Reviews tagging 'War'

All of Us Villains by C.L. Herman, Amanda Foody

5 reviews

directorpurry's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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bookcheshirecat's review

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

4.0

“Gavin had glared at Alastair Lowe and his brother from the back of the pub and wondered what it would be like to have someone in his life like that. Someone who knew him. Someone who saw him. Someone who would celebrate when, not if, he came home.” 

➽ I'm always here for books that have Hunger Games vibes! I love Amanda Foody's books, so it was exciting to see a co-written book by her. All of Us Villains is about the town of Ilvernath that holds a tournament every generation for the sake of getting high magic, a special, powerful type of magic that's usually not available. Only the seven families of Ilvernath have a chance to access it ... and only one person can win it. The seven champions compete in a battle to the death, as only the victor and their family will get unlimited power until the next generation. I loved the concept and how magic is known in this world; most people can also use low magic, which isn't nearly as powerful.

➽ We follow champions Alistair, Gavin, Isobel and Briony as they enter a competition for their lives. My favorite character was probably Gavin, as he's gruff and bitter. I can't blame him, as his family has never won the tournament and most people - including his family - see him as a dead man walking. Gavin holds a lot of resentment for the more successful families and makes a dangerous decision in order to increase his own magic. I do love an underdog! Alistair is the unofficial favorite, as his family has won the tournament the most times and is known for their bloodlust and vicious nature. There is more to him than meets the eye though, as Alistair holds genuine love for his brother Henry!

➽ Then there is Isobel, who didn't even want to be a champion, but has now been hyped by the media and is seen as another strong contender for the win. I liked seeing her complicated feelings about the tournament and how alone she feels! The last POV character is Briony and she's probably my least favorite. Still, Briony is well-written! She always expected to be named champion, but when her little sister steals the title from her, she is determined to take what is hers. She can also be a bit self-righteous, as Briony quickly realizes something about the tournament and tries to find a way out of it!

➽ My only complaint about the book is that it wasn't nearly as dark as the premise suggested. Compared to other books, I definitely still have strong feelings about All of Us Villains! But it could have been a 5-star read! I just think that there wasn't nearly enough bloodshed for a book that calls itself a death tournament. The characters were morally grey, but not as villainous as you'd expect from the title. Alistair wasn't as vicious as I expected and his character mellowed out a bit. His romance with Isobel was also so underdeveloped. I usually love rivals to lovers, but they barely had any chemistry! In general, I expected to be shocked, but I never feared any of the POV characters were really in danger. 
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marareading's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book is easily now one of my favorites of the year! I am blown away. Hidden Magick, family secrets, so many twists. I absolutely love these characters. Each one has their own secret, and their own path and family issues. Even the secondary characters are so well developed. The scenery and atmosphere are amazing. It is so intense, and gripping. I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for book two already! 

There is a curse, and every 20 years seven champions (one from each family) come forward to compete in the tournament. The winner gets to control the high magic until the next tournament. This time is different. Some families will change forever. 

I am HOOKED. This story is dirty, gruesome, treacherous, and you never know what is going to happen. I am going to make it a new mission to make sure people read this book immediately! 
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bookcrushin's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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krystlereine's review

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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