Whaaaat? Well, you see, I am under strict instructions not to reveal any spoilers. And I definitely do not want to be the Games Grinch! So, I can’t tell you exactly what we did each day. But I can tell you that we had a blast! And it was full of more surprises than I even thought possible.

Speechify AI Avatars & Video Create polished videos without any actors or equipment. Turn any text into high-quality videos with AI avatars and voiceovers – in minutes. And nobody can resist an advent calendar. Whether you grew up eating cheap choccies before school, or building a manger piece by piece, 1 December marks a routine change that is always a treat! Blaine Hogan's memoir is an intense, stunningly honest, and profoundly hopeful promise that telling the truth can set the heart free. His story is riveting, heartbreaking, and hilarious. This brilliantly written and transformational book will allure you to tell your truths. You'll find yourself stumbling into grace." We have been really impressed by the variety of puzzles and difficulty levels across the Hunt for the Golden Book and there’s no comparison with the cheap choccy offerings of old. Thanks to Exit this has been the best first Board Gamesmas ever and we can’t wait for 1 December when we get to start the other Exit Advent Calendar – The Mystery of the Ice Cave! Hogan shows us that it is entirely possible, even liberating to just live and let live. Don't be too anxious about having the perfect results that many of us crave. As long as we are true to ourselves, and as long as we trust God to lead the way, we should always do our best and let God handle the rest. Why should anyone read this book? Let me give three reasons.

A glance at the table of contents alone reveals Blaine Hogan's intimate familiarity with the underworld of his own psyche, as well as his deep faith that alongside his fears and shadows resides his greatest stores of love, creativity, and wholeness. He writes clearly, passionately, and vulnerably. In the space he holds, you will meet him--and you may in fact meet yourself." Is this an advent calendar you will only need for Christmas? No. Why not use it in a random March and surprise yourself for the first 3/4 of the month and test yourself to solve the riddles! Well, it is particularly AIMED for opening on the leadup to Christmas... but it's okay, we're not going to tell anyone if you don't! This moving memoir shows how one man left behind patterns of abuse and dysfunction to find life and healing on the other side. Although I had never heard of the author, this book caught my eye because of the title, which I recognized as a reference to Plato's cave analogy. I thought I would appreciate a take on trauma that used this as a lens, and I was absolutely right. I found this book incredibly thought-provoking and insightful, and instead of just relaying his trauma stories, Blaine Hogan shows how he was able to reshape them and change his understanding of the past by changing the stories he told himself about his experiences. Although we are still a little way off Christmas yet, it is never too soon to plan. And after the pumpkins of Halloween have been turfed on to the compost heap, and the fireworks have finished, it’s a straight run to the most wonderful time of the year!

Space Requirements: You will need room on a table for the fairly large calendar box and the puzzle components and cards you will find behind the doors. Don’t throw anything away; you never know when you might need it!There is a subversive holiness in telling a story others are too scared to tell, and Blaine has mastered the art of doing this--over and over again. Don't miss the invitation in this book to understand the significance of your own scars and what to do with them." Most people will say something feels terribly wrong...with reality, the world, life. Why is that? Because something is wrong. This whole experience called "life on Earth" is a falsified lie. I want to thank Blaine and his team for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. I also want to thank NetGalley for the Kindle version of Exit The Cave.

Each of us has our own cave. It is a place where we could feel comfortable, relaxed, and honest with ourselves. For author Blaine Hogan, his cave is more than that. It is about him boldly taking a step out of the cave of addiction, depression, self-pity, and encountering health issues among his loved ones. He shares about past broken relationships, broken marriages, and emotional struggles. As an actor, he toggles from the highs of success to the lows of addiction. He shares his ups and downs through personal stories told with brutal honesty. Some of his most painful episodes were about the hurts he had inflicted on others and the resultant turmoil that tormented him emotionally and spiritually. He thought singing can help him feel better but any positive vibes didn't last. He shares about his constant travels because of his gigs. His search for peace continues with his foray into theological education in Seattle. While disappointed with the city and the school for various reasons, he soon finds inspiration in the stories of Hagar and Sarah. He would be challenged by two simple questions: This book was a beautiful and honest exploration of the power that our story can have on our lives and the lives of people who meet along the way. As a father, husband, church employee, and a follower of Jesus I felt known in a way that most writers could not describe. Blaine's honesty about his own pain and loss was an incredible canvas for a narrative that reaches far beyond his own experiences and into that place of radical transformation. We both agreed our favorite puzzle was a pure Exit: The Game-style aha moment, using several things we’d previously overlooked that suddenly came together in an inventive, unexpected way. When I first heard that Exit: The Game was coming out with a new Advent calendar this holiday season, I immediately called my local gaming store to find out the release date. Having played their Mystery of the Ice Cave last year, I knew to expect fun, think-outside-of-the-box puzzles with those special aha moments found in their standalone games. An Exit: The Game puzzle each day for 24 days until Christmas? Yes, please! I have followed Blaine's journey via social media for many years. From his time in Prison Break and other shows to his work as a creative director for one of the most influential churches in America, Blaine has been a long-distance roll model for the creative endeavors in my life.I found myself cheering for him and weeping with him. As I sat this book down (or really, I turned off my Kindle) I knew I would not soon forget what I just experienced. I have listened to numerous talks and monologues from Hogan over the years and this book felt like he was just speaking right to me. This advent calendar is an EXIT game and an adventure story all in one. To find the golden book, you must open a little calendar door every day. Behind each, you will find a new exciting puzzle, the solution of which will help you to move onto the next room. Only if you follow the clues and solve all 24 puzzles will you find the thief and the book ... and save Christmas. Tis the season to be………PUZZLED! Haha Nope, we at Zatu aren’t inventing a new holiday (although how cool would Board Gamesmas be?!). We are risking the naughty list and taking a sneaky peek at the Hunt for the Golden Book Advent Calendar devised by KOSMOS who shall henceforth be known as Father Enigmas! Haha Okay, so probably only in my mind, but still……… Is It Time Yet

This advent calendar is an EXIT game and an adventure story all in one. To find the golden book, you must open a little calendar door every day. Behind each, you will find a new exciting puzzle, the solution of which will help you to move onto the next room. Only if you follow the clues and solve all 24 puzzles will you find the thief and the book … and save Christmas. Honest. Brave. Moving. Blaine turns his scars into lanterns, giving us faithful guides out of our own dark caves." The story worked well, connecting the 24 doors together narratively and keeping us focused on our objective. However, it became somewhat repetitive as we progressed, with no major story developments until the very end. And (think of this as a Christmas gift rather than a spoiler) the box is an essential part of the puzzle! So don’t be thinking you can solve this special hunt with only what is inside each window! If you do, you’ll be waiting forever to find out where the Golden Book has gone! And nobody wants that because whose book is it? That’s right! It belongs to Santa Claus. And you don’t want to be the agent of Christmas disappointment for all the children, now do you??! Father Enigmas’ Little Helper

You’re in!

Thankfully, for us at least, the box also comes with a book of hints (and solutions!). Cleverly, as with the Exit games, you can sneak a look at one or two clues to help you along without revealing the entire solution. And I am woman enough to admit that we did have to get Father Enigmas’s little helper to see us on our way to one or two (ok 5 but who’s counting?!). Final Thoughts With the Advent Calendar, Exit: The Game reimagined their standard game mechanics to fit them into a new mold. The decoder tool became the mechanic to find the next day’s door. It was easy to use and effectively ensured we did not open the wrong door by mistake.Plus the look and feel of Exit: The Game tabletop games was nicely captured through familiar components such as riddle cards and an instruction booklet. And we couldn’t resist trying to help save the real Christmas in Exit: The Game – The Hunt for the Golden Book! So we launched ourselves head first into the 24 part adventure and I can now absolutely NOT tell you how we got on! Haha Seasonal Spoilers