Scan barcode
nicolemhewitt's review
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Reunited is the third book in Pajonas’s unique dystopian Nojiku series, and it is, without a doubt, the best installment so far!
This book is a complete game changer for the series – Sanaa and the others have finally reached Yusei, but it’s nothing like they imagined it to be! Yusei is already inhabited, and the more Sanaa learns about the culture of the planet’s residents, the less she wants to simply integrate with them. Not only that, but Sanaa’s very life is in even more danger on Yusei because she is the rightful empress, and the ruler of the new planet would do anything to prevent her from coming to power. Sanaa starts to doubt that she will survive long enough to make any sort of life for herself on Yusei at all.
What I loved:
Culture shock.
When Sanaa and company arrive on Yusei, they discover that the current government has gone back to the rigid rules and customs of ancient Japan. Women are oppressed in many ways, and the more that Sanaa learns about the culture of Yusei, the less she wants to be a part of it. Once again, Pajonas managed to weave an incredible amount of Japanese culture into her series, giving us a rich and lavish setting for the story. I love this aspect of the series!!
Treachery.
Not everyone who comes to Yusei with Sanaa is on her side. In fact, there are several earth refugees who would be happy to sell Sanaa out to the current leader of Yusei in order to gain favor with him. Sanaa can’t be sure who to trust, and it becomes apparent that she is racing against time – she has to decide her next move before all of her options are taken from her. This book is full of treachery (and sometimes surprising loyalty)! The result is a heart-pounding race toward the final book in the series!
Fun surpises.
There are a few fun surprises in this book that mean even bigger changes for Sanaa. I really don’t want to say more than that because I don’t want to spoil anything, but these surprises sure make things interesting!
The negatives:
Not much.
Actually, I’m having trouble coming up with negatives for this one. My issues with the first two books (a slight lack of connection in the first book and a slight lack of action in the second) aren’t issues at all in this third book. There were a few nit-picky things – the fact that the language issues were so easily overcome and that I saw one or two smaller twists coming – but these were really minor. The only reason that I’m not giving it the full five stars is because I’m trying to reserve that rating for books that will stand out in my mind as all-time favorites, and this, as a middle book in a series, will have a hard time doing that. But if the series continues in this same vein, I can see the final book gaining that status!
Reunited is game changing for this series, with heart-pounding action and lots of twists and turns. I can’t wait to see how Pajonas concludes the series in Reclaimed. I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Reunited is the third book in Pajonas’s unique dystopian Nojiku series, and it is, without a doubt, the best installment so far!
This book is a complete game changer for the series – Sanaa and the others have finally reached Yusei, but it’s nothing like they imagined it to be! Yusei is already inhabited, and the more Sanaa learns about the culture of the planet’s residents, the less she wants to simply integrate with them. Not only that, but Sanaa’s very life is in even more danger on Yusei because she is the rightful empress, and the ruler of the new planet would do anything to prevent her from coming to power. Sanaa starts to doubt that she will survive long enough to make any sort of life for herself on Yusei at all.
What I loved:
Culture shock.
When Sanaa and company arrive on Yusei, they discover that the current government has gone back to the rigid rules and customs of ancient Japan. Women are oppressed in many ways, and the more that Sanaa learns about the culture of Yusei, the less she wants to be a part of it. Once again, Pajonas managed to weave an incredible amount of Japanese culture into her series, giving us a rich and lavish setting for the story. I love this aspect of the series!!
Treachery.
Not everyone who comes to Yusei with Sanaa is on her side. In fact, there are several earth refugees who would be happy to sell Sanaa out to the current leader of Yusei in order to gain favor with him. Sanaa can’t be sure who to trust, and it becomes apparent that she is racing against time – she has to decide her next move before all of her options are taken from her. This book is full of treachery (and sometimes surprising loyalty)! The result is a heart-pounding race toward the final book in the series!
Fun surpises.
There are a few fun surprises in this book that mean even bigger changes for Sanaa. I really don’t want to say more than that because I don’t want to spoil anything, but these surprises sure make things interesting!
The negatives:
Not much.
Actually, I’m having trouble coming up with negatives for this one. My issues with the first two books (a slight lack of connection in the first book and a slight lack of action in the second) aren’t issues at all in this third book. There were a few nit-picky things – the fact that the language issues were so easily overcome and that I saw one or two smaller twists coming – but these were really minor. The only reason that I’m not giving it the full five stars is because I’m trying to reserve that rating for books that will stand out in my mind as all-time favorites, and this, as a middle book in a series, will have a hard time doing that. But if the series continues in this same vein, I can see the final book gaining that status!
Reunited is game changing for this series, with heart-pounding action and lots of twists and turns. I can’t wait to see how Pajonas concludes the series in Reclaimed. I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
jcouchoud's review
5.0
The third book in the Nogiku series puts the characters in a whole new environment, but the core of the story is the same, the love story between Sanaa and Jiro. I really enjoyed this third book and reading about the characters' new home and challenges that they faced. When I wasn't reading the book, t found myself thinking about the story - a true sign of a good read! This series leaves you in love yourself, with Sanaa and Jiro, the rich world they live in, and the book itself.
lolasreviews's review
5.0
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
Ever since finishing Released I had been eagerly awaiting the release of Reunited and now it's finally here! As started reading it as soon as I received my copy and it was so great to be back in the Nogiku world again. I love this author's writing style and it just makes me feel at ease.
