Olivia Decoded

Olivia Twisted #2

by Vivi Barnes

This isn’t my Jack, who once looked at me like I was his world. The guy who’s occupied the better part of my mind for eight months.

This is Z, criminal hacker with a twisted agenda and an arsenal full of anger.

I’ve spent the past year trying to get my life on track. New school. New friends. New attitude. But old flames die hard, and one look at Jack—the hacker who enlisted me into his life and his hacking ring, stole my heart, and then left me—and every memory, every moment, every feeling comes rushing back. But Jack’s not the only one who’s resurfaced in my life. And if I can’t break through Z’s defenses and reach the old Jack, someone will get hurt…or worse.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Mystery Thriller

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2016

About the author

Vivi Barnes was raised on a farm in East Texas where her theater-loving mom and cowboy dad gave her a unique perspective on life. Now living in the magic and sunshine of Orlando, Florida, she divides her time writing, working, goofing off with her husband and three kids, and avoiding dirty dishes.

Find her on twitter: https://twitter.com/ViviBarnes

Find her on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vivibarnes.au...

Reviews

[lucie · Rating 4 out of 5]

- "Then why are you here?"
- "To hear you laugh."

I started to read Olivia Decoded yesterday and I liked so much, that I went to sleep looong time after my bedtime (and looked like a zombie today at work) because I couldn’t stop reading. Also today I wanted to finish this book and because of that I went to the gym much later and missed my gym crush there. (which is a big deal!)



The story takes place eight months after the end of final chapter of Olivia Twisted when Olivia and Z broke up. It starts out with an secret admirer, who’s sending Olivia anonymous gifts and she thinks that it’s Z and his way, how to get her back. But those gifts becomes to be creepier and creepier and Z is not the one, who’s sending them.
But who then? I have to admit, that I was surprised on who was behind the charade, but it made perfect sense at the end.

I really like Vivi’s writing style; the story line gripped me from beginning to the end. It was entertaining and held my interest the whole time. I never once got bored.

But why I don’t give full five stars then, if I liked this book so much? Because there was almost no hacking or romance between Z and Olivia. I missed that.

I recommend to read both books in this series. They are full of suspense and they don't let you put the book down. I am sure you will love Olivia and Z together.

***
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Olivia Decoded takes place about 8 months after Olivia Twisted ended. And yes, you should read Olivia Twisted before reading this to get a good background on all the characters and what happened to get them to this point.

This book isn't so much about the hacking and computer stuff as the first book. It's more about the mystery behind Liv's stalker and how it all ties her and Z/Jack together. Yes, there is talks about hacking going on, but it's not the focus of the book.

I enjoyed how Vivi played everything out. I was truly surprised by the twist of events and hwo things went down. I honestly didn't see that coming. However, my biggest gripe is the time frame in which things happen. For instance, on a particular day there visiting a school that is letting out and then what should be hours later, a text is received stating they'll be at school by 3. See -things just not working out in the timeline for me. But that's my only gripe and for some I know that will irk a lot more than it did me.

Overall, the story was very interesting and flowed well (aside from the timeline issues). I was kept interested in the story and definitely needed to know who was behind everything.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia Decoded takes place eight months after the end of the final chapter of Olivia Twisted, but before the epilogue of the first book. While I had the privilege of reading the first book before starting this sequel, I believe that you could get by without reading the first novel. You won't be lost as information you need is slowly added to the story without slowing down the pacing or plot.

However, you will find that this book is a little less hacking heavy in comparison to the first book. This shouldn't come as too surprising given the conclusion of the previous novel - if you've read it - but there certainly are hacking moments, mostly for different outcomes. Rather than hacking into bank accounts to steal small amounts from the rich for the orphans at Monroe Street to live off of, these characters might hack into video storage footage to see how something went down without going through the usual legal channels. In addition, there might be some hacking just to find out who one of characters' father is - when asking doesn't give the preferred response.

Instead, this story involves some, initially innocuous-seeming gifts of a white rose and some expensive jewelry, but when Olivia can't initially pinpoint who these gifts are coming from and the way they're presented becomes increasingly creepy, you can't help but want to read more to find out how it will all turn out. I, once again, couldn't see the way things would turn out, but I will say that, in some ways, this story is creepier than OT. Of yeah, and maybe the person or persons who are stalking Liv is trying to set up Jack to appear to be the one responsible.

