This was a super fun read! A mix of Survivor/Big Brother/Lord of the Flies, which doesn’t seem like those three things would go together but this book really captured those vibes! The characters were memorable & made you want to root for them, as well as question their motives to see who of them was secretly working against them. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC of We Won’t All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I saw a new book by Kate Alice Marshall and was extremely excited as I’m a huge fan of her books. However, I will say I didn’t realize she also writes young adult/young reader books. With that said, there is a significant difference in my opinion in this book from her adult novels that I’ve read. Not bad, just a less mature feeling to this book. I would certainly encourage my teen family members who like mystery/suspense books to read this one.

The gist of this book, a group of survivors are invited to participate in a reality show hosted by Damien Dare. The story is told from the point of view of Mercy who is a survivor of a mall shooting. When she arrives, something feels off starting by the van not showing up to pick her up. Her sister, Jamie, who she saved during the shooting keeps trying to convince her to come home, but Mercy decides to stay. Harrison and Milo show up and they arrive on “set” to meet some others, but things are feeling off. One thing leads to another, and nothing is feeling quite right. Who is legit, who is not…who is going to continue to be a survivor?? And most importantly, who is behind all of this?

Definitely not a bad book, but if you are a fan of Marshall’s adult novels you may be somewhat disappointed to find this to be a bit more geared for the younger reader.

This is a YA thriller about Mercedes “Mercy” who survived a shooting & has been dealing with trauma from the aftermath. When presented with the opportunity to join a survivor type game show, she sees it as an opportunity to win the prize & pay back her family.

When Mercy & the other contestants arrive, things take a dark turn. They soon discover that they are locked in. When things turn deadly, what started as a game is a fight for survival.

While some twists were predictable, it was still a good read. Definitely recommended for fans of YA thrillers.

Recommend: Yes to the right audience (YA fans).

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group, for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if you signed up for a reality survival show... and it turned into a fight for your life?

That's exactly what happens to Mercy in this thriller packed with secrets, betrayals, and survival at its most brutal. Mercy is still trying to pick up the pieces from a traumatic past.. She is trying to put her life back together mentally and financially. So when a TV reality show offers her a chance to compete for a life-changing prize, she can't say no.

Just to let you know, this book is a YA book. It is exciting and a definite page-turner.

4.25⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
We Won't All Survive is a YA thriller and what a wild ride it was!
Mercy Grey is heading to Landry's Gap to partake in a survivalist game show along with other contestants. All who share something in common- they've experienced an unspeakable tragedy, their crossroads moment.
Damien Dare is a billionaire survivalist and tech guy who has created the game show. When they all arrive, Damien and his crew are nowhere in sight, but the gates have locked all of the contestants in. Is this the story of another reclusive billionaire hunting people for sport? They quickly learn not everything is as it seems, they are fighting to survive, and its not a game.
This book was set at a great pace. It kept me engaged and clambering around every turned page to see what was going to happen next. Marshall kept me guessing until the very end.
This book surprised me in carrying a really important theme regarding allowed behavior just because someone is "nice." If someone doesn’t respect your boundaries or consent, is it okay if its under the guide of being a nice person? Also, how important is it to trust your gut? It really made me think about some of my past interactions with people.
Definitely a fantastic thriller read for adults and YA alike.

I always enjoy titles from this author. I enjoyed this one, too. Thank you for providing this for me to review!

I really enjoyed "what lies in the woods" so I was excited to get this new one by Marshall! This was nice and dark, twisty, and full of that survival thrills. I don't know if I realized this was considered YA but I still enjoyed it. I think people who enjoyed the show Yellowjackets might enjoy it. Some of it was predictable but not enough to make me not recommend to others. Mercy was a compelling main character and showed character growth. The pacing was fast enough to make it a quick easy read! I will continue to look forward to Marshall's books!

When I first started reading this book I thought - this reminds me of that show Kid Nation. Obviously with older teens and a side a murder. This was a really fun thriller read. I wish there would have been more time spent on the challenges and things before things went completely off the rails. Those were pretty fun. The twists and turns this story takes are pretty crazy and almost completely unexpected. Overall I enjoyed the ride.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 Stars!
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions in this review are my own.

