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The Obake Code
An all-new, stand-alone sci-fi caper from the author of Hammajang Luck: a bored hacker is forced by vicious gangsters to take down a crooked politician...only to find herself up against a code she might not be able to crack.
After the heist of a lifetime, Malia has it all: a loft apartment aboard the massive Kepler Station, expensive clothes, and a dev credit in her favorite video game. She’s also bored as hell. Three years after retiring her mantle as the Obake, the most infamous hacker in the quadrant—and arguably the galaxy—Malia hasn’t taken well to civilian life. So what’s the harm in rigging a few cybernetic prizefights and making a little cash on the side?
When Malia’s scheme is uncovered, she runs afoul of Jeongah Song—the dangerous leader of a local gang with a reputation for brutality. Malia is ready for retribution. But what she gets instead is an offer she can’t refuse: take down the local politician leading a “clean up the streets” campaign displacing residents and hindering Jeongah’s operations on the space station… or die. Without another way out, Malia takes the deal.
Luckily, she has some friends she can call on in times of need: a master thief, a street racing wheelman, and a femme fatale grifter. But as Malia digs deeper into the politician’s shady dealings, she finds herself embroiled in a conspiracy that might be too big for her to handle. One that has roots in her own rise as the Obake—a cybernetically enhanced superhacker created by a power-mad genius… a superhacker whose mods are rapidly degrading. Faced with threats on all sides, Malia may finally be in over her head...or stuck—forever—inside her own mind.
After the heist of a lifetime, Malia has it all: a loft apartment aboard the massive Kepler Station, expensive clothes, and a dev credit in her favorite video game. She’s also bored as hell. Three years after retiring her mantle as the Obake, the most infamous hacker in the quadrant—and arguably the galaxy—Malia hasn’t taken well to civilian life. So what’s the harm in rigging a few cybernetic prizefights and making a little cash on the side?
When Malia’s scheme is uncovered, she runs afoul of Jeongah Song—the dangerous leader of a local gang with a reputation for brutality. Malia is ready for retribution. But what she gets instead is an offer she can’t refuse: take down the local politician leading a “clean up the streets” campaign displacing residents and hindering Jeongah’s operations on the space station… or die. Without another way out, Malia takes the deal.
Luckily, she has some friends she can call on in times of need: a master thief, a street racing wheelman, and a femme fatale grifter. But as Malia digs deeper into the politician’s shady dealings, she finds herself embroiled in a conspiracy that might be too big for her to handle. One that has roots in her own rise as the Obake—a cybernetically enhanced superhacker created by a power-mad genius… a superhacker whose mods are rapidly degrading. Faced with threats on all sides, Malia may finally be in over her head...or stuck—forever—inside her own mind.
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2026
About the author
Makana Yamamoto
2 books210 followersMakana Yamamoto was born on the island of Maui. Splitting their time between the Mainland and Hawaiʻi, Makana grew up on beaches and in snowbanks. Always a scientist at heart, Makana fell in love with sci-fi as a teen–they even led the science fiction and fantasy interest house at their college. A writer from childhood, fiction became the perfect medium for them to explore their interests as well as reconnect with their culture, coalescing into a passion for diverse sci-fi. They love writing multicultural settings and queer characters, as well as imagining what the future might look like for historically marginalized communities. In their free time, Makana likes to hoard dice for their Dungeons & Dragons games, experiment in the kitchen, defeat bosses with their guildmates, and get way too invested in reality competition shows. They currently live in New England with their wife and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Reasons to read this book:
✨ cyberpunk ✨ heist ✨ with Black ✨ lesbians ✨
Does it need more reasons than this?
Fast-paced, well written, with multiple plot twists that drew me in deeper into the story. The main cast is all queer, POC women (mix of Black, Korean, Latinx and other ethnicities). There's a lesbian romance sub-plot with one brief explicit scene. The writing style incorporates unique slang (Hawaiian) and specific flashbacks / visions mc experiences due to her cybernetic mod, which are weird and intrusive, but are supposed to be - they're disturbing and annoying to the mc herself. Multiple action scenes of chases, conning, virtual reality, and so on.
It's definitely a unique book because I don't see many cyberpunk releases these days. I liked the casual diversity, including a character being revealed as asexual much later in the story. I enjoy characters being people first, labels later, and sadly too many other authors introduce characters as labels and I learn nothing about their personalities outside of their diversity status. This wasn't the case here, all the members of the main crew are distinct and interesting as people.
The video gaming sequences really brought back my nostalgia for when I was younger and an avid gamer, it's clear the author understands online gaming culture.
This is a loose sequel to Hammajang Luck, but it can be read as a standalone - I haven't read the previous book and it worked just fine. There are some cameos from the previous book and some mentions of mc's backstory / past involvement, but otherwise it's a separate story.
My personal enjoyment: 4.5 star, but mostly because heists aren't my jam, but the plot of Malia's identity / complicated past gave it an extra layer over just being a heist. Objectively, this is a good book and a fast read, rounding it up to 5. But I think if even a well written heist didn't convince me to the genre, it's probably the last time I'm trying one. It's not you, buddy, it's me.
I also wasn't a fan of the very old fantasy trope in a sci-fi wrapper, where
Thank you Netgalley, Harper Voyager and Orion Publishing Group / Gollancz for the ARC!
