What do you think?
Rate this book
Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies
An instant National Bestseller, Indy Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, SoCal Regional Bestseller and Mountains and Plains Indy Regional Bestseller. An Amazon Editor's Pick for Best YA Book of the Month.
Tan Lee finds himself embroiled in an unusual love triangle, all while trying to defuse a heist, unravel a conspiracy, and navigate the most complicated babysitting assignment ever in this YA novel by national bestselling author Abigail Hing Wen.
After a magical kiss at Prom, best friends Tan Lee and Winter Woo agree to cool it off, a plan that goes awry when their parents jointly head off to Hawaii and leave Tan and Winter to babysit Tan's sister Sana together. If that isn't complicated enough, Tan's ex-girlfriend from Shanghai arrives on his doorstep with money stolen from her billionaire father and thugs on her heels.
Tan soon finds himself on the run, trying to out-manuever international hackers and protect his friends, family and sister - and his own heart.
Tan Lee finds himself embroiled in an unusual love triangle, all while trying to defuse a heist, unravel a conspiracy, and navigate the most complicated babysitting assignment ever in this YA novel by national bestselling author Abigail Hing Wen.
After a magical kiss at Prom, best friends Tan Lee and Winter Woo agree to cool it off, a plan that goes awry when their parents jointly head off to Hawaii and leave Tan and Winter to babysit Tan's sister Sana together. If that isn't complicated enough, Tan's ex-girlfriend from Shanghai arrives on his doorstep with money stolen from her billionaire father and thugs on her heels.
Tan soon finds himself on the run, trying to out-manuever international hackers and protect his friends, family and sister - and his own heart.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2024
21 people are currently reading
13859 people want to read
About the author
Abigail Hing Wen
8 books806 followersAbigail Hing Wen is the New York Times bestselling author and executive producer of Loveboat, Taipei, now a film "LOVE IN TAIPEI" on Netflix. The companion novels, Loveboat Reunion follows Xavier and Sophie, and Loveboat Forever brings the whole gang back together six years later.
Her sophomore universe, Kisses, Codes and Conspiracies was an instant National Bestseller, Indy Best Seller, USA Today Bestseller, SoCal Regional Best Seller, Mountains and Plains Indy Regional Bestseller and an Amazon Editor's Pick for Best YA Book of the Month.
Abigail holds a BA from Harvard, a JD from Columbia Law School, and an MFA from the Vermont School of Fine Arts, and, like some of her characters, is obsessed with musicals and dancing. When she’s not writing stories or listening to her favorite scores, she is busy working in artificial intelligence in Silicon Valley, where she lives with her family. You can learn more about her at www.abigailhingwen.com. Follow on Instagram/Twitter/TikTok @abigailhingwen
Her sophomore universe, Kisses, Codes and Conspiracies was an instant National Bestseller, Indy Best Seller, USA Today Bestseller, SoCal Regional Best Seller, Mountains and Plains Indy Regional Bestseller and an Amazon Editor's Pick for Best YA Book of the Month.
Abigail holds a BA from Harvard, a JD from Columbia Law School, and an MFA from the Vermont School of Fine Arts, and, like some of her characters, is obsessed with musicals and dancing. When she’s not writing stories or listening to her favorite scores, she is busy working in artificial intelligence in Silicon Valley, where she lives with her family. You can learn more about her at www.abigailhingwen.com. Follow on Instagram/Twitter/TikTok @abigailhingwen
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
2024
October 22, 2025ANHPI TBR
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends
September 12, 2024
as someone who enjoyed the loveboat, taipei series immensely, i was left disappointed by kisses, codes & conspiracies. even though i understand that this is a genre shift and i’m thrilled abigail is exploring a new genre, this book lacks the charm and execution of her previous works. the plot felt draggy and i wasn’t emotionally invested in any of the characters. tan and winter barely had any chemistry and rebecca was so emotionally distant that the love triangle was sort of… a mess. perhaps i went into this with too-high expectations, but regrettably this fell flat for me.
December 7, 2024
⋆⋆⅗
the one good thing i have to say about this is that it was short, and the ending was cute. and that's it. i really wanted to like it, but it lacked complexity and depth, even for something that's ya.
the problem with this book, i think, is that it contains the level of absurdity one would expect from middle grade thrillers (think 39 clues or gallagher girls). the villain is uber-scary and all powerful, and has police all over the globe in his palm, and yet is incompetent enough to have his twenty-year plan thwarted by three teenaged idiots in less than a week? with the help of a... super nun? honestly, this is a trope present in a lot of a ya thrillers, but the protagonists in this one happen to be morons, so it automatically makes the antagonist and the entire plot feel cartoonish. it doesn't help that the characters have the maturity of 14 year olds instead of the 17-18 year olds they supposedly are.
tan lee, the main character, entirely lacks any personality. his two traits are that a) he solves puzzles, and b) he loves his baby sister (which, yay! a non misogynist, he deserves points for that one, considering the state of his peers). he's a bore. i don't have anything to say about him, honestly. i can't even hate him, he's just... there. the book being from either of the girls' povs would immediately make this more interesting. winter technically didn't have any personality either, aside from loving family and tan and hating rebecca. (i just like her more than tan because she's a girl. well.) rebecca was the most intriguing character, by virtue of being the only one with any development. her going from obnoxious rich girl to connecting with people at the shelter and freeing herself from her parents' influence was lovely.
the romance was... meh. the love triangle was nonexistent—it was always obvious wintertan was the endgame, and that rebecca was just there to remind tan how different down-to-earth, impoverished winter was from out-of-touch, rich girl rebecca. neither couple had much chemistry, and wintertan were very bland and aggravating until the church confession scene at around 80%(?).
and this has nothing to do with anything, but it annoyed me so much, so i'm making it a whole paragraph. there's a three chapter arc near the beginning of the book, where they're first fleeing the evil thugs and whatnot. sana, the baby sister, goes around telling strangers private info like names, where they are from, etc, leading them to be almost caught multiple times. obviously, she's five, she's not the issue here. but when tan tries to tell her to not say anything, they make a whole issue about lying??? and it's like, isn't it a bigger issue that this girl babbles to randoms about what school she's going to?? is stranger danger not a more important concept here, or like literally always, regardless of whether you're being chased by your ex's dad's goons or not? what is wrong with you??
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
the one good thing i have to say about this is that it was short, and the ending was cute. and that's it. i really wanted to like it, but it lacked complexity and depth, even for something that's ya.
the problem with this book, i think, is that it contains the level of absurdity one would expect from middle grade thrillers (think 39 clues or gallagher girls). the villain is uber-scary and all powerful, and has police all over the globe in his palm, and yet is incompetent enough to have his twenty-year plan thwarted by three teenaged idiots in less than a week? with the help of a... super nun? honestly, this is a trope present in a lot of a ya thrillers, but the protagonists in this one happen to be morons, so it automatically makes the antagonist and the entire plot feel cartoonish. it doesn't help that the characters have the maturity of 14 year olds instead of the 17-18 year olds they supposedly are.
tan lee, the main character, entirely lacks any personality. his two traits are that a) he solves puzzles, and b) he loves his baby sister (which, yay! a non misogynist, he deserves points for that one, considering the state of his peers). he's a bore. i don't have anything to say about him, honestly. i can't even hate him, he's just... there. the book being from either of the girls' povs would immediately make this more interesting. winter technically didn't have any personality either, aside from loving family and tan and hating rebecca. (i just like her more than tan because she's a girl. well.) rebecca was the most intriguing character, by virtue of being the only one with any development. her going from obnoxious rich girl to connecting with people at the shelter and freeing herself from her parents' influence was lovely.
the romance was... meh. the love triangle was nonexistent—it was always obvious wintertan was the endgame, and that rebecca was just there to remind tan how different down-to-earth, impoverished winter was from out-of-touch, rich girl rebecca. neither couple had much chemistry, and wintertan were very bland and aggravating until the church confession scene at around 80%(?).
and this has nothing to do with anything, but it annoyed me so much, so i'm making it a whole paragraph. there's a three chapter arc near the beginning of the book, where they're first fleeing the evil thugs and whatnot. sana, the baby sister, goes around telling strangers private info like names, where they are from, etc, leading them to be almost caught multiple times. obviously, she's five, she's not the issue here. but when tan tries to tell her to not say anything, they make a whole issue about lying??? and it's like, isn't it a bigger issue that this girl babbles to randoms about what school she's going to?? is stranger danger not a more important concept here, or like literally always, regardless of whether you're being chased by your ex's dad's goons or not? what is wrong with you??
thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.
