Their Vicious Games is just a phenomenal book. This is a cutting satire, providing social commentary on privilege, power, and the ways blood will be shed to maintain the status quo.

Often when books are marketed as a cross between various other media, my expectations are raised sky-high and they do not always quite live up to the comparisons being made. Their Vicious Games bucks that rule, encapsulated in the marketed cross between Squid Game and Ace of Spades. I would add another comparison from my personal top-tier recommendations: the film Ready or Not. Joelle Wellington effectively skewers that bubble of high class society, enmeshed in generations of privilege and power. This is a book that takes no prisoners. It is blood-thirsty, vicious and violent, with hellscape, Saw-like contraptions of death and destruction. At the same, there are some incredible moments of dark humour.

However, this is also a book about complicity in those same structures of power and privilege. It asks what you would sacrifice to gain those vaulted positions and really who you would become to get there. That is the integral question throughout the book. Adina must face up to what she would lose and how much blood she is willing to spill. There is also the constant question of whether she would ever truly be accepted. I loved how intersectional Wellington’s examination of this question is, weaving in discussions around class, race and even some sexuality subtext. These are important influencing factors, which culminate in some scenes that definitely fit into the ‘good for her’ genre of media that leaves you with an uncomfortable pit in your stomach.

Adina is an intelligent and genuinely kind person, who I instantly connected with. She is driven partially by love for her family and friends. Of course, I absolutely loved her. At the same time, she is not always a good person; sometimes she is selfish and manipulative. This feels like a survival strategy honed from years of mistreatment and the pressure cooker environment of the Finish. Also, I had a keen sense of why shouldn’t she try to survive by any means possible? This is a competition where the stakes are literally life and death, so some morally grey actions make complete sense. There is that sense of grit underneath her fingernails and a fire in her belly. She will get what she wants from this world, after all, it owes her. Black girls are often pigeonholed and not allowed complexity in their representations in the media. Adina should not be some perfect, untouchable pinnacle of morality. She should be as flawed and messy as any other teenage character, yet alone one placed in the ivory towers’ own twisted version of The Hunger Games.

A shoutout must also be given to the character of Saint, whose own narrative is one I would love to read someday. She equally has her own ulterior motivations, but there is a sense of genuine friendship there. In a world determined to squash both her and Adina, they keep going, often just to spit in their faces. There is a level of spite in their continued survival that the Finish is determined to annihilate. I loved how much female rage Wellington infuses in this book. This is a book incandescent with anger, ready to tear the world apart and remake it anew.

Wellington leaves scorched earth in her wake with this biting, bloody, and brilliant satirical take-down. Their Vicious Games is exceptional and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

This book follows a teen who is blacklisted from her dream Ivy League school and must enter a competition to regain her reputation but something is not right and she needs to survive. It’s been a while since I read a good ya thriller book and I really enjoyed Wellington’s writing. I loved the story they have created and the way the world works. There were social classes and diverse differences that the main character has to go through and I enjoyed seeing how she grew. The pacing was fast but in the beginning, I was a bit confused though I started to understand the story. I liked the plot and the conflicts that were in this book that kept me very entertained. I liked Adina’s character and seeing her development in this book. The side characters were fun and I loved how involved they were in this book. There is a touch of romance but it’s not the main focus of the story if that’s something you are looking for. Overall this was a great book and would be reading more by Wellington.

Unless you didn’t get the major hint from the book description or have been living under a rock when it comes to this book - this is a thriller of survival games, that some have compared to the “Hunger Games” or “Squid Game.” I think it’s much more comparable to SG: it takes place in the real world, involves rich people toying with people who willing enter their games out of some desperate need for something from them. And toy with them they do. This is a dark story, and the villains have few, if any, redeeming qualities.

It’s a spectacular story that isn’t just a gory march through events to a bleak finish. The author does a great job of packing this book with so much emotion and creating a story that touches on issues of class, race, self-awareness, and what it means to truly “win.” I loved it.

