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Killer Game
Abigail
It's our Christmas holiday and Chrissy wants to go to an escape room. Last thing I need right now after the horror that happened at the summer camp. Shortly after completing it, we qualify for another escape room, known as the Killer Game.
It turns deadly and we soon have to struggle to survive. Picking a masked partner is one of the tasks but I find him under a mistletoe. Can I trust him?
Chrissy
I love everything horror and what better way to challenge my mind than an escape room? Poor Abby isn't ready to go and I can't blame her. I can't stop thinking about that scare actor we encountered. Imagine my face when he is one of the masked partners I can pick in this horrible game.
Eli
I have suffered and survived. There are things I can't heal from no matter how many years have passed. A darkness always has been lingering in me and the black of my vessel has been waiting to leak out.
Black is not a color but a stain
Leaking from the moon like rain.
Every choice in the game is life or death. Who would have thought picking a partner would be so important?
It's our Christmas holiday and Chrissy wants to go to an escape room. Last thing I need right now after the horror that happened at the summer camp. Shortly after completing it, we qualify for another escape room, known as the Killer Game.
It turns deadly and we soon have to struggle to survive. Picking a masked partner is one of the tasks but I find him under a mistletoe. Can I trust him?
Chrissy
I love everything horror and what better way to challenge my mind than an escape room? Poor Abby isn't ready to go and I can't blame her. I can't stop thinking about that scare actor we encountered. Imagine my face when he is one of the masked partners I can pick in this horrible game.
Eli
I have suffered and survived. There are things I can't heal from no matter how many years have passed. A darkness always has been lingering in me and the black of my vessel has been waiting to leak out.
Black is not a color but a stain
Leaking from the moon like rain.
Every choice in the game is life or death. Who would have thought picking a partner would be so important?
Unknown Binding
Published December 25, 2024
3 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
January 8, 2025
DNF at 24%
• Forced Proximity
• Deadly Escape Room
• Morally Grey MMC
I really wanted to like this one, but sadly I could not get through it. The potentional is there, but there is a lot of room for improvement. I do think that, with the right editor, this book could have been way better than it was.
There were a lot of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, which had me reread a paragraph on more than one occasion. It simply was not a comfortable read.
There were a few uncomfortable things, like the use of japanese words (‘kawaii’ and ‘yokai’ for example) while it is a fully english book. It felt very out of place and made it kind of awkward. It would have been much better if words like ‘cute’ and ‘demon’ were used.
Abbigail was my least favourite character, but I did really like Crissy, though! The events felt very disjointed, jumping around from one spot in the story to another, as well as giving information with no introduction at all at very random times. I found myself thinking ‘wait, when was that said?!’ a little too often.
The plot idea is very intruiging and creative, but the execution was not there. I just couldn’t finish it.
• Forced Proximity
• Deadly Escape Room
• Morally Grey MMC
I really wanted to like this one, but sadly I could not get through it. The potentional is there, but there is a lot of room for improvement. I do think that, with the right editor, this book could have been way better than it was.
There were a lot of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, which had me reread a paragraph on more than one occasion. It simply was not a comfortable read.
There were a few uncomfortable things, like the use of japanese words (‘kawaii’ and ‘yokai’ for example) while it is a fully english book. It felt very out of place and made it kind of awkward. It would have been much better if words like ‘cute’ and ‘demon’ were used.
Abbigail was my least favourite character, but I did really like Crissy, though! The events felt very disjointed, jumping around from one spot in the story to another, as well as giving information with no introduction at all at very random times. I found myself thinking ‘wait, when was that said?!’ a little too often.
The plot idea is very intruiging and creative, but the execution was not there. I just couldn’t finish it.
September 29, 2025
I honestly really liked this. It's about two friends that sign up for an escape room, but have no idea what they're truly signing up for. I love escape rooms and haunted houses and I feel like this was a mix of both. There's forced proximity, morally grey men, and deadly escape rooms. I really started to like the main characters, so I hope the next book tells us more about them. Also, i'm dying to know what happens next, because there's questions left unanswered at the end of the book, about a few different things. I think this was an amazing idea for a book and i'm thankful to have received an ARC copy! I can't wait for the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2025
When I came across this book, it sounded so much fun. I love playing escape room/puzzle games, I like reading stories (either fanfics or books) about slashers, and I love some dark romance killer content. This book sounded pretty great.
I can tell you this: Reading this book felt as if I was watching one of my friends play his slasher-inspired games (like 'Death By Daylight', the 'Friday the 13th' video game, and so on). I talked to the characters inside the book just like how I always comment on all his decisions. It made reading this book a truly fun experience. But also besides that added fun, I really think it's a good plot. I wished there was a little more context toward the escape room and the whole "solving the puzzles to escape" thing, but the sexy killers part was very good.
It also had a lot of mystery, action, bloody killer sprees, and so many other elements that made it all so much fun to read.
I do still have some questions about things, so I might read it again soon to see if I maybe missed something. Or who knows, maybe there will be even more content about these characters in the future? I certainly hope so!
I got this book as an arc, thanks to the author for the chance! I had a really fun time reading it, and I definitely recommend everyone reading this review to check it out for yourself!
If you like to read about more books I liked, check out my Goodreads profile. I also sometimes post reviews on Instagram and talk about bookish stuff on Threads.
I can tell you this: Reading this book felt as if I was watching one of my friends play his slasher-inspired games (like 'Death By Daylight', the 'Friday the 13th' video game, and so on). I talked to the characters inside the book just like how I always comment on all his decisions. It made reading this book a truly fun experience. But also besides that added fun, I really think it's a good plot. I wished there was a little more context toward the escape room and the whole "solving the puzzles to escape" thing, but the sexy killers part was very good.
It also had a lot of mystery, action, bloody killer sprees, and so many other elements that made it all so much fun to read.
I do still have some questions about things, so I might read it again soon to see if I maybe missed something. Or who knows, maybe there will be even more content about these characters in the future? I certainly hope so!