September 16, 2024
2.75⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for this arc.
I can see why others would enjoy this book, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. It has drama and running away from bad guys which a lot of people would enjoy. I on the other hand didn’t connect to the characters enough to care about the whole plot. The good thing is, most characters end up improving by the end of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley for this arc.
I can see why others would enjoy this book, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. It has drama and running away from bad guys which a lot of people would enjoy. I on the other hand didn’t connect to the characters enough to care about the whole plot. The good thing is, most characters end up improving by the end of the story.
August 7, 2024
This started off so strong, but I ended up with mixed feelings. Usually I have a hard time enjoying very plotdriven books, because they don't always give you enough opportunity to really build a connection with the main characters. But from the start, I absolutely loved the characters, and I felt so connected to them. They were fleshed out and interesting, and very loveable.
But the more the story continued, the more I felt like it spun out of control, and in the process, it lost me more and more. The plot was just too chaotic and farfetched for me to keep suspending my disbelief, which made me feel less connected to the story as it went on.
I would have loved more focus on the characters with a little less chaos in the plot, because I feel like that just completely took over.
But the more the story continued, the more I felt like it spun out of control, and in the process, it lost me more and more. The plot was just too chaotic and farfetched for me to keep suspending my disbelief, which made me feel less connected to the story as it went on.
I would have loved more focus on the characters with a little less chaos in the plot, because I feel like that just completely took over.
August 17, 2024
going into this book I honestly had no idea what was going to happen. I like the immediate introduction to Tan and Winter’s relationship, we go into the plot right away especially with Rebecca’s sudden appearance. and then from there it’s action action action. These three teenagers and five year old Sana do NOT get a break.
to be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of love triangles in general so I was more interested in the heist plot of this book. I felt the heist was written nicely enough for me to follow along and not get lost. At some points you can really feel how intense the risk could be if the coins they are protecting falls into the wrong hands and how much further the chasers would do to get them (hint: family in danger!!)
for the love triangle, I’m sorry I just couldn’t really get deeper past the surface level…it’s just me!! I think it’s because we dive into the triangle so fast that I didn’t get a chance to really know them personally. I wish I could have gotten glimpse of Tan and Rebecca’s pasts like how much they loved each other, memories of dates, conversations, etc. and with Winter I wish I had read more about the moment they realized they have feelings for each other. I think most of those romantic scenes were overshadowed by how important this heist was. but don’t let my take on love triangles take away points from this book! Everything else was still an enjoyable read.
also can we say “WE LOVE YOU SISTER AVA.” hands down best character. thank you Sister Ava, we all say in unison.
Overall I enjoyed this book!! It’s a little too cute for me but still a good YA novel 😊
to be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of love triangles in general so I was more interested in the heist plot of this book. I felt the heist was written nicely enough for me to follow along and not get lost. At some points you can really feel how intense the risk could be if the coins they are protecting falls into the wrong hands and how much further the chasers would do to get them (hint: family in danger!!)
for the love triangle, I’m sorry I just couldn’t really get deeper past the surface level…it’s just me!! I think it’s because we dive into the triangle so fast that I didn’t get a chance to really know them personally. I wish I could have gotten glimpse of Tan and Rebecca’s pasts like how much they loved each other, memories of dates, conversations, etc. and with Winter I wish I had read more about the moment they realized they have feelings for each other. I think most of those romantic scenes were overshadowed by how important this heist was. but don’t let my take on love triangles take away points from this book! Everything else was still an enjoyable read.
also can we say “WE LOVE YOU SISTER AVA.” hands down best character. thank you Sister Ava, we all say in unison.
Overall I enjoyed this book!! It’s a little too cute for me but still a good YA novel 😊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2024
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies brings the heists, love triangles, and secrets. The intrigue level is off the charts here. You aren't sure what is laying around the next corner. And the whole time you're also wondering if Winter and Tan can be together. If their tangled families will be a road block and if they can be honest with each other. I loved the constant state of being on my toes about what might happen. About what new situation Tan and Winter are going to be thrown in which is so different from their daily lives.
Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies brings the heists, love triangles, and secrets. The intrigue level is off the charts here. You aren't sure what is laying around the next corner. And the whole time you're also wondering if Winter and Tan can be together. If their tangled families will be a road block and if they can be honest with each other. I loved the constant state of being on my toes about what might happen. About what new situation Tan and Winter are going to be thrown in which is so different from their daily lives.
September 3, 2024
Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies promises to be full of vibrant characters, high stake hijinks, and a love triangle. Does it achieve these lofty goals? Yes and no.
I quite enjoyed the fast-pace of this novel, with our characters constantly on the move as they work to help our MC's ex escape from her family's clutches. With strong relationship building, heartwarming moments, and scenes full of action movie cuts, this book will have you on the edge of your seat. I truly loved the overall vibe of the story, the mystery of the pursuit for these golden coins, as well as the softer moments of connection between Tan and the other characters - Winter, Rebecca, and Sana - as they adventure through the Bay area.
That being said, this is a very plot-driven book. Those softer moments are lovely, but the characters as a whole are very one note - Winter is an aspiring actress who has a dead father, Tan is an expert code cracker at 16, Sana is 5-going-on-11 in craftiness, and Rebecca is a frustrating heiress running from her abusive family. At the end of the day, I feel like Rebecca was the only character to truly grow from the events of the book, giving more main character energy than the rest of the cast.
Additionally, this book asked for a lot of suspension of belief. A sixteen year old knowing more about code cracking than his professional parents, or a PhD student? A bunch of children outsmarting goons for hire? A helicopter in a highly populated area of the city? Geographically incorrect landmarks (I don't know whether this was intentional or a huge editing oversight)?? There were also consistency issues that bothered me, and as a whole, I felt like this needed to go through a couple more edits and a thorough dig through Google Maps.
All in all, this was a brain-off, vibes only kind of read that just didn't meet expectations for me. That being said, I'm not the target audience, so someone younger who doesn't know the Bay Area really well would probably be fine with this. I was just so bothered by these details that I couldn't get on board with it all at the end of the day.
TW: kidnapping, hostage taking, violence, threats of gun violence, injury detail; mentions domestic abuse, toxic family, threats of deportation, death of a parent
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 2/5
World Building: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
Pacing: 2/5
Overall: 2/5
eARC and finished copy gifted via NetGalley by Feiwel & Friends via Macmillan Children's Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
I quite enjoyed the fast-pace of this novel, with our characters constantly on the move as they work to help our MC's ex escape from her family's clutches. With strong relationship building, heartwarming moments, and scenes full of action movie cuts, this book will have you on the edge of your seat. I truly loved the overall vibe of the story, the mystery of the pursuit for these golden coins, as well as the softer moments of connection between Tan and the other characters - Winter, Rebecca, and Sana - as they adventure through the Bay area.
