genius hacker, kick-ass heroine, and a character twists... might be a real life scenario...

Ahhhh!!! I loved this book! Great characters that are actually believable (and not the typical whiny airheads that seem to take over YA books lately). Great plot, something different - dealing with the tech world but reads like a dream. Sure it has a bit of “romance” but not nauseating. The friendships are true. A lot of kids think they don’t need anyone in their lives and live for their computers. This book is a refreshing voice that tells the tale of Ada who must deal with the consequences of abusing internet knowledge. Well done!

2.5 stars

I was into it in the beginning but the more I read the more I lost interest. And by the end, the book just wasn't really for me. The characters were inconsistent which really worked against them in getting me to care about Ada and her journey. The plot is interesting I just didn't love the execution. It began to feel less like a real world story and more like a mustache-twirling villain lurking in the background. Also, the computer tech-y elements occasionally felt inaccessible. This book really worked for me in theory but it just kind of fell short.

Thought and Plot

Ada is a hacker, an expert hacker that goes by the name of Dark Angel. She's the daughter of a senator who is currently trying to pass a bill to protect teens private information online. She's now the only female member of the Orwellians, an elite group of hackers responsible for high-profile hacks on major corporations, with a mission to protect the little guy. The other female member committed suicide. She was the Red Devil, and Ada's real life best friend, Simone...

At 16 Ada's capable of doing things like hacking into the White House, for a challenge. Little does she know that this will domino into something much larger than she realizes. When a fellow Orwellian betrays her to the FBI, ironically the new guy who convinced them to hack the White House in the first place, Ada is forced into ReBoot, a rehab facility for teens addicted to technology and the same rehab Simone attended right before killing herself.

Ada decides to use the opportunity to find out what happened to her friend while she was in rehab and see if she can discover why her happy, fun loving friend suddenly decided she didn't want to live anymore. But it's harder than she thought when she's stuck in an ancient, creepy mansion that has been converted into a rehab facility, complete with keypad locks, cameras and alarms. But expert hacker Ada has that covered and soon realizes Simone is just one of many teens that have died after leaving Reboot. Problem is, someone doesn't want her looking into these suspicious deaths.

So, what did I think? This book got me. I'm not sure how. I kept thinking it was a bit like watching an old teen tv drama with a mix of something new while I was reading it. How often do you read a book about a hacker teen who's trying to solve a mysterious series of deaths, while grieving for a friend who committed suicide, while trying to fix the trouble she's gotten herself and her politician father into, while in a rehab center for tech addicted teens? Let's not forget the love interest. I can't say I've ever come across the combo.

That said. I think I would have liked it a lot more without the 'young love' thrown in. I felt like it was a bit sudden...and of course the guy was practically the classic cliche; super smart, blue eyed, chiseled abs, great kisser...but he wears glasses. Because the glasses will redeem the cliche. lol Could have done without him. If he just turned out to be a smart-ass good friend, I would have been happier.

I also could have done without the multiple attempted kill offs of most of the supporting characters, kinda added to the teen drama feel. But it was fun how the author kept twisting and turning the story to try and keep you from finding the real 'villain'. Figured out some of the evil sidekicks easily enough, but a decent author won't go for the obvious guy, nor will they scream "LOOK THIS WAY, IT'S HIM!!!!" about the person they are trying to make you think is the bad guy. So that was refreshing.

I enjoyed how this book kept the pacing up, kept me interested and kept me wondering exactly how everything was connected and what, exactly, was going on. It's also not often that you get a teen fiction that makes a person think of what exactly they are posting on the internet and who has access to that information, in an entertaining format.

In Conclusion

Rewired is a Thriller, Suspense, Murder Mystery mash up that works. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a fast paced book that takes a rather short time to read.

I'm glad I read it.

