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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
(2014 Book#4)
5⭐️
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(2021 Book#48)
4-4.25⭐️
[started August 2, read August 1-5 and 15]
5⭐️
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(2021 Book#48)
4-4.25⭐️
[started August 2, read August 1-5 and 15]
The book had potential, I just lost interest amongst all of the numbers and codes and puzzles. There are 12 lines/families that have been training teens to compete in the Endgame. They come from all parts of the world and range in age from 13-20. The aliens who created Endgame finally call for it to start with the crashing of 12 meteors on the Earth. Each player has skills and tries to use them to win. I felt like the narration was robotic at times. It is violent and has some swears in it. It felt like Hunger Games meets I am Number Four but for older teens. I skipped over the numbers and codes and such when reading. Other kids might like that but numbers bore me. I would recommend it for 8th grade and up and for fans of alien/end of world scenarios.
Not really my cup of tea. The writing style irritated me, I couldn't find it in me to care about the plot, and I'm pretty sure I've read this book before.
sb oughta tell mr frey that a pure hunger games rip off so oversaturated with violence that it lacks any and all significance, with every female character being described as attractive green eyes smth smth boobs and the only black woman being described with hair like a wild snakes nest ain't it. not to mention the characters lack any and all emotional depth making them forgettable and handing out povs to everyone doesn't exactly strengthen its appeal... had to stop not even halfway through, it's a no from me
Oh this book, it was Amazing. It was also really frustrating--if that makes sense. Like this Event didn't have to happen if these people just listened to each other. That being said I really liked all of the POV's that the book is in and the way that the characters are developed. I don't think I've read a book that is similar this one.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First things first, this book is nothing like the Hunger Games. The premise sounds like it, but once you actually read the book, the similarities vanish. I liked the book, but there was a lot of confusion over events and there were so many separate characters that it became confusing after a while. Also there were a lot of pictures and diagrams and stuff that was supposed to give you insight I guess, but it made the book seem cluttered. Otherwise the book had good characters, and good fight scenes.
Before I get into this review, there is a story behind my reading experience of this book. Back in the eighth grade, one of my good friends and I stumbled upon this book when it was first published. If you don’t know already, not only is this book a fantastic YA novel, it also has a hidden puzzle on the inside that, if solved, grants the solver 500K dollars IN GOLD. (Now, before you get all excited on me, [1] the puzzle is ridiculously hard, and [2] it’s already been solved by a 25-year-old astrophysicist. Sad, I know.) Naturally, we thought this was our chance. We lived in young adult literature; we would be the ones to solve it. Spoiler alert, this lasted about a whole week and 50 pages into the book before all efforts were lost. At the time of abandonment of the puzzle, we also stopped reading the story, just because continually looking at our failed attempts at winning 500K was too sad to bear.
But fear not! After almost four years of carelessness, I finally read it and adored it. It has been longer than I would care to admit since the last time I read a book with so many layers and different elements. There was action, romance, adventure, mystery, and even a few puzzles featured in this novel. A full cast of characters, epic settings, and an unpredictable series of events brought these elements full circle. Once I powered through the daunting mental blocks, (I’m looking at you, you 460 paged brick) this book made its way onto my usual recommendation list.
One of the most prominent connections I made to this book was through one of the Players, Sarah Alopay. Up until Endgame began, she was a pretty average high school student in Omaha, Nebraska. She is valedictorian of her class, involved in all the high school extracurriculars, and a role model to her classmates. I’m not saying that we are equivalent by any means, but being in the running for the top seat in my high school class and also being very involved sparked an instant relatability with me. It’s not very often that girls like us are at the forefront of these books, and I felt like someone finally understood me with the introduction of Sarah. (And by no means am I hunting deer from miles away and training to save the world on the weekends, but I stay busy nonetheless.) Within this story, I could feel her stress of living a double life and feel almost as if I was living it right beside her the whole way.
To accompany Sarah to The Calling were 11 other Players from different backgrounds, fighting to save their people from the end of the world as they know it. Throughout the story, we get to know every single one of them, which I thought the author did a great job of conveying. It’s not every day that you read a book with 12 main characters, which made this book the exception, not the rule. Every personality had a unique role in the Game, and they all had their own personalities on the page. I thought when I started reading this book I would have a hard time keeping each Player separate in my head as I went along, but after about half the book, it became a complete non-issue.
The action and adventure in this book was something of another level. If you were to take your top five favorite action movies and combine them, they would be no match for Endgame. I’ve read plenty of books with fight scenes, but the combat writing in The Calling blew them all out of the water. Sometimes I run into books that have bouts that are okay but feel more repetitive the longer the book goes. This novel was the opposite of that. Every new skirmish was fresh and exciting and had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. It’s certainly something I would be happy to recommend to every type of person out there.
Overall, this book has something for everyone. Once you look past the mind-boggling puzzle and the number of pages (don’t act like you don’t check...we all do it) it’s sure to soar to the top of your favorites list.
As she conquers the mountain she calls her TBR Pile,
Ashton
But fear not! After almost four years of carelessness, I finally read it and adored it. It has been longer than I would care to admit since the last time I read a book with so many layers and different elements. There was action, romance, adventure, mystery, and even a few puzzles featured in this novel. A full cast of characters, epic settings, and an unpredictable series of events brought these elements full circle. Once I powered through the daunting mental blocks, (I’m looking at you, you 460 paged brick) this book made its way onto my usual recommendation list.