That being said, this is a very plot-driven book. Those softer moments are lovely, but the characters as a whole are very one note - Winter is an aspiring actress who has a dead father, Tan is an expert code cracker at 16, Sana is 5-going-on-11 in craftiness, and Rebecca is a frustrating heiress running from her abusive family. At the end of the day, I feel like Rebecca was the only character to truly grow from the events of the book, giving more main character energy than the rest of the cast.
Additionally, this book asked for a lot of suspension of belief. A sixteen year old knowing more about code cracking than his professional parents, or a PhD student? A bunch of children outsmarting goons for hire? A helicopter in a highly populated area of the city? Geographically incorrect landmarks (I don't know whether this was intentional or a huge editing oversight)?? There were also consistency issues that bothered me, and as a whole, I felt like this needed to go through a couple more edits and a thorough dig through Google Maps.
All in all, this was a brain-off, vibes only kind of read that just didn't meet expectations for me. That being said, I'm not the target audience, so someone younger who doesn't know the Bay Area really well would probably be fine with this. I was just so bothered by these details that I couldn't get on board with it all at the end of the day.
TW: kidnapping, hostage taking, violence, threats of gun violence, injury detail; mentions domestic abuse, toxic family, threats of deportation, death of a parent
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 2/5
World Building: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
Pacing: 2/5
Overall: 2/5
eARC and finished copy gifted via NetGalley by Feiwel & Friends via Macmillan Children's Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2024
A high stakes YA thriller slash second chance romance that has a group of teens and one underaged sibling racing to crack the code on some stolen coins while mysterious thugs chase them down. Fast paced, smart and suspenseful, this was a fun read and a welcome departure from the author's previous Loveboat series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review! Great narration by Eric Yang and perfect for fans of authors like Jesse Q. Sutanto.
August 23, 2024
Surprisingly enjoyable YA! 👏👏
August 21, 2024
thank you so much to netgalley and colored pages blog tours for the early copy! all my opinions are my own!
this was so cute and at the same time so heartbreaking????
there is so much good stuff in this book: the sibling dynamic, the friendships, how the MC is constantly puching himself and changing, THE FACT THAT IT'S FROM A GUY'S POINT OF VIEW, something i haven't read in a while 😱 the constant thinking and theorizing (gosh, these kids are so smart, i couldn't have been able to pull off even half of what they did), the AMAZING SIDE CHARACTERS AND THE CUTE FOUND FAMILY 😭😭😭 but no, seriously, the Cove and all the new characters were so much fun and loved how involved they became by the end and helped the main guys to change and develop. the romance was slow but there, and i just adored the ending, the way it made me smile and gave me so much hope after so much crazyness 😍😍
and just in case no one picked it up, i highly recommend it!!
this was so cute and at the same time so heartbreaking????
there is so much good stuff in this book: the sibling dynamic, the friendships, how the MC is constantly puching himself and changing, THE FACT THAT IT'S FROM A GUY'S POINT OF VIEW, something i haven't read in a while 😱 the constant thinking and theorizing (gosh, these kids are so smart, i couldn't have been able to pull off even half of what they did), the AMAZING SIDE CHARACTERS AND THE CUTE FOUND FAMILY 😭😭😭 but no, seriously, the Cove and all the new characters were so much fun and loved how involved they became by the end and helped the main guys to change and develop. the romance was slow but there, and i just adored the ending, the way it made me smile and gave me so much hope after so much crazyness 😍😍
and just in case no one picked it up, i highly recommend it!!
August 13, 2024
I’m a HUGE fan of Abigail Hing Wen’s Loveboat, Taipei trilogy so I was incredibly excited about her newest book. What a wild adventure of a book! The action rarely stopped in this one, but when it did, there were some really beautiful moments of friendship and found family. I absolutely loved these characters so much. Tan was such a great MC and I loved his commitment to keeping everyone safe and also how clever he was with the encryption stuff. I am not savvy with any of that technology whatsoever, but I felt like it was incredibly easy to understand in this story. Also I loved Rebecca’s character growth from a spoiled, out of touch rich girl to someone who cares about helping others. I loved the Cove and all of its inhabitants, especially Sister Ava and Lucia. Those scenes were probably my favorite parts of the story. Also there’s a chase in a Barnes and Noble that was just so much fun to imagine! If you’re looking for a fun, crazy adventure with codes, running through San Francisco and found family, look no further!
CW: violence, death of a parent, mentions of transphobia
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
CW: violence, death of a parent, mentions of transphobia
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2024
This was cute. It kind of had a mix of everything. Romance, mystery, and a thriller all mashed up into a fun fast paced YA story. I’m not really a fan of love triangles but I thought this one was done well. The characters didn’t linger in that annoying love triangle pining and stringing someone along way. I thought the romance definitely added to the fun of this story because it really didn’t feel like it was the sole focus of the story. The friendship and tension between Tan and Winter was cute and felt natural. I didn’t care for Rebecca much but I understand she was kind of a pivotal character that was present to add drama. Without her, the story wouldn’t have been the same and I did think she had a nice character arc by the end. I think this was a nice coming of age YA story in where the characters all had nice growth and we saw them dealing with issues way beyond themselves. I mean decoding embedded content and crypto currencies is way beyond my comprehension. I also loved the brother sister dynamics with Sana and Tan and the found family aspects with the kids at the Cove. There were some touching moments and I really appreciated the Asian American rep. This story had many relatable moments and I had to laugh at the where are you from because it’s so true saying from here is always questioned again.
Overall this was a fun read. It definitely lives up to the title of Kisses, Codes and Conspiracies. It had all 3 and was a fun fast paced story with relatable characters and heartfelt moments.
Huge thank you to Feiwel and Friends for gifting me an ARC
Overall this was a fun read. It definitely lives up to the title of Kisses, Codes and Conspiracies. It had all 3 and was a fun fast paced story with relatable characters and heartfelt moments.
Huge thank you to Feiwel and Friends for gifting me an ARC
October 3, 2024
rep: asian-american
tan’s family was winter’s landlord. winter and her mom are trying to regain their life after the death of her father which ended up with them losing everything. when tan’s parents and winter’s mom went on a vacation, only tan and winter will be in the same house. winter thought that tan was still hung up on his ex-girlfriend, rebecca. even though he assured her that he isn’t, when rebecca showed up at their doorstep, things got more complicated. rebecca just left house after stealing four items from her father and now her father’s men are after them.
i wouldn’t say i was 100% invested in the story, because of how the book was written. the spiralled out of control pretty quickly and it somehow felt weird to me. i think rebecca was written in a way that will make people dislike her since she knowingly brought tan (and his family) into this mess of hers. why does she think he’s obligated to help her after she ghosted him?
the whole relationship between tan and winter felt a little underdeveloped. while they were friends and we started with them kissing from the start, it just didn’t feel realistic thereafter. their interactions throughout the whole book didn’t make me believe.
tan’s family was winter’s landlord. winter and her mom are trying to regain their life after the death of her father which ended up with them losing everything. when tan’s parents and winter’s mom went on a vacation, only tan and winter will be in the same house. winter thought that tan was still hung up on his ex-girlfriend, rebecca. even though he assured her that he isn’t, when rebecca showed up at their doorstep, things got more complicated. rebecca just left house after stealing four items from her father and now her father’s men are after them.
i wouldn’t say i was 100% invested in the story, because of how the book was written. the spiralled out of control pretty quickly and it somehow felt weird to me. i think rebecca was written in a way that will make people dislike her since she knowingly brought tan (and his family) into this mess of hers. why does she think he’s obligated to help her after she ghosted him?
the whole relationship between tan and winter felt a little underdeveloped. while they were friends and we started with them kissing from the start, it just didn’t feel realistic thereafter. their interactions throughout the whole book didn’t make me believe.
