*review will be published on Nicole's Book Thoughts on 4/13.

All of Us Villains follows several teenagers on their quest for the strongest magic in their world while they fight to the death in a sealed magic competition. When I first heard people talking about it, they were pitching it as a darker version on The Hunger Games and I said SIGN ME UP. To be completely honest I didn't LOVE The Hunger Games. I thought it suffers from pacing issues and I just didn't have enough opinions on any of the characters to want to keep reading, but I had such high hopes for this. I mean how could I not? It's got backstabbing, characters who don't care who they hurt, everything I need.

What I liked:
This book does pacing extremely well. I was flipping pages so quickly. I didn't want to stop I just wanted to know what would happen next. The competition didn't start until way later than I expected, but I honestly wasn't mad. I enjoyed seeing the characters prepare for it. It was something I think worked really well, especially since it puts you directly into the minds of the characters and you can see their thought processes. And the characters work to secure their spot. There's one in particular, Gavin, who I thought was immaculate. I honestly would have preferred if this book came from only his perspective. He was awful, mean, and didn't care about anybody. And that's what I wanted. Give me evil!

What I disliked:
Honestly the rest of the characters were where I think this book fell short for me. I hated the romance. I personally believe it had no place in this book, and I know I'm in the minority on that, but I couldn't do it. They progressed way too fast, and kept throwing me out of the story. The only redeeming part was their ending. That I appreciated. But the other characters I feel fell flat. Both Alistair and Briony felt like they had so much potential but were left to be caricatures and just a plot device rather than an actual character.

Would I Recommend?
Yes! It's definitely a different type of book than what I've found to be popular. I think it has great potential, and I think the sequel will fix some of the problems I had. So if you like YA and want to get into dark books, this is your perfect choice!

This book is amazing!!! What I enjoyed the most about this book was the intricate characterization. Each of the seven chosen "champions", along with many other characters, were so well fleshed out throughout the length of the novel that I never had trouble mixing any of them up--despite the rather large cast. Everything from the individual family dynamics, the feelings of the competitors themselves, and the unique magical system was something I couldn't get enough of. I never felt as though something was missing, although I always wanted MORE. (This, to me, made a novel I would eagerly re-read, and one I needed to have a physical copy of). I highly recommend it!

Hunger Games but make it darker and make them villains. What does that leave? A great book! What more could you ask for?

I really loved the world-building and characters within this book.

I cannot wait for book 2 to come out!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Teen for the review copy!

I liked this book, and I can tell that my students will love it. It's got Hunger Games vibes, but also some darker magic. They will eat all of that up.

It took me a little while to get into it. It felt like the introduction of all of that characters took longer that I thought it would and made the beginning slower. Once the Tournament started, it was fast-paced and exciting, with a will-they, won't-they romance that had me fully engrossed. But I was frustrated again but the abrupt cliff-hanger ending, especially after the very surprising turn of events at the end of the story. I know this is the first book in a series, but dramatic, no-resolution cliff-hangers are unnecessary and made me irritated by the end of the story.

I don't doubt that kids will pick this up and be excited by it, if they are willing to wait for the sequel to come out.

I went into this book not realizing that there would be a sequel and now, I can't wait! This book is like a banana--peeling away at each different character as we go along. The Tournament is like a game of chess. Different characters plotting what Landmarks they will 'seize' first, who the weaker players are, what magic they will cast. And its interesting, too, that there are 7 champions and we are only seeing 4 POV's. I was spell-bound by this book and will absolutely be picking up more by these authors!

4.5 stars.

A dark & magical Hunger Games. I needed this book as soon as I knew it was available. A pile of teenage magicians, most of them wealthy and privileged, vying to be the one left standing in a mass duel to the death.

There was a bit of a slow start to this one as the history of the people was established, but once things got rolling, I was chomping at the bit. Aaaaand once again I went into a read without recognizing/remembering that it is part of a series. So things really got rolling, I was deep in a reading groove, and then I realized that it was going to end without ending. So...I'm going to need the sequel like...now.

This was such a fun read. I loved the grit of it and the different personalities of the characters. I loved the tension and the ruthlessness of the tournament. There were admittedly a lot of characters to keep track of in the beginning and I do admit to mixing a few of them up every once in a while, but I think I have a good handle on it now. I also admit to consistently comparing these characters to those in The Hunger Games as I read, but I can't be blamed here. There are definitely pieces of these characters who resemble Finnick, Johanna, and Peeta among others. There are some fantastic character interactions and relationships and yes...they are all villains. It's fabulous.

The magic system is interesting, especially as it relies on a combination of innate skill and purchased spells. I found that a bit quirky, but it works. High stakes, lots of betrayal, and some pretty dark atmosphere rounded this baby out and I am a fan. I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

A deadly tournament will determine who wields the world's only high magick. The world thought the high magick was gone until someone revealed the city of Ilvernath's deadly secret in the anonymously authored book A Tradition of Tragedy.
Instead, seven families are enslaved in a curse tournament, with a child being born every 20 years to compete for exclusive control of the curse.
Alistair (of the sinister and most winning Lowe family), paparazzi darling and talented spell maker Isobel (of the Macaslan family, who are viewed as distasteful vultures), brains-and-brawn underdog Gavin (of the Grieve family, a lost cause that's never produced a winner), and born-for-heroism Briony (of the Grieve family, a lost cause that's never produced a winner) (of the respected Thorburn family). Exquisite worldbuilding shines before to the tournament's commencement as the characters navigate family stories and outsiders attempting to influence the competition, as well as dealing with the spellmakers and cursemakers who equip the champions. One cursemaker in particular instils doubts in the minds of the aspiring champions about whether the tournament's curse can be altered—or even broken. The participants vacillate between heroism and villainy, especially once the tournament begins and their preconceived notions of themselves and each other are put to the test in deadly conflict. Finley is the only one of the seven champions with dark skin and curly black hair, whereas the others are all pale; there is ethnic variety and casual queer inclusion among the background characters.The cliffhanger ending will seem like a horrible curse since it is so amazing..

