NetGalley Review: Nirvana (Nirvana #1) by J.R. Stewart

Title: Nirvana

Author: J.R. Stewart
Published: Nov. 10, 2015
Publisher: Blue Moon Publishers
Pages: 201
Genre: Sci-Fi, YA
Review: ebook provided by NetGalley and publisher
Buy Links: Amazon, Amazon.uk

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.

I received this book via NetGalley to give an honest review.

So it took me three times to start this book, I am not sure why but the first two times it just did not  capture my attention right off the bat.

Once I started reading it though I was interested to see where it was going to go. You see I have never read anything with virtual reality and I can honestly say it is scary if it was to ever happen, especially when a company or government can see your every move.

The world we are in, in this book is where everything has become extinct it started with the bees and went from there. Now the world that everyone lives in is being recorded and monitored your life is no longer your own. You are to live within a certain area as the outlands are not safe for anyone. 

 We follow Kender as she goes to uncover the truth with Hexagon and what happened to her fiancee Andrew. It seems that Hexagon doesn't like anyone going behind their back and they will stop at nothing to get rid of that person and all who is around them. 

Kender goes into  "Nirvana" when the unthinkable happens to Andrew, so she can feel closer to him because she doesn't believe him to be gone exactly. But who is leaving her clues? Is it Andrew or someone else? Who can she trust because there seems to be more snakes in the grass than before as it seems her every move is being followed. Someone wants what she finds and will stop at nothing to get it.

Now Nirvana is the place of virtual reality but it is always being monitored you can go anywhere you want but if Hexagon wants they can red light you and you are gone forever. 

I really liked the cliffhanger as it shows that there is more to the story than just bringing back the bees I think I would read book two to see if Kender can find who she is looking for and what else she will uncover.

Now Kender as a character she was okay. I didn't click with her in anyway, and I found her to be acting too weird when it came to Andrew and saying he is not dead it was like she was almost trying to hard. 

I really liked the friendship between Kender and Serge though at times I wondered if he was on her side or not. When Kender saw the video that was left for her via Serge my heart broke a little. 

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.