I won’t spoil the girls’ reasons for being there, or the reason the family is hosting this particular year’s special events (this years games are more intense than “normal years” for a certain reason), but hearing each girls’ true reasons for competing makes for some of the most emotional moments in what is already a very intense book. I felt extremely invested in the fates of so many of the characters in the book, by the end I couldn’t put it down until I found out what happened.

I was satisfied with the ending. It felt good. Like what was supposed to happen after the way things played out throughout the previous story. I can’t say much more.

I will definitely be looking out for more from this author. She’s obviously very talented and a great storyteller. I’m sure there’s much more exciting things to come!

Eat the rich.

Their Vicious Games is a dark and biting satire that's The Bachelor meets Squid Game where a group of young women are supposed to fight for a shot at a life of wealth and influence. It's a book about race, class, privilege, misogyny, and women with teeth. I loved it.

Adina Walker is prickly and messy and some readers aren't going to like her, but I really don't think she would give a f*ck. Personally I was a fan and I think her character arc really works. She's a Black girl from a middle class family who attends a prestigious prep school because her parents work there. She worked hard to be admitted into Yale, but a fight at school stripped that away and now she's willing to do just about anything to get back what she earned. Even enter The Finish- a secretive competition among young women where the winner will get everything she dreamed of. But the cost might be higher than Adina realizes....

I don't want to spoil things but this was brutal in the best sort of way. It offers a look at what might lie behind the gracious smiles and perfect styling of these women and the way they are used by the men around them, but without excusing their culpability for harm that is done. It also pushes back on performative allyship and people who give lip service to positive change while really only caring for their own interests. It's very over the top on purpose and kept me incredibly entertained. I was rooting for Adina to survive and turn the tables on these bastards, and the ending was very satisfying. Excellent debut!

I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Ready or Not meets The Bachelor with a dash of Ace of Spades in this story about a Black teen who will do anything to get her Ivy League acceptance back, even enter an elite competition against other girls, the only problem? No one told her it was literally a life or death game and these girls are out for blood. Adina Walker has had to work for everything she got but it was all taken away in a moment of rage where she fought another student and then all her acceptances to colleges were rescinded... but now she has a plan: seduce a Remington to secure her spot in the prestigious Remington Games which state that all you have to do is beat three events and the winner will gain money and power to their hearts content, and that means she can get back into her Ivy League school. Adina doesn't realize that Pierce Remington, the boy she nearly sleeps with has ulterior motives for getting her into the games, even when his girlfriend is already another player in the game and knows what Adina did. But when bodies start dropping and Adina realizes that all the other contestants are willing to kill for the prize and that the real prize is being married off to a Remington boy she needs allies and if that means seducing the other Remington boy, Graham, the failure of the family, then there's nothing she won't do to survive. Along for the ride is Saint: (the girl who stole MY heart) a girl who only came to the games to network and get her family's business another partner and is the only true friend Adina has, Esme: the girl who got Adina expelled and was her ex-best friend until their fight and who hates Adina but needs this competition to help her family escape the embezzlement issues, Hawthorne: Esme's best friend who is quiet but will do anything for Esme because she's in love with her (I loved Hawthorne's story so much), and Penthesilea: the girl groomed to become the next Remington wife, Pierce's girlfriend, and the one who seems calm. I have to say I absolutely adored Saint, Hawthorne, and Penthesilea so much, like these were girls after my own heart. Hawthorne's toxic but insane love for Esme?? Give me that book please. Saint was a real one, seriously what I wouldn't have given for Saint or Penthesilea to be the love interest for Adina rather than the bland Remington boys, seriously such wasted potential, because you can only imagine HOW GREAT OF A STORY THAT WOULD BE. Penthesilea, truly one of the most interesting characters of the entire book, she was seething with anger and I was happy she got her say in the end. Overall its a really fun read that keeps you interested until the end!

*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

When Adina loses her spot at Yale, she knows there is only way to get back in….join The Finish. The Finish is sponsored by the Remington family, also known as the richest and most influential family in the area…a family that can give the winner pretty much whatever she wants. Adina isn’t prepared for what she is about to endure though.

