My Thoughts on this book, while I didn't love it as much as previous books, it is still a great book with fun twists. The twist is kind of guessable early on in the book but it still was a fun book to read. She does a great job with character development and telling their fun backstories. I really found myself caring about the characters

I think I will give it a 3.5-4 star reading for its fast-paced nature and being a gripping read with a wonderfully solid conclusion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The premise of this book really pulled me. Young adults with traumatic pasts compete on an isolated island. What could possibly go wrong. While i had some idea early on who did it, i was even surprised by a few things. I love how developed and invested we become in the characters as we learn layers of their past. I liked this book alot.

For a thriller to really be thrilling it needs to keep the reader on their toes and be full of interesting twists and turns. This book fits that description very well. Mercy makes an intriguing narrator considering her backstory that very much comes into the forefront in interesting ways. That's probably why her backstory isn't all told at once but gradually filled in as the story goes along. It's clear from almost the first chapter that all isn't right as Mercy joins the other contestants on the survival show only to discover no one else around. Despite having misgivings they all choose to stay and see where things go. The first couple of challenges prove to be difficult, even haunting. But things really take a turn when one of them dies and it proves to be a deliberate act. Can Mercy figure out who can be trusted before it's too late? The story has plenty of interesting twists and turns, some I saw coming and some that surprised me. The book combines the challenge of physical survival in an isolated location with the tension of emotional survival as the characters face past traumas as well as the uncertainty of not knowing who to trust. The billionaire's ideas for creating the so-called show in the first place add some ethical considerations to the story as well as some existential questions.

The premise of this book is a reality survival show with a massive cash prize that's created by a tech billionaire and a TV host by the name of Damien Dare. They recruit eight contestants, each of whom has been a survivor of a real life disaster. Including things like trapped in a train wreck stranded after a boat crash.

They are stuck on an isolated island with only a cryptic video with instructions and high-tech surveillance monitoring them. After the first challenge, they realize things are not as they seem when one of the contestants is killed. The stakes are a lot higher than they had originally thought and they start to realize that they might be trapped on an island with a killer.

I can't give this a full five stars because I did find it a little bit predictable formulaic and the killer was pretty easy to suss out. However, the way the characters are written, they're all very well developed full-fledged characters who you can't help but love root for and really feel the emotions with them. The writing is very well done like most of her previous books, so if the premise intrigues you, I would recommend going ahead and picking it up for page turning psychological thriller

*We Won’t All Survive* by Kate Alice Marshall is a gripping, fast-paced thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story centers around Mercy Gray, a young woman whose past is weighed down by trauma after a heroic act during a mall shooting. Now, struggling with physical and emotional scars, she is given a chance to redeem herself by joining a high-stakes survivalist reality show. What starts as a potential cash grab to send her sister to college quickly turns into a terrifying fight for survival.

Marshall’s writing pulls you in from the very first page, blending elements of suspense, psychological drama, and a mystery that deepens with every chapter. The tension builds perfectly as Mercy and the other contestants realize they are trapped in a nightmarish version of a reality show where the stakes are life and death.

Mercy’s character is incredibly relatable and complex. Her struggle with guilt, trauma, and her desire to protect her sister adds layers to her journey, making her not just a survivor, but a deeply human character in the face of impossible odds. The dynamics between the contestants are well-crafted, with shifting alliances, suspicion, and fear creating an intense sense of drama and tension.

If you're a fan of thrilling mysteries, survival stories, and complex characters, *We Won’t All Survive* is a must-read. It’s a rollercoaster of emotion, suspense, and pure adrenaline that you won’t want to put down!

I was really hooked on the storyline for this book, it was well written, had a lot of action, and kept you guessing till the end. I liked the layers that were revealed about each person that was participating in the challenge. You were constantly guessing and being surprised by the "who done it" , "who will do it, and "who will die next". My only tiny complaint was the bad guy's relationship to the main girl, Mercy. I can not reveal more without giving away too much information, but it was already done previously in the plot. Lots of action, suspense, and mystery.

This book is what I picture if Mr. Beast decided to team up with Squid Games and make a TV show. This was a quick and entertaining read but not my favorite from this author. I feel like I could have skipped pages and still not missed anything so there is that. When I first read the synopsis for this, I was so excited because this type of thriller/survival/tv show book definitely sounds like something I would love. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but it fell short of a 5 star read for me.

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.25 ⭐️

Kate Alice Marshall’s latest young adult novel WE WON’T ALL SURVIVE explores trauma as eight contestants vie for $100,000 each at the whim of billionaire Damien Dare. But when they arrive, the small town set is empty, and they find themselves trapped in not just a reality show but a reality where there is a killer on the loose.