I got this book as an arc, thanks to the author for the chance! I had a really fun time reading it, and I definitely recommend everyone reading this review to check it out for yourself!
If you like to read about more books I liked, check out my Goodreads profile. I also sometimes post reviews on Instagram and talk about bookish stuff on Threads.
January 4, 2025
Just finished reading, Killer Game. This story was about two girls who want to do something fun over the holidays so they sign up for an escape room, but this escape room is not just about escaping but quite literally about surviving. I felt like maybe English wasn't the first language for the author of this book, because a lot of the writing was choppy and some words didn't make sense with how they were being used in sentences as if things maybe got lost in translation or something. At times it was hard to follow and understand what the author was trying to get across to the reader. I also felt it needed some more backstory for the girls, as well as I felt it ended abruptly while I still had many questions that needed answered. The idea for this story was fantastic, but the story itself definitely needed some help and editing so it flowed smoother and made sense to the reader. This story has the bones to be a really great book, it just needs a little help getting there. 💚📚
Thank you to the author and to the publisher for this ARC of Killer Game, in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author and to the publisher for this ARC of Killer Game, in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2025
DNF at 25%
Couldn't go any further
Couldn't go any further
December 27, 2024
Stars: 3.5/5 (rounded up)
Spice: 2.5/5
This book offers a compelling, layered exploration of its characters, even though it had a few bumps along the way. Initially, I wasn’t a fan of Abby, but by the end, I found her journey of growth and resilience to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the story. Chrissy, on the other hand, starts off seemingly confident, only for her vulnerabilities to slowly emerge, especially in her interactions with Aziza. I really appreciated how Emily wrote the male characters - each one layered with complexity and unexpected depth. Jackson was a standout, though I wished we could have seen his perspective to better understand his character. While Eli’s POV felt somewhat disconnected from the main narrative, and the ending left me a bit confused with lingering questions, the overall concept and character development kept me hooked. Given these questions, I am curious to see if this is the last we see of these characters, or if there is more coming.
Tropes Include:
- Forced Proximity
- Multi - POV
- Deadly Games
- Work Together or 💀
Spice: 2.5/5
This book offers a compelling, layered exploration of its characters, even though it had a few bumps along the way. Initially, I wasn’t a fan of Abby, but by the end, I found her journey of growth and resilience to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the story. Chrissy, on the other hand, starts off seemingly confident, only for her vulnerabilities to slowly emerge, especially in her interactions with Aziza. I really appreciated how Emily wrote the male characters - each one layered with complexity and unexpected depth. Jackson was a standout, though I wished we could have seen his perspective to better understand his character. While Eli’s POV felt somewhat disconnected from the main narrative, and the ending left me a bit confused with lingering questions, the overall concept and character development kept me hooked. Given these questions, I am curious to see if this is the last we see of these characters, or if there is more coming.
Tropes Include:
- Forced Proximity
- Multi - POV
- Deadly Games
- Work Together or 💀
December 29, 2024
*ARC review*
First I want to say how thankful I am to be apart of this and got to read this as a ARC.
At first I was like ehhhh I think this book is really going to suck and not sure if I can finish it…. But then it slowly gets better and you can see the growth of writing and characters. It goes from a regular escape room to bam now your trying to fight for you life in a new escape room and where will you end up?
This book was worth the read and I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks of it once it is released.
Only giving 4 stars because I felt the story was cut short for how well it was becoming at the end.
I feel like I need more of Abby, Jackson, Chrissy, Az(I gave him a nickname bc I didn’t like his name, lol) & where the hell did Sam come from????
First I want to say how thankful I am to be apart of this and got to read this as a ARC.
At first I was like ehhhh I think this book is really going to suck and not sure if I can finish it…. But then it slowly gets better and you can see the growth of writing and characters. It goes from a regular escape room to bam now your trying to fight for you life in a new escape room and where will you end up?
This book was worth the read and I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks of it once it is released.
Only giving 4 stars because I felt the story was cut short for how well it was becoming at the end.
I feel like I need more of Abby, Jackson, Chrissy, Az(I gave him a nickname bc I didn’t like his name, lol) & where the hell did Sam come from????
December 27, 2024
Escape room? Normal right..... WRONG SO SO WRONG!!!!! They must pick a random masked partner that's under the mistletoe..... They have to rely on instinct and hope they picked the right one..... I don't like Chrissy at all she seems like she's the friend who wants and gets what she wants and because of her they are now stuck in this game of life and death. Abigail has a traumatic past that deals with death already and I think she needs a bigger backbone then the one she has. Eli makes me believe he was a experiment maybe? He's not normal maybe not humans...... Jackson seems to be wholesome and just wanting out of the game as much as Abigail does.
December 28, 2024
You beat an escape room and now you’ve been accepted to an invitation only escape room. Follow the point of view of 3 characters in this deadly escape room - Killer Game.
I really liked Abby, especially as the book progressed and seeing how her character grew. Chrissy her BFF was annoying and snotty. Abby really needs a new friend 😂 Eli is a very strange character and the ending left me with some questions about who/what he is exactly.
Overall, a good read and I kept wanting to know what happens next and what the next escape challenge would be. Is there an opportunity for a second book, especially with Abby and her Killer Game partner?
I really liked Abby, especially as the book progressed and seeing how her character grew. Chrissy her BFF was annoying and snotty. Abby really needs a new friend 😂 Eli is a very strange character and the ending left me with some questions about who/what he is exactly.
Overall, a good read and I kept wanting to know what happens next and what the next escape challenge would be. Is there an opportunity for a second book, especially with Abby and her Killer Game partner?
January 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Who would have thought an escape room could lead to this?! Heart pounding. Mysterious. Thrilling. Killer Game was unlike anything I’ve read before. I absolutely loved this book! A killer escape room with multiple twists and turns throughout the book. It also consists of multiple POVs which I love. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved hearing different thoughts and perspectives of Abigail, Chrissy, and Eli. I’m hoping we get another book because this one left me with some rather chilling questions.
