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The Nyxia Triad #2
Nyxia Unleashed
Getting to Eden brought Emmett and his crewmates one step closer to their promised fortune. But surviving Eden may be the biggest reward of all.
Emmett Atwater thought Babel’s game sounded easy. Get points. Get paid. Go home. But it didn’t take long for him to learn that Babel’s competition was full of broken promises, none darker or more damaging than the last one.
Now Emmett and the rest of the Genesis survivors must rally and forge their own path through a new world. Their mission from Babel is simple: extract nyxia, the most valuable material in the universe, and play nice with the indigenous Adamite population.
But Emmett and the others quickly realize they are caught between two powerful forces—Babel and the Adamites—with clashing desires. Will the Genesis team make it out alive before it’s too late?
Emmett Atwater thought Babel’s game sounded easy. Get points. Get paid. Go home. But it didn’t take long for him to learn that Babel’s competition was full of broken promises, none darker or more damaging than the last one.
Now Emmett and the rest of the Genesis survivors must rally and forge their own path through a new world. Their mission from Babel is simple: extract nyxia, the most valuable material in the universe, and play nice with the indigenous Adamite population.
But Emmett and the others quickly realize they are caught between two powerful forces—Babel and the Adamites—with clashing desires. Will the Genesis team make it out alive before it’s too late?
393 pages, Hardcover
First published July 17, 2018
About the author
Scott Reintgen
14 books1,066 followersScott Reintgen grew up in North Carolina, and took full advantage of the fact that he lived on the same street as fourteen of his cousins. It could be a little crowded, but he threw a few elbows and carved out a space for himself as the family storyteller. He enjoyed the role so much that he decided to spend most of college and graduate school investing in the world of literature. This led to a career teaching English and Creative Writing in the great state of North Carolina, where he currently lives with his wife and family. To his great delight, the demand for stories and storytellers is alive and well. As such, he can often be found at local coffee shops laboring over stories that he hopes his family, and fans, will love.
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July 17, 2018
1.) Nyxia ★★★★★
“As the descent begins, I hold on to one truth: I am more than what they would make of me.”
This is such an amazing YA Sci-Fi series that is so beautifully inclusive with some very important themes and discussions. The writing is amazing, I pulled around thirty quotes for this review alone. The characters have completely stolen my heart and soul, and they are a tier above most in all of literature. This series is amazing, and this second installment was everything that I wanted and more.
Nyxia Unleashed follows a crew of kids from all over the world that have been tested extensively during their journey to another planet. A company named Babel gave contracts to kids from needy homes, whether that be love, money, or even health care. Babel picked kids that they believed they could mold and shape into whatever they wanted, but Nyxia Unleashed shows that Babel might have completely underestimated the power of teens. And this book picks right back up after the final events in Nyxia, where they have landed on a brand new planet, Magnia.
“They made us into weapons. It will be their downfall.”
This series also has the best main protagonist in YA, I swear it. Emmett is a black boy from Detroit, who joined this space program because it was the only way his mother could get the medical treatment she needed. He constantly is filing stuff away mentally with a system his grandma taught him, and he is never embarrassed or shamed for showing emotion. Music also plays a big role in Emmett’s life, and it’s displayed so very beautifully. Emmett is just an amazing main character, and one that I’ve been searching for
Morning is my new favorite character of all-time, I swear. She is so strong, so powerful, so amazing of a leader. She's a Latinx girl from Cali who has completely stolen my heart. She (and her doors) blew me away. Like, the fight scenes with Morning are legit some of the best fight scenes I’ve ever read in YA. And seeing her be so hard, and so soft, and so everything in between, is something I don’t even have words for.
And the romance in this book? Lord, I can’t. So perfect, so pure, so everything. It makes me want to scream “OTP forever” at the top of my lungs, off the rooftops. And the moments that these two share, whether its fighting back to back, comforting each other over past pain, or just cuddling and being there for one another. I love it all, and I ship Emmett and Morning so hard, it’s unreal.
Magnia is a planet that has two moons and, depending on the years, the planet changes not only names (Magnia and Glacius) but natural disasters and weather. The kids that landed are supposed to be mining Nyxia, a new super resource and is a substance that can create anything, and Babel has created a treaty with the indigenous people on Magnia, the Imago. Basically, their planet is slowly dying from lack of females, so they promise to allow these kids to mine so that they can instill hope back to a planet that no longer has children. Well, at least that’s what Babel is saying, and Magnia is agreeing to.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Babel’s out here playing the role of colonizer, slapping labels on the originals and pretending they created it all in the first place. It’s pretty standard procedure for folks like them.”
This book heavily talks about colonization, and how disgusting people can be, while also taking everything from natives of the land they are about to steal. Babel even made up a name to call the Imago people, which the crew doesn’t even realize until they get to know the indigenous people. And these kids all see, first hand, what this new planet and its inhabitants are like, and it’s not so much different than any of them. And the crew also see how Babel has something much larger than anyone else expect in store.
This story also puts a heavy emphasis on social hierarchy and systemic oppression and what that means for the individuals that the world will deem as lesser. How some people are just born into the right last name, with the right money, with the right looks, and with all the privileges that these things give.
“Is this how people talked about me when I lived in Detroit? Am I like the beggars? Don’t give me too much of a handout or I’ll be encouraged, I think darkly.”
But Nyxia is just such a gift of a series to the literary world. That crew I kept talking about above? I already said that Emmett is black, and Morning is Latinx, but the rest of the crew? So much beautiful diversity. This crew has queer (gay and/or bi) side characters, side characters wearing hijabs, a pregnant teen crew member, Asian crew members, and so much of the characters talking about their experiences outside of The United States. So many of these characters are all dealing with grief, trauma, PTSD, and abandonment. This book is on another level, I’m telling you all.
Trigger and content warnings for murder, death, gore, blood, violence, depiction of PTSD, abandonment, kidnapping, torture, animal death, talk of past outing, talk of past homophobia, genocide, colonization, loss of a loved one, loss of a friend, and war themes.
My favorite aspect of this book was the constant spotlight on found family and unconditional love, trust, and support. These kids, from all different backgrounds, upbringings, ethnicities, religions, come together and create this bond that is so believable and so amazing to read. Like, this book just feels so real, that I’m wondering if there is an organization like Babel out there and if these kids came together and (hopefully) really saved a world!
“I sit there long after she falls asleep, thinking about the family we’ve forged, not through blood, but through steel and chaos. I never asked for any of this. At the beginning, I fought hard against it. But now that they’re mine, now that I’m theirs, I’d do anything to keep them from being taken.”
Overall, I loved this. The wait for the third book is going to be so hard, but this second installment was everything I wanted and more. I mean, Scott Reintgen still ripped out my heart, but in the best way possible. This is easily my favorite YA Sci-Fi out there, and I hope you all give this series a try, because it’s so worth it.
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The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Buddy read with Lilly, Cierra, Scrill, Solly, & Lori! ❤
You guys, I never win anything, but I actually won an ARC of this on a Twitter giveaway from Scott Reintgen himself!
November 19, 2022
Nyxia Unleashed is the second book in The Nyxia Triad and just like the first book, I absolutely loved this.
Some mild spoilers may be found in this review for the first book, so tread with caution.
This installment, in addition to being quite inclusive, features a strong undercurrent of social commentary as well, that I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed.
In this book, our returning protagonist, Emmett Atwater, and the rest of the crew, have now arrived on the planet previously known as Eden.
Throughout their training, Babel, the corporation they work for, had taught and prepared them for meeting the aliens, who they called Adamites.
Once on Eden, the kids are assigned local emissaries that ultimately end up teaching them in the true ways of their planet. The actual inhabitants of the planet call it Magnia and refer to themselves as the Imago.
The kids travel through the various communities of this planet, meeting with the peoples and learning their history, political structure and immediate societal issues.
The crew, disenchanted with Babel Corporation, after their excruciating training period, begin to realize that Babel's goals are much more sinister than they had previously expressed.
Without giving too much away, they must ultimately decide who and what they are willing to fight for.
What happens next will change the fate of worlds. We are genesis.
This novel is darker than the first, as the subject matter settles down and becomes more serious.
I had an incredible feeling of something ominous just at the edge of the horizon throughout this story.
As the narrative began to unfold, I had no clue as to where it was leading. I loved learning about the Imago and experiencing the wonder of learning about their society, past and future.
This story is an excellent examination of colonizing powers, indigenous populations and how people choose to treat other people.
Do we treat others with the dignity they deserve, regardless of where they come from?
There are some things a person should never stand by and watch...Pops taught me that much.
The above are thoughts of Emmett Atwater, our protagonist.
Emmett is such a sweet, precious little cupcake. He is a great kid, raised but loving parents in the city of Detroit. Although poor, he never lacked for love, or a strong kick in the backside, whichever he needed more.
Seeing Emmett grapple with good versus evil, standing up for what he believes is right, overcoming adversity, is such an enjoyable thing to read.
