Nyxia (The Nyxia Triad)

This is going to be a series to watch without a doubt!

Though it contains the cliché requirements found in so many YA books, Reintgen turned them into something magical with a fantastic level of diversity and a bit of something reminiscent of that cult favorite movie – Starship Troopers which coincidentally is about to become part of pop culture again with a rumored sequel that is actually worthy to be part of the name. It also has a bit of Hunger Games – esque quality to it with the idea of teens being pitted against each other but at least this time it’s not for the enjoyment of the 1% but for a chance to have a better life complete with financial security.

Like the other books/movies it has a faint resemblance to, this one is full of action that will have you turning pages to stay glued to this adventurous storyline and great character work, particularly Emmett thanks to his tough fighter with a heart of gold personality. The multitude of moral dilemmas he faces will have you thinking about this one until the sequel arrives to hopefully provide another mind churning plot.

With such an ethnically diverse cast of characters, fresh plotlines, fast pacing and addicting writing style I wouldn’t be surprised to hear Nyxia has become the next big series to fly off shelves and receive its own movie franchise.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Never would I have thought that this book would be such a ‘suck you in and never let go’ kind of book when I decided to grab it up. Nyxia by Scott Reintgen is the first in his Nyxia Triad trilogy.

Nyxia is a science fiction and young adult book that contains the best of The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game, and maybe a little bit of The Circle. But all set in space on a spaceship headed to a new planet.

While the above description might put off because you might think it’s way too complicated to have aspects from all of those, but let me stop you right there and tell you that Reintgen did an absolutely amazing job taking similar aspects of those above works and putting them together seamlessly with his own unique voice and story.

First of all, Reintgen effortlessly created an amazing and diverse cast of characters, which makes sense since Babel recruited from around the world. The one thing that I love about this though is nothing about someone’s particular race, ethnicity, gender, etc is forced. It just is. I also really liked Emmett’s voice and character as a whole.

As I mentioned above, it’s almost like a Hunger Games but set in space. Of course, there are some major similarities, like they don’t have to kill each other to secure their spot to the planet.

This definitely something that the book is not lacking – twists and turns that kept me going back for more. And that cliffhanger! OMG!

What would your response be if your family was poor, your mom needed a kidney transplant and you were offered an impossible to understand amount of money? All you have to do is go far across the universe to mine a mystery element on a world inhabited by another race, one that can kick tail on adult humans, but supposedly likes younger ones. Do you even need to think about it?
This is the dilemma/opportunity Emmett Atwater is faced with as the story begins. After agreeing and finding he's one of ten such aspiring space miners, things get dicey. There are more only eight slots, so every day is full of grueling competitions worth points. Even though everyone is supposed to be ultra-competitive and wary of the others, friendships form, followed by curiosity that has Emmett and his new friend Kaya exploring the prohibited parts of the ship. What ensues, changes everything for him. Once the station orbiting the new planet Eden is reached, the trainees are in for another, far more surprising realization.
This is a dandy science fiction story with an increasing feeling of dystopia the further along you get. It's smart, edgy and a great first installment in a series. I really like the ending and how it starts readers imagining what comes next.

Nxyia is the new "gold." A corporation is giving an opportunity to ear more thanenough money for his family to leave poverty and get his mom the medical attention she needs. Emmett Atwater and nine other teens from other countries are selected to go to an earthlike planet called Eden. It is home to humanoid beings called Adamites. At Eden the teens will mine for a substance called nxyia which can transform itself into just about anything. However Emmett finds out that only eight teens will be able to go to Eden. While on the spaceship, the teens will have to fight and win to be one of the eight to go on the planet. Winning becomes harder with each competition. Emmett finds himself starting to care about the competitors even though he shouldn't. Will he win?

This is a fast action-packed novel. It is a thrilling ride. The plot gripped me. The characters in the book are multiethnic and misfits. When I got to the end of the story, I wanted the next book! This is excellent science fiction! Read it!

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

If The Hunger Games and Ender's Game had an awesome, smart baby, it would be Nyxia. Babel Corporation is taking the youngest crew ever to space, to mine the titular substance on an alien planet called Eden. These kids are scrappy but broken, and the money and opportunities that Babel is offering can change their lives and the future of their families. But... there is always a catch, in this case a ruthless competition that will turn children into soldiers. Emmett, a black kid from Detroit with a dying mother, will not let Babel turn him into a monster. And it's his spark and the relationships that he establishes with his competitors that give the story its edge over other YA novels. All these kids have souls, even the least likable of them has redeeming qualities. The way their relationships evolve depending on the circumstances is impressive. The competition is so suspenseful and the curveballs that Babel keeps throwing so unexpected that the outcome is not clear until the very end (and even then, this is only the first volume in a trilogy). This is an exceptional novel and I can't wait for the next installment.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Random House Children's!

Emmett joins a group of teens on a spaceship set for planet Eden. Each has been selected because of some aspect of their pasts and the fact that most of them (or their families) could use the money. Out of ten, only eight will go. Between rounds of training exercise and competitions, Emmett falls into a camaraderie with most of his fellow recruits and hostilities with a few others. But as they compete for a spot, Emmett realizes that things may not be as they seem.

I️ enjoyed the world building and diverse characters, but felt the plot moved slowly at time. I do feel Nyxia sets up what could be an amazing series though. It was also refreshing to see a YA series that could be enjoyed by boys and girls alike.

I often felt the writing style was similar to Alive. And I also couldn't help but feel like I had read this story (or plot) before. Teens in space. Fighting for a chance to survive/win. Adults with secret nefarious objectives. While entertaining, it also felt too familiar. My hope is that as the series continues new and exciting things will develop.

Wow! Incredible premise that was a mix of The Hunger Games meets Red Rising meets Ender's Game. Nyxia was an action packed sci-fi story that had me hooked from the first chapter.

Emmett finds himself the winner of a lottery and packed up on a space ship heading to a new planet called Eden with 9 other teens from all walks of life. During the year long journey, the teens are brutally competing against each other to win a spot to land planetside to be able to mine the substance Nyxia. If they win, they become millionaires and their families benefit tremendously. Along the way, the reader learns about Emmett and each of his shipmates. We also learn about the sinister corporation funding the entire operation.

I seriously couldn't get enough of this story and wanting to learn more of the seemingly sentient nyxia, and the world it comes from. The protagonist comes from a poor but good hearted family and he brings those values to the competition. ...Most of the time.

I devoured this book and it's going to be extremely hard to wait until the rest of the series is released.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy!

With the competition between the recruits, think The Hunger Games or Divergent set in space, and you'll get the general feel of Nyxia.

I recently read a similar book in which several characters are pitted against each other in a tournament, but had difficulty distinguishing between them. With Nyxia, it's quite the opposite - the diverse cast of characters, whether friends or enemies, are fully realized, with a variety of motivations and flaws.

The story leans heavily on the competition, and there are some harrowing moments, but also includes heart-wrenching subplots, unexpected twists, and surprising discoveries, indicating all may not be as it seems.

Emmett made a couple of choices that surprised me - one a dangerous risk that seemed out of character, and the other something near the end that seemed sudden and out of place.

If you're a sci-fi fan, Nyxia has much to offer with a fast pace, mystery, competition, and fantastic character development. Be warned - it ends with a cliffhanger, and I'll be needing that second book sooner rather than later.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

I honestly was not sure what to expect going into this. I have a love/hate relationship with novels set in space. Either I absolutely freaking adore them or they bore me to tears.

