Their Vicious Games

I NEED HELP.

This was so damn good, but I’m too busy crying to collect my thoughts right now. I’ll have to write out my full thoughts later with the support of a full keyboard.

Briefly: This was the definition of a thriller to me. I had no clue where we were going and was so tense for 85% of the book. The characters were so dynamic and interesting. This is definitely one of my top reads of the year.

The premise of this book was absolutely insane. I feel like the intense bloodlust from 90% of the characters was a bit unrealistic but overall, an intriguing and entertaining story.

I’m sharing 3️⃣ reviews from our moderators; Fallon, TyaNeka & Deidre. Also if you enjoyed the September selection, Joelle Wellington published another, The Blonde Dies First. 📚 Here are Fallon’s thoughts~ 🖊️ I will start off by saying that this book will not be everyone’s cup of tea. It genre bends but ultimately is a satirical horror laced with a bit of eat or be eaten out here in this world and don’t let them folks steal your Black Girl Magic realism. Adina has found herself in quite the conundrum when she loses her acceptance into the Ivy Leagues. In order to regain entry she has to compete against 11 other girls in a competition set up where only one winner will come out alive. Between bowing down to actual white monsters and having to slay several dragons, Adina realizes that her wealthy classmates were always given the extra boost to make it to the finish line and that she will not only have to work harder but also smarter than them to come out on the other side alive. I enjoyed this book and the many underlying messages and social commentary embedded in the gory descriptions of what all occurred while Adina was competing against her classmates. It started slow, but once it gains momentum I found myself up all night trying to finish. If you want to read something quirky and totally not what you would have expected, give this one a try and remember it is SATIRE. Otherwise, you’re going to be infuriated the whole book… 📚Here what TyaNeka had to say~ 🖊️ Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington hooks you from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the end. This story follows Adina Walker, a young Black girl at a predominately white high school trying to secure her future after one mistake by her puts it all in jeopardy, including her admissions to Yale. In the vein of the Hunger Games, Adina has been invited to participate in what is known as The Finish for a chance at a life she has only imagined. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat and rooting for Adina to succeed. What a debut novel from Joelle Wellington and I look forward to reading more. 📚Closing out with Dee’s thoughts~ 🖊️ Well! Well! Well! We have a new YA Dark Academia horror to enjoy! “That’s what makes you so dangerous, don’t you know” You see all of this, and you still want. When has a girl ever been able to want?” Adina worked hard to get into Yale and in moments flash it is taken away. Just when all hope is lost, she was invited to the infamous “Finish”. There seemed to be hope in getting what she wanted after receiving a letter to “The Finish” by the Remington’s a wealthy family with an abundance of generational wealth. We follow Adina Walker journey to the “Finish” a completive game of life or maybe death. In this game there are a total of 12 girls who participate in “The Finish” to reach status, wealth, and higher education. Little did Adina know it would cost more than she was willing to pay. Be prepared, to experience full action pack games that you will not forget. Hold your horses and keep your deck in tack. These games are not for weak! If you liked the dark academia of Ace of Spades or the characters in Legend born, Their Vicious Games does not disappoint! #thisbrownegirlreads #tbgrbookclub

I went into this book blind and wow, it was so good. I never knew who to trust and what was going to happen. It was dark in the most wonderful way!

I'm so pleasantly stunned after reading Their Vicious Games I'm not even sure where to start. I thoroughly enjoyed following the protagonist's journey confronting real-life challenges against unimaginably high stakes. This thriller has an inevitable layer of moral complexity surrounding the main character, which I appreciate so much because it kept me engaged. I was literally on the edge of my seat the whole time reading, and I only have one word after reading the last page: Damn.