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novelty_reads's review
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I have recently been finding myself gravitating towards dark fantasy this year and honestly? I love it. Dark fantasy brings forward everything I love in books: enemies to lovers, forbidden romance and magic schemes that make you wish the world was a little more magical than it actually is. All of Us Villains had the perfect recipe to become a newfound favourite.
I was lucky enough to read a few pages of the book before it was out. I enjoyed the sampler so much that I bought the book (and its sequel) already knowing I would be transfixed and pun intended, spellbound.
The book has been pitched to me as The Hunger Games but make it magical and villainous. The book is told in four perspectives: Briony, Alistair, Isobel and Gavin, four of the seven champions forced to fight to the death to win high magic, a rare magical commodity. The book spends a lot of time showing us how the champions have prepared and strategised for the tournament, building up the characters and showing how they all cope with the knowledge that they'll one day fight to the death.
To me, Alistair was an instant stand out. I loved reading his perspective. He reminded me of Lira from To Kill A Kingdom in that he was raised to be villainous but really, his villainous behaviour was a result of what his family expected from him. He may be morally grey but I could tell he had a softer side and the way he cared for his brother, Hendry was really sweet and wholesome.
Isobel started off as a character I really enjoyed reading but towards the end, I started losing interest with her character. Her parts were better in terms of plot and moving things along but as a character, she lost me towards the end.
Gavin was a character I was very interested in. I am a sucker for the classic underdog story where the odds are stacked against them and they manage to be victorious. Gavin's entire family haven't won the tournament in all the centuries it's been happening. Gavin is seen as a dead boy walking and he wants nothing more than to prove people wrong. Out of everyone in the tournament, he and Elionor seemed the most ruthless in their pursuit to win and eliminate competitors.
Briony was the last of the perspectives however, she never really grabbed me as a character and so, I wasn't as excited reading about her as much as I was for Alistair or Gavin. I won't lie, she sort of annoyed me. The other side characters I enjoyed were Hendry and Reid. Hendry was such a sweetie he's easily one of my favourite characters. Reid was a character I predicted would have a huge influence on the plot. He kind of reminded me of Harry Hook from The Descendants mixed with Yungblud and a bit of Palaye Royale. I hope I get to see him more in book two.
The characters were a big win for this book. As in, all the characters felt unique with their own personality that I could easily tell apart. The only real negative I had was the book at times felt a little slow. I also wanted more suspense and tension from the competition. I knew the stakes were high but I didn't feel the danger or risk from the tournament even when things started going pear-shaped. By the end of the book, I started getting that anticipation I was looking for with the book ending on a tantalising cliffhanger. Naturally, I have started the sequel instantly.
ACTUAL RATING: 4.2 STARS
I have recently been finding myself gravitating towards dark fantasy this year and honestly? I love it. Dark fantasy brings forward everything I love in books: enemies to lovers, forbidden romance and magic schemes that make you wish the world was a little more magical than it actually is. All of Us Villains had the perfect recipe to become a newfound favourite.
I was lucky enough to read a few pages of the book before it was out. I enjoyed the sampler so much that I bought the book (and its sequel) already knowing I would be transfixed and pun intended, spellbound.
The book has been pitched to me as The Hunger Games but make it magical and villainous. The book is told in four perspectives: Briony, Alistair, Isobel and Gavin, four of the seven champions forced to fight to the death to win high magic, a rare magical commodity. The book spends a lot of time showing us how the champions have prepared and strategised for the tournament, building up the characters and showing how they all cope with the knowledge that they'll one day fight to the death.
To me, Alistair was an instant stand out. I loved reading his perspective. He reminded me of Lira from To Kill A Kingdom in that he was raised to be villainous but really, his villainous behaviour was a result of what his family expected from him. He may be morally grey but I could tell he had a softer side and the way he cared for his brother, Hendry was really sweet and wholesome.
Isobel started off as a character I really enjoyed reading but towards the end, I started losing interest with her character. Her parts were better in terms of plot and moving things along but as a character, she lost me towards the end.
Gavin was a character I was very interested in. I am a sucker for the classic underdog story where the odds are stacked against them and they manage to be victorious. Gavin's entire family haven't won the tournament in all the centuries it's been happening. Gavin is seen as a dead boy walking and he wants nothing more than to prove people wrong. Out of everyone in the tournament, he and Elionor seemed the most ruthless in their pursuit to win and eliminate competitors.
