I have read other books by this author and was excited for a chance to read her newest book early! I had just been saying after my last book that I was growing tired of the whole “reality show/haunted challenge” trope and as you can imagine found this book to have just that premise…kind of. It turns out that I just needed it written in a different way. I was absolutely hooked on this book and couldn’t put it down. It had a different spin to the reality show plot and it worked perfectly for me. There were some clues thrown in there about the culprit if you picked up on them, so it’s easier to pick out the “bad guy” a bit sooner than the end. But the end still didn’t go how I expected. Actually, thinking back I don’t know what I expected. I think that’s why it had me on the hook all the way to the end- I couldn’t think up an ending that saw the characters out “safely.” Overall a quick read and I look forward to her next one! Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for the early e-book and the chance to review this story.

I can’t write a real review for this book yet because I can’t read the format it comes in through NetGalley reader. It is too small on my phone and enlarging it is very laborsome. I wish I could have sent this book to my kindle to actually read it. I will update this review when the book comes out and I can read it in a normal format.

Kate Alice Marshall is the rare author who can write both YA and Adult well. I have enjoyed all of her books so far, in both genres.

Above all else, this book paints a crystal clear picture of how dangerous it is to not only be female, but to be female and not gently protect a man's feelings. (Spoiler Alert: I will never be any man's peace. Take care of yourselves, you giant fucking babies.)

Anyway.

Mercy is our main character. Two years ago she saved several people in a mass shooting at a mall that targeted her sister and was carried out by a supposed "nice guy" who would not leave her alone. Mercy's sister repeatedly told her and pretty much everyone else that he made her uncomfortable, he wouldn't take no for an answer, wouldn't leave her alone. But he was just SO NICE, that no one believed her. Not even Mercy. Then one day her sister (I seriously am blanking on her name right now, this is so embarassing) finally goes off on him at school, screaming at him to leave her alone. Naturally, SHE is blamed for his rampage, because how could she be so cruel to such a nice guy? Why couldn't she let him down GENTLY? Never mind the fact that she did, repeatedly, and he would not listen.

I am so fucking sick of women being blamed for a man's shitty behavior. Fuck all the way off.

Anyway.

Mercy has a permanent reminder of that day still lodged in her body, so near her spine that doctors did not want to remove it and risk further damage. So she is in pain often, carrying that as well as massive medical debt and a huge helping of guilt for not listening to her sister earlier.

Unfortunately, Mercy is still carrying him as well, as he taunts her throughout the ordeal, always whispering that she can never trust anyone, that someone is out to get her.

And there are plenty of someones to choose from as the story unfolds.

Eight young adults (ages 18-20) are chosen to comete on a new reality show, Who Survives, where the grand prize is $100,000. They have to complete challenges throughout the six weeks to be eligible to win, and it is not going to be easy.

Turns out, the seven other contestants also have traumatic backstories and that is exactly why they were chose by Damien Dare, creator of the game. He's a big self-help guru that basically advocates for a cleansing of society in an only-the-strong-survive extreme kind of way.

Yet when they all arrive on what is supposed to be the first day of filming, no one is there to greet them. No welcoming committee, no crew, no Dare. The abandoned mining town that Dare bought just for this purpose is truly good and empty. And once they're trapped inside the gates.

After failing their first challenge, the dejected contestants retire for the evening and the next day, one of them is dead. While at first thought to be an accident, it becomes clear something else is going on as others die. They're already low on supplies, as anything that could be useful is tied to the game and earning 'coins' to buy what they need. They can't access the items without earning or finding coins, but it's clear the game has morphed into something else entirely, and they have no way to do so when they're literally just trying to not be the next victim.

There are eight characters and for the most part their backstories flesh them out but I have to admit to confusing a couple of the guys early on. Mercy hitches a ride from town with Harrison and Milo, when the shuttle that was supposed to pick her up never arrives. Once at the off-grid site, they meet the rest of the group - Piper, Aletha, Spencer, Eli, and Colby.

Despite the best of intentions in planning how to get out, more injuries and death follow. It's as though their every move is being orchestrated by someone they can not see but who can see them very well, or from a mole within the group.

I would not say this is fast-paced, but it still kept me very engaged throughout. As the story goes on, they also really begin to differentiate themselves, which was extremely helpful. It was truly hard to know who to trust, even though I had an inking about who was involed within the group. Turns out I was very right and very wrong at the same time because multiple villains, not necessarily working together, were all skulking around. Understanding the hows and whys of each villain is also explained well, and something that the author did well.