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Who would have thought an escape room could lead to this?! Heart pounding. Mysterious. Thrilling. Killer Game was unlike anything I’ve read before. I absolutely loved this book! A killer escape room with multiple twists and turns throughout the book. It also consists of multiple POVs which I love. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved hearing different thoughts and perspectives of Abigail, Chrissy, and Eli. I’m hoping we get another book because this one left me with some rather chilling questions.
Read
January 23, 2025Unfortunately I DNF this book. (Around 35%)
It had great potential, it’s a unique book & could have been a really awesome book, but it did fall short.
It felt very disjointed, jumping all over the place between characters, time & not offering much back story for the reader to be able to follow the story.
With a great editor & some awesome alpha/ beta readers, this could be a huge success. The concept, the plot, has great potential.
As it sits, I couldn’t get through it.
It had great potential, it’s a unique book & could have been a really awesome book, but it did fall short.
It felt very disjointed, jumping all over the place between characters, time & not offering much back story for the reader to be able to follow the story.
With a great editor & some awesome alpha/ beta readers, this could be a huge success. The concept, the plot, has great potential.
As it sits, I couldn’t get through it.
January 15, 2025
I DNFed. The storyline was a solid idea but the writing was off. I couldn’t hook into the story like I wanted to
February 14, 2025
"What's going on? This was supposed to be a game."
"It's always a game until you find out it's real."
This is the perfect book to read during Halloween or Christmas holidays. I recommend it if you're searching for "Slashed" vibes.
Abbie and Chrissy are best friends. The latter decides to sign up, both of them, for an escape room for Christmas. They win and they get to participate to "Killer game", a terrifying game. They will soon discover it's not a game as they thought, but a fight for survival.
Abbie and Chrissy are opposites:
Abbie hates horror, she's a type of girl who loves pink and kawaii things. She's a quiet and fragile girl. I preferred Chrissy, more extrovert and determined in dealing with situations.
Even the couples: I loved Chrissy and Aziza, their relationship was a vortex of passion. I think they were my fav couple. He has had a deep obsession for her since the first moment they met and I liked it a lot. Elias and Daphne, a sick, dominant and overwhelming love. We can see the dark sides of this love, even if we don't really know how it was born. Abbie and Jackson, the type of love who grows slowly and hesitant.
Every guy is haunted, broken, but what did happen? What did the "scientists" do to break them physically and mentally? For all we know, horrible things. For all we know, horrible things... Tortures. They all share the trait of panicking in certain situations. It's like they've got a sort of trigger or deja vu in their brain.
Daphne seems heartless, dominant but sweet and caring for Elias.
In general, this kind of books are short novels, but I didn't mind the length of this book. I think it's a good book, with a good potential. The writing isn't too easy, but I think there could be a work of editing to make everything more fluid. Even for the characters, to deepen their personalities, their lives, to explain their traumas.
Some things needed to be explained better, mostly because of the mistery and paranormal parts. The character we know everything and nothing at the same time is Elias. We discover a piece of his life, before he becomes a "monster". No one seems human. These scientists changed them irrevocably.
There will be a sequel. Probably. Who knows. But the ending left us with a lot of questions still.
Adrenaline, terror, luxury, survive. Welcome to Killer game. Are you ready to play? Mortal traps, mazes, strange rooms apparently normal... What it seems it's not. The only rule is... To survive with your partner.
⭐⭐⭐.5/5
"It's always a game until you find out it's real."
This is the perfect book to read during Halloween or Christmas holidays. I recommend it if you're searching for "Slashed" vibes.
Abbie and Chrissy are best friends. The latter decides to sign up, both of them, for an escape room for Christmas. They win and they get to participate to "Killer game", a terrifying game. They will soon discover it's not a game as they thought, but a fight for survival.
Abbie and Chrissy are opposites:
Abbie hates horror, she's a type of girl who loves pink and kawaii things. She's a quiet and fragile girl. I preferred Chrissy, more extrovert and determined in dealing with situations.
Even the couples: I loved Chrissy and Aziza, their relationship was a vortex of passion. I think they were my fav couple. He has had a deep obsession for her since the first moment they met and I liked it a lot. Elias and Daphne, a sick, dominant and overwhelming love. We can see the dark sides of this love, even if we don't really know how it was born. Abbie and Jackson, the type of love who grows slowly and hesitant.
Every guy is haunted, broken, but what did happen? What did the "scientists" do to break them physically and mentally? For all we know, horrible things. For all we know, horrible things... Tortures. They all share the trait of panicking in certain situations. It's like they've got a sort of trigger or deja vu in their brain.
Daphne seems heartless, dominant but sweet and caring for Elias.
In general, this kind of books are short novels, but I didn't mind the length of this book. I think it's a good book, with a good potential. The writing isn't too easy, but I think there could be a work of editing to make everything more fluid. Even for the characters, to deepen their personalities, their lives, to explain their traumas.
Some things needed to be explained better, mostly because of the mistery and paranormal parts. The character we know everything and nothing at the same time is Elias. We discover a piece of his life, before he becomes a "monster". No one seems human. These scientists changed them irrevocably.
There will be a sequel. Probably. Who knows. But the ending left us with a lot of questions still.
Adrenaline, terror, luxury, survive. Welcome to Killer game. Are you ready to play? Mortal traps, mazes, strange rooms apparently normal... What it seems it's not. The only rule is... To survive with your partner.
⭐⭐⭐.5/5
January 6, 2025
This book was very interesting and had a weird and killer twist to escape rooms. I have done a couple of escape rooms, one being a horror one, and I could not imagine it turning into something where I would have to fight for my life.
At the beginning of the story, we already know that Abby has already been through a fight for her life back at camp, and now has been thrown into this game, which she didn't want to play in the first place. Her friend Chrissy pushes her to do the first escape room, and by the end of it, they find out they qualify for another one called Killer Game. Seeing as they have to sign papers for the new game, Abby has a bad feeling about it and also doesn't want to play, but she doesn't want to leave her friend to do it by herself.
We get multiple points of view from both the female main characters and one of the male characters, which happens to be a part of the games. There are many scenes that are gory and violent, so check your trigger warnings before reading.
