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Immoral Code
For Nari, aka Narioka Diane, aka hacker digital alter ego “d0l0s," it’s college and then a career at “one of the big ones," like Google or Apple. Keagan, her sweet, sensitive boyfriend, is happy to follow her wherever she may lead. Reese is an ace/aro visual artist with plans to travel the world. Santiago is off to Stanford on a diving scholarship, with very real Olympic hopes. And Bellamy? Physics genius Bellamy is admitted to MIT—but the student loan she’d been counting on is denied when it turns out her estranged father—one Robert Foster—is loaded.
Nari isn’t about to let her friend’s dreams be squashed by a deadbeat billionaire, so she hatches a plan to steal just enough from Foster to allow Bellamy to achieve her goals.
Nari isn’t about to let her friend’s dreams be squashed by a deadbeat billionaire, so she hatches a plan to steal just enough from Foster to allow Bellamy to achieve her goals.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published February 19, 2019
31 people are currently reading
4237 people want to read
About the author
Lillian Clark
3 books140 followersLillian Clark, a graduate of the University of Wyoming, grew up riding horses, climbing trees, and going on grand imaginary adventures in the small-town West. She's worked as a lifeguard, a camp counselor, and a Zamboni driver, but found her eternal love working as a bookseller at an independent bookstore. Now living in Teton Valley, Idaho with her husband, son, and two giant dogs, she spends her time reading almost anything and writing books for teens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
April 17, 2019
I read a lot of YA books, but I must admit, reading Lillian Clark's new book,
Immoral Code
, was the first time I felt old reading this genre. There are certainly universal themes of friendship, loyalty, and love, but perhaps because the book deals with a lot of technological stuff, some of the lingo used went over my head. (It's embarrassing to admit I'd never heard the term "ace/aro" to describe someone who is asexual and aromantic—I know what these words mean, but I wasn't familiar with the abbreviation. Sigh.)
Nari, Bellamy, Keagan, Santiago, and Reese are a group of five friends on the cusp of high school graduation. Nari is a hacker who wants a career at a major technology company after college. Her boyfriend, Keagan, just wants to be with her and doesn't have many ambitions beyond that. Reese is a talented visual artist who is fierce and fiercely independent. Santiago, despite his parents' objections, is headed to Stanford on a diving scholarship—and hopefully the Olympics. Bellamy is absolutely brilliant, and she dreams of going to MIT.
There's just one hitch in Bells' plan. Her financial-genius father, whom she has never met, makes so much money that he's negated any possibility of her getting the financial aid she needs to attend MIT. As part of the agreement between him and her mother, he only provides a minimal amount of child support each month, so she's not even allowed to ask him for help. How could her dreams be dashed so badly by someone who has never been a part of her life (except her conception)?
Nari is outraged by her friend's situation and decides there's only one way to solve the problem: since Bells' father makes so much money, he probably wouldn't notice if a tiny bit was missing, right? Nari plans to hack into his bank accounts and skim just a little off the top of every million dollars he makes, until she accrues enough to pay Bells' tuition? Seems like an easy plan, right?
Of course, not everyone is a fan of the idea, given it's a crime that could land them all in jail. But why should a man who has never cared one iota for Bells ruin her dreams and her chance for an incredible future? When hacking from a distance doesn't seem to be working, the quintet plans a road trip to hack into his computer in person. It's the ultimate rob the rich, give to the poor scheme.
Despite making me feel a bit curmudgeon-like, this book was a fun ride. I really liked the characters and the way they interacted with each other. While the subject matter of the book was super-technical in parts, I didn't feel like the characters were overly sophisticated or too erudite for their own good—these were, for the most part, highly intelligent teenagers jousting with the verbal swordplay you'd expect from kids like this.
The book shifts narration among all five characters, which did get a little distracting at times. It was helpful to hear how each perceived the events of the book, particularly Nari's scheme, but often the voices seemed more similar than the characters did, so I had to go back and remind myself whose chapter this was. Beyond that, though, Clark's voice is a fresh one, and this take on a heist story was enjoyable.
NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Knopf Books for Young Readers provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yrralh/.
Nari, Bellamy, Keagan, Santiago, and Reese are a group of five friends on the cusp of high school graduation. Nari is a hacker who wants a career at a major technology company after college. Her boyfriend, Keagan, just wants to be with her and doesn't have many ambitions beyond that. Reese is a talented visual artist who is fierce and fiercely independent. Santiago, despite his parents' objections, is headed to Stanford on a diving scholarship—and hopefully the Olympics. Bellamy is absolutely brilliant, and she dreams of going to MIT.
There's just one hitch in Bells' plan. Her financial-genius father, whom she has never met, makes so much money that he's negated any possibility of her getting the financial aid she needs to attend MIT. As part of the agreement between him and her mother, he only provides a minimal amount of child support each month, so she's not even allowed to ask him for help. How could her dreams be dashed so badly by someone who has never been a part of her life (except her conception)?
Nari is outraged by her friend's situation and decides there's only one way to solve the problem: since Bells' father makes so much money, he probably wouldn't notice if a tiny bit was missing, right? Nari plans to hack into his bank accounts and skim just a little off the top of every million dollars he makes, until she accrues enough to pay Bells' tuition? Seems like an easy plan, right?
Of course, not everyone is a fan of the idea, given it's a crime that could land them all in jail. But why should a man who has never cared one iota for Bells ruin her dreams and her chance for an incredible future? When hacking from a distance doesn't seem to be working, the quintet plans a road trip to hack into his computer in person. It's the ultimate rob the rich, give to the poor scheme.
Despite making me feel a bit curmudgeon-like, this book was a fun ride. I really liked the characters and the way they interacted with each other. While the subject matter of the book was super-technical in parts, I didn't feel like the characters were overly sophisticated or too erudite for their own good—these were, for the most part, highly intelligent teenagers jousting with the verbal swordplay you'd expect from kids like this.
The book shifts narration among all five characters, which did get a little distracting at times. It was helpful to hear how each perceived the events of the book, particularly Nari's scheme, but often the voices seemed more similar than the characters did, so I had to go back and remind myself whose chapter this was. Beyond that, though, Clark's voice is a fresh one, and this take on a heist story was enjoyable.
NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Knopf Books for Young Readers provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yrralh/.
February 6, 2019
Immoral Code by Lillian Clark is a young adult contemporary that follows a group of five friends. Each of the group have a voice in the story as they come together to try to help one solve their problem of getting to college.
Nari is the hacker of the group and as you may guess plays a big part of the story, Keagan is Nari’s boyfriend, Reese has plans to travel the world, Santiago a champion diver having secured a scholarship to Stanford and then there’s Bellamy who’s dream has always been going to MIT.
Bellamy had gotten the news of an acceptance into MIT and couldn’t have been happier, that is until finding out money was going to be a problem. Having planned on financial aid and getting turned down there’s no way Bellamy being raised by a single mother can pay for the school. Bellamy’s father however is a billionaire who signed her away years before and since his wealth is keeping the MIT dream out of reach why not hack away a few thousand, she deserves it, right?
