"Delving into the world of underground hacking, ReWired crackles with tension. I loved every cyber-second I was immersed in Ada's world!”— Kimberly Derting, author of the The Body Finder series 16-year-old Ada Lovelace is never more alive and sure of herself than when she’s hacking into a “secure” network as her alter ego, the Dark Angel. In the real world, Ada is broken, reeling from her best friend Simone’s recent suicide. But online, the reclusive daughter of Senator Lovelace (champion of the new Technology Privacy Bill) is a daring white hat hacker and the only female member of the Orwellians, an elite group responsible for a string of high-profile hacks against major corporations, with a mission to protect the little guy. Ada is swiftly proving she’s a force to be reckoned with, when a fellow Orwellian betrays her to the FBI. To protect her father’s career, Ada is sent to ReBoot, a technology rehab facility for teens…the same rehab Simone attended right before killing herself. It’s bad enough that the ReBoot facility is creepy in an Overlook-Hotel-meets-Winchester-Mansion way, but when Ada realizes Simone’s suicide is just one in an increasingly suspicious string of “accidental” deaths and “suicides” occurring just after kids leave ReBoot, Ada knows she can’t leave without figuring out what really happened to her best friend. The massive cyber conspiracy she uncovers will threaten everything she cares about–her dad’s career, her new relationship with a wry, handsome, reformed hacker, Fisher, who gets under her skin, and most of all–the Dark Angel. With a deliciously twisty plot and the topical bite of Cory Doctorow's Little Brother, ReWired delves into technology addiction, internet privacy, and corporate/government collection of data. ReWired is about the daily choices we all make about who we want to be, how much of ourselves we choose to share with others, and the terrifying risks and exhilarating rewards of being ourselves, online and off.
Shelli R. Johannes is the author of 18 books (out and forthcoming). She is the coauthor (with Kimberly Derting) of the popular CECE LOVES SCIENCE series and PENNY (An Engineering Tale of the Fourth Pig). In addition to her tween and teen novels, she is also the author of the THEO THESAURUS series and SHINE LIKE A UNICORN. Her new chapter book in Chelsea Clinton’s “She Persisted” series on FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE comes out in March 2023.
Shelli can often be found on highways and country roads saving strays and other jaywalking critters or volunteering with animal conservation groups. After earning a master’s to follow her passion of writing.
She lives in Atlanta with her own pack of unicorns: a British husband, two teens, two Goldendoodles, one sassy bird, and the many loud characters that “live” in her head. Shelli is addicted to exclamation points, puns, unicorns, and anything sciencey. You can always count on her to laugh at her own jokes, at least once.
This was an amazing YA thriller. Techno thriller at that but high on the suspense side. Why are there so few thrillers for this genre? This was really well written and the premise was uniquely woven into an exciting mystery / thriller read. Kudos to S. R. Johannes.
The description of the book sums it up really well. What I did not expect were all the twists, turns and challenges Ada, the main character of the book, faced when she enters ReBoot Academy. First of all, that mansion for the academy is creepy. Second, all the kids with different cyber felonies are thrown together to overcome hurdles or challenges in a world without electronic devices. It basically is a boot camp for addicts.
The message stands out. Almost incapable of confronting some of the challenges, the kids are faced with their own fears, have to solve riddles daily and in some cases start to turn on each other. Coming partially from broken homes or other tragedies, these kids need to learn to cope as well as face the consequences of their actions and direct their smarts into useful ways. Sounds like the real world?
None the less, without getting boring or falling into an expected cliché, this mystery of why the kids that are released from ReBoot are dying, takes a pact of Ada and her new friends and foes outside the walls of the academy after disaster strikes and more people are dying mysteriously along the way, to solve.
Very engaging, fast paced and altogether a great suspense read. Try it for yourself. It does not fall into the current hyped YA fantasy genre, but almost stays true to an old fashioned mystery with a modern world take and earns its place at the top.
I received a digital copy of ‘ReWired’ from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you!
**Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review.
3.5 stars!!!
I must say that I'm pretty impressed with this novel. It's the first YA techno-thriller that I have read or come across. The concept was pretty unique and the pacing was full on. There's plenty of action to be had within the pages and reading felt like a breeze. However, I was unable to give this book a higher rating for a couple of reasons which I will elaborate below.
Firstly, I enjoyed the setting for the novel as it isn't set too far off from real-life situations. The book heavily focuses on hacking, social media, privacy and other related issues which we already face in our day to day lives. The worldbuilding was atmospheric enough and I liked how well researched the book was in terms of hacking capabilities and the technical jargon that was used. It made for a rather realistic story. I also liked how the author tackled issues such as shadowy corporations spying on people and using data for nefarious purposes and how the government tries to deal with it. I found this kind of information helped add depth to the overall plot.
Secondly, I found the MC Ada to be especially likeable. She has a very independent streak and I liked how the author decided to come up with a geeky character as a main. She is very knowledgeable at hacking and her skills are phenomenal. I liked how she interacted with other characters and how her relationships with her friends as well as family were portrayed. Ada does have a soft side to her regardless of her tough exterior. She was fleshed out well and the same goes for the minor characters. I enjoyed reading their backstories and finding out who they were. I also enjoyed how Ada was able to take on major decisions with a level head and how persistent she was in trying to find out what really happened to her best friend, Simone. She was focused and strong-willed.
