Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman starting on February 25, 2024.


Happy Reading!

Thank you!

1. Aurora Rising (Jan 26) [link]
2. Aurora Burning (Feb 25)
3. Aurora's End April 26 [link]

audiobook: no library/subscription copies.
ebook: no library/subscription copies.

Yay!

Forgot about this one. Just put my hold in for the book but there's no one else in front of me so I should get it soon :-)

I hope I enjoy this as much as book 1.

Started! Really enjoying so far. Through Chapter 8. (view spoiler)[Definitely have a much better grasp on our crewmates after the last book's jumble. Especially since they're coming together nicely as a crew. My favorite so far is Finian and Scarlett--separately or together. Totally shipping those two. Kal & Aurora are fine, I can take them or leave them, though Kal's POV chapters have some funny moments. I like how Cat is still an echo in their minds, even the new ship named Zero in memory... Which brings up the question, where is this cabal of helpers getting their extremely accurate future information?

The addition of Kal's sister, Saedii, is fun... when the crew escaped the Unbroken on the ship, I was half expecting Saedii to make it inside the ship and become one of them... but not right now. Can't you see them all teaming up though, to take out the real bad guys?

In Scarlett's chapters, I really appreciate the wardrobe & breasts conversations. Bras and underwires--seriously! All the science in the universe and that's still an issue. Preach it sistah. And on how having a perfect "cleave" and then testing guys with it--are you talking to me or to them? Kind of makes me think of a Granuaile line in one of the shorts in Besieged--okay, you're cute, but can you recite poetry? (hide spoiler)]

Starting now. Lots of info dumping in the beginning.

I was rather glad for the recap! But I don't remember other specific info dumping...

Chapter 1 (view spoiler)[ So the squad are being blamed for the elf massacre, I saw it coming but really hoped I would be wrong! (hide spoiler)]

re: Chapter 1--(view spoiler)[yeah, that was painful!! >.< But also expected. Of course they have to be pariahs.... (hide spoiler)]

I finished yesterday and really enjoyed it!! Still battling a nasty cough and it's dragging my energy levels down so I didn't comment at all while reading >.< But I had thoughts!! (view spoiler)[I was totally thinking, when we learned of Kal's father the Starslayer, and that the weapon he used is THE weapon, that maybe he didn't just annihilate all the Sildrathi out of spite, but rather because they were infected with the Ra'haam... and then we met him on screen. And it's like, nope, spite. But it was interesting that he was SUPPOSED to use it on the Ra'haam... and didn't! Wasn't expecting that twist!!

I wanted to punch everyone for how they treated Kal when they learned about his father though. Seriously! Idiots! You can't choose your f-ing family!! Children are not their parents!! Of course if your parent is a monster you're going to want to hide that and have a normal life! They all deserve to be bitch-slapped into sense. Especially Aurora, who should have known better--or known Kal better. I guess that's just what you get in a YA book--no one has two cents of sense to rub together.

I really enjoyed the Tyler/Saedii plotline. Fun seeing him dealing with an exhibitionist narcissist--and occasionally getting in a good shot too. I also like that Cat came back (and y'all, he did say he loved her!) but I don't think she's saveable, sadly... I'll have to ship Tyler/Saedii instead. (hide spoiler)]

@Nirkatze Ah I hope you feel better soon! I'll post my thoughts as I get further through.

I got about half way but my mind kept zoning so I put this one aside and started another book. Will go back to this one once I'm done with that one. Hoping I just need a bit of a break.

Charlie wrote: "@Nirkatze Ah I hope you feel better soon! I'll post my thoughts as I get further through."

Thank you!! I'm looking forward to reading them!

@Diana--dittoing your hope!

I'm about 25% through. I don't know what it is with these books, but my mind refuses to concentrate on the audiobook! My mind just wanders and I don't have a clue what is going on. I have no explanation, the narration style is really similar to Renegades that I just listened to before and took it all in no bother!!

Change up the speed? Try the e-book/dead tree book if you can get it?

Oop I didn't realize we scheduled this one in February... will try to start before the March reads...

Siobhan wrote: "I'm about 25% through. I don't know what it is with these books, but my mind refuses to concentrate on the audiobook! My mind just wanders and I don't have a clue what is going on. I have no explan..."

