I've never really been into gaming so what possessed me to want to read Gauntlet I have no clue. Okay, I do know - the blurb. Dangerous world. Winner-takes-all. Female captain and youngest team owner. Things much more terrifying than death… Yeah, that and lots more grabbed my attention. I needed a break from all the romance I've been reading lately and even though I haven't read the first book in the Arena series, this book by Holly Jennings looked to fill the bill.

Wow, just WOW! Gauntlet blew me away and once I started reading I couldn't put it down. Kali Ling is strong and incredible as both a team owner and a player. The author really managed to capture all her strengths and flaws as she worked through the problems she faced. Not just Kali but all the characters. They start together, struggle, stumble then come back together as not just a team but as a family.

Let's talk graphics! The attention to detail that some authors use can sometimes be wording and boring, however, since we are talking virtual worlds, detail is a must. I could just see it all so vividly in my mind. See, the thing I love about books like Gauntlet are the possibilities, the chances that something like this, the technology and its future could really happen. That makes them so much more real for me. Ms. Jennings description of the gaming worlds she created astounded me and yes I could really see it happening.

The real winner is the story itself. Twisting, turning with heart-pounding action, the struggles Kali and her team go through, the world of virtual gaming, the new pods, the truths they hold, and everything else in between. I thought I would miss out by not having read the previous book but the reality is the author did a great job of keeping the reader informed of what happened previously. The finale of the game is spectacular and is only topped by a cliffy that had me screaming. I'm not 100% sure that I will restart the series from the beginning, but I know that I'll be looking for the next book.

reviewed by Jac

Many sequels fall short of their predecessors, and this certainly was a worry with a first novel that can easily stand-alone such as Arena. However, Gauntlet was delightfully surprising, while still holding onto many of the things that made Arena such an enjoyable read, making it a more-than-worthwhile continuation of the series. We start with Kali having returned to Defiance, this time at the team’s owner, and with Rooke notably missing from the team roster. The gaming industry is still reeling from the spectacle Defiance caused last season, and Kali is struggling with the pressures of being owner, captain, and teammate. At the same time, a new mystery has appeared in the form of The Wall, a mansion owned by technology giant Tamachi Industries.  Elite gaming teams from around the world are being invited, and not-so-subtly snuck, into The Wall, and what goes on once they are inside, no one knows.   Though things start off slowly, the mystery of The Wall pulls us into the plot quickly enough. The time-skip may be disappointing to those who wanted to read about how Kali got to the point of purchasing Defiance, though it does leave additional questions to keep us engaged throughout the book.  Many of the core parts of the first novel’s plot reappear: there is a tournament where Team Defiance is fighting against unspeakable odds, unable to lose even once, and again there are struggles with addiction and the balancing of sponsor needs with the Team’s own well-being. Despite this, the stakes are raised more from in Arena by stronger opponents both inside the game and out. 

Gauntlet holds true to what made Arena such an addicting and wonderful read, while not falling into the trap of being a retelling of the same plot again. Instead, it introduces new challenges and a focus that breathes into it new life and raises the stakes higher than before. If you’ve read Arena, certainly pick up the sequel when it comes out on April 4th, and if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?

Never have I seen a second novel in a series so completely outdo the first in nearly every way. I'll be honest here. I probably wouldn’t have picked up Gauntlet by Holly Jennings if the publisher hadn’t sent me a digital copy. I found Arena, the first book in the series, disappointing. I could see the potential within the novel and desperately wanted to love it, but found it fell short of the mark. I was hesitant to start reading Gauntlet.

It is immediately obvious that author has grown as a writer. The Gauntlet is an exciting, suspenseful, near future sci-fi that will have you rooting for Kali and Team Defiance all the way. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. Because dear lord, people, that cliffhanger!

Nearly all of my gripes with the first book are addressed and fixed in this one. Not all of them, maybe. There were one or two things which still bothered me a bit, and one was most definitely mentioned in my review of the previous book.

