This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 So you may have heard of this book by now. It is the YA book of the spring. Everyone is talking about it. And with good reason. The 5th Wave has been compared to The Walking Dead, The Hunger Games, The Road, The Passage, Ender's Game....The list goes on and on. Is it similar to any/all of these titles? Yes. Will knowing that in any way prepare you for what you are about to read? Absolutely not. 
 The 5th Wave is one of those action packed, edge of your seat reads. I was so absorbed in this book I couldn't do anything else until I was done reading. It consumed me. And when I wasn't reading I was constantly thinking about the book. It made my heart race and it made me genuinely afraid of alien attacks. Seriously. This is how we're going to die. These aliens were so direct, so cold and calculating. Each different wave was a completely plausible event. No techno babble or science fiction fantasies. No nonsense. 
 Think of all those terrible monsters throughout science fiction history. The Daleks. The Borg. These aliens are that level of terrifying. They will stop at nothing to achieve their ultimate goal - total alienation of our species. 
 In the middle of all that fear however I really fell in love with Cassie. I thought she was an incredibly complex character. She was brave. Braver than I could ever be. But she wasn't invincible or fearless. She was scared for her life and nervous about trusting anyone. More than once she considers hiding/running. But these fears make her stronger because they are motivated by the love she has for her family rather than self interest. In a way she reminded me of Katniss. She was brave and held herself together pretty well, but her concern and fear for the safety of her family was her central motivator. 
 When I started reading I didn't realize the book was going to shift perspectives. I was perfectly happy just reading about things from Cassie's point of view. But I like multiple perspectives. I like looking at stories from different angles and seeing how a particular event (or series of events) effects people differently. And I think Yancey's choice to go that route for The 5th Wave was a smart one. I do think however that the perspectives that weren't Cassie were a little under developed. Those sections were shorter and snappier and you just didn't connect with those characters in the same way. They were still captivating and had me hanging out to their every word but they weren't as fleshed out as I would have liked. 
 Above all I loved all the questions this book asked about humanity itself. What makes someone human? Is it simply biological or is it something deeper? Something more abstract? And when it comes time for humanity to make its last stand will we stand together or will fear get the better of us? 
 Recommendation: A fantastic edge of your seat ride that will have you watching the sky for our inevitable invasion. Easily one of the best alien adventures I have ever read.