So many things happen in this book and when the land at Yusei, things aren't what they expected. I loved seeing this new world and discovering right alongside Sanaa, her friends and family. There are some amazing plot twists and things that aren't what they seem, revelations and changes. It was everything I've come to expect from this author and more. Reunited is an original book with lots of surprises and changes! It's slow paced, but the pace fits the book perfectly and it's one of the things I love about this series, how the pace is slow, without it being annoying. And despite the pace being slow, there's always something going on.
There was a scene towards the end with smoking that bothered me a bit and I found one of the explanations a bit weird, but who knows it might be possible I don't know that much about biology, but it sounded weird to me. And as I can't stand cigarette smoke in real life, I always feel a bit off when it's in a book, especially in a book I didn't expect it.
There is so much character change and character growth int his book. At the beginning of the book the character wake up from hibernation and have changed and during the course of this book they change even more. There where some really surprising changes. Sanaa is an amazing main character and I liked how she grew and changed in this book, I also liked all her interactions with the animals. I love animals myself and it was fun to see so many animals in this book!
There's less romance in this book as in the previous books, especially in the first half the romance seemed to be a bit on the back burner, but in the second half there was a bit more romance. I just love Sanaa and Jiro together and there where some really sweet moments between them!
There is quite a bit world building in this book as they discover their new home planet, but there are also some familiar things. Especially as the Earth in this book actually was the strange world, Yusei is much more normal I would almost say. Still it was fun to learn more about Yusei, although I wanted to know even more about this planet!
To conclude: I loved Reunited just as much as the previous books and this series keeps continuing to surprise me. I just wanted to keep reading and figure out what would happen next. I really liked how the character grew and changed in this book and I loved the animals! The firsthalf of this book there isn't so much romance, but there's a bit more in the second half. I can't wait to read the fourth and last book in this series, although I can't believe it's the last book already!
Ever since finishing Released I had been eagerly awaiting the release of Reunited and now it's finally here! As started reading it as soon as I received my copy and it was so great to be back in the Nogiku world again. I love this author's writing style and it just makes me feel at ease.
So many things happen in this book and when the land at Yusei, things aren't what they expected. I loved seeing this new world and discovering right alongside Sanaa, her friends and family. There are some amazing plot twists and things that aren't what they seem, revelations and changes. It was everything I've come to expect from this author and more. Reunited is an original book with lots of surprises and changes! It's slow paced, but the pace fits the book perfectly and it's one of the things I love about this series, how the pace is slow, without it being annoying. And despite the pace being slow, there's always something going on.
There was a scene towards the end with smoking that bothered me a bit and I found one of the explanations a bit weird, but who knows it might be possible I don't know that much about biology, but it sounded weird to me. And as I can't stand cigarette smoke in real life, I always feel a bit off when it's in a book, especially in a book I didn't expect it.
There is so much character change and character growth int his book. At the beginning of the book the character wake up from hibernation and have changed and during the course of this book they change even more. There where some really surprising changes. Sanaa is an amazing main character and I liked how she grew and changed in this book, I also liked all her interactions with the animals. I love animals myself and it was fun to see so many animals in this book!
There's less romance in this book as in the previous books, especially in the first half the romance seemed to be a bit on the back burner, but in the second half there was a bit more romance. I just love Sanaa and Jiro together and there where some really sweet moments between them!
There is quite a bit world building in this book as they discover their new home planet, but there are also some familiar things. Especially as the Earth in this book actually was the strange world, Yusei is much more normal I would almost say. Still it was fun to learn more about Yusei, although I wanted to know even more about this planet!
To conclude: I loved Reunited just as much as the previous books and this series keeps continuing to surprise me. I just wanted to keep reading and figure out what would happen next. I really liked how the character grew and changed in this book and I loved the animals! The firsthalf of this book there isn't so much romance, but there's a bit more in the second half. I can't wait to read the fourth and last book in this series, although I can't believe it's the last book already!
writerethink's review
4.0
So much of what was wonderful about the first two books in the series is still here in this book - the relationships, especially the one between Sanaa and Jiro, but really, all of them, are very well-written, believable, and engaging, and I still think that Sanaa is the most incredible character, and love viewing things through her perspective. I found myself feeling a bit more skeptical about the world-building aspects of this book than I did with the first two, and in particular, the ease with which the language issues were brushed aside kinda bugged me (but then again, I'm a linguist, and I'm sure most people would not actually want to read a book where language and language change were treated in a truly realistic fashion!). But I do want to know more about this universe that Pajonas is building, and the life that Sanaa is leading in it, so I'm very much looking forward to Book 4!
melodicfate's review
4.0
4.5 stars.
