Rush (The Game, #1)

May 07, 2013 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Maybe someone who struggled with Ready Player One and wouldn't mind extra romance?

Recommended to Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity by: Buddy read w/Anna (Bobs Her Hair)

Shelves: young-adult

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 i...more

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May 21, 2013 Giselle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook

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" wh...more 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

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May 13, 2013 Maja rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-2013, are-you-kidding-me, cliffhanger-ending, edelweiss, harper-teen, i-have-superpowers, sci-fi, reviewed-in-2013

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 middl...more 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.

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Mar 07, 2013 Jaime Arkin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, 2013-june-release, ebook-format, edelweiss-arc, harper-teen, harpercollins, have-this, series, aliens, read-in-2013, ebook-2013, swoony-boys, ya, must-buy-this, will-be-rereading, wishlist-books

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

photo AmypoehlergifpagespeedcedTFun0Oq3k_zpsd48f0d03.gif

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 t...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley

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...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 th...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Anna (Bobs Her Hair) added it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction, fantasy, arc, for-review, edelweiss, need-to-review

Review to come

Release Date: June 11, 2013

ARC courtesy of Katherine Tegan Books (HarperCollins) via Edelweiss

Buddy Read with Stacia

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May 13, 2013 Brad rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss-arc

Rush is a fast-paced, gripping novel that held me from page one and never let me go.

I was thrown into Rush head-on with an excellent first chapter! I love it when a book can hook me with in with a great opener, and Rush did just that and more. I connected with Miki almost instantly - traveling along with her in this new, peculiar and complex world was fantastic, and Silver did a great job at bringing this world to life.

The world-building is very complex and took me awhile to figure out. I mean...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Rashika rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: icky-romance, sci-fic, ya, read-2013, series-i-am-still-reading

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 epi...more

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May 16, 2013 BookHookup rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.

**I received an ARC from the publisher but that did not influence the review**

First Thoughts: Holy cow that was good!! I devoured this book. But how can it be over????

Plot, Setting, Pacing and Style: The plot…well this was like nothing I have ever read before. I’m not a gamer, but you don’t have to be to get into this. While it’s like a game, the incredibly scary part is, it’s reality for these kids. Miki is pulled from her life, thrown into a...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Katie Mercer rated it 4 of 5 stars

So I wasn't sold on this book from day 1. The premise is the main character is pulled from her real life, into what appears to be a real life video game, where she has to eliminate an alien life form. Basically, kind of Hunger Games meets Books of Valor - so I was half sold, but half leery because this will either end fantastically, or in a slightly painful tug of war.

So the thing is Silver pulls it off. RUSH is a lot of fun - Miki is clueless, frustrated and terrified because there are aliens...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist added it

maybe...but I've recently come across a new term that I think applies to this synopsis: (view spoiler)...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Suz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2013

The Rush is a deadly terrifying read, that will keep you captivated from beginning to end. Filled with fantastic mystery and intrigue, you'll find yourself absolutely unable to put it down. A brilliant mash-up of sci-fi and realism, it takes on a deadly twist that will throw the characters into survival mode. One wrong decision or misstep and the next person's life may be in danger. Eve Silver definitely hits it out of the part with this amazing young adult novel, full of compelling characters,...more

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May 08, 2013 Kristi Cook rated it 5 of 5 stars

Get ready for a rush of a ride! I *loved* this book--filled with action and romantic tension, and I couldn't put it down! Miki is a fabulous protagonist--smart, likable, and real--and all the secondary characters are equally likable and believable. A unique concept with terrific execution. Seriously, the second book in the series cannot come fast enough!

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May 21, 2013 Miss Anderson rated it 2 of 5 stars

I've been on a mission to find a good alien book, and they've all been letdowns. Some because they are not actually about aliens, some because the aliens suck, and some because they just suck. Rush would fall into the later category. "Suck" is a pretty strong word, so I won't go that far. But I didn't really care for this.

