for people on the cusp of death. But you will come to know that it actually is a parallel universe constructed in a video game-like manner where a group of weapon-wielding teens go out and kill the enemies that the human race is completely unaware of. When she’s first told about what happened to her and how she’s now involved in the game, she doesn’t automatically accept it. Throughout Rush, she constantly tries to seek answers for what she can do and who she’s become.
The leader of this small pack of teenage alien killers is Jackson. Jackson is a perfect blend of secretive and tortured. He is the leader he does all he can to make sure that people get in, kill the enemy, and get out without anybody dying in the "game". He feels the weight of this responsibility and it has made him a hard person. He constantly wears sunglasses which is yet ANOTHER mystery in this story as to why. I thought it was maybe he had scars or was blind and they help him see but what it really was, was something I was not expecting!

The enemies, alien life forms called the Drau the stuff nightmares are made of, which aren't seen unless pulled into the "game". Drau is an alien-life form disguised as human life forms determined to take over the world rid the planet of humans itself and suck the earth of it's life and natural resources. Needless-to-say they’re a menace; but aren’t as easily detectable unless you have the sight or if you’re a member of the group loosely trained to kill them. Few are choses to be the fighters against this alien race and Miki has just been "called".

This high powered book I would HIGHLY recommend to anybody who loves a good "Rush" (haha).

Language: moderate (PG-13)
Drugs/Alcohol: none
Violence: moderate (teenagers fighting aliens not real graphic)
Sexual Content: mild

[Breanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of The Maze Runner or Enders Game, you'll like this book.
It was pretty freaking amazing. The whole story from beginning to end was just amazingly captivating and its really fast paced so you're never really bored.
This didn't take me long at all to read so if your looking for a new series and just something really fast, this is for you.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it so I wont go into specifics. It was just really good. The characters develop nicely and it just kept me on the edge of my seat.
The only problem I had with it was that the beginning wasn't detailed enough for me. It started off really confusing and you just kind of sit there like "um..okay...what?" but that was the only problem I had because it just kept getting BETTER AND BETTER!!!!

Read this book. Just test it out and see if you like it because it really is a good book.

Cannot wait to read Push (Book 2)!!

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

What a rush!!

Well now, how do I go about explaining the crazy-awesomeness that is this book?
Rush is a such a bold, inventive, exciting story. The moment I read the first chapter I knew that this isn't like my usual reads. In fact, this was probably one of the most unique books I ever had the pleasure of experiencing, it's completely refreshing. There is a lot going on here plot wise and I'd be lying if I said I understood everything in complete details, but I did get the overall general idea. Now, just a heads up, this is a pretty out-there concept my friends. It may be hard to grasp or even wrap your head around it, but if you keep an open mind, I firmly believe that readers will have a real blast with this book!

Miki Jones, first heard a boy whispering her name while sitting around on an average sunny day at Glenbrook High gossiping with her friends, but when she tries to find the source, no one's there. Still, the voice keeps whispering her name. Then out of no where, Miki sees a little girl in the middle of the street, the voice pushing her to act quickly, she doesn't think twice before she throws herself on the road and pushes the little girl away before the truck ends up hitting her, along with a guy named Luka, who ran after her.
When Miki wakes up, she's in a grassy clearing covered with trees and boulders, while a guy named Jackson looms over her accessing the damage before activating her Con-bracelet and preparing her for an ultimate battle. (Yup!)
See, Miki is in a live version game, but it's not really a game, it's actually real life and she and her other team mates, gets 'pulled' through space and time from their original reality, gets sent to the lobby, which is like a holding area and awaits mission instruction. They must complete any missions they are assigned, and for this case, they must terminate an evil alien species called the Drau who have been evading earth far greater then anyone knows and threatening humans life as we know it. It's within the teams survival that will ensure the safety of the entire world. After a successful mission is complete each individual team member gets regenerated back to their normal lives. In till the next time....

