We’re onto the second to last sampler I got from YALC and another book that sounds right up my alley. I love video games though I’ve not got the money for VR and a thriller involving those sorts of things? Yeah, I’m definitely about that.
This book is being published by Bloomsbury and is due on the 13th of April 2023. It’s one I’ll definitely be preordering and reading pretty soon after I get it.
These samplers don’t have a summary on the back, so as I type this up, this is the first time I’ve read this book. But this book follows Veronica as she wakes up trapped with four strangers in a VR world. They’ve all been brought into The Game, a black market competition where they could win millions if they’re the first to solve a murder mystery. But when strange things start happening, and the players themselves start to die in both the game and the real world, Veronica has to decide whether to solve the mystery or whether she wants to win the game.
Hoo boy, this book was comped to One of Us is Lying and Squid Game on the cover, but those weren’t the things I thought of whilst reading this. To me, it’s more Sword Art Online crossed with the Escape Room films and Danganronpa. Holy hell, this book sounds like it could be so damn good when I think about that.
The sampler doesn’t get very far into the game. In fact, even though they get into the game world and see the rules explained. You don’t really see anything happen just the world where the story is set. There’s a hint of the strangeness to come, but I’m still very intrigued to see what’s going to happen. What other weird things are going to happen?
Do I like many of the characters yet? Not hugely. I’m fascinated by Angel, but they clearly aren’t someone to be trusted. They’re a moderator of the game, after all. I’m obviously rooting for Veronica, and I’m curious as to why she doesn’t play VR. There are hints there was something in her past, but her lack of knowledge of gaming terms kinda suggests that she’s never really gamed. So I don’t know. But I want to know why.
I ate this sampler up even though even 50 pages has been a struggle for me to read in one go recently. Even with books that I’ve loved. So you can tell how desperate I am to read this book.
It’s definitely one that I need to pick up ASAP ahhhhhh.
Lace and Dagger Books 