Title: Playground

Author: Aron Beauregard

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Playground-Aron-Beauregard-ebook/dp/B0BHKP1QKL/

Summary

Three low-income families have been given a handsome retainer to join Geraldine Borden for a day at her cliffside estate. All the parents must do to collect the rest of their money is allow their children to test out the revolutionary playground equipment Geraldine has been working on for decades. But there’s a reason the structures in the bowels of her gothic castle have taken so long to develop—they were never meant to see the light of day.

When a band of dysfunctional children is suddenly thrust into a diabolical realm of violence, they must grow up instantly to have a chance at survival. Will they find a way to put their differences aside, or be swallowed up by the insidious architecture all around them?

“With Playground, Aron Beauregard transcends himself, delivering a genuinely chilling, uncomfortable novel that will make even the most jaded horror fan squirm. A harrowing, relentless read that left me breathless.”

– Brian Keene

This volume contains 15 interior illustrations.

WARNING: This book contains graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

My Review

5/5 Stars

When three families are approached at a park and given a retainer to test out an exclusive playground, they don’t suspect the danger they’re about to stumble into.

If Squid Games met Hunger Games, I’d imagine the result wouldn’t be nearly as brutal as this.

The main villain in this book was a huge change of pace from the traditional villain. Her motives were unlike any I’ve ever come across before. Several times while reading I found myself groaning in disgust. Especially at the dreaded “page 40.”

Before I read this one, I’d heard a lot of hype about the book. Plenty of talk about the blood and gore. What I didn’t expect was how real the characters were. One in particular. His character growth was a fantastic side plot, and even though I didn’t want to root for any of the bad guys, I found myself warming up to him.

I certainly didn’t expect to be left in tears at the end of the story.

This was my first book by Aron Beauregard, but I plan to check out more of his work soon. If you’re a fan of extreme horror and you’re ready for an emotional rollercoaster, this is the book for you!