Ooof mixed feels about this one, but I did LOVE so much of it!

Deadly games are my bread and butter, and this didn’t disappoint. The Japanese mythology-based underworld was fantastic and oh so creepy, and I loveddddd all the twisted creatures and people they encountered. The games were fun and cleverly thought-out, and the atmosphere was so deliciously haunting.

My main frustration was that the story seemed a bit disjointed—the pace was action-packed, but choppy, and felt a bit rushed through so many elements. I think the author took a lot of very complex mythology pieces (which, kudos to her!) and tried to distill them down, but it ended up being a bit too much to really flesh out in so few pages. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and seeing them grow in their relationships—they felt very surface-level, especially when they were all supposed to be best friends again, but we didn’t see any of that progression. I also couldn’t tell what the author was trying to say with some of the comments on race/gender/activism—on one hand, it seemed like woke-inserts, but on the other, it could’ve been a thoughtful commentary on some of it? Not sure.

3.5 stars, rounded up. Overall—I think if you’re a fan of YA horror and/or Japanese mythology, you’d enjoy this. It definitely made me want to study up on Japanese mythology!

Super grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

The marketing describes this book as a horror Japanese Jumanji, and it is right on the money.

This book’s plot is completely over-the-top, fast-paced, and freaking wild from start to finish.

One of the pros of this book is just how fast-paced it is, though it does feel like it tried to hit on every single potential trope in a short, only 270 page book. As a result, it didn’t really get to go in depth on any of them. That said, as a horror addict and a gamer, it was fun to see a lot of these horror and game tropes come to life. The book is very meta and well-researched, and it shows.

The book is filled with cultural references, and I enjoyed the expertly applied references to Japanese folklore and the author’s in-depth world-building. However, the plot gets a little convoluted and confusing, particularly towards the end.

While this is technically a horror book, I would add that its secondary genre is fantasy. I wasn’t expecting the book to be quite so over-the-top and campy right away, so I was a little taken aback by this while reading.

There’s four main characters in the book, and because of the fast pace, worldbuilding, and everything else going on, I never truly had the chance to connect to any of them. As a result, this unfortunately lowered my investment in their surviving the game.

All in all, this is a fun book, especially for those who want to read a unique story that combines Japanese folklore and contemporary teenage angst.

Four years ago, a terrible tragedy tore four best friends apart, and since then, they have each walked a completely different path through high school. But on the anniversary of their friend Ian’s supposed death, the four companions are visited by Ian’s ghost, and they are all led back to the cave where it all began. There, they meet a mysterious stranger who sets them on a quest to recover seven lost items before the sun rises, or Ian will be lost forever. But it is not only Ian who hangs in the balance, and each new challenge pushes the four youth to the edge as they must once again rely on one another for survival.

This compelling novel has both the feel of a gripping video game and the momentum of a horror film. Taking place over the course of one night, this narrative propels readers through the characters’ memories as well as their present circumstances. The story alternates perspectives among the four friends, which gives readers insight into their individual feelings that might not otherwise be shared with their companions. Each character has managed the events of four years prior in different ways, and it is engaging to witness the changes they undergo as they realize a dangerous game is what it takes to reunite them once again.

Fans of video games, horror stories, and teenage drama will find themselves drawn to this book and its characters. The story follows a predictable path, but the details and writing set the plot apart from others in its genre. Similarly, myriad references to Japanese culture and language are incorporated into the story, which is a refreshing addition to young adult literature. Occasional strong language is used within the course of the novel, though much more frequent are graphic scenes of gore, danger, and the very real experience of mental illness. A trigger warning at the beginning of the book prepares readers for what is to come, which can be helpful in determining whether or not a reader will enjoy the story. This fast-paced, spine-tingling tale blends horror, culture, and friendship into a riveting package that is an excellent addition to library collections for young adult readers, and it promises a sequel.

The premise of this story is very cool, and I loved that it was steeped in lore and culture. That isn't to say I didn't have any issues, however. So let's dive into it, but know that the good definitely outweighed the bad at the end of the day.

