I gave it 3 stars~

Since my native language is Spanish, the review may is not the best review ever.

Things I do not like about the book are saying the names of actual famous people or social networks, etc. It takes me out of context. For me, it is too middle grade, but it is something I knew before. Related to this, the dialogues were kind of weird, not sounding so natural to me.

On the other hand, there are a few things I like about it! For example, the setting in the video game is interesting. Books about being in a video game are my shit, to be honest. It is also too easy to read, which is great because sometimes we need something easy and fast (and not boring). It was great there is a character with OCD but I do not remember addressing it later in the book...

Overall, the book was good.

4.9\5 stars
very good would read again I enjoyed it I liked the storey line Very dramatic (I would love to read about Oli beating up porky) :D :)

Ah, I loved this. Just brilliant- an Oliver moves to a new school, makes friends with someone who has a shared loved of video games. Kids start falling into coma’s when playing it, and Oliver and others end up trying to beat the rogue video game and set everyone fre.

A great baddie “Razer” - he’s great, really fun - loved him, a great storyline, this is just exactly what it says it’s going to be. None stop action packed fun.

Brilliant!

Did not finish this, stopped @45 %
Hear me out. I LOVE books about virtual reality, gaming and artificial intelligence. I just think these topics are super cool and interesting. However, I couldn't get into this one. 2 stars as "points for trying"/cool idea, but I wouldn't recommend this, I'm sorry, and here's why.

The AI in this is SO ANNOYING. He talks in this weird, supposedly super cool and edgy slang, and it annoyed the heck out of me from the first time it/he opened his mouth.
The main character actually seems to be a decent boy, but his "friend" was so rude! Also I couldn't get behind the whole "gamer kids are recruited by the military into a super secret program to save the world" thing. Sure, it's fiction and it's supposed to be exciting, and for the middle grade target group it probably is, but it was just too unbelievable for me.

Another thing I disliked was the portrayal of guns and shooting in game. I know it's normal these days that even kids play first person shooters, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Kids shouldn't feel good about shooting enemies, even if it's virtual. It's a big NO. (I'm not saying fps games are bad, I play one myself, but they come with an age restriction for a reason.)
I'm sorry I can't say anything better about this, but from the roughly 45% I've read, literally nothing positive stuck with me.

Every kid is obsessed with Razer, the world's most popular video game. Until increasing amounts of children begin falling into a coma, a direct result of playing the game, for reasons unbeknownst to the world. It seems as if the AI within the game has gone rogue and has become impossible to control, taking hostage of all of these gamers in comas. To defeat the AI, they must beat it at its own game.

I love books that centre on video games. I think it's one of the most fun tropes - especially for a middle grade novel.

This book was fun. I could imagine it being turned into a movie someday. The subject matter of the AI is very timely in today's day and age and it was only a matter of time before the concept was turned into a storybook villain. However, for a middle grade novel, I think a lot of the tech talk could be a little confusing for the target audience. The villain itself also spoke in a bit of a cringe way. But, otherwise, a fun novel. Loved Sparky's intelligence and independence.

Also, the conclusion of the book made me laugh. Such, what I'm believing to be satirical, propoganda.

I feel like Final Video Game by Craig Speakers will appeal to a specific audience who will find the story to be a fun read - for myself, the book was fine, but it wasn't one that I felt really sucked into. The story follows Oliver, a teenager trying to navigate all the changes in his life include the loss of his father and a move to a new town. Like many teenagers, Oliver and his friend logan enjoy playing video games. Life changes dramatically when AI takes over the most popular video game out there, causing many teens to fall into comas and the world to have to revaluate how to fight back against a threat you can't fight in the normal ways. World powers start amassing the teens to fight back inside the game, and Oliver quickly finds himself to be one of the emerging leaders.

The book has solid world building and interesting characters who grow and change throughout the story. Overall, I do think the book will appeal to many teen readers, particularly those fascinated in gaming, AI and what that might mean for our future.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this title. Final Video Game is a thrilling fast-paced children's fantasy that is fun and engaging while still touching on relevant current topics like the rise in AI. It follows Oliver who moves to a new town two years after his father disappears. He and his new friend Logan play a hot new game called Razon when gamers start falling into comas. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. Worth every second!