In the middle of an alien apocalypse, Cassie fights to rescue her brother, who was kidnapped by the aliens – the Others.  However, in order to save Sammy, she finds herself allied with a boy who might be the enemy.

This book is where Ender’s Game meets The Hunger Games.

The story begins in the middle of the woods with the main character, Cassie, trying to avoid the aliens at all costs, not knowing how she plans to rescue her brother, Sammy.  The only thing that keeps her going is him.  She promised she’d come back for him, and she intends to keep that promise – similar to how Katniss would do anything for Prim.

And then the story shifts to Ben Parish, rising up through the ranks of the military – pretty much identical to Ender’s Game, minus the zero gravity – to supposedly quell the alien infestation.  All the while, he protects Sammy as if Sammy were his own.

Rick Yancey combines these storylines effortlessly; they melt together like butter.  He knows how to hook the reader from page one.  It doesn’t let up either; it’s full of unexpected twists and turns and action at the speed of light.

Don’t miss it.