I had been waiting for this amazing conclusion to the duology with baited breath since I read the first one a few month ago. Very impatient waiting. And my hopes for what this book could and might be were not at all dashed.

People, gather around if you want to see how the second novel in a duology is even better than the first. And that's a huge compliant given that I really didn't see any flaws in pacing, characters or world building of the first one.

I thought it might be that this one was longer but, no, it seems like it was around the same size.

We pick up immediately after the events of the last novel. If I'd had a bit more time between reading the first and second book, I might have had a little bit of a disconnect here because there wasn't a lot of time dedicated to recapping. The same point of views were all carried over into this one and the stakes were indeed higher.

Isobel and Alistair's alliance was broken. The continued character development of both characters was fantastic, as was the repercussions from the fight between them that happened at the end of the last book.

Briony attempting to break the curse becomes rather a larger priority in this novel. It seemed like all hope for it might be lost at the end of the last book, but Briony doubles down and even gets a satisfactory interaction with her sister again before it's all over.

Of everything, there was one alliance that was the most surprising to me. An alliance that actually ended in a relationship, which was just a bonus actually. Considering one of the harsher comments I used to have about The Hunger Games series was that these kids wouldn't have time or space in their heads for relationships at the same time as fighting for their lives, I was really surprised by how much I was rooting for this particular relationship as soon as I recognised the direction it was headed in.

This is the follow-up to All of Us Villains, and let me just say, I was not disappointed. If you didn't read the first book, stop right now. This is not the book that will work as a standalone. Now, on to the story.
This picks up immediately where the first book ended. There is so much I want to say but almost all of it is in spoiler territory, but I will try to just say a little.
The competitors are well into the tournament when they learned The Blood Veil curse can be broken. But at what cost? Multiple POVs, lots of plot twists(many that I didn't see coming), and more than a few 'what' moments. Did I enjoy this as much as All of Us Villains? Honestly no, but that might just be because endings are not my favorite things. If Crayola made grey crayons, these unforgettable characters would need their own box. So many shades of grey.

All of Our Demise is the finale to the All of Us Villains duology. This Dark YA Fantasy, featuring a magical competition to the death, is penned by the dream duo of Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman.

If you haven't read the first book, please proceed with caution. There may be some things mentioned in this review that some would consider spoilers. I will not be hiding them.

After the conclusion of Book 1, the limits of the tournament are beginning to erode. The status quo shaken.

The public is now more involved with the process than ever before, with Reporters flocking to the historic battlegrounds, turning the pain and misery of the Champions into entertaining fodder for everyone else. It's basically the Capital during the Hunger Games. The magical contestants are bona fide celebs.

Additionally, a dead boy has returned, now influencing the tournament and out of nowhere a new champion has entered the ranks, looking to dismantle the tradition entirely. The champions end up divided into two groups: those who wish to proceed as normal and those who wish to break the curse, thus ending the tournament forever.

This book was freaking intense. I reread the first book, [book:All of Us Villains|56179338], just prior to starting this and I am so glad I did. This is quite a detailed world and it is very fast-paced. Therefore, I have a tendency to race along, excited to get to the conclusion of the action. Occasionally this causes me to forget fine details.

The first book is really where we are learning the bulk of background on our main characters and their families. I was super glad to have that refresher before getting into this one. Luckily, I loved that one so much and really had fun revisiting the story. This installment builds beautifully off of everything that occurred there. It was a seamless transition from one book to the next; very well done.

I loved how in this one, our main characters shift themselves into essentially two opposing teams. There are those who want to end the tournament and those, mainly those whose families have gained the most from the tradition, who want things to remain as they are.

This seems relatable to the real world, doesn't it?

We do follow the same characters here as we did in the first book. I was glad for that. I was a little concerned we were going to move on to new perspectives, as sometimes happens. I'm glad the authors stuck with the characters we already know and love.

I did see so much character growth for each of these mains. As they interacted with one another more, it helped to reveal a deeper side to their personal wants and motivations. There were some great arcs; particularly for me, Allistair and Gavin.

I think this is such a fun duology, dripping with dark atmosphere, engaging characters and non-stop action. My head was left spinning. There was so much covered in this book alone. Overall, a great continuation, with a more than satisfying conclusion!!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Teen and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I seriously hope this isn't the last collab we see from Foody and Herman.