Unfortunately, the one thing I would fault over here is the romance aspect of the story. I get that this a YA novel but I really didn't feel the authenticity behind Ada and Fisher's relationship. It felt way too forced. I think if the book focused on just friendships, it would have been great. For a novel that looks at the hazardous effects of technology and how it can isolate someone, there was no need to just tack on a romance. I think this book could have done without it because when it happened, I was like seriously, I didn't even see any sparks. It was just contrived out of thin air. Yes, it was cute but not relevant. The story would have progressed anyway.
Overall, the book was fine. I liked the whole mystery of how the kids were dying and the fact that there's a rehab facility for technology addiction. There are plot twists that were mildly shocking and plot devices that helped with story progression. The story had many elements which were intertwined in a good way. I wasn't bored in the least. Plus, I liked how the author concluded things neatly. There are no major cliffhangers. I would recommend giving this book a try if you wish to take a break from the other YA genres out there.
Sixteen-year-old Ada Lovelace is never more alive and sure of herself than when she's hacking into a "secure" network as her alter ego, the Dark Angel. In the real world, Ada is broken, reeling from her best friend Simone's recent suicide. But online, the reclusive daughter of Senator Lovelace (champion of the new Online Privacy Bill) is a daring white hat hacker and the only female member of the Orwellians, an elite group responsible for a string of high-profile hacks against major corporations, with a mission to protect the little guy. Ada is swiftly proving she's a force to be reckoned with, when a fellow Orwellian betrays her to the FBI. To protect her father's career, Ada is sent to ReBoot, a technology rehab facility for teens...the same rehab Simone attended right before killing herself.
It's bad enough that the ReBoot facility is creepy in an Overlook-Hotel-meets-Winchester-Mansion way, but when Ada realizes Simone's suicide is just one in an increasingly suspicious string of "accidental" deaths and "suicides" occurring just after kids leave ReBoot, Ada knows she can't leave without figuring out what really happened to her best friend. The massive cyber conspiracy she uncovers will threaten everything she cares about--her dad's career, her new relationship with a wry, handsome, reformed hacker who gets under her skin, and most of all--the version of herself Ada likes best--the Dark Angel.
Mini - Review:
It took me a long time to get my heart to read this book, cause I`ve never read a tech-thriller before and I was frightened as hell to dislike it. And to be honest the beginning was hard and the first half of the book was slow burning and cooking, to erupt in flames and explosions in the second half and left me with a racing hard, biting lips and hoping for a happy end. The story was so new and also relevant for our daily life it was a lot more than surprising. The topic of teenage private rights and hackers against the big companies sounds just like the late night news am I right? We are not so far away from this fictional work.
The idea of a teenage girl corrupting her own dad with her hacking and getting into a rehab facility like a junkie was something Ive never read about before and I was a total sucker for it. I loved all the girlpower vibes in this books and especially Becca was my favorite person of the world in it. Kick - Ass barbie with some serious aggression problems? Sign me in! But Ada herself was also such a great and authentic character and her witty responses to my darling Fisher often took me by surprise. The characters were complex and relatable and I would have loved to read a to more about their "gang", cause in the end I adored them that much.
First I thought I would dislike the mixture of teenage book, thriller and hacker reality, but in the end I was so stoked I could feel blood and ash on my lips and did not want the book to end, because I had all of theses characters in my heart now. I am not often surprised in the second half of a book, and If I could chose I would only take the second half of it with me on a lonely island to be surprised and pumped in with adrenaline, over and over again. Reading this felt like watching a great action - movie. So pick it up and see for yourself :)
I've got this E-books through Netgalley in return for my honest opinion.
I loved this book. It felt like a mix between Warcross by Marie Lu and The Program by Suzanne Young, Two books that I've enjoyed. The book was well written, the characters were really cool and I felt like they were in their right places. The writing style was really enjoyable. Not to easy but not to difficult either.
I feel like this was a really good book, and definitely worth it to buy!
This YA cyberpunk book is super intense and hard to put down! I loved how the tech lingo is interwoven throughout the story so you fee like you are experiencing what the character is doing as if watching a movie rather than trying to imagine it. Very well written!
Ada Lovelace is the daughter of a senator and part of a hacker group. When something happens to her best friend Simone in real life she thinks it may have a connection to their hacker group and decides to do everything she can to find out who is responsible. Her plans fall short when she is caught and sent to a hacker rehab clinic called Reboot. Can Ada survive this with her sanity intact?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel for a fair and honest review!
Ada is at her best when she is online as the Dark Angel. She can get in and out of websites and other people’s computers, erasing her tracks as she goes, so no one is the wiser. She is so good that she doesn’t get caught…until she does. Ada gets sent to ReBoot, a facility for teen hackers where she is supposed to untangle herself from her devices and online addiction, and where she also has time to deal with the loss of her best friend and fellow hacker. You get to peek over Ada’s shoulder as she hacks into websites before she is caught and later as she tries to get to the bottom of a conspiracy, with the help of other hackers at ReBoot. Along with a sub-plot storyline that addresses privacy and the internet, the author explores loss, loneliness, and interpersonal communication in this fast-paced teen hacking novel with well-developed characters.
I got this eARC from netgalley in exhange for a honest review DNF at 66% This book just wasn`t for me. I was generally bored and the characters fell flat and bland.
This exhilarating adventure explores not only the world of hacking, but touches upon teen issues and hiding behind internet masks.
Ada Lovelace, aka Dark Angel, leads two lives. On one side, she's an extraordinary hacker and part of a well-known cyber hacking club. On the other, she's a Senator's daughter who once was at the top of the class but since her best friend's death, has fallen into a distant depression. Ada balances her lives as best as she can until one day, the FBI shows up at her door. The only way to avoid jail seems to be a 30-day rehab trip to a creep, historical building for some technological detox time. But there's more to this program than meets the eye.
