Locked In by Halli Gomez
My Rating: 4.5 Stars

I'm an avid escape room fan, so I was thrilled to read a book set in an Escape Room, and it did not disappoint!
The format of the story and writing built up the tension well, and I felt like I was right alongside the characters in the escape room and solving the puzzles.
The tension, mystery and premise was a perfect setting for the social justice message of the book.

My only criticism is that I wish it was longer because I loved the setting, characters, and writing. I will definitely check out the author's other books in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley, Halli Gomez, and Jolly Fish Press for providing me with an ARC to read and review!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Halli Gomez for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Locked In!

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and my first Horizon book. The book was shorter than I expected, but I've learned that Horizon books are meant to target reluctant readers and be quick and easy to read, which I think was very well accomplished here.

I enjoyed the escape room as an element and as a narrative structure, but I found the way we moved between character perspectives within chapters to be a little confusing, and the general tone of the book being so much less intense than I expected from the description was a little disappointing. I think I expected at least more time pressure panic, like a real life escape room, if not more nefarious intentions behind the room itself.

The book had a good message, but the premise as revealed more or less at the very end was so entirely ridiculous it kind of damaged my opinion of the book. Without going into spoiler territory, I'll say people with good motivations normally take good actions, and people with bad motivations normally are the ones taking bad actions, and it takes more than an hour to make a person willing and able to challenge themselves to learn. (Take it from someone with QAnon relatives).

Overall, I enjoyed the time I put into the book, but 2/5 stars.

A nice short story about an escape room. It has 4 teens from the same school who don't really like each other. Apart from solving the escape room they also work through difficult issues with each other.

Would recommend for younger teens.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the free arc in exchange for an honest review.

☆

The new owner of Locked In escape rooms is offering prize money for whomever can successfully escape his room. Four teenagers are playing the game, Tony, a star athlete and member of the honor roll, social-anxiety ridden Bea, who uses puzzles to try to block the noise in her head, Anna who is Jewish and is concerned about the increasing anti-Semitism in the community and Devon who is desperately trying to hide that he is homeless.

As the game begins the players fear that things may not be what they seem. Will they escape?

This book was written specifically for reluctant readers and at a lower level of reading ability, but starring teenagers….brilliant idea! It’s only forty-six pages long. I’m not giving it a star rating because it’s not meant for me. Five star idea, though!

I'd like to extend my thanks to the NetGalley team and to Halli Gomez for the eARC of Locked In. My review is, as follows:

Locked in is a fun read! The pacing, setting, and character introductions are ideal for younger audiences. Halli Gomez wastes no time getting the reader into the action and keeps the plot moving at a brisk pace. There is a strong sense of intrigue and tension in the air as the characters reveal more about themselves and the world at large. Even as an adult reader, I felt thoroughly engaged and couldn't wait to see what would happen next. It was refreshing to read a YA title that didn't need to resort to gratuitous violence or explicit language to keep the story exciting. Things are kept comfortably light for the audience. I have no doubt that this title would be perfectly fitting for audiences of all ages.

While the story's content is presented in a way that stays age appropriate; Halli Gomez is not afraid to tackle heavy concepts and urge readers to consider their developing world views. Racism, Neurodiversity, and personal biases are strong themes that are well, and cautiously, explored throughout the novel. I was impressed and pleased to see the boundary being pushed, and the faith placed in young readers, to call out these realities and encourage people to engage in healthy discourse.

Ultimately, I think this novel does well to keep kids entertained and prompt them to ask important questions. I'd strongly recommend this to parents!

This was a quick and easy read, which was a perfect to start my weekend reading! I love a locked in mystery and this book was a enjoyable read overall.

I uploaded my review to Goodreads. I will upload my review to Amazon on publication day.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Halli Gomez for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Locked In coming out August 1, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I didn’t realize it was so short. It was definitely a quick and fun read. I enjoyed the dialogue. There wasn’t anything too sinister about the book. I’ve read too many horror books and I thought it’d have more of a trapped room feel with the escape room. But it was very age appropriate for the younger teens. It felt like an RL Stine book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys quick and fun teen books.