Two years after surviving a mall shooting, Mercy Gray was given an opportunity to compete on a survival reality show hosted by billionaire Damien Dare. The prize is a life changing amount of money and just what Mercy needs to help her sister and gain back a little of her life from the shooting. But when she arrives, her and the other contestants find that nothing is what it seems; the set is empty, there is no crew. And then on their first night one of them dies. Can they trust each other? Is one of them a killer? Who is actually pulling the strings?

I liked the survival story and the added murder mystery, I liked the dynamics between all of the characters and how they couldn't trust each other but they also needed to trust each other to survive. There were also some things I didn't love, like that there were a lot of characters and it made it difficult to follow at times and some of the characters seemed a little underdeveloped.

Overall this was a good YA thriller, with lots of twists and turns and a twist that really surprised me. I would definitely recommend this to someone who enjoys YA books.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #PenguinGroupYoungReadersGroup for the book #WeWontAllSurvive by #KateAliceMarshall. This is a great book about a survivalist show and a long ago hero, Mercy. A decade ago we saved people during a mall shooting. Now she needs money to send her little sister to school. So she agrees when approached by a billionaire to be in his show. Right away something doesn’t seem right as things aren’t going like they are supposed to and some of the others start dying. Who can she trust and will she survive this harrowing experience?

I've very much enjoyed all of Kate Alice Marshall's books, so naturally I jumped at the chance to request an ARC of her newest novel We Won't All Survive. Once again, she delivers the perfect thriller, complete with a traumatic backstory, family drama, an enticing survivalist reality show, creeping setting, and a few unexpected twists. I was hooked from the very beginning and absolutely flew through We Won't All Survive. A great on-the-edge-of-your-seat-thriller to wrap up the summer!

I'm a fan of Kate Alice Marshall's adult thrillers, but We Won't All Survive is my first of her YA mysteries. Suffice it to say that I will be reading her backlist now, because I loved everything about this book, from the pacing to the characters to the locked-room vibes. The main character, Mercy Gray. was my favorite, because who doesn't love a final girl persona, especially when it's not just once, but twice? Just when I thought I knew the identify of the killer, I was proven wrong, and I was frantically swiping pages. Did I figure it out? No. Did I care? No. Did I love it? Totally.

THOUGHTS

This book is fun. It has some decent twists. and, I mean, what more can you ask for? With an interesting cast of characters-turned-suspects and a very of-the-moment premise, this book delivers exactly what it promises.


PROS
Manosphere Manipulations: This book feels very timely in the way it trudges through the toxic masculinity manosphere universe that's sprung up in recent times (the kind especially charged by billionaire podcasters and loud, annoying male YouTubers). You know, the influencers who tackle topics they shouldn't and push ideals that are, well, less-than-ideal? All of this gets dredged up in this wilderness thriller, and it works really well. It feels 2025 in a prescient way (not an immediately-dated way).

Survivor's Guilt: This book also takes a really nuanced look at survivors. The entire cast of characters here have survived something traumatic, though each of their past traumas is a little different. And this book reckons with the difficult choices made, the guilt that one carries in the aftermath, and the... relief that comes in unexpected pockets in the middle of terrible, awful experiences (and the guilt of having felt relieved). I don't want to spoil so much, but it really is a very interesting dive into character psychology here that I appreciated so much.

Casual Rep: There are a lot of queer characters in this book, and this book just... doesn't make a big deal about that. And I love that. I love it when queer characters just get to exist. It's refreshing.


CONS
Nothing New: As much as I enjoyed this read... it doesn't really add much to the genre. It does what it does well enough, but at the end of the day, it's just kind of... generic.

Random Men: I had a heck of a time remembering who was who when it came to the boys in this book. It really took until the (already slim) cast dwindled for me to remember which was which. Until one of them did something dramatically different and solidified into a Character, they were all just kind of... the boys. And that's maybe on me, but it's also maybe on the writing in this one.

Formulaic Twists: I said above that this book has some good twists, and it does. But at the same time, some of these little twists follow some... predictable patterns. You catch somebody doing something suspicious. You immediately think they're the culprit. A conflict ensues, and at least one party flees the scene. Only later do you discover you didn't have the right context for what you saw. Rinse and repeat. It gets pretty predictable in some places, which is unfortunate in a thriller. A thriller should be thrilling, and predicting the next several steps in the plot just isn't all that thrilling.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7/10
Fans of Kathryn Foxfield's Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are will love this new reality-tv-style thriller. Those who loved Sarah Beth Durst's The Lake House will love this less-than-supervised teen survival game.

