Warcross, by: Marie Lu

       For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not 

been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.
       Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

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My Rating: ★★★★★

       Nothing hooks me in like a classic virtual reality story, and this book was no exception. Warcross was everything I could’ve hoped for and SO MUCH MORE. When I heard that the almighty author of my favorite dystopian trilogy (*cough cough* LEGEND *cough cough*) was coming out with a VR book, the excitement that I exerted was enough to cause my own mother to raise a question. (And she doesn’t ask about book-related things. She just knows.) This emotion was also compounded when I saw that it was included in my September Uppercase Box! I immediately tossed aside what I was reading to begin Warcross, and I am so glad I did.
       This book was the perfect integration of real-world problems with that of the virtual one. I liked the choice of setting this story in today’s society. Putting the issues of hacking a worldwide video game and bounty hunting next to the problem of finding next month’s rent grounded the whole plot. After reading multiple books in this style, Warcross is the one that stands out. The way Marie Lu puts this virtual world into our own is so seamless and made me wonder what life would be like if we had technology like the NeuroLink in our lives. With tech advancing so quickly, a world like this might be closer than we think.
       I also loved Emika and the way she told her story. She was spunky, determined, and had a chip on her shoulder, which made her very unique, and her characteristics had a chance to shine through without much effort. It was very easy for me to not just understand what she was going through, but feel an emotional connection to something I’ve never experienced. There was also a certain atmosphere that would take precedence whenever there was world building that needed to be done, and Emika’s attitude towards her world was what sucked me in. Bravo to Marie for making her worlds so engaging. (Sidenote: I also loved the part where Emika described herself. Rainbow hair and artsy tattoos? The fanart is going to be BEAUTIFUL.)
       Something I loved, but won’t talk about here a whole lot (#spoilers) is how this book kept me wanting to know more the entire time. It took twists I never could’ve dreamed of, and had me spending every free moment turning these pages.

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       Be sure to get your hands on Warcross if you haven’t already, and if you have, leave your thoughts in the comments. I would love to discuss this book with all of you!

From her book hangover,
Ashton
(P.S. If you are looking for more virtual reality books, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and Heir Apparent [which is part of a companion series, all of which are good, but this one is my favorite] by Vivian Vande Velde are both fantastic reads.)

Every locked door has a key. Every problem has a solution.

― Marie Lu, Warcross