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Tag: Coldwire

  • THP’s Top 5 Dystopian Novels Of 2025

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    Dystopian fiction made the ultimate comeback this year, and we at THP aren’t mad at it! So many dystopian novels have brought us back into the genre we’ve known and loved since we were teenagers. But these five in particular really caught our eyes this year.

    Spanning from less than fifty years to a couple hundred years into the future, these novels have made us think about the world as we know it and where it could be headed. Full of scientific and technological changes that blew our minds, here are THP’s top five dystopian novels of 2025!

    Content warning: The Honey POP encourages mindful reading and checking the author’s website for content warnings.

    The Dividing Sky By Jill Tew

    Image Source: Penguin Random House

    Let’s start off strong with one of the first dystopian novels that got us back into the genre: The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew! Set in 2364, eighteen-year-old Liv Newman lives in the Metro, earning money by selling memories and emotions to wealthy clients. She ventures to the Outerlands on a mission while on the run from Adrian Rao, a Rookie Forceman determined to track her down. But when Liv loses her memories, Adrian must decide whether or not to arrest her for crimes she doesn’t remember. As the two grow closer and more fond of each other in the Outerlands, their worldviews soon start to fall apart.

    Order The Dividing Sky here!

    Content warnings: violence, drug use, serious injury, forced captivity, animal death, weapons, medical procedures, PTSD, vomiting, mentions of child trafficking

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JILL TEW:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    Bound By Stars By E.L. Starling

    Bound by Stars by E. L. Starling
    Image Source: Entangled Publishing

    Next on our list of top five dystopian novels is E.L. Starling’s Bound by Stars! Think if Titanic was actually about a spaceship called the Boundless headed to Mars in 2212. It has the star-crossed lovers element that Jack and Rose have with the characters Weslie (an Earther) and Jupiter (a high-ranking Elysian). A rebel group targets the elite class on this voyage, and things get out of hand quickly when the spaceship starts to fail. There are so many chaotic twists and turns in this sci-fi/dystopian novel, and we have a feeling Weslie and Jupiter’s story will continue.

    Order Bound by Stars here!

    Content warnings: death by fire, suffocation, and impalement, attempted murder, bodies, classism, parental betrayal, acts of terror, violence, serious injury, blood and gore, attempted drowning, guns and weapons, medical procedures

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT E.L. STARLING:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE

    Soulmatch By Rebecca Danzenbaker

    Soulmatch by Rebecca Danzenbaker
    Image Source: Simon & Schuster

    Dystopian romance has been climbing the ranks of our favorite genres all year! We have Soulmatch by Rebecca Danzenbaker to thank. This novel takes place several hundred years into the future, where a person’s current life (and punishment) is based on their past lives. When eighteen-year-old Sivon reports to the government, she learns that she has a rare new soul. Sivon is thrust into a new job position, one that comes with a frustratingly handsome bodyguard with whom she cannot afford to fall in love. She becomes a target and must figure out who she can trust while also surviving multiple attempts on her life.

    Order Soulmatch here!

    Content warnings: assassination attempts, death of a friend, suicide, suicide discussions, mentions of child abuse, gaslighting, violence, near-death experiences, panic attacks, threats

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT REBECCA DANZENBAKER:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE

    An Ocean Apart By Jill Tew

    An Ocean Apart by Jill Tew
    Image Source: Penguin Random House

    Jill Tew’s An Ocean Apart takes a Bachelor-style dating show and puts it against the backdrop of 2190 Miami, now known as the flooded Marshes region. Eden Lowell and the Marshers spend every day in survival mode, while the elite class of Cruisers sails the seas in luxury. One Cruiser family hosts a reality TV dating competition for its heir, Theo Desjardins. Eden does everything in her power to infiltrate the show and trick Theo into falling for her. But Theo turns out to be the person Eden desperately needs to help the Marshes. She can’t decide whether her original plan was the right one or if there was a better way to spark change.

    Order An Ocean Apart here!

