"Grins like goblins, pale as plague and silent as spirits...They'll tear your throat and drink your soul."

I'm a fan of the tried and true YA trope where teens must compete to save the world in some fashion, the major themes being redemption, rebirth and identity. I can feel your eyeroll from here. I know it's overdone and as unrealistic as it may be, nevertheless I still enjoy reading it. In this case seven cursed families must name a teen champion every 20 years for a tournament to the death to win control of what may be the last source of high magick. All of Us Villians, as the name implies, is an inside look at the families through the eyes of the champions. The use of multiple narrators is usually a little jarring but in this case the chapter to chapter transitions are well done so it didn't bother me. In fact, I enjoyed seeing the events from varied points of view. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and magical politics play a huge part in the plotline. Still, everything gets weaved together in a fun, concise way. Compared to other popular YA books, the world building could've been better here. That's the one problem I'm having with this book. Despite the reader being dropped into this cut-throat world without much backstory, the characters are fully fleshed out enough to be believable. The way Foody and Herman slowly amp up the tension is masterful. I enjoyed this book overall. I've already preordered a signed copy from the author's choice indie bookstore Porter Square Books.

Typical YA Trope, Multiple Narrators, Cliffhanger

"Victor or not, a Lowe has never left the tournament without killing someone."
~A Tournament of Tragedy

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alistair, Isobel, Gavin - three of the seven champions, members of families who must nominate someone to fight to the death for the control of High Magick. Alistair’s family (the Lowes) have won for the last 20 generations, meaning the other champions are likely to be going to their deaths… although they are all plotting to ensure that’s not the case. In some of the families, being chosen is an honour - and Briony must watch as her younger sister Innes takes the role of champion she had always wanted for herself.

The book covers the beginning of the tournament into the middle and ends on a cliffhanger. There was character progression throughout from teenagers with villainous families to becoming villains themselves. I also liked the world building and the logic behind the magic use and costs associated with it. The various narrative voices were well written and each character felt individual.

Overall, 5 stars. This book is unputdownable - I was drawn in instantly and can’t believe I now have a wait ahead of me to discover what happens next!

🌑 “The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The tournament begins.”

🌑 Holy wow this book was freaking awesome! It ended up being an impromptu buddy read with Steph @ohiobookgal and thank goodness for that. My brain may have exploded if I couldn’t send her multiple ‘WTF’ texts.

I was hooked from the start. 7 families choose a champion from their ranks to fight to the death for control of all the high magick until the next Blood Moon. Before now this was all done in secret, but a tell all book revealing the tradition has made the city and the champions the focus of the media and the world. I definitely got Hunger Games vibes, but make it creepy. It’s told from the POV’s of 4 of the champions. It does end on a cliffhanger, but I absolutely loved it anyway. I can not wait for the next book in the series! Thank you to @torteen and @netgalley for an advance ecopy of this book, definitely grab yours when it releases November 9th!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge.for providing me with an ARC of All Of Us Villains!

The description said The Hunger Games with magic and the book fulfilled this description. A curse resulting in a tournament of 7 champions, one from each of the high magick families, competing to the death so that their families can control high magick for the next 20 years, but what if the tournament is changing this year? As a fantasy lover, this book perfectly took the fighting to be victor and rebelling from the usual aspect of The Hunger Games and added in magical aspects. What more could I ask for?!

Throughout the book, I felt myself going back and forth between liking characters and disliking them and feeling neutral about them. None of these characters are perfect; they are all morally gray and their flaws are evident to readers. And yet, as the book goes on, you begin to understand the reasoning for their flaws and see their character grow.

All I can say is that I hope that there is a sequel for this… no, I NEED a sequel for this! The ending was amazing, but I need more answers, and need more content with these characters! Amanda Foody did an amazing job with this novel, and if they were to write a sequel at any point in time or make this a series, I would buy any future related books immediately!

THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING!!! There better be another book coming! Wow I went into this with high expectations and they were exceeded! I just need everyone to read this so we can scream about it together!!