I wish the book was longer because it felt like there was more to tell and certain plot holes that were missing, which would help it make more sense. I would have liked to have read a flashback chapter about what happened at camp with Abigail. I also want to know more about the male characters that we read about, Eli, Aziza, and Jackson, and how they got trapped there and what exactly was done to them by the scientists in the lab.
I preferred reading the Abigail chapters because they focused more on the terrifying escape room plot and how someone would actually react if they were thrown into a crazy situation like this. Unlike the other chapters that ended up having more spicy scenes and really didn't add much to the story. I do hope we get another book to continue this story because there are a lot of questions I need answered. I need to know what happened to Chrissy and Aziza, how Sam ties into it all, and what was really going on with Abigail and Jackson after that twisty ending.
At the beginning of the story, we already know that Abby has already been through a fight for her life back at camp, and now has been thrown into this game, which she didn't want to play in the first place. Her friend Chrissy pushes her to do the first escape room, and by the end of it, they find out they qualify for another one called Killer Game. Seeing as they have to sign papers for the new game, Abby has a bad feeling about it and also doesn't want to play, but she doesn't want to leave her friend to do it by herself.
We get multiple points of view from both the female main characters and one of the male characters, which happens to be a part of the games. There are many scenes that are gory and violent, so check your trigger warnings before reading.
I wish the book was longer because it felt like there was more to tell and certain plot holes that were missing, which would help it make more sense. I would have liked to have read a flashback chapter about what happened at camp with Abigail. I also want to know more about the male characters that we read about, Eli, Aziza, and Jackson, and how they got trapped there and what exactly was done to them by the scientists in the lab.
I preferred reading the Abigail chapters because they focused more on the terrifying escape room plot and how someone would actually react if they were thrown into a crazy situation like this. Unlike the other chapters that ended up having more spicy scenes and really didn't add much to the story. I do hope we get another book to continue this story because there are a lot of questions I need answered. I need to know what happened to Chrissy and Aziza, how Sam ties into it all, and what was really going on with Abigail and Jackson after that twisty ending.
April 14, 2025
First of all, allow me to say thank you for this arc-read!
Through the first chapter we get to see the two friends, Abigail and Chrissy interacting with each other and reveal to us, readers, fragments of their personality. Sweet Abigail is being pushed outside of her comfort zone by her dear friend Chrissy who convinces her to join her in an escape room.
Abigail feels indebted to Chrissy for all the times she has stood by her side, and although we are being told -not shown- that sweet Abigail has a traumatic experience on a camp, she accepts to go with her. Through Abigail’s inner turmoil we are being told about her personality. She is a sweet girl whose favorite color is pink. She is madly in love with plushies and bears. And, she has insecurities about her body features.
While the two friends go shopping, we get to know more about them. In a short period of time we get to know some things about Abigail. These are, that even though she has had boyfriends in the past, and even double dated with her friend, she doesn’t feel freed enough as she admits to herself that she felt awkward and uncomfortable having her friend watch everything she does or says with a guy.
Plus, her friend needs to accentuate the fact that guys “will want a bite” of her after smelling this perfume called sugar cookies on her.
In addition Abigail admits after the question of Chrissy “Exciting ones?” that none of her boyfriends were exciting for her. So, that leads us into thinking that she needs something else in her life, something she, herself hasn’t acknowledged yet. It foreshadows us about a crazy exciting guy -that never comes. And, when he comes, he is neither exciting nor crazy, he is melancholic and boring.
During the first Escape room the two friends play, it becomes rather confusing for the reader as the description of the place is rather dull, not scary. Of course I am referring to the scene with the “dummy” where it appears out of nowhere. Nor, the description of the release of the blood is good enough. If Abigail did in fact have traumatic experiences as we are being told, wouldn’t this trigger a memory ? Wouldn't she realise that this is in fact not fake blood?
The next thing we know, we see an actor immobilizing Abigail, threatening her life for her friend to be quick in solving the riddle. Way too long sentences, while some are difficult descriptions which confuse readers and take them time to re-read sentences to realise the attack, others make us question “how is she capable of seeing that?”, concerning a detail a real person wouldn’t be able to see in the low light.
At the end of this very first game, the two friends apply to participate in the other escape room called, killer game which as the employee says will be “ a killer to get though” and they needed to be qualified to play that “Killer game”. The problem is that this first escape room ends, and the reader can’t really know for sure how they got qualified for that. Everything I understood by the descriptions is that they stall for time looking everywhere around before even considering looking for special objects.
When it’s finally time for the “killer game”, the two friends get on the bus that will take them along with many others to take them there. It takes them hours to arrive and that means more time for our terrified protagonist to think it over again and again, and get really stressed and panicked about it. Again, my observation is that we are being told about it but we are not being shown it.
When the game starts, descriptions get worse as Abigail says “I cannot see all the way to the other side of the room.”. I think it would be wise to point the reader to the things/objects she sees, not the other way around.
In addition, Abigail manages to see exquisite details on the killer who slaughters anyone who breathes, no exceptions, no questions asked, while the room is flooded with people. Abigail freezes in place while looking at him and by the way she “sees” the situation and people around her, we don’t get to understand how Chrissy managed to crack the code for the door to open.
Soon after that the two friends get split up because of the crowd and the panic the killers spread once being spotted and the bodies they leave behind. Soon after that Abigail gets to “save” someone who stands chained under a mistletoe. She kisses him, and then the other side of the chain locks around her wrist, tying these two together. They have an interesting and promising first encounter along with some clever dialogue, but that soon ends.
After this point forward, we see these two surviving the game, we see Chrissy and her chosen partner surviving the game -who admittedly are written slightly better than the first two. But in all honesty, it’s flat, and dull. There is no background being revealed during the games, tying these two together mentally. There is no feeling being shown, only told, and at some point reaching the end, Abigail turns to Jackson -that’s his name- and tells him “I love you”. It comes “out of nowhere” and from the moment they met until this moment feels like there is a huge void. They stepped from one to ten without the numbers in between!
