Amanda Foody and C. L. Herman weave a compelling tale of magic and competition. The characters shine in this one because of the fact they aren't expected to be "the good guy" in any way. This is one wickedly fun read.

All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody, Christine Lynn Herman is the first book in a cutthroat fantasy about a cursed town and the magical tournament. If The Hunger Games and Harry Potter had a baby, this book would be it. Every twenty years, the blood veil falls and seven families name a champion to compete to the death in a tournament for high magic. This generation however features reluctant champions, champions who want to survive at any cost, and champions who were never meant to be champions. With conspiracies that the curse can be broken, unlikely alliances form and turn the tournament on its head. Told from the POV of four of these champions, All of Us Villains will leave the reader wondering which side they’d fall on: the one where all the champions can live or the one where only the strongest survives.

This is one of those books that will stick with me for a while. It’s dark and violent, gruesome in nature, and character-driven as much as plot-driven. This story opens just a few weeks before the next tournament. Most of the champions have been chosen, and now they wait for the blood veil to fall. What is different this year is the presence of reporters and paparazzi and even protesters to the tournament. A tell-all novel written anonymously about the history of the tournament, the town of Ilvernath, and the seven families has caused the entire country to take notice. Should one family control all the high magic? Is there a way to stop the tournament and needless killing?

What makes this book standout from others similar to it is the narration. Told from the perspective of four champions, we get a glimpse of their life, fears, and, in some cases, determination to win. Alistair comes from the family who has won the tournament the most; he is expected to win this year as well. His family is cruel and callous, and yet Alistair full of monster stories is reluctant to be the killer the tournament requires him to be. Isobel is the girl who didn’t want to be champion. She hates the spotlight, but her family thrives on fame. Beautiful Isobel brings fame and attention to her family, but what lengths will she go to to survive? Briony, Isobel’s former best friend, has trained her whole life to be champion, however her younger sister is chosen instead. Her family is known for doing what is right even when right isn’t popular. Briony knows she is supposed to be champion, she can stop the tournaments for good, but how does she swap with her sister? Gavin is the least likely to be a champion and the most likely to die first. He hates his family, hates they’ve sentenced him to die, and hates that he will fight anyway. There’s a lot of anger with the Grieve.

Overall, I enjoyed All of Us Villains. The authors really make you think about your own morals as these teens, not quite adults, enter a death tournament for magic. I found the magic system unique, and despite the sheer number of characters to keep up with, I was intrigued by each and every one. The urgency to end the tournament or win drives the plot, and while it isn’t as fast-paced as I’m used to reading, the slow build to climax adds to the tension and mystery surrounding the town and champions. If you are a fan of dark fantasy and magical realism, I highly recommend it.

"Do not judge the champions too harshly. Survival could make villains of any of us."

ALL OF US VILLAINS is pretty much a magical hunger games, where families compete for control over the higher magic. It's atmospheric with a fairly decent amount of world-building, and a distinct set of characters. My only complaint is that it felt rather tame, and although the stakes felt high at first, I soon realised nobody was perhaps as bloodthirsty as I originally thought. I enjoyed it though and I would recommend for fans of magical quests in an urban settings.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me.

I truly think this is a good concept, and it’s not even badly executed but I just couldn’t make myself care about the characters or what was happening with them. I’m not someone who needs to be connected or find similarities to characters, but they all fell very flat for me. I feel entirely neutral toward them and that’s the enture reason for my lack of motivation reading this. They felt one dimensional and this isn’t an issue I’ve had with either authors other books.

I’ve tried multiple formats to read this and none have worked for me unfortunately.

I'm glad that I finally finished this book.  I really enjoyed listening to it on audiobook.  I liked how different all of the point of view characters were, and how they each seemed to have such a unique perspective on the tournament they were forced to participate in.  I thought that the world building was really interesting, and unique.  I also liked the premise of the tournament and competing for the control of high magic.  I thought that it ended in a really good way as well because it makes you want to have the next one immediately.

I absolutely loved this book! It was perfectly paced and all the characters kept me interested until the end. I pre-ordered a finished copy as I loved it so much, and look forward to reading the sequel.

Amanda Foody wrote one of my teenage favourite books Daughter of the Burning City but also wrote Ace of Spades which I actually ended up DNFing, so i was quite hesitant about diving into this one. I find her writing style unique with immersive worlds that keep me on my toes, but something about Ace of Spades did not peek my interest. After the advertising for this book marketed it as a New Hunger Games, or for “Game of Thrones Fans”, or “Better Than the Maze Runner!” (Not exact quotes but this was along the lines as I was hearing), I was convinced to read it. Now I believe that if I read it without those thoughts, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. While comparing novels to those famous series might get people talking/interested, it’s always hard to live up to. I really did like this book, it relit my love for Amanda Foody, but I still am left wanting more due to those comparisons.

