Thank you for this book !!! It was way different from my usual reads I kind of didn’t expect the content I got from it but it was pretty good even though it was weird

This was an interesting story. There was a complex magic system. The story focuses on her as she navigates using her psychic powers while also trying to figure out herself. The story does tackle issues such as racial disparities and other issues.

Amanda McKee is a Psiot. A person born with powers. She can access and talk to machines with her mind. She’s trying to live a relatively normal life, when things get out of control.
I’ve been a fan of Valiant Comics for years. Livewire is a character that I’ve never gone out of my way to read about, but I’ve been looking forward to these Valiant novels.
For a character that I’m not really fond of and a writer I’ve never read before, I enjoyed this book. Amanda McKee was a fantastic character. Her supporting cast was great. The ways in which she used her powers were inventive and exciting.
Whether you’re a long time fan of the comics or you’ve never heard of them before, take a chance on Livewire. You won’t regret it.

sadly had to DNF. I had no clue this was so linked to the DC superhero universe and I was left feeling a little confused, Wanted to love it!

thank you to netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

dnf @20%

unfortunately i think this book is suffering from being mismarketed, and because of my reasons for dnf-ing i don't want to give it an undeserved low rating which is why i will leave it at 3 stars (since i cannot abstain from rating at all given the structure of netgalley).

on netgalley and every online retailer i could find, this is listed as "general fiction (adult)/scifi fantasy" and that combined with the description had me believing this would be an adult protagonist and an adult novel, but the main character is 16. maybe there is more further along in the story that warrant this not being labeled as YA, but the content within the first 20% is almost entirely high school style drama and activities, and the characters express that level of juvenility, which is not my personal cup of tea to read about.

along with this, while i saw the note saying this was a "valiant origin story" i was sort of under the misunderstanding that this might be related to the author's other works (i.e. if they had a whole universe of other novels i'd never read) but it's actually a superhero/DC thing? it was confusing because this wasn't mentioned anywhere else, even on the goodreads/bookseller pages. i think this needs to be labeled much clearer.

lastly, and this is more understandable given that this is an advanced copy, but this is in need of some line/copy editing. lots of grammatical errors, word rep, logical/narrative inconsistencies (like if the mc hasn't spoken english since she left america, then how is she recording videos for her tiktok in english?) and other bits that need a nice sweep to be fixed. this is doable of course and no critique to the author over it, since sometimes these things can be hard to catch, but i would hope that these are edited out before release.

unfortunately this book was just not for me, and though i really liked the setup and found some of the potential conflict build up to be interesting (i had questions that i wanted answered!) as well as enjoying amanda's early character traits, i think this is a bit too far out of my realm of interest to continue in good faith. however i do think this has a lot of potential, and a great premise, and i hope that it finds the audience it deserves.

Thank you to Blackstone publishing and NetGalley for a chance to read this early!

This was very fun.

I really enjoyed our main character Amanda. She was spunky, fun, kind, but also she was a teenager who made a lot of mistakes and is trying to figure out her life and her not so natural abilities.

Now I’ve never read any of the valiant comics or anything so I did feel a little just thrown into this world and the working of pisots but I feel like the author made it to where Amanda feels like that too since she is the only known one. I do wish there would’ve been a little more building on that in the beginning but I will probably now read those comics because learning about Amanda has made me very interested in more of this world and story.

The middle did feel very bogged down but the ending really saved this for me. I loved the fight scenes I thought they were pretty well crafted and they get quite brutal which was a nice surprise I wasn’t expecting the fight scenes to be so intense.

Overall it was a favorite but it has a lot of potential and has made me super interested in other works in this world and I’m excited to explore those too.

16 yr old FMC was adopted by billionaire Toyo Harada. Andy's hidden superpower is used to save humanity by Harada. That's until an assassin arrives wanting to kill Andy.

