A review by librarianryan
These Deadly Games by Diana Urban

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 

95% of this book takes place in 24 hours. There is a group of six teenagers who are on an E-sports team, but they need to be down to five. They are having a contest to decide which get to play in next week’s tournament. Big prize money is on the line. However, nothing goes according to plan when Cristal gets a message from a special app on her phone saying play my game or your sister dies. What proceeds is 24 hours of Cristal playing a game of life and death. A game of choosing who is more important, your family or your best friends. This is a thriller that moves quickly. While it is well done it, it’s more of a “why done it" then a “how done it”. Mainly because it’s obvious from the beginning what is bringing about this game. I also think it’s easy to tell who the real dangerous one is. However, it was still a fun read that many teens will find exciting. And while it does not exactly end on a cliffhanger, it does leave itself wide open for a sequel. I really thought this would be much more about a group of people playing a deadly game rather than one person, but it works together well and fits within its tropes decently.