One of the most prominent connections I made to this book was through one of the Players, Sarah Alopay. Up until Endgame began, she was a pretty average high school student in Omaha, Nebraska. She is valedictorian of her class, involved in all the high school extracurriculars, and a role model to her classmates. I’m not saying that we are equivalent by any means, but being in the running for the top seat in my high school class and also being very involved sparked an instant relatability with me. It’s not very often that girls like us are at the forefront of these books, and I felt like someone finally understood me with the introduction of Sarah. (And by no means am I hunting deer from miles away and training to save the world on the weekends, but I stay busy nonetheless.) Within this story, I could feel her stress of living a double life and feel almost as if I was living it right beside her the whole way.
To accompany Sarah to The Calling were 11 other Players from different backgrounds, fighting to save their people from the end of the world as they know it. Throughout the story, we get to know every single one of them, which I thought the author did a great job of conveying. It’s not every day that you read a book with 12 main characters, which made this book the exception, not the rule. Every personality had a unique role in the Game, and they all had their own personalities on the page. I thought when I started reading this book I would have a hard time keeping each Player separate in my head as I went along, but after about half the book, it became a complete non-issue.
The action and adventure in this book was something of another level. If you were to take your top five favorite action movies and combine them, they would be no match for Endgame. I’ve read plenty of books with fight scenes, but the combat writing in The Calling blew them all out of the water. Sometimes I run into books that have bouts that are okay but feel more repetitive the longer the book goes. This novel was the opposite of that. Every new skirmish was fresh and exciting and had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. It’s certainly something I would be happy to recommend to every type of person out there.
Overall, this book has something for everyone. Once you look past the mind-boggling puzzle and the number of pages (don’t act like you don’t check...we all do it) it’s sure to soar to the top of your favorites list.
As she conquers the mountain she calls her TBR Pile,
Ashton
This was a RIDE. In my opinion is The Hunger Games meets sci-fi.
The writing is so bold with its short sentences but it got a little confusing especially in the beginning. It's so descriptive in it's own way that makes the book even more compeling.
This has such an interesting and diverse cast. And because is told in all of their perspectives you don't know who will win or if anybody wins at all. You can't even trust in the characters because you don't know how far they'd go to win Endgame.
This book takes you around the world from America to China to Italy, and it's so well crafted. You learn about different locations that are confusing and inexplicable to humanity (Stonehenge, the Terracotta Army, etc.) in the book's storyline. And I liked those little twists that the author gave.
The relations between all the players are so untrustworthy that it's fascinating.
It was certainly an interesting read and I recommend it to who is into games and sci-fi.
The writing is so bold with its short sentences but it got a little confusing especially in the beginning. It's so descriptive in it's own way that makes the book even more compeling.
This has such an interesting and diverse cast. And because is told in all of their perspectives you don't know who will win or if anybody wins at all. You can't even trust in the characters because you don't know how far they'd go to win Endgame.
This book takes you around the world from America to China to Italy, and it's so well crafted. You learn about different locations that are confusing and inexplicable to humanity (Stonehenge, the Terracotta Army, etc.) in the book's storyline. And I liked those little twists that the author gave.
The relations between all the players are so untrustworthy that it's fascinating.
It was certainly an interesting read and I recommend it to who is into games and sci-fi.
Actual rating: 4.5*
I received this book for free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In Endgame, twelve ancient tribes have had a Player for thousands of years in each generation. They are just waiting for the Endgame to begin when humanity has strained the earth too much. Only one of the twelve Players can survive Endgame, and the time for Endgame has come.
I was apprehensive about this book in the beginning, but when I got the opportunity to read it for free in exchange for an honest review, I took the chance because I was also very curious. It sounded all so Hunger Games to me and I was afraid it would feel exactly the same, but it didn't. It was something completely different, but something amazing.
Firstly, the writing style. I really enjoyed the way it was written in third-person present tense and mostly very short sentences. It read very fluently and quickly that way and seemed much more exciting.
Secondly, the characters. Not a single one of the Players seemed flat or boring to me. They all have their own story, their own thoughts about Endgame, and their own personality. Of course I had favourites, but overall I was just enjoying how different they all were and how interesting.
Thirdly, the plot. I was so invested in the story after just about 4 % of the book, it's ridiculous. I could hardly stop reading and I am so excited about hearing more of the story.
I received this book for free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In Endgame, twelve ancient tribes have had a Player for thousands of years in each generation. They are just waiting for the Endgame to begin when humanity has strained the earth too much. Only one of the twelve Players can survive Endgame, and the time for Endgame has come.
I was apprehensive about this book in the beginning, but when I got the opportunity to read it for free in exchange for an honest review, I took the chance because I was also very curious. It sounded all so Hunger Games to me and I was afraid it would feel exactly the same, but it didn't. It was something completely different, but something amazing.
Firstly, the writing style. I really enjoyed the way it was written in third-person present tense and mostly very short sentences. It read very fluently and quickly that way and seemed much more exciting.
Secondly, the characters. Not a single one of the Players seemed flat or boring to me. They all have their own story, their own thoughts about Endgame, and their own personality. Of course I had favourites, but overall I was just enjoying how different they all were and how interesting.
Thirdly, the plot. I was so invested in the story after just about 4 % of the book, it's ridiculous. I could hardly stop reading and I am so excited about hearing more of the story.