Pretty cool concept huh? And the writing? Even better! Kudos to Eve Silver, she must know her games cause this was a pretty intricately detailed story-line with highly entertaining fast paced action sequences that make you feel like your in this world. I loved that it's based on an idea of gaming complete with point systems- hits/bonus/timelines and life-calculation, or health, in this book. The backdrop is a virtual reality setting, or a world within our world, throwing these characters in an ultimate battle zone ready to fight to the death if need be, but tries to avoid it at all cost. No one wants game over. This is seriously smart, sharp and clever writing with an ingenious imagination. But just to warn you, it's also very evasively written, meaning, we only get pockets of information scattered throughout the book. We know when Miki knows and it can get pretty confusing and frustrating for the both of us.

Now, despite the 'every man for themselves' rule, Miki, Luka, Jackson and Tyrone make an unbelievable team! I loved their energy, dedication, good-humor and even though distraction can get you killed, they're all willing to to put themselves out there for the next person.
Miki is a fantastic protag! With all things considering, she takes the news that she's dead but not really dead and must fight extraterrestrial's with no real choice, pretty darn well. She freaks out mind you, but at least she doesn't sit around waiting for her life to be pulled, she demands answers and she gets them.
Jackson is one of those irritatingly gorgeous guys who is impossible, overly cryptic, arrogant, complex, maddening and who is keeping a deep dark secret. So, naturally I simply adored him to pieces. The feisty banter and comical zingers and the push and pull dance between Jackson and Miki was priceless and so utterly adorable. I was very surprised to even find a sweet bubbling romance in a story like this. I mean, when you think guns-a-blazin' and guts-a-splatin', it doesn't normally scream love story included. Read me. So I was very pleased with all the sigh-worthy and grin-to-stupid-grin moments we ended up getting.

Bottom line, I had such a blast with this book. It's such a fun experience, it's wildly original, endlessly entertaining with wicked characters and fantastical writing! Sadly it does leave us on a cliffy and an evil one at that, so I can't wait to see where Silver takes these characters next!! I can see this appealing to gamers, teenage boys or if your like me someone who's looking for a new spin on their sci-fi fantasy escape but still wants some heartwarming romance on the side. More!

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally published on Avid Reviews: http://www.avidfantasyreviews.wordpre...

Rush is the first novel in the The Game series by Eve Silver. This science fiction and dystopian hybrid has the pacing of thriller and all the plot elements of a story that is strictly young adult. Though it is lacking in the character development and complexity that defines a well-written adult speculative fiction story, it is the perfect book for fans of YA who are looking to read an action packed novel with an original premise that still contains many common tropes (a possible love triangle, a mysterious boy who knows more than he admits, a tumultuous family situation, ect.). Silver takes the reader on a wild ride that is shrouded in mystery, and will keep the reader guessing until the end.

The novel follows the story of Miki Jones, a teenage girl who is pulled from her life after a terrible accident into some kind of game. Miki awakens in a strange place with several other teenagers and a sophisticated wristband that is glowing green. She is given very little information: she is about to go on a mission, and that her wristband shows her health so she must not let it turn red. Suddenly she finds herself carried across time and space to fight the Drau, a race of terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. Her only guide for the mission is the team leader Jackson Tate, who is equal parts secretive, frustrating, and mysteriously attractive. When Jackson tells Miki that the game isn’t really a game, but will actually determine the lives of her teammates and the ultimate survival of every person on earth, she realizes that she has been dropped into something far bigger than herself. If Miki dies in the game, she dies in real life, and if she allows the Drau to win, the entire human race will be a thing of the past.

The premise for Rush is based off of video games, and there are video game terms and situations dispersed throughout the book. Though Silver explains all these terms, I would definitely have gotten more out of the story if I was a gamer. The storyline was intriguing to me, but I found the details and intricate strategies of “the game” to be the least interesting part of the novel. I was much more interested in the Drau themselves, and the implications of their presence on Earth. I also found myself incredibly curious about the “how” and “why” these teenagers were chosen to defend the planet. Miki knows next to nothing about the “council” that controls the game, and why they would decide to fight the Drau in such a manner. This mystery is what really drives the entire plot of the novel, and engages the reader with the story.

