“An intense horror-action game—like Jumanji but Japanese-inspired and really disturbing.” —Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

Set in a nightmarish underworld, an estranged group of friends return to an evil game to try and save the boy they thought they killed in Kristen Simmons's masterful breakout horror novel, Find Him Where You Left Him Dead. Four years ago, five kids started a game. Not all of them survived. Now, at the end of their senior year of high school, the survivors—Owen, Madeline, Emerson, and Dax—have reunited for one strange and terrible reason: they’ve been summoned by the ghost of Ian, the friend they left for dead. Together they return to the place where their friendship ended with one goal: find Ian and bring him home. So, they restart the deadly game they never finished—an innocent card-matching challenge called Meido. A game without instructions. As soon as they begin, they're dragged out of their reality and into an eerie hellscape of Japanese underworlds, more horrifying than even the darkest folktales that Owen's grandmother told him. There, they meet Shinigami, an old wise woman who explains the rules: They have one night to complete seven challenges or they'll all be stuck in this world forever. Once inseparable, the survivors now can’t stand each other, but the challenges demand they work together, think quickly, and make sacrifices—blood, clothes, secrets, memories, and worse. And once again, not everyone will make it out alive.

Map of the of the world of Set Fire to the Gods duology by Kristen Simmons and Sara Raasch.

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead by Kristen Simmons

"'You're more likely to get eaten by an alligator than die in a plane crash, which is twenty-nine million to one, by the way.'"

Year Read: 2023

Rating: 3/5

About: When they were kids, five friends started a mysterious game called Meido. Only four of them survived. Now in high school, the remaining four are summoned by the ghost of their dead friend to complete the game by dawn or be trapped inside its uncanny Japanese underworlds forever. I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Tor Teen. Trigger warnings: character death, body horror, gore, captivity, violence, fires, drowning, spiders, neglect.

Thoughts: This is such a great title, isn't it? I would have picked it up based on that alone, but the premise of a horror game really grabbed me. I forget sometimes how hit and miss that trope can be, and it's not my favorite here. The readers don't know the rules because the characters don't know the rules, so there's never any sense about what's working or not working in the "game" or when/why they're going to be punished for breaking the rules. Everything is sort of hastily (and sometimes wrongly) explained after the fact. The game structure ultimately ends up being a bit flimsy, and I feel a little bait and switched into reading what's more like a standard other-world dark fantasy novel.

And we know I struggle with fantasy. It was extra hard for me here because each time the characters "level up," I had to reinvest myself in an entirely new setting with new monsters and NPCs. The chapters are plenty long enough to do this, and Simmons excels at world-building and descriptions, but it didn't stop me from feeling bogged down in all the changes and details. I suspect this has far more to do with me not really being a fantasy person (not even horror fantasy, unfortunately) than anything the novel does wrong. The Japanese folklore elements are really interesting and creatively done, and that was probably my favorite aspect of the book.

The characters are enjoyable and distinct enough, if not terribly memorable. The book relies a lot on their past friendships to ground the group, but given that we're not present for that and they all hate each other now, it's not as effective as it could be. Then there's also the fact that the game makes them randomly start forgetting things, so they suddenly start acting like friends again. There's not a lot of consistent development among the five of them, aside from a couple shaky romantic subplots. I did like the build-up to one character reveal far more than I liked another. It works well the first time, and the second time I was just bothered that everything kept changing. Pick a plot point/setting/backstory and stick with it, please. I suspect most of this would come clear on a second read, but I'm not invested enough for that, nor to continue with the series.

Book recommendation: Metaltown by Kristen Simmons

It’s such a good book, with so many good things about it. There are real life allegories, tales of family, love, and betrayal, and a compelling story surely worth 370+ pages of your time. So many parts of it feel eerily familiar in today’s world, especially in the last few years. I laughed, cried, cheered, got mad, amongst other emotions as I turned the pages.

I first discovered it through a friend in a Hadestown Discord server who sent it and said “Hey look this is also about a factory town type of situation, with some love involved, similar to Hadestown (in a good way), and the author got inspired by other musicals of a similar genre” so I immediately ordered it, despite the shipping fee being slightly expensive.