August 22, 2024
Wen's first book outside the Loveboat universe and it was a smash hit!
The novel was expanded from Abigail's short story, The Idiom Algorithm that is included in the anthology Serendipity edited by Marissa Meyer. I hadn't read the anthology yet, but I borrowed my friend's copy so that I could at least read the short story to have some background information. It's not necessary, but I'm so happy I did, because I got to better understand Tan and Rebecca's relationship. I highly recommend if you are able to buy or borrow a copy from a friend or library that you do so, to get the back story.
Tan Lee and his family are known in the cryptocurrency world and reside in Palo Alto. To afford their mortgage, they rent their spare room to Winter Woo and her mother. Winter's father passed away a few years back and it's been them against the world. All of them get along so well. Tan was recently heartbroken by Rebecca Tseng, who ghosted him after her billionaire parents forced her back to Shanghai upon discovery of their relationship. Winter and Tan end up at prom together and sparks fly like no other. However, Winter being the responsible kid, knows she cannot pursue the relationship, because Tan is the child of her and her mom's landlord. It's a terrible power play if something were to go awry. They decide to stay away from each other to maintain their living situation and family dynamics. Their plans are upended when their parents surprise them with an adult only, week long trip in Hawaii for a conference, then Tan and Winter would be staying home and babysitting Tan's 5 year-old sister, Sana. Two nights in, everything goes wrong when Rebecca suddenly shows up at Tan's front door that she ran away and needs a safe spot till she figures things out. Problem is, Rebecca is hiding A LOT of important information like how she stole her father's Tang dynasty coins that just so happens to hold the digital keys to his cryptocurrency that is worth millions of dollars. Her appearance instigates an adventure for all of them through San Francisco where they have to fight traitorous employees, decipher codes, and hide at a local youth shelter, as well as coming to reality about life and their feelings.
The characters felt so real, aside from escaping the clutches of actual bad guys, their struggles and goals were relatable. Tan is stuck in his feelings between his ex Rebecca and new crush Winter. While he figures out his feelings, he's has to keep his kid sister alive. Babysitting a kid is a struggle in its own right. Winter is the dutiful student and daughter. It's easier to keep busy on schoolwork and activities than to deal with feelings. Sana is adorable and sees it like it is. She eventually grew on me. At first, she was the annoying little sister, but she grows up so quickly during their escapades and becomes a helpful sister. Rebecca is so out of touch with reality, but she quickly learns that she needs to grow from the "rich world" bubble. Surprisingly, my favorite character is not an MC, it's Sister Ava. She is a closet badass for The Cove, the youth shelter that happens to be at a cathedral. She has a way of teaching and protecting the kids under her care, as well as having so many contingency plans for their survival. Much respect.
The story is fast paced without a dull moment. I'm not the biggest fan of love triangles, but Wen works it so lightly that it's not forced upon us. Again, she just has a way of writing characters where I care for each one so much. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies. I'm so excited for what is next from Abby!
The novel was expanded from Abigail's short story, The Idiom Algorithm that is included in the anthology Serendipity edited by Marissa Meyer. I hadn't read the anthology yet, but I borrowed my friend's copy so that I could at least read the short story to have some background information. It's not necessary, but I'm so happy I did, because I got to better understand Tan and Rebecca's relationship. I highly recommend if you are able to buy or borrow a copy from a friend or library that you do so, to get the back story.
Tan Lee and his family are known in the cryptocurrency world and reside in Palo Alto. To afford their mortgage, they rent their spare room to Winter Woo and her mother. Winter's father passed away a few years back and it's been them against the world. All of them get along so well. Tan was recently heartbroken by Rebecca Tseng, who ghosted him after her billionaire parents forced her back to Shanghai upon discovery of their relationship. Winter and Tan end up at prom together and sparks fly like no other. However, Winter being the responsible kid, knows she cannot pursue the relationship, because Tan is the child of her and her mom's landlord. It's a terrible power play if something were to go awry. They decide to stay away from each other to maintain their living situation and family dynamics. Their plans are upended when their parents surprise them with an adult only, week long trip in Hawaii for a conference, then Tan and Winter would be staying home and babysitting Tan's 5 year-old sister, Sana. Two nights in, everything goes wrong when Rebecca suddenly shows up at Tan's front door that she ran away and needs a safe spot till she figures things out. Problem is, Rebecca is hiding A LOT of important information like how she stole her father's Tang dynasty coins that just so happens to hold the digital keys to his cryptocurrency that is worth millions of dollars. Her appearance instigates an adventure for all of them through San Francisco where they have to fight traitorous employees, decipher codes, and hide at a local youth shelter, as well as coming to reality about life and their feelings.
The characters felt so real, aside from escaping the clutches of actual bad guys, their struggles and goals were relatable. Tan is stuck in his feelings between his ex Rebecca and new crush Winter. While he figures out his feelings, he's has to keep his kid sister alive. Babysitting a kid is a struggle in its own right. Winter is the dutiful student and daughter. It's easier to keep busy on schoolwork and activities than to deal with feelings. Sana is adorable and sees it like it is. She eventually grew on me. At first, she was the annoying little sister, but she grows up so quickly during their escapades and becomes a helpful sister. Rebecca is so out of touch with reality, but she quickly learns that she needs to grow from the "rich world" bubble. Surprisingly, my favorite character is not an MC, it's Sister Ava. She is a closet badass for The Cove, the youth shelter that happens to be at a cathedral. She has a way of teaching and protecting the kids under her care, as well as having so many contingency plans for their survival. Much respect.
The story is fast paced without a dull moment. I'm not the biggest fan of love triangles, but Wen works it so lightly that it's not forced upon us. Again, she just has a way of writing characters where I care for each one so much. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies. I'm so excited for what is next from Abby!
Read
September 2, 2024Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Three Amigos
Drinking Buddy: No
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (action movie violence)
Talky Talk: I’ll Wait for the Movie
Bonus Factors: Codes, Homeless Shelters
Bromance Status: Until the Next Adventure
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Three Amigos
Drinking Buddy: No
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (action movie violence)
Talky Talk: I’ll Wait for the Movie
Bonus Factors: Codes, Homeless Shelters
Bromance Status: Until the Next Adventure
Read the full book report here.
August 22, 2024
A new YA book by @abigailhingwen that reminded me so much of Adventures in Babysitting!
🧑🏻💻
After getting very close to one another after prom, Tan Lee and Winter Woo agree to cool things off between them because Winter and her mom rent a room from Tan’s parents and also, Tan is just getting over a breakup from his dream girl. Months pass and Tan and Winter’s parents decide to go on vacation to Hawaii leaving the two home alone to care for Tan’s little sister. Suddenly Tan’s ex busts back into his life carrying some stolen coins she is trying to sell to escape her overbearing parents in Shanghai. Now she, Winter, Tan and his sister, Sana, are all on the run from thieves trying to steal the coins!
🪙
This was not at all what I thought this book was going to be in the very best way possible! I assumed #lovetriangle but the action and adventure was such a great surprise because I don’t see enough of #books like these in young adult books It kept the pace of the novel moving quickly and I adored the romance as well. Sister Ava is a saint BTW. Happy release (last) week! Grab your copy now!
CW: violence, assault, violence, death of a parent, grief, kidnapping
🧑🏻💻
After getting very close to one another after prom, Tan Lee and Winter Woo agree to cool things off between them because Winter and her mom rent a room from Tan’s parents and also, Tan is just getting over a breakup from his dream girl. Months pass and Tan and Winter’s parents decide to go on vacation to Hawaii leaving the two home alone to care for Tan’s little sister. Suddenly Tan’s ex busts back into his life carrying some stolen coins she is trying to sell to escape her overbearing parents in Shanghai. Now she, Winter, Tan and his sister, Sana, are all on the run from thieves trying to steal the coins!