All I have to say is that there better be a flipping sequel. No! There better be a whole series! This novel truly was like the Hunger Games but with magic! Oh and the characters were all rotten. Well, I'd not say rotten but villainous for sure! And there was so much depth to each one of them! And that ending! Are you kidding me?! The Tournament was still going on when the novel ended! And things were looking completely crazy with all the curses happening and unhappening, etc. I will be waiting with bated breath until second book comes out. And it better. Absolutely riveting.

*Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this amazing novel.*

Loved this so much. Loved that I couldn't really tell if there was some good in our main characters or if they are villains through and through. I loved the relationships between the characters, especially Alaister and Isobel, and the magic system is amazing. Can't wait to see what happens next!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an eARC to review!

Oh. My. Goodness. Where do I even begin... If everyone isn't reading this, what <i>are</i> you doing?

I absolutely loved this book! I was hooked from the beginning - each of the champions is fascinatingly different. To be completely honest, I have to say Alistair is probably my favorite character.

All Of Us Villains had so many clever twists that I hated to put it down to go to work or go to bed. It's a delightful fast-paced read, that definitely radiates vibes of The Hunger Games, but takes it and makes it their own beautifully.

There are seven families and each of them, every twenty years, chooses one of their children to fight to the death. Sometimes the selected champion doesn't want it, but in most scenarios the children are raised to be the best of the best. And who wouldn't, right? You want to be the one to bring high magick back to your family, to be victorious, to <i>live</i>. The book switches between four character perspectives, each one having their own goals and drive to win.

I cannot recommend All Of Us Villains enough. The ending was a perfect cliffhanger to lead into the next book in this duology - which I desperately need and I'm saddened I have to wait for it, but I'm more than ready to. I will definitely be reading this again.

I am really torn between 4 and 5 stars. So I decided to round up!
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Thank you to the publisher for a free Netgalley.

I really enjoyed this one. I loved the story line and the use of magic. Each character was not 100% unique because in these types of stories, there truly are only so many character story lines. But I truly loved Allistair.

The twists that kept coming were well done and that cliff hanger at the end made me go back a couple times. It was so good that I was more annoyed that there is where the book ended! This one isn't even out yet AND I will have to wait for a sequel?

Every twenty years The Blood Veil falls. For centuries, seven families have been cursed to send one champion to fight to the death in a macabre competition. The winner takes home control of a stash of rare high magick and nightmares from what they had to do to win. Till now, the tournament has been a secret only those involved kept. However, a tell-all book anonymously made its way into the world, spilling the dark secrets the family has been keeping. For the first time, the competition will have an audience to the slaughter.

All of Us Villians thoroughly engulfed me. The world they live in and the Blood Trials themselves were so vivid I could play it out like a movie in my head. Of course it draws the comparison of The Hunger Games, since it's a contest where only one person leaves alive, but my goodness, it was so different. None of the characters can be trusted to do the moral or proper thing. Each time I thought I had figured out what drove them and what path they were likely to take, I was wrong. The twists kept coming, making it an absolute pleasure to read. This is definitely one of those books where you get so sucked in that you blink and hours have passed. Also, why is it that I have so many favorite characters in a book where it's a fight to the death?! The fact that none of the characters are pigeonholed into being the hero or the good guy really makes them come to life and have dimension. This is my new favorite of the year, 5/5 for sure. And now I'm devastated I have to wait for the next one.

If you like magical duels to the death, not knowing which character is the most villainous, or want to get completely engrossed in a fictional world, this is the one for you.

I received a digital copy of this book free from NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review.

"All Of Us Villains" is like The Hunger Games with magic! Great for fans of that series or series like Practical Magic. Seven families elect one of their own to fight in a curse every twenty years. Known as the Slaughter Seven, they fight to the death for control of the town's high magic. Fast-paced and full of plenty of fun twists, I would highly recommend "All Of Us Villains"!

