When I started reading this book, I felt like it would end up being fairly predictable. The set up of the plot and characters were like a lot of SciFi stories I've read before. But I was wrong. So very, very wrong. Every time I thought I knew what was happening, something unexpected happened instead.

Nyxia is full of tension. The games are always changing and it keeps the reader on their toes as much as the characters. There's fun futuristic technology and a powerful company with men in suits. There's a lingering suspicion of every person involved which adds to the drama of teenagers from different countries competing in space. Then there's Emmett, the main character who is as much an observer as a participant. He's the good guy struggling not to lose himself when the stakes are high and his unique perspective shapes how the story is told. He's not another cookie cutter male lead. That makes all the difference in keeping this story relatable and interesting.

I received an electronic arc of this novel from Netgalley for an honest review.

I actually loved this book. I saw a few people I follow didn’t finish it, so I had low expectations. I’m actually glad I had those low expectations because Nyxia pleasantly surprised me as being really freaking amazing. I am definitely recommending this book to all YA Sci-Fi lovers. It’s an excellent Sci-Fi novel that I think a ton of people will adore. WHile I’m recommending things, I would also recommend that you go into this book not expecting anything and really not even reading the synopsis (I’ll still put the synopsis below for those of you who want to ignore my recommendations). The author does an amazing job setting up the characters in the world and to fully appreciate that go in knowing nothing!

This book, as I said, was set up fantastically. I’m impressed at how well Reintgen set it up. Granted, the entire novel takes place on a space ship, but still I’m impressed. For a debut novel, Nyxia reads like an experienced author.

Every. Single. Character. In. This. Novel. Is. Amazing.

Again, I’m so impressed because not many novels can do this. This novel has 20 plus characters. That is not the norm in pretty much any novel. There are exceptions (especially in the Sci-Fi genre), but in it’s refreshing to have it in a YA novel. Off the top of my head while writing this, the only YA book I can think of that has more than 20 characters in the first novel is The Hunger Games. I can’t stop saying it; I’m so impressed.

Pretty much every character is diverse. That’s right only a couple of white people and everyone else is a POC. I wish there was more LGBTQIA+ rep in this book, but there really was hardly any romance in this novel. And for once, I didn’t need it. I hardly ever read books without any semblance of romance, so when the romance finally did pop up in this novel (toward the end) I was like, “Oh sh*t, there has literally not been any romance to this point.” I think Reintgen could expand his LGTBQIA+ rep in the next two novels though, so I’m not too worried at this point. Just give me some girl love man come on ( I completely ship Azima with a girl. DO IT SCOTT).

Another complaint I have about this book is it’s kind of a YA retelling of Avatar. Ya know, the blue people movie James “Trash” Cameron wrote. Nyxia is basically what would happen if you could be awake on this ship to Pandora. Not even kidding. I mean the planet they’re going to is called Eden….. It’s a little baffling. This being said, I absolutely adore the movie Avatar (I know I will get hate for this, but bite me I love this movie), so I honestly liked this basic retelling of Avatar. I think a lot of people will see that as a detriment though. Honestly, it just reminds me of Avatar. Reintgen takes the original idea and makes it his own and puts his own spin on it, so it doesn’t bother me at all.

Basically, I’m still surprised by this book. I’m surprised I liked it. I’m surprised I wrote a 600 word review. I hope you all give this book a chance because I really liked it!

I give this book 4 stars!

★★★★

I was really excited when I had the chance to read Nyxia. I mean, when a book has space, aliens, and an interesting premise it’s obviously going to have quite the potential. and I have to say, overall, this book did not disappoint. I would have loved more alien interactions, but I’m hoping that will happen in book two (and based off the ending, I’m assuming my hopes will be rewarded).

I will say, I’m starting to get a tiny bit tired of the whole competition trope. It seems like so many stories center around a group of young people fighting in a ruthless competition for some prize. I think Reintgen did a good job changing things up a bit so it wasn’t so predictable. But I did feel like there were some elements I’ve seen way too many times. There were also a few pacing issues and some parts felt a bit forced.