AMAZING! Can't wait to read book 2 in the series. I'm calling this Hunger Games meets Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Teens competing in a brutal tournament to claim magic for their families. So well-written, so interesting, with characters you can't help but root for, despite them doing truly terrible things.

Read this book!!!

YA Fantasy isn't really for me anymore and I'm so sad. This was just ok. Felt kinda like a darker version of the hunger games.

A huge thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing me a copy of the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Truly I was sold as soon as this book was described in the realm of hunger games, but with magic. I mean, what else could you want for a generation obsessed with the hunger games and magic thank to worlds like Harry Potter. This is a combo we all desperately craved and needed. I loved as the story unfolded, our character had to do things they didn't want to do and you got to see that angst and really be in that moment with them. I thought all the characters were fleshed out really well and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Full review to be posted soonish.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was not as good as I anticipated it to be, but I think teenagers will still enjoy it due to the point of view.

I am not sure this book was for me, but I really like the concept anyway! I will likely read the next book because WHAT A CLIFFHANGER. But I also am really hoping this series won't be predictably veering the way of Hunger Games or any of those tournament style trilogies. Lean into the villainy!

All of Us Villains is like The Hunger Games meets magic. Seven families compete for control of high magic in this town called Ilvernath in a game where their champions fight to the death.

Why you might like this book:
- The plot is fairly compelling because of the game element and the magic element.
- While the characters aren't very loveable, the romance is really well-done and something most readers will care about.

Why you might not like this book:
- The magic isn't really explained which makes it especially hard to follow or understand the rules of the game or the stakes of the game at all. The game is also not made super clear to readers, like the rules of it. If you're someone that likes to know the rules of things, you won't get it here.
-The characters aren't very likeable, which if that's something you need, you won't find it here.
-The plot, especially the villain element, isn't always well-set up. If you're just along for the ride, you won't mind but if you want something to make sense...

Overall, while this book had some obvious weaknesses, I really enjoyed it and look forward to the sequel!

If this one hasn't been optioned yet, it will be soon. This book feels cinematic and both plays to and reverses enough tropes to make it wildly popular. Seven teenagers meet in a magic arena to battle to the death and win magic for their families. The story is told from the POV of four contestants-- all must play the villain in the competition but each is slightly more hero than antihero. Teen audiences will devour this fast paced story and the cliffhanger ending will leave them clamoring for the second book.

All of Us Villains is an incredible start to a new series that could be viewed as a darker take on the Hunger Games. Just imagine: a tournament to the death where the winner gets to control magic for the next generation. Normally a secret, seven families name a competitor, but this year a tell-all revealed the tournament thrusting the competitors into the spotlight. The story is told through multiple POVs which all feel distinct and so well-developed. Readers will be obsessed with this brand new series. Be sure to check out All of Us Villains today. Highly recommended!

All of Us Villians boasts a fascinating concept but lacklustre delivery. I enjoyed the story enough to see it through to the end of the book but often found myself regularly getting bored. The magic system is fascinating, and the characters are well-written and deliciously morally grey. The book struggles in what I would consider a lack of action for a book about a competition to the death. The heavy focus on family politics was not particularly interesting to me. I went back and forth with my enjoyment at the end of the day. Simply: a middle-of-the-road fantasy with a promising premise but boring execution.

So, I know that this book was really hyped when it first came out and it only took me, oh, a few months to finally get around to it 😅 I can see the intrigue of the writing (which is beautiful by the way), and the pain that each of the contests is forced to come to terms with (I mean, they are battling for their lives at this point), but I just felt sorta “meh” about it…?
Don’t get me wrong, the ending it what bumped up my review, but throughout reading it I was just feeling meh about everything that was going on. I did really love the magic that was used and how it affects the contestants, but I’m not sure at this point if I’ll be picking up the second book (which, I know, it either out or coming out very soon).

I love the dark vibes of this one!

It is a Magical hunger games, but also an epic journey of political intrigue and the inner workings of family.

A lot happens here, and the book is rich in atmosphere.

There are a lot of characters, a family chart is helpful, but I really enjoyed it.

I can’t wait to dive into book two immediately!

This was such a fun and enjoyable read that didn't try to do too much and rattled along at a great pace. The characters were easy to get on board with and each had their own foibles, which made sense in the narrative. This being a book about villains, everyone had a distinctly grey morality, without ever veering too far into out and out 'bad guy' territory and the relationship interactions felt authentic. The plot was simple, being based upon a tournament to the death, lending a Battle Royale/Hunger Games quality to the narrative - always a fun concept and it was executed well here. Overall, this was a very accessible world with just enough exposition to explain certain things without bogging down the narrative too much. Was it earth shattering? No, but was it a highly enjoyable ride? Absolutely!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.