Wow wow wow. This BOOK. I adored book 1 and the introduction to Ilvernath and all the families, but book 2 is where it gets JUICY. It's all the teen angst I wanted and more. Darkness, death, and all the deception you could want. I loved how it all played out and I said it about the first book, but I'll say it again, I LOVE the magic system in this. SO cool and well thought out. URGH I'm glad I know how it ends but also I wish there were way more books. More in this universe please?? ??? ????

Thanks to netgalley and Orion for the early review copy!!!

I'd just like to give a huge thank you to the publishers for reaching out to me and asking me to read the second book to All of us Villains.

We're back in Ilvernath and once again are treated to the POV's of Briony, Isobel, Alistair and Gavin. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am so thankful I was given the opportunity to read the book before publication date.

All of the champions are reeling after the events of the first book. Isobel finds herself trapped by Reid McTavish, but that's the least of her problems. The Roach's Armour came with a huge cost and Isobel finds herself struggling in the aftermath. Can she escape Reid's clutches and get back to Briony and Finley to finish what they started?

Briony doesn't want the title of hero, but she finds the title thrust at her anyway as the world outside of Ilvernath begin to hear of what she and the other champions are trying to accomplish, but she finds herself fighting battles from all sides, including her own family. What secrets are the Thorburns hiding?

Gavin is also facing issues of his own - Reid's spell has left him without the use of his common magick - he has to use his life magick in order to perform spells and curses. In his desperation to be cured he's willing to do anything, including entering an alliance with Alistair and his newly resurrected-but-not brother, Hendry. Can Gavin use Hendry somehow in order to break his curse, and what is he going to do about his growing feelings for the other Lowe brother?

Alistair, once on the side of breaking the tournament, now wants to become the victor in hopes it will save his brother, Hendry. Along with Gavin they enter into an alliance but his growing feelings for Gavin and his will to save Hendry confuse Alistair greatly. Can he save his brother and work out his feelings for Gavin, or will he let the legacy of his family turn him into the monster the world believes he is?

The insatiable conclusion to Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman’s epic (and bestselling) YA fantasy, All of Us Villains—with it’s morally grey cast of characters and hunger games style competition—was just as deliciously addictive and detailed as the first and with edge of your seat action and a thoroughly nail biting ending that had me on the edge of my seat.

“I feel like I should warn you: this is going to be absolutely brutal.”

The the first time in the ancient curse’s history, the tournament is breaking. The boundaries protecting Ilvernath from the arena have fallen with reporters seaming the battlegrounds. A dead boy now lives again and a new champion has been entered into the fray—one who plans to break the curse for good… no matter how many lives are sacrificed in the process.

As the curse teeters ever closer to collapse, the surviving champions each face a choice: dismantle the tournament piece by piece, or fight to the death as this story was always intended. Long-held alliances will be severed. Hearts will break. Lives will end. Because a tale as wicked as this one was never destined for a happily ever after.

Since the action packed and thoroughly shocking cliffhanger ending of All of Us Villain I’ve been desperate to get my hands on the final book of this duology and for the most part, it didn’t disappoint.

The book picks up exactly where the first left off and the action just keeps coming! I loved that we delve deeper into each of our complex, morally grey characters’ back stories and watch how their carefully plotted actions play out, with plenty of twists to keep you on the edge of your seat. But, it was seeing how Allistair and Isobel dealt with the fall out of their actions that really intrigued me.

The writing was once again incredibly detailed, as was the world-building which is taken one step further as we dive into the history of the tournament, the inner workings of the curse and the stories surrounding each champions’ families—the lore of which was absolutely amazing! I loved that we also got the chance to see more of the champions’ families and how their influence has affected them—especially for some of the lesser known families like the Grieves.

Speaking of Grieves, Gavin definitely got a larger and more detailed role to play here (and his very own love interest) however I didn’t feel that the relationship wasn’t as fully fleshed out as it could’ve been, it felt a little rushed. Personally, I feel it would’ve worked better had it started/ been subtly hinted at in the first book. Isobel’s romantic arc however was a little more successful which is probably due to a few flirtatious scenes in book one.

Overall, a superb conclusion to this magical, Hunger Games-style emotional rollercoaster of a book which I really enjoyed. Though I must warn the ending was a little bittersweet so do keep a few tissue handy just in case.

I’ve been looking forward to part 2 of this duology since the second I finished the first one and it didn’t disappoint.