The characters definitely made up for any frustrations with the plot though. I loved the development and interactions of them all as they trained and competed. Each person had their own unique personality and backstory. Which was so great. I found myself rooting for almost everyone at one point or another. I just wanted to give them all a giant hug! Well, maybe not all of them, but most.

I think this book did a really good job setting up the scene for the next book. There were a few parts I thought could have been done better, but all in all, I really enjoyed reading Nyxia. If you’re a fan of YA science fiction books, I would definitely recommend giving Nyxia a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this sci-fi novel. I found it engaging, exciting and with lots of twists and surprises. I found the characters (teens and adults alike) to be well developed and executed, and points for the diversity. The story itself is very reminiscent of other sci-fi YA novels, but that isn't something that usually bothers me at all when I'm reading. If I'm enjoying the book, I don't really care if it's similar to others I've read in the past. The ending was really surprising - and definitely set up the next book, which now I'll have to stalk Netgalley for or else wait a long time to read!

Things that I thought were not done as well - the romance was a bit too "insta-love" for my taste, but it's not a huge part of the story (at least not yet) so I was able to overlook that. And the translation thing - wearing a mask - seemed a bit out there. Why not just an ear bud or something smaller this far into the future?

Overall a really enjoyable YA sci-fi book. Looking forward to the rest of the series, especially more world-building of Eden.

5 stars all day for this book! I went into this book not knowing what to expect, but I was and am still bowled over.

Picture the Hunger Games in space: fighting for a chance to go to Eden and mine Nyxia. If you win you provide for yourself and your family, if you don't... well it's up to Babel.

Scott Reintgen brings you on a rollercoaster, an emotionally gripping ride through space with a very diverse set of characters who are all grappling for a spot in Eden. And not everyone is guaranteed a spot. You can't possibly put this book down without wondering what the heck is gonna happen next. And so many twisty turns that I didn't see coming at all. And that ENDING!!!!

Truly a fantastic and well written novel. I highly recommend it and I will be eagerly awaiting the next book. Can it be out right now? I need my fix!

It's like Ender's Game, only better and far more intense. I like how modernized it was in retelling Genesis from the bible. Very unique and original. Kept me reading throughout.

I hadn't heard about this book until I delved once again into my YA social media. Boy, I'm glad I did. I'm still in a book hangover from this terrific novel by Scott Reintgen. I describe this book as Ender's Game meets Survivor.

Nyxia stars Emmett, a prickly but likeable main character, who is thrust into a high stakes competition from the Babel company, with a bunch of teammates that he can't help but like, but also are his main competition as not all of them will get to go to space and get the full prize to help their families back on Earth. Emmett's mom has cancer, and this will get her the treatment she needs. While Emmett gets into the competition, he starts realizing there are dark undercurrents to the competition, and there's more at stake than he thinks. Will he be able to figure it out before it's too late and make it through to the next stage?

The pacing was great in this book and I couldn't put it down. The first part was really fun and I liked all the characters a lot. At the same time, it wasn't anything new, and it was very similar to Ender's Game and other such competition books we've seen before, but because of the setup and the characters, I wanted to know more. But once we hit past the halfway mark, it turns from a fun ride to something else; something unexpected happens and a couple of twists hit, and then suddenly it hits a new, unique stride. It was a solid 4 star read up until then and then reached 5 star land once Reintgen turned everything on its head. I'm picky about the sci fi I read, but Reintgen hit every note for me. I cannot wait for the next installment.

Overall, a fast paced, nonstop ride with multiple twists and an appealing backstory, with a unique and diverse cast of characters. I can't wait to see what Reintgen throws at us next! One of my favorite reads this year.

Honestly, I found myself comparing this to several dystopians, such as Divergent, The Huger Games, and The Testing. But in actuality this novel is uniquely its own. It follows a truly diverse cast, but instead of following "the chosen one", "or the toughest one", it follows Emmett, who may be an awesome character, but actually falls in the bottom tier compared to the others. This in its own is completely unique.