For anyone who lives in an online world where real and virtual messages designed to terrorize others can happen at any time, Olivia Decoded (and Olivia Twisted) are must reads.

[Julie (Bookish.Intoxication) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this novel from NetGalley.

This novel is easily read as a stand-alone piece, I know this because I haven't read the first book in the series.
This book pulls you in from the first page, the characters are likeable and believable and make you feel as though you are part of the team.
The thing I liked about this book the most is that they don't keep introducing new characters, they are constantly pulling from the cast they have, and that gives so much more to the novel than creating new people.
A great read.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice sequel to the first book that picks up before the epilogue to Olivia Twisted. I enjoy Olivia (Liv) and Jake (Z) and it was fun to get to see them outside of the hacking world..or trying to be.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book by the publisher after they asks me if I wanted to read this book because I had read the first book.

It's been awhile since I've read vivi's first book Olivia Twisted, so I needed to brush up on the first book & read my review as well others. Diving into the second book, it started out with this dark and creepy admirer.


Soon Olivia starts to realizes that this admirer wasn't someone from her new life, but from her old life. Although she has trouble letting go of her old life and Jack, but when she starts getting random roses and extravagant gifts. She starts to wonder who is sending this and what their message?

When I finally got to see how much Jack been trying to move on but he often thinks of Olivia, I know he can't seem to leave behind what they had. When Olivia reaches out to Jack to ask if he's been sending gifts, he denies it.

But things back at home (the new home) financials are getting hacked, and it's happening under the household. The atmosphere grows tense, with a houseful of hackers everyone is watching their back. Except for Jack only because he's trying to find that hacker and instead gets himself hacked.

I was surprised on who was behind the whole charades, but then I felt sad for the person that was forced to be involved with the person behind it because they got themselves into something that they might not have been able to back out of . . . IN which they didn't.

I give this an 4.5 Cat Paws, I like the darker effect of the secret admire but I was thoroughly missing more romance between Jack and Olivia.

Will this leave for potential future books?

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia fell in love with Jack and then eight months ago , her world came crashing down around her as she discovered she had a grandfather - a wealthy one at that , her boyfriend was part of a hacking business and then she was kidnapped by a criminal ring organised by Jack's boss at the time Bill Sykes - he is kind of like the Fagan of this story. It could be because of the title Olivia Twisted but throughout the series especially Book #1 I kept liking it to the classic tale of Oliver Twist. Now Eight months later , Bill Sykes is dead and Olivia has been living with her grandfather and has not seen Jack since the day he decided his identity as Z was worth more than Olivia and her love. It's Valentines Day and Olivia it seems has a secret admirer but things aren't as innocent as that as it turns out that this secret admirer is in fact stalking Olivia and stalking = danger. During this time , the path leads back to Jack and his crowd as Olivia enlists them to help her solve who is stalking her and why ? Especially when it seems that Jack aka Z is under attack as well. Who is wanting Olivia dead and who is trying to frame Z for the job ? I have to admit I personally was a little disappointed with Book #2 as to me it fell a little bit flat compared to Book #1 which I absolutely enjoyed. I guess I was hoping for a bit more of a hacktype story rather than a teen romantic suspense and even the suspense in Olivia Decoded was not as intense as I had hoped for. Other than that , it was a good YA read with a hint of romance and suspense chucked into the mix.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad that Vivi decided to write about what happened between the last chapter and epilogue of Olivia Twisted. It finally fills in the gaps of what happened to Z and Liv. And it is GOOD! I read it in one sitting and couldn't put it down! Start with the first book then definitely pick up this one!

Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...

I was very lucky to be one of the early readers for Olivia Twisted (Vivi’s children actually go to the school I teach at! Check out the discussion questions at the back of the book, too–I wrote those!), and I fell in love with Liv and Z. I loved how Vivi retold Oliver Twist yet made the story completely hers at the same time. However, anyone that read the book had one big question looming over them: What happened between the end of the story and the epilogue?!?!? It is something that I am sure Vivi was asked over and over again, and Olivia Decoded is the answer, and it is a GOOD answer. I read this book in one sitting, and I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what happened because even though you knew what happened because of the epilogue in Olivia Twisted, how it got to that situation was a big mystery.

