I liked this book, but I definitely didn’t love it. I enjoyed the multiple points of view and I also really liked the epigraphs at the the beginning of each chapter. I think they added a lot to the story by giving bits from the book within the book. I didn’t think the pacing was that great. It was slow in places. I also did not enjoy the cliffhanger, at all. The ending was very abrupt. Overall though, it was enjoyable and I will absolutely pick up the next book to see how it all ends.

Hunger Games is one of my all time favorites. This is like The Hunger Games, but with magic, and I was all in.
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Every generation, 7 families must choose their champion to compete to their death for control of the High Magick. The remaining survivor is the winner. However, this year a tell all book was published, exposing family secrets, weaknesses and strengths. This year’s tournament is like no other.
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I need book two now!
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Thank you #Tor and #Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

HOLY MOLY. This was a roller coaster ride for sure! Thank you to Netgalley for sending me a copy of this in an exchange for an honest review. Literally HUNGER GAMES PLUS MAGIC. Say less. I loved this from the very first chapter. Plot twists. Villains. Magic. Wonderful world building. The character development was on point. This was everything I needed and wanted in this moment. And can I just say….I LOVE Alistair. I need more and I need it now!

Wow! This pleasantly surprised me! YA is really hit and miss for me ( most often a miss) but I really enjoyed this one! A magical version of The Hunger Games where seven families are cursed to fight for the control of high magick. The writing style is fantastic and really draws you in. I am really looking forward to book two.

I wanted to enjoy this book, as I’ve liked books by both Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman in the past, but this one wasn’t for me. I liked the concept, but the execution wasn’t great. I didn’t feel invested in the characters or the storyline, and I didn’t really like the premise. I can absolutely see why others would enjoy it, though!

Hunger Games but with magic. This was fun, albeit inferior to the book it’s compared to.

Despite the first 20% being world-building and info-dumps, I never fully understood this magic system. In this world, anyone can cast magic if they have the right jewelry for it. You put a spell in a ring, and then...use it somehow? The real skill seemed to be if you could build these spells, but if you were rich and bought a lot of rings, then that didn’t even matter. So I didn’t really understand how someone was more “powerful” than someone else.

A good metaphor for capitalism, if they were going for that. But I’m not sure if they were.

Other than that, I enjoyed the different POVs here, although it helped make it obvious who was going to survive and who wasn’t. It also wasn’t as brutal as I was expecting? The most brutal thing actually occurs before the game even begins.

Be warned, this ends on a major cliffhanger! I am excited for the sequel because I do want to know how this wraps up.

This magical and bloody hunger games truly delivered what it promised with surely more to come in the next book. We have different point of views, many characters each different from the other but all with the same goal. Survive the tournament and win it!
I really liked the POV changes as it allowed me to understand the characters better, And there's also something else I liked, well two things: the subtle queerness of it, and the fact the this is not a romance book so there's no force romance storyline. There's something that will probably be explored more in the future but I'll be happy it staying this way. Not all books need romance. If the plot is strong like this one, it carries the story on its metaphorical shoulders without needing anything more that will definitely keep the book from the main themes and twists.
The way it was written is easy to follow even with a fantasy plot that may have resulted in a really complex writing. The different POV don't confuse the reader at all and I really liked that.
The last part of the book made me want to fast forward time so I can read the sequel asap!

Every generation there is a tournament, and with it a sacrifice. Under a sky stained red by the Blood Moon, in the town of Ilvernath, seven families, each with their own magickal legacy, offer up a champion from their bloodline to compete for a chance at immense power.

Around the world, it's thought that high magick is no more - it was used up recklessly thousands of years ago and now only common magick remains. But it turns out, the last traces of this long-lost magick reside in Ilvernath, tied to these seven families, wrapped up in an unbreakable curse. Only one family line may claim the magick until the next blood moon shines, and only after defeating the other six competitors in a fight to the death. No one outside Ilvernath knows about this bloody ritual, until now.

With the release of an anonymous, salacious tell-all book, word has gotten out about this battle royale and the rest of the world is ready to watch the brutality, either with bated breath or their cameras trained on the madness. With all eyes on the most powerful families in Ilvernath, will the competition break under it's own pressure?

May the odds be ever in your favor. (Oops, wrong series...)

THIS BOOK. This book was all-consuming. There’s something completely mesmerizing about the characters and setting in All of Us Villains. Despite each competitor in this book being truly terrible in their own way, you can't help but get attached to them, and root for each of them for different reasons. This book will inevitably get a lot of comparisons to The Hunger Games. With very broad strokes, they have the same format, but upon closer inspection, they're vastly different and delightful in their own ways.

I don't want to go into much detail about this book - I really recommend you consume it, digest it, and I guarantee you will be back for more. The one thing I will say is that I was completely caught off guard by the ending. What a delicious, terrible, cruel cliffhanger. The next book can't come out soon enough.

When the Blood Veil drops, seven champions from seven families in IIvernath must fight to the death to determine which family gets to have control over the high magick until the Blood Veil drops again and its time to hold another tournament. With the publication of a tell-all book about the magick and families of IIvernath, this tournament will be different and the champions must decide what to do - make a change or let things remain the way they are.


This book may have given me major Hunger Games vibes in the beginning, but it has more than enough to make it it’s own story. I flew through this book, craving to find out what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed every bit of reading this book.


Each family in this book has their own traits and traditions, and while reading I really understood how and why each of the main characters are the way they are, and honestly that’s good writing to me. The authors did a great job with this book and I can’t wait for the sequel.

I highly recommend this book for fans of The Hunger Games (obviously), but also lovers of a good magic, fantasy book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Teen for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Holy cliffhanger, Batman! What wild twists and turns!

I truly enjoyed this world, Ilvernath made me think of Edinborough. And I love that nothing was too much of an info dump. Alistair is my new favorite fictional child and I will fight everyone to protect him at all costs.

What a book, it a little hard to read in places and I mean the topics not the actually flow. But it's sooo good.

All Of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman is a magical tale, like no other. The dark, villainous undertone is a feature which embeds itself throughout the tale with a string of characters, each with a unique personality. The characters are not meant to be likeable, their aim is to be understood. The authors take the reader on a journey where they follow seven teenagers as they come to terms with being ‘the chosen one’, pitted against each other in a ‘Hunger Games style’ magical contest.
What drew me into this novel was the comparison with The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games was a staple of my high school collection, so unique and full of action. This book included a similar amount of action, but also included elements of magick mixed in. There were spellmakers, cursemarkers and everything in between. Some characters had access to greater magick, while others were only just beginning to learn how to master theirs. Magick was power and to survive, the characters needed to know how to wield it to protect themselves.
This was very much a character driven book. I enjoyed the way the authors introduced the characters and the seven magickal families, providing some context and history. Each family had a distinct personality type and it was fascinating to see throughout the text, which characters conformed to this and who rebelled against it. The text is told through multiple POV’s and it was a bit much at the beginning to try and recall who was who. By the latter part of the book, some of the POV’s dropped off, with the focus really only on 4 of them. I love reading books with multiple perspectives, allowing you to get into the head of different characters and predict how they might react to situations before they get there.
There are a number of themes throughout this book which are addressed. One of the key themes is self discovery. Each of the main characters, throughout the duration of their time in the competition, learn something about themselves. Alasdair is not cruel, Isobel is strong and Gavin is someone to be reckoned with. They refuse to conform to society’s standards of them and their families. Another is determination. Each character shows great determination and focus on achieving their goals. While obstacles may get in their way, they try their best to overcome them.
The plot of this book is one that really makes the reader want to continue, without putting the book down. After seeing the main characters and how they interact with their families, they are then placed into the arena where the battle will take place. It is not a quick one, with weeks to kill the others before the final person standing can claim the high magick and title as victor. During this time, the characters grapple with the idea that this competition is a curse that could possibly be broken, but how to do it? Do they kill each other, or do they work together to try and break the curse that has been placed upon them and their families? I did not want to put this book down at any stage. It is engaging, with twists and turns on every page that keep you guessing about what will happen next.

If you are after an action packed, magickal narrative with a string of anti-hero characters who each have a point to prove, this might be the book for you!

All I have to say about this book is YOU NEED TO READ IT ASAP. I think this book has easily become one of my favorites for 2021 and I can not wait for book 2.

All of Us Villains is Hunger Games meets Game Of Thrones all mixed with some ancient magic. Over 800 years ago, high magic was starting to disappear. 7 well off families decided to put a curse with the remaining high magic to decide who would get to rule over the rest of it, but the families would have to prove they deserved to have control over it. Every 20 years each family puts forward their champion who will fight to the death while being excluded from outside forces under a blood veil. The veil only lifts when 6 die and 1 champion remains. This year, everything is changing.

We follow four main characters who are named champions in their families. Some see this as an honor, some as a death sentence but they all have something in common - they want to win. Alistair, Isobel, Briony and Gavin have all given up something they hold close to their heart to be in this tournament and we watch their friendships evolve and dissolve with in the blood veil. Who will slaughter their friends, lovers and classmates first?

I am obsessed. I could not put this book down and stayed up until all hours of the night to finish it. The world that the authors have created is so dark and magical that I instantly fell in love with it. It is hard for you to pick out your favorite and pin who the actual villain is because you get to see the situation from each of their point of view, I have my favorites but the entire book you are hoping that none of them kill each other because you have bonded to each of the main 4. Reading about the bonds and betrayals that these teenagers are creating is addicting.

Overall, 5 stars. I can not wait for the second book!

I just finished this and THAT ENDING!!!! Wow, I need the next book asap.

As someone whose favorite HP book is the Goblet of Fire and who also grew up during the Hunger Games craze, I was pumped for this book. Thankfully, this book lived up to the hype. The plot and characters kept me reading, and there were some good twists. I also loved the different viewpoints for each chapter.

I'm a huge fan of both authors so had high hopes for this collaboration which I'm pleased to say were exceeded. Comparisons to THE HUNGER GAMES are inevitable but this has the addition of dark magic and morally grey characters. I'm excited to read the next book after the way this one ended!

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

This novel was pretty awesome! Very much in line with Hunger Games, however, definitely with a twist. I did really appreciate how this novel was written from multiple points of view as the story unfolded. Some parts seemed a bit slow and I do hope this is only a duology and not a trilogy, as I feel a trilogy would be a bit excessive. I really enjoyed this and I am excited to continue the story!

I've read an actual ton of comps for this one, mainly "The Hunger Games meets Magical ", and frankly, it tracks! But that isn't a bad thing, quite the opposite. Because while it does pull themes from various other books we know and love, the story stands perfectly well all on its own.

I will say, I had a bit of a rough start with the book, mostly because there is a lot to take in- the world building is intricate, and there are quite a few characters to keep track of. But once you get into the story, that becomes easy, and very much worth it! In fact, I think it was a good choice to have so many points of view, because otherwise the reader would not get the full sense of who the characters were. They each have their own motivations (or lack thereof) for being in the tournament- as do their respective families.

Without giving too much away, I will say that the book definitely lives up to its claim of villainy, as no character can fully escape the moral ambiguity (and often treachery) that is par for the course in this event. The whole history of not just the tournament, but the families themselves is based in cruelty and selfishness. And now, on the precipice of another bloodbath, the champions must decide how to proceed. Will it be business as usual? Or will someone step up and try to do better?

The characters, for their part, are very well developed, especially given there are so many. The authors did a great job of making no one a "good guy", and in the same vein, no one truly a villain. They also did a tremendous job of creating such morally gray situations that it makes it impossible to know what will happen next, and as such, kept me guessing throughout.

The magic system I was a bit fuzzy on, and didn't quite come to terms with it even by the end. Still, it didn't really prevent me from enjoying the book, and I think there will be a lot of questions answered in the next installment, which I absolutely cannot wait to read!

Bottom Line: I love darker fare with complex characters and choices, and All of Us Villains fully delivers!

This was one of my most anticipated reads for this year. I loved the premise, I loved the authors, and that cover? Stunning. I think the first major issue of this book is how many character POVs there are. I think it would have done much better with two, max. The constant switching of POVs combined with how many there were made them all sound and feel the same. I didn't care about any of the characters, because we ultimately spent no time with them.
I also don't understand the pacing of this book. The first half is a mess of points of view and confusing half baked world building. And the actual tourney doesn't start until like 50% through and then there are HUGE time jumps. At one point something happens and the chapter ends and the next chapter starts with "A week later". Like, come on. Make me want to read, immerse me. Where is the action and the excitement and the suspense that was implied in the premise of the novel. This was so boring.

The whole story felt rushed and shallow. It was like reading a first draft or an outline. I know it's the first installment of a series, but unless the premise for the second one blows my socks off I just don't want to slog through another 50 POVs with an underbaked world and magic system.

Do you get nervous when the hype train starts to take off and you’re not on it? Or do you just wave goodbye? 👋

All of Us Villains has been described as “a blockbuster,” and “a modern fairytale…” It’s been compared to all sorts of YA bestsellers including The Hunger Games. Is this the novel that will flip the script and give the villains a chance to rule?

Premise: A long-held curse has given one of seven families control of all the High Magic in the world. Every generation the families choose a representative to battle it out for the rights to control this most-powerful magic. But, this year will be different because the secret is out. One member of one of the families has written a tell-all book about the tournament and now the city of Ilvernath is crowded with tourists, protesters, and reporters trying to get the latest dirt on the families.

The story is told from the point of view of four of the teen champions… These young people have spent most their short lifetimes training to become their family’s victor. From the most powerful Lowe family who have won the vast majority of the tournaments to the lowly Grieves who have never won, they perfect their magical prowesses. Learning spells, manipulating their powers and, maybe gossiping about their rivals. Until the blood moon appears… and then some will be chosen willfully and some regretfully.

On to the tournament… tentative alliances, defending camps, and striking out when the opportunity arises. Who will die and who will survive?

Let’s talk now about the hype train… There are aspects of this novel that warrant the love and some things that fall into the “eh” category, ha!

The characters and their families were so well drawn. Each POV had its own set of insecurities, strengths, and family lore. I always felt ready to move between the characters as one chapter ended with a cliffhanger the next would give the reader the answer they’ve been waiting for… The motivations of these characters should be pretty clear: Just Survive! But no, there’s other factors that include romance, familial responsibility, and magical prowess.

The worldbuilding lacked in places though. Sure, the tournament rules are set down and the magic system was easy enough to understand, but time and a good overall picture of this world are not as precise enough as I would have liked. For example, there are a couple lines about the magic/ curses outside of Ilvernath, but it could have used more explanation. But I do have to say that the plot moves forward with some really good tension after a bit of a set up.

Strong characters and a creative storytelling helps mask some issues in this novel.

3.5 out of 5.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Teen, and the authors for an advanced copy for review.

I loved this story! And there's going to be more!!

There are 7 main characters that the reader will get to know throughout this book. All battling for a chance to win high Magick for their family. (And, there is a character named Alistair who I can't help but love immediately!).

The story has a good flow and kept me interested and turning pages. The author cleverly and intricately weaves this tale and the ending simply left me craving more. The characters themselves were unique and I loved getting everyone's pov.

I would say the story itself definitely fits this intriguing cover. Sometimes I can't help but pick a book up because the cover just seems to scream, "Read me!". And, this one was a great choice for me!