Reclamation

Dark Horse Series #1

by Kristen Zimmer

Kristen Zimmer, author of The Gravity Between Us, When Sparks Fly, and Forbidden Girl takes readers on an adrenaline-fueled dystopian journey into the future where a scrappy band of rebels rise up to bring down an unequal and unrelenting government.

This is your future.

The United States of America has been gone for over a century.

In its place, The Unified American Territories—a nation divided, the impoverished and the wealthy are separated by a looming steel wall. In the Northern Territories—The Vault, as it is known by its inhabitants—the government rules with an iron All citizens are tested for intelligence and aptitude, thrust into compulsory higher education and saddled with insurmountable debt. All student loans are granted and controlled by a branch of the regime called The Federal Bureau of Education. Failure to repay their debt consigns borrowers to the Knowledge Reclamation Process, a mysterious government-sanctioned brainwashing program that strips them of their education with dire mental and physical side effects.

Fletcher Daniels is a recent college graduate struggling to stay ahead of her arrears. After a visit from Reclamation Agents, she knows her life is about to change for the worse. Enter Youth Opposed to Reclamation, a scrappy band of rebels who try in their own small way to bring some relief to the people of The Vault by smuggling as many potential Reclaimees to safety as possible. When Fletcher meets and falls for fellow female YOR member, Sparrow, her world is twisted away from the one she once knew even more radically. The group offers Fletcher a chance to escape her fate, but through them, she sees the promise of bringing real change to The Vault. History has taught her that even the smallest rebellions can trigger revolutions. It’s time for history to repeat itself.

Genres: Science Fiction, Lesbian, LGBT, Dystopia, Audiobook, Fiction, Queer

300 pages, Paperback

Published December 9, 2025

About the author

Kristen is a Massachusetts-based freelance writer and editor. A member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, she holds a B.A. in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing from Montclair State University. She also studied Music Performance with a focus on percussion instruments at Five Towns College. When not busy writing or burying her nose in books of the YA/New Adult fiction persuasion, Kristen enjoys spending time with her family, which includes two adorable Black Lab mixes and a very patient Better Half, and making electronic music. The Gravity Between Us, a contemporary New Adult Romance, is her first novel.

Follow Kristen on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkristenzimmer

Visit Kristen's author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/kristen...

Reviews

[Emilie]

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of Reclamation! As always, all opinions are my own and this review is being left voluntarily.

4.5 stars rounded up

✨ Adult Science Fiction
✨ Third Person POV
✨ 1/5 Spice Level
✨ Series Book 1
✨ Rep: sapphic

I recommend if you enjoy…
- Science fiction with political themes
- Slow burn
- Dystopian societies
- Rebellion

Content warnings after review.

General thoughts…
I was on a sci-fic kick, so I just had to get my hands on this book. And since it’s the first book in a series, I’ll have even more to look forward to. Also, I love the cover. It screams “SCI-FI” to me in such a satisfying way.

Some things I loved…
- Totally not relevant to the contents of the book, but the MCs names. Fletcher and Sparrow? Fantastic and go great together. Obsessed with their names.
- This book has themes that are absolutely relevant to the current political climate in the United States. I thought this made the book relatable and thought provoking. There were times it did feel a bit heavy or perhaps “hit too close to home”, but I think that’s part of what made the book so good for me. (Especially being a sci-fi.)
- The romance is secondary to the main plot, but it feels so genuine and caring. I’m looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops moving forward.

Some things to consider…
- The spice is closed door. If you’re looking for something spicier right now, this isn’t going to meet your needs.
- There are some pretty heavy (but important!) themes in this book. I’d recommend taking that in consideration before jumping in.

Final thoughts…
I love sci-fi. I’ve always been a huge fan of it, and I always need more sapphic sci-fi rep out there. Combined with the dystopian elements, this book really hit a lot of things right for me. If you’re looking for a dystopian sci-fi novel (that’s the start of a series!) with sapphic rep, I’d say look no further.

(beware potential spoilers below)

Content Warnings
(may not be all inclusive)
violence, de*th, weap*ns, dr*gs, government-forced medical procedures, general acts of rebellion

[Unpopmary]

4.5 ⭐

I received this eARC a day before release, but with my ever-growing ARC pile, this one sadly got pushed back. I finally picked it up, and wow, what a mistake it was to wait. This book is so good, and I genuinely wish I’d read it sooner. Endless thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC—I'm really grateful!

