2.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Everyone knows I love a good murder mystery, so I was excited going into this. But ultimately, this mystery was so complex and hard to follow that I just spent a lot of time feeling like I was mentally doing math.

No spoilers, but the person who orchestrated everything in this book had a plan with so many little moving pieces that it is truly unbelievable to think that it all went off without a single issue.

Ultimately, the biggest issue I had with this book was the lack of stakes. I know each of our 4 main characters were threatened, but I didn’t feel the weight of those threats. And I feel like part of that is that the characters themselves didn’t seem too stressed about it. They took a lot of the events in this book remarkably in stride. These kids should have been way more panicked in my opinion.

Additionally, I didn’t think the side characters were very well developed. To be honest, I couldn’t tell you which of the boys in the main group was which if you described them to me. The bonds between Marina and the rest of the group needed to be seen more for me to truly believe they saw each other as a found family.

But hey, this is a quick, fast-paced book that will keep you guessing if you want a complex mystery!

In It's Only a Game games are made read. The banter takes on an edge with dangerous stakes. And throughout It's Only a Game Marina is constantly looking over her shoulder. Running from her past, with frequent flashbacks we witness just how her past could be coming back to haunt her. At first, the frequent flashbacks took me out of the reading experience, but I soon could see the arching and mirroring of the flashbacks with the plot. They are like breadcrumbs, echoes and fleeting glimpses.

I don't know actually know how I feel about this book. On one hand, it was okay, but on the other hand, I just didn't like it. I requested this book for the mystery aspect, but it fell flat for me. I just couldn't get past that. This wasn't as thrilling as I would have hoped.

This was an okay book. It was really fast paced and a lot going on but I kind of lacked caring about anything going on. Marina was a hard character for me to like. I didn’t understand or care for the way she did things. I also didn’t find her believable. I do feel like a select group of kids would like this book though.

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

Marina is finally set to meet the 3 friends she does online gaming with for a tour of their favorite company. The result is them being forced to play a version of a game just for them or they’ll be framed for murder and worse consequences.

This book is told in third person from Marina’s perspective. There are a few jumps back in time.

I liked the concept, although I wasn’t entirely sold on the execution. The multi-day game seemed to lower the stakes (they were still working and whatnot throughout?!) and it was less intense/high stakes. I also felt it definitely fell on the younger side of YA (FMC is 15 and definitely acts 15). I also hated the usage of the dog in the plot. Mini spoiler I guess: he’s fine.

Overall, if you’re into online gaming, whodunnits, and the early side of YA for the main character, give this one a shot.

It's Only a Game was twist after twist after twist! I loved the way the gaming element was incorporated into the story- it really elevated the stakes of the story within the world of the book. I highly recommend It's Only a Game for those that love gaming in books or just love a solid thriller.

Great premise, love the voice. Kelsea has a fantastic story here! A few wild plot twists that might not completely hang together but highly entertaining and fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC! Wow I really loved this book! The characters, the setting, the storyline…everything about it was great and had me hooked immediately! I’d highly recommend this book!

I've known Kelsea on IG for a while now and I was beyond thrilled to see her getting published with Bloombury, especially seeing the topics of her short stories.

I loved Marina and this core group of characters. All four of them are smart and loyal and a great example of found family. There are a lot of characters here and they all serve a purpose.

Plot wise, it was fast paced and a slow unfolding all at the same time. The past and present chapters helped bring the backstory while the "game" provided the present mystery. I loved having so many twists that just when I thought I had it figured out, something shifted.

Overall, it was an intriguing story that kept me captivated from the start. I can't wait to see what Kelsea does next.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

It’s Only a Game is a fast-paced YA whodunnit novel full of engaging plot twists. The story follows mysterious Marina and her friends as they get roped into playing a crossover mind game with a twisted game developer all in the hopes of clearing their names of murder and protecting their loved ones.

This story was engaging and suspenseful. I think readers who enjoy Karen McManus or E. Lockhart will love this book.

Marina Chan and her online gamer friends are thrilled: not only do they get to meet in real life, but it’s for a tour of Apocalypta Games, the company that makes Darkitect, their favorite game. And they’ve just received an invitation from the most renowned private Darkitect level designer, Cixi, to test a new mission.

But their excitement turns to horror when Ethan Wainwright, the CEO and founder of Apocalypta Games, is murdered while they’re there on their private tour. Marina’s uneasy because she recognizes the building’s layout from their Darkitect mission the night before, and her instincts prove to be right when they receive a video message from Cixi, telling them that if they don’t successfully make it through the next four private missions, she’ll start carrying out acts of blackmail against each of them.

As the teammates work together to carry out their mission, they discover that Cixi is trying to reveal some unpleasant truths about Ethan Wainwright. And the longer the game goes on, the more Marina starts to realize her hidden past (including the scars hidden under her long sleeves) are right at the center of everything.