I loved watching him gaining strength and confidence throughout these two books and I am so excited to see where the third book takes him. He could lead a revolution, this one!
The other kids working with him are from all over the world; Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America and Europe. We also have LGBTQ+ characters and we get to learn a bit about all of their perspectives.
We learn the most about them in the first book, but I thought it was important to bring up again here for people searching for diverse representation in their books.
The ending of this book was INCREDIBLE!
I am so anxious to get to the conclusion of this trilogy.
We are on the edge of a major precipice here, a battle of good versus evil. A battle where fates and worlds will be changed.
Are the kids on the right track? Have they made the right choices? Are they siding with the right people?
I DON'T KNOW, but I am incredibly ready to find out! If you like Scifi, if you like diverse books, if you like books with a point, please, please, please pick up this series! It deserves all the love it can get!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Crown Books for Young Readers, for giving me the opportunity to read this book early. It was one of my most anticipated books of the year so I am very grateful!!!
Some mild spoilers may be found in this review for the first book, so tread with caution.
This installment, in addition to being quite inclusive, features a strong undercurrent of social commentary as well, that I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed.
In this book, our returning protagonist, Emmett Atwater, and the rest of the crew, have now arrived on the planet previously known as Eden.
Throughout their training, Babel, the corporation they work for, had taught and prepared them for meeting the aliens, who they called Adamites.
Once on Eden, the kids are assigned local emissaries that ultimately end up teaching them in the true ways of their planet. The actual inhabitants of the planet call it Magnia and refer to themselves as the Imago.
The kids travel through the various communities of this planet, meeting with the peoples and learning their history, political structure and immediate societal issues.
The crew, disenchanted with Babel Corporation, after their excruciating training period, begin to realize that Babel's goals are much more sinister than they had previously expressed.
Without giving too much away, they must ultimately decide who and what they are willing to fight for.
What happens next will change the fate of worlds. We are genesis.
This novel is darker than the first, as the subject matter settles down and becomes more serious.
I had an incredible feeling of something ominous just at the edge of the horizon throughout this story.
As the narrative began to unfold, I had no clue as to where it was leading. I loved learning about the Imago and experiencing the wonder of learning about their society, past and future.
This story is an excellent examination of colonizing powers, indigenous populations and how people choose to treat other people.
Do we treat others with the dignity they deserve, regardless of where they come from?
There are some things a person should never stand by and watch...Pops taught me that much.
The above are thoughts of Emmett Atwater, our protagonist.
Emmett is such a sweet, precious little cupcake. He is a great kid, raised but loving parents in the city of Detroit. Although poor, he never lacked for love, or a strong kick in the backside, whichever he needed more.
Seeing Emmett grapple with good versus evil, standing up for what he believes is right, overcoming adversity, is such an enjoyable thing to read.
I loved watching him gaining strength and confidence throughout these two books and I am so excited to see where the third book takes him. He could lead a revolution, this one!
The other kids working with him are from all over the world; Africa, Asia, the Middle East, South America and Europe. We also have LGBTQ+ characters and we get to learn a bit about all of their perspectives.
We learn the most about them in the first book, but I thought it was important to bring up again here for people searching for diverse representation in their books.
The ending of this book was INCREDIBLE!
I am so anxious to get to the conclusion of this trilogy.
We are on the edge of a major precipice here, a battle of good versus evil. A battle where fates and worlds will be changed.
Are the kids on the right track? Have they made the right choices? Are they siding with the right people?
I DON'T KNOW, but I am incredibly ready to find out! If you like Scifi, if you like diverse books, if you like books with a point, please, please, please pick up this series! It deserves all the love it can get!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Crown Books for Young Readers, for giving me the opportunity to read this book early. It was one of my most anticipated books of the year so I am very grateful!!!
July 9, 2018
Considering how badly I fail at enjoying the middle installment of trilogies, I think the fact that I gave this one 3 stars really shows how top notch Reintgen's writing is. Even though I didn't enjoy this one QUITE as much as I did Nyxia, I think it's a really important book that highlights so many wonderful things, mainly a robust diverse character list that is neither forced nor cliche. I found so many wonderful themes encouraging here, especially toward the teenage population, such as the promotion of female empowerment in a position of leadership, the connection of teens in a non-sexual form of intimacy, and the bonds we share beyond blood that make us family. It could be that maybe I'm in a funk with some of my reading, but if you enjoyed the first book in the series I highly recommend continuing on with this one. I'm anxiously awaiting the finale and can't wait to see what other places the author takes us!
*I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
*I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
December 18, 2018
Hello darkness my old friend... 🎶
(Look, literally no one is more disappointed by this rating than me.)
There was very little focus on any of the characters or dynamics I adored in the first book. Instead, almost all the time was devoted to new characters and relationships that I just didn't give a dang about. (That romance shoehorned in at the end of the last book? Suddenly becomes a BIG deal)
-----------
I loved the first book so I am P U M P E D
(Look, literally no one is more disappointed by this rating than me.)
There was very little focus on any of the characters or dynamics I adored in the first book. Instead, almost all the time was devoted to new characters and relationships that I just didn't give a dang about. (That romance shoehorned in at the end of the last book? Suddenly becomes a BIG deal)
-----------
I loved the first book so I am P U M P E D
December 10, 2017
So after finishing NYXIA last week I pestered Scott for NYXIA UNLEASHED. I was so excited to have the sequel early but now I write this crushed because I loved the sequel and finished it in one sitting and now I can’t pester him for the third book (or can I? we shall see lol)
But in all seriousness, sequels can be so hard and this is a sequel that doesn’t disappoint. It gives us what we loved in book two but with a meaningful conflict that unfolds in interesting and unexpected ways throughout the novel. I love hanging with Emmett and the gang and I already can’t wait to hang out with them again!!
But in all seriousness, sequels can be so hard and this is a sequel that doesn’t disappoint. It gives us what we loved in book two but with a meaningful conflict that unfolds in interesting and unexpected ways throughout the novel. I love hanging with Emmett and the gang and I already can’t wait to hang out with them again!!
Read
July 9, 2018In just a handful of days, Nyxia Unleashed will hit shelves. I am pretty proud of this book. I wrote the first draft of it while I was abroad and thought I'd hit it out of the park. Second book slump?! Not this guy. I turned it into my editor and she replied a few months later. She didn't like the main conflict, or the side conflict, or the other side conflict... When I mentioned that was the whole book, she said that's what we need to talk about. It was pretty painful, but I would go on to rewrite 90% of the book.
As the book releases, I'll be visiting local schools to talk about failure. I'll talk about how everyone fails, and about how the important thing to ask isn't "Will I fail?" It's what kind of person will I be, how will I react, when things don't go my way. That first draft might have failed, but the second one didn't. I'm convinced that if you loved Nyxia (or even just liked Nyxia a little) you're going to find a LOT to love in Nyxia Unleashed. It has more of the characters you fell for in book one. It has more of those breakneck plot twists that you won't see coming. It takes you to a new world while still forcing you to wrestle with truths about the world we live in.
Thanks for joining both me and Emmett Atwater on this journey. Enjoy the ride.
As the book releases, I'll be visiting local schools to talk about failure. I'll talk about how everyone fails, and about how the important thing to ask isn't "Will I fail?" It's what kind of person will I be, how will I react, when things don't go my way. That first draft might have failed, but the second one didn't. I'm convinced that if you loved Nyxia (or even just liked Nyxia a little) you're going to find a LOT to love in Nyxia Unleashed. It has more of the characters you fell for in book one. It has more of those breakneck plot twists that you won't see coming. It takes you to a new world while still forcing you to wrestle with truths about the world we live in.
Thanks for joining both me and Emmett Atwater on this journey. Enjoy the ride.
July 18, 2018
This just-published sequel to Nyxia is a fun YA SF adventure! Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
(Recap of Book 1 in this paragraph; I've tried not to be too spoilery) Emmett Atwater, a sixteen-year-old African American from Detroit, has spent the last year on board a spaceship owned by Babel Communications, lured in ― along with nineteen other disadvantaged teenagers from across the globe ― by Babel’s offer of immense wealth if he will travel to Eden and mine as much of the priceless mineral nyxia as possible on behalf of Babel for a year or so. Then he and the others can return home to a life of permanent ease. But Emmett and the other teenagers soon learn that the executives of Babel care only for their own power and wealth. During the year-long flight of the Genesis to Eden, the teens were pitted against each other in desperate competition for a place with the final group that would actually land on Eden. Manipulated by Babel, the competition became more and more ugly and deadly, until a final terrible twist just before the final group was dispatched to Eden in individual landing pods.