It took me a while to finish it because life got in the way for some time, but I did it! I fell so in love with the three main characters, and I hope more people do, too.

Ultimately, all I can say is it’s definitely worth the read, and especially poignant in today’s era of pandemic and war. I hope y’all go check it out.

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!

My first book festival experience at yallwest was very fun. If I keep going to festivals I will need another bookshelf.

Brittany Snow with Kristen Kish and Gail Simmons on the set of Top Chef

fav or reblog if you save.

Palm Royale

“Heart-pounding, immersive, and chilling. I couldn’t put this book down, and can’t get it out of my head!” —Margaret Rogerson, New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

Set in a nightmarish underworld, an estranged group of friends return to an evil game to try and save the boy they thought they killed in Kristen Simmons's masterful breakout horror novel, Find Him Where You Left Him Dead. Four years ago, five kids started a game. Not all of them survived. Now, at the end of their senior year of high school, the survivors—Owen, Madeline, Emerson, and Dax—have reunited for one strange and terrible reason: they’ve been summoned by the ghost of Ian, the friend they left for dead. Together they return to the place where their friendship ended with one goal: find Ian and bring him home. So, they restart the deadly game they never finished—an innocent card-matching challenge called Meido. A game without instructions. As soon as they begin, they're dragged out of their reality and into an eerie hellscape of Japanese underworlds, more horrifying than even the darkest folktales that Owen's grandmother told him. There, they meet Shinigami, an old wise woman who explains the rules: They have one night to complete seven challenges or they'll all be stuck in this world forever. Once inseparable, the survivors now can’t stand each other, but the challenges demand they work together, think quickly, and make sacrifices—blood, clothes, secrets, memories, and worse. And once again, not everyone will make it out alive.

🔥 Books to Read After Watching Avatar the Last Airbender

🦇 Good afternoon, my beloved bookish bats! Are you a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender? We're watching the live-action adaptation this weekend! Here are a few books to add to your TBR if you're an Avatar fan!

❓ What's your element?

⚡ I've been holding onto this post since BEFORE casting was announced, and I'm so glad I can finally post it!

🔥 An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir @sabaatahir 💧 Set Fire to the Gods by Sara Raasch @sara_raasch and Kristen Simmons @kris10writes ⛰️ A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown @rosiesrambles ⚡ The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni @lynettenoni 🌪️ Infinity Son by Adam Silvera @adamsilvera 🔥 The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala @swatiteerdhala 💧 The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee @yeebookauthor ⛰️ Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake @kendareblake ⚡ Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard @victoriaaveyard 🌪️ Child of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi @tomiadeyemi 🔥 Nocturna by Maya Motayne @mayamotayne 💧 Furyborn by Claire Legrand @clairelegrandbooks ⛰️ Guardians of Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones @sjaejones ⚡ Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron @renathedreamer 🌪️ We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal @hafsahfaizal 🔥 Truthwitch by Susan Dennard @stdennard 💧 Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin @shelbymahurin ⛰️ Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian @lauraksebastian

can we just talk about how much i love this picture!!!😭🥰

Fantasy High TV Show Fancast (Part 1 of 3)

Fabian Seacaster played by Chance Perdomo

Adaine Abernant played by Sophie Simnett

Gorgug Thistlespring played by Wyatt Oleff

Kristen Applebees played by Kaitlyn Dever

Riz Gukgak played by Tony Revelori

Fig Faeth played by Jenna Ortega

Goldenhoard/Kalvaxus played by JK Simmons

Arthur Aguefort played by Djimon Hounsou

Gilear Faeth played by Peter Serafinowicz

The Hangman voiced by Brennan Lee Mulligan

MY DREAM CAST FOR A F.E.A.R. MOVIE ADAPTATION

B O N U S :

MY CHOICE OF DIRECTOR…

JOHN CARPENTER

W A T C H E D

Saw it way back with my dad. He enjoyed it. So I thought watch it with my mom. She likes King of the Hill a lot so...