Marshall also lets the tension build in such a beautifuly frustrating way. Sometimes you're just waiting for the next thing to happen, then it comes when you're not expecting it because you've been lulled into a false sense of security for a moment. Combine that with the trauma they each carry with them, it's a wonder that any of them made it out alive.

Mercy's backstory (and by major extension, her sister's story) are so timely. I am so sick of this culture of toxic masculinity which has been allowed to fester for pretty much the entirety of human history. It is also incorporated into the story in the form of a couple of the contestants who are into Damien Dare's extreme views, have read his books, and subscribe to his philosophy, plus the whole "nice guy" thing, the guy who thinks he is entitled to a female's time or attention because he is "nice" (Spoiler Alert: He's not).

Marshall is a talented writer who weaves said toxic culture of male bullshit in well with the danger at hand as the group struggles to survive.

Highly, highly recommended.

Thanks to netgalley, the publisher & the author for this ARC. First thriller I’ve read by this author. The twist & turns had me on the edge of my seat. I could not guess what was going to happen next, or if the game, was ever truly a game. I love Mercy & her relationship with her sister, the friends she makes along the way. Mercy is a great FMC.

One of my favorite authors hands down. I couldn't put it down. Stayed up all night needing to know how it ends.

Horrific and highly entertaining with a final girl you can't help but cheer for!

I knew I liked her writing from "What Lies in the Woods" but I was worried that a YA thriller would be too juvenile for me. NOT AT ALL! This mystery/survival thriller is timely as hell and is so grounded in today's BS that you can't help but feel like you're the one running for your life.

Mercy is going on a teen competition show where the final survivor wins one hundred-thousand dollars. She knows she got picked because of the publicity around the mall shooting she survived. She's not flashy like the other contestants, very plain Jane in a Katniss Everdeen sort of way. But when someone is found dead on day one, Mercy's scrappy instincts kick into high gear.

This has the terror of your classic "trapped and hunted" scary movie but with young adults that aren't as gullible as their predecessors. You're mind is scrambling to figure out if the villain is the billionaire that set up the game or one of the contestants. Mercy wasn't the only one picked for her traumatic backstory. Kate Alice Marshall is a plotting genius because she always has several secrets for you to uncover. When you finally find the truth about one thing, she's already sparked questions in your mind about another.

At the same time, she confronts the toxic culture of trad bros, podcast cults, "nice guy" entitlement and dating violence. This was the best part!!! I want to bribe my 20 year old sisters to read this, because she brings the conflict to a head with incredible nuance.

Hooked from the beginning! Such a great read!

For a YA thriller/mystery, this book had all the things you need for it to be great. A cast of characters you either love, hate or hate to love, a mystery of who was behind it all and incredible back story. I was very pleased with the depth of the characters and how the mystery unfolded. Would definitely recommend. 5 stars!

Reading a book about a billionaire being kind of sus feels very appropriate given the current political situation...maybe a little too appropriate...oops!

A billionaire decides creating a survival tv show with teenagers is a good idea. And in this book, we get to follow some of those contestants. And things don't seem quite right. This is a bit more serious and dangerous than they were led to believe. And people start dying.

I think this concept for a book is so spooky and cool, but every now and then, I found myself not nearly as invested as I should be.

All of these characters have pasts that they are struggling with and we get to see that play out for them in this not-so-fun situation. I feel like they all should've gone to therapy before going on a reality survival show, but that's just my opinion. These characters struggle with trusting one another, not knowing if someone will turn on them, or if they're lying. It's almost locked-room because they're trapped in this set, which does add an interesting element to the story. Especially if you think about what that means in the context of the story. It changes your perspective a bit. I thought that was cool. But that could be a personal thing, just something that I noticed. I don't know.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

When I saw there was a 48-hour window to read Kate Alice Marshall's new book, We Won't All Survive, I jumped on the opportunity because I enjoyed her previous books. This one did not disappoint! Mercy is recruited to be in Damien's Dare's new reality survival show. But when she and the other contestants arrive, something doesn't seem right. It doesn't take long for a tragedy to occur, and Mercy and the other are not fighting for the win but for their lives. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

🏚🎥

Incredible story about friendship, survival, moral choices, and psychological traumas of the past. 5+ ☆, best of the year so far!

My love for the characters grew through the story and in the end they all became my family. Backstories of each were perfectly placed in the narration, so we get to know them when the time is right. I feel like I spent those days there in Landry's Gap as if really happened in my life.

The plot moved just a little bit slowly, not having a lot of events happening every second, but it was active enough and fast-paced, perfectly letting us feel the atmoshere of the situation the characters found themselves in.