Nyxia Unleashed, the second book in Scott Reintgen’s NYXIA TRIAD series, picks up right where Nyxia left off, with Emmett soaring through the atmosphere of Eden and landing alone at night on an unfamiliar planet with two moons, and with no one else anywhere in sight. Emmett eventually is able to connect with a few of the other teens, and they make their cautious way cross-country to a supply center, where they meet up with the other teens from their spaceship, as well as a young corporal who’s been left in charge of Babel’s supply center (one of the Adamites’ demands is that the only humans allowed to stay on their planet must be children or teens). And they meet some representatives of the Adamites, who greet them with slightly unnerving good cheer. Soon the Genesis teens discover that, like Babel, the Adamites ― who actually call themselves the Imago ― have not been entirely forthcoming about their motives and plans.
Nyxia Unleashed shifts away from the life-and-death game competition that marked Nyxia, which I think was a wise move by Reintgen. The focus shifts now to the Genesis teens’ efforts to learn to trust each other again after the many months of often bitter and deadly competition on board Babel’s spaceship while it was flying to Eden (called “Magnia” by the Imago), and to their exploration of Magnia and the Imago people and their culture.
Nyxia Unleashed is an interesting, solid follow-up to Nyxia, with some unexpected twists to spice up the plot. Each faction has hidden plans that shed new light on the entire book. The planet Magnia and its natives have some creative aspects to them, though they could have been much more fundamentally alien for my money. The Imago are described more like an unusual country of humans than a world of non-human aliens, with much that is familiar about their culture and society. Conveniently, humans and Imago are able to not only talk to each other (thanks to one of nyxia’s odd properties) but also breathe the same atmosphere and eat the same foods. But I doubt the intended YA audience will mind that, and it does act as a mirror for how we as a human society often behave.
I’ve grown quite attached to the main character and narrator, Emmett, who tries to balance his justifiably vengeful thoughts against Babel and its executives with the desire, instilled by his loving family, to be a good person and find a better way. The racially, religiously, and sexually diverse group of teens that form the Genesis group can’t all be distinct and three-dimensional personalities, but enough of them are that their interactions and relationships feel realistic. There’s a clever but poignant moment where one of the teens uses an ancient, rather obscure Biblical story as inspiration for an unexpected change in direction.
Nyxia Unleashed has a bit of a cliffhanger ending, but not enough to put me off in any way. I’m definitely on board for the third book, Nyxia Uprising, slated for publication in April 2019.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher and NetGalley for review. Thank you!
(Recap of Book 1 in this paragraph; I've tried not to be too spoilery) Emmett Atwater, a sixteen-year-old African American from Detroit, has spent the last year on board a spaceship owned by Babel Communications, lured in ― along with nineteen other disadvantaged teenagers from across the globe ― by Babel’s offer of immense wealth if he will travel to Eden and mine as much of the priceless mineral nyxia as possible on behalf of Babel for a year or so. Then he and the others can return home to a life of permanent ease. But Emmett and the other teenagers soon learn that the executives of Babel care only for their own power and wealth. During the year-long flight of the Genesis to Eden, the teens were pitted against each other in desperate competition for a place with the final group that would actually land on Eden. Manipulated by Babel, the competition became more and more ugly and deadly, until a final terrible twist just before the final group was dispatched to Eden in individual landing pods.
Nyxia Unleashed, the second book in Scott Reintgen’s NYXIA TRIAD series, picks up right where Nyxia left off, with Emmett soaring through the atmosphere of Eden and landing alone at night on an unfamiliar planet with two moons, and with no one else anywhere in sight. Emmett eventually is able to connect with a few of the other teens, and they make their cautious way cross-country to a supply center, where they meet up with the other teens from their spaceship, as well as a young corporal who’s been left in charge of Babel’s supply center (one of the Adamites’ demands is that the only humans allowed to stay on their planet must be children or teens). And they meet some representatives of the Adamites, who greet them with slightly unnerving good cheer. Soon the Genesis teens discover that, like Babel, the Adamites ― who actually call themselves the Imago ― have not been entirely forthcoming about their motives and plans.
I’ve always understood Babel’s reasons. More money, more nyxia, more power. That makes all the sense in the world, but I never thought about what the Adamites got out of the deal. It always seemed like we were an entertaining sideshow. A permission granted to Babel so the Adamites could witness a miracle they’ve lost. For the first time, it feels like more than that. Thesis and the others are looking at us like we’ve come to save them. I file it away under D for Dig Deeper.The teens haven’t trusted Babel for many months, but are the Imago going to be any better? And how will the teens ever be able to get back home to Earth?
Nyxia Unleashed shifts away from the life-and-death game competition that marked Nyxia, which I think was a wise move by Reintgen. The focus shifts now to the Genesis teens’ efforts to learn to trust each other again after the many months of often bitter and deadly competition on board Babel’s spaceship while it was flying to Eden (called “Magnia” by the Imago), and to their exploration of Magnia and the Imago people and their culture.
Nyxia Unleashed is an interesting, solid follow-up to Nyxia, with some unexpected twists to spice up the plot. Each faction has hidden plans that shed new light on the entire book. The planet Magnia and its natives have some creative aspects to them, though they could have been much more fundamentally alien for my money. The Imago are described more like an unusual country of humans than a world of non-human aliens, with much that is familiar about their culture and society. Conveniently, humans and Imago are able to not only talk to each other (thanks to one of nyxia’s odd properties) but also breathe the same atmosphere and eat the same foods. But I doubt the intended YA audience will mind that, and it does act as a mirror for how we as a human society often behave.
I’ve grown quite attached to the main character and narrator, Emmett, who tries to balance his justifiably vengeful thoughts against Babel and its executives with the desire, instilled by his loving family, to be a good person and find a better way. The racially, religiously, and sexually diverse group of teens that form the Genesis group can’t all be distinct and three-dimensional personalities, but enough of them are that their interactions and relationships feel realistic. There’s a clever but poignant moment where one of the teens uses an ancient, rather obscure Biblical story as inspiration for an unexpected change in direction.
Nyxia Unleashed has a bit of a cliffhanger ending, but not enough to put me off in any way. I’m definitely on board for the third book, Nyxia Uprising, slated for publication in April 2019.
I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher and NetGalley for review. Thank you!
July 16, 2018
[4.5/5 stars] I’m really pleased with this sequel. The story seems more in line with what I think people were expecting from the first book: highly-trained teens dropped on an alien planet to mine Nyxia. There was less competition in this book than the first, and I missed a bit of that head-to-head drama, but the good character dynamics remained strong. What it offered instead was a new world to explore – complete with diverse flora and fauna, a fascinating planetary history, and indigenous beings with a breathtaking culture. Nyxia Unleashed was filled with countless moments of wonder and awe.
The world-building was superbly done and by far my favorite element of the book. There was so much creative and beautiful imagery throughout that I’m left with a solid vision of this alien world. Very well done. The natives were a lot of fun to learn about, especially when their culture clashed with our earthen norms. It was an experience for sure, and one that truly transported me.
So, while the world-building and diverse cast of characters were enough to satisfy this harsh critic, I admit the logistics of the plot – primarily the “grand scheme” on all three sides of the conflict, were a little thin. It required a “just go with it” attitude at times and made me nervous that the final book isn’t going to culminate to the satisfying ending I’m craving. It doesn’t lessen how I feel about the wonders this book showed me (truly awesome), but it might play into how I feel about the series as a whole depending on how the complexities of plot are handled in the final book. Fingers crossed.
It’s also worth noting that I really like the narration of the main character. He has a lot of depth that comes from good backstory and continues to get better as he’s shaped by these experiences. I especially love the whole “file this under C – for creative” thing he’s got going on because it speaks to a deeper coping mechanism that allows him to compartmentalize trauma and just get things done. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and I love it.
Series status: Going strong. It has the potential to end up among my all-time favorites. You’d better believe I’ll be hounding for a copy of the final book, asap. :)
Recommendations: As I said with the first book, this is an awesome recommend for Red Rising fans who don’t mind all of those gritty components watered down to fit a YA market. It has the same competitive edge, interesting characters and camaraderie, and overall atmosphere. I’m a fan.
I’d like to thank Random House Children’s, Scott Reintgen, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Nyxia Unleashed. Approval for this title made my day!
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
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The world-building was superbly done and by far my favorite element of the book. There was so much creative and beautiful imagery throughout that I’m left with a solid vision of this alien world. Very well done. The natives were a lot of fun to learn about, especially when their culture clashed with our earthen norms. It was an experience for sure, and one that truly transported me.
So, while the world-building and diverse cast of characters were enough to satisfy this harsh critic, I admit the logistics of the plot – primarily the “grand scheme” on all three sides of the conflict, were a little thin. It required a “just go with it” attitude at times and made me nervous that the final book isn’t going to culminate to the satisfying ending I’m craving. It doesn’t lessen how I feel about the wonders this book showed me (truly awesome), but it might play into how I feel about the series as a whole depending on how the complexities of plot are handled in the final book. Fingers crossed.
