Seven seniors are chosen to compete in a private school's exclusive tournament for the Tierny Cup. While the tasks are designed to test each young woman's ability to survive in the wild and think for herself, the real action comes from the girls' manipulations of each other. I didn't expect the ending at all, and I didn't find it particularly satisfying. I just felt like there were too many loose ends too conveniently tied up.

Thank you, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the copy of The Tournament by Rebecca Barrow. I loved the school setting and learning about the founders and their vision of teaching survival skills. From the description, I was expecting more about the tournament, maybe with Hunger Games vibes. Sadly, the tournament was just a backdrop for a love triangle and its consequences. The end was anticlimactic and I don’t think the closing scenes were even plausible. This book wasn’t for me, but it might be for you if you love reading about love triangles and relationships! 3 stars.

The Tournament was an intense, high-stakes ride filled with cutthroat competition, tangled relationships, and the kind of morally gray characters you can’t look away from. Gardner Academy set the perfect eerie backdrop, with its brutal traditions and an elite Tournament that tested not just physical endurance but the limits of loyalty and ambition.
Max, Nora, and Teddy each brought something different to the story—Max’s relentless drive, Nora’s quiet yearning, and Teddy’s reckless desperation created a dynamic that was just as thrilling as the competition itself. The shifting alliances and underlying betrayals kept the tension simmering, making it impossible to predict who would come out on top. And the emotional stakes? Just as brutal as the physical ones.
While the pacing dragged a bit in places and some plot twists felt a little too convenient, the book delivered on its promise of suspense, drama, and a chilling examination of what people will do to win. If you love dark academia, toxic friendships, and thrillers that keep you on edge, The Tournament is one worth competing for.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE TOURNAMENT by Rebecca Barrow

Thank you Simon and Shuster (Margaret K. Elderly Books) for the earc (Jun 17)

Gardner is a normal boarding school. It prides itself in teaching survival skills, which a select group of seniors use to compete in the Tournament. This year, it's more dangerous than ever as Max, Nora, and Teddy fight through the teeth.
I went back and forth on what to rate this book. Going into it, I was expecting something along the lines of THEIR VICIOUS GAMES by Joelle Wellington, THE TOURNAMENT delivered ever-so slightly on that.
This is a grueling book that focused too much on romance than the actual competition. I get it, it was like a love triangle of sorts, but I wanted more Tournament. The pacing of this felt off. Because of the length of the novel, I did grow bored in the middle; however, the pacing finally picked up and Barrow delivered. Those last few chapters were wild and really helped draw to the surface what I was expecting from THE TOURNAMENT: backstabbing rivalry with "accidents" and such. From the incident with Nora and Max and Teddy and then rounding it all out. Plus that ending. OMG, that was mind-boggling and unexpected, and honestly made up for the whole book.

Holy moly. This one was intense and kept me guessing till the last second. The book's discussion of power and rage in females was done impecably as each character had their reasons for doing the tournament as they had something different to prove. Teddy's story intrigued me the most as her journey from start to finish changed so much, and yet it's unclear just how much she has managed to channel her urges.

I did knock it down a peg as I thought it dragged in a few parts, and the ending did leave some things unanswered, but I understand that's the nature often enough in thrillers.

The Tournament – Rebecca Barrow
A high-energy, adrenaline-fueled competition story that blends action with heart. Barrow creates a world where ambition, strategy, and risk collide, making The Tournament a gripping read that will leave you breathless.

Wow, this book was a roller coaster! I’m not gonna lie before I got to the last 70 pages. I would’ve given this a three star rating. I felt like it was too long and things dragged on. I have been raging against 400 page YA novels for a while now because as a teacher, I know it’s hard to get students to stick in that long. All that being said, however, the last 70-80 pages of this book I couldn’t turn fast enough. You think that this story has one type of ending but in reality, there is a whole other one coming. I don’t want to say too much or give away too much because everybody should have the same experience I did of really racing to see where this is going.

The story takes place at a boarding school that, while it caters to the rich and privileged, also demands these girls lead a different type of life and learn skills that other schools don’t teach them such as hunting, skinning animals, survival skills among many others. For that reason, a special type of girl thrives at the school. We meet the three main characters, Max, Nora, and Teddy, who all have very different experiences in the world, but their interactions with each other are really what brings this story to it’s ultimate climax. They are all competing for the cup at the end of the tournament, but really they’re competing for so much more and that competition clouds their relationships and reveals who they truly are as humans .

This story is a commentary on social privilege, female, friendships, and competition among many other things and the the beginning of the book really sets the stage for the relationships that are critical in the second half of the book. I would definitely look for more books from this author because this concept was so unique and different. I would want to read more from her.

I really think that there are students in my class now that will enjoy this, but I think if it wasn’t over 400 pages, I could get a lot more students to read it

The competition, secrets, and suspense kept me engaged. The tension built up really well, and while the ending might not be for everyone, I enjoyed the journey.

All I have to say is that I did not see that coming. The end of this book was so twisted.