There were many important questions and we all should take a minute to think about those, many choices and not all of us would make the right one. This book calms and gives strenth, questions and supports, changes and reassures. I'm very glad it caught my attention, it was so worth reading. Despite being a YA (due to the characters' young age), their backstories, difficult circumstances, and the exellent writing makes the book interesting and compelling for all ages.

The ending was perfectly composed, revealing new twists and secrets. I imagined different versions of how it would end, but the real one was so much more complicated and better. It wasn't too pretentious as it happens at times, it wasn't simple, it wasn't disappointing at all. Tears were close and I'm sure it will take a long time, if not forever, for this book to leave my head. Highly recommend to everyone, I definitely need to read more books by Kate Alice Marshall!

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Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

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Will post the aesthetic on Fable on the publication day.

I was so excited to receive this book and I’m so glad I did! We Won’t All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall was a five star read!

When Mercy Gray was recruited to a star on a reality show she jumped at the chance. Mercy than realizes not everything is what it seems. She has to figure out who to trust in order to survive.
This book was a little too YA for me, but I enjoyed it. I would recommend this anyone who enjoys a thriller.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic young adult story from Kate Alice Marshall! I couldn’t this one down. Mercy arrives to compete in a survivor style game and things start to go ary. Full of twists and turn, it was one that kept you hocked til the end

We Won't All Survive is a mix of survival story and escape room thriller, following a group of young adults who are invited to take part in a new survival reality show. However, when they arrive, something feels off – no one’s there to welcome them, and the gate locks behind them. Then, the first body is discovered.

This story was right up my alley and gave me fear street vibes that i used to read as a child, so much so that i devoured it very quickly. The plot line is exciting and keeps you on your toes the whole time. I managed to figure out part of a big plot twist early on, but the book was still enjoyable and i was even a little surprised at the end.

Would definitely recommend to YA and older adults who love YA novels!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group for providing this book!

We Won’t All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall is a gripping and suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The novel follows a group of teenagers trapped in a dire situation - a reality survival show turned deadly. Marshall skillfully weaves elements of survival horror with psychological tension. The fast-paced and suspenseful writing draws readers into a high-stakes environment where every choice could be their last.

One of the novel’s strongest points is its character dynamics. Each individual brings a unique perspective and energy to the group, creating a tense and sometimes volatile atmosphere. Marshall masterfully balances their interactions, making the characters feel real and their motivations complex, which enhances the intensity of the narrative.

What truly sets this book apart is its exploration of survival, trust, and the lengths people will go to protect themselves. As the stakes escalate, We Won’t All Survive transcends the traditional survival story genre; it delves into a chilling examination of human nature under extreme pressure.

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers or survival stories with strong character development and a plethora of twists, this book is an absolute must-read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this e-arc!

I was excited for this one, as I have enjoyed Kate Alice Marshall, but I was a little disappointed. I’m still glad I gave it a chance.

I think I need to break up with KAM. No matter how interesting her synopsis sounds, the story is always a bore! Nothing was captivating and the characters were dull. I did not enjoy this.

A little too YA for me, but perfect if you like the Holly Jackson series. It was a quick read and overall suspenseful, but not quite my genre.

This was way better than I had expected. The whole premise was rather interesting; eight kids who have previously survived traumatic events put in a reality survival show together with a huge cash prize but is that it? It is a thriller that keeps you on your toes and you have to finish it in a single sitting. I was invested in every single character
Mercy's character is heroic and really well written, all of them are. As we do not know everything about their lives and they are defined by that single traumatic event they went through, which could have made them lack depth but the author makes the reader care about every one of them. And the whole story has a great pace and the ending is solid as well as twisty.

🔥 A fast-paced, high-stakes twist on the dystopian survival genre! 🔥

When Mercy Gray arrives at the remote site for a new survivalist reality show, she’s hoping to leave her past behind. Hailed as a hero after a mall shooting, she can’t shake the weight of those she didn’t save—or the chilling truth about the shooter. The trauma still lingers, both mentally and physically, as she recovers from her own gunshot wounds.

But something is very wrong.

The filming site is abandoned. There are no cameras, no crew—just Mercy and a handful of other contestants, all expecting a game, but instead thrown into a real fight for survival. Cut off from the outside world, without food, water, or any way out, Mercy must uncover the truth behind their nightmarish predicament—and rally a group of strangers before it’s too late.

Tense, relentless, and impossible to put down, We Won’t All Survive is Kate Alice Marshall at her absolute best—a psychological thriller-meets-reality-style survival story that keeps you guessing until the final page.

#PenguinYA #Viking #WeWontAllSurvive #KateAliceMarshall