This was a great page-turning thriller, and we were eager to find out the truth behind Ethan’s murder and Cixi’s manipulations. The novel will appeal to many students—gamers and non-gamers alike—but do be aware that child abuse plays a central role in Marina’s backstory when making recommendations to students.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

This review will be posted at https://threeheads.works/category/blog/ya-books/ on July 1, 2024.

This is a propulsive YA thriller about a gamer girl with a traumatic past, mommy issues, and someone threatening her life in a video game--of course I devoured it!! The short action-packed chapters make this a quick read, and the main cast are all so loveable. Marina is a sweetheart who's just trying to keep herself safe from her past; Slate is adorable, Marina's adopted family at the restaurant--so sweet. The friend group and their dynamic really comes through. I also really admired the video game, Darkitect, which feels fleshed out and realistic and like something I would actually play. The gaming aspects and references are very present, but grounded in such a way that the non-reader can still grasp what's happening, though the gamer-readers will feel like this book is speaking to them.

Thriller lovers, gamer or not, definitely pick this one up!!!

4.5 stars

This book mostly feels like it was made for me. I love YA thrillers, I'm an avid gamer, and I I adore Sapphic stories.

Marina a.k.a. NightMar3 is a runaway living in a restaurant whose only solace is playing online with a trio of friends. She meets up with them to tour their favorite game's company only to stumble upon a murder. The four are forced to take part in a game orchestrated by someone unknown or they'll be framed for murder.

I loved a lot of this. The stakes are high, the gaming aspects are on point, and I was all in for the Sapphic longing. I even enjoyed the flashbacks strewn throughout. The ending was a bit predictable, but I was still highly invested in Marina's fate.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

I enjoyed this book and the online gaming direction. I thought it was well written and the darker elements were handled well. I'd read another book from this author.

Thanks to Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and NetGalley for an ARC of It's Only a Game by Kelsea Yu in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

This book beautifully conveyed the message of belonging and the joy of finding family amidst an adventurous story. The main character's relationships with friends throughout the book were truly heartwarming. The story was filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping me constantly engaged. If you enjoy tales of video games and the camaraderie of playing alongside friends, then this book is perfect for you. There were definitely some dark moments, so I suggest reading the trigger warnings.

3.75 ✨ I thought this was an interesting concept for a YA thriller! It was fast paced and switched between the main character’s past and what was currently happening. Part of the mystery was trying to figure out who Cixi is, and I felt that it wasn’t too difficult to do so, especially as the story went on. There was some video game jargon that wasn’t always easily understandable for someone who doesn’t play often and I found it confusing when switching between the characters’ real names vs their gaming names. There was a large emphasis on found family in this book that felt very heartwarming. However, I felt there was a lot of buildup for an ending that just wasn’t satisfying for me. The scene ends abruptly and then we pick up as the reader 2 weeks later; while this wasn’t done poorly and does wrap things up, I would have preferred to see exactly how it played out in the moment.

If you’re a fan of video games, YA, or fast paced thrillers, I would recommend this to you! Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an eARC!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

I was so excited to get my hands on this book, it was very good! Will check out more from this author!

I liked the concept of video games mixed with horror in this book. It has interesting characters and a well developed plot. It's a real page turner that keeps you guessing. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I was super hooked on this concept, video games and murder mysteries with some queer relationships? Sign me up! It was not as gripping as I was hoping it would be, seemingly going back and forth between super high stakes to really low stakes which made it hard to stay feeling invested. The intensity of what happened/happens to our MC Marina is something that I think doesn’t match the stakes and tone of the rest of the book. It felt like there were two completely different books being written at times. While I enjoyed the friend group, we didn’t get to know them very well outside of the required portions for the telling of the story. There was a lot of telling and not showing when it came to some of the relationships. I think my favorite relationship was between Marina and the restaurant owners, the affections they showed each other were so wonderful.

It took some time to get used to the in game versus out of game actions, but once I got the hang of it, they felt more natural. The letters were difficult to understand for the blackmail portion as I had to keep checking what everyone’s real names were, and it led to some things going over my head. Overall, it has a lot of great components, I just wish it was a bit more cohesive.

"It's Only a Game" by Kelsey Yu left me disappointed and frustrated. While the premise of a dangerous game turning real had potential, the execution fell flat.

I found the book overly reliant on video game references and lingo, which made it difficult for me to connect with the story. As someone who doesn't consider themselves a regular video gamer, I struggled to engage with the plot and characters.

It's rare for me not to finish a book, but "It's Only a Game" came close to being an exception. The constant immersion in gaming culture overshadowed the thriller aspect of the story, leaving me feeling disconnected and uninterested.

Overall, this book may appeal more to avid gamers, but for readers like me who prefer a more balanced narrative, it misses the mark.