I’m waiting for book 2 even though book 1 hasn’t been released yet.

Magic + Hunger Games

This book had a really unique magic system, characters with a tragic backstory, a story bathed in blood, and a tournament where 7 people go in, but only 1 comes out.

What really had me hooked were the characters, especially the two male protagonists, Alistair Lowe and Gavin Grieve. Both characters hated each other; Gavin especially hated Alistair for certain reasons, but there were small moments that added some tension between them. And little interactions that were quite normal but made me feel like… am I shipping them? Sadly, one of the boys already has a love interest (which I don’t ship) but things might change in the second book. *fingers crossed*

The other two protagonists were Isobel Macaslan and Briony Thorburn. I didn’t like Isobel; she was alright at first but as the book progressed I liked her less and less. Briony on the other hand was very interesting to me (just not as interesting as Gavin and Alistair) and I loved reading everything she sacrificed for her theory.

I enjoyed reading how this tournament affected the champions' lives even before they started the tournament. Unlike the Hunger Games where people are chosen at random, the champion is chosen by their family. Whoever is the most ruthless, most skilled in magic, and most mentally and physically capable of winning the tournament. Some of these characters wanted to be their family’s champion- to either make them proud or to show the world what they're capable of. Other characters were forced to take this role, as they have been preparing for this tournament since birth.

Since this book is a tournament with only one winner, I was waiting for a lot of betrayal and backstabbing but a lot of that didn’t happen. The end did take a turn (for the better) and it describes the title a lot more. When the ending came I was actually really happy because I wanted that plot twist to happen, and it actually happened. So now I’m even more excited for the second book.

One thing that did confuse me was the magic system, but that’s expected. A new magic system is always a struggle. But also the setting and era. When I started reading the book I imagined something inspired by the mid 19th century, but as I kept reading there were mentions of technology and photography, and other modern things. Another problem was how slow-paced it was in the beginning. The last 75% of the book was the most captivating and fast-paced to me.

Overall this was a great Y.A fantasy novel, with incredible tropes and characters. I really hope the second book can be even better.


*Thank you Netgalley for the digital ARC*

I admit I had a hard time delving into this book with the first few chapters. The pacing at the beginning was quite slow and you had to familiarize multiple POVs with their background. But when the story started to pick-up, you're totally in for the read.

If you're a reader like me who does not like slow paced books, just bear with this since it'll be really awesome once the competition starts.

Oh. My. Goodness. This was a RIDE and I enjoyed it more with every page. It's appropriately referenced as "The Hunger Games + magic," and I appreciate that it's not just a retelling OF The Hunger Games. This is an imaginative and interesting competition story, which is a weakness of mine.

For a book marketed as a bloodier The Hunger Games, it was really lacking in the maiming and killing.

The premise of All of Us Villains is good. I was captivated by the synopsis and the magical tournament aspect and all that it entails was really intriguing. I kept seeing reviews calling this dark and bloody, but I think we read different books? None of the characters acted ruthless or unapologetically maniacal enough to be considered villains like the title suggests. I also struggled with the multiple POVs, most likely because I wasn't invested in any of the characters other than Alistair.

The pacing felt off as well. It started out pretty slow and the action doesn't really pick up until the tournament actually begins...which is almost halfway through the book. Then once the action started, it felt like the pacing and plot were moving too fast.

All in all, I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting but it wasn't this. I love both these authors so I was really disappointed that I didn't enjoy this.

Foody and Lynn Herman's All of Us Villains takes the (now) classic "teens fight to the death" trope, pushes it onto its side, warps and darkens it just enough, and lets the reader see what happens next. The worldbuilding is wonderful; I love magic-systems that feel both organic and well thought out enough that the reader can quickly follow along. The characters are developed well also; the protagonists all reflect their upbringings and choices surrounding the Tournament with skill and authenticity. It's hard not to end up rooting for (some) of them as the story progresses, but as Foody and Lynn Herman pointed out in the title, it's not "Some of Us Villains."

An interesting idea of how social media would affect the classic "magical families hiding in plain sight" troupe. The story uses a published book instead of social media, but the idea holds true and social media play a large role.

Once upon a time, there was a small town called Ilvernath. Seven powerful families resided in it and every twenty years they'd send one of their own to compete in a tournament to the death in order to keep control of the town's magic supply.

This year, the seven contestants all start the bloodbath as planned, but then something changes. Could it be, that they're not villains after all?

All of Us Villains was one of my most anticipated reads this year. The cover, title and blurb all drew my attention, even more so than the comps. Still, I really did want to see how the Riverdale comp played into it, and at least that part was satisfying to a degree.

Ilvernath is a cute, spooky town and the atmosphere was on point. The world building wasn't grand, but for this story it didn't need to be. Perhaps it'll get expanded on in the next book.

But my issue is with the characters. I only liked Gavin from start to finish, the rest not so much. Despite almost half a book of backstories, I couldn't get myself to care about them.

Maybe it's because I was expecting actual villains who'd do anything to win that I'm disappointed, I don't know. But it's clear before they even get into the tournament that some of them really don't want to be there.

And the characters who was meant to be the biggest villain of all - ended up being the biggest softie (with a random evil scene here and there, it barely counts).

There are seven contestants, and we only got PoVs from four of them. I can't say if this is a good thing or a bad thing, since it's possible I wouldn't care about the remaining three either way, but it would be nice to see what was going on in their heads during all the shifting alliances.

So, because I wasn't attached to the characters the book didn't have its desired impact. That's disappointing. But, it was still easy to read and decently entertaining.

I didn't mind the pacing too much. Even though it feels like the authors spent too much time trying to develop the characters at the start and then suddenly remembered that the main event was supposed to begin, so they scrambled to do it and as a result certain parts of the tournament felt rushed.

Then there's the abrupt cliffhanger ending...that's definitely one of the worst parts of this book. Not because it's painful or makes you want to rip your hair out in frustration from not getting to see what happens next for another year, but because it feels incomplete.

This is a book that doesn't stand on its own, which is fine, but then it's supposed to make you want to read the next one and it doesn't do a very good job.

If I do read the next one it'll be for Gavin, and Gavin only. If anyone wins it better be him. And it's because of him that I'm choosing to round my rating up to three stars. You go Gavin, you got this.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I've seen this book being hyped up everywhere--TikTok, Twitter, Goodreads, NetGalley. I think at this point I'm being personally targeted--look at that cover! Look at that description! A dynamic author team-up! I'm so happy to say that it lives up to the hype, and I'm so glad to have had a chance to read it. It's worth the aggressive promotion.

"There are no friends here. Only people you kill now, and people you kill later." In All of us Villains, high magick is a finite resource, once thought diminished. But due to a tell-all book, it's revealed that in the small town of Ilvernath, some still have access to it. Each generation, seven families must choose a champion who will compete in a fatal competition to determine who may wield the magick for the next 20 years. These families always managed to keep the secret of their town, but now, on top of the tournament, they have to handle the endless barrage of protestors, reporters, and a mysterious government official who has too much interest in the outcome.

The magick system is well-thought-out and nuanced while still leaving some details unknown, so there's room for questions and surprises. There are different types and subtypes of common magick, all with possible consequences. Wielders may excel in one specialty and struggle with another, leaving each competitor with strengths and weaknesses against their adversaries.

However, the best element of All of us Villains is how everything exists in a gray area. There are no heroes, only real people weighing what evils they are willing to commit to survive. Each champion of the tournament has their own reasons for competing, each equally compelling. The novel is told from several points of view, allowing the readers to watch the events unfold through the eyes of each competitor. It also gives us glimpses into the mental state of each of them.

And I can't forget to mention the plot twists, of which there are several. All of us Villains does an incredible job of lulling the reader into thinking they are safe, then throwing everything into chaos.

I can't think of anything negative to say about it. Except... how dare you? You're going to end it right there? Right there?

Five out of five stars. It has an incredible plot, character arcs, magick system, secondary characters, and it's reminiscent of the dystopian novels we all love. It's an absolutely jaw-dropping, thrilling read. There's some brutal violence and cursing, but it's still YA appropriate. All of us Villains is a perfect read for anyone who likes a little dark magic and a lot of morally gray characters.

A curse that has spanned generations plagues seven families in Ilvernath. Forced to send a champion to battle to the death, each family has their reasons for how and why they choose. The winning family controls the high magic until the next generation battles for it. And on and on it goes, until...

When this generation has several champions with personal ties to each other things aren't as black and white as they are supposed to be. Characters with grey morals can make for a very interesting story. Being raised and trained to be cruel and cut throat and killers they must decide if they want to honor their families or strike out on their own and find a new way. Things are never as they seem and with magic involved it makes things even trickier.

These characters were so easy to connect to. Each one with a strength and weakness and vulnerabilities and insecurities that are being tested at every turn. I was truly beside myself as they battled each other and how alliances were forged and broken in the span of pages. My emotions were on a roller coaster all alone.

The first installment to what is sure to be a great series!

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the copy for review

If you liked the Hunger Games and enjoy magic this is a book to add to your list! Multiple perspectives have you questioning who will survive and who will die in a battle to control high magic but the next book needs to come out ASAP because you get left wjth a cliffhanger.

ALL OF US VILLAINS is an enjoyable ride through a blood-soaked town, now exposed to the world and the start of its no-longer-secret violent tournament. The snippets of the book were dry sarcastic in a self-deprecating way, which is a form of humour I really like, so those additions at the start of each chapter really worked for me, when a lot of book snippets like that don't.

I liked the character dynamics, with their secrets and priorities and hurts that meant it was impossible for them to team up and do the things that needed doing to end it. It means that it is a tricky task, and they're going to be betraying each other - particularly as they don't all want to end it.

The world was a lot of fun. It's a secondary world, I think, but it had a very modern vibe. It might be a made up town in an alternate world that has magic, but it's never confirmed either way. There aren't phones or internet, I think, but there are glossy magazines and the way they talk and think is very modern.

It's a mash up of the author's solo series, and then with a sort of Hunger Games like set up throne in. The technology level of the world is more like Amanda Foody's Shadow Game series, but a rural American town rather than a big city. That small town vibe with old houses controlling magic (who all have their rivalries and we see POVs from a range of them) is more like Christine Lynn Herman's Devouring Gray series.

Some of the names made me laugh a bit, particularly Alistair Lowe, who's the broken edges and hiding hurt under an aura of menace character. Except his name screams middle aged Tory MP to me! Funny how somethings like names don't translate across the pond so well.

I'm interested to see how this end next year.

I loved this book! I didn't want to put it down and I couldn't wait to pick it back up again. The multiple POVs give you a chance to connect with a wide range of personalities. It has a basic Hunger Games setting but still creates its own unique world. Great world building and character development!

This was a fast and fun read, and a very promising start to a new series. The book focuses on the seven founding families in Ilvernath, a town that unbeknownst to outsiders is still the home to significant magic. Every 20 years or so, a young representative of each of the families, known as a "champion," compete to control the high magic, the most powerful form of magic, until the next competition by vanquishing the six other champions. This year's competition is attracting more attention than ever before thanks to a recently released tell-all book that purported to reveal all of the secrets of the competition, past champions, and the seven families. It also is giving the champions more insights into the competition, prompting them to question how best to win -- or whether winning can take another form altogether. This book tells the story of the start of the competition and sets up what seems to be an exciting new series.

I was fully engaged, and look forward to the next book. Recommended!

OMG wow, I loved this so much! This was one of my most anticipated books for 2021 and I am so happy to say that it completely lived up to expectations. Foody and Herman are both authors that I love, and this book has only helped solidify that.

All of Us Villains is a YA fantasy in which every generation, a competitor descended from the great 7 families of Ilvernath must compete in a competition in which there can only be one survivor in order to continue to have access to high magick, and the only family that can control it is the family of the winner. This is due to a centuries old curse in which sacrifice is required. The story starts several weeks before the start of the next competition, as the final champions from each family are selected, and we are then thrown into this high stakes game where we are rooting for everyone (or almost everyone) to win.

One of my favorite things about this book is how this is a YA book that actually felt like it was geared towards teens. I don't know specific stats, but I do know that more and more adults, myself included, are reading YA, and I think in some ways, because of that, more YA books seemed to be geared towards adults instead of the actual audience it's intended for. But these characters truly felt like teens, and their actions and emotions felt accurate to age (at least based on my own personal experience when I was a teen).

On top of this, I absolutely loved the characters. There are four main POVs, and each was unique and so well developed, with wants and fears, and it truly had me rooting for all of them. Even when they made decisions I didn't necessarily agree with, everything felt so true to their characters, and their ages, and it was just so well done. I especially have a soft spot of Alistair Lowe, and he rapidly became one of my new all time favorite characters.

Moreover, Foody and Herman did an amazing job with the world building in this novel. We really only see Ilvernath, but there are references to locations outside of this town, places where other characters want to visit or where they have family residing. We learn a little about the history of Ilvernath and the curse that surrounds it (although there is still more to learn, which I am sure will come up in the sequel (sequels?)), and we really get to understand how the curse functions, and what it means for the town. Additionally, I think the magick system in this novel is so unique, and I really enjoyed seeing a different type of magic. Basically, there are two types, spells and curses, and both require raw magick and different ingredients in order to craft the spell or curse, which is then stored in a gemstone, which most characters then wear as rings, although other jewelry can also be used, and I just really felt that was such a cool way for magick to be used. There are also different levels of spells/curses, and higher levels are harder to craft and cast, and it was just so interesting to read about!

On top of all of this, I absolutely loved the plot. I don't want to go too much into it to avoid spoilers, but it really kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know more. The only reason I didn't finish this sooner is because I ended up being busy and not having the time to read that I thought I would have, but I could have easily finished this in a day if I had the time.

I highly recommend this book, especially to anyone who loves fantasy, and I cannot wait for the sequel!

I never read The Hunger Games but once I saw THG but darker and with magic, I couldn’t get my hands on it quick enough.

Seven families must pick one champion, one child the think will be brutal enough to survive until the end so then they can control all of the high magic the land has to offer because in this town, everyone has access to regular magic but only ONE family has access to a higher magic. A magic that is stronger and worth killing or dying to have control over.

All of us Villains is a character driven story for sure. If you like being inside of the minds of characters that have to make tough choices and are pretty much all morally grey, READ THIS. It was so intriguing to watch these kids make choices to defend themselves or to come out on top or to completely change the way they think or how their families would like them to think.

Quite a few characters do the unexpected in this book and i had to pick my chin up off the floor several times. Like I said this is character driven more then plot, and I found myself several times not knowing who to root for. I literally kept changing my mind but ultimately I think I’m #TeamAlistair.

The magic system was extremely unique, the characters morally grey (literally all of them), and the best part?! There is going to be a book two and I REALLY can’t wait to see what this group of characters get into. AOUV is bloody and brutal at times but in my opinion, it’s not too much, but still take this as a warning

“I think, deep down, some people don’t want their stories to have happy endings.”

NGL, I. Freaking. LOVED. This! Did I catch THG vibe from it? Hell yeah, but it is so much more! All of Us Villains offers some of the most unique world-building I’ve read in a long time with a magic system that is intricate and complex. When any group of teens is forced to fight to the death just so the adults get gains, I am going to be rooting for even the most hideous of the kids.

I loved the different POVs, that’s really saying something because I usually do not enjoy this. At all. But because each of the characters was so well developed and unique, I didn’t have trouble keeping up with them or the POV change. My one gripe is the ending. WTH? That was the Queen of cliff hangers and I’m torn between extreme aggravation and mad respect. Now how long do I have to wait until the next book?

My thanks to @TorTeen and @NetGalley for this gifted DRC.

All of Us Villains showcases a group of teenagers, wrapped up in a nightmare that was created by their ancestors hundreds of years ago. As they each fight to survive, they must unravel who they are, what they stand for, and what they want from this deadly game. The flipping perspectives in this novel worked well to showcase the curse and the tournament from different angles, while also helping to build more relationships and insight into the characters. It was interesting to see how the different teens reacted to the horrific stressors they were under, whether surprising or exactly as expected. The book definitely picks up the pace in the second half. The slower build in the beginning is worth it, as much of what happens then will be important later. I will definitely be recommending and looking forward to the second book.

All of Us Villains is the first installment of a competition-centered duology that takes place in the city of Ilvernath. Every twenty years over the last eight centuries, seven magic-filled families choose their own champion to compete in a competition to the death to select who will control high magick until the next tournament. The families must compete with only one champion remaining or risk death if the clock runs out. This year the tournament is held under a microscope, as there was a tell-all book released revealing all of its dark secrets. While there are seven champions, there are four that are featured with the other three mentioned throughout the story. There are four narrators for the story: Allistair Lowe, Gavin Grieve, Briony Thornburn, and Isobel Macaslan.

The story opens with Allistair, who is the favorite to win the tournament. The people of Ilvernath hate him and his brother, Hendry, along with the rest of the Lowes. Gavin is the underdog of the tournament as they have been typically the first to die in the past. Isobel was forced to compete and unwillingly becomes the media face of the tournament. Briony knows that she is the best choice to represent her family and is determined to compete. I go back and forth between which of the four I like the best, but I think I would have to go with Allistair. There was something to love and dislike about each of them, but there is something that I cannot pinpoint that appeals to Allistair to me a little more.

It is difficult to write too much about any of the characters without spoiling their stories. Each has their own motivations and backstories that are explored and there are interesting interactions between them and the other three champions. While the word “villains” is in the title, the characters are not outright ruthless or heartless and there is a lot more to them than meets the eye. For me, I was expecting a little more darkness from them. As the events move forward, it is difficult to stick with a character to root for and who will come out on top or if changes are coming. One great element about the writing is that there is a character that will appeal more to different readers as each will favor their own choice. I greatly enjoy these types of stories as it provides variety for an audience and everyone ends up rooting for their own character instead of an extreme focus on only one.

Overall, this story was very unexpected compared to my original expectations. While the characters are not quite as villainous as I anticipated, there were still darker and complex. As there are four perspectives, the big picture does seem to be difficult to put together; however, I think the sequel can help. There is a cliffhanger ending after multiple twists and turns, so it will be interesting how the authors bring it all together. I cannot wait to read the final installment and see what happens to all of the characters next!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Teen, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor Forge for allowing me to read a digital ARC of All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Herman. I enjoyed this Young Adult book. All of Us Villains is similar to The Hunger Games, but the champions fight with magic and conjure spells and monsters. All of Us Villains sees teens from several aristocratic families fight to the death under the Blood Moon, which occurs every 20 years, in a contest that determines which family gets to control High magick. The authors did a great job providing the reader with a history of each character, their aristocratic family, and how they ended up fighting to the death during the Blood Moon tournament. The authors did a great job of developing characters who were complex and intriguing. Each champion entered the tournament with a devastating secret and a strategy for winning. Trust is a central theme in this novel. I had mixed feelings about Alistair, Briony, Gavin, and Isobel, but I liked Alistair the most. Even though Briony committed a cold-blooded and repulsive to enter the tournament, she grew on me as the novel progressed. These not-so-typical teens were under tremendous pressure to win to uphold the honor of families willing to destroy and sacrifice them. Weakness is death. Children are lambs to be slaughtered. There were so many twists and turns in the novel. My heart went out to Alistair, who was not the monster his family aspired him to be.

I look forward to reading the next book in this series