Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2025 Gr 3–7—Thirteen-year-old Danny is an avid gamer who can't wait to spend a week with his uncle who owns PixelWorks, the biggest arcade in Tennessee. Uncle Bill is a self-proclaimed "big kid" and game connoisseur, and he's thrilled to show Danny his latest purchase: the extremely rare, supposedly cursed game Grin. But Danny has misgivings about the game; it seems to stoke violence in anyone who plays it, and its creepy aura infiltrates his life outside the arcade. When the game's bloodthirsty secrets are revealed, Danny has to work fast to save his friends, his family, and even himself from the evil it holds. Gillespie's latest is a rollicking, compelling contribution to the middle grade horror genre. While the beginning feels a bit slow (some dialogue is stilted and the tween characters sound identical to their adult counterparts), the plot builds quickly into action. The horror elements are intense; grimly descriptive images of blood-soaked murder victims and an unnervingly upbeat serial killer nudge this title into the older middle grade/early YA category. Danny has mental health struggles, including anxiety and panic attacks. There are fruitful albeit didactic discussions of coping mechanisms, including using horror media as a safe way to explore and experience fear. The abundant vintage game references will excite enthusiasts. The overall cast is diverse; Danny is described as having blonde hair, and his close friend Jodi is cued Chinese American. VERDICT A compulsively readable "follow you home" horror novel, recommended for gamers and fans of K.R. Alexander.—Ashleigh Williams, - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.