Nyxia wasn't perfect, but honestly, the author left a lot of room for growth in the series, in the plot and in the characters. And I honestly think that the next book is really going to be awesome. I loved how the substance, Nyxia, is so unique, and even though most of the book is about the substance, we still have no idea exactly how powerful it is or if there are any deeper connections with it and the Adamites, or the aliens.

This was a really cool futuristic book. We've found life on other planets and also a substance that could change everything. On the planet of Eden, a race called Adamites mine a substance called nyxia. Nyxia does a lot of things, it can be manipulated through thought but as they learn more about it, they learn it can also manipulate. There is much to be feared from this substance that seems to have a mind of its own when it wants to. It can be formed into weapons, medicine, buildings, clothing, etc. Only a nyxia wound cannot be healed by nyxia. The Adamites seem to have a distaste for adults so a group of teenagers are competing for spots on Eden to mine nyxia and bring it back to Earth. They learn to work with each other and with nyxia and also learn many secrets of their benefactor company, Babel, along the way. The book was very intriguing and stayed that way the entire time. I'm so impatient for the second book and this isn't even out yet!

This book started out slow for me. A dozen plus names in the span of a few chapters and not much happening and I almost DNFed it. Then the action started and carried me along. There is a lot to like here. I'm all in for contests and rivalry, and that the game changes along the way certainly upped the tension. I loved the diversity. I wish I connected more with the MC. Sometimes he felt a little flat, but overall a really good story and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series to see what happens next.

OMg, I just finished this book and its hunger games in space. I wish Emmett would ask more questions about the company. I loved his friends and the team. I did enjoy the interlude learning more about the people behind the games. I enjoyed the conversations with his parents. Overall I enjoyed this story, more than I thought that I would.

I received this book courtesy of Random House & Crown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.

Emmett is a tough kid with a tough life full of tough breaks.  In the not so distant future the world is full of much of the same: poverty, war and discontent.  When Babel Corporation gives him the opportunity to leave earth and compete for a place on a distant planet, he goes.  He goes for the money, for his family, for a better life.  Emmett is learning about the mysterious substance they are to mine on Eden-Nyxia-while battling nine other kids for his spot on the planet.  The kids come from all over the world but he has to cast notions about their similarities aside and win.

"You may think you have nothing in common with each other, but in the expanse of deep space, you will soon discover that your shared humanity is the most precious commodity of all."

Emmett is one of the most most relatable protagonists I've come across as of late, maybe ever.  He's a diamond that has been shaped by constant pressure from birth.  While he wants nothing more than to win, his introspection and awareness of what transpires around him astounded me.

"It's hard to tell the difference between rich and wrong."

All he wants is a better life, he doesn't want to step on the backs of anyone else to achieve it.  His internal monologue had me hooked almost from the first page.

"We still dig and fight and scrape for each point, but there's something human beneath every mask now.  I know their secrets, and I know their stories.  I know now that I'm not the only one who comes from a broken world and I'm not the only one who's desperate to fix it."

Pick this one up.  Journey with Emmett and his competition across the universe.  This is a tale of soul searching, hope and friendship.  I would definitely recommend this one to anyone looking for something a bit different.

"Fear thunders in my chest.  I'm afraid it won't work and I'll blow my one change.  But I'm also afraid of what might happen if it does work.  I'm afraid of breaking something I don't know how to fix."

I look forward to the next book.

"Not everything is lost or broken.  There's still hope."

And honestly, I really enjoyed this book. The premise is simple: ten kids are in competition on a spaceship to be the eight that go down to an alien planet and mine a mysterious substance and also to be super heckin' rich. Of course, things are never that simple, and there were twists around the corners to keep you turning and turning. Nyxia is a fast-past, action-packed read that holds your attention and doesn't let go.