I'm not going to lie... during the first half of this book, I thought this was going to end up on the "bore me to tears" list. This book is The Hunger Games set in space... or basically, Ender's Game. And for the first 50% or so of this book, I wasn't impressed. The writing was fine, the MC was fine, the plot was predictable...

But during the last half of this book, the reader gets a glimpse into something darker. Nyxia started to verge into a DARK SF realm that I really think I could enjoy. And honestly, I'm just hoping that the sequel to this book lives up to the promise of the second half of this novel.

So 4 stars for the dark side of Emmett that I want to see... to seeing what more Babel has up it's sleeve... and to seeing if the aliens on Eden really play nice in the end.

DNFing at 40%

I'm so disappointed with the hype monster on this one. After seeing multiple 5 star reviews, I felt like I didn't even read the same book?

The first 20% felt like a Hunger Games knock-off. I know that sounds harsh, but there were so many similarities, that I can't deny it. (It even goes to talk about a "glitchy" or blank spot in the field surrounding the rabbit room...sound familiar?) In fact, I couldn't really invest myself into the read because of how much I kept comparing and contrasting the plots. Not only does Nyxia resemble The Hunger Games trilogy, it also draws inspiration from Avatar, and The Divergent Series.

The basic synopsis is as follows:

Babel Corporation is looking for a limited group of young adults to recruit to their space team. These recruits not only will be compensated financially, their families will no longer have any barriers from being monetarily covered, and medical care--which for many, is a matter of life and death.

Emmett, a teen from Detroit, Michigan, is one of the recruited. Upon arriving and being debriefed, he learns that they are to travel to planet Eden, to harvest an invaluable matter called Nyxia. The native species to the land, having no ability to reproduce any longer, have a deep appreciation for the young, and allow only the young within their midst. But Babel Co. forces the ten contestants to participate in a series of "games," or training simulations to secure a spot in the top eight to set foot on Eden.

After learning more about the overall mission, Emmett starts to become suspicious of Babel, and what their real purpose is. They have a purpose for keeping Eden's location a secret, and no one knows why.

So, there were a few things that I liked:

#1 I thought that the correlation to the Biblical story of Babel was odd, but intriguing. The fact that characters from different countries were able to communicate with one another by use of the Nyxia masks was such a great, and terrifying idea.

#2 This makes for one of the most diverse character set out of the YA genre today. I always appreciate a read that includes a multitude of racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Then, there were the reasons why I stopped reading this book:

#1 The writing style wasn't terrible, but it definitely didn't feel like it suited a book in this genre. Written more like a Middle Grade novel, the somewhat cheesy dialect and references made me feel rather awkward when thinking it's meant for an older age bracket.

#1.5 A subcategory of the writing style that I had an issue with were the action scenes. I thought that the sequences within the simulations and one-on-one "battles" were quite dull. I do not deem myself an action queen, but the descriptions were muddied, vague, and simply mediocre.

#2 Ten competing characters introduced right off the bat is too many to keep track of. Yes, a competition like this requires several characters, but they should be introduced over a period, instead of by opening a flood gate.

#3 Again, the correlations to the other books, especially Hunger Games didn't help my intrigue with the concept.

Anyways, I think that this simply wasn't a read for me. Perhaps all of the hype made me have too high of expectations, and killed it for me. Also, this is the first installment in a series. With the arc the writing style is riding, I'm not sure if it would give me enough intrigue to make me last through the rest of the books.

I will not be assigning a star review as I did not finish reading this book.

A big thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

Nyxia is an action-packed, intense YA Sci-fi novel that will hook you from the very beginning and pull you in deeper with every page. It has one of the most ethnically-diverse set of characters I’ve seen in YA. The complexity of each character and the depth in which the book explores emotional conflict is truly amazing.

Emmett, an African-American teen from Brooklyn, is recruited by a powerful corporation to compete for a position on a secret mission in another planet. Eight teens chosen out of ten competitors will travel to a foreign planet to retrieve a newly-discovered, highly-sought substance – Nyxia. Earning a position on this mission will guarantee a mind-boggling amount of money and advantages for family. Emmett finds himself signing a contract and soon he’s pitted against nine other teens from all over the world who must compete for one of the eight available spots.

Hi-tech-based competitions await them on their journey in space, each designed to challenge their mental capacities, physical abilities and, most of all, their moral values and limits. Emmett is a genuine person and his sharp-wit and combat strength help him in many of the competitions, but he’s faced with dilemma after dilemma – what is he willing to do to win? We follow as he constantly battles with himself over who to trust and where to draw the line as to how far he’ll go.

As Emmett navigates his new life, he also can’t help question Babel corporation’s motive. Why were these ten kids chosen? And most importantly: What will ultimately be required of them for the final prize?

Despite coming from different countries and backgrounds, all these competitors have one thing common that makes them equally desperate and conflicted. Narrated from Emmet’s first person point of view, the book had me especially attached to him, but I found myself rooting for the others as well. You might be thinking that the side characters are too many to keep up with, but everything is balanced in a way that you get insight into all of them without feeling overwhelmed. Each of these characters have strengths & flaws, and well fleshed-out personalities.

I absolutely loved Emmett as our main character. His competitiveness and focused determination was refreshing. Of course, I also loved the side characters. The writing, the pacing and overall high-stakes feel really worked for me. I enjoyed the non-stop action and all the cool technology. The twists and turns in this book had me panicking one too many times. I can’t believe how long I’ll have to wait for Book 2! I NEED IT NOW.

This debut YA science fiction novel felt like a bunch of other YA science fiction novels all shoved in a blender. Particularly The Hunger Games and Ender’s Game.

Emmett Atwater is one of ten teenagers recruited by the Babel Corporation to sent aboard a spaceship to an alien planet, where he will mine a new and valuable mineral. In return, the company will offer him a fortune and the healthcare his sick mother desperately needs. But once on board the spaceship, Emmett discovers that he and his fellow recruits will be pitted against each other and that only the top eight will actually step foot on the planet Eden.

So you don’t actually get to see the alien planet in this book. The entire story takes place aboard spaceships and space stations, and the plot is entirely focused around the competition. I was expecting that the competition would only be a part of it and for there to turn out to be something larger at play, but nope. Not in this book anyway. There’s hints that Babel’s predictably up to something nefarious, but they stay hints only. Here’s the thing: I went in assuming that Emmett would make it into the final eight. How else could the story continue?

I think Nyxia would have been better off if it had been cut heavily and combined with whatever is being saved for the sequel. As is, this story feels like all build up and no pay off. Part of me wonders if it was an expanded piece of what was originally one book; that would explain some frankly wonky decisions, like introducing the love interest at the 78% mark.

Speaking of the love interest, it’s not good ya’ll. Emmett “falls for her” after they talk… once maybe? It was bizarre. The narrative’s acting like they have a significant relationship when she didn’t even show up until the last fourth and she and the protagonist have barely interacted. There’s no build up. It’s one of the worst cases of insta-love I’ve ever seen.

And those aren’t the end of Nyxia‘s problems. In my science fiction and fantasy, I really love good world building. Nyxia‘s world building is shoddy, and I don’t feel optimistic that it will improve in the future. I’m okay with science fiction books having very little science, but it was really annoying how everything was hand waved as being because of nyxia, which ends up feeling that it does basically whatever the plot requires.

I feel like characterization could have been better, although I think it was definitely stronger than the world building. Nyxia does have a remarkably racially diverse cast, more so than I usually see in sci-fi. Emmett is an African-American teenager from Detroit, and his fellow contestants are from all over the world (Babel apparently has some magical device to deal with the translating issue). I can’t really speak to the quality of the representation, and I haven’t seen any reviews from own voices reviewers.

