The Game of Oaths coming June 2nd, 2026 from Candlewick; 432 pages
Content Warning: Blood, foul language, graphic violence, murder, racism
About the Author: “S.C. Bandreddi is a writer who hails from California’s Bay Area, where she grew up scribbling stories deep into the night and hasn’t stopped since. She’s a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, where she studied Communications and film. When she’s not putting words on paper, she’s usually gaming, rewatching her favorite movies, or at an arcade trying to win as many plushies as she can. Her debut novel, THE GAME OF OATHS, will be published June 2026” (Bio from author’s website).
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Falan Sunkara signed a contract magically tied to her body that forces her to serve the wealthy elite in France under the control of the Ringmaster Jean-Pierre. Every year, the Game of Oaths is held, where twelve individuals bound by similar contracts compete in deadly games. The sole winner earns their contract’s dissolution after one year, along with a large cash prize. After witnessing her sister Lavanya’s suspicious death during the first round of the Game of Oaths, Falan spends the next year plotting and searching for answers. When she is unexpectedly chosen by the panel to compete in the Game of Oaths herself, she sees it as the perfect opportunity to get her revenge. As the games grow more dangerous and the elites begin targeting her, Falan must decide who she can trust if she wants to survive.
I definitely had to dust off my French-to-English dictionary while reading, but S.C. Bandreddi balanced the language well enough that it never felt overwhelming. Between the map of Paris at the beginning, the descriptions of the late 1800s inspired architecture, and the French language woven throughout the story, the setting was easy to visualize. The world-building honestly became one of my favorite aspects of the book because it made everything feel immersive without slowing the story down. During the first couple of chapters, I understood Falan’s cold demeanor since she was willing to kill anyone to survive. However, I was frustrated when more people began helping her and learning her secrets yet she continued to keep everyone at arm’s length. I wanted to see her trust others a little more, especially considering how much was at stake. By the end though, I completely understood why she struggled to let people in once one of her supposed friends and allies revealed their true intentions. Overall, the intensity of the challenges and the violence kept me completely hooked. There were moments where I genuinely thought Falan wasn’t making it out alive, which made the story even more unpredictable. I also loved the divide between the elite “Lilys” and the overlooked “Boarders” along with how each participant used their own talents to survive. It gave the book a very Hunger Games style atmosphere while remaining unique. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys high stakes survival stories with intense competition. You won’t be disappointed!
The Game of Oaths releases on June 2nd, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Candlewick for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Keonte Emerson, Pine Reads Review Co-Assistant Director, Lead Writer, and Social Media Manager
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