What do you think?
Rate this book
The Tournament
Three girls with entangled pasts compete for glory in their elite all-girls private school’s annual tournament, putting their survival skills and their relationships to the test, in this young adult thriller that’s “Shakespearean…stunning…dark academia at its finest” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
Gardner isn’t like other boarding schools. They take in those who’ve been rejected everywhere else, they offer a survival skills class that has students killing and gutting animals, and then there’s the Tournament.
A competition available only to seven elite seniors, the Tournament is revered by the entire student body. They’d do almost anything—including completing a series of grueling physical challenges—to win the champion’s cup.
And this year, three seniors make the Tournament more cutthroat than ever.
Max, the ruthless scholarship student who can’t afford any distractions, not even her ex best friend Nora’s stupid confession of love at the end of last year that ruined everything between them.
Nora, who always put herself on the sidelines so Max could have everything she wanted, but might just be ready for center stage now that Max has brutally excised herself from Nora’s life.
And Teddy, the transfer who’s on her last chance and will chase any high that can pull her back from the gaping, dark void inside herself that’s always threatening to pull her in.
If one of them wants to win, then they can’t let anything—or anybody—get in their way.
Gardner isn’t like other boarding schools. They take in those who’ve been rejected everywhere else, they offer a survival skills class that has students killing and gutting animals, and then there’s the Tournament.
A competition available only to seven elite seniors, the Tournament is revered by the entire student body. They’d do almost anything—including completing a series of grueling physical challenges—to win the champion’s cup.
And this year, three seniors make the Tournament more cutthroat than ever.
Max, the ruthless scholarship student who can’t afford any distractions, not even her ex best friend Nora’s stupid confession of love at the end of last year that ruined everything between them.
Nora, who always put herself on the sidelines so Max could have everything she wanted, but might just be ready for center stage now that Max has brutally excised herself from Nora’s life.
And Teddy, the transfer who’s on her last chance and will chase any high that can pull her back from the gaping, dark void inside herself that’s always threatening to pull her in.
If one of them wants to win, then they can’t let anything—or anybody—get in their way.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2025
39 people are currently reading
599 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Barrow
11 books302 followersRebecca Barrow is the critically acclaimed author of Bad Things Happen Here, Interview with the Vixen, This Is What It Feels Like, and You Don’t Know Me But I Know You. She is a lover of sunshine, the sea, and Old Hollywood icons. She lives and writes in England. Visit her at www.rebeccabarrow.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 14, 2025
That ending was quite possibly the worst I’ve ever read
April 28, 2025
Actual Rating 1.5
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND SIMON TEEN FOR THIS DIGITAL ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
From the title and the synopsis, I thought this book was going to be all about tournament and really competitive participants. I expected that eventually someone would end up dead, and the story would be about figuring out the murderer. But it wasn’t what I expected, I was way off track.
Gardner is another private girls’ boarding school, but it takes pride in teaching students survival skills. The tournament is a huge part of Gardner’s history, and only seven final-year students can take part in it. Everything seemed fine when the book started. I was expecting the story to be more about tournament, but it doesn’t even start until more than halfway through the book. And when it does, it’s barely part of the story, major focus was on complicated relationships between the three girls, Max, Nora, and Teddy.
The story is told from all of their POVs. Max isn’t from a rich family like the others, but she has spent all her years trying to prove she deserves to be there. She is well settled at Gardner with good grades and a group of friends. No one is more excited to participate in the tournament than her. Nora is Max's recent ex-best friend. Teddy is the new girl who joined Gardner after getting kicked out of three schools.
Out of all the characters, Max was the one I liked and related to the most. She had clear reasons for what she did, and her story made sense. Nora and Teddy, though, were really hard to connect with. Nora felt like a half-baked character, and Teddy was an outright gray character. I never felt for her or her story. It was hard to feel bad for any character when you dislike most of them.
It felt like the book couldn’t decide if it wanted to be about a competition or about messy friendships. Lack of tournament coverage was a huge letdown. The ending left me disappointed and angry, it doesn't make any sense. The book had a lot of loopholes and strings throughout the book. Story had potential, but everything else didn't.
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND SIMON TEEN FOR THIS DIGITAL ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
From the title and the synopsis, I thought this book was going to be all about tournament and really competitive participants. I expected that eventually someone would end up dead, and the story would be about figuring out the murderer. But it wasn’t what I expected, I was way off track.
Gardner is another private girls’ boarding school, but it takes pride in teaching students survival skills. The tournament is a huge part of Gardner’s history, and only seven final-year students can take part in it. Everything seemed fine when the book started. I was expecting the story to be more about tournament, but it doesn’t even start until more than halfway through the book. And when it does, it’s barely part of the story, major focus was on complicated relationships between the three girls, Max, Nora, and Teddy.
The story is told from all of their POVs. Max isn’t from a rich family like the others, but she has spent all her years trying to prove she deserves to be there. She is well settled at Gardner with good grades and a group of friends. No one is more excited to participate in the tournament than her. Nora is Max's recent ex-best friend. Teddy is the new girl who joined Gardner after getting kicked out of three schools.
Out of all the characters, Max was the one I liked and related to the most. She had clear reasons for what she did, and her story made sense. Nora and Teddy, though, were really hard to connect with. Nora felt like a half-baked character, and Teddy was an outright gray character. I never felt for her or her story. It was hard to feel bad for any character when you dislike most of them.
It felt like the book couldn’t decide if it wanted to be about a competition or about messy friendships. Lack of tournament coverage was a huge letdown. The ending left me disappointed and angry, it doesn't make any sense. The book had a lot of loopholes and strings throughout the book. Story had potential, but everything else didn't.
June 17, 2025
All I have to say is that I did not see that coming. The end of this book was so twisted.
This book was so entertaining to read. I really enjoyed it. There was a lot of drama and while I’m kinda over the high school setting this book did a good job at making the boarding school a unique place and a competition to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Nora was my favorite character I liked her from the start. She could come off as spoiled or stuck up at times but she was a lovable person, but still someone who had a lot to work through. The people in her life didn’t seem to care for her, fake friends and toxic relationships followed her throughout this book.
Max came off a bit annoying at the start and to be honest I was never fully sold on their character. She responded to her best friend’s love confession by being rude and ignoring her over the summer. Like okay you didn’t feel the same (even though she did) you could have been nicer about not wanting a relationship. I didn’t like Max until the end. I know Max had a lot to prove with not being rich like everyone else but it was a bit sad at times, I’m wondering did her mother even care at the end of this book or was she getting her other daughters enrolled in gymnastics after all?
Teddy was such a complex character. I really liked her at the start, she was a trouble maker for sure and liked to feel the rush of getting away with things but ultimately she just ends up getting kicked out of several schools in the process. I didn’t care for her as much near the end.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity!)