Oh, it is kind of hilarious how a kid from the 2040’s listens to music the author probably knows. Whenever a YA character starts talking about how they like “classic” music, I start rolling my eyes.

Probably the best thing I can say about Nyxia is that I finished reading it, although I seriously considered quitting at several points. Judging by the Goodreads ratings, there’s quite a lot of people that liked Nyxia. Pity I wasn’t one of them.

I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.

Emmet Atwater is one of ten teenagers chosen by Babel Corporations to travel to the planet Eden in order to mine Nyxia. Nyxia is a substance that is able to be manipulated to just about anything your mind can think of. The twist? Babel is only taking eight of the ten recruits to the planet of Eden. If that wasn’t enough to create competition, add in a sum of $50,000 per month for each teenager who makes it to Eden. This is where the trials begin. Throughout their journey to the planet, the recruits are put through different tests and trials. To choose which recruits go and which stay behind, they are scored on how they perform these tests. This story largely focuses on these trials for the majority of the book with some twists and turns thrown in every once in a while.

What I loved so much about this book was the large cast of characters. They are from all over the world. There was so much diversity in this book! Here’s a breakdown of all the characters and their ethnicities.

Emmett: Main character. Black male from Detroit, Michigan.

Kaya: Japanese, Emmet’s roommate. (My favorite character.)

Bilal: Middle Eastern, from Palestine, the nicest person you will ever meet.

Katsu: Japanese, heavyset, the comic relief.

Jasmine (Jazzy): Southern blond from Tennessee.

Azima: African, from Kenya.

Jaime: The only white teenager, from Switzerland.

Longwei: Asian, top of the class.

Isadora: Brazilian with a mysterious tattoo on the back of her neck.

Roathy: A black male. (We never learn where he is from.)

As you can see, we have quite the diverse cast, but you are probably asking yourself how they all communicate. Well, they are all given a mask aboard the Genesis 11 that translates language for them. Pretty advanced technology, but what do you expect from a multi-billion dollar corporation?

This book was fast-paced with a lot of action. I really loved the plot twists that were thrown in. I may have even shed a tear while reading this book, which I was definitely not expecting to do! This was a book that I had trouble putting down! I need book 2 in my life NOW!!

If you like science fiction and space books, then I recommend you pick this one up right away! Publication date is September 12, 2017. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to Penguin’s First to Read program and Scott Reintgen for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Could turn down an offer of immense wealth and free healthcare for your mother with cancer? What if that offer would send you to the far end of the universe? Emmett and nine other teens are given the opportunity to join a team to mine Nyxia from a far planet. We accompany Emmett as he fights for a spot on the team, faces the bait-and-switch tactics of the company running the mining operation, and strives to find friendship amidst the cut-throat competition he’s been thrown into.

Nyxia is action-packed and fast paced. I enjoyed the creative competitions these kids had fight their way through for spots on the team and well as the fabulous properties of Nyxia, the valuable substance they'll be mining. I found myself rooting for Emmett and even sympathizing with some of his less ethical competitors as the grueling contest drew to a close and the stakes got higher. Each character had something to lose if they didn't make the team. I also found myself wondering exactly what the young miners would find when they reach their Eden, the destination planet. Nyxia is a fun read, great for lovers of sci fi and action-adventure.

I requested an advanced reader copy of NYXIA in exchange for an unbiased review.

4 stars. Nyxia is the first book by Scott Reintgen that I have read so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a well written space story with teenagers learning who they are. While this is written for teens, adults will enjoy it too (at least this adult did). It is a standalone but the ending leaves the storyline open for future books that might be written. There is violence.

The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat all of that info here. This is partly a coming of age book as well as a space novel including corporate power and money. This was well written for a debut novel and the author impressed me with his ability to create a vivid life aboard the ship. I couldn't help but relate to the characters. As usual, everything and everyone is not as it seems.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Random House (Crown Books for Young Readers). I chose to write a review for other readers. I look forward to reading more from this author, especially in this series, in the future.

I love the cover on this book.

I don't read a lot of science fiction, however, when I saw the cover (1st appeal), then read the description (2nd appeal), I decided what the heck.

This is a young adult book and the characters are young. So some of the attitudes and conversations may seem juvenile, but I still think that it is a great book for adults as well.

I had some problems getting a few of the descriptions going in my head, but I think it's my flaw, not the books.

I didn't realize until I went to write this review that it's a triad (three part series). I knew there had to be when I finished the book just due to the ending.

All in all, I found this to be a entertaining read. I also look forward to reading the next book which deals with Eden.

Thanks to Random House Childrens, Crown Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

All the Stars!!!!

I finished this book earlier this week, and I can't stop thinking about it. I NEED to read the next book in the series, but it doesn't even have a name yet, much less a release date. Everyone comparing Nyxia to Ender's Game mixed with The Hunger Games is dead on. If you loved those books then I beg you to pick this one up, but be prepared to stay up late trying to read "just one more chapter".

The characters in Nyxia are a racially diverse bunch with one common thread that weaves them all together. While we don't get immersed in any one culture (aside from American) we do get to see bits and pieces of other cultures that I felt added quite a bit of flavor to the book. The twists in this book are completely unexpected and I was left gaping nearly every time. Scott Reintgen has written a spellbinding book full of hope, darkness, and competition. You need to read this.

I received an advance reader copy of this book that I have chosen to review.

I went into this one expecting a LOT! What I got almost disappointed...almost. There were some lagging moments here and there but the world building made up for any down time, it was awesome! The environment and challenges were undeniably unique, well crafted and brilliantly traversed. The characters were fleshed out nicely and most were either extremely likable or unbelievably detestable. The MC was relatable, fallible and what will most likely be tested repeatedly, humane. What will the group ultimately face? How will they handle it? Who will survive and what alliances will be forged? Enemies made? What are the Adamites really like? What is the evil Babel corporation really up to? These questions and more are hopefully explored in more detail in book #2 and what a torturous wait it will be until then.

I absolutely LOVED Nyxia.

It has the vibes of Ender's Game and The Hunger Games. If you love either of these, you will adore Nyxia.

Emmett is a teenager from Detroit whose family has been stuck in a cycle of low income and he just wants to help his family out and being recruited by Babel Corporation will be the answer. Or will it?

Not every kid recruited on the mission for Nyxia will win the money. Yes, it's a fight for money and survival of the fittest. Babel Corporation will award those who are successful with a financial stipend that will set them up for life.

Which kid is hungriest? Which kid is smart enough? Each character has a story.

A tense and thrilling book that makes it difficult to put it down.

I received this book courtesy of Blogging for Books

I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review of its merits.

I read a good deal of YA fiction (I'm a high school English teacher) and was pleasantly surprised by this book. I initially thought this was a middle-grade reader based on the publisher's note at the front, but it clearly is a YA book considering the violence and sporadic use of language (more Marie Lu than John Green on the latter). The storyline is a bit "Ender's Game meets The Hunger Games" and the religious references are curious for non-faith fiction novel, making one wonder what will transpire in the sequel. The action and pacing were good, with the appropriate twists and turns, The author also leaves you aching for more at the end of the book, which is a definite sign of a good tale.

This is a spoiler free review of Nyxia by Scott Reintgen, the first novel in The Nyxia Triad.

I gave this book a 4/5 stars and highly enjoyed it. This is a futuristic science fiction story with Aliens, space travel, and hints of romance.

General Thoughts and Plot

“Unlearn your idea of impossible.” “A branch can be cut away but roots run deep and dark.”

