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A Game of Life or Death
When sixteen-year-old Asha Kennedy discovers her older sister Maya's dead body in their home, her world falls apart. Desperate for answers, and to stay out of the hands of the social services she grew up in, Asha turns to her hacker friends for help.
Her search leads her to Zu Tech, the hit games studio where Maya was a lead coder. As Asha begins to unravel the riddle of her death, she realises that the only way to uncover the truth is from the inside.
Asha ghosts her old life and infiltrates a Zu Tech eSport tournament as they launch 'SHACKLE', the revolutionary Virtual Reality video game Maya was working on - and which hides a monstrous secret...
Her search leads her to Zu Tech, the hit games studio where Maya was a lead coder. As Asha begins to unravel the riddle of her death, she realises that the only way to uncover the truth is from the inside.
Asha ghosts her old life and infiltrates a Zu Tech eSport tournament as they launch 'SHACKLE', the revolutionary Virtual Reality video game Maya was working on - and which hides a monstrous secret...
400 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2023
22 people are currently reading
852 people want to read
About the author
Triona Campbell
3 books25 followersHi! Thanks so much for stopping by this page. I’m only on this site occasionally, so if you’d like to send me a message, please use my website: https://trionacampbell.com/
I can also be found on Instagram, and I love connecting with readers. So if you're looking for more information about my books, the most up to date news can be found on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/triona_camp...
I can also be found on Instagram, and I love connecting with readers. So if you're looking for more information about my books, the most up to date news can be found on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/triona_camp...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
January 20, 2023
I really enjoyed this fast paced YA book, so much so that I read it in one sitting over the holidays. It’s one of those books that grips you and makes you want to continue reading so you find out what is happening (and why). As a gamer myself I quite enjoyed the gaming aspects of this novel and how it highlights that technology isn’t fundamentally good or bad, but how it’s used that sees the way people define it.
If you like YA thrillers then definitely pick this one up.
Thank you to Scholastic for sending me a proof of this one, I can’t wait to see more buzz around it in the book world.
If you like YA thrillers then definitely pick this one up.
Thank you to Scholastic for sending me a proof of this one, I can’t wait to see more buzz around it in the book world.
May 21, 2023
*Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book!*
I honestly really tried to give this book a fair chance because it had been compared to Ready Player One and Black Mirror (two things I love!) but I just didn’t like it. I started reading it in physical form, but it was so dull I had to put it on audio in 3x speed and even then I was having to force myself to read it because unfortunately I just could not have cared less.
This book had some semblance of plot going on, but honestly even by the end I didn’t find it had any sort of satisfying resolution and I actually wondered what I had just read 350 pages for. I found like we were almost in exactly the same position that we started in, and I didn’t really care either way. I don’t think the book had enough driving it forward, and for what it was trying to do it didn’t really have the depth for anything to play out in an impactful way for me. Everything was very surface level, there was almost no worldbuilding it was very simple and underdeveloped, and the pacing didn’t feel right for such an apparently high stakes novel.
The most redeeming factor was arguably our protagonist. She was actually quite interesting and she had a good backstory, I just think her characterisation (as well as every other characters, to be honest) ws very shaky. Everyone ended up feeling really too dimensional, I never felt like as a reader I had any grasp on who they really were, which then made it difficult to connect to them, care about them, and as a result have any emotional reactions to anything happening in here. There were a lot of characters introduced and other than their names I couldn’t tell you anything about them, or anything they did that was significant to this story. It was just a bit all over the place for me, and my boredom really overshadowed everything. It took me forever to read purely because I had no interest in reading it.
This had a really intriguing concept but a very lacklustre execution. I think it could have done with being way more stripped back in terms of characters we focus on, no romance arc whatsoever because that was irrelevant and a bit of a waste of time, and more focus on slowly building up the world, setting the scene, and an unfolding of events that feels evenly paced ad leads to a satisfying conclusion that makes sense. At the moment, I don’t think this book has these which is a shame. There was also no atmosphere of sense of danger to me, so I was really it pretty emotionless.
I honestly really tried to give this book a fair chance because it had been compared to Ready Player One and Black Mirror (two things I love!) but I just didn’t like it. I started reading it in physical form, but it was so dull I had to put it on audio in 3x speed and even then I was having to force myself to read it because unfortunately I just could not have cared less.
This book had some semblance of plot going on, but honestly even by the end I didn’t find it had any sort of satisfying resolution and I actually wondered what I had just read 350 pages for. I found like we were almost in exactly the same position that we started in, and I didn’t really care either way. I don’t think the book had enough driving it forward, and for what it was trying to do it didn’t really have the depth for anything to play out in an impactful way for me. Everything was very surface level, there was almost no worldbuilding it was very simple and underdeveloped, and the pacing didn’t feel right for such an apparently high stakes novel.
The most redeeming factor was arguably our protagonist. She was actually quite interesting and she had a good backstory, I just think her characterisation (as well as every other characters, to be honest) ws very shaky. Everyone ended up feeling really too dimensional, I never felt like as a reader I had any grasp on who they really were, which then made it difficult to connect to them, care about them, and as a result have any emotional reactions to anything happening in here. There were a lot of characters introduced and other than their names I couldn’t tell you anything about them, or anything they did that was significant to this story. It was just a bit all over the place for me, and my boredom really overshadowed everything. It took me forever to read purely because I had no interest in reading it.
This had a really intriguing concept but a very lacklustre execution. I think it could have done with being way more stripped back in terms of characters we focus on, no romance arc whatsoever because that was irrelevant and a bit of a waste of time, and more focus on slowly building up the world, setting the scene, and an unfolding of events that feels evenly paced ad leads to a satisfying conclusion that makes sense. At the moment, I don’t think this book has these which is a shame. There was also no atmosphere of sense of danger to me, so I was really it pretty emotionless.
July 8, 2023
A Game of Life or Death is a brilliant debut novel by Triona Campbell. It is a captivating murder-mystery that will have you hooked from the first page. It follows the story of Asha Kennedy as she discovers her sister Maya’s dead body and uncovers her sisters past working with the tech giant Zu Tech with the aim of figuring out why her sister died.
I found the plot was very well thought out in this book. This book was absolutely littered with plot twist upon plot twist– so when you thought a conclusion was being met a different obstacle would appear. I found this gripping as it caused me to become invested in the characters. I appreciated the detail Campbell went into and quickly understood the world out protagonist lives in. The setting was well built too.
