Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

40 reviews

jaz_gets_literary's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Classism, and Death

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Racism

lindsayerin's review

dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Bullying, Violence, Classism, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

bella_cavicchi's review

dark mysterious 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

4.0

This was delightfully twisty, thrilling in both its shock and its dark satire.

And I feel I should note somewhere that I couldn't help but visualise Leighton as Gwyneth Paltrow and I now can't shake that casting (for the inevitable film adaptation) from my head!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death, Classism, Bullying, and Blood

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Racism, Medical content, Grief, and Gaslighting

Minor: Infidelity and Vomit

evelynyle_88's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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

For my Spooktober read, I finally take this book and read from start to finish. As someone who really love Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, I myself looking for another book who has the same vibes as that one. Dark academia vibes in this book is slightly felt; but this book bring me back when I read Ace of Spades.

Their Vicious Games just a brilliant debut novel that bring crossover between Ace of Spades and Squid Game. I love the plot is truly like the Korean drama Squid Game and with the spices and sprinkles of The Bachelor instead.

I love the story, I love the plot twist that left myself gasp at who were the main villains of this story. From thriller book, I tried to be a detective. Keep guessing and guessing. And my guess was wrong. That's why this book has a brilliant story and plot twist. I love it!

And thanks to Joelle Wellington who is the mastermind behind this book because I can see a Squid Game plot through Their Vicious Games. And of course. I love the ending. I love Adina, Toni and of course... Saint. Thank you, thank you!

5⭐ worthy!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Racism, Gun violence, and Bullying

Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, Vomit, and Classism

caseythereader's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Gore, Child abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Classism, Grief, Murder, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Gun violence

takarakei's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

Ace of Spades/The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor... in hell.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Gaslighting, Classism, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcohol

sarahsbookstacks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Bullying and Racism

honestlyyours77's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was a great read! It took a bit to get into the story as the beginning was a bit unpolished and repetitive. However, about 1/8th into the book it picked up a bit and swelled to where you didn’t want to put it down.

I love the twists as the story played out and the strength of the protagonist. Giving anything more would give spoilers which I do not care to do. 

While this is YA fiction it is definitely fit for any reader who enjoys suspense.


*a note on diversity. While the book isn’t filled with diverse characters with the exception of the protagonist and a few others, it is intentional. It is a glimpse of the real world impacts on people of color. So while the story is thankfully fictional, the real world
Message and impact is not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Racism, Sexism, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Violence, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

sarahmcg's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Their Vicious Games

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the free copy for review

This book is described as “Ace of Spades meets Squid Games with a sprinkling of the Bachelor…” I haven’t watched Squid Games, but I agree with the rest, and also add that this book gave me Hunger Games vibes.

The FMC, Adina Walker, is a black teen girl who attended the prestigious Edgewater Academy on scholarship. She gained acceptance to Yale, only to have her offer rescinded over one moment of lost control. She is hoping to regain her acceptance to Yale and the path forward in life she feels she has lost by participating in the Finish - a contest put on by Edgewater’s founding family, the Remingtons. She just needs to make it through the high-stakes competition, and when she wins, she will have the favor of the Remington family and their power and wealth will open doors for her that have been otherwise closed. 

However, upon arriving at the Remington estate, Adina realizes she has been in the dark about how deadly the Finish is, and what the expectations truly are. 

This book had me on the edge of my seat. It moves quickly, is propulsive, and violent. It had me gasping, and gave me goosebumps. The underlying commentary on racism, classism, the patriarchy, and performative allyship was so smartly crafted. This is why people should not underestimate YA novels! This is a horror novel, and satirical at that.

One of my favorite parts of this novel was the friendship between Adina and her roommate, Saint. Also, the ending had me like 🤯

I highly recommend this to those who love YA horror and satire/social commentary, final girls, and fast-moving, high-stakes competitions.

CW/TW: violence including murder, gun violence, blood, injury detail; sexism, classism, racism, misogyny (overt & micro aggressions), and emotional abuse. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Classism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Racism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Gaslighting

Minor: Alcohol and Vomit

sophiamckinleyy's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Murder, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Classism, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexism, and Toxic relationship