Imagine getting a message from a mysterious app that your little sister is kidnapped. Now imagine the only way to save her is to hurt and kill your friends. This is the situation Crystal Donavan is in in the novel These Deadly Games by Diana Urban. Crystal agrees to play the kidnappers game in hopes to find a way to save her sister and not hurt her friends. As Crystal dives deeper into the game, she realizes that the person behind this might be trying to take her team out of the running for a gaming tournament. She also worries they might have uncovered a secret from her team’s past and wants to make them pay. Crystal does not let all of the intensity get to her, she stands tall and makes sure she does what is right in order to solve this mystery. Crystal is intelligent and witty, and despite the craziness of her situation, she is a relatable character. She knows that there is a way around this, and just hopes to find a solution before it’s too late. This twisted and suspenseful novel will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Just when you feel like everything is going smoothly and to plan, something seems to always go wrong, but Crystal does a great job at getting everything back on track. She is the definition of a strong female lead, and her technique and commitment to help those she loves is inspiring.
Review by Caroline, Teen Reviewer