Great sequel to a great first book! I loved the continuing character development throughout the story and the conclusion to the entire journey.

The city of Ilvernath is on the brink, the magickal tournament that has played out the same for centuries is breaking, and the border between the competition and real life is nonexistent. With one group of champions out to end the tournament for good and another determined to see it through to its bloody end, the stakes have never been higher, alliances will be made and broken and altered – and you won’t be able to stop turning the pages.

I didn’t think it was possible, but I found myself just as hooked and invested in this utterly complex and addicting book as I was for the first in the series. We pick up right where we left off, new pairings and additions, in the aftermath of murder and mayhem, and a kidnapping or two. It’s wild in the very best way. I found myself wondering more than once just HOW exactly the writers were planning on wrapping this up because there is just so much left in the air. And they do, and it’s wonderful and tragic, and of course not everyone has a happy ending.

I wouldn’t want it any other way.

You will root for the *bad* guy, you will get mad at the *good* guy; you will start doubting what you think you’re reading but will be proven correct in the most glorious of ways. The thought and planning that went into the development of this story is some of the best I’ve ever seen. I know I started off my review of All of Us Villains with “The Hunger Games meets magic” – but it’s so much more than that. And I cannot recommend this read enough to anyone who loves complex fantasy with wholly engrossing, perfectly flawed characters.

A roller coaster of emotions and a wild ride of a story. Pristine.

Content warning: gore, blood, death, murder, violence.

Hundreds of Ilvernath teens have died over the centuries in their families' death tournament for the last source of high magick. One way or another, the latest Slaughter Seven will be the last. Champions Isobel, Briony, and Finley, plus Reid the cursemaker they kidnapped (he had it coming) have figured out how to dismantle the curse and will sacrifice anything to do so. Gavin, Alistair, and his dead brother Hendry (long story) scorn those optimists. But as the spell erodes, external dangers threaten them in ways they never saw coming. A suitably twisty and vicious finale to the duology.

Seven teens were chosen by their families to battle to the death in the generational Ilvernath blood tournament for high magic. But none of this year's champions is content to die. Some want to win. Some want to break the tournament for good. With secrets, twists, and dangers both within the tournament and without, one way or another, the blood veil will fall. The question: will any of the champions survive?

The thrilling, brutal conclusion to the All of Us Villains duology does not disappoint, with astronomical stakes, jaw-dropping twists, and a dose of doomed romance. Emotionally, the story focuses on the teens struggle to define themselves as independent from their families and grapple with the ways they've been abused--by parents and by society. Unputdownable.

All of Our Demise was honestly devastating in the best way. It was beyond heartbreaking, and so many tears were shed over these characters, but it was the perfect conclusion to this duology.

I originally struggled with All of Us Villains and was hesitant going into All of Our Demise because of that, but surprisingly enough didn’t haven’t that issue at all with this book! I was sucked in from the very beginning and it kept my interest the entire time, although I did pace myself with AoOD just because of how sad it is.

I will say that the character and emotional growth from the characters in AoOD was phenomenal, and really added a depth to the story that I didn’t really feel in the last book. I connected much more easily with them, and found myself rooting for Alistair/Gavin the most—the two worst characters ended up being my favorites 🤣 I’d like to think they got a happily ever after.

In this deliciously dark sequel to All of Us Villains, the stakes are HIGH as our morally grey heroes must band together to figure out a way to destroy the tournament lest they all be doomed,,,, sacrifices must be made, lines are crossed, lies are told and everyone’s selfish agendas may just be the death of them… *cue the suspenseful music*
This is such a solid sequel that will have you on the edge of your seat! There is so much at stake as everyone has their selfish agendas that you cannot help but root for

First we have Alistair as he tragically fights to find a cure, not only for himself, but for his dearest love- his brother Hendry
Then we have Isobel as she struggles to make decisions of whether to follow her head or her heart
Starcrossed lovers Briony and Finley have their hopes in ending the tournament while also fighting their growing feelings with the looming threat of death and destruction hanging over their heads
We have Gavin Grieve, the most underrated and underestimated of them all as he becomes determined to prove them all wrong

One of my favorite parts of this book is how much the relationships grew! The first book really focuses on each character individually, and although the characters are still very much selfish and morally grey, they also grew together as a team as new alliances and unlikely friendships are formed- it felt very much like a full circle moment that was just so brilliantly done..
I also really enjoyed how we learned more about the magic system and the curse. The relics and curse rings are very important in this story and Foody and Herman did a fantastic job at building up the importance of these.
I do not want to give much away but this is a tragic, intense, high stakes sequel filled with magic, twists, suspenseful revelations and so much action! It is like nonstop!