Mercy Gray is a hero. She survived a shooting at her local mall, and saved several people, but she still feels the impacts from that day (literally, she has a bullet fragment in her back). Even though she's been hailed a hero, she still feels guilty for that day and spending her sister's savings to cover Mercy's medical costs. So, when she is contacted to be in a Billionaire's survival TV show, she jumps on the chance to compete and be able to repay her sister. When she arrives to compete, she realizes everything is not as it seems, and the contestants are trapped in the gates of where the show takes place, unable to leave. Can they band together to escape? And, will they all make it out alive?

Amazing thriller from Kate Alice Marshall! I was hooked immediately. I really loved Mercy - she was a complex lead character and as the narrator kept me engaged reading this book. Great character development, great story, and great twists!

Overall, GREAT READ! Definitely suggest this one if you enjoy Thrillers - it is young adult, but it really packs a punch!
My student's will love this book.

Mercedes “Mercy” has survived a mall shooting and has now been invited on a survivalist reality show. Though weary of going the cash prize means she can help her sister Jamie go to college. Once she arrives something just isn’t right. There are a group of other teens/young adults who she learns have also been through and survived some sort of tragic event. What does this all have to do with the show and why isn’t anyone there to welcome them. The doors lock, they have to give up their cellphones, and the games begin. Led by billionaire Damien Dare, what are obviously pre-recorded videos start to play, and they must now “survive” through these challenges. Not everyone is gonna make it though.

I enjoyed this book. It is a fast paced thriller with a unique storyline. Though I had some feeling about it, I didn’t figure out the twist. If you’re looking for a good YA thriller, I recommend checking this one out.

*Thank you for NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I enjoyed this fast pace thriller. This gave hunger game vibes and had an Erie story plot. The outlandish storyline got overwhelming in the end.

This book is Survivor meets Saw with a billionaire messiah complex running the whole deadly show. Mercy Gray already survived a mall shooting—she didn’t sign up to be hunted again. But when she joins a survivalist reality show to win life-changing money, she quickly learns that the real game is figuring out who’s lying, who’s dangerous, and who might kill to win. The other contestants? Untrustworthy. The billionaire host? Thinks he's saving the world, one body at a time. Twisty, intense, and full of trust-no-one energy, this is a survival thriller that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.

Thank you Kate Alice Marshall, Penguin Group, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

#WeWontAllSurvive #NetGalley #NetGalleyARC #ARCReview #BookReview #WhatImReading #BookRecommendation #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #InstaBook #Bookish

I have heard many great things about this author in the past, and therefore I was really excited to read a book from them. I have to say that I totally get the hype. This was just such an enjoyable read. I absolutely flew through it as well. This just was such a quick read.
The plot to this is just so incredibly compelling, and I loved the survival aspect to this book as well. The mystery of it all is kind of not that important compared to the other things going on, but it is still quite well executed. I also really liked the cast of characters. I really liked how different they were but still banded together to be able to survive it all. I just loved seeing their friendships develop throughout the book.
My only complaint about this book is that it is obviously trying to make some commentary on trauma survivors, but I feel like we didn't get much of it. I feel like it was so underutilised, and I feel like this book could be incredible if they just delved into that a bit more.

What can I say about KAM, except she is a phenomenal writer and this book is no exception!

I read somewhere that the author said she wanted to put a bunch of strangers in a room, and kill them if one by one 😂 it's hilarious and perfect

I always appreciate how the author writes each character, her writing style is easy and tense and communicate (in a good way).

I absolutely recommend this book and can't wait to buy it when it finally gets released

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book will make an excellent movie or series - the whole time I was reading I could imagine the scenes on screen, the actors portraying the thrills and drama throughout.

Damien Dare is an adrenaline junky (and a rich one!) who loves creating survival shows. Then Mercedes Gray winds up on one, she realizes all the contestants survived some type of trauma before their arrival and now they need to work together to find out “Who Survives?”

Late teen angst, attractions, betrayals, and trying to figure out the human psyche abound. It was quick and entertaining.

I love EVERYTHING that Kate Alice Marshall writes, and this one is not exception!

This one took you on a wild ride! There was a ton of mystery and suspense in this one. As a habitual reality tv watcher the premise alone enticed me! It was really well done.

Mass shootings have become all too common in the US. Seems like so many try to solve their problems with guns. In this novel, a survivor of a mass shooting is front and center. Reminding us that even though physical wounds can heal, psychological wounds will remain.

Mercy feels responsible for her sister Jamie’s college fund being depleted. After all, if she hadn’t spent months in a bed recovering from a shooting, the family would still have money for Jamie’s college. But if Mercy hadn’t saved Jamie from the shooting, maybe it wouldn’t have mattered.

Still, Mercy wants Jamie to be able to attend her dream school, Stanford. So much so that when she is approached about participating in a survivor-style reality series, she jumps right in. Because everyone of the participants who does survive the challenge will receive $100,000.

Damien Dare is the brainchild behind this teenage survival program. He is known for believing that certain events cause us to reach our crossroads and pick a path. He also thinks that our society has become soft and that we’re not going to survive any sort of apocalyptical event. His choices for the challenge are people that have experienced some sort of traumatic event Clearly Mercy has.

When the contestants arrive at the planned location, something seems off. No one is there except the contestants. No cameramen. No producers or production assistants. Just eight young adults looking for a challenge. Then the gates close and they are trapped. The title says it all, they won’t all survive.

Well planned and thought out, this novel tackles two elements of our society that aren’t necessarily something of which we should be proud. Reality TV and gun violence. The gun violence is not spoken of very much, as it’s only Mercy’s trauma that falls under it. Our fixation with so-called ‘reality’ TV is more the center of this story.

The characters are somewhat well-rounded. While we get some backstory about each character, the focus is on Mercy. The tension is at a good level to be suspenseful. I did not solve the mystery right away, though I did get a gut feeling about who might be the culprit. I found this to be a fast-paced novel that I didn’t want to put down.

It was good! Definitely would recommend to YA or others.


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We Won't All Survive is a young-adult thriller written by Kate Alice Marsh. As the title states it is a survival story. Seven young adults are dropped in an old ghost town and must complete challenges to survive/earn supplies and win the prize money. The main character, Mercy survived a mall shooting and is trying to win money for her sister, a fellow survivor, to attend Stanford. At times, it was hard to believe that this was a YA novel. It was very tense and I was on edge while reading this. I did not connect to the characters and was not invested in their story, except for Mercy. I am used to Kate Alice Marshall's adult thrillers, so I had that in the back of my mind while reading.

4.5 stars
Yes! This is the kind of YA thriller that I want to read and shout about from the rooftops.
This was so much fun!
I loved the setting and the atmosphere. The game aspects was done so well, even after the first body dropped, the author integrated the need to continue playing the game perfectly - and made the characters´ reactions realistic and logic.
Our MC was easy to root for and her backstory was - again - perfectly in line with the themes of this book. It wasn´t just a way to make her seem more interesting but was an important aspect of her psyce and her motivation.
(Also: Having past relationships having an impact in the plot was a genius way of storytelling.)

I loved it. Can´t wait to read more of this author!

Mercy was a victim of a mall shooting perpetrated by someone she knew - or, she thought she knew. Trying to gather enough money to send her sister to college, Mercy lands a role on a new survivalist reality show where you can win $100,000 if you can make it to the end. As Mercy and the other participants gather at the site of the show, they notice that no one seems to be around. The gates begin to shut and the participants threw themselves inside, which unfortunately ended up locking them and giving them no ability to escape. Each participant on the show has a dark background and all seem to be hiding secrets about who they are and why there are here. Mercy struggles to trust the others as more information gets revealed. I felt like the novel was a bit of a slow burn, but I enjoyed the ride! The true killer is somewhat easy to guess, as well as the reason for why this is happening to them. I wanted the killer to have a better backstory and I feel like it was a missed opportunity to add a great plot twist. I think this is a great YA book that teens will very much enjoy.