We follow Emmett, a broke kid from Detroit whose mom is sick and needs the medical care that this opportunity gives her, and who really wants to win. It's more than just a physical competition, but a mental one too as these kids all fight for what they want as well as being shaped into what the company that's plucked them from their broken lives want them to be.

I don't even know what to say besides this was really good and I can't believe I'm going to have to wait forever for the next two books since Nyxia itself doesn't even come out till next month.

4 stars, edging at a 4.5! It's not quite perfect, sometimes there was a bit much disbelief to suspend, but the characters were great and so was the story.

I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately I found the writing very weak and too contrived. I actually liked the publisher's note more than the actual story. I could not finish this book.

Besides one forced and gratuitous flaw, I enjoyed this more than anticipated. I still like Longwei, a side character that spoke almost never, more than I liked Emmett, the main character. We'll see in the next book if I change my mind.

There’s always this problem with YA sci-fi in which the author thinks it’s a must to insert a romance plotline even if it’s stretched and we can very much live on without it. I was afraid it was going to happen here and it happened unfortunately but not like I expected; it was worse. I’m not going to say more about it but luckily it didn’t spoil the book altogether. I just hope it’s not going to happen again. I’m not a teenager, I haven’t been one for over a decade, but I know for sure that if there is not romance in a YA sci-fi, it’s not a big deal if the book delivers what it promises. This was doing just that and then, it fell into the void of things unnecessary.

Letting that slip because I’m a nice and patient person, I found myself liking a lot of the elements of this book and loving so many more. The twists, the mysterious nyxia, the characters, and space. I love space so much! The whole book is about the journey of these teenagers from Earth to a faraway planet called Eden where they are going to mine nyxia while earning a ton of money.

These teenagers weren’t chosen randomly; there are 10 of them, all poor and broken. They are the perfect candidates for this mission because they are desperate and willing to sacrifice their time and strength to give a better tomorrow to their beloved ones at home. They are forced to compete against each other to gain passage to Eden, the planet with Nyxia mines, an element that is going to change life as they know it.

These boys and girls are all from different parts of the world so they don’t speak the same language. After all the mission is run by Babel Corporation so it seemed right. They all have a mask that translates everything they say; they speak and the voice translated reaches the ears of all the others wearing identical masks. It’s an incredible idea! I loved it!

I loved it almost as much as I loved nyxia. This element was given to each of them in the form of a ring and, through mind communication, they could transform it into what they wanted. The limit, you guessed right, is your imagination. Nyxia consumes your energy because in a way it is a part of you and you have to be careful because, being an element that has a mind of its own, it can take over and destroy you from inside out.

I loved their challenges, their friendship, also the twists, and I loved how the characters were all so different. As I said, I loved Longwei: he speaks little to nothing, he doesn’t socialize, he is smart and strong, but he sometimes lets his mask slip and shows a little vulnerability, he looks his age. He’s been chosen so he has to have a hard past and maybe also a hard present, and I can’t wait to see what’s beneath the walls he’s built.

This book isn’t without flaws but it’s a nice one. This is a promising beginning to a series that I know will deliver what I’m expecting. It has what it takes to be great.

I did not go into Nyxia with any expectations. Sure, from the description, I could guess it would go either Ender's Game or Hunger Games in Space. But Ender's Game was dense and uncompromising; Hunger Games was a riff on Japanese pessimism and the Battle Royale nihilism. Nyxia feels like a very watered down version of both. For mood and flavor, I do feel that the blurb got it right: this felt most like Maze Runner (minus the whole 'I don't know anything' plot). To put it into more succinct terms, Nyxia felt like the longest prequel chapter to what might turn into a much more interesting story later. Until then, though, I was honestly skimming after awhile since it was very repetitive and not enough world building was done.

Story: Emmett is surprised to find he has been offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get out of his family's history of hard luck lives: he is one of 10 teens who will be taken to a far off, newly discovered planet. Their mission is to mine an incredibly lucrative and powerful substance there: Nyxia. It is self aware, can morph into any shape, and is controlled mentally - it can translate, protect, kill, cover, or even power devices. And the Babel corporation needs the teens to mine the Nyxia since it turns out that the aliens on the world, the Adamites, are hostile to all but children. In return, the families of the kids will be set for life and become millionaires. But is all it seems on the Babel ship?

