[Book Review] Madness

 

Death is not an escape.

One night Ezra Adkins is brutally murdered in her own home. As she was dying, she expects to wake up in the afterworld.

She was wrong.

She loses consciousness and awakens into a horrific game of kill or be killed. Players can be killed an infinite number of times, but the only permanent way out of the game is their actual death by suicide.

Players in the game ruthlessly hunt each other for points, while others kill for fun. Most players have given up on finding an escape from the game and spiral into insanity, killing without reason.

It’s mayhem.

Ezra soon learns who to trust and who to hunt down. But as she falls deeper into the game, she starts to lose herself as the bodies pile up. The line blurs between what she’s always known to be right and wrong.

Metal will clash. Blood will spill. Minds will break. And before it’s too late, Ezra must find an escape from the game before she becomes the real enemy.

*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. *

Wow! What a pleasant surprise this book was! I was intrigued by the premise of this book, because it is quite unique. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to be reading about when I first read the description, but I was excited to dive in, and I felt I did exactly that. 

I enjoyed the main female character, Ezra. She was realistic and had her strengths and weaknesses. She was just as confused as I was in the beginning, which I think worked in the favor of this book. Speedy's character was confusing, because I don't think there was enough background information on him. He was hot and cold towards Ezra, to the point that I just didn't know if I liked him or not. Jack's character had the embodiment of some of my favorite characters. He was morally grey, conflicted and intriguing. I also enjoyed the other team members, and I am excited to see their character development and to delve more into their backgrounds in the sequel. Some of the dialogue seemed out of character in parts, but I believe that may be due to some plot pacing errors. Overall, I loved all the main characters and side characters. 

There were a few plot pacing issues, and possible plot holes that remained unanswered, but overall the plot was phenomenal. The world of the Battles was intriguing. The concept of Engine and someone else forcing them into a world of Battles, and them being possible social experiments was also fascinating. I look forward to increased world building and more explanations to the questions presented in this book.

The cliffhanger ending makes me excited to read the next in the series! I hope it comes out soon. If I were to rate this book based on the authors age and the skills required to write this book, I would give this book 5 stars. Paityn is only 15 years old, and she wrote an impressive book with a luring plotline and a unique premise. But, to make this fair and push age aside, I will have to give this book 4 stars. I loved this book and this debut author has so much promise! I hope to read more books of hers in the future. 

Paityn Parque lives in Puyallup, Washington, where she spends most of her time gaming and writing. She plays competitive volleyball actively, and when she’s not practicing, she finds time for her friends and family. She lives with her older sister, an idiotic dog, and her parents. Only 15-years-old, Madness is her first novel published. She wants to continue her career in writing and hopes that you’ll stick around to see her grow.

Questions? You can contact her at: Paityn.Parque@gmail.com