All of Us Villains surprised me. I knew that I was going to enjoy reading it because I'm a huge fan of Amanda Foody, but what I did not expect was the pure nostalgia. I cannot even decipher why exactly nostalgia hit me like a bus while reading this book. Maybe it's because AOUV is compared to The Hunger Games a lot, but I felt this giddiness to continue reading.
Also, this is 110% on me, but I did not expect this book to actually bring the darkness out of these characters. I expected some villainy and morally grey choices, but within the first 100 pages all of these narrators are making severe decisions/ having insane revelations about their realities. Each time I read, my mouth just dropped further and further to the ground under my feet! I'm so stunned but in the best way possible. It was a welcome surprise.
Anyway, I love all of these characters for entirely different reasons. Isobel and Alistair filled my romance heart with gleeful angst— UGH THE END. Briony's eternal drive felt reminiscent of other favorite ambitious characters of mine. She's so hard to peg at times because one second she's willing to destroy everyone, and then the next instance, she's chaotically trying to save everyone. It's so hectic and contradictory. I LOVE IT. Finally, Gavin took the longest for me to warm up too. He, in my opinion, has the most evil intentions (a bit ironically haha), so I was on the fence for quite some time. Ultimately, I do enjoy his insight because he's going to be such an interesting character in the sequel, especially with his giant magic situation that started at the beginning before the Blood Moon began.
Overall, AOUV is a dynamic, addicting read. I couldn't put it down unless I absolutely had to, and I'm really annoyed that I have to wait a year or so for the sequel! I want to follow this cast more, and I definitely want to unravel the curse surrounding this phenomenon every decade. Here's to everyone chaotically messing the Blood Moon up more!!!

Each family has something to prove or to gain. The book is told from the different POV of the tournament. They are all in different class settings but each characters story pulls you in immediately and it was fun going back and forth learning more about them and how they feel about the tournament. I kept thinking about this book when I had to put it down! It’s dark but entrancing! … edited to say I was thankful to receive the full ARC and oh my gosh… this book deserves all the attention. There is sincere internal confliction going on between these characters that I love even more now… it literally kept me on the edge of my seat, and the last several chapters are intense!!! Highly recommend! Thank you @netgalley for getting a sneak peak and then the full version! I still cannot wait to have the physical copy on my shelf!

5⭐

Firstly, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Tor/Forge for accepting my request for the e-ARC of this book. This is an honest review that is solely based on my experience while reading the story.

I have no words for this. I truly am shocked I enjoyed this book so much, that I am willing to buy a physical copy of it (watch me pre-order it soon). I pick this book up during the time that I was not expected and end up finishing this one first, instead of the other book that I'm currently reading.

SUMMARY
This story is about a remote city called Ilvernath which finally brought to light when a book about its cruel tradition, is published. This caught the attention of every side of people; protestors, tourists, media, and they all come flocking to the city just to witness the curse unfolds. Each of the seven families need to send a champion to participate in the tournament, a bloodbath to determine the winner who in the end will be gifted the high magick. What's more interesting is that, each family has its own history; the Lowes as the strongest, the Grieves as the weakest and the family members are taught to believe and lived up to the reputation brought over centuries. But, this new generation has something more in their mind than just killing and winning. They want to rewrite their history.

'Monsters couldn't harm you if you were a monster too.'

1. THE MAGICK SYSTEM
- I'm so glad that the magick system is uncomplicated. As the story goes, I come to understand how the magick works; they need to have an object to store the magick, like a gemstone and craft a curse into it. The gemstone that is filled with curse can be used for offensive or defensive based on its function. When the gemstone runs out of magick, it needs to be refilled. Also, curses have different levels, and the higher the level, the more powerful the curse is. All of the curses has simple name which makes it easy to know what its function is, for example 'Shrouded from Sight' and 'The Reaper's Embrace'.

2. THE CHARACTERS
- The story is told by 4 different POVs from 4 different families. The Lowe, the Macaslan, the Grieve and the Thorburn. From each of their POVs, history and their family's tradition are told. We had a glimpse of how they had been raised and how it affected their perception and confidence for the tournament. I love how every characters has their own soft spot and kindness which lead them to not immediately fight against each other when the tournament starts.
-Alistair Lowe really love his brother, the only person who understands and helps him go through the nightmare told by the grandmother. He would fight anyone who dare mess with his brother, just to protect him. He was told to be a monster, but is that all he is?
- Isobel Macaslan was left to choose between her mother side or her father's. She doesn't want to be named 'champion' of her family but she has to accept all of the attention for her to feel like she belong somewhere.
- Gavin Grieve wants to rewrite the history where the Grieves family is always the first one to die. He wants everyone to see that he hasn't give up and is willing to sacrifice anything in order to be the last one standing. He's going to fight against all odds and be the one to slay the Lowe.
- Briony Thorburn knows that she will be chosen as the 'champion' for her family. She has longed for the day to finally carve her name on the Pillars and be the winner. But little did she know that things may not be on her side.

3. THE STORYLINE
- It is well-written. That sounds like an understatement... Let me say it. THE STORYLINE IS SO GOOD! It is slow at first because the tournament hasn't started yet and all family are preparing their champion. But when the time has come, I get thrilled. I was shocked mostly by everything that happened in the story. Just when I thought things will get better, it takes turn for the worst. I just can't get a rest! I'm literally jumping around because I'm so nervous for what will happen. I keep questioning, "What in the world just happen here? How come it turns out like this?" What I didn't expect the most is how it would end. All of them clearly hadn't been the same person as they was before, and their goals has changed. I've also read some review that said this book reminds them of The Hunger Games and honestly, I agree! But, what makes this more exciting is the fact that it has magic and dark history.

Overall, this is a really great experience. I am so delighted that I was given the chance to read this book and now I'm "patiently" waiting for the sequel. I really want to know where this road will lead them!

'...if the families compete in the tournament to win magick and glory, why, then, does it feel like a punishment?'

This book promised to be a magical, more violent and even darker version of The Hunger Games and it definitely delivered.
All of Us Villains takes place in Ilvernath, the last remaining city with high magick. This high magick is maintained by a terrible curse; every generation, teenagers from seven powerful families compete to the death for control of the magick. But this year there’s a twist the families have never encountered before. After a salacious tell-all book was published, the whole world now knows about the horrible competition and the town is flooded with reporters, tourists and protestors all adding to the pressure placed on the shoulders of the families’ champions. This is a thrilling and magical tale of love, friendship and family that really took me by surprise!
The writing hooked me from the very beginning. It was really captivating and alluring. It wasn’t exactly flashy or lyrical but it has so much phrasing that stuck with me immediately.
The story was told through multiple POVs which I really enjoyed. I found myself equally interested and invested in each different storyline and character which is really rare for me. There were so many twists and turns along the way that kept things feeling fast-paced and high stakes.
The writing and setting lended themselves to creating such a great atmospheric and mysterious vibe that made for a perfect fall read. The magic system was really interesting with divide between common and high magick with how they were used inside and outside of the competition. The surreptitious use of high magick combined with great world building made for an absolutely enchanting and spell-binding book.
I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book! This one was left really open-ended with no solid conclusion so I’m expecting the sequel to pick up right where this left off.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the authors and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC copy and I am happy to leave this review.

All of Us Villains is a dark, emotional tale about seven teenagers at the center of a lethal curse over their families and small town. Told in multiple POVs, we witness the discord and struggle they go through in trying to make sense of the situation they are thrust into and themselves.

The POV characters are deep in motivations and wounds that drive them to succeed despite the odds. At the same time that they are fighting one another for their lives, they are exploring relationships and examining themselves. Because this is a first in a series, we watch them progress and figure out what they need to do to save themselves, but not resolve the situation, yet. I will be looking forward to any follow-up books!

The world is loosely based on present day, but with enough magical differences to make it new and exciting. Magic is an everyday part of this world. The curse that prevents all but one family from holding the power over the strongest form of magic was kept a secret until just before the story begins. Now there are 'paparazzi' crawling all over to cover the story of the curse and watch as it plays out. The many threads of intrigue and family solidarity make for a complex plot with many twists and turns.

All of Us Villains is solidly paced and keeps the reader engaged with the movement between characters. Because they are all in the situation together, wondering what the others are up to builds tension all the time. I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to YA readers, especially those who like a bit of a dark shade to their stories.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
This book was amazing! The characters, the plot, the romance were all on point! I really enjoyed all the different POVs I find it so fun to see what different characters are thinking, feeling etc. I love books with some sort of competition and this one does not disappoint!
I would definitely recommend to a friend :)

This book was SO good. I was hooked right from the start. The POV switches were done very well and they helped keep the pace of the story going. I thought it moved fast, which was good because there was tension building all over the place with every POV becoming more and more detailed with every switch. I found myself rooting for pretty much every main character because I'm a sucker for suffering MCs. I just felt for them all because they all had something that made them someone to root for. They're all going to do their best to stay alive through their circumstances and their relationships are so interesting and at times just plain complicated; between each other, and their familial relationships.
The magic system was new and intriguing to me as well. I liked that the magic was easily attainable and common to everyone and that it was just part of life. I really enjoyed the history to this magical world, the country, and of course the seven families.
I also think that one thing done very well was that the protagonists were very well-written in that they were well-rounded, they were all gray in some way. They truly were all villains and I personally can't wait for this book to come out.

Thank you SO MUCH to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was one of my most anticipated books this year and while it wasn't quite what I expected it was full of grey morality and chaos and AHHH I cannot freaking wait for book 2 seriously, that ending??

The world building and magic system are so cool and well planned out. I love the idea behind the tournament and the champions and what the whole thing entails. I felt very slightly robbed as there was a relationship I was rooting for which got smashed to pieces by what felt like an insta-love connection but I'm not sure how both of those relationship possibilities will fare in the sequel considering how the book ended so i'm not giving up hope entirely..

Also I would die for Alistair Lowe. Just saying.

Magick and Mayhem!

In the city of Ilvernath, there was a well of high magick which was thought to be gone from the earth. In each generation a champion was chosen from each of the seven cursed families. The tournament and the vein of high magick were a secret until last year when someone from one of the seven families wrote a tell all book about it and now the reporters and cursemongers have descended upon the town. Those chosen champions fought in a tournament to the death and the winner bestowed his family with the right to control the high magick.

Allistair Lowe - the Lowe family wins 2 out of every 3 tournaments and Allistair is the favorite to win. The Lowes are hated by all in Ilvernath, though Allistair and his brother Hendry often sneak out of their mansion and go into Ilvernath to get away, to drink and to see what goes on in town. Allistair is a villain but wants to win so that Hendry doesn’t have to mourn him.

Isobel Macaslan - when the reporters and cursemongers came to town not long after the book, “A Tradition of Tragedy” was released, they immediately named Isobel as the champion often Macaslan family and she became an unwitting media darling. Though her family hadn’t yet named her as their champion it was pretty much a done deal.

Gavin Grieve - the Grieve family were the bad name in town. They were usually the first to die in the tournament and no spellmaker has ever allied with the Grieve family. Though Gavin had made a point to study hard, lift weights and prepare himself for the tournament as best he could, he was at a severe disadvantage because he basically had to train himself.

Briony Thorburn - she knows she is the best choice in her family to be the champion. Her family has a series of trials to find out who is worthy of being the family champion but when it comes down to the last trial, she finds a corrupt government has made a deal with her family and her sister is chosen over her.

“He tilted his head up, stared into the hazy sky. In less than two weeks, those clouds would turn the crimson color of high magick, like a red-tinged shroud draped over Ilvernath, and the tournament would begin. The Blood Veil would lighten a little bit with every champion’s death, until at last, when only one remained, true day and night would return and seemingly wash all the blood away, just like that.?”

I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Hunger games with magic indeed.

A deadly curse takes place with every new generation in Ilvernath. Seven champions are selected from seven families, who must fight to the death in order to win exclusive control over high magick for their families - the most powerful resource in the world. It's told from four POV's from four champions. We learn their desires, traumas, agendas, vendetta's, clouding who I wanted to win, while getting frustrating at others for their decisions. Each character is morally grey - they have no choice but to be.

All of Us Villains was addictive, after five chapters I couldn't put it down, and finished it in one sitting. I loved the writing style so much, it beckoned me into the story and made me want to keep reading. I did expect more villainy, however, it ended so strongly, with so many intersecting points marking the descent into a villain. I do wish it was darker, but it is classified as young adult, which may have stopped deeper exploration into darker, more eerie themes.

I don't give 5 stars too often, but this book deserves it. It's that bloody good.

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Teen and Netgalley for the ARC 🥰

I’m a simple person. I see descriptions of a book that say a The Hunger Games type competition with magic and Game of Thrones family dynamics, I read it. No questions asked.

Makin’ Magic

Magic is my literary crack. So, when a book has good magic going on, it gets major brownie points. The magic system in All of Us Villains is interesting. Sure, there are foggy elements, but while I do need more explanation than ‘it’s magic’, I don’t always require a complete scientific breakdown for a system to work. Here, spells & curses are crafted using recipes with specific ingredients and either common or high magic. After, they’re placed inside a vessel, e.g. a ring, until they’re cast by the holder. Spells have different power classes and this impacts their difficulty to craft and cast. Those made using high magic are far stronger, bumping up their class, which is why control of the town’s supply is so desirable. Here, magic fantastically walks the line between requiring planning/skill and still being flexible enough to use quickly in intense situations. You can tell the authors spent time thinking about how it would function within their world and this is great considering how crucial it is to the story.

I should mention though, when it comes to the world-building beyond this, things are hazy in spots. It can be difficult to understand how the broader world functions beyond the competition. This is especially the case when you consider the tell-all book revealing the competition to the world.

Let’s Get Ready to Rumble

AoUV spends a good amount of time leading up to its competition. As a result, the book has the space to properly establish each of its major characters, their families, and the tension between them. Yet, it doesn’t linger long enough to kill the anticipation. The competition kicks off around halfway, at which point I was excited for some fast, furious and brutal magical conflict. However, after a few pages, the pacing slows down a lot and focus shifts towards alliances, collecting artifacts, and the personal obstacles facing certain characters. While I didn’t mind this exactly, I wish there’d been a couple more actively aggressive competitors present to raise the stakes for the others earlier on. In other words, there aren’t any deaths for some time, so don’t expect a bloodbath right from the get-go. Although, things do eventually pick up again making for some exciting scenes, one involving a giant sea dragon and another a river of blood.

Alongside the champions fighting it out, the arena also has a few magical extras to keep things interesting – landmarks and artifacts. Landmarks act as bases of operations or strongholds for whoever claims them first. Each has its own unique benefits, so champions need to strategise wisely about which to target. Then we have artifacts. These appear in the competition at random times and bestow special abilities upon the user, such as a cloak that protects the wearer from offensive spells. I loved the idea of these (especially where one’s appearance would force champions into conflict to try and get to it first) and am keen to see more of them in the sequel.

Break the Curse

You might (not be) surprised to hear that the book also involves a ‘break the curse’ plotline. I can’t say much because of spoilers, but my feelings are mixed. I really like the direction being taken into the sequel with regards to the plot itself. However, there’s a connected subplot that arises late in the book which I found frustrating as it seems like it’s only introduced to force a conflict between two characters.

Champions with Something to Prove

For me, one of the best parts of AoUV was its characters. The book is written in limited third person from the perspective of four of the seven champions, and each has their own distinct personality, family backstory, and goals. Our cast consists of: Isobel, a talented spellcrafter pressured into representing the shady Macaslan family after being named champion by the media; Alistair, of the powerful and sinister Lowe family, raised to win from birth and taught to be a monster to survive; Briony, who has always dreamed of being the Thorburn champion and achieving hero status by winning; and lastly, Gavin, the champion of the weak and dismissed Grieves who is desperate to prove himself and regain respect for his family, whatever it takes. All four were compelling leads and I really enjoyed spending time with them. Still, I can’t help but wish they’d been slightly more “villainous” at times to increase the twists and drama.
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All of Us Villains is a fun and engaging YA fantasy read that I wasn’t expecting to enjoy as much as I did. While there are things that could be improved upon, I highly recommend picking this up if it interests you. I know I’ll be looking out for the sequel next year to see how everything wraps up.

4 STARS

**Thank you to Netgalley & Tor for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review**

A land under a curse, a town now infamous for its deadly families and now it's time for the games to begin ! Seven families always vying with each other to win and control the High Magick that has long been sought after in this world were everything has a price. Our journey begins as the Champions of each family are chosen to willingly enter the battlefield under the Blood Moon and quite literally take control of the magical artefacts set loose and annihilate the opposition. Yes I do mean actually kill the other Champions to release the land from the oppressive conditions but should history really repeat itself or could there be another way ?
We get to know some characters much more than others so you would expect me to say it's easy to cheer for certain ones but actually I didn't find any of them particularly likeable but that's because they have been brought up under this twisted belief that what they do is as necessary as it's inevitable. It's very easy to dislike and revile even those who believe they act for the best because their actions change the narrative and it's a twisted journey as they flirt with both loyalty and change. Perhaps that is the crux of this first instalment because as a reader I changed my opinion on certain characters as they blundered through this travesty of tests . This is clearly aimed at those who enjoy YA fiction such as the Hunger Games but has its own unique setting and motivation. Easy to read but no less disturbing for all that these characters go through.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

In Ilvernath, seven families compete for control of the high magick. Every 20 years a champion is chosen for each family, these seven teenagers will be destined to fight each other until all but one die. The survivor's family will be the only family able to see and use high magick.

The book follows the point of view of four characters who will have to do with the Tournament in some way. This thing greatly influences the narrative, which is mainly focused on the growth and changes that the various characters face. Each character is iconic, well defined and unforgettable, I loved them all!

The one thing I wanted to know more about is general worldbuilding. What we know about it is discovered by going forward with the story, not immediately, and we only learn what is strictly necessary for the story (it's still a worldbuilding that I liked). However, I think this is a consequence of the choice to stick to the point of view of the various characters, who, in fact, do not need explanations about their own world.

In conclusion, I really liked this book very much, especially for the turn it takes at the end, for sure I will continue to think about these characters for a long time.

P.S. the first volume is not out yet and I already absolutely need the second one :,)

All of Us Villains is the first in a new dark fantasy series, that has elements inspired by The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner. It’s not hard to see why this might appeal to fantasy lovers, me being one of them. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the second half of the book more than the first half since the first half was a lot more on the slower side and the second half was more about the actual tournament. Since there were multiple pov’s, it was a little difficult for me to be able to establish some kind of emotional connection to the characters, but i’m hoping that i’ll be able to do that when I read the sequel. I have to say though, Alistair Lowe is definitely the one i’m the most intrigued by.

Overall, it was super exciting to read and i’m absolutely dying to read the sequel. I cant wait to see what the authors have in store for us next !!

I was first attracted to this book by its premise…salacious tell-all book, magick, and tournament to the death? Count me in! But it was the characters that really drew me in. The players of this game, willing or not, were definitely the highlight of the story. As I was getting to know each personality, I loved them, then hated them, then loved them again…Now, for most I'm not sure where I stand. Let's just say it's complicated.

The world building was interesting, and the way it was presented, not all at once but slowly over the course of the book, kept me wanting more. I was quite pleasantly surprised (you just never know with a new-to-you author) how much I liked this book.

This was a roller coaster ride! It took me so long to get into it. Why? Maybe the beginning was slow or the characters seemed too melodramatic. I was also under the impression that this book would be about clever and devilishly handsome villains with tragic backstories, but what I got was vulnerable and self-conscious teenagers ..Did I finish the book with the same opinion? No! Once things start rolling, I couldn't put the book down.

This book is great if you're someone who likes battle royale style action. It's also a great read for those who like books about rebelling against the system! That's right, this book is punk! ☠️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

***** SPOILERS *****

"You Fell in Love with the Victors of the Hunger Games . Now Prepare to meet The Villains of The Blood Veil ."

I came across this title on GoodReads, and instantly added to want to read. But was lucky enough to get an ARC of this excellent book. I didn't pick it up for a while, and kicked myself after finishing for not picking it up earlier.
The town of Ilvernath has dark and deep secrets . Some victors come to kill , full of evil that has divided for years now. Some come for destiny, knowing there is no other way . But one comes to change the rules of the game forever.
Just like one victor , I may be fully intrigued by a certain Alistair Lowe , and I was drawn to his character and his complex demeanor . I love how I enjoyed some characters and hated others, for me that always makes for a great book . There was so much I liked about this book, but I loved the idea of using magic, in modern day , in a tournament , meant to kill . I don't know what that says about me, but my love for this book trumps all.

The ending killed me, like literally made me say WTH outloud. I almost threw the book across the room, but reread the last chapter 3 times to make sure I read it correctly. I can not wait until we can get the second book, to find out how our remaining victors are handling their current situations.

I do have to say, Alistair Lowe better be ok !!!

This freaking book was AMAZING! Like, I kind of want to go start it over. I think there are so many amazing details that I will enjoy reading it a second time. Also...when is the second book coming out? I need it right now!!

Okay, this is a mix of Hunger Games and maybe The Craft? It's got all the magical aspects that I love! The magic is so well created. I understand the spells, how they are made, and how they work. I felt the author did an amazing job of creating the world here. Then there's this secret fight to the death every 20 years that makes this story addictive. All of these characters bring an element of something special to the story. I loved that it was narrated by multiple people. It helped create the full view of the story. And I felt connected to multiple people.

There are so many surprises in this magical story that my jaw just kept on dropping. I loved the creative things that happen, and I cannot wait to see what happens in the second story!

I would highly recommend this for readers that enjoy characters that are morally gray in a magical environment!

I was disappointed by this book. The plot was so interesting and very reminiscent of The Hunger Games, one of my very favorite series. It was dark and broody and should have been right up my alley.

But it fell very flat for me. I found myself slogging through, unable to continue several times as the plot jumped from character to character. There were too many unnecessary POV's. This book could have been told entirely from Alistair's POV and would have made for a much better read. But it was just jarring, jumping from person to person, not knowing who to root for, not being particularly invested in any specific character. It jumped into the tournament too fast, and the tragedies were brushed over instead of really pushing the emotion of that moment.

And the ending was one of my pet peeves. This book did not end, it just stopped. Each book should have it's own individual conclusion. I love a book that ends in a cliffhanger, but this didn't END on anything, it just outright stopped mid-chapter, as if the rest of the book was just missing. I will not be reading the sequel.

I’m speechless. What a ride!! I’m in shock. I’m in awe. I’m in love. The talent of these wonderful authors! For anyone that’s a fan of dark, gritty fiction or even just dystopian YA (I’m thinking Vicious, The Hunger Games, The Darkest Minds kinda vibes) then this is it. The morally grey characters, the magic, the tournament - all of it was so good! I would've liked for the system of magic to be explained a little better (specifically the High Magic and why the Tournament started in the first place) but I'm fully expecting to see this explored in a sequel. 'All of Us Villains' is honestly a masterpiece and will from now on always be a novel I recommend. If this isn’t a bestseller, multi-award-winning, modern classic then I will EAT MY EAR. Whoo 😮‍💨 Anyway I loved it and am anxiously awaiting MORE. 😭 BIGGEST thank u to NetGalley for gracing me with an arc 🙏🏻