
Member Reviews

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.

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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

If *Man vs. Wild* were a reality survival show, it would look a lot like *We Won't All Survive* by Kate Alice Marshall.
The story follows Mercy Gray, once hailed as a town hero for saving lives during a mall shooting. Now, desperate for money, she joins a reality show called *Who Survives*, where she and seven others must endure six weeks in the abandoned city of Landry’s Gap to win a grand prize of $100,000. But something is off—there’s no host, no cameramen, no visible crew. Just the contestants… or so they think.
Follow Mercy’s gripping journey as she fights to survive in an eerily desolate city. Will she make it out alive?
This was my first novel by Kate Alice Marshall, and I highly recommend it to fans of thrillers, suspense, or anyone who loves *Squid Game* and survival shows like *Man vs. Wild*.
Thank you penguinteen and kmarshallarts for providing this book for review consideration via Netgallery

I would join a club just to read Kate Alice Marshall’s grocery lists! I especially love her page-turning adult mysteries and supernatural YA thrillers, which I devour in a single sitting. So when I got the chance to read an ARC of her latest book, I didn’t even check the plot—I just jumped right in, eager to see what she had in store.
This book feels a bit different from her recent works and leans more toward the style of Holly Jackson’s standalones. The premise? A reality survival show with a massive cash prize, created by tech billionaire and TV host Damien Dare (gotta love that name). The show recruits eight contestants, each a survivor of a real-life disaster—lost in the mountains, trapped in a train wreck, stranded after a boat crash, and so on.
Mercedes Gray is one of them. She survived a mall shooting where a man obsessed with her sister, Jamie, killed innocent people. Thinking fast, Mercedes saved Jamie and many others by closing the gate, but she was shot in the process, leaving her with chronic pain and medical bills that wiped out her sister’s college savings. Desperate to help Jamie, she reluctantly applies to the show, hoping to win the prize money.
But from the moment she arrives, things feel off. Alongside Harrison—a crime podcast producer with an encyclopedic mind—and Milo from Canada, who seems a little too friendly, she meets the other contestants. Yet something is wrong. They’re stuck in an isolated location, with only cryptic video instructions and high-tech surveillance monitoring them. No welcoming crew, no clear rules. Then, after their first failed challenge, they realize the stakes are even higher—one of them is already dead. And the killer could be anyone.
As the clock ticks, Mercedes must navigate deadly challenges, uncover the truth behind the show, and figure out who she can trust. Some contestants are hiding secrets about their pasts, and one of them is far more dangerous than they seem. She’ll need to find the killer—and a way out—before it’s too late.
My Thoughts:
I didn’t love this one as much as Marshall’s previous books, but I still enjoyed some of the twists! While I guessed the killer’s identity early on and the execution felt a bit formulaic, what sets this book apart is its well-developed characters and their compelling backstories. Too often, survival thrillers feature shallow, disposable characters, making it hard to care who lives or dies. Thankfully, this book gives us likable, well-rounded protagonists with real emotional depth.
Overall, I’m rounding up my 3.5-star rating to 4 stars. It’s a fast-paced, gripping read with a solid conclusion that keeps you on your toes. Perfect for fans of the author who love survival thrillers with a psychological twist!
Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

At first I almost didn't read this book because it wasn't available to send to Kindle. I am so glad I tried the Netgalley Reader for the first time! I loved this book and read it in two days. The premise drew me in and the characters made me want to continue. My opinion on who was good or bad changed so many times and still the ending surprised me. I will definitely recommend this book to everyone I know who loves a good thriller or mystery. It was believable and it is actually a story that I could believe would actually happen. I have not read the author's first book but will definitely hunt it down now. Terrific read! I'd give it 10 stars if I could.