As a BIG FAN of Real World, Road Rules and MTV The Challenge this book was great! This book let's the reader know a little more about the different winners of The Challenge. From 1 time winners, record holders and old timers to the legends of the games like CT and Johnny Bananas. It was great to have more of an insight on their experiences (good and bad) and how they prepared mentally and physically for the challenge seasons and of course their winnings.

The reason this book is 4 stars and not 5 is simply because although I liked the competitors stories my favorites weren't in it and anyone who is new to the show will not know most of the competitors that are selected for the book.

The timing for the book release is excellent since MTV The Challenge: Untold History (The TV series) is airing on MTV.

I'm happy I was able to get an ARC from Netgalley and thank you to MTV Entertainment Books for approving me.

I was so excited to see this book available on NetGalley! Since I’m a huge fan of The Challenge and an avid reader, this felt like the perfect fit for me! However, this didn’t quite land with me as I’d hoped. It was a fast read and a fun time, but it wasn’t as much of a deep dive with behind-the-scenes stories as I’d hoped.

The book is a combination of MTV’s The Challenge champion profiles, grouped by number of wins. I did like the variety of champions included and appreciated that the appearances on The Challenge All-Star and Champs vs. Stars spin-offs were mentioned. Overall, it read like a combination of magazine features about each champion. It only scratched the surface and recycled a lot of previous interview content. The writing style wasn’t compelling and lacked depth. I was also expecting more content about how the show is made, but that was minimal. Any book about The Challenge is going to be lacking if there isn’t much about TJ or his role as host. He is a strong part of the show and how it has evolved to where it is today so that was a real missed opportunity in my opinion.

I would not describe this book as “eye-opening” since most of the content wasn’t new or attention grabbing. There wasn’t much included that I hadn’t heard or read through other sources already. The profile of C.T. was my least favorite of the bunch. It was mainly quotes from other articles already written so that was a letdown. I would have preferred it to have been cut from the book and replaced with a profile of another champion who wanted to participate directly in this project. The profile on Syrus was the most interesting. He’s had a long career on The Challenge and has really evolved. You could really get a sense of his growth both on the show and in his personal life.

I’m glad I read this and would consider it “required reading” for any die-hard fan of MTV’s The Challenge.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Atria Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I’ve been a fan since the first installment of The Challenge. I was hoping for more in-depth stories, experiences from contestants but it was well done anyway.

If you are a fan of the show The Challenege then this book is for you. I am obessed with this show so of course I had to read. it. This book talks about past winners of the challenge and how they won there season. It also gives you deeper insight into these people. I really enjpyed this one. Like I said must read if you are a fan of the show. If you have never watched the show I do not think this book is for you however.

Thank you NetGalley, Sydney Bucksbaum, Atria Books, and MTV Books for the ARC of this book.

Ugh. It was fine. I was hopeful for the tea but it read like a highlight episode without much new info.
I love the challenge and was hoping to feel excited like watching the show but it just fell flat.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books, MTV

My kid and I are relatively recent Challenge watchers – I’ve seen maybe six or seven seasons (sprinkled out, not consecutive). She’s seen three, one regular, one All Stars and USA.

We’re blown away by how honestly badass some of these competitors are and this book was a nice little intro into some of the truly iconic ones. Now, not all the icons are represtented here – there were a few missing that surprised me – but I especially enjoyed learniing about some of the true OG Challenge stars. Honestly, my first experience with some of these folks was during All Stars – and now I know why they were asked back.

The stories aren’t always pretty, but they are inspirational – and I loved the little behind the scenes challenge details the book includes.

The ‘self help’ portion of the book was kind of shallow. I mean it’s mostly just never quit, keep your focus, and give 200% every day. But to be honest, I didn’t read the book for that anyway – I just wanted to know a little more about the people.

A good read – definitely a must for any Challenge Fan – even if you’re sort of a casual like me.

• ARC via Net Galley

Thank you to Atria Books and MTV Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am a superfan of The Challenge ever since I started watching as a teen, and I was so excited when I learned that there was a book coming out about it (so obviously, I JUMPED on the chance to get the ARC).

The book takes the format of a series of brief interviews with a selection of The Challenge Greats. It's divided into sections based on number of wins (interviews with one-time winners come first, for example). Some of the names will likely be more familiar than others to a lot of more casual fans, but some of the biggest names are also involved (Johnny Bananas, Cara Maria, C.T., etc.).

At its core, the book is a quick, easy read. A bit of a fluff piece, the content is pretty similar to what you'd find in a well thought out interview and article about each of the champs. It's not a behind the scenes tell all, and it's not meant to be. And of course, since it's based on interviews, there are several notable absences of Challenge greats (who I assume were not able and/or willing to participate). Still, I quite enjoyed the read.

How to Win at The Challenge and Life is an excellent book for fans of the hit MTV series The Challenge. The show began in 1998 and is still thriving. In How to Win at The Challenge and Life, we hear from twenty one of The Challenge's greatest champions such at Johnny Bananas, CT, Wes, Paula, Mark, Cara Maria, and so many more. They take a look back at their times on The Challenge, what they learned, how they won, and their highs and lows. It's a fun read for fans of the show. Highly recommended!

I enjoyed this and think it gave a solid overview in the eyes of many Challenge players. but was noticeably missing greats like Wes, Ashley Mitchell, Evelyn, Paula - the female voice is hardly represented here.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.