Genius: The Game

Genius tells the story of three teen geniuses who are thrown into a competition run by one of the world's youngest CEOs and visionaries. They have no idea what they are getting themselves into when they join this competition, however, and chaos (and sometimes hilarity) ensues. My favorite thing about this book is how different it is from everything I am used to reading. I love science and math, but I don't indulge in books about those topics very often. And even within the YA genre, science fiction books don't always necessarily delve into the actual science. Genius included mathematical equations and discussions of everything from hacking and coding to solar panels and the inner workings of bugs. Yes, there were times when I didn't understand what the characters were talking about at all, but I still really appreciated these parts of the story and respected their place in the plot. I also absolutely loved the characters in this story. Tunde was absolutely adorable and I just wanted to squeeze him most of the time. And Painted Wolf was so cool! She was completely tough and badass, but she also had a vulnerable side. There were also parts of this book that made me absolutely laugh out loud. I'm not sure if that was the author's intention, but I was almost crying from laughing so hard. (If you have read this book and have met Charlie, you might know what I am referencing.) It was so refreshing to have these comical scenes thrown into a book that also deals with some heavy topics. I think the only thing that bothered me a little about this book (and this is a really small criticism) was the random Nigerian that was thrown in. Tunde would randomly throw in some Nigerian slang (which makes sense, because he is Nigerian), but there was no explanation of what the heck he was talking about. And none of the characters thought to ask, "Hey, dude, what does that mean?" I understand why the language is in the book, but I wish it had been handled a little differently, so I wasn't left wondering what Tunde was saying half the time. I read this entire book thinking it was a standalone (oops), so I was completely shocked by the ending. Even after realizing that this will be a series, I find myself dying to know what is going to happen next. I will definitely be picking up the next book so I can follow the adventures of Rex, Tunde, and Painted Wolf. I need to know what happens to them!

Why don't enough people know about this book and pick it up to read! I loved reading it and how it relates to our technological world! In the past this book would have been considered sci-fi, now it's realistic fiction and some of the best realistic fiction I have ever read. More people need to read this, and I am eagerly awaiting for the next installment this August!

I would never had chosen this book, but trust me...you're gonna love it!