Read For
✓ Plot Twist
✓ Competition
✓ Trouble Maker
✓ Boarding School
✓ Mental Health Went for a Swim
⚠️ Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, and Classism
Minor: Fatphobia and Racism
𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊
Spice Level: 🌶️
Sad Level: 💧💧
Plot: 8/10
Pace: 7/10
Ending: 8/10
Characters: 6/10
Enjoyability: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character: Nora
Favorite Quote: ❝"You can't have something just because you decided you want it. That's not how it works."❞
POV: Multiple, Third Person
Pages: 416
Format: eBook
Language: English
Release Date: 17, June 2025
Rep/Extras: Lesbian main characters, BIPOC characters, Plus-sized characters, LGBTQIA+ characters
July 2, 2025
this was so nefarious and not in a fun way
November 25, 2025
3.5! I randomly found this on display at the library and picked it up.
July 31, 2025
The Tierney Cup at Gardner is for the best student in her last year who shows all the skills Gardner has taught, like how to identify berries, archery, swimming, and how to kill and dress a rabbit. But winning such a prize can be dangerous, especially when the competitors will do anything to win.
Max doesn't come from money. She worked hard to get a scholarship to a private high school while her parents forgot about her. But her friendship with Nora took a turn last year, and now everything is different at her last year at Gardner.
Nora has everything, but last year when she told Max she loved her, everything was ruined. But when Teddy comes to Gardner, something good new sparks.
Teddy is a stereotypical bad girl. Kicked out of several schools already, Gardner is a last chance to please her annoying mom and older sister, who just want Teddy to be perfect- which is what Teddy isn't. The black hole in her stomach doesn't like when things are going well- why not shake things up a little and cause some chaos?
To review (SPOILERS START HERE): this book was weird. The title, front cover, and inside flap make it seem like this will be reminiscent of The Hunger Games and The Inheritance Games... but it's none of that. It SEEMS like it will be about winning the Cup and tearing each other down to do so, but the Cup was actually a C plot in the whole book, it seems. There are seven events, but we only see four and a half of them, and some of them were summarized in half a page. No one was shooting arrows at each other, or trying to drown the other, or anything. The most damage that seems to have been done on purpose (other than throwing a knife) was when Max gave another competitor food poisoning on purpose. (OOOOOOH, SCAAAARY).
The first third or so of the book was annoying. You'd think it would be action. The Cup. The fighting. But nope: the most exciting thing was a 30 second scream, which was replayed with each change in perspective, so that it really was just not exciting anymore. It was SO MUCH TEENAGE ANGST. Each chapter was each girl worrying and nit-picking about what the other two thought of her, and that was all. Teddy fights off the black hole and isn't sure how to feel about things going well. Nora thinks about Max while not being sure if she wants to be with Teddy. Max hates all of it and isn't sure what she wants. Then half a page of an archery contest, which should have been a big event. Instead, the climax (ahem) comes about 250 pages in, and then nothing happens with it. Then some completely dull moment in the contest- which you'd think would be more of a focus- blows up. To be honest, at that point in the book, I didn't really care too much anymore.
But then Max has an amazing idea to get glory and have their own Cup, and you think," Man, there are too many pages left. Are they going to stretch out this new Cup for this long?" And then it all becomes about the dive off the cliff... and there's NOTHING from Max's perspective. Do we not get some closure there? And it just makes you hate Teddy, who gets away with essentially two deaths (pushing Nora caused Max to jump, and then she literally killed Nora and just... walked away and CHOSE to destroy the evidence). And there's no redemption for Max! Did she get into a college that she applied for early? And her parents: The school seriously couldn't get in contact with them, and they seriously didn't come get her things after she DIED??? That's legit child abandonment. What a loophole.
Teddy makes me so mad. The ending was not it. Teddy didn't change or feel remorse for her actions, and she's just going to have a normal life with no consequences.
But the bigger problem is that this book was not at all what it seemed to be marketed as. This was the inner monologue of three teenage girls without any action about this Cup that is "so important," and then the end theme being "bad girls get away with everything." The front touts Gardner being such a different school with teaching survival skills, and we get it- the girls learned how to process dead rabbits. But there were no scenes of classes being like, "let's put you in the woods for a week and you should live" kind of thing. Even the Cup task that seemed to lean that direction didn't even happen, so it's just an all girls prep school that teaches rabbit skinning and they girls then choose their own "Activity," which is uneventful.
In short: Great promise, but it's not as action packed or dangerous as it makes it out to be, until all of a sudden its something completely different. And a lot of internal monologue worrying about what others think of them.
Max doesn't come from money. She worked hard to get a scholarship to a private high school while her parents forgot about her. But her friendship with Nora took a turn last year, and now everything is different at her last year at Gardner.
Nora has everything, but last year when she told Max she loved her, everything was ruined. But when Teddy comes to Gardner, something good new sparks.
Teddy is a stereotypical bad girl. Kicked out of several schools already, Gardner is a last chance to please her annoying mom and older sister, who just want Teddy to be perfect- which is what Teddy isn't. The black hole in her stomach doesn't like when things are going well- why not shake things up a little and cause some chaos?
To review (SPOILERS START HERE): this book was weird. The title, front cover, and inside flap make it seem like this will be reminiscent of The Hunger Games and The Inheritance Games... but it's none of that. It SEEMS like it will be about winning the Cup and tearing each other down to do so, but the Cup was actually a C plot in the whole book, it seems. There are seven events, but we only see four and a half of them, and some of them were summarized in half a page. No one was shooting arrows at each other, or trying to drown the other, or anything. The most damage that seems to have been done on purpose (other than throwing a knife) was when Max gave another competitor food poisoning on purpose. (OOOOOOH, SCAAAARY).
The first third or so of the book was annoying. You'd think it would be action. The Cup. The fighting. But nope: the most exciting thing was a 30 second scream, which was replayed with each change in perspective, so that it really was just not exciting anymore. It was SO MUCH TEENAGE ANGST. Each chapter was each girl worrying and nit-picking about what the other two thought of her, and that was all. Teddy fights off the black hole and isn't sure how to feel about things going well. Nora thinks about Max while not being sure if she wants to be with Teddy. Max hates all of it and isn't sure what she wants. Then half a page of an archery contest, which should have been a big event. Instead, the climax (ahem) comes about 250 pages in, and then nothing happens with it. Then some completely dull moment in the contest- which you'd think would be more of a focus- blows up. To be honest, at that point in the book, I didn't really care too much anymore.
But then Max has an amazing idea to get glory and have their own Cup, and you think," Man, there are too many pages left. Are they going to stretch out this new Cup for this long?" And then it all becomes about the dive off the cliff... and there's NOTHING from Max's perspective. Do we not get some closure there? And it just makes you hate Teddy, who gets away with essentially two deaths (pushing Nora caused Max to jump, and then she literally killed Nora and just... walked away and CHOSE to destroy the evidence). And there's no redemption for Max! Did she get into a college that she applied for early? And her parents: The school seriously couldn't get in contact with them, and they seriously didn't come get her things after she DIED??? That's legit child abandonment. What a loophole.
Teddy makes me so mad. The ending was not it. Teddy didn't change or feel remorse for her actions, and she's just going to have a normal life with no consequences.