This novel follows Emmett Atwater, one of ten teens recruited by Babel Corporations to compete in a series of tasks and training to be chosen to go to the planet Eden and mine Nyxia for Babel. Each of the teens is in this competition not just for themselves, but for the money that comes with it to support their families. They go through rigorous training to compete for the spots to go to Eden, the home to alien creatures called adamites. Only eight can go down and mine Nyxia for Babel, living there for three years and earning an immense sum of money.

Throughout the competition, Emmett soon learns that Babel is full of secrets, some so highly guarded that they would rather risk death than have the secrets escape. Now Emmett must decide if this fortune is truly worth the cost of Babel’s lies.

While the pacing of the novel was slow, I did enjoy the story as a whole, especially the diversity of it. There were plot twists after plot twist and epic sci-fi elements that loved.

Characters

There were many characters throughout the story, so while I did not find it hard to distinguish one from another, I did have a hard time connecting with many of them. However, since this is a first book in a trilogy, I presume I will further connect with the characters as I grow to know them.

I very much admired the main character Emmett because while he made many tough choices throughout the story, he never lost his sense of self righteousness. He was able to overcome many obstacles and never gave up on what he knew he had to accomplish.

Final Thoughts

I don’t have too much to share other than the fact that I really liked this story. It was a very fun read and a delightful first book to what will most likely be an epic trilogy.

This book had great friendships, and so many diverse characters from all around the world represented. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Sci-Fi.

I cannot wait to read the next one!

Disclosure: I received a download of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book but once I started reading it I was blown away! This book is action packed and full of twists and turns that you won’t be able to put it down.

Emmett is one of 10 kids picked to go to Eden. They’re going there to mine, Nyxia. The teens go through an intense training period. Earning points through competition. They will do anything to go to Eden. Anything. They will get a lot of money and their families won’t have to worry about anything ever again.

I loved this book. I loved some of the characters and hated some. I thought the writing was fantastically done. It kept me on my toes wanting to know what happened next.

Who will be chosen to go to Eden? It was a fun ride finding out but do we really find out?

What would you do in order to win a spot that can ensure you can take care of your family?Emmett get’s recruited by Babel Corporation for a spot to go to the planet and get paid a nice chunk of money. 10 recruits will have to compete for the 8 spots available to travel down to the planet of Eden where they will mine Nyxia a valuable material in the universe. Yet there is more to Babel Corporation then meets the eye. Emmett will be faced with the choice of doing anything to win or find a way to keep his compassion.

If you are into sci-fi is is a great book to read. Twist and turns that will keep you reading. If you like THE MAZE RUNNER and ENDGAME you will like this book.

This book is a special one, my friends. I have to be honest, I was happy to be approved for this on Netgalley, but I didn’t expect to find my next top read of 2017. Much to my excitement, that’s exactly what I got.

Nyxia is the kind of YA book that raises the bar. After reading so much of one genre, you start to notice that the characters sound the same, and the writing all tells the same story (even if you still enjoy the book). But Nyxia is completely different, it’s the exact story that I look for in YA, the one that keeps me engaged and flipping pages because I have no idea where the plot is headed. Scott Reintgen’s writing sucked me in from the first page, and I’m now a die-hard fan for this series!

To get it out of the way, I will mention the only thing that I was slightly disappointed by. This book is marketed as a sci-fi, which it definitely is. But once you get past the idea that they’re on a space ship headed towards a new planet, the story reads much more like a dystopia (probably the best dystopia you’ve read in your whole life, though). I do wish that we had gotten to see more stars and rockets and traditional spacey stuff, but I have a feeling we’ll be getting tons more of that in future books.

On to the amazing stuff (there’s a lot of it, trust me)! If I had to pick one reason that this book immediately stands out for me, it’s the narration. Emmett is such a real, down-to-earth, average kid – the type of character I never feel like I get to read about at the center of a YA book. He’s not a special snowflake, he doesn’t win all the competitions, and he makes a lot of human mistakes. Even though I have very little in common with Emmett personally, I felt very strongly for him and his story. He has guts and confidence, and never lets reality get too far away from him.

“I got good people in my corner, but it’s like I’m living in a world where more people would prefer is I just sat down in a corner, took what the world gave me, and kept my mouth shut.”

But don’t worry, Emmett certainly won’t be the only character bringing out all the feels! Nyxia has one of the most AMAZING group of characters that I’ve ever read about, and, not to mention, the most diverse! I’m not just saying that for blogger brownie points – all of the kids selected for the competition come from different countries, so that we see a wide-range of cultural ideals, sexualities, traditions, even languages! You could tangibly sense how much richer the story was because of it; each character felt complex, multifaceted, and like a real human. We don’t just see names attached to a one-sided cardboard cutout based on some stereotype.

In addition to the characters’ individual identities, Reingten does a mind-blowing job at breaking those YA tropes that even the best of stories often succumb to. My personal favorite is Emmett’s friendship with Kaya, a compassionate and wicked smart girl from Japan (if my memory serves). The possibility of romance is never once on the table, their friendship is so genuine and adorable! I honestly have never read about a boy/girl friendship in YA that doesn’t at least mention the idea of romantic attraction, so this was truly a breath of fresh air!

Also, Reintgen makes it clear every kid in the competition has a family that struggles financially, some more than others. While this does serve as a plot device and character motivation, we get to see how each character deals with financial instability, or even poverty, in their own way. I don’t know about you guys, but 99.9% of the YA books I read feature a) characters with well-off families, b) a complete lack of concern for money at all, or c) characters with parents that make decent wages and never have to worry about it too much. This is not the case with Nyxia. Emmett fights so hard for the money because of what it means for his family. Their needs and the impact the money will have is never trivialized or made to seem unimportant – in fact, it’s quite the opposite.

“Spend enough time in the same old pair of jeans, and everything seems worth the risk of getting caught.”

Now, to address the issue of the competition. I know some of you may be put off by that, since the contest/fight-to-the-death trope has been used many times over, but I promise this is completely different and will knock your cozy reading socks off. First, the characters don’t degrade into annoying groups/cliques/alliances that threaten each other for petty drama (see Divergent, Hunger Games, and The Maze Runner). They actually bond and come together, there were a few scenes that made my heart warm from the inside out. That aside, THERE ARE SO MANY PLOT TWISTS. I don’t wanna say too much, but the different “games” the author came up with are like nothing else I’ve ever read and I found myself whispering aloud a few times, “This is so cool!!”

This review has gotten a little bit too long and probably a bit too spoilery, but I’ll just say that the ending is killer. Both emotionally and … otherwise. *wink* I absolutely can’t wait to get a physical copy of this amazing book, and for the release of book two!!

An Amazing Debut by Scott Reintgen.

