These Deadly Games is an addictive and high-stakes thriller perfect for YA readers.
Synopsis
Crystal Donovan is obsessed with playing MortalDusk with her friends. They have a big gaming tournament coming up in a few days that offers a huge cash prize.
While sitting in class one morning, Crystal receives a video message of her sister bound and gagged with a caption asking if she’s ready to play a game.
The rules are simple. If she calls the police, her sister dies. If she tells anyone, her sister dies. And if she doesn’t play, her sister dies.
At first, Crystal’s tasks seem a bit risky, but as she continues to play, she realizes they could be deadly. Soon, Crystal decides that she needs to outsmart this anonymous kidnapper in order to save her sister and protect her friends.
Review of These Deadly Games
The majority of this YA thriller is fast-paced. I found some parts dragged, but it is mostly an edge-of-your-seat kind of read.
Crystal is a compelling character. Although, I did find myself becoming annoyed slightly with her actions. She tended to get easily distracted. You’d think that her sole focus would be on finding her sister.
Some of the twists were predictable, but I still felt intrigued enough to find out how everything would turn out. And what an ending that was! Very satisfying.
I recommend this to readers who enjoy YA and YA thrillers. Those who primarily read “adult” fiction may find that this reads a little young.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
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Thank you to Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for the arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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