Thank you to Net Galley for the arc.

I'm terrible at putting most of my thoughts on books into writing, but this was an interesting take on reality survival shows. The exploration into individual trauma and its impact on one's actions/reactions was well written.

This was a gripping story with quite a bit of twists and turns. I felt myself genuinely surprised at various moments throughout the story. One of the best whodunnit thrillers in awhile.

Kate Alice Marshall’s, “We Won’t All Survive” is a twisty, psychological survival thriller that digs deep into guilt, trauma, and the blurred lines between heroism and self-preservation. The protagonist, once hailed as a hero after surviving a shooting, joins a brutal reality show—one that quickly turns into something far more sinister. The contestants expect cameras, competition, and strategy. Instead, they find themselves truly stranded, with no crew, no escape, and something deeply wrong lurking in the empty set.

Marshall crafts an intense, psychological pressure cooker where trust is scarce, allies are unreliable, and survival means confronting not just the dangers outside, but the demons within. Is the protagonist really a hero, or just someone who made it out alive? As paranoia takes hold and tensions rise, the novel twists and shifts, keeping readers on edge until the shocking end.

Dark, edgy, and unpredictable, We Won’t All Survive is perfect for those who love survival horror with a psychological punch.

Thank You NextGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

They thought they were contestants on a reality show. But the cameras are gone, the gates are locked, and someone’s already dead. In this game, survival isn’t about ratings—it’s about staying alive.

Here are reasons to read the YA Thriller

📚 Reasons to Read We Won’t All Survive
Reality TV Gone Wrong. What starts as a high-stakes game show becomes a terrifying fight for survival when contestants start dying one by one.


A Gritty, Complex Heroine. Mercy is strong, scarred, and smart, still carrying the trauma of surviving a mass shooting while trying to save her sister’s future.


High-Stakes Suspense. With no way out, limited resources, and strangers she can't trust, every chapter cranks the tension higher.


Social Commentary with Thrills. The book cleverly critiques media exploitation and trauma, all while delivering jaw-dropping twists.
I love this author’s writing style, and will read any books from them in both the YA and Adult genres. This book was fast read for me and I devoured it in two days. While there were some characters who were not as memorable, the majority of the ones you really end up liking. I figured out the twist pretty early on, but it didn’t really stop me from enjoying this book.

We Won’t All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall is a high-stakes, psychological thriller that blends survivalist reality TV with a chilling mystery. The story follows Mercy Gray, a teenager still grappling with trauma and medical debt after surviving a mall shooting. When she’s invited to compete in a new survival reality show hosted by billionaire Damien Dare, it seems like the perfect chance to change her future.

The novel’s premise is gripping, seamlessly merging reality TV drama with an escalating sense of dread. The tension builds as contestants are thrown into a dangerous, isolated setting where no one can be trusted. However, the story stumbles slightly in its introduction of characters. With so many contestants presented at once, their backstories and traumas are only hinted at until much later in the book.

Despite this, Marshall delivers a stunning plot twist that completely shifts the narrative. Just when I thought have it figured out, the truth unravels in an unexpected and satisfying way. The way the mystery is revealed to piece together how everything led to that moment—is one of the book’s strongest elements.

The only real drawback is its length. With such a compelling premise, it would have been even stronger with more time spent exploring the contestants’ stories instead of summarizing their personal storylines through their narration instead of having a separate chapters to know them. A deeper dive into the game’s structure and the psychological toll on the participants would have added more depth.

That said, We Won’t All Survive is still a fantastic read. The tension, the unexpected turns, and the well-executed twist make it a thrilling and engaging book. While the pacing may be uneven, the payoff is worth it. If you enjoy survival thrillers with strong psychological elements and shocking reveals, this one is definitely worth picking up.

‘From the bestselling author of I Am Still Alivecomes a new nail-biter that's part survival story, part murder mystery, and all thriller—perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson!’

Aside from having to read this book on my phone, I thought it was a worthy read. A puzzling, page-flipping whodunnit. Young readers will likely love it. Think Big Brother, Squid Games and.... mmm maybe a dash of Naked and Afraid (- the naked) all hookin' up and having a twee lil lad.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for this arc in exchange for review. I am always grateful.

Pub: 7.29.2025

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for allowing me this as an ARC for my review. I have been loving Kate Alice Marshall stories so I was super excited and appreciative to read this one early.

