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The Clockwise Chronicles: Nascent
The year is 2113. Disease, war, and famine have caused the world population to shrink from 8 billion to a few hundred million within the matter of a decade.
Amid societal unraveling, a revolutionary company – Dream Corp – rose from the ashes and changed world order as anyone knew it. All that remains of modern society is contained within twenty-four Dream Corp units scattered across the globe. There are no borders. There are no countries. There is only Dream Corp. A singular world economy.
The product at the center of The Clockwise Revolution? Time. A team of skilled scientists have commercialized sleep banking, the process by which one extracts the restorative properties of another’s sleep.
Nascent is the first book in The Clockwise Chronicles trilogy that follows a young woman coming of age, Juniper Griffith. Juniper was born and raised in Dream Corp Onyx, the first of the twenty-four Dream Corp units. Dr. Sona, the radical and zealous inventor of the technology who launched this socioeconomic revolution, oversees Dream Corp Onyx and imposes her staunch views on the residents.
Juniper lives among the Aristoi, the most elite social class at Dream Corp Onyx, with her parents and younger sister. She grapples with the class system even as she accepts an invitation to join the Aristoi as an apprentice. Yet her world is turned upside down when she receives an unexpected message from an unknown source.
Together with her best friend, Chaz, she embarks on a dangerous and uncertain journey to uncover the truth about Dream Corp. The reality is more dire and unfathomable than Juniper could have ever imagined.
Amid societal unraveling, a revolutionary company – Dream Corp – rose from the ashes and changed world order as anyone knew it. All that remains of modern society is contained within twenty-four Dream Corp units scattered across the globe. There are no borders. There are no countries. There is only Dream Corp. A singular world economy.
The product at the center of The Clockwise Revolution? Time. A team of skilled scientists have commercialized sleep banking, the process by which one extracts the restorative properties of another’s sleep.
Nascent is the first book in The Clockwise Chronicles trilogy that follows a young woman coming of age, Juniper Griffith. Juniper was born and raised in Dream Corp Onyx, the first of the twenty-four Dream Corp units. Dr. Sona, the radical and zealous inventor of the technology who launched this socioeconomic revolution, oversees Dream Corp Onyx and imposes her staunch views on the residents.
Juniper lives among the Aristoi, the most elite social class at Dream Corp Onyx, with her parents and younger sister. She grapples with the class system even as she accepts an invitation to join the Aristoi as an apprentice. Yet her world is turned upside down when she receives an unexpected message from an unknown source.
Together with her best friend, Chaz, she embarks on a dangerous and uncertain journey to uncover the truth about Dream Corp. The reality is more dire and unfathomable than Juniper could have ever imagined.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 20, 2025
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6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 6, 2026
My heart was pounding at the end of this book. What an escalation of uncovering truths and running into plenty of danger along the way! And what a time to read about a dystopian society with rigid rules to abide by. This was a very smart, well written YA book. I do think a lot of people wave off YA novels too quick, forgetting that the ones we grew up on are still favorites to date (do I even need to list off examples?) The mystery that develops within the story unravels at just the right speed; assuring that readers understand backstory as they continue to unveil answers in an intensifying plot.
January 26, 2026
Wow! What a real page turner!
I could not put this book down. Juniper is an 18 year old girl trying to find her way in Dreams Corp Onyx. Her best friend Chaz is with her along the way. There are class systems that Juniper questions and does not find fair. She loves her family and will do anything for them. However, she also wants to know what else is out there.
Juniper is expected to be the next prodigy of sleep banking.
This is set in a dystopian world where everything appears to be a utopia.
I loved that Juniper is fierce and willing to learn truths.
I haven't read YA in a while but I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for book 2!!
The Clockwise Chronicles : Nascent is a unique adventure that I can't wait to hop into again!
I could not put this book down. Juniper is an 18 year old girl trying to find her way in Dreams Corp Onyx. Her best friend Chaz is with her along the way. There are class systems that Juniper questions and does not find fair. She loves her family and will do anything for them. However, she also wants to know what else is out there.
