Holy cliffhanger, Batman! What wild twists and turns!

I truly enjoyed this world, Ilvernath made me think of Edinborough. And I love that nothing was too much of an info dump. Alistair is my new favorite fictional child and I will fight everyone to protect him at all costs.

What a book, it a little hard to read in places and I mean the topics not the actually flow. But it's sooo good.

All Of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman is a magical tale, like no other. The dark, villainous undertone is a feature which embeds itself throughout the tale with a string of characters, each with a unique personality. The characters are not meant to be likeable, their aim is to be understood. The authors take the reader on a journey where they follow seven teenagers as they come to terms with being ‘the chosen one’, pitted against each other in a ‘Hunger Games style’ magical contest.
What drew me into this novel was the comparison with The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games was a staple of my high school collection, so unique and full of action. This book included a similar amount of action, but also included elements of magick mixed in. There were spellmakers, cursemarkers and everything in between. Some characters had access to greater magick, while others were only just beginning to learn how to master theirs. Magick was power and to survive, the characters needed to know how to wield it to protect themselves.
This was very much a character driven book. I enjoyed the way the authors introduced the characters and the seven magickal families, providing some context and history. Each family had a distinct personality type and it was fascinating to see throughout the text, which characters conformed to this and who rebelled against it. The text is told through multiple POV’s and it was a bit much at the beginning to try and recall who was who. By the latter part of the book, some of the POV’s dropped off, with the focus really only on 4 of them. I love reading books with multiple perspectives, allowing you to get into the head of different characters and predict how they might react to situations before they get there.
There are a number of themes throughout this book which are addressed. One of the key themes is self discovery. Each of the main characters, throughout the duration of their time in the competition, learn something about themselves. Alasdair is not cruel, Isobel is strong and Gavin is someone to be reckoned with. They refuse to conform to society’s standards of them and their families. Another is determination. Each character shows great determination and focus on achieving their goals. While obstacles may get in their way, they try their best to overcome them.
The plot of this book is one that really makes the reader want to continue, without putting the book down. After seeing the main characters and how they interact with their families, they are then placed into the arena where the battle will take place. It is not a quick one, with weeks to kill the others before the final person standing can claim the high magick and title as victor. During this time, the characters grapple with the idea that this competition is a curse that could possibly be broken, but how to do it? Do they kill each other, or do they work together to try and break the curse that has been placed upon them and their families? I did not want to put this book down at any stage. It is engaging, with twists and turns on every page that keep you guessing about what will happen next.

If you are after an action packed, magickal narrative with a string of anti-hero characters who each have a point to prove, this might be the book for you!

All I have to say about this book is YOU NEED TO READ IT ASAP. I think this book has easily become one of my favorites for 2021 and I can not wait for book 2.

All of Us Villains is Hunger Games meets Game Of Thrones all mixed with some ancient magic. Over 800 years ago, high magic was starting to disappear. 7 well off families decided to put a curse with the remaining high magic to decide who would get to rule over the rest of it, but the families would have to prove they deserved to have control over it. Every 20 years each family puts forward their champion who will fight to the death while being excluded from outside forces under a blood veil. The veil only lifts when 6 die and 1 champion remains. This year, everything is changing.

We follow four main characters who are named champions in their families. Some see this as an honor, some as a death sentence but they all have something in common - they want to win. Alistair, Isobel, Briony and Gavin have all given up something they hold close to their heart to be in this tournament and we watch their friendships evolve and dissolve with in the blood veil. Who will slaughter their friends, lovers and classmates first?

I am obsessed. I could not put this book down and stayed up until all hours of the night to finish it. The world that the authors have created is so dark and magical that I instantly fell in love with it. It is hard for you to pick out your favorite and pin who the actual villain is because you get to see the situation from each of their point of view, I have my favorites but the entire book you are hoping that none of them kill each other because you have bonded to each of the main 4. Reading about the bonds and betrayals that these teenagers are creating is addicting.

Overall, 5 stars. I can not wait for the second book!

I just finished this and THAT ENDING!!!! Wow, I need the next book asap.

As someone whose favorite HP book is the Goblet of Fire and who also grew up during the Hunger Games craze, I was pumped for this book. Thankfully, this book lived up to the hype. The plot and characters kept me reading, and there were some good twists. I also loved the different viewpoints for each chapter.