When someone said this book was comparable to Squid Games plus The Bachelor, they weren’t kidding! This book is that and more! I was expecting it to get crazy, but damn, crazier than crazy did it get! Adina was such a badass, even if she was the underdog. I also really loved her friendship with Saint and how the two banded together as much as they could. There were definitely some twists I didn’t see coming, and this book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through! I highly recommend this one!

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for gifting me an early copy of this novel. Below you'll find my honest review.

I loved this one! Adina was easy to root for, as she held her ground, did her best without compromising her morals, and fought hard for her future. There weren't a ton of likeable characters in this one - that was kind of the point, I think - but a few that stood out to me, other than Adina, were Pen, Saint, and Graham. They all had their flaws, but they were still interesting and deep characters to read about and find room to like them. Most of the others are purposefully awful.

The Finish was wild. I am not sure how so many people could be involved without questions regarding the deaths, but then again, wealth breeds security and freedom to do as you wish.

I loved the minority representation - there were POCs (including the main character) and a gay character, as well as multiple social classes. Obviously, the author is a POC, so it was done with respect and done well.

Highly recommend this one for those who like books like Hunger Games, One of Us is Lying, semi-horror/semi-thriller YA books.

This book was absolutely WILD and I loved every minute of it! Their Vicious Games sits in my favorite intersection: while there's social commentary built into the premise and story, it's also a ferociously fun read. Definitely pick this up if you're up for murder, mayhem, and more!

FIVE SHARP STARS!
I am not a whole hearted YA fan and only picked this up as I thought it pertained to a similar serious. I was very happily surprised to read a fresh take on the deadly be all end all competitions thrown by rich and powerful people. It's not to YYY AAA if you know what I mean ;)

Adina is a young black woman attending an elite high school via her parent's occupations. She knows that her place in the pecking order of the school is fragile at best. When she loses her cool one day, she loses her ticket to an Ivy league school - all of the acceptances in fact. She is now desperate and willing to enter The Finish. A special game in which only a few top young women are invited to enter. She goes willingly, she has nothing to lose now does she?

Truly thrilling and gripping. I would just love this as a movie and can't wait to see what Joelle Wellington writes next! If you love deadly competition, horror mixed within your thrills, or just want to root for a Black protagonist, Their Vicious Games is for you!
#SimonandSchuster #Simon&Schuster #simon&schusterchildrens #joellewashington #Theirvicousgames

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.

Thank you to the publisher, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers @simonteen and Netgalley @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: violence, gore, death, emetophobia, gun violence, racism, classism

Adina Walker had it all—tight friendships and a scholarship to Yale. But a fight with a former best friend makes that dream come tumbling down, until an opportunity arises in the form of an invitation to the Finish, a competition consisting of three phases that turns out to have more permanent consequences than getting eliminated off a show. Hosted by the Remingtons, a family which all but owns their New England town, the Finish is more life and death than initially expected. Adina must trust herself and tenuous alliances to make it out the other side alive.

If you’re a fan of mid-naughts reality television, battle royales, nonsense pulled straight out of a period drama, and rich white people buffoonery taken to its most violent extremes, you will have a blast reading this thriller of deadly games and hard-won survival.

An interview with author Joelle Wellington will be posted on the blog on release day, July 25th, 2023.

This book loves girls. Wronged girls (Adina), good girls (Penthesilea), girls in one-sided love (Hawthorne), bitchy girls (Esme), stylish girls (Saint), and those are just my personal faves in that order. Each one has her own purpose for joining the Finish, with reasons for winning becoming more and more salient as the three trials—the Ride, the Raid, the Royale—progress. Of course, my favorite is Adina and if you’re familiar with slasher horrors, she has all the makings of a final girl in her determination and cunning. At the same time, however, she’s afforded moments of softness and vulnerability, badassery and building up walls, and even some flirting and romance mixed in. This is a book that feels like it deserves those reality show interview reels, and each character earns her f-bomb.

For me, one of the coolest bits of character work came through Hawthorne. If you’re someone who yearns to read about a girl who’s unequivocally in love with her best friend in the most maladaptively sapphic way, there is a treat waiting for you in these pages. I found myself invested in all the rivalries and competition, but this came a close second only to Adina’s character arc. I also appreciate that the work acknowledges that kids need therapy after such harrowing trials, but to avoid spoilers, that’s all I’m saying about that.