Btw the US cover is gorgeous, the UK one... not so much.
✨ cyberpunk ✨ heist ✨ with Black ✨ lesbians ✨
Does it need more reasons than this?
Fast-paced, well written, with multiple plot twists that drew me in deeper into the story. The main cast is all queer, POC women (mix of Black, Korean, Latinx and other ethnicities). There's a lesbian romance sub-plot with one brief explicit scene. The writing style incorporates unique slang (Hawaiian) and specific flashbacks / visions mc experiences due to her cybernetic mod, which are weird and intrusive, but are supposed to be - they're disturbing and annoying to the mc herself. Multiple action scenes of chases, conning, virtual reality, and so on.
It's definitely a unique book because I don't see many cyberpunk releases these days. I liked the casual diversity, including a character being revealed as asexual much later in the story. I enjoy characters being people first, labels later, and sadly too many other authors introduce characters as labels and I learn nothing about their personalities outside of their diversity status. This wasn't the case here, all the members of the main crew are distinct and interesting as people.
The video gaming sequences really brought back my nostalgia for when I was younger and an avid gamer, it's clear the author understands online gaming culture.
This is a loose sequel to Hammajang Luck, but it can be read as a standalone - I haven't read the previous book and it worked just fine. There are some cameos from the previous book and some mentions of mc's backstory / past involvement, but otherwise it's a separate story.
My personal enjoyment: 4.5 star, but mostly because heists aren't my jam, but the plot of Malia's identity / complicated past gave it an extra layer over just being a heist. Objectively, this is a good book and a fast read, rounding it up to 5. But I think if even a well written heist didn't convince me to the genre, it's probably the last time I'm trying one. It's not you, buddy, it's me.
I also wasn't a fan of the very old fantasy trope in a sci-fi wrapper, where
Thank you Netgalley, Harper Voyager and Orion Publishing Group / Gollancz for the ARC!
Btw the US cover is gorgeous, the UK one... not so much.
November 29, 2025
This is why I love giveaways and ARCs, I never would have picked a book like this to read, but I am so glad I had the chance to read it. This was like a sci-fi oceans eleven, with a queer cast, it was fabulous!
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645808644i/7494844._UX200_CR0,6,200,200_.jpg)
March 21, 2026
"The good news is that the bullet won't kill you. The bad news is that I am gonna fucking kill you."
THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD OMGGGGGGG.
I loved it. If you enjoyed Hammajang Luck, you'll like this one.
And for questions about "The Emergence," I recommend reading More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley's Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity, where it's called The Singularity.
Anywho. Tech bros are wild and billionaires are the worst.
I received an ARC from the publisher
THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD OMGGGGGGG.
I loved it. If you enjoyed Hammajang Luck, you'll like this one.
And for questions about "The Emergence," I recommend reading More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley's Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity, where it's called The Singularity.
Anywho. Tech bros are wild and billionaires are the worst.
I received an ARC from the publisher
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a fun novel! And a great follow up to Hammajang Luck!
I love that both books take place in the same world, so the cool future cyberpunk setting is explored a lot more in this installment. I actually liked this book more than Hammajang Luck because I prefer narratives focused on the MC's growth and arc. (The first novel was more of a fun heist story with Fast and the Furious family themes.)
If you're a fan of Cyberpunk 2077 or Blade Runner, but want a diverse cast written by a queer Native Hawaiian author, this is the novel to read.
This had an equal mix of darker subplots (human/child trafficking) with lighter ones (the romance was cute and realistic with its typical relationship problems). So it manages to stay interesting and fun without diving into too much melodrama.
I think Malia's characterization shone above all. You're there alongside her as she's figuring out her past and her role as a modded human in this dog eat dog cyberpunk world.
It does read a bit older YA in this aspect, but I actually didn't mind it since this was a fun story that didn't take itself way too seriously. (Like I said, it does get dark at times, but I think it does quite well in balancing this out with the lighter banter between the team and its themes of friendship.)
As usual, I loved the security/hacking aspects in this universe. They were such a treat to read about.
Overall, I'd recommend this if you're looking for a new cyberpunk story with a great character arc and a diverse cast.
Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.
I love that both books take place in the same world, so the cool future cyberpunk setting is explored a lot more in this installment. I actually liked this book more than Hammajang Luck because I prefer narratives focused on the MC's growth and arc. (The first novel was more of a fun heist story with Fast and the Furious family themes.)
If you're a fan of Cyberpunk 2077 or Blade Runner, but want a diverse cast written by a queer Native Hawaiian author, this is the novel to read.
This had an equal mix of darker subplots (human/child trafficking) with lighter ones (the romance was cute and realistic with its typical relationship problems). So it manages to stay interesting and fun without diving into too much melodrama.
I think Malia's characterization shone above all. You're there alongside her as she's figuring out her past and her role as a modded human in this dog eat dog cyberpunk world.
It does read a bit older YA in this aspect, but I actually didn't mind it since this was a fun story that didn't take itself way too seriously. (Like I said, it does get dark at times, but I think it does quite well in balancing this out with the lighter banter between the team and its themes of friendship.)
As usual, I loved the security/hacking aspects in this universe. They were such a treat to read about.