As far as Elias being concerned and the team organizing this game, we receive excuses of why Elias did what he did, but never his motivation. It was the team who did all these experiments on him. It was them who made him “monster” and yet he runs around killing innocents with his katana? And, -wait for it- he’s in LOVE with the one responsible?!
We never get to know why this team did all these. The experiments, the -let’s call them by their name- executions. This wasn’t a game. It was pure execution! I honestly expected smart riddles and games. I expected more than a flat “I hunt you down and slice you up” thing.
During the book, Abigail doesn’t have any character development. Until the very end, she’s scared, terrified, and hides behind Jackson while he kills everyone else. Even at the end, when he gets shot multiple times, it takes her time before she does something. Anything. And out of the sudden, she threatens, kills and injures others, while the cherry on top being the two agents she executes while they are in the hospital.
I feel the need to add that throughout the book, there are of course scenes where adrenaline spikes, but they are a few. Most importantly, the scenes where protagonists have to run for their life, are dull instead of adrenaline spiked. Where is the true, blood chilling horror?
Personally, I have never dnf-ed a book before, and that came really close to it. I felt like I was doing a chore while reading the book. And it is always sad for a book to make you feel this way. The story has potential, but needs to be re-written. It could be so much better. Anyway, thanks again for the opportunity, I’m grateful! My best wishes for the future!
Through the first chapter we get to see the two friends, Abigail and Chrissy interacting with each other and reveal to us, readers, fragments of their personality. Sweet Abigail is being pushed outside of her comfort zone by her dear friend Chrissy who convinces her to join her in an escape room.
Abigail feels indebted to Chrissy for all the times she has stood by her side, and although we are being told -not shown- that sweet Abigail has a traumatic experience on a camp, she accepts to go with her. Through Abigail’s inner turmoil we are being told about her personality. She is a sweet girl whose favorite color is pink. She is madly in love with plushies and bears. And, she has insecurities about her body features.
While the two friends go shopping, we get to know more about them. In a short period of time we get to know some things about Abigail. These are, that even though she has had boyfriends in the past, and even double dated with her friend, she doesn’t feel freed enough as she admits to herself that she felt awkward and uncomfortable having her friend watch everything she does or says with a guy.
Plus, her friend needs to accentuate the fact that guys “will want a bite” of her after smelling this perfume called sugar cookies on her.
In addition Abigail admits after the question of Chrissy “Exciting ones?” that none of her boyfriends were exciting for her. So, that leads us into thinking that she needs something else in her life, something she, herself hasn’t acknowledged yet. It foreshadows us about a crazy exciting guy -that never comes. And, when he comes, he is neither exciting nor crazy, he is melancholic and boring.
During the first Escape room the two friends play, it becomes rather confusing for the reader as the description of the place is rather dull, not scary. Of course I am referring to the scene with the “dummy” where it appears out of nowhere. Nor, the description of the release of the blood is good enough. If Abigail did in fact have traumatic experiences as we are being told, wouldn’t this trigger a memory ? Wouldn't she realise that this is in fact not fake blood?
The next thing we know, we see an actor immobilizing Abigail, threatening her life for her friend to be quick in solving the riddle. Way too long sentences, while some are difficult descriptions which confuse readers and take them time to re-read sentences to realise the attack, others make us question “how is she capable of seeing that?”, concerning a detail a real person wouldn’t be able to see in the low light.
At the end of this very first game, the two friends apply to participate in the other escape room called, killer game which as the employee says will be “ a killer to get though” and they needed to be qualified to play that “Killer game”. The problem is that this first escape room ends, and the reader can’t really know for sure how they got qualified for that. Everything I understood by the descriptions is that they stall for time looking everywhere around before even considering looking for special objects.
When it’s finally time for the “killer game”, the two friends get on the bus that will take them along with many others to take them there. It takes them hours to arrive and that means more time for our terrified protagonist to think it over again and again, and get really stressed and panicked about it. Again, my observation is that we are being told about it but we are not being shown it.
When the game starts, descriptions get worse as Abigail says “I cannot see all the way to the other side of the room.”. I think it would be wise to point the reader to the things/objects she sees, not the other way around.
In addition, Abigail manages to see exquisite details on the killer who slaughters anyone who breathes, no exceptions, no questions asked, while the room is flooded with people. Abigail freezes in place while looking at him and by the way she “sees” the situation and people around her, we don’t get to understand how Chrissy managed to crack the code for the door to open.
Soon after that the two friends get split up because of the crowd and the panic the killers spread once being spotted and the bodies they leave behind. Soon after that Abigail gets to “save” someone who stands chained under a mistletoe. She kisses him, and then the other side of the chain locks around her wrist, tying these two together. They have an interesting and promising first encounter along with some clever dialogue, but that soon ends.
After this point forward, we see these two surviving the game, we see Chrissy and her chosen partner surviving the game -who admittedly are written slightly better than the first two. But in all honesty, it’s flat, and dull. There is no background being revealed during the games, tying these two together mentally. There is no feeling being shown, only told, and at some point reaching the end, Abigail turns to Jackson -that’s his name- and tells him “I love you”. It comes “out of nowhere” and from the moment they met until this moment feels like there is a huge void. They stepped from one to ten without the numbers in between!
As far as Elias being concerned and the team organizing this game, we receive excuses of why Elias did what he did, but never his motivation. It was the team who did all these experiments on him. It was them who made him “monster” and yet he runs around killing innocents with his katana? And, -wait for it- he’s in LOVE with the one responsible?!
We never get to know why this team did all these. The experiments, the -let’s call them by their name- executions. This wasn’t a game. It was pure execution! I honestly expected smart riddles and games. I expected more than a flat “I hunt you down and slice you up” thing.
During the book, Abigail doesn’t have any character development. Until the very end, she’s scared, terrified, and hides behind Jackson while he kills everyone else. Even at the end, when he gets shot multiple times, it takes her time before she does something. Anything. And out of the sudden, she threatens, kills and injures others, while the cherry on top being the two agents she executes while they are in the hospital.