To my surprise, this was the book I needed to get me out of my slump. It’s not an exceptional-blow-your-mind type of science fiction, but rather a slow-burning-engaging sort.
Let us start with the basics: Character, Plot, and Craft.
THERE’S A GUY MAIN CHARACTER!!!!!!! Well, now that I’ve shouted that out into the universe… But in all honesty, it was so nice to have a male main character. I’m all for female empowerment, but I feel that that is ALL YA has become— badass ladies fighting with swords. I’m not against it, but some change is nice. Now, Nyxia does have some pretty badass lady casting, and it just keeps getting better until the end.
Emmett proves a character worth exploring. From start to finish the development put into Emmett is Class-A crafting on Scott’s part. Everyone should know by now I’m really into characters who develop, who change, who transform over the course of the book, and I was not disappointed. The rest of the Genesis 11 cast also surprised me at varying turns. The most memorable moment of characters that will stick with me is a scene in Day 50- page 180ish. Everyone at this point knows Babel chose the misfits and broken for this endeavor, but none of them have shared how they are broken. This scene is where the recruits sit around playing cards while they tell each other why they’re here, why they need the money to send home, why they’re willing to break themselves for a chance to win. Handled with tact and a delicate hand, the mood changes from funny, to sorrowful, to something inexpressible. It brings to light something that happens everyday, we see people without seeing them, knowing their story; we assume. Maybe it’s just me, but this scene impacted me far beyond the story.
On matters of craft I have one main thing I would like to point out: I DO NOT BELIEVE IN INSTALOVE! Hear me universe? So when an insta-romance happens, I’m cringing. I get it, it feels okay, but I disapprove. And granted, if you’re in space and there are very few people and you’re an emotional teenager… sure, instalove cures all. Moving right along… the characters are the strongest craft in Nyxia; believable, broken, engaging. You feel for every single one of them (even the bad ones).
I won’t say the prose is in-your-face fantastic, but the subtle ways it holds the reader, how it DOESN’T bring attention to itself is a strong point. I love pretty sentences, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes it’s a struggle to say WOW! LOOK AT THIS SENTENCE and still remain engaged with the characters and plot. One final note about this type of prose… just because I say it’s EASY to read does not equate to bad prose, it means I didn’t stop every few pages and think “what did I just read?”
Now, I went into this not realizing it was a trilogy and from a plot point I was like… THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PAGES LEFT! And there are some definite twists I didn’t see coming- but, Spoilers. ;)
Overall, Nyxia gave me everything I wanted in a space read. Spaceship; Secrets; Stolen moments… It was a good read, solid and stable after a major reading slump. In terms of a debut book, Scott Reintgen does a fantastic job, and I am so thrilled to see this trilogy continue and what awaits these characters.
I have to give Nyxia 4 stars, because I feel like I’ll come back to it and find more hidden depths.
-The Literary Empress

Science fiction is not my usual genre. I really don’t like space (I do like advanced technology). Thank goodness this book wasn’t really about space! Okay, it was a bit, but it was more about the characters and the competition. We have a bunch of very diverse characters all trying to get a place on the mining mission. And a company that is very powerful and possibly very evil. I tend to side with Emmett on this one: very evil. But it mostly is about the competition and friendships. I love Kaya and Bilal and all thwir interactions and getting to know eachother! It is a bit hard for me to understand Emmett at times, but then again I love those challenges, to understand and empathize with other people. There was one thing that was really unexpected and it gave me all the feels... So, I’m gonna end with this: this is an amazing read that you probably won’t see coming, and prepare for a cliffhanger ending.

"But they don't tell you the pain comes with you. They don't tell you that hurt travels light-speed too." - Scott Reintgen, Nyxia

I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. Nyxia hooks you from the beginning and takes you along on this amazing journey through space and the teenage mindset. I am not usually one for Science Fiction, but this book is so much more than the fancy spaceships and distant planets. It is about heart and the heart comes from the characters.

Reintgen's collection of characters is the most diverse bunch of people that I have read in a novel. Kids from all countries and walks of life are represented in this book and I fell in love with each and everyone one of them. With such a plethora of characters, it is easy to lose the more special details, but I didn't once lose interest in this group. Each and every one offered a unique perspective on the mission and the environment around them. All the interactions between them served a purpose and the relationships formed never once took away from the action and suspense of the story.

The writing was seamless. There were never moments of drag or overwhelming detail. The setting, the characters, and the plot were all explained beautifully and even within the confining setting of a space ship in the loneliness of the galaxy, the world of Nyxia seemed larger than life.

Now let's talk about Emmett for a moment. The main character of Detroit native Emmett Atwater is a breath of fresh air. Emmett has this rawness that makes him seem so real, but he also has a refinement about him that I enjoyed. He is quite intuitive and I think that comes from having street smarts from Detroit. He is loyal and the bond he has with his parents is my favourite. You will see Emmett change over the course of the novel, but not so that his core demeanor changes. He gets stronger and wiser, but stays true to himself in the process. I hope you like Emmett as much as I do!

Overall I give this book 5/5 stars. It was brilliantly written and the story was easy to get lost in. The complexity of the world created an amazing reading experience and I will most likely be reading this again. If you enjoy fast sci-fi reads then I implore you to pick this beauty up! It is available now at your favourite bookstores! Let me know if you read it and what your thoughts are!

Happy Reading!

NYXIA is basically THE HUNGER GAMES in space. I liked the brutality of it and I liked how Reintgen explained the reason for needing teenagers to do this kind of work (the aliens that occupy the planet they’re trying to mine live a long time and don’t breed so they regard youth very highly and revere children, allowing them into areas of the world that they get openly hostile to protect if an adult enters). It’s certainly far more of a significant, substantial reason than what a lot of YA provides for these kinds of things and it’s one I can certainly suspend my disbelief for. The testing the kids go through is both physical and mental and meant to push them to the brink in order to help them survive on the planet. This is where it gets a little thin because if the aliens revere children then they shouldn’t be going into a hostile environment. I can understand wanting them physically fit to withstand the space travel and mentally fit for living in space and trained to work with the equipment. So pitting them against each other and telling them not all of them will go down to the planet (wouldn’t you want spares?) gets a bit thin.

I’m not huge into sci-fi and I would put NYXIA at the light end of the spectrum. Aside from rapid space travel and the nyxia element itself (something that can be changed into different things using the mind, like changing it into a knife), there really isn’t much sci-fi going on here, or anything that would make it stand out as something to stand out in that genre. It’s all rather generic. I can actually see this trending more toward sci-fi horror than anything else based on some of the things that happen, both from the planet and the company funding this whole endeavor.

As far as characters the only complaint I really had was with Emmett. He was pitched as a black kid from Detroit from the beginning, but his demeanor just came off rather stereotypical and it was kind of uncomfortable. I mean he has rapper connections, calls his parents Moms and Pops, and speaks, sometimes, in a manner like “what you got?” but at the same time waxes poetic about the things going on around him. And, especially at the beginning, everyone’s viewed by their ethnicity, especially his roommate, Kaya, who’s Japanese. She’s his only roommate and she starts off as his Asian roommate and then when she finds out she’s Japanese it’s his Japanese roommate. He doesn’t have more than one roommate. Why the insistence regarding her ehtnicity? It was just really weird and kind of kept like the author pushing diversity for diversity’s sake and his way of going LOOK MY BOOK IS DIVERSE. And with a panel of 10 “diverse” kids we still have two Americans and two Japanese kids. So not all that diverse. This whole aspect just felt kind of cheap all around.

The dynamic of the characters was great, especially as the competition went on. I really like how they all interacted with each other and grew on each other as time went on. I did think Roathy and Isadora ended up being tension for tension’s sake, though. They just felt really extreme in their reactions to things especially as they were the only ones acting like this. There was enough going on in the plot without fabricated drama.

I mean it’s a good enough story to the point where I’m interested in seeing where the author goes with this. And the DIVERSITY IS DIVERSE notion, while really insistent at the beginning peters out once Emmett gets to know everyone and even his token blackness fades out a little bit, but it’s all still there. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have an issue with diversity in books. What I have an issue with is authors making sure you know their book is diverse by turning characters into cultural stereotypes (or just naming random countries and pinning them on lapels because said characters are background fodder and don’t get developed anyway) instead of doing research and letting characters be people. It just rings disingenuous.

So I don’t know. I don’t think it’s glaringly awful the way characters are portrayed and it didn’t detract me from the story too much, but obviously I noticed it. I can imagine someone far more attuned to something like this being even less tolerant than I am. So good story, great dynamic among the characters, less than stellar character development as characters. Take it for what you will.