Briony was the last of the perspectives however, she never really grabbed me as a character and so, I wasn't as excited reading about her as much as I was for Alistair or Gavin. I won't lie, she sort of annoyed me. The other side characters I enjoyed were Hendry and Reid. Hendry was such a sweetie he's easily one of my favourite characters. Reid was a character I predicted would have a huge influence on the plot. He kind of reminded me of Harry Hook from The Descendants mixed with Yungblud and a bit of Palaye Royale. I hope I get to see him more in book two.
The characters were a big win for this book. As in, all the characters felt unique with their own personality that I could easily tell apart. The only real negative I had was the book at times felt a little slow. I also wanted more suspense and tension from the competition. I knew the stakes were high but I didn't feel the danger or risk from the tournament even when things started going pear-shaped. By the end of the book, I started getting that anticipation I was looking for with the book ending on a tantalising cliffhanger. Naturally, I have started the sequel instantly.
ACTUAL RATING: 4.2 STARS
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, and Blood
Minor: Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
styxx's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, and Violence
kenzaett's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
My first read of 2024, yay!
I picked this up in a bookshop on vacation for half price as a beach read, no clue what it entailed, just knew it was on my tbr, and
what a surprisingly good riiiidddee.
We're taking into an urban fantasy setting within a town that has teenagers fighting to death over the world's biggest magic source for their families (and nobody seems to have ever questioned it? Capitalism I guess), on the eve of the next tournament starting. This round is different though, as a traitorous voice from the village has spilled news about the tournament and now viewers from other villages have gathered to see the gorey spectacle. We follow the children of the 7 families from their nomination to the final fight... And end with a cliffhanger 😭
This book has a wonderful gloomy gothic dark academia witchy creepy village in the woods in the 50ies vibe but with modern and an interesting magic(k) system I haven't seen before.
I disliked the many POVs, 2-3 would have definitely been enough already. We can antagonize the protagonists even when we don't see them from other perspectives!! But that might just have been due to this novel being co-authored by two writers.
I feel like some of the characters could have been more fleshed out, had we had more time with them and their thoughts, and they tend to fall into a few archetypes, but the incredible writing, the scenery, and the way the authors are able to pull you into the world, make you see and hear and smell everything around you.. That makes up for it.
It's also like 1/5 on a spice level, which is amazing for YA. Instead we get brotherly love, manipulation, betrayal, family feuds, academic rivalry, emancipation from who you thought you were or would turn out to be, and a lot of BLOOD.
And I want MORE.
I would have loved a proper ending and to see this as a standalone, but I'll have to soon pick up book two for the conclusion 🥴👍🏻
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Vomit, Murder, Toxic relationship, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Moderate: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Cursing, Misogyny, and Murder
shannonvonpesach's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The story was fun but it was a bit slow on some points. And it felt like some parts were quite repetitive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
jessy4550's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
I loved this book. THere was some twists I didn't expect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Blood, Death, Body horror, Child death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Medical trauma, and Self harm
Minor: Alcohol, Confinement, Alcoholism, and Kidnapping
alex_emilia_smith's review against another edition
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Child death, Gore, Grief, Toxic relationship, Blood, Violence, and Genocide
Minor: Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Vomit
maresuju's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Classism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Toxic friendship
mhirsch1213's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This is definitely a YA. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. But the different girl falling for the broody boy is just not my thing like it use to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Classism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Murder, and Death
bookcheshirecat's review
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Gore, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Toxic relationship
ib31's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It is a well-written book that follows characters who all are in the morally grey zone.
The concept of the story and the characters keep the readers busy and the plottwists create suspense.
I liked that the book has a dark tone and does not sugarcoat anything.
The closer I got to the end of the book the plot twists and the story kept on going and I was trapped in a state of suspense and shock. The book makes you realize you can’t trust anyone because everyone is capable of betraying each other.
All in all, I can not wait for the next book, which hopefully explores the characters and the story even more.
I liked that the story itself was very brutal and that it was expanded with the help of fairy tales and family stories.
The concept of the story and the characters keep the readers busy and the plottwists create suspense.
I liked that the book has a dark tone and does not sugarcoat anything.
The closer I got to the end of the book the plot twists and the story kept on going and I was trapped in a state of suspense and shock. The book makes you realize you can’t trust anyone because everyone is capable of betraying each other.
All in all, I can not wait for the next book, which hopefully explores the characters and the story even more.
I liked that the story itself was very brutal and that it was expanded with the help of fairy tales and family stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol and Alcoholism