What do you think?
Rate this book
Assistant to the Villain #1
Ассистентка Злодея
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Romantasy (2023)Эви Сейдж нужны деньги, чтобы кормить семью. Только поэтому она соглашается работать на Злодея, величайшего врага королевства. Работа, что ни говори, не идеальная: например, приходится привыкать к телам на рабочем столе и отрубленным головам, свисающим с потолка. И всё же трудно слегка не влюбиться, когда твой босс – молодой и прекрасный Король Тьмы.
Но вскоре становится ясно, что в замке Злодея водятся крысы… и не только в буквальном смысле. В ряды его приспешников затесался предатель, который вознамерился помочь благородным героям уничтожить Злодея и всю его гнусную империю. И теперь Эви предстоит выяснить, кто это, пока не стало слишком поздно. В конце концов, новую хорошую работу нынче так сложно найти…
Но вскоре становится ясно, что в замке Злодея водятся крысы… и не только в буквальном смысле. В ряды его приспешников затесался предатель, который вознамерился помочь благородным героям уничтожить Злодея и всю его гнусную империю. И теперь Эви предстоит выяснить, кто это, пока не стало слишком поздно. В конце концов, новую хорошую работу нынче так сложно найти…
384 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2023
27639 people are currently reading
461947 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52,940 reviews
March 25, 2025
➳ 4.5 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
╰┈➤ “he was ruined. but he loved her anyway”
I’M NOT OK 😭 that ending was cruel hannah, i thought we were friends. because I definitely know her. totally. (hi hannah if you’re out there I’d love to be friends btw)
BUT THIS WAS SO GOOD!! as someone who had high expectations because i loved her tiktok series (yes i’m already a fan. take this review with a grain of salt. warnings: extreme bias) i was not disappointed! chapter 46–heck page 273 alone—was enough to make this a 5 star book honestly 🫢
i just had so much fun like this book had me giggling and kicking my feet and laughing and I just had such a good time!!! the second half was wildly better than the first half too like the first half was good but i loved the end. also there were some really good quotes in this!! for example…
╰┈➤ ”she wasn’t light; she was color. every single one, dancing otherworldly and bright over his unworthy eyes. she was the explosion of the vivid gleams and glows of the world around him, like a constant rainbow, shining not after the rain but during.”
like ahhh I loved them so much and i loved evie so much and trystan— 😭🫶 (he already proposed to me, you can ask him. i just declined because i like him and evie too much. who I haven’t seen a ship name for by the way? im dubbing it “trevie” or wait “evsten”…anyways you’re welcome to come up with something better but as the president of their ship im gonna need you to run it by me) and kingsley!! honestly my favorite character ngl 🐸🪧
the romance was just so cute! i actually really appreciated that there was no spice and loved the ya feel…like this book embodies something that my inner fangirl self loved !! it was just such an enjoyable, lighthearted, hilarious, and fast paced romp and im so glad i read it. it sometimes came off as episodic which like that was the og format so obviously it makes sense and i really liked it because it kept me interested and the chapters were shortafter the prologue but we don’t talk about that. it was tropey for sure but i could feel the author having fun and i loved that. why shouldn’t we write books with tropes we know we all love? 🤭
point is i have been waiting for this since november 2022 and it didn’t disappoint for sure. it was a bit different from the tiktok series but like that’s to be expected and I think she executed it really well. im so happy for hannah and i wish her book all the success i can’t wait for book two…i need it now 🫶🩷✨😭
ok now hannah? bestie? (because we’re friends now remember? she said so remember? i promise she’s not tied up in my basement) if you’re reading this, kindly leave. i just got a couple things that i gotta be honest about. ok gone? Here we go…
alright the writing was a little bit fanfictiony and it felt like ya which like i said im fine with but keep that in mind. now ✨The Villain©✨… was a bit bland at the beginning and felt like a stereotype. i just felt like he was kinda vanilla until about halfway through and we got a backstory. i also would’ve liked this to be more slow-burny maybe? like they’re already thirsting for each other from page 1 (or more accurately like page 17 but you get it). the last thing…there was not a lot of world building which like i get that it was meant to be an office villain romance with some fantasy so i get it but just some lil things didn’t make sense and i was confused.
but overall these are minor things and just why i gave this 4.5 instead of 5. it didn’t take away from the reading experience like I still really enjoyed it!! 💕
ALRIGHT ANYWAYS (I promise im done nowand i let hannah out of my basement) i loved this and i highly recommend!! ✨💗🫶
💋🎀🍒🩰🍓💌🌷
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
➳ edit 12 • 28 • 23 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
omg this is going to be a tv series and the sequel has a title *incoming scream* AHHHSKFSLLFSKS ok it’s out of my system now
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
➳ edit a little later on 8 • 29 • 23 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
my copy came and I’m already in love, all I’ve read is the dedication and—😭😭 but I guess I’ll be reasonable and finish the book I’m currently reading…send help
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
➳ edit 8 • 29 • 23 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
release day let’s gooo!!! eagerly awaiting the arrival of my copy and you better believe i’m going to start this right away
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
➳ pre review ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
omg when i tell you I’ve been waiting FOREVER for this ✋😭 already preordered and actually going to die waiting for it’s release im so so excited for hannah, i love her villain’s assistant series so much and she deserves all the success 🤍✨🫶
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
╰┈➤ “he was ruined. but he loved her anyway”
I’M NOT OK 😭 that ending was cruel hannah, i thought we were friends. because I definitely know her. totally. (
BUT THIS WAS SO GOOD!! as someone who had high expectations because i loved her tiktok series (yes i’m already a fan. take this review with a grain of salt. warnings: extreme bias) i was not disappointed! chapter 46–heck page 273 alone—was enough to make this a 5 star book honestly 🫢
i just had so much fun like this book had me giggling and kicking my feet and laughing and I just had such a good time!!! the second half was wildly better than the first half too like the first half was good but i loved the end. also there were some really good quotes in this!! for example…
╰┈➤ ”she wasn’t light; she was color. every single one, dancing otherworldly and bright over his unworthy eyes. she was the explosion of the vivid gleams and glows of the world around him, like a constant rainbow, shining not after the rain but during.”
like ahhh I loved them so much and i loved evie so much and trystan— 😭🫶 (he already proposed to me, you can ask him. i just declined because i like him and evie too much. who I haven’t seen a ship name for by the way? im dubbing it “trevie” or wait “evsten”…anyways you’re welcome to come up with something better but as the president of their ship im gonna need you to run it by me) and kingsley!! honestly my favorite character ngl 🐸🪧
the romance was just so cute! i actually really appreciated that there was no spice and loved the ya feel…like this book embodies something that my inner fangirl self loved !! it was just such an enjoyable, lighthearted, hilarious, and fast paced romp and im so glad i read it. it sometimes came off as episodic which like that was the og format so obviously it makes sense and i really liked it because it kept me interested and the chapters were short
point is i have been waiting for this since november 2022 and it didn’t disappoint for sure. it was a bit different from the tiktok series but like that’s to be expected and I think she executed it really well. im so happy for hannah and i wish her book all the success i can’t wait for book two…i need it now 🫶🩷✨😭
ok now hannah? bestie? (
alright the writing was a little bit fanfictiony and it felt like ya which like i said im fine with but keep that in mind. now ✨The Villain©✨… was a bit bland at the beginning and felt like a stereotype. i just felt like he was kinda vanilla until about halfway through and we got a backstory. i also would’ve liked this to be more slow-burny maybe? like they’re already thirsting for each other from page 1 (or more accurately like page 17 but you get it). the last thing…there was not a lot of world building which like i get that it was meant to be an office villain romance with some fantasy so i get it but just some lil things didn’t make sense and i was confused.