This book was so entertaining to read. I really enjoyed it. There was a lot of drama and while I’m kinda over the high school setting this book did a good job at making the boarding school a unique place and a competition to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Nora was my favorite character I liked her from the start. She could come off as spoiled or stuck up at times but she was a lovable person, but still someone who had a lot to work through. The people in her life didn’t seem to care for her, fake friends and toxic relationships followed her throughout this book.

Max came off a bit annoying at the start and to be honest I was never fully sold on their character. She responded to her best friend’s love confession by being rude and ignoring her over the summer. Like okay you didn’t feel the same (even though she did) you could have been nicer about not wanting a relationship. I didn’t like Max until the end. I know Max had a lot to prove with not being rich like everyone else but it was a bit sad at times, I’m wondering did her mother even care at the end of this book or was she getting her other daughters enrolled in gymnastics after all?

Teddy was such a complex character. I really liked her at the start, she was a trouble maker for sure and liked to feel the rush of getting away with things but ultimately she just ends up getting kicked out of several schools in the process. I didn’t care for her as much near the end.

Plot: 8/10
Pace: 7/10
Ending: 8/10
Characters: 6/10
Enjoyability: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character: Nora

Favorite Quote: ❝"You can't have something just because you decided you want it. That's not how it works."❞

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to honestly review.

Rebecca Barrow’s The Tournament is a pulse-pounding young adult thriller that perfectly blends survival, competition, and deep emotional stakes. Set in the mysterious Gardner Academy—a school unlike any other, where students train in survival skills—this novel throws readers into an intense, high-stakes tournament where only the strongest, smartest, and most cunning can succeed.

What makes The Tournament truly shine is Barrow’s masterful character work. The three main protagonists each bring unique perspectives and histories, making their struggles feel personal and their victories deeply satisfying. The relationships between them—full of old wounds, fierce rivalries, and unexpected alliances—add an emotional weight that keeps the reader hooked beyond just the competition itself.

The pacing is razor-sharp, building tension with every page as the challenges become more intense. Barrow expertly balances action with moments of introspection, allowing readers to connect with the characters while still feeling the pressure of the tournament. Fans of The Hunger Games and One of Us Is Lying will find themselves captivated by this adrenaline-fueled story.

With its perfect mix of suspense, survival, and emotional depth, The Tournament is a must-read for anyone who loves high-stakes YA thrillers. Rebecca Barrow proves she can craft not just compelling contemporary fiction, but also a gripping, cinematic thriller that will keep readers on edge until the very last page.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

I wanted to love this book so much but it just wasn’t for me. The characters were annoying and a good amount of the book revolved around the girls relationships

Thank you Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rebecca Barrow’s “The Tournament” is a dark and character-driven YA story that blends psychological drama with a cutthroat school competition. While it’s marketed as a thriller, the book is more of an intense character study centered on three deeply flawed girls—Max, Nora, and Teddy—who are bound together by their tangled pasts and personal struggles.

Set at Gardner, an elite boarding school with an infamous survival competition, The Tournament follows these three seniors as they compete for victory. Max, the ruthless scholarship student, is determined to prove herself despite her messy fallout with Nora, her former best friend who confessed her love only to be coldly shut down. Nora, always overshadowed, is ready to step out of Max’s shadow. Meanwhile, Teddy, a self-destructive transfer student, is chasing thrills to numb the emptiness inside her. As the tournament progresses, their relationships are tested, tensions rise, and dark truths come to the surface.

Despite its promising premise, the book has a slow start, taking nearly half the story before the tournament actually begins. Much of the early plot revolves around the girls’ relationship drama, making it feel more like a character drama than a high-stakes thriller. Max and Teddy, in particular, can be abrasive, with Max pushing people away and Teddy indulging in reckless behavior. Nora is the most relatable, but even she has her moments of privilege and passivity. Their flaws, however, are what make them feel real, and by the end, their motivations and emotional turmoil become more compelling.

When the stakes do rise (though the actual competition itself is pretty tame), “The Tournament” delivers a shocking and twisted finale that makes the slow buildup worthwhile. The climax is intense, unexpected, and forces the characters to confront the consequences of their actions. The ending is dark yet fitting, reinforcing the book’s themes of ambition, self-worth, and the desperate lengths people will go to just to feel something.

Overall, “The Tournament” is an intriguing read, though with a pretty slow start. It offers strong LGBTQ representation and complex character dynamics, but if you’re expecting a fast-paced thriller, you may find the first half frustratingly slow. However, for those who enjoy messy, morally gray characters and intense psychological tension, this book delivers a unique and thought-provoking experience.

Such twisted and exciting read and i think young adult readers will really enjoy it. I know i did !

Thank you Simon teen for the e-arc. All thoughts are my own. Woah, did I not expect all the plot twists to happen, and I loved the characters. This really had me wondering how everything would play our with the mystery, rivalries, and so much more

A sharp, unflinching exploration of ambition, betrayal, and the dangerous allure of glory. Gardner's Tournament is as thrilling as it is deadly.