It’s also worth noting that I really like the narration of the main character. He has a lot of depth that comes from good backstory and continues to get better as he’s shaped by these experiences. I especially love the whole “file this under C – for creative” thing he’s got going on because it speaks to a deeper coping mechanism that allows him to compartmentalize trauma and just get things done. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and I love it.
Series status: Going strong. It has the potential to end up among my all-time favorites. You’d better believe I’ll be hounding for a copy of the final book, asap. :)
Recommendations: As I said with the first book, this is an awesome recommend for Red Rising fans who don’t mind all of those gritty components watered down to fit a YA market. It has the same competitive edge, interesting characters and camaraderie, and overall atmosphere. I’m a fan.
I’d like to thank Random House Children’s, Scott Reintgen, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Nyxia Unleashed. Approval for this title made my day!
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
May 9, 2020
Nyxia Unleashed was one of my most anticipated releases of 2018, and I'm glad to say it did not disappoint. I loved the first book in this series, and much like Nyxia , the second installment maintains the same standard for intrigue, dynamic plot and fantastic characters. I read this in one sitting, which does say something about its ability to capture and maintain the reader's interest.
As this is a second book and I very much dislike spoilers, I can only safely say that the world building pleasantly surprised me, especially given the point where the previous book ended. As for the characters, the familiar sense of team and friendship which was a central focus in Nyxia remains the biggest contributor to their development. I was a bit confused by the ending, however I'm very interested to see what happens next, when the final book of this trilogy is released. As a side note: I hadn't noticed it before, but this series is a bit similar to Red Rising, especially in tone and writing style, which is certainly a plus for me. I only hope the finale will do this series justice.
As this is a second book and I very much dislike spoilers, I can only safely say that the world building pleasantly surprised me, especially given the point where the previous book ended. As for the characters, the familiar sense of team and friendship which was a central focus in Nyxia remains the biggest contributor to their development. I was a bit confused by the ending, however I'm very interested to see what happens next, when the final book of this trilogy is released. As a side note: I hadn't noticed it before, but this series is a bit similar to Red Rising, especially in tone and writing style, which is certainly a plus for me. I only hope the finale will do this series justice.
July 16, 2018
Nyxia Unleashed by Scott Reintgen is the second book in the young adult science fiction fantasy The Nyxia Triad series. In the first book of the series the Babel Corporation had recruited ten teens including Emmett Atwater. The group was from all around the world and didn’t know why they had been recruited but when offered a contract with the company that would change not only their own lives but their families they had to accept.
The contract was offered to get the recruits to leave Earth and travel to a distant planet called Eden in order to mine for Nyxia. The inhabitants of the planet would only welcome children to their home so the teens were needed to seek out the new resource for Babel. The catch..only eight of them would make the cut to call the new planet home and they had to prove themselves all along the journey.
Now Nyxia Unleashed has picked back up with Emmett and the other survivors of the journey right after the end of the first book. Those that have made it to the distant planet are still weary of Babel and their broken promises but now have found that the Adamite’s have their own agenda. Being stuck between Babel and the Adamites the group wonders if any will be able to make it out alive and back home.
Looking back at starting this series I had thought it sort of reminded me to other books out there but now after finishing the second I can safely say it has completely broke out of the mold and has captured a life all of it’s own. I did think though that to me the characters still don’t really stand out and have each of their own personalities shine, they instead seem to be overshadowed by the action going on to where I need to remind myself who is who sometimes. Perhaps that’s just me though but speaking of the action… I have really enjoyed how much the series has changed and progressed from book to book, definitely not stuck in a rut. I’ll definitely also be waiting to see what happens in the story next.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
The contract was offered to get the recruits to leave Earth and travel to a distant planet called Eden in order to mine for Nyxia. The inhabitants of the planet would only welcome children to their home so the teens were needed to seek out the new resource for Babel. The catch..only eight of them would make the cut to call the new planet home and they had to prove themselves all along the journey.
Now Nyxia Unleashed has picked back up with Emmett and the other survivors of the journey right after the end of the first book. Those that have made it to the distant planet are still weary of Babel and their broken promises but now have found that the Adamite’s have their own agenda. Being stuck between Babel and the Adamites the group wonders if any will be able to make it out alive and back home.
Looking back at starting this series I had thought it sort of reminded me to other books out there but now after finishing the second I can safely say it has completely broke out of the mold and has captured a life all of it’s own. I did think though that to me the characters still don’t really stand out and have each of their own personalities shine, they instead seem to be overshadowed by the action going on to where I need to remind myself who is who sometimes. Perhaps that’s just me though but speaking of the action… I have really enjoyed how much the series has changed and progressed from book to book, definitely not stuck in a rut. I’ll definitely also be waiting to see what happens in the story next.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Want to read
April 20, 2019UPDATE: $1.99 Kindle US 4/20/19
September 1, 2021
Pretty good, but it didn't draw me in the way Nyxia did. The shakeups of the first book have left some fallout to be dealt with, and I liked the storyline and where things went, but there were some things missing for me.
My main criticism is that I wanted Nyxia Unleashed to go deeper than it chose to. For example, some of the boys were clearly suffering from PTSD following their landing on Eden, but it was kind of brushed off. I know that they are making their way through things on their own, but given everything they went through and now being on an alien planet, I wanted a bit more than "I'm here for you, bro."
Teens have intensely rich emotional lives and I wish that had been explored more thoroughly. I think this second book wanted to be about choices and reclaiming the power to define who you are, but unfortunately some of that got lost in the action used to push the plot forward.
That said, just like the first book, things got intense at the end of Nyxia Unleashed, so I do plan to read the final book, Nyxia Uprising, to see how it all ends.
My main criticism is that I wanted Nyxia Unleashed to go deeper than it chose to. For example, some of the boys were clearly suffering from PTSD following their landing on Eden, but it was kind of brushed off. I know that they are making their way through things on their own, but given everything they went through and now being on an alien planet, I wanted a bit more than "I'm here for you, bro."
Teens have intensely rich emotional lives and I wish that had been explored more thoroughly. I think this second book wanted to be about choices and reclaiming the power to define who you are, but unfortunately some of that got lost in the action used to push the plot forward.
That said, just like the first book, things got intense at the end of Nyxia Unleashed, so I do plan to read the final book, Nyxia Uprising, to see how it all ends.
July 17, 2018
Nyxia Unleashed was probably my most anticipated release for 2018! I loved Nyxia so much and couldn't wait to experience more of Emmett and the gang.
And, yowza!! Scott Reintgen did not disappoint! This second book follows Emmett and his surviving shipmates to the planet Eden where they mine Nyxia for the Babel Corporation. There they encounter the alien Adamites (well, actually, the humans are the aliens in Eden!)
The action and world building are just as impressive in this second book as in Nyxia and I loved every minute! Scott gives us two brilliant characters in Emmett and Morning and I couldn't get enough. I loved all the teens in this, but especially Morning who is such a great kick-ass heroine and leader. Paired with Emmett, the kid from the streets of Detroit, they make a formidable pair!
And that ending!! I need book 3 NOW!!! Ack! I highly recommend this series to all sci-fi lovers!! Well done, Scott!!
*Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Books for the advance copy!*
And, yowza!! Scott Reintgen did not disappoint! This second book follows Emmett and his surviving shipmates to the planet Eden where they mine Nyxia for the Babel Corporation. There they encounter the alien Adamites (well, actually, the humans are the aliens in Eden!)
The action and world building are just as impressive in this second book as in Nyxia and I loved every minute! Scott gives us two brilliant characters in Emmett and Morning and I couldn't get enough. I loved all the teens in this, but especially Morning who is such a great kick-ass heroine and leader. Paired with Emmett, the kid from the streets of Detroit, they make a formidable pair!
And that ending!! I need book 3 NOW!!! Ack! I highly recommend this series to all sci-fi lovers!! Well done, Scott!!
*Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Books for the advance copy!*
September 12, 2019
“We’re weapons. They made us this way.
And we’re coming for them.”*
Now that Emmet and the rest of the genesis crew members have made it to Eden they discover that just Babel has more up their sleeve for them than just harvesting Nyxia. While navigating the tenuous relationship with the Adamites and the dangers that the planet presents the team must decide who they trust.
The Story-
Picking up right where the first book leaves off the team struggles with what Babel has put them through to get there as well as adjusting to their new home. The crew carries on with their assignment while continuing to grow closer as a team as well as stronger with their skills with nyxia.
What really drives this story is the mystery. Not the type of mystery you would find in a thriller or a murder, but in the anticipation of a twist you just know is coming. And boy, those twists can throw you a loop. Though there was one that wasn’t quite wrapped up in this book so I am aching for the next book. Because, Scott, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS??!
Anyway, the book is non stop as we are lead from uncovering secrets to fighting for their lives. This YA sci-fi book tackles more than entertainment but brings in themes that cover family (blood and the bonds that go beyond that), homophobia/coming out, war/genocide/death, large corporation takeovers, and so much more.
The World Building-
Not only does Reintgen have a crew of multicultural kids, but has brought us a alien world that mirrors some similarities to the humans cultures but expanding with their own traditions, beliefs and society. The adamite society has sort of a rural feel but we are also introduced to fun new technology that Babel supplies which provides for a juxtaposition of it all that is smoothly introduced as the story progresses.
The planet itself is just so interesting from it’s double moons to its creatures.
The Characters-
Since this book narrows down to just the remaining crew, we are allowed time to get to know our characters a little bit more. It’s still mostly told from Emmett’s point of view so it is still somewhat limited to his observations, but the bond that the crew makes goes deep and grows as they must rely on each other because that’s all they’ve got. I think my favorite part about these characters is that they are fierce and brave, but can still stop to mourn those that they lose.
If you’re looking for romance between characters there’s a few pairings in here that just work so well together. I didn’t expect it, but there is some heart wrenching scenes where they kids hold each other up emotionally with just a squeeze of the hands, a nod of their head, and even with just putting themselves in harms way just to save the other.
The Soundtrack-
Portugal. The Man feat Richie Havens & Son Little – Number One
Blog | Bookstagram | Instagram | Twitter
*Quote obtained from an uncorrected proof and may be changed in the final version.
And we’re coming for them.”*
Now that Emmet and the rest of the genesis crew members have made it to Eden they discover that just Babel has more up their sleeve for them than just harvesting Nyxia. While navigating the tenuous relationship with the Adamites and the dangers that the planet presents the team must decide who they trust.
The Story-
Picking up right where the first book leaves off the team struggles with what Babel has put them through to get there as well as adjusting to their new home. The crew carries on with their assignment while continuing to grow closer as a team as well as stronger with their skills with nyxia.
What really drives this story is the mystery. Not the type of mystery you would find in a thriller or a murder, but in the anticipation of a twist you just know is coming. And boy, those twists can throw you a loop. Though there was one that wasn’t quite wrapped up in this book so I am aching for the next book. Because, Scott, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS??!
Anyway, the book is non stop as we are lead from uncovering secrets to fighting for their lives. This YA sci-fi book tackles more than entertainment but brings in themes that cover family (blood and the bonds that go beyond that), homophobia/coming out, war/genocide/death, large corporation takeovers, and so much more.
The World Building-
Not only does Reintgen have a crew of multicultural kids, but has brought us a alien world that mirrors some similarities to the humans cultures but expanding with their own traditions, beliefs and society. The adamite society has sort of a rural feel but we are also introduced to fun new technology that Babel supplies which provides for a juxtaposition of it all that is smoothly introduced as the story progresses.
The planet itself is just so interesting from it’s double moons to its creatures.
The Characters-
Since this book narrows down to just the remaining crew, we are allowed time to get to know our characters a little bit more. It’s still mostly told from Emmett’s point of view so it is still somewhat limited to his observations, but the bond that the crew makes goes deep and grows as they must rely on each other because that’s all they’ve got. I think my favorite part about these characters is that they are fierce and brave, but can still stop to mourn those that they lose.
If you’re looking for romance between characters there’s a few pairings in here that just work so well together. I didn’t expect it, but there is some heart wrenching scenes where they kids hold each other up emotionally with just a squeeze of the hands, a nod of their head, and even with just putting themselves in harms way just to save the other.
The Soundtrack-
Portugal. The Man feat Richie Havens & Son Little – Number One
Blog | Bookstagram | Instagram | Twitter
*Quote obtained from an uncorrected proof and may be changed in the final version.
February 21, 2019
Nyxia Unleashed
The Nyxia Triad, Book 2
By: Scott Reintgen
Narrated by: Sullivan Jones, Alex Romashov, Carol Monda
The story continues from book one, read book one first! The teens land on the planet to meet the aliens. Soon they find things aren't as they were told. They seem to be lied to by both Babel and the aliens. Things get very interesting! Loved it! Can't wait for the next book!
Great narration!
The Nyxia Triad, Book 2
By: Scott Reintgen
Narrated by: Sullivan Jones, Alex Romashov, Carol Monda
The story continues from book one, read book one first! The teens land on the planet to meet the aliens. Soon they find things aren't as they were told. They seem to be lied to by both Babel and the aliens. Things get very interesting! Loved it! Can't wait for the next book!
Great narration!
April 17, 2018
Update: 12/5/2017
LOOK AT THE COVER. *heart eyes* Ooooh, aaaah.
**
I need this pretty much now. My bookhangover from Nyxia is still amped up and doesn't appear to be letting up any time soon. :'(
LOOK AT THE COVER. *heart eyes* Ooooh, aaaah.
**
I need this pretty much now. My bookhangover from Nyxia is still amped up and doesn't appear to be letting up any time soon. :'(
June 6, 2018
Thank you Crown Books for Young Readers & Netgalley for the arc in exchange for a honest review
Buddy Read with Melanie@ Meltotheany
To be back with some of my fave characters is probably THE highlight of this reading month...
UPDATE—-> easiest 5 stars ever!!! Gahhhh! Please stop sleeping on this series, Nyxia is THE YA SCI-FI YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW YOU NEED IN YOUR LIVES! GUSH review to come tomorrow 5/21/18 on LAIR OF BOOKS (link is in the bio) 😆
MY REVIEW...
Content Warning Provided by the wonderful Melanie: murder, death, gore, blood, violence, depiction of PTSD, abandonment, kidnapping, torture, animal death, talk of past outing, talk of past homophobia, genocide, colonization, loss of a loved one, loss of a friend, and war themes
***5 EPIC STARS***
Last year I won a Twitter giveaway for Nyxia & I didn’t really know much about the book other than it was Sci-fi & I dig sci-fi so it couldn’t hurt throwing my hat in the ring. I also attended Bookcon last year & remember standing right in front of Scott Reintgen’s table as he set up for a signing & again, I had no idea what for…hadn’t won the contest just yet. Well *sigh* I did read the book & I also gently kicked myself afterwards for not having read it sooner & missing my grand opportunity to talk Scott’s ear off about book 2!
Nyxia remains one of my favorite YA Sci-Fi books & you can check out my spoiler free GUSH review (HERE) but Nyxia Unleashed has definitely taken over the mantle, Scott Reintgen delivered & I couldn’t be happier with this sequel! well…I could but I’m reserving that for book 3! Now onto this GUSH review…
We start off right where we left off and that means there’s a ton of hurt and pain to last a lifetime. The events from Nyxia have left Emmett and his friends rattled and looking over their shoulders. The corporation known as Babel who they’ve basically signed their lives away to in exchange for financial stability for themselves and each of their families, has many secrets. They’ve all been through the ringer Hunger Games style in the first book & are now realizing that “Space Exploration” and mining of the Nyxia substance found on the planet they’ve been shipped off too, isn’t Babels real agenda. They’re also realizing that for all the rigorous training Babel put them through, it’s not quite enough when faced with the actual dangers and species on the foreign planet Eden.
“I’m always surprised when people expect me to not notice the little details. So many lies are like badly buried bodies, just waiting for a little rain to unearth them.”
We meet the “Adamites” who inhabit Eden and have a working relationship with Babel. In exchange for access to the Nyxia naturally grown in Eden, the Adamites asked for Babel to send them only their youth. Teens like Emmett and his friends, the reason given is that their planet has no youth left. Females are almost all extinct and therefore no children have been born in recent years. If you’re raising an eyebrow at this…you are NOT alone! I was suspicious of them all the way til’ the very end! you just never know with these Sci-Fi books if they’re trying to steal your organs #jussayin haha! with the introduction of the Adamites we get layers of world building & Adamite culture from the foods they eat to their social class construct. I am a sucker for world building, details, and just about anything that can make a world come alive on the page & transport me right into its midst. Reintgen not only continued to deliver on some of the BEST character development to hit the page, he also expanded the world tenfold and in the process hooked me in once more. We also get discussion on colonization, corporal punishment, the broken prison system here on Earth, and structural racism. Food for thought is always welcome especially when it mirrors much of our current day lives. Emmett has trained himself to observe as opposed to reacting right away & so we get to follow his train of thought as he realizes the similarities between Eden and Earth.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Babel’s out here playing the role of colonizer, slapping labels on the originals and pretending they created it all in the first place. It’s pretty standard procedure for folks like them.”
One of the things I love the most about this trilogy is the dialogue. From the author bio we get that some of the research for these characters came from Reintgen’s experience in the classrooms he teaches in. The language is authentic and flows very easily with a ton of personality infused in each and every one of the characters. This is a big cast & yet I always knew who was saying what just by how well fleshed out they all are. Our MC Emmett shares the leadership spotlight with his love interest Morning who is a take charge Alpha personality not really waiting to be given the reigns. I LOVED seeing these two in action & just how respectful Emmett is of Morning, he admires her strengths and bravado. Morning in turn takes a very protective role over Emmett. It wasn’t made to be Emmett coming to her rescue, Morning got him out of quite a few jams. Each has different strengths in character but both bring out the best in those they cross paths with. There’s a recurrent theme all throughout this sequel of a sense of shedding their innocence. They aren’t doing “normal” teen things and Emmett is very much aware of this when he self reflects. The humility is still very much there, kept alive through flashbacks of conversations with his father who sort of plays a side characters in the shadows. For the most part all of these characters have a past heavy with burden and pain, injustice and poverty. It’s their desire to want more for those they love that keep them in the game…
“My whole life’s been rough, but somewhere I picked up the idea that it wasn’t supposed to be that way. I don’t know where I learned about justice, when I started thinking I deserved something more. There’s a part of me that knows, beyond the shadow of any doubt, that the world is supposed to be better, more.”
One thing is for certain, these characters are much stronger together than apart. I am so ready to see how certain relationships play out in the next book and whether they will endure whatever comes their way. This was such a fun read, these characters feel so familiar and alive that it really does feel like seeing old friends again after some time has passed. I am more than looking forward to returning to this cast of characters but for now I’ll just live vicariously through my hubby who will be starting Nyxia next 🙂
“We walk together, shoulders touching, like we’re walking home from school on a normal day. But that’s not reality. Reality is a new world. Reality is two moons hanging in the sky, bright and beckoning. Reality is what we’re leaving behind as we move through an empty forest and out into a world that feels full of ghosts.”
*Quotes have been taken from ARC and may differ from the final publication
Buddy Read with Melanie@ Meltotheany
To be back with some of my fave characters is probably THE highlight of this reading month...
UPDATE—-> easiest 5 stars ever!!! Gahhhh! Please stop sleeping on this series, Nyxia is THE YA SCI-FI YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW YOU NEED IN YOUR LIVES! GUSH review to come tomorrow 5/21/18 on LAIR OF BOOKS (link is in the bio) 😆
MY REVIEW...
Content Warning Provided by the wonderful Melanie: murder, death, gore, blood, violence, depiction of PTSD, abandonment, kidnapping, torture, animal death, talk of past outing, talk of past homophobia, genocide, colonization, loss of a loved one, loss of a friend, and war themes
***5 EPIC STARS***
Last year I won a Twitter giveaway for Nyxia & I didn’t really know much about the book other than it was Sci-fi & I dig sci-fi so it couldn’t hurt throwing my hat in the ring. I also attended Bookcon last year & remember standing right in front of Scott Reintgen’s table as he set up for a signing & again, I had no idea what for…hadn’t won the contest just yet. Well *sigh* I did read the book & I also gently kicked myself afterwards for not having read it sooner & missing my grand opportunity to talk Scott’s ear off about book 2!
Nyxia remains one of my favorite YA Sci-Fi books & you can check out my spoiler free GUSH review (HERE) but Nyxia Unleashed has definitely taken over the mantle, Scott Reintgen delivered & I couldn’t be happier with this sequel! well…I could but I’m reserving that for book 3! Now onto this GUSH review…
We start off right where we left off and that means there’s a ton of hurt and pain to last a lifetime. The events from Nyxia have left Emmett and his friends rattled and looking over their shoulders. The corporation known as Babel who they’ve basically signed their lives away to in exchange for financial stability for themselves and each of their families, has many secrets. They’ve all been through the ringer Hunger Games style in the first book & are now realizing that “Space Exploration” and mining of the Nyxia substance found on the planet they’ve been shipped off too, isn’t Babels real agenda. They’re also realizing that for all the rigorous training Babel put them through, it’s not quite enough when faced with the actual dangers and species on the foreign planet Eden.
“I’m always surprised when people expect me to not notice the little details. So many lies are like badly buried bodies, just waiting for a little rain to unearth them.”
We meet the “Adamites” who inhabit Eden and have a working relationship with Babel. In exchange for access to the Nyxia naturally grown in Eden, the Adamites asked for Babel to send them only their youth. Teens like Emmett and his friends, the reason given is that their planet has no youth left. Females are almost all extinct and therefore no children have been born in recent years. If you’re raising an eyebrow at this…you are NOT alone! I was suspicious of them all the way til’ the very end! you just never know with these Sci-Fi books if they’re trying to steal your organs #jussayin haha! with the introduction of the Adamites we get layers of world building & Adamite culture from the foods they eat to their social class construct. I am a sucker for world building, details, and just about anything that can make a world come alive on the page & transport me right into its midst. Reintgen not only continued to deliver on some of the BEST character development to hit the page, he also expanded the world tenfold and in the process hooked me in once more. We also get discussion on colonization, corporal punishment, the broken prison system here on Earth, and structural racism. Food for thought is always welcome especially when it mirrors much of our current day lives. Emmett has trained himself to observe as opposed to reacting right away & so we get to follow his train of thought as he realizes the similarities between Eden and Earth.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Babel’s out here playing the role of colonizer, slapping labels on the originals and pretending they created it all in the first place. It’s pretty standard procedure for folks like them.”
One of the things I love the most about this trilogy is the dialogue. From the author bio we get that some of the research for these characters came from Reintgen’s experience in the classrooms he teaches in. The language is authentic and flows very easily with a ton of personality infused in each and every one of the characters. This is a big cast & yet I always knew who was saying what just by how well fleshed out they all are. Our MC Emmett shares the leadership spotlight with his love interest Morning who is a take charge Alpha personality not really waiting to be given the reigns. I LOVED seeing these two in action & just how respectful Emmett is of Morning, he admires her strengths and bravado. Morning in turn takes a very protective role over Emmett. It wasn’t made to be Emmett coming to her rescue, Morning got him out of quite a few jams. Each has different strengths in character but both bring out the best in those they cross paths with. There’s a recurrent theme all throughout this sequel of a sense of shedding their innocence. They aren’t doing “normal” teen things and Emmett is very much aware of this when he self reflects. The humility is still very much there, kept alive through flashbacks of conversations with his father who sort of plays a side characters in the shadows. For the most part all of these characters have a past heavy with burden and pain, injustice and poverty. It’s their desire to want more for those they love that keep them in the game…
“My whole life’s been rough, but somewhere I picked up the idea that it wasn’t supposed to be that way. I don’t know where I learned about justice, when I started thinking I deserved something more. There’s a part of me that knows, beyond the shadow of any doubt, that the world is supposed to be better, more.”
One thing is for certain, these characters are much stronger together than apart. I am so ready to see how certain relationships play out in the next book and whether they will endure whatever comes their way. This was such a fun read, these characters feel so familiar and alive that it really does feel like seeing old friends again after some time has passed. I am more than looking forward to returning to this cast of characters but for now I’ll just live vicariously through my hubby who will be starting Nyxia next 🙂
“We walk together, shoulders touching, like we’re walking home from school on a normal day. But that’s not reality. Reality is a new world. Reality is two moons hanging in the sky, bright and beckoning. Reality is what we’re leaving behind as we move through an empty forest and out into a world that feels full of ghosts.”
*Quotes have been taken from ARC and may differ from the final publication
July 17, 2018
This sequel starts out with our main character Emmett landing on a new planet with the other chosen teenagers from the Genesis crew. Despite knowing something just isnt right, they decide to keep working for Babel mining Nyxia while the bide their time and figure out whats really going on. Meanwhile we get to explore a whole new world and meet the inhabitants. The pace wasnt as intense as the first book, but I enjoyed getting to learn about the Adamites culture and the variety of deadly creatures that live on the planet.
The diversity among the characters was fantastic. We get people from all over the world, but having such a huge cast means we wont get to know all of them well. We do get a couple extra perspectives in this book. One of them felt pretty pointless since we only get one chapter and it didnt explain much, but it might make more sense in the third novel. I thought the other point of view was great. We get to know one of the LGBT+ characters better and we also get important information about whats going on Babels spaceship. Even though we get a bit of Anton perspective I would have loved seeing more of his relationship with Alex.
I was moved by what Emmett did for Axis. Emmetts friendship with Jaime, Longwei and Alex was awesome. I thought it felt very authentic. Emmett also has a thing going on with my queen Morning that I really enjoyed. I loved Mornings wit and cunning. Her battle and strategy skills are phenomenal. She's always saving Emmett instead of the other way around. I just couldnt get enough of her. Another character that I loved was Longwei. I thought he had some wonderful character development and I cant wait to see his role in the next book. I also have to mention Speaker, one of the Adamite representatives. I just really liked him and though he was interesting to read about.
I love getting to explore a whole new world. The bigger the differences between our world and the new world the more excited I get. Despite some of the world building elements not quite connecting I still really enjoyed the concept. I would have liked more info about how the language barrier was overcome, but the I found the mysterious nyxia substance fascinating. Not knowing what to expect from the Babel corporation and the Adamites made for an intriguing plot. The reveals werent as mind blowing as the first book, but I was still highly entertained. If you love scifi and diveristy you need to pick up this incredible series. Ill definitely be reading the last book in this trilogy as soon as it comes out.
*Participated in Rockstar Book Tour*
UPDATE: Yayyy!! So excited Im getting a copy from publisher in June! Wish it was sooner since it's all I can think about lately, but still super grateful I get to review it early. The ending of Nyxia blew my mind I need sequel now.
OMG Loooove the cover. Nyxia was soooooo amazing.
The diversity among the characters was fantastic. We get people from all over the world, but having such a huge cast means we wont get to know all of them well. We do get a couple extra perspectives in this book. One of them felt pretty pointless since we only get one chapter and it didnt explain much, but it might make more sense in the third novel. I thought the other point of view was great. We get to know one of the LGBT+ characters better and we also get important information about whats going on Babels spaceship. Even though we get a bit of Anton perspective I would have loved seeing more of his relationship with Alex.
I was moved by what Emmett did for Axis. Emmetts friendship with Jaime, Longwei and Alex was awesome. I thought it felt very authentic. Emmett also has a thing going on with my queen Morning that I really enjoyed. I loved Mornings wit and cunning. Her battle and strategy skills are phenomenal. She's always saving Emmett instead of the other way around. I just couldnt get enough of her. Another character that I loved was Longwei. I thought he had some wonderful character development and I cant wait to see his role in the next book. I also have to mention Speaker, one of the Adamite representatives. I just really liked him and though he was interesting to read about.
I love getting to explore a whole new world. The bigger the differences between our world and the new world the more excited I get. Despite some of the world building elements not quite connecting I still really enjoyed the concept. I would have liked more info about how the language barrier was overcome, but the I found the mysterious nyxia substance fascinating. Not knowing what to expect from the Babel corporation and the Adamites made for an intriguing plot. The reveals werent as mind blowing as the first book, but I was still highly entertained. If you love scifi and diveristy you need to pick up this incredible series. Ill definitely be reading the last book in this trilogy as soon as it comes out.
*Participated in Rockstar Book Tour*
UPDATE: Yayyy!! So excited Im getting a copy from publisher in June! Wish it was sooner since it's all I can think about lately, but still super grateful I get to review it early. The ending of Nyxia blew my mind I need sequel now.
OMG Loooove the cover. Nyxia was soooooo amazing.
July 5, 2018
They were just kids trying to make a better life for their families in a dystopian world. They gave up everything to work for Babel, mining nyxia, the most valuable material in the world. They were taught to survive against all odds and to stop at nothing to achieve their goals, but when Emmett, Morning and the rest finally reach their destination, they will uncover the lies they were fed and learn to survive, thrive and trust in one another as they come face to face with the indigenous Adamites.
What they didn’t understand was that they were merely pawns in a battle pitting Babel’s greed against the Imago (Adamites’) survival. But they are determined to become a force to be reckoned with. But, who can they trust? When in doubt, do the right thing and above all survive with honor. Once again, the hubris of an all-powerful corporation underestimates the ones they lord over, especially when those individuals have the intensity of teens who believe in themselves.
NYXIA UNLEASHED by Scott Reintgen is a literary powerhouse of action and adventure, emotional turmoil and determination. Follow incredibly strong characters with the flames of youth raging like an inferno as they learn to work together, share their strong points and form an unbreakable bond of honor. Non-stop intrigue, secrets revealed and daring to go headlong into the unknown!
Amazing world building puts us on another planet. There will be bloodshed, violence, pasts to reconcile and bonds that become unbreakable.
NYXIA was phenomenal, but Scott Reintgen has set the bar even higher with NYXIA UNLEASHED! Hang on to your hearts, because this series will steal your very soul!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Crown Books for Young Readers!
Series: The Nyxia Triad - Book 2
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (July 17, 2018)
Publication Date: July 17, 2018
Genre: YA Scifi
Print Length: 400 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
What they didn’t understand was that they were merely pawns in a battle pitting Babel’s greed against the Imago (Adamites’) survival. But they are determined to become a force to be reckoned with. But, who can they trust? When in doubt, do the right thing and above all survive with honor. Once again, the hubris of an all-powerful corporation underestimates the ones they lord over, especially when those individuals have the intensity of teens who believe in themselves.
NYXIA UNLEASHED by Scott Reintgen is a literary powerhouse of action and adventure, emotional turmoil and determination. Follow incredibly strong characters with the flames of youth raging like an inferno as they learn to work together, share their strong points and form an unbreakable bond of honor. Non-stop intrigue, secrets revealed and daring to go headlong into the unknown!
Amazing world building puts us on another planet. There will be bloodshed, violence, pasts to reconcile and bonds that become unbreakable.
NYXIA was phenomenal, but Scott Reintgen has set the bar even higher with NYXIA UNLEASHED! Hang on to your hearts, because this series will steal your very soul!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Crown Books for Young Readers!
Series: The Nyxia Triad - Book 2
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (July 17, 2018)
Publication Date: July 17, 2018
Genre: YA Scifi
Print Length: 400 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
August 13, 2018
Really good sequel that sets up the next book very well! Leaves you very excited for the next book because so much is packed into these 400 pages! There was a lot more character development in this one then I thought there would be. The first book had a lot but this one has a significant amount for a sequel and it actually added to the plot. I really did enjoy this book and am excited to see how the triad turns out in the next book.
My quick and simple overall: really good sequel that adds excitement for the next book.
My quick and simple overall: really good sequel that adds excitement for the next book.
August 4, 2018
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Emmett thought Babel’s game sounded easy. But it didn’t take long for him to learn that Babel’s competition was full of broken promises. Now Emmett and the rest of the Genesis survivors must rally, their mission from Babel is simple: extract nyxia and play nice with the indigenous Adamite population. But Emmett and the others quickly realize they are caught between two powerful forces—Babel and the Adamites—with clashing desires. Will the Genesis team make it out alive before it’s too late?
The short review...
This was better than Nyxia!! YAY!!! Hahahaha, why am I reading a sequel when I didn't enjoy the first book?! Well I enjoyed the first half of the first book and I thought Scott Reintgen was a pretty decent creator of ideas (even if motivations made absolutely no sense when connected to their desires). LOVE the idea of nyxia and that it came from an alien planet that made it a part of their culture... And I LOVED that about Nyxia Unleashed. The created culture was so fascinating and made the second half of the book a lot better than the first half...
While Babel still made zero sense if they wanted to use this group of kids to lull the dangerous aliens into complacency the rest of the story was a lot better thought out (as I suspected it would be, again YAY!) The problem with this book is that the first half was booooorrrrrrriiiiiiinnnngggggg! With a major B! The conflict was so contrived... and Babel is suddenly sexist not making the girls do the dirty deeds they made most of the boys do. (Really Babel needs to hire a psychiatrist to help them learn how to manipulate and brain wash people better!!)
I do enjoy the diversity in this series. The kids range from around the world and my favorite this time was certainly Longwei. I wish that every character had this kind of character growth and change. I LOVED Anton and Erone too. I wish Anton's part was a little more developed because I could have spent time with him in the beginning too! I really like the idea of Morning (and the rescue she performed was badass!) and Emmett together. I just feel like she's too perfect and the fact she loves this second rate guy who can't hope to match her skills is such a joke.
The end was rather obvious to me... I didn't find the twists that twisty. I think if you go into the book for pure enjoyment and don't think about anything too deeply then you will quite enjoy the book. It takes away that competition aspect that didn't really make any sort of sense in the first book and turns it into a family love fest! I think its a great message... to not only accept everyone as they are but to love them and be willing to put aside differences to succeed together. Also the female empowerment is super strong in the Nyxia Triad as almost all the females excel over the men and their leaders are female for the most part.
Cover & Title grade -> B+
I like this cover I do... it's better than the original cover and who doesn't like molten rock?! But what the freak does it have to do with Nyxia?! It's rather an adult cover, rather than a YA one. I'd prefer a diverse representation for the art instead as that is a major selling point. Or baring that I would love a people cover (normally not my fav) of the Imago or even a beast from the planet to get what one looks like. This may be more typical though... As far as sci-fi covers go though its attractive and will cause the right sort of reader to pick it up.
As a Writer...
GAH I so wanted this book to be a little better than it was. (3 stars is a good book, okay? But I wanted it to be a 4 star that I could whole-heartedly recommend!) I was hoping that Babel's reasons were a little more sensical for Nyxia Unleashed so I could get behind the crazy that had them pitting the kids against each other in competition and death. It just didn't...
In fact, there was no reason for that final kill order... And the fact they benevolently didn't make the women kill anyone made even less sense. Up to that point Babel has treated the sexes as equals but not in this?!
Isadora's reaction was totally absurd. I feel like the women were portrayed as the absolute cream of all humanity or psycho nut jobs... there was no in between! GAH!!
I feel like a better plan by Babel is to play innocent. Pretend they are keeping to their side of the treaty! Set the teenagers down in pairs, let hormones rage. No death or murder. It appears to fulfill what the Imago say they want and the miners have a reason to make both the Imago and Babel happy. The game playing isn’t good business because it doesn't appear to have any pluses for their plan. This company is not owned by those running it so I get even less why the individuals will do morally repugnant things for something they simply work for...
As a writer I know the aim of a character or entity must match their motivations. For their aim and their motivation to be at odds doesn't make sense as one fuels the other! Sure, it creates lots of twists you don't see coming but they are hollow and simply there to surprise...
Nyxia Unleashed is perfect for those who enjoy new worlds with many twists! The characters are diverse, and the female empowerment is powerful. All elements much heralded for books today. This is a book for the modern reader! Sit back and enjoy the journey...
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
August 19, 2018
I can’t quite put my finger on why, but I didn’t quite like this as much as the first book, but it was still really good and exciting!
The world building was amazing
The world building was amazing
Shelved as 'unread-netgalley'
April 12, 2018*Grabby hands* I loved Nyxia and can't wait for this sequel! The synopsis and cover, please hurry up and get here release date!
May 25, 2018
Actual Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Wow I was so bored and just didn't care about anything in this book?! I don't know what happened because I loved Nyxia so so much! But this one just wasn't cutting it for me. I think maybe reading it during the stress of finals and finishing up school made me not so engaged in it?? Not too sure, I just know that I was majorly bored. But the writing is so fantastic though, that's really what pulled me through is that I really love the writing a lot and just thank God for good writing LOL.
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I'm Buddy Reading this with a lot of fantastic amazing people (who'll I'll link eventually) but I'm super hyped!
And I'm also already behind because it's my last week of Senior Year and I'm trying to finish up exams. SO this should be interesting. LOL.
Wow I was so bored and just didn't care about anything in this book?! I don't know what happened because I loved Nyxia so so much! But this one just wasn't cutting it for me. I think maybe reading it during the stress of finals and finishing up school made me not so engaged in it?? Not too sure, I just know that I was majorly bored. But the writing is so fantastic though, that's really what pulled me through is that I really love the writing a lot and just thank God for good writing LOL.
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I'm Buddy Reading this with a lot of fantastic amazing people (who'll I'll link eventually) but I'm super hyped!
And I'm also already behind because it's my last week of Senior Year and I'm trying to finish up exams. SO this should be interesting. LOL.
July 26, 2019
Nyxia liberada, segunda parte de la tríada de Nyxia, es un libro que estuve esperando un montón de tiempo a que se publicara!
Ahora que lo leí les traigo mi opinión, el primer libro me había encantado y me sorprendió muchísimo y este segundo no me decepcionó.
Lleno de acción, trabajo en equipo, conspiración aventuras, risas, es un libro que disfruté un montón. Saben que no soy fan de la ciencia ficción y sin embargo Nyxia me cautivó por completo. Tenemos nuevamente a nuestros protagonistas, quienes han sobrevivido a innumerables desafíos y ahora deben llegar a este planeta extraño, después de todo un año de preparación en la nave. Descubrirán a los extraterrestres y lidiarán con la empresa que los contrató.
Me gustó un montón el libro, fue tan atrapante como el primero, aunque le noté un poco de relleno, algunas escenas que estaban de más.. como las innumerables cenas que tienen con los extraterrestres.
Creo que es el libro perfecto para quienes quieran empezar a leer ciencia ficción, ya que tiene un poco de otros géneros también.
Muero de ganas de leer la tercera parte!
.
Yo leyendo Nyxia: 😱😅😓🤪🤯
Ahora que lo leí les traigo mi opinión, el primer libro me había encantado y me sorprendió muchísimo y este segundo no me decepcionó.
Lleno de acción, trabajo en equipo, conspiración aventuras, risas, es un libro que disfruté un montón. Saben que no soy fan de la ciencia ficción y sin embargo Nyxia me cautivó por completo. Tenemos nuevamente a nuestros protagonistas, quienes han sobrevivido a innumerables desafíos y ahora deben llegar a este planeta extraño, después de todo un año de preparación en la nave. Descubrirán a los extraterrestres y lidiarán con la empresa que los contrató.
Me gustó un montón el libro, fue tan atrapante como el primero, aunque le noté un poco de relleno, algunas escenas que estaban de más.. como las innumerables cenas que tienen con los extraterrestres.
Creo que es el libro perfecto para quienes quieran empezar a leer ciencia ficción, ya que tiene un poco de otros géneros también.
Muero de ganas de leer la tercera parte!
.
Yo leyendo Nyxia: 😱😅😓🤪🤯
July 17, 2018
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the first book then ye might want to skip this post. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
This be the fourth book in me e-Arc Extravaganza Challenge wherein I attempt to read 5 books before their July 17th release date. Only one to go. Arrr!
I absolutely loved the first book and was so excited to read this one. It be the middle book in the Nyxia Triad and for a book two, this was extremely fun. I was easily sucked back into the world of the Babel corporation and loved reading more of the adventures of Emmett Atwater and crew.
While this book clocks in at 400 pages, I read it in one sitting and the time whooshed by. I absolutely love the nyxia substance and its capabilities. Many of the crew was upset that book one took place in a space ship and wanted to see what the alien planet was like. Well ye get yer chance here.
I thought the planet of Eden had some excellent wildlife. That is the part that felt most alien and different. I really want to see pictures of a century. I don’t want to meet one in person. Sadly I thought the Adamites were hardly alien at all. They be humanoid and their culture felt too Earth-like. I found the ability of the two groups to mix so easily to be unrealistic. I mean the humans and aliens could even eat the same food! Also the author described one bridge as “man-made.” The humans didn’t make it!
But I didn’t let it bother me too much because the plot was fast and engaging. I loved the politics between the two cultures. I loved seeing the relationships of the young adult humans grow and change. I still think Emmett is an awesome character.
This book still could have used more nyxia but I thought the set-up for the next book rocks and I can’t wait to read it.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Crown Books for Young Readers!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
This be the fourth book in me e-Arc Extravaganza Challenge wherein I attempt to read 5 books before their July 17th release date. Only one to go. Arrr!
I absolutely loved the first book and was so excited to read this one. It be the middle book in the Nyxia Triad and for a book two, this was extremely fun. I was easily sucked back into the world of the Babel corporation and loved reading more of the adventures of Emmett Atwater and crew.
While this book clocks in at 400 pages, I read it in one sitting and the time whooshed by. I absolutely love the nyxia substance and its capabilities. Many of the crew was upset that book one took place in a space ship and wanted to see what the alien planet was like. Well ye get yer chance here.
I thought the planet of Eden had some excellent wildlife. That is the part that felt most alien and different. I really want to see pictures of a century. I don’t want to meet one in person. Sadly I thought the Adamites were hardly alien at all. They be humanoid and their culture felt too Earth-like. I found the ability of the two groups to mix so easily to be unrealistic. I mean the humans and aliens could even eat the same food! Also the author described one bridge as “man-made.” The humans didn’t make it!
But I didn’t let it bother me too much because the plot was fast and engaging. I loved the politics between the two cultures. I loved seeing the relationships of the young adult humans grow and change. I still think Emmett is an awesome character.
This book still could have used more nyxia but I thought the set-up for the next book rocks and I can’t wait to read it.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Crown Books for Young Readers!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
April 3, 2018
Thanks to the folks at Netgalley for giving me early access to this book, review to come as the release date gets closer, all I have to say is I love this trilogy and this sequel is a step in the right direction.
January 6, 2020
Wow, this was crazy! There was so much going on and we kept getting all this new information and I was totally engrossed the whole time. In this book, the group is now on Eden and in contact with the Adamites, aka Imago, and exploring the new world. I felt like you never knew who you could trust, or what people's motives were and I was trying to piece together information to find out what was going on. I don't totally love Emmett and Morning, but I do love Anton and Alex and want more of that next book! I am psyched to read the last book and see how this all ends!
April 1, 2021
Yall think you are ready, but you are not ready.
I need a hug and book 3 STAT.
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Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
I’m not sure how I can properly review this. It was everything I wanted in a sequel and more.
The story started right where book 1 left off. It pulled me right back into the thrill and suspense I ended the first book with. The characters continued to grow and develop, it was all very well done. The lies and betrayal threw me for a loop as the story continued. I was completely involved in this story that I could not stop turning the pages. I was on the edge of my seat and bummed when it was over. I want the next book NOW!
I need a hug and book 3 STAT.
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Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
I’m not sure how I can properly review this. It was everything I wanted in a sequel and more.
The story started right where book 1 left off. It pulled me right back into the thrill and suspense I ended the first book with. The characters continued to grow and develop, it was all very well done. The lies and betrayal threw me for a loop as the story continued. I was completely involved in this story that I could not stop turning the pages. I was on the edge of my seat and bummed when it was over. I want the next book NOW!
Want to read
April 26, 2018
guess who got an arc of thissssss ?!?
Holy shit. Someone GET ME THIS BOOK RIGHT TF NOW!!!
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