*I’d like to thank the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
*As this is book 3 in a series, there will be spoilers for the first two books, but none for this one.*
This series is full of cliffhanger endings, and that trend doesn’t stop with book three. When the author graciously allowed me to read an advanced copy of this book, I immediately jumped in, and then got completely blindsided by the cliffhanger ending, in the best way! I now need book four, as fast as I can get it!
Sanaa just gets better and better as a heroine, and the main character of this series. I feel like I understand and know her more with each installment in this tale, and this one is no exception. She grows a lot, and really comes into her role as the empress. Of course, things don’t always go smoothly for her, but that’s why she’s got friends, family, and her husband Jiro to back her up.
Those friends and family help make the series great. There’s Kentaro, whom Sanaa now considers a brother. At first, I was wary of their relationship, but I now like and understand it better. Then, there’s Mark, Lucy, and all of Sanaa’s friends. They were a great support system for her in this book, especially since her life doesn’t appear to be becoming one of ease and leisure anytime soon. Finally, there’s Jiro. He’s the perfect love interest for Sanaa, and I think their relationship is wonderful. They mostly always talk everything out, and Jiro knows Sanaa well enough to know when something’s bothering her, even when she doesn’t want to let him know. What with events in this novel, I’m eagerly waiting to see what will happen to one of my favorite couples next.
The plot of this book was crazy. There was intrigue, exploration, adaptation to a new world, friendship, and romance. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. I had to try and remember things from earlier books, but once I got into the swing of things, I couldn’t stop reading. The fact that Yusei already had inhabitants was a huge part of this story, since Sanaa had to try to establish herself as empress, while trying to usurp power from an oppressor of people, especially women. There was action, suspense, and awesome sci-fi elements that are a favorite part of mine in this series. Best of all, the romance between Sanaa and Jiro was as strong as ever, and it made the book even more enjoyable.
In the end, I think that this is probably my favorite book in the Nogiku series. Jiro and Sanaa are such a perfect couple, the sci-fi elements are vital to the story, and the struggle for a new world in which everyone is equal kept me reading. I loved learning about the new world of Yusei, and watching everyone have to adapt to living in open air, as opposed to a dome. The fact that this book has a cliffhanger makes me eager for the next installment, and the next part of Sanaa’s story.
*I’d like to thank the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*
*As this is book 3 in a series, there will be spoilers for the first two books, but none for this one.*
This series is full of cliffhanger endings, and that trend doesn’t stop with book three. When the author graciously allowed me to read an advanced copy of this book, I immediately jumped in, and then got completely blindsided by the cliffhanger ending, in the best way! I now need book four, as fast as I can get it!
Sanaa just gets better and better as a heroine, and the main character of this series. I feel like I understand and know her more with each installment in this tale, and this one is no exception. She grows a lot, and really comes into her role as the empress. Of course, things don’t always go smoothly for her, but that’s why she’s got friends, family, and her husband Jiro to back her up.
Those friends and family help make the series great. There’s Kentaro, whom Sanaa now considers a brother. At first, I was wary of their relationship, but I now like and understand it better. Then, there’s Mark, Lucy, and all of Sanaa’s friends. They were a great support system for her in this book, especially since her life doesn’t appear to be becoming one of ease and leisure anytime soon. Finally, there’s Jiro. He’s the perfect love interest for Sanaa, and I think their relationship is wonderful. They mostly always talk everything out, and Jiro knows Sanaa well enough to know when something’s bothering her, even when she doesn’t want to let him know. What with events in this novel, I’m eagerly waiting to see what will happen to one of my favorite couples next.
The plot of this book was crazy. There was intrigue, exploration, adaptation to a new world, friendship, and romance. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. I had to try and remember things from earlier books, but once I got into the swing of things, I couldn’t stop reading. The fact that Yusei already had inhabitants was a huge part of this story, since Sanaa had to try to establish herself as empress, while trying to usurp power from an oppressor of people, especially women. There was action, suspense, and awesome sci-fi elements that are a favorite part of mine in this series. Best of all, the romance between Sanaa and Jiro was as strong as ever, and it made the book even more enjoyable.
In the end, I think that this is probably my favorite book in the Nogiku series. Jiro and Sanaa are such a perfect couple, the sci-fi elements are vital to the story, and the struggle for a new world in which everyone is equal kept me reading. I loved learning about the new world of Yusei, and watching everyone have to adapt to living in open air, as opposed to a dome. The fact that this book has a cliffhanger makes me eager for the next installment, and the next part of Sanaa’s story.
missblissreads's review
5.0
My favorite in the series so far! Why aren't you reading these books?!?!
You are immediately dropped into the world that Stephanie has created for Sanaa, Jiro, and others. While the environment is different, the action, love and strength remain. Many adventures in this book!
*this is the third in a series and not meant to be a stand alone book*
You are immediately dropped into the world that Stephanie has created for Sanaa, Jiro, and others. While the environment is different, the action, love and strength remain. Many adventures in this book!
*this is the third in a series and not meant to be a stand alone book*
jessspress's review
5.0
raced through this third installment of the serious. could not put it down! looking forward to the conclusion!
More...