Overall, I'd recommend this if you're looking for a new cyberpunk story with a great character arc and a diverse cast.
Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this arc.
December 12, 2025
I read Hammajang Luck and I loved the worldbuilding, the crime for good against corrupt billionaires, and the characters, although it fell just short for me because I didn't care for the romance. However I loved this author's writing, so I jumped at the chance to try their sophomore effort.
This is a stand-alone returning to Kepler Station three years after the Atlas heist, taking some of the side characters and giving them their own story. I don't think you need to read the first book to appreciate this one, but you might have more of an emotional connection to the world if you did.
This is a space opera from the golden age of space operas but with a fun, fast-paced plot and diverse characters. There are sapphics galore here; there were very few men and what few there were here were the villains. I loved how this took Hawaiian immigrants migrating to a space station and imagined what their culture would look like, and it kept a lot of the same wonderful flavor as the first book, using Hawaiian slang and lovely descriptions of food and family life.
Malia, however, is a loner, so that was an interesting take. A brilliant hacker, she lives by a code that exhorts her to be suspicious of everyone and to form no attachments. She had it made after the Atlas heist but got bored, so she started fixing fights and got caught by the gangster running them, who enlists her for one last heist. But this one is personal. Taking down the politician who took her from her parents and raised her, training her to become the perfect AI-human interface.
But her mods are degrading as Malia keeps glitching out, a fact I was confused that more of her friends didn't comment on. I found the interludes where her AI takes over to be kind of hard to read gibberish.
Malia gathers together her own crew and embarks on the biggest hack of her life.
One of my favorite parts of the book this time was her romance with Sol, the nonbinary pilot. I thought it was sweet and slow burn, and I was rooting for the two of them and their cute, supportive banter from the beginning.
At times, because Malia was so young and naive, this book read like YA, but overall I loved the characters. I also like it when characters have hobbies; Malia was a gamer and I enjoyed the side story with her guild as she learns who she is beyond a genetically engineered hacker. I enjoyed her journey of self discovery as she figures out who she is beyond the Obake. In many ways this is a new adult coming of age story.
Overall this was a very fun book. This author is one to watch.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a stand-alone returning to Kepler Station three years after the Atlas heist, taking some of the side characters and giving them their own story. I don't think you need to read the first book to appreciate this one, but you might have more of an emotional connection to the world if you did.
This is a space opera from the golden age of space operas but with a fun, fast-paced plot and diverse characters. There are sapphics galore here; there were very few men and what few there were here were the villains. I loved how this took Hawaiian immigrants migrating to a space station and imagined what their culture would look like, and it kept a lot of the same wonderful flavor as the first book, using Hawaiian slang and lovely descriptions of food and family life.
Malia, however, is a loner, so that was an interesting take. A brilliant hacker, she lives by a code that exhorts her to be suspicious of everyone and to form no attachments. She had it made after the Atlas heist but got bored, so she started fixing fights and got caught by the gangster running them, who enlists her for one last heist. But this one is personal. Taking down the politician who took her from her parents and raised her, training her to become the perfect AI-human interface.
But her mods are degrading as Malia keeps glitching out, a fact I was confused that more of her friends didn't comment on. I found the interludes where her AI takes over to be kind of hard to read gibberish.
Malia gathers together her own crew and embarks on the biggest hack of her life.
One of my favorite parts of the book this time was her romance with Sol, the nonbinary pilot. I thought it was sweet and slow burn, and I was rooting for the two of them and their cute, supportive banter from the beginning.
At times, because Malia was so young and naive, this book read like YA, but overall I loved the characters. I also like it when characters have hobbies; Malia was a gamer and I enjoyed the side story with her guild as she learns who she is beyond a genetically engineered hacker. I enjoyed her journey of self discovery as she figures out who she is beyond the Obake. In many ways this is a new adult coming of age story.
Overall this was a very fun book. This author is one to watch.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 13, 2026
Rating: 3.75 stars
A fun follow-up to Hammjang Luck, set 6 months before the epilogue of the first book. I wasn't as connected to the characters in this novel but it was entertaining regardless. As in the first book, I really appreciated the thought and care put into how culture and community might manifest in a futuristic world.
A fun follow-up to Hammjang Luck, set 6 months before the epilogue of the first book. I wasn't as connected to the characters in this novel but it was entertaining regardless. As in the first book, I really appreciated the thought and care put into how culture and community might manifest in a futuristic world.
October 19, 2025
what happens when you’re kidnapped by a mad scientist to become his idea of perfection so he fits your brain with sci-fi modifications to make you the best hacker in the world but you run away and everything goes to shit?
first of all, I ADORED the rep in this book. you’ve got femme lesbians, they/them lesbians, trans lesbians, aro/ace characters. truly such a wide spread diverse book with voices from so many important communities <3
I really enjoyed this, it was super fast paced with an interesting plot and relatable characters. a futuristic cyber world where a damaged girl has to get together a crew to expose a dirty politician for an organised crime family, only to realise her modifications are killing her and she might not survive this sticking to the codes she always used to.