Like the Hunger Games but with villains - it’s been one of my favourite reads of the past year. Spectacularly written, gripping and with really excellent and well drawn characters, you find yourself staying up far later than you should - just to keep reading.

Absolutely love it. One of my faves. Already looking forward to the reread.

I really liked this book, I loved how it picked up right after the 1st book (all of us villains) after the cliffhanger, but I do think it took a while for me to get into. That being said, the pace did speed up a bit later and was a very fun read. Overall I’d say this book was great! I would definitely. recommend this to friends and buy a physical copy when I have the chance. 4 stars!

All of Our Demise is an outstanding conclusion to the duology started in All of Us Villains. It's fast-paced, well-written, and addictive through and through. Highly recommended!!

This was a heart-achingly wonderful surprise! I wasn’t exactly invested and enthusiastic about the first book, but I was curious to see how the duet ended, more so to find out the fate of the characters than to see where the plot was headed.

But surprisingly, the plot ensnared me in this second instalment just as much as the characters did. My issue with the plot in book one was that it felt quite aimless with very low stakes. Not much was driving the plot forward— it was kind of all over the place. While here, with All Of Our Demise, the story had clear direction. The plot wasn’t overly complicated but still intricate and well-thought out so it was easy to follow. And the world-building was solid and not too presumptuous.

While character motivations were clear and their personal growth was staggeringly poignant and wonderful. Watching each of them come full circle was achingly satisfying as it was melancholy. By the end, I really felt like I’d gone on an enlightening, gruelling and rewarding journey with these four main characters.

Ultimately, that’s why this book was a winner for me. Looking back to the beginning then to the people these four main characters are by the end of the duet was almost jarring for me— their individual growth was executed effortlessly throughout this book that I barely noticed just how much they’d all changed until I got to the very final chapters. I noticed it the most with Gavin (my favourite, I adore him) and then I began to notice it with everyone else too. I have to admit I started this series liking two characters and ended up falling in love with all of them.

And due to spoilers I won’t say who, but the authors making my ship canon AND endgame really boosted this into the amazingly enjoyable read I've been gushing about. I just had the best time reading this with a silly smile on my face. Truly the perfect ending to the duet.

I think even if the first book wasn’t your favourite and you’re unsure whether to dive into the second one, do it!! Book one lays the foundation of the story while book two effortlessly elevates it. Highly recommend!

I loved All Of Us Villains and was practically ecstatic when I was given the ARC for the concluding book in this Duology. It did not disappoint! This book is as dark and exciting as the first one and the conclusion is satisfying. If one wanted to be pooper, one could could find fault in the slightly unbelievable romance malarkey and the broody soulsearching. However, this is a fantastic and very entertaining end to this story and I am sad it is over!

🩸All Of Our Demise🩸

By Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman @amandafoody @christineexists

🤫possible spoilers for All Of Us Villains

Description:

For the first time in this ancient, bloodstained story, the tournament is breaking. The boundaries between the city of Ilvernath and the arena have fallen. Reporters swarm the historic battlegrounds. A dead boy now lives again. And a new champion has entered the fray, one who seeks to break the curse for good... no matter how many lives are sacrificed in the process.

As the curse teeters closer and closer to collapse, the surviving champions each face a choice: dismantle the tournament piece by piece, or fight to the death as this story always intended.

Long-held alliances will be severed. Hearts will break. Lives will end. Because a tale as wicked as this one was never destined for happily ever after.

🩸🩸🩸🩸

All of Us Villains was one of my top reads of last year so I have been absolutely desperate to get my hands on the conclusion to this duology!

All Of Our Demise absolutely lived up to my expectations. Things aren’t looking great at the start of the book, and the stakes are through the roof. Relationships are the heart of this book, and dynamic between the remaining champions is constantly shifting and changing.

The evolving romantic relationships are so well done, and if you’d told me at the start that I would be team anyone other than the emerging couple in the first book, I would have said no way. The development of the new relationships in this book is so good that I very quickly found myself shipping them!

The magic system in this world is so clever, I really enjoyed the problem solving with spellcraft in order for the champions to do what was needed.

I was very satisfied by the conclusion. I don’t want to say too much and give anything away, but I felt like it was the perfect way to wrap everything up.

All Of Our Demise will be released on the 1st of September. Thanks to @netgalley and @gollancz for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic conclusion to an epic duology! We really get to delve into the characters in this book, exploring their motivations and how they cope with and justify the bad things they've done. Alistair is easily my favourite champion - he's a morally grey character and I love that! I'm sad these books are over, but very excited for the next book by these authors!

All of our demise is the second and final book in this series, and continues where All of us Villains left us.

The story itself is a little slow paced and I was not fully on board with some of the romantic turns the book took. However, the characters truly shine. They all have such distinct personalities and are incredibly well written

Overall, a very enjoyable read

Having devoured All of Us Villains by Christine Herman and Amanda Foody last year, All of Our Demise became one of my most anticipated reads of this year. I was so excited to read it and I’m sad, having finished it, that this duology is now finished. I really enjoyed both books and love the world Herman and Foody created - a dark, twisted, magical spin on The Hunger Games. 4.5 rounded up

All of Our Demise (AOOD) takes off straight after the events of AOUV, placing us back under the Blood Veil in Illvernath during tournament to determine which family will gain control of the sought after high magick. Traditionally this tournament is fought by 7 champions, one from each of Illvernath’s key families. But this time things are set to change as some of the champions seek to bring the curse down once and for all.

AOOD is written in the same way as AOUV with each chapter being from one of the four main champions’ perspectives. I really enjoyed the way Herman and Foody tell their story through their champions. Each champion goes on one heck of a journey through the duology and so we’re afforded a better insight into who they are and the motivations behind their choices.

As with AOUV the world building and magick system was brilliant. The spells and curses the champions cast are so incentive and the trials they go through were thrilling. There are also a lot of twists and turns throughout that keep you guessing.

There are some romantic strands running throughout AOOD which I think worked well and added to the story and yet never distracted from what was going on. There is one coupling that I can see being controversial, however I thought they worked. It’s hard to explain without spoilers but their coupling allowed us to see a different side to each of them, and showed how nothing is black and white in this story.

This next part may be considered spoilery so skip if you don’t want to know - I think the only thing that could have made AOOD better for me, and I feel a savage saying this, is if another champion met their demise earlier on in the novel. The trials to break the curse were amazing and often so tense, yet with the champions surviving each time (until the end) the stakes never felt as high as they could have. Saying this, however, I don’t know who I’d have been ok losing and it didn’t take away at all from my enjoyment of the story.

Overall, AOOD was a very satisfying ending to the duology. I loved spending more time with the champions and I’m sad that their story is over. I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves a darker tale, magic, morally grey characters and Hunger Games esque trials. A really fun read.

Thank you so, so much Orión (Jenna Petts,) for the invitation to read All of Our Demise by Christine Herman and Amanda Foody via NetGalley. I was over the moon to be given an advanced opportunity to read the concluding part of this duology and here’s my honest and unbiased review.

I totally fell for All Of Us Villains when it came out last year, and had extremely high expectations for this 2nd book. Yes, I’m demanding, but to my utter relief Foody and Herman totally delivered!

All of Our Demise picks up events where they left off in the last book. I totally recommend a re-read or a polite request for a quick catch up/précis to be included at the start of this book. However, even without both, I was totally thrown straight back into the action and my memory caught up exceedingly quickly. I’m going to put this down to his strong both books in the duology are.

Immediately pulled into the red veil and the amazing world building that conjured up Ilvernath, and the stunningly intricate and complex magic system, I was caught like an insect in a spider web, caught up in the ever increasing layers of story and magical system. To mix my metaphors even more, this duology is totally an onion!

The story itself continues to be told from the perspective of multiple character PoVs, digging deeper and deeper into their back stories, motivations and psyches. There is no question, each and every character is morally grey, but all captured my empathy and I was surprised to find myself wanting more and more for the purported darkest characters, including Alistair, Reid and Isobel to win.

Once again this story doesn’t pull any punches, delivering the hardest one of all at an unexpected moment and the ending was delivered beautifully, painfully and perfectly in tune with the series.

If you were captivated by All of Us Villains, get your pre-order in for All of Our Demise, and if you haven’t read either but love magic, morally grey characters, Hunger Games with even more magic, go for it, you won’t regret it!

"You should know by now - all the fucked-up fairy tales in Ilvernath are true."

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"You should know by now - all the f*cked-up fairy tales in Ilvernath are true."

All Of Us Villains was one of my favourite reads of 2021, so I've been impatiently waiting to get my hands on the conclusion of the duology. I was so excited to get it as an ARC and it really did deliver beyond expectations.

We re-join the champions right where the events of the last book left off - which admittedly at first had me confused as I'd forgotten a lot more than I thought I had! But I did love being thrown straight back into the action. Something I adored about AOUV was the magical system, and I was reminded again in AOOD how intricate and original it is. We already explored common, high and life magick in the first book, but it's covered in more depth here, and more details and secrets emerge about the latter in particular.