From the moment I read the synopsis, I was intrigued. It hinted at a dystopian world I hadn’t seen before, and it absolutely lived up to that promise. With each chapter, I felt myself sinking deeper into the story. Beneath the plot, there’s a strong reflection of the challenges modern-day America is facing. At its heart, this book explores justice, freedom, and what it means to live in a society ruled by fear and control. Kristen’s worldbuilding feels intentional, layered, and incredibly well thought out.

At the center of it all is our FMC, Fletcher, a brilliant young woman suddenly facing the reclamation process, until she’s rescued by YOR member Sparrow. From there, everything shifts. Watching Fletcher grow, question the system, and slowly find her voice was one of my favorite parts of the novel. She’s deeply selfless, constantly putting herself in danger not only to fight the regime, but to protect the people she loves, even when being a wanted citizen could cost her everything. She’s exactly the kind of heroine this story needs.

And can we talk about the romance? The book was so well paced and structured that I didn’t even need a romance subplot (which almost never happens for me). But the one we get? Perfection. Fletcher and Sparrow’s relationship is slow burn done right; quiet, natural, and developing so subtly that you don’t realize how deep it’s gone until the stakes skyrocket. The chemistry was there from the start, and the mentorship dynamic made their bond feel even more authentic.

What really surprised me was how much I cared about the side characters. From Johan and Søren to Fletcher’s father, and yes, even the agents... each one added something meaningful, giving the world depth, emotion, and that lived-in feeling I love in dystopian stories.

Kristen’s writing also feels like a major step up from her earlier work. It fits the dystopian tone beautifully, softening when needed to let the romance shine. The pacing was also spot on from start to finish, never dull, never rushed.

There’s still so much left to uncover in this world, so many unanswered questions and paths waiting to be explored... and that cliffhanger ending made it impossible not to crave book two.

[Pujashree]

I received this as both an ebook and audiobook from Netgalley. Dystopian stories are hard to get through these days, especially when they seem so immediate. This one seems to have been written with the same kind of distant hypothetical remove as Handmaiden's Tale, unaware of the immediacy of the premise upon release. That said, I felt rather dissociated from the plot because it holds up the ideal of America of the past in a naive idealistic way. The idea of forced student debt being the ultimate path to oppression felt somewhat simplistic as did the resistance movement and its ineptitude. Sure there's a sapphic romance but even that is tinged with a wholesomeness that seems at odds with the premise, and ultimately this didn't even inspire an escapist horror or thrill that the real world does on a daily basis. The narrator was alright, but didn't have much of a range, and characters were either flat, squeaky angry or drawling for....accent or reduced executive brain function. Most unforgivable, however, was the bait and switch of this being a standalone novel...NOT. Cliffhanger ending and everything, this is one big tedious setup, the resolution to which I'm not even remotely interested in. On to more gripping stories.

[Shannon Dyer]

I loved absolutely everything about this book! Fletcher is a kick ass main character. Sometimes, her stubbornness can be a little hard to take, but honestly, it's hard to imagine her having been created any other way. This would be a very different story if Fletcher were a different heroin.

The fact that this is a sapphic dystopian for adults is what first prompted me to pick it up. I adore dystopian novels, and I was excited to see this one with such an emphasis on the cost of education. I am eagerly awaiting book number two.

[Cindy]

In a dystopian future, all children are tested for learning aptitude. The smart ones are required to attend expensive universities using government loans that many cannot afford to repay due to the tight job market. When that happens, the corrupt government can "reclaim" all the education received, leaving the former students mere shells of their former selves. Fortunately, there is a resistance movement that is trying to expose the unjust system.

I quite enjoyed this sci-fi mystery novel with some unexpected twists and turns. The reclamation agents in the novel roam the streets not unlike today's ICE agents: bullying innocent people and sowing fear. There is a way past it, but we have to be brave enough to band together!

Excellent audiobook narration. My thanks to the author, publisher, @TantorMedia, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook for review purposes. It is available as of today, 9 December 2025. Happy Publication Day!

[Stephanie Gillis]

4.75 Rounded up because that cliffhanger was RUDE AS HELL.

I really enjoyed this though. It has good stakes, great characters, heartwrenching tragedies, a believable romance, found family and some really good twists. You know when people said Silver Elite was adult divergent? But then it was absolutely garbage. Well if you wanted a GOOD divergent for adults, this is 1000x better. It's what dystopian is supposed to do. Kristen Zimmer understood the assignment.

