I’ve read probably thousands of books in my lifetime, and while some have been absolutely incredible, not many have been as striking and as well written as “The 5th Wave” by Rick Yancey. I could write a novel about how much I loved this book and why; I loved how the plot was full of suspense, and how you were left questioning who the good guys were, but what it comes down to is this: I loved how it didn’t feel like a book. As I was reading, I was taken to another time, another place. I personally witnessed Cassie Sullivan’s mission to save her 5-year-old brother, Sammy from his alien captors.

It is striking just how quickly Yancey drew me into the plot with how he conveyed Cassie’s emotions. I truly felt everything she felt, and I often forgot I was sitting in my class reading a book, and instead thought I was the last human in an alien-invaded world, missing my baby brother. I felt every ounce of Cassie’s hopelessness, cynicism, despair, love, and loneliness throughout the novel. The way Yancey writes transcends words; his writing is more than just words on a page, they transport the reader to an alien-infested, post-apocalyptic world. His writing is incredibly powerful, and I was brought to tears more times than I could count.

This book was unlike anything I’ve ever read. It was sitting-on-the-edge-of-my-seat-biting-my-nails-staying-up-all-night-to-finish-just-one-more-chapter good. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Whether you’re an avid reader, or only read your tweets, this is one book you don’t want to miss.