From now on, when I hear a novel described as “ambitious,” this is the one that will come to mind. Two narrators. Two planes of existence. Two missions. Two sides. It’s a lot, and none of it is really that black-and-white. But I can’t think of a better compliment than to say that Chloe Gong pulls it all off.
Those who can afford it have left behind the pollution and desperation of the real world to plug into its virtual copy. Nilecorp, one multinational security company, holds all the power and all of the information.
Lia has no interest in the physical world. As she nears graduation from a virtual military academy, hoping for the posting of her choice with Nilecorp, one final test will make all the difference in her future. Eirale, already working for Nilecorp, gets a high-risk mission bringing down a terrorist. As both of them get in over their heads, the question becomes what - or who - they will sacrifice.
If you ask me, a YA novel doesn't need to be simpler than an adult novel. This book is for anyone who doesn't mind jumping in with both feet. I'm ready for book two already.

Chloe Gong has done it again! Coldwire is Gong's newest YA with a futuristic dystopian twist; a departure from her usual historical fantasies. Her signature political intrigue, intricate world-building, and badass yet deeply relatable characters seep into her newest work. Fans of her previous work will not be disappointed.

Told from two different perspectives, and taking place in two different versions of reality, Coldwire feels like a whirlwind secret mission that doesn't make any sense. Until it does. The first few chapters throw a lot of information at you, but the world(s) starts to take shape, and I can guarantee you'll fall in love with the characters and be throwing wild predictions into the wind trying to figure out what happens next. On top of the breakneck speed of the story and deeply intriguing characters, Gong includes nods to common issues faced in the real world. This book holds commentary on the role of the US in international relations and the dangers of AI in present day that I am begging readers to pay close attention to.

Come for the cyberpunk setting and academic rivals dynamic, and stay for the twists and turns that will have you starting the next chapter even though it's almost 2am and you told yourself you would go to sleep three hours ago (speaking from experience). I can't wait for the world to get its hands on Coldwire, and I can't wait for the next installment in Gong's newest trilogy.

This left me speechless. In a really good way. A twisty turny dystopian sci fi masterpiece. The twists were so good I didn’t see them coming which was refreshing. I absolutely recommend this book and will be anxiously awaiting book 2

This book was a wild ride from start to finish. I struggled a bit to get used to the POV switches, Eirale and Lia are in such different points in their lives it's hard to remember from chapter to chapter who all the side characters are and what each person's history is so I could fully understand what's happening.
I trusted the process and continued through being uncomfortable and not fully understanding what was going on and WOW did that pay off.
This is one of the most complex and intriguing things I've ever read. The moment I hit the last page part of me wanted to start over again so I could find the little details I'd missed.
Incredible, this story is a work of art and I cannot wait for the next book. I will be recommending to everyone.

This book gave me some pause the first 1/3 - I wasn't sure if I didn't understand the technicalities or if the world building didn't feel fully flushed to me, I'm still unsure and to be fully transparent, I did almost DNF this- HOWEVER:

Part of that confusion came from the two timelines we read via Lia and Eirale - a lot of times I didn't see the point or connection to why we were reading about these two separately, I couldn't connect the dots. This is entirely possible that I'm not intelligent enough or it was just so well done that it was intended to cause confusion - I'm still not sure, total toss up.

There were also times it was hard to visualize or conceptualize what I was reading, the technical or world building could have been more clear - I'm not one to wish for wordy over explanations, but it almost would have helped here.

NOW. So far, why did I give it 4 stars when it doesn't sound like I had a fun time and almost gave up? I hit *the moment* - the catch, the hook line and sinker and I audibly said 'oh my god no way' at 11:34 pm, and stayed up the rest of the evening to read as much as I possibly could to finish ( I fell asleep and finished in the morning). Everything clicked, everything made sense and all my prior confusion more or less evaporated because now I UNDERSTOOD. I was SO pleased with that spin, and perhaps better readers will see it miles before I did, but I wasn't reading to sus out the plot, I was there for the ride, and the ride validated itself far more than I expected. I cannot wait for book 2 despite this still being months from pub.

The characters, the plot, the story once it all clicks is an absolute ride, I loved it. (I hope our world never turns out like this btw but I can see the inspiration and connection to our real world and that's scary)

You should absolutely read this book, thank you so much for this eARC and Chloe - brava!!!!

OMG CHLOE WHEN I CATCH YOU---
many many thanks to simonteen for the netgalley arc.

okay I don't even know where to start because I'm still reeling from the last 20% of this wild ride. so how about starting with the immaculate vibes. y'all. the vibes were so there. I wish I was good at art cos then I'd just make my own graphic novel. seriously Chloe Gong does world building so incredibly well. From the technology to the political systems, there was no detail that didn't fit.
This is also Gong's first book that is written in the first person, which I thought was super interesting. Even with this new writing technique in her bibliography, I still saw her incredible writing skills. like if you handed me a passage from this book with no information at all, I could look at it and go "yep that's my favorite author's writing" without a doubt.
The characters were literally everything to me. The silly goofy interactions where they were texting and talking like teenagers and then going off to break into places and cause chaos was my absolute favorite part of this book.
And underneath the incredible storytelling and characters and everything else, there is an underlying message about the dangers of billionaire corporations and AI that this book creates such a thought provoking analysis of.
Overall, this book was insanely well written and so fun to read. Even if I wasn't already a Chloe Gong fan, I would scream from my tiny little bookstagram for everyone to go read this

I haven’t read any of Chloe Gongs books but this one was very interesting and a good read. I felt as if there was major info dumping of the first part of the book. I felt like I was being bombarded with information and no time to digest it. I would have loved for the world building to be spread out a bit more. I really enjoyed the dual point of view in the book and the way that the main character’s stories intersect with each other as the story went on. I liked the contrast between the “real world” with Eirale and the more “sheltered” academia world of Lia. I felt like the contrast added to the depth of the world that Chloe Gong built. Overall this books was good.

This was absolutely 100% a wild ride. I loved the mix of the past with the future to create this whole other world that still exists with our own. 2038 sounds both thrilling and terrifying, and I’m honestly not quite sure if that makes me like it or fear it.

This dystopian world is unlike anything I’ve ever read in the best way possible. This book is such a genre bender, taking my favorite elements from dystopian books, science fiction, and a tinge of fantasy to create a world that honestly feels like it could come to fruition in reality.

I’m trying to stay as spoiler free as possible, but the ending of this book is absolute insanity, and I am desperate for the next book! I don’t know why I thought this was going to be a standalone, so when I got to the end, I was thrown so much and it left me with my mouth hanging open.

I’ve never read a Chloe Gong book before, but I absolutely will be hunting down each and every one of her books after this. Her writing sucks you in and makes you feel like you are inside the world with her characters. The world feels so very real, alive, and vibrant, and it honestly makes reality look so much duller in color.

This is a young adult book in case you aren’t aware. But that being said, I’m not a young adult, and I still felt so very connected to the story and characters.

Just a warning, this book has some very long chapters, so go into this with an open mind. There’s dividers throughout you can pretend are chapter breaks if you don’t vibe well with long chapters, but the chapters fly.

Such a good book.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fun new modern dystopian. Chloe is a great writer, and this book didn't disappoint. Great for fans of ready player one. I really loved this book concept, and im looking forward to continuing the series as it comes out.

4.5 stars.

If you know anything about me, you’ll know I adore Chloe Gong’s previous YA series…but I am less than enthused about her most recent books, Immortal Longings and Vilest Things. With those books fresh on my mind, and knowledge about Chloe’s tight publishing schedule, I was apprehensive about Coldwire. While the characterizations and plot are shaky at times, ultimately, thankfully, my apprehension was unfounded.

Coldwire is told in dual-POV, split between the virtual “upcountry” and the real “downcountry”. Downcountry, Eirale is a mercenary hired by NileCorp to hunt the notorious anarchist Nik Grant. Meanwhile, Lia attends the upcountry Nile Military Academy, and prepares to ace her end-of-term solo mission and secure a prestigious NileCorp placement on her father’s security team. Both girls’ plans are upturned when Eirale gets kidnapped and blackmailed by Nik, and Lia is assigned a joint mission into Medaluo with her academic rival Kieran Murray. As both girls venture into the enemy country Medaluo, they are plunged into a world of politics, betrayal, and reality-changing secrets.

Coldwire drew me in and spat me back out. Chloe excels at writing gritty settings, rendering downcountry Atahua and Medaluo in vivid, grimy detail, while also showing her playful side in descriptions of their virtual upcountry counterparts. The book weaves between the two settings almost seamlessly, the two POVs’ plots lining up for a jaw-dropping plot twist towards the end. While Eirale and Lia’s motivations were not ironclad, and several important plot moments happened extremely conveniently, Coldwire was an exciting and unique read that I’d recommend to anyone wanting a quick, gripping read!

4.5 🌟
Coldwire by Chloe Gong is an incredible, layered dystopian story that kept me hooked from beginning to end. The world is split between the harsh downcountry and a sleek virtual upcountry. The book explores important themes like climate change, AI ethics, and economic inequality in a way that felt both relevant and thought-provoking. I really enjoyed the two points of view. Eirale’s intense mission in the real world and Lia’s challenges in the virtual academy created great tension and kept the story moving, even if it took me a little while to fully understand the setting. The characters felt real and complex, especially Eirale and Lia, whose different personalities made the story richer. The plot twists near the end completely surprised me. While the romance was more low-key and didn’t grab me as much, the rest of the story with its cyberpunk atmosphere, political intrigue, and emotional depth more than made up for it. Coldwire is one of my favorite reads this year and I’m really looking forward to the next book. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

I have read Chloe Gong before and I’ve had mixed experiences with her writing. This is one I mostly enjoyed, but it was also mediocre. I do like a dystopian book and this had some new elements with AI, but it still fundamentally follows a lot of stereotypical tropes. This has the unlikely romance and a social divide. It takes a while to get into the required world building which had a bit of info dumping. Oftentimes the first book of a series is the hardest because of world building. Once you get into the second half it does get more exciting to read. I’ll probably check out the next book, but I’m not sure if I’ll go out of my way to seek it out once it’s released.

"Coldwire" by Chloe Gong is an absolute masterpiece that captivates from the very first page. Gong has a phenomenal ability to weave together intricate characters and a hauntingly beautiful world that brings the story to life. The intricate plotting kept me on the edge of my seat, filled with tension and unexpected twists that left me gasping.

The character development is superb, making it easy to connect with the protagonists. Their struggles and triumphs resonated deeply with me. The themes of love, ambition, and sacrifice are explored with depth and nuance, adding layers to the narrative that make it all the more engaging.

Gong's writing is lyrical and vivid, painting striking imagery that immerses the reader into the setting. The emotional beats are perfectly timed, and I found myself rooting for the characters, invested in their journeys.

Overall, "Coldwire" is a must-read for anyone who loves a thrilling story that perfectly balances action, romance, and complex emotional stakes. I can’t wait to see what Chloe Gong writes next!

Wow, what a ride! Coldwire by Chloe Gong is a fiercely imaginative, beautifully layered dystopian tale that feels both terrifyingly futuristic and hauntingly familiar. It's the kind of story that grabs you with sleek worldbuilding and keeps you turning the pages with relentless tension, political intrigue, and characters teetering on the edge of survival. I loved the dual POV. Eirale's gritty journey on the ground contrasted powerfully with Lia's calculated moves in the virtual academy, and watching their stories unfold in parallel-knowing they were destined to collide-made for a gripping experience. Chloe Gong has a gift for tension and timing, and she uses both here to fantastic effect.

3.5 stars Coldwire has a super cool concept and some really sharp moments. The world is intense and layered, and once the story picks up, it’s hard to put down. It took me a bit to get into it—the beginning’s a little slow—but the second half delivers. Not my favorite from Chloe Gong, but still worth the ride.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Coldwire! I seriously have no words to describe just how thrilling of a read this was. I went into Coldwire with a bit of healthy skepticism given that I’ve been finding recent dystopian fiction to be either repetitive or overly preachy, but this novel was an incredibly refreshing and original entry to the genre. It’s hard to even decide what I liked most about it—everything from the characters to the pacing to the world building was impeccably and precisely written. While I had a feeling about where the plot was going on pretty early on, it didn’t make finding out any less exciting—in fact, I was so invested, I took advantage of just about every ounce of available free time to read Coldwire. It may be premature to say so, but I’d argue this is one of Chloe Gong’s best works. I absolutely can’t wait to read the next one. If you’re into dystopian, sci-fi, spy/thriller-esque reads, Coldwire is a MUST!

Chloe Gong I am in your walls! What an ending!! This is a winding journey but fully worth it to get there.

I adored the vibes of this punk dystopian novel, with a signature romantic flair that Chloe is known for. The twists and turns are not entirely unexpected but they feel earned, and this book is just so much fun. I am happy to see authors doing fun and inventive things in the dystopian space’.

Can’t wait for the sequel!

I don't tend to write feedback/reviews on the books I read to better inform author interviews, but COLDWIRE is an exception. As usual, I went in knowing little-to-nothing about this dystopian/cyberpunk novel, so I ended up extremely intrigued with the world building. While the countries and places have different names, it's difficult to not see the parallels between Medaluo and Atahua as China and the U.S. Add in the fact that adoption of Medan orphans plays such a significant role in the story...

So, as a Chinese American adoptee — who was adopted when the One Child Policy was in effect — I had many, many thoughts while reading COLDWIRE. I was a bit hesitant about how the author would write about adoption and write her adoptee characters, but honestly, a lot of their thoughts reflected my own at one time or another. I was pleasantly surprised. COLDWIRE's inclusion of adoptee characters (actually, the story kind of hinges on them) really drives home that adoption is, in fact, a complex *industry*.

Other than these thoughts, I loved the last quarter of the book. The classic Chloe Gong plot twists really came through. Pacing was a bit of a hit-or-miss at some points, although looking back, these choices do make sense.

If you want a story with layered world building set in the near-future — with virtual reality! — that excavates many of the realities we are experiencing now with a healthy dash of banter between characters, COLDWIRE should probably be your next read.

I think that making an AI-focused sci-fi dystopian novel was a very clever and interesting choice given the current climate when it comes to AI. (AI is very bad if you do not know that and I do not know how you wouldn't know that at this point in time. Bestie, you are living under a rock. It is ethically, mentally, and environmentally detrimental.)

I liked how this dystopian sci-fi world is very much a future built off of the harm we are actively doing to the world, I think that added a level of spook to this.

This book has dual POVs, a unique societal system (the "downcountry" and "upcountry" thing was very interesting to me, very plot-driven with a touch of romance (I didn't really care for this romance all that much), teaming up with your enemy, and being accused of murder.

I think the reason that I didn't care about the romance was because the characters didn't feel fully developed. They didn't have as much depth as I think they needed for their romance to matter as much as it should to me. I am very much a character-driven reader and I think that was put to the test with this book because of how cool I thought this world was vs how much more I wanted from these characters.

I will be continuing this series, I am very intrigued with where this may go!

I also like the cover.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

Coldwire is, without a doubt, one of my favorite books I have read this year. Bear with me as I give a more in-depth background for the book, but I believe it is necessary to realize just how much of a mastermind Chloe Gong is.

In Coldwire, the world is split into two main realms: Downcounty and Upcountry. Downcounty is Earth as we know it on the physical level. It has been plagued by disease, murder, natural disasters, you name it. StrangeLoom was a program created to encapsulate the world into a virtual replica known as Upcountry. When people are five years old, they are implanted with a chip that allows them to go into either a Pod or use a headset called a Claw and upload themselves into Upcountry. Upcountry is an exact replica of Downcountry, but there is no violence, murder, etc. and it is mainly run by NileCorp who are the creators of the StrangeLoom program. Upcountry is not without flaws, however, as a cold war between the two main nations Atahua (where NileCorp and StrangeLoom primary exist and hold reign) and Medaluo effects every aspect of both the virtual world and the real world.

Upcountry holds reign over the world as most of the world’s economy and in general, life entirely functions in virtual – that is, for those that can afford it. The book follows two main storylines: Lia and Eirale. Eirale’s storyline takes place entirely in Downcountry, where she is a NileCorp solider tasked to hunt down an anarchist named Nik Grant. During this mission, Nik Grant frames her for murder and then proceeds to kidnap her. To bargain for her freedom, he claims he will release the deepfake footage of the murder to clear her name if she helps him track down a program. Eirale, desperate to clear her name, agrees.

Lia’s story is entirely Upcountry. She is in her final year at Nile Military Academy, vying for valedictorian with the principal’s son, Kiernan. As part of her final exam, she is sent on a mission to hunt down Chung Yin, an Atahuan defector who joined Medaluo’s side in the war and has potentially created an incredibly dangerous AI weapon. Her and Kiernan take on this final exam together as a joint mission which, due to the threat of the danger at hand, requires absolute secrecy to execute.

The plot, premise, and characters in this book are so incredibly well written I could not put this book down. Both POVs are engaging and despite the initial confusion with trying to understand the world (which inevitably happens in every good fantasy/sci-fi world), the book quickly drags you into it. I had lots of theories – some of which were correct, but most were not. Usually, I am pretty good at guessing the ending of books, or potential plot twists, but I can truthfully say the plot twist for this book truly shocked me. I had to sit there staring at the book for a good 5 minutes before continuing to read because I had no idea.

I am anxiously awaiting book two and cannot begin to convey my excitement for this series. I would highly recommend this book, and I hope you pick it up to experience it too!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Chloe Gong for the ARC.