[Brittany]

*Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for early copy for review*

If you choose to read this please don't choose the audiobook. It is a terrible production where you hear the narrator every breath. Aldo the narrator does whisper yelling for the characters instead of the production changing volume of yelling for it to be seemless.

The story is dystopian tale that you I feel like I have read before. Mileage will vary with this. I have a lot of dystopian starting at The Uglies series when I was in high school. Like some dystopian stories we have a female hero on a suicide mission and I'm still scared from The Divergent series so I won't be continuing.

[Samantha H.]

I got the notification that I was approved for this book at 9 am today, and at 7:45 pm I have just finished. This book was so dang good. I was hooked from the very first sentence. The author did a great job of keeping things fast paced while still giving enough detail into the universe of this story. I absolutely loved Fletcher and Cillian 3! The references to the current administration were glaring and so on point. I can't think of a better book to show us where things are headed.

The only thing I didn't love was the romance between Fletch and Sparrow. It didn't feel organic to me, very rushed, I love both characters and I was rooting for them but the eventual pairing didn't actually stir any feelings in me, but that won't even take away a star because I already know the romance in book two will be the pay out.

The narrator was fantastic and I'm definitely going to be looking for more books with her as a narrator!

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own!

ꕤ₊˚⊹♡⊹˚₊ꕤ booksta — @sammilikesbooks ꕤ₊˚⊹♡⊹˚₊ꕤ

[M the avid reader]

Dystopia on the doorstep + first in a new series
I read Reclamation assuming it was a standalone story but it's actually the first in a series.  It can be read as a standalone but my reaction to the ending before I knew there was more to come was both strong and leaning toward the negative because the built up to the final chapters felt out of proportion to the rest.  I've read a few dystopian stories over the years even though it's not my go to genre and this one felt more like an imminent warning than a possible future that may or may not roll out decades or longer from now.  There are aspects of this world author Zimmer has set up that are on the horizon now (or close to it) so it may have you looking at the real world with a new perspective and more discernment.  The characters are complex and distinct, easy to keep track of who's who; main character Fletcher is a fascinating combination of badass, naive, gutsy, reckless, maddening, and with sass and sarcasm; the latter two reeled me in most of all.  I cheered her on but not consistently and appreciated the reminder that she's only 22 years old so she's going to do and say things that provoke all kinds of reactions out of the reader.  One secondary got under my skin unexpectedly, choking me up with emotion more than Fletcher and Sparrow did at times.  Of course there's loads of drama and angst but there is also much needed humor sprinkled in to take some edge off all the tension.  The plot twists and reveals kept me engaged and turning pages, wondering if suspicions about some characters would prove right.  The ending is provocative but for me, knowing now it's a series has me relieved that the next book or books may answer questions I have, and that we can learn more about some of the other characters besides Fletcher because this book felt like her story more than anyone else's so perhaps others can have more time in the limelight or on the page in future book(s).  As expected for this genre there are dark themes and scenes so heads up for that.  Reclamation is a fitting title on more than one level so don't expect the title to show up once in the story just to justify its presence on the book cover.  If you like dystopian stories set in a not so alien landscape this is worth checking out.  And if you have any kind of expectations about this book because you read The Gravity Between Us, prepare to get your mind blown.  I look forward to reading the rest of the series when it's published.



 

[coleythesapphic]

⭐ 4.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads

Thank you to the author, Kristen Zimmer, for the eARC. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book made me sit back and stare at the wall more than once. 😳

Reclamation is heavy in the way that matters. Not just dystopian heavy, but emotionally heavy. The kind where you can see the real world fingerprints all over the system that’s been built. Education as a trap. Debt as control. Healthcare that only exists if the government decides you deserve it. People from The Vault are set up to fail and then punished when they do. Themes of racism and weaponized poverty. It’s all here and the parallels are easy to draw to our current circumstances in the US but it’s written in a clever way so it doesn’t feel like reliving our current hellscape. After the pandammit I couldn’t watch shows or read books about it, maybe emotional fatigue. This was not like that at all. Kept me hooked the whole time.

Fletcher is sharp, stubborn, and exhausted, and I loved her immediately. She is angry in a way that feels earned, not performative. Jonah broke my heart from the beginning, and Sparrow completely stole the show for me. Her dynamic with Fletcher is tense, layered, and full of unspoken things. Nothing about their connection feels forced. It builds naturally, even when everything around them is on fire.

