Published by Viking Genres: Fiction, Mystery, young adult
Format: ARC
A survivalist reality program that turns deadly sounded right up my alley! I went into this book with high hopes as I have enjoyed several of the author’s other books. Sadly, this one wasn’t quite as enjoyable for me as the others were. This is geared for the YA audience so keep that in mind when picking up this book.
Mercy Gray is part of a group of survivors who have been invited to participate in a reality survival program. She survived a mall shooting a few years ago, and agrees to participate hoping that if she wins, she can pay off her HUGE medical debt. Others will join in her a program dreamed up by a billionaire turned tv host.
When they arrive and become acquainted, things take a turn fast! Soon one of them will be dead and others will follow as the game doesn’t appear to be working, and no one knows what or who is behind the deaths!
This book was lacking a little bit of the intrigue and gripping mystery of the previous books I have read by this author. I did enjoy the trapped feel in this book, along with some of the tension between the characters. This book quickly becomes a whodunit with characters not knowing who they can trust or how they will escape. Speaking of the characters, some are more fleshed out than others and I had a hard time connecting with them.
YA readers looking for a mystery meets survival story; this might be the book for them. There is some tension and suspense. Unfortunately, it was just ok for me. But that will not stop me from reading more of what Kate Alice Marshall writes. I will just stick with her adult books.
Others did enjoy this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well.
**If you get this book from NetGalley it does have a lot of issues (at least mine did). The version on NetGalley is not a kindle book. It can only be read on the NetGalley App/NetGalley reader. I found it to be very hard to make bookmarks when I needed to put the book down. I also found that it was very touchy and would jump pages in both direction which made reading the ARC very frustrating. I do not like reading books on my phone unless they have a ‘read aloud’ choice. This one did not and made reading this book very frustrating.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