Age Range: Mature pre-teen (see Other), Teen mostly
Profanities: Maybe one or two actually written that I can remember. The rest are referred to as swearing, cursing, etc.
Potential triggers: Simone ODs on anti-depressants and everyone thinks it's suicide, Crash has a heart attack, someone else dies by texting and driving...but all are a general, in-the-past events.
Other: There are kissing scenes, two boys bantering about things like 'shrinkage,' people get shot at, there's some martial arts fighting, people may be thrown off a roof...yeah. Good book!

First off, I would like to thank the publisher and author for providing me this ARC to review. Please note that the version I read was an advanced copy, and certain events/language may be changed in the published edition.

Stars (Out of 10): 3/10 Stars

Spoiler Free: I wanted to like this book, as the concept seemed super neat and reminded me of books such as The Program and Dark Eden, but the execution was just terrible.

I believe I saw somewhere that this is a re-release of a story originally written in 2012, so maybe that’s part of it, it just didn’t age well. And if I’m being honest, many parts of the story did feel pretty dated. (EDIT: I now know that this is incorrect, and rather some of the reviews at the beginning of my copy were misleading. Regardless, I still find the references and some of the tropes outdated. In writing in such a quickly changing area, it’s pretty important to either invent new references that cannot become outdated, or ensure any references used (such as the fact that everyone listened to Daft Punk in this book) are as relevant as possible. In my opinion, anytime popular culture is involved, you always run the risk of it being cringy, and unfortunately almost all of the pop culture use in this book was.)

But even if the story had been written now, with references that worked still in today’s time, the over-stereotyped characters matched with the juvenile, and at times, contradicting writing also would have made me rate this book the way I did.

Specifically in terms of characters, it was kind of ridiculous, and at times insulting, how certain types of characters were categorized. We have Varian, the gamer obsessed with WOW and changed his real-life name to his character one, who only dresses in black and wears a trench coat? We also have Raven, a punk looking girl who our narrator hates from the start because of how off-putting she is. And it continues on, with the stereotyped cheerleader and the lanky, quiet guy. Lastly, the most likable character is the dead best friend, as she is given the most characterization, even when compared to the narrator. (Also, there’s a lot of crying and emotions in this book that feel very fake and extreme.

In addition, we have a random romance thrown in that is very on and off and reminds me a lot of younger high school relationships. It honestly was all over the place, and without it, I probably would’ve rated the book higher.

Back to writing, it felt simple, and while this was good during the explanation of confusing, techy moments, it just contributed to the dated feeling of the entire novel. Additionally, I’m not sure if this book just hasn’t gone through any editing yet (have an ARC copy), but there was tons of errors that led to confusion during some scenes. But the main issue with the writing was how it contradicted itself sometimes, showing us one fact and then pulling an entirely different conclusion from it. (The most obvious example being a 3 day period shown, and then having that period being described as a week.)

Additionally, the ending left some things unresolved, and for a stand-alone book I find that very off putting. My favorite part about stand-alones is that they’re usually all wrapped up in a bow by the end of it, or at least don’t purposely introduce new “twists” in the last few chapters that never get resolved.

I do have to admit that the plot was semi intriguing though. The main reason I finished this off was because of the plot, and wanting to find out the secrets behind everything. If some of the other things above had been improved, I could see myself recommending this book based on plot alone. However, it is a package deal, and therefore I cannot recommend this book to people looking for a cool urban sci-fi.

This book.... this book. I don't really know how I feel about this book. It's good, but not really. The writing style just... doesn't suit me. I don't know.

Wow. WOW!

Okay, so yes, once I got this book it took me a few months to actually start reading it. I was in a reading slump. Fortunately, that made for a much better state of mind as I picked up "Rewired" and gave it a fresh start. This story completely pulled me in. I love the messed up characters. I love the fast-paced plot. I love the eerie and tech-y setting.

Two things I didn't love: the main character's name (I feel like we've heard this name multiple times before, and it always makes me cringe) and the forced attempt at romance (I've been there myself, but YA books do not need a romantic element).