Ada is an amazing character and drives this story forward from beginning to end. She has so many opposing personalities traits that it's hard not to feel for her and, after learning her past, completely understand her situation. She's tough, snarky, clever and yet healing and kind. But one of her best attributes is her fighting spirit and her drive not to be pushed around. She's a character easy to root for the entire way through, but she's not the only one. The entire cast of characters holds distinct personalities--each with their own problems and pains. Ada describes the group as a cyber form of 'The Breakfast Club' and this description fits well.
The writing itself starts out choppy. The phrases are short and to the point, and the chapters aren't exactly long. While this jeered at first, a couple chapters into the book and the plot takes over, making this a read not easy to be put down. The action and intrigue thickens with clues and a growing mystery until danger and tension fills the last part of the story. The story starts out with a look at Ada's hacking life, and then slowly feeds over into the special rehab program. After allowing the other characters time to develop (and each one has a very heart-breaking history of their own), the suspense and action kicks in. Some of the reasoning behind the 'evil plot' met holes, but the action kept the tale interesting.
There's a few nice historical twists built in these pages as well. Ada Lovelace was a gifted mathematician and writer during the 1800's. She is also sometimes considered to be one of the first 'computer programmers' since some of her works laid the base for later programmers.
Fans of YA adventure, programming, hacking, and a bit of teenagers finding themselves are sure to enjoy this fast-paced read.
I received a complimentary copy and found it thrilling enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
Unplug and Dive into the Thrilling World of "ReWired" by S.R. Johannes
Get ready to embark on a heart-pounding journey through the digital underworld with "ReWired" by S.R. Johannes. This electrifying YA cyber thriller is packed with action, suspense, and thought-provoking social commentary on the importance of internet safety. With a gripping storyline and well-developed characters, this book is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Phenomenal Read with Social Commentary: "ReWired" is more than just a thrilling tale—it's a powerful exploration of internet safety and the ethical implications of technology. Through the eyes of protagonist Ada Lovelace, readers are invited to delve into the complex world of hacking, corporate espionage, and the dark side of the internet. With its timely social commentary, this book serves as a wake-up call about the dangers lurking online and the importance of protecting oneself in the digital age.
Thrilling Storyline and Well-Developed Characters: From the adrenaline-fueled hacking sequences to the suspenseful twists and turns, "ReWired" delivers non-stop excitement from start to finish. Ada Lovelace is a compelling protagonist whose journey from reclusive hacker to unlikely hero will keep readers rooting for her every step of the way. Supported by a cast of well-developed characters, each with their own secrets and motivations, this book offers a rich and immersive reading experience that is sure to captivate YA readers.
Why You Should Pick Up "ReWired":
Experience the adrenaline rush of hacking and corporate espionage in this thrilling YA cyber thriller. Explore timely themes of internet safety, technology addiction, and corporate/government surveillance in a thought-provoking and engaging narrative. Follow the journey of Ada Lovelace as she navigates the dangerous world of hacking, uncovering secrets and confronting powerful adversaries along the way. Immerse yourself in a vividly depicted digital landscape filled with twists, turns, and unexpected revelations. Discover why "ReWired" is the perfect read for fans of Ally Carter's "Heist Society" and anyone who enjoys a gripping blend of action, suspense, and social commentary.
"ReWired" is a must-read for fans of YA thrillers and anyone interested in exploring the intersection of technology, ethics, and personal identity. With its gripping storyline, well-developed characters, and timely social commentary, this book offers a thrilling and thought-provoking reading experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression. So, unplug from the digital world and dive into the electrifying world of "ReWired" today!
The character Ada Lovelace who was inspried by the real Ada Lovelace gets sent into rebot after hacking the white house. The same place her friend Simone went, and died. When Ada gets there she uncovers a mystery and the big question is: why did Simone kill herself? And who really is the bad guy?
An intresting read, and full of suprises. And who was the bad guy, I did not see that coming
Fast paced, great syfy world building, and intriguing writing style. The thriller side to it was very nice, you don’t see many stories like it so it was very surprising how on the edge of your seat it felt. The characters struggled but always managed to sort of come back from it and push on. I’d much enjoy going back to this one again.
Engaging, full of twists & turns and very well written!
This was a really unique concept and it kept me interested throughout. The setting of this story is clear and felt like it isn’t too far from our world today which made the reading experience all the more immersive. I felt characters were well fleshed out and Ada was, to me, very likeable which I’ve noticed is sometimes tricky to find in YA. I like how there was a clear difference between her persona and herself in real life making her feel like a real person. Overall I really enjoyed this read and would recommend to anyone who enjoys YA, mystery thriller and suspense.
-A.J
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
Disclosure: I was kindly given a review copy of ReWired by Xpresso Book Tours for taking part in the tour. This in no way affects the integrity of my review and as usual, all my comments are my honest opinion.
ReWired is the first cyber-thriller I've read (my preference normally being fantasy and sci-fi) but I found it a really intriguing and exhilarating read. The protagonist Ada Lovelace (named after a mathematician considered to be one of the first computer programmers) is a teenager hacker who goes by the alias of 'Dark Angel' online.
Ada is a likeable character who is easy to relate to. Although she hides behind her smart, tough and unstoppable hacker persona, in real life she is the dutiful senator's daughter, nerdy and somewhat isolated. But she's also resilient and faces lots of risky situations to do what she believes is right. Although some of her actions are dubious, she always has good intentions.