But the bigger problem is that this book was not at all what it seemed to be marketed as. This was the inner monologue of three teenage girls without any action about this Cup that is "so important," and then the end theme being "bad girls get away with everything." The front touts Gardner being such a different school with teaching survival skills, and we get it- the girls learned how to process dead rabbits. But there were no scenes of classes being like, "let's put you in the woods for a week and you should live" kind of thing. Even the Cup task that seemed to lean that direction didn't even happen, so it's just an all girls prep school that teaches rabbit skinning and they girls then choose their own "Activity," which is uneventful.
In short: Great promise, but it's not as action packed or dangerous as it makes it out to be, until all of a sudden its something completely different. And a lot of internal monologue worrying about what others think of them.
June 25, 2025
Thanks, SimonTeen, for the arc!
By 31% we only know who is taking part in the tournament, but it hasn’t started yet. It’s only been in the three main girls' heads and their infighting in school, which is entertaining, but I expected, with it being the title, to be more of the book. I also think that a school for wealthy girls has a skills class that teaches them how to catch, kill, and skin prey for survival. It is descriptive in the class chapter (I skipped it) and going to come up later in the tournament because the sixth event is the Hunt and Preparing Prey, which they “go out into the fields to shoot wild rabbits that are forever multiplying, see how many you can bag within the time limit; then the following day, skin, butcher, and prepare your catch.” It just seems unnecessary animal cruelty in the book. I know hunting is necessary, but these wealthy girls are not going to be hunting, so it just seems odd to me. And I’m not that attached to the characters or storyline that reading more of this book entices me.
It has a good premise, but lacks execution.
I appreciated the sapphic representation, which makes me sad that it wasn’t a good read.
By 31% we only know who is taking part in the tournament, but it hasn’t started yet. It’s only been in the three main girls' heads and their infighting in school, which is entertaining, but I expected, with it being the title, to be more of the book. I also think that a school for wealthy girls has a skills class that teaches them how to catch, kill, and skin prey for survival. It is descriptive in the class chapter (I skipped it) and going to come up later in the tournament because the sixth event is the Hunt and Preparing Prey, which they “go out into the fields to shoot wild rabbits that are forever multiplying, see how many you can bag within the time limit; then the following day, skin, butcher, and prepare your catch.” It just seems unnecessary animal cruelty in the book. I know hunting is necessary, but these wealthy girls are not going to be hunting, so it just seems odd to me. And I’m not that attached to the characters or storyline that reading more of this book entices me.
It has a good premise, but lacks execution.
I appreciated the sapphic representation, which makes me sad that it wasn’t a good read.
March 14, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rebecca Barrow’s “The Tournament” is a dark and character-driven YA story that blends psychological drama with a cutthroat school competition. While it’s marketed as a thriller, the book is more of an intense character study centered on three deeply flawed girls—Max, Nora, and Teddy—who are bound together by their tangled pasts and personal struggles.
Set at Gardner, an elite boarding school with an infamous survival competition, The Tournament follows these three seniors as they compete for victory. Max, the ruthless scholarship student, is determined to prove herself despite her messy fallout with Nora, her former best friend who confessed her love only to be coldly shut down. Nora, always overshadowed, is ready to step out of Max’s shadow. Meanwhile, Teddy, a self-destructive transfer student, is chasing thrills to numb the emptiness inside her. As the tournament progresses, their relationships are tested, tensions rise, and dark truths come to the surface.
Despite its promising premise, the book has a slow start, taking nearly half the story before the tournament actually begins. Much of the early plot revolves around the girls’ relationship drama, making it feel more like a character drama than a high-stakes thriller. Max and Teddy, in particular, can be abrasive, with Max pushing people away and Teddy indulging in reckless behavior. Nora is the most relatable, but even she has her moments of privilege and passivity. Their flaws, however, are what make them feel real, and by the end, their motivations and emotional turmoil become more compelling.
When the stakes do rise (though the actual competition itself is pretty tame), “The Tournament” delivers a shocking and twisted finale that makes the slow buildup worthwhile. The climax is intense, unexpected, and forces the characters to confront the consequences of their actions. The ending is dark yet fitting, reinforcing the book’s themes of ambition, self-worth, and the desperate lengths people will go to just to feel something.
Overall, “The Tournament” is an intriguing read, though with a pretty slow start. It offers strong LGBTQ representation and complex character dynamics, but if you’re expecting a fast-paced thriller, you may find the first half frustratingly slow. However, for those who enjoy messy, morally gray characters and intense psychological tension, this book delivers a unique and thought-provoking experience.
Rebecca Barrow’s “The Tournament” is a dark and character-driven YA story that blends psychological drama with a cutthroat school competition. While it’s marketed as a thriller, the book is more of an intense character study centered on three deeply flawed girls—Max, Nora, and Teddy—who are bound together by their tangled pasts and personal struggles.
Set at Gardner, an elite boarding school with an infamous survival competition, The Tournament follows these three seniors as they compete for victory. Max, the ruthless scholarship student, is determined to prove herself despite her messy fallout with Nora, her former best friend who confessed her love only to be coldly shut down. Nora, always overshadowed, is ready to step out of Max’s shadow. Meanwhile, Teddy, a self-destructive transfer student, is chasing thrills to numb the emptiness inside her. As the tournament progresses, their relationships are tested, tensions rise, and dark truths come to the surface.
Despite its promising premise, the book has a slow start, taking nearly half the story before the tournament actually begins. Much of the early plot revolves around the girls’ relationship drama, making it feel more like a character drama than a high-stakes thriller. Max and Teddy, in particular, can be abrasive, with Max pushing people away and Teddy indulging in reckless behavior. Nora is the most relatable, but even she has her moments of privilege and passivity. Their flaws, however, are what make them feel real, and by the end, their motivations and emotional turmoil become more compelling.
When the stakes do rise (though the actual competition itself is pretty tame), “The Tournament” delivers a shocking and twisted finale that makes the slow buildup worthwhile. The climax is intense, unexpected, and forces the characters to confront the consequences of their actions. The ending is dark yet fitting, reinforcing the book’s themes of ambition, self-worth, and the desperate lengths people will go to just to feel something.
Overall, “The Tournament” is an intriguing read, though with a pretty slow start. It offers strong LGBTQ representation and complex character dynamics, but if you’re expecting a fast-paced thriller, you may find the first half frustratingly slow. However, for those who enjoy messy, morally gray characters and intense psychological tension, this book delivers a unique and thought-provoking experience.
April 25, 2025
3.75⭐️
My thoughts are a bit mixed on this book. The first 35% of it took me way too long to read as I kept putting it down for other books but it still gave me the desire to finish the book. That’s a bit negative sounding BUT when I got back into it but 40% I couldn’t put it down as I needed to see what happened.
The book is set into six parts that focus on a different stage of the school year/ part of the students journey together at this elite boarding school filled with mostly over privileged females. It also is Multi POV between the three female main characters: Nora, Max and Teddy. I personally love multi POV formats and it’s one of the strengths of this book.