I like that the characters are multinational and that there are some excellent histories behind them. Especially Emmet, descended from slaves and with generations having been trampled by life, this is his chance to finally lift his Detroit family out of their poverty and illness. The other 10 children have similar stories and it is quickly discovered that they weren't chosen for any other character trait other than, like Emmett, they are 'broken'. Even Emmett doesn't know why he in particular was chosen.

Emmett quickly learns that only 8 of the 10 will be able to collect the millionaire reward and actually go down to the planet. Two will fail and receive only a small consolation prize. This sets up a competition during the trip out to the foreign planet (a trip taking only a few months) where contestants vie for points in VR death combat, VR terrain survival, and VR dangerous mining. The kids will have to kill each other over and over, some will sabotage and try to injure in reality their opponents, and enemies will be made alongside friends. Author Reintgen takes pains to shift loyalties as Emmet (who has sole POV) comes to learn more about his fellow contestants.

Of course, since this is a YA, the cliches are there. Adults are evil, corporations are evil, the contests turn deadly even when they weren't supposed to, and life is pretty much unfair. Having greedy evil corporate CEOs gets old (and perhaps ironic in the age of the president of the US being a corporate CEO) as does the usual backstabbing. Character traits are fairly one-dimensional: the overachiever, the crafty one, the too-nice-to-survive one, the always angry one, the glass chin one, etc. Each of the other contestants are pretty much one trick pony archetypes that got old fairly fast. Yes, by the end we get more than the one-trick aspects, but not enough, to be honest.

The book can feel like an endless amount of repetition. There are the same contests over and over and so much of the book felt like Emmet does x (again) and checks the scoreboard (again). Rinse, repeat. It's a book about doing the same thing over and over until someone figures out how to cheat it a bit so Emmett can win. On the plus side, Emmett isn't the crafty one archetype, he's just the one with persistence and overall general skills. He's not the leader often and falls to the bottom frequently. I appreciated that he wasn't the best, not by far.

There are some twists at the end but not what you would expect or guess. We're not given much about the planet or Nyxia (other than it can do about anything, which feels disingenuous) or the aliens. The book is about the competition to be one of the 8 and the trip there. I imagine the book will then go to the planet in volume two.

So although I will likely continue reading the series, this first book did feel very anticlimatic and repetitive. Emmett is a likable protagonist who isn't a unique snowflake, thankfully, so he was easy to follow in his single POV. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

(2.5 stars)

Call me old-fashioned, but when I read a book about space, I tend to expect it to be... space-y.

This kind of felt like Hunger Games or Divergent in space, except from the fact that a lot of the time you could completely forget that they even were in space and they could easily have been just training on Earth, in the desert, or in the Slytherin common room. Contrast this with space books such as Illuminae or Defy the Stars, where there was no doubt that the action was taking place In Space.

But I'm a huge space fan, so maybe that won't bother people who aren't as into space as I am.

Oh, and also, there was a disappointing dearth of aliens. We meet precisely one (1) alien, and only for like, three pages or something idek. So that was also disappointing, because I was expecting A L I E N S.

Anyway, enough about the lack of aliens and space-y-ness, let's talk about the other stuff.

The characters were really well developed. All the contestants had their own distinct personalities and depth, especially the main character Emmett, who also had realistic flaws and character development throughout the novel, which was really nice! Also, there was only one white person, which makes sense seeing as the participants were selected from all over the world. So well done for racial diversity.

The plot had lots of potential, but... as mentioned before, it did seem like Divergent in space, which isn't an intrinsically bad concept but I did kind of feel that I was reading Divergent all over again in some parts. The nyxia gave it an interesting twist, but still... nothing really stood out, to be honest. Furthermore, the pacing was slow and even monotonous for lots of the book. There were moments of action as well, but they felt quite spaced out (no pun intended har har) and mostly it was just training training training romantic angst training.