What I Enjoyed:

►The aforementioned Japanese mythology was amazing. This was a very cool aspect of the book, and I learned a lot of new things! In fact, I would happily learn a lot more about this mythology because that part was so interesting to me!

►The characters were likable. I mean- they were flawed, very flawed in some cases, don't get me wrong. But, they had also all been through it, too. So it at least made sense. I liked that they had to face their demons, literally and figuratively, as well. They also all had to rebuild their relationships with one another if they ever had any hope of making it out alive, so that was also cool.

►It eventually did have a lot of cool twists. Like I said below, I am glad I kept reading, because there were some very cool surprises and exciting bits! It just took a minute for the book to feel high stakes, but it did after the first half for sure!

What I Struggled With:

►The beginning was rough for me. The first third of the book just felt low stakes, like I didn't feel that any of the characters were really in any kind of danger? It just felt formulaic and I almost gave up, truth be told. I am really glad I didn't, but if I was a person who DNFed more easily, I fear I would have.

►Likewise, the ending was a bit... ambiguous. The last thing I wrote in my Kindle notes was "is this a series?!" because the ending would lead me to believe that it was. If it isn't... I am not super satisfied?

Bottom Line: I am glad I stuck with it, but I do wish for a bit stronger beginning and end- though hey, maybe it is a series?

I found this so unexpectedly interesting alongside being super spooky! I enjoyed learning about Japanese folklore as I read through this, as it is something i've not read about or looked into before. The plot was gripping throughout and I found reading from the different characters points of view made me not sure who to root for, but emphasised the general story unfolding instead. I could never guess what was going to happen next which I loved, after reading many different books it starts to become easier to identify the direction the plot is taking anf this can take some of the fun out of reading for me, however I did not experience that with this book. As a reader of both horror and fantasy, I found this book brought the genre's together in a creative way and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This took me by surprise in a great way! Maybe I just didn't read the blurb well, but I was not expecting paranormal trials or Japanese mythology, both of which are things I love. The story also jumps right in, with short chapters and ghosts(?) to draw you into the plot and get things going.

The group of former friends have to complete seven challenges before dawn if they want to return home and I enjoyed seeing them work through their past issues and feelings, while also fighting deadly creatures. The plot kept me intrigued and the bits of romance sprinkled in were a nice addition.

What I struggled with were the uneven chapters and how long some of them were. In the beginning the chapters are fairly short, but once the game starts they become four times as long and slowed the pace down a bit. I think several of them could have been cut into two chapters and it would have broken up the story a little bit. I had a great time reading this and I hope there's a sequel in the works!

I think this might be my favourite YA book I've read.

It did start off a little slow and somewhat confusing, but once it got going, I ended up loving it. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of gore and grossness in the story with this being a YA book, but it wasn't over the top, and I think it worked really well. I'm usually able to guess a lot of twists or at least see the direction it might be going in, but with this book, I saw none of them coming.

This book is described as a "Japanese inspired Jumanji" and I totally see that.

You should read this book if you enjoy: Horror, supernatural, friends overcoming challenges, Japanese mythology, sinister games, multiple POVs, young adult, books under 300 pages.

Thanks to netgalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Kristen Simmons for sharing a digital copy for me to read and review, as always, opinions are my own 🤘🏻💀🤘🏻

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I liked this book more than the reviews led me to believe I would. I love Japanese mythology inspired stories.

4 years ago, 5 friends went into a cave to play a card game. 4 came out. Now, the group has disbursed. They have all gone their own way, trying to ignore what happened to their best friend Ian. He was the one who kept them all together. Now, his spirit demands they return to the cave. Return and finish the game to free him. They are given tasks to complete by dawn or Ian’s spirit will be stuck in the game forever.

