ReWired Review

**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.

#mystery #crime #technothriller #youngadult #SRJohannes