but overall these are minor things and just why i gave this 4.5 instead of 5. it didn’t take away from the reading experience like I still really enjoyed it!! 💕
ALRIGHT ANYWAYS (I promise im done now
💋🎀🍒🩰🍓💌🌷
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
➳ edit 12 • 28 • 23 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
omg this is going to be a tv series and the sequel has a title *incoming scream* AHHHSKFSLLFSKS ok it’s out of my system now
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
➳ edit a little later on 8 • 29 • 23 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
my copy came and I’m already in love, all I’ve read is the dedication and—😭😭 but I guess I’ll be reasonable and finish the book I’m currently reading…send help
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
➳ edit 8 • 29 • 23 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
release day let’s gooo!!! eagerly awaiting the arrival of my copy and you better believe i’m going to start this right away
₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚
➳ pre review ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
omg when i tell you I’ve been waiting FOREVER for this ✋😭 already preordered and actually going to die waiting for it’s release im so so excited for hannah, i love her villain’s assistant series so much and she deserves all the success 🤍✨🫶
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
December 9, 2023
UPDATE- IT'S GOING TO BE A TV SERIES Y'ALL. AHHH I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE VILLAIN COME ALIVE ON SCREEN 🤭🤭
~•~•~
A binge-worthy entertaining read 🤩
✔️ Cozy fantasy vibes
✔️ Workplace romance
✔️ Dual pov
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ Grumpy x sunshine
✔️ Magic + mystery
To support her ailing family, Evie Sage is desperately looking for employment and when chaos happens she is offered an assistant job to the town's most infamous man- The Villain. As she is getting used to the job, she develops a crush on him. Turns out it's not all that easy when someone's trying to sabotage your boss.
The world building could have been better. It's quite forgettable. Am not sure where things were or what kind of town it was or the kingdoms involved? It lacked clarity and I hope the next book does it better.
The characters- Evie and the Villain. Evie is so selfless and fun, her sunshine personality is not over the top and is just perfectly balanced. I liked her a lot, except when she started to crack jokes or whatever she thought qualifies as a joke. Her sense of humor wasn't that great. But I loved seeing her drool over the Villain (who wouldn't), it was adorable.
The Villain (whose name I won't reveal cause of spoilers) is definitely the type of guy who hates everyone but her. He is so charismatic. He's definitely a brooding guy and I adored seeing him open up to Evie. Loved how into her he was already, despite her bad jokes. One thing that could have been better about him was if he was even more villainous but I kinda get it- it's just lighthearted stuff and YA.
I enjoyed the cozy mystery vibes. Trying to find out who is trying to sabotage the Villain was fun and totally wasn't the person I was expecting. Loved the plot twist at the end.
The romance was cute tho it didn't really develop into something more, am expecting that to happen in the next book. I loved the pining, from both of them and how the two were always open for communication. This is a clean romance, so no spice. And it works out quite well. The way the two were always so protective of each other was everything!!
The ending was hard to put down. Loved the plot twist at the end. As it ends on a cliffhanger, am really looking forward to the next one.
Overall, a fun lighthearted read. I recommend it if you're in the mood for cozy mystery fantasy and if you want entertainment.
~•~•~
Fantasy rom com? When Once Upon a Time meets The Office? Am so into that... That's what she said LET'S GOO
~•~•~
A binge-worthy entertaining read 🤩
✔️ Cozy fantasy vibes
✔️ Workplace romance
✔️ Dual pov
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ Grumpy x sunshine
✔️ Magic + mystery
To support her ailing family, Evie Sage is desperately looking for employment and when chaos happens she is offered an assistant job to the town's most infamous man- The Villain. As she is getting used to the job, she develops a crush on him. Turns out it's not all that easy when someone's trying to sabotage your boss.
The world building could have been better. It's quite forgettable. Am not sure where things were or what kind of town it was or the kingdoms involved? It lacked clarity and I hope the next book does it better.
The characters- Evie and the Villain. Evie is so selfless and fun, her sunshine personality is not over the top and is just perfectly balanced. I liked her a lot, except when she started to crack jokes or whatever she thought qualifies as a joke. Her sense of humor wasn't that great. But I loved seeing her drool over the Villain (who wouldn't), it was adorable.
The Villain (whose name I won't reveal cause of spoilers) is definitely the type of guy who hates everyone but her. He is so charismatic. He's definitely a brooding guy and I adored seeing him open up to Evie. Loved how into her he was already, despite her bad jokes. One thing that could have been better about him was if he was even more villainous but I kinda get it- it's just lighthearted stuff and YA.
I enjoyed the cozy mystery vibes. Trying to find out who is trying to sabotage the Villain was fun and totally wasn't the person I was expecting. Loved the plot twist at the end.
The romance was cute tho it didn't really develop into something more, am expecting that to happen in the next book. I loved the pining, from both of them and how the two were always open for communication. This is a clean romance, so no spice. And it works out quite well. The way the two were always so protective of each other was everything!!
The ending was hard to put down. Loved the plot twist at the end. As it ends on a cliffhanger, am really looking forward to the next one.
Overall, a fun lighthearted read. I recommend it if you're in the mood for cozy mystery fantasy and if you want entertainment.
~•~•~
Fantasy rom com? When Once Upon a Time meets The Office? Am so into that... That's what she said LET'S GOO
August 13, 2023
DNF at 30%
Before we go any further, I need to remind you that every book I read receives the same degree of harsh scrutiny. I don't know Hannah, nor have I ever been mutuals with her. And honestly, I'm relieved for that last fact because I don't know how the hell I'd manage that conflict of interest. I promised to be 100% honest with all of you—always. No matter what. No matter how nervous it makes me that I'll receive backlash. Because at the end of the day: THIS ISN'T A PERSONAL ATTACK. It's a review of a particular piece of literature.
I'm sorry I don't have anything nice to say about this book. If it makes you feel any better, I'm mutuals with Ali Hazelwood and I said her latest novel was "seriously mediocre."
Here's why I bailed on Assistant to the Villain:
1. This book gave me the same cringe, uncomfy feeling as watching anything ChristianTok, much like the first half of this (decidedly hilarious) TikTok made by my friend Shaye.
2. It reads like Middle Grade, so much so that I almost gaslit myself into thinking that maybe it was YA. Nope. It's adult. Or at least, it's supposed to be.
3. Painfully unfunny. I never saw the original TikToks that inspired this book, and I believe the marketing when it says the series was "hilarious." Why then, did not an ounce of humour translate? Moreover, why instead of finding it even a little bit funny, did I make this face after every joke line was delivered: 🥴😵💫
4. Characters as flat as French crêpes. Do you really need me to explain this one? Fine. How's this: If the main character were an instrument, she'd be a cowbell.
5. Either the narrator's performance did the book zero favours, or vice versa. Either way, the narration was grating.
I hope I am in the tiny minority of people who don't like this book 😬 And for the love of god, do not send this to the author. In fact, do not send ANY negative reviews to ANY authors. That just makes you a c-nt. It's not a good look.