While the first book follows Kali as she struggles with overcoming addiction, the sudden death of her boyfriend and teammate, and winning the RAGE tournament, this one takes a bit of a different turn. Kali is now owner of her own team, Defiance, which she is still acting captain of. Now Kali has new problems – how to pay her teammates and employees, how to please the sponsors, how to deal with a teammates relapse, all while staying true to her beliefs and attempts to clean up the pro-gaming circuit. On top of that, there’s a new type of immersion pod directed by an advanced AI instead of real people at real terminals and a new surprise tournament the inventors are hosting. Team Defiance will now have to compete against the best teams in the world, including Kali’s role model.

The stakes feel much higher in this book. The scope moves from solely on Kali and her own very personal struggles to the team at large and how her actions affect her friends and the gaming community at large. The stakes are higher. There’s a lot more on the line than Kali’s health or dignity or even the success of the team within the tournament. There are very real enemies Kali must fight. But these aren’t the sort of villains we have in, say, high fantasy. There is no Sauron to destroy here. Instead, we have a press intent on destroying their reputation, corrupt tournament officials who would rather see Kali and her principles out of the league than change their own morals and standards, and an AI that seems to be somehow targeting Team Defiance. Things that have no visible beginning or end. Things that can’t be fought the way that Kali and her team fight their enemies while in-game.

Something that bothered me about the first book was that it didn’t feel as if the story was set quite as far in the future as it was. There were very little indications that the world was much different than it is now. Gauntlet felt much more sci-fi than Arena. While not included in any sort of overabundance, it was obvious that Kali doesn’t live in the world of today, or even the next handful of years. This helped make the world feel more real, like it really was forty years in the future where the dreams of today are finally being realized while still having some stubborn holdover tech from today.

Now, one of the biggest issues I had with the first book was the presentation of the game itself. Standard gaming features were missing. There was no menu system, among other things. While there still doesn’t seem to be any way for the players to manually log themselves out of the game, which sounds both terrifying and potentially problematic, some of these issues are addressed with the new version of total immersion pods introduced here. The handling of things by an AI not only makes the game more interesting as a viewer (and readers), but takes out some of the inherent problems with using real flesh and blood coders to create in-game enemies and scenarios in real time as Kali and the others are plugged in as well. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Programmers aren’t gods. They can’t magic a scenario and enemies with a few quick strokes of a keyboard all while monitoring the player’s condition and needs. Using the AI cuts out the vast majority of these issues. While it doesn’t seem apparent that there is any way to log out of the game short of dying, the AI does improve the game.

The other characters were also more prevalent here. In the last book the characters seen the most were Kali, obviously, since the series is from her point of view, and Rooke. Here, we get a lot more time with the rest of the team. It’s nice to see these characters developed a bit more. None of them seemed as thin or one dimensional as they did in the first book. Each of them struggles with their own demons. They all have pasts, hobbies, and lives and personalities outside of gaming and Team Defiance. Interpersonal relations suffer and are reforged throughout the novel. It isn't just Kali struggling this time. Its all of them.

Despite all of this happening at once, the pacing never suffers. We see more of the characters interact without the action stopping altogether to do so. There is more focus on Kali’s teammates and their struggles, but we never stop to, say, switch points of view. Everything is viewed through Kali’s eyes, both as a friend and as team owner. She gets involved when she must, either with a shoulder to lean on as a friend or as an owner when she has to put her foot down on a matter. It’s a thin line between friendship and boss she straddles and, though it is apparent she doesn’t know what she’s doing, she does it with a fervor that is very admirable.

I honestly didn’t think I’d say this, but I really enjoyed Gauntlet by Holly Jennings. It was fun. There was a palatable sense of suspense. In-game fights were quick, brutal, and fun to read. I am beyond ecstatic that so much of the potential I saw in the author as a freelance editor was more fully realized in this novel. If you were just meh about Arena, pick up Gauntlet, and I promise you that you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If you like YA novels, especially YA sci-fi, you should pick up this series. If you don’t like YA novels or don’t like books with video game related plots this might not be the book for you.

In the not-so-distant future, Kali Ling and her team compete professionally in eSports - specifically RAGE, a virtual reality player-vs-player battle game of holding territory and hunting enemies.  In the second book of the series, Kali has just taken over team ownership and is trying to find her feet in this new world filled with sponsors and the media.  When the invitation to join a private international tournament comes to Defiance, Kali sees an opportunity to be a part of something new that can change the virtual gaming sport, making it safer for participants, but once the game begins, Defiance becomes a target of a different sort.  Kali and her team will need to pull together if they want to win the competition that can save them.

