This is definitely one of those books you read in a single day (and preferably at the beach): short chapters, relentless action, a constant switching of perspectives to keep things interesting, and loads of hair-raising tension mixed with brutal violence. The premise is compelling (hundreds of unwitting guests unwillingly placed in a death match game versus a gang of bloodthirsty maniacs), and I'm pleased to report the author pulls it off with all the pulse-pounding suspense and brutal kill scenes that you'd hope for.

It felt like a beautiful mashup of Battle Royale, Cabin in the Woods, and Dead by Daylight. I like that the killers each had their own "persona" they adopted when the game started, making them seem like boss battles in a video game. I also like that we got chapters from the perspectives of the guys running the game, as well as a host of other characters. And the genre shift in the final act is just wonderful. I know Tim writes in a variety of horror genres, but for some reason I just knew this was going to go into cult/cosmic horror territory (one of his specialties). No more spoilers, but it does and it's GOOD.

I couldn't get enough of this book. I also thought it was really interesting the way it was constructed. From what I understand Tim wrote it in pieces for his Patreon as a sort of a choose-your-own-adventure, meaning he would stop along the way and give various options and his fans would vote on how the story should progress. I love this type of interactive story telling, and I think it would be cool to see more stuff like it. ( )

What could be better than winning an all inclusive trip to an exclusive resort? It's the chance of a lifetime, especially if your life is over once you get there. The Harper family is about to find out that what sounds too good to be true probably is. What starts as a relaxing way to unwind and get away from it all leads to being trapped and hunted in the middle of nowhere with no way to call for help.

The owner of this lush tropical paradise has lured these unsuspecting vacationers to play a part in his twisted game. The more violent the death, the better for his diabolical plan. It's a bloody, gory, free for all, with lots of suspense and fast paced edge of your seat action. More than just a slasher type horror there is a hell of a twist into something even more dark and disturbing. Be careful which characters you get too attached to because you just never know who will survive to the heart stopping end.
5 out of 5 stars ( )