★ Aurora Rising ★ A Misfit Space Squad That’ll Steal Your Heart

Some books start off slow. But 'Aurora Rising' throws you right in and with a big emotional hit. From the first page, you’re in space, something has gone terribly wrong, and there’s this one girl, and she’s somehow the only person alive. You don’t know what happened, but already the mood is set, the mystery is compelling, and you want to know more. It’s one of those first pages that gets your attention and just won’t let you go. No slow build, no easy intro. Just immediate stakes, tension, and a sense that something way bigger is coming.

Aurora Rising is one of the most entertaining, heartfelt, chaotic, and straight-up fun sci-fi adventures I’ve read in a long time.

Let’s get into why this book absolutely slaps.

The Plot That Hits the Ground Running (Literally)

One of the coolest things about Aurora Rising is how it doesn't waste time. The story opens with action and confusion but in a good way. You’re thrown right into the action, moving back and forth between timelines and characters, trying to figure out what the hell is going on. This is slightly disorienting, but so very immersive. Within pages, the chaos starts to makes sense, and then you think, wow, I’m totally in.

There’s a girl from 200 years ago. There’s a boy who breaks every rule to save her from the past, there’s a mission no one signed up for. Except that fate, or the universe, has decided that they’re the ones that will make it happen.

The tension is constant, it starts right away. The breaks in the action are just the right length as well. But where the plot could use work for action, mystery and twists, it’s the characters that carry this story.

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Squad 312: The Heart of the Story

Let’s be real. This is a book about space and saving the universe, but mostly it’s about a bunch of misfits learning to trust each other and themselves. If you're a sucker for found family dynamics and chaotic group banter, welcome to heaven.

🌟 Tyler Jones – The Golden Boy

Tyler is the classic clean-cut hero: good grades, better dimples, and a moral compass so strong it could guide satellites. He’s a born leader, and the entire squad was supposed to be handpicked by him... until he missed the big day because he was off being a hero. Oops.

What I love about Tyler is he should be boring, but he's not. He has depth, warmth, and a quiet vulnerability underneath that whole "Alpha" persona. Also? He’s the kind of older brother you’d kill to have.

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💄 Scarlett Jones – The Silver-Tongued Sister

Tyler's twin, Scarlett, is the diplomat of the team and the emotional anchor. She's whip smart, loyally fierce when it comes to her crew, and can practically talk her way into or out of anything, much to my amusement. I love her chapters because they are filled with sass, sincerity and surprise.

Also, her rating system for ex-boyfriends? Iconic.

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✈️ Cat Brannock – The Ace Pilot with a Past

Then there's Cat, a girl that leaves a trail of tattoos and destruction in her wake. She's tough and fiercely independent, nursing a galaxy's worth of feelings she doesn't want anybody to find out about for someone she shouldn't. She has a relationship with Tyler that simmers in slow burn every time they share a scene.

She's the ride-or-die of the group, the one who’d fly straight into a black hole if it meant saving her crew.

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👽 Finian de Seel – The Gearhead Alien

Finian is a Betraskan (read: space elf meets sarcastic cyborg), and he’s here to make sure no moment is too serious. He’s snarky, flirty, and brilliant, with a soft core hidden under layers of quips. Oh, and he wears an exosuit because of a chronic condition — something that’s written with such nuance and care it deserves a shoutout on its own.

Fin adds humor, heart, and some of the most surprising emotional beats in the book.

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🧠 Zila Madran – The Silent Storm

Zila is a walking contradiction: quiet but deadly, tiny but terrifying. She barely speaks, but when she does, it’s either a statistical fact or something deeply unsettling. Her chapters are often just a line or two long, which somehow makes her presence even more powerful.

There’s clearly a backstory here we don’t know yet — and I’m dying to find out what it is.

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🗡 Kaliis “Kal” Gilwraeth – The Warrior with a Soul

Kal is a Syldrathi, a broody alien species with strict social codes and glowing eyes. He’s also the squad’s tank. Emotionally repressed, battle-ready, and full of secrets. But Kal’s inner world? So. Much. Angst. And underneath it all is this tender, protective side that sneaks out in small, devastating ways.

Also, there’s this “pull” he starts feeling toward someone in the squad. It’s intense. It’s confusing. It’s so good.

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💫 Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley – The Girl Out of Time

Aurora (aka Auri) is the mystery at the center of everything. Woken up after two centuries in cryo-sleep, she has no idea where she is, what’s happening, or what’s happening to her. But slowly, strange powers start to awaken, and she becomes more than just the girl who shouldn’t be alive.

Aurora is strong, curious, stubborn, and filled with questions the universe isn’t ready to answer. Watching her grow and adapt is one of the best parts of the story.

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Banter, Bonds & Chaos

The thing that makes this story sing is the dialogue. The banter is on point. Fast, funny, and often ridiculous in the best way. Every character’s voice is distinct, which is impressive considering the story switches POVs constantly.

But beyond the humor, there’s heart. You can feel the trust building between the characters as they face threat after threat. The emotional moments land hard, not because of grand speeches or tragic monologues, but because the crew feels real. They bicker, tease, fight, and love like any tight-knit team would.

They don’t start out as heroes. Most of them didn’t even ask to be on this mission. But somehow, they become exactly what the galaxy needs and what each other needs, too.

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Action, Atmosphere & Just Enough Chaos

Yes, there are spaceships, alien tech, and shootouts in the void. But the book doesn’t overload you with hard sci-fi jargon. It’s more about the thrill of the chase, the intensity of battle scenes, and the dread of what’s lurking just beyond the next wormhole.

There’s a lot going on — maybe too much at times — and not everything makes sense right away. But that confusion? Weirdly addictive. You want to figure things out. You need answers. And just when you think you’re starting to understand, the book throws another curveball your way.

Also, a major shoutout to the way Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman write tension. Whether it’s emotional, romantic, or physical — it’s just chef’s kiss.

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Final Thoughts: I’d Join Squad 312 in a Heartbeat

I could go on and on about this book (and I basically just did), but a simple summary: Aurora Rising is smart, crazy, heartfelt, and a heck of a lot of fun. If you're into ragtag crews, space drama, mysterious magic powers, and banter so sharp it could cut steel, then you'll love this.

Even when I wasn't reading it, I was dreaming about these characters, dreaming about what might happen, dreaming about what secrets were still to be revealed.

This is one of those books that gets under your skin and just won't let go. And honestly? I’m not even mad about it.

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