Wellington also has such a prowess in establishing character voice and the absolute nightmare that is white upper class suburbia. Being one of the scholarship kids in my high school experience, the undeniable differences in class are something that Wellington never takes her eye off of, especially as it intersects with race. The Remingtons are wealthy and absolute nightmare people, perfect for fans of the Roys from Succession. Over-the-top in a way that rang true in uncomfortable ways, they made the perfect villains with a killer aesthetic, from the sprawling manor to grounds that includes an obstacle course for horse races and a literal hedge maze.

I stayed up way passed my bed time reading this one, and I hope you have as much fun as I did when it comes out later this month.

Do you like thrillers about games and life or death situations? This book slays -

Lost it All - Adina had early acceptance to her dream college, Yale, along with several others. But due to an altercation with a fellow student, she lost it all.

The Finish - she doesn’t have the money her friends do, so she knows her only hope is to get included the The Finish - a elite competition funded by the most affluent family in her community

12 Girls - 12 Girls gather to learn how to be a successful woman and win the highest coveted prize - the support and money backed by this family for the rest of their lives

Games - but this year, the games are different. And Adina finds herself having to adapt to a very terrifying situation.

I am glad I ended up reading this very early on in July as I had a pretty bad reading slump in June. And I am still thinking about this book. The pacing was so fantastic and I didn’t want to stop reading. It was thrilling in a way I didn’t expect. The characters were so flawed in a way that for some you either are totally suspicious or don’t want to feel sorry for them, but yet you do. I have not read anything else by this author, but I think i want to read more.

Their Vicious Games is nothing short of amazing. Think Squid Games meets The Hunger Games but in this case, the stakes are more than you might think.

I’m going to say this now, Adina and Saint have my heart for the female characters. They’re strong, resilient, and while they may take crap at the beginning of The Finish, the certainly won’t take it forever. As far as the male characters go, the only one we see a lot of in the story that I actually like is Graham. He may be misguided and blinded by his love for Pierce, but he also appears to truly care about Adina at the very least. The rest of the characters honestly made me want to reach through the pages and slap them a few times. And can someone please tell me how you’re supposed to pronounce Penthesilea’s name?

This story had a very interesting plot going. You were never quite sure what would happen next – what was each portion of The Finish going to be? What would happen during it? Who would die? Because let’s face it, if you’ve read the synopsis, you know someone is likely going to die. But the plot is executed in a manner that just blew me away. Part of that plot involves racism and classism, so be aware of that.

The writing style is awesome. Fast paced, easy to read, not too dry and not too flowery. This was exactly what a thriller version of The Hunger Games/Squid Games should be. I wouldn’t change a thing about Joelle Wellington’s writing style.

Now let’s discuss the ending. It was brilliant. I never would have seen it coming and but it is completely understandable. But who all lives and who all dies? Well, I’m not going to tell you that. But you’ll be surprised at who lives… because some of them you wouldn’t expect to make it.

If you’re looking for a YA Mystery/Thriller that borders on horror1, I highly suggest Their Vicious Games. This was a thrilling 5 star read and one that I hope to reread.

As a note – I’d love a “prequel” to this – perhaps the story behind it actually being started by the Remington ancestor who founded The Finish? I mean, I’d love to know if The Finish we read about in Their Vicious Games was The Finish the founder intended.

This was cut-throat! Like hunger games for rich people. I love the relationship between Adina and Saint - true "I got your back friendship". This book kept me so engaged and I love the way it ended. If you like the underdog this one is for you.

The Hunger Games meets Gossip Girl meets Squid Games. This book was wild!

Adina, a Black teen that is desperate to regain her Ivy League acceptance enters an elite competition where the stakes aren’t just high, they’re deadly.

The first part of the book was a little hard to follow due to so much jumping back and forth between past and present (that could just be a me-problem though). Adina was an interesting MC, at times she was frustrating but I still enjoyed reading about her. Overall this was a great over-the-top YA and I think you guys are really going to like it!!