I love this book.  I hadn't read Arena (the first book in the series) but Jennings skillfully wove the plot into the second book so I wasn't confused about the characters or relationships developed in the first novel.  Kali is an kick@ss heroine with a strong moral compass who wants to change the sport to make it safer for all players.  What I love the most about her is that she is also human.  One of the central themes of the book is the difference between image and reality.  Kali's image is that of the warrior - a never give up, never surrender type - but in the real world you can see her struggle with being a good team mate, captain and owner.  She's not infallible, which makes her wonderfully real.  I cannot wait for the third book and plan to go back a read Arena and then re-read Gauntlet.  For fans of Ilona Andrews.

In this second book in the Arena series, Kali Ling has become the youngest team owner and taken the rest of her team with her. Now she has to deal with sponsors, images, and managing her friends. There is a new tournament forming with a brand-new technology and only 32 teams are being invited to play.

Kali and her team are chosen to take part. But, even before the first match, Rooke falls off the wagon and has a failing drug test which she has to report which opens Rooke up to public scrutiny. It seems like each day the members of the team become the victim of rumor. The paparrizi are on them much more than the other teams. 

After losing their first match, they need to come back through the loser's bracket. The new technology is quite an advancement. It seems to learn each time the team does something which makes the game progressively harder to win. In fact, the technology seems to be deliberately playing on the fears of Kali's team. 

I am not a gamer but I really enjoyed getting into the minds of gamers and learning what keeps them playing. I thought the virtual world was fascinating and the stresses placed on these competitive gamers seemed realistic to me. 

I liked the way Kali lost track for a while about why she loves gaming as she was buried under the business of running a team. I also liked the way she chose to deal with the problem once she recognized it. 

Fans of video games will be a great audience for this fast-paced adventure.

Set in a near future when virtual reality is commonplace and VR gaming has become a professional sport, Kali is the new owner of Team Defiance.  They might be less experienced, with fewer sponsors and some interesting team dynamics, but they have one surprising strength: they just <i>work</i> well together.  Unfortunately sponsors, and the occasional conflicts between the welfare of the team and individual friendships are all pulling her in different directions, but how can she turn down a chance to play against the best teams in the world?

And that's where I was really hooked.  It's not about the tech (very shiny) or the games themselves, but about the interpersonal relationships, Kali's learning curve as management, and the need for the team to become a team on an even deeper level.

I'm not a gamer, and I didn't even realize this was the second in the series until after I'd finished it, so it stands well on its own.  (And the first thing I did was go look out a copy of <i>Arena</i>.)  I'll give you fair warning though: don't start reading it at night if you've got to go to work in the morning!

WOW I honestly don't know where to start!!! I loved this even more than the first book. I wish I could give it more stars. Kali is such a strong female protagonist, but she's still human. The struggles she and the team face feel real, and the fight scenes are vivid and immersive. The ending had me crying because it was over, and I wanted more!

It took me a little bit to get into at first (the first book was the same way, actually), but as soon as I was into it, I couldn't put it down and things just took off. Love these two books, Arena and Gauntlet.

Excellent follow-up to Arena, first in this series. I'm not a gamer but the author was able to put me right in the middle of the games in both books. Strong story, vivid descriptions and some of the best dialogue I have read anywhere. Can't wait for the next in the series. (Just my opinion.)

HOT DAMN!

Gauntlet owned even harder than Arena!

I liked Arena but had a few issues with it. I didn’t love Kali’s spiral into chaos, which was a big part of the book. But Gauntlet was peeerfect. It was all the awesome bits of Arena, but made even more awesome, and had brand new struggles that I actually really enjoyed reading about.

Kali has to deal with the pressures of running her own gaming team. If I learned anything from Gauntlet it’s that I’d never fucking want that job. She has to handle the bullshit media/press who keep spreading horrible rumours, and then there are the sponsors who basically keep saying, “Fake all your drug test results or we’ll pull your funding.” Basically she has to deal with so many awful people.

