2.5 Stars.

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with this book. The synopsis promises Ace of Spades, Squid Games and The Bachelor and to me, this mix of story elements should not have been combined for this particular book.

My biggest issue I would say is the romance featured in this story. So Adina is (sort of) stuck between two brothers, the Perfect Second Son who is the prize at the end of the games, who Adina doesn't actually like and the Disappointment of a First Son whom Adina randomly starts having feelings for. The thing is, I didn't believe the romance for a second, it came out of nowhere and there was no real build-up or romantic tension between Adina and Graham (the second son) and since Pierce was really a means to an end for Adina, I see no reason to criticise the writing of their relationship.

The author has stated that this book is supposed to be a Satire but I still reserve the right to be annoyed at how often Adina mentions that she's from Suburbia and how terrible that is.

I also feel that the book was very slow to start and that did nothing to help the book, it just made the story drag.

3.5 stars

This book, to me, felt a little unbalanced. Once the games began, I was all in and rode that momentum all the way to the finish. Brutal, unflinching, human. I’m here for it.

What didn’t work for me was the beginning, the setup. Adina didn’t blossom until the games, which is fine (even, perhaps, expected from the main character) but the problem is that neither did anyone else. There was little to no effort spent on making the other characters feel human - even if they’re terrible and ruthless, we needed to see that kernel of humanity pop into savagery. We are told, not shown, about all of Adina’s relationships to other people. The only bond that truly fit was with Saint (whom I loved dearly, but she also didn’t feel like a person except in the briefest flashes).

There’s so much room for depth in a story like this and I feel like we simply didn’t get it. Though I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author in the future.

THEIR VICIOUS GAMES by Joelle Wellington pulls absolutely no punches. It provides excellent commentary on patriarchy and White supremacy and their interlinked relationship within a YA novel that’s also balanced with action, high stakes, and well-rounded characters. I loved the character work, especially on Adina, our protagonist: she’s smart but also quick on her feet and driven. THEIR VICIOUS GAMES asks the questions about what girls and women are willing to do vs. what they are FORCED to be willing to do given the circumstances and barriers put forth to them. Also, the cover is beautiful and smart and decadent, and I appreciate it even more after having finished it.

Their Vicious Games is indescribable. It is like part competition book, part examination of our future, and part a pointed glance at racism and elitism. About the ways our future can feel decided, the rules of the game set, but how everything can change if we will it to be so. If we are strong enough, clever enough, to see the way to turn the tables.

Their Vicious Games is all about our definition of success and what it means to fall. To fail. To succeed. It is about how we fight back when we lose, when everyone counts us out. Full of deadly betrayals, Their Vicious Games immediately hits the ground running with action. With stakes higher than we ever thought before to gain rewards which we think will set us up for life.

Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington is a sinister thrill ride of a book. I am still reeling and it’s been days since I read it. Their Vicious Games follows Adina Walker who has just graduated from the prestigious Edgewater Academy. Unlike her classmates, she’s not off to the Ivy League after making a bad choice which left all her acceptances rescinded. However, there may be a chance for her future if she competes in the Finish. The Finish is an elite competition for the best girls. The winner goes on to have vast influence and all kinds of doors in life opened up to her. There’s a Ride, a Raid, and a Royale. As it turns out, these events are quite deadly. Will the Finish change Adina? Will she get the future she’s been denied?

I really thought Wellington wrote a perfect book for Autumn. I get that this book is set during summer, right after graduation. However, the sinister, scary vibes are perfect. You can immediately tell that something is off about the Remingtons and their mansion. Although they are obscenely wealthy and old money, they are very bad people in both small ways — microaggressions — and big ways — murder. Adina is Black and her roommate for the Finish, Saint, is Chinese. The two are the only women of color in the Finish. That comes with its own complications. We then see a world where women are at the whim of powerful men – molded to what those men want. Honestly, this book is so deep and so smart. I feel like it would be a good book club book. Adina, fyi, is someone I was really pulling for. She goes through so much, but retains her humanity and her innate goodness. If you want a book that will have you on edge but also activate your brain, pick up Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington.

I really liked the concept of this book but did not really enjoy the execution of this book. I will definitely be reading more from this debut author.