The relationship between Miki and Jackson would have been much more attention grabbing if Silver had gone into more depth with her character development. Their interactions may be enough to keep readers turning the pages that thrive on light and easy reads, but for anyone who enjoys more intricacy and nuance in the stories they read will most likely find this relationship to be superficial and tedious. Despite this, Miki is the perfect protagonist for a light YA novel; she is strong willed, confident, and can take care of herself.

The novel as a whole is built on action and a unique premise, and is not the kind of story that is deeply thought provoking or elaborate. However, it is a thrilling, enjoyable, and easy read that is perfect for middle grade or YA readers. I would especially recommend this novel to those that are new to the science fiction genre, as I think it would be a great introduction to the genre because of its familiar tropes. The gaming aspect of the novel in particular is something that many readers will find familiar, and might help acquaint a new generation with science fiction.

My rating: 7/10

I received a copy of this novel from YA Bound Book Tours and the author in return for an honest review.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow. This book blew me away with its originality and creativeness. Honestly, I am not a gamer by any means and while I didn't want to be in the game because, yeah, who would? I did want to be in the world that Silver created because lets face it, it was pretty darn cool. Okay, maybe not the alien fighting for your life bit, but the other parts to it? The friendship, the exploring the world and getting to kick some serious alien butt and show off your super ninja skills? Yeah that was pretty awesome.

I don't even know where to begin to describe the awesomeness that is this book. I really really loved it, in fact I would go so far as to say that it enthralled me, from start to finish. Is it perfect? Not by a long shot but it was so entertaining that nothing else mattered. And okay, the cover whore in me has to say, the cover on this kicks some serious booty.

Miki was completely kick butt (like a girl should be). Luka and Jackson, so so swoon worthy, each in there own way and guess what? NO love triangle, you heard that right, nada, zip, zilch, nothing. Okay, there is potential for one all throughout the story, there really is but it never escalates and I really hope it stays that way.

Silver created such a great storyline and characters that it really grabbed my attention and held it the whole way through and to be honest I wasn't expecting to love this. I thought I would like it or I never would have picked it up, but love? Never saw it coming.

And can I talk about that ending? I truly shouted out “Nooooo!!!” when I came to the last page. How could she do that to us. How could she give us so much and then just rip it away and leave us hanging like she did? Silver, that really wasn't nice!

This is the year for outstanding debut authors, series, stand alones, you name it and this is one of them. Okay, I might say that every year but the fact is, Silver is an author to watch because if her other books are anything like her first, she will so be on my auto-buy list before too long.

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of confusing, but an interesting read.

This starts out pretty confusing and we get answers slowly. I wanted more information, but we only learned things as Miki did, which makes sense. I really liked the video game aspect, it was intense and made the story fun. I also thought most of the characters were likeable, with the exception of Carly ugh. Miki was a bit stubborn, but she was thrown into a crazy world and given few answers so I understand why she was like that. Jackson was the most frustrating character because he doled out information a bit at a time, but I did like that he defended Miki and we saw later that he has some severe trauma.

This was pretty decently paced and I liked the plot. I wanted more answers and more romance, but I'll have to read the next book to see what happens!

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would have been enjoyable, if not for Jackson, the most arrogant, creepy, awful love interest I've read about in a long time. Miki should have run away screaming, not come back for more. Ugh. Is a healthy relationship in YA too much to ask for?

Review to come.

Pre-review:You just lost The Game.

Yes, the series title made me lose. Yes, I had to go there and announce it.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

All this book needs is better written characters throughout the middle of the book because at the beginning and at the end of the book, the characters were fierce and lovable. The middle was shaky.