Miki is just a sixteen year old semi-popular kid, going about her daily life after the death of her mother. Her father is an alcoholic and her best friend can be a bit shallow....more I've been on a mission to find a good alien book, and they've all been letdowns. Some because they are not actually about aliens, some because the aliens suck, and some because they just suck. Rush would fall into the later category. "Suck" is a pretty strong word, so I won't go that far. But I didn't really care for this.

Miki is just a sixteen year old semi-popular kid, going about her daily life after the death of her mother. Her father is an alcoholic and her best friend can be a bit shallow. But one day Miki finds herself pulled from reality into a terrifying game. Teams of teens are sent on video game-type missions to eliminate the Drau, an alien invasion. Her team includes her school friend, Luka, and the sexy, mysterious Jackson Tate. Miki wants answers: why are they playing this game? Why destroy the Drau? And, most importantly...why her?

The premise sounded awesome. Very Ender's Game meets The Game meets every YA romance ever. But there were so many incredibly annoying factors that I just couldn't overlook.

Let's start with the boy: Jackson Tate. He's ridiculous. He's all perfect looking and mysterious. He wears sunglasses because his eyes are a metaphor for his soul (want to whack us over the head with that one?). Jackson Tate is supposed to be one of those mysterious boys with a dark past who falls in instalove with the only moderately average female protagonist. And it didn't work. And MY GOD it took these two forever to kiss, which was also a manipulation of readers. I find it hard to believe that two teenagers would spend so much time kissing each other's necks and nuzzling each other without actually locking lips.
Which brings me to point two: believability. I believed Harry Potter. I did not believe this. World building is an art. but this was just a hot mess. I've said this before, but it feels completely contrived when characters get thrown into insane situations and no one will explain the situation. There is ample time for information to be passed, but everyone's making up excuses so the protagonist, and therefore the readers, stays completely in the dark. I think the point is to make the protagonist look really smart when she figures it out on her own. YAWN. Just turn to the last thirty pages for an info dump and move along.
I'm just so tired of these faux-strong female protagonists. I appreciate what authors are trying to do. I do. But give me Sophronia, Katniss, or Hermione any day.

FINAL GRADE: D+ I should probably give it a D-, but it was a fast read. It was bad in the beginning, got better in the middle, and crashed by the end. There was a point when I seriously considered calling it a DNF and moving on, but my responsible side made me finish it since it was a review copy.

Required Reading: Required for fans of novels where girls and boys kiss each other's necks and give each other angsty glances. Actually, I know who might like it! Twilight fans. And I'm serious. Jackson Tate spends a lot of time creepy stalking Miki in the real world, just like Edward Cullen.
Library Recommendation: Skip it. There are far better books out there. I'll be glad to give a list. (less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Eileen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, for-review, edelweiss, owned, young-adult, science-fiction, romance

Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

Oh, after the beautiful, beautiful reviews I received from fellow peers, gushing over the fantastic book otherwise known as Rush by Eve Silver, I was excited. Ecstatic, even.

However, Rush proved to be disappointing beyond measure. The exciting and intriguing premise was about the extent of the positive things I can divulge, because while science fiction isn't my thing, I've loved enough of them and the idea of being trapped in...more Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

Oh, after the beautiful, beautiful reviews I received from fellow peers, gushing over the fantastic book otherwise known as Rush by Eve Silver, I was excited. Ecstatic, even.

However, Rush proved to be disappointing beyond measure. The exciting and intriguing premise was about the extent of the positive things I can divulge, because while science fiction isn't my thing, I've loved enough of them and the idea of being trapped in a game excited me. Quickly after, my initial excitement fizzled out. The plot moved so slowly in the beginning, and the only thing moving it forward starting halfway through was the romantic tension and the actual romance, which wasn't as compelling as I'd hoped. You can see the beginning of a potential love triangle, and I had a fierce hate towards it. Between Jackson and Luca, you could tell which one Miki would choose which reduced the surprise element by at least half.

Additionally, the world-building was shaky, at best. I have no idea how so many people didn't catch it, because I felt like there were so many plot holes and unanswered questions. What did dying to save the life of another have to do with being put into the game? Why did killing these alien Drau people in a game help anybody in real life? There was some explanation in the beginning, and then you were left trying to imagine everything for yourself. When some more "world-building" happened, it was so confusing because I had forgotten what very little I had learned before. If Rush's plot hadn't been so slow in the beginning, and if the promise of world-building had been stronger, I might have read more closely, and thus pertaining more information about the game.

Which brings us to another fatal flaw induced by the lack of world-building: Miki, our main character. I hated how naïve she was with a fiery passion. She kept asking these stupid questions, and nobody would answer her, which only frazzled both her and me. When the time came for her to be allowed to ask real questions, she asked the stupidest questions again, ones that had nothing to do with the world building or anything important. However, as hard as it is to say, Miki's complete ignorance worked out. Sometimes. When anybody brought up a gaming term, Miki would ask what it meant and we'd learn some new terminology. It was also a disadvantage to Rush because these kids are normal. They don't play video games 24/7 and when they're in the game, they don't talk to any other people except themselves. So how do they know to use all of these fancy terms that only a hardcore gamer would know? Maybe a former team member was, but it seems unlikely, considering the fact that every character apparently had to give up their lives to get into the game.

I would recommend Rush by Eve Silver to anybody who really loves science fiction and some classic romantic tension, but you might not be as pleased as you first expected.(less)

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Mar 29, 2013 Steffy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved RUSH (The Game #1)! It was one of a kind and this book deserves 5 big stars for originality. I never read a book quite like that and I have to give credit to Eve Silver, she bring some freshness to the YA world. I would call it a Sci-fi/gamer book with still a hint of Romance, it really was a perfect mix.
I read a few reviews that compare Rush with the Hunger and I seriously cannot see the correlation here. Will any book relating to teenagers fighting will be associated with t...more I absolutely loved RUSH (The Game #1)! It was one of a kind and this book deserves 5 big stars for originality. I never read a book quite like that and I have to give credit to Eve Silver, she bring some freshness to the YA world. I would call it a Sci-fi/gamer book with still a hint of Romance, it really was a perfect mix.
I read a few reviews that compare Rush with the Hunger and I seriously cannot see the correlation here. Will any book relating to teenagers fighting will be associated with the Hunger Games? In Rush the teen don’t have to kill each other, they are to kill Aliens. They are not living in some kind of dystopian future, they live in our normal society….These are two MAJOR differences that should stop anyone from associating both books. If any gamer read this book I think they will say that Rush is much closer of the video game DOOM that it is from the Hunger Games.
Anyways I am a complete fan of this book and will be eagerly waiting for book two. I would advise any Sci-fi fans or any gamers to read this book.
The story is very well written and I enjoyed Miki as a main character. Miki is pulled into this new life, dangerous and deadly with no warning she is strong and brave but also shows a softer ‘weaker’ side that allows you to relate to her.
My favorite character is Jackson, he is the major secondary character and beware you might be just like me and develop a huge unhealthy crush on him. Jackson is the strong silent type, brave and bossy but he also has a soft side, a side that you get so see furtively as you go through the story and believe me these little moments will make your heart flutter in your chest. He is like your ‘hero-soldier-tortured-silent’ type….I just love Jackson Tate!
Eve wrote a very good story, full of originality and interesting and complex characters. I was engrossed in the story from the first few pages and it kept me up until ungodly hours for the past few days. The story flows very nicely with action every few pages avoiding the boredom of filler chapters.
Eve, as the gift to make you ‘feel’ as you read and I ad teary eyes and my heart squeezed in my chest more than once.
However you have to keep in mind that Eve is a sadistic author! She finished the book with a KILLER cliff-hanger. She seriously left me with my heart ripped out of my chest and it was lucky the book was on my kindle as I couldn’t throw it. Eve please tell me it will be okay?
In Conclusion: This book is a fantastic start of a series, that will engross you from page one. It’s a Sci-fi, gaming book with a hint of romance. I would advise this book to anyone who enjoy a good Sci-fi book. The only down point? I would now have to wait for book 2
Stars: 5/5
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Mar 18, 2013 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-must-read, 2013-new-book-release, arc-books, around-the-world-arc-tours, march-2013

Rush okay I am just going to say it was such a RUSH for me. I love sci-fi but this took it to another level. Man from the moment I started reading to the last page and oh man Eve Silver are you one CRUEL lady with the ending! I will say this up front because I am finding that a lot of my reading friends do not like cliff hangers and so they refuse to read a book that has such a huge cliff hanger. So baring that in mind because I love my reading friends DUDES this has one freaking huge cliff hang...more Rush okay I am just going to say it was such a RUSH for me. I love sci-fi but this took it to another level. Man from the moment I started reading to the last page and oh man Eve Silver are you one CRUEL lady with the ending! I will say this up front because I am finding that a lot of my reading friends do not like cliff hangers and so they refuse to read a book that has such a huge cliff hanger. So baring that in mind because I love my reading friends DUDES this has one freaking huge cliff hanger and I even threw the book because I was like what the hell? What in the name of Hades is going on???????????

Miki Jones is just trying to live her life and pick up the pieces after the death of her mother. She is pulled into a game that she is told she will have to fight the alien creatures Drau because they are bad and need to be eliminated. She will not receive any training or preparation for killing these Drau but instead she finds herself thrust into this crazy situation with four other team mates and a leader. Oh and the leader by the way Jackson tells his team that this is not a game but real life. This game will determine who and what survives and how life is going to be lived. No pressure there right?

OMG after finding all that out she does not care for Jackson to much because he is rude and snarky but he is at least honest with his team or is he? As Miki and the team fight their way through situation after situation Miki finds herself being drawn to Jackson and she is not sure why. She knows that Jackson could be trouble but she knows that he knows something he is not sharing and when the secret comes out Miki is not quite sure how to act. Miki will have to do something very drastic and very fast in order to save her team but what will she have to sacrifice and why? Will she and Jackson be able to defeat the Drau? What will happen between Miki and Jackson?

This is a must read with a huge cliff hanger that had me screaming at the book. I will buy this book when it comes out so I can read it again and try to figure out the cliff hanger because I have a long time to go before the next book comes out. (less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Celeste_pewter rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Two-second recap: This is not the type of book you want to go into, having read spoilers beforehand. The less you know about this book, the more Eve Silver's writing and plotting will surprise (and delight) you.

***

Full review:

There are times, when I feel like a book needs a better synopsis, because it either doesn't fully encompass the heart of a book, or because I feel like it will attract more readers that way.

But there are also times, when I'm actually glad that a book has a vague synopsis,...more

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May 16, 2013 Celeste rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, aliens, harperteen, katherine-tegan, sci-fi, thriller, arc, gaming

This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.

**I received an ARC from the publisher but that did not influence the review**

First Thoughts: Holy cow that was good!! I devoured this book. But how can it be over????

Plot, Setting, Pacing and Style: The plot…well this was like nothing I have ever read before. I’m not a gamer, but you don’t have to be to get into this. While it’s like a game, the incredibly scary part is, it’s reality for these kids. Miki is pulled from her life, thrown into a...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 28, 2013 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, read-in-2013

Rush is a read that I have a hard time putting my finger on, or even really wrapping my brain around. It all basically starts with a car accident and a game that is really not a game. Miki is a normal high school student until one day when for the greater good, she sacrifices herself for a younger student. From the moment of that sacrifice, Miki is pulled into what the others refer to as the game. A life or death battle against some crazy creatures.

From early on in the read, Rush felt all over t...more

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May 18, 2013 Zachary Flye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted on my blog, Zach's YA Reviews (zachsyareviews.com)

Review:

Protagonist: Miki Jones begins this story still reeling from a terrible tragedy and while her friends want her to return to "normal," she's not sure she can. Over the course of the book she not only get help from friends, new and old, but through a dangerous battle with fierce and terrifying alien creatures. While I could see development in Miki's character and in her confidence, there were still some issues that were lef...more Originally posted on my blog, Zach's YA Reviews (zachsyareviews.com)

Review:

Protagonist: Miki Jones begins this story still reeling from a terrible tragedy and while her friends want her to return to "normal," she's not sure she can. Over the course of the book she not only get help from friends, new and old, but through a dangerous battle with fierce and terrifying alien creatures. While I could see development in Miki's character and in her confidence, there were still some issues that were left awkwardly up in the air. I did however, love how she grew during her experiences with the game as she grew more and more accustomed to the thrill and rush associated with it.

Romance: As many of you guys may know I'm not a big fan of choosing "teams" ex. "Team Peeta or Team Gale" however this series is one of the exceptions. While neither romantic prospect is what I would call "unique" I did feel drawn to one more than the other. The one I had a problem with is the archetype for the asshole who has a heart of gold "if you only got to know him," which is a cliche I've seen in YA lit before but one that I'm growing tired of, though I didn't hate or really even dislike this character that much, he didn't feel as real as the other side to the triangle. The one I'm silently rooting for, while not the predictable winner, is much kinder on the outside, and while he holds an air of mystery about him he doesn't use it to act rude to everyone who approaches him.

World-Building: The world this books takes place in, though based off of our world, is secretly inhabited by creepy alien creatures called the Drau, who can cause incredible pain with a single look. To fight them off teenagers are pulled from reality to take place in a game of sort to eliminate the Drau problem and hinder their plans for world domination and destruction. As we learn more about this war that Miki and her friends are pulled into, the more questions end up being raised culminating in an almost tell-all moment that ends up answering most questions while leaving some with rather vague and non-answers.

Predictability: I was rather shocked with how unpredictable this book was, as with every book there are predictable moments, however most of the twists were cover by vague and hazy foreshadowing that was hard to decipher until it was already too late and the twist was presented. The level of twists was rather low, though when they did happen they were rather large and at times game-changing.

Ending: The ending was full of action which is always a plus, in addition to the slaughter of many there are a few moments of romance and finally, in the very end we are presented with a very agonizing cliffhanger. I will never complain about plateauing endings for firsts in series ever again. The wait for the next installment will be hell and I'm not sure I'm going to make it. It wasn't as epic as a Richelle Mead cliffhanger but it was very close.

Rating:

This book was both what I was expecting and totally different than I thought it would be. I knew it was going to be great and, while not perfect, is still a book I'd recommend anyone read regardless of gender. It was different because of how "The Game" is set up and how the players can return to their normal lives in-between missions.

Question: If you could be teleported into any gaming world, which one would it be? (Leave your answer in the comments!) P.S. I'd want to go into the world of The Legend of Zelda!(less)

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May 15, 2013 Princess Bookie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-net-g, read2013, 2013-debut-challenge

My Thoughts: Honestly, I’m not even sure where to start with this review. When I first started Rush, I was confused. It just didn’t click into place right away.

The book starts out with a girl name Miki being in a pretty bad accident. She is trying to save a little girl and instead of dying she is basically yanked out of the situation and threw into a game. A game to fight aliens and to live through it. The Drau. But its not really a game at all. She’s thrown into this world with a few other peo...more My Thoughts: Honestly, I’m not even sure where to start with this review. When I first started Rush, I was confused. It just didn’t click into place right away.

The book starts out with a girl name Miki being in a pretty bad accident. She is trying to save a little girl and instead of dying she is basically yanked out of the situation and threw into a game. A game to fight aliens and to live through it. The Drau. But its not really a game at all. She’s thrown into this world with a few other people. There was one boy named Luka who I liked a lot. And then another one named Jackson. There were others of course but I took a special liking to both Luka and Jackson in my own way. Both boys were neat characters. Their personalities were pretty opposite.

Basically, as the book goes on Miki learns more and more about the aliens, what she is fighting for, and what she needs to do. We learn that she has to fight to survive.

I wasn’t really sure what to think of this one, and I’m still not a few days after reading it. I didn’t connect with it at first. It was hard to get into but by the middle of the book I was pretty interested and wanted to find out the ending. And Jackson and Luka kept me wanting to read more.

I liked the characters, the plot was a bit confusing but had a nice premise. I enjoyed this one but I didn’t fall in love with it yet.. Maybe the next book will be easier to read. It was a creative idea though.

Overall: Liked it but I can’t really give it 4 cupcakes. I just didn’t love it as much as those books I give 4 or 5 cupcakes too. Once I got into it, I did start to like certain points so I would probably rate this a 3.5, not just 3 cupcakes. Give it a chance, you may enjoy it more than me or you may enjoy it less, only you can decide. And of course, maybe if you're a gamer it might interest you more.

And be prepared for that cliffhanger! Now I do want to read the next one!

Cover: Like it. Like the blueish hue to it. And the girl hiding in there. HEHE.

What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes
________
Taken From Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com (less)

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May 02, 2013 Alene Sen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: survival, dystopia, youth-book

I enjoyed this youth book. The short sentences and quick pacing, make this book a quick read. Unfortunately, the book is the first in a trilogy, so the story is left hanging. I like the characters, and the beginnings of a love triangle. Miki Jones is pulled into a game where she must fight aliens, known as the Drau,to survive. This is another dystopian/sci-fi survival fighting book. Good read, but not much depth. I'm not sure if I will pursue the next installment.

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Mar 06, 2013 Ally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, debuts, edelweiss, kindle, fiction, series, luckies, scifi

Miki Jones is pulled from her life, through time and space, handed a weapon and expected to play "the game": killing aliens. There is no explanation, and no opting out. She only has the guidance of her team, led by the maddening and evasive Jackson Tate. What's really going on here?

This one was a lot of fun. Silver captures Miki's complete and utter cluelessness and frustration with her situation. She has no idea what's going on, and she's terrified, and there are aliens. Her teammates are tryin...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Angelica marked it as to-read

This is like The Hunger Games but with aliens! It seems really interesting...and has anybody noticed that aliens are in now. First vampires then wolves, then fey, then angles now could it be aliens???
alien

I think yes!!!

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Mar 24, 2013 Kristen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: juv-lit, arc, romance-fantasy, fantasy, ya-lit

It took a long time to get into this book. I wasn't super intrigued by the premise. It is quite derivative, Ender's Game meets the Hunger Games. However, the second half sort of picks up momentum and had me up until 1 am. There is a super cliff hanger ending (huge peeve.)
The explanations just took too long. Miki's dead mother makes her some kind of empath. Lots of loose ends. Meh.

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Feb 11, 2013 Elyssa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, arc, favorite-reads, ya, aliens, gamer

I. Love. This. Book.

Action packed, compelling characters, hits you on an emotional level, and has one of the best heroines I've ever read. The hero is great, too. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, and it just makes me so anxious to read the next one. Put this one on your lists; I can see this being my favorite book of 2013, hands down.

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Mar 01, 2013 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Started out slow but then got interesting. I liked the way the relationship between Miki and Jackson developed. I wasn't sure about the gamer plot but in the end it did end up fitting the plot well and wasn't as much of a turn-off as I was thinking it might be.

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Mar 06, 2013 Demitria Lunetta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended for fans of: YA Sci-fi with a dash of Romance

This book has a very unique premise. Teens are forced to play a “Game” that eliminates alien enemies. At first Miki has no idea why she was chosen, and what really is going on. Everyone is extremely vague and scared of the consequences of giving her answers. This helps the reader connect with Mikki and share in her frustration, but it also makes the answers so much more satisfying when they come. The pacing was fantastic, the unknown threa...more

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title link	preview: Rush
avg rating	preview: Rush Goodreads rating: 4.09 (117 ratings)
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Rush (The Game #1)

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