Coldwire is a layered YA dystopian cyberpunk novel that hooks you early and never lets go. Set in a divided future (crumbling Downcountry and the Upcountry) it explores a world governed by tech prioritising algorithms over human lives.

Through dual POVs, Gong reveals political deception, systemic injustice, and tech manipulation. Lia, a determined student aiming for Nile Military Academy, partners with her rival, while Eirale, a soldier unjustly accused, teams with an anarchist she was trained to fight. Their stories interweave to expose a world built on control, deception, and resistance, with jaw-dropping plot twists that literally left me shook!!

This is such a high stakes book that both a young adult / adult audience would enjoy reading about. I appreciated how the romance was a subplot and how it tied together to the bigger picture of the dystopian world Gong has created.

What I loved about Coldwire is its complexity. I genuinely had so many questions whilst reading and I loved how thought provoking the book is. Chloe Gong has created a world that feels both futuristic and painfully plausible, and it genuinely could not have been published at a better time.

A 5 star read and honestly a new fave of mine! Thank you NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with an e-arc of this book.

Slick, smart, and full of edge. Chloe Gong’s move into sci-fi is flawless!! Coldwire is fast-paced, full of tension, and packed with emotion. The techy bits are cool without being confusing, and the characters are so layered. I flew through this and already need the next one. A banger of a book.

4.5/5 ⭐

Where do I start?? I dove into this read with lots of expectations because, helloooo we're talking about one of my fav authors, and once again Chloe Gong DELIVERED!

This was everything I could hope for and more. It took me some chapters to really get into the story, but once I did? I was hooked.
As expected, Coldwire is very different from Chloe's other books, since it's a whole other genre, but it still feels like a Chloe Gong book.
It's intriguing and addictive, at times dark and others funny, and full of unexpected twists. I kept trying to make sense of where this was going, and I'm not ashamed to say that every single one of my speculations were wrong. Chloe keeps us on our toes from start to finish, and I absolutely loved that. And that final twist (iykyk)? Got me screaming at my iPad and staring at an invisible camera as though I was pranked (congrats Chloe, you really got us there).

The story follows two narrators through different storylines that share the same end goal. First we have Eirale, who's in downcountry, who becomes a fugitive after she was framed for the murder of an official and ends up on the run with the anarchist who set her up. And we have Lia, in upcountry, who is tasked with a mission alongside her rival as part of their final test.

As expected from Chloe Gong, there are two romances, and I went absolutely feral for both. She knows how to create good tension and yearning, and honestly, I need more because this didn't feel like nearly enough.

Special points for Lia and Kieren because their story really got to me and had me screaming in a pillow. When I say I love a good rivals-to-lovers, THIS is what I'm talking about. The banter, the way they know each other... They've definitely become one of my fav duos. (also, that angry love confession in the rain??? I'll talk about it until I die)

The worldbuilding is absolutely on point, but more than that, Chloe Gong tackles social and political topics that strongly resonate with everything happening in our world: there were several instances that really felt like something that could happen to us in a not-so-distant future.

Anyways, dystopian stories are soooo back, and Coldwire is proof of that!! Now I need to figure out how to survive until the sequel comes out.

I loved this, particularly the second half when the pace really picked up and you feel almost out of breath from the anticipation.
The social and political themes of this book are handled extremely well and the criticism of the regime is clear without feeling like the characters are taking a break from their story to get on the soap box.
The writing style is flawless.
10/10

Really on the fence about this one. It’s definitely a me problem. Gong did say that this will be more focused on the cyberpunk, futuristic worldbuilding with romance only as a subplot so if that’s what you’re into, you’re going to like this one.

Honestly I just knew I was going to love this from the start, I always love everything Chloe writes but this really took the cake!

Chloe's writing voice is just so easy to fall into. No matter the genre or setting, her storytelling always pulls me in completely. I genuinely admire her ability to shift across genres while still delivering compelling plots, vivid worlds, and characters I can't help but root for.
Once again, a fantastic read from an author who never misses.

~4.5 stars

I'm pretty sure I'm going to need at least a week to fully process what I just read.

Set in a world where most have fled for the virtual reality realm of 'Upcountry' and the poor are forced to remain in the crumbling real world of 'Downcountry', Coldwire breathes new life into the dystopian genre. While at first I found the world building to be a little dense, once I understood how the world worked I thought it was a really interesting concept and at times hauntingly similar to today's society. I also loved the cyberpunk vibes.