After being busted by the FBI for a high-profile hack, Ada is sent to a technology rehab facility called ReBoot, where she begins to investigate her fellow residents and those who run the facility, determined to find out exactly what happened to her best friend Simone, who apparently committed suicide only a week after leaving ReBoot.
ReBoot is a strange place with a 'haunted mansion' feel. It really added a completely different angle to what I expected. There is lots of mystery and suspense in this book which kept me interested all the way through. Although many of the characters appear to fit certain stereotypes like 'jock', 'nerd' or 'goth', they all have secrets and hidden layers which are revealed as the story progresses. I never knew which characters to trust, as any of them could be involved in the conspiracy. There were a few plot twists that I didn't see coming and the ending was left open for a potential sequel.
ReWired is a very modern novel filled with up-to-date slang and pop-culture references which will appeal to teens who like social media and gaming. But the technical jargon isn't overdone, so the novel could be enjoyed by someone with very little knowledge of computers too. It raises lots of issues relevant to the 'information age' we live in, such as internet privacy, technology addiction and the ethics of data collection. There are a few nods to classic dystopian fiction-for instance, Ada's hacking group is called 'The Orwellians'. It also discusses mental health issues and teen suicide, a sensitive topic that may be unsuitable for some younger readers.
I found it to be a very easy read with short chapters that you can breeze through. The style is less literary and descriptive than the novels I usually read, but I know many young adult readers prefer straightforward language rather than lots of imagery. I wasn't a fan of the romance subplot as that's not really my thing but it didn't take over and the main story was very gripping. I was really curious to see how it all unravelled.
Overall, ReWired is a great book that I would recommend to young adult readers who enjoy reading thrillers and adventures, especially those who have an interest in technology. If a sequel is released in the future I would love to read it.
I have received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ReWired tells the story of Ada Lovelace, a teenage girl whose real life sucks. Her best friend has committed suicide a few months ago, and she's been depressed. Online, she's Dark Angel, a sharp-minded hacker who does hacking challenges with the Orwellians. When she gets busted by the FBI, she is sent to ReBoot, the camp for recovering technology addicts her friend also went to - right before she killed herself. Ada thinks the key to understanding what happened is in that place, where each person seems to know more than they are willing to tell.
I LOVE the premise of this book, it's so interesting and full of mystery, plus having a hacker as a main character isn't something you see everyday! But apart from the great mystery about Ada's friend Simone and the fact that Ada does lots of hacking throughout this book, I don't have many positive things to say.
The love interest of Ada was absolutely bland - apart from being handsome and doing funny remarks, Fisher doesn't really have a personality at all. He's supposed to be an awesome hacker, but he doesn't do any hacking at all in the whole book. The romance was not really believable, it went from a crush and a stolen kiss to full-blown committed relationship, love declarations and so on.
Also, there is a character called Crasher who suffers from mutism since suffering a trauma when his sister dies when he's supposed to be watching her. And Ada in just a few days "cures" him by basically emotionally blackmailing him and then getting mad when he isn't talking to her, like it's a personal affront. I think Crasher's mutism wasn't well-dealt with at all in this novel and it bothered me a lot.
The book got cheesy a lot of times, and I had to speed-read through it to make it more enjoyable, skipping a few "smart remarks" from Fisher and some of Ada's internal monologue. So yes, I enjoyed this book, it was a fun read and full of mystery, but oh my god, it's so flawed.
ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
CW: ableist slurs, mentions of panic attack, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, death threats, mentions of death
Some of the chapter titles were amazing tbh and that probably the one thing I enjoyed the most. The story itself was meh for me. I guess this is for a younger audience which means the writer isn't going to go too hard on some topics, but I feel like the descriptions of the hacks was a little too vague, like a bit more could've been added, maybe.
I think the thing that bothered me most is how inconsistent the main character is, like her feeling towards certain characters shifted so quickly it kind of confused me, made me feel like there were things in the story I was missing. I don't know, maybe I did miss some things and didn't realise it. For me it felt as if the story was jumping too quickly and everything that was happening was happening too easily, and it was all too convenient. Like even the bad things that happened seemed convenient and were easily worked out. And sometimes the dialogue was so cringy I needed a moment to recollect. And the plot twists were just ugh, I couldn't take them seriously. There was one that happened somewhere at the 76% that just yikes. Again me I missed important clues throughout the book, but some of these twists just seemed to get dropped out of nowhere.
I wanted to love this book so much, but lol, I couldn't by the end and that makes me sad.
(Id probably read a second book of the series, just coz)
I voluntarily received this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I went into this book with super high expectations and I was immensely underwhelmed. The biggest problem of this book was that it had no plot whatsoever. Imagine a thin threadbare patchwork quilt that is sloppily put together…that is how I would describe this book. The characters were so one dimensional, the friendships and the relationship blossomed out of nowhere and seemed to be forced on to the reader. Emphasis on instal-love the relationship made no sense, we did not get that much insight to either of the character’s personalities and it just popped out of bland characters. The conflict was practically nonexistent because the resolve of it was so predictable and anticlimactic. There was no plot, it was just occasion after occasion with some lukewarm characters sprinkled in. Also, not that big of a deal, but I code a lot and have done some recreational hacking (obviously the legal kind) and the terminology is a little off and I understand it doesn’t have to be right but it could be a little more accurate as it is the central focus of this novel. All in all I did not enjoy this book and I do not see myself reading it again.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a copy to review!