this was so fun, I find it difficult to get into sci-fi usually but that wasn’t the case here. found family, the chosen one (kind of) paired with diverse characters, important conversations around AI, technology and ethics- I highly recommend
first of all, I ADORED the rep in this book. you’ve got femme lesbians, they/them lesbians, trans lesbians, aro/ace characters. truly such a wide spread diverse book with voices from so many important communities <3
I really enjoyed this, it was super fast paced with an interesting plot and relatable characters. a futuristic cyber world where a damaged girl has to get together a crew to expose a dirty politician for an organised crime family, only to realise her modifications are killing her and she might not survive this sticking to the codes she always used to.
this was so fun, I find it difficult to get into sci-fi usually but that wasn’t the case here. found family, the chosen one (kind of) paired with diverse characters, important conversations around AI, technology and ethics- I highly recommend
February 15, 2026
Honestly, most of this book kind of went over my head. I felt lost at times and because I felt lost I also didn’t feel a sense of connection to the book or the characters. I liked the overall premise of the book with it being a sci fi heist with cyber themes and gang affiliations and a romance subplot. I just didn’t think it really landed that well. It also gives a little bit of Fast and Furious, Oceans Eight, and Baby Driver vibes which I liked. I also liked when Malia would experience glitching throughout the book and we could gain some context behind her character while progressing through present time. The romance subplot was pretty lack lustre imo. And the dialogue was really lost on me. It aligns with the author seeing that she’s native Hawaiian so it’s on brand there, but it was difficult to understand and keep up with at times which then didn’t help the fact that I already felt disconnected to the story. Overall, just not my most favorite read.
March 27, 2026
While I enjoyed this companion novel to Hammajang Luck, I wasn't a fan of the audiobook narration. I did have fun with the story though - it was a quick, easy read. Malia's backstory was interesting, and I really felt for her. I do wish I'd gotten to know the side characters better, because I feel like the story would have impacted me more then. As it is, I just don't think this will be very memorable for me.
January 28, 2026
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC! Greatly appreciated :)
This novel was the first deep dive into the sci fi genre with a black FMC and Yamamoto did their thingggggg. Although I'm not a fantasy or sci fi girlie in the slightest and a lot of the genre based world building went completely over my head, I enjoyed this book! I really liked the heist based suspense of the novel, as well as the characters and how they all had something to do with the story. I really would've liked to see more into the Songs or really dive into Malia's character and actual accounts into what Maddox was doing to really understand the depth and seriousness behind Pierce's plans and why it wasn't important to stop them, but I do think the brief but deep dialogue she had with Maddox and her AI Diana really did a great job of explaining it by itself. I also liked Sol, Tatiana, and the Songs as side characters, and I also really liked the NBLW rep hehe. I wouldn't say it's quite YA but a little more new adult because of the very light spice scenes between Malia and Sol, but they're not incredibly descriptive if that helps. I like that each of the characters had a purpose (feeling iffy about this one for Naima and Pierce though) and had something to do with the story. I also liked that we got to find out what happened to Malia and how shes related to the experiments Maddox was running, even though I still didn't quite understand how the intrusions worked or the context of them. Were they memories? Hallucinations? Her seeing through Diana's eyes or experiences? Other than that I thought the book was a fun read, especially once you get past the initial world building and character development.
This novel was the first deep dive into the sci fi genre with a black FMC and Yamamoto did their thingggggg. Although I'm not a fantasy or sci fi girlie in the slightest and a lot of the genre based world building went completely over my head, I enjoyed this book! I really liked the heist based suspense of the novel, as well as the characters and how they all had something to do with the story. I really would've liked to see more into the Songs or really dive into Malia's character and actual accounts into what Maddox was doing to really understand the depth and seriousness behind Pierce's plans and why it wasn't important to stop them, but I do think the brief but deep dialogue she had with Maddox and her AI Diana really did a great job of explaining it by itself. I also liked Sol, Tatiana, and the Songs as side characters, and I also really liked the NBLW rep hehe. I wouldn't say it's quite YA but a little more new adult because of the very light spice scenes between Malia and Sol, but they're not incredibly descriptive if that helps. I like that each of the characters had a purpose (feeling iffy about this one for Naima and Pierce though) and had something to do with the story. I also liked that we got to find out what happened to Malia and how shes related to the experiments Maddox was running, even though I still didn't quite understand how the intrusions worked or the context of them. Were they memories? Hallucinations? Her seeing through Diana's eyes or experiences? Other than that I thought the book was a fun read, especially once you get past the initial world building and character development.
February 5, 2026
4.5 stars! Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and HarperAudio Adult for the advanced copy! You can pick up The Obake Code on February 17, 2026.
I'm obsessed with Makana Yamamoto's characters and the world they've built around the Kepler Station. Once again, we're following a crew of heist lesbians in space as they seek to take down corrupt governments and corporate entities. The writing in this story immediately captivates you, drawing you in with riveting action and emotional interpersonal moments between characters.
Our FMC is Malia (whom I'm embarrassed to admit I forgot was part of the original heist in Hammajang Luck, sorry for being a fake fan), and she's putting together a crew to dig up dirt on a corrupt politician after being blackmailed by the criminal underworld. I love how different it is being inside Malia's head than Edie's, with the constant calculations, instant info-gathering, and snap hack jobs that illustrate why Malia is more comfortable on the web than she is with other people.