The characterisation in this novel was also super – one of the main reasons I liked this novel so much. I felt that Asha was very likeable, and I quickly found myself vouching for her to uncover the situation behind her sister’s death.
I also appreciated the technology and AI aspect of it. I feel this book bought to light many of the ethical and legal issues of AI, but highlighting how it isn’t always used for bad. This was a reassuring message to hear with technology so quickly advancing. I am by no means an expert in gaming – but felt the book was still accessible if you are - like me - no gaming lingo expert.
My only slight issue with the book is in the ending. I’m not the biggest fan of books being left on cliff-hangers – as this one is. However, as far as cliff-hangers go, I appreciated how it was left relatively complete and I felt the ending wasn’t rushed at all. I just have an issue with the incomplete ending as I really want to know what happens next – I will be buying the sequel immediately when it is out!
Overall, this book was a very easy and pleasant read – so I would recommend to anyone who wants a good murder mystery. I found the plot quick moving and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
5/5
I found the plot was very well thought out in this book. This book was absolutely littered with plot twist upon plot twist– so when you thought a conclusion was being met a different obstacle would appear. I found this gripping as it caused me to become invested in the characters. I appreciated the detail Campbell went into and quickly understood the world out protagonist lives in. The setting was well built too.
The characterisation in this novel was also super – one of the main reasons I liked this novel so much. I felt that Asha was very likeable, and I quickly found myself vouching for her to uncover the situation behind her sister’s death.
I also appreciated the technology and AI aspect of it. I feel this book bought to light many of the ethical and legal issues of AI, but highlighting how it isn’t always used for bad. This was a reassuring message to hear with technology so quickly advancing. I am by no means an expert in gaming – but felt the book was still accessible if you are - like me - no gaming lingo expert.
My only slight issue with the book is in the ending. I’m not the biggest fan of books being left on cliff-hangers – as this one is. However, as far as cliff-hangers go, I appreciated how it was left relatively complete and I felt the ending wasn’t rushed at all. I just have an issue with the incomplete ending as I really want to know what happens next – I will be buying the sequel immediately when it is out!
Overall, this book was a very easy and pleasant read – so I would recommend to anyone who wants a good murder mystery. I found the plot quick moving and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
5/5
October 21, 2022
I cannot believe I read all of this and it still isn't done.
This is poorly written; laughably inaccurate on literally everything about computers, coding, technology and video games to the point I don't think anyone involved has interacted with any of the above since 90s films and TV shows; equally ill-informed about neurochemistry, psychology and AI; and poorly plotted. This doesn't really matter if you've got a good story, but the story here is absurd. It's hard to get into quite how without spoilers, but the love story is hackneyed and only works if you are so straight you believe men and women can't be friends without falling deeply in love despite no evidence or reason, the over-arching plot is shallow and ill-formed and the mystery is beyond silly. There's zero emotional connection to any of the characters and the narrative seems completely uninterested in building one. The only redeeming factor is that it's not entirely unrealistic, in the worst way.
This book would work for teens (I'd recommend ages 12-15, depending on interest and reading age) who don't read much but are very unaware of technology. Unfortunately I think anyone under the age of 30 is going to be so frustrated by the technical ridiculousness that they probably won't get past page 42, assuming they get that far. It's a shame that this was the chosen setting given the author's lack of familiarity and the fact that there are so many much better books that do similar things (Amy McCulloch's Jinxed series, Marie Lu's Warcross, etc).
This is poorly written; laughably inaccurate on literally everything about computers, coding, technology and video games to the point I don't think anyone involved has interacted with any of the above since 90s films and TV shows; equally ill-informed about neurochemistry, psychology and AI; and poorly plotted. This doesn't really matter if you've got a good story, but the story here is absurd. It's hard to get into quite how without spoilers, but the love story is hackneyed and only works if you are so straight you believe men and women can't be friends without falling deeply in love despite no evidence or reason, the over-arching plot is shallow and ill-formed and the mystery is beyond silly. There's zero emotional connection to any of the characters and the narrative seems completely uninterested in building one. The only redeeming factor is that it's not entirely unrealistic, in the worst way.
This book would work for teens (I'd recommend ages 12-15, depending on interest and reading age) who don't read much but are very unaware of technology. Unfortunately I think anyone under the age of 30 is going to be so frustrated by the technical ridiculousness that they probably won't get past page 42, assuming they get that far. It's a shame that this was the chosen setting given the author's lack of familiarity and the fact that there are so many much better books that do similar things (Amy McCulloch's Jinxed series, Marie Lu's Warcross, etc).
April 19, 2023
Completely unputdown-able, I read this book in 24 hours and I wish there was more!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Triona Campbell is a genius! Fast-paced, gripping, heartbreaking & scary. I’ll have nightmares about being stuck in SHACKLE.
February 15, 2024
What an unsatisfying ending... Is it going to be a series? Who knows...
February 25, 2023
this was so gripping omg i couldn’t stop reading!! and that cliffhanger at the end? i NEED to know what will happen next. first book i read on eSport and VR and it was really interesting to discover that world! learned a lot about it, and the hacking part was so cool that it made me think of Millenium!! overall, a great debut novel. excited to read more about Asha and her gang :)
January 18, 2023
This book is based on things I know little to nothing about. The world of gaming is something I have no real experience of. Being a teenager was so long ago that it’s quite frightening! 👵🏻 However, I very much enjoyed this book. It’s fast paced which, for me , is a good thing with an adventure but it can also mean that some things are glossed over a bit - so some things seem a bit of a stretch even for a story set in the future. That being said, I liked it & look forward to having it on Tell Tales book shelves!
March 19, 2023
A Game of Life or Death is a wonderful debut. I was intrigued by the mystery from the get-go. What happened to Maya? I wanted to know! Admittedly though, much of the video-gaming lingo and VR related content went over my head in the beginning. I am not a gamer, so I can’t say I was particularly interested in that aspect of the plot in the beginning. However, the world building and the characterisation is superb so I quickly became invested in this world. Campbell made me care about something I had little concern for prior, which is a sure sign of successful storytelling. The unpredictability of the plot and its quickening pace as the story progressed contributed to this for sure.
