The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Author: Rick Yancey
Original title: The 5th Wave 
Pages: 460
Edition Language: English
Series: The 5th Wave #1
Format: paperback
Genres: Dystopia
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother-or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

  My thoughts: 

          We primarily follow a young lady named Cassie, whose younger brother has been taken away from her. She evolves as a character throughout the novel as she is thrown into more dangerous and demanding situations. Her mission is to save her brother, and there is no hope for any kind of normality for her anymore.

      So, the world is coming to an end - humanity is slowly being killed off by an alien race and their 'waves' that keep hitting Earth. The first 'wave' cuts all of the power and sends the inhabitants of Earth into a frenzy. There are four waves that follow causing total destruction and devastation - the aim is to wipe out as many humans as possible.

      In another thread of the story we follow Cassie's brother, Sam. Sam is five years old and is being trained up to kill the enemy - but how can you know who the enemy is when they all have human faces.

        My only issue was with Cassie and Ben's meeting toward the end of the story. I had been wondering how it would play out, but it seemed a bit rushed and awkward and I found myself a bit disappointed. The ending of the book as the whole was rushed, I would have liked the author to give this section a bit more meaning.

       Altogether, a quick, fun and engaging read! Had me on the edge of my seat! Action packed, fast paced and a real page turner! I would highly recommend this apocalyptic YA read. I am afraid to pick up the second book, what if it does not live up to the first book?

Rating:  

    4/5