Warcross

Warcross by Marie Lu

When a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths. For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn't just a game - it's a way of life. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. When Emika hacks into the game illegally, she's convinced she'll be arrested, and is shocked when 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. {goodreads}

Reasons you should read Warcross if you're a writer:

• The world building! My last WIP included google-glass-like technology, but Warcross took the idea to a level I would never even have considered. I was ready to move into this world. Until the plot twist...
• And wow, the Plot twists in Warcross are amazing. I'm obviously not going to say anymore, but it's worth reading for the twists alone. Lu is brilliant at subverting readers' expectations.
• Lu's romances are swoonworthy - I loved the way she wrote relationships in Legend, but Warcross is even better.