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A review by booksonthecouch
These Deadly Games by Diana Urban
3.0
Crystal and her friends are preparing for an esports tournament that might result in life-changing award money when her sister is kidnapped. The kidnapper engages Crystal in a “game,” which Crystal quickly realizes that everything she’s been asked to do is designed to hurt or kill her friends. Crystal is faced with a difficult choice: save her friends and risk her sister’s life, or lose everything to save her sister?
Urban’s sophomore novel is fast-paced, twisty, and dark. Though I often struggle with a premise where the villain threatens harm if the victim involves the police or seeks help otherwise, the way technology was used here helped me to suspend my disbelief here. And then I was along for the ride for sure.
Without giving anything away, I enjoyed the factors that influenced Crystal’s decision making, the impact of the past, and the involvement of esports. The pacing made this hard to put down, and though I predicted some of the twists, it didn't impact my enjoyment of the novel.
Though I do think that this sometimes veered into less-than-believable territory, likely won’t be a book that sticks with me long-term, and may not be the best fit for people who read a good amount of YA thrillers, I certainly enjoyed it while I was reading it. I look forward to picking up other books by Urban in the future.
3.5 stars rounded to 4.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC to review. All opinions are my own.
Urban’s sophomore novel is fast-paced, twisty, and dark. Though I often struggle with a premise where the villain threatens harm if the victim involves the police or seeks help otherwise, the way technology was used here helped me to suspend my disbelief here. And then I was along for the ride for sure.
Without giving anything away, I enjoyed the factors that influenced Crystal’s decision making, the impact of the past, and the involvement of esports. The pacing made this hard to put down, and though I predicted some of the twists, it didn't impact my enjoyment of the novel.
Though I do think that this sometimes veered into less-than-believable territory, likely won’t be a book that sticks with me long-term, and may not be the best fit for people who read a good amount of YA thrillers, I certainly enjoyed it while I was reading it. I look forward to picking up other books by Urban in the future.
3.5 stars rounded to 4.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC to review. All opinions are my own.