The Gauntlet #1 by Karuna Riazi

My name is Farah, and I just wanted to get away from the people at my twelfth birthday party. Alex and Essie suggested I open my aunt's gift up in my bedroom, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. It was a game called "The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand", but I got a scary feeling as soon as I unwrapped the package. The game pieces looked like little avatars of us, and I didn't want to even start. Then, my little brother Ahmad grabbed an avatar and disappeared into the game. I didn't know what to do, but my aunt said we needed to follow him if we had any chance of getting him back. Now, we need to complete four challenges before time runs out, or we'll be stuck inside the game forever. The Architect has never lost a game, and he cheats. I won't stop until I've saved my brother. 

I found this book randomly at my local library. The characters and setting were based on the Bangladesh culture, and the author included many details regarding the food, clothing, and customs. The game transported the kids to a Middle Eastern village where all of the inhabitants were former players who had failed to win. This fact reinforced the consequences of not completing the four challenges. The time factor added an element of suspense, although the author didn't really describe it effectively. I never really felt much stress, as I read about the challenges. Ahmad being lost and on his own within the game added another problem for Farah to solve in addition to completing the timed challenges. However, once again the author shared the tension created for Farah but didn't effectively describe it enough to elicit feelings in readers. The challenges involved puzzles and riddles, and the kids needed to work as a team to conquer them. They took turns losing courage and faith, but Farah's determination to rescue her brother kept them going. Overall, this was an entertaining book about a culture that doesn't get much attention. Give it a shot if you're looking for an adventure from the Middle East.