ABOUT THE BOOK

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.

MY REVIEW

Kudos to the young and gifted Ms. Parque for her captivating and thrilling first novel. It’s kill or be killed in a place called The Battles. You have two ways to get out: earn blood points by counting your kills which could take years, or suicide. Let the games begin.

Ezra is stuck in a supernatural world where you can’t trust anyone but yourself. Neverending death is around the corner every day as a place called the Engine has your life in their hands. Is it worth staying alive every day just to die over and over again?

Right from the start, the reader is thrown into a death-defying situation where the physical and mental game can cause you to go mad. Ezra is one stubborn and badass young woman who will not take death as an answer. Her determination and perseverance to get justice in an unknown and dangerous realm with a questionable team of outlaws are commendable. And watching her go from an innocent young adult to a leader of sorts using her mind-blowing supernatural powers (or Feats as they say) is an exciting ride. The secrets between her and her teammate Jack are filled with tension which kept me reading for more. The shocking and team-building (of sorts) cliffhanger ending is a doozy and I can’t wait to get my hands on book 2.

Pick up this excellent, fast-paced dark thriller debut novel. The character-building is incredible and the plotline and writing are superb. Ms. Parque is a fantastic young writer who is an author to keep an eye on.

Thank you to Ms. Parque for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paityn Parque lives in Puyallup, Washington, where she spends most of her time gaming and writing. She plays competitive volleyball, and when she’s not practicing, she finds time for her friends and family. She has an older sister in college, an idiotic dog, and lives with her parents. A sophomore in high school, Havoc is her second novel published. She wants to continue her career in writing and hopes that you’ll stick around to see her grow.

Follow Paityn on Instagram and Amazon.