I'm a huge fan of both authors so had high hopes for this collaboration which I'm pleased to say were exceeded. Comparisons to THE HUNGER GAMES are inevitable but this has the addition of dark magic and morally grey characters. I'm excited to read the next book after the way this one ended!

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

This novel was pretty awesome! Very much in line with Hunger Games, however, definitely with a twist. I did really appreciate how this novel was written from multiple points of view as the story unfolded. Some parts seemed a bit slow and I do hope this is only a duology and not a trilogy, as I feel a trilogy would be a bit excessive. I really enjoyed this and I am excited to continue the story!

I've read an actual ton of comps for this one, mainly "The Hunger Games meets Magical ", and frankly, it tracks! But that isn't a bad thing, quite the opposite. Because while it does pull themes from various other books we know and love, the story stands perfectly well all on its own.

I will say, I had a bit of a rough start with the book, mostly because there is a lot to take in- the world building is intricate, and there are quite a few characters to keep track of. But once you get into the story, that becomes easy, and very much worth it! In fact, I think it was a good choice to have so many points of view, because otherwise the reader would not get the full sense of who the characters were. They each have their own motivations (or lack thereof) for being in the tournament- as do their respective families.

Without giving too much away, I will say that the book definitely lives up to its claim of villainy, as no character can fully escape the moral ambiguity (and often treachery) that is par for the course in this event. The whole history of not just the tournament, but the families themselves is based in cruelty and selfishness. And now, on the precipice of another bloodbath, the champions must decide how to proceed. Will it be business as usual? Or will someone step up and try to do better?

The characters, for their part, are very well developed, especially given there are so many. The authors did a great job of making no one a "good guy", and in the same vein, no one truly a villain. They also did a tremendous job of creating such morally gray situations that it makes it impossible to know what will happen next, and as such, kept me guessing throughout.

The magic system I was a bit fuzzy on, and didn't quite come to terms with it even by the end. Still, it didn't really prevent me from enjoying the book, and I think there will be a lot of questions answered in the next installment, which I absolutely cannot wait to read!

Bottom Line: I love darker fare with complex characters and choices, and All of Us Villains fully delivers!

This was one of my most anticipated reads for this year. I loved the premise, I loved the authors, and that cover? Stunning. I think the first major issue of this book is how many character POVs there are. I think it would have done much better with two, max. The constant switching of POVs combined with how many there were made them all sound and feel the same. I didn't care about any of the characters, because we ultimately spent no time with them.
I also don't understand the pacing of this book. The first half is a mess of points of view and confusing half baked world building. And the actual tourney doesn't start until like 50% through and then there are HUGE time jumps. At one point something happens and the chapter ends and the next chapter starts with "A week later". Like, come on. Make me want to read, immerse me. Where is the action and the excitement and the suspense that was implied in the premise of the novel. This was so boring.

The whole story felt rushed and shallow. It was like reading a first draft or an outline. I know it's the first installment of a series, but unless the premise for the second one blows my socks off I just don't want to slog through another 50 POVs with an underbaked world and magic system.

Do you get nervous when the hype train starts to take off and you’re not on it? Or do you just wave goodbye? 👋

All of Us Villains has been described as “a blockbuster,” and “a modern fairytale…” It’s been compared to all sorts of YA bestsellers including The Hunger Games. Is this the novel that will flip the script and give the villains a chance to rule?

Premise: A long-held curse has given one of seven families control of all the High Magic in the world. Every generation the families choose a representative to battle it out for the rights to control this most-powerful magic. But, this year will be different because the secret is out. One member of one of the families has written a tell-all book about the tournament and now the city of Ilvernath is crowded with tourists, protesters, and reporters trying to get the latest dirt on the families.

The story is told from the point of view of four of the teen champions… These young people have spent most their short lifetimes training to become their family’s victor. From the most powerful Lowe family who have won the vast majority of the tournaments to the lowly Grieves who have never won, they perfect their magical prowesses. Learning spells, manipulating their powers and, maybe gossiping about their rivals. Until the blood moon appears… and then some will be chosen willfully and some regretfully.

On to the tournament… tentative alliances, defending camps, and striking out when the opportunity arises. Who will die and who will survive?

Let’s talk now about the hype train… There are aspects of this novel that warrant the love and some things that fall into the “eh” category, ha!

The characters and their families were so well drawn. Each POV had its own set of insecurities, strengths, and family lore. I always felt ready to move between the characters as one chapter ended with a cliffhanger the next would give the reader the answer they’ve been waiting for… The motivations of these characters should be pretty clear: Just Survive! But no, there’s other factors that include romance, familial responsibility, and magical prowess.