This is written in first person from the perspective of Mercy Gray, a teen victim of a mall shooting who saved several others, including her younger sister Jaime that she’d do anything for. However, I felt the most well-rounded character in this novel was the social media influencer Alethea. There were two main problems with the characters. Mercy’s only defining characteristic is the trauma she experienced from the shooting (and maybe her love of Carlito’s almonds?). There were five male characters in this novel, and it was very difficult to tell them apart - even with their different traumas.

I didn’t want to put this novel down. I enjoyed seeing where it was going. I did buddy read this with my teenager, and she predicted the beats along the way. She enjoyed it a bit more than me, but pointed out a few things along the way that she wasn’t fond of (predictability in the plot, flat characters that are not defined by anything other than their trauma, etc.).

One part that really bugged me is that, while this novel was written in first person, the narrator Mercy said that the trans character Eli went by male pronouns. How would Mercy know that without having a conversation with Eli? This might be fixed before publication. I think the author was going for representation, but I’m not sure she knows how to *really* do representation, and this might alienate some younger readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

It publishes July 29, 2025.

Dark, chilling, and impossible to put down. We Won’t All Survive is a twisty thrill ride that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. Kate Alice Marshall masterfully blends horror, suspense, and emotional depth, crafting a story that’s equal parts terrifying and thought-provoking.

The tension builds with every chapter, and just when you think you’ve figured it out—bam—another curveball. The characters feel real in their fear, flaws, and fight to survive, making the stakes feel gut-punchingly high. This is not just a survival story. It’s about secrets, choices, and the price we pay when the truth comes out. Overall Good story

I was able to guess the culprit very early on so nothing terribly groundbreaking, but it was fast and entertaining; I read it in a single day.

“We Won’t All Survive” by Kate Alice Marshall kept me intrigued the whole time, once I picked it up I had a tough time pitting it down. I enjoyed the way she developed the characters, especially the main character. I felt like I was right there with her the whole time and was able to understand why she was feeling every emotion and making the choices she made. I enjoyed this book from start to finish and definitely recommend this author and this book!

Relatable characters, a smart storyline, and good character development made this an enjoyable read from Kate Alice Marshall.

Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC!

This was great! A lot of YA thrillers rely on implausibility or stupid adults, but this was all feasible and people were pretty smart throughout. Well put together with no glaring plot holes, which is sadly rare in this genre now. I also loved the characters and the timeliness of the themes. I’ve read adult books by the author but I’m excited to read more YA, too.

KAM is an automatic read for me. This was a my first YA by her and it didn't disappoint. I really enjoyed the character development but didn't feel overwhelmed by it. I thought I knew the twist but I was wrong! Read it!

I really enjoyed this book. She did a great job of giving you a little character background without drowning you in it. Had a great storyline. As soon as I thought I had it figured out she proved me wrong.

I love Kate Alice Marshall and her books! This is my first YA by her but all the concepts of a book that I love. Only complaint is that I wish this was in kindle format as the option provided was not very user friendly as I like to change my font and I couldn’t do that or have text to speech. But the book is a great, creepy, thrilling murder mystery for both adults and young adults.

I’m going to be honest, it took a while for me to get into the book. Once I did it was great. The characters have so many layers to them and depth and makes rooting for them so much better. Ending was crazy and I’m happy for the love interest at the end. I really didn’t know who done it til literally the last chapter. It was a wild story.

I love me some Kate Alice Marshall!!! When I saw this book available to request an ARC I was beyond excited! Thank you for the opportunity! AMAZING READ!!!!!

Great YA thriller!! I’m a sucker for reality game shows in real life so reading a book about one….I immediately said SIGN ME UP!! I love the reality game show plot and how the author decided to make it play out. It made it so much more enjoyable that it could *potentially* be a real life show. (You know….without the murder.) hahaha

8 people set to go on a reality game show. Each has a trauma story that landed them on the game show. Who will make it to the ends? Because we won’t all survive.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!! This book comes out July 29, 2025!

I was so excited to get an ARC of this book, and it absolutely delivered! While it’s geared toward teen and young adult readers, I enjoyed every second of it, as someone a little over 30 😉

A group of young adults signs up for a survival reality show, but things quickly spiral into chaos. It’s packed with suspense, emotion, and twists that had me questioning every single character.

The final chapters had me racing through the pages, dying to see how it would all end. If you’re into thriller meets reality survival TV with twists at every turn give this book a read! This one’s a solid heck yes from me!