I feel the need to add that throughout the book, there are of course scenes where adrenaline spikes, but they are a few. Most importantly, the scenes where protagonists have to run for their life, are dull instead of adrenaline spiked. Where is the true, blood chilling horror?
Personally, I have never dnf-ed a book before, and that came really close to it. I felt like I was doing a chore while reading the book. And it is always sad for a book to make you feel this way. The story has potential, but needs to be re-written. It could be so much better. Anyway, thanks again for the opportunity, I’m grateful! My best wishes for the future!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2025
You can run, but you can't hide, and you can't escape.
Abigail survived the slasher camp in Dreamcatcher and isn't interested in going to an escape room, but she doesn't want Chrissy to go alone. They escape that but qualify for the Killer Game, and Abby now has to fight to survive...again..
The girls get separated along with all of the other contestants... and must choose a killer under the mistletoe. Either ensuring their life or death.
Chrissy is reckless. At first, I feel like she didn't completely grasp how much real danger they were in. She chose Aziza when she found him despite all red flags because she remembered her unhealthy attraction to him during the escape room. They make a good team, but they are more entranced with each other and are just constantly having spicy scenes. I like how Aziza's character is completely fearless until he's faced with one unexpected fear that Chrissy has to save him from.
Abby chose Jackson, and his character intrigued me the most. Being half human, half machine... sweet man who entirely terrified me when he let lose having to protect Abby. I was in shock at his sacrifice.
Elias...oh my gosh. His relationship with Daphne was 🔥 mixed with 🌶 and craziness!
Daphne is one of the scientists who worked on Eli in the lab, but they fell in love and got married. What they are expecting next has me wondering what will happen now. I can't believe what Eli ate whole.... the second time... I was mid laugh from the shock. His bloodthirsty violent ramages were always followed up by spicy marathons. Was so much fun to read.
Multi POV, full of trigger warnings, nonstop action from the very beginning, a violent mess of games and spice. Loved it and want more!
Abigail survived the slasher camp in Dreamcatcher and isn't interested in going to an escape room, but she doesn't want Chrissy to go alone. They escape that but qualify for the Killer Game, and Abby now has to fight to survive...again..
The girls get separated along with all of the other contestants... and must choose a killer under the mistletoe. Either ensuring their life or death.
Chrissy is reckless. At first, I feel like she didn't completely grasp how much real danger they were in. She chose Aziza when she found him despite all red flags because she remembered her unhealthy attraction to him during the escape room. They make a good team, but they are more entranced with each other and are just constantly having spicy scenes. I like how Aziza's character is completely fearless until he's faced with one unexpected fear that Chrissy has to save him from.
Abby chose Jackson, and his character intrigued me the most. Being half human, half machine... sweet man who entirely terrified me when he let lose having to protect Abby. I was in shock at his sacrifice.
Elias...oh my gosh. His relationship with Daphne was 🔥 mixed with 🌶 and craziness!
Daphne is one of the scientists who worked on Eli in the lab, but they fell in love and got married. What they are expecting next has me wondering what will happen now. I can't believe what Eli ate whole.... the second time... I was mid laugh from the shock. His bloodthirsty violent ramages were always followed up by spicy marathons. Was so much fun to read.
Multi POV, full of trigger warnings, nonstop action from the very beginning, a violent mess of games and spice. Loved it and want more!
January 5, 2025
Killer Game is a thrilling dark romance that blends the excitement of escape rooms with the chilling allure of masked killers. The story follows Abigail and Chrissy, two friends who find themselves trapped in a deadly game where every choice could be their last. Casilli masterfully creates a sense of claustrophobia and suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat as the body count rises and the mysteries deepen.
Abigail's reluctance to participate in the escape room, stemming from a previous traumatic experience, adds a layer of emotional depth to the story. Her growing connection with a mysterious masked partner, amidst the chaos and danger, is both heartwarming and terrifying. Chrissy's love for all things horror provides a contrasting perspective, adding a touch of dark humor to the otherwise intense narrative.
"Killer Game" itself is a character in its own right, with its intricate puzzles, hidden clues, and deadly consequences. Casilli descriptions are vivid and visceral, making you feel like you're right there in the midst of the action. The masked killers are both terrifying and alluring, their motivations shrouded in mystery, adding to the overall suspense.
If you're a fan of dark romance with a healthy dose of horror and suspense, "Killer Game" is a must-read. Casilli has crafted a story that will keep you guessing until the very end, leaving you breathless and wanting more
Abigail's reluctance to participate in the escape room, stemming from a previous traumatic experience, adds a layer of emotional depth to the story. Her growing connection with a mysterious masked partner, amidst the chaos and danger, is both heartwarming and terrifying. Chrissy's love for all things horror provides a contrasting perspective, adding a touch of dark humor to the otherwise intense narrative.
"Killer Game" itself is a character in its own right, with its intricate puzzles, hidden clues, and deadly consequences. Casilli descriptions are vivid and visceral, making you feel like you're right there in the midst of the action. The masked killers are both terrifying and alluring, their motivations shrouded in mystery, adding to the overall suspense.
If you're a fan of dark romance with a healthy dose of horror and suspense, "Killer Game" is a must-read. Casilli has crafted a story that will keep you guessing until the very end, leaving you breathless and wanting more
January 6, 2025
Thank you, Emily, for giving me this story as an ARC!
I really enjoyed "Killer Game!" It is an interesting take on escape rooms and presents the readers with the idea that one minute you are playing a game, and the next, you are literally fighting for your life and trying to escape. It is a scary thought that kept me intrigued throughout the story.
I definitely liked Abigail more than Chrissy because Abigail felt more real, and I felt for her. She has already been through so much: another life or death situation at camp, and now this escape room that she did not want to be at. Her friend Chrissy, meanwhile, is the one who pushes to do the escape room in the first place. While Chrissy did not know they would end up in a real killer game, it felt like she did not really take into consideration what her friend has gone through.