Same. I didn’t have this issue as much with the first book but I keep zoning on this one and have to keep rewinding. I’m at 55% but it’s slow going.

I find that there are books that do that to me, and I can't find rhyme or reason... narrator's voice, the story, or just circumstances... sometimes slowing down the speed works, and sometimes I have to wait until I'm doing something truly mindless, like laundry, to be able to focus...

I can only listen when I'm driving anyway really, a mindless activity for me!
I'll try slowing it down and see if that helps. But it might annoy me haha.

Nirkatze wrote: "I find that there are books that do that to me, and I can't find rhyme or reason... narrator's voice, the story, or just circumstances... sometimes slowing down the speed works, and sometimes I hav..."

It was the opposite. I ended up speeding it up and focus a little better on it now lol. I'm on the last 20min of my listen and not into this one as much as the first. There are some interesting parts but so far most of the big twists have been predictable so it's not as exiting of a read.

Through Part 1, Ch. 8... (view spoiler)[ How the hell did the Admirals know 10 years ago what would happen and with such accuracy?
We need more information...

I am also shipping Scarlett and Fin, but I want a happy ending for The Brain girl too...

The issue with big boobs - yes! I have been wanting a reduction because of all these and many more issues they bring for ever!

Saedii is a scary, scary woman! I think she needs to learn a lesson and be humbled! I hope... (hide spoiler)]

Finished yesterday! While I was very intrigued by some parts I had lots of eye-rolling in this one with the YA drama... I'm mostly ignoring that though for the plot (view spoiler)[ which was pretty frustrating we don't get answers about the items in this one! I feel like that needed to be wrapped up here... The ending was wayyy too much of a cliffhanger for my liking! (hide spoiler)]

Up to Ch. 24... (view spoiler)[ ... So, of everything up to this point, the only parts that I lose interest in are the lovey-dovey ones between Pixie boy and Aurora... I just don't feel the romance there. And honestly, I think it would be much stronger if they wrote it with hints and looks, instead of the internal monologues... I am also a tad frustrated with how often She says "I can't!" and tries to give up. That bodes ill for the future, if she doesn't buckle down and just continue trying different ways...

I didn't expect the torture Tyler the way they are, but I am liking that he and Saedii have time, as jail maits, to get to know each other. Maybe there is hope for Kal's sister, we will see...

I felt really sad for Tyler when he realized that Cat, his Cat, was irretrievable... It has to be devastating to see her body alive and her real personality not in it ..

I miss having Magellan and Fin missing for so long on page... (hide spoiler)]

5 Chapters in (view spoiler)[ Okay so the idea of Scarlett leading Kal around on a leash was hilarious! I really enjoy the cominc relief in these books. (hide spoiler)]

That scene was very funny, Charlie! I also had a laugh at it:)))

Just 4 chapters left in the book for me... (view spoiler)[ Emily, I agree with you 100%! The reveal of who Kal and Saedii's father is was kind of expected at this point. What wasn't expected was that extreme overreaction of everyone on the crew! WTF? I understand being shocked by it, but blaming the dude for the actions of his parents is absolutely ridiculous, particularly after he has been nothing but a great teammate and a great person to have on your side. I can see feeling let down because he didn't share, but you would think "warriors" that they have been trained to be, would have the emotional intelligence to understand that something like this would be difficult for anyone to share... And Aurora kicking him out - that was needlessly overdramatic and pointless. Emotional stupidity all around!

So, Tyler and Scarlett's mother is a Space Elf... hmmm... Hope they are not related too closely with Kal and Saedii... (hide spoiler)]

chapter 6 (view spoiler)[ Wow. So the ship is tailor made for the crew, in every way, it's perfect. And it was made 8 years ago! What is happening?!?! (hide spoiler)]

Choko wrote: "Just 4 chapters left in the book for me... Emily,"

@ Choko (view spoiler)[ YES 100% agree... They should know better than that...
I reallllyyyyy felt the emotional immaturity in the characters here, but I guess that's pretty par for the course for YA... Which is why I don't tend to read/like them all that much lol
Also that YA angst/drama

I do wonder who their mother is... what if they were half siblings 😳 (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "5 Chapters in [spoilers removed]"

I did get a good chuckle out of that Charlie!

Charlie wrote: "chapter 6 [spoilers removed]"

I was very curious about that that too!

