Thank you Netgalley, For the Arc!
3/5 stars.
I thought this was a solid read. It was a decent thriller/horror book with a really cool idea.

What I enjoyed:
-the idea of an abandoned amusement park was what tagged me to the story
-big competition
-interesting twists/supernatural
-journal entries

What I didn’t enjoy:
-this was such a slow burn. I almost put it down completely after 35% because the story seemed slow and the characters had little to no building
-as much as I liked the idea of the competition, there were too many characters for me and I had a hard time keeping track.

Overall, this was enjoyable and I think the author did a good job keeping the twists and turns coming.

Very tense book! Excellent pacing and difficult to put down. Mack is standoffish but you're rooting for her and her small band of misfits. The journal entries helped with some of the mystery. The park descriptions brought the scenery to life. Fun horror read

I was not convinced about this book when I started it. It wasn’t a slow start or anything, but I wasn’t sure if I would commit to it. Thank god I did because this book was amazing. The writing was gorgeous from the get-go, it’s what kept me at it. I’ve never read a book by Kiersten White but if all of them are this talented I definitely have to pick them up. The story was unique, and the characters were well-rounded. Too many times I had to put it down and sit with a twist that was just mind-boggling. If I had to make any critique, it’s that the extensive amount of characters at the beginning can get a little confusing and the slightest bit boring but her prose makes up for it. I love Mack and I love Ava. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for and honest review.

Don't judge a book by it's cover!
"Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide but nowhere to run"

WOW WOW WOW What a great book. Picture a hunger games sort of set up, with lots of personalities and little information given. 14 desperate young people from all over the United States brought together to last a week with limited provisions in an abandoned amusement park.

It's as creepy as it sounds, and you only know the minimum!! I loved this story was start to finish - it had all the components and none of the annoying extras. This is a stand alone with a great ending a perfect conclusion to the twists. If you like Hunger Games, Steven King, scary movies and amusement parks, this book is for you! #Hide
.#ballantine #RandomHouse #DelRay #KierstenWhite #netgalley #NetGalleyReads

I won’t lie, this book was messy. From the very first chapter, I found the writing to be clunky and the character’s actions and thought processes to be unrealistic and exaggerated. I understand that the concept of this novel was a bit outlandish, but that makes it that much more essential that the characters be more grounded and realistic, and they just weren’t. I was let down by this book, and didn’t really enjoy my time with it.

Hide is a smart and terrifying story brimming with brilliant ( but not pandering)social commentary and nostalgia.

You'll follow a large cast of relatable characters as they enter into an extreme hide and seek competition. As the story unfolds you'll find that things aren't what they seem. Sinister plot twists lurk around every corner making Hide impossible to put down.

White really shines in her character development. You'll feel deep empathy and sincire outrage in equal measure as you start to understand each contestants motivation and mentality. Hide's decrepit atmosphere, almost a character itself, masterfully build the feeling of impending doom as you unravel its secrets.

If you are a fan of the dystopian competition Era, you'll feel hints of nostalgia here but don't let the comparison fool you, the modern and familiar setting ups the anti on the sheer horror of the story.
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You'll never get Olly Olly Oxen Free again without thinking about White's smart take on Hide and Seek.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing an early review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Did you ever wish you were chosen to compete along with thirteen other people in an adult game of hide and seek? No. Me either, but these contestants each have their reason for entering this creepy old abandoned amusement park for a week. There can only be one winner and that person will walk away with $50,000. Two people will be eliminated each day when they don't manage to hide from the seekers. Just because they don't see any cameras and haven't spotted anyone looking for them doesn’t mean they aren't there. After all, what other reason could someone have for bringing them all here?
Just like watching a reality TV show, I did not feel like I got a good sense for the early eliminated players. BTW, just what happens to those unlucky people who are found? This isn't a normal competition, because who lets out blood-curdling screams before an elimination? Once the horror element was introduced, all I could think was to let my few favorites somehow make it to the end.
The story was horrific in many ways, but the actual violence is more alluded to than in your face. I will be contemplating the ending for a while since I am still not sure I got it. I won't give anything away by using names, but three people have such sad backstories and I wanted them to figure out what exactly was going on and Get Out!

Received from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Excellent book, recommend for people who like suspense and not-too-gory horror. Fourteen people are selected to spend a week in an abandoned amusement park. They have to hide during the day, and the last one found at the end of the week wins $50,000. They thought it was a game...until it became clear that it wasn't.

This book captured me from the very beginning, and I finished it in two days. You do have to have appreciate books that are written from multiple narrative viewpoints, and there were times when the switch from one character's head to another wasn't entirely clear. (To be fair, I don't know if that is something that would be made clearer in a printed book, perhaps with improved spacing or font changes. I was reading an ARC on a Kindle.) I enjoyed how various aspects of the characters were revealed over time. The other thing that caused me to drop a star is that the found documents [trying to avoid spoilers here] sometimes come off as an info-drop, rather than being fully integrated into the story. Might be improved by having them revealed in smaller chunks, rather than all at once.

All in all, though, I would recommend this book and feel fortunate that I came across it. I will look for more by this author.

The build in this was incredibly slow. Perhaps if I’d been more impressed with the writing style or more invested in the characters, this wouldn’t have bothered me so much. I just didn’t find the characters very interesting or nuanced. There were so many of them, but there wasn’t much beyond the superficial to distinguish any of them as individuals.

