Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

There's a little bit of a slow start to this book, not because it doesn't jump into action but because it takes a little bit to understand how this world works. Once you have that under your belt, though, it's pretty engaging. The structure of games with high stakes is reminiscent of any number of dystopian novels but with an air of magic. And the exploration of the world digs deep into class systems and our often skewed story of history. While the conclusions are what you would expect, the conversation is worth having with a middle grade reader and the pacing is spot on.

This exciting adventure tells the story of Pia, a girl who lives with her grandfather. They struggle to make a living in the town of Dantessa, since her grandfather lost his position at the home of a wealthy nobleman. When Grandpa is completely broke, he's pressed into servitude and Pia is left to figure things out on her own. The town of Dantessa's economy is based entirely on gaming and Pia really wants to join the BIG game, called a Game of Noctis. Pia had dreamed of joining with her best friend, but he's the son of the wealthy nobleman and they haven't spoken in 2 years. Pia gets invited to join a team of people she doesn't really know that don't seem to have any connections to each other, but each has skills and they all have their motivations for playing. This is an exciting adventure with themes of trust, and friendship, and fair play. I think the kids are going to love this one.

Two things make this book perfect for me: a game of life and death and teams or groups with distinct characters, personalities, and skills in RPG style.

In Pia's world of islands, games are happening all the time and they may threaten the lives of people in many ways. Those who constantly lose are exiled to another island as pawns and stripped of rights. To save her grandfather from this fate, Pia must take a chance at the most dangerous and famous game with others who also have someone to protect or a goal. It's not only about winning, but about changing society, rewriting history, saving their people, and unmasking the corrupted villains.

I couldn't put the book down. This is an author new to me and now I want to read all of her works. The games are exciting, creative, fun, and appropriate for young middle-grade readers but also with enough action to please an older audience. When I finished the book I wanted more, not because it was insufficient but because I wanted to return to this world and see what the characters could do next. This is probably one I would reread for the thrill of the games.

An exciting "trials" read that will please those who are not only gamers because it has great lessons of honor, friendship, respect, team play, family values, wanting to protect others, a sense of community, honesty, trust, defeating corruption, giving people choices, freedom and returning happiness to something that history turned into a death sentence: joy for playing with another without stakes.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this e-ARC.

In a world where people's lives depend on their game scores and if you get zero you are forced into a life of servitude, one girl will play to win it all with a ragtag crew in the deadliest game of all: Noctis. Pia has been struggling just to get by, it's just her and her grandpa... yet when her grandfather's score is dropped and he is sentenced to a life of servitude, Pia will do anything to get him back and the only way to get someone back from that is by paying a lot of money... and the only way for her to get such an enormous sum is by joining a team of players seeking to win Noctis. Noctis is a game that could kill them, but the prize will be worth it if they will. Pia joins The Seafoxes and they're like nobody she's ever met. Now her and her new teammates must survive dangerous tasks, monsters, and even play against Lady Death herself! This is a great read for young readers and I definitely think middlegrade or younger readers will have a fun time with this one!

*Thanks netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Atheneum Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

If you like games, this super fun book may be right up your alley! It is a fantasy, as there are some supernatural elements to some of the games, but I feel like those who are looking for a more middle grade book that's a little Inheritance Games crossed with a tiny bit of Hunger Games. There are deadly stakes, but it's not nearly as dark or heavy as either of those. There's a controlling government and class issues with the upper classes living the high life and everyone else is just there to be used by the upper classes.