I actually rather enjoyed the story in Immoral Code, I mean who can’t help but feel for the teen who knows who their father is but he wasn’t man enough to be in her life? The thing that kept me from really loving this one was when switching between each character’s voice I would often forget who it was. Each should have more of a personality instead of blending together to me. In the end I would give this one 3.5 stars, still a fun read but perhaps a bit bland on character development.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Nari is the hacker of the group and as you may guess plays a big part of the story, Keagan is Nari’s boyfriend, Reese has plans to travel the world, Santiago a champion diver having secured a scholarship to Stanford and then there’s Bellamy who’s dream has always been going to MIT.
Bellamy had gotten the news of an acceptance into MIT and couldn’t have been happier, that is until finding out money was going to be a problem. Having planned on financial aid and getting turned down there’s no way Bellamy being raised by a single mother can pay for the school. Bellamy’s father however is a billionaire who signed her away years before and since his wealth is keeping the MIT dream out of reach why not hack away a few thousand, she deserves it, right?
I actually rather enjoyed the story in Immoral Code, I mean who can’t help but feel for the teen who knows who their father is but he wasn’t man enough to be in her life? The thing that kept me from really loving this one was when switching between each character’s voice I would often forget who it was. Each should have more of a personality instead of blending together to me. In the end I would give this one 3.5 stars, still a fun read but perhaps a bit bland on character development.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
February 8, 2019
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
CW: bullying, aphobia.
I received an earc of this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review
Original review posted on my blog : Word Wonders
Hello, what do you do when you read a book and love the cast of characters so much you want to adopt them and would die for their safety and happiness? Because. That’s me. With this book. Immoral Code has been on my radar for a while because 1/ Contemporary teen heist book (!!!) and 2/ One of the MCs is aroace!!!! So when I got the chance to review it, I jumped on it and started reading right away and it did NOT disappoint.
The writing is just like I absolutely love it to be, it’s fun, engaging, with EXTREMELY distinct narrative voices, every main character got their quirks and peculiarities that made them stand out from the rest, which is a necessity when you have five different point of views that all have equal importance. It’s also smooth in switching between action scene narration style and beautiful prose when it’s exploring feelings and emotions and that’s something I really appreciate in a book. It also genuinely felt like being inside teenagers’ heads with a lot of inner ramblings and thought processes getting sidetracked at times, which I really enjoyed.
The book starts when Bellamy, one of our five main characters gets denied for financial aid to attend MIT because of her super uber wealthy estranged father. Only trouble is, Bellamy is poor and definitely can’t afford MIT without it, and said father is estranged to the point where she’s never seen him, talked to him, and is NOT paying for college. Enter, Narioka (Nari, for short), hacker extraordinaire and Bellamy’s best friend, who proposes they steal the money she’s owed from her father’s company bank accounts. Heist and complications ensue.
The one criticism I have for this book is that I wish there was more of the heist? I didn’t mind that much (I mean…I still rated it 4.5 stars) since I adored the characters, but I just wanted *more* about the heist itself and a more in depth, detailed, view into the logistics of it all. That being said, the heist itself GAVE ME HEART PALPITATIONS!!!! These teenagers are such brave, amazing, smart fools. And my heart is so full of love for them that I could NOT handle them being in a precarious situation like that. Other than that, I wouldn’t really call this book *fast-paced*, it has a good pace, but it’s very much character oriented.
The fact that this book centers a heist in a contemporary setting, committed but people who cannot be farther away from criminals, gave way for a discussion of right, wrong and morality. And through having multiple main characters who are very different individuals we got to see very different takes on the issue as well as those views sometimes clashing and sometimes meeting in the middle for a compromise. From the “WHAT WE’RE DOING IS WRONG, PLAIN WRONG!!!” take to the “Bellamy is owed this!!!!” take, including the “Yes it’s wrong, but wrong thing for the right reasons” take and that was extremely interesting to read.
My favorite thing about the book is the characters, hands down, no questions asked. Immoral Code gets you to care so very deeply and so very fast about each one of them. I found myself rooting for them and wanting to know more about them a couple chapters into the book. And the more I learned, the more I loved them and more I wanted to know about them. And I genuinely cannot pick a favorite, which is something that’s never happened to me, I always have a soft spot for one character in big casts like this, but NOPE, not this time.
First up, we have Nari, Japanese-American hacktivist, coding genius, and style icon. She exudes so much confidence and her presence is just so…loud and eclipsing, it’s not only something we’re told from other characters’ POVs about also something that just translated through the pages from her perspective. She’s a natural leader, loud, sassy and very protective of her friends, especially Bellamy, who’s been her best friend since second grade. So much confidence can also make her arrogant at times which she can bite her fingers over later on.
Next is Keagan, Nari’s boyfriend and your local Soft Boy. He’s sensitive, caring, and the definition of a good person and their moral compass throughout the mission. I sincerely believe that they would have gone much farther in their heist if he wasn’t there to pull back a little every time. He’s also the only one of the group who has no big dreams and no clear idea of what he wants from his life after high school, which he’s quite content with, until…he’s not. He starts feeling insecure, especially with having friends with such big dreams and I loved that there was a discussion around this and it was normalized, because teenagers are under so much pressure to have everything figured out at eighteen when…they’re barely starting out on life. So the fact that this book says “Yes that’s cool and all, but not having a clue what you want is cool too” is a huge win for me.
Then we have Bellamy, physics genius, aspiring astronaut and the heart of the mission. She’s somewhat of a shy girl with a heart of gold, she just doesn’t want to inconvenience anyone so she just sort of just…goes with the flow. I also loved how much of a well of informations she was, she just has fun facts about anything and everything. Next up we have Santiago, Mexican-American swimmer boy whose biggest dream is to make it into the Olympics, a dream that’s met with some push back from his parents who want him to focus on school to secure himself a good stable future, which…diving doesn’t guarantee. He’s funny and kind of the bomb diffuser of the group, whenever there’s some tension, he’s the one doing the most to get it under control.
Last but not least, Reese my aroace queen. She has such a “I don’t give a cent about your opinion” attitude and vibe about her because caring about what people think gives them power over you and she is NOT here for that. Her policy is ignorance and she also does not like to meddle in people’s business, even when said people are her best friends, as long as their business makes them happy, that’s all she cares about, she doesn’t need the details of it all (especially when it comes to romance). She’s so utterly comfortable with who she is. I adored that her aroace-ness was never an issue or source of conflict for her, and I adore the discussion around it.
I loved every single relationship in this. The group friendship was great, no one was ever left out of made to feel like a dead weight (especially with there being two couples-ish + Reese) and the way they cared about each other just felt so… real and genuine, they had all kinds of conversations ranging from silly to deep at 3 in the morning. I also appreciated that there was care put not only into the group friendship but into every individual friendship as well.
And can we talk about the romances? Nari and Keagan’s relationship sturdiness and their complete fate for their love in each other and their future together warmed my heart. Even when they fight and disagree, they never thought things wouldn’t work out and that made me so emotional *cries*. And in contrast, we had Bellamy and Santiago, for whom everything is new after so long being friends, the tentativeness of it all was so soft and the way Santiago talked about her as if she hang the moon was CUTE. I just loved it all. And I liked that the author showed more than one example of what it’s like to be in a relationship in high school.
Immoral Code is so nerdy and science oriented, it made my little nerdy heart happy. And that ending was an EMOTIONAL rollercoaster while still being immensely satisfying. I just *clenches fist* LOVE THIS SO MUCH, and the rep that I got through Reese meant the world to my aromantic heart.
CW: bullying, aphobia.
I received an earc of this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review
Original review posted on my blog : Word Wonders
Hello, what do you do when you read a book and love the cast of characters so much you want to adopt them and would die for their safety and happiness? Because. That’s me. With this book. Immoral Code has been on my radar for a while because 1/ Contemporary teen heist book (!!!) and 2/ One of the MCs is aroace!!!! So when I got the chance to review it, I jumped on it and started reading right away and it did NOT disappoint.
The writing is just like I absolutely love it to be, it’s fun, engaging, with EXTREMELY distinct narrative voices, every main character got their quirks and peculiarities that made them stand out from the rest, which is a necessity when you have five different point of views that all have equal importance. It’s also smooth in switching between action scene narration style and beautiful prose when it’s exploring feelings and emotions and that’s something I really appreciate in a book. It also genuinely felt like being inside teenagers’ heads with a lot of inner ramblings and thought processes getting sidetracked at times, which I really enjoyed.
The book starts when Bellamy, one of our five main characters gets denied for financial aid to attend MIT because of her super uber wealthy estranged father. Only trouble is, Bellamy is poor and definitely can’t afford MIT without it, and said father is estranged to the point where she’s never seen him, talked to him, and is NOT paying for college. Enter, Narioka (Nari, for short), hacker extraordinaire and Bellamy’s best friend, who proposes they steal the money she’s owed from her father’s company bank accounts. Heist and complications ensue.
The one criticism I have for this book is that I wish there was more of the heist? I didn’t mind that much (I mean…I still rated it 4.5 stars) since I adored the characters, but I just wanted *more* about the heist itself and a more in depth, detailed, view into the logistics of it all. That being said, the heist itself GAVE ME HEART PALPITATIONS!!!! These teenagers are such brave, amazing, smart fools. And my heart is so full of love for them that I could NOT handle them being in a precarious situation like that. Other than that, I wouldn’t really call this book *fast-paced*, it has a good pace, but it’s very much character oriented.
The fact that this book centers a heist in a contemporary setting, committed but people who cannot be farther away from criminals, gave way for a discussion of right, wrong and morality. And through having multiple main characters who are very different individuals we got to see very different takes on the issue as well as those views sometimes clashing and sometimes meeting in the middle for a compromise. From the “WHAT WE’RE DOING IS WRONG, PLAIN WRONG!!!” take to the “Bellamy is owed this!!!!” take, including the “Yes it’s wrong, but wrong thing for the right reasons” take and that was extremely interesting to read.
My favorite thing about the book is the characters, hands down, no questions asked. Immoral Code gets you to care so very deeply and so very fast about each one of them. I found myself rooting for them and wanting to know more about them a couple chapters into the book. And the more I learned, the more I loved them and more I wanted to know about them. And I genuinely cannot pick a favorite, which is something that’s never happened to me, I always have a soft spot for one character in big casts like this, but NOPE, not this time.
First up, we have Nari, Japanese-American hacktivist, coding genius, and style icon. She exudes so much confidence and her presence is just so…loud and eclipsing, it’s not only something we’re told from other characters’ POVs about also something that just translated through the pages from her perspective. She’s a natural leader, loud, sassy and very protective of her friends, especially Bellamy, who’s been her best friend since second grade. So much confidence can also make her arrogant at times which she can bite her fingers over later on.
Next is Keagan, Nari’s boyfriend and your local Soft Boy. He’s sensitive, caring, and the definition of a good person and their moral compass throughout the mission. I sincerely believe that they would have gone much farther in their heist if he wasn’t there to pull back a little every time. He’s also the only one of the group who has no big dreams and no clear idea of what he wants from his life after high school, which he’s quite content with, until…he’s not. He starts feeling insecure, especially with having friends with such big dreams and I loved that there was a discussion around this and it was normalized, because teenagers are under so much pressure to have everything figured out at eighteen when…they’re barely starting out on life. So the fact that this book says “Yes that’s cool and all, but not having a clue what you want is cool too” is a huge win for me.
Then we have Bellamy, physics genius, aspiring astronaut and the heart of the mission. She’s somewhat of a shy girl with a heart of gold, she just doesn’t want to inconvenience anyone so she just sort of just…goes with the flow. I also loved how much of a well of informations she was, she just has fun facts about anything and everything. Next up we have Santiago, Mexican-American swimmer boy whose biggest dream is to make it into the Olympics, a dream that’s met with some push back from his parents who want him to focus on school to secure himself a good stable future, which…diving doesn’t guarantee. He’s funny and kind of the bomb diffuser of the group, whenever there’s some tension, he’s the one doing the most to get it under control.
Last but not least, Reese my aroace queen. She has such a “I don’t give a cent about your opinion” attitude and vibe about her because caring about what people think gives them power over you and she is NOT here for that. Her policy is ignorance and she also does not like to meddle in people’s business, even when said people are her best friends, as long as their business makes them happy, that’s all she cares about, she doesn’t need the details of it all (especially when it comes to romance). She’s so utterly comfortable with who she is. I adored that her aroace-ness was never an issue or source of conflict for her, and I adore the discussion around it.
I loved every single relationship in this. The group friendship was great, no one was ever left out of made to feel like a dead weight (especially with there being two couples-ish + Reese) and the way they cared about each other just felt so… real and genuine, they had all kinds of conversations ranging from silly to deep at 3 in the morning. I also appreciated that there was care put not only into the group friendship but into every individual friendship as well.
And can we talk about the romances? Nari and Keagan’s relationship sturdiness and their complete fate for their love in each other and their future together warmed my heart. Even when they fight and disagree, they never thought things wouldn’t work out and that made me so emotional *cries*. And in contrast, we had Bellamy and Santiago, for whom everything is new after so long being friends, the tentativeness of it all was so soft and the way Santiago talked about her as if she hang the moon was CUTE. I just loved it all. And I liked that the author showed more than one example of what it’s like to be in a relationship in high school.
Immoral Code is so nerdy and science oriented, it made my little nerdy heart happy. And that ending was an EMOTIONAL rollercoaster while still being immensely satisfying. I just *clenches fist* LOVE THIS SO MUCH, and the rep that I got through Reese meant the world to my aromantic heart.