Back to what I loved:
Ada is really fascinating and complex. You meet her as she is hacking as Dark Angel, then you find out about her life outside of the computer. She's a total limit-pusher online but in her real life is very timid and meek. Seeing both sides of her just makes for good storytelling. I appreciated the pace of the novel. None of my time was wasted. The intrigue of Reboot was there from the moment she arrived on campus and just got better and better. I was constantly questioning people, their words, actions, and motives. I was not disappointed in the follow through of those mysteries.

Arc provided by #NetGalley for my honest opinion.
I actually enjoyed this book, I love stories about hackers, i find them absolutely fascinating, so I was really excited to receive this.
The story moves along quite well, and keeps you guessing, I loved all the tech talk and the group dynamic, there was enough humor among them that it allowed for all the tech talk to flow nicely. I really appreciated that.
Ada Lovelace is a super cool character, I found her relatively easy to understand and relate to, the only real issue I had with her character is her insta-love with Fisher. They went from basically not talking at all, to her kissing him and all of a sudden they both care deeply. I would have loved for a little more connecting with each other to make it seem a little more real.
Fisher was also a really bland character, as part of the group he was great, but alone, he was really lacking. They made out like he was a great hacker, but we never see it, like ever. His skills are never shown and he doesn't really add anything at all to the story.
I hope we see more to this story, we never found out what happened to Raven for starters and that bothered me. Maybe an epilogue?

I personally struggled with this book, and admittedly, I couldn't finish it.

I didn't like the main character Ada. Her perspective on life and risks definitely comes from a teenage naivety that I couldn't relate to. Especially, being a Senator's daughter, you would expect her to know better. At least I would!

The vast majority of the writing (so far as I read) was clear and easy to follow. I am not all that technically-minded, but sections describing hacking were written in such a way as to be approachable to all, so I knew what was going on.

I thought there were sections which were quite clearly rushed in order to move the story on; for me, that was what tipped the scales and I knew no matter how hard I tried, this book was not for me.

This YA cyberpunk book is super intense and hard to put down! I loved how the tech lingo is interwoven throughout the story so you fee like you are experiencing what the character is doing as if watching a movie rather than trying to imagine it. Very well written!

Ada Lovelace is the daughter of a senator and part of a hacker group. When something happens to her best friend Simone in real life she thinks it may have a connection to their hacker group and decides to do everything she can to find out who is responsible. Her plans fall short when she is caught and sent to a hacker rehab clinic called Reboot. Can Ada survive this with her sanity intact?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel for a fair and honest review!

I LOVE the premise of this book, it's so interesting and full of mystery, plus having a hacker as a main character isn't something you see everyday! But apart from the great mystery about Ada's friend Simone and the fact that Ada does lots of hacking throughout this book, I don't have many positive things to say.

The love interest of Ada was absolutely bland - apart from being handsome and doing funny remarks, Fisher doesn't really have a personality at all. He's supposed to be an awesome hacker, but he doesn't do any hacking at all in the whole book. The romance was not really believable, it went from a crush and a stolen kiss to full-blown committed relationship, love declarations and so on.

Also, there is a character called Crasher who suffers from mutism since suffering a trauma when his sister dies when he's supposed to be watching her. And Ada in just a few days "cures" him by basically emotionally blackmailing him and then getting mad when he isn't talking to her, like it's a personal affront. I think Crasher's mutism wasn't well-dealt with at all in this novel and it bothered me a lot.

The book got cheesy a lot of times, and I had to speed-read through it to make it more enjoyable, skipping a few "smart remarks" from Fisher and some of Ada's internal monologue. So yes, I enjoyed this book, it was a fun read and full of mystery, but oh my god, it's so flawed.

Ada Lovelace is a hacker. Unfortunately, her dad is a Senator trying to push through a bill to protect the privacy of teens on social media. Ada gets caught hacking into SocialNet and to keep it quiet, she has to agree to go to a special rehab for the IT addicted. Only problem is that her best friend went there not long ago and committed suicide not long after leaving it.....
Ada finds a web of intrigue and suspicion when she gets there that leaves her unsure who to trust. Nobody is quite what they first appear ( just like on the internet) and gradually the secrets start to be revealed.
This was a fast, pacy book that was gripping and well written. The characters were done well so they were not one-dimensional and not overly cliched etc. I was overall impressed by this book and would definitely recommend it.

Ada's the Dark Angel, hacktivist, and life just went offline.
How can she get back on track and hack the real killers?

Rewired is a fast-paced YA thriller that will appeal to a large audience. There’s enough hacking, espionage, mystery, and suspense to keep teens engaged. Many will identify busy parents, being over-connected to social media, the internet, gaming, etc., and the desire to make a difference, to be someone special, to win.

Ada is a senator’s daughter; she is also the Dark Angel, a young member of the aptly named Orwellian hacktivist group, caught in a web of encroaching lies and hacks. She’s also addicted to hacking and avoiding real life connections since her best friend and fellow hacker, Simone, died. Caught in a hack, Ada’s sent to ReBoot to be rehabilitated with other hacker and internet addicted teens, Ada can’t stay away from the connection for long. Deprived of all her high-tech and sent to the program that Simone attended just before her suicide, Ada soon finds hidden computers, a hacking lab, and staff members who are hiding more than computers in the creepy buildings. Why have so many teens died within a few days of leaving ReBoot?

Shelli R. Johannes touches enough buttons that young people be thrilled with the ride, identify with the various teens at ReBoot, and perhaps assess whether their own internet and social media usage is excessive. Johannes makes clear that the online connection is the illusion of relationships and that it’s real life friends that save us from falling.

Fun and thoughtful read that I would recommend for teens.

I'm sort of a tech nerd, so when I read the blurb for this book, I knew I had to read it.
I was sucked in from the start and I will definitely be looking forward to more books by the author.
Overall, it was a good read. Fast-paced, but not 'keeping me on the edge of my seat' fast. The plot was easy to follow, though I must admit most of the drama was in the second-half of the book. (Some of the stuff the FBI gets away with seems a bit shady, but it is just a book after all). I love the way the author develops the characters as the story progresses, especially Ada, it nice to be able to delve into their minds and behavior to uncover their thoughts.
The book ends on a cliffhanger, *sigh*, so I expect that this book will be a series.
I give ReWired 4.5 stars out of 5 and I recommend that anyone who loves YA and mild thrillers read this

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, fast-paced mystery/thriller. It was a unique story that was well told. I liked the characters and the backstories. The book is full of action and keeps you interested. I mean, some of it was a little far-fetched, but that’s the fun of books. If they’re well written, they can get away with it (I mean, there’s no way the FBI would let an agent do some of the stuff Mitnick seems to get away with!).

This book does leave you with a little cliffhanger, though I’m not quite sure the point of it. This book appears to be a standalone, so I’m not sure if the character that survives is meant to be a cliffhanger, or really meant to tie up a lose end and mention the character’s involvement in the big scheme of things (though it seemed a little like “oh, and by the way...”). I don’t even know if this paragraph makes sense, I’m trying to explain myself without spoiling anything. If you read the book, you’ll understand what I’m getting at.

This is a strange book to review, because there's so much contained between those few hundred pages. Where to start? The characters? The intrigue? The clash between the cyber world and the natural world? The romance or the friendship? There is just so much crammed in there that it's hard to focus my review on a particular aspect, so I will simply resume what I liked and didn't like.

What I enjoyed: this book reads like a Nancy Drew novel aimed at an older (see: teenager) audience. You know the tropes: witty young girl becomes involved in a mystery that she has to solve, gets herself in these terribly dangerous situations, always comes back relatively unscathed, etc. One moment, she is safe, and then the next she's falling through the floor or being shot with strange objects... All to solve the mystery along with her sidekicks, but definitely always working better on her own. Luckily, I absolutely adored the Nancy Drew books as a tween, and therefore, I did really enjoy the intrigue behind ReWired.

I also loved how funny this book was; I genuinely laughed out loud a few times! There is a really good balance between serious topics and light-hearted intercessions, and the book never felt overwhelming in a specific kind of tropes.

Which brings me to what I liked a little less: the pacing - that was overwhelming. I love past-paced books as much as any other reader, but I honestly think this novel could have been a trilogy. It goes from everyone hating themselves to being super close all at once, which left me feeling rather indifferent about anyone but the protagonist.

Also, I think I received an ARC; I hope the cut-off sentences and missing words and grammatical errors were fixed before the release, because it sucks when you get to the end of the paragraph and your sentence doesn't end.

Still, it wasn't a bad book; I'd be curious to see what the final version looks like. I'd like to thank Coleman and Stott for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily received this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this book with super high expectations and I was immensely underwhelmed. The biggest problem of this book was that it had no plot whatsoever. Imagine a thin threadbare patchwork quilt that is sloppily put together…that is how I would describe this book.
The characters were so one dimensional, the friendships and the relationship blossomed out of nowhere and seemed to be forced on to the reader. Emphasis on instal-love the relationship made no sense, we did not get that much insight to either of the character’s personalities and it just popped out of bland characters.
The conflict was practically nonexistent because the resolve of it was so predictable and anticlimactic.
There was no plot, it was just occasion after occasion with some lukewarm characters sprinkled in.
Also, not that big of a deal, but I code a lot and have done some recreational hacking (obviously the legal kind) and the terminology is a little off and I understand it doesn’t have to be right but it could be a little more accurate as it is the central focus of this novel.
All in all I did not enjoy this book and I do not see myself reading it again.

Fantastic book! Perfect for this day and age! Would recommend it.

In the world of ReWired Ada Lovelace's best friend commits suicide without reason, and Ada is desperate to know why. Ada along with her now deceased best friend, Simone, are teenage hackers who hack along side a group of people they've never really met. After Ada is busted for hacking she is sent to Reboot, a rehab for teens addicted to technology.

During the entire book I was a little confused about when this story was taking place. The world seemed to have every quality of the present, but there were some things that seemed a little unrealistic or too futuristic for the present day that threw me off. Another issue I had with this book (not the story, the book) was that the author dropped brand names constantly. I highlighted every brand name she dropped and got a grand total of sixteen. Whenever something like a brand of Soda was mentioned or the brand of clothing a character was wearing was mentioned I lost all focus on the story and was stuck back to reality. One odd thing I happened to notice was actually a mathematical error. When Ada is reading information about people who have died after leaving Reboot she claims they all die one week after they leave, one full week. But on the very next page the files each show that they died between two and four days after leaving. This really as a whole bothered me because I figured someone would have noticed this earlier, but I guess it was just me.

One of the biggest flaws in this story was the romance. About halfway into the book Ada almost kisses Fisher, but up until this moment their had been no romantic chemistry between the two characters. Throughout the rest of the novel the relationship develops, but the characters do not spend much time together or get to know one another very well.

The best part of this book had to be it's characters. Every character was very distinct with their own personality and story. Johannes successfully wrote unique individuals. When book character's get mixed up in my head it can completely ruin a story, so having side characters that were well developed was so enjoyable to read about. Ada, Becca, Fisher, Raven, Andrew, and Crash all had their own personalities and quirks.

The author has a natural gift for descriptions. I could picture all of the locations clearly, and I could almost feel the physical and emotional experiences Ada went through.

In the end their were some things I'm still left questioning and confused about. In the story we learn Becca severely cyber bullied someone, but we never got an explanation or closure over this topic. Raven goes missing and is never pronounced dead or alive, which really bothered me. Ada only seems mildly affected by the many deaths that occur during the novel, honestly I don't remember her crying over any of them.

The story's idea was very unique but the story overall was a bit flawed. If you can look over some of the issues I had with this book then you could defiantly enjoy this YA read. ReWired was not the book for me, but I did enjoy some of my time reading it.

To conclude this review I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ebook of ReWired for review.