This book, my god this book. I devoured it - the moment I began reading it felt like I stepped into this universe. The world building and magic system was *chef's kiss*. We have intriguing characters who drive this story along. Having four main POVs was perfect, we had the perfect balance in everyone's head and perspective to understood what drove them and what made them who they were. These are not static characters, the ones we see when we begin are not who we see at the end and I LOVED that. One of the lacking points for me was the lack of true villainry, obviously there are nuances to the situation - these are children after all. But I could see this changing towards the end and I am very excited for the sequel. Definitely a 4.5/5 read.
Speaking of the sequel....that cliffhanger was rude and I will be yelling about it until the day I get the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan- Tor/ Forge for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Do you know what I really hate? When a book is a first in a serial, and they don’t tell you it’s a book one on any retail sites. So you get invested in the book, and then it ends with no sort of reward at all. You cannot call books part of a series if the books depend on each other for resolution. That’s a serial. But not labeling it as such is a sneaky way to market books and does a disservice to the reader.

Frustration aside, there is a fun story here. What reader that loved reading The Hunger Games hasn’t been chasing the high of it since? Add in that magic is involved, and it takes the story to a whole new level. Once this series is complete, I will give reading all of the books another go to find out what happens because I became very invested in the characters. Thank you, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, for sending this along.

This book was a surprise for me. I’ve read Amanda foody’s book before and always loved them so that’s not surprising but this book is very dark and atmospheric. Perfect for reading in October like I did! This book has four points of view and is told in third person. That takes a bit getting used to but this book is very character driven so it works in the end. The characters draw you into their lives and are very compelling and make you want to root for them. Which is great but conflicting since this is a hunger games type book where everyone is supposed to murder each other. That and the different angst in each character is great. The characters are very complex from the get go and you see them develop and change throughout the story. My biggest issue with the story is that you get most of the way through it and believe it will all wrap up nicely and conclude. Then you keep reading and you are hit with the OH SNAP things are still happening and now the book is over and you have no idea where this story is heading! Which I enjoyed but is also a bit frustrating. Haha. Overall I really enjoyed this book and i’m glad I read it right before Halloween because it’s so atmospheric and the whole falls feel adds to the experience of this book. I wish I knew going in that it’d be a series lol but will read the next book. Definitely recommend this book for people who enjoy witchy, murder-y emotional conflict.

Thank you to Tor Teen and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was SO GOOD. It was intriguing and thrilling, with really realistic characters with relatable desires and fears, despite the fantastical setting. Even the characters who weren’t particularly likeable could still be sympathised with, even when they were simultaneously infuriating.

I really enjoyed this take on the ‘death tournament’ trope. The added tension of this being the first tournament since it was revealed to the rest of the world made it even more interesting, especially once we got to see the different feelings and reactions of each character towards the ‘tell-all’ book and the sudden media attention that descends upon them because of it.

Even though the actual tournament didn’t start until a reasonable way through the book, all of what happened up to that point was just as important as the tournament itself, especially because of how well each of the POV characters were introduced and set up. They were really well fleshed out, and so the decisions they make once they’re in the tournament are fully understandable and don’t feel out of character at all.

The twists and turns in this book were incredible and really kept me on my toes and wanting more. I wasn’t expecting this first book to end where it did but I think it worked really well, and now I absolutely cannot wait for the next one!!

I really enjoyed this book. In particular, I liked the world building surrounding the magic and the tournament. I was definitely engaged with all the characters and was quite disappointed to see the ending was one big clliffhanger. There were a few times when I got a little lost because of the amount of characters... but I had my faves. Alistair Lowe was certainly one of the most interesting... his relationship with his brother was one of the best things about the book.

I will definitely read the sequel! This is quite a violent book, certainly gory and has a lot of death! So keep that in mind when recommending it.

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge (Tor Teen) for an e-arc of this title.

This book is a Hunger Games/ Game of Thrones style tournament that pitches a group of magical teens against each other in a fight to the death. It follows the seven contestants, their reason and needs to enter the tournament and the alliances they make.

I was excited about this. I love Amanda Foody's Daughter of the Burning City and Ace of Shades (though I still need to finish that series). As of the moment though I haven't read anything by Christine Lynn Herman. The idea of anti-heroes fighting to the death with magic. Who wouldn't be excited!

Overall, I felt the book was enjoyable. However, it didn't live up to the hype that I expected it to have.

While the book gives off the feeling that these characters would be anti-heroes and have a desire or want to kill their opponents - they came across more as ordinary teenagers. Most of the characters were even reluctant to enter the tournament remaining me more of the tributes to the Hunger Games. I did have expectations that the characters would mastermind ingenious ways to kill each other. Create elaborate tricks and spells to trap their enemies but while there was lots of conniving it wasn't in the way I expected.

As always with a story like this, there was a twist ending that leaves the reading wanting more. What will happen to our remaining contestants? Who will survive and who will be the reigning champion?

Thoughts
This book was so different than I thought it would be. It took me longer than I would have liked, but not in a bad way. I just realized, as soon as I started, that this book was going to take time and concentration--and be worth the effort in the end. And it was. It absolutely was. This book was on track to tie with the other near-perfect fantasy I reviewed this year (a rare honor). The only thing that knocked it down was it's terrible cliffhanger "end."


Pros
Horrific Sacrifice: The characters are, as the title claims, villains, after all. They revel in their villainy. The horror of this book is produced with surprising gusto. They, all seven of them, are like the "Career" tributes of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games but much, much worse than that, in the extent that they go. Not only are they highly trained--in magic as well as physically--they really go the distance. Their actions and reactions are truly horrific--as they are intended to be. These characters don't beat around the bush. Death and lifeblood, severed fingers, and brutal curses: nothing goes too far for this competition.

High Magick Chasers: In a world of high magick, there are still annoying paparazzi. They hide in the bushes for scandalous pictures. They follow subjects of interest around, ask invasive questions, spill secrets across the world. And that, a glimpse of our familiar modern world with this realm of high fantasy, is an interesting and unique twist. I love that the "cursechasers" who come to town to watch the upcoming duel are super annoying. I love that prying eyes are all scheming to get a glimpse of the kids, these newfound celebrities. I love that this is a part of the twisted magic of this world as well.

Whimsical Magic: As strange as this might sound after everything I've said so far, the magic here is as whimsical as it is deadly. Curses come with fun names like "dragon's breath" and "lamb's sacrifice." Defensive spells such as "roach's armor" are incredibly important. Fun names and twisted uses combine to form an off-kilter sense of whimsy, and the magic system here is inherently interesting. Some readers might be disappointed that all of the mechanics aren't entirely laid out, but the rules are clear enough that it ultimately isn't a problem. And it's all done in whimsically deadly fun.


Cons
Needs Digestion: I said it earlier, but it bears repeating: this is a book that really needs to be digested. It's not light. The prose is intricate but also dense. It can't be sped through. It's a great read. The characters are interesting and well-rounded. The pacing is very good. The descriptions are wicked and beautiful. And with all of that said, it's a long book that needs to be waded through to be appreciated. It's not the quickest read in the world.

Slow Build: In addition to being dense, this book builds slowly. There are a lot of characters and character dynamics to set up--which is done very well. I wouldn't want this to be rushed in any way, but that also means that there is a lot of buildup in this book. It takes half the book before the morning of the competition is reached, and the last few days leading up to the competition really stretch out--broken into day before, night before, morning before, et cetera. It takes so, so long to jump between character experiences, and while the characters are set up beautifully, not everyone is going to be willing to invest this much into the characters. It's not a short book. It's intricated, detailed, and beautifully plotted, but it is a long read that requires a lot of commitment.

No Ending: The real letdown of this book was the cliffhanger. It wasn't even a cliffhanger so much as a not-ending. It just doesn't wrap up. The lack of an ending here legitimately knocked this book down a whole star rating. I suspected the closer I drew to the last page that this book wouldn't wrap up, and it ultimately didn't even attempt to. Storylines weren't wrapped up. Characters weren't fulfilled. It was left wide, wide open for a sequel. I don't mind series. In fact, I love a good fantasy series, and this is gearing up to be a good one. But to have absolutely no resolution at the end of the first book is a bad, bad deal. I need something--anything--please!

Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10

Anyone who appreciated the hard choices of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games will appreciate this new to-the-death competition. Those who fell in love with the whimsical magic of Stephanie Garber's Caraval will love the deadly magicks here as well.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

This was a really entertaining idea! It's basically like Hunger Games or Battle Royale plus curse magic. It was decently fast paced overall, though it did take a while to actually get to the start of the tournament and ended with a bit of a cliffhanger. I liked the idea of all of these different types of spells and curses, as well as the two types of magick (common and high magick). There was a fun variety of spells, and I had a great time learning what each of them did. Some spells definitely come with a cost! Spells must be crafted with ingredients and recipes for the spells are hoarded by the families. It's really interesting to see each family's proprietary recipes!

I also liked this setting. It feels like the modern world, but high magick here has mostly vanished, except in a few places (like the setting of our tournament). The secret of the tournament has gotten out, and things are changing after centuries of keeping this secret. There are multiple sites and relics within the tournament boundaries with different strengths and weaknesses. I had a great time getting to know these!

We rotate point of view sections between four kids in these families. I think the title was fairly appropriate overall - they're certainly forced to do some terrible things to survive, and I definitely felt bad for them! It's one of those things where the question is really whether they are actually evil or if they're just forced into a terrible situation.

Alistair was probably my favorite of all of the characters, despite his reputation as a monster. There's some depth to him, and he does actually have a heart. Isobel was a bit perplexing at times because of some of her decisions (I'll be honest, I had hoped for something different for her). She's a reluctant champion, but she's smart and good at crafting spells! I appreciated this aspect of her personality certainly. Briony is pretty self-confident, and she has an interesting journey over the book with learning things. I didn't initially like her, but as the book progressed, I think her motivations became more understandable. Finally, there's Gavin, who's an underdog. He's very desperate and maybe doesn't make the wisest decisions. All of them have some good moments, but they also have some terrible ones too.

I did get a bit frustrated with our characters at times for not just talking or thinking things through more. However, I think this is the type of situation where it can be hard to break free from how you've grown up and what your family has been doing for ages.

This was definitely a fun time, and I'll be reading the next one for sure! I would recommend this, especially if you enjoy magic tournaments/competitions in general.

My video review can be seen on my booktube channel (around minutes 0:19-4:03 of this video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DznjGChD4Bw

4.2

This book's marketing consistently compares it to the Hunger Games, and I can understand why- particularly looking at the champions as sacrifices- but to me this book is more reminiscent of Three Dark Crowns. And I have the same issue with it that I had with this book- somehow it just doesn't feel as dark as promised. But that doesn't meant there aren't aspects to like.

The world building is sparse, but it does leave distinct images and a certain feeling with you that's pretty effective. This book feels like it brings you to a new place without spoon feeding you a step by step guide, which means you get immersed quick and learn as you go, something that helps the pace a lot.

There are also a lot of moving pieces, which also sets itself up with the pace well. There are 4 main characters in this book, and they each have a different plan, a different leg up, and a different obstacle (beyond the shared obstacle, of course, of trying not to be killed by the others). Seeing them move like chess pieces against and with each other, and trying to see who's plans will prevail is definitely compelling. While I didn't find myself invested in every character or story for them, it's hard to not want to see how these jumbled plans pan out.

But back to the darkness- the thing is, this book was marketed as dark and about villainous, monstrous people trying to kill each other, and it just does not ever feel that way. Don't get me wrong, there is one very big dark, upsetting thing that happens near the beginning that definitely leave a big impression, and there are some slightly disturbing images where people get injured, but none of these people are actually evil or even all that morally grey. For people who were ready to go murdering, they're weirdly sensitive about it when someone does get attacked and take it super personally, they're constantly whinging on about their morality- most of them, at least- and very little of this book actually involves fighting.

Actually, most of this boo involves... nothing. So little actually happens! There's a romance- and a half?- that feels out of place, and a whole lot of plans, but it feels like this book is just for introductions and barely scratching the surface. It takes a while for the tournament to start, and then things slow down, which is the opposite of what I'd expected.

I think people will get invested in this book, and I can see it getting a following. It didn't really win me over, personally, but I'd be willing to pick up the next book.