[Sophie Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure – I’m friends with the author. She didn’t ask me to review the book. I’m just doing it for fun!

This sequel to Olivia Twisted goes beyond adaptation – beyond the end of the source material – and into a mystery. Certainly the first book is a complete story; while not all the characters’ problems were completely solved, it didn’t feel like they needed to be to create a satisfying conclusion. But in writing Olivia Decoded, it’s clear that Barnes took a look at the world and characters she’d created and thought, “Nah, they still have some more growing to do. So let’s make them grow.” And grow they do – if the “happily ever after, skipping ahead to the future” epilogue of the first book felt unearned, this book makes sure that the characters earn it.

Everything that’s true of the first book is still true here – from the cheesy YA romance tropes to the refreshing intelligence of the characters. Once again, the shared first-person perspective provides necessary relief and reassurance throughout the mystery plot. We know that Jack is not the person stalking Liv and robbing his family, so we never have to stress over such a cheap red herring. Instead, Barnes crafts a genuinely intriguing mystery that kept me guessing about motive and means, sprinkling clues along the way that are a lot of fun to pick up in hindsight. Also, now that Barnes is free of the structure of Oliver Twist, she seizes the opportunity to expand the story world in satisfying ways – adding a wonderful female best friend for Liv in the form of Emerson, providing more well-rounded characterization for the female characters overall, giving Jack the kicks in the pants he needs to finally start to get his act together and prioritize being a good person, and giving Liv the opportunity to finally own all of who she is instead of just riding along on the overly-pure princess pedestal the men in her life tend to place her on. All in all, it’s a fitting and satisfying sequel.

If this book has a flaw, it’s repetition. The pattern of Olivia Decoded is that the characters experience an event, think about the event, and then talk with each other about the event. And while I’m all for reflection and communication, the reader rarely ever learns anything new in the second or third parts of this pattern. The book could have been a lot shorter without losing anything necessary or interesting. But, again, I had fun.

[Haley carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning was kind confusing because the epilogue in the first on didn't go with this story so if you read this you should just forget the epilogue.

[Krin Anndra Loper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequel to Olivia Twisted. The suspense continues. Great series!!

[Olivia🩷]

dnf.

[Donna Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book entertained me, however, some of the things Olivia and Z did are a bit unbelievable. Grandpa seemed to be true to character.

[Les Chroniques Aléatoires · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, well, well….
Bon… nous voilà en présence du deuxième tome de la série Olivia Twisted, dont je n’avais pas fait de joyeuses éloges. Je m’étais dit que je n’allais pas continuer cette série si jamais un tome trois venait à pointer le bout de son nez. Et je maintiens cette idée.
Non pas que celui-ci fut décevant, mais ça n’a rien apporter de nouveau à l’histoire.

Huit mois se sont écoulés depuis la mésaventure d’Olivia. Huit malheureux mois, depuis sa rencontre avec Z, alias Jake. Huit mois qu’elle vit enfin une vie normale depuis qu’elle a retrouvé son grand-père. Mais voilà que les choses se compliquent lorsqu’elle reçoit de mystérieux cadeaux qui ne proviennent pas de Jake…
Notez bien que je ne dis pas « son petit ami » Jake. Ouais, c’est un élément capital à toute l’histoire.

Je ne vais pas entrer dans les détails sur le cas Olivia, vu qu’elle n’a pas du tout changé entre ses deux tomes, ni dans le cas de Jake d’ailleurs… alors de quoi je vais parler, si je ne peux parler ni de l’un, ni de l’autre ?
Eh bien, de l’histoire voyons ! Précédemment, j’ai dit que ce tome n’apportait rien de nouveau à l’histoire. Pourquoi ? Tout simplement ça reprend les bases du début, à un détail près, c’est qu’on connait déjà les protagonistes. C’est à dire, on démarre avec une Olivia qui n’est plus avec Jake, puis on se retrouve avec une situation assez intéressante (ouais, elle l’était), puis histoire de cœur, action et fin.

