Mack, the survivor of a traumatic event, along with thirteen other twenty-somethings are chosen to compete in the Olly Olly Oxen Free Hide-and-Seek Tournament. The cash prize promises to help those deemed aspiring as well as those deemed stalled. Mack’s been barely existing in a homeless shelter, and hiding has saved her skin once before. Everything about the contest is weird, so when contestants who have been found are never seen again, at first no one becomes alarmed. But then they start to suspect that being found equals begin killed.

Having such a large cast makes sense for the structure of the contest, which takes place over seven days, with two contestants eliminated each day. However, keeping track of so many characters was problematic at times. However, having two characters with very different personalities with the same name (Ava) really worked for me, as their identities were made clear no matter whose perspective was given.

While point of view switches between various characters, Mack is clearly the protagonist with the predominant character arc. Mack is likable, as are some of the other contestants, and most are given interesting backstories.

I found myself engrossed in the story and invested in the survival of Mack and several other players. The abandoned Amazement amusement park makes a cool and creepy setting. For the most part, I liked the world building, but some of the found documents that explained the truth about the competition got a bit too much page time in my opinion. While I found the resolution satisfying overall, the ending felt rushed. I would have liked a short epilogue, even something like a newspaper clipping or other epistolary vehicle.

For me, HIDE was a three and a half star read, rounded to four.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

"She doesn't know him, but she knows that when someone screams, LeGrand runs toward it. And she doesn't. What else would anyone ever need in order to weigh their worth?"

Fourteen contestants are competing for prize money in a high-stakes game of hide and seek in an abandoned amusement park. All of them desperately need it to escape troubled pasts or kickstart stagnant careers, but Mack is sure she can win. After all, hiding is the reason she's still alive and her family isn't. But as days pass inside the park and more contestants vanish without a trace, Mack and the others realize that something far more sinister is going on. They aren't playing for prize money; they're playing for their lives. Spoilers will be clearly marked. I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Random House/Ballantine. Trigger warnings: character death (on-page, graphic), parent/child/sibling death, suicide (on-page), cults, gore, guns, severe injury, sexism, classism, homophobia, ableism, racism, slurs, grief, guilt, self-loathing.

The concept of this book sounded so creepy to me, but something about it fell short in the execution. I'm having a hard time pinpointing exactly what it was because, individually, there were things I liked about it. There are quite a few characters who are just there for body count (and giving two of them the same name is unnecessarily confusing in a book that already has too many characters), and most of them are varying shades of self-centered and unlikable. However, the ones we do get to know are vivid and sympathetic, with a kind of found family vibe. Mack is a somewhat dubious hero with a clear save-herself-first mentality, and I liked watching her break out of that over the course of the novel. Ava, a disabled war vet, is a badass that I'd totally want on my team, and LeGrand turns out to be surprisingly complex and with a harrowing background. A couple others stand out here and there, but the development varies a lot depending on how much (or how little) time we get to spend with them.

I think what hurt this novel the most for me was that I figured out the plot twist before they ever reached the park. Books don't usually hinge on their shock value for me, but a lot of the reveals fell flat when I could see them coming. There's a lot of spooky atmosphere in the deserted, mazelike park, which I found more effective than the actual threats. I was never very frightened by any of it, and the way characters have to be still and quiet for long chunks of time while they're hiding drags at the pace somewhat. I was more invested once they started to figure out what was going on, and it's got the usual amount of White's righteous anger in it to make things interesting. The message is a tad heavy-handed for an adult novel; I don't think readers need it spelled out quite that blatantly or often, but I get where it's coming from. It's a fun read, but not something that's likely to stick with me.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS. TURN BACK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

It's difficult to talk about a lot of this book without venturing into spoiler territory, so let's start with that plot twist. I can't help it, okay? I've seen a lot of Supernatural! As soon as they were describing the small town perfection, my mind jumped right to "Scarecrow." Sorry, but nothing stays that pristine without some human sacrifice going on. The actual monster leaves something to be desired in its vague descriptions, and I never got a clear picture of it in my head. The real monsters, of course, are the humans, and they make for effective villains. I very much enjoyed the slow burn of Mack and Ava's relationship as well, and I was going to be distressed if one of them died, although it was really obvious that Ava didn't. It's a rule of horror that if you didn't see it happen on page/screen, it didn't happen. It's a satisfying ending, and I'd happily read a sequel about Mack, Ava, and LeGrand taking down a cult in their spare time.