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 3 out of 5]

After I requested this book it took me a while to get around to it because I was kind of nervous about the whole ‘game’ concept. I am not a gamer so I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to enjoy this book or not but because of my obsession with the sci fic genre I finally picked it up (that and I kind of had to review this).

But because I couldn’t overcome some of my minor problems with the book, I ended up not enjoying huge chunks of it.

I am glad however that the ‘game’ part of the book was epic. I guess I should have never worried about that one because shooting evil aliens is always going to be cool (jk. No offense to aliens). Add to that the whole game like structure of this alternative reality. It was definitely something I could enjoy and this is coming from someone who despises gaming (I suck at it that’s why).

The relationships between her dad and her friends aren’t as well developed as I would have liked. There were some issues between her and her dad that were briefly looked at but no steps are taken. As for her friends, Carly is the only one who was focused on and frankly, I dislike her. She is a boy crazy girl, which I could have overlooked if there was more to her character. Carly fights with her best friend because of a guy and doesn’t even try to listen to the whole story. Hello woman since when do guys have the ability to separate best friends?

Miki is an interesting character, she has some issues and they do define her to a certain degree but really I rather like her. The little bit about her obsession with having control goes as far to her eating habits but I get it. Her mother died because of cancer she doesn’t want to have something like that dropped on her out of nowhere, she wants to be in charge of herself. One of the other great things about her is she always asks the right questions. Sometimes you’ll sit there wondering if she can read your mind.

However, I cannot declare her awesome. I am so tired of having my female lead fall for the asshole. What is it about assholes that calls out to them? Oh please. Don’t throw the tortured asshole cliché at me.

“He pulls emotions out of me that I’m not used to feeling”.

Uh huh. I don’t even know what to say to this. How can someone say that and not expect me to think that this is cheesy. She barely even knows the guy at this point.

Why cannot characters be upfront? Luka, who clearly has had shit happen to him, wasn’t an asshole. So don’t tell me it cannot be done. Layers are interesting in a character if the top layer isn’t asshole. I would have been a lot more sympathetic towards Jackson had he not been such an ass and said things like:

“I’m trying to stay away from you, I’m not a good guy Miki”

No. Don’t say that if you want me to like you. NOPE.

I guess two things I can appreciate about him is the fact that the author doesn’t focus on how hot this guy is and his determination.

For those wondering if there is a love triangle, there wasn’t one but maybe it might be possible in the future. Luka seems to be interested but he isn’t really given a shot. There are a couple of stare downs between Jackson and Luka which pissed me off because at this point neither have made a move on her so they don’t have a right to claim her, aside from the fact that she isn’t something you can claim or fight over. Yeah after that I wasn’t such a big fan of Luka either.

The “I Love Yous” came out of the blue (uninvited). I was really surprised. I was hoping for more development because I am not sure they even knew each other well enough to make those declarations.

Also a warning for those who detest cliff hangers, the ending isn’t pretty.

I really wish this book had focused more on the science fiction part of the book and developed it more because my favorite scenes where when they were fighting. Had the focus been less on the relationship/school drama and more on the pure awesomness of the world the author had created this book just might have been a 5 star deal.


This review has also been posted on my blog

[usagi ☆ミ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay. So, this is a review I really didn't want to write because of the fact that I absolutely LOVED the concept behind it, but the execution of it was just...not awesome. It was extremely confusing to say the least, and it just made me really sad because fighting aliens, time travel, and questionable existences? All of that is awesome, as was the development of most of the technical elements. Most of them. I wish I could recommend "Rush", but the ARC I read? It needed at least two more drafts to make things really readable. Hopefully all of that gets worked out by the time it gets pubbed.

I'm giving an extra star for this one for the concept alone. It sounded SO awesome, and I think had it had a few more drafts (as I said before), it would have been four (or possibly five)-star worthy awesome. Aside from the plot (and a little bit of the character building), all of the other technical areas? Pretty well developed. Which is why this is precisely the review I really didn't want to write.

