Action packed and intricate this novel tells the story of Mia as she breaks many codes to save the nation from destruction. Action packed and intricate this novel tells the story of Mia as she breaks many codes to save the nation from destruction.

Codebreaker is a fast paced YA thriller following Mia whose life falls apart when it becomes clear that her parents are swept up in dangerous and likely very illegal activity. Mia then has to race through DC to solve her father’s birthday present, a highly coded birthday scavenger hunt. While this is their yearly tradition, this year she is being chased by people who want to know what her father hid at the end of the trail.

This is one of those books that if you can suspend your disbelief a little bit you’re going to love. It reminds me a lot of the Inheritance Games / the Naturals in that way. However, if you can accept the somewhat wild premise, it’s a great book. It’s fast paced and provides an interesting history of coded messages and conspiracy theories that were cool to learn about.

The twists in this book were also well done and are set up really well throughout the book so they’re not just coming out of nowhere. I enjoyed how these happened and think it added a lot to the structure of the book.

My favorite part of this book was definitely its interactive nature. When Mia is solving codes, the second you have everything you need to solve it there’s a little star indicating that you should pause and attempt to get the solution. Getting to crack the codes alongside the main characters was super fun and I would definitely recommend it if you read this book.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and hope we get more like it in the future!

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. From the clues we got to be apart of as readers, to the characters, to the twists I did not see coming, all of it. It’s marketed as YA but I feel like adults can find enjoyment in this one as well (I sure did). It kept me on my toes the entire time and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how everything played out. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for the ARC!

This wasn‘t my cup of tea at all, im so sad.
It was fast paced and I liked that you could solve codes with Mia but that was about it. I didn‘t like the mcs at all. The stuff that happened was really tragic but I just couldn’t connect to the story or the characters. The little romance that developed between the mcs felt so forced and just wrong in my eyes.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

This book caught me off guard! I originally clicked because the title had intrigued me. I definitely enjoyed every page of it! I love how it feels like solving a puzzle alongside the characters. However, I do agree with some of the other reviews that the book can become a bit confusing at times. I found myself flipping back a few pages and carefully re-reading when I felt confused. The plot moved quickly, which I enjoyed since it was just what I needed.

Furthermore, Mia and the other characters were quite like able and I could see myself in her personality enough that it made the book more enjoyable. Logan was also a great character as a hacker, but you’ll have to imagine that some of the things he does are truly what hackers do. Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for being an enjoyable read but slightly confusing. (I hate to admit it but I struggled to get any of the puzzles haha)

This was a fun, interesting and fast-paced read! I thought the authors did an excellent job of crafting a storyline that will keep you engaged.

The story itself is unique in the regard that as a reader you have the opportunity to solve the codes/puzzles right alongside the leading characters. It makes for a really interactive and immersive read.

It definitely had me feeling like I was reading a young adult version of National Treasure and I'll be grabbing a copy for my personal book collection after it's released.

I'd add this one to your TBR.

Thank you Jay Martel, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC of this book and. All opinions in this review are my own.

⭐⭐💫

CODEBREAKER by Jay Martel

Mia Hayes wants nothing more than to enjoy her summer. When the government shows up unannounced, her mother is killed and her father runs. Three weeks laters, she is thrown into a matter or life and death as she trams up with Logan to figure out and decipher the clues her father left.
I'm not sure how I felt about this book. On one hand, I thought this book was interesting, and I liked trying to solve the ciphers. On the other hand, this book lost me. There were times where I was confused, and it felt like information was being thrown in left and right---like a ton of information, which made it hard to keep track of.
This book was fast-paced, but I ended up growing bored toward the second half---I can't get into it much without spoiling but (history tour). Regardless, this book had potential, I just don't think I was the right audience even though I appreciated that massive twist.

An engaging thriller that pulled me in from the first page until the last. I was as throughly hooked on finding out what every single detail about these characters and I just want everyone to read and enjoy this book as much as I did.

I love a good mystery thriller and this did not disappoint. Mia is spending the summer working when her mom is murdered by the government and dad is on the run but these events kick start a world of puzzles and codes that Mia needs to break. I found the plot original and engaging and the whole story thrilling.

Not to be dramatic, but I don’t think I have ever read a more perfect YA thriller. 🤯

This was one of the coolest, most enjoyable thrillers I have ever read! The cyphers that you can try breaking on your own throughout the book makes it SO fun!! I felt like I was channeling my inner Nicholas Cage with these National Treasure worthy codes.

The characters were so likable. They added such great sense of humor, emotion, and depth to the story and the minor romance subplot was unexpectedly precious.

There were things I absolutely did not see coming in this story, and I was so impressed with the twists!

I’m planning on getting the physical copy of this book so I can reread and take notes in the margins for these cyphers. 😂

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the authors for this book! All opinions are my own.

Codebreaker is a conspiracy thriller, whilst not horror, is well worth a look and is a fun and highly entertaining read for teens who enjoy solving puzzles, twists and going up against the ‘man’ (being the all-powerful American government). Mia Hayes’s life is turned upside down when government agents appear at her house wanting something they believed her father has stolen. As her father is a respected academic this is a bolt from the blue and in the immediate chaos which follows her mother is killed, her father disappears, and she finds herself on the run suddenly aware that she cannot trust anybody. However, coming from a family obsessed with puzzles, her father has left her one final puzzle to solve, which lies at the heart of the book.