The plot twists at the end had me shook. When the big one was revealed, so much stuff made sense. It wasn’t a pointless plot twist like some can be near the end. My jaw was droppin. And there’s no way there can only be one book. This has to be a series. You’re gonna tease me with that cliffhanger? I usually don’t like cliche plots, like when a group of friends who have been together since they were children randomly stop being friends when one of them disappears. I feel like you’d want to stick together after one of you is gone? And nobody stays in touch ever? It’s been done so many times. However, I did like the different places this plot went.

I liked Emerson’s dive into her asexuality. It made me happy to see her talk about it, even if it was only to herself. I also liked when they talked about Maddy being biracial and not half black. Those 2 hit me personally. I loved how gruesome and gory the challenges were. They were interesting to imagine. I guess I’m also just a sucker for anything spooky. All in all I really liked this one. I liked the bittersweetness of the end, even though I want to know more!

Was not my favorite read. I wanted to like this story so bad as it has a lot my favorite things in it. However I just couldn’t connect with the characters at all. The book was definitely a struggle to get through. I also thought it was going to a bit scarier/more harrier but since it lagged so much I didn’t feel this.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

I was drawn to this book because of the Jumanji premise and the Japanese mythology of yokai that I love.
I like how the author collects the players into the game showing us each chapter at the start of each character facing a terrible ghost/memory of their lost friend Ian. After these chapters, we're plunged into a game in the underworld that focuses on the survival of these characters facing many demons and Japanese folklore. It's visceral sometimes and great for horror fans. There are plot twists and lots of action. The end was satisfactory and it is a story that will keep the tension going since page one.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this eArc.

once upon a time, five kids played a game in a cave by a river. only four went home. years later, the surviving four — Madeline, Emerson, Owen, and Dax — see their dead best friend (Ian) on the anniversary of the night he went missing. reuniting for the first time since that night, they return to the place he disappeared and find they have to finish the game they started together.

when they begin, they find themselves transported into a strange and terrible underworld, where they're met by a series of challenges they have to complete. if they don't complete all the challenges before the night ends, not only will Ian remain in the underworld forever, but so will the rest of them.

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead is filled to the brim with twists and turns, lies, deceit, secrets, memories... basically everything I love in coming-of-age horror. some of the gory descriptions genuinely had my stomach turning, so this story is not for the faint of heart. the characters were all engaging (although I wish we had seen more of Madeline and Emerson's internal selves, especially toward the end of the book — some threads had been introduced that never got fully tied up by the end) and their relationships with each other were so well fleshed out! Ian's character is particularly engaging because of how much we don't know about him — he's defined by lack, by what he meant to the others rather than who he was himself. (seriously, I'd kill for an Ian spinoff.)

the plot was absolutely wild, and for quite a bit of it I was incredibly confused — but in a good way? characters lied, forgot, misremembered — it all contributed to a creeping sense of dread that I was only getting half the picture. or was I getting the full picture? who was telling the truth??? (don't worry, all is revealed by the end... or is it? you'll have to read to find out, I guess!!) Simmons demonstrated masterful control over the balance between showing the horror and keeping it hidden.

I read most of this on the subway, and I was so annoyed every time I had to make a transfer and pause my reading! five stars, through and through. I'm so glad I requested it on a whim!

I didn’t end up liking this as much as I thought I would. There’s some descriptions and imagery that I thought was really well done, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing in general. While the inclusion of Japanese folklore was interesting, I didn’t like the way it was shoved into the story.. it didn’t feel authentic to me. All the POVs were hard to keep track of and I kept getting them confused since the characterization wasn’t the best. I thought the way this ended was kind of cool actually, but by then I had already checked out unfortunately.

This is a very fast-paced, very clever YA horror novel that plunges you into its world from the first page. Some of the characters start out rather stereotypical, but all of them gain nuance and depth as the novel progresses. A perfect spooky season read.

This book does not hold back on the creepy imagery.m! The author is committed to getting you to reach for that nightlight. And I loved that.

I also liked to Japanese Jumanji type horror game element but I had a hard time being endeared to the characters and the writing felt very young adult, which is a genre I sometimes struggle with. I wish there had been more finesse in the world building of the game rather than just dunking the reader in.

