N. Scott Stedman

Get ready for a high-speed dive into the world of high-tech, coding, and hackers as this novel holds tension high, weaves in mystery, and places a genius girl right in the middle.

Mouse has bounced from one foster home to the next since she was born and can never figure out how she always catches the blame. Using her talents to search up information about her birth parents, she's caught hacking into one of the biggest corporation's systems, but instead of heading right back to juvie, she's enrolled in an elite, wealthy school for coders and everything high-tech. But she's not the only one confused at her odd luck, especially since a much-feared hacker has just escaped prison and is rumored to bring about a type of end of the world. Suspected to be a pawn in the villain's game, some have their eyes on her, but that's not her biggest problem. As fellow students are attacked and suspicions rise, Mouse needs to figure out who she is and who she wants to be.

This novel caught me by surprise. Not only did it hold the tension and high-tech mystery the blurb promises, but it does it in a very-well woven fashion. Mouse might seem as a bit cliche, an orphan wanting to know more about her birth parents and struggling to get through life, but she's so much more. Her talents in coding make her a genius, and yet, that's the only place she feels comfortable. Otherwise, she comes across as a little, lost 'mouse', not nearly as evil as those around her want to paint her and actually as normal as any other kid. While she's harsh to others, this quickly melts away as friendships build. It creates a wonderful character arc, which is understandable and easy to identify with.

The high-tech is simply neat. It was a treat to get lost in the world, where there's quite a bit of reality topped off with a frosting of fantasy. The two blur in a delightful way, making an intriguing world. The details are well laid and given just enough foundation to make them come to life without growing boring. The plot is very well woven, keeping the pacing high with enough mystery to make it hard to put down. There are always surprises, and even sub-plots create an engaging mix. The only thing I can criticize a tiny bit is some of the character reactions/interactions, but these teeny jolts were far and few between.

This is one of the more original and exciting reads I've picked up this year, and I can recommend it not only to upper middle graders (ages 10 and up) but to teens and even some adults.… (meer)