🌵Book Review 🌵
*
My thoughts- thank you @prhaudio for the advanced audio arc of this beauty! I was totally enamored with the premise of this book, I love a good reality tv esque thriller. But after reading a banger like The Resort this summer this one let me down. While I loved that everyone was given a back story, I just couldn’t feel connected to any of the characters even Mercy. Mostly I just felt that this was slowly paced and boring until the action really started later in the story.
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
*
Summary- Two years ago, Mercy Gray was hailed as a hero for saving lives during a mall shooting. She still carries souvenirs from that day: the fragment of a bullet lodged in her back, a mountain of medical debt, and guilt for ignoring her sister’s warnings that the sweet boy next door was anything but.

So when billionaire turned TV host Damien Dare recruits Mercy to compete on his new survivalist reality show, she can’t turn down a chance at the whopping cash prize that could send her sister to college. But when she and the other contestants arrive at the off-grid location, something isn’t right. The set is empty. The gates close without warning, trapping them inside. And then one of them turns up dead. What appeared at first to be a tragic accident quickly transforms as more contestants start dropping like flies. With time and resources running low, surviving this show takes on a whole new meaning. Mercy must figure out who to trust. Before she’s next.
*
QOTD- what are you starting off this week reading? I’m starting too old for this today!

Remotely trapped with strangers and not knowing who you can trust as people start getting killed. This book kept me on edge.

It’s a thriller/murder mystery and another winner by Kate Alice Marshall.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC.

3.5 stars!!!

Kate Alice Marshall's books might never be a perfect thriller for me, I always have such a great time reading her books that the ratings always stay pretty high for me. While I love a deadly game, there was something in this story that didn't blow me away. I thought the characters were all pretty unique and I was interested in learning more about them but at the same time, I felt like I barely knew them by the end of the book. I can understand why they are all hesitant to share more personal details about themselves though so it might have just been a personal preference thing. I would definitely recommend this book for people who are interested in getting into thrillers that have more horror themes in them, simply because some of the "thrills" in this felt more horror leaning to me! Obviously, it doesn't get too dark since this is still a YA novel. It's still a good jumping off point! I'll forever read anything this author publishes even if I don't LOVE it. They're just such a good time!

I don’t know what Kate Alice Marshall has written before, but I can’t imagine it being better than We Won’t All Survive! Ok, well maybe her other books are just ‘as good’ as this, because she is one gifted author! There was nothing I didn’t enjoy about this book!

The characters arcs were so well developed, I feel like I personally got to know each contestant through their backstories, dialogue, actions and interactions with one another.

The survival competition they endured had an entire backstory of its own. The plot included a well-constructed history of the billionaire, Damon Dare, whose own survival skills expertise, philosophy and vision was the reason for creating a televised survival competition that would bring together 8 contestants into a remote, secluded town for a large monetary grand prize. But not all was as they expected it to be!

Within the pages of the bleak atmospheric setting of a searing desert ghost-town, We Won’t All Survive includes strong protagonists, intense suspense, mind-boggling mystery, nail-biting tension, unique competitive survival scenarios, surprising twists and a memorable ending you won’t soon forget. Highly recommend!

***I received a free copy from NetGalley and am leaving my honest review***

4.5 stars! I love a locked room, And Then There Were None style thriller, and I’m a fan of Marshall’s books. Although I’m generally not a big fan of YA, I still enjoyed this book, even though it does read as a YA thriller.

There were good twists and turns throughout, along with enough clues to figure out the twist if you pay attention- but not too early to make it predictable. Overall, a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

This novel started out hitting the ground running! I did not expect that, but I appreciate it at the same time. It read almost like watching a movie. This felt very similar to film Fantasy Island, in some aspects, except our characters really were strangers and not inter-related. I very much thought that maybe they were connected as the story went on and I was waiting for it, yet it never came.

This novel had a lot of action and was fast paced, which made it entertaining, however, it didn't feel like too much of a story. The big reveal of things was odd and surprising. A lot of discussion of uncomfortable stalkers and how easily they can come into a woman's life. Doesn't help that I am also rereading You at the same time!

Overall, this was an entertaining novel and a quick read.

We Won’t All Survive is about contestants on a new reality TV show run by tech billionaire Damien Dare. All 8 contestants have some major traumatic event in their past: involved in a mall mass shooting, stranded at sea, trapped after a train derailed, etc. Our main character, Mercy, closed the gate at the front of the store during a mall shooting, stopping the gunman from being able to enter, and saving all those inside. She got shot in the back through the gate and now her medical bills ate up all her sister’s college money. Winning this reality show could fix that. But when she shows up, things aren’t what she expected. There’s no one else there besides the contestants. They are in a remote location, locked in by a huge gate with barbed wire that automatically shuts. There’s announcements over a loud speaker and video prompts from the show host to explain rules and challenges but all that is put to a halt when one contestant is found dead.

This was very different than other books I have read, which I very much appreciated. It did keep my interest and I kept wanting to pick it up. The end got a little weird for my taste and I don’t like when explanations are kind of word vomited from one character to another. Overall, I did very much enjoy this one though and would recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A mix between survival, game show, and all around messed up situation of teens who think they are competing in a television game show and must complete challenges. Little to they know it is not all as it seems. The teens end up in a game of true survival. Without knowing who to trust the initial bonds between them during the traumatic time began to break down. Questions of who is behind this and are all the teens really contestants or is one of them behind all of this? Working together and fighting for their lives they work on an escape plan. I read this in one sitting staying up until the middle of the night. Kate Alice Marshall never disappoints and I always look forward to reading her books. Thank you NetGalley and Viking Books for the opportunity to review this book.

I didn’t think I was going to like this novel as much as I did. I loved the pacing, and I found it hard to put down. I would recommend this to others.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC. I love KAM’s adult fiction and this was my first trip into her YA work. I loved it. A Hunger Games-esque reality show for people who survived traumatic situations. I loved the twists, the drama, the whodunnit, and yes, the will they/won’t they. Highly recommend!

Mercy Gray has lived through an unspeakable tragedy. Two years ago, her sister was targeted in a mall shooting by the sweet and innocent boy next door after turning down his advances. Mercy helped saved many lives including her sisters during the shooting. Damien Dare is the TV host of the new reality show featuring a cast of survivalists. Devasted by crushing medical debt from the shooting, Mercy feels like she has no other option but to participate in the reality show and hopefully win the cash prize. But, when she and the other cast members arrive at the off-grid location, the set is empty and the gates close unexpectedly, trapping them inside. Shortly after, one of the castmates, Piper, is found dead. Mercy starts questioning everything and everyone as she begins another fight for her life.
Review:
I was super intrigued by the synopsis of this book and don't get me wrong, it is thrilling and mysterious, but it didn't capture my attention in the way I was hoping it would. I really enjoyed Mercy's character and the wanting to find out who we shouldn't be trusting. But, I felt underwhelmed by the reveal and overall thought it was a lot of work for such a mediocre reason by the perpetrator which made it unrealistic for me. I know not everyone will think this though, so I still recommend picking it up and developing your own opinion.
We Won't All Survive is available now!
Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Alice Marshall, and Penguin Group for this ARC of We Won't All Survive in exchange for an honest review!

This was part survival thriller/horror (think Saw, You Better Watch Out) part Hunger Games. While I did enjoy the story, I didn't feel it was unique enough to warrant a full 5 stars. I've enjoyed all the Kate Alice Marshall books I've read so far and will continue to read her new releases. I would recommend this to YA readers who enjoy Holly Jackson.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC!

Mercy has been picked to go on a survival reality show in the middle of nowhere, and she’s not quite sure about what she’s gotten herself into. All she knows is that she needs the prize money for something important.

This was an ARC that I received from @Netgalley, and I really enjoyed it! There are times when the plot seems a little predictable, but the characters’ backstories and development really tie into every aspect of the plot.

I was sucked in from the beginning because it initially evoked “Friday the 13th,” “Fear Factor,” and “Survivor” vibes. You may also throw in a little “Cabin in the Woods.” This was an absolute page-turner, and I will definitely add this to my library.

The cover caught my eye, so I felt compelled to dive into the story! Right from the first page, the pace picks up and doesn't let up until the very end.

Mercy Gray, a hero from a mall shooting, joins a survivalist reality show hosted by Damien Dare for a cash prize to help her sister. Upon arrival, contestants find themselves trapped, and after one dies, the situation spirals into a deadly challenge as more contestants are killed.

The main character, Mercy, is young but surprisingly wise for her age. She's genuinely likable and quite clever, which makes you root for her. I like how she handles her trauma; that’s just the nature of her character. Mercy tends to be more of a background figure, yet her charisma and sharp mind constantly push her to the forefront, even though she shies away from the spotlight.

The book’s setting is haunting, isolated, and incredibly creepy! You quickly sense that something is off, but throughout the story, you find yourself questioning whom to trust and who may pose a threat. I admire how the author holds back crucial details until the very end. The final piece of the puzzle comes together beautifully, tying everything up in a satisfying way. This is a well-crafted young adult novel that’s tough to put down and keeps you guessing.

Although it's a young adult book and might not be your usual genre, it’s expertly written and features a resilient main character, which makes her very relatable. If you enjoy fast-paced narratives set in secluded locations filled with intricate murder mysteries, this one will pique your interest. Let me know your thoughts and enjoy!

Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This one hooked me fast—survival reality show meets murder mystery? Yes, please. Mercy’s backstory added real depth, and the tension just kept building as contestants started dying off. Definitely had The Hunger Games meets Agatha Christie vibes. A few plot points were a little over-the-top, but I was fully in it. Great if you like your thrillers with a side of social commentary and a dash of chaos.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the chance to read this early.