Title: The Assassin Game
Author: Kirsty McKay
Type: Fiction
Genre: Young Adult, Teen
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Date published: August 2, 2016
Format: E-book
Page Count: N/A
Source: NetGalley

E-copy of the book kindly provided through NetGalley , in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: T.A.G. You’re It…

It is 4 a.m. when they come for me. I am already awake, strung out on the fear that they will come, and fear that they won’t. When I finally hear the click of the latch on the dormitory door, I have only a second to brace myself before-“

At Cate’s isolated boarding school Killer is more than a game-it’s an elite secret society. Members must avoid being “killed” during a series of thrilling pranks-and only the Game Master knows who the “killer” is. When Cate’s finally invited to join The Guild of Assassins, she knows it’s her ticket to finally feeling like she belongs.

But when the game becomes all too real, the school threatens to shut it down. Cate will do anything to keep playing and save The Guild. But can she find the real assassin-before she’s the next target?

This book greatly surpassed my expectations! Where do I even start?!

When I requested this book on NetGalley, the first thing which caught my eye (as is usually the case), was the cover. It’s simple, but at the same time, intriguing and a little creepy. Alright, maybe a lot creepy! The book description then caught my attention, and as I’ve already rambled about here, I really liked the setting which was described in the blurb.

A boarding school in England, and a bunch of teens playing a dangerous game. That sounds like my cup of tea (pun intended)!

When I finally got to reading this book (my TBR list is insane right now, don’t even get me started), and I found out that not only is the book set in a boarding school in Whales, but that it is also set on an island in the Irish Sea, I started bouncing on the spot and earned myself some worried looks, haha.

I dove in, and Kirsty McKay did NOT disappoint.

The book was fast-paced, but not fast to to the point where the book was too short, or too fast for me to take in all of the details. There was plenty of character development, and the characters themselves were pretty fleshed-out to begin with.

The Assassin Game kept me on the edge of my seat, all the way through, and I did not guess who the villain was until they were revealed to the characters also, which is rare for me—not because I’m so awesome that I can always guess “whodunit,” but because some authors just don’t know how to trick me long enough with red herrings, haha.

McKay did an exceptional job at keeping me guessing until the very end, and I commend her for that! I’m very tempted to add the rest of her books to my TBR pile, hahaha. But I’m trying to be good, and get through a chunk of the pile before I add more to it.

The writing was good, and some turns of phrase actually made me raise my brows (this coming from a former literature student who has been exposed to some of the most witty authors out there).

One thing which did bother me, was how some of the characters wouldn’t mention things that I would have thought to mention. But I know that this was for the sake of building up tension (a.k.a. making a reader look like a monkey because they can’t sit still while reading this book), and I also know that I am lot more open about a lot of things than many people. I literally discuss everything that’s on my mind with my loved ones. Maybe I would die if I was thrown into a plot like that of The Assassin Game, but hey.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, and am currently fighting the temptation to pre-order it!

Pre-order on Amazon.ca: The Assassin Game
Pre-order on Amazon.com: The Assassin Game
Pre-order on Amazon.co.uk: The Assassin Game