Unfortunately this fell a bit flat for me. I love an unreliable narrator- the fact this was described as Euphoria meets Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke had me sold ...but I felt like there was just too much happening all the time that I truly could not get into these characters. I am left feeling a bit confused by it and don't feel like there was a lot of horror elements to this.

I really hoped to like this more but it was average!

Carmen's horrible office job is sucking the joy out of her life. (It's funny, but also rings true, that corporate doesn't know what Carmen's office actually does.) Also, Carmen's relationship with her girlfriend Blanca has gotten stale. In order to add some spice to their relationship, Carmen starts reading a play titled The King in Yellow.

Reading the play inspires terror, but also yearning and lust. If you read too much of the play, it will take your sanity and ultimately your life. However, if you only read small passages, you'll experience the euphoria of someone who's had a brush with death.

When you read the play, the play also reads you. Eventually, Carmen appears as a character in the play and it starts bleeding out into her real life. The novel brings up and answers questions like what happens if you read drunk or what if two people read at the same time.

Despite the page count, it's not a quick read. The dense prose, especially The King in Yellow sections, force you to go slowly, which is not a bad thing. The novel is both spooky and erotic by turns with a satisfying, but messed up, ending. I haven't read many, but this is the best book based on Robert Chambers' The King in Yellow that I've read so far.

This doesn't come out till August, but honestly, go and preorder now. What if you wove in the madness of The King of Yellow into your sex life, and what happens to you on the other end? Piper gives us an astounding blend of kink, playing with format (I'm a sucker for intrusive play scripts), and Carcosa's tentacles reaching out to swallow it all. This is one of the best novels I've read recently that blends kink and horror, and great character work with it. This is probably going to be in my top ten for the year. Preorder now, and kneel in anticipation.

I loved this. But! Some disclaimers:

1. I am familiar with the source material
2. I love messy queers
3. I am obsessed with unique formatting in books and pushing genre boundaries

I think if you’re going to enjoy this book the way I did, those three things would be a necessary prerequisite.

Wow, okay. This book is a wild ride, and I’m not even sure I fully understood 100% of it. The concept is really cool, and I’m sure that there are people out there who are going to love this book - but I don’t think it was for me, and I really don’t know why. This book kind of made me feel like I was going crazy, but that might’ve been the point…which I could’ve been okay with if things made more sense in the end. Maybe they did and I just didn’t get it? I kind of kept feeling like I would enjoy this more visually (if it were a movie or even a play) but there were several instances that stated “you cannot learn this by watching a performance. You must be reading the play” so like I guess not??? I just feel like I had a hard time visualizing the things that aren’t real. Anyway 3.5

First, a HUGE thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow. Just wow. I really stepped out of my comfort zone for this one, and boy, did it pay off! I’m not usually one for anything in the horror genre, but I do sometimes enjoy psychological thrillers; so I decided to give A Game in Yellow a shot. I am so glad that I did.

When I started reading this book, I stepped into the lives and issues of Carmen, Blanca, and Smoke. They were all such intriguing characters, and the story itself was so interesting that I very quickly became invested! I devoured this book and its characters and only put it down to sleep and go to work. If I had been smarter and started reading on my off days, it would have been read in one sitting.

Now, it would be five stars but there were a few minor things that I found made it a four to me. The biggest one being the climax. It was exciting and really picked up the pace for me, but it sped up so much from the regular pacing, that it was a little hard to follow at times. That didn’t really impact the ending (which was so GOOD) for me, but it felt a tad rushed compared to the rest of the book. I also wish that I could’ve gotten more of the characters!

Overall, Hailey Piper’s A Game in Yellow is a fantastic read that takes you on a journey of insanity and the effect that it has on the people and the world around you.

The book started off strong but the insert of the play was too underwhelming to take up most of the book.

When I read the premise to this book, I was so excited. The idea of riffing on the notable Tennyson work in such a contemporary and unexpected way is an enticing one.

It's delivered on in a way that wholly exceeded my expectations.

Carmen as a protagonist is just so tragic and her struggles with intimacy and desperation to keep her beloved Blanca are too real.

There are some passages in this that are wholly worth revisiting. I love the transitions between the play and the real life "play" of Carmen and Blanca and sheesh that ending-

The only reason that it is four stars is that I feel like the pacing lags briefly around the 70% mark. Don't let that stop you from trying it though, I still had a thoroughly good time!

It’s so rare to find a book that mixes horror and erotica so well. I was completely captivated the entire time and never wanting it to end. 10/10 will have to read this again.

I read this as an ARC through NetGalley. The beginning of the book REALLY hooked me in, but the middle to the end of the books seemed to drag on for me personally. I am not used to the reading plays, which could attribute to these thoughts. If you love queer, horror, open door romance, plays, this is the book for you. I will be recommending this to others with these interests.

I wouldn't necessarily say it's heavy on the horror, more leaning towards drama that might leave you twisted around. Spent half of the book either confused, dying for more about the game/play, or crying and angry over the characters. I'd say the last two-three chapters are when it gets really weird but weird in a really good way.

I enjoyed Carmen but she also drove me absolutely crazy. I would say none of the other characters are worth rooting for but it's hard to say because Carmen is definitely an unreliable narrator.

Overall I really enjoyed it for what it was. A short and quick read that grabs your attention.

I am super pumped about this book. I was so excited to get selected for this ARC, as I was planning on preordering it any way. I love Hailey Piper, she is so weird and wonderful, her books are absolutely delightful in the most disturbed way.

Carmen and her girlfriend Blanca are desperately trying to find a way for Carmen to be sexually charged once again. They’ve tried everything, including kink and auto erotic asphyxiation, but nothing is working. Blanca meets a mysterious stranger, Smoke, in a bar. Blanca takes Carmen to her and Smoke allows them to read from A King in Yellow, a mysterious and impossible to find play. It does the trick.

Smoke only allows Carmen to read a little at a time, because reading more may make her lose her mind, but reading just enough gets her juices flowing. But Carmen isn’t satisfied with a little bit at a time, she wants more.

As Carmen embarks on her quest to get as much King in Yellow as she can, reality blurs until she’s not sure what is fiction and what is real. Her traumatic past comes back to haunt her, along with the sentient play, and as her life devolves into a surreal nightmare she’s not sure if she’ll,once again, make her way back to the real world.

I really liked this book. I had to sit with it for a couple days after I finished it, it’s a complete mind fuck, and I mean that as a compliment. My brain felt scrambled after I read it. This is something I love and expect from Hailey Piper books, she takes my imagination to the brink and then blows it up. If you know me, you are aware of my quest for more and more and more of these types of books. The weirder the better. A Game in Yellow delivers this punch. It will be released August 12, 2025, so preorder now!

This blew my mind. I haven’t been able to read anything else after finishing this book. I wasn’t sure I completely understood what was going on a lot of the time, but the end sat heavy on me. This was my first Hailey Piper and it will not be my last.

I could write an entire book report on A Game in Yellow, I enjoyed it so much. I can see myself reading it again and again, and finding new hints and details that I might have missed. I want to know EVERYTHING about the world Hailey Piper has created, both the real one, and the one within the play. Seeing the real impact of emotions in a relationship getting involved with kink, experimenting with polyamory, battling insecurities, obsession, paranoia, etc. Once I started this book, it felt painful to put it down. I would go to sleep thinking about it, and wake up thinking of what could possibly happen next. (As you can imagine, sitting through a workday and not being able to devour it was frustrating.) This was the first time I had read anything by Piper, and now that I have had a taste, I'm SO excited to dive into her other work. HIGHLY recommend!!

Spinning wonderfully out of Chambers' classic, A Game in Yellow unravels, unmasks, and undoes. My feelings towards the characters changed throughout the book, and at its close I felt unsure that any of them were really who they said they were. A part or two could have been tightened or trimmed, but a enjoyable novella.