I finished... Emily, you are not kidding... YA, what can you do?:)

I am not a fan of that type of cliffhangers! It's a good thing we don't have to wait for the next book, because it's out and we will read it soon... Otherwise I would have been pissed! You just don't end a book this way. It's disrespectful to the reader. At least wrap up an arc or something! The first book did fine, why not this one? ... As I said, at least we will be reading the finale soon...

Choko wrote: "Just 4 chapters left in the book for me... Emily, I agree with you 100%! ."

(view spoiler)[ So I swear they already told us the big reveal earlier in the book? I was expecting it. So everyone’s overreaction was the stunning thing to me. Exactly like you said. He’s not his dad. And this is why I don’t really buy the “love” between Kal and Auri. If she doesn’t understand why he wouldn’t want to live in his dad’s shadow she didn’t really get him, let alone love him. I just found everyone’s reaction to be very immature. (hide spoiler)]

Diana, Exactly!!!! And nope, they hadn't told us the "reveal" yet, but it had gotten completely obvious by this point...

I've not been on top of notifications this week, but I'm loving all the chat here! Agreeing with everyone. And on the question of how did they know--(view spoiler)[I was originally thinking prophecy, but now I'm thinking time travel... especially with that cliff-hanger ending, whaddya'll wanna bet they're going to end up like 100 years in the past or something? (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "I've not been on top of notifications this week, but I'm loving all the chat here! Agreeing with everyone. And on the question of how did they know--[spoilers removed]"

I was thinking (view spoiler)[ time travel. But I don’t understand why if they had that power they wouldn’t have gone further back and stopped the whole world destroying thing. Unless the jump was random and just once and was all they could get (hide spoiler)]

I didn't even think about that... Interesting theory. I am very glad we will find out soon:)

Same!! Maybe... (view spoiler)[it's one of those time paradox things, where they have to be very careful only to do the things that they already know they did, or else change things for the worse? And who knows if it's a one-time or something they can control... (hide spoiler)]

Regardless, looking forward to the trilogy wrap up!!

8 chapters in! (view spoiler)[ Just wnated to say i'm excited with how things are going and i really want to know how the commander knew about the squads future! (hide spoiler)]

We've been speculating on that same thing!!

Finished! I enjoyed this one more because I already knew who everyone was I think, but (view spoiler)[ agree with you all about the annoying emotional immaturity, the way Aurora dumped Kal because of his secret dad was ridiculous. And also the cliff hanger, super annoying.

I'm thinking time travel on the whole perfect gifts thing. But yeah, why was that all they could do? We shall see I hope.

Theory for you all that goes with the time travel (sorry if someone already said it) - every time they say Aurora's full name it flashes in my brain.

Aurora Ge Lin O'Malley (spelling sorry audiobooking)
Aurora Le Gin
Aurora Legion

The whole damn system is literally named after her. Sorry if that was obviously a given and I just clicked a bit late 😂 But anyways that supports the time travel or paradox thing. I'm assuming future them starts Aurora Legion, in the past. (hide spoiler)]

Ooh, I like your theory, Siobhan!!! That would totally make sense.

Also glad to have another in solidarity wanting to smack them all for emotional immaturity.

Siobhan wrote: "Finished! I enjoyed this one more because I already knew who everyone was I think, but ..."

lol I didn’t catch that but yeah I bet you’re right

Nirkatze wrote: "I've not been on top of notifications this week, but I'm loving all the chat here! Agreeing with everyone. And on the question of how did they know--[spoilers removed]"

was thinking that as well

Ha, Siobhan it might have been a given, or not, but I don't think I caught on to that either :D

I hope I'm right - it's not often I get to feel smart about books 🤣

I know from the start we've known (view spoiler)[ they are with Aurora Legion, and her name is Aurora, but I never really thought about the connection at first. Just assumed a coincidence I guess. Or didn't notice at all. We shall see! (hide spoiler)]

When should we schedule book 3? 😊

Do we want to keep the 26th-or-so this month, or move later? Seems like folks are getting pretty slammed with books this month. Move to mid-April? Or say f!-it and schedule it for March 'cuz we want the ending? I'm good either way.

I'm reading like 6 books right now so I'm still only 9 chapters in but schedule it whenever, I'll make it work!

Let's see if anyone else weighs on on a date...