January 11, 2019
Are you ready for characters that are flesh and blood, honest to goodness teens on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you care enough? How far would you go to help a friend who has been let down about one of the most important things in their lives? Do you have the confidence of youth to outsmart a successful corporate mogul? Could you hack your way into the financial funds of a wealthy and seemingly uncaring absentee father to provide his child with a well-deserved college education?
IMMORAL CODE by Lillian Clark is an adventure of a lifetime for a small group of friends determined to help one of their own fulfill a well-deserved dream. Get ready to melt into the world of teens, see the problem through their eyes and plunge right in, right or wrong, because the ends justify the means in their book. Be part of the planning, the execution and the results of a cleverly brilliant, yet highly illegal game of computer Robin Hood.
Witty banter, teen reasoning and the struggle against the dilemma they are putting themselves in, doing the wrong thing for the right reason, consequences be damned, because how could they get caught?
Quick reading, that races along, fabulous characters with more heart than brains sometimes, and there are some pretty big brains involved in this little caper. Absolutely loved this one!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Random House Children's Books!
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (February 19, 2019)
Publication Date: February 19, 2019
Genre: YA
Print Length: 320 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
IMMORAL CODE by Lillian Clark is an adventure of a lifetime for a small group of friends determined to help one of their own fulfill a well-deserved dream. Get ready to melt into the world of teens, see the problem through their eyes and plunge right in, right or wrong, because the ends justify the means in their book. Be part of the planning, the execution and the results of a cleverly brilliant, yet highly illegal game of computer Robin Hood.
Witty banter, teen reasoning and the struggle against the dilemma they are putting themselves in, doing the wrong thing for the right reason, consequences be damned, because how could they get caught?
Quick reading, that races along, fabulous characters with more heart than brains sometimes, and there are some pretty big brains involved in this little caper. Absolutely loved this one!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Random House Children's Books!
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (February 19, 2019)
Publication Date: February 19, 2019
Genre: YA
Print Length: 320 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Read
February 9, 2019The premise of this one grabbed me at once: five high school seniors plan a heist, to get money for one of their number to go to college.
The book is short on action and heavy on teen dialogue, which might make it a strong plus for its intended readership. The narrative style is broken into chapters from each of the five characters' POVs. The kids come across as extremely intelligent; the three girls' chapters came alive for me more than the two boys' chapters. Overall there was a sameness to the intense, clever talkiness to the prose, but then tight teen friendship circles can talk like each other, so I figured, fair cop.
Within their chapters, we learn that each teen has different issues, or a different perspective: there is diversity here, and one teen has moral qualms about the heist, but--as teens will do--is reluctant to speak.
I thought Clark did an excellent job with the emotional rollercoaster of senior year, and how even smart teens cannot see all the consequences of their actions, as their worlds are still revolving around them. Also in navigating the pitfalls of friendship, relationship, and communication.
Altogether a clever, absorbing read, if not exactly action-packed overall.
Copy provided by NetGalley
The book is short on action and heavy on teen dialogue, which might make it a strong plus for its intended readership. The narrative style is broken into chapters from each of the five characters' POVs. The kids come across as extremely intelligent; the three girls' chapters came alive for me more than the two boys' chapters. Overall there was a sameness to the intense, clever talkiness to the prose, but then tight teen friendship circles can talk like each other, so I figured, fair cop.
Within their chapters, we learn that each teen has different issues, or a different perspective: there is diversity here, and one teen has moral qualms about the heist, but--as teens will do--is reluctant to speak.
I thought Clark did an excellent job with the emotional rollercoaster of senior year, and how even smart teens cannot see all the consequences of their actions, as their worlds are still revolving around them. Also in navigating the pitfalls of friendship, relationship, and communication.
Altogether a clever, absorbing read, if not exactly action-packed overall.
Copy provided by NetGalley
Want to read
October 11, 2018This is about organized teenage crime, so I'm declaring it the 2019 YA contemporary version of Six of Crows and begging the bookgods for a modern American Kaz.
June 26, 2019
Update 1: Wow. Wow. Wow. And Wow. Okay. First of all, you're going to love this. Honestly. Clark wrote a book filled with such real, vibrant, complex characters, that I'm looking around my living room wondering where they are. These distinct (brilliant) characters wriggle through the nuances of a moral dilemma while battling their own inner demons, and you, reader, get to go through the deliberations with them. Twenty out of twenty would recommend to their friends.
Update 2: Seriously, y'all need to pick up a copy of this amazing Robin Hood with a twist story!!!!! Ahh! I loved it!
Update 2: Seriously, y'all need to pick up a copy of this amazing Robin Hood with a twist story!!!!! Ahh! I loved it!
Read
December 31, 2018I quit Immoral Code at the 60% mark, but I'm adding my write up to Goodreads, since I don't see any other ace reviewers discussing this book.
I love heist stories, and this follows five teenagers who are planning a heist to take seventy thousand from their friend’s estranged father. He’s never even met her, but his massive fortune means she was denied financial aid and wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend MIT. I thought the concept sounded really fun, and Immoral Code has the added bonus of including an aroace protagonist, Reese, one of the five. I reached 60% before I decided to quit. Here’s the main problem: all five members of the heist crew have their own first-person POV sections, and their voices are almost completely indistinguishable. I constantly was having to flip back to the name at the start of the chapter to remember whose head I was in. Plus, the narration style is very rambly and not in a way that was working for me. The heist elements also weren’t super prominent in the part I read, which was more concerned about the group dynamics… which would have worked better if I cared more about the characters.
I’m breaking my pattern of “one paragraph per DNFs” to go more in-depth on the aroace representation in Immoral Code, since I haven’t seen much about it beyond that it’s there. I’m asexual and on the aromantic spectrum, and some things about Reese felt off to me. Firstly, the ARC calls her “acearo”, which I’ve never heard before (I’ve only ever heard “aroace”). Maybe “acearo” is used mostly in another country or in some specific corner of the aromantic and asexual communities? There’s also a use of an extended food metaphor to explain asexuality and aromanticism. AKA, “some people don’t like chocolate and that’s okay.” If you are on the aro or ace spectrum, you’ve likely heard this metaphor before, so it me feel like the whole thing was included for non-ace and non-aro people. Which is fine. More people knowing aromanticism and asexuality would make my life easier, but it also kind of made me feel that I wasn’t the target for Reese’s character.
Then there’s Reese’s friend group. It just felt so weird that Reese was the only queer person in the friend group. Out of my close friends from high school, pretty much all of us had come out by the end of our first year of college. Immoral Code does briefly show that Reese has at least one other queer friend, so it’s not like Reese is completely isolated. But it also felt weird that all her straight friends knew so much about asexuality and aromanticism, particularly the in-community stuff. Reese’s friends joke about her being a “space ace” and at one point use the word “allo” (which means non-asexual or non-aromantic). This is the sort of stuff I’d normally only see from other ace or aro people; I’ve never had even my allo queer friends use the word “allo” or reference asexual community puns. Legit, the one time I’ve had the word “allo” used around me was when an ace-exclusionist (AKA queer people who don’t think ace people qualify as queer) told me that the word “allo” was problematic. It’s perfectly possible that other ace and aro people have had friends more like Reese’s, and I don’t want to reject the representation that Immoral Code is offering just because it doesn’t fit my own experiences. In the end, it’s mostly just depressing that what struck me as so unrealistic was the in-depth knowledge and acceptance of her friends.
I love heist stories, and this follows five teenagers who are planning a heist to take seventy thousand from their friend’s estranged father. He’s never even met her, but his massive fortune means she was denied financial aid and wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend MIT. I thought the concept sounded really fun, and Immoral Code has the added bonus of including an aroace protagonist, Reese, one of the five. I reached 60% before I decided to quit. Here’s the main problem: all five members of the heist crew have their own first-person POV sections, and their voices are almost completely indistinguishable. I constantly was having to flip back to the name at the start of the chapter to remember whose head I was in. Plus, the narration style is very rambly and not in a way that was working for me. The heist elements also weren’t super prominent in the part I read, which was more concerned about the group dynamics… which would have worked better if I cared more about the characters.
I’m breaking my pattern of “one paragraph per DNFs” to go more in-depth on the aroace representation in Immoral Code, since I haven’t seen much about it beyond that it’s there. I’m asexual and on the aromantic spectrum, and some things about Reese felt off to me. Firstly, the ARC calls her “acearo”, which I’ve never heard before (I’ve only ever heard “aroace”). Maybe “acearo” is used mostly in another country or in some specific corner of the aromantic and asexual communities? There’s also a use of an extended food metaphor to explain asexuality and aromanticism. AKA, “some people don’t like chocolate and that’s okay.” If you are on the aro or ace spectrum, you’ve likely heard this metaphor before, so it me feel like the whole thing was included for non-ace and non-aro people. Which is fine. More people knowing aromanticism and asexuality would make my life easier, but it also kind of made me feel that I wasn’t the target for Reese’s character.
Then there’s Reese’s friend group. It just felt so weird that Reese was the only queer person in the friend group. Out of my close friends from high school, pretty much all of us had come out by the end of our first year of college. Immoral Code does briefly show that Reese has at least one other queer friend, so it’s not like Reese is completely isolated. But it also felt weird that all her straight friends knew so much about asexuality and aromanticism, particularly the in-community stuff. Reese’s friends joke about her being a “space ace” and at one point use the word “allo” (which means non-asexual or non-aromantic). This is the sort of stuff I’d normally only see from other ace or aro people; I’ve never had even my allo queer friends use the word “allo” or reference asexual community puns. Legit, the one time I’ve had the word “allo” used around me was when an ace-exclusionist (AKA queer people who don’t think ace people qualify as queer) told me that the word “allo” was problematic. It’s perfectly possible that other ace and aro people have had friends more like Reese’s, and I don’t want to reject the representation that Immoral Code is offering just because it doesn’t fit my own experiences. In the end, it’s mostly just depressing that what struck me as so unrealistic was the in-depth knowledge and acceptance of her friends.
April 12, 2019
4.5 stars
The aro-ace rep is everything I could want from it and more
The aro-ace rep is everything I could want from it and more
December 24, 2018
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A fashionably diverse group of youths tries to steal a fortune from the father of one of the group in order to pay for her college tuition.
Way too self conscious.
A fashionably diverse group of youths tries to steal a fortune from the father of one of the group in order to pay for her college tuition.
Way too self conscious.
March 23, 2019
4 stars
I read the first 100 pages of this book when I had a few spare minutes to actually pick something up to read. And then, I read another 50 pages and fell asleep somewhere in that area (not the book’s fault–I was really tired). So take what I saw with a grain of salt, because I know that I didn’t give this book my all, unfortunately.
I’ve been so excited for Immoral Code for months now, and I feel bad that I didn’t give this my 100% while reading. So the first half was definitely “meh” for me, but I do think that should be attributed to my flaky reading schedule vs. the actual book.
I did commit to the last half of this book (by sitting down for a couple of hours when I wasn’t tired, and reading it), and I actually really enjoyed it! There was one scene that is really clear in my mind that acted as the turning point for when I went from “meh” to “ahhh, this is good stuff.”
Mainly, the (verbal) fight scene when we really got to see the characters clash was the turning point for me.
In the beginning, I was undecided on the characters (more on that later). But this specific scene, highlighting some of the underlying tensions within their friend group ended up being really enjoyable to me, and I think Clark just wrote this scene really really well?
The character tensions were really nice and well-written, and Keagan’s especially in the way it contrasted and pushed back against the other characters’ was one of my favorite parts of this book!
This might seem like a pretty sci-fi book, but it’s actually more contemporary feat. a little hacker heist instead of a more science-fiction type novel.
So don’t expect too much sweeping science and crazy technology, because this was more of a contemporary friendship/friend group book vs. a science-fictiony heist. (Which I actually didn’t mind.)
What made me dock the star was ultimately that I didn’t click with the characters, for a couple of reasons and none of which I think were too correlated with my sloppy reading.
First off, the first couple chapters felt really . . . info-dumpy? It felt like the characters were all monologuing about themselves and their friends etc., and it was kind of awkward. Although, this might have been a good thing because I actually remember all the characters’ names, which is really rare for me.
But I didn’t like how the first few chapters kind of dumped all that info about the people on us.
And then, my other issue is that their personalities and friendship felt a little forced. Sometimes it was just hard to follow because of how crazy and quick their friendship is in the way that they change topics really fast. They have inside jokes and games and I feel like some of these things were never really explained or executed with the reader in mind, but were rather just there and we were expected to know them.
The good side of all of this is that the characters do have unique voices vs. other characters in YA, although some of them did feel a little over-the-top quirky. (Mainly, Bellamy and Reese who had a sciencey and color thing going on, respectively.)
There’s a lot of positives and negatives with the characters and I think it largely depends on who is reading? So definitely check out an excerpt or something to see if you agree with their voices, because if you don’t like their voices, you won’t like this book very much.
Overall, this wasn’t a bad book. Honestly, I think Clark did a very decent job of it, and I adored the last half. I think there’s a lot of gray area of whether someone will like it or not because a lot of it hinges on how much you click with the voices Clark wrote into the story.
So, I’d definitely recommend Immoral Code to anyone who enjoys the excerpt or thinks a contemporary feat. hacking sounds interesting!
Thank you so much to Lillian Clark and the Class of 2k19 books for hosting this giveaway and sending me an ARC!
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I read the first 100 pages of this book when I had a few spare minutes to actually pick something up to read. And then, I read another 50 pages and fell asleep somewhere in that area (not the book’s fault–I was really tired). So take what I saw with a grain of salt, because I know that I didn’t give this book my all, unfortunately.
I’ve been so excited for Immoral Code for months now, and I feel bad that I didn’t give this my 100% while reading. So the first half was definitely “meh” for me, but I do think that should be attributed to my flaky reading schedule vs. the actual book.