I know so many video game lovers will adore this book. I’m probably not the main audience for it but I still enjoyed it a whole lot. If you are a lover of thrillers & (murder) mysteries, you’ll likely love this too! Objectively I recognise this as a 4 star⭐️ book because it really was a fantastic read. The ending had me at the edge of my seat too, eagerly anticipating a sequel (I hope there is one!). However, given my little interest in video games, it’s a 3⭐️ for me. But a brilliant read. I liked it but I just know, so many people will absolutely love this!
Thank you @scholastik_uk for my gifted copy
3⭐️
I know so many video game lovers will adore this book. I’m probably not the main audience for it but I still enjoyed it a whole lot. If you are a lover of thrillers & (murder) mysteries, you’ll likely love this too! Objectively I recognise this as a 4 star⭐️ book because it really was a fantastic read. The ending had me at the edge of my seat too, eagerly anticipating a sequel (I hope there is one!). However, given my little interest in video games, it’s a 3⭐️ for me. But a brilliant read. I liked it but I just know, so many people will absolutely love this!
Thank you @scholastik_uk for my gifted copy
3⭐️
March 10, 2024
Shouldn’t have been left on a cliffhanger, could’ve easily rounded up the story.
May 19, 2023
Really enjoyed this book but killed me that it’s going to be a series and we’re going to have to wait probably until next year to get it
September 25, 2025
Super fun, easy read. I haven’t read a YA in a while and it was good to get back into one. This is a high-stakes gaming-coded thriller. There’s a touch of romance, but it’s definitely more thriller/murder mystery. This read is good for gamers // coders // murder mystery enthusiasts. It’s also something I could TOTALLY see happening in a few years with a big tech company in the ‘real world.’ The characters are all well-rounded, believable, and come with backstories you want to learn more about. I also really enjoyed the MC and her motives and moral dilemmas along the way.
I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
July 15, 2023
**Spoilers**
Ok so overall I gave it four stars because I think it was good with only a few sort of bad parts overall. I think the plot and the characters were quite interesting but there were a few frustrating moments within the book.
My main likes were:
• The plotwist at the end where Zu was actually found dead. I thought it was an interesting turn and it lead to me hanging on a bit, obviously interested in the sequel to know the ending.
• Again just the whole mystery. I thought it was well thought out and I was interested in how Maya died so the whole game controlling her mind was a good twist.
• On the topic of the game, I liked the whole technology, e sports, hacking and all that. Originally I didn't think I'd like the eSports part but I thought it was done well and it was interesting to read about.
Dislikes:
• First of all the love triangle. Now usually I'm not a big fan of love triangles but I have seen some done well enough, not this one though. I found it very annoying how when Augie brought her into the room she went on about how she hoped he wasn't asking her out because Dark was the only one for her but as soon as Augie kissed her it was like she changed her mind. Suddenly the kiss made her feel something and I just really hated that. Then the whole thing at the end where the girl whose name I can't actually remember told her she'd have to choose. As if Dark wasn't just kidnapped and life was all about her romances. I just thought it was poorly done and very frustrating. (And I just didn't like Augie at all, definitely rooting for Dark😏😏😏)
• I also didn't like how the ending felt rushed. It felt like we were in the middle of the story and then suddenly it was a ton of short chapters quickly getting an ending done. I understand it was like a plot twist and it was showing her shock but I think it could have been drawn out a bit more, so it wasn't just switching from one scene to another in about a page each.
• My third more major dislike was Asha grieving. To be honest I didn't think it was all that realistic that she just found her sister dead and so quickly moved on to run away and hunt the killer. I think more time should've been spent showing her processing it a bit rather then just jumping from task to task in her hunt for the killer.
Other than those points it was mainly all good. I like most of the characters and I would even love to get into a few of them a bit more in the next book. I was honestly very sad Annie died 🥲🥲 (she was one of my favourites, even if we didn't get much from her)
Ok so overall I gave it four stars because I think it was good with only a few sort of bad parts overall. I think the plot and the characters were quite interesting but there were a few frustrating moments within the book.
My main likes were:
• The plotwist at the end where Zu was actually found dead. I thought it was an interesting turn and it lead to me hanging on a bit, obviously interested in the sequel to know the ending.
• Again just the whole mystery. I thought it was well thought out and I was interested in how Maya died so the whole game controlling her mind was a good twist.
• On the topic of the game, I liked the whole technology, e sports, hacking and all that. Originally I didn't think I'd like the eSports part but I thought it was done well and it was interesting to read about.
Dislikes:
• First of all the love triangle. Now usually I'm not a big fan of love triangles but I have seen some done well enough, not this one though. I found it very annoying how when Augie brought her into the room she went on about how she hoped he wasn't asking her out because Dark was the only one for her but as soon as Augie kissed her it was like she changed her mind. Suddenly the kiss made her feel something and I just really hated that. Then the whole thing at the end where the girl whose name I can't actually remember told her she'd have to choose. As if Dark wasn't just kidnapped and life was all about her romances. I just thought it was poorly done and very frustrating. (And I just didn't like Augie at all, definitely rooting for Dark😏😏😏)
• I also didn't like how the ending felt rushed. It felt like we were in the middle of the story and then suddenly it was a ton of short chapters quickly getting an ending done. I understand it was like a plot twist and it was showing her shock but I think it could have been drawn out a bit more, so it wasn't just switching from one scene to another in about a page each.
• My third more major dislike was Asha grieving. To be honest I didn't think it was all that realistic that she just found her sister dead and so quickly moved on to run away and hunt the killer. I think more time should've been spent showing her processing it a bit rather then just jumping from task to task in her hunt for the killer.
Other than those points it was mainly all good. I like most of the characters and I would even love to get into a few of them a bit more in the next book. I was honestly very sad Annie died 🥲🥲 (she was one of my favourites, even if we didn't get much from her)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2023
The beginning was extremely strong and I loved the themes and concepts the author dealt with in this book. It was at the same time the perfect product of our times and a believable vision of our future. I have no doubts Triona will deliver her readers some amazing and very needed stories in the future. The low rating is due only to the second part of this book, which I think suffered due to being Triona's first. Give her a couple more published books under her belt and she will be an instantly recognizable name because she had me in the palm of her hand in only a chapter.
Thank you to Scholastic for this ARC.
Thank you to Scholastic for this ARC.