As for the characters, we follow Eirale - a corporate soldier forced to cooperate with wanted anarchist, Nik Grant, after he frames her for assassinating a government official - and Lia - a student at Nile Military Academy, who gets paired up with her academic rival, Kieren Murray, for their final assignment. True to Chloe Gong style, all four of the main characters felt fully authentic and fleshed out. However, I did find myself more attached to Lia and I thought her chapters were a little more interesting than Eirale's but I think that was probably down to the fact that I'm a sucker for the rivals to lovers trope. I did enjoy how the book switched between their two POVs each chapter though and it was fun to try to guess how the two plotlines would connect.

It's so hard to say anything without spoiling, but I need to talk about that ending!! Honestly, the last 50% of the book was amazing but the last 25% in particular was an absolute rollercoaster! Even though I'd figured out a lot of the twists (which I don't see as a bad thing at all), I was somehow still shocked with how they played out and with the direction they took the plot. Waiting for the next book is going to be torture.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley.

Love love love the book. Chloe Gong weaves such beautiful stories; it feels like you live in the world with Lia and Eirale. My favourite part is the switch between real world and virtual, and the unexpexted queer MCs. Lia is the snarkiest and I adore her, and Eirale is a sweetheart. Both badass. Will read the sequels!

I enjoy dystopian books so I was looking forward to reading this one. I’ve never read a Chloe gong book so this was my first, I enjoyed her style of writing but the story had a few issues for me.

The first quarter of the book is world building and while it was really interesting, I was reading it while tired which made it quite difficult to wrap my head around the whole virtual reality. It got too complicated for my tired brain 😂 and I had to go back and re-read the start.

Once I got into the world I was interesting seeing where the story would go and was looking forward an action packed adventure after the way it started, unfortunately I found the pacing a little too slow for me and the twists were easy to spot.

I did enjoy the relationship between the characters and the banter between them.

Overall this fell a little short for me and I think by the time the sequel comes out I will have forgotten about this one.

5✰
↳ eARC

Dive into a world where the powerful tear each other apart for control over the virtual world.

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish! Chloe Gong immerses us in a universe split into two realities: the upcountry, a virtual world, and the downcountry, the real world, ravaged by global warming and deadly epidemics. This setting perfectly blends futurism, a touch of apocalypse, dystopia, and cyberpunk, with neon-lit cities, omnipresent technology, and powerful forces locked in a relentless struggle for domination.

The beginning of the book takes its time establishing the world and its rules. But once that’s done, the pace picks up dramatically, and I was completely hooked! It was nearly impossible to put the book down. There’s so much action, so many twists, and some plot twists that literally made me scream!

The plot is everything I love: a mission to neutralize a cyber threat, a cold war, power struggles over control of the virtual world, espionage, and team dynamics. I was drawn in from the very first pages, and the tension only kept building until the explosive finale.

I really enjoyed the two fmc. We follow their perspectives through two different storylines that share a common goal. On one side, we have Lia, in the upcountry, tasked with a mission alongside her rival as part of her final test. On the other, there’s Eirale, in the downcountry, who becomes a fugitive after being falsely accused of murder, and ends up on the run with a highly wanted anarchist.

There are also two romances that develop perfectly but coming from Chloe Gong, that’s no surprise! She knows exactly how to write love stories that make you smile, laugh like an idiot, and squeal in anticipation.

Special mention to Lia and Kieren’s relationship, which strongly reminded me of Roman and Iris in Divine Rivals. They’re rivals, but their rivalry turns into a game, into playful banter, and ultimately evolves into a sincere bond. They know each other inside out, and they’ve become one of my new favorite duos!

But above all, Chloe Gong doesn’t just build a stunning world, she also weaves in strong social and political themes that deeply resonate with our own reality.

The ending was explosive, and I can’t wait for the sequel!


────── ୨♡୧ ──────
•Real world & virtual world
•Dystopian cyberpunk
•Fun academic rivalry
•Found family
•Double povs & 2 storylines
•Cold war
•Cyber threat


જ⁀➴ All my thanks to the author, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this eARC <33

𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐖𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐠
~ 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝟐𝟎𝟓𝟖 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ | 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 #𝟭 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱, 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹.

Chloe Gong brought back YA cyberpunk dystopian novels in the best way possible! The return of dystopian novels was inevitable and this idea was truly surprising and bone chilling.

The idea itself is skin-crawling. The idea of the upcountry and downcountry was a chilling experience to read about. The world building was a bit abrupt but established quickly for us to understand.

The more I read this book, the more intrigued and confused I became. I had assumed my thoughts and assumptions were right but the plot twists were not at all expected?! Even till the very last chapter, twists and turns were saved to shock the absolute life out of readers.

Eirale, Nik, Lia and Kieran are big and small pieces on a giant reality. The way those two stories connect still has my jaw dropped. I never expected it to go that way at all.

