Interesting until the ending, which is so abrupt and unfinished that it feels like a letdown. The ending is resolved with only a sparse outline of events in a few brief paragraphs. All of the tension that built up has no payoff and there is no satisfying resolution for many of the questions. It felt unfinished, as if the author was tired of writing and just wanted it to be over.

A story about survival and finding yourself, and maybe finding family. Mara is offered a shot on a survival reality show called “Civilization” where her and a group of other people must survive for 6 weeks. The only problem is that not everyone is who they say they are. When people start vanishing, Mara must gather all her resources and skill to survive.
I was extremely pleased to get an early copy of this book from Netgalley. Small Game was a fun, but not campy (pun intended) story about backwoods survival. The character Mara was well fleshed out, and the other characters had just enough you felt like you know them, too. The pacing was also good, relishing in the more horrifying moments and skipping through the mundane day to day, without it feeling rushed. Braverman’s writing style is easy to read and enjoyable, while also being descriptive. She tells the reader just enough and then lets their imagination due the rest. I like it when an author trusts their audience.
Even with the good pacing and writing, I felt like not a lot happened in the story. There was a lot of potential, especially at the midway point, and the book was setting up for this big mystery and then nothing happened. Over all, I’d like to say it was good, but definitely could have been better.
I would recommend this book for fans of The Ruins and the show Survivor.

Everyone seems to really have liked this book and I feel so left out, hah. The synopsis for this book was wildly intriguing, but the actual reading experience did not measure up to those initial feelings. Was this book fast paced? Yes, I read it in less than 2 days. However, I think the pacing of the plot itself was a bit weird? It took until about 50% through the book for anything (other than the MC getting annoyed at the others and her foraging stalks) to even really happen. Until that point it was just the daily not-very-interesting survival tasks of each person, with a little bit of interesting character development thrown in there. The "build up" during the first half of the book was also ultimately just filler because it really doesn't meaningfully play into the scenarios or relationships present in the second half where they're alone actually trying not to die. What was the point of the relationship with Tom? Like the idea of him spurred some mildly interesting commentary but ultimately he didn't really add anything to the survival show or the book. I could sort of see what the author was trying to do with the relationship between the MC and Ashley but it ultimately just really didn't work. I also wish that the disappearing crew had been explained a little, or maybe I just missed something, because it all just seemed really improbable and I couldn't suspend my belief that any of this could reasonably occur. The ending was also like "then they left the cabin then they found a woman and there was a lawsuit the end". Like, what? I don't know if maybe I just don't understand the artistic merit of this writing style, but the book quite literally just abruptly ended at a point when it was actually getting interesting (Winter is coming, what will they find if they try to reach civilization? What's going on?).
I've seen other reviews mention this author's stellar non-fiction work so maybe I'll check that out, but this book was just really not for me. I don't really know who I would recommend this to because there wasn't enough focus on the show aspect for it to appeal to people who love reality TV; there wasn't enough of a developed mystery for this to appeal to mystery lovers; you might like it if you like thrillers because it seemed like it was supposed to be really thrilling and high stakes even if it didn't really come off that way in the reading experience. If you like talk about survival (people being cold and sleeping on the ground, people collecting shoots and catching fish, people making fire, etc.) you'd probably get a bit of a kick out of this book.

I haven't been this hooked to a book in awhile.
Small Game is the type of story I've been waiting for!
A Survivalist Reality TV Show..... was it for me!
And for this to be a debut novel. Blair took me on an amazingly gripping ride!

Wow. I picked this up and could not put it down that I read in a day.
Brilliant plot and well-written characters take you on roller coaster of twists and turns that keep you riveted from page one.
Braverman's writing is so descriptive.
A captivating psychological suspense that plays a game unlike anything I've ever read.
Join Small Game to finish this wild story!

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

Ecco,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

I read this book in one sitting because I just HAD to know what happens next. The candid tone reflects the protagonist's pragmatic outlook and the urgency of the characters' predicament. Riveting, harrowing, and immersive, I couldn't read Small Game fast enough -- and I kept thinking about it long after I finished.

(Thank you to Ecco and Netgalley for sending me a digital galley for review purposes!)

After following Blair's adventures on Twitter, and loving every page of her nonfiction writing, I was thrilled to get my hands on her first published fiction, and it did not disappoint at all!

As someone who is obsessed with the show Survivor, and grew up in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, this book was the perfect fit for me. The pacing was perfect and once I started reading I couldn't put it down until I was finished. The cast of complex characters was very engaging, and I couldn't help but celebrate their victories and mourn their losses with them as their story progressed. This novel was the perfect mix of thriller and wilderness adventure. I can't recommend it enough!

This book was a thrilling outdoor adventure! If you enjoy a survival story in the wilderness, you will enjoy this book very much!

