Okay, so I've been back and forth --- and back --- and forth --- and all around the universe before settling on a star rating for Illuminae --- so I'm going with 4.5, which I'm rounding up to 5, since... you know.... Goodreads doesn't really give me any other choice. 
 So, let's set the scene for ILLUMINAE before I start blabbering my thoughts all over cyberspace. Imagine this for me..... 
 Spaceships. 
 Zombies. 
 Hackers. 
 Teenage Love. 
 Instant Messaging. 
 Artificial Intelligence. 
 ANGST! 
 So, now, what do I LOVE about Illuminae?!!! 
 The format. I mean, you can't beat a book told entirely through super secret files, instant messages, security camera reports, data logs, etc, etc, etc! Yes, this book is almost 600 pages long, but it feels like it's over in a FLASH -- because the format is so awesome and fun! And then... there's that whole part where we get swirly words on the pages to match the jacked up gravity outside the ship..... yes!!! 
 The pace. Again, this is a mammoth of a book at almost 600 pages -- but it's so lightening fast that it could probably be read in a sitting or two. Plus, you just want to keep finding out more and more AND MORE! 
 The romance. If you've read my reviews for a while, you'll know that I loathe angsty love stories. And non-angsty love stories. I just need more than a love story if you want to keep me enthralled. And yes, at the core, Illuminae is the tale of two teenagers who have recently ended their relationship but are suddenly in a position of working together, on two separate space ships sailing out in the great unknown, to stop a huge corporate space ship from shooting them all down and/or infecting them with a killer virus, manufactured specifically for the same purpose. But it's not EVERYTHING -- which I like. 
 The plague. You can't beat a book that incorporates zombies with space travel, right?! 
 So, what I didn't like?! 
 THE ENDING?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
 Like, I can't explain without spoiling........... but you are............ then you're not............ then you......... then WTF AM I READING?! 
 This book is 600 pages -- you can't tell me you ran out of space, right?! 
 NO! 
 I can't get any further into it, but feel free to send me a message if you have any thoughts about the end. Also, comment and let me know if you know of anything remotely similar to this in style, since it was pretty fresh and new for me. 
 I think if you're fairly well read in sci-fi-sh artificial intelligence type books, that you may have a sense of "yeah, been there --- done THAT"......... but for those, like me, who really don't delve much into the genre, I think you're in for loads of FUN! 
 I'm just not sure where there's left to go as a series now??? ANY IDEAS?!!!?