But being the mastermind of a heist means you need to know and understand the people you're working with well. As the story goes on, we see Malia start to let her guard down (and break the self=proclaimed "Code" she abides by to protect herself) as she forms deeper connections with her crew. Including a non-binary getaway driver/racer named Sol, who stirs a different kind of feeling in Malia.
This book is unapologetically queer in the best way, from the relationships to the behaviors and identities of the characters. In this queer-normative world, pronouns are routinely accepted, and no one bats an eye at same sex relationships. Instead, the characters navigate conflict and interpersonal drama based on their actions and personalities throughout the book.
I also really appreciate how Makana set up the layers of intrigue in this story, as the heist soon moves beyond just taking down this one politician. We grapple with issues like the treatment of children under the state, illegal human experimentation, the dangers of AI and the worldviews around it, and more.
Plus, the narration by Jolene Kim was absolutely phenomenal, with easy integration of Hawaiian Pidgin and a fascinating representation of the moments when Malia's brain gets taken over by the mods built into it. Jolene affects a cool, almost slam poetry cadence to those scenes, so the reader can easily identify when we're switching from the present to the memories/glitches happening in Malia's head.
All in all, I'm obsessed with this interconnected standalone series and everything in it. If you're looking for a lesbian space heist that sticks it to the wealthy and corrupt, this is the book for you!
I'm obsessed with Makana Yamamoto's characters and the world they've built around the Kepler Station. Once again, we're following a crew of heist lesbians in space as they seek to take down corrupt governments and corporate entities. The writing in this story immediately captivates you, drawing you in with riveting action and emotional interpersonal moments between characters.
Our FMC is Malia (whom I'm embarrassed to admit I forgot was part of the original heist in Hammajang Luck, sorry for being a fake fan), and she's putting together a crew to dig up dirt on a corrupt politician after being blackmailed by the criminal underworld. I love how different it is being inside Malia's head than Edie's, with the constant calculations, instant info-gathering, and snap hack jobs that illustrate why Malia is more comfortable on the web than she is with other people.
But being the mastermind of a heist means you need to know and understand the people you're working with well. As the story goes on, we see Malia start to let her guard down (and break the self=proclaimed "Code" she abides by to protect herself) as she forms deeper connections with her crew. Including a non-binary getaway driver/racer named Sol, who stirs a different kind of feeling in Malia.
This book is unapologetically queer in the best way, from the relationships to the behaviors and identities of the characters. In this queer-normative world, pronouns are routinely accepted, and no one bats an eye at same sex relationships. Instead, the characters navigate conflict and interpersonal drama based on their actions and personalities throughout the book.
I also really appreciate how Makana set up the layers of intrigue in this story, as the heist soon moves beyond just taking down this one politician. We grapple with issues like the treatment of children under the state, illegal human experimentation, the dangers of AI and the worldviews around it, and more.
Plus, the narration by Jolene Kim was absolutely phenomenal, with easy integration of Hawaiian Pidgin and a fascinating representation of the moments when Malia's brain gets taken over by the mods built into it. Jolene affects a cool, almost slam poetry cadence to those scenes, so the reader can easily identify when we're switching from the present to the memories/glitches happening in Malia's head.
All in all, I'm obsessed with this interconnected standalone series and everything in it. If you're looking for a lesbian space heist that sticks it to the wealthy and corrupt, this is the book for you!
May 6, 2026
2.5/5
Not for me, but still a good addition to the sci-fi genre!
Note to self do not read books that are "set in the world of XYZ." This had so many references to their other book, Hammajang Luck, that I felt like this isn't a strong standalone, more of a 1.5 or a sequel to it. It's similar to how Ben and Ringer take over The Infinite Sea and The Last Star in the The 5th Wave trilogy. Most of the references are explanatory in that they spoil Hammajang Luck by saying what happens but in Malia's POV instead of Angel's. I felt like I was really missing out. If a book is going to spoil another, I would hope it's part of a series.
Other than that, it is interesting. I loved how Yamamoto formatted the memories inside the GhostNet that are plaguing Malia. It's beautiful and gives the perfect disjointed feeling that you can imagine Malia feeling at the exact same time. The world is really cool, although shallow in lore, and the futuristic mods and GhostNet are wild. I love the inclusion of non-binary folks (Sol) and the sapphic connections are perfection. I will always love Hawaiian in books, so please never stop writing!
If you're looking for a gritty sci-fi with seductive women, high stakes, hackers, thieves, and gangs working to take down scummy rich people then you'll devour this book.
Check your local library for a copy! Celebrate Hawaiian authors! I chose this specifically for Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May) and I don't regret it. Hopefully you'll love it!
Not for me, but still a good addition to the sci-fi genre!
Note to self do not read books that are "set in the world of XYZ." This had so many references to their other book, Hammajang Luck, that I felt like this isn't a strong standalone, more of a 1.5 or a sequel to it. It's similar to how Ben and Ringer take over The Infinite Sea and The Last Star in the The 5th Wave trilogy. Most of the references are explanatory in that they spoil Hammajang Luck by saying what happens but in Malia's POV instead of Angel's. I felt like I was really missing out. If a book is going to spoil another, I would hope it's part of a series.
Other than that, it is interesting. I loved how Yamamoto formatted the memories inside the GhostNet that are plaguing Malia. It's beautiful and gives the perfect disjointed feeling that you can imagine Malia feeling at the exact same time. The world is really cool, although shallow in lore, and the futuristic mods and GhostNet are wild. I love the inclusion of non-binary folks (Sol) and the sapphic connections are perfection. I will always love Hawaiian in books, so please never stop writing!
If you're looking for a gritty sci-fi with seductive women, high stakes, hackers, thieves, and gangs working to take down scummy rich people then you'll devour this book.
Check your local library for a copy! Celebrate Hawaiian authors! I chose this specifically for Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May) and I don't regret it. Hopefully you'll love it!
March 6, 2026
Wow, what a way to wrap up this story. I mean, I assume it's done because it ends at Angel's party from Hammajang Luck. And that shouldn't be a spoiler because Malia was mentioned as being at that party when Edie was telling the story.
This entire book takes place three years after the Atlas Heist from Hammajang Luck, but before Angel gets out from prison. I think I need to reread that book since I forgot what Malia did to her mods during that heist, and it set the stage for this book.
Malia was raised by a mad scientist who did a ton of experiments on her and added a bunch of modifications and cybernetics so she could connect to the GhostNet, which seems like a VR dark web. Five years ago, she escaped and became The Obake. Three years ago, she joined the Atlas Heist and did something that has now given her mod/brain trauma. She's rich now, no need for The Obake to work or steal again. but she's bored so she's gotten into fixing heavyweight fights. But Malia also lives by a very rigid Code that keeps her safe but unattached from anyone who might hurt her (yup this sounds like a trauma response). One day, Malia gets caught fixing matches at a gangster's club, and said gangster blackmails her into accepting "one last heist" — taking down a corrupt politician who seems to be hurting kids. So Malia assembles a crew and quickly learns that 1. masterminding a heist is really hard, 2. her old abuser scientist is up to something REALLY bad, and only Malia can stop him, and 3. maybe attachments are ok.
Malia grows so much in this book. and I'm so proud of her. She gets super vulnerable and learns that somehow, her friends still love her when she isn't perfect.
I loved seeing Malia discover true friendship in Tatiana and love in Sol.
This book was funny and exciting and sometimes tense, and I loved everything about it.
This entire book takes place three years after the Atlas Heist from Hammajang Luck, but before Angel gets out from prison. I think I need to reread that book since I forgot what Malia did to her mods during that heist, and it set the stage for this book.
Malia was raised by a mad scientist who did a ton of experiments on her and added a bunch of modifications and cybernetics so she could connect to the GhostNet, which seems like a VR dark web. Five years ago, she escaped and became The Obake. Three years ago, she joined the Atlas Heist and did something that has now given her mod/brain trauma. She's rich now, no need for The Obake to work or steal again. but she's bored so she's gotten into fixing heavyweight fights. But Malia also lives by a very rigid Code that keeps her safe but unattached from anyone who might hurt her (yup this sounds like a trauma response). One day, Malia gets caught fixing matches at a gangster's club, and said gangster blackmails her into accepting "one last heist" — taking down a corrupt politician who seems to be hurting kids. So Malia assembles a crew and quickly learns that 1. masterminding a heist is really hard, 2. her old abuser scientist is up to something REALLY bad, and only Malia can stop him, and 3. maybe attachments are ok.
Malia grows so much in this book. and I'm so proud of her. She gets super vulnerable and learns that somehow, her friends still love her when she isn't perfect.
I loved seeing Malia discover true friendship in Tatiana and love in Sol.
This book was funny and exciting and sometimes tense, and I loved everything about it.
May 23, 2026
I was excited for the cyber-focused premise, but this one ultimately fell short of my expectations.
The protagonist’s constant self-deprecating inner dialogue became repetitive over time, and the larger plan driving the story never felt as developed or strategic as I wanted it to. I kept waiting for the plot and characters to deepen, but instead found myself counting down the pages.
There were interesting ideas here, but the execution didn’t fully come together for me.
The protagonist’s constant self-deprecating inner dialogue became repetitive over time, and the larger plan driving the story never felt as developed or strategic as I wanted it to. I kept waiting for the plot and characters to deepen, but instead found myself counting down the pages.
There were interesting ideas here, but the execution didn’t fully come together for me.
Did Not Finish
May 12, 2026Not the right time.
April 15, 2026
2.75
This book frustrated the hell out of me. First the obnoxious MC attitude and constant slang. Then the formatting of the interruptions. And finally the absolute nonsense that was the 'final battle'. You'd think that a book about a hacker would have a more creative conclusion than physical combat, but apparently that's asking too much. Sheesh.
This book frustrated the hell out of me. First the obnoxious MC attitude and constant slang. Then the formatting of the interruptions. And finally the absolute nonsense that was the 'final battle'. You'd think that a book about a hacker would have a more creative conclusion than physical combat, but apparently that's asking too much. Sheesh.
September 28, 2025
full disclosure, this book was literally the reason why i became an ARC reviewer. i read the first book in this series, Hammajang Luck, and fell in love with the world, writing style, and all the characters, and Needed more. so i was SO excited to get to read The Obake Code, which is a character-driven heist set in the same world as the prior book, following one of the side characters. you could absolutely read this without having read the first book, though imo you will probably enjoy it way more if you do.
in comparison to Hammajang this was much more of a coming of age story for Malia, the hacker protagonist with a past. her emotional journey is very much the centerpiece of the book, and while i enjoyed the unique things the book did stylistically, i did wish for a little bit more twists and complexity (both emotional and heist-wise) as in the first book. however, i really loved both the new characters this book added and the reappearances of old ones as a little treat!!
overall a super fun queer sci fi heist, i will definitely be continuing to pick up whatever yamamoto writes in the future.
thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!
in comparison to Hammajang this was much more of a coming of age story for Malia, the hacker protagonist with a past. her emotional journey is very much the centerpiece of the book, and while i enjoyed the unique things the book did stylistically, i did wish for a little bit more twists and complexity (both emotional and heist-wise) as in the first book. however, i really loved both the new characters this book added and the reappearances of old ones as a little treat!!
overall a super fun queer sci fi heist, i will definitely be continuing to pick up whatever yamamoto writes in the future.
thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!
June 21, 2026
3.5
A follow-up to Hammajang Luck, this book follows the “young guns” Malia and Tatiana as they reunite after Malia is caught engaging in some light hacking by one of the most notorious gangs on Kepler. She is given a short amount of time to organize a team and take down a crooked politician, so she gets her own turn at masterminding some heists. As this happens, Malia is forced to reckon with her past, re-evaluate the rules by which she has lived her entire life, and risk being disconnected from the very network that has given her life meaning.
It was interesting to see some of the gang back from the first book, but also to see how the heists differ with a young hacker as the mastermind instead of the always-poised Angel from the first book. Malia’s self doubt comes through constantly in her internal monologues, and we see her progress as she starts to let the more vulnerable side of her personality through to the point where others can access it.
While I thought Hammajang was the better book overall, I really appreciated the character development for Malia and how her perspective changes when it comes to attachments and relying on other people. Plus, fun flyer chases and digital battles (would you believe me if I mentioned there being a dragon at some point in this sci-fi heist book?), and a satisfying conclusion.
If you like sci-fi and heists, you should check out Hammajang Luck and The Obake Code! Thanks so much to Libro.fm and Harper Voyager for the advanced listening copy of the audiobook!
A follow-up to Hammajang Luck, this book follows the “young guns” Malia and Tatiana as they reunite after Malia is caught engaging in some light hacking by one of the most notorious gangs on Kepler. She is given a short amount of time to organize a team and take down a crooked politician, so she gets her own turn at masterminding some heists. As this happens, Malia is forced to reckon with her past, re-evaluate the rules by which she has lived her entire life, and risk being disconnected from the very network that has given her life meaning.
It was interesting to see some of the gang back from the first book, but also to see how the heists differ with a young hacker as the mastermind instead of the always-poised Angel from the first book. Malia’s self doubt comes through constantly in her internal monologues, and we see her progress as she starts to let the more vulnerable side of her personality through to the point where others can access it.
While I thought Hammajang was the better book overall, I really appreciated the character development for Malia and how her perspective changes when it comes to attachments and relying on other people. Plus, fun flyer chases and digital battles (would you believe me if I mentioned there being a dragon at some point in this sci-fi heist book?), and a satisfying conclusion.
If you like sci-fi and heists, you should check out Hammajang Luck and The Obake Code! Thanks so much to Libro.fm and Harper Voyager for the advanced listening copy of the audiobook!
March 15, 2026
I wouldn’t have picked up The Obake Code before Hammajang Luck if I knew they were interconnected standalones… I had SUCH a good time with our ragtag criminal crew but I always felt like I was missing key information and on the outside looking in when it came to Malia. This might have been intentional as she goes through some WILD stuff in this book (and a whole lot of really well developed character growth) but I wish the connection had been made more clear in the summary, actually making it a series, etc.
set after Hammajang Luck, tons of rep (black/hawaiian lesbian fmc & puerto rican nonbinary love interest), heist, cyberpunk, found family
What kind of hacker was afraid of a little traffic? I’d scammed gangsters, blackmailed celebrities, robbed trillionaires. I was raised by a power-mad evil genius. I had a bloodthirsty AI hunting me through the Net. There was nothing a Ward 1 uncle could do that would be scarier than that.
Right?
set after Hammajang Luck, tons of rep (black/hawaiian lesbian fmc & puerto rican nonbinary love interest), heist, cyberpunk, found family
What kind of hacker was afraid of a little traffic? I’d scammed gangsters, blackmailed celebrities, robbed trillionaires. I was raised by a power-mad evil genius. I had a bloodthirsty AI hunting me through the Net. There was nothing a Ward 1 uncle could do that would be scarier than that.
Right?
April 24, 2026
I feel like this book would be classified as “cyberpunk” which is probably why I felt meh about it. I like a heist book but I think the cyberpunk aspect turned me off. I liked Malia and her journey but I don’t think the author didn’t give enough backstory. I understand not telling you everything but I never really got the Obake title. Like it’s something she just made up? I didn’t really get why anyone cared about the title either. I wish there was more about the Atlas heist too. I get that it didnt impact the plot but it was mentioned so much that it made me wanna know what happened. I guess I kind of pierced together that Angel got arrested but didn’t really get why. So, I left this book with too many questions but it’s not a bad book.