🪙
This was not at all what I thought this book was going to be in the very best way possible! I assumed #lovetriangle but the action and adventure was such a great surprise because I don’t see enough of #books like these in young adult books It kept the pace of the novel moving quickly and I adored the romance as well. Sister Ava is a saint BTW. Happy release (last) week! Grab your copy now!
CW: violence, assault, violence, death of a parent, grief, kidnapping
June 2, 2025
I honestly didn’t like the 2 main characters winter and tan
August 16, 2024
DNF at 28%
This was unfortunately really really really bad. Maybe if this was meant to be funny?
This was unfortunately really really really bad. Maybe if this was meant to be funny?
August 6, 2024
Kisses, Codes, And Conspiracies is a thrilling, romantic, fun, witty, unique, adorable, adventurous, engaging, and daring read! With their lives and hearts on the line these characters face challenges they never would have dreamed. I love the combination of genres throughout this book. The sweet romance is fantastic! The love triangle is incredibly fun and the added element of little sister present with the three of them made the dynamics extra fun. The thriller aspect of this story added adventure and suspense which was very appreciated. Between the heist, conspiracy, and intimate danger I was engrossed!
Surprisingly, this book is centered around the male character, Tan Lee. I rarely read a book with the male character as its focus and I loved it!! The characters are well fleshed out, easy to love, and face complex decisions. I loved them all. I was so sad when this book ended because I hoped it would never end!
Surprisingly, this book is centered around the male character, Tan Lee. I rarely read a book with the male character as its focus and I loved it!! The characters are well fleshed out, easy to love, and face complex decisions. I loved them all. I was so sad when this book ended because I hoped it would never end!
February 11, 2025
cute, well-written, and entertaining, but somewhat unbelievable. I mean, if professional hitmen are after you, you're not going to fight them off effectively as untrained teenagers. but otherwise, the combination of tech, romance, Asian culture, sibling-hood, and loving family made this a sweet read!
June 19, 2024
Wow, I really enjoyed this book! I am so thankful to have gotten the audio ARC for free from Netgalley and MacMillan Audio so I can leave my voluntary and honest review.
I enjoyed the soft spoken nature of the narrator who made it difficult to press pause. He added to the enjoyment as he remained fairly neutral throughout and didn’t overstep the recitation so the listener could create the world in their head as they see fit. He also handled the female voices fairly well as too.
It’s really well written as the prose flows easily. I will say that it is closer to middle grade/ early YA but it still held enjoyment for genre supporters. I love a clean romance.
This is a friends to lovers romance. Most of the emotional
Build up happens off the page for the initial connection but you don’t mind as there is enough connection and interaction throughout as they focus on the problem at hand.
I will say that you definitely need some suspension of disbelief for the scenario but the parts of it make it seem quite plausible. I love how they have to focus on the issue at hand (which is multi faceted) but it supports and strengthens the relationship between Tan and Winter without succumbing to certain tropes of puppy love getting in the way.
Anyway, this is a very quick read/listen that is unique with an added romance. It comes out August 13th 2024 so YA lovers put it on your TBR!
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
I enjoyed the soft spoken nature of the narrator who made it difficult to press pause. He added to the enjoyment as he remained fairly neutral throughout and didn’t overstep the recitation so the listener could create the world in their head as they see fit. He also handled the female voices fairly well as too.
It’s really well written as the prose flows easily. I will say that it is closer to middle grade/ early YA but it still held enjoyment for genre supporters. I love a clean romance.
This is a friends to lovers romance. Most of the emotional
Build up happens off the page for the initial connection but you don’t mind as there is enough connection and interaction throughout as they focus on the problem at hand.
I will say that you definitely need some suspension of disbelief for the scenario but the parts of it make it seem quite plausible. I love how they have to focus on the issue at hand (which is multi faceted) but it supports and strengthens the relationship between Tan and Winter without succumbing to certain tropes of puppy love getting in the way.
Anyway, this is a very quick read/listen that is unique with an added romance. It comes out August 13th 2024 so YA lovers put it on your TBR!
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
November 7, 2023
After her father died, Winter and her mother rented space in Tan's house to save money while her mom finished law school - which is a little awkward because Tan and Winter are In the same grade at Palo Alto High School. But the pair have lived like siblings, going through some major milestones together, especially after Tan's girlfriend, Rebecca, broke up with him when her parents didn't approve of him. But Winter steps in as Tan's prom date and, whoa, what just happened? They share a kiss at prom but know they can't do more than that - it would complicate everything for their families. Pushing their feeling to the side, life gets in the way, especially when their parents take a vacation together to celebrate Winter's mom's graduation, Tan's ex-girlfriend shows up at their doorstep, followed by a team of thugs who are after Rebecca. But is it Rebecca they want?
This story is a continuation of my favorite short story from Serendipity - a collection of romance stories from Marissa Meyer. In "The Idiom Algorithm" Abigail Hing Wen. More of an action-adventure story than romance, this book is appropriate for upper middle school students. I can't wait to add it to my library collection - this will be a hit with students.
This story is a continuation of my favorite short story from Serendipity - a collection of romance stories from Marissa Meyer. In "The Idiom Algorithm" Abigail Hing Wen. More of an action-adventure story than romance, this book is appropriate for upper middle school students. I can't wait to add it to my library collection - this will be a hit with students.
October 17, 2024
As an SF Bay Area native, I enjoyed this easy, fast-paced read as I imagined traveling with the characters around favorite and new spots with the challenges of limited resources and threatening pursuit. Another reviewer mentioned Adventures in Babysitting for the level of absurdity that this could happen to two teens when their parents are away for a week, and I agree - but that makes for an entertaining story! I liked how the author had a clever and realistic technology basis for the main plot line, but also made the action more dramatic than any real tech work. I would have liked if the back of the book were to mention a real-life non-profit in Oakland that readers could donate to to support a safe haven for kids like The Cove provides. I was certainly moved by the stories of the residents and their caretaker.
August 8, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for honest feedback.
I am pretty much always down for Asian representation in any media so right away that drew me in. The overall premise of teenagers becoming embroiled in some international conspiracy while navigating a (not quite) love triangle appealed to me as well. That said, there was quite a lot about this plot that was unbelievable. Since it would take too long and I also didn’t take note of every example, I will just address the things I personally was most bothered by.
But first, a brief synopsis and a bit on characters...
Seventeen-year-old Tan Lee loves a good puzzle and aspires to join the CIA someday. Winter Woo and her mom Fannie have temporarily moved in with the Lee family while Fannie works toward a law degree. After a hot and heavy make out session at prom, Tan and Winter decide to keep their distance from one another even though that’s not what either of them wants. After months of the avoidance game, Tan’s parents and Winter’s mom head away on a work trip (vacation for Fannie) to Hawaii, leaving them to babysit Tan’s five-year-old sister Sana. Enter, Tan’s ex Rebecca who Winter is not convinced Tan has moved on from. Rebecca has run away from home with something valuable and her father’s men are not keen to let her go quite so easily.
Tan, Winter and Sana are all fine characters. Tan is super smart, very close to his family and seems to be very respectful to both Winter and Rebecca. I like how highly he thinks of Winter and how he still manages to help Rebecca despite how selfish she is and also the way she basically ghosted him when she left. Winter is an aspiring actor so as a theatre major she’s automatically a winner to me. She’s very kind and always thinking of others and is a great help where Sana is concerned. And speaking of Sana she’s a sassy little thing which can sometimes be annoying but I found her to be funny and sweet. Tan and Sana’s relationship is very endearing. Rebecca annoyed me for almost the entire book which was probably at least partly the point. I know there is at least some truth to people who have never had to worry about money being out of touch, but it bordered on being over the top how out of touch Rebecca was. I realize that me having grown up in suburban areas in America is far different from Rebecca having grown up in the city in Shanghai, but she did spend some time in San Francisco. You’re telling me she wouldn’t have known what a tree house was? Even though it’s literally right there in the name?