The worldbuilding lacked in places though. Sure, the tournament rules are set down and the magic system was easy enough to understand, but time and a good overall picture of this world are not as precise enough as I would have liked. For example, there are a couple lines about the magic/ curses outside of Ilvernath, but it could have used more explanation. But I do have to say that the plot moves forward with some really good tension after a bit of a set up.

Strong characters and a creative storytelling helps mask some issues in this novel.

3.5 out of 5.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Teen, and the authors for an advanced copy for review.

I loved this story! And there's going to be more!!

There are 7 main characters that the reader will get to know throughout this book. All battling for a chance to win high Magick for their family. (And, there is a character named Alistair who I can't help but love immediately!).

The story has a good flow and kept me interested and turning pages. The author cleverly and intricately weaves this tale and the ending simply left me craving more. The characters themselves were unique and I loved getting everyone's pov.

I would say the story itself definitely fits this intriguing cover. Sometimes I can't help but pick a book up because the cover just seems to scream, "Read me!". And, this one was a great choice for me!

Wow, this book. It was amazing to say the least. The concept, characters and plot are everything that I hoped for and more. Gotta say I didn’t expect like half the things that happened (I would say that’s a good thing though). I feel like all of the character perspectives that we get really show the story in such a great way because they’re all so different and I didn’t get anyone mixed up, all of the pov’s definitely had clear voices. I can’t get over that ending, I’ll be upset by that for a while. Can’t wait for the next book

Title: All of Us Villains
Author: Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.

Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death.

The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world--one thought long depleted.

This year, thanks to a salacious tell-all book, the seven champions are thrust into worldwide spotlight, granting each of them new information, new means to win, and most importantly: a choice - accept their fate or rewrite their story.

But this is a story that must be penned in blood.

This was a pretty dark read. Every time I though I liked a character, they did something awful, stabbed someone in the back, killed someone…Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about this read. It’s well-written, with strong characters and lots of action, but it’s just so dark.

Amanda Foody lives in Boston. Christine Lynn Herman lives in Brooklyn. All of Us Villians is their new novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review.)

Good but not great. I believe I am not the target audience for this book. I wanted to love this book but there seemed to be something lacking. The characters didn't seem to stick to me, there were some I liked but none I loved. I believe Ilvernath, where this story takes place, could have been described more. The comparison to the hunger games is only loosely in my opinion, this book doesn't have any of the nuisance or messages that the hunger games had, so it makes for an unfair comparison. The length of the novel could have been shorter.

3.5 stars rounded up, because I honestly don't know what to rate this, or how to properly review it. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and while it didn't live up to my expectations, it didn't exactly let them down, either.

The story is simple: 7 teenagers fight to the death in a tournament to control the high magick living in their city. Except, this book didn't have a whole lot of fighting, and it was pretty easy to figure out who was going to be killed early on. So, while I was hoping for a lot more action, this book is actually more character-driven than anything. Which isn't a bad thing, it's just not what I expected at all. So, I was back and forth between "I like this/I'm not feeling" the entire time I was reading it.

With that being said, the writing itself is good. I think the author's voices blend really well together. I can definitely say the ending left me wanting to read the sequel though, whenever it comes out. I also hope the LGBT rep is more explored in the next book, too.

My suggestion is to just give this a try yourself, because I know a lot of people seemed to love it. This book just wasn't personally what I wanted it to be.

When I began this book, I felt an immediate connection with each of the characters in different ways. Although the characters are supposed to be at odds with one another, I found that they were intertwined in more ways than one. Seven well-known families in this magical society have been cursed to send a champion into battle with hopes of winning high magic. However, the characters have different reasons for entering the tournament and I found myself excited to learn that not all of the characters were villains. I believe the author did an amazing job playing on familial relationships, friendships, and emotional ties to bring light and love into this book. However, I thoroughly enjoyed how dark some of the scenes were. I distinctly remember reading a battle scene alone in my room and feeling frightened at a spell that Alistair casted. Amanda Foody’s writing was lyrical and very descriptive. I was able to picture some of the most frightening scenes in the book inside of my head vividly! *Minor spoiler alert* Could you imagine a spell being casted that engulfed everywhere around you in uncontrollable waves and creatures that wouldn’t stop chasing you? The description of how threatening the shark with millions of sharp teeth was terrifying for not only the champions it was casted on but also the caster! Amanda thoroughly described the magic system throughout the book as well as describing how each spell worked. This was definitely a 5 star read!

