I love a good mystery thriller and this did not disappoint. Mia is spending the summer working when her mom is murdered by the government and dad is on the run but these events kick start a world of puzzles and codes that Mia needs to break. I found the plot original and engaging and the whole story thrilling.

Not to be dramatic, but I don’t think I have ever read a more perfect YA thriller. 🤯

This was one of the coolest, most enjoyable thrillers I have ever read! The cyphers that you can try breaking on your own throughout the book makes it SO fun!! I felt like I was channeling my inner Nicholas Cage with these National Treasure worthy codes.

The characters were so likable. They added such great sense of humor, emotion, and depth to the story and the minor romance subplot was unexpectedly precious.

There were things I absolutely did not see coming in this story, and I was so impressed with the twists!

I’m planning on getting the physical copy of this book so I can reread and take notes in the margins for these cyphers. 😂

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the authors for this book! All opinions are my own.

Codebreaker is a conspiracy thriller, whilst not horror, is well worth a look and is a fun and highly entertaining read for teens who enjoy solving puzzles, twists and going up against the ‘man’ (being the all-powerful American government). Mia Hayes’s life is turned upside down when government agents appear at her house wanting something they believed her father has stolen. As her father is a respected academic this is a bolt from the blue and in the immediate chaos which follows her mother is killed, her father disappears, and she finds herself on the run suddenly aware that she cannot trust anybody. However, coming from a family obsessed with puzzles, her father has left her one final puzzle to solve, which lies at the heart of the book.

Mia is super-smart and has been well trained by her father, and soon this high school student finds herself on the run. Most of Codebreaker takes place on the run, you will have to suspend belief, but it was very good fun, especially when hacking, double agents, lots of technology and some romance are thrown into the mix. Clever clues are dropped here and there, the reader is also given puzzles to solve (sorry, I got none of them) and as Mia homes in on the truth learns more about her family and who her father really was. I would have loved this when I was thirteen and had a great time piggybacking on Mia’s trials as she finds herself in a very deep conspiracy. Who needs Jack Bauer when you have Mia Hayes? Go Girl! AGE RANGE 12/13+

This was a great book. I loved that the author gave you the opportunity to solve the puzzles on your own before continuing on with the story. It is
tragic and suspenseful with a really unique storyline. Family secrets can be unexpected and deadly. I will definitely be adding this book to our library collection. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn’t my typical read but it definitely intrigued me from the description. Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read Codebreaker before its July release!

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A thrilling adventure! Mia Hayes life is turned upside down when government agents coming to her house wanting something they believed her father had stole. The next thing she knows her mother has passed and her father is on the run. Her father has left her clues to follow and she’ll have to trust Logan, who is a hacker, in order to solve them. Following cryptic puzzles they’ll race against time to find what her father wanted her to before someone else does. But can she really trust Logan? And just what did her father wanted her to find? A fast-paced story that will have readers consuming the pages! Jay Martel’s Codebreaker is full of intrigue, action, and a little bit of romance!

I loved The Da Vinci Code and National Treasure. Like everyone says, this book is truly a combo of both as a YA novel with a teenage girl at the center, racing through DC to solve the puzzles her father had left for her. The plot was well through out and the story just as well written. I kept turning pages to find out what happened and tried to solve the puzzles on my own as well.

Codebreaker by Jay Martel is a gripping YA thriller packed with action, intrigue, and a dash of romance. The story revolves around Mia Hayes, a teenager whose life is turned upside down when government agents arrive to her family home one evening, demanding an item they believe her father has stolen. Things go poorly and now her mother is dead, and her father has gone on the run.

After Mia meets Logan, a charming and clever hacker, they embark on a high-stakes journey through Washington, D.C. To decode a series of clues left behind by Mia's father that are tied to a national security. Racing against time with agents on their trail, they unravel hidden secrets about Mia's family and work to stop an attack. Along the way, they visit iconic historical sites, and solve cyphers and puzzles. While the narrative touches on political and economic issues, it never feels overly heavy, maintaining a fun and thrilling tone throughout.

The plot is fast-paced and captivating, with plenty of twists to keep readers hooked. Mia and Logan’s partnership is one of the highlights of the story. Their dynamic is both entertaining as they complement each other’s strengths. While the narrative touches on political and economic issues, it never feels overly heavy, maintaining a fun and thrilling tone throughout.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This book was so much fun! I love interactive/"Choose-Your-Own-Adventure"-esque novels but admittedly don't get to them all too often, so I wasn't fully sure what to expect with this one. It really does live up to its marketing hype of being reminiscent of both National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code for YA readers, I'll say that much. Solid story given it's format and definitely a book one could revisit multiple times, imho, whether it's to focus solely on the plot; to try and solve the puzzles as you go along or after the fact; etc etc. A unique reading experience with a lot of potential, for sure!

ARC Review! - Releases July 22, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was definitely National Treasure x The Da Vinci Code for YA readers! If you are a fan of either of these, definitely put this on your TBR.

The story follows Mia as she follows a scavenger hunt of codes from her father who was a famous code breaker. But she’s also on the run from a shady government group looking for something her father stole. After a travesty, she knows she holds the key to finding out what it was…

Such an interesting story - I devoured this one up rather quickly. While it is a YA read - there’s enough action and twists that even adults can enjoy it.

I loved the whole code breaking concept and the history the authors wove through this tale. I actually noticed most of my highlights were things I wanted to research further. But it was done in an interesting way that doesn’t take you out of the story or make you feel like you are reading a history book.

