This book is an adrenaline pumping ride. I was totally immersed into its pages. The questions looming large on my mind about what it'll turn into was delicious. Kept me on my toes.

Kiersten White is a new author to me, despite her Conqueror's Saga trilogy sitting on my shelf, waiting for me to stop buying new books and finally reading all the ones I already own. For that reason I went into this new novel of hers completely blind. Now, I'm not the biggest reader of horror thrillers, but the description reminded me of films I enjoyed watching so I was really intrigued.

"Hide" turned out to be an okay-ish read for me, with a thrilling premise and a hook that drew me right in from the very beginning. I was excited to find out more. It's solidly written and the whole atmosphere of this old amusement park turned horror show is great. The underlying mystery is nothing new, but if done well it always works. And the main character, Mack, is definitely interesting too, what with her horrifying backstory.

Sadly, the characters are probably one of the biggest issues I had with the book. See, if I don't care about them then I don't care about what happens to them, and in a novel based on characters getting killed off one by one that's just... not good. The deaths were meh, mostly happened off screen and while all the characters had really short interwoven pov parts (which, I understand why they're there but they are really disruptive), none of these people were in any way fleshed out. They weren't actual characters. They were random backstories with a name attached. Mack herself was barely a full person, and she's our main heroine. Now, I did like Mack and Ava's relationship, but because the focus kept skipping from one character to another character whose names I can't even remember, they didn't have enough time to actually develop into something that made me care much. Also, keeping the time frame of the events in the novel in mind, it was all very instalovey - and that in itself felt a little out of place with what we know of these two and their traumas.
The pacing is also very very slow and there is never actually a feeling of dread. I was never once scared or really excited. The worldbuilding is poor and shallow, and a lot of times I felt like it didn't make much sense either.

Again, I'm not one who reads a lot of horror or horror thrillers, so take my review with a grain of salt. The first chapter or so was perfectly done and drew me right in, but the rest of the book was more of a slog to get through because I simply couldn't care less about anything that happened. But for avid genre readers this might still be a cool read.

This book reminded me a lot of the movie ready or not.

This followed I think 14 people who were given the opportunity of a lifetime, to go and play hide and seek in an old amusement park for 7 and if you win you have enough money to change everything. Except once the competition starts and the contestants start disappearing in strange ways it becomes apparent that something more is happening.

I think my biggest issue with this book was mostly the fact that I wasn't particularly attached to any of the characters. When they were being picked off I just didn't really care. I was more in the mind of how and why is this happening.

I did like the way the monster was described and everything to do with that. It was creepy and scary and the setting of the park was so vivid I felt like I could somewhat plan out what it looked like.

The ending I also really liked, usually, I have an issue with endings because it's such a hard thing to end a story well but here I was satisfied and none of it felt rushed or out of place, it just really felt like a realistic ending to the story.

Overall I enjoyed this, while I did feel a little meh about it, it's not bad by any means and I would recommend it to a friend.

A deadly game of hide and seek fails to get the blood running

Kiersten White’s adult debut Hide is blessed with one of the most misleading by-lines I have read in years “The book you need after Squid Game” on its Amazon page. What complete and utter rot. If you buy this book on the back of enjoying the smash South Korean Netflix hit show then you will be deeply, deeply disappointed. All they have in common is the fact that they involve a secret game in which contestants are systematically eliminated, it’s obvious how the killing occurs in Squid Game and is a key ingredient of the mystery in Hide. However, whilst the games played in Squid Game are exceptionally clever, bloody, varied and imaginative, they are the exact opposite in Hide. All the fourteen contestants have to do is hide for long periods and that’s just about it, until something begins to go wrong. Is anybody bored already? I certainly was, and even though this was not a long novel (256-pages) it was a struggle to finish.

Kiersten White is an established YA horror and fantasy writer and previously won the prestigious Bram Stoker Award for the decent The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein back in 2018. Although Hide is pitched as an adult novel I could not shake off numerous YA leanings and perhaps it would have been more successful if it was pitched at that teen audience where there are many similar novels in the same ballpark as this. Instead of having teens as the main characters White shifts up an age-group to the mid-twenties with a group who mostly behave like teens or are dissatisfied with the way their lives have panned out. As events moved on, especially in the closing sections, I was reminded of the popular 1990s YA Point Horror novels and found the ending rather ridiculous. In these types of novels their credibility comes from how the events are framed and this yarn came up short as the blend of thriller and horror failed to click or convince.

In replicating the style of those teen Point Horror novels, the opening pages give a major hint of what lies ahead, by recounting the history of an unnamed amusement park, dating back to 1953. However, jumping forward to the 1970s a little girl disappears and the reputation of the park was ruined and it closed shortly afterwards. Set in modern times, Hide is set in the same fairground which has been left to disintegrate and be reclaimed by nature in the decades which have followed its demise. One would have thought an abandoned fairground would have been an atmospheric location for a horror thriller, but the descriptions were as bland as the game the contestants played.

The plot is based around a simple challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don't get caught. The contestants hide for long periods whilst seekers look for them, with two players being eliminated every day. Of course, the competition is shrouded in mystery and there is no wi-fi for budding social media influencers trying to make a name for themselves. Instead, the group find themselves isolated in the middle of nowhere as it slowly dawns on them that things are not as they should be. However, the big cash prize stops the players working as a team, as there can only be one winner and money talks.

Another issue I had with Hide was that there were just too many characters. It did not jump between all fourteen, but the third person narrative featured around half of them, including their back stories and there were very few who were likable and others which were cliché riddled or were obviously carrying baggage or secrets. At various points I also struggled to keep track with who was who and it might have been more successful if it focussed on less characters. As events moved on the story did limit its focus to fewer characters and Mack, a homeless woman with a troubled past, becomes the most interesting and engaging.

Some readers might be surprised the direction the novel takes, but I found it difficult to take it seriously, especially as it was framed as a thriller. Also, the whole idea of hiding in a carousel for ten hours; how on earth can that be sold as ‘entertainment’ for the reader or the poor sucker doing the hiding? As I read Hide I found myself picking holes all over the place, which is never a good sign, and was equally unconvinced by the diary style flashbacks which occur at various points attempting to connect the past and the present.

Hide failed as both a horror and a thriller novel and might have been more successful if it had nailed its colours to one of the masts, instead of hedging its bets and trying to do both. As a thriller it was too ridiculous to be credible and as a horror novel it fell completely flat. Also on the Amazon blurb: “Come out, come out, wherever you are.” Neither was I sure about that line, which might scare a ten-year-old middle-grade reader, the problem being the book was not aimed at that demographic and was rather undemanding for its intended audience.

When it was first announced, Kiersten was doing an adult book I knew I needed to have it, so to have the E-ARC is amazing. A big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the E-ARC of Hide by Kiersten White.
In return, I have done a completely honest review.

Hide is Kiersten's debut adult book. Although I did feel it reads as YA rather than Adult. But I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
I found a section at the very beginning confusing as it jumped from past to present day and didn't know if it related to Mack or if it was still a part of the intro.
Although that could be due to the layout on my Kindle (no fault of the publisher or writer but needed to state this, as this may be why I got confused).
It does all fall into place later, though, so I wasn't confused for long.
At first, the book didn't hold my attention as I would have liked, so I kept stopping and picking it back up. As it is a slow burn, but bare with it because you will not be disappointed.
I found that around the 70% mark was when I couldn't put it down and had to finish the book and find out what happened!

I liked the narrative style of writing and found it all gelled together with the different characters.
I kinda feel like if you read the blurb, you have an inkling to what's going to happen, but you don't actually know. If that makes sense.
The twist, did I see that coming? No, I was hoping, but I didn't know if it would. So it was a surprise

I would recommend Hide because it is a good read, and I absolutely love Kiersten White!

Kiersten White is known for her young adult novels and Hide is her first foray into adult horror fiction, however although I enjoyed Hide I must admit it still feels like a young adult read. All of the characters are young adults (with the questionable characters been old) desperate to find fame/fortune, having applied and been accepted for a 'reality' show where they have to Hide and not be found for a week they all hope this will be their lucky break. However all is not what it seems, am not saying anymore so as not to spoil the plot. It's a good read but I really wish there was s0me great new horror that is aimed at the older horror reader.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read hide.
So not what I was expecting, when I read the blurb "something sinister" my first thought was serial killer with a grudge as that tends to be the theme in most thrillers.
Was alittle hard to follow at first with the rapid change of pov but once I was familiar with the characters it flowed more easily, overall a good read that kept me reading till late into the night.

I really enjoyed this one! Would have been a five star rating except I struggled a little with the shifting perspectives. Initially it seemed like we were following Mack's perspective, but it kept jumping to others after and I struggled. Great story, though!

Thank you NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

"If all the world is hell and evil is all around them, what else can they do but try to help each other?"

A creepy and disturbing thriller that's Cabin in the Woods meets exclusive gated communities, Hide drips with unease and danger. A high stakes game of hide-and-seek in an abandoned theme park pits fourteen strangers against each other. The prize for winning? A cool US$50,000. But is the game worth it?

Mack isn't so sure, but she goes along anyway. What else has she got to do, except scrape by living from shelter to shelter? Her horrifying past comes into play when the one thing she's always been good at - staying undetected - becomes integral to survival in the park.

The flitting POV of the book at first seemed disorienting, mostly because its not a way of writing I've read often. But it works to really immerse you in the story, and to see the perspectives of the different contestants. Fast-paced prose and little twists you don't see coming wove together to create a very compelling book that's easy to read and hard to put down.

I enjoyed this book. As others have said it has a YA feel to it, but this isn't a bad thing. I understand why there had to be 14 contestants but I struggled to keep track of who was who early on, especially as the narration would switch from person to person, and I found myself trying desperately to remember what their back story was , but as we progressed I found myself getting attached to the main protagonists, heartbreakingly so in some instances.
Overall I would say this was a good, quick read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

To start with the positive, this is a very quick and immensably readable thriller. Under 300 pages, it was hard to put down. I was very intrigued by Mack and her arc, and there are about four characters I was attached to and rooting for. I liked what White was saying with this book too, even if I think its been done much better in other mediums. The book has a pretty cool couple last lines (even if the ending overall was a bit unexciting.

There were so many characters that were forgettable though. This is a retelling of the myth and while I liked the concept, as soon as you figure out what it is it becomes less entertaining. For a horror book, it simply wasn't scary. The moments that were meant to show horror and be tense fell very flat.

I understand that Kiersten White is usually an author of.YA novels, and you can tell when reading Hide - apparently meant to be her first foray into adult fiction, but I thought it had very 'Point Horror' type vibes with some Hunger Games elements thrown in.

The characters were pretty clichéd - troubled hero with a tragic backstory, mean jock, instagram wannabe etc, and I didn't find many were fleshed out beyond the main 2 or 3.

Overall, a bit clichéd, pretty forgettable, but not terrible.

This was such a fun and gripping book, although I had an idea of what was actually going on I was still dying to know what would happen. I’d definitely recommend this if you’re looking for an epic thriller.

The beginning of this book starts with a short history of the park it is set in and a glimpse of Macks tragic past. This is followed by a brief description of each player/character in the build up to finding out what the game is actually about.

This is where it started to get a little confusing for me as the narrative jumps from one person to another without many identifying factors, such as separate chapters or named page breaks but instead almost every paragraph interchanges and you only know who it is when someone mentions their own name in the 3rd person.

Aside from that, the premise and plot was actually very intriguing. I was kept engaged trying to figure out what plot lines connect to each other and trying to predict the upcoming scenes but there are some loose ends that will hopefully be sorted out if there is a sequel.

There is an element of darkness that follows Mack that gives it a haunting atmosphere and I really liked it.

I thought it was a cross between The Squid Games, The Hunger Games and The Hunt with layers of the paranormal added in between.

Overall I'd recommend giving this book a read.

Hide has been almost top of my list for exciting releases so far this year. I requested on Netgalley and after three weeks wait thought I'd be declined. Lucky, lucky me and a big thankyou to Del Ray for the ARC.

Before the main event we're given a short introduction to the history of Amazement Park within a prologue providing a peek at main character Mack's traumatising past.

It's a little disorientating to start whilst each character in the competition is given a small description and the rules are laid out. I struggled a bit with the initial conversations where people were referred to alternately by names or occupations but eventually my sieve brain retained enough to follow the plot.

As the characters began to whittle down I found myself particularly fond of Brandon. The story is told in third-person present, mostly from Mack's point of view but we do get a glimpse into the minds of each contestant. Brandon's naive optimism portrays him as the sweet little puppy, a nice reprieve from the narcissism and distrust most of the others display.
The way White has written her characters is very black and white; they are good people or bad people no in-between. Each entered into the competition in desperate need of money for reasons revealed one by one.

Stories in old theme parks and carnivals always draw me in, perhaps its the bridge between reality and fantasy- clowns, horror houses and ghost trains make a more interesting backdrop. I was a big fan of Fantasticland and Joyland to name a few. White has written the perfect fun yet creepy atmosphere with Amazement Park for Hide, it's dilapidation adding to the unknown dangers inside.

Spoilers prevent any speculation here on why the contest exists, who is doing the seeking or what exactly is in the centre of the maze- remember though, this is a horror novel, all is not as it seems.

Hide is a horror thriller well worth your time, I loved it.

This is being advertised as an adult book. Having read it, I didn't get that vibe at all; the main characters are all teens, there's not as much depth as I'd expect from an adult read, and there was no point as I was reading where I thought it was anything other than a teenage read. In fact, this wouldn't be that out of place in the Point Horror series, if Mack's history was a little more glossed over. This isn't meant as a complaint; it's just a fact.

As always in this type of book, several of the characters are gone before we really get to know them. I found that in some scenes, the POV flipped rapidly without warning from one character to another, which was a little dizzying. That might be a formatting issue in my proof, though, it's possible that they'll all be separated out in the actual book.

I liked Mack, but I felt like her background didn't actually have a point apart from making her aloof. There was no reason it had to be that particular background; the irony was nice, but it didn't add anything else. That's just my opinion, though. I have no particular feelings about Ava, I liked LeGrande and Ava. The random bits of historical backstory annoyed me. We got everything we needed from the books the various characters read, we didn't need to know about the internal struggles of the families, it didn't add anything.

The setting was great, really well described and a very clever update of a very old myth. Kiersten definitely has the touch there.

One to try if you like atmospheric horror. Just be aware that it's pretty teenager-y.

A brilliant cat and mouse thriller, set in a run down amusement park, addictive and intriguing.

A disparate group gather hoping for a big payout by hiding and being the last to be found. Death however lurks around every corner and all is not as it seems.

I really enjoyed Hide - it has all the elements of both horror and thriller and it is well written with compelling characters and a great descriptive sense of the environment they find themselves in. A creepy cool vibe in the narrative and an underlying sense of menace in the narrative keeps you turning those pages.

The author does an excellent job of engaging the reader so you root for some characters whilst wishing death and destruction on others and overall this was a darkly entertaining read. Recommended.