💾 Black FMC
💾 Technology Superpower
💾 Character Growth
💾 Romance
💾 Digital World

The story didn't pull me in immediately. It definitely took a little to set everything up and get going with the main plot but once it started I was really enjoying it. I loved the idea of the Digital World and the journey that Andy and Sho went through. This really added another added layer that made the story exciting. The world-building of that world was done well, I liked that I could picture it.

ARC Reader Review – Livewire by Sarah Raughley

Thank you for the chance to read an advanced copy of Livewire. As an ARC reader, I was eager to see Sarah Raughley’s interpretation of this complex DC character, and overall, the story offered a compelling and introspective take on what it means to wield power in the public eye.

What I Loved:

Livewire’s Character Arc – Her inner conflict was portrayed with nuance, and I appreciated how the story gave space for her emotional and psychological journey. She felt like a fully realized character navigating the consequences of past choices.

Themes with Depth – The narrative touches on redemption, power dynamics, identity, and control in a way that feels timely and thought-provoking. It adds weight to the action and makes the story stand out in the superhero genre.

Writing Style – Raughley’s writing is clear and compelling. The tone strikes a balance between introspection and momentum, making it easy to read while still hitting emotional beats.

What Could Be Stronger:

Supporting Characters – Some side characters felt underdeveloped, especially compared to the depth given to Livewire. A bit more attention to their backgrounds or motivations could elevate the overall narrative.

Pacing in the Middle – While the opening and ending are strong, the middle of the book slowed a little. A tighter progression there would keep the energy more consistent.

DC Universe Context – For readers less familiar with Livewire or her history, a touch more background or grounding in the world would improve accessibility and immersion.

Final Thoughts:

Livewire is a thoughtful and character-driven story that goes beyond standard superhero fare. It offers a unique lens on power, responsibility, and public perception—all while staying true to the comic book spirit. I think readers will appreciate its intelligence, heart, and emotional-honesty

After a rocky start, I have to admit I quickly began looking forward to the rest of the story. I feel like the FMC's characterization is a little inconsistent, but she moves the plot along at an excellent clip. The magic and action is fun, maybe especially so if you enjoy anime in general. This book is best suited for a younger audience. It pretty directly lifts from a lot of references that stand out starkly - Persona 5 is a big one, and I get hints of Evangelion, Pacific Rim, maybe a little Carrie, and strangely "Friday" by Rebecca Black. It does a lot of telling instead of showing.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Livewire follows 16 year old Andrea Porter who possesses the ability to control technology. In addition to keeping this superpower hidden she must also grapple high school conflicts, and navigate a strained relationship with her adoptive father Toyo Harada. Everything comes crashing down when a young assassin comes, claiming “one day, you and Toyo will destroy humankind.”

I thought the world-building was great and the Digital World was a unique twist. Each digital castle was well described and I found myself wondering what mine would look like.
Livewire had many layers to the story. Andrea grappling with self-acceptance, the good vs evil narrative, complex motivations, and ethical power concerns. A case of how far someone will go to achieve their ideal world.

Outside of the superpower aspect Andrea’s struggles were very relatable for teenagers, especially black teens. Navigating identity issues, body image concerns, and peer acceptance, the author did a great job showing the misplaced search for acceptance.

The first few pages were a bit of a challenge to understand, but the story quickly smooths out after that. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys sci-fi/superhero books where the heroine is flawed but redeemable

I really liked this book! It was full of interesting concepts and whole new world. It was very entertaining, and I loved the mix of science fiction themes thrown in. It was a good book, and I loved the way it looked at psychics.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Andy P

I had the opportunity to review an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book was about Black Girl Magic…..Literally! Andy is gifted with psychic powers and they are not always used for good. She is tasked with saving humanity while dealing with typical teenage girl stuff such as body image issues, race and acceptance.

The book started out a bit confusing and the plot jumped around a bit. I think a little more character development would help the flow of the story. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

First experience with this author! Thank you to Blackstone for the earc in exchange for my honest opinion. I really enjoyed this story. It was emotional, exciting and kept me entertained the entire time! Character growth was so good!