Again, we've multiple POVs, and we get too understand more behind our favourite morally grey characters' motives. While I do love all the characters, and grew to care for them even more in this second book, I found myself leaning more towards Alistair Lowe and Isobel Macaslan, and thoroughly enjoying their parts - as I had in book one, too.

The ending was unexpected, and a bit of a gut punch if I'm honest - but that's all I'll say on the matter (no spoilers here!)

Again, I'm highly recommending this series to anyone who loves:

- The Hunger Games but wanted more magic
- misunderstood, villainous MCs
- star-crossed lovers
- rooting for the 'bad guys'

I can guarantee you'll enjoy this duology and wish you could stay longer in Ilvernath afterwards.

'All of Our Demise' is the sequel to 'All of Us Villians' the successful novel from Christine Herman and Amanda Foody. With a focus on magic, villains, heroes and secrets, they have chosen a popular and exciting genre for their duology.
'All of Us Villians' is set is the fictional town of Ilvernath, in a world where magic is commonplace but there are still some nasty secrets to be revealed. 'All of Our Demise' is set immediately after the events of the first book and I would recommend that you do read the first book as it really does set the background and storyline - there are many layer to the story as regards the tournament history, deaths, use of curses, alliances etc that it would prove difficult to start with book two. Not to mention that it would also provide many spoilers for the narrative so far.
So what has happened?
A member of the magical community in Ilvernath has recently published a book called “A Tradition of Tragedy”; a revelatory and salacious book that shocks the community to the core as they learn of the truth behind the magical powers in Ilvernath. Or rather the curse behind their powers.......
There are seven families who have been fighting to control the high magick for centuries, resulting in a magick tournament that occurs ever generation. Now, with the rising of the Blood Moon, the families realise that they must choose their champion for the tournament - only and this is not a Tri-Wizard event but rather a duel to the death with only one winner. When the Blood Veil falls, the tournament will begin and the eventually winner (murdered?) will receive control of high magick until the next event.
Not one of the families is particularly likable and seem to have no redeeming aspects. Overall, they certainly fit the character of 'villains' from the title. Faced with media scrutiny and the realisation that they can no longer hide as before, our seven champions enter the arena. Alliances will be made and fractured, friendships destroyed and hearts broken as our seven battle their way along.
The story is told from the perspective of four champions:
Alistair Lowe
Briony Thorburn
Gavin Grieves
Isobel Macaslan
providing the reader with an insight into their history and also their reasons for participating. The history aspect functions particularly well and we learn of how all the champions grew up as friends in the town and now are struggling their emotions as they fight. I also found myself sympathizing as I hear of the story from their viewpoint - a great method of encouraging the reader to become emotionally invested in the novel.
With each chapter we learn of the internal struggle faced by the character - that no one is truly a villain but neither are they truly a hero. It makes for a refreshing change that the typical character redemption arc is taken in various directions here and provides the reader with an expected ending.

A constant struggle between readers and authors is where we believe the story should go. Our perceived events, and endings, versus the reality of the matter. I see All of Our Demise as a book of many shortcomings after the largely promising All of Us Villains. Am I wrong?

For a large portion of the book, I found myself repeatedly putting it down after reading a few pages at a time. Do I have rose-colored glasses for All of Us Villains? I found it surprisingly good. Here, too much teen drama overtook the story. I grew tired of having the characters talk about their issues, intensifying whatever situation they were facing. It was kind of saying to me "No, no no. This is really serious. Believe me!" and...meh.

Then the relationships were a real mood killer. One, in particular, felt forced and, although written to develop organically, still felt unrealistic. Again, I don't make these decisions. It is what it is.

I understood the stakes were high but in the end, stopped caring. It became a mixing pot of ideas that never feel threatening.

I can't find the right words to express myself on the rest of this. I guess in a way it is a good thing that this was a duology.

I waited to read this and it did not disappoint at all! Just what was needed, it is the perfect combination of dystopian novels and fascinating characters. The premise is spot on and one of a kind! Read both books in the series, you will not regret it.

This is a Harry Potter come Twilight come The Hunger Games type book. The teenager in me is screaming inside. I loved the book and can not wait for the series and would love it as a TV series/film. This is definitely one to keep an eye on and watch out for, It is full of drama, heat, tension, lust and just everything needed for a fantasy/dystopian book.

The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.