3 stars for ReWired
Thought and Plot
Ada is a hacker, an expert hacker that goes by the name of Dark Angel. She's the daughter of a senator who is currently trying to pass a bill to protect teens private information online. She's now the only female member of the Orwellians, an elite group of hackers responsible for high-profile hacks on major corporations, with a mission to protect the little guy. The other female member committed suicide. She was the Red Devil, and Ada's real life best friend, Simone...
At 16 Ada's capable of doing things like hacking into the White House, for a challenge. Little does she know that this will domino into something much larger than she realizes. When a fellow Orwellian betrays her to the FBI, ironically the new guy who convinced them to hack the White House in the first place, Ada is forced into ReBoot, a rehab facility for teens addicted to technology and the same rehab Simone attended right before killing herself.
Ada decides to use the opportunity to find out what happened to her friend while she was in rehab and see if she can discover why her happy, fun loving friend suddenly decided she didn't want to live anymore. But it's harder than she thought when she's stuck in an ancient, creepy mansion that has been converted into a rehab facility, complete with keypad locks, cameras and alarms. But expert hacker Ada has that covered and soon realizes Simone is just one of many teens that have died after leaving Reboot. Problem is, someone doesn't want her looking into these suspicious deaths.
So, what did I think? This book got me. I'm not sure how. I kept thinking it was a bit like watching an old teen tv drama with a mix of something new while I was reading it. How often do you read a book about a hacker teen who's trying to solve a mysterious series of deaths, while grieving for a friend who committed suicide, while trying to fix the trouble she's gotten herself and her politician father into, while in a rehab center for tech addicted teens? Let's not forget the love interest. I can't say I've ever come across the combo.
That said. I think I would have liked it a lot more without the 'young love' thrown in. I felt like it was a bit sudden...and of course the guy was practically the classic cliche; super smart, blue eyed, chiseled abs, great kisser...but he wears glasses. Because the glasses will redeem the cliche. lol Could have done without him. If he just turned out to be a smart-ass good friend, I would have been happier.
I also could have done without the multiple attempted kill offs of most of the supporting characters, kinda added to the teen drama feel. But it was fun how the author kept twisting and turning the story to try and keep you from finding the real 'villain'. Figured out some of the evil sidekicks easily enough, but a decent author won't go for the obvious guy, nor will they scream "LOOK THIS WAY, IT'S HIM!!!!" about the person they are trying to make you think is the bad guy. So that was refreshing.
I enjoyed how this book kept the pacing up, kept me interested and kept me wondering exactly how everything was connected and what, exactly, was going on. It's also not often that you get a teen fiction that makes a person think of what exactly they are posting on the internet and who has access to that information, in an entertaining format.
In Conclusion
Rewired is a Thriller, Suspense, Murder Mystery mash up that works. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a fast paced book that takes a rather short time to read.
I'm glad I read it.
Age Range: Mature pre-teen (see Other), Teen mostly Profanities: Maybe one or two actually written that I can remember. The rest are referred to as swearing, cursing, etc. Potential triggers: Simone ODs on anti-depressants and everyone thinks it's suicide, Crash has a heart attack, someone else dies by texting and driving...but all are a general, in-the-past events. Other: There are kissing scenes, two boys bantering about things like 'shrinkage,' people get shot at, there's some martial arts fighting, people may be thrown off a roof...yeah. Good book!
In the world of ReWired Ada Lovelace's best friend commits suicide without reason, and Ada is desperate to know why. Ada along with her now deceased best friend, Simone, are teenage hackers who hack along side a group of people they've never really met. After Ada is busted for hacking she is sent to Reboot, a rehab for teens addicted to technology.
During the entire book I was a little confused about when this story was taking place. The world seemed to have every quality of the present, but there were some things that seemed a little unrealistic or too futuristic for the present day that threw me off. Another issue I had with this book (not the story, the book) was that the author dropped brand names constantly. I highlighted every brand name she dropped and got a grand total of sixteen. Whenever something like a brand of Soda was mentioned or the brand of clothing a character was wearing was mentioned I lost all focus on the story and was stuck back to reality. One odd thing I happened to notice was actually a mathematical error. When Ada is reading information about people who have died after leaving Reboot she claims they all die one week after they leave, one full week. But on the very next page the files each show that they died between two and four days after leaving. This really as a whole bothered me because I figured someone would have noticed this earlier, but I guess it was just me.
One of the biggest flaws in this story was the romance. About halfway into the book Ada almost kisses Fisher, but up until this moment their had been no romantic chemistry between the two characters. Throughout the rest of the novel the relationship develops, but the characters do not spend much time together or get to know one another very well.
The best part of this book had to be it's characters. Every character was very distinct with their own personality and story. Johannes successfully wrote unique individuals. When book character's get mixed up in my head it can completely ruin a story, so having side characters that were well developed was so enjoyable to read about. Ada, Becca, Fisher, Raven, Andrew, and Crash all had their own personalities and quirks.
The author has a natural gift for descriptions. I could picture all of the locations clearly, and I could almost feel the physical and emotional experiences Ada went through.
In the end their were some things I'm still left questioning and confused about. In the story we learn Becca severely cyber bullied someone, but we never got an explanation or closure over this topic. Raven goes missing and is never pronounced dead or alive, which really bothered me. Ada only seems mildly affected by the many deaths that occur during the novel, honestly I don't remember her crying over any of them.
The story's idea was very unique but the story overall was a bit flawed. If you can look over some of the issues I had with this book then you could defiantly enjoy this YA read. ReWired was not the book for me, but I did enjoy some of my time reading it.
To conclude this review I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ebook of ReWired for review.
