4.5 out of 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I found the magic system to be fairly easy to digest but also very interesting. I would definitely say this is sort of like a magical Hunger Games except with less death.

My favourite characters were probably Isobel and Alistair, and I look forward to seeing where their storylines take them in the next book. I definitely think that Alistair is probably the most complex of the characters, and the surprise twist at the end has me excited for what will be in store for him as well as the others.

I guess my only complaint was that a lot of the time the characters didn't really feel villainous? There are definitely some surprises in the book, but most of the time they seemed like scared yet determined teenagers rather than actual villains. That being said, I'm really looking forward to seeing where the story goes and will definitely be reading the next book!

If the tributes in The Hunger Games were starving for magic, you'd have All Of Us Villains.

Every 20 or so years, the most powerful families send a representative to fight to the death for control of the highest form of magic. Are they teens? Yes. Is it an honor to eliminate the competition? Yes. Does this make them monsters? Possibly, but what the masses don't know won't hurt them.

It's a curse, but it's also a blessing...or is it? What happens when someone tells all and the participants start to question the rules?

I was hooked from the second page. This story is full of characters in my favorite shade, MORALLY GREY! Knowing that your family is training you as a sacrifice of sorts makes for some wild dysfunction. Add to that a world full of people who now see you as a celebrity monster, and you have all of the ingredients for a disaster. It's brutal and horribly sad, and I loved it.

Thank you Tor Teen and Netgalley for an eARC of 'All of Us Villains' in exchange for an honest review:

And honestly? My mind is still spinning--for whatever reason, my brain thought it was dealing with a standalone novel...and it is most definitely not! And that ending?!? What was that?!? If you are not a fan of cliffhangers and dangling uncertainly (and in shock) until the next installment...maybe wait on reading this one.

That all said, I absolutely loved this read! That pacing is quick. The storyline compelling. The characters fascinating. I am a huge 'Hunger Games' fan--and this is definitely a magic-infested Hunger Games for fantasy lovers. It is also even more complex, as you alternately follow 4 of 7 'Champions', rather than a single competitor; and each one is so incredibly layered and nuanced and not a single one is perfect or an obvious hero. These characters are all so so flawed and yet so so real! And as a result I am so so invested in continuing this story.

Definitely recommend--though I would also warn that the authors place us in a death match and do not then shy away from when that means: violence and gore and even death. Be Prepared. 4.5 STARS.

Oooookay, that was a bore. I got as far as 36% with a lot of skimming, but omg this was bad. Nothing interesting had happened yet. I was promised a bloody villainous hunger games and they take half the book to introduce the players? Yeaaaah, nope. This is not the book for me.

DNF at 36%

Holy Crap!!!

First off thank you Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was...dark, twisted, fantastical and enthralling. I wasn't sure what to fully expect going into this novel. I have read an Amanda Foody novel before but not a Christins Lynn Herman novel....and now I kind of regret that.

This is a story filled with morally gray characters, betrayal, truths, regret, lies, magick, family, friends, and loyalty. It is a book that will work your mind, you will think you have everything figured out only to find out it isn't that easy.

The characters are unique yet relatable. It's a weird feeling to me when you can relate to multiple characters all at once. Though it definitely made the reading experience more enjoyable.

I was hooked right from the beginning and am excited and patiently waiting for book two. If you love morally gray characters who are trying to do what they believe is right regardless, magick and old magick at that, The Hunger Games, and loads of unexpected truths and betrayals. Definitely give this boom a chance, you won't be disappointed!

I love a good villain! Make them awful but with a few redeeming qualities, so I’m not sure if I should love them or hate them! And wait, what’s this? All the MC’s are a bit villainous in this book? Delicious!

Written in 3rd person, multi POV, this novel was a joy to read with its polished prose. The characters were well developed and dynamic, and at times frustrating. I yelled at my kindle more than once. My understanding of the character’s motivations became a bit murky towards the end with the shifting alliances and emotional attachments. I started the book rooting for one character and by the end, I was rooting for someone else. But never Eleanor, she was deplorable.

Can’t wait to read the sequel! Villains 4 eva ❤️

I received a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I heard that this was the next Hunger Games, this book immediately became one of my most anticipated reads. As someone who enjoyed the Hunger Games, I was always craving for another book that could deliver the same rush I felt upon reading about characters competing against each other to the death. Luckily, this book gave me some of that. From the moment I saw the gorgeous cover I was excited to delve deep into it.

This book covers many POVs, something that I enjoy when reading. Personally I like knowing what every character in a book is feeling as it gives me the whole perspective of the events that are happening. I liked the suspense I was experiencing as I read this book.

One thing I do have to take note of is that although there is the word “villains” in the title, I’m not too sure if it’s the most accurate word here. I think most of the characters seem to be misunderstood people, but I wouldn’t say they’re villains to that extent. Maybe for some I can see there is the anti-hero potential. However, though this swayed me at the beginning, I still enjoyed this overall.

Would recommend others to read!

"All of Us Villains" is a great twist on the "Hunger Games" free-for-all competition. It was easy to grow attached to several of the characters, even knowing that they were all the villains. I will definitely be purchasing it for my school library, and I personally can't wait until the next book comes out - I was a bit surprised by the cliffhanger, but it definitely made me hunger for more!

Have you ever wanted a very dark story about an intensely complicated family relationships and a magical death match between a bunch of antihero teenagers with very questionable motives? Well friends, you are in luck! Foody and Herman have totally delivered on all accounts! The plot in this story is so incredibly dark and twisted, delivering some very interesting revelations from start to finish. I thought the pacing was perfectly done. I loved the build up to the curse, learning about each of the seven families and their chosen participant. Truthfully, I was surprised to find myself super invested in the personal family histories and relationships. As exciting as the violent and super action-packed competition was, I could have read an entire book on the Ilvernath elite.

What also helped really move the story along, was that we were given a POV from a few of the seven competitors. Alistair Lowe - the broody boy who plays the villain to keep others at a distance. Isobel Macaslan - the veryyy reluctant champion of a family who uses her as a media darling to drum up support. Briony Thorburn - the strongest member of her family, but suffers from a serious savior-complex. Gavin Grieves -  Gavin's family is at the very bottom in terms of prestige but he has very different plans for this tournament. Each of these main characters were different with a unique voice and personality. I never struggled to remember who was who. I also loved seeing how their interactions changed and developed over the course of the story, as the characters themselves went through personal growth. If I had to choose a favorite POV though, I think it would be a toss-up between Alistair and Gavin. They scream villain/antihero and I never knew what they were going to do next.

ike I mentioned before, this book is VERY dark. For me, that is always a bonus when it comes to YA stories, as they usually try to steer more towards cutesy and sweet. I think this more recent push to elevating YA towards heavier themes and darker settings is much more in my wheelhouse. But with that being said, if you are a little squeamish or just prefer your books to have an overall upbeat tone, then you may want to skip this one. Villains is dark, it's violent, and the majority of the characters aren't good people. Basically what I'm saying is, it's the perfect book to pick up in time for Halloween. 

This is one of the rare times where I can't really think of any issues I had with a book. The general plot of the book may seem very similar to other novels (namely The Hunger Games), but it was done in such a unique way that I didn't even notice it while I was reading. The setting was fantastic, the characters were interesting, and I am very VERY much here to find out how it all ends. I would like to send a quick prayer to the book gods for a speedy release date for the sequel. I've been very good this year (HA!) and deserve for my dream to come true.... Wait, none of y'all believe me?! Drat.

That was an intense read. Initially I was reading the book looking for a heroine but guess what - there are none. They are all villains. I didn't realize it was going to be part of a series so that was disappointing but overall a very quick and exciting read.

Amazing. The world building was absolutely perfect and you really understood the background to the tournament and the families. I really wish we could get the book that gave away all the families skeletons. The amazing writing really made the characters come to life and made it incredibly hard to choose who to root for and who to wish would lose. I enjoyed the amount of POVs we got and how different each character struggled throughout the story. I was hoping for more magical combat with the comparison to GOT/hunger games but I appreciate everything we did get in this book. I can't wait to continue this series and very excited to see where it heads.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy.

Unfortunately, I don’t think this one was for me. Or maybe, it just wasn’t for me right now. I’m (sadly) a heavy mood reader and I started this one definitely NOT in the right mind frame. I will say, I did really enjoy the writing itself and I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

All of Us Villains is one of my most highly anticipated books this year, so I was ecstatic to receive an ARC! All of Us Villains surpassed my expectations! Every twenty years, the Blood Moon rises and the Blood Veil surrounds the town of Ilvernath. Seven families are bound to compete in a tournament where the victor is the last one left alive. Every family and champion views the tournament differently, though all are obsessed with the prize of controlling high magic: the most powerful resource in the world. And what was once a secret tournament has become public knowledge due to a tell-all book, raising the stakes even higher.

All of Us Villains is a dark and exquisite story about ambition, what it means to be a villain, and how far one is willing to go to achieve power. All of Us Villains is filled with characters who claim to be villainous and those who claim to be heroes, but no one is exactly as they seem. I stayed up all night to read it! The pacing is excellent. The world-building is complex and incredibly well-thought out, especially how curses and magic work. The system of magic is very interesting- the type of magic that you’ll wish was real so you could try it out yourself! I also loved how the authors really trust the readers to put together the pieces of the world/tournament.

I felt truly invested in all the main characters and their reasons for participating in the tournament. They are morally gray and determined to achieve their own goals. Alistair and Isobel were my favorites, but I love them all! There is great LGBTQ+ representation, which I’m excited to see even more of in future books. I’m so ready for the sequel after that ending! If you enjoyed The Curse Workers, The Lynburn Legacy, or The Hunger Games- this is a book you should check out. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves morally gray characters,
dangerous competitions, and magic that comes with a heavy price.

All of Us Villains releases November 9, 2021. Thank you so much to Amanda Foody, Christine Lynn Herman, Tor Teen, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For the publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc

Dark and violent fight for dominance and control of MagicK for the next twenty years. Interesting and captivating characters and twisty story line. A great read for fans of the Hunger Games.

Hunger Games meets magic in All of Us Villains. The characters were compelling the story fascinating, but left something to be desired. I was still waiting for the climax when the book ended. I assume there will be a second book so I’m hoping that the second one will have the actual plot of the book.

All of Us Villains is pitched as a new take on the classic story The Hunger Games. Instead of two tributes from twelve districts, seven powerful families pick one member each to compete. There is magick, complex relationships, and plot twists at every turn. All of Us Villains is a book you will not be able to put down.

This book was amazing from start to finish. I loved getting to know the characters, due to the multiple points of view, and the cool magick system. I’m highly anticipating the second book!

OOOOH THIS WAS GOOD. The moment I saw the cover I was hoping this would be a 5 star, and it's certainly a 4.5 and very possibly a 5!!!

The concept of this book is literally the Hunger Games with magic, in a world quite similar to our own. I was hooked from page 1 - the writing style is just simple enough to propel you through the story but just flowery enough that it builds the atmosphere of the world and the competition. I also got SUPER attached to each character, I think the introductions were done really well.

I can't wait for this series to continue and I pre-ordered this as a perfect birthday present for myself!

3.5 stars

Billed as a darker version of Hunger Games with magic, I was instantly intrigued! With a premise of 7 magic-weilding families send a teenage champion into a tournament to fight to the death for control over high magic, I was expecting and action-packed wild emotional ride.

The magic system was definitely interesting, but I still wasn't clear what differentiated the levels of skill each weirder possessed. Like what enabled one person to cast a level 8 spell, but another couldn't? I don't know, we were just told X person couldn't cast higher than a 5 level spell. Okay.

The story is told from various POVs of some of the champions, and it took about 40% of the book to get through the various back story before the actual tournament began. And once it began, it was mostly about angst and character relationships as opposed to action.

And of all the characters, I feel only 1 had depth, and his motivations appropriately changed in response to the changing circumstances. Everyone else just pretty much stuck to the original plan, and held to their preconceived beliefs, even when faced with contradicting facts, even when given an alternate opportunity which could result in all of them surviving, as opposed to just the victor. Just, everyone wanted power to rule their town? It was just seemed like such a shallow motivation for teenagers to embrace to kill each other over.

The action finally kicked in at the 75% mark, although it felt rushed at that point, but the twists were very interesting too. Also, it ends on a cliffhanger, with a big reveal at the end.

Overall, this book was okay, but I felt it lacked significant depth to the world and to the characters. I do want to finish the series, and I'm hoping maybe that's where we'll get to see some of the character growth and world-building I feel is lacking.

Arc received from Netgalley for an honest review. - 4.5 stars

Villainy in the modern age was a delicate balance

In a world of magic and curses, the most secret curse becomes world news when a tell-all book is published about Ilvernath. 7 kids from the 7 major families duel in a once-a-generation battle to determine which family takes control of the high magic vein running through the town. Now, with the government involved and the eyes of the world watching, the tournament is already different than any previous one. Will this generations competitors fight for the high magic or fight the curse itself to free them all.

This book has it all! One bed trope, enemies to maybe lovers, morally grey, magic, and gothic vibes. The initial pace of the story is a bit slow because of the alternating perspectives but it really picks up.

The four characters that the book centers around have very clear motivations and struggles. They're likable for the most part and all verrrrrry morally questionable. But isn't that part of the fun?

My main complaint was mostly with the pacing, it was slow going to start as the authors had to set up four different complex storylines. I also did not realize it was a series so the cliff hanger was very unexpected! Overall, I loved it and I highly recommend if you're a fan of dark tales.

All of Us Villains was a surprisingly enjoyable book.

I was intrigued by the premise, "You Fell In Love With The Victors of The Hunger Games.
Now Prepare To Meet The Villains of The Blood Veil."

It's the first YA fantasy book I've read in a long time, but it was dark and twisted and everything I wanted it to be. A shocking revelation towards the beginning of the book hooked me (and also disturbed me). I don't want to say too much more, but if you enjoy dark fantasy and don't mind reading a few gory death scenes, I promise you'll like this book!