The unsettling opening scene had me hyped up for a super creepy read and Mack’s disturbing backstory did add some intrigue to Hide. Unfortunately, those were the only components that made this worthwhile for me. I mostly found this story to be incredibly dull and rather immature. It’s readable, and I held out for the thrills it seemed to promise, but I’m disappointed in all it delivered.

I am immensely grateful to Del Rey Books for my digital review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the plot - 14 strangers enter a contest and have to play what they see as a simple game of hide and seek in an abandoned amusement park for one week. It seems like a cake walk, but is anything ever that simple?

Overall an enjoyable read that kept my interest-I finished it in one sitting. Our narrator Mack appears closed off but as the reader learns her backstory and motivations she becomes more sympathetic. Parts feel sort of predictable but ultimately the story did keep me guessing as to what exactly was going on, who was doing the seeking, and why.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy. This review will be posted on my Goodreads page as well.

Hide by Kiersten White was an interesting one. Contestants are chosen for a week long game of hide and seek in an abandoned amusement park. There's a supernatural twist. The description itself had me intrigued. There was quite a cast of characters and at times, the story jumped from one to another so it was tricky to keep track. However, the "main" character, Mack had an interesting backstory and gave the reader someone to root for. Many competitors had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Soon, they begin to realize that this game is not what they thought at was. It's hard to say more without giving away the supernatural twist. While I wouldn't call the story groundbreaking, this is a fast paced read that will keep you engaged. Pick this one up if you like a fast paced story with a supernatural twist.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing house for a chance to read an ARC of this book! A twisting and absolutely spin-chilling, White’s horror novel is a fast-paced and deliciously dark narrative. The vibes were on point—I completely recommended!

Loved the creepy amusement park/Squid Games vibes. It was fast-paced and fun - I went in with no expectations, so was pleasantly surprised by this one, even though it didn't feel overly fresh or original. I'll still gladly recommend to many of my friends.

I really enjoyed this book. It had everything - suspense, creepy old amusement park vibes, evil humans, monsters being monsters, lots of thrills and, most importantly, characters that I actually cared about.

I'm a big thriller/horror fan and the stories that are scary/creepy are great but when you make me care about the people in the middle of the craziness - that's next level. Kiersten White consistently makes me care about her characters so I'll always be back for more!

4.5 stars for Kiersten White's adult debut! This horror/supernatural thriller is filled with action, intrigue, and a medley of unique characters. It was a really fun read that I kept wanting to get back to. It's definitely best to go into this one knowing as little as possible, so watch out for spoilers in reviews and go in blind--you'll be happy you did!

I loved this book. It was fun, fast paced, and interesting. A real page turner that had me intrigued from the very beginning. There are a lot of characters though, so this is one that is either best read digitally so you can do a quick name search to be reminded who everyone is, or one where you need to keep a notepad with the list of characters on it to help you keep track. I didn’t like the abrupt changes in POV; a bit more of a transition is needed. I loved, loved, loved the ending. If you like suspenseful books, I recommend that you read this one!

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

#NetGalley #Hide

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the novel. I am rating this book with my own opinion and have not received anything in return. Parts of the book are just plain, creepy and I loved it!

Hide Review!

Thank you so much Random House Publishing Group, Netgalley, and Kiersten White for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review! Hide comes out May 24, 2022.

(Slight spoilers ahead)
I’m always going through the horror section on netgalley and as soon as I read the synopsis for Hide, I immediately requested it! Hide was a 4.75/5 ⭐️ for me! This was such a unique read and I loved that it was set in an abandoned amusement park! I definitely got some Cabin in the Woods vibes. I think the only reason it wasn’t a five star was because I was taken aback by the supernatural element. I went in thinking that it would be similar to the movie The Hunt, where rich people go around killer victims for sport. This book was definitely not the case!! There was a good amount of gore and suspense! This one was just plain weird (in a good way) and I really loved the characters!

Synopsis: Mack has been hiding her whole life it seems. Hiding from her dark past and hiding from herself. When she is invited to join in a high stakes hide and seek competition she agrees. She has nothing to lose and 50,000 dollars could turn her life around. When she arrives at the completion she feels eerie about the abandoned amusement park and when people start to go missing one by one, Mack knows something is off.

HIDE is a unique tale about a group of adults playing Hide and Seek. I enjoyed the creepy, ex-theme park setting and the supernatural elements. Each of the characters was given a compelling backstory, and I wanted to continue reading to find out what/who was at the core of this mystery.

This is a spoiler-free review, and I'm dying because I cannot wait to talk to other readers about this book.
"This is not a rom-com."
I'm a firm believer in the perfect book finding the perfect reader at the perfect time, and Hide was just what I needed right now. It's incredible. The premise: 14 strangers are invited to compete in a game. The setting: an abandoned theme park. The goal: remain hidden for 7 days. The payoff? $50,000.
Right off the bat the reader can tell something is not right. There's vibes of The Hunger Games or Panic and I can promise you that, whatever you are thinking at that point, you are incorrect. White does an amazing job of fleshing out 14 characters and keeping them unique enough to stand out in the reader's mind. As the contestants are found by "seekers", and the group gets smaller-that is when everything starts to come out and it becomes a wild ride. Just a reminder, this is for an adult audience (White usually writes for teens). Hide manages to get the blood pumping due to the action and because of the evil at the root of the story.
Hide releases 5/24/22, thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.