August 10, 2022
A big thank you to Scholastic for this ARC that I won at YALC 2022.
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I went into this novel not knowing anything about it, and let me tell you I was intrigued from beginning to end. I really enjoyed Asha as the main character she is sure of herself and trusts herself to get the answers. I NEEDED to know how Maya had died and I was right there with Asha as she faced the monsters in her path.
If you like video games and thrillers with found family I would say you should pick this up when it comes out in February 2023.
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I went into this novel not knowing anything about it, and let me tell you I was intrigued from beginning to end. I really enjoyed Asha as the main character she is sure of herself and trusts herself to get the answers. I NEEDED to know how Maya had died and I was right there with Asha as she faced the monsters in her path.
If you like video games and thrillers with found family I would say you should pick this up when it comes out in February 2023.
June 19, 2023
expected more but still like THAT ENDING?!?!
i need book two right now.
i need book two right now.
October 29, 2022
I really loved this book, it was really well paced and kept me hooked. I like gaming but I suppose I wouldn’t be called a ‘gamer’ I could believe that this could happen in real life.How tech can be used for good and bad. Asha was very real, she makes mistakes and isn’t always perfect which I really liked. I will definitely read again and share with my friends.
July 30, 2023
My thoughts after reading (btw I read the uncorrected proof copy):
- I think this was a decent debut novel, and for the most part I enjoyed reading it. It had a unique concept, protagonist with an interesting backstory and a mystery (which I always love).
- Focusing on positive things, I loved the setting. I feel like I haven’t seen enough books set in futuristic London. Also, the concept of a technology company effectively ruling the country seemed like a good foundation for a story.
- However, all of that said, I felt that this book lacked atmosphere. There was next to no worldbuilding in my opinion, which prevented me from really getting engrossed in the story. Also, the pacing was good, but the attempts at tension were lacklustre. I didn’t feel as though it executed its high-stakes plot well.
- And when I say ‘plot’… it felt to me like a bunch of plot points strung together, but there was something missing that should’ve brought it all together.
- I liked most of the characters, especially Augie, Ruby and Bill (#givebillmorescreentime). Also, arguably, Asha - she was an interesting (and flawed) protagonist.
- Tbh I didn’t like Dark at all though lmao. He felt like a 2-dimensional emo love interest from the 2010s if I’m being completely honest. I think that his and Asha’s romance sub-plot wasn’t executed amazingly, and it felt a bit insta-lovey to me.
- I didn’t really appreciate the love triangle… can’t a girl and a boy just be friends for once??
- The initial mystery was incredibly predictable. For example, as soon as Annie was introduced I figured out she was Maya’s secret girlfriend. Yet Asha’s over here wondering who the ‘secret boyfriend’ is for 100 pages 😭
- No offence but what the hell was that ending? Felt a bit cheap to end the first book on a cliffhanger like that. Also I don’t really care about Dark that much so…
- I know next to nothing about VR and technology and all that, and it seems neither does Triona Campbell 💀. Pretty sure you can’t implant an AI of your own brain into someone else. Also it just felt like whenever Asha did her ‘hacking’, the author threw a bunch of technological jargon at us and expected us to just suspend our disbelief.
- I would’ve really liked more development into them actually playing the game. I was disappointed at how little action there really was on the page, as I’d be really interested in reading how they manoeuvred through the game itself. Instead it was all kinda glossed over in the space of a couple pages, which was disappointing.
- I know it seems like I’m being really negative about the book, but apart from those details, I enjoyed reading the book and was interested into what was going to happen. Overall, a good book, but could do with improvement.
- I think this was a decent debut novel, and for the most part I enjoyed reading it. It had a unique concept, protagonist with an interesting backstory and a mystery (which I always love).
- Focusing on positive things, I loved the setting. I feel like I haven’t seen enough books set in futuristic London. Also, the concept of a technology company effectively ruling the country seemed like a good foundation for a story.
- However, all of that said, I felt that this book lacked atmosphere. There was next to no worldbuilding in my opinion, which prevented me from really getting engrossed in the story. Also, the pacing was good, but the attempts at tension were lacklustre. I didn’t feel as though it executed its high-stakes plot well.
- And when I say ‘plot’… it felt to me like a bunch of plot points strung together, but there was something missing that should’ve brought it all together.
- I liked most of the characters, especially Augie, Ruby and Bill (#givebillmorescreentime). Also, arguably, Asha - she was an interesting (and flawed) protagonist.
- Tbh I didn’t like Dark at all though lmao. He felt like a 2-dimensional emo love interest from the 2010s if I’m being completely honest. I think that his and Asha’s romance sub-plot wasn’t executed amazingly, and it felt a bit insta-lovey to me.
- I didn’t really appreciate the love triangle… can’t a girl and a boy just be friends for once??
- The initial mystery was incredibly predictable. For example, as soon as Annie was introduced I figured out she was Maya’s secret girlfriend. Yet Asha’s over here wondering who the ‘secret boyfriend’ is for 100 pages 😭
- No offence but what the hell was that ending? Felt a bit cheap to end the first book on a cliffhanger like that. Also I don’t really care about Dark that much so…
- I know next to nothing about VR and technology and all that, and it seems neither does Triona Campbell 💀. Pretty sure you can’t implant an AI of your own brain into someone else. Also it just felt like whenever Asha did her ‘hacking’, the author threw a bunch of technological jargon at us and expected us to just suspend our disbelief.
- I would’ve really liked more development into them actually playing the game. I was disappointed at how little action there really was on the page, as I’d be really interested in reading how they manoeuvred through the game itself. Instead it was all kinda glossed over in the space of a couple pages, which was disappointing.
- I know it seems like I’m being really negative about the book, but apart from those details, I enjoyed reading the book and was interested into what was going to happen. Overall, a good book, but could do with improvement.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2024
2.5 rounded up.
Summary:
Asha is a teenager who finds out that her sister has been killed. Driven by her hunger for the truth, she goes to her friends and that leads her to a fishy game studio called Zu Tech, where she meets the people who will be playing with her to test the new VR game that Zu tech is going to launch. They will have to do this by fighting against other teams in different landscapes which have dangers of their own. Whilst doing this, she uses a false name, hides her true intentions from her teammates and tries to avoid social services.
