There’s something about reading a dystopian in current times but jeez was this well done. I feel like the author really shines in her YA writing and this feels like her strongest book yet. The characters and world building just pulled me in. The parallels to current events were frightening and made it hard to look away. Excited to see where the story goes with book two.

Jokes on me for thinking Chloe Gong would ever write a casual sci fi story. like HOLY SHIT??? THE ENDING. Jaw was dropped. I think I need to reread this immediately because what????

Thank you to SimonTeen and NetGalley for gifting me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Summary: Coldwire follows two girls, Lia and Eirale, in a futuristic world of virtual reality. Lia is a top Nile Military Academy student, competing with her academic nemesis as they’re sent to track down a missing fugitive in a foreign country. Eirale is a graduate of the academy, framed for assassinating a government official by a wanted anarchist, who offers to clear her name in exchange for Eirale’s cooperation in his mission. While Eirale and Lia are separated by different planes of reality, they both begin to suspect that something is amok and their missions may be part of a greater plot.

To be honest, the first half of the book, I was lost. The constant change in dual perspective with little connection between the two character’s situations had me very confused as to where the storylines were going. It also left me less invested because, since the characters themselves weren’t told the reason for their missions, I also didn’t see what they were trying to achieve. However, I stayed entertained with the witty banter between the two casts of characters. It was still giving cookie cutter YA sci fi book and I was wondering where the Chloe Gong flair was. Clearly I just had to wait!

The real star of the show was the second half, where I was absolutely sat as the plot began to unfold. EVERYTHING fell into place and it was insane. It left me conflicted with my rating because all my previous qualms with disconnection were reconnected with the ending’s reveal…but I still stayed lost for the first half of the book.
Regardless, I need the next book NOW because that ending had me mind blown.

Side note, I thought it was very creative the way Chloe Gong provided commentary on real life racial and political biases (specifically towards China) despite all the countries being renamed in her novel. As a Chinese-American, I could instantly recognize Lia and Eirale’s experiences as Medans and the discrimination they faced due to their race. It brought up so many instances that often aren’t talked about, such as the perpetual foreigner stereotype. Wonderfully done!

RATING: 2.75/5 STARS

I was looking for a compelling dystopian novel to get immersed in, but sadly COLDWIRE was not it for me. It had an interesting premise, and I loved the setup of the world, but the plot slid off and I was forcing myself through by the end.

Coldwire is my favorite Chloe Gong book I’ve read so far - now this was the YA dystopian thriller we needed in 2025 😩.

I grew up during the peak era of YA dystopia (YA books in the early 2010’s just hit different), and Coldwire was a book that felt conceptually fresh, but also nostalgic of that time. Given the rise of AI, this book felt particularly fascinating and relevant, and it also tackles topics such as the dangers of unchecked capitalism, climate change, and corporate monopolies.

Set in 2058, Coldwire is the first book of a YA dystopian series in which humanity has moved to virtual reality - those with financial resources can flee the economic and environmental catastrophes of “downcountry” by living almost entirely in a virtual reality known as “upcountry”. The book follows two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival, and features several twists and turns that had me stressing so bad in that last 30% (I thought I had guessed the plot twist, but I was WRONG). If you like any books that feature any of the following things, I think you’ll also love Coldwire:

💾 multiple POVs + dual storyline
📞 tension!!!
💾 cyberpunk aesthetic
📞 technology, identity and perception
💾 found family
📞 rebellion, secrets and conspiracies
💾 social inequality and power imbalance

Thank you so much to Simon Teen and Netgalley for the E-ARC, I can’t wait to read book 2!!

(More social links to be added closer to publication date).

review ♥
coldwire- chloe gong
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

In 2058, technology has advanced to provide an AI world where citizens can escape to avoid the crippling epidemics, environment, and poverty of their real world. This AI-generated landscape, called upcountry, has an identical makeup to downcountry, the real world. All users must pay a subscription to reap the benefits of this upcountry system, however, this new and improved world is not as perfect as it seems. The states of Atahua and Medaluo are waging a cold war for power over the AI system. Atahua currently owns a private company called NileCorp, which assists the government with security. Due to Atahuan’s superiority in controlling the system, the citizens of Medaluo are forced to subscribe to Upcountry to compete and remain within the same technological sphere. Meanwhile, Medan orphans who were adopted by Atahuan citizens after their defeat are subject to attending Nile Military Academy or else remain traitors of the state.

Eirale is a recent graduate from Nile Military Academy who is placed on a job downcountry to find and capture Atahuan’s biggest anarchist, Nik Grant. Nik tricks Eirale during a quest and frames her for murdering the secretary of defense. As a form of blackmail, he steals her from jail to use her as an ally for finding an AI program, called Project Wit, which is hidden in three cities in Medaluo. Eirale remembers being sent to Kunlun, an entirely separate state only found upcountry, during her final assignment at the academy. However, she does not recall anything she did or the people she met during that time. Now she has to help Nik find the missing pieces to Project Wit, without having any memory of a place she once visited.

