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!