I was just not satisfied after reading this book. It was rushed, and didn’t live up to my expectations. I considered not finishing after reading the first few chapters, because the MC kept reminding me that she couldn’t grieve because she had things to do, which became increasingly annoying. It didn’t seem natural.
I feel as if the MC tried to act beyond her age, thinking it would seem mature, when it really didn’t. Apart from that, I didn’t have any problems with her. Another character also bugged me was Auggie, one of Asha’s teammates. He seemed a bit too prying for a stranger and the way he “subtly” expressed his feeling for her made me uneasy. Which brings me onto my next point.
My main problem with this book is that it is very stereotypical in a way. The MC can’t seem to be friends with any boys without everyone thinking they like each other. The constant protectiveness and smothering disgusted me just ever so slightly.
The fact that this ended on such a big cliffhanger made me feel cheated. I just spent 2 hours reading this book and the author throws a cliffhanger at me.
Wow. Just wow.
We still don’t know who killed Maya, we still don’t know who killed Annie (Maya’s GF), we still don’t know what happened to the owner of Zu Tech after the tournament, instead now we have more questions since Dark (love interest) has been kidnapped, the “real” owner of Zu Tech was found dead three years before the tournament, and who really posed as the Zu tech owner and fought against Asha in the tournament because of that.
Almost all the same questions we had at the start of the book after reading the blurb AND MORE.
The author disclosed nothing about what happened to the characters or even the fishy game studio, absolutely nothing. Just a reminder of Auggie and Asha’s uncomfortable relationship.
I’m not reading the next book, enough of my time has been wasted.
Summary:
Asha is a teenager who finds out that her sister has been killed. Driven by her hunger for the truth, she goes to her friends and that leads her to a fishy game studio called Zu Tech, where she meets the people who will be playing with her to test the new VR game that Zu tech is going to launch. They will have to do this by fighting against other teams in different landscapes which have dangers of their own. Whilst doing this, she uses a false name, hides her true intentions from her teammates and tries to avoid social services.
I was just not satisfied after reading this book. It was rushed, and didn’t live up to my expectations. I considered not finishing after reading the first few chapters, because the MC kept reminding me that she couldn’t grieve because she had things to do, which became increasingly annoying. It didn’t seem natural.
I feel as if the MC tried to act beyond her age, thinking it would seem mature, when it really didn’t. Apart from that, I didn’t have any problems with her. Another character also bugged me was Auggie, one of Asha’s teammates. He seemed a bit too prying for a stranger and the way he “subtly” expressed his feeling for her made me uneasy. Which brings me onto my next point.
My main problem with this book is that it is very stereotypical in a way. The MC can’t seem to be friends with any boys without everyone thinking they like each other. The constant protectiveness and smothering disgusted me just ever so slightly.
The fact that this ended on such a big cliffhanger made me feel cheated. I just spent 2 hours reading this book and the author throws a cliffhanger at me.
Wow. Just wow.
We still don’t know who killed Maya, we still don’t know who killed Annie (Maya’s GF), we still don’t know what happened to the owner of Zu Tech after the tournament, instead now we have more questions since Dark (love interest) has been kidnapped, the “real” owner of Zu Tech was found dead three years before the tournament, and who really posed as the Zu tech owner and fought against Asha in the tournament because of that.
Almost all the same questions we had at the start of the book after reading the blurb AND MORE.
The author disclosed nothing about what happened to the characters or even the fishy game studio, absolutely nothing. Just a reminder of Auggie and Asha’s uncomfortable relationship.
I’m not reading the next book, enough of my time has been wasted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2025
Murder and VR collide in Triona Campbell’s pacy (and plot twisty) YA Thriller debut, that literally had me on the edge of my seat!
After her sister and sole guardian, Maya, suddenly drops dead, sixteen year old Asha is certain the secretive (and powerful) tech company Maya worked for is somehow involved.
With help from some hacker friends (including the brooding Dark) she slowly begins piecing together what happened. But, in order to uncover the full picture, she has to infiltrate the company— by entering as a contestant in an E-Sports tournament they’re hosting for their upcoming game, SHACKLE. The very same game Maya had been working on before her death…
I loved this! The writing was deliciously suspenseful, and the characters really well written —particularly our endearing protagonist, Asha. Whose fierce determination and fearlessness (spurred on by her love for her sister) in spite of all the risks— had me rooting for her (and wanting to give her a big hug) from the very start.
The tension was deliciously high too (which I also loved) and The Black Mirror meets Ready Player One-esque vibes had me utterly, nail bitingly addicted!
Delving into themes of power and corruption, grief, love and the dangers of technology (when used unethically), Campbell certainly manages to pack quite an emotional punch that, paired with the vividly descriptive action sequences and rather timely message made for quite an immersive read. And one I feel readers will definitely want to finish in one sitting.
I was a bit nervous at first as I’m not really a gamer but, the gaming aspect was really easy to grasp and (maybe due to the VR aspect) felt just like the sweeping, epic action scenes in all my fave sci-fi /fantasy novels.
I’m also a bit of a sucker for the found family trope, so adored the dynamics we see Asha build with the rest of her tournament team. Though, it was the dynamics between Asha and Dark that I was emotionally invested in the most. The history they share and the trust they have in one another was just skilfully explored and really brought depth to both characters.
Overall, an addictively high stakes and plot twisty, YA Thriller that explores Virtual Reality and AI technology in such a thought provoking and compelling manner that’s perfect for starting further discussions around the topic.
Also, a huge thank you to Scholastic UK & Lorraine Keating PR for the physical copy.
After her sister and sole guardian, Maya, suddenly drops dead, sixteen year old Asha is certain the secretive (and powerful) tech company Maya worked for is somehow involved.
With help from some hacker friends (including the brooding Dark) she slowly begins piecing together what happened. But, in order to uncover the full picture, she has to infiltrate the company— by entering as a contestant in an E-Sports tournament they’re hosting for their upcoming game, SHACKLE. The very same game Maya had been working on before her death…
I loved this! The writing was deliciously suspenseful, and the characters really well written —particularly our endearing protagonist, Asha. Whose fierce determination and fearlessness (spurred on by her love for her sister) in spite of all the risks— had me rooting for her (and wanting to give her a big hug) from the very start.
The tension was deliciously high too (which I also loved) and The Black Mirror meets Ready Player One-esque vibes had me utterly, nail bitingly addicted!