I had to stop listening to this one at 20% it really wasn't for me I didn't enjoy it, and didn't care for the characters.

Contemporary fantasy meets horror and Japanese folklore in Find Him Where You Left Him Dead. I liked this, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. A lot of the book feels on the younger side of YA, though later in the book things get a bit more intense.

Early on, a lot of the horror elements feel pretty campy, but it turns into this fast-paced novel following a potentially deadly game that these friends must complete several years after they left their friend for dead. The characters spend a lot of the novel feeling more like a collection of tropes and attributes than fully fleshed out people. I wasn't entirely bothered by that because of the pace of the book and how much was happening, but it is a weakness. That said, we do get some good representation of biracial characters (one is half-Japanese and struggles with feeling not enough for both sides of his heritage- something the author might share as well), and we have queer characters including an ace girl, which is cool!

I do think there is a glaring plot hole in the setup of this book- if their friend went missing and they said they were at the coffeeshop all day, people would definitely interview witnesses and find out they lied. But again, to a certain extent that all feels like a means to an end which is this game in a sort of pocket universe with Japanese folklore come to life. Yeah it doesn't all make sense, but I don't know how much it matters for the story we're getting. It would have been nice to get some attempt at verisimilitude though.

If you aren't familiar with it, Japanese folklore can be creepy as hell and this draws on all of that. I liked the way it managed that integration and I think this would make for a good starter horror novel for a teen. Not a perfect book. but a solid choice and one I had a reasonably good time with. I don't feel like the cover gives the right vibes though. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

What a wild ride!!! This was the book I didn’t know I needed. I’m a huge fan of Japanese culture, so love Japanese fantasy; which are unfortunately few and far between (and it can be hard to find a good one). And let me tell you, this one was epic! I think this is one of my all time favorite bookish worlds! Kristen knows how to write unique stories, and this was no exception. Think Jumanji, but if it were an anime that takes place in hell. Sounds awesome, right?!

This 10/10 needs to be an anime. It felt like a book version of an anime, which I’ve only ever felt with one other book – Shadow of the Fox. It’s also disturbing AF, and I was totally here for it! I loved how creepy and twisted the world of Meido was. Kristen’s world building is top knotch, and I had zero issues picturing everything (even the things I didn’t really want to picture, lmao) in my head. I really loved the backstory of Izanagi and Izanami!

My goldfish-short attention span loved the fact that this picked up almost immediately and never let up. The action was non-stop, and there was never a dull moment! From start to finish, this book had me on the edge of my seat. Every single scene was more disturbing than the last. Just when I thought the trials couldn’t get any worse, they did. I adore books that can disturb the shit out of me. (Not sure what that says about me….) The tone and setting were both gloriously dark and ominous. The atmosphere of this book was a tangible thing!

I never knew what was going to happen next. There were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming, either! [spoilers removed] And THAT ENDING!!!! That was just plain rude. I neeeed the next book *cries*

The only complaint I have about this is that I never really connected to the characters the way I would have liked to. They were realistic, fleshed out, and well written; but I didn’t forge much of an emotional connection with them. (I really think this is a me issue because I’m not usually a huge fan of third person narrative.)

P.S. I can’t waaaait for the audio of this book to come out, I’m desperately hoping it will have a separate narrator for each character!

Original review posted on Novel Heartbeat

I really loved this! Granted, there are not many horror books I don't love, but this one took it up a notch with the Jumanji styled trials mixed with Japanese folklore.

I really enjoyed the four main characters. I feel like each was well-rounded and fully developed in a way that I could easily connect to. This was full of twists and turns that kept me interested along with the fast pacing.

Definitely recommend this creepy read!

Out September 26, 2023!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Love love love this atmospheric title by Author Kristen Simmons!! The storyline and characters, both were amazing!

I've Also read the article 5 Series by Kristen Simmons, and let me tell you, she absolutely doesn't disappoint with her new novel.