I did commit to the last half of this book (by sitting down for a couple of hours when I wasn’t tired, and reading it), and I actually really enjoyed it! There was one scene that is really clear in my mind that acted as the turning point for when I went from “meh” to “ahhh, this is good stuff.”
Mainly, the (verbal) fight scene when we really got to see the characters clash was the turning point for me.
In the beginning, I was undecided on the characters (more on that later). But this specific scene, highlighting some of the underlying tensions within their friend group ended up being really enjoyable to me, and I think Clark just wrote this scene really really well?
The character tensions were really nice and well-written, and Keagan’s especially in the way it contrasted and pushed back against the other characters’ was one of my favorite parts of this book!
This might seem like a pretty sci-fi book, but it’s actually more contemporary feat. a little hacker heist instead of a more science-fiction type novel.
So don’t expect too much sweeping science and crazy technology, because this was more of a contemporary friendship/friend group book vs. a science-fictiony heist. (Which I actually didn’t mind.)
What made me dock the star was ultimately that I didn’t click with the characters, for a couple of reasons and none of which I think were too correlated with my sloppy reading.
First off, the first couple chapters felt really . . . info-dumpy? It felt like the characters were all monologuing about themselves and their friends etc., and it was kind of awkward. Although, this might have been a good thing because I actually remember all the characters’ names, which is really rare for me.
But I didn’t like how the first few chapters kind of dumped all that info about the people on us.
And then, my other issue is that their personalities and friendship felt a little forced. Sometimes it was just hard to follow because of how crazy and quick their friendship is in the way that they change topics really fast. They have inside jokes and games and I feel like some of these things were never really explained or executed with the reader in mind, but were rather just there and we were expected to know them.
The good side of all of this is that the characters do have unique voices vs. other characters in YA, although some of them did feel a little over-the-top quirky. (Mainly, Bellamy and Reese who had a sciencey and color thing going on, respectively.)
There’s a lot of positives and negatives with the characters and I think it largely depends on who is reading? So definitely check out an excerpt or something to see if you agree with their voices, because if you don’t like their voices, you won’t like this book very much.
Overall, this wasn’t a bad book. Honestly, I think Clark did a very decent job of it, and I adored the last half. I think there’s a lot of gray area of whether someone will like it or not because a lot of it hinges on how much you click with the voices Clark wrote into the story.
So, I’d definitely recommend Immoral Code to anyone who enjoys the excerpt or thinks a contemporary feat. hacking sounds interesting!
Thank you so much to Lillian Clark and the Class of 2k19 books for hosting this giveaway and sending me an ARC!
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July 29, 2018
I read the Advanced Reader's copy of this book, and I was blown away. The Premise: Five very close friends, in their senior year, plan to hack into the bank accounts of a mega-wealthy, .01 percenter entrepreneur to skim off enough petty cash to pay the $50,000 yearly tuition of brilliant Bellamy, who has been accepted at MIT to study physics. The mega-wealthy entrepreneur, as it happens, is Bellamy's deadbeat dad. The caper revolves around figuring out the logistics of how to do the skim without getting caught--and each of the crew has his or her own role to play. The plot is thick and delicious, but even more fun is the sharp, totally authentic dialogue between the characters; their observations about life, sex, politics, social justice, and art; and following their growth journeys over the course of the novel. Clark is a master of witty repartee, odd teenager games, Game of Thrones trivia, and cryptic coder jargon. She gets so deep into these characters' heads you'll feel like you know and love them as much as they know and love each other. This is, at heart, a book about big dreams, and the possible costs of making big dreams come true. I really loved it. Highly recommended.
February 28, 2019
actual rating: 2.5
Ok, things I liked about this book:
- teen heist!
- diverse cast including an ARO / ACE PROTAG!
- uh ...damn, is that really it?
Things I didn't like about this book:
- overly 'cute' dialogue that seemed to be trying way too hard
- not enough style difference between POVs = me forgetting whose chapter I am reading almost CONSTANTLY
- despite the one aro/ace protag there was a LOT of romance with the other characters
- definitely WAY more contemporary melodrama than action heist
- it's basically just teen Office Space. Like... Literally. Exactly. I thought the author might do something a bit different since she seemed AWARE that that was what she was writing but nope
I'm sure this book will be more interesting to actual teens, but while I appreciated what it was trying to do it just never quite got me completely onboard. There was way more talking the same thing over 20 times and worrying over consequences than I personally wanted. I just wanted a fun heist book and instead I got like ...an extended existential crisis x5? Decent for what it is but definitely not up my alley.
Ok, things I liked about this book:
- teen heist!
- diverse cast including an ARO / ACE PROTAG!
- uh ...damn, is that really it?
Things I didn't like about this book:
- overly 'cute' dialogue that seemed to be trying way too hard
- not enough style difference between POVs = me forgetting whose chapter I am reading almost CONSTANTLY
- despite the one aro/ace protag there was a LOT of romance with the other characters
- definitely WAY more contemporary melodrama than action heist
- it's basically just teen Office Space. Like... Literally. Exactly. I thought the author might do something a bit different since she seemed AWARE that that was what she was writing but nope
I'm sure this book will be more interesting to actual teens, but while I appreciated what it was trying to do it just never quite got me completely onboard. There was way more talking the same thing over 20 times and worrying over consequences than I personally wanted. I just wanted a fun heist book and instead I got like ...an extended existential crisis x5? Decent for what it is but definitely not up my alley.
Read
February 17, 2019As a book about a Scooby gang of friends, I thought this worked great. (Though five is a lot of POVs for me and I often had trouble telling them apart.)
As a heist story, this was a bit disappointing. If you go in expecting more friendship and less heist, you should be fine!
Review to come on the blog!
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Check out my Bookstagram! Or check out my Jen In Ten reviews on Youtube - get the lowdown on current books in 10-30 seconds!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
As a heist story, this was a bit disappointing. If you go in expecting more friendship and less heist, you should be fine!
Review to come on the blog!
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Check out my Bookstagram! Or check out my Jen In Ten reviews on Youtube - get the lowdown on current books in 10-30 seconds!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
February 8, 2019
(Disclaimer: I received this free book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
A MC IS ACE AND ARO AND THIS WAS FABULOUS TO READ K THNX
Immoral Code is one of those books that charms you. Not because it is always shiny, but because there's something so endearing in its pages. In these characters, their secrets, and the ways these friends dance around each other. You fall in love with each of them in turn. And then when they enter together, the whole world bursts into color. If you love books with friendship, with teens who hold their friends accountable, and the last moments of high school, then you have to check out Immoral Code.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
A MC IS ACE AND ARO AND THIS WAS FABULOUS TO READ K THNX
Immoral Code is one of those books that charms you. Not because it is always shiny, but because there's something so endearing in its pages. In these characters, their secrets, and the ways these friends dance around each other. You fall in love with each of them in turn. And then when they enter together, the whole world bursts into color. If you love books with friendship, with teens who hold their friends accountable, and the last moments of high school, then you have to check out Immoral Code.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
May 19, 2020
This book should have been perfect for me. I love a funny book, and I love a good heist, so the synopsis sounded great to me. And there was an aroace main character.
