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cscaleb_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
krytygr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Cool concept but Crystal pissed me off. She could’ve easily solved her issue if she had just stopped for a second and thought it through. She was so caught up in her own head that she couldn’t see it for what it was.
whitneymouse's review against another edition
3.0
**Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday/St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my rating**
This is my first finished book in 2022 that wasn't a rollover. I was feeling really bummed after finishing China Room (capital D depressing) and thought back to All Your Twisted Secrets and how fun and twisty that book was. I can't say I liked this one nearly as much, but there are elements I liked.
To begin with, I really liked Crystal. I, too, have a younger sister (not as big of a difference between Crystal and Caelyn), so I relate to wanting to do whatever I could to protect her as an older sister when we were younger. She's put between a rock and a hard place as she's forced to play horrific games that will hurt her friends if she goes along with it, but will kill her sister if she doesn't. You really feel her emotions as she's forced to pick sides and is gaslit into thinking maybe she misremembered something or is remembering inaccurately. This makes her an interesting POV character. The friends weren't super fully fleshed out, so I won't really delve into them. I think there are a lot of aspects that could have been explored more thoroughly (Crystal's relationship with her dad, the dynamics between the group, etc.). Just like AYTS, Urban's writing and clues give you pause while you try to parse them out.
That said, I had narrowed it down to two characters early on in the book and had figured out who the person was behind the games by 15% of the way in. Less than 100 pages. So that took some of the fun out and left me wondering how this would be revealed more than it left me wondering "whodunnit". I'm not a super huge Thriller reader, so if I figured it out, it was probably too easy. The twist in AYTS genuinely took me by surprise, so this one was a let down when it was so early on. Figuring that out also lead to some pacing issues in the middle for me, where I was starting to feel like there really was no way it could get any higher stakes and like we should be wrapping up about 50% of the way in. I did enjoy the second half more, but it still left some weird pacing for me.
I would read another of Urban's books as I do enjoy her writing and her debut showed me that she's capable of writing things that surprise me. I just didn't like this one as much. I'm chalking that up to the easy identity of the person behind the games and personal preference. I'm sure there are many readers who will like this and have fun figuring it out.
3.5 stars
This is my first finished book in 2022 that wasn't a rollover. I was feeling really bummed after finishing China Room (capital D depressing) and thought back to All Your Twisted Secrets and how fun and twisty that book was. I can't say I liked this one nearly as much, but there are elements I liked.
To begin with, I really liked Crystal. I, too, have a younger sister (not as big of a difference between Crystal and Caelyn), so I relate to wanting to do whatever I could to protect her as an older sister when we were younger. She's put between a rock and a hard place as she's forced to play horrific games that will hurt her friends if she goes along with it, but will kill her sister if she doesn't. You really feel her emotions as she's forced to pick sides and is gaslit into thinking maybe she misremembered something or is remembering inaccurately. This makes her an interesting POV character. The friends weren't super fully fleshed out, so I won't really delve into them. I think there are a lot of aspects that could have been explored more thoroughly (Crystal's relationship with her dad, the dynamics between the group, etc.). Just like AYTS, Urban's writing and clues give you pause while you try to parse them out.
That said, I had narrowed it down to two characters early on in the book and had figured out who the person was behind the games by 15% of the way in. Less than 100 pages. So that took some of the fun out and left me wondering how this would be revealed more than it left me wondering "whodunnit". I'm not a super huge Thriller reader, so if I figured it out, it was probably too easy. The twist in AYTS genuinely took me by surprise, so this one was a let down when it was so early on. Figuring that out also lead to some pacing issues in the middle for me, where I was starting to feel like there really was no way it could get any higher stakes and like we should be wrapping up about 50% of the way in. I did enjoy the second half more, but it still left some weird pacing for me.
I would read another of Urban's books as I do enjoy her writing and her debut showed me that she's capable of writing things that surprise me. I just didn't like this one as much. I'm chalking that up to the easy identity of the person behind the games and personal preference. I'm sure there are many readers who will like this and have fun figuring it out.
3.5 stars
alongreader's review against another edition
4.0
It starts out as a normal day. Crystal and her esports team are training for an upcoming tournament they're determined to win. Shortly after dropping her younger sister off for a school trip, though, Crystal receives a photo; her sister tied and gagged in a chair, clearly terrified. The photo comes with a list of demands, starting simple but escalating quickly into terrifying and life threatening.