My biggest criticism is in the marketing/ description of the book. I thought I was going to be reading a dark academia novel filled with this yearly and important tournaments that the school hosts but that is such a small part of the book. Actually they spend more time talking about the importance of said competition than they do focusing on it. It’s an afterthought.
The book at its core is a basic thriller. It’s the intertwining of three main classmates and their relationships with each other and their status within the school as a whole. The “twist” (for lack of a better word) wasn’t too surprising at all. There was nothing to guess a long the way as the book isn’t set up that way. I guess the book doesn’t know what it wants to be.
On the other hand as I said above there were a lot of page tuning moments as I was generally interested in how things played out, albeit predictably in the end. I think young readers will enjoy this though, especially those who can find themselves on the page.
I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
My thoughts are a bit mixed on this book. The first 35% of it took me way too long to read as I kept putting it down for other books but it still gave me the desire to finish the book. That’s a bit negative sounding BUT when I got back into it but 40% I couldn’t put it down as I needed to see what happened.
The book is set into six parts that focus on a different stage of the school year/ part of the students journey together at this elite boarding school filled with mostly over privileged females. It also is Multi POV between the three female main characters: Nora, Max and Teddy. I personally love multi POV formats and it’s one of the strengths of this book.
My biggest criticism is in the marketing/ description of the book. I thought I was going to be reading a dark academia novel filled with this yearly and important tournaments that the school hosts but that is such a small part of the book. Actually they spend more time talking about the importance of said competition than they do focusing on it. It’s an afterthought.
The book at its core is a basic thriller. It’s the intertwining of three main classmates and their relationships with each other and their status within the school as a whole. The “twist” (for lack of a better word) wasn’t too surprising at all. There was nothing to guess a long the way as the book isn’t set up that way. I guess the book doesn’t know what it wants to be.
On the other hand as I said above there were a lot of page tuning moments as I was generally interested in how things played out, albeit predictably in the end. I think young readers will enjoy this though, especially those who can find themselves on the page.
I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Simon & Schuster through Edelweiss to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
March 25, 2025
Wow, this book was a roller coaster! I’m not gonna lie before I got to the last 70 pages. I would’ve given this a three star rating. I felt like it was too long and things dragged on. I have been raging against 400 page YA novels for a while now because as a teacher, I know it’s hard to get students to stick in that long. All that being said, however, the last 70-80 pages of this book I couldn’t turn fast enough. You think that this story has one type of ending but in reality, there is a whole other one coming. I don’t want to say too much or give away too much because everybody should have the same experience I did of really racing to see where this is going.
The story takes place at a boarding school that, while it caters to the rich and privileged, also demands these girls lead a different type of life and learn skills that other schools don’t teach them such as hunting, skinning animals, survival skills among many others. For that reason, a special type of girl thrives at the school. We meet the three main characters, Max, Nora, and Teddy, who all have very different experiences in the world, but their interactions with each other are really what brings this story to it’s ultimate climax. They are all competing for the cup at the end of the tournament, but really they’re competing for so much more and that competition clouds their relationships and reveals who they truly are as humans .
This story is a commentary on social privilege, female, friendships, and competition among many other things and the the beginning of the book really sets the stage for the relationships that are critical in the second half of the book. I would definitely look for more books from this author because this concept was so unique and different. I would want to read more from her.
The story takes place at a boarding school that, while it caters to the rich and privileged, also demands these girls lead a different type of life and learn skills that other schools don’t teach them such as hunting, skinning animals, survival skills among many others. For that reason, a special type of girl thrives at the school. We meet the three main characters, Max, Nora, and Teddy, who all have very different experiences in the world, but their interactions with each other are really what brings this story to it’s ultimate climax. They are all competing for the cup at the end of the tournament, but really they’re competing for so much more and that competition clouds their relationships and reveals who they truly are as humans .
This story is a commentary on social privilege, female, friendships, and competition among many other things and the the beginning of the book really sets the stage for the relationships that are critical in the second half of the book. I would definitely look for more books from this author because this concept was so unique and different. I would want to read more from her.
June 8, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!
Hmmmm I’m not 100% sure what I felt about this one. Maybe 3.5 stars? And Don’t Look Back was one of my favorite books for 2023. I was so excited this author had another book coming out. While I love a good messy mean girl book, this one felt like it was missing something. We get a revolving POV between 3 girls. Max, Teddy, and Nora. Max and Nora have been best friends for years and their friendship has gone sour since Nora confessed her love for Max. Teddy is the new girl who has been suspended from multiple different schools and worms her way into the dynamic between Max and Nora. In the background there is a competition the school puts on every year for seniors where they must use their skills and survival training to prove they are the best of the best.
I felt like a lot of this book just didn’t matter because of the ending. Like what was the point of it? I kept wanting to figure out who I liked but honestly all 3 of the girls were just awful. One was worse than the others, but the other 2 weren’t great. Maybe Nora was the only one I felt really bad for. I didn’t like the way Max’s character ended up. Like it felt so flat. And while I saw a lot of people didn’t like the ending, I can really say that it was a wtf moment. I did want more coverage of the Tourney because it’s the main plot point of the book but was sidelined for friendship/relationship drama. After that the book went a wild different way.
I do enjoy this author’s writing even if this wasn’t my favorite book by her. This was an interesting read despite the randomness and flatness in some aspects of it. I’ll be looking for more books by her in the future!!
Hmmmm I’m not 100% sure what I felt about this one. Maybe 3.5 stars? And Don’t Look Back was one of my favorite books for 2023. I was so excited this author had another book coming out. While I love a good messy mean girl book, this one felt like it was missing something. We get a revolving POV between 3 girls. Max, Teddy, and Nora. Max and Nora have been best friends for years and their friendship has gone sour since Nora confessed her love for Max. Teddy is the new girl who has been suspended from multiple different schools and worms her way into the dynamic between Max and Nora. In the background there is a competition the school puts on every year for seniors where they must use their skills and survival training to prove they are the best of the best.
I felt like a lot of this book just didn’t matter because of the ending. Like what was the point of it? I kept wanting to figure out who I liked but honestly all 3 of the girls were just awful. One was worse than the others, but the other 2 weren’t great. Maybe Nora was the only one I felt really bad for. I didn’t like the way Max’s character ended up. Like it felt so flat. And while I saw a lot of people didn’t like the ending, I can really say that it was a wtf moment. I did want more coverage of the Tourney because it’s the main plot point of the book but was sidelined for friendship/relationship drama. After that the book went a wild different way.
I do enjoy this author’s writing even if this wasn’t my favorite book by her. This was an interesting read despite the randomness and flatness in some aspects of it. I’ll be looking for more books by her in the future!!
