Review Detail

Since I first heard about Playing Tyler, around the time I saw the stunning cover, I have been excited for it. The whole gaming concept is intriguing to me. For me though, Playing Tyler was a read that just didn't reach its full potential.

I enjoyed Ani as a character - her storyline was what intrigued me most about Playing Tyler, and I wish it had been featured more throughout the book. The emphasis was really on Tyler and his relationships with his family, in addition to his brother's drug addiction. Ani is smart as a whip - smart heroines rock!

The stakes in Playing Tyler are astronomically high. Playing Tyler is a slow build type of novel - around the three-quarters mark, things suddenly speed up and from there it is a sprint to the finish line or the end. The last quarter of the book was brilliant - I wish the rest had matched up in terms of pace and plot.

One of Playing Tyler's strengths is the villain - the villain is both well written and exceedingly clever. Every twist that is thrown at Ani and Tyler was very well planned.

I was sad when the book ended, since the last quarter of the book so much had happened. I was hoping there would be a little more closure to Ani and Tyler's story. By the story's end, I really enjoyed the growth both Ani and Tyler had made as characters, but particularly Ani. She is such a strong character and doesn't exactly realize it until the end.

I would be curious to read more from TL Costa in the future, since while I found Playing Tyler to have its faults, there were still a number of strengths. Fans of thrillers, who don't mind a slow build, will devour this one.