Oh yeah, the romance. HoOooOOoOOOoooOoooO boy.

So Emmett didn't end up with the person I thought he was going to end up with, which was pleasantly surprising. But then, like 75% of the way through, he suddenly meets this person and BAM! instalove. Seriously, instalove. He'd gone through an interesting emotional journey with all the people on Genesis 11, but then he snogs this person who came out of nowhere with little-to-no buildup?? What??

Also, the Big Babel Twist™ was, uh, not really a big twist at all. I mean, really, people could have figured this shit out. And there were so many plot threads up in the air, which I assume is to set up for the following two volumes, but seriously there were Too Many unresolved things. The competition ended, and that was about it. What's the deal with the Adamites?? What's the deal with Nyxia?? What's the deal with Babel?? Read Volume 2 to find out!! (Except I won't, because I don't care.)

Overall, my impression was that there was potential, but it was ultimately super forgettable. I've read a bunch of stupendous sci-fi recently, so maybe those titles raised my expectations too high, but eh.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I started this book, just that it was sci-fi and there was something about traveling to another planet. However, I was quickly drawn into the story and finished it later that night! (or, should I say, very early the next morning!)

The story is set in the near future, I think towards the middle or end of the 21st century (it’s never actually said). This company, Babel Technologies, is waaaay ahead of the game when it comes to technology and space travel. They’ve discovered a new planet, which they’ve called Eden, and on Eden there are native people, named “Adamites” by the company, and also a substance they’ve called nyxia. This material can be molded with your mind to become anything non-organic, and it also generates power. It seems to be almost sentient, which was super interesting. I found this whole idea so fascinating. I can’t wait to learn more about nyxia and the planet and the people in the next book. The ship they travel on to get to Eden is also pretty awesome. It was cool to see what crazy technology the company had developed, like masks that cover your mouth and make it so you can understand all languages, or the room that is a giant treadmill/obstacle course.

The plot is pretty straightforward: It’s a competition to see who will be members of the team to descend to a new planet and mine for the mysterious element, nyxia. But of course, all is not as it seems and Babel has huge secrets. There is just enough information given to let us see a glimpse of the bigger picture, and the bigger problems, but still keeping us in suspense. This book focuses mainly on the competition though, and the growth of the characters.

The cast of characters was really fun. Emmett, a poor black kid from Detroit, was a compelling main character. Throughout the book he tries to stay true to his better self, rather than give in to his anger. He also loves blasting his old school hiphop music. The secondary characters were all well-rounded and brought their own thing to the table. I liked seeing the friendships that Emmett formed and how they all interacted with each other. I especially liked Emmett’s friendship with Kaya.

A big theme in the book was about being broken, and what you do with it. We see characters who are broken and become harsh and bitter. But other characters learn to love and smile, despite—or perhaps because of—being broken. Emmett realizes he has that choice, and we see him learn and grow and heal in some ways.

Overall, a fast-paced, action-packed adventure in space! Perfect for fans of Red Rising or Ender’s Game.

This novel gave me The 100 feels from the very first page. The idea that a bunch of kids would be rocketed through the Universe and go to an unfamiliar planet was a really exciting storyline. To be one of the people to discover a planet would be a glorious thing indeed.

However, while the plot was well-rounded and had a clever premise, the fact that I had to read training scene after training scene made it underwhelming for me. While I adore a good training scene that might even teach me something as the reader, I couldn't find myself remaining entertained as they went yet another round.

