Their Vicious Games is a satire and I loved it. Adina wants to regain her acceptance into her dream school but has to enter a competition.

This book is Squid Games meets the Bachelor.

I love any book that gives the Eat The Rich vibes.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc.

Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this one. I generally like YA thrillers, but sometimes the characters and the story just don’t work well for me.

Thank you to the publisher for an opportunity to give this one a try

This book was so intense in the best way ever. It was an awesome thriller/mystery. It gave me Hunger games vibes and a little bit of the setting of gossip girl. I really liked it, the author did awesome, I love her writing. It had everything I like in a book. Mystery-Thrill- Adventure- Dark-Bloody, . It was a page turned, I just needed to know what happened next. The main character is pretty bad ass and I love her. I will totally be checking out other books from this author.

Their Vicious Games is Ace of Spades meets Squid Games and it was perfect! It almost read like a satire and you have to suspend your disbelief, but it's worth it. The first 20% is super angsty but fun and then it quickly takes a turn. If you are looking for a pageturner, this is it. It is hard to believe that this is Joelle Wellington's debut novel and I will be looking out for what she writes next.

Since reading the book, I've found out that it's supposed to be satire. I didn't see that before initially reading and forming my opinions. I'm not sure if it changes anything now.

As soon as I got into this book, I knew how it was going to play out. For the most part, anyway. It is a very standard read for those who have read other Squid Game/Hunger Game style books. All I wanted to know was whether Saint could be trusted and whether Adina would get back into Yale. I'll leave you to read the book to find out the answers.

It was a quick read with it being so predictable. That's great for those who want to get through a few books in a week, but not great for those who really want to feel immersed in the world.

Read if you like:
- Squid Game and/or Ace of Spades
- The dark side of the rich
- Explorations of power and privilege

After losing her scholarship to Yale, Adina is willing to do anything to get it back. Even participate in the twisted games of the all-powerful Remington family.

This book meets its description of “Ace of Spades meets Squid Game”. I thoroughly enjoyed both of those and therefore was excited to pick this book up. I really enjoyed it overall - the premise is very interesting and intriguing, and the writing is very strong. It is well balanced with a thriller storyline mixed in with issues of classism, racism, and sexism. This is a book that makes you think, while you also enjoy a thrilling plot. I recommend it especially to anyone who read and enjoyed Ace of Spades!

4.5 This, to me, is the peak of YA thrillers. Of course, even as an adult, I absolutely devoured this. But specifically thinking about its target audience, it did everything it needed to do and executed it to perfection.

Wellington sets up the ideal story to get a teenager wrapped in: a mysterious, potentially violent game, a sexy love interest who has everyone falling at his feet but who only has eyes for our main character, witty dialogue that gets you riled up and keeps you on your toes, deep friendships but also complex high school relationships that will feel extremely relatable to any teenager who picks this book up. And then, once everything has been laid out perfectly, Wellington brings the reader down this terrifying, yet fascinating and (most of all) very real deep dive into the patriarchal, racist, and classist systems that dominate our society.

Wellington did an amazing job of not just analyzing the idea that racism, misogyny, and classism exist in our world, but showcasing just how deep they really go, just how much they impact one another, and just how much they truly affect every single person. The book allows the reader to explore the intersectionality of all these systems, while also becoming deeply invested in this horrifying game of death and psychological manipulation. Every single character was used to explore another facet of our world and, more specifically, the way that many people are simultaneously disadvantaged by and yet continue to perpetuate these systems of oppression and bigotry.

I don't think it was too complicated or analytical, to the point that a young reader might lose interest or not be particularly invested, while also not laying out the purpose of the novel word-per-word on page, allowing the audience to explore Wellington's message through the story itself. I also really appreciated that, while there is an element of romance and some charming moments between the main character and the love interest, it did not overpower the main point of the book, and it concluded in a way that I find was very realistic. It kept things interesting and alluring, while also never distracting from the main plot or overshadowing Wellington's true intention.

Overall, I had a great time with it and I absolutely recommend it. There is so much here to explore, so much depth to every single scene and character. Wellington writes in a way that is so intentional, it was a pleasure to experience, even amidst all the terror and emotional distress.

Thank you Simon and Schuster for an earc of this book in exchange for my honest review

3.5 stars

What an interesting book! Basically, was a mix of the hunger games and the bachelor and I loved every moment about it. There were so many twists and turns and parts that I just couldn't believe was happening. I do feel like parts of the book went by too fast and could of used an extra chapter or two. Definitely felt very on the younger side of YA books even though the characters were almost adults. Still, I enjoyed this book very much and definitely recommend.

wow.
overall, i definitely enjoyed this ya mystery thriller book. it felt like i part of the adventure and storyline as i was reading it. it turned out much more bloody than i was expected, and it's such an intricately webbed storyline with a whole range of characters.
from the beginning, Their Vicious Games drew me in with adina and the plot, and following the plot with adina was a riveting journey.
would recommend this if you enjoy ya mystery thrillers!!

thank you netgallery & simon & schuster canada for this e-arc!!

