Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

The premise of this really drew me in, but I had a hard time getting invested into the story. The characters felt relatively surface level, and the resolution to a lot of the "drama" felt convenient. There were some scenes that really were great, but a lot of them kind of just dragged. ( )

This was a great book! When I saw that this book was described as a Japanese-inspired Jumanji, I knew that I had to get my hands on it. I was hooked by this story right away and found myself trying to carve out extra reading time in my day just to get back to the book a little faster. I loved the fact that the story was brutal at times and the setting was incredibly unique.

Madeline, Emerson, Owen, Dax, and Ian were best friends until things went horribly wrong during a game that left Ian missing and presumed dead. They are brought together again four years later after they see a vision of their lost friend. Realizing their friend may not be dead, they go back to the place where they lost him and are thrust back into a game that is more dangerous than they could ever imagine.

The story is told from 4 main points of view and I loved getting to see things from each of the main character’s perspectives. The odds were definitely stacked against this group of characters since the world they found themselves in was horrific at times. I was impressed by the fact that there were some pretty big surprises worked into this story that I did not see coming. It was great seeing the relationships between these characters strengthen over the course of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I was captivated by this entertaining novel with great characters and a perfectly creepy tone. I felt like the Japanese folklore added a wonderful element to this story. I hope to read more of this author’s work very soon.

I received a review copy of this book from Tor Teen. ( )

Four years ago Maddy, Emerson, Oliver, Dax, and Ian went exploring in a nearby cave. Only four of them came out.

Now, the four survivors are being visited by Ian's ghost telling them they must finish what they started. So Maddy, Emerson, Oliver, and Dax head back to the beginning in what turns out to be a high stakes, game in an alternate dimension known as Meido. Once the four are pulled in, they must play until the end or risk winding up caught in the game just like Ian.

I wasn't quite prepared for what this story ended up turning into. It started out like an eerie, creepy ghost story. I thought it was perfect as we get into the Fall time of year with Halloween on the horizon.

But when we get into the story, it felt like a send up of Jumanji with Japanese Folklore. I know going back and reading the synopsis (which I honestly hadn't done since I first heard about the book) it's pretty clearly laid out. Still, it was a surprise for me. I almost wish we had stayed in the creepy realm a little bit but when putting it into a context of a game, I wasn't as shocked or surprised by the various twists and turns. Maybe there would have been more benefit in keeping the true nature of expectation a mystery for a while until the quartet is truly ensconced within Meido a bit more. Because as it stands it's as though there's an early objective, and that is to get the characters back to Meido in any way shape or form. For me, this clearly causes issues with some of the plot threads. A lot of chance, a lot of happenstance. A lot of kind of turning a blind eye to the aspects that don't add up because that's just the way things need to be in order for the story to progress.

I felt from the onset that we, the readers, are dropped in the middle of the story. There's very little initial exposition given as to what happened four years ago and how that moment has gotten our characters to where we see them in the beginning. Instead that past information is built up through flashbacks and ruminations. I think this was smart because it really sets a fast pace which easily pulls you into the story. Plus, once we know the full extent of what happened then, for me, I was able to piece together a little bit more that's actually revealed as a twist down the line.

I liked that each character is so distinctly themselves and we're kind of seeing how each has been impacted by Ian's disappearance. Maddy threw herself into the swim team, Emerson quit school and sits at home gaming from sun-up until sundown. Oliver decided to make himself as popular as possible by joining the theater club at school so everyone knows his face. Dax also dropped out and spends most of his time playing his music in the coffeeshop - also the group's former hangout.

Their relationships with each other are so central to everything that happens and everything that happened. The impact wouldn't be felt as much if these were random kids all finding themselves stuck in Meido. It means something that they are together and it means something that they used to be friends and Meido has essentially broken them all up. Their connection and trust will be what gets them through or also potentially what condemns them all.

The atmosphere is hectic throughout and I feel like sometimes this makes the story difficult to visualize while reading. Even with all of that, however, the four main characters are like anchors keeping the story, for all intents and purposes, grounded. The chapters switch points of view between Maddy, Emerson, Oliver, and Dax.

There were moments I was surprised by the choice of viewpoint for certain sections because often those characters wouldn't be the main focus. I found this a lot with Emerson and Maddy's sections early on. For example, you would think Maddy being the main viewpoint she would have the most action during that chapter, but then things would be more focused on Emerson and I would wonder why we weren't getting her perspective instead, it felt a bit muddied sometimes like maybe those were edits made at one point but not everything caught up.

This story is definitely setup as more-to-come. That becomes clearer as you get toward the end and realize that unless Kristen Simmons wants to leave a lot of open threads on purpose, then there is going to be follow-up. I feel both ways about it. The true ending is so tantalizing for what could come next, but I'm also often a fan of a single story even when not everything is tied up with a bow. Don't get me wrong, I will most definitely be picking up the next book.

If you're looking for a book to reading leading into the new season, I think this is a perfect place to start.