October 12, 2025
There was so much potential here but I feel like the characters needed a little more development and the tension of the plot lacked build up. Whenever meaningful events could've been built up to, they were immediately addressed (ie when Nora immediately discovers that Teddy and Max hooked up) and it felt like every character was always able to suspect or know what other characters were thinking, which just didn't feel realistic. For Max and Nora I could maybe understand that because they've been best friends for years but when Teddy pulls back from Nora because of the void, Nora shouldn't be able to suspect the reason why. I think she says something along the lines of nothing exciting Teddy anymore or something, but I feel like she shouldn't be able to discern that, because then it seems like she knows what she's thinking and then that just deflates any potential build up for an argument, or plot tension/things coming to a head. The events of the tournament were also a bit boring and mostly skipped over, which, given the title of the novel, shouldn't be the case. The Tierney Cup is the whole focal point of the book, and I feel like it would've just came together better if these character relationships were somehow tested by the Tierney Cup in a natural way, rather than having external events influence their reactions within the Cup. I wish Teddy's mental illness had been explored a bit more and that we'd had more flashbacks to what she'd done at other schools. I enjoyed the characters; I just wish we'd had more time with them or that they could've been explored a little more in depth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2025
rating: 2.75/5 (rounded to a 3)
I was pretty disappointed when I finished this book. It wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be. Just based off of the title and synopsis, I thought I would be getting a lot of competition and tournament coverage between the girls. However, I was utterly disappointed when that wasn't the case. I was left feeling bored and disconnected from the friend group. I don't even know if the book knew what it was trying to portray when it came to focusing solely on the competition or friendship dynamics.
The story is told from multiple POV's which I didn't think was necessary, in my opinion. I think we should have focused on one character and dove deeper into their background. It was difficult to relate to some of the characters because they didn't feel "complete." They lacked certain characteristics that made them likeable or relatable and it left me, as a reader, not really caring for them. But, maybe that was the point?
The only character I could really connect to and had some substance to them was Max. She was pretty relatable and felt like a really thought-out character. For the others, I can't really say the same.
The ending was a little unexpected and I honestly felt a little annoyed by it. It left the book with so many unanswered questions and plenty of plotholes. I was hoping for a lot more, and unfortunately did not get that.
Thank you to Simon Teen and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I was pretty disappointed when I finished this book. It wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be. Just based off of the title and synopsis, I thought I would be getting a lot of competition and tournament coverage between the girls. However, I was utterly disappointed when that wasn't the case. I was left feeling bored and disconnected from the friend group. I don't even know if the book knew what it was trying to portray when it came to focusing solely on the competition or friendship dynamics.
The story is told from multiple POV's which I didn't think was necessary, in my opinion. I think we should have focused on one character and dove deeper into their background. It was difficult to relate to some of the characters because they didn't feel "complete." They lacked certain characteristics that made them likeable or relatable and it left me, as a reader, not really caring for them. But, maybe that was the point?
The only character I could really connect to and had some substance to them was Max. She was pretty relatable and felt like a really thought-out character. For the others, I can't really say the same.
The ending was a little unexpected and I honestly felt a little annoyed by it. It left the book with so many unanswered questions and plenty of plotholes. I was hoping for a lot more, and unfortunately did not get that.
Thank you to Simon Teen and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 10, 2025
So... this was interesting.
When I picked this book up at the library, it seemed promising. The synopsis, the title, and the picture on the front cover of the book just screamed The Hunger Games to me. Obviously, it wasn't going to be exactly like THG, but it really captured my interest.
Boy, was I kind of let down.
A majority of the book (and when I say majority, I mean 75% of the book) revolved around this whole Max/Teddy/Nora love triangle. And don't get me wrong, I don't mind a little bit of that in thriller books like this. But when that ends up being most of the book instead of what the synopsis said it would be? It's just disappointing! The Tournament for the school didn't even start until like 40% through the book! It was all just focused on "Oh Nora had a crush on Max and Max said she didn't like Nora back but she secretly does and now Nora's dating Teddy all while still liking Max and Teddy cheats on Nora with Max..." like JEEZ 😭
While there were some aspects of this book I thoroughly enjoyed, I was sort of confused for a lot of it. And that ending was shocking, though I'm still pondering if it was a good shocking or a bad shocking.
Overall, 3 stars. If I am being honest, I would like to see a prequel of this book, maybe of how the Tournament would look like 50 years ago, or if it was in another universe where the Tournament hadn't been canceled. I think that'd be pretty awesome. This is likely a one-and-done series, but a girl can dream lol
When I picked this book up at the library, it seemed promising. The synopsis, the title, and the picture on the front cover of the book just screamed The Hunger Games to me. Obviously, it wasn't going to be exactly like THG, but it really captured my interest.
Boy, was I kind of let down.
A majority of the book (and when I say majority, I mean 75% of the book) revolved around this whole Max/Teddy/Nora love triangle. And don't get me wrong, I don't mind a little bit of that in thriller books like this. But when that ends up being most of the book instead of what the synopsis said it would be? It's just disappointing! The Tournament for the school didn't even start until like 40% through the book! It was all just focused on "Oh Nora had a crush on Max and Max said she didn't like Nora back but she secretly does and now Nora's dating Teddy all while still liking Max and Teddy cheats on Nora with Max..." like JEEZ 😭
While there were some aspects of this book I thoroughly enjoyed, I was sort of confused for a lot of it. And that ending was shocking, though I'm still pondering if it was a good shocking or a bad shocking.
Overall, 3 stars. If I am being honest, I would like to see a prequel of this book, maybe of how the Tournament would look like 50 years ago, or if it was in another universe where the Tournament hadn't been canceled. I think that'd be pretty awesome. This is likely a one-and-done series, but a girl can dream lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2025
oh boy.
this was absolutely one of the worst books i’ve ever read, and i don’t say that lightly. i picked up the book expecting a plot line following the tournament and maybe the intense competition and rivalry that came with it, since it was the title of the book, but all i got was a love triangle between 3 horrid main characters.
MAX:
max was the only character, i felt, that you could actually understand her backstory and motivations. if she was a terrible person, it’s because her upbringing shaped her. however, i didn’t always love the choices she made, especially on the subject of teddy and nora. overall, she was my favorite of the main three.
NORA:
nora felt like a half-baked character. she didn’t get enough narration time to fully develop her personality, and it felt like the author didn’t really know her personality either.
TEDDY:
i wish teddy’s mental illness was explored more, because it really was an interesting subplot and could have added a lot to her character. however, she was the character i liked the least, simply because her choices made absolutely no sense to me and i didn’t feel like they were justified at all, no matter her sob story.
overall, i felt like the plot and relationships between the characters were poorly developed and explained, and the love triangle was an awful way to explore the relationship dynamics, especially when the love felt very false or completely made up by the characters mind.
this was absolutely one of the worst books i’ve ever read, and i don’t say that lightly. i picked up the book expecting a plot line following the tournament and maybe the intense competition and rivalry that came with it, since it was the title of the book, but all i got was a love triangle between 3 horrid main characters.
MAX:
max was the only character, i felt, that you could actually understand her backstory and motivations. if she was a terrible person, it’s because her upbringing shaped her. however, i didn’t always love the choices she made, especially on the subject of teddy and nora. overall, she was my favorite of the main three.
NORA:
nora felt like a half-baked character. she didn’t get enough narration time to fully develop her personality, and it felt like the author didn’t really know her personality either.
TEDDY:
i wish teddy’s mental illness was explored more, because it really was an interesting subplot and could have added a lot to her character. however, she was the character i liked the least, simply because her choices made absolutely no sense to me and i didn’t feel like they were justified at all, no matter her sob story.
overall, i felt like the plot and relationships between the characters were poorly developed and explained, and the love triangle was an awful way to explore the relationship dynamics, especially when the love felt very false or completely made up by the characters mind.
April 11, 2025
The Tournament was an intense, high-stakes ride filled with cutthroat competition, tangled relationships, and the kind of morally gray characters you can’t look away from. Gardner Academy set the perfect eerie backdrop, with its brutal traditions and an elite Tournament that tested not just physical endurance but the limits of loyalty and ambition.
Max, Nora, and Teddy each brought something different to the story—Max’s relentless drive, Nora’s quiet yearning, and Teddy’s reckless desperation created a dynamic that was just as thrilling as the competition itself. The shifting alliances and underlying betrayals kept the tension simmering, making it impossible to predict who would come out on top. And the emotional stakes? Just as brutal as the physical ones.
While the pacing dragged a bit in places and some plot twists felt a little too convenient, the book delivered on its promise of suspense, drama, and a chilling examination of what people will do to win. If you love dark academia, toxic friendships, and thrillers that keep you on edge, The Tournament is one worth competing for.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Max, Nora, and Teddy each brought something different to the story—Max’s relentless drive, Nora’s quiet yearning, and Teddy’s reckless desperation created a dynamic that was just as thrilling as the competition itself. The shifting alliances and underlying betrayals kept the tension simmering, making it impossible to predict who would come out on top. And the emotional stakes? Just as brutal as the physical ones.
While the pacing dragged a bit in places and some plot twists felt a little too convenient, the book delivered on its promise of suspense, drama, and a chilling examination of what people will do to win. If you love dark academia, toxic friendships, and thrillers that keep you on edge, The Tournament is one worth competing for.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
April 26, 2025
At Gardner, winning the Tournament means everything. Blood, betrayal, heartbreak—you’ll sacrifice it all. And this year? No one’s holding back.
📚 Reasons to Read The Tournament
Elite competition – The Tournament is brutal, bloody, and forces students to face off against friends, exes, and themselves.
Toxic relationships – Old betrayals, secret love, and raw ambition crash together in an intense, emotional storm.
Boarding school – Gardner isn’t about homework and prom—it's about gutting animals, fighting to win, and trying not to lose your soul.
So I don’t want to steer you wrong in this book. I wanted to read it because I love high stakes competition and an academic setting. But I was a little disappointed in how this book was pitched. We follow 3 girls POVs, and most of the book was so introspective, I feel like it lost the suspense and excitement of the games itself. Many times the games were talked about after the fact. The characters are just ok, and you want to root for one of them most of the time. But the ending left me a little mad about the whole thing. This is the book for you if you go into it expecting that it’s more drama then it is about the competition itself.
📚 Reasons to Read The Tournament
Elite competition – The Tournament is brutal, bloody, and forces students to face off against friends, exes, and themselves.
Toxic relationships – Old betrayals, secret love, and raw ambition crash together in an intense, emotional storm.
Boarding school – Gardner isn’t about homework and prom—it's about gutting animals, fighting to win, and trying not to lose your soul.
So I don’t want to steer you wrong in this book. I wanted to read it because I love high stakes competition and an academic setting. But I was a little disappointed in how this book was pitched. We follow 3 girls POVs, and most of the book was so introspective, I feel like it lost the suspense and excitement of the games itself. Many times the games were talked about after the fact. The characters are just ok, and you want to root for one of them most of the time. But the ending left me a little mad about the whole thing. This is the book for you if you go into it expecting that it’s more drama then it is about the competition itself.
June 5, 2025
3.5
The Tournament follows three girls who attend an elite boarding school, Gardner, founded on the concept of teaching girls the skills they need for survival. Every year, the school hosts the Tournament, a competition in which students are to participate in a series of events to show that they’re capable of surviving out in the world. However this year, things start to get messy.
My favorite part of this book was how the students viewed the school. Nothing outside of Gardner mattered to the girls, making the Tournament a truly competitive experience. I also thought the dynamic between the girls was very interesting, especially Max and Nora. I do have two complaints about this book though, the first being that it didn’t feel as though it was marketed properly. When I first read the description, I thought Gardner would be a lot more demanding than it actually was. In reality, it felt a little bit more like if the Girl Scouts founded a boarding school, (Coming from someone who was one). I also felt as though half of this book was filler, just meant to create more tension between the characters. I did like the ending of this book. It felt like it came out of nowhere, but it was also so brilliantly hinted throughout the story.
The Tournament follows three girls who attend an elite boarding school, Gardner, founded on the concept of teaching girls the skills they need for survival. Every year, the school hosts the Tournament, a competition in which students are to participate in a series of events to show that they’re capable of surviving out in the world. However this year, things start to get messy.
My favorite part of this book was how the students viewed the school. Nothing outside of Gardner mattered to the girls, making the Tournament a truly competitive experience. I also thought the dynamic between the girls was very interesting, especially Max and Nora. I do have two complaints about this book though, the first being that it didn’t feel as though it was marketed properly. When I first read the description, I thought Gardner would be a lot more demanding than it actually was. In reality, it felt a little bit more like if the Girl Scouts founded a boarding school, (Coming from someone who was one). I also felt as though half of this book was filler, just meant to create more tension between the characters. I did like the ending of this book. It felt like it came out of nowhere, but it was also so brilliantly hinted throughout the story.
April 5, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE TOURNAMENT by Rebecca Barrow
Thank you Simon and Shuster (Margaret K. Elderly Books) for the earc (Jun 17)
Gardner is a normal boarding school. It prides itself in teaching survival skills, which a select group of seniors use to compete in the Tournament. This year, it's more dangerous than ever as Max, Nora, and Teddy fight through the teeth.
I went back and forth on what to rate this book. Going into it, I was expecting something along the lines of THEIR VICIOUS GAMES by Joelle Wellington, THE TOURNAMENT delivered ever-so slightly on that.
This is a grueling book that focused too much on romance than the actual competition. I get it, it was like a love triangle of sorts, but I wanted more Tournament. The pacing of this felt off. Because of the length of the novel, I did grow bored in the middle; however, the pacing finally picked up and Barrow delivered. Those last few chapters were wild and really helped draw to the surface what I was expecting from THE TOURNAMENT: backstabbing rivalry with "accidents" and such. From the incident with Nora and Max and Teddy and then rounding it all out. Plus that ending. OMG, that was mind-boggling and unexpected, and honestly made up for the whole book.
THE TOURNAMENT by Rebecca Barrow
Thank you Simon and Shuster (Margaret K. Elderly Books) for the earc (Jun 17)
Gardner is a normal boarding school. It prides itself in teaching survival skills, which a select group of seniors use to compete in the Tournament. This year, it's more dangerous than ever as Max, Nora, and Teddy fight through the teeth.
