It’s Only a Game

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents It's Only a Game by Kelsea Yu, read by Jocelyn Tam.

In this twisty, fast-paced YA thriller, a dangerous game becomes all too real when Marina and her friends are framed for murder.

When Marina Chan ran from her old life, she brought nothing with her—not even her real name. Now she lives in fear of her past being discovered. But when her online gaming team is offered a tour of their favorite game company, Marina can’t resist accepting, even though she knows it might put her fake identity at risk.

Then the creator of the game is murdered during their tour. The killer plans to frame Marina and her friends for the murder unless they win four rounds of a dangerous game. A game that requires them to lie, trespass, and steal. A game that could destroy everything Marina’s worked so hard to build…. A game that she might not survive.

This pulse-pounding YA thriller is perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Slay.

Critics Review

A twisty, heart-pounding story of betrayal, buried secrets and a hidden past unraveling as a high-stakes and deadly game seeps into reality. Kelsea Yu deftly weaves in the exploration of found family, love, and the Asian diaspora experience between layers of action, suspense, and revelations in this propulsive thriller.

Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of the Song of the Last Kingdom duology

Kelsea Yu’s gripping debut combines pulse-pounding, life or death stakes with fully-realized characters, an immersive setting, and the sweet, life-sustaining bonds of found family. Not to be missed!

Kit Frick, author of I Killed Zoe Spanos and The Reunion

An absolute thrill ride from start to finish, Kelsea Yu’s debut marks the arrival of one of my favorite new Young Adult authors. Between the twists you don’t see coming and the characters you want to hug, it’s not just a story about games and murder… but about facing your past and fighting for the people you love. Unputdownable.

Eric Smith, author of Don't Read the Comments

A twisty high-stakes mystery where an online game turns deadly, IT’S ONLY A GAME expertly reveals secrets that blur the line between the game and reality to rivet the reader from start to finish. A fabulous new addition to the young adult thriller canon!

Katie Zhao, author of HOW WE FALL APART and THE LIES WE TELL

Heaps of fun and with breakneck pacing, It’s Only a Game is an exhilarating read that teens will inhale—especially the gamers!

Diana Urban, award-winning author of All Your Twisted Secrets

Absolutely gripping – like the very best video game, I found this impossible to put down!

Katrina Leno, author of You Must Not Miss and Horrid

Kelsea Yu’s gripping YA debut is full of unexpected twists and features monsters lurking in every corner, from on-screen to real life. It’s Only a Game carefully balances fast-paced action and heartfelt, blossoming relationships for a thrilling ride that starts from page one and never lets up.

Catherine Yu, author of Direwood

With a protagonist you can’t help but root for, IT’S ONLY A GAME keeps the twists coming! Yu keeps you guessing in the best of ways, with likable characters, fully-realized settings, and surprises behind surprises. The perfect read for anyone who likes psychological games…

Wendy Heard, author of She's Too Pretty To Burn

[A] page-turning thrill ride . . . Unputdownable.

School Library Journal

Yu anchors this whirlwind debut with a smart, courageous, loyal, and caring heroine who easily earns the trust of friends and readers alike.

Publishers Weekly

This layered debut has propulsive momentum with effective cliffhangers and twists threaded throughout.

Kirkus Reviews

Flashbacks from Marina’s secluded past with her mother provide clues to the present situation, although any such clues are no match in complexity for Yu’s plot twists and turns. Marina faces hard challenges and mind-blowing revelations, as her timidity turns to the courage needed to do what she needs to do.

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