Guilt prompts four people to re-visit a supernatural game to save someone they left behind in the game. Is it possible for Ian to still be alive after all this time. With trepidation, the four enter the cave where all their nightmares began four years ago. They have one night to progress through the six levels to win. If they win, they hope Ian will re-appear. Be careful what you wish for. This was a delightful horror tale to capture teen minds.
The first in a series, this should offer many hair-raising adventures for young adults.

I received an ARC of Find Him Where You Left Him Dead from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

So, I should start by saying that horror is not usually a genre I read. I'm not a fan of horror movies or novels, though I love creepy vibes. Why did I pick up Find Him Where You Left Him Dead, then? Because Japanese mythology. You say, "mythology," and I say, "where and when?" Because I will be there. Every time. Well, almost every time. This is one of those times when I should have stayed away.

Now, that's not to say that the book was bad. I don't think that that's the correct term. I just don't think that it was complete. Crucial pieces were missing from this puzzle that were glaringly difficult to overlook. The characters felt like caricatures of people. They looked 3D but turn the picture over, and obviously, they're not. There was a single thing about their personality that was propped up as their entire personality. There was no development beyond that, which was unfortunate because a lot that could have been done with them. On top of that, I continuously got confused about whose perspective I was in because, as I said, there was a single detail of each person that was focused on, but beyond that, they all sounded the same. If you're going to give me multiple perspectives, I need them to be different so that I don't forget who I'm with. That was not the case here.

And the game itself? Well ... I was confused. The whole point was that there were no rules except that the characters had to finish the tasks by dawn, or their friend would die permanently. Understood. But I needed something. Something to go off of so that I could try and follow what in the world was going on. There was no development on that front either, at least not until towards the end. Also, tell me why it took four years for the game to finally continue because the author didn't. I have no idea why these friends were given four years before they had to come back. And that bothered me because that's the whole point of the story, that they have to finish this game. But why did it take four years? I don't get it.

So, in essence, the characters weren't developed, the story didn't make sense, and the game was nearly impossible to follow. I did finish this book, mostly because I wanted to see how they would complete the tasks. However, I don't think that Find Him Where You Left Him Dead is developed nearly as much as it should have been, and that was particularly disappointing.

A Japanese-inspired Jumanji is a perfect description for this novel. I had fun with all three Jumanji movies and looked forward to the Japanese folklore incorporated into this game. The underworld setting made it even more enticing.

Four years ago, five good friends started a game – one didn’t survive. The estranged survivors are now finishing their senior year of high school and have dealt with the trauma in different ways – Emerson plays video games and rarely leaves her room, Madeline threw herself into her studies and swimming, Owen made new friends in theater, and Dax practically disappeared, now playing guitar at coffee houses. When the ghost of their friend Ian appears to each of them, the four former friends quickly reconnect at the tunnel where they played the game. If they finish it, they may be able to bring Ian home.

The seven challenges the teens need to complete are nothing to sneeze at. Full of danger and spine-tingling imagery, their lives are endangered numerous times. Grudges, secrets, and memories are uncovered, and a pretty cool game of Truth and Dare is played. A lot of dynamics are going on and although they may not get along now, I liked that the four teens are committed in their determination to help Ian.

It’s a short read, and pacing is brisk, with the inciting incident occurring in the first few pages. A shocking twist near the end caught me completely unaware – trust me, it’s a good one. I also didn’t expect a sequel, but the last chapter leaves the impression one is in the works.

Recommended for readers who enjoy dark fantasy, Japanese folklore, and Jumanji-type games.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

DNF at 35%
I've spent over a month trying to get into this book and I just can't. There are 4 pov characters who all sound the same to me so I had trouble keeping track of who was saying or thinking what. The action sequences are ok, but seem to come out of nowhere. The Japanese mythology parts are cool, but I am missing the context to really follow what is happening. I'm sure some people will really enjoy this book, but its not for me.

Japanese mythology in a YA horror tale!

17yo Madeline is swimming laps in the empty pool when she sees a boy that shouldn’t be there. The boy looks like an emaciated Ian, her friend who died four years ago. Emerson lives for video gaming and when she sees a sickly Ian trying to get to her, she panics. Dax takes a break from playing his guitar at the coffee shop and while he’s in the bathroom, a ghost creeps out of the toilet and beckons him to gather The Foxtail Five. As Owen acts on stage, he sees Ian, so he runs after him and realizes that it’s not Ian. It’s actually a demon. The four friends meet up and learn they have to defeat seven challenges presented by Japanese Shinigami and receive a stone for each one before they can reach Ian and save him from the demonic spirits.

Likes/dislikes: I like the concept of the characters going on a quest to save their friend from the Japanese underworld. The book didn’t keep my interest like I thought it would. The creepiness made the story more fun.
Mature Content: PG for kissing.
Language: R for 32 swears and 5 f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody death.
Ethnicity: Madeline is Black. Ian and Emerson are white. Dax has brown skin. Owen is Japanese American.

Main Character: There were actually four main characters—Dax, Maddy, Owen, and Emerson. I didn’t dislike them, but they each had one hobby and one character trait that defined their entire personality, and I feel like I would have connected better to them if they’d had more depth.
Pacing: The pacing was moderate and consistent throughout.
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: Pretty accurate. It sets the premise up without giving anything away.
Resolution: I felt like the resolution was fitting—a mix of sacrifice, love, determination, healing, etc. Based on the last few pages, it seems well set up for a sequel, which I would 100% read.

The Good: My favorite part of this book was the Japanese folklore. I didn’t have much prior knowledge of it before the book, and I was surprised by how creative it was. I’d like to read more stories based on Japanese culture, after reading this. The folklore folded into the plot nicely without determining the characters’ moves. The characters were diverse in a lot of ways, and it didn’t feel forced or contrived—LGBTQ+ characters, different races, etc. I thought the author incorporated those unique elements in a way that felt authentic.

The Not So Good: My only real criticism of this book is in one of the big twists. There are some big leaps in logic regarding the twist that I couldn’t get behind. In an effort not to spoil the surprises for others, I’ll keep my thoughts vague. It struck me as very unrealistic that something like that wouldn’t have been noticeable until that point. Being that this particular twist ended up being a major component of the plot, I had a hard time coming to terms with the way the book progressed after that reveal. Also, it’s not clear why it takes exactly four years for Ian’s ghost (is it actually Ian’s ghost, or some evil spirit in disguise?) to come invite them back to the game. That was something I thought would be explained that wasn’t.

Overall Impression: While there was a major plot point that had me scratching my head, I found the story engaging and interesting, though a little creepier than I expected. The balance of Japanese folklore with diverse characters was just right. I never knew what would happen next, and that’s such an underrated thing in a book.

Would I recommend it? I probably would recommend it, but it would depend on the reader. I think if a reader is looking for a unique adventure story and a peek into Japanese culture, they’ll enjoy this book. Some of the elements are pretty dark, so I’d say anyone younger than high school age would likely be disturbed by those.

"Kristen Simmons's masterful breakout horror novel that's "Jumanji but Japanese-inspired" (Kendare Blake) about estranged friends playing a deadly game in a nightmarish folkloric underworld."

Wow, this book was a fun, twisty ride. We follow a group of high school friends that enter the same cave that their friend went missing in four years earlier. As they return to the place where they lost Ian, they quickly find themselves facing dangerous challenges that they must overcome by day break. Told through each friend’s viewpoint we learn what happened when Ian went missing and why it broke their friendships. As they face each challenge they learn more about themselves and each other, coming together for a twisty end.
What sold me the most about this book was "Jumanji but Japanese-inspired" and I think that description is accurate, but with a side of horror.

Thank you to @netgalley @macmillan.audio and @tornightfire for the gifted copy of this book.

A mix of Jumanji and Stranger Things influenced by Japanese legends sums up Find Him Where You Left Him Dead. I really enjoyed the storytelling and shifts of focus for each chapter. It was a dark scavenger hunt that is more than meets the eye. Although this is a YA novel I would say readers should be older due to the darker subject matter present. I enjoyed learning more about the Japanese legends Kristen Simmons made an integral part of her storytelling.

Rating: 3.5/5

Thank you to Tor Books and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

Madeline, Emerson, Owen, Dax, and Ian played a card game in a cave four years ago and Ian never made it out (Jumanji-esque vibes guys, love it). The four kids made it home and stated that they were at the coffee shop and Ian never made it home from there. The other four parted ways and became estranged from each other. Four years later, it appears that a creepy Ian has come back to haunt them all so that they will come back and finish the game to save him.

Once they are all reunited, they are quickly pulled into a dangerous Japanese world where they meet Shinigami and learn the rules of the game. She tells them that they must complete seven challenges and collect seven stones by dawn or Ian will die and they will be stuck in Meido forever.

I really really wanted to love this book because I found it so intriguing but something was just missing for me within all of the elements. I loved the dark spooky elements within the story and Simmons started out the book with a bang but I had a hard time wanting to stay engaged with the book. Maybe the imagery became a little too convoluted for me.

I will say that I definitely was not expecting that plot twist, my jaw literally dropped to the floor. Simmons did a wonderful job writing that into the story.

If you like YA Horror with Japanese folklore with some dark elements, this might be the book for you!

Four years ago there were five kids that started a game but not all of them lived...
Fast forward to the Survivor's senior year. The estranged four friends reunite when the friend they left for dead (Ian) appears as a ghost.

When I saw Find Him Where You Left Him Dead on NetGalley, I instantly knew I wanted to read it sometime this fall.

This has a plot line that sounds amazing but my one problem with the story was more on the slower side. A thing that makes Find Him Where You Left Him Dead unique is that draws inspiration from Japanese Folklore. Also, this book is marketed as a book similar to Jumanji and I can definitely say that it feels reminiscent of it.

Logically I do not understand how the group friends realize that after 4 years they need to finish the game which will allow them to Save Ian.

Speaking of the group of friends, I could not connect with them and I struggled with remembering who was who since they all felt similar. Plus, with reading this as an audiobook, there was a ton of multi-povs. With the mixture of multi-povs, the characters feeling similar, and it being on audio, it just makes the perfect storm of being mega confused and causes it to track what is going on with each character.

With the game aspect in the book, I liked seeing the characters go through each challenge/levels since I thought each challenge/level was interesting.

If this book was a tad more longer, the characters more fleshed out with more defining character traits, and the plot more developed than what is, then I would have enjoyed this book more.

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead does make a great book to read in the fall/October and I can see people still enjoying this due to it being likened to Jumanji and it being a short read.

DNF @ 35%

I was looking forward to this one since I love the idea of Jumanji and Japanese mythology, but I'm underwhelmed so far. For some reason, this one feels messy--the first four chapters are repetitive as all the characters are summoned by their friend's ghost, and the plot is both rushed and confusing at times. A lot feels underdeveloped to me, especially the folklore aspects, and the characters are bland. Not for me, unfortunately.

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead is a YA Horror novel that follows four teens Madeline, Emerson, Owen and Dax. Four years ago they "played a game" in a cave and their friend Ian went missing. After seeing Ian's "ghost" they have all come together to go back into the cave and find him. It is very much like a Japanese horror version of Jumanji. It has some beautiful elements where it ties together folktales, yokai, and realistic life experiences. However I was also quite confused at points. While the characters grew on me towards the end I felt no real attachment to what they were experiencing until I was nearly through with the book. I do feel like there were several areas in this book where it lacked in plotting and some things felt forced, as if they were forgotten and then suddenly remembered and thrown in there last minute. Overall it was enjoyable simply because the world building was fantastic, however the plot structure and characters certainly could have used a bit more work. As I said, I didn't care about them at all for most of the book.

What I liked: I heard “Jumanji but Japanese folklore inspired” and was like yep, I’m in. And I truly think that’s where this book succeeded. I loved getting to see the MCs travel through different levels of the game, and then go learn more about the myths that inspired them. I also liked the twist we got towards the end and thought it was a really interesting way to explain everything that happened throughout the book. Although it took me a while to feel attached to them, I was biting my nails at the end waiting to see if the characters would make it out alive.

What I didn’t like: It did take me a bit to really feel invested in the main characters and their quest, possibly because of the many POVs. Most of the negative reviews I’ve seen were DNFs, which is unfortunate because I think the second half is where things really draw you in. While I wouldn’t say I was really scared, the monsters were objectively scary (I definitely wouldn’t want to encounter them in real life).

Overall: I would recommend this for people who want to read about a deadly game inspired by Japanese folklore, if you don’t mind waiting a little bit to feel invested in the characters/story.

Content warnings: discussions of racism, blood/gore, death in a fire

Ian, Madeliene, Dax, Emerson, and Owen were the best of friends...until four years ago when only four of them emerged from an accident. Now the remaining friends have gone their separate ways, until one night when their missing friend shows up urging them to "finish the game." Older but not necessarily wiser, the four teens return to the scene of the accident only to get sucked into the mysterious world of Meido. Can they solve pass the seven trials and free their missing friend before dawn, or will they all be trapped forever?

I am stunned that Find Him Where You Left Him Dead is a debut novel. It is haunting, filled with Japanese mythology and symbolism, and truly about the power of friendship. This book was fast paced, I struggled to put it down. I loved the characters, their secrets, and their complex relationships. Meido is a well fleshed out, spooky world teeming with mythological beasts. I was enthralled with every twist and turn this novel took. I can't wait to read more from Kristen Simmons in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for eARC in exchange for an honest review. I love horror, but I just could not get into this one.

I have enjoyed Simmons before and while this was good; I struggled. I didn't fully realize this was YA. I think it's perfect for the targeted audience. The cards and creep factor were perfect for teens.

Reads the way a video game plays, and likely to e popular because of it. Four years ago, five friends began playing a magical game, and only four returned to the real world. Now, signs appear telling the survivors that they need to return in order to save the friend they left for dead. I was hoping for something more character driven, but Find Him Where You Left Him Dead succeeds on its own term, as a teen horror work that draws on Japanese mythology and often sacrifices depth for jump scares. Teen horror fans will likely enjoy it, though it lacks crossover appeal.

Do not let the target audience deter you on this one if you don't normally gravitate toward YA, this is a fun horror novel for all! I enjoyed the fast-pace and the character exploration. Overall if you enjoy fun spooky stories, and the idea of a creepy Jumanji, this is a book for you.

This book moves so fast, you can not put it down. It is amazing world-building and character development. I read it in one sitting.

This was a fun creepy story that I enjoyed. It moves at a good pace and is well written. I think the premise is really unique and creative. Overall I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Kristen Simmons, Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.