You can see my review on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CazVY70LDoR/

I thought this was a decent book, but nothing special. It was fast paced and I enjoyed the short chapters. However, I was left wanting more of the twist (I felt like we only got glimpses of the people disappearing I wanted to see more of a struggle). I also loathed all of the entitled, whiney characters except for Mack and Eva, Macks Eva! The characters were just super annoying and horrible people and I really did't connect or feel sympathy for any one them, but maybe that was the point. I did like some of the reveals like the reason behind the tournament. I thought that was super interesting and the book was left a little open ended so maybe a sequel? Prequel? Overall, it was fun and I think people are going to love it!

Thank you so much for this early review!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Kiersten White for an advanced copy of Hide in exchange for my honest review.

Fourteen strangers have been given the opportunity to participate in a new reality show where they spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park. If they are found, they're out. And if they're the last person standing, they get to take home the cash prize.

Mack knows she has a leg up on the competition, since she's an expert at hiding... It saved her life when she was a child. But when people start disappearing, Mack suspects there's something the showrunners aren't telling the contestants.

This will be yet another review which likens this book to Hunger Games meets Black Mirror meets Squid Game. There's a reason you've seen the comparisons made so many times... they are spot on! I enjoyed this fast-paced book and the fact that it was relatively short so I was able to fly through it.

The only thing I struggled with was keeping all 14 characters straight right off the bat. I did like Kiersten White's style of writing, though, where mid-chapter she would switch back and forth between viewpoints of each of the contestants. By the end I had everyone sorted out and even though the book isn't super long, I felt I had a good feel for each character's personality by the end.

Speaking of ends... I loved this one! I would be pumped to see this book turned into a movie or limited series sometime in the future.

Hide will be on bookshelves in the US May 24, 2022!

I’ve read some of Kiersten White’s young adult books so I was beyond thriller to hear she had an adult debut coming out. The premise was interesting (who doesn’t love the idea of abandoned amusement parks for an setting??). I found the story to be pretty predictable but it was interesting. I feel like this would have made a better slasher horror movie where the viewer goes in expecting to suspend all disbelief. I don’t know if it was just the ARC formatting but the digital copy I read switched perspectives frequently and on the same page with no clear break which was a little confusing at times. 14 contestants have been invited to play an epic gave of hide and seek in an abandoned amusement park. Their task is to make it 7 days without being found and the winner will get 50,000. As the week goes on some of the contestants start to get suspicious that something more be going on and the truth is beyond any of their nightmares.

The Hunger Games meets Ready or Not in this amusement park hide-and-seek horror. I found the switching of POVs jarring with how frequent and unmarked they were, but the heart at the center of this narrative made up for its flaws.

I do think too much time was spent on some of the lesser characters, and I found myself wanting more time in the head of LeGrand and Brandon before the end. The backstory could have been less explained, too, leaving some dots for the reader to connect without spelling it out. However, the pacing was engaging, the plot moved along without too much drag, and I was interested the entire time.

What can I say, I love a horror novel with heart at the center of it.

Also, I'm not one for puns, but Oxtreme Sports was RIGHT there.

I'm not going to lie, I actually was a little shocked by how much I liked this one. The overall blurb piqued my interest, but I wasn't quite feeling the first tenth of this. Once the pieces started to fall in to place and the characters formed connections, I was hooked and wanted to know more. Why these characters? Why an amusement park? Why can some see the beast and others not? Will they survive?

While not entirely polished, this book does was a good horror novel should - make your skin crawl and the pages fly.

Looking at the Minotaur myth in a modern light. The characters were of different backgrounds and personalities. There were some twists. Fun thriller that keeps you reading. Story was steady paced and kept you guessing.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

*I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This reminded me of Squid Game so I gave it a shot. But the horror element was buried. The book takes a painfully long time to talk about anything other than eating, going to the bathroom, and giving impressions of the competitors.

There is no atmosphere which really sucked. With so many characters, it got jumbled fast. They were all very basic and I lost all interest in them. Even the ending was a letdown. Altogether, this definitely wasn't ready to be published. Very dumb.

The synopsis of this book quickly grabbed my attention. It's about a group of fourteen people challenged to stay in an abandoned amusement park for a week. Prize is $50,000. It should be an easy game of ‘Hide and Seek’ except it isn’t.

This book was so good that I couldn’t put it down. There are multiple points of view but that didn’t bother me and our main character, Mack was well written. It was so easy to put yourself in her place and feel what she was feeling throughout the entire book. There were twist that I didn’t expect and thought the author did a wonderful job bringing the entire story together.

I would definitely recommend this book to friends and anyone who enjoys a good supernatural thriller!