The Hunger Games, but make it magic. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the second in the series. The magical families are ruthless when it comes to winning the source of their powers, and there is no sacrifice they are not willing to make. The seven champions must fight to the death over the wellspring of high magic. It’s a ruthless, bitter fight, but we come to empathize with the champions throughout the book. At their core, the characters might not be the villains the world thinks them to be.

I really loved the hunger games with dark magic vibes!!! The atmosphere was phenomenal in this, and I’m super intrigued to see what comes next in the series. I think that there were a few things within the story that just didn’t make sense/couldn’t have happened in the way that it did (and it can’t be attributed to magic either) so for that reason I’m bumping it one star but it’s a very high 4 for me!

Battles to the death, magical wellsprings and fierce characters. This novel was jam packed with action, a beautifully built world and a menagerie of ruthlessness and dare I say, love? So. Freaking. Good. I look forward to All of Our Demise!

I waited for this book for well over a year - it was my most anticipated fantasy novel of 2021. I was a little....disappointed? in the direction the story took. But that's my own fault. I get far too attached to the characters in books, and the very nature of this book is that you shouldn't get attached. THat being said, it was a unique concept and I'd reccomned this book to anyone looking for something out of the ordinary.

I'm mad that I read this whole book waiting for it to get better than just "Meh" and it never did. Sadly, All of Us Villains is just plain old over-hyped.

Such a great story with complex characters and an intriguing premise. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel!

I received a copy of this via netgalley.

This book drew me in with how it was described. It took me a little bit to get in to it but once it did it had me hooked, will probably read the sequel.

Deliciously evil and one wild ride, All of Us Villains fills the void left by Hunger Games and transforms it into an all-consuming black hole of rot and villainy.

Will absolutely be recommending this text to my students!

Thank you to Tor Teen and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

We have come back around to the Hunger Games era, but now it's fantasy, and I couldn't be more in love! From the moment I heard the premise of this book, I knew I had to read it, and it definitely did not disappoint!

I think the best thing about this book is the variations in the characters and their motives. Alistair was constantly tugging at my heart, Briony had me cringing, Isobel had me wishing someone would just listen, and Gavin had me rooting for the underdog. All of them were so real in their own ways, and their backgrounds really brought them to life and gave them the kind of depth I haven't seen in a long time.

And the plot twists toward the end were amazing! I did not even begin to guess the major one, and I absolutely loved it! It gave so much more depth and gravity.

My only complaint was that it took me a while to get into the book and really get hooked. I had trouble at first keeping up with all the characters, and sometimes I still got mixed up with Isobel and Briony. But once the tournament started, I didn't want to put it down at all!

If you're missing the good ole days of the Hunger Games, or if you're looking for a fantasy book that will pull you into an amazing world, then you won't want to miss this book!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

This book is about 7 champions from 7 families who are chosen for a regular tournament, kill everyone, remain standing and your family gets to posses high magick.

This book has multiple POVs and it made it hard for me to be motivated to pick it up since I didn’t liked every character and felt that their part dragged on.
The overall idea & environment is very interesting and unique in the way. The pacing was okay, well since there were some parts I didn’t enjoy but it wasn’t too fast and not too slow.
I really liked the magic system, the unique touches to it and all the curses and spells
and the stories mixture of darkness, adventure, fantasy, & a little bit of romance
Most of the characters were very captivating and I enjoyed their dynamics & story (alistair lowe especially) and I have a soft spot for morally grey characters which was a plus
It had parts that actually shocked me and the ending (while it took a different turn than I expected) but I’m overall exited to read the sequel !

Wow! Just Wow! This book was so amazing, and exceeded my expectations by a ton! Please, if you haven't read this book please do, especially if you love morally grey characters. I cannot wait for the next book to be released!

Such a beautifully done book and I can't wait to see what's next! Great for dystopian fans without being a recycled plot.

Can't wait for two!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was dark and gilded, in a way that made it feel rich with magic and beauty. The characters seemed complex and interesting, such as Alistar, one of the main characters, and he had motivations and hidden depths that I wasn't originally expecting from a character who at first glance came off as a cliched character. That said, some of the characters were a bit unrelatable and annoying at times (I'm looking at you Gavin Grieve), and refused to admit they were wrong, even when they clearly were, which was understandable at first but got annoying fast. The use of multiple POVs was also very well-executed, and while some multiple POV books come off as clunky and pieced together, this read more smoothly than I was expecting. The worldbuilding and legend holding Ilvernath together were also stunningly and thoughtfully done, from the lore and legend mentioned about the families (especially the Lowe family) to the quotes from the famous tell-all book at the beginning of every chapter. The pacing was great, flowed well, and didn't include unnecessary scenes when the pace was slower. The story and plot were also original and interesting in a way that made every page fun and absorbing. In conclusion, this book has a great premise, decent characters, and pretty good execution. 4/5 stars from me!