This is an engaging YA suspense focused on computer addiction/hackers.
Ada Lovelace is the daughter of a busy senator father and society busy mother who tend to be preoccupied with their own lives and affairs. Ada is immersed in the worlds of computer gaming and online community with few friends in real life. Ada is still trying to recover from the apparent suicide of her best friend, Simone who was caught hacking and sent to ReBoot, a rehab facility for hacker teens. Shortly after being released, and without sharing with Ada, Simone was found dead.
Ada, known online as the Dark Angel, is involved with a secret group that challenges its members to hack important systems. Ada is one of the best in the competitions and sometimes tries to protect the victims of the hacks from the others whose goals might be more malicious. The group is betrayed and Ada ends up being forced into rehab at the ReBoot facility.
The place is beyond creepy, not to mention it is off the electronic grid. All of the kids have different ‘antisocial’ tendencies and histories of computer addiction. Ada isn’t sure if she wants to become friends with any of them as she resigns herself to her thirty (30) days of imprisonment. As Ada begins to make contact with the others, she learns that too many former attendees have died shortly after being released from the facility. Now Ada is intent on discovering what Simone did while she was at ReBoot that might have led to her death. Ada finds secret rooms in the old building and knows that she is on to some strange behavior especially after repeated near death accidents during the academy ‘games’. Can Ada uncover a dark plot before she becomes a victim too?
I enjoyed the different characters that the author created to share this story, even referring to them as “The Breakfast Club of the Cybersphere”. Some are darker and more insular while others are more like regular kids who have gotten sucked into the world of technology. There are several twists that made the story interesting and helped me skim over the teen angsty elements (that were appropriate to the characters but not my thing). The pacing and suspense is good so that the story moved along well. There is a touch of romance too that develops through conflict and is handled nicely. I do hope the version I read was an ARC version as it was absolutely full of grammar and typo errors.
I appreciated the message this story may have especially for young people (and their parents) as the teens become more involved with and reliant upon cell phones and computer life. I know myself how easy it is to lose hours of time while visiting social media or playing online games. The author provides a message that it is important to stay in live contact with family and friends. I recommend this to readers who enjoy YA issues in a story that includes technology and suspense elements.
I was invited to read this by the author who provided an ebook copy.
If I could have one skill- it would be hacking. I would love to actually understand code and computers but alas my brain is not wired that way (LOL). Ada Lovelace is such a relatable character. She is just trying to fit in, but it's hard because she's the senator's daughter, and a famous hacker by night. She is also grieving the loss of her best friend. After she got caught hacking, Ada must go to the same place her best friend went for rehab before she committed suicide. I loved seeing Ada grow into herself, trying to make new friends, and learning to accept the consequences of her actions.
There are two themes in this book that I think S.R. Johannes did a great job at portraying. First, is the technology/ cyber privacy. Has anyone ever tried to google themselves? I have, and it's crazy to see the information that is there. I know that a long time ago- I did something stupid on the internet -I commented on a blog post with my address. :/ ( I think I was able to delete that comment after I realize that it was still after all this time) BUT STILL... whatever you post on the internet, it will never disappear. (and that's mostly true...) There are definitely things set in place that can protect you- but you also must be diligent in deciding what you should post on the internet.
The second thing that I thought was portrayed respectively, was suicide. Suicide is still a taboo subject to talk about. I loss someone in my family to suicide, and it's not something that you will forget, or get over. I think S.R. Johannes does a great job of showing the emotions that you go though when you lose someone either to suicide or to another cause. Death is permanent (no such things as zombies or the fountain of youth...) and to me the best thing you can do when you have lost someone you loved, is to think of all of your memories with the person- the good and the bad. I remember my aunt at worst and best times of her life and I miss her lots.
S.R. Johannes is one the my favorite mystery writers. I can always count on thrills, twists, and plenty of excitement in her mysteries. I think the setting at a mansion in the middle of no where, with team building exercises- is very cool, and creepy too! There were some things that I was not surprise about- AND YET, I still somehow guessed the wrong thing. (LOL)
I love all of the people Ada met at Reboot- you definitely do not want to underestimate or judge the characters by your first impression of them! Everybody was dealing with their own problems, and once they started to trust each other- they were all able to slowly find the light in themselves.
Hint: I do think there will be a sequel, because there were some loose ends that were not tied up. :D
Social Net is a computer network for teens. It operates on the premise that it gives the users the confidence to socialise within their comfort zones. Confidentiality is in question, hence a Privacy Bill currently in progress, but not without oppositions.
Ada is the sixteen year old daughter of a Senator. She is an introvert and at her best when she is hacking through secure systems. She is a member of the Orwellians, an elite online group. She doesn’t believe that the Social Net is as above board as it looks. Unfortunately, she lost her best friend, Simone who shared her belief. She is now on her own, trying to find a way to prove her theory.
She operates as Dark Angel online. When the group issues a challenge, she is only too happy to accept. Being a girl is tough in the computer world! She proves her worth by completing the challenge. The FBI arrives on her doorsteps and she is arrested. Although, her online identity is not linked to her real name, someone has betrayed her.
She is given the option of going to Reboot, a rehabilitation centre for computer addicts. Otherwise, it's going before a judge. Something that she can't afford to do in view of her father being the advocate of the Online Privacy Bill.
Reboot is a technology free environment, where the residents are encouraged to interact. Something, most computer addicts loathe! It's the same place, her friend attended before her demise. Now that she is here, she intends to find out what drove Simone to "self destruct." Her group comprises of Andrew alias Varian, Becca, a chocoholic, Fisher, a charmer, Raven, a goth and Clash who refuses to speak. She narrowly escapes being injured, or worse during each of their team builds. One accident too many!
