This was really good! I was expecting a campy teen thriller but this was a really well paced and though provoking story. It got dark but that's a lot of what made it so good. A group of teens agree to participate in a survivalist reality show but there's more there than meets the eye. I really enjoyed the backstories of the teens and getting to know each along the way. Would definitely recommend!

We Won’t All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall is the perfect mix of survival thriller and murder mystery. If you love fast paced and highstakes stories like me, this one delivers! Mercy has been through hell already, and now she’s stuck in this off the grid “survival competition” where people start dying one by one. What starts as a game for prize money quickly becomes a deadly situation with no clear way out. I couldn’t stop flipping pages trying to figure out who was behind it all. The writing is sharp, tense, and totally binge worthy! Definitely a must read if you’re into dark and twisty thrillers.

Thank you Penguin Young Readers Group for the free advanced copies of We Won’t All Survive.

When Mercy and a group of others in their late teens are invited to be part of a reality show and compete for $100k, she jumps at the chance. Upon arriving at the remote film location, they quickly realize something is amiss - it’s an abandoned town and no one is around. Suddenly the massive gates start to close, and then an announcement sounds “Please report to the survival post…”

This one has me hooked from the very start, I could not put it down! It had some fascinating and dark themes, which felt very relevant to present times. I had a lot of moments thinking the absolute audacity of men.

“I don’t believe in ghosts, but I do believe in monsters. And this one has me in its teeth.”

The atmosphere of this book was so good. It was descriptive and immersive so I felt like I was part of the game. I didn’t trust anyone and I felt the impending doom and horror along with the characters. It’s technically a YA thriller, but I don’t feel like it read like a YA thriller.

If you need a captivating and quick thriller, this one is for you!

What a wild ride this was. I was hooked from the start. This author's books never disappointment. The pacing, characters and overall plot was entertaining. I can't wait to see what Kate Alice Marshall comes up with next.


Many thanks for my gifted copy.

In We Won’t All Survive, Kate Alice Marshall deftly fuses elements of dystopian survival horror with the narrative devices of the contemporary young adult thriller. The novel presents a reality television framework that critiques spectacle, trauma, and the commodification of human suffering. Marshall constructs a narrative that is at once propulsive and psychologically charged, immersing readers in a story where survival is both a physical and emotional ordeal.

The central tropes at play—such as the always compelling “final girl,” hallmark of thriller fiction—are not merely genre conventions, but serve as mechanisms through which the novel explores deeper themes of guilt, identity, and moral ambiguity. The protagonist, Mercy Gray, is emblematic of the “morally gray heroine”—a figure marked by trauma, resilience, and a quiet desperation to preserve the legacy of her late sister. Her decision to participate in a televised competition for disaster survivors seems, at first, to be motivated by financial need; however, the sinister twist soon becomes evident: the show is a facade, the production staff are missing, and the contestants are being eliminated—permanently.

What follows is a suspenseful “whodunnit” narrative structured around a ticking clock, wherein the psychological tension mounts alongside the body count. Marshall’s characters are not reduced to mere archetypes. Rather, they are rendered with complexity and internal contradiction, serving as more than narrative devices to advance Mercy’s arc. Their flaws and strengths contribute to the novel’s emotional weight and thematic cohesion.

Marshall’s prose maintains the clarity and pace that characterize her earlier work, with an added layer of emotional intensity. The writing is compulsively readable without sacrificing depth. In particular, the novel’s treatment of trauma and fractured trust distinguishes it from other entries in the YA thriller genre. While the mystery element may confound even the most astute readers, this is less a failure of construction than a testament to the novel’s capacity to subvert reader expectations.

For readers seeking a tightly plotted, psychologically astute thriller that interrogates the ethics of survival and spectacle, We Won’t All Survive is a compelling and timely contribution to the genre.

After the Hunger Games came out there were a bunch of stories like this, and I like them so glad they are back!

Mercy has been selected for a new reality show. She has her reasons to need the money, and her reasons to feel guilty about the celebrity status that got her selected. But when a contestant turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, Mercy begins to wonder if this group was lured to a remote location for other reasons.

I thought this was a great YA thriller: very suspenseful, with an interesting cast of characters and a lot of questions raised along the way. Sometimes this kind of book suffers from thin character development but Marshall does a great job giving each character an interesting backstory and a part to play.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

We Won’t All Survive tells the story about 8 young adults who agree to be on a new survival style reality show for the chance to win big money. But this game is not what it appears to be on its surface and when the danger becomes too real and someone turns up dead it becomes clear that no one is going to rescue them, they have to find a way to survive together. But can you really trust any of these strangers with a game led alone your life? As the story progresses, we learn about each character’s individual trauma and my goodness do they have trauma. The story is told from the perspective of Mercy Gray who is known for saving several lives in a mass shooting event. She may be widely considered a hero but Mercy is haunted by everything she did and did not do on that deadly day. While they navigate this game in a ghost town, Mercy starts to wonder are the other players haunted too?

Oh Kate Alice Marshall…. I’ll be honest, I signed up for this ARC without reading the synopsis simply because it was Marshall’s name on it and that proved to be a good choice. This woman can keep me guessing throughout a story like nobody’s business. Even with so many twists and partial reveals starting as early as the halfway point, she still manages to tie up all the loose ends with a nice little bow like a fun if a bit traumatic little Christmas gift for her readers. I love complex characters and traumatic backstories and this story certainly delivers on that. The story has its truly chilling moments and overall was just such a wild ride. Always super satisfying reads. Highly recommend.

A huge thank you to Penguin group for offering this title for review via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow!!! Where do I start with this? This book had me guessing at what was really happening the whole time? And boy did I have it alll wrong well mostly haha I was so honored to be able to read this and enjoyed every minute of it. Loving the characters and their stories as well as the what the heck is happening mystery. Great job! Def recommend

Enjoyable read. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I appreciate that in a thriller. Definitely a fun read.

I’m a big fan of Kate Alice Marshall, so as soon as I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. I didn’t realize it was YA at first, but that didn’t take away from the experience—it still completely captivated me. The plot was gripping, and the ending tied everything together in a satisfying way.

As a fan of Kate Alice Marshall's middle grade series, Thirteens, I was super excited to try out some of her teen and adult collection. I had just read one of her adult books when I got approved to read this one. Unsurprisingly, I finished this one in one sitting, hooked immediately from the first page. I felt like all of the characters felt real, which made me root for them even more as we learned what trauma had occured in their lives prior to be picked for the show. While the mystery of who was killing them off was intriguing enough, I also appreciated the focus on toxic masculinity and men's emotions over the safety of women. This focus can certainly point out to teens problematic behavior and how, in the end, women don't owe men kindness if they are ignoring our boundaries, feelings, and safety. With so many tweens and teens loving murder/mystery/survival books at my library, I can't wait to be able to recommend this one to them.

This book hooked me from the beginning and it was a fun and wild ride to the end. A mix of whodunnit and a study in sociology and psychology, a reality TV show game of survival turns real-life deadly and a group of young adults need to do anything to survive. That means trusting strangers while suspecting everyone. I really enjoyed playing detective alongside our main character, Mercy, a mass shooting survivor who wants to win her sister money for college after her medical bills depleted the savings. Every person has a reason for joining the reality show, but some are more sinister than others. I particularly enjoyed the character development of each group member, and the survival elements. This was a fast-paced thriller that will keep you guessing, but with solid emotional depth as well.

A survivalist reality program that turns deadly sounded right up my alley! I went into this book with high hopes as I have enjoyed several of the author's other books. Sadly, this one wasn't quite as enjoyable for me as the others were. This is geared for the YA audience so keep that in mind when picking up this book.

I love a good locked room mystery, and while this one isn't totally locked room, you are able to immerse yourself if a ghost town where giant gates lock everyone in. Except they can escape, so someone can probably get in. Take 7 or 8 random strangers who have all survived some life tragedy and put them in a place together for a competition. It's not meant to be "which one is the last to survive" as all 8 can win the prize. It's not split based on winner takes all... but something is amiss. Strong mystery. I enjoyed the writing. Lots of plot twists, and the characters were vibrant.

Wow! I have to admit, I was not expecting this to hit me this hard. I was not fully sold on the premise and then I took a long break after the first 30-or-so pages because I was just not feeling it. But damn! Once it hit its stride, I was fully and completely under its spell.

I truly loved this cast of characters— whenever I read something like this, it’s always an immediate litmus test of the quality of the book whether or not I can keep track of everyone and their backstories, and this passed with flying colors. Everyone’s voices were so unique, and Mercy had such individual relationships with all of them that felt so realized and specific. I won’t get into my favorite one here to avoid spoilers but oh boy. I was swooning. I was consistently surprised by the plot developments as well— they were far less dumb than a lot of characters in survival stories (which makes sense because they’re already survivors!)

It’s also kind of rare for a basic thriller like this to make me so emotional, but I did cry! I cried twice! I sure wasn’t expecting it but it speaks to how powerful these relationships feel and how Mercy’s trauma impacts how she builds those relationships. If I had to make one complaint, it’s that the last third of the book has a lot of Saying The Themes Out Loud, but I’m fine chalking that up to the YA of it all. I still really enjoyed this in all its brutal, sensitive glory. When Kate Alice Marshall works on me, she REALLY works.

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.