Small Game

A Novel

By: Blair Braverman

Narrated by: Kristen Sieh

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

A gripping debut novel about a survival reality show gone wrong that leaves a group of strangers stranded in the northern wilds

Four strangers and six weeks: this is all that separates Mara from one life-changing payday. She was surprised when reality TV producers came knocking at Primal Instinct—the survival school where she teaches rich clients not to die during a night outdoors—and even more shocked to be cast in their new show, Civilization. Now she just has to live off the land with her fellow survivors for long enough to get the prize money.

Whisked by helicopter to an undisclosed location, Mara meets her teammates: The grizzled outdoorsman. The Eagle Scout. The white-collar professional. And Ashley, the beautiful but inexperienced one who just wants to be famous. Mara’s unusual, rugged childhood has prepared her for the discomforts and hard work ahead. But trusting her fellow survivors? Not part of Mara’s skill set.

When the cast wakes one morning to find something has gone horribly wrong, fear ripples through the group. Are the producers giving them an extra challenge? Or are they wrapped up in something more dangerous? Soon Mara and the others face terrifying decisions as “survival” becomes more than a game.

A provocative exploration of the comforts, rituals, and connections we depend upon, Small Game is a gripping and poignant story about finding the courage to build a new life from the ground up.

©2022 Blair Braverman (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

As a huge fan of Blair...

I genuinely enjoyed the story! Blair Braverman writes from a place of something she knows a lot about it, survival and how scary nature can be. I also love how there is no big mystery, there are no monsters; because life is scary sometimes even in the mundane.

The reason I rate the story 3 stars is because the ending never felt satisfying. The whole book causes the reader to care about the characters, to invest in their dreams and reasonings only to have that go nowhere. I get maybe that's the point, that sometimes (especially with tales of survival) stories don't have a satisfying ending. But this is fiction, I want a some sort of closure.

HOWEVER!!! Blair is an excellent writer and the story is really well crafted. The characters are believable, unlikeable at times, and yet you, as the reader, care for them. You want them to succeed, even if you don't agree with them.

Definitely give this one a listen, the reader is fantastic!

its got what it takes

listened to this straight through. entertaining, enjoyable, and exciting. Felt like I was in the woods with them and had me yearning to be out in the north woods as soon as I can again.

Never really pulled me in. Didn’t connect with any of the characters. Didn’t hate it but didn’t love it.

Never really pulled me in. Didn’t connect with any of the characters. Didn’t hate it but didn’t love it.

Breathtaking Read

I haven’t read a book this breathtaking, heartbreaking, or inspiring in a long while. The way the author paints this story is so vivid and human—I got lost in it. A poignant look at the stubborn goodness of humanity in the beauty and fierceness of nature.

Anticlimactic

There were some makings of a good story here, and some decent character development. Definitely good with suspense however, they never really tied up the story with why they were abandoned there in the first place.

Great idea but fell short

I love the idea of the story and the story line was fine when the author wasn't trying so hard to promote the gay agenda that the story line got lost. The thing is the story would have been much better without it.

Recommended read

I first heard about this book when Braverman was on a podcast and loved her take/insight/facts about some wild adventure mishaps in history. This book is so good. The plot had me hooked and I listened in one day. The narration is also top notch.

Loved this book!

Suspense at it's best. The narrator was perfect for this book. I loved it. The ending came too soon. I needed to know what happened in more detail. I want a second book to this one. please!

Didn’t want to turn it off!

A great, though quick, listen. Performed well. Well worth the credit:) Give it a try.

Solid, suspenseful, wholesome

thoroughly enjoyable north woods adventure with a likable protagonist and well-realized characters. Wish ending had been longer.