I enjoyed reading about the other characters as well and seeing the different teams form. Jackson is probably my favorite male character. His "otherness" is an intriguing plot line in an already action, mysterious, and thriller packed story.
This book compelled me and kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the end! I would love to see a sequel made!
Thank you so much again for this opportunity, Emily!
10/10 recommend
I really enjoyed "Killer Game!" It is an interesting take on escape rooms and presents the readers with the idea that one minute you are playing a game, and the next, you are literally fighting for your life and trying to escape. It is a scary thought that kept me intrigued throughout the story.
I definitely liked Abigail more than Chrissy because Abigail felt more real, and I felt for her. She has already been through so much: another life or death situation at camp, and now this escape room that she did not want to be at. Her friend Chrissy, meanwhile, is the one who pushes to do the escape room in the first place. While Chrissy did not know they would end up in a real killer game, it felt like she did not really take into consideration what her friend has gone through.
I enjoyed reading about the other characters as well and seeing the different teams form. Jackson is probably my favorite male character. His "otherness" is an intriguing plot line in an already action, mysterious, and thriller packed story.
This book compelled me and kept me on the edge of my seat right up until the end! I would love to see a sequel made!
Thank you so much again for this opportunity, Emily!
10/10 recommend
January 25, 2025
Killer Game is a fast-paced survival dark romance.
Best friends Abby and Chrissy decide to visit an escape room during the Christmas holidays. When they conquer this challenge, they qualify for the next level escape game: The Killer Game. And the Killer Game is worse… much, much worse!
It’s bloody, gory, and along the way, when they meet some dangerously hot guys, it even gets a little spicy.
In Killer Game, you’ll find it all: nail-biting suspense, a growing tension between the FMCs and MMCs, a few smutty scenes, and a lot of bloody challenges. The book follows three couples, which means the story jumps between perspectives, but it flows well and keeps the tension alive throughout.
All in all, it’s a solid 3.7-star read. Don’t get me wrong—I really enjoyed it! But unfortunately, the ending felt rushed and left quite a few questions unanswered. I’d definitely pick up a second book to see those loose ends tied up.
Spice Rating: 3/5
Tropes:
Multiple POVs
human experiments
Christmas-themed
Deadly escape game
Psycho, unhinged, murderous MMCs
Three pairings
M/F scenes
Killers
Best friends Abby and Chrissy decide to visit an escape room during the Christmas holidays. When they conquer this challenge, they qualify for the next level escape game: The Killer Game. And the Killer Game is worse… much, much worse!
It’s bloody, gory, and along the way, when they meet some dangerously hot guys, it even gets a little spicy.
In Killer Game, you’ll find it all: nail-biting suspense, a growing tension between the FMCs and MMCs, a few smutty scenes, and a lot of bloody challenges. The book follows three couples, which means the story jumps between perspectives, but it flows well and keeps the tension alive throughout.
All in all, it’s a solid 3.7-star read. Don’t get me wrong—I really enjoyed it! But unfortunately, the ending felt rushed and left quite a few questions unanswered. I’d definitely pick up a second book to see those loose ends tied up.
Spice Rating: 3/5
Tropes:
Multiple POVs
human experiments
Christmas-themed
Deadly escape game
Psycho, unhinged, murderous MMCs
Three pairings
M/F scenes
Killers
January 3, 2025
Ok, I have to say I think that there is a lot of potential for this story. I do think however some elements seemed flighty and didn’t fit well in the story. There is some great parts that was like finally we are getting somewhere! You shift perspectives through the story for a couple of the main characters. The girls- primo. One thing I would say, is that sometimes too many words is exactly that and to be consistent with wording choices. Sometimes the context would change and I was like ok, are we 12? If you want to say a** say it. No need to add cheeks to it later in the paragraph. However the guys perspective seemed all over the place. You would jump into a chapter with him and I felt like missed parts of the story. And the whiplash of emotions in one chapter was a lot sometimes. So maybe slowing down the narrative to provide better context on characters and making it into multiple books might help. Overall pretty good. Just needs cleaned up a bit but a solid read.
December 28, 2024
You meet Abigail and Chrissy, Abby had some trauma from her past that she has to deal with and Chrissy is that annoying mean girl BFF. Abby and Chrissy go to an escape room and beat it and then are accepted to another special escape room. Did I mention i seriously wasn't a fan of Chrissy lol. They end up meeting Eli who is a very weird dude and obviously have to try and escape the escape room with some deadly stuff happening.I enjoyed it and was always wanting to know what the next challenge would be. This book isn't something that I wouldn't normally read so I was pleasantly surprised on how much I really did enjoy it. You get multiple POVs which is something I love in books, I always want to know the other character's perspective. Very cool book!
January 4, 2025
This book is your romance thriller involving some spicy scenes. You have escape rooms, Except the escape rooms are not normal. I want more background on the characters and the escape room. Only one character showed development through the book for me. if you have not read it do not look at my questions below.
I need more answers……
What happened at the camp?
Why do some contestants know about the camp and remember Eli?
How did the contestants get weapons?
What was Sam’s involvement?
Did Chrissy and Aziza make it out?
Why did the scientists experiment on them, what are their plans?
Is Eli dead? Such a weird ending.
The book was good and really had me interested. I just felt frustrated not getting answers to the questions.
I need more answers……
What happened at the camp?
Why do some contestants know about the camp and remember Eli?
How did the contestants get weapons?
What was Sam’s involvement?
Did Chrissy and Aziza make it out?
Why did the scientists experiment on them, what are their plans?
Is Eli dead? Such a weird ending.
The book was good and really had me interested. I just felt frustrated not getting answers to the questions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2025
I was not expecting anything that happened throughout this whole book. There were so many twists and turns and now I need a second book. It was a very good reminder why I don’t do escape rooms tho 😅
“When Chrissy and Abby sign up for an escape room they never expected to have to solve puzzles to escape with their lives. They also never expected to have to pick masked partners to help them through the puzzles. As they fight for their lives to escape and we unravel more of the game what will happen and will they fall in love with their masked partners?”
