Review Detail

"Nexis" is a fantastic and imaginative sci-fi novel. Ellani begins the novel as a petulant teenager, upset with her father for making her a "Natural" and not allowing her to get any Mods. She lives in the post-apocalyptic future where most people live in a dome, sheltered from nuclear fall-out. She has recently moved into the circle of the Elite, which are essentially the people highest up in the company that runs the dome, due to her father's role as a programmer, developing a popular game called Nexis. There is a rigid social structure, where the lowest are the disfavored and they live mostly outside the dome, suffering from illnesses due to the poor air quality, etc. The Elite are born with genetic modifiers that give them the perfect skin, hair, eyes, etc. and then as they get older begin to do even crazier modifications to look even "better" such as lights under their skin, sparkling eyes or different eye slits, and anything of which you can dream.

Ellani is often picked on for not having any Mods- and being born a Natural- where she was not genetically designed. Her father wants her to stay the way she is- just like her mother, who died when she was young. The book begins with a ball and a pod accident that kills her father and makes Ellani lose her legs. Trapped in her home with a mean caregiver and without legs, Ellani searches for answers- primarily by entering the virtual reality game her father created. It is there that she learns more about her parents and the meaning of life- she also meets a young man, Gus. She also has a purpose in the game- to complete a complex quest.

It's an amazing ride and certainly a very unique story. I absolutely loved every step of the journey! Ellani grows a lot throughout the book as she learns about the value of the way things were and family- and love. By love, I not only refer to romantic love, but also for her parents and her caregiving artificial intelligence unit, Memes. Although, the romantic love was pretty fantastic. As a heads up, there is sexual content (not described in depth, but it does happen) and lots of kissing, which may make it inappropriate for younger audiences. There are also some bigger themes like sacrifice and what we do/should value, which really add an extra dimension to the story.

I devoured this story quickly, as it was nearly impossible to put down. I highly recommend this book- it's got a bit of everything- adventure, sci-fi, mystery and romance! An incredible story, and I can't wait to continue with this series!! Please note that I received an ecopy from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.