Joelle Wellington's "Their Vicious Games" is an electrifying rollercoaster of a read that blends "Ace of Spades," "Squid Game," and a dash of "The Bachelor" into one adrenaline-pumping narrative.

Adina Walker, our resilient Black teen protagonist, is an immensely likable character whose growth and journey had me deeply invested. Her unwavering determination to overcome obstacles and reclaim her dreams is inspiring and relatable.

The Finish, the heart-pounding competition that sets the stage for the story, is an absolute whirlwind. Its suspenseful and unpredictable events kept me riveted throughout, making it a gripping exploration of the human desire for power and opportunity.

Wellington's storytelling prowess shines as she crafts a world where the stakes aren't merely high; they're a matter of life and death. Adina's quest to defy the rigged rules in this high-stakes game is both empowering and heart-racing.

For those seeking a book that seamlessly combines intense suspense, relatable characters, and a thought-provoking narrative, "Their Vicious Games" is a must-read. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone in search of a thrilling literary adventure that dives deep into the complexities of ambition and determination. Don't miss this electrifying novel!

THIS BOOK! I think I would pitch this story as The Hunger Games meets The Selection meets Ace of Spades, grabbing all of the best things of each of those books.

Adina was a character that you couldn't help but root for and want the best for. Pretty much every character was super well developed and the motivations added so much suspense and intrigue to the plot line. The crazy twists and drama that happened in the story were very WOW.

I will be recommending this book to like everyone I know and really can't think of anything that I would change about the story.

I love a good Black girl thriller. It was so easy to pick up this book and descend into the absolute madness of what goes on in its pages. This book will compel you within the first few chapters. The competition of it was very interesting and it was really what kept me so invested. Most of the characters in this book are unlikable, so prepare for that, but I cared so much for seeing our heroine win that she was all I needed throughout this. It got bleak sometimes and the ending wasn't all rainbows, but I liked how authentic that felt. This book is so cool and I can't recommend it enough

Adina is a scholarship student at an elite upper class New England private school. She works extra hard to be perfect and beyond reproach. The one time she lost control, it cost her a full ride scholarship to Yale. Her only chance to regain the future, she so desperately wants to participate in the Finish – a high stakes game put on by the community’s founding family. As soon as she arrives at the finish things are off. She must participate in three events to win…but it seems leaving with her life might be the only prize she gets. With the deck still stacked against her, will she survive?

This book was a lot of fun and gave me vibes of The Family Game. It very much has those uber rich white people doing horrible things vibe. I loved the main character, Adina. It was really horrible that she lost her scholarship for something ridiculous, but it very much played into the elitist vibes of the book. Adina has had to work so hard for so much in her short life, and then she must work for her life when shes playing the Finish. I did struggle a little in the beginning just getting into the story and jumping around, but the pacing picked up after a bit. I have really been getting into YA thrillers lately and this one was no different – I really enjoyed it. The ending of this one was really good, and I recommend it to thriller and horror fans alike.

If you are looking for a fun and over the top ya thriller, then check this one out.

Their Vicious Games reminded me so much of The Inheritance Games but with a twist. Adina Walker will do anything to regain a Yale acceptance, even walk mindlessly into a competition that can end deadly.
 
Joelle Wellington really packed a punch in this novel with the dangerous games. I was shocked at how far they went. With a group of girls, all selected to compete, I could not imagine how they felt waking up every day to a new task. Adina and Saint had the sweetest friendship, and you love to see it! I was eager to see how everything played out, and with the stakes so high, every girl had their reason and motivation for being there, which made the games more intense.
 
If this book could have been written as an adult mystery/thriller – horror, it would have been even better. There would have been no limits, and the games could have been deadlier.

Thank you NetGalley, and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for sending me a copy of Their Vicious Games. This review is being left voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

Dnfing!! Sorry, I just cannot get into the story. The characters and plot don’t engage me so I won’t be continuing past 10%. Thank you so much for the ARC though!

A wild ride of a thriller and satire examining privilege and institutions. Adina was a force to be reckoned with, and The Finish was just the kind of contest I was promised. It felt very much like a more vicious The Bachelor. A Bachelor with bite. Very entertaining.

I don't know how I feel after reading this. It's over the top and absolutely horrific, but felt also too plausible. Would people with this much power actually have girls kill to join the family? I don't feel convinced that they wouldn't anymore.

