I always enjoy reading messy storylines. It makes me pay attention. Plus, the characters are so flawed that you can't relate to why they are doing something. Plus, the mystery storyline also grabs my attention as well.

I wasn’t able to finish this novel - although it was no fault of the characters. The plot just seemed too… big for the ages. While I know not everything is going to be realistic in novels I had a hard time imagining the characters going through this. Also the fat that he kissed Winter when he knowingly had a girlfriend - just was icky to me.

This is a high-stakes YA contemporary action flick that I think fans of The Pacifier (yes, the Vin Diesel one), and Nerve will enjoy. I loved the pacing, having time for the action to start, then pause for character interactions that show the heart of the story (community, bonding, loyalty) then back into the action again. I love how smart and kind Tan is. I love how clueless and out-of-touch Rebecca is, and how selfless Winter is. Also Sister Ava!!! I'd love to see this turned into a movie.
My favorite scenes include The Talks Tan has with Rebecca and Winter (separate occasions) and Sister Ava's ~other resources.

- KISSES, CODES, AND CONSPIRACIES seems like it’s going to be a YA romance, and then it takes a left turn into a thriller.
- I had a good time with it, but you need to suspend a lot of disbelief. The bad guys are trained fighters with high end technology but teenagers beat them at every turn. A nun running a teen shelter has everything they happen to need. A teenage boy is better at decrypting things than said bad guys or adults who work in crypt0currency.
- All that said, it was still a fun ride. The kids were sweet, especially the side characters who rallied around the main crew. I’ll definitely try more books by Wen in the future.

Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies by Abigail Hing Wen was an absolute thrill to read! From the first chapter, I was hooked by the fast-paced plot and the sharp, engaging writing. I loved the mix of suspense, romance, and mystery as the main character, Zoey, dives into a world of espionage and secrets. The romance is sweet and slow-building, but it never overshadows the excitement of the conspiracy unfolding around her. Wen does a fantastic job of balancing high-stakes action with heartfelt moments, and I couldn’t help but root for Zoey every step of the way. It’s the perfect book if you’re looking for a gripping story with a dash of romance and a lot of heart.

Thanks NetGalley!
I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would have loved too, I do enjoy the authors other stories. I would give it a chance!

Thank you @netgalley and @mackidsbooks for an advance copy of this ebook!

Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies appealed to me because I love the concept of seeing nerds get to do their things. However…this wasn’t that. Tan is supposedly a beyond genius cryptographer (while in high school), but we never see his skills actually in action. There’s one scene where it sort of comes into play, but it’s skimmed over so sadly.

While I thought the romance between Winter and Tan was cute, so much of this book left me just wishing for more. It was teenage angst miscommunication but the problem was that it was only miscommunication because neither of the MCs finished a thought ever. Like, if either of them had taken more than 30 seconds and finished a thought and not stop themselves because “Uh, reasons, yeah totally,” 80% of this conflict resolves itself.

However the worst sin (for me) is that this book has my least favorite trope/plot event, whatever you want to call it. The antagonist is the head of security. Dude is supposedly credentialed to the max. The best of the best. And he’s regularly bested by kids. Yes, Tan is a black belt, first degree…but dude’s a PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED, heartless force of nature. Dude should be knocking Tan on his ass…not getting knocked on his own.

If you approach this book, be prepared for themes like miscommunication, love triangle, mutual pining, and found family.

This book started with a lot of promise. It was well-written and engaging at first, but unfortunately, it dragged on, and I wasn't as invested in the characters as I could've been. It could've been a decent YA title, but the romance was just okay and the thriller aspect fell short. One thing I really appreciated about the book was the Chinese American representation. It was a part of the story without being the main focus nor detracting from it and that's always refreshing to read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A just-right combo of teenage and family drama mixed with an heart-pounding action thriller, this book was a wild ride around the Bay Area. Its complicated plot unwinds gradually as we follow Tan, Winter, Rebecca, and Sana. I absolutely loved the way The Cove and Sister Ava figure into the plot. My only hiccup was the fact that I harbored some resentment toward Rebecca for a good chunk of the book at the audacity she had in involving the others (especially Sana) in her troubles… this made more sense later in the book, but I feel like I wanted her to be more apologetic, earlier on, about involving them. Overall, a great read for even younger teens (the content is pretty mild though there is a little of suspense/violence, and some kissing).