3

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through First to Read in exchange for an honest review.

This book was HUNGER GAMES in outer space with eight out of ten winners instead of one. Emmett is from Detroit, poor, pops is working himself to an early grave & his mom has cancer. All of the participants are poor with nothing to lose and lots to gain. The competition is competitive and dangerous at times but he's determined to win for his family.

I liked Emmett, Bilal, Kaya & most of the other characters. When the book ended I wasn't ready! I wanted it to continue to the next part. I wasn't prepared to like this book as much as I did. I haven't read a book like this in a long time. I'm happy I gave this book a chance. I will be on the lookout for the second part of the Nyxia Triad.

I’ll say right off the bat that “Nyxia” borrowed quite a few elements from other science-fiction and dystopian works. That being said, it didn’t diminish my enjoyment. It was a quick read that left me wanting more. Emmett is complex, as are the secondary characters, and there are definitely deeper things going on that I want to know about. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait for the second book. The cast of characters is extremely diverse. This is a good setup to the rest of the trilogy that I can easily recommend to those who enjoy science-fiction or dystopian novels.

This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

This book was so much fun! My heart would not slow down and it actually got faster and faster with every page turn!

I think this is in my top favorites so far this year. It was so exhilarating and fast paced that I actually read it in one sitting because I could not find a good stopping place! I love a good competition book and I honestly haven't read one that captivated completely since Hunger Games, but then I read Nyxia and my faith was restored in competition books! At times I was so nervous that I couldn't even drink my coffee for fear of spilling it! I couldn't read fast enough to see who came out on top!

This is a great book that will completely grab your attention!

Nyxia is a high energy sci-fi thriller that will appeal to young readers accustomed to the usual kids competing for a prize story line but looking for something with a bit more depth and substance. This fast paced story takes off immediately and doesn't quit until you reach an ending that will leave you salivating for the next installment. Superb world building, intriguing science and fine writing elevate what might be a boring story by adding some unique speculative elements that will keep readers guessing to the end. I'm still guessing about some things, which means that I will be first in line to purchase the next installment in this planned trilogy.

Emmett is part of a group of teens recruited by a corporation to travel to a planet and farm Nyxia, which is a substance with amazing properties. This first book of the trilogy focuses on the travel to the planet, and the competition between the group, since only the top will get the job. The story was fast paced, and the characters were good and interesting. Boy do I want to know what happens next!

I'm not positive that some things that happened make a lot of logical sense - but it might - because there are still a lot of unanswered questions. The substance and the competition was interesting and varied, and it was a fun, fast-paced read!

Having recently regained my love for Sci-Fi books after reading Illuminae and Gemina, I decided it would be a good time to try to enter the Sci-Fi scene of NetGalley. I had heard a lot about Nyxia on social media and having read it now, I am so glad this is the first of three titles in the Nyxia Triad (great name also!)

I will start, as usual, with the cover. I have seen two so far, and to be honest, I love them both! They're both very space-y and mysterious and give a sense of the adventure you are about to be taken on when you fall into the pages of this book.

Emmett - the protagonist - is a school boy from Detroit, he's from a family that loves one another, and his parents are pushed to the limits trying to secure a better life for their son than they had. When he is recruited as a potential candidate for the trip to Eden, Emmett sees this as his opportunity to break the cycle. Where previously his relatives had sniffed at true freedom only to have it collapse around them, he and his parents really believe his time has come. It turns out his peers have all been chosen for similar reasons - they have something to fight for and a real reason to dig deep and compete for their chance to go to Eden.

On Eden, Babel is looking to mine Nyxia, a substance that as seemingly unlimited applications and abilities. As time goes on, things are not 100% as they seem with the corporation or the substance, and to make matters worse, the competition means Emmett and the other recruits are continually on their toes, looking out for one another, when maybe the real threat is their employer.

The story line moves along at a good pace, the changing environments and scenarios the participants are put through means the reader is never bored, and whilst I felt it took a while to get to a major plot twist or event, it was built up and written well. Personally I see no plot holes in the story. It is also simple enough to make it an enjoyable and easy read, but entertaining enough it isn't mind-numbing.

The characters all have good depth, and whilst Emmett might dislike or distrust them, the reader has the option to develop their own opinions; it is possible to empathise with so many of the characters, Scott does a really great job of portraying individual personalities despite the first person narration.

One aspect that meant it fell short of a 5* rating (for me) was that there weren't a huge number of shocking or breathtaking events - the story was good and consistent, but many of the events I did see coming - not necessarily 100% accurately but they did not blow me away. But it was an overall enjoyable read.

I would recommend this book to you is you like space, adventure, YA books, and Sci-Fi and Fantasy. The story and narration are not complex so I think it would be suitable for a whole host of age groups. I will definitely be buying myself a copy of this, and I am very excited to see what is in store for Nyxia #2.
And overall, a 4/5* rating from me!

Nyxia (The Nyxia Triad, #1) by Scott Reintgen

Wow! This book was out of this world! Excellent writing and a thought provoking read with amazing characters. Nyxia is truly a screen worthy read and would make a great movie.
The story is told through Emmett's point of view. I loved Emmett and his courage. His setbacks only makes him stronger, wiser and more kind.
I am so looking forward to the next book and I'm grateful to have had access to this authors novel which has become one of my favorites.

I give Nyxia 5 stars for its fast paced adventure into the unknown.
I would recommend this book to everyone.

A YA Sci-fi novel that's part Mazerunner and part Breakfast Club set in space. I love that the characters are multicultural and that there were a few twists and turns I didn't expect. The plot is interesting even if most of this book can be considered setup for the sequel (most of this book is weeding down the crew to go to the planet Eden). There's still quite a bit of holes and unknowns that may be revealed in the next installment, but it's still a good read. I look forward to the follow-up. Great for Sci-fi fans, YA readers, and those who enjoy dystopias too. Recommended.

Net Galley Feedback

Wow, where do I even begin with this review? How do I even introduce you to the wild ride that is Nyxia? To the adventure, the competition, the incredible characters, and the complete mystery that is Nyxia. Let me start off by saying why isn’t this book on everyone’s list? I’m not kidding you when I say this is definitely going to be on my top 15 books I read this year because it was just… I mean a month later and I am still thinking about this beautiful book. (now that this review up, it’s more like two months later) but I still feel the same.

Nyxia is told in the POV of Emmett and it takes place in space. It sort of reminded me like Hunger Games… in the way that they are NOT trying to kill each other. There is a competition that takes place which spans over the majority of the book and it all spirals to a high point which takes your breath away and leaves you on the edge of your seat.

PROS (reasons why you should read this)
An extremely likable cast of characters who are so diverse and easy to love and root for. You hear a lot of their background stories, why they are the way they are and as I said, you just start rooting for them and you want all of them to win.

The plot is so riveting and halfway through the book the game changes completely and it takes the whole story to a whole new level.
The mystery that is the substance Nyxia and why it is so special, and what it can do.

The idea of another civilization on a different planet was so mysterious because we don’t learn a lot about them, you are left to wonder what are these people like, what is so special about their planet. I like that they did not explore what Eden is because that just heightens my anticipation for the next book.

The fact that you don’t learn a lot about the corporation and while they say that they are there to do good, you just have this feeling that they are up to no good.

Emmett’s friendship with his room mate and Bilal was SO special to me.

CONS (going to try to do this without spoiling y’all):
Now there were some issues between some of the characters and I just thought that it was a little too much. I felt the other half were taking some things way too far.

There was something that happened with one of the characters that I was not a fan of and wished that it did not happen, but I understand why it did.
And the fact that I have to wait an entire year for the next book.

