#c.l. herman

[kpopandbookschild]

Book poll round 4

after i finish this poll series (the nex poll w/ top 6, then 3, then 2) then i will do another one with suggestions from people in the comments! so if there is a book or series you want to see in the next poll series, comment it down below!

[just0nemorepage]

All of Us Villains || Amanda Foody & C.L. Herman || All of Us Villains #1 || 400 pages Top 3 Genres: Fantasy / Young Adult / Magic

Synopsis: The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.

Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death.

The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world—one thought long depleted.

But this year a scandalous tell-all book has exposed the tournament and thrust the seven new champions into the worldwide spotlight. The book also granted them valuable information previous champions never had—insight into the other families’ strategies, secrets, and weaknesses. And most important, it gave them a choice: accept their fate or rewrite their legacy.

Either way, this is a story that must be penned in blood.

Publication Date: November 2021. / Average Rating: 3.86. / Number of Ratings: ~39,750.

[zennikolai]

currently reading: all of our demise by amanda foody & c.l. herman

[noveltyreads]

All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains #1) By Amanda Foody and C.L Herman

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 Hookfrom 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

[the-bi-library]

Here is the final part of the bi4bi books posts!

I'd appreciate it if you let me know if there are any more bi4bi books that I didn't include here 💕

Books listed: They Never Learn by Layne Fargo If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia The Drowning Summer by C.L. Herman Case Sensitive by A.K. Turner Missing, Presumed Dead by Emma Berquist Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao City of Shattered Light by Claire Winn City of Vicious Night by Claire Winn The Light Years by R.W.W. Greener The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson Tell Me Anything by Skye Kilaen Her Scarlet Letters by Cat Giraldo Break Free by Raleigh Ruebins Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian Caroline's Heart by Austin Chant The Door Into Fire by Diane Duane The Stone Prince by Fiona Patton Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner Wolf, Willow, Witch by Freydís Moon When the Stars Alight by Camilla Andrew Love at First Set by Jennifer Dugan Cleans Up Nice by Margo Phelps Educated by Nellie Wilson Queried Sick by Dallas Smith Chance Agreement by Margo Phelps Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress Release by Suzanne Clay Orphia and Eurydicius by Elyse John Crown of Starlight by Cait Corrain To Beg or Not to Beg by Cat Giraldo Two Winters by Lauren Emily Whalen Electric Idol by Katee Robert Neon Gods by Katee Robert The Scandalous Letters of V and J by Felicia Davin The Spinster's Swindle by Catherine Stein Rocky Mountain Freedom by Vivian Arend Um traço até você by Olívia Pilar Biforia by Rebecca Romero Escalando Você by Rebecca Romero Entre estantes by Olívia Pilar → translated Between Bookshelves by Olívia Pilar Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders The Stars Undying by Emery Robin Legend of Korra: Graphic Novels Harley Quinn: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour Novels Seven Days: Monday–Sunday by Venio Tachiban Brimstones and Roses It Would Be Great If You Didn't Exist My Werewolf Girlfriend The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur Xeni by Rebekah Weather

Part 1

Part 2

[thenightshadowqueen]

Do you mind if I ask your top 5 (or top 10) favorite moments from any media that you love (can be books, anime/manga, tv series, movies, games, etc)? Thanks if you want to answer. Sorry if I ask too much....

That’s a great question! Thank you so much for the ask. Also, I’m so, so sorry about the ridiculous delay in answering; I’ve been super overwhelmed the past couple of weeks, but I think (hope) I’m starting to get back into the flow of things. And you’re not asking too much at all! I love lists.

5. STOPINTHENAMEOFTHELAW! (Toby’s Secret Pocket (Shoot from the Hip), YouTube videos)

This is one of my favourite vocal stims of all time, and Jimmy is the best, and Tom’s quotes are always so quotable, and really all of why I love this bit boils down to autism. Jimmy is adorable, and he’s such a sweetheart, and I just really love this quote because he just wants to be a good police officer (hi Nigel) and he might be really high but he’s doing a great job and I am so proud of him.

4. Arthur’s death (BBC Merlin, TV show)

Look, it’s heartbreaking. But it’s gorgeous (and it’s a seasonal choice), and it’s honestly so well-executed on the part of Colin and Bradley. They did such an amazing job. Merlin’s grief just feels so real, and you can see the love in Arthur’s eyes as he dies. But I think the reason I love this so much is because it is the culmination of everything in all five seasons. This is what everything was leading to, and the payoff is glorious. The first time I watched the show, I didn’t think they’d actually go there, but I am so glad they did. (I have a separate post about why.)

3. “Crawl there, Lair.” “Fuck yourself, Castle.” (All of us Villains by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman, book)

I. Fucking. Screamed. I still scream every time I read this. This was the moment I really started shipping Castlelair. Every interaction they have is so full of contempt and poorly-suppressed attraction, and nothing encapsulates that better than this. They’re so… I actually don’t think I can articulate anything about this. All I can say is, if you haven’t read this book, go do it.

2. Eli hallucinates Victor (Vengeful by V.E. Schwab, book)

This scene. This fucking scene. Look, I shipped Evervale before, obviously, but this scene??? Reinforcement times a thousand. “He doesn’t know how patient you are. Doesn’t know you like I do.” “No. No one ever has.” ???!!??!!!!!!?!????? Are you kidding me???? I just. Fuck. What the fuck???? I don’t know how to talk about this scene, but when I tell you I died—

1. Dreamstat (AMC Interview with the Vampire, TV show)

Wow, hmmm, can you tell I have a favourite trope? Look, I know this isn’t one moment, strictly speaking, and I think it might be pushed a little bit higher on the list than it might normally be due to my current hyperfixation, but I love Dreamstat too much to leave him out. He deserves the spotlight. There’s just something about men hallucinating their toxic-relationship exes being soft with them that gets me (again, refer to number two). Okay, but emotional and heart-wrenching Loustat implications aside, Dreamstat is just amazing. Him eating a photo? Hilarious. “Kill me again”? Devastating. “Romeo? He’s barely Balthazar”? One of my all-time favourite quotes. I just love him.

[fourteenbooks]

All of Us Villains

by Amanda Foody & C.L. Herman

“Survival could make villains of any of us.”

rating: 4.25/5

i’ve owned this book forever and figured it was time to give it a chance. i was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it as much as i did.

while not extremely unique - it was heavily based on the hunger games, and it reminded me a lot of three dark crowns - i still found the premise interesting. all of the characters were unique and had their own motivations, and i enjoyed seeing how they developed throughout the tournament.

while the worldbuilding could have been better, it wasn’t hard to understand and follow along. the magic system was different yet familiar. i’m hoping we can get more clarity on some things in the next book.

one of my favorite things was spending the first half of the story with the characters and their families. it really allowed me to get to know them outside of the tournament, and also showed how they changed once it began. the complexities of the characters were really engaging, and i’m excited to see where their stories end up. i also loved getting so many POVs.

overall, i had a fun time reading this and i think it managed to bring me out of my reading slump.

[lgbtqreads]

Any sapphic or really any queer books that are similar towards The Hunger Games vibes?

I believe you are looking for Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman's All of Us Villains series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/299169-all-of-us-villains

[sera-fable]

Thought Provoking Books & Books That Have Important Voices! Pt. 10

91. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama (Contemporary Novel/Friendship/Community/Personal Growth/Libraries/Self Care)

92. Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights by Rob Sanders (Childrens Book/Illustrated/Peacful Protest/Activism/Lyrical)

93. The Comfort Book by Matt Haig (Self-Help and Psychology/Releasing Expectations/Philosophy/Embracing Imperfection/Solace in Nature)

94. Smashing the Stereotypes: What Does It Mean to Be Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender? by Jaime A. Seba (Discusses Stereotypes/LGBT/Businesses)

95. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty (Nonfiction/Memoir/Death/Acceptance/Humor/Science)

96. The Devouring Gray series by C.L. Herman (YA/Fantasy/Mystery/Paranormal/LGBTQ+)

97. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (Non-Fiction/Memoir/History/Law/Science/Racism v Antiracism/Political Guide)

98. The Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini (YA/Fantasy/High Fantasy/Dragons/Adventure/Love/Family Dynamics/Rebellion)

99. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tragedy/Social Satire/Critique of the American Dream/Social Class/Materialism/Roaring 20s/Love and Loss)

100. The Rabbit's Wedding by Garth Williams (Children's Book/Illustrated/Banned Book/Love/Alludes to Interracial Relationship)

[thelonelyrainbowguy]

Currently reading:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins❗️

Nach dem Sommer (German version of Shiver) by Maggie Stiefvater❓(reading a little at a time and writing down English translations of words or phrases that are unfamiliar to me to help me learn as I go! I’ve read the English version multiple times.)

Books I’ve read so far in 2023:

❗️=read before, ❓=first time, ⁉️=partially read in the past

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater ❗️

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater ❗️

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater❗️

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater ❓

Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater ❓

Swamp Thing: Twin Branches by Maggie Stiefvater ❓

Acceleration by Graham McNamee ❗️

All Systems Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells ❓

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo ❓

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine ⁉️

The Dead Girls’ Dance by Rachel Caine ❓

The Devouring Gray by C.L. Herman ❗️

The Deck of Omens by C.L. Herman ❓

Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo ⁉️

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab ❗️

A Gathering Of Shadows by V.E. Schwab ❗️

The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew ❓

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins ❗️

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins❓

Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods by Suzanne Collins❓

Gregor and the Marks of Secret by Suzanne Collins❓

Gregor and the Code of Claw by Suzanne Collins❓

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins ❗️

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins ❗️

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins ❗

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams❓

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough ❓

Gallant by V.E. Schwab ❓

Animorphs 1: The Invasion by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 2: The Visitor by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 3: The Encounter by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 4: The Message by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 5: The Predator by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 6: The Capture by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 7: The Stranger by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 7.5: Megamorphs 1: The Andalite’s Gift by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 8: The Alien by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 9: The Secret by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 10: The Android by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 11: The Forgotten by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 12: The Reaction by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 12.5: The Andalite Chronicles by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 13: The Change by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 14: The Unknown by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 15: The Escape by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 16: The Warning by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 17: The Underground by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 18: The Decision by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 18.5: In The Time Of Dinosaurs by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 19: The Departure by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 20: The Discovery by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 21: The Threat by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 22: The Solution by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs 23: The Pretender by K.A. Applegate

(I’m unsure which Animorphs books I’ve read in the past since I only ever read some of them, as a kid, and never in order.)

[kpopandbookschild]

Book poll round 2 #3

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

They're not necessarily capital H horror, but a few recs: My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier, Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant, Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand, The Drowning Summer by C.L. Herman, Things in Jars by Jess Kidd, The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin, Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little, The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell, The Incredible True Story of the Making of the Eve of Destruction by Amy Brashear, The Girl Who Slept With God by Val Brelinski, The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue, Little Egypt by Leslie Glaister, The Degenerates by J. Albert Mann, The Red Parts by Maggie Nelson, Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls, The Seep by Chana Porter, Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente, Black Water Sister by Zen Cho AND I haven't read them yet but: Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf, Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth...

ooh thank you!! a couple of these are on my TBR

just wanna shout out The Degenerates by J Albert Mann. it's not a horror, just a horrifying look into the treatment of disabled and "undesirable" women and girls in the 1920s, but oh my god it remains one of my favourite books, I highly encourage anyone to pick it up, I love it so much

[veggiehomosapien]

hiiiiii thanks @littlegnoblin for tagging me :)

Star Sign(s): scorpio gang rise up

Favorite Holidays: halloween and christmas

Last Meal: vegetable and egg fried rice

Current Favorite Musician: god that's tough... muna probably?

Last Music Listened To: lately been obsessed with 'into your room' - holly humberstone and muna !!

Last Movie Watched: barbie 💖

Last TV Show Watched: probably our flag means death? i can't remember - i rewatch things all the time so it's all a blur

Last Book/Fic Finished: last book: they never learn by layne fargo (what a wild and disappointing ride that was lmao), and last fic: cowboy like me by macfrog (good lord was it phenomenal. tears were shed)

Last Book/Fic Abandoned: iron widow by xiran jay zhao -- i'm buddy reading it with a friend and we lost momentum (shez we gotta get back on this, we just need to finish it lol)

Currently Reading: oh boy okay: all of us villains by amanda foody and c.l. herman, a gathering of shadows by v.e. schwab, and i am rereading bloodmarked by tracy deonn for the thousandth time even tho the next book isn't scheduled to come out until next year. i guess i hate myself lmao

Last Thing Researched for Art/Writing/Hyperfixation: i frequent the mando'a dictionary site often. listen, i need to understand everything din says in fics okay? ...especially the terms of endearment. for no reason at all.

Favorite Online Fandom Memory: i will be stealing your answer sarah bc it is true: meeting, bonding, and growing with some of my closest friends on here. truly thankful for that 🥰

Favorite Old Fandom You Wish Would Drag You Back In/Have A Resurgence: i would say merlin but they do it all on their own lmaoooo. otherwise...so like i absolutely despise the show for a multitude of reasons, but the fandom for the magicians (specifically in the 2018-2020 era) was something else. we got through a lot together (even tho i was mostly a lurker lol) and i guess i miss that sense of community? i hope everyone is doing well ❤

Favorite Thing You Enjoy That Never Had an Active or Big "Fandom" but You Wish It Did: sarah you're so right - in the flesh!!!! god that show really was before its time, such a brilliant story.

