I thought the concept of this one was really fun, but it just felt way too young for my liking. It felt much more YA than it was intended to be. Some things just developed way too quickly and I felt things were missing. It's not a bad book, just not my favorite.

4.5⭐️
Wow, this was such an awesome YA read! I love books that have a different spin on them and while it was a bit predictable in certain ways it was so much fun to read that it didn’t matter. The best part was there were “stops” in the book by using symbols so the reader could figure out the different ciphers along the way ahead of reading the “answer”. It was such an inventive interactive way to get fully engaged in the book.

I knew nothing of the author but was thrown by a seemingly stereotypical male name as the writing had a very feminine feel to it at times. Well my curiosity was sated at the end when it showed who the authors (plural) are with a husband and wife team. They did a great job as a team as the book is fast paced and well written.

It is YA but as long as a young person was mature enough to handle parental death it could easily be read by middle grade readers and be appropriate as it reads on the younger side of the genre

This book comes out on July 22nd 2025 making it perfect for some summer reading!

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Wednesday Books through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.


My rating system for young YA, Middle Grade, and children’s books

⭐️ Significant problems and would never recommend to the audience.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea but may have some appeal.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ an ok book which I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend but it has some value for young readers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! I would recommend for the age or reading level appropriate for the book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Would recommend highly, especially to school programs as a wide spread reading opportunity.

Written by a wife and husband team under the name Jay Martel, this is a well-written debut novel. The plot follows Mia, a 17 yo girl, as she scrambles across Washington DC trying to solve a mystery left by her murdered parents.
The story pretty seamlessly flashes between current day and memories as Mia and the MMC, Logan, race against the clock and face imminent danger.
The pace and writing style make this a quick read, and even though it is YA, there is a little bit of something for all ages. If I were being nit-picky, I would say minus the blood/death and a few kisses, this reads a bit on the younger side of YA.
I liked the interactive inclusion of readers getting the option to use the clues to decipher the codes themselves or simply read ahead in the story.
Overall, if you like light thrillers, codes and puzzles, and a fast-paced entertaining story, then this book is one you should check out.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are completely my own.

Codebreaker was a fast-paced, high-stakes story full of puzzles, conspiracies, action, and excitement. I thought the book was a lot of fun to read. It’s full of puzzles and codes, and one thing that I especially liked was the inclusion of a symbol indicating when you could stop reading and attempt to solve the puzzle yourself. There was usually enough information that it wasn’t too difficult, and I had fun working out some of the puzzles on my own. The story also breaks it down with the characters solving the puzzle, so reader puzzle-solving isn’t a requirement, just a fun perk. I’ll admit, many of the scenarios in the story were a bit unbelievable, and the main character tended to solve the puzzles remarkably quickly, but there was plenty going on throughout the story that kept me invested and wanting to keep reading. I was pretty surprised with the directions things went a few times, so it kept me on my toes. I liked both of the main characters and their interactions with each other. I thought Logan provided great comic relief that lightened up some of the more intense scenes. I’ve seen some comparisons of this book to National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code, and I definitely got that vibe as well.

This was such a quick and fun read! I devoured this book rather quickly and absolutely loved it! I’m a huge fan of puzzles, so there’s no surprise that this book was perfect for me. It had me hooked right from the start and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I truly could not put the book down until I finished.

It definitely gave me National Treasure vibes with a little more emotional impact. Both Mia and Logan trauma bonded over the death of their parents. Mia’s flashbacks tied perfectly into the present story and really had me crying a few times. She definitely went through a lot in such a short period of time, but I’m glad she had Logan by her side.

I did not see any of the plot twists comings and I was completely shocked when I read them. Overall, for a debut novel, this was amazing!

If you love puzzles, thrillers, and edge-of-your-seat action, then definitely check this book out! Codebreaker releases on July 22!

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing the copy of Codebreaker by Jay Martel. What a fun and amazing debut! This book kept me glued to the pages as Mia discovers and solves coded messages on a scavenger hunt that turns into a race to outrun federal agents. The story was rich with US history and fun facts about well known locations. There are plenty of coded messages you can try your hand at breaking! I don’t want to give too much away, but get this book if you like cryptography and puzzles! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5

DNF at 19%

I tried reading this with my kid, and it was more violent than we were expecting. The ability to try to crack the codes before the main character was neat but not enough for us to keep going.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

This was a bit of a mess, honestly, but it was still a fun read. The plot was somehow always too convenient. But it was fun to read through the codes and see Mia come up with the solutions.

** Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!**

I loved this book! Does it have a few minor writing issues? Yes. The plot is a little convenient and the writing is repetitive. Mia was presented a challenge, she struggled for two seconds, and then Logan would say something to trigger some memory and cue the flashback scene. It was repetitive and got slightly annoying, but I still really enjoyed this book.