Je ne sais pas… pourquoi faire une histoire avec une séparation alors qu’elle n’était même pas justifiée. La meuf le revoit et sort : « Oh non ce n’est pas mon Jake. C’est Z. » Wow, limite tu essaies de nous faire croire que Jake est skizo. Non ! Il ne l’est pas ! Sérieusement, la fin du premier tome montrait à quel point un nouveau départ s’annonçait pour eux, surtout pour Jake. A croire que ce mec est une girouette. Un coup, oui je veux être gentil, un coup c’est non je veux être un bad boy. Non mec, ta réputation est déjà toute faite depuis ce que tu as fait dans le 1. C’EST FOUTUUUU !!!!

Point positif, c’est la trame. A la différence du premier tome où vraiment j’ai trouvé cela bof bof, celui-ci relève le niveau. Ce n’est pas du grand suspense, ni du thriller comme on veut nous faire croire, mais il y avait du potentiel qui cette fois n’a pas été trop gâché par de la romance. J’ai bien apprécié l’ambiance, la petite enquête sur l’expéditeur du mystérieux cadeaux. Ouais, là c’était top. Après, est-ce qu’il y avait vraiment des méchants ? …. Non mais l’auteure aime bien mettre un cadavre dans l’histoire pour faire style c’est choquant et tout… autant dans le premier cette mort était voulue et bien méritée, autant dans celui-là, elle était complètement inutile et sans intérêt….

Moralité de cette histoire, Vivi a une fois de plus montré qu’elle a de l’idée mais pas exploitée de la bonne façon. Elle aurait dû donner plus de caractère à ses personnages pour qu’on s’y attache dès les premières lignes. Ainsi les actions seraient passées comme de l’eau, fluiiiiiideeee…..
Elle a un bon style, il y a pas à dire. Je pourrais même lui laisser une seconde chance mais pas avec cette série si elle compte écrire un tome 3. Dont je ne vois aucun intérêt….

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Received from the Publisher for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review*


Oh. My. Goodness. This is honestly the fastest I have read a book in a long time. Thank you Vivi Barnes for getting me out of my incredibly long and frustrating reading slump! I thoroughly enjoyed this. This series is unlike one I have read for a long time. I love novels about hacking and problem solving, maybe its the maths geek in me, but I get so addicted to novels like this. I was not sure how Barnes was actually going to do a sequel as the last novel felt as though it finished at a good place. But my goodness. The mystery, intrigue and emotion! I am so hoping there is at least novella! And these new covers! Love them!

Liv has not seen Jack for eight months. But when Valentine's day comes around, she finds a rose on her bed, and an expensive bracelet in her car, whilst simultaneously on Monroe street they find a bill for a bracelet matching the same description. Yet they did not buy it. And Liv cannot find out who gave them to her. As Liv continues to receive creepy pictures and messages, whilst money is stolen from bank accounts on Monroe street, the mystery stalker slowly brings Liv and Jack back together one last time to find out who the stalker is that is pushing them back together.

Barnes' characters feel so real. Liv is a strong and persistent protagonist, who shows true emotions and doesn't just brush it all under the rug. And for once, the characters actually tell the police and her family! THANK YOU! I cannot tell you how many novels I have read where they do not tell the police or their family about the creepy and unsettling things that are happening to them, especially because someone is stalking Liv. I really think it is the relationships in this novel that got me addicted. They are complicated, but they are built on, and not just thrown in. It feels like they are real. Then we have Liv's relationship with Jack... man, the angst! But their chemistry was amazing, and I really enjoyed reading about them reconnecting with one-another, and Liv with her old friend Sam.

The plot! Holy moly. I was addicted from the first chapter. It was very creepy and eerie, and I felt rather nervous just reading it; it was unnerving. I did know, and figured out who was behind the stalking pretty quickly, however it was intriguing to find out why and how it came about. Barnes really tackles some topics in this novel, the awful past Liv has been through, and she handles them well. Although the novel is a great story, it is emotional and really makes you think; there is certainly a serious side to this novel and not one to think of as an 'easy, simple read'. But I really thoroughly enjoyed it, it added depth to the novel. It was so creepy, the mystery was laid out carefully and made for a very addictive novel.

This was an emotional yet thoroughly addictive novel, that is creepy and a little unnerving, making you really think. I cannot wait to read Barnes' future works.

