Originally posted on my blog, Zach's YA Reviews (zachsyareviews.com) 
 Review: 
 Protagonist: Miki Jones begins this story still reeling from a terrible tragedy and while her friends want her to return to "normal," she's not sure she can. Over the course of the book she not only get help from friends, new and old, but through a dangerous battle with fierce and terrifying alien creatures. While I could see development in Miki's character and in her confidence, there were still some issues that were left awkwardly up in the air. I did however, love how she grew during her experiences with the game as she grew more and more accustomed to the thrill and rush associated with it. 
 Romance: As many of you guys may know I'm not a big fan of choosing "teams" ex. "Team Peeta or Team Gale" however this series is one of the exceptions. While neither romantic prospect is what I would call "unique" I did feel drawn to one more than the other. The one I had a problem with is the archetype for the asshole who has a heart of gold "if you only got to know him," which is a cliche I've seen in YA lit before but one that I'm growing tired of, though I didn't hate or really even dislike this character that much, he didn't feel as real as the other side to the triangle. The one I'm silently rooting for, while not the predictable winner, is much kinder on the outside, and while he holds an air of mystery about him he doesn't use it to act rude to everyone who approaches him. 
 World-Building: The world this books takes place in, though based off of our world, is secretly inhabited by creepy alien creatures called the Drau, who can cause incredible pain with a single look. To fight them off teenagers are pulled from reality to take place in a game of sort to eliminate the Drau problem and hinder their plans for world domination and destruction. As we learn more about this war that Miki and her friends are pulled into, the more questions end up being raised culminating in an almost tell-all moment that ends up answering most questions while leaving some with rather vague and non-answers. 
 Predictability: I was rather shocked with how unpredictable this book was, as with every book there are predictable moments, however most of the twists were cover by vague and hazy foreshadowing that was hard to decipher until it was already too late and the twist was presented. The level of twists was rather low, though when they did happen they were rather large and at times game-changing. 
 Ending: The ending was full of action which is always a plus, in addition to the slaughter of many there are a few moments of romance and finally, in the very end we are presented with a very agonizing cliffhanger. I will never complain about plateauing endings for firsts in series ever again. The wait for the next installment will be hell and I'm not sure I'm going to make it. It wasn't as epic as a Richelle Mead cliffhanger but it was very close. 
 Rating: 
 This book was both what I was expecting and totally different than I thought it would be. I knew it was going to be great and, while not perfect, is still a book I'd recommend anyone read regardless of gender. It was different because of how "The Game" is set up and how the players can return to their normal lives in-between missions. 
 Question: If you could be teleported into any gaming world, which one would it be? (Leave your answer in the comments!) P.S. I'd want to go into the world of The Legend of Zelda!