Delving into themes of power and corruption, grief, love and the dangers of technology (when used unethically), Campbell certainly manages to pack quite an emotional punch that, paired with the vividly descriptive action sequences and rather timely message made for quite an immersive read. And one I feel readers will definitely want to finish in one sitting.
I was a bit nervous at first as I’m not really a gamer but, the gaming aspect was really easy to grasp and (maybe due to the VR aspect) felt just like the sweeping, epic action scenes in all my fave sci-fi /fantasy novels.
I’m also a bit of a sucker for the found family trope, so adored the dynamics we see Asha build with the rest of her tournament team. Though, it was the dynamics between Asha and Dark that I was emotionally invested in the most. The history they share and the trust they have in one another was just skilfully explored and really brought depth to both characters.
Overall, an addictively high stakes and plot twisty, YA Thriller that explores Virtual Reality and AI technology in such a thought provoking and compelling manner that’s perfect for starting further discussions around the topic.
Also, a huge thank you to Scholastic UK & Lorraine Keating PR for the physical copy.
July 24, 2023
3.25⭐️
The pacing of the book really kept me invested. The plot was constantly moving forward, but it didn’t seem too fast ,it just felt exciting.
The moment dark was mentioned I was like oooooo there is definitely some history there. And when we first met him, I have to say I was swooning immediately. This guy was stalking her on all the tech camera things so that he knew she was safe!!!!-adorable. The whole mysterious, all knowing look he’s got has me hooked.
I found the time the book is set so interesting and terrifying because this tech-reliant reality is not that far in our future. Everything will revolve around technology, if it doesn’t already, and there will be no privacy just like the world in this book.
I would’ve liked if we got a bit more of a background into asha and darks relationship, some flashbacks would’ve been good but instead it just felt like insta-love. More information on why dark is apparently ‘changed’ and a ‘different’ guy was needed. We kept getting told that he’d done all of these terrible things but never found out what they actually were. Would also like to know more about the virus thing I have no clue what actually went off other than some little pieces of info that was dropped in. The zu technology was also a bit vague….it’s supposed to be incredibly dangerous and everything and I understand that it can control people but like give me examples on why that is bad? It just didn’t make a lot of sense.
I loved watching Asha get closer to her teammates and embrace the fact that she doesn’t have to do everything alone even if it took her 3/4 of the book to get there. The rare moments we got between her and ruby as friends were really lovely and I hope to see more in the next book.
I am conflicted…..on one hand there is dark the mysterious, protective, ‘bad-boy’ hacker and on the other there is augie the flirty, caring, golden retriever gamer. I am sensing more of a love triangle in the future and I am here for it.
Overall, this was a really exciting, easy to read YA set in a cool futuristic reality that had a fast moving plot. I liked the characters, I liked the book, but that was it. I only liked it. But would definitely recommend to younger readers.
The pacing of the book really kept me invested. The plot was constantly moving forward, but it didn’t seem too fast ,it just felt exciting.
The moment dark was mentioned I was like oooooo there is definitely some history there. And when we first met him, I have to say I was swooning immediately. This guy was stalking her on all the tech camera things so that he knew she was safe!!!!-adorable. The whole mysterious, all knowing look he’s got has me hooked.
I found the time the book is set so interesting and terrifying because this tech-reliant reality is not that far in our future. Everything will revolve around technology, if it doesn’t already, and there will be no privacy just like the world in this book.
I would’ve liked if we got a bit more of a background into asha and darks relationship, some flashbacks would’ve been good but instead it just felt like insta-love. More information on why dark is apparently ‘changed’ and a ‘different’ guy was needed. We kept getting told that he’d done all of these terrible things but never found out what they actually were. Would also like to know more about the virus thing I have no clue what actually went off other than some little pieces of info that was dropped in. The zu technology was also a bit vague….it’s supposed to be incredibly dangerous and everything and I understand that it can control people but like give me examples on why that is bad? It just didn’t make a lot of sense.
I loved watching Asha get closer to her teammates and embrace the fact that she doesn’t have to do everything alone even if it took her 3/4 of the book to get there. The rare moments we got between her and ruby as friends were really lovely and I hope to see more in the next book.
I am conflicted…..on one hand there is dark the mysterious, protective, ‘bad-boy’ hacker and on the other there is augie the flirty, caring, golden retriever gamer. I am sensing more of a love triangle in the future and I am here for it.
Overall, this was a really exciting, easy to read YA set in a cool futuristic reality that had a fast moving plot. I liked the characters, I liked the book, but that was it. I only liked it. But would definitely recommend to younger readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2024
"But that's why I want to do this tournament. To make her proud again."
High paced, hearts screaming, minds shaking. It's a murder mystery, where Asha Kennedy, discovers her sister's dead body, Maya on the apartment floor. The police say she's died of natural causes, but Asha thinks otherwise. so whilst uncovering the truth, she leads herself to zu tech, the hit games studio where Maya, was a lead coder. A genius.
but this spirals into many dark shadows that she wasn't meant to touch. because it's true. Maya wasn't sick. She was just stressed, worried, out of it. It was almost as if there was a darker secret she was hiding.
"Fear can either destroy you or drive you. It's the only choice people like me get to make"
LOVE LOVE LOVE the mix of a good romance trope between the twisted murders. asha and dark. OH MY GOD. living for it. like it's literally so cute. obviously they're like best friends, disconnected, then reconnected into something more than friends, but not enough to draw the line? IT'S SO IT. like I loved how this book didn't draw too much on the romantic tension, but had enough of it, to keep the book's entertainment going, whilst the main ploy of it all.
the deep secrets that both the siblings hid, the suspicious characters, and all the unseen problems of the gaming world. I'm not a gamer, so reading this wasn't relatable, but the book itself drew the harsh realities of asha herself, WHO IS A PROBLEMATIC, but heart driven, intelligent teenager.
BUT GOD. the ending. was absolutely accelerating, and it annoyed me so much that it ended on such a FAT cliffhanger. and so far, there's no notice of a second book to finish it off. SO DAMN IT.