Granted, the aroace rep is great. The rest of the book, not so much. I really didn't like the writing style, and because of that, the rest of the book didn't work for me either.
CWs: slutshaming, bullying, aphobia
Granted, the aroace rep is great. The rest of the book, not so much. I really didn't like the writing style, and because of that, the rest of the book didn't work for me either.
CWs: slutshaming, bullying, aphobia
August 5, 2018
This book had everything I want in a good story—strong characterization, witty dialogue, and a fast-paced, twisty plot—AND it involved a heist. The story revolves around 5 friends and was told from each of their POVs. Clark did a brilliant job of keeping each character and voice distinct and fresh. I found myself drawn to each of them as they work together to pull off a heist that could ruin their promising futures in order to protect one of their own. Through everything they try to accomplish and discover about themselves, their friendships and their loyalty to one another remained their priority. I miss these characters and their banter already!! Clark is an author to watch. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
February 4, 2019
I love a good heist book and 2019 truly seems to be the year of heist books but unfortunately, Immoral Code was not everything I wanted it to be. It’s the kind of book that has good bones but ultimately, neither the writing style nor the pacing worked for me.
The entire time I was reading the book, the characters voices felt sort of inauthentic? But upon reflection I don’t think the fact that they were all self-aware makes them inauthentic, I am an extremely self-aware human being, but I think self-awareness doesn’t always translate as well in writing. This book is written in a very free, stream-of-consciousness style and yes, human beings constantly think that way but also, I don’t want to hear every single thought an MC has.
Throw in 5 povs and it’s basically just confusion galore. I was at least a quarter of the way into the book before I was able to even differentiate whose chapter was whose. WHICH, YES, the heading tells you which character it is BUT STILL. They all read EXACTLY the same. It took me a while to figure out who was in charge, who the crew was committing the heist for, etc.
SPEAKING OF THE HEIST. I was pretty fucking sad that most of the book is actually planning for the heist/getting to the location. The heist itself doesn’t take place until about the 65% mark (based on where I was at in the kindle version) and was honestly not nearly as exciting as I wanted it to be.
There is also a lot of unnecessary drama that could have easily been avoided if the characters, who have been best friends for a long time, just did the bare minimum and COMMUNICATED WITH EACH OTHER. One of the characters is really having a hard time wrapping his head around the moral implications of what they are going to do. He agreed to be part of the heist (which he shouldn’t have) but then has second thoughts. No one takes even a minute to have an open conversation with him about what is going to happen. Everyone is defensive and accusations are thrown and feelings are hurt. ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SO EASILY AVOIDED it hurt.
I really don’t have anything good to say about this book aside from the fact that it was tolerable enough that I got to the end and didn’t hate the ending (but also felt that the ending made everything feel pointless.) I don’t think Immoral Code is even an inherently bad book. I just personally had a lot of issues with the stream-of-consciousness writing style which made it a lot harder to enjoy the book.
The entire time I was reading the book, the characters voices felt sort of inauthentic? But upon reflection I don’t think the fact that they were all self-aware makes them inauthentic, I am an extremely self-aware human being, but I think self-awareness doesn’t always translate as well in writing. This book is written in a very free, stream-of-consciousness style and yes, human beings constantly think that way but also, I don’t want to hear every single thought an MC has.
Throw in 5 povs and it’s basically just confusion galore. I was at least a quarter of the way into the book before I was able to even differentiate whose chapter was whose. WHICH, YES, the heading tells you which character it is BUT STILL. They all read EXACTLY the same. It took me a while to figure out who was in charge, who the crew was committing the heist for, etc.
SPEAKING OF THE HEIST. I was pretty fucking sad that most of the book is actually planning for the heist/getting to the location. The heist itself doesn’t take place until about the 65% mark (based on where I was at in the kindle version) and was honestly not nearly as exciting as I wanted it to be.
There is also a lot of unnecessary drama that could have easily been avoided if the characters, who have been best friends for a long time, just did the bare minimum and COMMUNICATED WITH EACH OTHER. One of the characters is really having a hard time wrapping his head around the moral implications of what they are going to do. He agreed to be part of the heist (which he shouldn’t have) but then has second thoughts. No one takes even a minute to have an open conversation with him about what is going to happen. Everyone is defensive and accusations are thrown and feelings are hurt. ALL OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SO EASILY AVOIDED it hurt.
I really don’t have anything good to say about this book aside from the fact that it was tolerable enough that I got to the end and didn’t hate the ending (but also felt that the ending made everything feel pointless.) I don’t think Immoral Code is even an inherently bad book. I just personally had a lot of issues with the stream-of-consciousness writing style which made it a lot harder to enjoy the book.
August 23, 2018
I was greatly privileged to read an Advanced Readers Copy of this book, and (spoiler alert) LOVED it!! So many great characters written with depth and so true to life. I loved the story and how the author used it as a fast-paced vehicle to showcase the vulnerability and awesomeness of her characters. I recommend this to anyone who loves heist stories, love stories, friendship stories, stories with diverse, interesting characters. Or anyone who loves to read. I can't wait to see what else this author writes in the future!
May 1, 2018
Wow. Just... WOW. No spoilers, I promise! This book was spectacular. Brilliant teens, loyal friendships, pragmatic financial strains and a dash of sweet romance. I would recommend this story to anyone seeking a fast-paced and though-provoking read. I devoured in an afternoon because I just had to know what would happen!!
Clark’s writing is gorgeous, layered and complex. Her FIVE povs stand out, each unique and whip-smart. This author is one to watch!
Clark’s writing is gorgeous, layered and complex. Her FIVE povs stand out, each unique and whip-smart. This author is one to watch!
Read
August 1, 2017I had the pleasure of reading this earlier in the year and I think you're all in for a treat.
June 19, 2018
Loved this book so much I blurbed it!
February 18, 2019
After working for years and finally achieving her dream of MIT, Bellamy thought she was shut out, because her estranged father was too wealthy limiting her financial aid, and he had not offered to help with tuition. Nari hoped to right this wrong using her hacking skills, as she and the rest of their friends embarked on this morally grey mission.
I am starting with a warning: This book features five points of view. I see many readers lament about too many POVs, but I thought Clark did a good job keeping them distinct. There was only one chapter, where I thought Reese didn't sound like herself, but other than that, I easily distinguished between each character, and I must say, this was quite an interesting bunch of people.
I loved how they all brought something unique to the table. From a desire to explore space to Olympic dreams, I found myself wanting to learn more about these teens. And, they were also dealing with common issues - divorce, parental expectations, panic about the future, romantic relationships, and such. I liked that these things were included, and felt like they were woven into the overall story quite well.
From the synopsis, you would think this book was all about the Ocean's 11 style heist, and it did occupy quite a bit of the book, but what drew me in and kept me there, was the beautiful friendship shared between them. How many of your friends would commit a felony for you? That's some fierce loyalty.
