SOLVED. YA dystopian: A boy lives in this world where if your parents can't pay off their debt, they must send their children away to work. [s]

[[deleted user]]

This boy is sent to a place where he must pay off the debt of his parents. At over at this place, he is housed with other children whose parents can't pay off their debt. The children are grouped based on intelligence (he is part of the most intelligent group). The smarter you are, the better treatment and living conditions you get (he being part of the smartest group, he has access to a swimming pool, and i think a ping pong table + tons of other stuff).

The children pay off their parents' debts by working. The smartest kids get the hardest work and they get paid the most for their work, and can get bonuses for completing the work early.
You can also add to your debt if you don't complete your project in time.

There's also this lady who works at this holding place for the children who's described as very pretty who the protagonist calls "Honey Lady".

Oh and he's also a hacker.

I had to read this book for school in 2013-2014, but it's pretty likely that it was published before that.

SPOILERS




(view spoiler)[

His sister also ends up there, because the father had a car accident and had to buy a new car (thus adding to the debt). She's placed in a less smart group. He goes to visit her and sees that her living conditions are a lot worse. (eg. more crowded, less space, etc.)

So he finds out that they're really rewiring the kids' brains, and using them as test subjects.

And at the end, they are no longer separated and are allowed to choose where they want to work.

(hide spoiler)]

[Rachael]

This seems familiar but I can't think what it may be. I would also like to read this I think...

[Angela]

The Limit by Kristen Landon?

[[deleted user]]

Rachael wrote: "This seems familiar but I can't think what it may be. I would also like to read this I think..."

OMG YES THANK YOU SO MUCH.