Outside of our main characters, I liked our Cove friends. It’s nice that despite the circumstances that brought them to the Cove, they are there for one another, even for the previously mentioned main characters whom they had known for less than 48 hours before stepping in to help save the day. In particular Sister Ava kicked ass.
Again, I know that this plot very much depended on suspended disbelief so there’s quite a bit I let slide, but these were some of the thoughts I had while reading that I couldn’t shake:
This might just be a miss on my part, truly, but…before the thugs show up at the Lee household, Rebecca had been wearing Tan’s Mandalorian shirt and boxers. At a later point, when they reach the cove, she’s in her blue designer dress. I don’t have any recollection of her having changed out of the shirt and boxers and given how unexpectedly quick the thugs showed up, I can’t imagine there would have been time so she was just running through the streets of San Fran with a shirt and boxers? She definitely still had the shirt while on the run due to having to return it later so I couldn’t figure this one out.
Tan asks Sister Ava if there’s a phone he can borrow, hoping there might somehow be 3 so Winter and Rebecca could have one as well. Sister Ava mentions there’s a phone that the Cove shares. Yet later, with Tan using this phone as part of their plan to fool the bad guys, somehow Winter now also has a borrowed phone. Not that she couldn’t have potentially borrowed one from somewhere else but there’s no explanation to how she got one.
The parents have been mentioned on multiple occasions to be in Honolulu or at the Waikiki Beach Marriott specifically. This would be on Oahu and would have been their last known location based on a voicemail left by them. But then towards the end, Rebecca tells her father that they’re in Maui. That is a different island that they likely wouldn’t have had time to get to, not to mention the most recent mention of their location before this was that they were at the Marriott in Waikiki.
Once the kids are finally back home, one of the first things Winter and Tan do is clean everything up. I know that after what they went through it’s hard not to want to try and go back to normal which includes sleeping in your own bed and cleaning up/righting the furniture etc, but it’s also a crime scene so they’re just cleaning up any evidence. Granted it seems the Chinese government is at least in part dealing with it but like…this bothered me.
One last thing that’s not about plot, but…the author so frequently described someone as speaking low. “I know” said Rebecca, low. “I’m scared” said Winter, low. (Not actual lines, just examples). For whatever reason it bothered me how often it was used and it seemed to all be lumped within a few consecutive chapters which made it stand out even more how much it was used.
Overall, I did enjoy the story and it was a quick and easy read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
I am pretty much always down for Asian representation in any media so right away that drew me in. The overall premise of teenagers becoming embroiled in some international conspiracy while navigating a (not quite) love triangle appealed to me as well. That said, there was quite a lot about this plot that was unbelievable. Since it would take too long and I also didn’t take note of every example, I will just address the things I personally was most bothered by.
But first, a brief synopsis and a bit on characters...
Seventeen-year-old Tan Lee loves a good puzzle and aspires to join the CIA someday. Winter Woo and her mom Fannie have temporarily moved in with the Lee family while Fannie works toward a law degree. After a hot and heavy make out session at prom, Tan and Winter decide to keep their distance from one another even though that’s not what either of them wants. After months of the avoidance game, Tan’s parents and Winter’s mom head away on a work trip (vacation for Fannie) to Hawaii, leaving them to babysit Tan’s five-year-old sister Sana. Enter, Tan’s ex Rebecca who Winter is not convinced Tan has moved on from. Rebecca has run away from home with something valuable and her father’s men are not keen to let her go quite so easily.
Tan, Winter and Sana are all fine characters. Tan is super smart, very close to his family and seems to be very respectful to both Winter and Rebecca. I like how highly he thinks of Winter and how he still manages to help Rebecca despite how selfish she is and also the way she basically ghosted him when she left. Winter is an aspiring actor so as a theatre major she’s automatically a winner to me. She’s very kind and always thinking of others and is a great help where Sana is concerned. And speaking of Sana she’s a sassy little thing which can sometimes be annoying but I found her to be funny and sweet. Tan and Sana’s relationship is very endearing. Rebecca annoyed me for almost the entire book which was probably at least partly the point. I know there is at least some truth to people who have never had to worry about money being out of touch, but it bordered on being over the top how out of touch Rebecca was. I realize that me having grown up in suburban areas in America is far different from Rebecca having grown up in the city in Shanghai, but she did spend some time in San Francisco. You’re telling me she wouldn’t have known what a tree house was? Even though it’s literally right there in the name?
Outside of our main characters, I liked our Cove friends. It’s nice that despite the circumstances that brought them to the Cove, they are there for one another, even for the previously mentioned main characters whom they had known for less than 48 hours before stepping in to help save the day. In particular Sister Ava kicked ass.
Again, I know that this plot very much depended on suspended disbelief so there’s quite a bit I let slide, but these were some of the thoughts I had while reading that I couldn’t shake:
This might just be a miss on my part, truly, but…before the thugs show up at the Lee household, Rebecca had been wearing Tan’s Mandalorian shirt and boxers. At a later point, when they reach the cove, she’s in her blue designer dress. I don’t have any recollection of her having changed out of the shirt and boxers and given how unexpectedly quick the thugs showed up, I can’t imagine there would have been time so she was just running through the streets of San Fran with a shirt and boxers? She definitely still had the shirt while on the run due to having to return it later so I couldn’t figure this one out.
Tan asks Sister Ava if there’s a phone he can borrow, hoping there might somehow be 3 so Winter and Rebecca could have one as well. Sister Ava mentions there’s a phone that the Cove shares. Yet later, with Tan using this phone as part of their plan to fool the bad guys, somehow Winter now also has a borrowed phone. Not that she couldn’t have potentially borrowed one from somewhere else but there’s no explanation to how she got one.
The parents have been mentioned on multiple occasions to be in Honolulu or at the Waikiki Beach Marriott specifically. This would be on Oahu and would have been their last known location based on a voicemail left by them. But then towards the end, Rebecca tells her father that they’re in Maui. That is a different island that they likely wouldn’t have had time to get to, not to mention the most recent mention of their location before this was that they were at the Marriott in Waikiki.
Once the kids are finally back home, one of the first things Winter and Tan do is clean everything up. I know that after what they went through it’s hard not to want to try and go back to normal which includes sleeping in your own bed and cleaning up/righting the furniture etc, but it’s also a crime scene so they’re just cleaning up any evidence. Granted it seems the Chinese government is at least in part dealing with it but like…this bothered me.
One last thing that’s not about plot, but…the author so frequently described someone as speaking low. “I know” said Rebecca, low. “I’m scared” said Winter, low. (Not actual lines, just examples). For whatever reason it bothered me how often it was used and it seemed to all be lumped within a few consecutive chapters which made it stand out even more how much it was used.
Overall, I did enjoy the story and it was a quick and easy read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
February 3, 2025
Tan Lee thought prom was perfect. Going with Winter Woo started as a matter of convenience between friends. But as the night progresses, Tan can't think of anyone he'd rather spend time with. Kissing Winter is the perfect end to the night and, Tan hopes, the start of something new. But instead of taking their relationship forward, Winter tells Tan that she knows he still isn't over his ex-girlfriend Rebecca.
Months later Tan and Winter are barely speaking despite Winter and her mother renting an apartment in the Tan home.
Things get even more complicated when Tan's parents announce that they are going to Hawaii for a work conference and Winter's mom is going too leaving Tan and Winter to take care Tan's little sister, Sana, for the week.