The plot was really interesting, though slightly unbelievable. The characters were well-written and had some growth. They were really fun to read about!

This is a really fun read!

As others have said, this fast paced novel is great for fans of National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code. I think my teen will love this one.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was a fun read about code breaking, codes along with some history thrown in. It was fun seeing all the different codes along with a bit of history about John Wilkes Booth and the other co- conspirators who wanted to see Lincoln’s downfall. It also shows what lengths people will go to.

Perfectly described as Nancy Drew meets National Treasure. This YA fast paced semi political thriller follows Mia as she tries to find the truth behind her parents death and the codes left for her by her dad. Codebreakers feels written for younger YA. I appreciate a YA that is clean from sexual content and language. The only trigger warning being death of a parent. Don't expect this to be close to realistic - two teenagers fending off trained CIA agents, but it is fun and unique.

Did anyone ever read I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You? I've been waiting for another spy-type novel like that literally since middle school and I finally got one! Thrilling, suspenseful, and a whole host of twists, this will keep you guessing until the end.

This was so much fun! This was like National Treasure for teens. I loved that this book had the option to be interactive or you could just read on and find out as the main character does. This was the most fun I've had reading in a long time. I've already recommended it to my mom. Oh and this needs to get picked up as a movie, my family would love this!

Just finished Codebreaker, and wow—what a thrilling ride! Imagine National Treasure meets The Da Vinci Code, but with a Gen Z twist. Mia Hayes, a brilliant teen, teams up with hacker Logan to unravel a series of puzzles left by her fugitive father. Their quest takes them through iconic D.C. landmarks, racing against time to prevent a national catastrophe.

What sets this book apart is its interactive element—you get to solve the ciphers alongside Mia and Logan! It's like being part of the adventure, decoding clues and uncovering secrets. The pacing is spot-on, keeping you hooked from start to finish.

While the story touches on political themes, it doesn't overshadow the thrilling plot. The focus remains on the mystery, the codes, and the dynamic between the characters. It's a perfect blend of action, intellect, and a dash of romance.


If you're into fast-paced mysteries with an interactive twist, Codebreaker is a must-read. Perfect for teens and anyone who loves a good puzzle!

I liked this book, but I couldn't quite place what genre it should be. It would have been perfect for a middle grade or younger high school except for the language and if the violence had been toned down. I think it would be a real hit with the 10-15 age group if that happened. I think it's meant for the YA audience, which makes sense I guess, but I still think it would be better for younger kids. The action was more to that level as well, and the codes were not hard, they were plug and play, which lent themselves also to a younger audience. So it's hard to know who to recommend it to, because I think it's too much for the 10-15 age group, but not interesting enough for the older group. Otherwise the authors show immense promise and it is interesting. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Could not put this book down! Little sad that I won't be able to get this to students right away because there are several I can think of who would want to read this right away.
Great thriller that starts off right away and keeps you hanging. Liked that there was the interactive aspect of being able to solve the codes too.

This was a fun, quick read about a girl trying to solve various clues left by her father while trying to dodge a couple of shadowy government agents. I enjoyed solving the codes, I only wish that they were harder, but this is YA so I can't complain too much. I didn't like that the FMC lost both parents within two months, and found out her dad passed an hour before she was kissing the MMC. I also thought her parents were idiots, each putting their family in danger, especially the mom. So three stars from me, serviceable but not amazing.

Mia Hayes has had an interesting childhood living with her professor father and journalist mother in different cities across the globe. She and her father share a love of codes and ciphers and have played many versions over the years culminating in an annual scavenger hunt on her birthday. Now in her last year of high school they have returned to the US and Mia plans for a summer job and college. Her world is turned on its head one summer night when government agents intrude in the home seeking a document they feel her father has. In the ensueing melee her mother is killed and her father goes on the run. Now Mia must embark on one last scavenger hunt to uncover the truth about her parents and recover the vital papers. This immersive YA thriller places the reader in the Da Vinci Code paired with National Treasure as Mia and her new ally Logan visit iconic historical sites across DC. This novel is cleverly interactive with the reader given the choice to pause and solve the codes on their own or continue to read as a novel. I chose the later option as I was eager to know what happens next. As a history buff and fan of puzzles I enjoyed the historical bread crumbs about American history and the cerebral problem solving. I understand this is a debut novel and I personally was very impressed with the intense plotting and development of tension and character. I predict a very bright career ahead. for this imaginative and talented wordsmith. The narrative addresses some issues and views that are developing in our country making it also thought provoking and timely. Recommend highly as this was a wholloping good read.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc! I wish I could have given this 5 stars but my brain can’t comprehend how 2 high school students are outsmarting literal CIA agents like this is some sort of low budget Disney spoof.