I loved it because there were lots of drama and friendship problems. They were stuck in a video game and someone was making the twenty do kids do stuff and if you didn't listen to him you had to get sent back to level 2 which is a cell where you get cold food and it isn't nice there because there are bearded men there and jailors. It was just really good and it was amazing and I recommend it.

I'm rating this two ways - as the adult reading and then if I were a kid.

The kid in me gives this 4.5 stars! What kid wouldn't love to be a part of an actual video game! The missions, the strategy, the good levels and even the bad levels. So much fun to explore and know you can never truly die. I think the book is the perfect length for the age range it's written for and has alot of action to keep one entertained and engaged. The main character, Ethan, is forced to look inside himself as his morals start to change and figure out what the right road is to take, even with peer pressure. He has to right his wrongs, so to speak and realize you need your friends to help you through the tough times. These are important lessons for young boys.

The mom side of me rates this a 3.75. There was too much of the video game world for me, but I'm not the target audience. Here is what I did appreciate, the language is 100% appropriate, the writing is funny and the characters have some big challenges to face and overcome. How do you act strong and brave when you're scared out of your mind? This is a real emotion boys face in everyday life at school. The idea of perseverance, never giving up, trying different strategies when one fails, be wary of strangers, the importance of family, and while video games are fun and entertaining, there's more to life than your screen. In a humorous way, the author waves all of these lessons into a story.

If you have a kid or grandkid in your life who loves video games, this is a great book to also get them excited about reading. I mean, even some adults would have fun being stuck in a video game! I did read this book with my son and he gives it a thumbs up. 👍

My thanks to C.R. Martin, the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book was fine but very similar to other books along the same lines- gave off ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ vibes. The ending was abrupt and poorly written. Overall, not something I enjoyed.