"There is a puzzle, pieces that don't fit, and a picture I can't see. The problem is where to find the answers. "
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Genre: fiction, new adult, young adult, romance, contemporary, thriller, mystery, fast paced, science fiction, LGBTQIA+
Dates read: 21/7/2024- 21/7/24 (1 day)
Time period: 2 hrs
Amount of pages: 400 (physical book copy, library borrowed, small font, average size book, thick-ish)
October 17, 2023
Not one original thought or piece of language has gone into this incredibly dull book. It’s like the novelisation of a Disney Channel original movie. Written entirely in tired old cliches, with Twilight-level “romance” (can our hero choose between one edgy and one wholesome boy? Who even cares by the end of this slog) and with a main character who is allegedly 16 but is written like she’s a 30 year old woman looking back on a long hacking career, always bumping into other characters who remark that they haven’t seen her in years and thought she’d retired from this life of crime?? Absolutely mystifying. Unlike the “mystery” of the book, most of which can be solved by the most casual, barely-paying attention reader within the first few chapters. As can the sister’s SHOCK TWIST sexuality, which is so clearly signposted at the first mention of the character that turns out to be her girlfriend that the book may as well have been called P.S. Her Sister’s Gay! Now as a card-carrying member of the LGBTQ+ community, I’m usually up for a bit of representation. But not like this. Not like this! Not used as some kind of pompous “checkmate, narrow-minded heteronormative straights! You all assumed her partner must have been a male, RIGHT???” gay jumpscare.
Anyway, the book starts averagely bad and descends into infuriating, nonsensical drivel that I struggled to get though. I didn’t care about a single one of the shallowly written characters, and every hackneyed mention of hacking sent me into a full-body cringe. The VR stuff reads like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle fanfic, except without one atom of that movie’s humour or heart. And to end on a cliffhanger which presumes I’ll rush out to buy the next book to get to the bottom of it? Laughably hopeful; this will certainly be my first and last read by this author, so I’ll have to live with the sleepless nights caused by this tragic lack of plot resolution.
Oh, and I will also be going quite far out of my way to avoid the narrator of the audiobook, some kind of hissing snake-person whose sibilant assaults were the genesis of many gritted-teeth tension headaches during the 9 hours and 5 minutes of this ordeal of a listen.
Anyway, the book starts averagely bad and descends into infuriating, nonsensical drivel that I struggled to get though. I didn’t care about a single one of the shallowly written characters, and every hackneyed mention of hacking sent me into a full-body cringe. The VR stuff reads like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle fanfic, except without one atom of that movie’s humour or heart. And to end on a cliffhanger which presumes I’ll rush out to buy the next book to get to the bottom of it? Laughably hopeful; this will certainly be my first and last read by this author, so I’ll have to live with the sleepless nights caused by this tragic lack of plot resolution.
Oh, and I will also be going quite far out of my way to avoid the narrator of the audiobook, some kind of hissing snake-person whose sibilant assaults were the genesis of many gritted-teeth tension headaches during the 9 hours and 5 minutes of this ordeal of a listen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2024
Asha, our main character, suddenly finds her sister Maya deceased at the beginning of the story. It’s a heart wrenching thought to consider, and at only sixteen years old to be thrust into grief so violently is a stark and sad opener to her world. But what follows turns her grief into something more along the lines of curiosity. She can’t help but get hung up on the reasons of why her sister died. Why is her autopsy being done by a separate company that are overseeing her death? Why does she get the feeling like they’re all keeping something massive from her? It was just the two of them, and left to her own devices, Asha decides being curious isn’t enough—she wants answers, now.
Clever, Asha has always been into tech, and it’s coming in handy now more than ever. Maya was the one that did things with care and thought, and Asha is headstrong and all-or-nothing, delving deeper into the mystery with every piece of evidence she locates. When the trail leads to Zu Tech, where her sister worked, she knows what she has to do. Penetrating their defences is easy when they have an upcoming tech tournament, and that’s when Asha can attack. But reality is the straightforward thing, the virtual world is not. And as Asha and the world is watching the reveal of an innovative new game, something dark and dangerous lies beneath the surface.
Overall, A Game Of Life Or Death was a fast-paced, nail-biting thriller with heart, and I could not put it down all day. (Yes, I finished it in shorter than 24 hours!) I was desperate to uncover the mystery of Maya’s death, and became focused on Asha’s journey to do so. I loved the layers to her character (something I can’t wait to read more of) and the relationships explored beyond the general plot that added that quality of feeling lifelike, lots of tiny roots sprouting off in our own worlds and lives similarly. Triona definitely has a smart way of capturing the audience with her storyworld building, and I can’t wait to read the sequel. A brilliant four star novel that I would recommend to fans of Gina Blaxill and Kathryn Foxfield.
Clever, Asha has always been into tech, and it’s coming in handy now more than ever. Maya was the one that did things with care and thought, and Asha is headstrong and all-or-nothing, delving deeper into the mystery with every piece of evidence she locates. When the trail leads to Zu Tech, where her sister worked, she knows what she has to do. Penetrating their defences is easy when they have an upcoming tech tournament, and that’s when Asha can attack. But reality is the straightforward thing, the virtual world is not. And as Asha and the world is watching the reveal of an innovative new game, something dark and dangerous lies beneath the surface.
Overall, A Game Of Life Or Death was a fast-paced, nail-biting thriller with heart, and I could not put it down all day. (Yes, I finished it in shorter than 24 hours!) I was desperate to uncover the mystery of Maya’s death, and became focused on Asha’s journey to do so. I loved the layers to her character (something I can’t wait to read more of) and the relationships explored beyond the general plot that added that quality of feeling lifelike, lots of tiny roots sprouting off in our own worlds and lives similarly. Triona definitely has a smart way of capturing the audience with her storyworld building, and I can’t wait to read the sequel. A brilliant four star novel that I would recommend to fans of Gina Blaxill and Kathryn Foxfield.
April 2, 2024
I truly love how this book is just a debut, what other wonderful things will we be getting from Triona Campbell? I picked up this book at YALC 2023, and to me it was just a paperback for my TBR. Am I glad I picked it off the shelve because of my book buying ban! So, this book is about Asha, who is an orphan and discovers her sister dead. Asha is an amazing hacker and technology is a big thing in this world. The world does not seem to be a lot different from ours, just set in the future. The book also states: "London, the near future." so yeah, there is that. The book is littered with plot twist upon plot twist and the most amazing lovable characters. Ruby being my fave, but Asha is a really powerful woman herself. The technology and AI aspect is real in A Game of life or death and I totally love that about a book. It made me think about 'Warcross', but this is even better. Dark is my morally grey hero and he made sure my heart was broken multiple times. I am aching to read more about Dark and Asha and their chemisty. I do despise Jones by the way, I don't know why yet, but I know I don't trust her. It's just a gut feeling. This is one of those books where you read and read and read and don't realize the 400 pages are almost over. For me, going into this book thinking it was a stand alone, it came as a surprise to find out there is a book 2! I did break my book buying ban for book 2. I needed it. I even dare to compare this series to 'A Good Girls Guide to Murder', since it's that good.