Terrified, paranoid and alone, Crystal will need to figure out who's behind this, who she can trust, and whether it has anything to do with the thing that happened five years ago, the thing she and her friends never talk about...
Diana Urban is very much establishing a niche for herself; fast paced thrillers with some kind of game element and plenty of twists. This is her second, and it's every bit as good as her first. The game element is even more obvious here than it was in her first, with Crystal being a gamer and the antagonist taunting her with games and rules all the time. There's even a get out of jail free card.
I did suspect the person it turned out to be, but that's not saying much, because at one point or another I suspected everyone, including Crystal herself! Diana is very skilled at giving the reader just enough information to come to various conclusions without being able to settle on one, although as the novel went on I was increasingly convinced of my guess. Highlight for spoiler: it was the thermos that convinced me.
Now, the down side, and please remember this is just my own, personal opinion; I don't usually like books where the timeline skips back and forwards. I have a hard time keeping things in order when they're not presented to me that way. I did like the flashbacks in this one, but I felt like there was too much set in the past. A lot of it, in my opinion, wasn't necessary. However it was all beautifully written, just like the rest of the story, and I know some readers will really enjoy seeing Crystal and her friends a little younger.
Overall I loved this book, enjoyed trying to figure out whodunnit, and I'll enjoy rereading to see all the hints and clues that I no doubt missed this time around!
Terrified, paranoid and alone, Crystal will need to figure out who's behind this, who she can trust, and whether it has anything to do with the thing that happened five years ago, the thing she and her friends never talk about...
Diana Urban is very much establishing a niche for herself; fast paced thrillers with some kind of game element and plenty of twists. This is her second, and it's every bit as good as her first. The game element is even more obvious here than it was in her first, with Crystal being a gamer and the antagonist taunting her with games and rules all the time. There's even a get out of jail free card.
I did suspect the person it turned out to be, but that's not saying much, because at one point or another I suspected everyone, including Crystal herself! Diana is very skilled at giving the reader just enough information to come to various conclusions without being able to settle on one, although as the novel went on I was increasingly convinced of my guess. Highlight for spoiler: it was the thermos that convinced me.
Now, the down side, and please remember this is just my own, personal opinion; I don't usually like books where the timeline skips back and forwards. I have a hard time keeping things in order when they're not presented to me that way. I did like the flashbacks in this one, but I felt like there was too much set in the past. A lot of it, in my opinion, wasn't necessary. However it was all beautifully written, just like the rest of the story, and I know some readers will really enjoy seeing Crystal and her friends a little younger.
Overall I loved this book, enjoyed trying to figure out whodunnit, and I'll enjoy rereading to see all the hints and clues that I no doubt missed this time around!
blackthorn2221's review against another edition
1.0
This book sucked. It was all I can do this myself. Oh no my sister is kidnapped and being tortured but I'm kind of turned on by how smart the kidnapper is. Also at the end she ended up not feeling guilty about hurting her best friend and killing another one all because she was being forced to do it so it wasnt her fault. This book annoyed me so much...
sebinsangel's review against another edition
4.0
I feel like I have so many thoughts to organize after reading this one. To be honest it has been some time since I read something defined as a thriller/mystery so I was going in to this with very empty expectations, since I can't remember the last time I read something like this to base any expectations off of. I am going to do my best to summarize my thoughts without giving any spoiler though, as it is a mystery, and to be honest I didn't figure out who the culprit was until shortly before our main character did herself. Although I did have an ever growing list!
My full review can be found at Seoulless Readers if you want to check it out!
My full review can be found at Seoulless Readers if you want to check it out!
caitlin_lore's review against another edition
4.0
Is it just me, or are YA thrillers exactly the comfort read we all need right now?? There’s something about being pulled into a thriller that lets me forget about the world for a second & the newest from Diana Urban, THESE DEADLY GAMES, is no exception.
Crystal Donovan has 24 hours to play a game & win, otherwise her younger sister dies. The game starts off simple: a request via an app to swipe a test then bake some brownies. But as the game continues, Crystal realizes each task is targeting her friends, one by one.
Soon enough, the small requests turn deadly asking Crystal to choose between her sister and her friends…because in this game, someone has to die.
THESE DEADLY GAMES is Urban’s sophomore novel & just as thrilling as the first. I found myself absorbed in the story, unable to put it down because I just had to know why. While I did figure out who was running the game early on in the story, I loved that Urban weaves so many red herrings throughout, constantly making the reader doubt their own theories. It makes for a great whydunnit.
There was a tiny part of adult me that wasn’t sure the premise of the story was believable, but the psychological aspect of the novel is on point. Urban’s understanding of the human psyche digs into the heart of the characters & makes for a thrilling read as she alternates between the past & the present.
It’s out tomorrow, & if you’re a thriller lover, then this is one book you’ll want to pick up. I already know this will be a popular one in my classroom.
Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.
Crystal Donovan has 24 hours to play a game & win, otherwise her younger sister dies. The game starts off simple: a request via an app to swipe a test then bake some brownies. But as the game continues, Crystal realizes each task is targeting her friends, one by one.
Soon enough, the small requests turn deadly asking Crystal to choose between her sister and her friends…because in this game, someone has to die.
THESE DEADLY GAMES is Urban’s sophomore novel & just as thrilling as the first. I found myself absorbed in the story, unable to put it down because I just had to know why. While I did figure out who was running the game early on in the story, I loved that Urban weaves so many red herrings throughout, constantly making the reader doubt their own theories. It makes for a great whydunnit.
There was a tiny part of adult me that wasn’t sure the premise of the story was believable, but the psychological aspect of the novel is on point. Urban’s understanding of the human psyche digs into the heart of the characters & makes for a thrilling read as she alternates between the past & the present.
It’s out tomorrow, & if you’re a thriller lover, then this is one book you’ll want to pick up. I already know this will be a popular one in my classroom.
Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Nerve in this YA thriller releasing next week.
peneloperea's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing the arc of These Deadly Games by Diana Urban in exchange for my honest review.
What would you do if you had to play horrible games for 24 hours, that hurt the people around you, all to save your little sister's life? Would you do it? In These Deadly Games, high schooler Crystal Donavan is forced into a lose-lose situation that will hurt everyone around her and drag all their secrets out into the open.
I had a very tough time with this book because the protagonist, Crystal is tough to like throughout most of the story and the surrounding characters are not fleshed out enough to make connections with. It is obvious that Crystal is struggling, I mean she’s sixteen and is put in a situation most adults wouldn’t know how to handle. And she’s sixteen, life sucks as a sixteen-year-old girl. I wanted to love this so much but I couldn’t stay attached. I found myself rolling my eyes and sighing too much to give this a rave review.
All that said, there’s a lot to like. There are several plot twists, some are solved quickly, others leave you questioning everything you know. You never know who to trust. The story is fast-paced and suspenseful. For most of the story, I had no clue where it was taking place, which I found odd. I wanted to picture the locations better, but I couldn’t figure out where to place them, which I personal frustration, something I’m sure most people won’t care about.
Readers who enjoy young adult thrillers with a double shot of gaming will enjoy this one. I have a couple of nieces who would devour it and I’ll recommend it to them. It just wasn’t right for me.
What would you do if you had to play horrible games for 24 hours, that hurt the people around you, all to save your little sister's life? Would you do it? In These Deadly Games, high schooler Crystal Donavan is forced into a lose-lose situation that will hurt everyone around her and drag all their secrets out into the open.
I had a very tough time with this book because the protagonist, Crystal is tough to like throughout most of the story and the surrounding characters are not fleshed out enough to make connections with. It is obvious that Crystal is struggling, I mean she’s sixteen and is put in a situation most adults wouldn’t know how to handle. And she’s sixteen, life sucks as a sixteen-year-old girl. I wanted to love this so much but I couldn’t stay attached. I found myself rolling my eyes and sighing too much to give this a rave review.
All that said, there’s a lot to like. There are several plot twists, some are solved quickly, others leave you questioning everything you know. You never know who to trust. The story is fast-paced and suspenseful. For most of the story, I had no clue where it was taking place, which I found odd. I wanted to picture the locations better, but I couldn’t figure out where to place them, which I personal frustration, something I’m sure most people won’t care about.
Readers who enjoy young adult thrillers with a double shot of gaming will enjoy this one. I have a couple of nieces who would devour it and I’ll recommend it to them. It just wasn’t right for me.