What she uncovers during her investigation is beyond belief. The conspiracy runs deeper than expected. Each and everyone of them is in danger. Proving and exposing those responsible is hard. Knowing who to trust is even harder! There is no real safety. Information can be manipulated and used by those who are after control and power.
Rewired is a good portrayal of the pros and cons of technology. It's about finding a balance between real life and cyber life. The true value of friendship is at the forefront. Fisher, Varian and Becca show their true personilities. This SciFi thriller has equal amounts of suspense and danger. There is love and laughter. Ava finds love and friendship. It's a well paced and engaging story. There isn't a boring moment and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It's credible and would appeal to readers of all ages.
I was kindly issued with an eARC from Expresso and the views expressed are my personal opinion.
ReWired tells the story of a senator's daughter, Ada, who happens to be a ridiculously skilled hacker. She's part of a group of hackers known as the Orwellians, and they can get into almost anything if they put their skills to good use. The only downside? Ada's senator father is determined to pass a bill for teen privacy on the internet. Having a hacker daughter doesn't exactly look good for him and his bill. Lucky for him, no one knows about Ada or her skills...or so she thinks.
Ada eventually gets caught for something minor (even though she's pulled off worse things) and is sent to a rehab facility in the middle of nowhere. Seriously, this place is like something out of the 1800s or something. No tech is allowed, according to the director of the facility, Ms. Matthews. But that doesn't mean the kids who are there won't try and sneak some tech (or other goodies) in.
Unfortunately, ReBoot, the rehab center, isn't all it's cracked up to be. Kids are dying, supposedly by suicide, not long after they leave. But the suspicious deaths spur Ada into action. Will she discover the truth before it's too late?
Okay, now that I'm done recapping, I have to say I really enjoyed this one. It's got a mystery, suspense, and geeky tech speak that will appeal to young adult (and adult) readers, even if they aren't exactly savvy when it comes to technology.
I thought Ada was an interesting character. She was a good kid who just wanted to do the right thing, even if it meant going about it in a not so legal way. She seemed loyal, like she'd be a good friend, although she did, understandably, have trust issues. She was smart, she was capable of taking care of herself (mostly), and she even made time to test the waters when it came to romance.
I also really liked the characters you meet at ReBoot. Varian comes off as a jerk for most of the story, but trust me, he's anything but. Fisher comes off as a snarky, yet sweet sort of guy you can't help but like. Becca seems like a stereotypical "dumb cheerleader" but she proves she can kick some serious booty when she has to. And Crash is a shy, quiet type who just wants to heal from his past mistakes. He's a good kid. There's also Raven, but I feel like I didn't care about her either way.
The plot starts off a little slow, but it builds relatively quick, and once it gets going, it's definitely one heck of a thrill ride. I couldn't put it down, and once it ended, I was like, wait! I need more!
If you're into YA thrillers with a hint of romance, definitely check out ReWired. It's a really good read that will leave you eager to discover the truth, and when you do, it'll make you rethink everything when it comes to being online.
Murder mystery. Hackers. And the sort of wholesome friendship we deserve to see more of. Rewired is simply an incredibly fun read full of intrigue and a look into the effect we have on technology and — more interestingly — the effect it has on us.
Rewired is centred around a girl named Ava — a teenage hacking extraordinaire who gets ratted out to the police after infiltrating the database of a high profile company. So she’s given a choice— jail time, or a facility named Rewind that specialisies in reforming kids who abuse technology and are, in their opinion, addicted to it.
There’s a catch, of course — this place is the last place Ava’s hacker best friend went before unexpectedly commiting suicide... and maybe Ava can figure out why if she goes.
Of course, this is only just the beginning of Ava’s troubles at Rewind...
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. I also adore the idea of Rewind helping technology addicts. When I first got to learn more about the facility, I scoffed at the idea (I mean technology addicts, really?). Yet it wasn’t long before I saw that these characters actually did need this place, and maybe even the real world could learn a thing or two from Rewind too.
As for the characters themselves, well, that’s where this book really shines. No two characters are the same — each is incredibly unique, and incredibly dysfunctional. Some of them are sweet, and some of them are incredibly dramatic and VERY extra, yet they are willing to work together and support each other in a way that shows how important it is to rely on the ones who care about you when you need it. The loyalty and friendship amongst this family of misfits is what made this book for me!
That being said, there were a few let downs. Some of the plot twists were rather predictable, and the villains logic itself could be convoluted at times — I mean, there were much easier ways to get what he wanted. There’s also the fact that Ava is shown to be pretty smart, yet instantly believes a lie that is, frankly, a little obvious. Then you also have a character that is pretty sweet, but turns out her backstory of what she did to get sent to Rewind is kinda messed up. Who we are shown, and then what we are told about what she did, seem to show two VERY different characters. And yet what she did will be glossed over very quickly.
Yet despite these flaws, Rewind proves to be a fun and easy read that you’ll thoroughly enjoy — and filled with characters you’ll simply adore by the end.
I got really curious about this book when I saw that the main character's name was Ada Lovelace. That may cause you to wonder why, and what is so special about it...
It is a fair question, and here are some quick info and more if you are curious: Ada Lovelace was the daughter of Lord Byron (Yes that one Lord Byron) and she was a mathematician and is pretty much the one who wrote the first computer program.
An amazing lady, when in those days ladies were not deemed smart enough to be properly educated!