I went back and forth on what to rate this book. Going into it, I was expecting something along the lines of THEIR VICIOUS GAMES by Joelle Wellington, THE TOURNAMENT delivered ever-so slightly on that.
This is a grueling book that focused too much on romance than the actual competition. I get it, it was like a love triangle of sorts, but I wanted more Tournament. The pacing of this felt off. Because of the length of the novel, I did grow bored in the middle; however, the pacing finally picked up and Barrow delivered. Those last few chapters were wild and really helped draw to the surface what I was expecting from THE TOURNAMENT: backstabbing rivalry with "accidents" and such. From the incident with Nora and Max and Teddy and then rounding it all out. Plus that ending. OMG, that was mind-boggling and unexpected, and honestly made up for the whole book.
July 24, 2025
Every single thing all of these characters do paints them as bad people. The author does not need to use horrifically vulgar, misogynistic slurs dropped casually into conversation to make that point. Just crass and makes me wonder how this ever got published.
The author also would have benefitted from an editor who knows what words mean. You pull something "taut," not "taught." I guess the slurs were more important than the grammar.
That's all before the other laughably unbelievable things in the book: teachers giving students wine, the existence of an annual tournament where people get seriously injured and yet the school and parents continue to hold this tournament every year, the number of times the author describes teenage girls slipping their fingers underneath another girl's underwear, how a girl THROWS A KNIFE AT ANOTHER STUDENT AND FACES NO CONSEQUENCES. Jesus.
Just all around creepy and feels like the author is trying to live vicariously through her sexed-up, psychotic characters.
The author also would have benefitted from an editor who knows what words mean. You pull something "taut," not "taught." I guess the slurs were more important than the grammar.
That's all before the other laughably unbelievable things in the book: teachers giving students wine, the existence of an annual tournament where people get seriously injured and yet the school and parents continue to hold this tournament every year, the number of times the author describes teenage girls slipping their fingers underneath another girl's underwear, how a girl THROWS A KNIFE AT ANOTHER STUDENT AND FACES NO CONSEQUENCES. Jesus.
Just all around creepy and feels like the author is trying to live vicariously through her sexed-up, psychotic characters.
November 9, 2025
DNF around 50 pages
This book is not about a tournament. The tournament doesn’t begin until page 180- I flipped through to see. I only read 50 pages of this book and I have so many issues with it.
1. It’s not what it’s advertised as. It’s about a love triangle between 3 horrible people
2. It’s boring
3. The multiple pov is not done well. The chapters are too short and the characters are too indistinctive
4. The characters are not like able, except maybe Nora. Max is so miserable and hates everything and everyone in a way that’s just exhausting. She’s mad at the way Teddy told everyone to call her Teddy because she hasn’t experienced enough pain to earn her nickname?
5. The tournament doesn’t make sense. Granted, I don’t have a lot of info about because I only read 50 pages and it doesn’t actually start until 180 pages in. But it’s supposed to be the best of the best of the school- except the names are picked out of a hat. So the best of the best might not even be able to compete. And what is the point of it? Being the best? Big whoop
This book is not about a tournament. The tournament doesn’t begin until page 180- I flipped through to see. I only read 50 pages of this book and I have so many issues with it.
1. It’s not what it’s advertised as. It’s about a love triangle between 3 horrible people
2. It’s boring
3. The multiple pov is not done well. The chapters are too short and the characters are too indistinctive
4. The characters are not like able, except maybe Nora. Max is so miserable and hates everything and everyone in a way that’s just exhausting. She’s mad at the way Teddy told everyone to call her Teddy because she hasn’t experienced enough pain to earn her nickname?
5. The tournament doesn’t make sense. Granted, I don’t have a lot of info about because I only read 50 pages and it doesn’t actually start until 180 pages in. But it’s supposed to be the best of the best of the school- except the names are picked out of a hat. So the best of the best might not even be able to compete. And what is the point of it? Being the best? Big whoop
May 27, 2025
First of all, the way this book was described was pretty far off from the actual book. I’m not sure why this seems to be happening more and more lately, but please, publishers, can we be more truthful about what the book is actually about??
This is a love triangle between three high school senior girls at a fancy prep boarding school. It is told from the three girls' points of view, however the only one who really has much substance and connection to the reader is Max. Bad girl Teddy is all over the place with her characterization–good girl, bad girl, which is it?--and Nora just comes across as a follower without a backbone. The Tournament, which is very much a side story in this plot, is a series of survival skill tests that seven lucky seniors get to take part in. Almost all events take place before there is any real drama in the Tournament (plenty of other drama however) and then no one dies until right at the end. Ultimately I think this would have been a better read if I hadn’t expected something different.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 due to the crazy ending.
This is a love triangle between three high school senior girls at a fancy prep boarding school. It is told from the three girls' points of view, however the only one who really has much substance and connection to the reader is Max. Bad girl Teddy is all over the place with her characterization–good girl, bad girl, which is it?--and Nora just comes across as a follower without a backbone. The Tournament, which is very much a side story in this plot, is a series of survival skill tests that seven lucky seniors get to take part in. Almost all events take place before there is any real drama in the Tournament (plenty of other drama however) and then no one dies until right at the end. Ultimately I think this would have been a better read if I hadn’t expected something different.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 due to the crazy ending.
May 25, 2025
“You liked that I loved you and you liked that you could withhold your love from me because then that made you better than me, in some way.”
Thank you Simonteen for an earc!!
Okay wow, so much happened in this book and I honestly left with trust issues.
The Tournament follows three girls, Teddy, Nora and Max. And they all attend a private girls school that hosts a tournament for seniors that tests all their skills.
I went in quite blind to this book and I honestly recommend that. It’s dark, gritty and really highlights the toxic nature of jealousy.
The writing is immersive and each character is as unique as they are awful. Everyone wants to be the best and be seen as such and will go to any lengths to do that.
Overall, this was an incredible book that I really enjoyed. The ending had my jaw on the floor and it honestly left me quite mad, but I believe that was the intention.
Thank you Simonteen for an earc!!
Okay wow, so much happened in this book and I honestly left with trust issues.
The Tournament follows three girls, Teddy, Nora and Max. And they all attend a private girls school that hosts a tournament for seniors that tests all their skills.
I went in quite blind to this book and I honestly recommend that. It’s dark, gritty and really highlights the toxic nature of jealousy.
The writing is immersive and each character is as unique as they are awful. Everyone wants to be the best and be seen as such and will go to any lengths to do that.
Overall, this was an incredible book that I really enjoyed. The ending had my jaw on the floor and it honestly left me quite mad, but I believe that was the intention.
June 17, 2025
A love triangle and a boarding school competition both take a wildly dark turn in this YA story featuring three queer teens.
This book was fairly slow-paced and full of character drama building the dynamics between Max, Nora, and Teddy. Max, a scholarship student desperate to prove herself. Nora, Max's former best friend who confessed to being in love with Max. Teddy, the new girl who has an unmatched darkness inside her.
Once the competition finally started, I was more invested, but then it was mostly glossed over. I spent the entire book being keyed up for the thriller aspect, but it didn't show up until almost the end. I actually enjoyed the way this ended, even though it wasn't exactly plausible. The messy Sapphics were so messy throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.
