**3.5-stars rounded up**

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead is a YA-Horror release featuring Dark Fantasy elements based on Japanese folklore. To my delight, eerie imagery abounds!

In this story, we are following four teens, Madeline, Emerson, Owen and Dax. Four years ago, they, along with their friend, Ian, played a game in a local cave, as you do. Unfortunately, Ian never made it out. He disappeared and is assumed dead. Unsurprisingly, the remaining kids were traumatized by the events of that day. A lot of blame got tossed around, anger and vitriol. They've been estranged ever since.

They never recovered from losing Ian and each struggled in their own ways. Madeline, for example, focused all her time on her swimming, cutting herself off from everyone. Taking it further, Emerson dropped out of school completely. All around, not a good time for anyone.

It's now the end of their Senior year. They're approaching adulthood, but things feel unfinished. That's when a haunting presence, who looks like the long-missing Ian, begins summoning the group of friends back together again. Reuniting, the group decides they need to finish the game they started all those years ago.

They return to the cave to pick up where they left off. They're at a loss though. Ian's ghost dragged them here, but how is this going to help him? As they restart the game, the teens are quickly sucked out of their reality and into a dangerous hellscape of Japanese underworlds.

That's where they meet Shinigami, the wise old woman who finally tells them the rules. Collect seven stones by completing seven challenges. They have until dawn, or they risk getting stuck in the underworld forever. If they're successful, it's possible they could return home with Ian at their sides. This forces the estranged teens to put their grievances aside.

They've got to forget the past four years of bitter dislike and come back to a place where they can work together effectively and efficiently. They accept the challenge. I really enjoyed my time with this story. I found it to be incredibly gripping and unique.

I loved all the dark horror imagery based on Japanese folklore and the gaming element, including all of the challenges, was just such an experience. I loved how quickly Simmons started with the dark content. It's pretty much immediate, as you are meeting each of the four mains, you're meeting them as they are encountering the eerie Ian-image for the first time.

I thought that was a great way to kick it off. I've read a couple of stories that follow this type of trip through the underworld facing different challenges plot, but this is the first time that it was a group, versus one individual. I liked the group because it added a lot of interesting personal dynamics.

There were times, in a couple of the challenges, where the imagery for me did get a little muddled; like I couldn't really picture what was happening anymore. Overall though, I think Simmons did a wonderful job painting a picture for us on the page with her words. It was captivating. There were some great twists as well. A big one, I definitely didn't see coming. I wasn't expecting anything twisted, so good on Simmons for fooling me like that.

I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy YA Horror with Dark Fantasy elements, particularly if you are a fan of Japanese folklore. Conversely, if you love Japanese folklore, or Anime, I also think this one is worth giving a shot, even if you aren't necessarily a big YA-Horror Reader.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Teen and Macmillan Audio, for providing me a copy to read and review. I'm not sure, but I'm smelling a sequel on the horizon...

Kristen Simmons' Find Him Where You Left Him Dead is being sold as Japanese inspired Jumanji with a bit of I Know What You Did Last Summer mixed in. It is a story about estranged friends Madeline, Emerson, Dax, and Owen who are once again forced to play a deadly game in an eerie folkloric underworld. Four years ago, five kids started a game. Not all of them survived. Now, at the end of their senior year of high school, the survivors have reunited for one strange and terrible reason: they’ve been summoned by the ghost of Ian, the friend they left for dead.

In the 4 years since, Madeline spends every waking moment studying or swimming. Emerson plays video games all day after dropping out of school. Owen is obsessively into theater. Dax plays guitar at a coffeehouse where nobody pays him any attention. None of them have really spoken to each other in years. One night, each of them is visited by the ghost of their missing friend, Ian, who tells them to play the game again, before dawn, so he can come back. Together, they return to the place where their friendship ended with one goal: find Ian and bring him home.

So they restart the deadly game they never finished—an innocent card-matching challenge called Meido. A game without instructions. There, they meet Shinigami, an old wise woman who explains the rules: They have one night to complete 7 challenges or they will all be stuck in this world forever. As soon as they begin, they're dragged out of their reality and into an eerie hellscape of Japanese underworlds, more horrifying than even the darkest folktales that Owen's grandmother told him.

Once the four are pulled in, they must play until the end or risk winding up caught in the game just like Ian. Once inseparable, the survivors now can’t stand each other, but the challenges demand they work together, think quickly, and make sacrifices—blood, clothes, secrets, memories, and worse. And once again, not everyone will make it out alive. So, why you ask is my rating so low? I am glad you asked!

*Thoughts* In the general scheme of things, I don't give two Bleep's what your politics are, who you vote for, or what your thoughts is on certain things. However, let me say that again, however, I don't think you, as an author, should preach about something you have no idea what you are talking about. When a person starts to complain about white privilege, and uses a white person to do so, I cringe. I cringe so hard that I want to stop reading the book and scream at the author. Especially when the white character spouts her nonsense in front of her former best friend who just happens to be black.

I thought the decision to have four POVs was the wrong one. This is a short book, and two narrators would have been more than okay. I would have chosen Emerson, but probably Maddie. The only truly satisfying game portion of the book involved the kids playing Truth or Dare with younger versions of themselves. Lastly, there was an entirely unresolved subplot involving an empress wanting to come back from the dead and rule the world. If this is part of a series, then please say so and tell the readers. Otherwise, you are leaving a huge gap in the storyline.

Five friends decide to play a game, but not all of them make it out alive. The four survivors decide to reunite to the place where their friend died, but something sinister is calling them forth.

The synopsis had me begging for a copy and I’m happy I did. This was creepy and weird and perfect for spooky season mood. The characters didn’t really grab me and at times I forgot who was who, but the plot was desirable. I also liked the Japanese folklore that was given to us.

If you’re looking for something different but dark, look no farther.

2.5 Overall. From the blurb, I figured I would love this book. It has horror elements, a Japanese Underworld setting, rocky friendships. But something about how it was put together made it a chore.

I loved the gory bits. The battles, creatures, villains and level of up-close body horror is great for teen readers. Creativity points all around. What I struggled with was connecting to any of our main cast. The opening was fantastic, getting to know little pieces of them as they are haunted by their past. However, it very quickly slipped into stereotypes, bland dialogue, and stilted clichés. That may have been commentary from the author about how horror movies tend to have specific roles to fill (Cabin in the Woods, Scream, the alluded I Know What You Did Last Summer), but it kept me from picking up the book to continue some days.

I would still recommend this book to teen readers who enjoy horror and are looking for something with unique cultural ties. Plus, the ending leaves it open to a sequel (which I probably won't attempt myself), so it's good for hooking reluctant readers.

P.S. Just a tiny, tiny thing, which may not make it to the final print. There was a line towards the 75% mark in which a creature is described as having "feet like a horse, cloven with a hock towards the ankle." That is definitely not Horse. Someone please fix that.

I really loved this book. The world-building was very beautiful and creepy. It felt like a video game in a way. It was written in a way where I saw everything clearly in my head. I was captured right when the book started. It was very fast-paced. I think the author did a great job of making me feel like I was there. This book has been described as "Jumanji but Japanese-inspired" and it gave exactly that. I wish there was a movie about this. I do wish there was a little more of the back story for the friendship or at least more memories before everything. I also wanted to know more about Maddy and Emerson's friendship problems. I did wish we talked a little bit more about Maddy being black and the role that played in things. I also wanted Oliver and Ian to be talked about more in the sense of feelings. I also know a book 2 will come out so I feel like a lot will be discussed in it. It is a perfect read for this time of year. I can't wait for book 2.

Thank You NetGalley and Tor Teen for your generosity and for gifting me a copy of this amazing arc. The review written is 100 percent my own thoughts and opinions.

I did not have vibe with this book whiel reading it. It was interesting but feel the execution was just missing something.

Reading this felt like playing a video game or watching a jumanji movie and I was absolutely here for it. There were moments within this that the imagery just absolutely stuck with me and it felt so unsettling and fun. There were moments that felt almost surface level and I feel like each character played a very specific role without having a ton of depth to them. That being said, it was a super fun and interesting read.

Japanese Jumanji? Sure, I’d be up for an adventure like that. The book really jumps right into the action, introducing us to four teens who are each having their own spooky encounters, with vague hints about a friend who went missing four years prior. These four (or five really) were close at the time but have drifted apart, but with these ‘hauntings’ they are suddenly being thrust back together. Once together we learn a bit more of the events that occurred, the five friends playing a game, one going missing and the others then lying to their parents and the cops about where they were and what really happened. Now four years later they have to finish the game. Being a fan of Japanese folklore (from other books and games) I was familiar with the creatures/spirits involved, but I do wonder if some Western readers might not find themselves a bit lost at first. That being said, the concept of the evil creatures and spirits is universal even if the specific creature types are not. I enjoyed the frequent POV shifts, with each of character having their own unique voice/feel, and the story is fast paced, with parts that are both creepy and exciting. I’d like to thank Tor Publishing Group, Tor Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Find Him Where You Left Him Dead.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1DY95J4FM5KW4/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead by Kristen Simmons was totally entertaining and very different.

The storyline is fast paced and nicely compacted. It left me wanting more of it.
This book is dark and delicious in the best way.
Kristen Simmons did a great job building these characters and this amazing atmosphere. And I found myself invested in their story and outcome.
The story gradually builds in momentum as the story unfolds heading to an exciting conclusion.
A truly fascinating, head spinning and compelling tale I didn’t want to end so soon.
Find Him Where You Left Him Dead was an absolute delight to read.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Tor Teen for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead by Kristen Simmons is a story of five friends that started to play a game their freshman year. Only four remain after one of them doesn't survive and they all go their separate ways. Now that they are seniors, the ghost of their dead friend reunites them in the place where the game began to try to bring him home. The game takes them out of this world into the Japanese underworlds where they have to complete seven challenges to be able to make it back home. Will the estranged friends be able to reconcile their differences long enough to complete the challenges?

This book has been described as "Jumanji but Japanese-inspired" and that sums it up perfectly. I really enjoyed the integration of Japanese folklore into this YA horror novel. The mood during the entire story is very tense and there are lots of twists and turns and of course teenage drama. Although it did feel as some information (specifically the origin of the "game"), but it did not really impact the story for me I thought this was a fun, unique, fast paced read.

It was an okay book. I really like the beginning of the book, but towards the end of the book got confusing for me. I really like the characters and wish there was more of them and their character development and thoughts.

Four years ago Maddy, Emerson, Oliver, Dax, and Ian went exploring in a nearby cave. Only four of them came out.

Now, the four survivors are being visited by Ian's ghost telling them they must finish what they started. So Maddy, Emerson, Oliver, and Dax head back to the beginning in what turns out to be a high stakes, game in an alternate dimension known as Meido. Once the four are pulled in, they must play until the end or risk winding up caught in the game just like Ian.

I wasn't quite prepared for what this story ended up turning into. It started out like an eerie, creepy ghost story. I thought it was perfect as we get into the Fall time of year with Halloween on the horizon.

But when we get into the story, it felt like a send up of Jumanji with Japanese Folklore. I know going back and reading the synopsis (which I honestly hadn't done since I first heard about the book) it's pretty clearly laid out. Still, it was a surprise for me. I almost wish we had stayed in the creepy realm a little bit but when putting it into a context of a game, I wasn't as shocked or surprised by the various twists and turns. Maybe there would have been more benefit in keeping the true nature of expectation a mystery for a while until the quartet is truly ensconced within Meido a bit more. Because as it stands it's as though there's an early objective, and that is to get the characters back to Meido in any way shape or form. For me, this clearly causes issues with some of the plot threads. A lot of chance, a lot of happenstance. A lot of kind of turning a blind eye to the aspects that don't add up because that's just the way things need to be in order for the story to progress.

I felt from the onset that we, the readers, are dropped in the middle of the story. There's very little initial exposition given as to what happened four years ago and how that moment has gotten our characters to where we see them in the beginning. Instead that past information is built up through flashbacks and ruminations. I think this was smart because it really sets a fast pace which easily pulls you into the story. Plus, once we know the full extent of what happened then, for me, I was able to piece together a little bit more that's actually revealed as a twist down the line.

I liked that each character is so distinctly themselves and we're kind of seeing how each has been impacted by Ian's disappearance. Maddy threw herself into the swim team, Emerson quit school and sits at home gaming from sun-up until sundown. Oliver decided to make himself as popular as possible by joining the theater club at school so everyone knows his face. Dax also dropped out and spends most of his time playing his music in the coffeeshop - also the group's former hangout.

Their relationships with each other are so central to everything that happens and everything that happened. The impact wouldn't be felt as much if these were random kids all finding themselves stuck in Meido. It means something that they are together and it means something that they used to be friends and Meido has essentially broken them all up. Their connection and trust will be what gets them through or also potentially what condemns them all.

The atmosphere is hectic throughout and I feel like sometimes this makes the story difficult to visualize while reading. Even with all of that, however, the four main characters are like anchors keeping the story, for all intents and purposes, grounded. The chapters switch points of view between Maddy, Emerson, Oliver, and Dax.

There were moments I was surprised by the choice of viewpoint for certain sections because often those characters wouldn't be the main focus. I found this a lot with Emerson and Maddy's sections early on. For example, you would think Maddy being the main viewpoint she would have the most action during that chapter, but then things would be more focused on Emerson and I would wonder why we weren't getting her perspective instead, it felt a bit muddied sometimes like maybe those were edits made at one point but not everything caught up.

This story is definitely setup as more-to-come. That becomes clearer as you get toward the end and realize that unless Kristen Simmons wants to leave a lot of open threads on purpose, then there is going to be follow-up. I feel both ways about it. The true ending is so tantalizing for what could come next, but I'm also often a fan of a single story even when not everything is tied up with a bow. Don't get me wrong, I will most definitely be picking up the next book.

If you're looking for a book to reading leading into the new season, I think this is a perfect place to start.

Well, this definitely lives up to the hype. Jumanji with a horror twist. As these teenagers try to rescue the friend they left in the game 4 years ago, they will have to trust each other or stay in the game forever. Japanese folk tales with all of their monsters included will test them at each level of the game. This story not only made a 5 star read, it would make a 5 star movie. Can we start picking the characters now???

While this book has a Jumanji-esque feel, it is very different from that story.

Based around a card game with a Japanese lore background, this is really quite an adventure. Almost too many different scenarios packed with lore... some ideas were slightly confusing. It's still entertaining, though.

The book started with a spooky ghost story, and I was excited to see where it went. But, the adventures soon turned more action-adventurey, and the spook factor dropped considerably.

The characters are easy to follow and understand until some twists happened near the end that made me wonder what the heck just happened and did I miss something? It, for me, made the ending less satisfying due to the character confusion.

The end did leave room for a sequel, which is a good thing for the characters involved. But, I'm not sure that I'd go on to read a second book. I enjoyed the book to an extent but not enough to read more (I do reserve the right to change my mind, of course).

I gave this 3.25 stars rounded down to 3⭐️. I would definitely consider reading other books by this author.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was wonderful! Advertised as Jumanji meets Japanese Folklore, it did not disappoint. Sprinkle in some dark Studio Ghibli vibes and it was like this book was written just for me.

From the beginning the book was very fast paced and at first I was a little confused but that was soon remedied. The pace of the book never slows but the author allows it to unfold very organically and in a way that makes sense. The characters were very believable and though the book progressed swiftly the characters all undergo exponential growth.

I also have to say that the authors take on the Japanese Folklore elements was masterful. They created a world that felt unique and somehow familiar without doing harm to the original tales.

The ONLY reason why this book didnt get 5 stars from me is becaue there is a point where the characters get seperated and for a large amount of time you dont know where or what happens to them. They just reappear out of nowhere. I still find myself thinking about that part of the book and it bothers me.

That being said, I have pre-ordered a finished copy to share with my daughter and have in my collection. I am excited to revisit this world again and I sincerely hope there is a part two in the future.

A nightmarish underworld becomes the backdrop as a group of friends engage in a deadly game.

I found myself pleasantly taken aback by how much I enjoyed this book. Simmons managed to maintain a perfect balance between suspense and character development, ensuring that readers not only stay glued to the pages but also form a deep connection with the characters with POVs throughout the story.

As a horror enthusiast, I truly relished the chilling monsters and gruesome scenes. There were moments that genuinely rattled me.

Definitely a perfect read for any horror fans out there this spooky season!

Years ago, five friends started a game, and one of them didn't make it out. Now, present day, the remaining four are being haunted by the friend they left behind. They must go back into the game, find him, and bring him home.

I thought this had promise. I think a prologue could have helped situate us. Or even a first chapter in the past where we see Ian get left behind. We are just thrown into the plot without any understanding of the characters or what this meant.

This book was advertised as "Jumanji but Japanese-inspired" and blurbed by Kendare Blake? Count me in.

This is a fast paced YA horror / thriller, and it's the perfect season for releases like this.

A fun fast read. I definitely recommend!

3.5 rounded down
Find Him Where You Left Him Dead follows the reluctant reunion of four childhood best friends, who drifted apart after their friend group lost Ian to a game four years prior. On the fourth anniversary of his death, Ian's ghost(?) summons the four back to finish the game, where they have until dawn to complete the rest of the game before they're trapped in the Japanese underworld permanently.

This book should have been right up my alley. Japanese folklore, horror, following a path, etc. etc. But it felt very detached. There were also wordy descriptions and confusing dialogue that made me have to reread certain parts. The chapters were also suuuuuuuuuper long, which isn't a problem per se, but they were tiring to get through. Things aren't fully explained to the reader, so I was very confused at some points. I thought the underworld itself was cool, and I liked the twist on Izanagi and Izanami's story. I liked the reveal regarding Dax, but I also didn't feel as connected to this reveal because we don't have many flashbacks and didn't "grow up" with these characters, so to speak, so the emotions regarding that reveal fell flat.

One potential issue is the discussion of privilege and performative allyship. Mainly the fact that the character calling out Emerson for being performative (which she doesn't seem to be?) is Black. The author is not Black. The author is POC, but not Black. And so while I see where the author was trying to go with it, I did not like that the author was, in a sense, speaking for Black people. It could have been a way to show how Asian American history is also whitewashed by having the mixed Asian character point it out. I would call out a white author doing the same, and while there are valid points to be made, the Black community has made it clear that they can and would like to speak for themselves. I'm also confused because Emerson just goes back to marches at the end of the book. So what was the problem? This was a very surface level discussion of a very nuanced topic.

This book is definitely spooky, but suffers from incredibly slow pacing and confusing writing.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!:)

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for this Arc and I’m sorry for the late review.

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead is about a group of five friends that played a game as young children which consequently made one of them disappear, and they’re quest to get that friend back.

I’m all honestly I really liked this book, the premise and the story were so intriguing and I loved the challenges they had to overcome, and I’m glad to say the plot twist at the end came right out of left field and I didn’t even see it coming! The only gripe I have with this book is the fact that there’s so many POV’s and just when your starting to understand one character it changes to another and you have to do it all over again.

But all in all I have this book a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 star, and I’ll definitely read the next one if there is another one as the ending kind of hints too.