So the comparison between We Were Villains, and The Hunger Games is spot on. A bunch of kids sent into an arena to kill each other, yeah sounds familiar.
However, in this book the “contestants” have magic, and there is certainly no Katniss. This story is told from alternating points of view. Not all seven champions are represented, which does sort of spoil who the important characters are, but it also makes the story more interesting I loved learning about each of the families and how the magic works. The world-building in this is excellent! And the way it’s done is incredibly engaging.
There are still so many mysteries in the book and surprises among the way. Just when I think I know one character they do something completely unexpected.
I loved getting to know these characters and as the book progresses my loyalties changed. None of them are perfect, and each character has some major flaws. But there is also good in all of them, and it was also interesting seeing how they all interacted with one another.
This book is part of a series and I cannot wait to see where this story goes!

So. This book. Take the Hunger Games and zoom it in on seven characters, all Career-style players with a historic stake in the games. Then mix in some of the structure of The Atlas Six, and sprinkle in a bit of V E Schwab’s Vicious here, a dash of The Inheritance Games there, and just a touch of Goblet of Fire to really round it off, and you’re starting to get the picture of All of Us Villains. For bonus points, slide in some LGBT main characters, as well.

Be prepared for a slower start and a more thorough introduction than some books of this style, the first 35% or so more akin to The Atlas Six’s gradual introductory style than that of The Hunger Games, where you find yourself at the action almost immediately. I struggled a bit with this as a reader who prefers a faster-paced start, but in truth, it was probably the best structure for the book. With seven characters in the tournament rather than 24 or 50 or more, you don’t want any character to be a background-less token that won’t be missed, so giving them stories and lineages off the bat makes sense.

I’ve seen some say that they were disappointed by certain characters being more misunderstood than truly wicked, based on the expectations set by the title. I get the thought, but I don’t want potential readers to be put off by this distinction! As we see from the beginning, these teens are painted as - and raised to be - villains for their whole lives, but they’re also being used as pawns and sacrifices for their families’ greed. They see themselves as villains and murderers and are expected to behave as such, whether or not that’s who they are.

Ultimately, I actually think this book didn’t cop out where many other YA titles do. I’ve read many a YA title that promises to be high-stakes & deadly, yet hardly a character has a scratch on them by the end. The same isn’t true of this book. The truest villains, perhaps, are the adults, and fear, and greed, so don’t go in expecting all seven teens to be ruthless antagonists throughout, but still prepare for deadly curses, selfish choices, and unwilling sacrifice. The world-building and character dynamics are intriguing…and I’m certain that BookTok will get its hands on the aesthetics soon, with its blood-red moon, its ancient sword, its magically-defended castle, its tucked-away cave and stacks of spell-rings and relics.

I withheld a 5 on this because I did feel like the story was trying too hard to convince me of certain things outright. YA can get away with this a lot more than adult can, but at times I felt a bit beaten over the head by how often the same phrases/concepts were textually repeated. Hopefully the next installment will have established this well enough to ease up on it a bit.

Still, I look forward to seeing where this story goes and will plan on picking it the next book whenever it’s out in the world. Give this one a shot if it sounds up your alley :)

This book! Definitely loved this and couldn’t put this down. I loved the idea and how each character was a little despicable but I still liked them all. Really fun book! Definitely in my top reads of 2021. That ending! It was a race to the finish and I was so there for it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

3 Stars

Arc received from Netgalley for an honest review

At the start of All Of Us Villains, I was instantly entranced in the characters and world. I was getting so amped for the game aspect of the book to start which is why I loved the beginning so much. It made me feel on edge, and gave me insight on all of the characters before the plot really started.

With that said, I think the characters were my favourite part. I wanted to read more about them, I was curious what drove them forward and who they truthfully were in comparison to the way people saw them outside the games.

Once the plot kicked off though, I wasn't as interested in the story. The writing was well done, but I wasn't finding myself driven to keep reading. This may have been my own fault due to being in a bit of a slumpy mood. I felt like I was dragging myself to continue to read even when I felt I should have been more invested in the tournament portion of the book.

I'd like to return to this book and read it again because it has a lot of incredible potential. It's such an amazing take on magic and the way it's performed that I can imagine many people enjoying this book and picking it up for themselves. I'm definitely going to try reading it again in the future.