The narrative — the reality, everything this shifting constantly. You never know what's right or wrong, what's true or false. The narrator is unreliable at times and you never which one it is. This book messes with your mind a lot with the idea of an easy and predictable twists but the pages slap harder when you realise nothing would to you easily.

I am still at shock while writing this review. I absolutely need the next book even though it's likely to release in 2027.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝘾𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙣𝙜, 𝙃𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙤𝙣 & 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝘼𝙍𝘾.

a million thanks to hodderscape for this e-arc!

as someone who didn’t really get into reading until 2020 my experiences with ya dystopia have been few and far between, but coldwire might actually change that.
in the early parts of the book i quickly realised that i preferred the lia chapters over the eirale ones mostly due to the wonderful dynamic between her and kieren and all the beautiful banter that i‘ve come to know and love from chloe gong‘s other work. i didn’t really feel much attachment to a lot of the other characters but i did very much appreciate the queer representation throught this entire book. as the plot progressed i found myself more and more invested in this story and i kept trying to connect the dots but nothing could have prepared me for that absolute gut punch of a plot twist. realising that we‘d been following the same people across both povs completely reframed my reading experiences up to that point and just left me going „oh my god, she‘s done it again!“
all in all, coldwire was a great and exciting book and i will be waiting on the edge of my seat to see what the future holds for this series.

4.25⭐️

At this point, I feel like I just need to not leave reviews for Chloe Gong, because they all say the same thing; I loved everything.

Chloe's writing voice is something that enjoy immensely, and any time I read her books, it just feels easy to fall into whatever world she's created. The story is great, and I love that she's not afraid to try different genres.

OH I’m SAT🫡 this lowkey gives Warcross vibes, 2025 cannot come any soone

coldwire’s a ya book but as an adult reader that reads a lot of different genres and go with the vibes i think that this one’s can be read by anyone that loves the genre or need something you like a different kind of escape gentle offered by our author 😚 and well this book is really the definition of ESCAPE and we have the possibility to run away from our reality by alternating the povs of our main characters lia and eirale two characters that through the story have captured me through their perceptions and will capture you and i’m sure that that they will through their life experiences.

*3.5*

chloe gong is one of my comfort authors, and this is why. young relatable characters going through some of the most intense and traumatic experiences whilst maintaining important connections, friendships and family over everything paired with diverse romance (in this book you have a demisexual main character, lesbian side characters and gender fluid side characters)

I really love the idea of a sci fi book exploring AI and the potential this has to take over the world and become our every movement- the fact that we’ve seen this growth massively already really helps add to the atmosphere and possibility that this storyline isn’t actually that far fetched.. which I think adds to the anxiety and adventure throughout. I enjoyed the characters throughout and their relationships, I just think that something was missing and I can’t quite put my finger on it?

either way, I did have fun and enjoy the book- I will be reading the next ones to release because I am VERY intrigued as to where this world will go (plus I have an emotional connection to the perfectionist female main character who’s afraid of failure and never feels like she can belong)

4.5 stars

Chloe Gong you will be receiving my therapy bill after that ending arggghhhhh

I for one am so grateful for this YA dystopia renaissance, and this book is exactly why. Legend meets The Matrix in a cyberpunk dystopian world where people live their lives in virtual reality to escape from the real world that is falling apart? All while two major superpowers are locked in a technological cold war? Sign me up! Gong perfectly captures the essence of dystopia, using this vivid and exciting setting as a way to critique capitalism, censorship, racism, and several other political issues in a comprehensive way perfect for young adults. I grew very attached to the characters and the journey they go on throughout, and the dual POV narration is done excellently to plant clues for the mystery that needs to be solved. And when those clues eventually come together… let’s just say I was Shook™️ at the plot twists. An expertly crafted storyline that had me hooked from start to end. There were a couple of things that weren’t quite explained clearly towards the end, but I assume they’ll be cleared up in the next book. Speaking of, I need the sequel like. Right now please

Oh, Chloe Gong, you are SO brilliant.
This cyberpunk dystopia caught me by surprise and I cannot wait for the rest of the books.

We delve into a story of corruption, revolution and a much-loved team of wanted criminals. Following dual POVs of our protagonists - Lia and Eirale - the storylines are intriguing and I enjoyed most of it! I will admit I did NOT see the twists coming and was definitely left shocked. I did feel the last action scene was a little rushed but it left me desperately wanting Book 2 so I guess it did it's job.

Coldwire is written beautifully. It's captivating and well rounded so I didn't feel lost in the world building - which is a huge thing for me as sci-fi is reallllyyyy not my usual cup of tea. As a Chloe Gong fan, this didn't disappoint. My only regret is finishing this too early and now I have to wait an insane amount of time for Book 2. Sigh.
5 stars.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and netgalley for the ARC <3

DYSTOPIAN STORIES ARE SO BACK thanks to chloe gong because BE READY to be catapulted in the year 2038 where everything has changed virtually speaking and divided in upcountry and downcountry so be ready to be fully immersed in the FUTURE with a lot of amazing mysterious characters that made me laugh during the book and keep me in my toes while reading this truly captivating story… oh chloe gong thank u for delivering such a refreshing story it was what i truly needed 🙂‍↕️ i truly was shocked by the plot twists but i shouldn’t have been surprised because we all know what a crazy mind chloe gong has in the end full of delightful surprises that keeps u interested and waiting because NOW i’m WAITING for the second book because what was that ending? GIVE IT TO ME NOW!

well besides my rant 😁 sorry not sorry… let’s move on because of course i need to give you more informations about coldwire and why it’s WORTH IT to read it!

(I know that u want to already read it don’t worry 😊)

colwire’s a ya book but as an adult reader that reads a lot of different genres and go with the vibes i think that this one’s can be read by anyone that loves the genre or need something you like a different kind of escape gentle offered by our author 😚 and well this book is really the definition of ESCAPE and we have the possibility to run away from our reality by alternating the povs of our main characters lia and eirale two characters that through the story have captured me through their perceptions and will capture you and i’m sure that that they will through their life experiences.

plus for the lovers out there we chloe gong thought of us once again by giving us hints through the story even tho it’s not the main focus of the book but combined with the other elements of the story everything fitted very well and exciting!

least but not least a lot of thanks to hodder & stoughton and netgalley for sending me the e-arc copy of coldwire in exchange of my honest opinion!

Coldwire is a dystopian story set in a futuristic world where society has moved online and the real cities have been reduced to run-down shadows of what they once were. The chapters alternate between the POVs of two main characters. Lia is a student at a virtual military academy who is sent on her final assignment mission before graduation with her academic rival. Eirale is a soldier who is accused of treason against the nation she’s been serving and falls into the hands of a rebel from the opposing side. Throughout the book you gradually uncover how their stories intertwine and there are lots of reveals along the way. Chloe Gong knows how to write a plot twist!

This is a YA book but I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult reader and it never felt young or immature. While being action packed and lighthearted in places, it was also a thought-provoking read and raises questions about how increasing aspects of our own lives are now moving online and what our future will look like if that trend continues.

The worldbuilding is done brilliantly here. Chloe Gong has created something unique but explains it seamlessly so the story never feels dense. I was instantly sucked in from the first chapter where you’re immediately thrown into the action. I did find there to be a bit of a lull in the pacing towards the middle but it picked up again in the second half.

There are hints of romance throughout and although that isn’t the main focus of the story, I really liked how that storyline played out and the moments we did see. This is the first in a series and there is plenty left unresolved to keep future books interesting.

I really enjoyed Coldwire, the ending absolutely blew my mind and I will be impatiently waiting for book two!

Wow I loved this. Shame on me for not reading Chloe Gong books earlier! I loved the writing and the pace as well. Not to mention the world building, the explanations, the way everything is described, wow give me more of that. Last but not least I loved the characters and I’d say the romance in this part of the series is more of a subplot, so heads up if you expect it to be front and center in the plot line.

It’s the perfect start for the series, we get introduced to the world, our characters and their stories, their missions and their lives. The plot twists were plot twisting as well. And that ending!?! I’m obsessed because I want sure which way the plot will go and in the end, I was so proud and happy!

There are two story lines and two povs. We have Eirale, our young NileCorp soldier, she has missing memories for a time period she has no idea what has happened. Then suddenly she is framed for the murder of a government official by Atahua’s most wanted anarchist and she is forced to work with him so that she can clean her name and reputation. It’s there when she starts doubting what she knows and figures that her missing memories might be more than she thought it was. Love this girl, she’s smart, strong, and she knows how to fight.

Then we have Lia, she’s in her last year of the academy and she’s sent on a mission with her academic nemesis for their final assignment. She wants to beat her rival and prove her worth. She always gives her best and works hard to achieve it. And she was told she was chosen for this assignment because of her connection to the mission. She has her anxieties but she pushes them. love her too, and I enjoyed her banter with Kieren, her rival, so much! Also love how fast her brain is ticking! And love how she and Kieren just know each other so well when something is off, both know something is going on.

For the world we have two rival nations Atahua and Medaluo. We have dystopian world with avatars and virtual realities called upcountry, AI, and downcountry, where the real world is with rising seas, epidemics, and other disasters. Honestly, love this! It kind of hits home with how everyone tries to push AI everywhere. For the cyberpunk lovers, I think this one is perfect for you!

Thank you netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC! I appreciate it!