Oh wow I really did not like this book. It was trying waaaaaayyyyyyyyy too hard. It was cringey and so uncomfortable to read. Nope no thank you


Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I’m not usually a horror reader—but the description noted that this book was part thriller, which sold me from the get-go. A Game in Yellow was difficult to read at first—there are noticeably few characters in this piece and there’s a hollowness that feels intentional and reflective of Carmen, who’s perspective is our lens into the story. However, as the novel progresses this perhaps draws the reader in further, as Carmen disconnects from the few people in her life in favor of subsuming herself with the play that she reads—and that also reads her. While it toys with her emotions and her mental state, the author captures this in such a way that feels both magical and terrifying. Such a literary work of horror—and one that will be remembered this year!

Hailey Piper's A Game in Yellow is an intriguing and thought-provoking read that blends psychological tension with intense relationship dynamics. The novel follows a character caught in a high-stakes game, where the lines between reality and performance begin to blur. The pacing is gripping, keeping you hooked as the plot unfolds with both subtle and shocking twists.
One of the standout features of the book is the dynamic relationship at its core. The chemistry between the characters is electric, with a mix of tenderness and tension that evolves throughout the story. Piper doesn’t shy away from exploring complex emotional and sexual dynamics, and some explicit scenes add another layer of intensity to the narrative. These moments feel integral, not gratuitous, to the development of the characters and their growing entanglement in the game.
What truly sets A Game in Yellow apart is its exploration of identity and reality. The play, central to the plot, acts as a catalyst that forces the protagonist to confront who they are and what they’re willing to sacrifice in pursuit of something more. It's a thrilling ride, leaving readers questioning what’s real and what’s performance long after the final page.
Overall, A Game in Yellow is a compelling, multi-layered read that fans of dark psychological thrillers and complex relationships will definitely enjoy. Piper’s writing is both engaging and provocative, making this a book hard to put down.

A Game in Yellow by Hailey Piper

Hailey Piper's A Game in Yellow is a haunting descent into the shadowy intersections of horror, erotica, and psychological thriller. At its core, it’s a tale about Carmen and Blanca, a couple caught in the monotony of a faltering relationship. But when Blanca introduces Carmen to the enigmatic Smoke and the fragmented pages of The King in Yellow, their world spirals into chaos.

The concept of The King in Yellow—a cursed play that induces madness if read in its entirety—is masterfully reimagined. Piper’s deft prose lures readers into this sinister game, where every word feels like a tightrope walk between ecstasy and terror. Carmen’s growing obsession with the play’s alternate world, no matter the horrors it leaves in its wake, mirrors a deeper exploration of human longing and the boundaries of desire.

What sets A Game in Yellow apart is its chilling yet intimate portrayal of relationships. Beyond its visceral horror, the novel delves into the fears we often avoid: the dread of being alone, of not being enough, and of facing truths about ourselves we’d rather leave buried. Piper lays bare the codependent dynamics of Carmen and Blanca’s relationship, crafting characters that feel raw and uncomfortably real.

The book’s darkness isn’t limited to its plot; it’s infused into every interaction and thought, creating a pervasive atmosphere of unease. Yet, the smooth, engaging prose keeps you glued, even as you cringe at what might come next. This isn’t a book for the faint-hearted—it’s a disquieting journey into the recesses of human vulnerability, where fear and desire are indistinguishable.

For readers who appreciate horror with psychological depth, A Game in Yellow will linger in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page. Just be warned: like the cursed play it centers on, this story demands to be read in cautious doses. Too much, and you might find yourself lost in its sinister grip.

4 stars.

Carmen and Blanca are a couple into kink, but suddenly Carmen isn’t feeling it anymore. She is desperate to bring back her libido and she and Blanca try many, many things, but nothing is working. Then Blanca, who is a bartender, meets Smoke at her bar and takes Carmen to see her because she thinks she can help. Smoke promises that if Carmen reads a small portion of a secret play Smoke has called “The King in Yellow” she’ll get better. She does, and she does. Much better. But it doesn’t last. And now Carmen is chasing the high that only the play can give, but Smoke warms that too much of it will destroy the reader. Guess what? Carmen doesn’t listen.

This book is incredibly dark and when reading it I found parts quite scary, which doesn’t often happen with me. It’s a bit like a fever dream in parts. Piper does an excellent job here and I’ll be looking for more from her in the future.