I just finished reading Their Vicious Games and holy cow what a ride!

Adina’s future has been stolen from her by her ex-friend, Esme. This book quickly sets the juxtaposition of the haves versus the have nots. Desperate to get her future back, Adina resorts to making nice with Pierce Remington in the hopes he may be able to get her into The Finish, his family’s traditional competition for the most deserving girls. One will win the honor of their unconditional support. When Adina is sent an invitation she puts on her game face and readies herself to get back what is rightfully hers. However, looks can be deceiving and all the glimmers isn’t always gold. Once in the Estate, Adina realizes something is off. The Finish is less academic and societal in nature and more like a vicious game of Survivor.

I could not put this book down. I needed to know what would happen to Adina and her estate bestie and roommate, Saint. I very much enjoyed the twists and turns of this YA Thriller. I also really leaned into the complexity of the various characters. I always wanted to know more about each one. My only complaint is that I felt like the book was a bit too long. The action would’ve packed more punch with fewer pages. Sometimes things felt unnecessarily drawn out, but that could also just be my preference. At around 50% I couldn’t believe it was still only the end of the first challenge. I am eagerly awaiting the next novel by Joelle Wellington! Thank you so much Simon and Schuster for granting me access to this title via NetGalley!

This story had me gripped from page one—the premise, stakes, and twists were all masterfully executed, compelling, and richly imagined. The kind of book that is impossible to put down, and teens craving an updated Hunger Games will devour this!

This was an insane, wild ride and I had such a fun time with it. This is a mix of The Hunger Games, Squid Games, The Selection, Get Out, and Ready or Not. There was just so much involved in this story and it had a lot of action packed scenes throughout. I will say there was some great social commentary, but besides that, don't take the actual story too seriously or you may not enjoy it. It does go completely over-the-top sometimes so just enjoy the ride and the craziness that comes with this book.

My biggest criticism comes with some of the relationship aspects of the book, but they were actually solved by the end of the book and some of the insta-love feelings made sense and were explained. So that problem ended up being just a minor annoyance compared to being a major flaw.

Overall I recommend this to anyone who wants a quick and action-packed story that has a fun (aka terrifying) competition enmeshed throughout the story.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for an honest review!

**Full review video to come**

Summary:
Adina is an outsider at Edgewater. She doesn’t come from old or even new money like her peers and especially not the Remingtons. The golden family of New England. When Adina loses her cool and in turn all of her college acceptances she accepts a mysterious invitation from Pierce Remington to compete in the Finish. The girls who go on to win the Finish get anything their hearts desire. Adina will win the finish and get her acceptance back to Yale. But under the glamour of the Remington Estate hides dangerous secrets and deadly games.

Read if you like:
Games of skill/chance 🃏
Academia vibes 🎓
Old money 💰
Action 🏹

My review:
I loved this book! From start to finish I already knew I would be giving this one five stars! As a young Black woman I felt Adina was very relatable in general but especially when it came to navigating the classism and racism she faced at Edgewater. This book took hard societal issues and turned them into a fascinating thriller that shows what happens when the wealthy seek entertainment in the pain and desperation of others, but also how the people without the power (money and means) can fight back and conquer. I would like to thank @simonandschuster and @jowellington for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this phenomenal YA thriller!

My rating: 🔎🔎🔎🔎🔎/5.

After a small mistake has the very large consequence of having all of her college acceptance letters revoked, Adina Walker is forced to compete in The Finish, an annual set of games sponsored by the Remington Family. Winners are guaranteed a full ride to any school she chooses and the power of the Remington name behind them for the rest of their lives.

But The Finish has never been discussed beyond a few rumors and Adina has no idea what she's getting in to. Additionally, this year The Finish has an extra goal of finding the wife for the future head of the family and that means that the stakes are much higher.

It's not just about school anymore. It's life or death.

Final thoughts: Interesting premise with a combination of The Hunger Games and the movie Ready or Not. It's a slow and awkward start to the book but once it gets going, it's a real ride. Will not be surprised if this gets made into a movie or Netflix series.

Rating: 4/5