I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this book! It was so good I couldn’t stop reading. It sucked me in and kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It was based on a Greek myth (I won’t give away which one) and it was so well done! Not only was it just an all around banger of a story, it’s moral lesson really stops and makes you think about the pressure society puts on its youngest generations. This is definitely one of the best books I’ve read so far this year, and I will definitely be searching for a similar story to read to fill the void this one left behind.

Very entertaining horror novel that seems like it's loosely based upon the Greek story of the Minotaur.

14 contestants find themselves inside an abandoned amusement park where they think they are competing for cash and prizes, but something evil awaits them at the center of the park. Things turn dark and gruesome as secrets are uncovered, but several contestants decide to take fate into their own hands and choose their own endings.

My two favorite types of stories in this world are creepy amusement parks/amusement parks at night and survival horror. Kiersten White has taken the intersection of these two and done it wonderfully. This story keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and rooting for their favorite character. Highly would recommend to fans of the movie Ready or Not.

3.5 stars - Would You Rather (2012) meets Hunger Games
I really enjoyed this! I loved the aspect and the setting of the abandoned amusement park. I also liked our main cast of characters, although I did think there were a few too many, and their relationships with each other. I also did like the reveal, even though I didn't love *how* we found out about what was actually going on.
My main issue with this was the perspectives - we would mostly be reading from Mack's perspective but randomly in the next sentence we would be in another characters head. Then three sentences later, another character. Then a paragraph later, we would get almost an omnipresent perspective. It switched WAY too quickly and with no actual breaks and it was super jarring. I liked hearing from the other characters, but I wish these perspectives were just split up more clearly.

I got an advanced reader copy of Hide from the publisher for an honest review (thanks, NetGalley). I state that at the onset of this review because I had no idea what to expect from this book. I had only read The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White prior to this and WOW did this book shock me.
There are things to consider when recommending this one. It's scary. It's emotional. It's intense. The fascinating element that Kiersten has crafted is motivation. Why a character is taking an action or making a choice is an aspect of a story that can derail a whole book. In Hide, motivation is crafted masterfully. Not only does each character have their own reasons for participating in this crazy thriller, but they are reasons where every reader can find a character to resonate with (Spoilers: that character may not survive to the end, this book doesn't hold back).
The bigger picture of why this whole experience is happening in the first place is incredible and bizarrely believable. I've never read a book like this. But if you loved Squid Game of The Cabin in the Woods... this book is for you!

I liked this quite a bit considering I thought that it was a thriller and turned out to be horror, not my favorite genre. Good suspense building. I also enjoyed knowing things that the characters hadn't figured out yet, then at the reveal you can tell yourself, "I knew it!". White's first foray into adult fiction went very well.

I went into this book blind, and I am so glad that I did! I really enjoyed it. I was hooked from the very first page. It was a little hard (for me at least) to keep track of all of the characters, but soon I was able to keep track of everyone. I enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. I really want to read more from this author now. I can’t wait for this book to come out so I can talk to people about it!

Phew, I will say I almost dnfd this book a time or two. But I pushed through and finished. Not my favorite, but definitely not bad. Just wasn't for me. I did enjoy to premise of the abandoned park and think it could have been done a little better.

THANK YOU Del Rey for this ARC!

There was no way I wasn’t going to love this book. I’ve been itching to get my hands on it since I read this description in Publishers’ Marketplace: “a troubled young woman enters a hide-and-seek competition in an abandoned amusement park, only to find something truly monstrous lurking in its labyrinthine center.”

HIDE reminded me of The Cabin In the Woods, with the atmosphere and social commentary of Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block. It’s not “horrifying scary” like the last couple horror books I’ve read; it’s more “tense scary”—probably safe to read without worrying you’ll need therapy, but still deeply satisfying. At one point the tension was so high, someone messaged me and the little “buzz” made me jump out of my skin. The abandoned amusement park setting is every bit as vividly realized as I hoped it would be, a liminal space that leaps off the page.

HIDE makes excellent use of a tense/POV combination I don’t normally like: third person omniscient present tense. The narrative hops across more than a dozen perspectives, and somehow ALL of them are distinct. The characters feel so real, from the CrossFit bro to the aspiring Instagram influencer to the suspiciously friendly old white lady. Special shout-out to Brandon, the human golden retriever, and Ian, the ennui-riddled MFA grad who never actually writes anything.

This isn’t a perfect book. I liked the buildup better than the payoff to the big mystery, and the ending was kind of abrupt. This was also really, really not a story that needed a romance arc. Some of the social commentary felt a bit heavy-handed, but it hit close enough to home that I didn’t mind.

Overall: Highly recommended, and I want this to be a movie IMMEDIATELY.