February 22, 2026
The Obake Code features Malia, who was a secondary character in Yamamoto's Hammajang Luck, as the main character. The story is about another heist on Kepler Station with some of the characters from HL and some new ones, of course. Though the focus of the novel is more on Malia and her transition from hermit to member of a social group/found family. There is also a romance sub-plot.
I liked the novel, but it wasn't as gripping as HL. The novel was well-written, the characters are fleshed out and I enjoyed following Malia's story, but I expected more edge-of-the-seat-heist; which is totally a me-problem.
I liked the novel, but it wasn't as gripping as HL. The novel was well-written, the characters are fleshed out and I enjoyed following Malia's story, but I expected more edge-of-the-seat-heist; which is totally a me-problem.
February 23, 2026
Amazing YA Sci-Fi read with AI, evil corporations and gangs. Our main female character is a hacker whose last job was three-years ago. She finds herself bored and has taken to watch the boxing underground fights with men/half robots. She is able to tweak their algorithm and has been making some money betting on the winning man until she is caught by the gang leader.
With the money she has stolen, the gang wants her to do a job for them - go after the mayor candidate and dig up any blackmail material. This story was action packed! I had a great time reading it, diverse representation throughout the story - totally recommend!
With the money she has stolen, the gang wants her to do a job for them - go after the mayor candidate and dig up any blackmail material. This story was action packed! I had a great time reading it, diverse representation throughout the story - totally recommend!
June 10, 2026
This is exactly the book I wanted to read after finishing Hammajang Luck, and it shows a lot of improvement in my opinion! Also spooked the nurse while reading this in the doctor office because she saw Obake in the title and thought it was Obake Files kine haha.
The break in form in the intrusion sections were jarring for me - I read prose really fast, so being forcibly stopped by my poetry brain activating was uh, intense - but I thought that was exactly what it was supposed to do, and a really, really cool device to use in the storytelling. I can imagine the effect is entirely lost in the audiobook, so that's something to note.
Eh cuz, can get one book about Tita- I mean Tati next ke 'olu'olu? Mahalos :)
The break in form in the intrusion sections were jarring for me - I read prose really fast, so being forcibly stopped by my poetry brain activating was uh, intense - but I thought that was exactly what it was supposed to do, and a really, really cool device to use in the storytelling. I can imagine the effect is entirely lost in the audiobook, so that's something to note.
Eh cuz, can get one book about Tita- I mean Tati next ke 'olu'olu? Mahalos :)
March 10, 2026
3.5 rounded to a 4! I love a good sci-fi heist and this one was very fun. I do wish we got more from the characters relationship/bonding wise, but it made sense for it to take as long as it did with Malia’s background. I am obsessed with this world so I hope we get to see more of it!
June 22, 2026
Maybe it's the friends we made along the way etc etc etc
But no, I loved this. Read fast, I liked the setting and characters and now I need to check out the first part (although this can definitely be read as a standalone).
I need more inclusive sci-fi heists in my life.
But no, I loved this. Read fast, I liked the setting and characters and now I need to check out the first part (although this can definitely be read as a standalone).
I need more inclusive sci-fi heists in my life.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5
June 26, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
March 26, 2026
Fantastic sci fi heist in the same world as hammajang luck. The world was so cool and the plot was fast paced. Loved this so much!!
February 17, 2026
Review of ARC from NetGalley
This was an unexpectedly fun read for me. I rarely ever read sci-fi but my sibling liked the previous book by Makana Yamamoto so I thought I’d give this one a try. While I did find the more sciency side of the story kind of tedious I liked the plot and I loved the characters, especially Malia and Sol.
This book had everything I’d want in an action story. A heist, cool characters who were all women or nonbinary, lesbians, found family. Plus fighting against gentrification and corruption. It was perfect. There was tension that left me on edge, a few twists I didn’t expect, and a satisfying ending.
I enjoyed this book so much that I got the previous one out from the library. Definitely worth breaking out of my comfort zone for.
This was an unexpectedly fun read for me. I rarely ever read sci-fi but my sibling liked the previous book by Makana Yamamoto so I thought I’d give this one a try. While I did find the more sciency side of the story kind of tedious I liked the plot and I loved the characters, especially Malia and Sol.
This book had everything I’d want in an action story. A heist, cool characters who were all women or nonbinary, lesbians, found family. Plus fighting against gentrification and corruption. It was perfect. There was tension that left me on edge, a few twists I didn’t expect, and a satisfying ending.
I enjoyed this book so much that I got the previous one out from the library. Definitely worth breaking out of my comfort zone for.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It was so great returning to Kepler Space Station in The Obake Code! Following the hacker, Malia, that readers saw in Hammajang Luck, I liked how this story stood on its own while also including great little cameos the cast from E's heist. This book expands the world a bit, raises the stakes more, and has some darker, more serious tones in some places as well. Just like Hammajang Luck, Hawaiian Pidgin takes a forefront along with a solid queer cast. I especially loved Malia as a main character and how she builds her found family around her. I could read a 20 book series in this world; and I definitely recommend if you're interested in a sci-fi/cyberpunk adventure!
A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!
A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review the eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!
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