This starts out strong but falls flat by the end. The plot is fun but drags more than a thriller should; this might be because the characters didn't feel engaging to me (e.g., the attempted love triangle between Winter, Tan, and Rebecca didn't work well). Still, I enjoyed the side characters (especially the ones at the Cove) and admire Abigail Hing Wen for venturing into a new genre.

I enjoyed most of the story. The love triangle was just too much for me. I'm not a big fan of those and apparently didn't read the blurb clearly enough.

Abigail Hing Wen delivers a delightful blend of intrigue and romance in Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies. This YA novel masterfully weaves the high stakes of tech-world competition with heartfelt exploration of identity, family, and ambition. The protagonist’s journey through love and loyalty feels authentic and engaging, making it hard to put down. Fans of her earlier work will adore this fresh, dynamic story that keeps you guessing until the very end. A must-read for anyone who loves tech-savvy heroines and smart, swoon-worthy romances!

This book is so focused on external action, and the characters are only vaguely sketched out. But I also found the action to be unbelievable and rambling… not a good fit for me. I won’t be sharing this review publicly on other sites since I ended up DNFing at 30%. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

Heist and a well executed love triangle what more could you want?!? How about babysitting a 5 year old as well?

This action packed romance is fast paced and enthralling. You won’t want to put it down. You get to know the characters throughout the story as I believe books should be. Nothing worse than half a book of boring backstory and character building forcing the second half to cram the whole plot in. This book is definitely not guilty of that it’s moving through plot from the very start.

If you like romance but need more excitement than a standard contemporary romance book offers I recommend you give Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies a try.

A new YA book by @abigailhingwen that reminded me so much of Adventures in Babysitting!
🧑🏻‍💻
After getting very close to one another after prom, Tan Lee and Winter Woo agree to cool things off between them because Winter and her mom rent a room from Tan’s parents and also, Tan is just getting over a breakup from his dream girl. Months pass and Tan and Winter’s parents decide to go on vacation to Hawaii leaving the two home alone to care for Tan’s little sister. Suddenly Tan’s ex busts back into his life carrying some stolen coins she is trying to sell to escape her overbearing parents in Shanghai. Now she, Winter, Tan and his sister, Sana, are all on the run from thieves trying to steal the coins!
🪙
This was not at all what I thought this book was going to be in the very best way possible! I assumed #lovetriangle but the action and adventure was such a great surprise because I don’t see enough of #books like these in young adult books It kept the pace of the novel moving quickly and I adored the romance as well. Sister Ava is a saint BTW. Happy release (last) week! Grab your copy now!

CW: violence, assault, violence, death of a parent, grief, kidnapping

Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC! I very much enjoyed how fast-paced the story is with never-ending action! *wipes tear* the friendship building, the way the characters think, the #foundfamily trope. You can't help but love these characters immediately! Especially my girl Rebecca :) The ending makes it all worth it and if you're like me where you don't care too much about things in the story being realistic and just let it be, you'll have a fun journey the entire time!

3.5 rounded down to 3

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc!

I enjoyed this! It was a nice spin on a normal romance book, the mystery and suspense aspects of the book worked really well. All of the characters were pretty smart and were able to navigate the San Francisco area quite well for being teens with limited access to technology and other supplies. It had the classic trope of parents being gone so there was no adult intervention in their escapade, but I didn't mind that since that played a role in the plot towards the end. Most of the book was pretty good, but there was one thing I didn't like as much: there were too many characters. Some of the characters could have been combined because most of them served the same purpose.

DNF
this was way to chaotic and all over the place and a novel where if done correctly, all this outlandishness pulls you in and keeps you going because you just have to know how it ends no matter how foolish or unbelievable it is. But with that being said I didn't connect to the characters and that tanked my interest in everything else. Maybe if I had read it at a different time it would be a different story but it just did not work out for me at this time.

If you like plot-driven books (vs romance or character driven), this is definitely one to put on your TBR. It was one of those stories that felt like a movie (in a good way!).

DNF after a few chapters. I just couldn't connect with the characters, and the pace felt slow to me. I was expecting action right off the bat, and the slow beginning didn't work for me. I was disappointed because action/adventure-romance is my favorite genre, but the way this one was written just wasn't my cup of tea.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)