Cover Image: Nexus

Nexus

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Member Reviews

Oh, I had a really fantastic time reading these books! I've enjoyed books by Linsay Cumming's before, but Sasha Alsberg is a new author for me, and they sounded really great (which is why I got book 2 before reading book 1, opps!) and having now read them, they were!

Getting to know Andi and her crew was so great! They all have such personalities, and I had such a great time learning them! There's also some pretty important pasts, and some secrets, that are coming back to haunt them.

The scope of this world was fantastic to read! With all these different planets, and with the ability that Queen Nor has, all the politics and maneuvering were on a pretty big scale! Some of the plans were pretty shocking, and I had such a great time watching them play out!

Man, there were some pulse pounding moments in this series! Definitely the second one more then the first, because of course things are going to go wrong in the first book, but to have a good happy ending, it has to mostly go right in the end! Loved how it turned out!

This was a fantastic series, and I can't wait to read more from either or both authors in the future!

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So I really tried with this one. I actually really liked Zenith despite all the crazy reviews but I just couldn’t get into this one unfortunately.

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DNF ~65% Unfortunately. I got a decent portion through the book and felt zero motivation to finish it, and haven't since. I was so looking forward to the conclusion of this duology but it wasn't the finale I was hoping for.

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The Review
This is the perfect ending to a phenomenal YA Sci-Fi thriller. Put up against nearly impossible odds, a feared and strong criminal turned hero is forced into an impossible position as she yearns to free the crew she considers her family, while a threat building behind the scenes for decades begins to slowly reveal itself, and the threat of Nor soon makes way for a devastatingly sinister plot that only Andi can stop.

The action and suspense the plot brings are superb in their delivery, as is the growing mythology behind the Mirabel galaxy and its people. Readers are instantly enthralled with this growing world, which brings a mixture of Star Wars meets Firefly with a YA twist. Yet it’s the characters of this novel that truly define the book’s power, as the story feels personal and heartfelt as the protagonist showcases a love for her family that goes above and beyond any responsibilities placed upon her. Family is what defines this story, in more ways than one, and the ferocity with which Andi is willing to fight to save her family showcases the path of any great sci-fi hero.

The Verdict
This is a must-read summer YA book for any fan of the YA sci-fi genre. Filled with action, passion, and deep-rooted mythology that fans will instantly become obsessed with, the shocking conclusion to the tale will leave readers on the edge of their seats. While the story may officially be over for the Androma Saga, the characters and their love for one another are what will live on in reader's hearts as they go on this final journey with the Bloody Baroness. If you haven’t yet, be sure to pick up your copy of Nexus by authors Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings today!

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Nexus is the second book in the Androma Saga by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings. I've always been curious about authors co-writing books together because it seems impossible to be able to blend different writing styles and voices into one cohesive book - but I feel that they accomplished it. They write very well together and I was never pulled from the story because it seemed as though a completely different author took over a chapter and changed the tone.

The first book in the series was Zenith and I ended up enjoying the premise of the story more than the execution. There was a large cast of characters, but I never truly felt that they were given enough time to develop so that we could get to know them as more than just Andi's crew. As a result, when we're faced with the aftermath of Zenith as Andi discovers what happened to them - it just lacked emotional weight for me. That being said, I do actually feel that the characters were the strongest aspect of this book.

The character dialogue was a little forced at times and awkward in Zenith, but it was definitely improved in Nexus. The words flowed more smoothly and you can definitely tell that the authors have improved their writing skills in the last few years, just by continuing to write. The second book came off as a little more polished and well written than the first. That being said, the book was certainly in need of more polishing in my opinion.

The plot was both intriguing and off-putting for me. I just kept picking the book up to read and find out what was going to happen, so I was definitely invested in the story - but I also was completely thrown off by the plot of Valen and Nor. They were interesting in the first book, but I almost felt as though their plot 'jumped the shark' and I wasn't given enough explanation to accept that it was how things were. If you haven't read Zenith, then this won't make sense but Valen's abilities and the thing he uses to make those abilities absurdly overpowered just weren't explained enough for me. I had so many questions and was just forced to accept that this is how things were going to play out. Too many why's and too little answers. There were also plot twists that seemed a little too forced (and also simultaneously not explained well enough).

Overall though, I definitely enjoyed reading this book, even if I had more questions than answers and wanted a little more development in the characters, backstories, foundations of the plot points, and everything else. It's still a fun and entertaining read (and obviously one that you should pick up if you've read Zenith so that you can find out what happens).

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This was a very satisfying ending to the duology in my opinion. I really enjoyed it and thought it was a fun adventure. The plot wasn't as complex as I would've liked it to, but it was still an entertaining book. I like the characters, but I found my side liking the side character (Andi's crew) more so then the main character.

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This is a fun, fast paced sci-fi adventure book. While it doesn't compare to the first book, Zenith, it is an intriguing conclusion to the duology. It is full of fun characters and interesting plot lines.

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A wonderful conclusion to a really fun duology! Really enjoyed this badass female characters and the swoony romance.

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Wow, I am amazed at how action-packed and engrossing this duology has been! I love Androma so much! This book and Zenith have taken me on such an adventure that it has become one of my top sci-fi books ever! Nothing is better than a high stakes, badass, and wicked story. I hope that this series receives more love because it truly deserves it!

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I honestly didn't realise who is the author till I finished reading the first book. I was entranced by its amazingly designed book cover and also the fact I haven't had a good sci-fi read for some time!

Man this book. So action-packed and fast paced I loved it! It was also full of plot twists and mystery in it that you can't stop reading! I mean that huge plot twist in book 2 had me shOOk. I like the fact that even Androma and her crew are so called the most wanted victims across the galaxy deep down they still had kindness in their heart. And also they don't kill innocent lifes if they could help it. They feel sad too if they killed people (well gilly and breck not as much) but generally speaking they won't feel happy or satisfied from another's pain or death.

wee now on to the almost non existence part of romance. Personally I think science fiction books need a little romance or else if the book is 100% devoted to science-fiction it is gonna be a little bit too boring. This book has the perfect amount of romance in it. At least for me! It is there but you will know the main focus is not there.

After reading the books I went on to goodreads and was surprised to find so many negative reviews.. I won't comment on the ones posted on the first book --Zenith but Nexus wasn't even published (the second book) yet still there are a hell lot of 1 star reviews. I found most of the 1 star reviews are not actually reviews its just people who hate the first book (how? I dont understand) and decided to rate it before reading. Not only I think that is not fair to both readers and the author, people might actually depend on your reviews to decide if they want that book or not. I would say the book is pretty good, overall style of writing, pacing organisation was all pretty good as well. I'm giving it a solid 4 stars.

Guys. If you truly don't like that book post your review on the book once on goodreads will be enough. I'm saddened at how people hate on the second book as well before they even read it. When I read their reviews I don't understand the actual reason on why they don't like it. I found most negative reviews pretty biased. ONLY WRITE FAIR AND TRUE REVIEWS ON BOOKS YOU HAVE ACTUALLY READ. IT WOULD BENEFIT BOTH THE AUTHOR AND READERS.

Sidenote, even if you truly have to write a negative review please do it nicely authors spent a lot of time finessing their babies, the book is their blood, sweat and tears treat them kindly. Please. Thank you.

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As with most books on NetGalley, this book is a great read. Captivating and intriguing. Thematically beautiful. Gorgeous writing.

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I have read both books in this series so far, and at the end of both, I had the "meh," feeling. This genre has suddenly become super saturated in the last few years. In general, the many space opera style YA books I have read have been very similar, with a few standouts that I loved. Those standouts are enough to keep me reading, but this series falls in the "I've seen all this before" category. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. I think it had a lot of potential to be more.

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Zenith had potential to be great, and Nexus could have grown into something great.
Instead, Nexus brought absolutely no plot until about 200 pages in, flat characters (who didn't develop), and a meh villain. A bit disappointing.

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2.5 stars

I finished Zenith what feels like years ago and i remember thinking that it wasn't so bad as everyone said it was.

Flash forward to now. We waited for this one for a while and I think that's where my first struggle with this one began. I couldn't remember anything that happened in book one and the authors were so vague with the flashback tidbits that I couldn't figure it out or if I did, it was 70%+ through the book.

Problem number two lies within the writing itself. Many words such as "rouged", "true", and "obsidinite" are repeated so often that it starts to get repetitive and on your nerves a bit. There are also instances where passages seem like they may have also been seen before.

However with that said, I still don't think this book deserves all the hate it got. It's a decent story and one that I found to be original in nature. It's not a perfect book, but I don't think there is a perfect book out there. Nexus, like its' predecessor is better than the hate filled reviews make it out to be, but has its' struggles. Words are overused, events go on for too long or are repeated, and sometimes things seem a little too easy, but this isn't a bad book.

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I had higher expectations for this series ending than I probably should have. I loved Zenith and the characters, but this book made me not care for them as much. I suppose I should say that this book fell flat compared to the first one, and therefore it was hard to like it as much as the first.

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Very good second book to their first book Zenith. I will say I truly enjoyed this book. I did like the first book but they writing was so much better in this book and the plot was great. Very well done girls.

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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*I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review*
Short Synopsis:
Androma Racella has been separated from her crew, once again on the run, as the entire galaxy succumbs to a mind-controlling toxin. In order to save her crew and her home planet from an all-out invasion, Andi, along with Dex, work together with new allies to rid the galaxy of this dark force.

My Thoughts:
I was so relieved while reading this. It sounds weird, but I could not stand the first book in this series. Andi’s story was redeemed in Nexus. Her character was far more relateable (as much as you can relate to the Bloody Baroness), making her more human.

This time around, I was also able to follow what was actually happening throughout the story, even with all the POV changes. My favorite was Valen. Whenever his POV came around, it gave this dark chilling feeling and actually made me care about where his story was going. At times, I felt like I was reading simply to see his side of things.

The writing was definitely a lot better in Nexus. It just flowed a lot better and the stakes were higher, which helped push the story forward.

Would I Recommend:
If you’ve already read Zenith, then yes I recommend Nexus hands down, especially if you were one of those left disappointed with the first book. However, if you haven’t suffered through the first book………eh. You wouldn’t really be missing out.

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This was such a wonderful conclusion to this duology! I loved the varying perspectives, I felt that this element really added to the development of the characters as well as the plot.

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Amazing Conclusion To Phenomenal YA Sci-Fi Thriller - A MUST READ!

Return to the high-stakes, riveting world of The Androma Saga in this dazzling finale from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings.

With her crew captured and her ship a smoldering ruin, notorious mercenary Androma Racella is no longer the powerful Bloody Baroness, but a fugitive on the run. And with most of the galaxy now trapped under the mind control of the bloodthirsty Queen Nor, not even the farthest reaches of Mirabel can offer safety for the queen’s most-hated adversary.

But Andi will risk anything, even her precious freedom, to save her crew. So when she finds herself stranded with bounty hunter Dextro Arez on the unforgiving ice planet of Solera, Andi seeks out the mysterious Arachnid, the one person who seems to be fighting back against the vicious queen…and uncovers the true, devastating reason for Nor’s takeover.

Back on Andi’s home planet of Arcardius, Nor’s actions have made Mirabel vulnerable to invasion from an outside force. Now allying with her mortal enemy may be the only way for the Bloody Baroness to save the galaxy—even if that alliance demands the most wrenching sacrifice of all.

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This book was a slight improvement from Zenith, but I still found myself struggling to get through most of it. I remember when Zenith was announced and I was so excited because I am obsessed with space fantasy! Hello Star Wars and Illuminae!! The first book was sub par at best. Zenith was difficult to get through for numerous reasons, one including that it was easy to differentiate between two different author's writing. I will say that this issue did improve in Nexus - the writing transitions were much smoother, but I did still find myself wanting to skim. There was a lot of build up for a rather lackluster ending. I really tried hard to like this duology! I've been following both authors for ages and will continue to support in the future! I'd like to see what they come up with next!

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