Wne I hear Squid Game meets the Bachelor, you have to know I'll give it a shot 100% of the time. And I have to say, I definitely didn't regret picking it up. It also gave me the Ready Or Not vibe, in a way you have rich people doing crazy and horrible things to stay powerful.

It was such a fun and addicting book. It took me a bit of time to get hooked, but once I did and all the action and drama started, I just wanted to keep on reading. The pacing kept me turning pages after pages, not wanting to stop.

In a mix of unlikeable characters, questionable characters, and the ones you are hoping they are who they say they are, Adina gives you someone to root for. She is a good balance to all the vain and self-centered characters she is surrounded by, and she gives us a narration we can connect with as people who never had to play murderous games (hopefully).

Honestly, it was just a really fun and addicting novel that kept me hooked. It's a boomd I definitely recommend.

I wanted so badly to enjoy Their Vicious Games . The premise of a promising black teen fighting to regain her Ivy League acceptance in an elite competition sounded amazing; the name drops I saw in reviews of media like Squid Game and Get Out, and books like Hunger Games and The Selection only heightened my expectations. Unfortunately, the plot fell flat for me.

But first, the positives. Joelle Wellington's writing was beautiful. It was lyrical, descriptive, and packed a punch with its critiques of society, classism, racism, and excess. The social commentary and satire was easily my favourite component of Their Vicious Games . I also loved Saint's character, and would actually like the author to write something from Saint's point of view. If I'm being honest, I think I liked Saint more than Adina herself, but I think that's just a personal preference.

As I said, the plot fell flat because the most pertinent information we either get from the synopsis, or are revealed very early in the novel. There aren't really any twists, and I know this isn't a thriller, but still - it was so predictable. Maybe that's the author's intention, but the plotting and pacing just weren't my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Their Vicious Games to review. All thoughts are my own and are not influenced by any third party. #TheirViciousGames #NetGalley

I LOVED Squid Game! So I was very much sold on the premise. I don’t know, maybe my expectations were too high? But this one wasn’t quite for me. Adina and I, got off on the wrong foot which made it hard to shake. And that’s on me and my personal tastes. I didn’t really like her “poor me” attitude from the get-go. It’s not my vibe in real life, and definitely not my vibe in fiction either. I like sassy characters with a chip on their shoulder.

I liked the setting and ideas though.
Just because it didn’t hit me the way I would’ve liked, doesn’t mean it was bad or others won’t like it. A less pickier reader will gobble this up.

4.5/5. Fast paced, thrilling, gripping until the end, Joelle Wellington has killed it with this book. I didn’t like Adina very much, but her experience in The Finish and the people she meets along the way were so intriguing I couldn’t put this down. No part of this book was slow or unnecessary making the pacing perfect. Highly recommend!

10/10 this debut thriller keeps you on your toes. I loved loved loved the character and the setting and the pace! Its a page turner and heart thumper.
This characters arc is so satisfying and the setting is so eerie

Already one if my favourite books that I’ve read this year. I’m immediately sold on anything that reminds me of Ready or Not. But Their Vicious Games exceeded my expectations! It was excellently written, I loved the pacing, the quippy-yet-emotional narration, and depiction of teenage girlhood. Can’t wait to read more by Wellington!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! I read this in one day and I loved it so much. It was such a skilled exploration of female rage in white women vs. women of colour. Every character had so much nuance and Adina was so complicated yet so easy to root for. The ending was super super satisfying, and the commentary was really really important. Graham's arc specifically was frustrating but definitely accurate. Overall a great read with important themes that I think a lot of customers will enjoy, and I can't wait to recommend it!

For me, its all about pacing and this book is very well paced. I read it in two sittings!

The writing is suspenseful and I was avidly turning each page. I often felt as though I did not see "that" coming.

Story is well developed and interesting.

The characters, for the most part, are pretty fleshed out.

Excellent read.

First I would like to say thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was not really for me, but for fans of this genre, I think they will enjoy it.

This book was so awesome! It was like The Selection mixed with the Hunger Games. The main character was completely relatable and I really enjoyed the twists and turns for this book. Definitely will read more by this author!

THIS was fun. Very, very fun.

The Bachelor x Hunger Games x Ready or Not x Gossip Girl, the book takes you into the lives of the priveldged and just how far they will go to find the perfect match.

If you weren't about eating the rich, you will be! I couldn't put this down and would LOVE secondary novels on some of the surviving characters - give me more!!!!!

Read it and thank me later if you love a twisted YA.