Also bonus points for the ability to stop and decode everything yourself! I definitely took advantage of this and solved the codes before moving on. It added such a fun element to the book I think a lot of people will love.

Now I will say I caught the main 2 twists right off the bat in the story due to just how many clues there were leading up. This did take me out of the story a little bit but if you don’t figure it out - you will be in for some big surprises. But personally, it felt a little too easy to figure out.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read and think a lot of other people will too! Such a great debut that I was shocked to discover it was a debut. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for further works from this couple.

❤️ Big thanks to Wednesday Books, Jay Martel and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

As an avid fan of The DaVinci Code and someone who wishes they had the brain power to solve even the simplest of cyphers, this book was so much fun!

I love reading a co-authored book where you can’t tell when the pen changes hands…this is one of those.

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Thank you to the publisher for the eARC via Netgalley!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing a chance at reading this.

I think the story could have been interesting if the girl ditched the guy. As soon as he showed up, he became a sidekick who did nothing but quips. Quips, quips, quips. Not a single thing that came out of his mouth was worth listening to. I made it 50% in before DNFing it. Was he a villain? I hoped he would double cross her.

Another issue I had was the use of political activism as a scene dressing. The guy was someone who she ran into during a rally. Though, the rally screamed an awful lot like Jan 6th. And, the main character was staying somewhere in Tel Aviv at one point in her life? What?

Codebreaking is fun but this story just wasn't doing it for me.

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were relatable, the plot was interesting, and the story was great! I would definitely recommend!

An impressive debut novel! While this is billed as a YA novel, there was plenty of propulsive action for adults to enjoy it as well. I especially enjoyed the interactive element of the code solving, and the pace and plotting were very well done.

I love this type of story! Second guessing myself and not knowing who or what to believe! This YA thriller will have you hooked!

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review

Codebreaker
By Jay Martel
Publish date: July 22, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @wednesdaybooks @stmartinspress for sending me a copy to read and review.

This is Jay Martels debut interactive YA thriller. The premise of the book is why drew me in and kept me hooked. Who doesn’t want to solve a puzzle/code as you read! Sign me up!

This book was so fast paced, full of action and so interactive. I’m enjoyed trying to crack the codes even though I sucked at it lol.

My one critique I wish there was more romance between Mia and Logan however with it being YA i completely understand. I still enjoyed the whole book.

If you want to try cracking codes while reading a book full of spies, mystery, twists and turns this is the perfect book for you to pick up this summer.

Mia is preparing for a nice quite summer when her home is invaded by gun wielding government agents who are demanding something her dad supposedly stole. In the ensuing chaos her mom is killed and dad runs away. It’s up to Mia to discover why it all went down. Luckily Mia’s father taught her various code breaking strategies used throughout history and she is able to put the clues left to her together, solve the codes, find what it is the government is after and save her community from impending disaster. This is “Nancy Drew” at a new level. Readers are introduced to a number of secret codes and given a chance to solve the mystery along with Mia. And of course there is the teen love interest in the form of Logan who helps her along the way. Recommended YA read that will also appeal to adults who devoured “Nancy Drew” or perhaps even “The Hardy Boys” as teenagers. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books and Netgalley for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC.

I was so intrigued by the cover and the synopsis.

Mia lived a normal life until one moment when everything changed three weeks before her birthday. First, her mother receives a fatal gunshot wound, and her father becomes a criminal, disappearing...

Later, her father leaves clues for a mystery hunt that unveils deep secrets about her family and the federal government.

The plot is dynamic, filled with conspiracy theories, codes, and family secrets. Political and economic issues add relevance to the story, reflecting real challenges people face in the fight for justice.

Despite the captivating plot, some moments developed too quickly for me, especially the love storyline.On the one hand, I realize that everything happened in a small period of time. However, their love didn't quite resonate with me, although it's not crucial.

Overall, I was glad to read it!

3,5/5

3 stars

Mia Hayes is preparing for a quiet summer of maybe working in a D.C. area coffee shop and trying to make a college decision (Harvard or Boston University?) when her home is invaded by what might be government agents. They kill her mother; her dad goes on the run and she has no idea what is happening. Then, a few weeks later, on her 17th birthday, she receives a cryptic message from her father pointing toward a puzzle box he had given her; puzzles, codes and scavenger hunts were a birthday tradition tradition in her family and now she has the most important one ever. With her new friend Logan by her side can she figure out the clues her dad left for her and outwit the agents chasing her?

Oh, puzzles and codes are fun and this s nice because this YA book gives kids a good look at some famous codes and gives them a chance to solve to puzzles on their own first. Even though Mia is 17 I would say the book skews a bit younger than that; I would feel comfortable giving it to any kid who isn’t going to freak out over parent death. It’s way too YA for adults, what with two teenagers successfully going against two agents over and over again, but young people may enjoy this thrilling debut.

Codebreaker is a fast paced novel that grabs the reader from the very first page and takes them on a heart stopping thrill ride through Washington DC as the two main characters, Mia and Logan, race against time to solve codes that hopefully will lead to answers and safety from a subversive faction that wants to take down the United States government. The book is perfect for middle grades on up. There is a sweet romance, some mild language and violence and death. The book will make you smile, bite your nails and perhaps even cry. I look forward to reading more books by the Jay Martel team.

I received an advance reader copy for free. All opinions are my own.