Mia is super-smart and has been well trained by her father, and soon this high school student finds herself on the run. Most of Codebreaker takes place on the run, you will have to suspend belief, but it was very good fun, especially when hacking, double agents, lots of technology and some romance are thrown into the mix. Clever clues are dropped here and there, the reader is also given puzzles to solve (sorry, I got none of them) and as Mia homes in on the truth learns more about her family and who her father really was. I would have loved this when I was thirteen and had a great time piggybacking on Mia’s trials as she finds herself in a very deep conspiracy. Who needs Jack Bauer when you have Mia Hayes? Go Girl! AGE RANGE 12/13+

This was a great book. I loved that the author gave you the opportunity to solve the puzzles on your own before continuing on with the story. It is
tragic and suspenseful with a really unique storyline. Family secrets can be unexpected and deadly. I will definitely be adding this book to our library collection. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn’t my typical read but it definitely intrigued me from the description. Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read Codebreaker before its July release!

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A thrilling adventure! Mia Hayes life is turned upside down when government agents coming to her house wanting something they believed her father had stole. The next thing she knows her mother has passed and her father is on the run. Her father has left her clues to follow and she’ll have to trust Logan, who is a hacker, in order to solve them. Following cryptic puzzles they’ll race against time to find what her father wanted her to before someone else does. But can she really trust Logan? And just what did her father wanted her to find? A fast-paced story that will have readers consuming the pages! Jay Martel’s Codebreaker is full of intrigue, action, and a little bit of romance!

I loved The Da Vinci Code and National Treasure. Like everyone says, this book is truly a combo of both as a YA novel with a teenage girl at the center, racing through DC to solve the puzzles her father had left for her. The plot was well through out and the story just as well written. I kept turning pages to find out what happened and tried to solve the puzzles on my own as well.

Codebreaker by Jay Martel is a gripping YA thriller packed with action, intrigue, and a dash of romance. The story revolves around Mia Hayes, a teenager whose life is turned upside down when government agents arrive to her family home one evening, demanding an item they believe her father has stolen. Things go poorly and now her mother is dead, and her father has gone on the run.

After Mia meets Logan, a charming and clever hacker, they embark on a high-stakes journey through Washington, D.C. To decode a series of clues left behind by Mia's father that are tied to a national security. Racing against time with agents on their trail, they unravel hidden secrets about Mia's family and work to stop an attack. Along the way, they visit iconic historical sites, and solve cyphers and puzzles. While the narrative touches on political and economic issues, it never feels overly heavy, maintaining a fun and thrilling tone throughout.

The plot is fast-paced and captivating, with plenty of twists to keep readers hooked. Mia and Logan’s partnership is one of the highlights of the story. Their dynamic is both entertaining as they complement each other’s strengths. While the narrative touches on political and economic issues, it never feels overly heavy, maintaining a fun and thrilling tone throughout.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This book was so much fun! I love interactive/"Choose-Your-Own-Adventure"-esque novels but admittedly don't get to them all too often, so I wasn't fully sure what to expect with this one. It really does live up to its marketing hype of being reminiscent of both National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code for YA readers, I'll say that much. Solid story given it's format and definitely a book one could revisit multiple times, imho, whether it's to focus solely on the plot; to try and solve the puzzles as you go along or after the fact; etc etc. A unique reading experience with a lot of potential, for sure!

ARC Review! - Releases July 22, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was definitely National Treasure x The Da Vinci Code for YA readers! If you are a fan of either of these, definitely put this on your TBR.

The story follows Mia as she follows a scavenger hunt of codes from her father who was a famous code breaker. But she’s also on the run from a shady government group looking for something her father stole. After a travesty, she knows she holds the key to finding out what it was…

Such an interesting story - I devoured this one up rather quickly. While it is a YA read - there’s enough action and twists that even adults can enjoy it.

I loved the whole code breaking concept and the history the authors wove through this tale. I actually noticed most of my highlights were things I wanted to research further. But it was done in an interesting way that doesn’t take you out of the story or make you feel like you are reading a history book.

Also bonus points for the ability to stop and decode everything yourself! I definitely took advantage of this and solved the codes before moving on. It added such a fun element to the book I think a lot of people will love.

Now I will say I caught the main 2 twists right off the bat in the story due to just how many clues there were leading up. This did take me out of the story a little bit but if you don’t figure it out - you will be in for some big surprises. But personally, it felt a little too easy to figure out.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read and think a lot of other people will too! Such a great debut that I was shocked to discover it was a debut. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for further works from this couple.

❤️ Big thanks to Wednesday Books, Jay Martel and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

As an avid fan of The DaVinci Code and someone who wishes they had the brain power to solve even the simplest of cyphers, this book was so much fun!

I love reading a co-authored book where you can’t tell when the pen changes hands…this is one of those.

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Thank you to the publisher for the eARC via Netgalley!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing a chance at reading this.

I think the story could have been interesting if the girl ditched the guy. As soon as he showed up, he became a sidekick who did nothing but quips. Quips, quips, quips. Not a single thing that came out of his mouth was worth listening to. I made it 50% in before DNFing it. Was he a villain? I hoped he would double cross her.

Another issue I had was the use of political activism as a scene dressing. The guy was someone who she ran into during a rally. Though, the rally screamed an awful lot like Jan 6th. And, the main character was staying somewhere in Tel Aviv at one point in her life? What?

Codebreaking is fun but this story just wasn't doing it for me.