April 20, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a physical Arc of this book as part of a competition at YALC. Although I ended up listening to the final version of the book as an audiobook.
The audiobook was fine, although for a book that revolves around technology a lot - the pronunciation of the word 'Beta' was a bit annoying, I've never heard it pronounced that way, although it may be the correct British English way.
The book is a contemporary YA mystery set in a post-pandemic world where technology has advanced, and online gaming is considered a big sport. Everyone in this world gets training from a young age in various aspects of technology. The books follows Asha a sixteen year girl who is investigation the death of her older sister, and is considered a prodigy with security testing.
I think this book tried to be too many things at once. It was clearly written as a commentary on a post-Covid world. However, the futuristic world, set post pandemic while still being modern day was a bit too much for me.
I think the basic plot of the book would have still worked if the main character was just investigating the death of her sister, which she believed was linked to the tech company worked for, or even if it was set in the future. The story was compelling and fast paced, but its not one I'll be thinking about in future.
The audiobook was fine, although for a book that revolves around technology a lot - the pronunciation of the word 'Beta' was a bit annoying, I've never heard it pronounced that way, although it may be the correct British English way.
The book is a contemporary YA mystery set in a post-pandemic world where technology has advanced, and online gaming is considered a big sport. Everyone in this world gets training from a young age in various aspects of technology. The books follows Asha a sixteen year girl who is investigation the death of her older sister, and is considered a prodigy with security testing.
I think this book tried to be too many things at once. It was clearly written as a commentary on a post-Covid world. However, the futuristic world, set post pandemic while still being modern day was a bit too much for me.
I think the basic plot of the book would have still worked if the main character was just investigating the death of her sister, which she believed was linked to the tech company worked for, or even if it was set in the future. The story was compelling and fast paced, but its not one I'll be thinking about in future.
February 8, 2023
The concept of this one is really clever, and unlike anything else i've ever read. I really enjoyed the characters. The MC is brave and pretty badass, and i loved her friendship with Dark.
I'm really into anything techy, and this one pushed the boat out into either fantasy or sci-fi? The ending was super surprising and ended on a cliffhanger so i assume there's more to come.
A Game of Life or Death is gripping with lots of twists and turns but i found it to be strangely repetitive. I didn't know if it was on purpose (could be a 'glitch' because of the game), or if it was just not great writing. When i say repetitive i mean sentences were said again on the next page and left me saying 'eh, you just said that.' This could also be my proof copy.
I also spotted a few inconsistencies such as Dark calling her, but then giving her his number a few pages later. It ruined the overall feeling of the book for me.
I'm really into anything techy, and this one pushed the boat out into either fantasy or sci-fi? The ending was super surprising and ended on a cliffhanger so i assume there's more to come.
A Game of Life or Death is gripping with lots of twists and turns but i found it to be strangely repetitive. I didn't know if it was on purpose (could be a 'glitch' because of the game), or if it was just not great writing. When i say repetitive i mean sentences were said again on the next page and left me saying 'eh, you just said that.' This could also be my proof copy.
I also spotted a few inconsistencies such as Dark calling her, but then giving her his number a few pages later. It ruined the overall feeling of the book for me.
February 19, 2023
A star in the making!
Asha Kennedy finds her already difficult life turned upside down when she finds her sister dead in their home. This leads her down a rabbit hole to Zu Tech, a VR company with lots of secrets and intrigue.
This is a fast paced tech thriller, with a glimpse of the power of VR, a fascinating female protagonist and a love interest or two thrown in for good measure.
Triona is clearly having a blast tinkering with this world, a world almost a vision of a near future, bringing us into the fantastical world of VR at the same time.
The characters spring off the page, from the mysterious Dark to the determined Maya to the quiet power of Jones and all the way up to the elusive Zu.
I really enjoyed everything about the world Triona Campbell has created. She has it all, from characterisation to dialogue to action and I'm looking forward already to what comes next.
Asha Kennedy finds her already difficult life turned upside down when she finds her sister dead in their home. This leads her down a rabbit hole to Zu Tech, a VR company with lots of secrets and intrigue.
This is a fast paced tech thriller, with a glimpse of the power of VR, a fascinating female protagonist and a love interest or two thrown in for good measure.
Triona is clearly having a blast tinkering with this world, a world almost a vision of a near future, bringing us into the fantastical world of VR at the same time.
The characters spring off the page, from the mysterious Dark to the determined Maya to the quiet power of Jones and all the way up to the elusive Zu.
I really enjoyed everything about the world Triona Campbell has created. She has it all, from characterisation to dialogue to action and I'm looking forward already to what comes next.
December 5, 2023
You know when you read a book and desperately want to read more, only to find out this is the only book? Yeah, this is what A Game of Life or Death has done to me.
I loved this read. I listened to the audiobook, and I think Charlie Sanderson may be my new favourite narrator.
A Game of Life or Death is a great YA book. I loved the strong female characters in tech, and some of the futuristic (or maybe not that far off...?) tech was downright horrifying. Let's hope it's a way off yet.
It's nice having a book set in the UK for once, I often find it easier to connect with books set here as a Brit myself.
The story was fast-paced and kept me invested, it's so easy for books to drift into filler chapters sometimes.
Unfortunately, it did leave unanswered questions, so I really hope there will be a sequel!
I loved this read. I listened to the audiobook, and I think Charlie Sanderson may be my new favourite narrator.
A Game of Life or Death is a great YA book. I loved the strong female characters in tech, and some of the futuristic (or maybe not that far off...?) tech was downright horrifying. Let's hope it's a way off yet.
It's nice having a book set in the UK for once, I often find it easier to connect with books set here as a Brit myself.
The story was fast-paced and kept me invested, it's so easy for books to drift into filler chapters sometimes.
Unfortunately, it did leave unanswered questions, so I really hope there will be a sequel!
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