Another thing I really liked was the outcome of the mission. They went into it, ready to get the MIT money, but each of them gained something intangible as a result of this challenge. All of them changed in some way, and so did the group dynamic, and I think all the changes were very positive.
Overall: A solid debut highlighted by a fierce friendship.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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I am starting with a warning: This book features five points of view. I see many readers lament about too many POVs, but I thought Clark did a good job keeping them distinct. There was only one chapter, where I thought Reese didn't sound like herself, but other than that, I easily distinguished between each character, and I must say, this was quite an interesting bunch of people.
I loved how they all brought something unique to the table. From a desire to explore space to Olympic dreams, I found myself wanting to learn more about these teens. And, they were also dealing with common issues - divorce, parental expectations, panic about the future, romantic relationships, and such. I liked that these things were included, and felt like they were woven into the overall story quite well.
From the synopsis, you would think this book was all about the Ocean's 11 style heist, and it did occupy quite a bit of the book, but what drew me in and kept me there, was the beautiful friendship shared between them. How many of your friends would commit a felony for you? That's some fierce loyalty.
Another thing I really liked was the outcome of the mission. They went into it, ready to get the MIT money, but each of them gained something intangible as a result of this challenge. All of them changed in some way, and so did the group dynamic, and I think all the changes were very positive.
Now, we're gathered here today in the name of the Family You Choose, to cement this union with the most lasting and strongest of glues, shared guilt and criminal activity.
Overall: A solid debut highlighted by a fierce friendship.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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July 27, 2018
“Office Space” for teens. This is a hilarious and heartwarming heist!
Told from the perspective of five teens. Their friend Bellamy won’t be able to go to MIT because she doesn’t qualify for student aid because of a rich father who is only a child support check.
Nari, a computer genius, decides she’s going to make Bellamy’s father pay for college—even if they have to steal the money. Using all of their unique talents, the five teens plan and execute the perfect heist only to discover, they’ve stolen a whole lot more money then they’d planned to.
Each teen’s voice is distinct as they navigate love, friendship, family, and the last few months of High School. And discover their own moral code.
Told from the perspective of five teens. Their friend Bellamy won’t be able to go to MIT because she doesn’t qualify for student aid because of a rich father who is only a child support check.
Nari, a computer genius, decides she’s going to make Bellamy’s father pay for college—even if they have to steal the money. Using all of their unique talents, the five teens plan and execute the perfect heist only to discover, they’ve stolen a whole lot more money then they’d planned to.
Each teen’s voice is distinct as they navigate love, friendship, family, and the last few months of High School. And discover their own moral code.
May 2, 2018
IMMORAL CODE was so much fun to read, evidenced by how lightning fast I tore through it! It tells the story of 5 friends, each character unique and with a fully developed story line. Although the central plot involves some high-tech thievery (which raised the tension and had me tearing through the pages to see what happened next), the friendships always remained front and center. The interactions among the friends showed how deep their love, loyalty, and trust, and the lengths they would go to support one of their own.
August 25, 2018
I was lucky enough to get an arc of IMMORAL CODE, and it was awesome. A diverse group of teens (including an aromantic character) doing an Ocean's 8 style heist on a high school budget. The characters are well-developed, and friendships are explored, as well as group dynamics of the friendships as they work together and clash while they try to get justice for their friend.
The break-ins, hacking, planning . . . it's all edge of your seat, and constantly driven by great characters. I know my 8th graders will love this. Highly recommended.
The break-ins, hacking, planning . . . it's all edge of your seat, and constantly driven by great characters. I know my 8th graders will love this. Highly recommended.
December 16, 2019
It's like reading something similar for the 101st time. The first hundred are okay, but you kind of snap after that. The beginning of this book was SO boring. It had such an interesting idea, but was not executed well at all. You don't really get a good sense of each character, which is frustrating, especially since the narrative switches back and forth between five people. It was frustrating to keep up with and I ended up skipping through to the end to get to the climax of the story, but really, I was just seeing the characters argue over whether or not they're in the right or the wrong. Obviously, stealing money is wrong, but if that's what the story revolves around, you don't need an argument about it repeatedly throughout the chapters. Really disappointing for me.
February 11, 2019
Oh my gosh I stayed up wayyyyy too late to finish this, but it was so good y'all. The voice in this book is excellent. Each character shines in their own brilliant way, but my favorite by far is Keegan. I thought about him and his morality a lot even when I wasn't reading this book. I think this book is going to stay with me for a long time, which is great. It asks the right questions at the right time and isn't afraid to hit you in the gut with the tough scenarios. While this book serves as the perfect starter course on morality and philosophy, it's also highly entertaining with an engaging plot that kept you biting your nails until the last page, characters that I wanted to be friends with, and a perfect balance of fun and serious.
I'm so excited for this book to be out in the world so everyone can experience it.
I received a free copy of this book from net-galley in exchange for my honest review.
I'm so excited for this book to be out in the world so everyone can experience it.
I received a free copy of this book from net-galley in exchange for my honest review.
January 22, 2019
Lillian Clark's debut novel is phenomenal. It's hard to believe this book not only has five main characters, but also five narrators, each with an unique voice. Immoral Code had me spell bound from the very beginning only loosening it's grip once I'd hyperventilated a little and taken a break because I was on edge. Things were about to go really wrong or really right.
This book made me miss the closesness I had with my friends in high school and admire the bond of friendship between Nari, Keagan, Reese, Santiago and Bellamy. May we all be blessed with friends like them.
Really it feels like nothing I can say can encompass how amazing this book is. It spoke to my teen self, and to my adult self too.
Perhaps one of the most amazing things about this book was the way small ways it made me think about different things.
Lillian Clark's Immoral Code is an intricately woven masterpiece. It's thrilling and moving and impossible to put down. I am so eager to read what she writes next, I expect for her to do great things! Look out for her and Immoral Code!
This book made me miss the closesness I had with my friends in high school and admire the bond of friendship between Nari, Keagan, Reese, Santiago and Bellamy. May we all be blessed with friends like them.
Really it feels like nothing I can say can encompass how amazing this book is. It spoke to my teen self, and to my adult self too.
Perhaps one of the most amazing things about this book was the way small ways it made me think about different things.
Lillian Clark's Immoral Code is an intricately woven masterpiece. It's thrilling and moving and impossible to put down. I am so eager to read what she writes next, I expect for her to do great things! Look out for her and Immoral Code!
February 19, 2019
Immoral Code is a great read. It follows five friends, Reese, Nari, Santiago, Keagan, and Bellamy. At first I thought it was going to be difficult to follow these five but it wasn't. Each character brings a different quality to the story. Bellamy had gotten in to MIT but she is denied finical aid because she has a rich dad that has nothing to do with her. With her ability to go to MIT in jeopardy, her friends hatch a plan to get her money from her father. The story had me hooked from being to end. These friends are definitely the type of friends you want on your side. This one was a great YA read.
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