Also…. The romances here… phewwww

As the curse teeters closer and closer to collapse, the surviving champions each face a choice: dismantle the tournament piece by piece, or fight to the death as this story was always intended.

The intricacies of the tournament are well explained throughout the book. The relationships are also much stronger in book two than the first book.

All of Our Demise immediately starts right where it left off, not necessarily in the most eloquent way. I wish that there would have been some type of build up back into the action with a chance to recap what happened in the last book. However, the same abruptness was mirrored in the ending of the last book.

Overall, I found this book to be a bit underwhelming.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Teen for the ARC! This is a more than satisfying conclusion to the All of Us Villains duology. The magic was high, but the stakes were higher. I was anxious through 90% of this book wondering who would survive (and how anyone would survive). And I'm not going to spoil who if anyone did, but the narrative (much like book one) is dark and violent yet interwoven with human connection and love. Highly recommended for readers of the first book (and if you haven't read the first, go grab that one and read them both!).

While this book did not quite live up to the expectation set by the first, I would still recommend finishing out the duology. The writing is superb and the characters are well plotted, but the second book took a turn for the sentimental. If you enjoyed the villain aspect of the first book, you will be let down a little with this one. For those that were looking to see the champions grow, change and evolve over the course of the tournament, you will be pleased. For those simply looking for escapism, who don't care about the individual characters' lives, you won't be as thrilled. Still, there is plenty to entertain you should you open it up. Overall, I still think it is solid, but whereas the first book was easily 5 stars, I would said this is a MAYBE 4 star book. 3.5?

For those looking to pick up the audiobook, I can say that the narrators were fantastic.

Please tell me it is not over. I love this world. Feels grittier than the Hungry Games. The relationships between the characters are phenomenal. I am so mad at what happens towards the end. I kept waiting for the last paragraph to let us know things were not as they seemed and that would lead us to book 3. Sadly no. I am now in mourning for what could have been.

All of Our Demise is the epic conclusion to Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman’s New York Times bestselling All of Us Villains duology.

“I feel like I should warn you: this is going to be absolutely brutal.”

For the first time in this ancient, bloodstained story, the tournament is breaking. The boundaries between the city of Ilvernath and the arena have fallen. Reporters swarm the historic battlegrounds. A dead boy now lives again. And a new champion has entered the fray, one who seeks to break the curse for good... no matter how many lives are sacrificed in the process.

As the curse teeters closer and closer to collapse, the surviving champions each face a choice: dismantle the tournament piece by piece, or fight to the death as this story was always intended.

Long-held alliances will be severed. Hearts will break. Lives will end. Because a tale as wicked as this one was never destined for happily ever after.

Umm.. Did i expect that kind of ending at all?! NO.

I did a major marathon of the Shadow Game trilogy right before finishing this duology, and while I knew Amanda's capabilities when it comes to the fate of her characters... I guess I never fully thought what those implications may be for All of Our Demise.

Basically, this finale shocked me. I expected a few of the plot points, but there were quite a lot that I didn't see coming, which is always a win in my book. I think my biggest critique of this book is that the plot moves much slower than the first. The speed of All of Us Villains reminded me of my dystopian days and gave me incredible nostalgia, but to have this sudden switch in the sequel threw me off. It took me much longer to finish this eARC than the first, and I was always aware of that in the back of my mind.

A lot of character changes happen in the sequel, and I think it works to their benefit. Alistair is honestly being put through the ringer, and I loved the exploration of his feelings for his brother, Gavin, Isobel, and even those outside of the arena. He's always been the character that I was drawn to the most because of his specific history, so it was wonderful to see him dive deep into his own psyche and perspectives on the tournament and even his family. Then, we have underdog Gavin, who I think shined the most in this sequel. He was my least favorite in the first because he was constantly complaining and whining about his impending death, unfairness of life, and his hatred for Alistair. He really grew up in this finale, and I loved him with my entire heart. It goes to show that your initial perceptions of characters can indeed change. Moving along, Isobel also had a drastic change in characterization compared to the others. She's dealing with the effects of Alistair's curse and her cursework on Alistair. She dives deeply into her constant victimization of herself when she's pretty much just as much of a villain as the others in the tournament. It was great self-reflection and made her a great character to read from, particularly whenever Reid was around. He made her better because they go so well together. Finally, we have Briony. I was neutral of her all throughout the first book, but I think her storyline was perfect for this finale. It's one of those pay your dues sort of thing in my head, especially because she cheated her way into the tournament in the first place. I still think about her even after finishing the book.

Overall, I think this is a very solid finale and sequel. I was a bit disappointed in the pacing issue, but otherwise, Amanda and Christine bring the curses to the table and lay them bare for us to see. This duology will be perfect for any new modern fantasy fans that want a kick of The Hunger Games too.

I felt that the first book was just okay, but sometimes so much groundwork has to be set up in the first book that the subsequent novel is where things have room to soar. But this just felt like more of the same, which is hard if you can’t really connect with the world in the first place. I think the Hunger Games comparisons do a huge disservice to these books because they do not have the emotional heft that those books do. It feels like these could have been edited into a single stronger novel with less POVs and have been potentially stronger.
I ultimately stopped about 30% of the way through as I didn’t care enough about the characters.

Thank you for the ARC copy of this book! This book is the conclusion to all of us villains which I really enjoyed. All of our demise continues the journey from the first book of the blood veil competition for high magik. I really enjoyed the continuous development in the characters stories as well as their personalities. All of the characters felt well fleshed out to me which plays a big role in the book. I highlighted multiple quotes in this book because there’s a lot of strong lines that I really connected with. The world building throughout this duopoly but especially in this book was really enjoyable. If you are a fan of morally grey characters, an engaging story and plenty of twists this is the book for you.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
After the pleasant (in a matter of speaking) surprise that was All of Us Villains, All of Our Demise is a compelling sequel. After the major cliffhanger at the end of the first book, this one continues to surprise, with a plot once again chock-full of twists and turns. There are high stakes as the world around the characters seems to be breaking down and the curse enabling it all is collapsing, a boy rises from the dead, and a new challenger enters the ring. It’s fun to use the potential demise to explore the history of the tournament and the curse as a means to explore the fates of the major characters.
And along with the history of the world comes more depth to the characters, their motivations, and how their family legacies play into those. All of them remain compelling with their exploration of their emotional attachments, insecurities, and the complex bonds they form with (or against) each other.
I really enjoyed this duology, and would recommend it to anyone who likes YA fantasy with antihero leads.

A pretty solid sequel all in all!

This sequel to All Of Us Villains picks up RIGHT where the first novel left off- so much so that I had to go back to the first book to reread and make sure I knew where everything was in the plot.

I have to say- I REALLY loved all of us Villains, and so I had pretty high hopes for the sequel. I feel like this book was not QUITE as good as AOUV but still pretty good. 3.5 rounded up to 4

I'll start with the pros: first off, the premise of the story stayed just as captivating as ever. I feel like the authors put a LOT of time into the worldbuilding in their planning sessions, which means things are REALLY fleshed out in the book. The characters continue to be their multifaceted semi-unlikeable selves which is also great. And I really liked seeing how everything would turn out!! Lots of violence and unlikeable things in the novel. There was also (for some characters) a nice amount of "consequences"- minor spoiler here but don't expect all of the characters under the blood veil to come back out.

What I didn't like: I really disliked how all of the characters ended up paired up by the end of the novel. I just...don't see why there had to be multiple romance subplots in this? seemed pretty superfluous except for one of the storylines which was plot relevant. Also- some of them were kind of uncomfy pairings tbh, I also felt like this book kind of succumbed to stephen king syndrome- the authors had a great plot idea but didn't really know how to end it? The last couple chapters where (spoiler) it felt like most of the characters got a HEA was just...out of place in my opinion. I also feel like there was a REALLY drawn out lull in the middle of the book that could have been shorter, and then the ending came in like WHAM and everything finished up super fast.

all in all, a pretty solid sequel, I just felt like the ending was kind of lacking.

Story continued on from book one and wrapped up all tidy, but I don't feel like there was much excitement just the same old story from book one. I think the books could have been whittled down into a single book. It wasn't terrible, but not great.