[Elizabeth Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This isn't my Jack, who once looked at me like I was his world. The guy who's occupied the better part of my mind for eight months. This is Z, criminal hacker with a twisted agenda and an arsenal full of anger."

Olivia has spent the past year trying to get her life back on track. New school. New Friends. And a brand new attitude. If Olivia cannot break through "Z" and reach old Jack, someone is going to end up getting hurt.... or worse, killed.

The good girl meets bad boy is not anything new, however, the way things play out and the many things Olivia gets drawn into are certainly not like anything else I have ever read in any book.

Olivia was a lovely heroine. She hasn't had the best life, from her drug addict mother, to her hopping from foster home to foster home. But, she was still a genuinely good person. She had values that she couldn't compromise, which I think made her an admirable character.

Z, on the other hand was complicated. He delights in his criminal activities, seeing absolutely nothing wrong with them. To his perspective, it's basically like taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Also, he's manipulated people into the web, then left them to fend for themselves. But, I don't think he was a bad person. At least, not until he met Olivia. She reminded him of a sense of goodness. She made him rethink his life and see it from a different perspective.

When I initially requested "Olivia Decoded," I did not realize that it was the second book in the series. I believe that if I had read the first book, I may have enjoyed this book much more. If you have not started the series yet, then make sure you start at the beginning!

Vivi Barnes has a great writing technique, and the characters are interesting. The overall storyline is very well put together. It is a wild ride of hackers, stalkers, secret identities, and romance.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the copy of "Olivia Decoded" by Vivi Barnes.

I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia is back Yay! She is living with her grandfather now. It has been eight months since she has seen Jack “Z” and Sam. Jack and Olivia decided with living so far apart they would not try to have a relationship. That way they could spend all their time concentrating on school, graduating and then college. Olivia misses Jack but this is for the best for both of them. They have been through a lot in the past and they both need to grow and move on and leave the past behind if possible.

Jack misses Olivia something fierce but he knows living with her grandfather is the best thing for Olivia right now is to be with family. Besides he still has a lot on his plate that he needs to deal with before he can be with her. Jack wants and knows that his family at the group home and still needs him to help out with things like food, clothes, bills...ect.

Jack also still has this problem hanging over him. Yeah Jack is having a hard time with hacking. He is not quite ready to give it up and Olivia knows this and that is why she has let him go so he can deal with it. She can’t make him do it he has to do it on his own.

But when Olivia starts receiving gifts from a secret admirer on Valentine’s Day she turns to Jack and Sam for help. At first she thinks the gifts are from her grandfather but when he tells her that he didn’t send them. She then thinks they are from Jack and that is why she contacts him in the beginning.

Now the race is on to find out who is sending her gifts and stalking her. The question is who would want to hurt her? Why are they sending her gifts? What do they want with her? Can Olivia, Jack and Sam find out who is stalking her before it is too late and someone ends up dead?

If I was asked to choose which book I liked the best, Olivia Twisted or Olivia Decoded I don’t think I could. I loved both of them equally and am so glad I had the opportunity to read them. I think I cried just as much or more with Olivia Decoded as I did with Olivia Twisted. I loved the computer stuff and hacking in both books but I also loved reading about Olivia and her life. I loved Jack and Sam’s story too although I would like to have known more about Jack. What is his story? What is Sam’s story? I would love to have known more about a lot of the characters. What about Maggie? What is her story as well? And then there is Nancy, Dutch, Jen and all the other kids at the group home.

I am so glad that I got to read both Olivia Decoded and Olivia Twisted and I hope this is not the last I have seen of Olivia, Jack and all of their friends. If you have not read Olivia and Jack’s story yet; then I would like to suggest that you do but I would say start with Olivia Twisted first as you don’t want to miss how it all started.

[Teenreadsdotcom]

OLIVIA DECODED is the sequel to OLIVIA TWISTED by Vivi Barnes. I read OLIVIA TWISTED when it came out, and I absolutely LOVED it. So when I got the chance to review OLIVIA DECODED, I jumped on it. And then I squealed. I thought you should know. I had the pleasure of meeting Vivi back in June, and that same squealing happened afterward.

As you might have guessed, OLIVIA DECODED follows a girl named Olivia. The first book was a modern retelling of OLIVER TWIST featuring teenage hackers. I’ve never read OLIVER TWIST, but there were definitely references there. As far as I know, OLIVIA DECODED is its own novel, not a continued retelling.

I really love Olivia. At times, I wish she would go to the police instead of trying to do everything by herself, but she doesn’t trust anyone. Her grandfather is a really cool character, though he could have had better character development. It’s obvious he cares about her, but Olivia is always doubting him. To be fair, Olivia has never had a trustworthy adult figure in her life before.

The other main character is Jack. In book one, he was known as Z, and still is to most people. Jack and Olivia are perfect for each other, but both refuse to admit it. Jack thinks he’s not good enough for her, and Olivia doesn’t fully trust him. He is a hacker after all. While Jack has supposedly left the hacking life behind, he really hasn’t. Jack has some major issues he needs to work through, but having Olivia by his side will only make that easier.

As of the beginning of the book, Olivia goes to a fancy private school. She hasn’t made any friends except for the amazing Emerson. Emerson is the epitome of supportive best friend, and I love her for it. She is exactly the person Olivia needs. Emerson is also well developed, and I wouldn’t mind reading a book from her point of view!

OLIVIA DECODED was an incredibly quick read. It is very much the second book in the series, and won’t make sense if you haven’t read the first one. I loved seeing Olivia and Jack fall in love all over again, and really learn trust each other, which they hadn’t before.

I highly recommend OLIVIA DECODED, especially if you’ve read book one. OLIVIA DECODED features action, romance, hacking, friendship, and family. It’s an amazing book, and my absolute favorite book that features hacking. To be fair, I haven’t read many. All in all, go get this book series now! It is so worth the read!

Reviewed by Isabel C., Teen Board Member

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

PLOT
I'm really conflicted about this book because although I found myself engaged to the mystery, I was annoyed at the plot and the characters. I missed the hacking in the first book. It wasn't great in my opinion but hacking is hardly explored in YA so it was different. The storyline in this book is creepy but it wasn't as unnerving as I would have liked.

There are actually quite a lot of different ideas explored in this book. It's surprising considering how small the book is. We got some action, romance, a smidgen of family and friendship. Although the feel of the book seems easy and simple, you can’t ignore the serious side to it. I liked the inclusion of “darker” themes which were unexpected.

CHARACTERS
I really do feel sorry for the protagonist, Olivia. She went through so much and had a rough past. I do admire her resilience but there was just something that irritated me about her. Jack is still a character i’m not that fond of. I don’t like the way that he thinks about or treats females. I really enjoyed the introduction of the new character, Emerson (AKA the best friend). I think she had that perfect balance of concern and understanding for Olivia who would obviously keep some things hidden.

There was less romance in this novel but the angst was definitely there. I don't always see angst as a bad thing but I spent plenty of time rolling my eyes. I couldn't feel any chemistry between Olivia and Jack and unnecessary relationship drama made me facepalm. Repeatedly. I need common sense in characters.

--

I was disappointed with the ending. The book seemed to be escalating to something big but I found the ending predictable. This wasn't a particularly memorable book. I got bored and thought what's the point of continuing a lot of the time. My motivation for reading this sequel was basically to finish this series. Also it's a pretty short novel. However, I still find this to be a unique series because I've never read anything like it.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

I was quite intrigued by the Olivia Decoded blurb so I was eager to read it, unknowing that it was the second book in this series (oops). I never at any time felt confused or lost as enough background information was given to fill in the blanks.

After the events that took place in the first book, Olivia is now living with her grandfather, attending a private school and living a life of privilege; she has left her old foster family life behind – including Jack ‘Z’ but when she starts to receive gifts that include expensive jewellery, she starts to question the sender and whether Jack and her past has returned.

Jack is a criminal hacker along with a foster family of teens that are trying to keep a low profile and start afresh but he isn’t finding the change easy, especially without Liv but he easily slots back into her life despite their differences to help her find her mysterious stalker, especially when clues start to point his way.

The characters were great, Olivia is a determined and resilient young woman whose computer skills and her desire to find a place where she fits in make her seem vulnerable, her inner monologue was quite sad. Jack was a conflicted character, he has suffered loss and can’t see a life away from hacking despite his potential; I enjoyed their interactions and the way that they complimented one another.

This book was light on the romance and focused on the mystery surrounding the cryptic gifts, roses and events surrounding Liv; to be honest I was completely clueless about who was behind it all and in the end I was wrong in my guesses.

The book is very well written, I was glued to the pages right from the beginning; I was engrossed in the story-line and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters. I will definitely be reading more books by Viv Barnes.

Thank you to Entangled Teen via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Olivia Decoded.

[Vonetta Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I hadn't known that the story takes place BEFORE the epilogue from the previous book, I would have been a little lost, but not for long. I read this book in about 14 hours and was kinda sad it was over.

The story takes place 8 months after the last one ended where Jack left Olivia with her maternal grandfather to live a normal live, free of hacking. I was really excited to get to read more of Olivia and Jack A.K.A "Z" story because the first one was so great. Olivia decoded had all the makings of a great squeal; mystery, angst(this is a YA novel) drama, romance and suspense all in the opening chapters!

Olivia is trying to move on with her life, but a certain blonde hair leather wearing guy keeps her firmly in the past, but in a good way, meanwhile Z is just trying to keep his little family afloat but not ready to give up his hacking. But someone starts stalking Liv and framing Z and the two come crashing together in a tense but hopeful reunion. mixed with cars crashes, lying, breaking and entering and of course hacking this had me on the edge of my seat for most of the book.

I think, for a squeal, ViVi Barns did such a great job, where some sequels can fall flat, this one did not and was just as great as the first one.

[Keanna (JustKey) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Why:
An exciting sequel to a world that I love the character and concluded beautifully.

Characters:
Liv: She's been trying to keep her feelings about Jack behind her, but he's always in the back of her mind. But when rose petals are left in her bedroom, she thinks it's him. But when a series of events point to a stalker, she's scared- no longer feels safe in her grandfather's house. She needs to confide in someone-Jack. But needing Jack is her weakness, but she needs his help to figure who's stalking her.

Jack/Z:
Aww, I love this guy; he really showed his character in the ways. He's trying to move on from his past with the wreckage of what happened between him and Liv. There are things getting swiped from the house's bank accounts and someone is framing him. Suspicions arise and doubts set in. But it takes him back to Liz and they have to work together to find out who is stalking her.

Final Thoughts:
The tension between the two of this were making want them to just communicate them. It was sad that Liv had to sneak around with Jack. But as they worked together, it became clearer and clearer that being with Liv he wanted a better future than hacking and running away. I loved the epilogue...just read it then you'll know.

[Milena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received ARC of Olivia Decoded from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the mix of suspense, mystery and romance. I read a lot of YA fantasy and don't read a lot of contemporary YA but I enjoyed Olivia Decoded. The story continues 8 months from where Olivia Twisted finished. Olivia is living with her rich Grandfather, going to private school and making new friends. But she is also dealing with trauma of her past and missing Jack. Couple of hundred miles away Jack is dealing with his own problems and is trying to help his foster family who has fallen on hard times.

In Olivia Decoded we get new mystery and a new villain. Somebody is stalking Olivia and is trying to frame Jack for it. Jack and Olivia are brought back together after not seeing each other for months to expose the stalker. I liked all the twists and turns, and the stalker mystery was well done. I loved the chemistry between Olivia and Jack and liked their relationship. It is angsty, but the angst is not overwhelming.

I enjoyed this story a lot and was very satisfied once I turned the last page.

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts off with a great mystery that just keeps you guessing until the end.
Its a quick read, read it in one night because I just didn't want to stop. It's that good.
However I do want to go back and read the very first book. This book was easy to follow and understand by the way. For those that want to jump right in and read this book.
We learn that the main character Liv will be graduating this year and lives with her Grandfather that she only found out about 8 months ago.
Olivia is still scared all of her past will come out to her Grandfather and best friend Emerson. All the horrible things in foster care homes. But leaving all that behind is not easy as she thought. Olivia starts getting roses and pictures left for her from a stalker, so she enlist the help of Jack her ex boyfriend to help her. Will it being them closer together? Will they solve this mystery before it's to late? Just when she thought things were getting better with a fresh start...
A page Turner for sure.

[Bette Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I initially requested a copy of this one, I didn't realize it was book 2 in a series. I think that if I had read the first book I may have enjoyed this one more than I did. So if you haven't started the series yet, definitely begin at the beginning!! The writing is very good and the characters are interesting and the overall storyline is great. It's a wild ride of computer hackers, stalkers, secret identities, and broken hearts. Having to fill in some missing pieces just left me confused but if I had the whole story I think it would have been very entertaining.

This book is about Olivia dealing with the aftermath of the events in book 1. She's in a new school with new friends trying her best to get on with her life and get over Jack. Then Jack is back in her life and she seems to be spiraling out of control again.

If this sounds like something you would enjoy, I highly recommend reading the books in order!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Please note this book is the second in the series, so may contain spoilers from the first book.*

Olivia Decoded picks up eight months after the final chapter of Olivia Twisted. Liv is happily living with her grandfather, going to a new school and has a new best friend. But then she receives a Valentines gift and she isn't sure where it came from. Slowly, creepy things start showing up and Liv realises someone is watching her - with the help of Z and Sam, can she find out who it is before they cause any more harm?

I thought this book was a great sequel to Olivia Twisted and if that's the series finished now, I'd be happy. The ending rounded off the whole story and I felt as though the characters had lived out their narratives now - although I'd love to know more about the world and see a new story from someone else's perspective, such as Nancy or Sam. I would highly recommend reading this series - it's fast-paced, thrilling and will have you guessing until the last page.

[poppingthoughts · Rating 3 out of 5]

So... I requested this book because of the cover? and description.. :) Since I am in IT industry and was super curious on the plot of the story, so there..

And to my surprise that this is already the book 2. (yeah..sucks) and after reading it? I'd like to think that Book 1 has the most exciting plot than the book 2. It's more on the psychology of the two villain here in the story.

I felt a little excitement when they are trying to figure out who's doing the hacking and who's behind Z's accident. I really am a fan of badass gals!! :D

So anyway, if you're to ask me, this book is okay. The plot is okay. And overall is okay. Maybe because I didn't read the book 1? but from the looks of it? I think Book 2 pales in comparison to book 1. Book1 has lots of actions, given Liv drove off the bridge just to kill Bill Sykes <-- the syndicate leader?

Still, I want to thank Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read this book. :)

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olivia Decoded picks up eight months after the events at the end of Olivia Twisted. Liv is going to school and living with her grandfather, who she is sure will throw her out as soon as he finds out that she is not the lily-clean grand daughter that he thinks she is. In the meantime, Z has gone back to live with his "family" who are now in financial trouble and trying to stay of the radar of the authorities. Liv and Z(Jack) are brought back together when they discover that her stalker is connected to thefts that have been occurring in Jack's house. Now, the two of them must solve the mystery of the person or persons trying to ruin their lives before someone gets hurt.
Even though the ending was a little too pat to believable, twists and turns throughout the story make it an overall good read. Olivia Decoded was entertaining and fast-paced enough to hold my interest throughout the book, and I would recommend it to others.

[K.M. Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came into this without having read the first book, and the good news is that I didn’t feel like I was confused because I didn’t read the first book. There were enough references that I got the gist of what happened before (and now I have to go read it.) I really enjoyed reading this part of Liv and Jack’s story, especially since I have a fondness for hacker stories and stalker stories. I loved the friendship shown between Liv and Emmerson and Jack and Sam in addition to the will-they-won’t-they romance between Jack and Liv. Seeing how Liv was coming to terms living with her grandfather was also a great part of the story because it really shows the aftermath of everything that happened in the first book (that I haven’t read but figured out from this story) It’s definitely one I’d recommend, and I know, I know, I’m going to go get the first one ;)

[Lynndell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the arc of Olivia Decoded by Vivi Barnes! I love the relationship between Olivia (Liv) and Mrs. Bedwin (Liv's housekeeper while in her grandfather's home). Alternative points of view with Liv and Jack amp up the intensity and empathy for each character. The mystery, suspense and possible danger of the secret admirer make the story even more interesting. The love story between Liv and Jack pulls at the heartstrings. The suspense builds while the mystery begins to unravel and I didn't figure all of it out until the characters solved the mystery. I give Olivia Decoded 5 stars for great character development, character background and world building. The background of each character made this story deep and thrilling!