Emmett was a really well-thought out character, with his own little quirks and intriguing personality. He seems to have a small case of OCD, where he remembers things in alphabetical order. It was clever and made me laugh a couple of times when I remembered he did that. It's nice to have a character that isn't quite mentally perfect. However, the instant dislike towards Jaime is unreasonable and made him into an unlikable character, especially when that dislike becomes physical. It's not a positive trait of a protagonist to attack the other characters. They no longer smell of roses, and although I hate a Mary Sue character, this novel tries to pass it off like Emmett was in the right. He also notices race a little too much. Now, there's nothing wrong with noticing the colour of another person's skin, but Emmett seems to feel like the person is defined by that and brings it up more than is appropriate - it's very defining for him to be able to stereotype the other characters.

The concept of having to send children to the planet because the alien race there does not want human adults is a fantastic idea. Wouldn't most races be more comfortable around the children of another species than the adults? Especially when humans are such a warring race. And what better spies than children who will do anything for their species? Sending children in to get the Nyxia, a stone-like item, is the easiest way instead of going to war with unknown creatures who might be able to wipe them out of the solar system if they have some tricks up their sleeves. The fact that this remains a mystery for some of the book is exciting - as we discover the plot with the characters and are equally surprised that this is what was needed.

Overall, I think this is a great novel. It was interesting, fun and the characters were ones I would willingly return to. I think a few things need to be tweaked in order for the book to feel more natural and just have a more easy-going flow. It's a great starter book for anyone getting into sci-fi, as it reads well and keeps the reader interested until the last page.

You know how when you love 2 things you just automatically assume they must be even more awesome together - only to discover that the unholy creation is heartbreakingly disappointing?

EXAMPLE:
CHOCOLATE COVERED GUMMY BEARS.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE?? BLECH.

That was this book for me. A book about a group of kids traveling through space, training to survive on an alien planet in the not too distant future sounds AMAZING!!

But it ended up being a lame #hungergamesinspace and it totally killed my reading momentum. I have been reading a book ever 1-3 days for the past few months and this one took almost 2 weeks to finish. I just wasn't inspired to pick it back up after I had put it down. I was expecting intensity, stress, high emotion, and I just got Meh.

So yeah...annoying/boring:
– A legit lack of aliens! These kids are literally traveling to an inhabited planet! They are taking classes to learn about this world and its species, and I (wrongly) assumed that as the reader I would also be sitting in on these classes and learning as well. Yeah. Nope.
– The challenges and tasks that these kids were subjected too were so repetitive and simulated, and the consequences were less that suspenseful. There were only 3 times someone was injured. 3! In a book where young adults are literally being trained to survive on a hostile alien planet.
– The sudden appearance of supernatural abilities with no explanation <spoiler>(Kaya being able to see people's aura's, and from that determine the origin of their pain and desperation)</spoiler> and then nothing! It's never mentioned again, and no one else has any kind of preternatural abilities. What??
– Emmett's and <spoiler>Morning's</spoiler> odd instant attraction even though they are competing for their livelihood's, have just met, and have spoken to each other alone one time. They had no chemistry and I could not have cared less. Seriously. The only character I actually grew to love and adore was Bilal.
– Literally everything about Babel, i.e. the big, terrifying, evil show runner for this whole farce and their constant 'rule changes' and 'twists'.

This book could have been great. It had so much potential. It had the most diverse cast of characters - I mean seriously there were kids from every continent (well except for Antarctica...) who could all communicate together via universal translators! Even slang! That's as sci-fi as it gets and I was all in for that. It was fantastic watching some of them figure out and try to understand each others customs and norms. Unfortunately with so many characters it was inevitable that some would be under characterized and fall short. It could have had mysterious alien home world settings as tons of footage exists of the planet but is never shown to the reader. It could have had challenges with more than monetary consequences, and a specific villain instead of an corporation/entity that constantly has so many aces up their sleeve it's impossible for the main characters to get ahead.

Finally, Emmett, the MC, had this annoying habit of filing his thoughts away alphabetically...like someone would annoy him and he would respond with <i>file that under A for Anger</i> or <i>file that under P for Power.</i> It was supposed to be an anger management method taught to him by his grandmother, but it was just odd and totally pulled me out of the story.

So yeah, I don't see myself going any further with this series unfortunately.



Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.