Tempting Project You're Trying to Rein In/Don't Have Time For: i have so many partially-made edits and edit ideas brewing around but literally have no time or energy to sit down and make them :((( i crave it

i tag @inadvisablyappliedmagic and @satisfiedeyes if ya fancy it :)

[ghoulishbuck]

Well it’s not even a full week into April and I’ve read 124 books so far this year. I honestly don’t know what happened. Last year I read 119 books in total. I do believe that it’s a mixture of shitty mental health and reaching a point where I preferred to read instead of watching things or playing video games though.

Anyways, here’s some stats and the progress on my book goals I have for this year.

P.s. I’m not trying to say you need to read a lot or that I’m better because I’ve read so much I’m just sharing what I’ve read. I highly doubt I’ll ever read as much as I will this year in the future.

Books hauled so far this year and percentage read of hauled books: 33 (9.091%)

Number of books read this year that I own vs borrowed: 31 vs 93

Number of pages read so far: 36,762

Number of books read for each month: 41, 42, 32

Percentage of my physical books read: 18%

Number of physical books owned: 516

Number of books donated to a little free library and the number that is ready to leave: 6 and 5

My favourite books for each month:

January- Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, Eragon by Christopher Paolini, Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

February- A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy, The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston, Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter

March- Once Upon A K-Prom by Kat Cho, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My less favourite/ most disappointing reads for each month:

January- The Ruins by Scott Smith, Heartstopper volume 5 by Alice Oseman

February- Waverider by Kazu Kibuishi, Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross, The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland

March- The Wager by David Grann, All of us Villains by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman, The Death Cure by James Dashner, King of Immortal Tithe by Ben Alderson

Reading goals:

4/5 classics read

6/5 nonfiction read

9/12 romances read

0/12 paperbacks from hell read

0/12 point horror books read

9.091%/50% of books hauled in 2024 read

13/5 YouTuber favourites read

3/12 dragon books read

22/24 sci-fi books read

92/100 owned books read (this is going to drop by 4 soon)

Bonus goals:

0/2 memoirs read

3/3 true crime books reads

4/3 soft DNF’s read

0/5 literary fiction read

[the-bi-library]

i've got another bi4bi mm book(s)!!

sorry, this maybe spoiler tho so

**spoilers**

it's the 'all of us villains' duology by amanda foody & c.l. herman. the relationship goes canon in book 2 and the characters are shown to be explicitly interested in both men & women!

Thank you!! I love finding new bi books 💖especially bi4bi ones 💖

[thelearninglibrarian]

All of Us Villians

Book Basics:

INFO 5421 Assignment Qualification: Fantasy Novel

Formatting: Physical

Author: Amanda Foody & C.L. Herman

Publication Date: August 31, 2021

Recommended Ages: 13 - 18 years old

Justifications: 

All of Us Villains has received various accolades and awards from book sellers and library organizations alike. In addition to being star reviewed by Kirkus, All of Us Villians was Amazon's Best Young Adult Book of 2021 and is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Book. In 2022, YALSA named All of Us Villains a Teen Top Ten Pick. The following year, All of Us Villains received the YALSA selection for Best Fiction for Young Adults. 

Book Summary:

Every twenty years, seven teenagers from Illvernath’s most prominent families compete in a tournament to the death in order for the winner’s family to control the last remaining well of high magic known. However, this year the seven families secrets have been revealed to the world through a newly published tell all book, friends are expected to turn on friends, and questions emerge on if there is a way to break this centuries long curse.

Book Evaluation:

Point of View

All of Us Villains is written from a third person point of view. However, it utilizes the various points of view of four of the champions chosen by their families to enter the tournament that year. It expertly portrays the angst of each champion through internal dialogue, the events that happen to them, and their reactions to the environment itself. 

Characters

The four protagonists in All of Us Villains are each unique and well rounded characters. However, by the end of the novel many of the protagonists had reverted to some version of their former self from the beginning of the book in order to set up for the sequel published in 2022. The town of Illvernath and the seven families themselves appear to work as the community foil creating this tug of war between each of the champions on whether they follow through with 600 years worth of tradition, or find a way to work together and possibly put an end to the centuries of blood shed. Despite the protagonists being pitted against each other, the main antagonist is the tournament itself. 

Mood

All of Us Villians is written to portray the gritty and grim happening of Illvenath. The mix of natural flowing expositions, haunting repetitive poetic phrases, and excerpts from the tell all novel revealing the secrets of Illvernath cement the darkness that always lurks around Illvernath and the tournament. Once the champions enter the tournament the mood shifts even darker as everything is shrouded in the crimson shadow cast on the tournament and events that take place throughout the remainder of All of Us Villains.

References: Foody, A., & Herman, C. L. (2021). All of Us Villains. Tor Teen.