two weeks ago I finished reading Illuminae by Amie Kaufamn and Jay Kristoff. at the time i didn't have a chance to go back and write a review about it. kind of a bummer. i thought that's ok. then this morning i went on Twitter only to discover some pretty surprising news: Illuminae is getting picked up by Warner Bros. and Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment group. 

so yes, casually putting it out there, Illuminae, published back in October of this year, will be adapted by none other than Brad Pitt. to be honest, i thought this was a little random. personally, i had no idea that Brad Pitt even had an "entertainment group" or that he was interested in young adult storylines. not that Illuminae, isn't a spectacular book or anything, but that was pretty quick...and once again, Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt. (how many times have I written Brad Pitt so far you ask? 5, not including the one in this question).

if you haven't heard the buzz surrounding Illuminae...WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! just kidding. don't fret, i'm not one to inherently keep up with trends. yes, i do know which books are being hyped up and getting on the New York Times Best Selling list, but that doesn't mean i jump on board with them. i'm one of those people who waits until the buzz fades away so i can then make up my own opinions, without being swayed too much by the masses.

this has worked out great for me. why?

1. i usually don't buy books- i like to rent books out from my local libraries. 
2. i can stick to reading what i'm in the mood for without feeling pressured to pick up everything else is reading

reading that last sentence over i feel like such a snob, but it's nice to go against the flow every once in a while. staying as objective and truthful as you can is big in my book. do what you feel is right, always. stay weird and different, always.

to give a quick synopsis of Illuminae: it follows 2 main protagonists, Kady and Ezra, who are casually attending class at their high school in the beginning of the book, when the planet they live on is attacked. the novel takes place in 2575 where 2 corporations are trying to gain dominance in the galactic world. Kady and Ezra are not only classmates but romantically involved (at the tender age of 17- because this is a Young Adult novel), something that is on rocky waters when all hell decides to break loose on their planet. the become separated, stationed in two different ships, but manage to keep in contact through e-mails and text messages.

these various messages and memos are what make Illuminae so distinct. the writing format isn't compromised of your typical block paragraph, chapter by chapter synopsis. it is literally e-mails and computer hacking that Kady and Ezra engage in, trying not only to get in contact with one another, but figure out what is truly going on and why their home planet was attacked.

Illuminae is one of those science-fiction stories that will grip you right into the world and pull you in headfirst. the way it's designed and formatted is unique but the writing is all there, adding even more to the characters and world building. it's beautiful, especially a certain section in the middle where it's poetic and choppy on purpose. it's action-packed. you will be following along reading the messages that are exchanged anxiously waiting to see what happens. there is an AI you need to be aware of and romance that manages to surpass an interplanetary war.

basically, go pick it up. please. if you couldn't already guess, I gave Illuminae 5 stars on Goodreads.