This book was fairly slow-paced and full of character drama building the dynamics between Max, Nora, and Teddy. Max, a scholarship student desperate to prove herself. Nora, Max's former best friend who confessed to being in love with Max. Teddy, the new girl who has an unmatched darkness inside her.
Once the competition finally started, I was more invested, but then it was mostly glossed over. I spent the entire book being keyed up for the thriller aspect, but it didn't show up until almost the end. I actually enjoyed the way this ended, even though it wasn't exactly plausible. The messy Sapphics were so messy throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.
July 20, 2025
I thought this book was great!
The DRAMA!!!! Chefs kiss
The ending was soooo good, definitely not what I expected, but it was perfect!
The mystery/violence! Just the right amount and made Teddy such a dynamic character
The Characters? A little shallow, but still interesting.
I loved the concept for this book with the boarding school and tournament aspects.
My only sort of qualms with this book:
1. The first part of this book was pretty slow, and while the ending made up for it, it does take a while to really get into it and I wish the energy of the last 70ish pages had been held during the first parts.
2. EVERYONE is gay; I understand this was sort of necessary because it's an all-girl boarding school...and for romance that was necessary, but it just felt a little over done by mentioning everyone's gayness every other page.
Overall, as a quick read, totally recommend!
The DRAMA!!!! Chefs kiss
The ending was soooo good, definitely not what I expected, but it was perfect!
The mystery/violence! Just the right amount and made Teddy such a dynamic character
The Characters? A little shallow, but still interesting.
I loved the concept for this book with the boarding school and tournament aspects.
My only sort of qualms with this book:
1. The first part of this book was pretty slow, and while the ending made up for it, it does take a while to really get into it and I wish the energy of the last 70ish pages had been held during the first parts.
2. EVERYONE is gay; I understand this was sort of necessary because it's an all-girl boarding school...and for romance that was necessary, but it just felt a little over done by mentioning everyone's gayness every other page.
Overall, as a quick read, totally recommend!
May 29, 2025
Thank you @simonteen #partner for the gifted copy of this ebook.
Dark academia with a bunch of kids who’ve been kicked out of other schools? You know the drama is about to be next level — and this one definitely delivered. Add in some deadly games and survival skills no regular boarding school teaches, and you’ve got a wild ride.
I’m always down for a story with high-stakes games, and The Tournament delivered plenty of twists and chaos. I loved how Rebecca Barrow made each character distinct — some I rooted for, some seriously got on my nerves, but honestly, that’s half the fun in a book like this. Everyone’s messy, desperate, and making terrible decisions because, well… desperate times, desperate measures.
The author did a great job showing how the consequences of those choices came crashing down on everyone by the end. It’s intense, dramatic, and totally bingeable.
Heads up though — if you’re sensitive to animal death, this might not be the one for you. But otherwise, if you’re into cutthroat games, morally questionable characters, and dark boarding school vibes, go ahead and add this one to your TBR.
Dark academia with a bunch of kids who’ve been kicked out of other schools? You know the drama is about to be next level — and this one definitely delivered. Add in some deadly games and survival skills no regular boarding school teaches, and you’ve got a wild ride.
I’m always down for a story with high-stakes games, and The Tournament delivered plenty of twists and chaos. I loved how Rebecca Barrow made each character distinct — some I rooted for, some seriously got on my nerves, but honestly, that’s half the fun in a book like this. Everyone’s messy, desperate, and making terrible decisions because, well… desperate times, desperate measures.
The author did a great job showing how the consequences of those choices came crashing down on everyone by the end. It’s intense, dramatic, and totally bingeable.
Heads up though — if you’re sensitive to animal death, this might not be the one for you. But otherwise, if you’re into cutthroat games, morally questionable characters, and dark boarding school vibes, go ahead and add this one to your TBR.
June 13, 2025
Thanks to Edelweiss for the copy of "The Tournament" by Rebecca Barrow
1.5/5 ⭐
I thought the premise of the story sounded so interesting, but in my opinion it was not executed well.
The tournament aspect of the book started over halfway into the story, and was in my opinion boring to read about. There was no character development at all and I couldn't stand to read any of the POV's because all the girls just felt superficial. I had some hope for this book when we got to the ending because things picked up a bit, but the ending just made me mad and left me with more questions than answers. Also why is this book being marketed as a young adult thriller, when there are clearly scenes of sex between the characters.
1.5/5 ⭐
I thought the premise of the story sounded so interesting, but in my opinion it was not executed well.
The tournament aspect of the book started over halfway into the story, and was in my opinion boring to read about. There was no character development at all and I couldn't stand to read any of the POV's because all the girls just felt superficial. I had some hope for this book when we got to the ending because things picked up a bit, but the ending just made me mad and left me with more questions than answers. Also why is this book being marketed as a young adult thriller, when there are clearly scenes of sex between the characters.
May 29, 2025
Rebecca Barrow’s “The Tournament” is a YA psychological thriller that takes place in an academic setting.
Trials and games? Boarding School? LGBTQ representation? Twists and turns? Yes! Yes! Yes!
I really enjoyed the characters and how Barrow teased out their personalities and lives. It felt a lot like I was in high school with them, getting to know them as they grew in both friendship and maturity.
I loved the ending, I did not see it coming and the plot was wrapped up really well. It will be staying with me for a little while.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a villain story, morally grey characters, and YA drama.
Trials and games? Boarding School? LGBTQ representation? Twists and turns? Yes! Yes! Yes!
I really enjoyed the characters and how Barrow teased out their personalities and lives. It felt a lot like I was in high school with them, getting to know them as they grew in both friendship and maturity.
I loved the ending, I did not see it coming and the plot was wrapped up really well. It will be staying with me for a little while.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a villain story, morally grey characters, and YA drama.
August 20, 2025
I was really excited to read this. The cover and the book description really drew me in and made me interested.
I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed, but I did think the book was going to cover more of the tournament that the book description talked about. The tournament only took part in a small portion of the book. The twist that happened felt flat due to the writing not giving anticipation or suspense throughout the book. This took me a while to get through.
If you like YA thrillers I’d recommend giving it a read.
I don’t think I’d reread this book.
Thank you netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book.
I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed, but I did think the book was going to cover more of the tournament that the book description talked about. The tournament only took part in a small portion of the book. The twist that happened felt flat due to the writing not giving anticipation or suspense throughout the book. This took me a while to get through.
If you like YA thrillers I’d recommend giving it a read.
I don’t think I’d reread this book.
Thank you netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book.
March 28, 2025
This is an ARC from Edelweiss. This book is very different from what I thought it was going to be in reading the title and synopsis, and not for the better. For a book called "The Tournament", the games didn't start until half way through, and were just a footnote in the story. Overall, this was more of a psychological thriller involving high school girls and mental health, but done poorly. Everything had a split focus and was underdeveloped, like it could commit to a genre. The story was far too long for what it was. The ending was a reach and left me feeling letdown.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews