This was a very creepy read! I would believe that it was intended for adults if the protagonists were older. The character connections between the children, the Uncle and employees, and the influencer are realistic and keep the story interesting. The descriptions of blood are eerie, sinister, and strange, but the imagery makes it clear to the reader what type of game and arcade the characters are navigating.

Danny gets to live his dream of spending a week at PixelWorks, his Uncle Bill’s arcade, but things start going wrong after the arrival of a new game, Grin. Now Danny, his friend Jodi, and streamer Mr Griller must team up to save Bill from the clutches of the evil game.

This is a fun middle grade horror that is able to build some tension and deliver a good horror style ending. Danny is a typical middle school boy and relies on the introduction of video streamer Mr Griller to serve as “the guy in the chair,” doing the extensive research needed to uncover the history of Grin. Keeping in mind the middle school audience, I think Gillespie did a great job overall on making a chilling tale. There are some parts of the story where it dragged a bit and the end seemed a bit rushed, but overall, I had a fun time reading and I think any tween horror fan will as well.