I also need to talk about Soren. He is a medication reliant, reformed Berserker, and his survival depends entirely on community care. In a world where healthcare is inaccessible, YOR goes to extreme lengths to manage his condition and keep him (and everyone around him) safe. His storyline hit me harder than I expected. It says so much about dignity, compassion, and what people will do for each other when systems refuse to.

Now. The ending.

The author warned me it would piss me off, and yes. It absolutely did. I hit the last page fully mad but in a way that just left me wanting more. But she also told me this is not a stand alone novel, and knowing that makes a difference. The ending feels less like a betrayal and more like a sharp inhale before the next part of the story.

If you like dystopian stories that are character driven, politically sharp, and very human at their core, this one is worth your time. I am invested, frustrated, and definitely showing up for book two.

[Jennabeebs79]

Reclamation is a dystopian sapphic suspense novel that had me glued to my iPad from start to finish. The world-building is rich and layered, with details of how the Unified American Territories were established woven naturally throughout the story. Every new reveal pulled me deeper in. The plot is refreshingly original, centered around a tense conflict between The Vault’s residents and the Federal Bureau of Education over student loan repayments. The impossible reality of trying to repay those loans on such low wages adds a sharp layer of tension to the story.

Fletcher’s extraction by Youth Opposed to Reclamation completely alters the course of her life. Through her time with them, she steps into her power, embracing her inner badass to help others. She’s fierce, loyal, dedicated, and impulsive—and her brilliant mind is exactly why she’s become a target. I loved watching her evolve from an ordinary woman into someone truly extraordinary.

Fletcher and Sparrow’s romance may not be the focus of the story, but their relationship still hits hard. They click instantly, trust falling into place from the start. Their romance is both tender and intense, and I adored the way they fit together.

The supporting cast is dynamic and really lifts the whole story. And Killian? His sweetness and charm are exactly what the YOR needs. The bonds among the YOR members show that they’re not just fighting for the same cause; they’ve built a family. And with everything they’ve been through, that family means everything.

Reclamation hooked me from the first chapter and never let go. The world, the characters, the tension, the romance, it all comes together in such a satisfying, powerful way. If you love smart, emotional dystopian stories, this one is a must-read. I cannot wait for book two!

I received an ARC of this from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Maria]

I have loved to read dystopian books with a female lead for many years, I mean what is not to love about the Hunger Games and Divergent book series. The books available with this theme have unfortunately dropped quite a bit during the 2020s so when I got a chance to read this book, I was so excited and hoped I would find a new favourite dystopian book series. Fortunately, this book was exactly what I needed to get my interest in this genre peaked once again. The only negative thing I have to say is that this book ended with such a cliffhanger and I now must sit and wonder what happens next until the sequel is published (I need that book now!).

The whole setup in the book is intriguing and scary, that possible to change everything great to something so dark in an instant, because of a mistake. Fletcher is such a great character that you immediately love, want her to succeed and perhaps be the one to break the horrible Reclamation cycle and fight against the oppressive Government. When she is abducted/saved by YOR (Youth Opposed to Reclamation) the journey towards that begins. Fletcher is special, a ST (Significant Threat), so besides being smart she is also especially prone to fight back and thus handpicked by YOR and trained for resistance missions. It is so interesting to follow that training, learning more about how things work and of course how Fletcher gets close to her wonderful Handler Sparrow. I want to get way more details on Sparrow in the sequel, both the person and their budding relationship.

I received a free ARC from the author and leave a review voluntarily.

[Caitlin]

*ALC Review- Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the opportunity to read this book*

DNF at 70%

I tried so hard to get through this book but I just could not. The synopsis seemed perfect, Dystopian post American society where the poor are forced to go to school and when they cant pay back the crazy loans they had to take to go to school they get "reclaimed" where all the education is stripped from their brains. The idea is there but the execution is so lacking.
1. The narrator whispers the whole time and often misses switching back between characters when doing voices so it is really hard to follow
2. Even though all of the ragtag group are college graduates, one being a full blown doctor, so they would have to be at least 20-25ish the main character constantly calls them "kids" like they are 14-17 year old's fighting a government
3. The US has been gone for approximately 200 years and replaced with this new regime but the main character studied US history in college... and there is so much "America was the greatest nation on the earth...." "You were so free to do and be what you wanted, even if you were poor..." Bootstrap nonsense.
4. Was the sapphic in the room with us? i got 70% through this book and they held hands and kissed once as a tactic to not get caught... don't promise me lesbians and give me tactical kissing and handholding.
5. There is nothing that will convince me that the southern US states are where the rich people want to live... 100%.

This is just a few of the many things that lead me to DNF this book. It was not for me, at all. That does not mean it is not for you?

[Tempe Luvs Books]

I have enjoyed several books by this author and, while this is not my favorite genre, I found this story to be very interesting, creative and stimulating.

The setting was one hundred years after the end of the world as we know it today. A steel wall divided the wealthy from the poor. People feared the Reclamation Agents and being tracked by the BOE, who were the Agents that did the strong-arming for The Federal Bureau of Education. People were afraid of the consequences if they opposed things, fearing being zapped of the contents of their brains or saddled with debts they could never repay. I found the described actions very disturbing.

The main character in the book is a very highly intelligent young woman named Fletcher Daniels who was kidnapped and actually saved by members of the YOR, Youth Opposed To Reclamation, an organization of young rebels who tried to get to people before the Reclamation Agents did. The YOR was the closest thing to an organized revolt against the sadistic government.

This marvelous book contained humor, action, excitement, fear, love and, yes, intimacy. Fletcher’s main interest became Sparrow, one of the YOR members who rescued her. Sparrow was her handler, the one who was her YOR trainer. I enjoyed watching their relationship develop, and now look forward to the next book in this series in order to follow Fletcher and Sparrow’s journey. Also, I look forward to following the YOR, with hopes that good prevails.

I want to thank the publisher, Bywater Books, for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Aaron]

This is a tough one for me to rate; I feel like it shouldn’t have worked for me but it did. In the end, I was totally sucked into and I REALLY want to read the next one, so… five stars it is.

Let me start with three things that I thought could have been better. 1. I’m not completely sold on the idea of a fascist dictatorship that rules the lower class of citizens by forcing them to go to college and accept student loans. 2; When Fletcher joins up with YOR, there’s a training montage, but it went way too quickly for my taste — I enjoy the super extended director’s cut version of these. 3. While I felt like Fletcher fell for Sparrow over the course of the book, it felt more like Sparrow was there from the get-go; I missed the process of her falling. Or even trying to resist her feelings? It seems like the classic move would have been for her to refuse to acknowledge her feelings because they were against the rules, but then be unable to stop herseff as things played out?

But here’s the thing. While I had some reservations as the story came together, once if got rolling I was all in. All that stuff I just mentioned really didn’t matter? And, I am really, really intrigued to see how the next section plays out. It’s such a good question for Fletcher’s character, even setting aside the larger plot. That’s really the part I want; Whether the YOR can overthrow the government? Meh. Whether Fletcher can stay true? Oh, yeah. So I hope that’s where the bulk of the next one goes. :)

[LezLibros]

**** ARC REVIEW ****

Wow! This author has written a variety of books from steamy mafia romance to new adult contemporary romance, but her latest, a dystopian/speculative fiction, is phenomenal. It made me feel all sorts of feelings. Fear, anger, hope. That’s how I know a book isn’t just good, it’s great. Set in a not too distant bleak future, the world building is wonderful; descriptive in a haunting way that makes you feel empty inside. The characters are well developed and you can’t help but get fully immersed in their lives and struggles. The budding romance between Fletcher and Sparrow is so sweet and beautiful against the backdrop of a world that could care less about them. But the most amazing thing about this book is that it feels like an ominous warning of things to come (at least for those living in the US). The idea that the government controls the very futures of its people is terrifying in a way that only makes sense because of what is happening in the US today. The characters in this book find their strength and purpose in each other as well as autonomy in their own future.
I would describe this book as a roller coaster; you better buckle in because the twists, turns, and surprises don’t stop from the first page onward. And just when you think the ride is slowing to a satisfying end, the author unceremoniously slams you into a head jerking stop as the track drops off in a gut twisting cliffhanger. But hey… sometimes delayed gratification is a good thing 😉

[Shannon Luchies]

Fletcher Daniels, a near future librarian, is confronted by Agents of the Department of Reclaimation, as she can't pay her student loans.

(The government has tech that can literally suck learning out of your head. Sadly it's a bit hit and miss, as it killed her mom via brain damage and in other cases it makes you insane.)

She lives in Boston, which is part of 'The Northern Territories' and appears to be the last area Democrats held out in the Second Revolution.

Fletcher is contacted (snatched) by YOR Youth Opposing Reclaimation, a group fighting the government and smuggling out targets like her.

Sparrow, the woman who rescued her, is extremely good looking too. Once Fletcher understands their agenda, she asks to join.

Soren, the leader, explains that they smuggle hightly intelligent people out of the North to save them from brain drain. They have a contact in the government that helps create new id for them.

Sparrow, her Handler, helps Fletcher cope, and they gradually fall in love, even tho they're not supposed to.

On a mission to acquire important drugs Fletcher confronts a Agent, and finds out they weren't going to wipe her, but make her a Agent too. She kills him...

The reveal of who's really running YOR doesn't feel like it's set up well.

Really abrupt ending,looking forward to book two coming.

4 out of 5 stars. Dark, Interesting, good writing.

[En]

Despondent woman destined for the gallows decides to grab fate by the throat; joins a rebellion group, only to watch it melt down into a game of Werewolf. This plays with themes of politics, fascism, social apathy, found family and hope.

Reclamation is not a speculative fiction. This was an open letter aimed at addressing the current state of affairs.

🔖“Courage—true courage, the kind a person is born with—is uncommon.”

And at risk of sounding sappy, a love letter to what America stands for:

🔖“the freedom it offered to go wherever you wanted whenever you wanted, to be whoever you wanted to be, to not have to constantly watch what you said for fear of who might be listening.”

Oh. And probably also a statement on how Education doesn’t truly level the playing field. But everyone already knows that. Right?

Side note, I keep getting the impression that Fletcher is on the spectrum but is adept at social camouflaging. Or maybe I’m overthinking 🤷‍♀️

Also, this reads like a YA, and the constant need to refer to the MCs as women occasionally felt like a lazy way to circumvent the tone.

tl;dr. If you are in the mood for a dystopic sapphic thriller x romance with a twist that will catch you off guard, Reclamation should be in your TBR!

[Henriette]

Chilling dystopian vision with a sapphic romance
The Northern part of the former US is a slum of have-nots who trudge through daily life. The most intelligent are tested, send to university and when they can‘t pay back their staggering student loan their minds are invaded, the knowledge taken and the person is left damaged (the reclamation process). Reclamation agents brutally persecute those to be reclaimed. The Southern part is thriving, very well-off, and protects itself from the North with a big wall. The world-building is intriguing and plays with current realities.
Fletcher is scheduled for the knowledge wipe when she is retrieved by a resistance group and meets Sparrow. The adventure (and sapphic romance) begins and Fletcher increasingly gets an important role.
There is a lot of action and adventure and a lot of mystery about the machinations going on behind the scenes. There are several, distinct characters in the resistance group which add depth to the story. I quite enjoyed the story. But as a reader I was left with a whole lot of questions - to be solved in the next book which hopefully comes soon since cliffhangers are stressing me out.

I received an ARC. The review is left voluntarily.

[Heather]

Wow. This brought me back to my love of dystopian novels with the added side of a sweet sapphic romance and I could hardly put this story down! Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for sharing this arc with me for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved our heroine! Fletcher is brilliant and brave, flawed and loyal, fierce and soft. At the start of her story, she is informed that unless she pays her debt she will enter the reclamation process. Not only are the people of the Vault (northern part of the new US) forced into higher education with exorbitant cost, they are not paid their worth or any amount that will actually allow them to repay that forced debt. And what happens when you can’t pay? The government reclaims that education through memory wipes that more often than not are brutal invasions leaving the person one of three ways, a veg, a berserker or a lucky one.

This story is fast paced, well written with fabulous world building, relatable characters and depth to have to reeling and anxiously awaiting the next book!

Highly recommend!

[Cat Treadwell]

Sadly this was a DNF for me. I was interested in the idea, but the story as it unfolded seemed to be so derivative of other (better) YA dystopias. One early scene literally copies 'The Matrix', which had me laughing aloud! Also it seems to take the author so long to get anywhere, as chapters are drawn out, lots of flashbacks and exposition about The Before Times. I didn't learn much about the characters as they are now, except for the fact that they're unhappy in this extreme-Capitalism hellscape based entirely on debt (not really a hot take!). It was hard to engage or care about any of them, despite having sympathy for the crazy situation.