Babysitting a boisterous kindergartener is the least of Tan's problems when Rebecca shows up from Shanghai and tells Tan he's the only one who can help her get out of a bad situation.
What was supposed to be a busy but straightforward week soon turns into a dangerous trek across San Francisco as Tan and Winter are forcibly pulled into Rebecca's problems. Now Tan and Winter have to set aside their differences and work together to help Rebecca and keep Sana safe. With stolen money, ciphers, and thugs aplenty, Tan is going to have to sort through a variety of dangers if he wants to have a chance to convince Winter that she's the one he wants--not to mention if he ever wants life to get back to normal in Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies by Abigail Hing Wen.
Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies is a standalone novel. The story was inspired by Wen's short story "The Idiom Algorithm" which appears in the anthology Serendipity: Ten Romantic Tropes, Transformed and expands on the premise originally presented there. The novel is narrated by Tan who, like Winter, is Chinese American. Rebecca is from Shanghai, there is diversity among the supporting cast as well.
High stakes and high action propel this plot along as Tan's efforts to convince Winter he's over Rebecca take a backseat to escaping imminent danger. At the same time, Tan's first person narration offers a chance for some interiority as Tan unpacks his complicated history with Rebecca and figures out how to articulate his feelings for Winter.
Wen creates a dynamic cast of characters who know that a strong community is worth more than any cryptocurrency. Tan is a thoughtful protagonist with a head for numbers and, particularly, for ciphers while Winter is an aspiring actress and improv dynamo. The two have obvious chemistry from page one and Wen capitalizes on their different interests and personalities to great effect while they problem solve. The Lees and Woos also talk openly about mental health (and therapy) throughout the novel, dismantling some of the stigma that still surrounds these topics--especially in Asian American communities.
Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies is a feel-good adventure where friendship--and a little romance--save the day. Recommended for anyone who wants their action with a little kissing.
Possible Pairings: Find Me by Romily Bernard, Immoral Code by Lillian Clark, Aces Wild by Amanda Dewitt, This Time It's Real by Ann Liang, Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis, Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu, Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus, The Jump by Brittney Morris, These Deadly Games by Diana Urban, It's Only a Game by Kelsea Yu
Months later Tan and Winter are barely speaking despite Winter and her mother renting an apartment in the Tan home.
Things get even more complicated when Tan's parents announce that they are going to Hawaii for a work conference and Winter's mom is going too leaving Tan and Winter to take care Tan's little sister, Sana, for the week.
Babysitting a boisterous kindergartener is the least of Tan's problems when Rebecca shows up from Shanghai and tells Tan he's the only one who can help her get out of a bad situation.
What was supposed to be a busy but straightforward week soon turns into a dangerous trek across San Francisco as Tan and Winter are forcibly pulled into Rebecca's problems. Now Tan and Winter have to set aside their differences and work together to help Rebecca and keep Sana safe. With stolen money, ciphers, and thugs aplenty, Tan is going to have to sort through a variety of dangers if he wants to have a chance to convince Winter that she's the one he wants--not to mention if he ever wants life to get back to normal in Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies by Abigail Hing Wen.
Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies is a standalone novel. The story was inspired by Wen's short story "The Idiom Algorithm" which appears in the anthology Serendipity: Ten Romantic Tropes, Transformed and expands on the premise originally presented there. The novel is narrated by Tan who, like Winter, is Chinese American. Rebecca is from Shanghai, there is diversity among the supporting cast as well.
High stakes and high action propel this plot along as Tan's efforts to convince Winter he's over Rebecca take a backseat to escaping imminent danger. At the same time, Tan's first person narration offers a chance for some interiority as Tan unpacks his complicated history with Rebecca and figures out how to articulate his feelings for Winter.
Wen creates a dynamic cast of characters who know that a strong community is worth more than any cryptocurrency. Tan is a thoughtful protagonist with a head for numbers and, particularly, for ciphers while Winter is an aspiring actress and improv dynamo. The two have obvious chemistry from page one and Wen capitalizes on their different interests and personalities to great effect while they problem solve. The Lees and Woos also talk openly about mental health (and therapy) throughout the novel, dismantling some of the stigma that still surrounds these topics--especially in Asian American communities.
Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies is a feel-good adventure where friendship--and a little romance--save the day. Recommended for anyone who wants their action with a little kissing.
Possible Pairings: Find Me by Romily Bernard, Immoral Code by Lillian Clark, Aces Wild by Amanda Dewitt, This Time It's Real by Ann Liang, Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis, Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu, Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus, The Jump by Brittney Morris, These Deadly Games by Diana Urban, It's Only a Game by Kelsea Yu
July 10, 2024
This required a heck of a lot of suspension of disbelief, but if you can accomplish that, it was a cute and fun fast-paced read.
I really liked the characters and I loved the Cove. It was such a warm and welcoming home for kids without homes. And even though it was located in a church-related building and run by a nun, the religious aspect wasn't really pushed. I appreciated that. Also that it welcomed a nonbinary kid who got kicked out by their parents with open arms, bending the gendered sleeping quarters rule for them.
The scenes with the Cove and the kids there were the best parts; luckily they took up quite a bit of the book.
The plot was unrealistic to the extreme, but a handful of kids running from international thugs made for a great story. It was sort of like if you combined the Boxcar Children with Mission Impossible. I don't know if the parts about digital security and codebreaking were accurate as that's not my area of expertise, but they seemed at least internally consistent and were believable enough to keep me immersed in the story. It would make a fantastic action movie.
The love story was sweet although too much time was spent telling me how the characters thought and felt for my taste. I prefer to be left to figure it out from context. But it's a YA book and so it falls into that trap of overexplaining feelings that many YA books fall into.
I also really liked that, no matter how determined Tan was to handle everything and keep everyone safe, especially his little sister, Sana played a huge role in the big showdown at the end. The kids from the Cove did as well. It very much kept to the theme of 'we're stronger together' which gave it a nice wholesome feel.
I also liked the San Francisco bay area setting. One, because it makes sense for a family so heavily into digital currency security and codebreaking, and two, because it's just familiar enough to me that I could really picture a lot of the scenes.
The audiobook was really well done and helped keep me immersed in the story. The character voices were easily distinguishable and made sense. The narration flowed smoothly and the pacing was good.
Although it was a little difficult to get into the story at first, and I really had to suspend my disbelief, I had a great time with this story and would definitely read more by this author.
*Thanks to Feiwel and Friends and Macmillan Young Listeners for providing an early copy for review.
I really liked the characters and I loved the Cove. It was such a warm and welcoming home for kids without homes. And even though it was located in a church-related building and run by a nun, the religious aspect wasn't really pushed. I appreciated that. Also that it welcomed a nonbinary kid who got kicked out by their parents with open arms, bending the gendered sleeping quarters rule for them.
The scenes with the Cove and the kids there were the best parts; luckily they took up quite a bit of the book.
The plot was unrealistic to the extreme, but a handful of kids running from international thugs made for a great story. It was sort of like if you combined the Boxcar Children with Mission Impossible. I don't know if the parts about digital security and codebreaking were accurate as that's not my area of expertise, but they seemed at least internally consistent and were believable enough to keep me immersed in the story. It would make a fantastic action movie.
The love story was sweet although too much time was spent telling me how the characters thought and felt for my taste. I prefer to be left to figure it out from context. But it's a YA book and so it falls into that trap of overexplaining feelings that many YA books fall into.
I also really liked that, no matter how determined Tan was to handle everything and keep everyone safe, especially his little sister, Sana played a huge role in the big showdown at the end. The kids from the Cove did as well. It very much kept to the theme of 'we're stronger together' which gave it a nice wholesome feel.
