Barnes & NobleMy Friend from the Future: Adventures in a Video Game by Dustin Brady

Action, high-stakes, and tons of fun

Action drives this tale forward from one dangerous situation into the next, while adding a dab of heart. This tale takes place two years after the first one in the series. While the technology from Bionosoft has further developed, it isn't available to the public due to a death in an arcade. The software now not only draws real people into the game but can bring things from the game into the real world...at least, for a time before they dissipate. When Bentley's birthday party has him and his friends sneaking into his father's room to use the XBox, they have no clue that his father is currently programming for Bionosoft and the game is a prototype. Bentley and his friends are drawn into the game and meet Polly, who the game was created for in memory of her death. And it soon becomes clear that there's a lot more at play than the simple game. Bentley not only has to work through the game to leave, he has to save the entire world in the process. Like the first book, this one is very fast-paced and keeps action at the forefront. There's a bit more mystery, this time, as Bentley uncovers secrets surrounding the death at the arcade a year before. The cover-up harbors more than a few secrets, and he'll have to get to the bottom of everything as the game unleashes danger into the real world. Add a twist surrounding a man's grief after the death of his daughter, and Bentley's relationship with his father, and it's a packed read. In some ways, this series reminds me of Spy Kids with its unexpected situations, high tension, and just a little bit of quirk to make it fun. The stakes are high and deaths occur, but as in the first read, these are handled in a way very fitting to the age group. The ending on this one will even draw a happy sigh. While I'm not sure if there will be more books to come, I can only hope that this adventure continues. I received an ARC and enjoyed the mix of heart with tons of action.