Overall I highly recommend that you read Nyxia if you’re looking for something with high stakes, something that will make your heart race and break your heart at the same time. AND IT IS SET IN SPACE!! What more could you ask for?

THIRD BOOK IN A ROW I RATE 5 STARS THIS IS AMAZING.

Omg how good is this? Nyxia isn't even out but before reading I had seen a few negative reviews so when I got approved for an arc (never thought it would happen) I was wary. But I mean WHYYY??? I don't know??? BECAUSE I LOVED IT.

(There was only one thing that bothered me a lot about this book and it's the "woman dies to further the MC's inner plot" which bothers me to no end. But since the trope it's defied by the MC at one point it's... okay I guess)

So this is scifi, and once againI realize I don't read enough of this genre considering I LOVE IT EVERY SINGLE TIME. Nyxia is set in a SPACE SHIP in the FUTURE, with SCIENCE and COOL STUFF like ALIENS.

Also: DIVERSITY! There are ten main characters from all over the world: Nigeria, US, Switzerland, Japan, China, Brazil... yay! The main character is a black teen from Detroit and I even though he scared me a little bit at one point (I actually thought he was going to go all anti hero on me for a second, which I love, don't get me wrong, but still, scary) I REALLY LIKED HIM. His family has like 3 lines but I loved them to bits and healthy families in YA are really needed so yay again! Kaya, Azima, Jazzy and Isadora are also my main bitches now don't touch me.

This was a fun book and I definitely want the next book!

Our characters were a blast, I enjoyed the competition, and loved the concept of the Nyxia.

The diverse cast was a pleasure - and the author has an actual reason behind the people who were chosen. All too often, in an effort to introduce a diverse cast of characters, it feels like the author is going down a checklist. Our main character also ends up dealing with his own own stereotypes.

There's definitely some violence, a little romance, and a whole lot of butt kicking.

A thoroughly enjoyable read!!!

This is a book for adventure lovers and thrill seekers. It's full of games, challenges, and contestants pitted against one another, but also forced to work together. Sort of like Survivor in space, but with food and shelter provided. :)

Emmett has been chosen to leave Earth and spend time traveling through space and then completing tasks on another planet for Babel Communications. However, once he's on-board, he learns he'll be competing while making the journey across space. Enemies are made, alliances are formed. Emmett must decide how he's going to play this game...and who he will choose to trust.

I read to page 51 and stopped. Skipped to the end to see if he even made it to Eden and flund that the book ended at Tower Station. Just another attempt at a franchise series without the originality. One of the reviews wrote that it was The Hunger Games, but in space, which is pretty much spot on, except the The Hunger Games was a great series. This has the feel of a bad SiFi Channel rip off of The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Ender's Game with none of the good. Have no idea where these five star reviews come from save from the publisher itself.
My final point is that if I start a book I finish it with very few exceptions, this was one of them. Granted I am not the age that this book was written for but I have read a plethora of children and young adult books that have kept me interested throughout the whole story; this one lost me early.

I'm currently reading this book and I have to say I'm impressed. As the daughter of this account's owner, and the recipient of the book, I love it! The author had come to my school last year which is when I was introduced to this book. I was able to go to a book signing and get a copy the day it came out in stores as well as get it signed. If you have read and enjoyed the book "Ender's Game" you will most likely like this book! They have similar elements in them but differ in so many ways. It stretches your mind across imaginative topics and it seems so real at the same time. I would 10/10 recommend this book and I'm so excited to see what comes next in the trilogy and where Scott Reintgen is going to take it. Hope this helps. :D

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“But they don’t tell you the pain comes with you. They don’t tell you that hurt travels at light-speed too.”

This is easily one of the best books I've read all year. I can't wait for everyone to be able to read this in September when it releases. This book is the YA Sci-Fi book I've been waiting for my entire life.

Growing up, you guys might have learned about the story of Tower of Babel as a lesson about why we speak so many different languages. Basically, after the Great Flood happened, a bunch of people came together and agreed to build a tower that would touch Heaven itself. God, realizing what they are attempting, scatters them all around the world and makes them all speak different languages, hence our world today.

Well, Scott Reintgen spins that story backwards, and created a company, Babel, that brings ten teens from all around the world, speaking different languages, from different cultures, and gives them headsets that translate everything for them. Then, they are sent on a mission to land on a new planet, Eden, where the life forms, Adamites, won't harm children. Babel then wants the children to mine Nyxia, which is the new super resource and is a substance that can create anything.

This book also feels a bit like a mixed hybrid of The Hunger Games, Ender's Game, The 100, Divergent, but, in my opinion, it does it way better and more realistically and much more emphatically.

Nyxia stars a young black boy from Detroit, Emmett, who is one of ten teens that are a part of a space mission. All of these children come from broken places, and all are desperate to enter this program, because the company, Babel, is offering them an immense amount of money. But Emmett isn't in it for the money; Emmett is doing it to save his mother.

Systemic poverty in America is real and the system keeps people in that demographic over and over and throughout generations. This book doesn't shy away from it or any other hard topics. Emmett's family works hard, they work so very hard, but they still can't afford his mother's hospital bills. She is in dire need of a transplant, and the only way to get her to the top of the donor list is for Emmett to be a part of Babel's mission.

“It’s hard to tell the difference between rich and wrong.”

Our story mostly takes place on the ship, Genesis 11, where the teens are heading to Eden and Babel is training them to not only mine the substance, but to become powerful and strong tools themselves. The teens all get scores and points on how they complete their daily missions. Seriously, think Hogwartz, where the kids can constantly see how they are doing. Once on the ship, the group is informed that only so many will be allowed to actually step foot on Eden and be able to gain all the money they were promised. Obviously, this is where the point system comes into play, and we quickly learn how much this mission means to these ten teens.

➽ Emmett - American (Detroit) - The main protagonist.
➽ Kaya - Japanese - Emmett's roommate and a master problem solver.
➽ Longwei - Asian - The best on their ship.
➽ Jaime - Swedish - The only white boy.
➽ Azima - Kenyan - Looks for strength, while being strong.
➽ Katsu - Japanese - The stereotypical chubby comic relief (but I do love him).
➽ Jazzy - American (Tennessee) - Beauty and pageant queen with a sick mother.
➽ Isadora - Brazilian - Has a secret tattoo, and carries a lot of anger and hurt.
➽ Roathy - A boy with a lot of mystery and sadness surrounding him.
➽ Bilal - Palestinian - The sweetest and kindest boy in the world.

You'll feel an immense amount of empathy for all these characters, but, besides Emmett, Bilal and Kaya were easily my favorites, and both are complete little cinnamon rolls! The kindness that Bilal would constantly show everyone, even the people who wronged him, made me cry or tear up constantly. I wish everyone in the world was more like Bilal. And Kaya, and the unconditional love and friendship she showed to Emmett was something I always look for in a YA book. All of the friendships in this book are honestly goals, and Bilal and Kaya showed so much beauty towards Emmett that I couldn't help but fall in love.

I spoke about how this book touches on our current health care crisis and how we let people die just because they can't afford treatment to live, but Scott Reintgen doesn't stop there with there with the important discussions. We get to see in this book how we stereotype and profile kids and adults of every race so very often and without even thinking.

I loved seeing Emmett handle this anger, and using the system his Grandma helped him with. I hate how we live in a world where black men have to always be portrayed as angry. They can never be happy, or emotional, or anything close to looking sensitive. I loved seeing Emmett constantly battling his anger, and then also seeing him break down and just cry innocent tears from his family's love and them believing in him.

And the family dynamic in this book is so strong and wonderful. We don't get to see a lot of Emmett's family, but each time we did I had tears in my eyes. Emmett's dad is perfect, and seeing his unconditional and unwavering love for his son and wife was something pure and beyond words. I wish more YA books showed stronger familial bonds like Nyxia.

Emmett's journey to making his own family on the ship was also something of perfection. So many important messages are in this book about feeling broken in this broken world, with such heavy emphasis on letting kids know that they are not alone, no matter how alone they feel. Seriously, this book is not just a fast paced and addicting read, it's powerful and full of messages that warm my heart to know teens and young adults are reading about.

I also loved the use of music in this book, and how Emmett would constantly use it to calm him and to cope with heavy situations around him. I'm a strong believer in the healing powers of music, and I love seeing it used as a positive outlet.

“The power of music and how it can heal your very soul”

I predict that this is going to explode. Between the amazingly addicting story, to the wonderfully diverse and realistic cast, to the important topics and discussions, to the beautiful writing, this story has it all, and I truly believe it is a recipe for success. I can't wait to get my hands on book two and to see what Scott Reintgen does next!

Wow where do I start with this book, it was non stop.I described this book to a book buddy as like the Hunger games in space, and that is true to a certain extent but doesn't really do the book justice.I absolutely loved it, I liked the main character Emmett , I liked the fact he wasn't perfect and is far from the finished article so we share his personal growth as the journey progresses and he continues to develop and learn and so do we the reader alongside him.I loved the authors imagination, and as the book develops we learn more about his fellow competitors and shipmates .We see how they interact and like some more than others and I started to wonder if the corporation that was taking these 10 young people into space was all it seemed there is something like a sinister undertone and for me anyway I thought this gave the book an edge that I liked.I am desperately trying not to do any spoilers and will not give the plot away ,I actually wish I could say more to encourage others to read this book and I hope I have done it justice.I really enjoyed reading it and was constantly surprised and expecting anything to happen until the last page.I am so glad this is the first book and there are more to come, because I can't wait, this is one trilogy I can't get my hands on fast enough.It is left on something of the proverbial cliff hangar as you would probably expect as it is not a stand alone book, and I just hope it is not long before I can read the next book.Best Sci Fi book I have read in a long time, and I am glad I read a mix of genres because I need to read something very different now so I don't make unfavorable comparisons to this book.Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Absolutely fantastic! I am now dying for the next book in this amazing series! This book has everything, from adventure to fight scenes to romance to space travel to alien beings to greedy coporations ... and it all fits together so incredibly well. I was taken aback by just how fun this book was, and it is my newest obsession!

A competition in space to go to a new planet to mine a mysterious new product. It was just as epic and amazing as that sounds. I really loved our main character Emmett, and honestly, the side characters were all pretty good as well. I loved the twists that got thrown at us. The mystery surround Babel kept me very interested. The end was such a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next one as soon as my copy comes into the library. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a sci-fi with a competition aspect to it.

Nyxia is my favorite kind of sci-fi: full of wonderfully developed characters in impossible situations. There's fantastic balance between the high-stakes mission and the alternating banter, bonding, and competitiveness between the kids assigned to fulfill it. Great twists, world-building, and character development throughout.

I want to see this as a movie! This book sucked me right in. The world building is phenomenal. I was right there with the characters as they competed. The main character is really well developed. He is complicated, yet sympathetic; you can't help but cheer for him. And the ending...the ending! I can't wait to see what happens next!

I'm a middle school librarian and this book has been passed from student to student at my school. They LOVE it and can't wait for the next book in the series. It's a dystopian story with a multicultural cast of characters. There is a lot of action and intrigue, and kids who like The Hunger Games, In the After, The Hunt, The 5th Wave, Steelheart, and other action-packed books are guaranteed to like this book. Highly recommended for 7th and 8th grade readers!

There's nothing really remarkable about this book, it's the next in a long line of books in which by some contrived circumstance a bunch of teenagers have to compete for a prize, award, etc. In this case it's not a battle to the death, though death is an option, so for readers who thought Hunger Games just had too much killing this might be a good back-up plan.

And we know it's a trilogy from the start, so there's no nail-biting about whether Emmett will get what he wants. The only question is how - treachery, cleverness, brawn, out-of-the-box thinking, dumb luck, whatever.

While there is a fair amount of character diversity, it's pretty superficial. A couple people have their ethnicity announced to the reader, some have their implied, because with 10 kids on a ship there's plenty of room for all sorts of skin colors. But everyone acts the same, pretty much. Some of them have A Quirk To Set Them Apart, but other than helping keep track of who is whom in a relatively crowded cast, it's just window dressing.

By the end of the book i did like Emmett, at least a little, and i like the character arc he's on no matter how gentle the slope. But i'm not going to read book two. This was just too generic.

Don't miss this impressive sci-fi thriller and debut novel from Scott Reintgen. NYXIA's gripping story and intricate characters running (literally!) through a vastly imaginative world really deliver. Even better, Reintgen has built a bridge for young readers who may not see themselves in written stories. If you or your kids like sci-fi, competitive trilogies, or just a plot worthy of a summer blockbuster, get this book.

Take everything you loved about The Hunger Games, and combine it with everything you love about Across the Universe and BAM! You've got Nyxia. A fast-paced and action-packed novel that doesn't skimp on voice or craft. Can't wait for the sequel!

This is just another young adult book about kid's boot camp type of competition with high stakes.
Nyxia is a spacial substance found on a far away planet Eden, and the kids are sent there to mine it. The first book is about them getting there. They had to use kids because the aborigines only allow children there, because their own females all died and they do not have children any more. So this evil corporation sent the kids out there to mine the stuff. They learn how to manipulate nyxia just with their thoughts, and learn about the planet and fighting on their way there. The competition is there because only 8 of the 10 kids will make it to the planet, and the rest will be left behind without very large monetary prize.
This is a fast read, and the writing is not that bad, but it is the same old story told so many times. Of course, it will seem original to some of the kids. The main character is quite likable. There is violence, but a bit less than in Hunger Games and such.

This book has easily become one of my favorite 2017 debuts. It's like a new version of Ender's Game but so much better. The writing, pacing, and characters are executed perfectly, and there were twists and turns I never saw coming. Put this on your TBR because it's one you shouldn't miss!

Don't miss this impressive sci-fi thriller and debut novel from Scott Reintgen. NYXIA's gripping story and intricate characters running (literally!) through a vastly imaginative world really deliver. Even better, Reintgen has built a bridge for young readers who may not see themselves in written stories. If you or your kids like sci-fi, competitive trilogies, or just a plot worthy of a summer blockbuster, get this book.

Take everything you loved about The Hunger Games, and combine it with everything you love about Across the Universe and BAM! You've got Nyxia. A fast-paced and action-packed novel that doesn't skimp on voice or craft. Can't wait for the sequel!

This is just another young adult book about kid's boot camp type of competition with high stakes.
Nyxia is a spacial substance found on a far away planet Eden, and the kids are sent there to mine it. The first book is about them getting there. They had to use kids because the aborigines only allow children there, because their own females all died and they do not have children any more. So this evil corporation sent the kids out there to mine the stuff. They learn how to manipulate nyxia just with their thoughts, and learn about the planet and fighting on their way there. The competition is there because only 8 of the 10 kids will make it to the planet, and the rest will be left behind without very large monetary prize.
This is a fast read, and the writing is not that bad, but it is the same old story told so many times. Of course, it will seem original to some of the kids. The main character is quite likable. There is violence, but a bit less than in Hunger Games and such.