The narrator was fine, but as it was hard to get a sense of the protagonist, I admit to being confused as to who was speaking at a given point.

I'm sure some YA readers will enjoy if they've not a lot of experience in the genre already, but I simply have seen such tales told much more effectively.

I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.

[Sofia]

at first I thought I would love this story, but it was there where I was wrong... the person reading this book wasn’t able to convey emotions and it was a bit boring because of that... and when the fight against the ruling power started to be not that important over the romance for another woman.. hey its possible to have gay or lesbian fiction and feel its interesting anyway, but that only happens when the centre of it all is what is happening around the characters, not the characters, if that makes sense...

so in the end, this was an ok story, will I read what comes next?... to be really honest, its not in my bingo card, but maybe you'll love it, so give it a try, its not meant for us all to love the same books or the same stories anyway...

I've got a free AAC from Netgalley and Tantor Media | Tantor Audio, and this is my honest opinion.

[Katie]

I would like to thank NetGalley and Tantor Media for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought the audiobook was well produced, I enjoyed the narration. The narrator didn’t stand out in one way or the other which is a good thing because I could focus on the story.

I found the premise of the story very interesting and I am interested to see where the story goes next, however, I struggled to really like the main character. Fletcher is written in a way that makes her hard to like, she is perfect at everything, plucky, challenges authority, your perfect hero. Which makes her boring. Her love interest Sparrow is very one dimensional, there to be the Fletcher’s calming counterpart with very little personality of her own. I think the world building was the books biggest strength and the character development felt like an after thought.

[Women Using Words]

Dystopian fiction is a tough genre to get right. Readers expect more than just a harsh government and a bleak landscape. The bar has been set high by novels like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and 1984, stories that prove a cruel regime is only the starting point. What matters most is how the story is built. Do the stakes rise naturally? Do the characters change in ways that feel honest? Does the ending feel earned instead of convenient? In Reclamation, Kristen Zimmer answers yes to those questions. She constructs a controlled, troubling future and then asks her heroine to navigate it in ways that feel personal and painfully real.

At the center of the novel is Fletcher Daniels, and Zimmer wisely refuses to let her remain a passive protagonist. When readers meet her, she has already become resigned to the logic of the Unified American Territories. Debt feels inevitable. Compliance feels safe. The system has convinced her that survival means surrender. But as Reclamation Agents tighten their grip and Youth Opposed to Reclamation enters her orbit, the cracks begin to show. Each new escalation forces Fletcher to examine what she believes and what she is willing to risk. By the time the climax arrives, her decisive act feels both surprising and inevitable. The woman who makes that choice is not the same one introduced in the opening chapters. Her transformation is not merely a reaction to her oppression; it is an evolution. Furthermore, it is guided by a moral compass that resonates, giving the storytelling serious emotional weight.

Zimmer’s worldbuilding is immersive without overwhelming the narrative. The Vault feels like a place shaped by policy, fear, and economic control rather than some vague dystopian menace. The Federal Bureau of Education is particularly unsettling because its reasoning is consistent and airtight, holding citizens captive to it. Terrifyingly, it weaponizes education, turns ambition into leverage, and converts aspiration into lifelong debt. The Knowledge Reclamation Process is described with enough detail to make it disturbingly plausible. The steel wall, the debt system, and even the language of reclamation reinforce the novel’s deeper concerns. Education becomes currency. Memory becomes property. Identity becomes negotiable. The system feels coherent, and that coherence is what makes it especially frightening.

The structure of the novel moves with steady intention. The opening grounds readers in Fletcher’s precarious and grim reality; the threat of Reclamation looms large in the foreground. Toward the middle, Zimmer begins to reframe the stakes as resistance becomes a possibility, expanding both conflict and danger. This pivotal revelation is about more than personal survival. It opens the story to larger questions about systemic control. In the final act, the personal and political agendas of these characters collide in purposeful and dramatic ways. Zimmer resists the temptation to script easy solutions. Instead, she ensures the gains are hard won, the losses linger, and the consequences remain. Her restraint gives the ending weight and authenticity.