Juniper is expected to be the next prodigy of sleep banking.
This is set in a dystopian world where everything appears to be a utopia.
I loved that Juniper is fierce and willing to learn truths.
I haven't read YA in a while but I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for book 2!!
The Clockwise Chronicles : Nascent is a unique adventure that I can't wait to hop into again!
February 9, 2026
I have never read this author before, but I am going to from now on.
Awesome sci-fi book. The best I've read in a while. There's a bit of a lull in the middle, but the end is electrifying and the premise is very interesting. It brings up many different view points and lets them linger in the reader's mind. And all of this philosophy is found in the middle of a fabulous and fast-paced, slightly futuristic story. Bitty Balducci clearly portrays the issues that is present in the book and provided excessive amount of detail to make me feel as if I was there with Juniper as she starts her journey to unravel the truth.
Awesome sci-fi book. The best I've read in a while. There's a bit of a lull in the middle, but the end is electrifying and the premise is very interesting. It brings up many different view points and lets them linger in the reader's mind. And all of this philosophy is found in the middle of a fabulous and fast-paced, slightly futuristic story. Bitty Balducci clearly portrays the issues that is present in the book and provided excessive amount of detail to make me feel as if I was there with Juniper as she starts her journey to unravel the truth.
February 17, 2026
Woah, I didn't think I enjoy sci-fi dystopian as much as I did with Nascent. The whole time, I kept thinking to myself, "OMG is this how we can..." "Who would play [insert character here] in the movie/series adaptation?"
It only takes one person's curiosity to spark the involvement of the right people to bring down those in power. Hrm... maybe something worth considering in today's world. It's tough to separate fiction from reality, but when reality starts to look a lot like fiction, well... it's hard not to see the parallels.
It only takes one person's curiosity to spark the involvement of the right people to bring down those in power. Hrm... maybe something worth considering in today's world. It's tough to separate fiction from reality, but when reality starts to look a lot like fiction, well... it's hard not to see the parallels.
February 9, 2026
I loved this book. I loved the language, I loved the style!
It's always such a pleasure when a book surprises you by going in a direction you weren't expecting. “Nascent” by Balducci did just that, I thought I knew what was coming, I thought it would be what it seemed. Great action with lots of plot twists and ambiguously good/evil characters. It's a different POV than I've ever read in a Sci-fi book.
It's always such a pleasure when a book surprises you by going in a direction you weren't expecting. “Nascent” by Balducci did just that, I thought I knew what was coming, I thought it would be what it seemed. Great action with lots of plot twists and ambiguously good/evil characters. It's a different POV than I've ever read in a Sci-fi book.
January 26, 2026
Wonderful sci fi dystopian novel. It follows Juniper as she begins to question Dream corps class system. She and her friend Chaz eventually find out there is life outside the cooperation. I really enjoyed going from one newly formed civilization to the next and seeing how each population managed to survive. There is plenty of suspense and intrigue and Dr Sona is an excellent book villain.
January 20, 2026
Nascent is a chilling and imaginative start to a dystopian trilogy. The concept of trading sleep as currency is both fascinating and terrifying, and the world of Dream Corp feels disturbingly believable. Juniper’s journey is emotional, tense, and deeply human.
January 20, 2026
This book hooked me with its premise and kept me reading with its characters. Dream Corp is a haunting vision of a future where time itself is controlled, and Juniper’s awakening to the truth makes for a compelling and suspenseful story.
January 20, 2026
I loved the atmosphere of this book. The world feels tightly controlled, cold, and fragile, which perfectly mirrors Juniper’s internal struggle. Once the mystery begins to unfold, it’s hard to put down.
January 20, 2026
This story feels uncomfortably close to reality in the best way. The collapse of society, the rise of Dream Corp, and the idea of monetizing rest all feel like natural extensions of today’s world. Thought-provoking and intense.
January 20, 2026
A smart, mature take on post-collapse society. Rather than focusing on constant action, the story builds tension through structure, systems, and control. It’s refreshing and deeply engaging.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews