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Removed (The Nogiku Series, #1)

Duty knows no family. Love has no price. Secrets can cost you everything.

Start your journey with Sanaa and Jiro today! Walk the streets of Nishikyo with the geisha, carry a sword, and watch your back.

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About Removed (The Nogiku Series, #1)...

Sanaa’s New Year’s Eve wish leads her to a dark, hidden world of corruption, death… and her own strength.

Sanaa believed she had her life planned out — a dream job, a loving family, and a bright future. But when she’s reassigned to a mysterious data analyst position under Mark Sakai, her world is thrown into chaos as she discovers that her new role is intertwined with a violent power struggle between powerful clans. Pulled into a deadly world of secrets and lies, Sanaa finds herself inexplicably drawn to Jiro, the swordsman who teaches her to defend herself while also stealing her heart.

Despite their growing attraction, a dangerous truth lies ahead. Sanaa and Jiro must work together to save their city and discover a new peace, no matter the cost. But when the secrets of her family legacy threaten to bring an end to humanity, Sanaa is forced to face the ultimate truth and save them all before the great exodus from Earth begins.

Sanaa must find the courage to confront her destiny and fight for the future of humanity in Removed, the first book in the thrilling science fiction romance Nogiku Series. If you like tenacious heroines, sizzling chemistry, and unique post-apoc settings, then you’ll love S. J. Pajonas’s romantic adventure.

Genre: Adult Science Fiction / Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction
Publication Date: September 11, 2013
Series: The Nogiku Series, Book #1

Chapters from Removed (The Nogiku Series, #1)...

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Removed – Chapter 1

I’m going to be late. I hate being late.

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Removed – Chapter 2

I stare after Miko as she follows her father to the back office. She won’t be gone long.

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Removed – Chapter 3

After we’ve gulped down our saké and eaten a little more rice, Helena, Miko, and I grab our purses and head out to the street. It’s around twelve-fifteen, and people...

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Removed – Chapter 4

Back to work. There’s a lot to be done and my to-do list is about a thousand items deep.

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Removed – Chapter 5

When the alarm sounds at seven, I get up, shower, dress in Nishikyō grays, and say goodbye to my Aunt Lomo who is always up in the morning before she...

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Removed – Chapter 6

I spend ten hours per day in the Data & Communications building for five weeks before coming to any clear conclusions of how the clans work in Nishikyō. I’m not...

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Removed – Chapter 7

We eat lunch together in the DataComm cafeteria. Sakai catches up on work on his tablet while I read stories from the Nishikyō News Service.

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Removed – Chapter 8

We spend our morning in Ku 1 as always, and after lunch, Sakai escorts me directly to Ku 6, the Japanese Ward. I haven’t been here since I was little.

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Removed – Chapter 9

Days one through five of training with Jiro start out fine but progressively get more uncomfortable as each session ends. I walk in every afternoon after lunch, dressed in my...

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Removed – Chapter 10

The next day, I’m daydreaming away the usual ride from Ku 1 to Ku 6 with Sakai at my side. After watching people interact with each other on camera, I...

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Removed – Chapter 11

“Sanaa, can you hear me?” I feel the press of lips against my forehead and warm hands on either side of my face.

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Removed – Chapter 12

Today I’m going to follow the top Taira henchmen and find out what they’ve been up to for the past couple of months. I’ve already compiled my dossier on the...

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Removed – Chapter 13

I love Izakaya Tanaka and seeing it tonight brings a wide smile to my face. I like it when it’s quiet, not as busy nor crazy as it was on...

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Removed – Chapter 14

When I reach the Itō dōjō, I ascend the stairs, my stomach full of butterflies. Jiro and I left things so horribly at Izakaya Tanaka last night, and I never...

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Removed – Chapter 15

Goodbyes are said on the sidewalk outside the okiya. Miko wants me to come to the izakaya more often, and I agree.

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Removed – Chapter 16

It’s been a long and frustrating twenty-four hours after the party at the okiya. I swear Sakai and Koichi must be able to tell feelings are brewing between Jiro and...

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Removed – Chapter 17

When the ramen lands in front of me, steam curling from the lip of the heavy ceramic bowl, I take a moment to lean over and inhale a deep breath....

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Removed – Chapter 18

At seven o’clock, I have another grand entrance at Izakaya Tanaka and turn to the booths to find Jiro laughing and shaking his head. That will never get old.

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Removed – Chapter 19

Coffee. I have to find coffee immediately.

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Removed – Chapter 20

I spend all morning watching tattoo parlors in Ku 6. After about three hours of studying the data, I determine that one parlor belongs to Minamoto’s clan, the other is...

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Removed – Chapter 21

It takes me ten minutes to recompose myself in the dōjō bathroom. For a dōjō so austere and simple, the bathroom must have been designed and built by the Itōs...

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Removed – Chapter 22

The next morning, I wake up, get dressed, grab my bag, and go to the kitchen to have breakfast. Once again, Aunt Lomo is alone at the table.

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Removed – Chapter 23

“Sanaa, I’m about to give you all the truth, and I hope it somehow makes up for the past few months of keeping everything from you. ” Sitting down in...

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Removed – Chapter 24

I ride the train back to Ku 9 in a daze. I guess I should be on alert, but I can’t snap out of it.

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Removed – Chapter 25

I’ve never been as content as I am after sex with Jiro. I’m so tired I could sink into the covers next to him and sleep the rest of my...

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Removed – Chapter 26

Just inside the door at home, Aunt Kimie and Lomo are sitting on the couch, reading, and drinking wine. They’ve been waiting for me.

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Removed – Chapter 27

As we finish up our curry dinner with Aunt Lomo, the doorbell chimes, and the read-out says it’s Mark Sakai. Aunt Kimie sighs before putting on a smile and opening...

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Removed – Chapter 28

When late morning comes and I stretch out in my new large bed, Jiro is still next to me, his face sweet and innocent in sleep. I keep thinking about...

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Removed – Chapter 29

After another grueling session in the dōjō, Jiro decides I need a treat. He sneakily smiles at me, directs me out of the building, and down the street to his...

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Removed – Chapter 30

When I arrive at Izakaya Tanaka, all dressed up in my dark green yukata, I’m nervous. A lot of people are in attendance.

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Removed – Chapter 31

Eventually Jiro and I make our way over to say congratulations to Yoichi and Miko. Miko tells me they’re going to do a private ceremony at the temple in a...

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Removed – Chapter 32

I wake up the next morning alone in bed. I vaguely remember Jiro getting up a few hours ago, kissing me on the forehead, and leaving, but the memory is...

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Removed – Chapter 33

I’m plagued by nightmares all night long. It’s the first time I ever dream of the colonization.

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Removed – Chapter 34

Six-forty-five in the morning and I can’t fall back to sleep. Even lying here listening to Jiro’s rhythmic breathing, all I can think about is the meeting we had last...

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Removed – Chapter 35

I sleep all night on my stomach and wake up with Jiro late the next morning. He takes off the bandage, and the tattoo is perfect, absolutely flawless.

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Removed – Chapter 36

This theater is incredible which doesn’t surprise me in the least. It’s five stories tall with long purple banners falling from the arch over the entryway into a grand meeting...

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Removed – Chapter 37

I don’t know how long I’ve been unconscious, but clawing myself up out of the black is difficult, so I must have been under for some time. Voices around me...

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Praise

“The book is written like a seasoned pro, mixing so many wonderful elements of style… binding threads between past, present, and a possible, plausible future is what makes this debut work something very special.” – C. E. Kilgore, Tracing the Stars

“I loved the incorporation of the Japanese culture, and thought it was very well-done. The science fiction elements were definitely interesting, and I can’t wait to see what happens with that in the next part of this series. Sanaa made a wonderful heroine, and after the ending, I can’t get back to her and Jiro fast enough!” – Brianna, Biblio Belles

“If you’re looking for something unique and imaginative to read, you should give this first book in the Nogiku Series a try, and I’m quite certain you’ll be glad you did.” – P. K. Hrezo, Author of Butterman (Time) Travel

“This novel has been correctly set up for a series, with a satisfying plot arc and enjoyable cliff hanger for the first book, all the while maintaining plenty of room for the larger plot lines that umbrella over multiple books…I simply love the character of Sanaa. She is complex and that is my favorite kind of person.” – Kimberley Sabatini, Author of Touching The Surface

“I have never before been a fan of post-apocalyptic tales as I found them depressing, but this book has changed my mind and I look forward to reading the second in the series…I do not give five stars lightly and this is worth every one.” – Derek White, Nerd Girl Official

“I fell completely in love with this story. It starts slow at first, but the pace fits the story. Around halfway through the story really picks up and I was surprised at the twists and turns the story took. While it’s labelled science-fiction, the sci-fi elements don’t play a big part in this book yet and I am curious to read how it will play a bigger part in future books. The romance is done really well and Sanaa and Jiro are so perfect together! The author really made the world come alive, both through detailing the post-apocalyptic elements and the japanese traditions and influences that shape much of the society and world.”Lola, Lola’s Reviews

“This book is a gem among all the westernized science fiction books out there. The Japanese elements didn’t take away the mystery of this post-apocalyptic world. I do recommend this to anyone who loves dystopian books. Jiro is swoon-worthy, while Sanaa is kick-ass heroine with freckles.” – Dre Wolf, Sporadic Reads

“I loved this book and I definitely recommend it to readers who are looking for a dystopian that is new and different. I will certainly be continuing this series and am eager to find out what happens next!” – Nicole Hewitt, Feed Your Fiction Addiction


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S. J. Pajonas