Member Reviews

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!

Was this review helpful?

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!

Was this review helpful?

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 !

Was this review helpful?

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!

Was this review helpful?

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!

Was this review helpful?

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!

Was this review helpful?

I think this book could have been great. It was advertised really well being that ‘magical hunger games’ kind of vibe, but for whatever reason the book just didn’t do it for me. I attempted the book twice and when going at it for the third time I pushed through that barrier and was just a little underwhelmed by the ending.

I definitely think there’s an audience that will love this book but I unfortunately just wasn’t one of them

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to Tor Teen and the authors for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic concept, pretty well done. But I don’t read YA often so I had some issues based on my personal taste (would have loved this to be an adult book).

Objective issues: first half slow paced, second half way too fast to the point that every character seems to be changing their opinions and goals every five pages. Ending was a bit odd because I’m not used to reading books in a series that don’t at least tie up part of the plot arc in each book. It seemed to stop right in the middle of the story.

Still really enjoyed it though; will definitely read the next instalment.

Was this review helpful?

This was such an interesting and gripping book. I really enjoyed the magic system - I enjoy when there is a clear system of rules, but I enjoy even more when a character or characters find a way to swerve around the rules and manipulate things in their favor. Morality? Grey. Loved it. The complexity of the relationships between all these kids caught up in small town and familial politics really pulls at your heart while you watch them make horrible and impulsive choices. I'm very excited to get my hands on the sequel!

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book. I liked all the tropes and characters. I found I was gripped from the first chapter. I wanted to know more about this tournament and these young magicians. Looking forward to the sequel!

Was this review helpful?

Sold me with Hunger Games and magic but for sure stayed for the characters. Alistair is the grumpy, tortured man of my bookish dreams. He’s right up there with my fav book baddy, Maven Calore.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book (I may or may not have binged it in a day) and am hoping the next one brings a little more villainry and ruthlessness!

Was this review helpful?

Did you ever want a book from the POV of the Careers from The Hunger Games? This book is that. It is dark and twisty and full of magic. There were a couple of jarring continuity errors that were annoying simply for taking me out of the story but overall I loved this and can't wait for the conclusion.

Was this review helpful?

The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.

Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death.

The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world--one thought long depleted.
-
This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021 and it absolutely hit the nail on the head for what it was. My only wish is that it was written and published as an adult. Foody and Herman could've really upped the ante and made this story more brutal, gruesome and high-stake, I think they could've pulled that off brilliantly and it would've worked with the story so well!!

I was hesitant with the multiple POVs to start but I ended up enjoying each perspective, I think each character had good depth and was well thought-out. I found the writing was easy to click with and I loved everything about the magic system. This book had me constantly on the edge of my seat, it was epic and gruesome and really satisfying. I think this series has some potential and I'm excited to see where the authors take it.

If you enjoy YA fantasy this should definitely be your next read. I enjoyed it so much and can't wait for the next book in 2022!!
-
Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor for an eARC of this book!

Was this review helpful?

It is almost impossible for me to express how much fun I had reading this book. This book checked off so many boxes for me and filled all m y expectations and then some. And lets not give credit to the amazing cover art as well. Highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

Honestly this one is on the marketing team. You can't title a book All of us villains, sell it as a fantasy Hunger games and then anyone who is hurt or killed happens a) by accident or b) for their own good. Not a bad YA fantasy by any means, just bland and disappointing. None of them are villains.

Was this review helpful?

Sadly this book just was not for me. I couldn't get past the broken sentences. The back and forth banter was hard to keep track of who was saying what as it wasn't really told to the reader. The story was extremely slow moving and it just could not keep my interest. This was just a scenario where the book wasn't for me but I'm certain other readers would probably enjoy it.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars out of 5 stars
The set up prior to the tournament, as we were introduced to the characters, was more intriguing than the tournament itself. I didn’t understand the tournament rules or how everything worked with the magic once the characters were in the tournament. The pacing was very slow and made it difficult to pay attention at times. The magic and its effects were somewhat difficult to understand. The characters very much carry this book and I am eager to follow them into the second book. My favorite was probably Gavin, followed by Alistair. The drama with their families is something I would love to have more insight into, stories about the past tournament champions and how the tournament worked then. It felt very Hunger Games, but more mature, and well structured.

Was this review helpful?

Well that’s like the freaking mother of all cliffhangers right there… seriously, I’ve got like whiplash from that. Gosh dang it… now I have to wait to see what happens. I don’t want to wait. Does everyone die?!?! Does anyone else die?!?!

So this was one hell of a ride. I was prepped for death, so that was inevitable, but I was still shocked every single time someone died!! That takes talent!! I also fell in love with several of these characters who are slated to die. Well, they’re pretty much all supposed to die, but ya know, I like em. I don’t want everyone to die anymore!!

The plot was so easy, kill everyone and end the battle, win the magic. But things got so involved and so emotional!! Alliances building and crumbling and characters changing right before our eyes. There was so much growth and depth to these characters that I’m aching for them still. Like I feel their pain!!! You seriously start to root for these kids and even though they do some despicable things, you just can’t help but continue to like these villains. Cause make no mistake, they’re villains. But still likable. Another aspect that takes talent to pull off.

The setting is just creepy and totally awesome in that I was able to picture the whole thing. The castle, the cave, and the monastery, along with the relics. I just adore every aspect of this book. Except the cliffhanger. Could this have just been one giant book?!?! I seriously almost took off a star for that abrupt ending. But I’ll be damned if I don’t want to keep reading immediately!! So basically, I highly recommend this to those who like a dark read with blood, gore, a little heart, a lot of magic, and all kinds of crazy shit happening.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Tor Teen, and Amanda Fooley for the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Was this review helpful?

I'm sorry to say that I DNFed this book. I so wanted to love it, and it started out strong, but eventually it stopped holding my interest. The multiple narratives got a little confusing, and I also felt like it was basically a rip-off of The Hunger Games. I wasn't particularly enjoying it and I couldn't see myself wanting to continue the series, so I decided to put it down.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you MacMillian-Tor/Forge and #NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review! Better late than never!

4 stars

Every twenty years, seven teenage champions from powerful families must compete in magical tournament to the death, where the victor's family controls the highest form of magick in existence until the next tournament takes place. As this year's tournament is set to begin, traditions are being broken and secrecy is out the window, due to the recent release of a tell-all book which exposed both the tournament and high magicks existence to the rest of the country. Unwanted media and government attention raise the already high stakes for the champions.

This book reminded me of a magical Hunger Games with interesting familial power dynamics woven in. II am appreciative of the different povs used in the story because it revealed so much about each characters motivations and their complex feelings about their families' role in the tournament. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be picking up the sequel to see how things unfold!

Was this review helpful?