Lia is a current senior at Nile Military Academy who has worked her entire life to become class valedictorian so she can acquire a job working with her adoptive father. She has always received perfect grades, but the only thing in her way is Kieren Murray. His father is the academy's principal, so Lia knows no matter how hard she works, she will never receive the title of valedictorian. When her final assignment comes around, she is shocked to see herself paired with Kieren to complete a secret mission upcountry. Their job is to find an old friend of her father’s, Chung Yin, and bring him back to headquarters for questioning. Yin is the leader of Operation Coldwire, a program containing sentient AI that can control all of upcountry through language and reality. Lia and Kieren are placed on a treasure hunt to find his whereabouts and shut down his work before Atahua loses power over upcountry to Medaluo through Operation Coldwire.

Chloe Gong never fails to amaze me with her bright mind and well-thought-out plots. Throughout the majority of the book, I was slightly confused as to how both sets of characters' storylines intertwined and the reason for their relevance in the story. By reading and learning about their past lives, personal struggles, and morals, you grow to love the characters and root for their success. However, it was difficult to keep track of the characters because of how similar their storylines are.

Eirale and Nik’s dynamic was interesting to observe, as he seems disinterested in her personally, but requires her to find the missing pieces of Project Wit. I also adored Miz and Blare! They were such fun side characters that I didn’t realize were important until the end! I cannot wait to see more of their character development in the rest of the series.

Lia and Kieren were my favorites, however. I loved their academic rivals' relationship and was rooting for them to get together the entire time! I loved how Kieren had been in love with Lia since he met her as children. It was so sweet to see how he kept competing with her to remain nearby and always stay relevant in her mind.

Chapter 40 is when all of my confusion dissipated. Learning who Lia is and her purpose relating to Project Wit and Operation Coldwire is mindblowing! I truly did not see it coming! I was trying to wrap my head around the characters and the importance of these AI programs until the chapter finally outlined everything. I love how Chloe’s mind works and her ability to create a cyclical story without giving away any of the plot twists until the end. I had to stare at the ceiling and put everything together before completely comprehending the complexity of the plot and understanding Chloe’s true genius. All I can say to readers is to keep pushing through the book because it is slow for a reason. The plot development required all of the character building and subtle nods to the eventual plot twist. I can definitely say that I am super excited for a re-read because knowing the ending will make understanding the beginning so much better! I am more than ecstatic about how Chloe is going to continue and finish this series! I love her writing, characters, and her storylines so much! I always feel seen by her characters and enjoy the morals of her story. This dystopian world set in the midst of an advancing AI culture is extremely relevant to our current political climate. I cannot wait to see how her perspective shows these characters fighting against corrupt governmental systems and their aspirations for overwhelming power. In a world where these notions are becoming closer to reality, it is so much fun to escape into a reality where the characters come out on top.

Thank you to Simon Teen and Chloe Gong for providing me with an advanced copy to review. 

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Coldwire was an exciting and smart start to this author's new series. Set in a fractured world split between virtual luxury and real-world decay, it followed two fierce heroines—Eirale, a framed soldier on the run, and Lia, a top student caught in a dangerous mission—as their paths twisted toward an explosive collision.
The worldbuilding was immersive, and the political tension kept the pages turning. While the pacing dragged a bit in spots due to dense exposition, the layered plot and vivid themes—surveillance, identity, rebellion—made it a thrilling, thought-provoking read. A strong series opener with serious bite.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I truly didn’t know what to expect with this. The beginning was veryyyy hard for me to get into, and I even debated DNFing a couple times because it was so slow. But considering it’s currently 2:30am and I just read the last 50% in one sitting, it’s safe to say it grew on me!

The disconnected POVs made for a tough entry point into the world. It was hard to get a grasp on what was happening when I couldn’t find a connection between the events of Eirale and Lia’s chapters. I’ll be honest, I suspected the main twist pretty early on and was actually hoping against it happening because I didn’t see how it would make sense … but Chloe Gong pulled it off. I won’t lie and say that it was done seamlessly, but it was done well enough that by the end I was kicking my feet with excitement for the next book!

It’s hard to say anything about this book without spoilers, but I will say that the romance was SO FUN (academic rivals SLAYY) and though I didn't always completely understand the worldbuilding of upcountry or the whole war between countries, I had quite a fun time once I got past the slow beginning. Will definitely be looking out for the sequel!

There are some authors where if they have a new book I will drop everything to read it. Chloe Gong is near the top of that list for me. I have been reeling ever since I finished this book. I had such high hopes for Chloe Gong's foray into sci-fi and she truly knocked it out of the solar system.