In the strongest dystopian narratives, intimacy ultimately becomes political. Readers familiar with The Hunger Games know that in the world of Panem, intimacy is not just a private feeling but a high stakes political weapon. In Reclamation, Zimmer follows this idea to a degree. Here, the romance between Fletcher and Sparrow is very much catalytic. Because it is, it deepens the narrative, heightening vulnerability, tension, and risk. Rather than softening the story, it intensifies it. Their connection challenges Fletcher’s worldview because Sparrow represents a different way of thinking, one that refuses quiet compliance. In a world where knowledge is controlled and freedom is rationed, choosing intimacy becomes an act of defiance. Love raises the stakes of every decision Fletcher makes. When she ultimately chooses her path, it is both a political stand and an emotional commitment.

Thematically, Reclamation asks urgent questions concerning knowledge, identity, and control. What happens when knowledge is stripped away? Can identity survive institutional erasure? When does protection become control? These are not background themes. They press against the characters at every turn. By the novel’s conclusion, the resolution restores more than physical freedom. It restores agency. It preserves memory. It insists that identity and individuality cannot be erased or legislated out of existence without resistance. Because Zimmer intentionally and intelligently crafts a climax that engages these questions, she creates a story that goes beyond plot. She does so in a way that feels earned, growing organically out of character choice rather than coincidence, allowing readers to close the book with a sense of emotional completion even as the broader struggle continues. It is a balance that is difficult to achieve and speaks to deliberate craftsmanship.

Final thoughts…

Dystopian fiction, when written well, is not about despair. It requires tension, coherence, and moral clarity. It insists that pressure lead to transformation. In Reclamation, Kristen Zimmer meets those demands with emotional intelligence and artistic discipline. She reminds readers that the true power of dystopia lies not only in exposing oppressive systems, but in illuminating the moment an individual decides compliance is no longer enough. The result is a story that feels carefully constructed, emotionally grounded, and confidently strong. Reclamation is a solid thumbs up.

Strengths…

Character-driven storytelling
Immersive worldbuilding
Engaging romance
Strong unified themes
Captivating story

[Luna and Co]

I enjoyed this book quite a lot, strong female lead, interesting idea ( a bit terrifying when you think about it too much). Liked the writing style; it's nice and easy to follow, but not too simple either. I liked the lgbtq+ representation and how normalized it is, but I wouldn't classify it as a romance. The romantic relationship part annoyed me a bit as they just happen to fall in love without knowing each other and I don't see what it brings to the book except for the representation part... And I'm mad at the end because I hate cliffhangers!

Thank you, Netgalley and Tantor media for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie]

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ARC of this audiobook.

This was definitely a different take on Dystopian and a fucked up government.

I liked the narrator. I did see some reviews that show that the narrator wasn't ideal and you could hear every breath. I would say that is true, but I listen to my audiobooks at 2x, so it's definitely not noticeable at all.

I loved the love story between Fletcher and Sparrow. It was believable, raw, and emotional!

I loved the ending and can't wait for book 2!

[Critter]

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

This is a great book if you are wanting to feel a bit nostalgic for when dystopian fiction was at its height. Honestly I found this to be a fun read, while wanting to center on topics of student loans and human rights. I did like that the author wanted to discuss these. While the mai character sometimes annoyed me, I still enjoyed going on her adventure with her and watching her romance start to grow. The narrator was also pretty great and did a great performance for this book.

[Emmie]

3.5
This world is super interesting. I feel that if it had more length (50 or so more pages) to acclimate you to the "normal" living in the beginning, it would have given more context for the rest of the book. We get most of the info as the book progresses, but it's removed from the action. Despite this, it's a compelling story.

I'm certainly interested to see how things go after the ending. I don't know how long the author plans to make the series, but there's potential for a lot here.

[Jamie R.]

This dystopian novel hits a bit close to home these days. Kristen Zimmer gives us a well written, evocative story to lose ourselves in. The parallels to life in the US this last year are palpable as an example of the spiral we find ourselves in. There is intrigue, suspense and romance mixed in.

I found the MC’s, Fletcher and Sparrow, easily likable. Fletcher with her cocky, loyal and snarky attitude and Sparrow with a fierce protection of those she cares about makes for a chemistry that draws the reader in and takes us along for the ride. The side characters flowed well throughout the story and helped to move it along. Some unexpected surprises occurred and I was there for it all.

I enjoyed the story and was left in a cliffhanger! I am already tapping my fingers as I wait for book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bywater Books for the arc. I leave my review voluntarily.

[Debbie]

Wow… cliffhanger we need book 2! Great read packed with action, adventure twists and turns. Sci -Fi 100 years in the future and a dystopian landscape. Loved the female lead and queer story line. Thanks to the author. Thanks to # NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.