First: the world. We have three different worlds within the first hundred pages or so - our current world, the alternate universe to our current world, and the space in-between where our main casts fights aliens. It makes me so happy that the space opera sub-genre is finally coming back to YA with a vengeance, and Rush has that in spades. The sensory imagery and language used to describe the Drau reminded me a lot of the Castithans from "Defiance" in terms of their coloring. But what we needed and really didn't get was why the Drau were so dangerous, and why Miki and the other "chosen ones" (a good trope to use in this book, if any) literally "felt" how "wrong" they were, all the way down to their bones. I found it a fascinating concept that Miki and the others could feel things about the Drau this way, but almost a third of the way in and still no explanation about it. Not a word. And that was disappointing (and frustrating).

Second: the characters. Next to the plot, this was the area that needed the most revamping. While we get to know our main cast and MC on a pretty superficial level, which was sufficient for the parts I was reading. There was no insta-love up until I decided I couldn't read on anymore as I was getting incredibly confused with the main plot and all of its arcs, which was a blessing, but at the same time, at the point where I stopped (a third of the way in), there should have been more development than there was.

What Silver does best: action/tension and sensory imagery/language. All of the action scenes were absolutely awesome, but it felt like there were too many of them in a row without enough pause for reflection, so the pacing was a bit off there in the sense that it was too fast. There needed to be some rest between scenes, and maybe a little bit more infodumping (I can't believe I'm saying this as I usually HATE infodumping), or some kind of scene/chapter where we can stop and catch our breath. But the sensory language and imagery was fantastic, and that made up for a lot. A lot, but not nearly enough to save this book for me.

I think a lot of people are going to love "Rush" - I really wanted to, and I loved the idea that started it, but it just got so confusing with so many questions in terms of what came first in building the plot (why having to die? why is killing the Drau a game? why do they need time displacement? and so forth) and how they're all put in order (or rather, lack there of) so unfortunately, this one just didn't work for me. But that's just me! "Rush" is out today from HarperTeen in North America, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance!

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)

[Isamlq · Rating 3 out of 5]

damned cliffy and it took so long too before i was hooked. i was likening the start of Rush to getting slapped (or at least what i think getting slapped feels like as i've not actually been, you know, slapped. the point is there was next to no heads up on the why/where/how... or even what was going on. I was just as turned around as Miki. Plus I was feeling the frustration with all the non-answers she was handed. Then the game-speak? I get why she was not taking anything seriously; I sure wasn't. But then instead of answers she got hands on experience, which was cool because it kept things fast and then faster except I was only half buying it because of the absence of reason.

The whole mysterious boy leader too was getting on my nerves 'till it wasn't anymore because the closer it got to the end, the more the things kinda/sorta/but still not completely made sense.

Personally though I could have done without the makings teen drama (love triangles in the making, needy best friends and what not) and been happier with smoother shifts between one place to the next. But what this lacks in said smooth shifts, it makes up in the curiously interesting (different?) mishmash of content.

I was surprised the mix of stuff that I got out of this: a little bit of Lux with A-hole hot boy lead and a little bit more some paranormal out of body/ time warp moments. And did I mention aliens? Lots of stuff going on in here, so that the lovey-dovey inevitableness of things don't take much away from all that.

thank you, edelweiss!
3/5

And, yes, the next one? I needs it.

[Bookish Pengu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally recommend to read this if you like action, video games, strong characters, an entertaining plot, good writing, love and if you easily want to read 400 pages in 3 days like I did :D
But me personally won't compare it to other books cause this would make my rating worse. It's pretty good for the genre it belongs in. And that's a thing, isn't it? :)

[jessica ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this premise, and the beginning was pretty interesting, but it fizzled out quite fast and got so dull I could barley stay on board, better hopes for the second installment!

[kaylaaaaaaaaaa kaylaaaaaaaaaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!

[Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell]

So I have this fun hobby where I wait for older YAs to go for cheap on Kindle and then I buy them and force my friends to read them with me.

This book is only $1.99 right now! Anyone wanna BR?