Definitely recommended if you are looking for a good horror/thriller/mystery/romance book. Check the triggers as this book is gory and violent and very spicy!
“When Chrissy and Abby sign up for an escape room they never expected to have to solve puzzles to escape with their lives. They also never expected to have to pick masked partners to help them through the puzzles. As they fight for their lives to escape and we unravel more of the game what will happen and will they fall in love with their masked partners?”
Definitely recommended if you are looking for a good horror/thriller/mystery/romance book. Check the triggers as this book is gory and violent and very spicy!
January 2, 2025
Honest ARC review:
This book was about two friends that end up in an escape room from hell, and the partners they work with to try to escape with their lives. I can’t really say I connected with any of the characters, and I felt that the “games” were lacking and just killing to kill. I wish that they went more into the male characters backstories, and what happened to them in the lab, especially Eli. I was disconnected from Eli’s story as all his chapters were just smut which I felt was overdone. Also the ending was so abrupt and confusing, wondering if this is a set up for a second book?
Overall though this was a fun and easy read with multiple POVs which I enjoyed.
This book was about two friends that end up in an escape room from hell, and the partners they work with to try to escape with their lives. I can’t really say I connected with any of the characters, and I felt that the “games” were lacking and just killing to kill. I wish that they went more into the male characters backstories, and what happened to them in the lab, especially Eli. I was disconnected from Eli’s story as all his chapters were just smut which I felt was overdone. Also the ending was so abrupt and confusing, wondering if this is a set up for a second book?
Overall though this was a fun and easy read with multiple POVs which I enjoyed.
January 4, 2025
Can you escape the escape room?
Can you survive killer games?
Looking for some holiday fun friends go to an escape room after making out they decide to sign up for the Version harder killer games which takes place on Christmas. They must pick a random masked partner that's under the mistletoe to work with.. what happens if you pick wrong?
I’m left with a lot of questions
How did the contestants get weapons?
Did Chrissy and Aziza make it out?
Why did the scientists experiment on them?
what are their plans did they have with these experiments?
Is Eli dead?
Also what happened at camp?
Can you survive killer games?
Looking for some holiday fun friends go to an escape room after making out they decide to sign up for the Version harder killer games which takes place on Christmas. They must pick a random masked partner that's under the mistletoe to work with.. what happens if you pick wrong?
I’m left with a lot of questions
How did the contestants get weapons?
Did Chrissy and Aziza make it out?
Why did the scientists experiment on them?
what are their plans did they have with these experiments?
Is Eli dead?
Also what happened at camp?
January 5, 2025
This book was really good, it had a great plot and constantly had you involved in the minds and processes of the characters. The puzzle/escape room setting really brings the trials that the characters go through, to a more relatable setting in the sense of the game.
The killers emotions and the way they portray themselves is very interesting and fun to read and interact on. I did like this book a lot and there was a bit of spicy scenes but it always got brought back to them getting out of the games.
The plot twist was definitely not expected and i loved the character development and strength gained by the end!
The killers emotions and the way they portray themselves is very interesting and fun to read and interact on. I did like this book a lot and there was a bit of spicy scenes but it always got brought back to them getting out of the games.
The plot twist was definitely not expected and i loved the character development and strength gained by the end!
September 29, 2025
Fully action packed book. Easily devoured it in 5 days.
From the first chapter I was hooked— it has such a great premise.
Competition mixed with a deadly escape room loved the idea.
The masked partners, ominous contracts, and the constant sense of danger and foreboding had me going.
Unfortunately a few places fell a little below for me. The pacing was constantly changing and a few of the characters choices didn’t make sense. Sometimes the horror and gore overshadowed the plot and actual story.
Overall, it’s entertaining and definitely different. The premise is AWESOME. A solid read if you like dark, twisted games, with trials .
From the first chapter I was hooked— it has such a great premise.
Competition mixed with a deadly escape room loved the idea.
The masked partners, ominous contracts, and the constant sense of danger and foreboding had me going.
Unfortunately a few places fell a little below for me. The pacing was constantly changing and a few of the characters choices didn’t make sense. Sometimes the horror and gore overshadowed the plot and actual story.
Overall, it’s entertaining and definitely different. The premise is AWESOME. A solid read if you like dark, twisted games, with trials .
December 30, 2024
Wow just wow!!!
This book was great. From beginning to end I was entranced into this story.
From the complexity of all the characters, to the complexity of the escape rooms and the entire plot it was very well thought through and a joy to read.
It was a great book that I will highly recommend to others.
My only small gripe was the very end, I did have a few unanswered questions. But who knows maybe that’s because of plans for a sequel!? I’m totally down!
Emily really took the time to write out these characters and the plot and games, I know that took intricate thought! I also can say I loved every character even if I loved to hate them.
This book was great. From beginning to end I was entranced into this story.
From the complexity of all the characters, to the complexity of the escape rooms and the entire plot it was very well thought through and a joy to read.
It was a great book that I will highly recommend to others.
My only small gripe was the very end, I did have a few unanswered questions. But who knows maybe that’s because of plans for a sequel!? I’m totally down!
Emily really took the time to write out these characters and the plot and games, I know that took intricate thought! I also can say I loved every character even if I loved to hate them.
January 1, 2025
Overall this was a good book. It started a little slow at the beginning but then it picked up and I didn’t want to put it down. Being able to have the point of view from different characters was fun. Getting a glimpse into some of the escape rooms was interesting but I wish we could have had some more of them. The ending didn’t feel like it was ready to end where it did, but overall it was good. I do wish it would have mentioned the other characters before ending the book but it definitely feels like opportunity for another book
January 8, 2025
This story had the potential to be something great. The concept of an escape room that becomes about surviving because people are actually being killed off was great and sounded so intriguing to me. But I found the writing to be a little complicated. Some of the things weren't making sense and it needed a lot more editing. The dialogue was awkward and there were so many mistakes with sentence structure that it took away from the story and made it less enjoyable. Again, the plot and the concept was great, but I think it needed a lot more work.
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