Excellent from start to finish. Blair Braverman's writing is strong and engaging. A recommended purchase for most collections.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Netgalley & Ecco!

When Mara is selected to participate in a survival reality TV show she has no idea how much it is going to change her life. Along with a group of strangers she is dumped in the wilderness and must make it through the next six weeks with the bare minimum. Although the group bands together quickly, the large payout for the winner has them questioning each other’s motives. One morning shortly into filming, the participants wake to find that something has gone terribly wrong and they have to decide if it’s all part of the game.

Small Game is an exciting, fast paced thriller. The writing is descriptive and vivid. The engaging plot had me reading the entire book in one evening. I do think that the ending was rushed. I got to the last chapter and it’s so condensed that I just wanted more. I had to go back and reread the last few pages thinking I had missed something. A good book, especially a good thriller, will always leave you wanting more.

Small Game is author Blair Braverman’s debut novel. I hope to read more books from her in the future including her two non-fiction works that have already been released.

When Mara auditions for the reality TV show Civilization, she realizes that if she survives six weeks in the wilderness she will win $100,000. Then she can leave her boyfriend and her job and start a new life. Soon she and four other contestants are blindfolded and on their way to a remote forest camp. The casting is TV gold: there’s math teacher James, young Eagle Scout Kyle, carpenter and woodsman Bullfrog and Ashley, beautiful and sexy but inexperienced in the woods. Mara, with her survivalist skills, is Ashley’s foil. After the first three days, James leaves. This turns out to be a good idea. As the days drag on into weeks and Bullfrog, Kyle, Ashley and Mara grow hungrier, they are unsure whether they are being manipulated by the production company. When the cameramen stop filming, they are only slightly worried. At first. And then survival becomes real.

Small Game is a fast paced mystery/thriller driven by four well described characters, especially Mara. The isolated location, with its unseen dangers, wild animals and challenging weather, also contributes to the action. Small Game will pull you in quickly and keep you reading until the final pages. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ecco and Blair Braverman for this ARC.

Imagine a competition: the bleakest, the harshest, the most vicious version of Survivor but the main concept is not only about surviving but also about creating a brand new civilization! A game prepares you the universe Stephen King created at his book; “The Stand”

The show is called Civilization. The contenders’ clothes are fast-fashion prehistoric,canvas tunics and matching shorts, all dyed a dusty brown and sandals made of thin leather.The idea is that they'd found one another in the wilderness, this group of strangers, and over the course of six weeks would be tasked with building a new kind of community, something pure and sustainable and right.They would forgo all comforts, so that viewers didn't have to. They would be one with the forest. They would find a way to live.All those cameras that are positioned on trees keep watching their every move! So they can dare cheating!

Mara, the main character, already get used to live in the wilderness. She was living in a camper with her ex boyfriend in the woods before getting chosen for the show and dumping him. She’s the experienced, mediocre looking competitor : truly opposite of her rival Ashley who joined the game for fame, inexperienced but extremely hot girl contender. And three male contenders are also chosen specifically: The
Eagle Scout Kyle, the white-collar professional James, the old grouch who had a heart of gold: Bullfrog!

Why they decide to be a part of the game? For money! For fame! To prove they can survive in the middle of wilderness! To leave their old lives behind and hide in the wilderness! All of them may be the reason fueling them to finish the mission they’d plan to accomplish!

One of them left early! Four of them stayed behind! And guess what? Production crew vanished into thin air! Did they think none of them survived so they packed their bags, equipments and ran away! But it doesn’t make sense! What if the producers planned something more sinister to boost their ratings!
Buckle up! Get your pop corns and refreshments! This is gonna be highly entertaining wild ride!

It was quick, captivating, action packed read reminded of Kiersten White’s Hide: an action packed survival contest concept without supernatural elements!

Highly recommended to the readers who are true fan of genre!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

I surprised myself requesting this book from NetGalley because I never watched the SURVIVOR Series or LOST or anything similar. But as soon as I read the description, I found myself impelled to read it, and did so as soon as I acquired it. I'm really thankful, because it's definitely worth reading and in fact, I read straight through in one session.


There is so much character evolution in this novel (and some devolution). Author Blair Braverman deeply delineates characters, even some that are considered secondary, even some peripheral (offstage, and others in backstory). We learn so much about survivalism--not prepping but on-site, on-the-spot, day-to-day, living--surviving. We learn about proper (and foolish) Wildlife stewardship. The plotting is scrumptious! From one moment to the next we're kept in tautly ratcheted suspense. I really recommend SMALL GAME!

Realty television gone awry! The book is so good! It’s very much a mystery and thriller combined in a perfect setting. I highly enjoyed the characters and the plot.