    Content warnings: violence, classism, fire, climate change

    Coldwire By Chloe Gong

    Coldwire by Chloe Gong
    Image Source: Simon & Schuster

    Finally, we’re wrapping up our top five dystopian novels list with Coldwire by Chloe Gong! The first book in her new dystopian series, Coldwire breathes life into a cyberpunk world where most of society subscribes to the virtual reality of “upcountry.” Everyone else must live in the physical reality of “downcountry.” As a cold war between Medaluo and Atahua comes to a head, two girls—Eirale and Lia—hold the secret to a program that could turn the tides of war and change the victor’s fate. Their missions and paths converge to the ultimate twist ending, and we can’t wait to read the next part of their journey.

    Order Coldwire here!

    Content warnings: death, parent death, mention of suicide, assassination, racism, classism, amnesia, bombs, warfare, weapons

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHLOE GONG:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    What do you think of our top five dystopian novels? Is dystopian fiction making a comeback in your TBR? Let us know on Twitter! You can also find us over on Facebook and Instagram!

    Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

    Need some more book recs? We got them!

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    Julie Dam

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  • Our 3 Favorite Things About Coldwire By Chloe Gong

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    Dystopian fiction really is rising in THP’s rank of favorite genres this year! In our pursuit to expand our reading horizons, we’ve read so many incredible dystopian novels that it almost feels like 2012 again. We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing Coldwire by Chloe Gong to continue this streak.

    Coldwire is the first book of Chloe Gong‘s new dystopian series. We were so hyped to see her new cyberpunk world come to life! Most of society subscribes to the virtual reality known as “upcountry.” Those who can’t afford it, however, must live in the physical reality called “downcountry.”

    As a cold war between Medaluo and Atahua becomes imminent, two girls find themselves on a hunt for a program that could change who has the upper hand. Here are three things we love about Coldwire by Chloe Gong!

    Coldwire by Chloe Gong
    Image Source: Simon & Schuster

    Book Overview: Coldwire

    Content warnings: death, parent death, mention of suicide, assassination, racism, classism, amnesia, bombs, warfare, weapons (Read at your discretion!)

    Summary: The future is loading…

    To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”

    But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier, or risk being labelled a spy.

    Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.

    Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…

    Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.

    Not-So-Distant Dystopia

    One of our favorite things about reading dystopian novels like Coldwire is seeing how realistic it could be. We see the constant rise of artificial intelligence in everyday operations. The uncanny ability to create lifelike deepfakes and a virtual reality that’s almost tangible is becoming more and more real. Those who are rich enough can escape the conditions of the physical world by keeping their bodies in pods. Those who can’t afford it must live in the deteriorating reality. We love being able to make these connections and evaluate our current world.

    Eirale & Lia’s Entanglement

    We also really love the dual points of view in Coldwire. Eirale has been framed by an anarchist for assassinating a government official. She must work with her kidnapper or be captured by her employer for treason. Lia goes on an assignment to find an Atahuan traitor, who is someone she knew as a child. As their missions take these girls to the same locations, we started to put pieces together. And their paths converged in a way we couldn’t believe. By that, we mean we had to reread several pages to fully understand.

    The Twist Ending

    Don’t worry: you won’t find any spoilers for Coldwire here. But let’s just say after we finally process the big reveal, Eirale and Lia now face a life-changing decision (as if their lives haven’t already changed enough). And the twist ending beautifully sets up the sequel. Now that the die has been cast and pieces are moved, our main characters must prepare to overcome so many more obstacles than they faced in this book. We already can’t wait to see how they’ll pull off their next mission in book two!

    A dystopian series starter that is as refreshing as it is uncanny, Chloe Gong’s Coldwire absolutely lives up to the hype!

    Coldwire by Chloe Gong comes out November 4th, and you can order a copy of it here!

    What do you think of Chloe Gong’s new dystopian series starter? Are you getting your hands on a copy of Coldwire? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

    Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHLOE GONG:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

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    Julie Dam

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