I also liked the San Francisco bay area setting. One, because it makes sense for a family so heavily into digital currency security and codebreaking, and two, because it's just familiar enough to me that I could really picture a lot of the scenes.
The audiobook was really well done and helped keep me immersed in the story. The character voices were easily distinguishable and made sense. The narration flowed smoothly and the pacing was good.
Although it was a little difficult to get into the story at first, and I really had to suspend my disbelief, I had a great time with this story and would definitely read more by this author.
*Thanks to Feiwel and Friends and Macmillan Young Listeners for providing an early copy for review.
August 17, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a free arc of this novel.
This is a fun summer read. It’s pretty unique in my opinion because it has a very modern mystery plot, set in the present day with average teenage protagonists tackling a conspiracy that’s actually not too far-fetched to occur. I loved the tech-centered aspects of the novel. There were tons of points in the story when Tan’s ability to code came in handy, which I thought was really cool. Weirdly enough, I just wish there was more detail on how the coding actually happens. There were points where it felt like he was doing “magic coding:” something needs to get done, so he just “does the tech thing” and it happens without many details on how it was accomplished (I’d give examples but I’m trying to keep this spoiler-free). I know it’s a ya novel, not a coding manual, but I enjoy it when I can learn about something I’m unfamiliar with while reading for fun. Idk, that’s probably just a me thing. Also, it might’ve been my imagination but I thought there were a couple inconsistencies plot-wise here and there. But then again, I just might have missed something.
I love all the contrasting and unique personalities of the main characters. Tan was an awesome choice for a main character, very in touch with how teens are today. He has insecurities and some flaws, has some concerns about the future, but is kind and tries to make the best decisions based on what he knows. He also has super niche tech knowledge, which added another dimension to his character. The author also managed a three-point character arc for him, which was very well thought out. Our other cast of characters include the mischievous but well meaning younger sister, the kind yet strong Winter, and the glamorous yet calculating ex-girlfriend (seriously, Rebecca is a genius, and I love her character growth, too).
There were plot twists and little coding tricks throughout. The plot took things in an unexpected direction, but it made the reading experience all the more enjoyable. Again, I really love that the book features a very modern mystery, centered on the growing digital space in our world.
This is a fun summer read. It’s pretty unique in my opinion because it has a very modern mystery plot, set in the present day with average teenage protagonists tackling a conspiracy that’s actually not too far-fetched to occur. I loved the tech-centered aspects of the novel. There were tons of points in the story when Tan’s ability to code came in handy, which I thought was really cool. Weirdly enough, I just wish there was more detail on how the coding actually happens. There were points where it felt like he was doing “magic coding:” something needs to get done, so he just “does the tech thing” and it happens without many details on how it was accomplished (I’d give examples but I’m trying to keep this spoiler-free). I know it’s a ya novel, not a coding manual, but I enjoy it when I can learn about something I’m unfamiliar with while reading for fun. Idk, that’s probably just a me thing. Also, it might’ve been my imagination but I thought there were a couple inconsistencies plot-wise here and there. But then again, I just might have missed something.
I love all the contrasting and unique personalities of the main characters. Tan was an awesome choice for a main character, very in touch with how teens are today. He has insecurities and some flaws, has some concerns about the future, but is kind and tries to make the best decisions based on what he knows. He also has super niche tech knowledge, which added another dimension to his character. The author also managed a three-point character arc for him, which was very well thought out. Our other cast of characters include the mischievous but well meaning younger sister, the kind yet strong Winter, and the glamorous yet calculating ex-girlfriend (seriously, Rebecca is a genius, and I love her character growth, too).
There were plot twists and little coding tricks throughout. The plot took things in an unexpected direction, but it made the reading experience all the more enjoyable. Again, I really love that the book features a very modern mystery, centered on the growing digital space in our world.
November 24, 2023
The story isn't over. There's still you.
Trust and believe, I really wanted to like this one. And I know I'll probably be in the minority about this.
I want to start by saying that I love wholesome stories, and have always had a soft spot for friends-to-lovers romances. But Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies, though an easy read and decently paced, somehow felt ridiculously contrived. Not even in an "I can suspend my disbelief" kind of way—but in a "these characters are so irritating and I can't believe this is happening" kind of way. I wish there had been more nuance and subplot devoted to actually developing the characters—especially Tan and Winter—and making them believably flawed and likable to truly helm their romance and actions in the story. In such a sense, the love triangle also felt forced because oddly enough, Rebecca was the one character who felt more realistic and grounded (in her own way) than any of the others—probably because she actually got a character arc in a way that Winter and Tan both didn't really get.
Now, the actual story itself is also lighthearted and simplistic in a way that reads more middle grade than young adult. Maybe it's the formulaic nature of the story itself or the sheer inanities of the plot (with a pretty basic "all-powerful" yet incompetent villain), but reading this felt so surface-level. Even though the "codes and conspiracies" part was interesting enough to read, particularly with the rise of cryptocurrency and other technologies, that wasn't enough to root the story in a manner that felt... I don't know, emotional or heartfelt.
Overall, I'm sure Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies will find its audience, but it seems, strangely enough, that I am not among them.
August 12, 2024
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
This is definitely something that I do not tend to gravitate toward in terms of genre. I rarely pick up mysteries, let alone thrillers, but I thought I'd give this ARC a try. Knowing how Wen's written in her Loveboat series, I had high expectations.
I think she did a great job of writing Rebecca's character because it was extremely frustrating as a reader to read about her. She's that out of touch and rich character that cannot relate easily to Tan and Winter. Though she was a frustrating character for me, I liked her development at the end when she stays at the Cove, painting and helping out Sister Ava.
The best relationship in this book is probably Sana and Tan. To me, it's a pretty realistic brother-sister relationship. Though Sana was causing trouble at times, I think that's just how some kids are realistically, especially with their older siblings. Romance is definitely the subplot here with Tan and Winter, let alone Rebecca. Not really sure if I would have called them a love triangle.
As for the story, it baffles me that this happens over a weekend. With all of the events happening, it feels like they wouldn't have time to do everything over the span of two to three days. And maybe I missed it but I'm not completely sure where "conspiracies" come into the plot? I think the most unrealistic thing about the story would have been Tan stealing the car at Fisherman's Wharf because honestly I feel like they wouldn't have gotten away. But that's fiction for you.
This was a quick and easy read for those who want to dip their toes into a dash of mystery. I wish there was more mystery though.
This is definitely something that I do not tend to gravitate toward in terms of genre. I rarely pick up mysteries, let alone thrillers, but I thought I'd give this ARC a try. Knowing how Wen's written in her Loveboat series, I had high expectations.
I think she did a great job of writing Rebecca's character because it was extremely frustrating as a reader to read about her. She's that out of touch and rich character that cannot relate easily to Tan and Winter. Though she was a frustrating character for me, I liked her development at the end when she stays at the Cove, painting and helping out Sister Ava.
The best relationship in this book is probably Sana and Tan. To me, it's a pretty realistic brother-sister relationship. Though Sana was causing trouble at times, I think that's just how some kids are realistically, especially with their older siblings. Romance is definitely the subplot here with Tan and Winter, let alone Rebecca. Not really sure if I would have called them a love triangle.
As for the story, it baffles me that this happens over a weekend. With all of the events happening, it feels like they wouldn't have time to do everything over the span of two to three days. And maybe I missed it but I'm not completely sure where "conspiracies" come into the plot? I think the most unrealistic thing about the story would have been Tan stealing the car at Fisherman's Wharf because honestly I feel like they wouldn't have gotten away. But that's fiction for you.
This was a quick and easy read for those who want to dip their toes into a dash of mystery. I wish there was more mystery though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews