Nirvana (Nirvana Series Book 1) by J.R. Stewart

An interesting take on YA fiction

3.25 out of 5 stars

Part love story and part dystopian science fiction, Nirvana seems to be all over the place and in one place at the same time.  When I was reading this I could definitely tell it was aimed at a younger audience but that didn’t bother me.  Sometimes writing like that can really take me out of the element, but that didn’t happen with this book.

I kept getting pulled back in every time I thought I was going to give up on this book. I mean it, I enjoyed Nirvana but there were more than a few times that I thought I wasn’t going to finish it.  I don’t know what caused this, but I’m glad that I did follow it through to the end.

I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the series.  I got enough closure to know what I want to know and there are enough questions left that I can leave on the table without being super bummed out.

Overall, if you enjoy young adult fiction, especially those with love interests, fast-paced action, with some interesting dystopian themes — pick this book up and give it a shot.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley.

When the real world is emptied of all that you love, how can you keep yourself from dependence on the virtual?

Animal activist and punk rock star Larissa Kenders lives in a dystopian world where the real and the virtual intermingle. After the disappearance of her soulmate, Andrew, Kenders finds solace by escaping to Nirvana, a virtual world controlled by Hexagon. In Nirvana, anyone’s deepest desires may be realized – even visits with Andrew.

Although Kenders knows that this version of Andrew is virtual, when he asks for her assistance revealing Hexagon’s dark secret, she cannot help but comply. Soon after, Kenders and her closest allies find themselves in a battle with Hexagon, the very institution they have been taught to trust. After uncovering much more than she expected, Kenders’ biggest challenge is determining what is real – and what is virtual.

Nirvana is a fast-paced, page-turning young adult novel combining elements of science fiction, mystery, and romance. Part of a trilogy, this book introduces readers to a young woman who refuses to give up on the man she loves, even if it means taking on an entire government to do so. Are you ready to enter Nirvana?

J.R. Stewart has worked on many corporate projects throughout a prolific IT academic and consulting career, and is involved with many confidential virtual reality projects. After working on advanced “VR” technologies for over a decade, Stewart grew concerned about the implications of this work and the possible psychological effects that it may have on its users.

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Brian

I’ve loved reading since I was little when my dad would read me Dr. Suess books. Fast-forward a little and I noticed that he was always reading on his lunch breaks at work, and I wondered why.Then, I found a book that took me to another place and time, to another feeling,another sense of “being”.It was the first book that I ever fell in love with, and I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since.

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