This book presents a compelling narrative that grabs your attention from the start. It reminded me of a hunger games vs survivor type of story. The plot keeps you engaged, making you want to know what happens next. The characters backstories intrigued me as we learned about them and that add layers to the story.

However, there are moments in the book where the storyline felt a little dull which became detracting from the overall flow. While these sections don’t completely ruin the experience, they do interrupt the otherwise exciting pace.

Despite those moments, the book is still a worthwhile read for those who enjoy character-driven stories with a touch of suspense. The highs of the plot more than make up for the occasional lows, making it an enjoyable experience overall.

Quick read. They thought is was a survival show until someone dies. Who is killing off the survivors one by one. Mercy doesn’t trust anyone until she survives to the end

This is a definite must-read for fans of thrillers but it is not for the faint of heart. Mercy Gray survived a mass shooting at a mall, but her finances are way below what she needs to help her sister Jaime go to college, so she signs up for a reality survival show. Convinced that she is ready to take on any challenge, Mercy shows up to a ghost town that the host and owner of the show, Damian Dare created just for this event. Along with the other contestants, Mercy faces more than she bargained for, including being locked into the town without food or water. I really enjoyed the lightning fast pace of the story and the interactions between the characters, but my favorite part was guessing what would happen next and to whom. This story had plenty of suspects, all kinds of false trails and lots of secrets to be revealed along the way. The characters are relatable and evoked sympathy for their plight, but I was more than a little stymied about why some of them were chosen to participate. Not to worry because all was explained in the end, as long as the heart racing holds out that long. This book is suitable for older teens and young adults but it is very intense and horrifyingly realistic at times. Take the TV show “Survivor” and make it a deadly game of cat and mouse and you have this book, ready for be enjoyed. The plot is intriguing, the characters are mysterious and the action is non-stop, so there was nothing not to like about this book.
Disclaimer
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC
This is a YA version of a locked room mystery where traumatized youngsters are brought together to a mining town for a reality TV show run by a deranged techbro

This was a great thriller. I loved how it all came together. I had inklings of things, but was never able to fully guess the twist, but there were enough clues that it made sense; exactly what a twist in a thriller should be!

Kate Alice Marshall delivers once again! I was so excited to get this YA ARC. This was a quick paced thriller filled with lots of twists and turns. When Mercy is brought with a group of other teenagers, who has each survived a traumatic event and are thrown into a new game in a ghost town, where triggers are thrown around and very tension filled survival situation where each is tried and tested on who to trust and who is killing them off one by one. Teaming together with their survival skills, each teen tries to survive, and it’s just not about the money anymore. Mercy’s character works to help others and fight instincts about surviving together. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Kate Alice Marshall for this ARC. It was delightful to read!

Thank you so much for this arc! Typically, to me, YA thrillers are rather slow to start, but this one immediately hooks you in to the story. Full of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. I did not expect the ending at all.

This thriller set its dark tone early on and didn’t let go of it! It had an intriguing cast of characters with sad backstories. Some twists caught me by surprise, but I found some a bit predictable. All in all, a great read!

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me on the edge the whole time. The twisted were surprising and unexpected.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220999068

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 I think this author is a fantastic writer. This book was like a combo of the hunger games/squid games..I thought the idea of it was unique!! Mercy is a great main character. She’s preserved after experiencing such trauma in her life and not letting it define her. All to risk her life so she can pay for her sister to attend school. Of course there’s a rotten egg out there it’s just a matter of finding out who…it would’ve kept me up at night if I were Mercy. If you’re into survival/game show/murder mystery, then this one’s for you. I specifically enjoyed the second half of the book when things really started picking up🙊 Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Penguin Young Readers Group for the early copy!! It comes out in July🫶🏻

Stupidly implausible. Marshall should revisit her Coleridge. And the file is incredibly buggy. Pages don’t load.

I liked this book! It feel like this was perfectly YA—less intense than an adult psychological thriller but not watered down at all. This was an interesting concept for a story.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! Despite this book being classified as a YA novel, it didn't feel too young and naive. I loved the aspect of a reality game show and it made this book that much more interesting! Truly enjoyed my first book by Kate Alice Marshall

I have read many of this authors books. This is my first time reading her YA books. It has the same tense, edge of your seat feel that keeps you guessing until the twist is revealed. I enjoyed this. It was so close to a 4 star read to me, but overall good story