You can see why, when I saw Ada's name as the main character; I got super curious and could not wait to read the book.
I can tell you right now that it was spectacular and I LOVED it!
Teenage Ada is such a fantastic character and badass behind a computer, you know I love strong female characters and though they are usually more physically powerful, Ada is amazing with her skills just as much.
She did remind me of Lisbeth Salander a little, but Ada isn't as dark though she is reeling still from the suicide of her best friend.
I mean, who wouldn't?
The books isn't fun and games and not crazy dark either, but there is darkness there and addresses quite a number of interesting topics when it comes to our world's interaction with social media and technology in general.
ReWIRED is smart, very well written and of our time! The characters are all wonderful and the gang of Ada, Varian, Becca and Fish are a wonderful ensemble as they come together as one team!
Though I wish Varian was of the Horde instead of the Alliance and considering I have been playing WoW and SL for years, those elements in the story made me smile.
I am not going to tell you a lot about the story, the synopsis says quite a bit and I have given a little bit extra, but you know that I always encourage you to read the book and this one is one is amazing!
I am writing this review and I am really hoping for a series where Ada and the gang go into different hacking adventures and grow more as individual characters and as a group. I think that would be really fantastic and I would so be into it!
What do you think Shelli?
Do we have a deal?...
I said it earlier and will say it again; ReWIRED is fantastic and I loved ever second of it. I read it in one swoop and did not want to put it down! So you know what is coming when I say that I am going to very highly recommend it!
First off, I would like to thank the publisher and author for providing me this ARC in an exchange for an honest review. Please note that the version I read was an advanced copy, and certain events/language may be changed in the published edition.
Stars (Out of 10): 3/10
Don’t spend money on this book. Go read a fanfiction instead. It will give you a similar feeling. The writing is very simplistic. Writing takes practice, and this book gives off a vibe of being that practice. This book appears to go through an identity crisis. We start off with a realistic fiction with a slight twist to it (the focus being on hacking). We then go into a mystery with slight suspense. We take a brief stroll into a teen slasher. And then we somehow end up in a dystopian final confrontation. It’s like the book wanted to be too many things.
Judging from the acknowledgements in the beginning, this is a republish or rewrite of a novel done in 2012. This causes an issue in the fact the characters did not age well. While the characters may embody stereotypes, we are now in an age where books are taking long-done stereotypes and turning them around. This book does not do that. Instead, it starts with the cliche and keeps the cliche until the end. Even the rushed romance feels off.
However, you could say the plot would be interesting if done differently. I would love to read a book about a rehab group for tech people if the characters were more interesting, the mystery was more developed, and the ending was better. First point of view is always hard to write, so I understand the challenges the author had to be facing when writing Ada. Ada spent more time describing Simone and her friends than establishing herself. It’s hard to balance a well-developed first-person protagonist and a detailed book. She could establish her personality by doing things that compliment her personality rather than just comparing herself to Simone. In general, Ada just wasn’t an easy character to like. It’s hard to enjoy a book when you don’t like the protagonist.
All in all, this book just needs updating to fit into 2018’s standards.
*I received a free copy of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
2.5 stars.
After reading the Nature of Grace series last year, I was really looking forward to ReWired. But it fell flat for me and just wasn't as interesting as I had hoped. The characters were just kind of okay, and the plot was somewhat predictable. Relationships and conversations felt very manufactured. In a way, it reminded me of the movie Anti-trust, but that movie is better. My feelings for this book are similar to the ones I have for Dangerous (Shannon Hale). It's actually kind of funny that I thought of that since it's been four years since I read that book.
I'm really hoping that my next complaint is because this was a copy of the book that hadn't been edited much yet, but I honestly don't know. There were just a LOT of errors--word usage, incomplete sentences (as in, the sentences cut off before they were done), missing words, etc.
Because I liked the Nature of Grace series, I'm willing to give Johannes another chance with future books. But if this had been my first exposure to her, I'd probably be done.
I received an ecopy of ReWired from Xpresso book tours for an honest review. Everything that follows is my own opinion. I was not compensated or coached on what is said in this review.
ReWired is a young adult thriller book about about hacking, rehab, and the loss of someone important. The main character and narrator, Ada Lovelace, lives a double life. In real life, she is a senator's daughter and online, she is Dark Angel. I found her a character I could relate to. She has her own strength, can be cocky at times, but ultimately has her heart in the right place. Everything she does seems to be for someone else. However, her execution may not seem to be the best.
I liked how real the world of ReWired seems to this world. SocialNet is obviously inspired by Facebook and possibly Twitter together. You have the Orwellians, a hacking group, who are named by the 1984 author, George Orwell (great book, by the way). And then there is the joining of old and new. ReBoot, the rehab for tech addicted teens, pays homage to Sarah Winchester's odd home and life.
If you don't know about the Winchester Mystery House, it is a strange house made by an old woman. It's in San Jose, CA and my dad used to see it all the time too. Apparently, I'm distantly related to the Winchester family. Or at least, a Winchester family. Not sure if Sarah is related to me by marriage or not.
Anyways, that wasn't the only cool detail that I loved. Oh, no, the big detail is Ada herself. The historical Ada Lovelace is a writer and mathematician from the 1800's. Ada Lovelace is known as one of the first pioneers in the mathematical works for the computer. She is known as being one of the first computer programmers.
In all, the book itself was great. I was hooked from the beginning. There was action, science, and enough intrigue to keep you wanting more. The ending is a strong one, but does leave enough that a sequel could happen. Either way, the book was a good one and I will definitely be reading a sequel if one comes up.