The gaming in Gauntlet was better than ever! It was crazy intense and just like in Arena, I was glued to my Kindle. I loved the fighting descriptions, the new teams, and the scary ass new tech.

Gauntlet ended in such a way that I wonder if there’s going to be a third book.. I certainly hope so because I’m officially addicted to this series! ♥

It’s all about the gaming.

While I liked the first book in this series, I had a few concerns.  Mainly, that Kali had a habit of thinking with her vagina rather than her brain and that it needed more…I don’t know…Gaming?

Well, Gauntlet is all about the Gaming (oh, and Kali proves she has a brain).

While we still have a few references to gender in gaming and a large plot point dealing with addicition, Gauntlet brings us the fugure of competitive gaming – and it’s pretty awesome.  The gaming tech and tournament in this book are so incredibly intense.  I can see this as the future of gaming!   And we’ve even got a nod to South Korean gaming culture.

And as for Kali?  She does a lot of growing up, stepping up, and kicking butt!

I enjoyed this one immensely.   Book three now, please!

"Never bow down to the world. Always make it bow down to you."

Arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Gauntlet is the follow-up book to Arena, a world centering around competitive gaming. This isn't normal gaming though, it's virtual reality where all the pain is real and groups of five fight to reign victorious in front of millions of viewers.

That insanely cool world and plot line are only the surface of this series though. Underneath, Holly Jennings goes deep into the world of drug addiction, relapse, and societal norms. After suffering the death of a teammate from heroine over dosage, Kali (the main character) struggles with her own addictions within this corrupt world. Now, she is not only the first female team owner, but she also has to deal with the publicity, media, and rumors swarming the team.

Kali is definitely one of the strongest leads I've ever read about. She constantly handles everything the world throws at her with a "bring it on B***H" attitude with no complaints. As the book progresses, you also see the changes within Kali when she is dealing with all of this stress. Not only is she great in the office, but she's also an amazing fighter with an amazing and interest Chinese background. 


"People find out I'm gay, and they have this little box in their mind that says, 'This is what a gay woman is supposed to be.' And when I don't fit inside it, they scream."


Another thing I love about this series/book is how diverse it is. Not only are there a range of ethnically different characters, but there's LGBT and Chinese culture embedded into here. This is seen through the many teammates that we read about. But, I do wish that they had more screen time because sometimes it did begin to feel like The Kali Show.

The plot, again, focused on not only the gaming world, but the corrupt world behind all of the video games. Kali and her teammates definitely struggled immensely with the corruptness in the system, and it was to a point where they themselves were struggling to stay strong in their ideas. I definitely look up to them for their strength in not only the game but facing the world. It was clear it was an analogy for the real world, and I do think this could help those struggling with body image or drugs.

I do have to admit that this novel was slower than its predecessor. The beginning and middle were really just filled with set up and a lot of poop, but I still found that I couldn't put it down. Because, even while these characters aren't actively in a fight, you're still filled with anticipation because they're still in a competition. Every minute of their lives is devoted to these fights and you really really want to see what will happen.

Gauntlet was a great sci-fi read that mixed together a fantastic plot and eye-opening subjects about the world's image and drugs. If you enjoyed Ready Player One by Ernest Cline then I highly recommend this series because of the kick-butt action scenes and futuristic gaming-based world.

Kali Ling is now owner and captain of her team.  She is aware of teams of gamers being invited to "The Wall."  It is a new virtual game -- the newest game to play.  Kali is surprised when her team is invited to it.  This game is guaranteed to drive the players to their physical and mental limit.  A tournament is given for all those who have visited "The Wall."  The invited gamers are from different countries.  This international tournament will be a unique and dangerous game.  The game starts to change Kali's outlook as she get pressure from the media, sponsors and the game itself.  When Kali gets an anonymous email that is a copy of two emails saying why is Kali's team still playing the game and it will happen has Kali thinking "is this real?"  She knows the media is being very negative about her and the team and has wonders why.  Will she find out?  Will her team, Definace win?  

A superb follow up to the first novel "Arena."  The novel is fast-paced and full of action.  There is also a little romance that adds to the novel.  It doesn't take away the enjoyment but adds to how Kali must try to be true to herself.  I enjoy Kali's strength and beliefs that only add to the complexities of the novel.  Enjoy!