For a sci-fi novel, I still found this to be fairly accessible -- the upcountry vs downcountry construction of the post-apocalyptic world keeps things fairly similar to a regular urban fantasy. The geopolitics of the world (both between the two major nations Medaluo and Atahua AND the gigantic NileCorp that runs the upcountry servers and thus... the world) are super interesting and well constructed. The interrogation of what is real in a world of simulated reality is well done in Coldwire and has some plot twists I absolutely did not see coming.

The dual POV is excellent, I was invested in both Lia and Eirale's journeys. Gong does a great job of using the changing POV to escalate the stakes of the narrative without it feeling like schlocky chapter cliiffhangers. I pride myself on being able to predict plot twists before they happen and while I saw some of the reveals coming there were some that COMPLETELY knocked me out. I literally canNOT wait until the sequel is out.

Read this book if you like: 
- Extremely well paced books but the back half feels like a runaway freight train that simply cannot be stopped 
- Dual POV that is expertly done 
- Academic rivals to lovers but make it a sloooooooow burn  
- Immaculate sci-fi vibes w/a side of anti-capitalism

Thank you to Simon Teen and NetGalley for the ARC!

I am sooo excited for dystopian to make a comeback - don't get me wrong, I love a good fantasy, but I was so excited to see the synopsis for this book. I'll admit the cover is just ok, but I gave it a chance anyway.

The book is a bit overwhelming to start as a lot of world building is thrown at the reader. However, by about 15%, I was feeling less off balance and more comfortable with the world. It's very interesting, and definitely has some similarities to our current world. I struggled to fully connect with the characters, and I found myself a bit bored, and I decided to soft DNF this title for now and return to it again soon. Hopefully this is just a right book wrong time situation because I really want to love this YA dystopian from Chloe Gong!

INSANE ABSOLUTELY INSANE! I finished this last night and then when I woke up was still thinking about the ending and then ended up listening to Chloe Gong’s playlist she created and WOW, we are sooo back.

This cyberpunk book follows dual pov of Lia and Eirale both with completely different goals and missions. Lia in the upcountry, a glistening virtual reality only the wealthy can afford, on her final assignment. Meanwhile Eirale in the crumbling downcountry on a run with the most wanted anarchist after falsely accused of assassinating a government official.

What I love most about this is how we really see the contrast in the writing between the 2 countries from the povs of our characters. How we quickly realized that both of them are missing information about themselves and we are finding out and discovering it with them as we read. I already feel like I need to reread the whole thing now that I have more information from the last 15%. I can’t wait for this book to be released so even more people can read. AND THEN WAIT FOR BOOK 2

I laughed when Chloe Gong been heavily reiterating on her social media that she had wrote this two years ago and it’s not her fault how many similarities there are to the current world, then when actually reading it some of the lines and scenes were eerie how applicable it is to todays world.

I love ace spec rep! Chloe Gong is one of my fav authors, the two POVs tie in nicely. Some of the sci-fi aspects are confusing.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @simonteen for an early copy of Coldwire by @thechloegong. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: November 4th, 2025

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

In Chloe Gong’s best work yet, Coldwire dives into the future where AI and virtual reality is a constant presence in everyone’s lives. Her world building is absolutely enjoyable and eye-opening, as people in the story have resorted to living in the virtual world developed by NileCorp, Upcountry, a copy of the real and physical world, Downcountry, as it has decayed with pollution, diseases and destruction that humanity could not restore. It’s eerily close to current events, with the rise of corruption and capitalism, while it also highlights the how our current technology could be or would be in the near future, which is exciting yet scary at the same time.

The story follows Eirale, a NileCorp soldier, who was framed for murder by Atahua’s most wanted anarchist Nik Grant, and to clear her name, she must work with him to retrieve files on a sentient AI created by Chung Yin. The story also follows Lia, a student at Nile Military Academy on her posting with her academic rival Kieren, as they journey to follow Chung Yin’s tracks as he has gone missing out of the blue.

Gong’s world building this time around was easy to follow as well as its pacing. Eirale and Lia’s journey and hunt was exciting, especially with what they discover as the story progressed. And though I may be exaggerating, the tone for most of the story as it sets up for the epilogue was an 8/10 for me, and the last 20% or so of the story was very climactic. Talk about a MAJOR plot twist! I don’t want to mention any spoilers in this review but I have to let you know to expect a major plot twist towards the end. It was unexpected for me because I was leaning towards another theory of mine about Eirale and Lia’s existence.

Now I kind of regret diving into this when its release date is still in November 2025. I have a long wait ahead of me for the sequel. ☹️ But I guess I’ll have fun again when I re-read Coldwire in anticipation for its sequel!

Can’t wait for you guys to read this! I feel like this is Chloe Gong’s best novel yet!