Force Quit

by Tom Sylla

Amethyst “Amma” Cross wishes she were dead. The love of her life killed himself a year ago and she doesn't want to live without him anymore. Her high school friends will do anything to bring Amma back to her old self, including hacking into an experimental virtual reality system that could help shake her out of her melancholy state. Amma reluctantly agrees and connects herself to a machine that links her brain with those of her companions. She is delighted to find herself in a bright and stimulating alternate world full of exciting adventures, a place where all her cares seem to vanish. But one member of the group hides a dark and deadly secret, and this seemingly fun diversion will quickly become a trap where Amma must fight for survival – and maybe even free herself from the past.

308 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2025

Reviews

[Jeff Nelson]

This book completely surprised me—in the best way. What starts as a story about a grieving teen reluctantly entering an experimental VR program with her friends quickly turns into a wild, twisty, and genuinely gripping adventure. The author builds a virtual world that’s vivid, imaginative, and full of escalating danger, and the tension just keeps rising as the group realizes things are far more sinister than they seemed.

The pacing is excellent. Every few chapters the story kicks into a higher gear, adding new layers, unexpected turns, and moments that feel straight out of a movie. The emotional core works too: Amma’s grief, her search for answers, and the way the past collides with the virtual world give the action real weight.

If you like stories with high stakes, clever twists, immersive world-building, and a strong heroine fighting her way through both external monsters and internal demons, you’ll tear through this one. It deserves a wider audience. I absolutely loved it.