Review: Push by Eve Silver

Push by Eve Silver
Publisher-Katherine Tegen Books
Released- June 10th 2014
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

It’s either break the rules or die.Miki Jones lives her life by her own strict set of rules, to keep control, to keep the gray fog of grief at bay. Then she’s pulled into the Game, where she—and her team—will die unless she follows a new set of rules: those set by the mysterious Committee.But rules don’t mean answers, and without answers, it’s hard to trust. People are dying. The rules are unraveling. And Miki knows she’s being watched, uncertain if it’s the Drau or someone—something—else. Forced to make impossible choices and battling to save those she loves, Miki begins to see the Committee in a glaring new light.And then the Game crosses a new boundary, pushes harder into Miki’s and her friends’ lives, and there’s nothing in the rules that can save them now.

My Thoughts: 
What an amazing world! I really just love Silver's writing style. From minute one I found myself sucked back into all the emotions and all the action and intrigued this book has to offer. It's absolutely compelling, adding and exhilarating and still every bit the refreshing and unique escape I found in the first book.

While Push may be a little bit tamed down compared to Rush, I still really enjoyed the direction Silver took with this sequel. There isn't anything I love more then  heart pulsing action and characters who can kick some serious ass, but it was really great to be able to relate to Miki on a different level. She literally gets thrown into the games in Rush so fast that I felt I only got to know her in the 'virtual world', but in Push I was able to see her connections between her dad and her friends and what it's like for her in the 'real world'. I also absolutely loved that we got to see the romance develop between Miki and Jackson and that it wasn't pushed aside while the action takes the lead. I believe in a healthy balance in books and Silver give us a great dose of both. Those were probably my favorite moments. The sweet and adorable way Jackson and Miki were together. They give the readers something to hope for and make all the fighting worth fighting for. But never fear, fans of this series shouldn't worry that it was tamed down to much, there is still a helluva lot of action and excitement as we are once again thrown back into the virtual games, but this time Miki, Luka, Jackson and the rest of the team are fighting more then just the Drau who are threatening the world with total disaster. The Committee seems to be  a pretty big question mark at this point and I'm fascinated to see how this all plays out, specially with the last minute twist at the end pertaining to Jackson's sister, Lizzie. Gasping stuff my friends!

I really adored all of these characters. They are warm and witty and have some of the greatest chemistry, on and off the battle field. Miki has always been a fiercely determined and independent character and I feel that I got to know the reasons why better. I love her strength, level headedness and her beautiful heart. But I think it was Jackson who really threw me for a loop here. I'm so use to seeing Jackson in commando-mode. The ever demanding, in control and self-assured leader that he was born to be. But in this book we got to see a more playful and fun loving side to Jackson that was a complete joy and treat. The things he would do and say really made me look at him differently. More like a person with a real life then the solider on missions making sure everyone survives. I also adored Luka and thought he was a major supporting character that I can depend on to make me smile while Carly is the best friend every girl needs.

All in all, Push was such an excellent sequel! I loved the fast-paced-in-your-face rush, the incredible writing that leaps off the pages and the amazing cast of characters that demand you to feel. This still holds the 'most unique' series in my books and I'm really enjoying where Silver is taking things and simply can't wait to see where she takes it next. An addicting read! More!

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website                                4 Snowflakes 

Review: Rush by Eve Silver

Rush by Eve Silver 

Publisher-Katherine Tegen Books

Release- June 11th 2013

Pre-Order- Amazon / B&N / Chapters

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

My Thoughts:

Well now, how do I go about explaining the crazy-awesomeness that is this book? 

Rush is a such a bold, inventive, exciting story. The moment I read the first chapter I knew that this isn't like my usual reads. In fact, this was probably one of the most unique books I ever had the pleasure of experiencing, it's completely refreshing. There is a lot going on here plot wise and I'd be lying if I said I understood everything in complete details, but I did get the overall general idea. Now, just a heads up, this is a pretty out-there concept my friends. It may be hard to grasp or even wrap your head around it, but if you keep an open mind, I firmly believe that readers will have a real blast with this book!

Miki Jones, first heard a boy whispering her name while sitting around on an average sunny day at Glenbrook High gossiping with her friends, but when she tries to find the source, no one's there.  Still, the voice keeps whispering her name. Then out of no where, Miki sees a little girl in the middle of the street, the voice pushing her to act quickly, she doesn't think twice before she throws herself on the road and pushes the little girl away before the truck ends up hitting her, along with a guy named Luka, who ran after her. 

When Miki wakes up, she's in a grassy clearing covered with trees and boulders, while a guy named Jackson looms over her accessing the damage before activating her Con-bracelet and preparing her for an ultimate battle. (Yup!)

See, Miki is in a live version game, but it's not really a game, it's actually real life and she and her other team mates, gets 'pulled' through space and time from their original reality, gets sent to the lobby, which is like a holding area and awaits mission instruction. They must complete any missions they are assigned, and for this case, they must terminate an evil alien species called the Drau who have been evading earth far greater then anyone knows and threatening humans life as we know it. It's within the teams survival that will ensure the safety of the entire world. After a successful mission is complete each individual team member gets regenerated back to their normal lives. In till the next time....

Pretty cool concept huh? And the writing? Even better! Kudos to Eve Silver, she must know her games cause this was a pretty intricately detailed story-line with highly entertaining fast paced action sequences that make you feel like your in this world. I loved that it's  based on an idea of gaming complete with point systems- hits/bonus/timelines and life-calculation, or health, in this book. The backdrop is a virtual reality setting, or a world within our world, throwing these characters in an ultimate battle zone ready to fight to the death if need be, but tries to avoid it at all cost. No one wants game over. This is seriously smart, sharp and clever writing with an ingenious imagination. But just to warn you, it's also very evasively written, meaning, we only get pockets of information scattered throughout the book. We know when Miki knows and it can get pretty confusing and frustrating for the both of us. 

Now,  despite the 'every man for themselves' rule, Miki, Luka, Jackson and Tyrone make an unbelievable team! I loved their energy, dedication, good-humor and even though distraction can get you killed, they're all willing to to put themselves out there for the next person.

Miki is a fantastic protag! With all things considering, she takes the news that she's dead but not really dead and must fight extraterrestrial's with no real choice, pretty darn well. She freaks out mind you, but at least she doesn't sit around waiting for her life to be pulled, she demands answers and she gets them.

Jackson is one of those irritatingly gorgeous guys who is impossible, overly cryptic, arrogant, complex, maddening and who is keeping a deep dark secret. So, naturally I simply adored him to pieces. The feisty banter and comical zingers and the push and pull dance between Jackson and Miki was priceless and so utterly adorable. I was very surprised to even find a sweet bubbling romance in a story like this. I mean, when you think guns-a-blazin' and guts-a-splatin', it doesn't normally scream love story included. Read me. So I was very pleased with all the sigh-worthy and grin-to-stupid-grin moments we ended up getting.

Bottom line, I had such a blast with this book. It's such a fun experience, it's wildly original, endlessly entertaining with wicked characters and fantastical writing! Sadly it does leave us on a cliffy and an evil one at that, so I can't wait to see where Silver takes these characters next!! I can see this appealing to gamers, teenage boys or if your like me someone who's looking for a new spin on their sci-fi fantasy escape but still wants some heartwarming romance on the side. More! 

Find the author:
Goodreads / Website

                                                                   4.5 snowflakes