Wow! I needed several minutes to pick my jaw up off the floor after finishing this book. New to me author, Diana Urban, delivers a very twisty, heart pounding, pulse racing story about a teenage girl who is racing the clock to play a sick and twisted game or her little sister dies. Who is behind this nightmare? Why are they are doing this? How far is Crystal willing to go when the choices between hurting her friends and allowing her sister to die become more painful.

First of all, I really enjoyed the back story of Crystal and her friends all being avid online gamers. I appreciated the detail the author put into this story to illustrate how important the gaming community is to gamers and how focused they are on the game, sometimes to the detriment of other aspects of their lives. No judgment here at all, but the author did a brilliant job of showing how the gaming life can evolve from a fun hobby to an obsession.

Secondly, this story is full of twists and turns that I actually started to wonder if this was really happening or was it all in Crystal’s head. The kidnapper does an excellent job of making Crystal believe a reality other than her own at times and it also got me questioning it.

Thirdly, the games Crystal has to play start out fairly innocent and innocuous. Steal a test and put it in a locker. Make some brownies and go take a drive to a lake. Make a prank phone call. The detail the kidnapper puts into their plan was brilliantly executed and I could feel Crystal’s fear and frustration as every angle she thinks of to get to the bottom of this has already been thought of and blocked by the villain. They can see her. They can hear her. While reading this story, I was giving my cell phone dirty looks.

The plot was so mind-boggling, but so easy to follow. The story switches between the present and five years in the past. The characters were well developed and behaved appropriately and as expected, given the events around them. Everyone was a suspect in my mind at various points, including Crystal. When the reveal occurred, I was shocked, but it didn’t end there. When the entire truth came out, I was floored, and this story ends with me wondering if there will be a sequel or some kind of follow-up involving Crystal. You know, like in Jaws, when you think it’s safe to go back into the water? If I were Crystal, I think I would give up all electronics, social media, gaming and live off the grid.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this story was fantastic! Interesting and intriguing storyline paired with characters who are easy to relate to are a booklover’s dream. I highly recommend this story to readers who enjoy mysteries and thrillers. The majority of the characters are teen and young adult and readers in this age group will enjoy it, but also older adults, like me, will be pulled in and have a difficult time looking away.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

This book was so entertaining that I kept refreshing the water of my bath so I didn't have to get out and be done with the book.

I don't think it's a pure 5 stars -- 4.5 more likely -- in part because one of the twists was too obvious for this to be a 5 star book. But the ending made up for that.

the plot was well though out--a little less informal that I thought it would be---, the characters were nice pawns to be shoved across the board of a deathly escapade, the pace kept me distracted of the woes of life and I loved it

Very engaging!! Good character development. Fast-paced story that will keep you hooked from the very first page.

Fast-paced, brutal, but not particularly exciting or thrilling. I don't think I'll continue reading from this author.

Diana Urban is sick for this. In the best way. I am such a sucker for stories that make a main character be like "I'll do whatever it takes to save this person I love" (in this case her sister).

THESE DEADLY GAMES did not disappoint. This was a fun (and perfect for a day on the beach) read! I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves YA mysteries/thrillers. This book was one I didn’t want to put down once I started reading and it kept me on my toes. I guessed most of the big reveals in the book, but there were a few I missed. It’s always fun to read a book when you think you know what’s going on and then it turns out that it’s not quite what you think.

YA loving me requested this thinking I'd get to it right away and since then, I rarely ever read YA. If I ever do pick this up in the future, I'll make sure to come back and edit my review.

Diana! Urban! Another auto read author for me!! So tense and so thrilling. And the covers?! So good.

Y'all. As far as I'm concerned, Diana Urban can do no wrong. Her books are all absolutely amazing. This was a "couldn't put down, reading way past my bedtime" book for me.

The characters are kind of one dimensional and there's not a whole lot going on there but that's okay because These Deadly Games is definitely plot driven more than anything else. The main characters are teenage gamers and that plays a part of the plot . . . they're in competition with each other over money and they all could benefit from the reward money.

There is a lot of drama to follow along with and plot twists that keep you on the edge of your seat while reading. Some of it I saw coming but was still pretty shocked by it all.

Definitely recommend the book and everything else by the author!

An engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Highly recommend and will purchase several physical and digital copies for library collections. Thank you!!

If there is one thing Diana Urban can do it's write a compelling YA thriller!

I realized over the last year or so I dont enjoy many YA thrillers. They have to really compel me and make me intrigued and I know without a doubt anytime I pick up a book by this author it's going to be a hit.

I read this in one sitting and honestly loved it. It was fast paced and kept me guessing until the very end. Urban knows how to write scenes and flesh out her characters. She also knows how to write thrillers where everything ends up being connected! *yay for no plot holes*

(3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for Netgalley)

"These Deadly Games" by Diana Urban offers an engaging premise with a mix of suspense and mystery, but falls slightly short in execution, earning it a middling 3.5-star rating. The plot revolves around a group of teens who become entangled in a deadly game that quickly escalates beyond their control. While the initial setup promises an adrenaline-fueled ride, the pacing often falters, with moments of sluggishness interrupting the overall flow. Despite this, Urban succeeds in crafting a narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end, with enough twists and turns to maintain intrigue.

Where the novel truly shines is in its characters, each one vividly portrayed with their own motivations and secrets. From the charismatic leader to the quiet observer, Urban expertly weaves together their personalities, adding layers of complexity to the story. However, some character development feels lacking, leaving certain relationships feeling underdeveloped and motivations unclear. While the diverse cast adds depth to the narrative, there are missed opportunities for deeper exploration of their backgrounds and motivations.

Overall, "These Deadly Games" is a decent read for fans of the thriller genre, offering a compelling plot and a diverse cast of characters. While the pacing may drag at times and some character arcs feel underdeveloped, Diana Urban delivers enough twists and suspense to keep readers engaged until the final page.

This gripping mystery with a unique video game twist had me hooked from the start! The author masterfully weaves a web of suspense that kept me guessing until the very end. The high stakes and intricate plot unfold at a breakneck pace, making it nearly impossible to put down. For fans of fast-paced mysteries like One of Us is Lying or A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, this is a must-read!

Note: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook! Review is my own.

This was a great young adult thriller. We follow or main character as she tries to beat someone at a hellish game they created just for her. The stakes for losing are possibly just as high as the stakes for winning each game along the way. This book was fun read once I got into!

This one was a little meh. The writing was good but the plot a little predictable. This would be perfect for anyone getting into the thriller genre.

This was incredibly fast paced and had my poor heart pounding as the story kept going. I loved the cast of characters, and the plot with the impossible life choice that our poor, poor FMC had to make.

It actually felt very realistic to me, which added to the terror that this book invoked. I might even have loved the ending, which isn’t necessarily an HEA but felt like it had a really good resolution. All in all if you want a really big emotional roller coaster, then read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

A gripping and horrifying page turner, THESE DEADLY GAMES will keep you guessing until the very last chapter! I was completely spellbound and terrified! 10/10 highly recommend! Put this one on your TBR and in your classroom library STAT!

Thank you to @stmartinspress for the #gifted copy of the book. What a wild ride! This was such a good suspense thriller. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved the concept of Gaming gone bad in this YA thriller. I did figure out the whodunit pretty quickly but I still found myself quickly turning pages until the bitter end! I can't wait to read the next on by this author.