I loved this book!

The intrigue was solid, the games were fun, and I really enjoyed the relationships that were cultivated. If I could, I'd write a whole book about how much I loved it.

Adina is an amazing main character. especially her will and determination. If you haven't read it yet, do it!!

I definitely recommend this one! There were so many moments when my jaw dropped down to the floor and I even had to shed a few tears because this felt like a mixture of Squid Game, The Hunger Games and any dating show.

I liked the ending; that was definitely my favorite part and I didn't see coming. I couldn't put this one down. There were parts that felt super real, and I could definitely see the 1% of society doing things like this.

All opinions are my own. I received advanced and final copies via book tours hosted by TurnThePagesTours and ColoredPagesBlog.
First off Bravo to the author cause this book gave me goosebumps.
Adina and The Finish is a nicer title, but this book is more than just that. To have your whole future plans taken away while the other person gets no consequence is unfair. However the upbringing of the other person might be more of a punishment in itself.
When the reviews said this was the Bachelor meets Squid Games, they weren't lying.
Adina is at The Finish to get back her Yale acceptance. Others are there to mingle and make connections for family business while the rest want to become Mrs. Remington. Seems like a little murder means nothing if you can get that title.
I was blown away by many of the scenes and wanting to strangle Adina for her naivety sometimes. She definitely grew as a character as the story moved on as well as became less selfish.
Not all stories have a happy ending like fairytales, but being able to live might be the happiest of this tale.

Their Vicious Games was an amazing thriller, so much so that I intend to reread and annotate for more in-depth discussion videos i plan to film for tiktok. Joelle managed to give us a genius debut with sharp prose, complexly-crafted characters and a lavish world of twists, lies and deceit. It’s raw in showing the ugly side effects of glamour— power, privilege and corruption. And doesn’t skimp out on the reality of being a final girl and the toll it takes on Adina by the end of the novel.

The premise of this book sounds very interesting, fortunately this book did not disappoint me. In fact, I got hooked into the story pretty fast and really enjoy it!

If you wanted to read something where Hunger Games meet The Selection then I highly recommend picking up this contemporary thriller!
Don’t forget to read the trigger warnings below cause there are some parts that may be sensitive to some readers.

The first few chapters felt slightly confusing and it feels like I’m starting a book from the middle part but eventually there will be an explanation as it goes deeper.
Things started to get a lot more interesting once Adina (the FMC) enter the competition and the other girls were introduced as well.

I really like Adina’s character cause she feels relatable. She’s not a perfect character cause she didn’t make the best decisions at the beginning. But after going through a couple trials and see the true meaning of the competition, she powers through and started to grow into a badass intelligent girl!

I also love the growing friendship Adina and Saint has and I was rooting for them in every trial, at least Adina has one ally she can trust in this barbaric game where loyalty is rare.

As for the romance, I wasn’t rooting Adina with any of the love interests to be honest.
One guy was a psychotic and a narcissists, the other one was just too meek even though he has a good heart. I admire Adina for keeping her head on the game without getting swayed easily.

Overall, this is a fantastic read with great writing style and well developed character which also comes with a satisfying ending.
The author raises several important topics that occur in the real world and I love the way he conveys these topics really well throughout the story.
I’m really looking forward to read more books from this author in the future!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Death, murder, violence, racism, cursing, drug use, confinement

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!

Wow. I don’t even know where to start with this one. It was the wildest ride I’ve been on in a while and I loved it! It’s so dark which was THE best part. I don’t read synopsis often. I’m a sucker for a beautiful cover and this one drew me in and then took me on the craziest ride.

Adina is a scholarship student at a prestigious school but after an incident between her and another student she’s lost her acceptance to Yale, and all the other schools she applied to. Her only option is to gain a spot at the Finish. When she finally receives her invitation, she sighs in relief. She may still have a chance to get into Yale and fulfill her dreams. Once she gets there, she quickly realizes these games may be deadlier than she was expecting.

This was so good. The setting, the characters, and the games. The games aren’t just brutal physically but also psychologically. It was eerily realistic in how I would view upper-class society. There were so many twists and turns, betrayals and alliances, all of which you don’t see coming. I will be recommending this to anyone looking for a good dark academia with a flare of The Hunger Games.