Many thanks to Tantor for providing me with the ALC and for Penguin UK for sending me an ARC
Before we go any further, I need to remind you that every book I read receives the same degree of harsh scrutiny. I don't know Hannah, nor have I ever been mutuals with her. And honestly, I'm relieved for that last fact because I don't know how the hell I'd manage that conflict of interest. I promised to be 100% honest with all of you—always. No matter what. No matter how nervous it makes me that I'll receive backlash. Because at the end of the day: THIS ISN'T A PERSONAL ATTACK. It's a review of a particular piece of literature.
I'm sorry I don't have anything nice to say about this book. If it makes you feel any better, I'm mutuals with Ali Hazelwood and I said her latest novel was "seriously mediocre."
Here's why I bailed on Assistant to the Villain:
1. This book gave me the same cringe, uncomfy feeling as watching anything ChristianTok, much like the first half of this (decidedly hilarious) TikTok made by my friend Shaye.
2. It reads like Middle Grade, so much so that I almost gaslit myself into thinking that maybe it was YA. Nope. It's adult. Or at least, it's supposed to be.
3. Painfully unfunny. I never saw the original TikToks that inspired this book, and I believe the marketing when it says the series was "hilarious." Why then, did not an ounce of humour translate? Moreover, why instead of finding it even a little bit funny, did I make this face after every joke line was delivered: 🥴😵💫
4. Characters as flat as French crêpes. Do you really need me to explain this one? Fine. How's this: If the main character were an instrument, she'd be a cowbell.
5. Either the narrator's performance did the book zero favours, or vice versa. Either way, the narration was grating.
I hope I am in the tiny minority of people who don't like this book 😬 And for the love of god, do not send this to the author. In fact, do not send ANY negative reviews to ANY authors. That just makes you a c-nt. It's not a good look.
Many thanks to Tantor for providing me with the ALC and for Penguin UK for sending me an ARC
January 15, 2025
I loved the humor and writing style of this book. Such a silly goofy kick your feet and giggle humor style🤭. I've never read a book like that before.
And I loved the characters! It was so fun seeing the villain's heart soften over time and seeing Evie embrace her own villainous side. And I never would've guessed the identity of the person sabotaging the villain!!
My only complaint is that the middle end moved a bit slow for me.
And I loved the characters! It was so fun seeing the villain's heart soften over time and seeing Evie embrace her own villainous side. And I never would've guessed the identity of the person sabotaging the villain!!
My only complaint is that the middle end moved a bit slow for me.
August 24, 2023
Like a Christian youth pastor this book is uncomfortably unfunny.
August 31, 2023
Tik tok has gotta stop convincing people they need to write a book bc then we end up with a mess like this 🤦♀️
September 13, 2023
It’s weird and I dig it
September 20, 2023
me: complains daily about booktok
also me: experiences FOMO over a 'booktok sensation' 🤡
also me: experiences FOMO over a 'booktok sensation' 🤡
did-not-finish
September 14, 2023DNFed after prologue💀
September 4, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ this was such a fun lil’ fantasy read! although i do wish there was more romance, i still genuinely enjoyed the storyline + characters 🫶🏻 v excited for book 2 & to continue evie & the villain’s story!!
May 23, 2025
Good god I don't even know where to start. I would first like to say that as an avid lover of any book with "villain" in the title I have good authority to speak on this and say that Trystan (idk if thats even how you spell his name) was the worst "villain" I've ever read about. When I heard that this book was marketed as a mix between the office and Ella enchanted, I was expecting this villain to be giving Megamind or Gru, but instead for most of the book all I got was just some guy who had a vendetta against the king... like okay and??? The fact that she didn't give us his backstory and the reason he was the notorious villain before page 323, aka 10 pages before the end of the book, was a huge mistake. I fully believe that I would've been more invested in the downfall of the King had I known the reason Trystan was so against him. I also would've liked to see more actual "evil" actions because there was only the mention of torture, some heads hanging from the ceiling, and a scene where he broke a dudes arm, but my guy breaking the arm gave more "feyre fell down a hole and broke her arm :/" and not rhysand in the court of nightmares breaking a dudes arm for disrespecting feyre. essentially, and I hate that I'm saying this, I needed more Rhysand energy in here, and I know what y'all read so I know y'all know what energy I'm talking about. Going back to the "he's just some guy" statement, I wanted him grumpier, there was essentially no grump except when he was hosting a one man pity party for himself because he had feelings :( and like yea dude, you're literally just some guy. where's your persona? literally, because I don't understand where the civilians would've heard about him and called him a villain. give me civilian lore from the eyes of a teenage girl about why he's the villain and maybe then I'll agree that he's a morally grey villain.
Now that I wrote an essay on the villain alone, I will continue on to Evie. I hated her as a character, I'm going to say it. She was just there and she wasn't smart, she wasn't dumb, she just existed. All I knew about her was that her dad was ill, she left school to take care of her family, and she was a personality hire. She was portrayed as this somewhat innocent person who had first believed that The Villain was a bad guy, that she had morals of what was right and what was wrong, but Trystan promising her to not torture anyone and one look at his thighs and she was hanging heads in the entry way for him??? not only was I confused, but where's the angst of fighting with the morality of having to work for the villain to help your family? and I know that y'all are gonna say "but meredith this was a cozy fantasy :/" yea I know, I'm not saying this angst had to go on for a long time but Evie and the Villain joking together after this fight of morality and her finding that understanding of why Trystan was the Villain after all would've hit so much harder. also Evie, girl, why are you wearing stilettos?? you walk in a forest everyday to go to work and everyone keeps saying how clumsy you are??? wear a chunky heel for gods sakes.
now that I think I'm done ripping apart the main characters, let me get into ripping apart the story. I also hated that. for this part I will use bullet points.
- Why did it jump from the prologue into being five months later? I feel like we missed a few crucial moments of Evie building relationships amongst the other people in the office. Like why do you not like Rebecka? I get why she doesn't like you, she wants your job, but what did she do to you??
- What was up with the magic system? it was never explained, I'm literally still confused. there are three things that I have gathered about the system:
1. It may be genetic???
2. There are gods that threw down power???
3. It just randomly awakens one day and only sometimes a magic person can sense it before???
there were no clear answers to any of these and I still don't know how Trystan's magic worked which I think would've been a helpful explanation.
- The romance was not it for me. There was just like nothing there. When I have a romance I like seeing WHY the two people like each other for other reasons than just being pretty, or having a great laugh/the ability to make you laugh. this is where the building of the relationship wouldve been great to see from those five missing months.
- this isn't that serious but the line "I'm. His. Fucking. Assistant." really just made me mad because you're telling me that you have a last line before you cut some man's throat, the throat of a man who literally assaulted you and tried to BUY you, and the last thing you say to him is that youre an assistant? was that supposed to make me cheer? I just.. maybe it's because I have Aelin in my head telling Maeve that she was a god before she "unleashed herself" but girlie, Evie, you could do better.
- The last thing that really ground my gears was the author on TikTok alluding to there being any semblance of smut in this book in multiple videos and there was genuinely zero. Like listen, I get that you're trying to attract the TikTok girlie pops, and that the majority read smut or fantasy that has smut in it, but if you know that you're book doesn't have any smut in it, don't try a market to them, it's okay, there are other people who will enjoy this book! It's just not for them! But it weird when you try and gain this audience through deception... it's not like you can allude to this and magically edit the book after its been mass printed.
I would like to end this scathing review off with that I genuinely believe that this book had so much potential in it and the idea for it was fantastic. It needed help with the characters mostly and their relationship. I also believe that had this book been YA I personally would have found it so good. I just think this book was trying to hard to be a TikTok star when not every book written know has to be catered to Booktok.
Now that I wrote an essay on the villain alone, I will continue on to Evie. I hated her as a character, I'm going to say it. She was just there and she wasn't smart, she wasn't dumb, she just existed. All I knew about her was that her dad was ill, she left school to take care of her family, and she was a personality hire. She was portrayed as this somewhat innocent person who had first believed that The Villain was a bad guy, that she had morals of what was right and what was wrong, but Trystan promising her to not torture anyone and one look at his thighs and she was hanging heads in the entry way for him??? not only was I confused, but where's the angst of fighting with the morality of having to work for the villain to help your family? and I know that y'all are gonna say "but meredith this was a cozy fantasy :/" yea I know, I'm not saying this angst had to go on for a long time but Evie and the Villain joking together after this fight of morality and her finding that understanding of why Trystan was the Villain after all would've hit so much harder. also Evie, girl, why are you wearing stilettos?? you walk in a forest everyday to go to work and everyone keeps saying how clumsy you are??? wear a chunky heel for gods sakes.
now that I think I'm done ripping apart the main characters, let me get into ripping apart the story. I also hated that. for this part I will use bullet points.
- Why did it jump from the prologue into being five months later? I feel like we missed a few crucial moments of Evie building relationships amongst the other people in the office. Like why do you not like Rebecka? I get why she doesn't like you, she wants your job, but what did she do to you??
- What was up with the magic system? it was never explained, I'm literally still confused. there are three things that I have gathered about the system:
1. It may be genetic???
2. There are gods that threw down power???
3. It just randomly awakens one day and only sometimes a magic person can sense it before???
there were no clear answers to any of these and I still don't know how Trystan's magic worked which I think would've been a helpful explanation.
- The romance was not it for me. There was just like nothing there. When I have a romance I like seeing WHY the two people like each other for other reasons than just being pretty, or having a great laugh/the ability to make you laugh. this is where the building of the relationship wouldve been great to see from those five missing months.
- this isn't that serious but the line "I'm. His. Fucking. Assistant." really just made me mad because you're telling me that you have a last line before you cut some man's throat, the throat of a man who literally assaulted you and tried to BUY you, and the last thing you say to him is that youre an assistant? was that supposed to make me cheer? I just.. maybe it's because I have Aelin in my head telling Maeve that she was a god before she "unleashed herself" but girlie, Evie, you could do better.
- The last thing that really ground my gears was the author on TikTok alluding to there being any semblance of smut in this book in multiple videos and there was genuinely zero. Like listen, I get that you're trying to attract the TikTok girlie pops, and that the majority read smut or fantasy that has smut in it, but if you know that you're book doesn't have any smut in it, don't try a market to them, it's okay, there are other people who will enjoy this book! It's just not for them! But it weird when you try and gain this audience through deception... it's not like you can allude to this and magically edit the book after its been mass printed.
I would like to end this scathing review off with that I genuinely believe that this book had so much potential in it and the idea for it was fantastic. It needed help with the characters mostly and their relationship. I also believe that had this book been YA I personally would have found it so good. I just think this book was trying to hard to be a TikTok star when not every book written know has to be catered to Booktok.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2023
Read this if you want an honest review by someone who didn’t even know this author was on TikTok or whatever even though I checked and I guess I follow her? I had no idea….anyway, here it is:
I was having fun, and then I was just annoyed.
I even rec’d this book to friends before the halfway mark which I don’t normally do but it was such an interesting beginning and it was kind of refreshing in its oddball weirdness.
But that schtick is really old by the 70 percent mark and that’s where I’m stopping.
This reads like Howl’s Moving Castle fanfiction in the style of a Korean romantic comedy series if that series was 300 episodes long with 265 of those being filler episodes about making coffee.
The dramatic slipping on a piece of paper and landing in the MMC’s arms? The looooooooong moon eyed stares and the barely touching hands before jerking away in embarrassment? Yeah it’s all in there.
I thought this book was for adults and I was fine with the slow burn until I realized I’d gotten pretty close to the end and they hadn’t grown any closer than two awkward kids at their first middle school dance.
The plot (if it exists) is not strong enough to support this book without a little bolstering from a decent romance and, though this had ton of potential, the romance in this book is starting to wilt before it has bloomed. I don’t need spice, but I do need grown adults to stop acting like hormonal teenagers. It’s giving second hand embarrassment at this point.
And let’s get into the weird dialogue and the erratic pacing. Some of the jokes were so weird and awkward I didn’t even realize they were jokes until one of the characters laughed uproariously…it was like this book had a laugh track.
And then something mundane would be said and a character would weirdly overreact in offense or confusion or awe…whatever it was it would be too over the top for whatever was said.
It was cringy and confusing and kept taking me out of the story. There were even times when only half a sentence would be said and the rest of the characters in the scene would all dramatically look at each other and “nod knowingly” or something and I would not know what the fuck was happening. It felt like being on the outside of a thousand inside jokes.
And THEN…why is this Villain basically running an office? I don’t get it. And I’ve seen reviews saying you need to watch the TikTok series and that’s just annoying. What’s the point of a book if you have to watch a video to truly understand it? That is asinine.
And with such a huge staff on board how the hell doesn’t everyone in the whole realm know where this guy runs his operation? Everyone just clocks out and leaves at night? They have weekends off? What the hell? The more that was written about this situation the worse it got. What kind of villain is this?
Ugh. I could literally go on and on as this long review is just the tip of the iceberg. I am at 70 percent and I can already see some “amazing plot twist” is about to happen and I care so little that I am shutting the book forever. 🤷🏼♀️
And I have learned my lesson and will not be telling my friends to read a book before I myself have finished it from now on.
I was having fun, and then I was just annoyed.
I even rec’d this book to friends before the halfway mark which I don’t normally do but it was such an interesting beginning and it was kind of refreshing in its oddball weirdness.
But that schtick is really old by the 70 percent mark and that’s where I’m stopping.
This reads like Howl’s Moving Castle fanfiction in the style of a Korean romantic comedy series if that series was 300 episodes long with 265 of those being filler episodes about making coffee.
The dramatic slipping on a piece of paper and landing in the MMC’s arms? The looooooooong moon eyed stares and the barely touching hands before jerking away in embarrassment? Yeah it’s all in there.
I thought this book was for adults and I was fine with the slow burn until I realized I’d gotten pretty close to the end and they hadn’t grown any closer than two awkward kids at their first middle school dance.
The plot (if it exists) is not strong enough to support this book without a little bolstering from a decent romance and, though this had ton of potential, the romance in this book is starting to wilt before it has bloomed. I don’t need spice, but I do need grown adults to stop acting like hormonal teenagers. It’s giving second hand embarrassment at this point.
And let’s get into the weird dialogue and the erratic pacing. Some of the jokes were so weird and awkward I didn’t even realize they were jokes until one of the characters laughed uproariously…it was like this book had a laugh track.
And then something mundane would be said and a character would weirdly overreact in offense or confusion or awe…whatever it was it would be too over the top for whatever was said.
It was cringy and confusing and kept taking me out of the story. There were even times when only half a sentence would be said and the rest of the characters in the scene would all dramatically look at each other and “nod knowingly” or something and I would not know what the fuck was happening. It felt like being on the outside of a thousand inside jokes.
And THEN…why is this Villain basically running an office? I don’t get it. And I’ve seen reviews saying you need to watch the TikTok series and that’s just annoying. What’s the point of a book if you have to watch a video to truly understand it? That is asinine.
And with such a huge staff on board how the hell doesn’t everyone in the whole realm know where this guy runs his operation? Everyone just clocks out and leaves at night? They have weekends off? What the hell? The more that was written about this situation the worse it got. What kind of villain is this?
Ugh. I could literally go on and on as this long review is just the tip of the iceberg. I am at 70 percent and I can already see some “amazing plot twist” is about to happen and I care so little that I am shutting the book forever. 🤷🏼♀️
And I have learned my lesson and will not be telling my friends to read a book before I myself have finished it from now on.
September 20, 2025
Dear god, this seems so controversial!
I had no idea this was such a love-it-or-hate-it book when I downloaded it. I had just kind of seen the cover about the place and it was one of the few audiobooks I could snag without a wait.
So.
It was cute in that Hallmark movie/Lifetime romance kind of way.
You know what I mean?
Like, the dialogue isn't all that good but the couple is cute and you want to see if the lady who bakes Christmas cookies for a living will be able to free the spirit of the hot ghost who's trapped in the inn she's staying in for the duration of her time in her hometown as she visits her overbearing but well-meaning mother?
I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE SITTING ON MY COUCH WITH A GLASS OF WINE AND A BAG OF FUNYUNS WATCHING THIS SHIT.
Also, when I saw villain in the title, I just assumed it was like a superhero villain.
Not so!
What we have here is more of a fairytale villain. Except he's less like that Skeltor-looking guy from The Black Cauldron and more like Hiddelson's Loki.
So even though he's evil, he's the hot version of evil, and I think we can all pull out our bag of Funyuns, pop the cork on that $8 bottle of Members Mark wine, and settle into our seats for that one.
The short version?
Our heroine needs a job to support her sick father and little sister, and due to plot, she runs into the terrifying villain known as THE VILLAIN whilst rambling in the woods.
Naturally, he offers her a job. <--why else are we here, people?
Her special brand of optimism, humor, and inability to fear him turns his crusty heart to mush, and away we go on our journey into an adorable little romance.
And honestly, the plot is cute, too. There's a whole evil castle filled with interesting minions, while the good guys in this are pretty sketchy and suspect.
But make no mistake, this is pretty B-movie when it comes to the writing.
I just happen to like cheesy romance movies.
As for the audiobook, the narration is terrible. It. is. bad.
I will say that the narrator does the voices well, especially the male voices (not all female narrators can do that) but all the descriptive dialogue is stilted as hell. This is the second narrator that I've noticed doing this exact. same. thing. and I'm now wondering if this is something they're being told to do? It sounds like an especially bad version of AI is reading all the non-speaking parts. I DNF'd the (the other book) because it was so off-putting, so it says something about the cuteness of the story that I hung in there for this.
I stole this audio link from Robin (Bridge Four)'s Review because I think you should take a listen before you decide whether or not you can handle it.
Recommended for those of us who inhale corny romance.
I had no idea this was such a love-it-or-hate-it book when I downloaded it. I had just kind of seen the cover about the place and it was one of the few audiobooks I could snag without a wait.
So.
It was cute in that Hallmark movie/Lifetime romance kind of way.
You know what I mean?
Like, the dialogue isn't all that good but the couple is cute and you want to see if the lady who bakes Christmas cookies for a living will be able to free the spirit of the hot ghost who's trapped in the inn she's staying in for the duration of her time in her hometown as she visits her overbearing but well-meaning mother?
I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE SITTING ON MY COUCH WITH A GLASS OF WINE AND A BAG OF FUNYUNS WATCHING THIS SHIT.
Also, when I saw villain in the title, I just assumed it was like a superhero villain.
Not so!
What we have here is more of a fairytale villain. Except he's less like that Skeltor-looking guy from The Black Cauldron and more like Hiddelson's Loki.
So even though he's evil, he's the hot version of evil, and I think we can all pull out our bag of Funyuns, pop the cork on that $8 bottle of Members Mark wine, and settle into our seats for that one.
The short version?
Our heroine needs a job to support her sick father and little sister, and due to plot, she runs into the terrifying villain known as THE VILLAIN whilst rambling in the woods.
Naturally, he offers her a job. <--why else are we here, people?
Her special brand of optimism, humor, and inability to fear him turns his crusty heart to mush, and away we go on our journey into an adorable little romance.
And honestly, the plot is cute, too. There's a whole evil castle filled with interesting minions, while the good guys in this are pretty sketchy and suspect.
But make no mistake, this is pretty B-movie when it comes to the writing.
I just happen to like cheesy romance movies.
As for the audiobook, the narration is terrible. It. is. bad.
I will say that the narrator does the voices well, especially the male voices (not all female narrators can do that) but all the descriptive dialogue is stilted as hell. This is the second narrator that I've noticed doing this exact. same. thing. and I'm now wondering if this is something they're being told to do? It sounds like an especially bad version of AI is reading all the non-speaking parts. I DNF'd the (the other book) because it was so off-putting, so it says something about the cuteness of the story that I hung in there for this.
I stole this audio link from Robin (Bridge Four)'s Review because I think you should take a listen before you decide whether or not you can handle it.
Recommended for those of us who inhale corny romance.
February 19, 2024
The overall star rating for this book is an argument against democracy. 3.91??? Are you guys huffing glue???
October 22, 2023
ohhhhh this was BAD
Fire the editor. Stop publishing books based on influence and not talent. Someone get this women a grammar tutor.
What a waste of three days.
Fire the editor. Stop publishing books based on influence and not talent. Someone get this women a grammar tutor.
What a waste of three days.
November 16, 2024
dnf @ 60%
If you liked this book, I'm happy for you, but I was honestly bored to death and didn’t laugh once. I know I’m in the minority here, and I really wanted to love it, but I just couldn’t get into it. I honestly don’t know how I made it as far as I did—every page felt like a chore.
The plot was so boring, it barely held my attention, and I couldn’t care less about where it was going. It wasn’t even remotely funny to me and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Maybe it’s a personal thing, but the humour just fell flat. The jokes didn’t land, and it all felt forced.
The writing was probably the biggest turn off for me, though—it felt like something I would’ve read back in middle school, really basic, unrefined, and lacking any depth or sophistication. I should’ve trusted my gut and dnfed after the prologue, honestly. That part was a struggle, and I should’ve known it wasn’t going to get better.
I know I’m in the minority, but this book just wasn’t for me.
______________
I’ve been really curious to read this because it’s been all over my TikTok feed for ages, and it seems like a lot of fun!
If you liked this book, I'm happy for you, but I was honestly bored to death and didn’t laugh once. I know I’m in the minority here, and I really wanted to love it, but I just couldn’t get into it. I honestly don’t know how I made it as far as I did—every page felt like a chore.
The plot was so boring, it barely held my attention, and I couldn’t care less about where it was going. It wasn’t even remotely funny to me and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Maybe it’s a personal thing, but the humour just fell flat. The jokes didn’t land, and it all felt forced.
The writing was probably the biggest turn off for me, though—it felt like something I would’ve read back in middle school, really basic, unrefined, and lacking any depth or sophistication. I should’ve trusted my gut and dnfed after the prologue, honestly. That part was a struggle, and I should’ve known it wasn’t going to get better.
I know I’m in the minority, but this book just wasn’t for me.
______________
September 1, 2023
2.5 ⭐ A low-stakes, cozy fantasy with a sprinkle of romance and a dollop of mystery but sadly it wasn’t my cup of tea
She was everything he never deserved but longed for anyways.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ cozy fantasy
✨ office romance
✨ grumpy boss x sunshine assistant
✨ instant chemistry
✨ loads of tension
✨ 'I hate everyone but her'
✨ idiots to not quite lovers (yet)
✨ NO SPICE
✨ magic and mayhem
✨ mystery plot
✨ low stakes
✨ shocking plot twist
✨ cliffhanger ending
✨ dual POV
✨ TW: past attempted SA, death of family member, blood, gore, torture
My Thoughts:
I've watched a lot of Hannah's Assistant to the Villain TikTok videos since the beginning, and was really excited about this book. Overall, it was pretty good for a debut novel. While it had its moments, I thought it was quite forgettable. So let's dive into the things I liked and didn't like:
What I liked:
The romance premise was cute. I'm a huge fan of the grumpy x sunshine trope and thought it was a fun, fresh idea to portray this in a fantasy world with a boss x assistant dynamic.
The Villain was the most interesting character. And I like that we slowly learn about his background and motive throughout the story. I'm glad some of the chapters were from his POV but honestly wish there had been more. Also, he calls Evie 'little tornado' and that was super cute.
What really surprised me in the best way possible was the mystery plot that ended with an insane twist and cliffhanger ending! I truly did not see any of that coming, and honestly, it was the most interesting thing about the book. The ending alone might have made me pick up the next book, if it weren't for some of my points below.
What I didn't liked:
It was alluded to that this story would be adult. However, it reads more YA. I guess if you think gore and cursing automatically puts a book in the adult genre, then yeah, this is adult. But since it's marketed as a romantasy, I was expecting spice, when in fact, there is none. It was just incredibly frustrating and boring reading about adult characters who like each other from the beginning of the story but refuse to admit they like each other. There were so many moments when the tension was high and I thought something would happen but then . . . nothing. I mean, there is a kiss, but even that wasn't done with a romantic purpose. It sometimes felt forced not having anything physical happen between Evie and the Villain.
So is this a romantasy? No, it's really a fantasy with elements of romance. I think there should have been a quicker progression of the romance and a little bit of spice (like at least a hardcore make-out session or some heavy petting after putting us through 340 pages of them fighting their attraction), and since that didn't happen, there should have been more suspense and drama with the mystery plot.
Okay, let's talk about the world building. What we were given was adequate, but it was kind of generic and there wasn't a lot of depth. Honestly, the entire world is forgettable. I honestly can't tell you which kingdom or the town this takes place in or the name of the Villain's home (which is mentioned a bunch). I was reading for the romance but the romance was boring, and the world building wasn't interesting enough, so unfortunately it all just sort of fell flat.
This book was also supposed to be 'laugh out loud' funny, when in reality, I didn't laugh once. I might have awkwardly cringe out of embarrassment for some of the characters but sadly, the humor wasn't my cup of tea. If anything, I found the Villain to be a bit funny - with his unpleasant, gruff replies and standoffish demeanor - whenever he interacted with Evie. But again, it was never lol kind of funny.
I get that Evie is meant to be this sunshine assistant, but did she have to come across so ditsy and annoying? She was just very child-like in her interactions with people, and was sort of in her own little bubble. And then whenever she thought, "He should scare me but doesn't. . . huh I wonder what that means" (and she thinks this A LOT), I couldn't help but roll my eyes. First off, this makes her seem like an idiot. And second, at this point the author is just holding the readers hand here, which is super irritating.
This book sometimes felt disjointed with the office shenanigans or Evie and the Villains random interactions. I don't know if I can quite explain this, but there were just a few instances I thought, "Hmmm this seems unnecessary but maybe this was done to create a small, comical or awkward situation the MCs will have the deal navigate through." Like when we find out the Villain sleeps with a nightlight because he's afraid of the dark? First off, ew, that's unattractive. And second, this is just another situation where the story felt more like YA versus adult.
Look, regardless of the things I didn't like, the book was fine. I read it in one sitting and survived. There wasn't a lot of substance and it was definitely too long, but I didn't want to throw the book across the room or set it on fire. So it is at least entertaining enough and readable. But do I want to read it again? No. Do I want to continue the series? Unfortunately, no. But I do want to read a summary of what happens next. Would I recommend this to you? Maybe, if you want to read a low-stakes fantasy where nothing important happens for 80% of the book. It's not bad, but there's definitely better books out there I would prefer to spend time on.
Thank you Red Tower Books for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
My Favorite Quotes:
"I would never make the mistake of underestimating a woman like you. It would be a fatal one."
_______
It was ironic that the man who dealt with so much death seemed to have brought her back to life...
_______
"No, no, sir, we meant you no harm. Please, please let us go."
"You meant her harm. . . And that is enough for me."
And then he shoved the blade into the man's chest, piercing is heart and killing him instantly.
_______
She wasn't light; she was color. Every single one, dancing otherworldly and bright over his unworthy eyes. She was the explosion of the vivid gleams and glows of the world around him, like a constant rainbow, shining not after the rain but during.
_______
"We're all monsters in the end. At least mine lives in the light."
_______
She was everything he never deserved but longed for anyways.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ cozy fantasy
✨ office romance
✨ grumpy boss x sunshine assistant
✨ instant chemistry
✨ loads of tension
✨ 'I hate everyone but her'
✨ idiots to not quite lovers (yet)
✨ NO SPICE
✨ magic and mayhem
✨ mystery plot
✨ low stakes
✨ shocking plot twist
✨ cliffhanger ending
✨ dual POV
✨ TW: past attempted SA, death of family member, blood, gore, torture
My Thoughts:
I've watched a lot of Hannah's Assistant to the Villain TikTok videos since the beginning, and was really excited about this book. Overall, it was pretty good for a debut novel. While it had its moments, I thought it was quite forgettable. So let's dive into the things I liked and didn't like:
What I liked:
The romance premise was cute. I'm a huge fan of the grumpy x sunshine trope and thought it was a fun, fresh idea to portray this in a fantasy world with a boss x assistant dynamic.
The Villain was the most interesting character. And I like that we slowly learn about his background and motive throughout the story. I'm glad some of the chapters were from his POV but honestly wish there had been more. Also, he calls Evie 'little tornado' and that was super cute.
What really surprised me in the best way possible was the mystery plot that ended with an insane twist and cliffhanger ending! I truly did not see any of that coming, and honestly, it was the most interesting thing about the book. The ending alone might have made me pick up the next book, if it weren't for some of my points below.
What I didn't liked:
It was alluded to that this story would be adult. However, it reads more YA. I guess if you think gore and cursing automatically puts a book in the adult genre, then yeah, this is adult. But since it's marketed as a romantasy, I was expecting spice, when in fact, there is none. It was just incredibly frustrating and boring reading about adult characters who like each other from the beginning of the story but refuse to admit they like each other. There were so many moments when the tension was high and I thought something would happen but then . . . nothing. I mean, there is a kiss, but even that wasn't done with a romantic purpose. It sometimes felt forced not having anything physical happen between Evie and the Villain.
So is this a romantasy? No, it's really a fantasy with elements of romance. I think there should have been a quicker progression of the romance and a little bit of spice (like at least a hardcore make-out session or some heavy petting after putting us through 340 pages of them fighting their attraction), and since that didn't happen, there should have been more suspense and drama with the mystery plot.
Okay, let's talk about the world building. What we were given was adequate, but it was kind of generic and there wasn't a lot of depth. Honestly, the entire world is forgettable. I honestly can't tell you which kingdom or the town this takes place in or the name of the Villain's home (which is mentioned a bunch). I was reading for the romance but the romance was boring, and the world building wasn't interesting enough, so unfortunately it all just sort of fell flat.
This book was also supposed to be 'laugh out loud' funny, when in reality, I didn't laugh once. I might have awkwardly cringe out of embarrassment for some of the characters but sadly, the humor wasn't my cup of tea. If anything, I found the Villain to be a bit funny - with his unpleasant, gruff replies and standoffish demeanor - whenever he interacted with Evie. But again, it was never lol kind of funny.
I get that Evie is meant to be this sunshine assistant, but did she have to come across so ditsy and annoying? She was just very child-like in her interactions with people, and was sort of in her own little bubble. And then whenever she thought, "He should scare me but doesn't. . . huh I wonder what that means" (and she thinks this A LOT), I couldn't help but roll my eyes. First off, this makes her seem like an idiot. And second, at this point the author is just holding the readers hand here, which is super irritating.
This book sometimes felt disjointed with the office shenanigans or Evie and the Villains random interactions. I don't know if I can quite explain this, but there were just a few instances I thought, "Hmmm this seems unnecessary but maybe this was done to create a small, comical or awkward situation the MCs will have the deal navigate through." Like when we find out the Villain sleeps with a nightlight because he's afraid of the dark? First off, ew, that's unattractive. And second, this is just another situation where the story felt more like YA versus adult.
Look, regardless of the things I didn't like, the book was fine. I read it in one sitting and survived. There wasn't a lot of substance and it was definitely too long, but I didn't want to throw the book across the room or set it on fire. So it is at least entertaining enough and readable. But do I want to read it again? No. Do I want to continue the series? Unfortunately, no. But I do want to read a summary of what happens next. Would I recommend this to you? Maybe, if you want to read a low-stakes fantasy where nothing important happens for 80% of the book. It's not bad, but there's definitely better books out there I would prefer to spend time on.
Thank you Red Tower Books for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
My Favorite Quotes:
"I would never make the mistake of underestimating a woman like you. It would be a fatal one."
_______
It was ironic that the man who dealt with so much death seemed to have brought her back to life...
_______
"No, no, sir, we meant you no harm. Please, please let us go."
"You meant her harm. . . And that is enough for me."
And then he shoved the blade into the man's chest, piercing is heart and killing him instantly.
_______
She wasn't light; she was color. Every single one, dancing otherworldly and bright over his unworthy eyes. She was the explosion of the vivid gleams and glows of the world around him, like a constant rainbow, shining not after the rain but during.
_______
"We're all monsters in the end. At least mine lives in the light."
_______
January 8, 2025
Całkiem przyjemne i lekkie romantasy. Czy ja dobrze przeczytałam, że nie będzie w Polsce kolejnego tomu??
November 7, 2023
"I certainly hope you are not about to apologize for someone hurting you."
She smiled, sheepish and a little flattered that he cared. "You're not all bad, are you?"
He looked offended. "How dare you?"
EXCUSE ME BUT THAT ENDING WAS SO RUDE.
🐸𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗡 - 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗔𝗛 𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗘 𝗠𝗘𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗥🐸
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🅽🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙾 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚅𝙸𝙻𝙻𝙰𝙸𝙽 #𝟷
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 - 𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙲 - 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚈
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝙳𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝙳 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽𝙶𝙴 𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚃 - 𝙱𝙾𝚂𝚂/𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚈𝙴𝙴 𝙳𝚈𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙲𝚂 - 𝙶𝚁𝚄𝙼𝙿𝚈/𝚂𝚄𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙴 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙶𝙾𝙻𝙳𝙴𝚁 𝚁𝙴𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚅𝙴𝚁/𝙱𝙻𝙰𝙲𝙺 𝙲𝙰𝚃 𝙴𝙽𝙴𝚁𝙶𝚈- 𝙳𝙴𝙽𝚈 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙰𝚃𝚃𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 - 𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈 𝙶𝚁𝙰𝚈 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚃𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙴 𝙼𝙰𝙸𝙽 𝙼𝙼𝙲 - 𝙷𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚂 𝙰𝙽𝚈𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙷𝙴𝚁 - 𝙼𝚄𝚃𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥/𝟱
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼/𝟱
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜½/𝟱
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀½/𝟱 (𝙿𝙷𝚈𝚂𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙿𝚂𝚈𝙲𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙾𝙶𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙰𝙱𝚄𝚂𝙴 - 𝙻𝙾𝚂𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝙳 𝙾𝙽𝙴𝚂/𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈 𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁𝚂 - 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙷 - 𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧/𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬: -/𝟱 (𝙾𝙽𝙻𝚈 𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚂𝙼𝙰𝙻𝙻 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂 𝙳𝙰𝙼𝙼𝙸𝚃)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: -/𝟱
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: -/𝟱
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐🤐/5 (𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙶𝚄𝙰𝙶𝙴 - 𝚂𝙴𝙼𝙸 𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌻/𝟱
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌹🌹/𝟱 (𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙻𝙾𝚈𝙰𝙻𝚃𝚈 𝚆𝙴𝚁𝙴 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙵'𝚂 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂)
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: 💔/𝟱
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ❌
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙵/𝙼
★𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦-𝗧𝗢-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: -/𝟱
★𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚:
★𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 🎶𝙳𝙰𝚈𝙳𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝚁𝚈 𝚂𝚃𝚈𝙻𝙴𝚂🎶
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰
***I always try to be as objective as I can with my ratings for DARK THEMES & TRIGGER WARNINGS, SMUT TECHNICAL CONTENT/INTENSITY, SMUT QUANTITY, ROMANCE QUANTITY, ANGST LEVEL, ENEMIES-TO-LOVERSNESS; the ratings for CHARACTERS, WRITING, PLOT, SMUT QUALITY, ROMANCE QUALITY, are instead tied to my own subjective reading experience and final opinion of the book.
From the moment I started this, I knew I'd end up having the best time with it, and I did.
I really really did.
On a technical level, this has little flaws and moments that could have used more work, but if I ahd to rate this based on how it made me feel while I was reading it, I'd give it all the stars and then some.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out this is Hannah Nicole Maehrer's debut because her writing's got a perfect flow and it doesn't have the stiffness debut novels are usually characterized by.
Also, doubling the thumbs up for the narration.
I couldn't help but love the dual pov. Mommy is always a sucker for mmc's inner thoughts.
And the humor is so good, too!
Assistant to the Villain is a book you can devour in a single sitting and have all the fun while doing it.
It reminded me a little of The Paper Magician, especially the relationship between Evie and The Villain.
I've got to admit, though, I loved the latter more. Their chemistry and reciprocal respect gave me all the feels, which is huge, considering they barely kiss once.
Evie is an adorable little clumsy cinnamon roll, but the kind that would kill you, and I love her for it. I saw a lot of myself in her, especially her work ethic and efficiency.
Trystan, our Villain, is an exquisite example of broody mmc, and it's always a pleasure reading about him lighting up because of Evie.
The list of secondary characters is abundant and varied, and each of them left an impression.
And did I mention there's a pet dragon named Fluffy, and Kingsleythe toad who speaks via communication signs??
The workplace interactions between Evie, Trystan and co, were definitely my favorite part.
Plotwise speaking, there's some sort of mystery element you get to unravel along with the main characters, but it didn't always keep me entertained.
Some moments were unfortunately a little boring, not to mention confusing. I also had a bit of trouble fully understanding the Villain's motives for vengeance and his feud with the King.
They both seemed to lack vigor, if you get what I mean.
I also wished the author spent a few more paragraphs explaining the world's magic system. The fact that, in this universe, people possess magic, sort of popped out of nowhere and I wasn't expecting it.
Not that it wasn't appreciated, but it hadn't been mentioned till that moment and nothing let me believe they did before that, so I had to pause for a minute and think back to what I'd already read while keeping this notion in mind.
Despite these little bumps on the road, I can without a doubt claim this as one of my favorite reads of the year.
Can't wait to find out what's going to happen in the sequel.
Bravo, Hannah Nicole Maehrer! I'll definitely keep an eye out for her works, now and in the future.
September 20, 2023
this book was made by booktok for booktok and it shows
September 29, 2024
Way too cliche and a bit cringe at times but not horrible
July 3, 2024
‘She was the personal assistant to The Villain, after all. She chuckled at the job title, imagining the ridiculous way the employment posting would appear in a news pamphlet.
Must be well organized. Must enjoy working late nights and relish writing long documents. Must be comfortable and even supportive of arson, torture, murder. And must not scream when there is an occasional dead body lying across your desk.’
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer is a delightful twist on the fantasy genre, blending humor, adventure, and a dash of romance into a refreshingly unique story. The novel centers on Evie Sage, an ordinary assistant with a not so ordinary boss, an infamous and misunderstood villain known as "The Villain."
Maehrer masterfully creates a world where the lines between good and evil blur, and where the characters are richly developed and multifaceted. Evie, the protagonist, is endearing and relatable. Her sharp wit and determined spirit make her an engaging guide through the story's twists and turns. The Villain, on the other hand, is a complex character, whose menacing reputation is offset by moments of vulnerability and unexpected kindness.
The book's strength lies in its clever dialogue and the dynamic between Evie and the Villain. Their interactions are laced with sarcasm, humor, and a surprising level of emotional depth. Maehrer's writing shines in these moments, making the characters' growth and evolving relationship feel genuine and compelling.
The plot is fast paced and filled with a mix of action, intrigue, and heartwarming moments. The humor is a standout feature, with Maehrer balancing light heartedness and tension expertly.
Assistant to the Villain is a charming and witty read that offers a fresh take on the fantasy genre. Hannah Nicole Maehrer's debut novel is a testament to her talent for creating memorable characters and an immersive world.
It’s a perfect pick for those who enjoy a blend of humor, adventure, and a touch of romance in their fantasy reads. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book and I look forward to reading the sequel out later this year.
I Highly Recommend.
Must be well organized. Must enjoy working late nights and relish writing long documents. Must be comfortable and even supportive of arson, torture, murder. And must not scream when there is an occasional dead body lying across your desk.’
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer is a delightful twist on the fantasy genre, blending humor, adventure, and a dash of romance into a refreshingly unique story. The novel centers on Evie Sage, an ordinary assistant with a not so ordinary boss, an infamous and misunderstood villain known as "The Villain."
Maehrer masterfully creates a world where the lines between good and evil blur, and where the characters are richly developed and multifaceted. Evie, the protagonist, is endearing and relatable. Her sharp wit and determined spirit make her an engaging guide through the story's twists and turns. The Villain, on the other hand, is a complex character, whose menacing reputation is offset by moments of vulnerability and unexpected kindness.
The book's strength lies in its clever dialogue and the dynamic between Evie and the Villain. Their interactions are laced with sarcasm, humor, and a surprising level of emotional depth. Maehrer's writing shines in these moments, making the characters' growth and evolving relationship feel genuine and compelling.
The plot is fast paced and filled with a mix of action, intrigue, and heartwarming moments. The humor is a standout feature, with Maehrer balancing light heartedness and tension expertly.
Assistant to the Villain is a charming and witty read that offers a fresh take on the fantasy genre. Hannah Nicole Maehrer's debut novel is a testament to her talent for creating memorable characters and an immersive world.
It’s a perfect pick for those who enjoy a blend of humor, adventure, and a touch of romance in their fantasy reads. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book and I look forward to reading the sequel out later this year.
I Highly Recommend.
October 1, 2025
la putisima madre pensé que este libro era un standalone ahora tengo que aguantar medio año para el otro libro DESPUES DE ESE FINAL... chicas YO SOY LA QUE SE VA A CONVERTIR EN UNA VILLANA THIS IS MY THIRTEEN REASON
Want to read
September 2, 2023Narrator reads this like it’s a freaking middle grade novel.
Will try as regular book sometime.
Will try as regular book sometime.
September 14, 2023
the Y in Trystan stands for Y did I read this book
DNF’d at 40% but I’m counting it towards my goal because of the time I will never get back
DNF’d at 40% but I’m counting it towards my goal because of the time I will never get back
May 30, 2024
3.20 ☆
❝ when it comes to the things one loves most, it is always better to be trapped together than safe and apart. ❞
❀ ~ long live by taylor swift
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
this book was such a cute fantasy romcom! it wasn’t as similar to the tiktok series as I was expecting but I did get the little references and I love how she expanded upon her idea with the tiktoks to make a full-blown book.
₊˚❀.ೃ character breakdown ࿔*:･
~ evangelina sage:
she was adorable! her personality went quite a bit overboard at times and I kind of wanted to put duct tape on her mouth at some of the stuff she said... the secondhand embarrassment was real. but I did love her and all her quirks for the most part! she reminded me a lot of evangeline from ouabh. even the names are extremely similar 🩷 they would either be best friends or hate each other hehe.
~ the villain:
cliché in the best way possible. moody and hot and, most importantly, unhealthily obsessed with evie. hannah knew what she was doing with this man 🤭 his personality was a little flat at times, though, like how he was a perfect gentleman but also had a literal torture chamber that he put into use daily... 🤔
~ the rest:
I loved blade and I actually ended up really liking becky– she was a fun character and ofc her unexpected romance with blade was adorable. But all of those characters simply pale in comparison to kingsley. a sassy little frog wearing a crown who communicates by holding up signs with words on them?? he was literally the cutest, funniest, best character. Kingsley stan foreverrr <3
₊˚❀.ೃ the romance ࿔*:･
classic grumpy x sunshine romance!! again, a bit cliché but it’s all in the name of a good time. this one wasn’t exactly enemies-to-lovers, as they were attracted to each other from the start, but it didn’t feel insta-lovey at all. they had the cutest little moments, when they hugged for like ten minutes! I almost died 🥺💗 I cannot wait for more of them in apprentice to the villain!!
₊˚❀.ೃ the writing ࿔*:･
this was my one problem with the book (I can hear you all collectively groaning. I’m sORRY I’m just very nitpicky with writing styles). it was extremely corny and kind of told, instead of showed. I still enjoyed the book, but it did have me considering the quality of hannah's editor.
overall, it wasn’t a constant problem, just sometimes, and it was still a fun narrative. one other little thing that I noticed was the amount of cussing. I’m fine with some, but it was not only unnecessary, it felt forced. I don’t know if the author felt some kind of need to make this seem more “adult” by adding a bunch of f-bombs, but it wasn’t needed. not a huge deal, but it bothered me.
₊˚❀.ೃ the plot ࿔*:･
so much fun! dragons and other mythical beasts galore. The world had a very classic fairytale-esque feel to it; the fantasy villain, the foreboding castle in the woods where he lives, innocent little village, etc. it was a little underdeveloped, but I loved the nostalgic old-disney vibe it had.
I was expecting this book to be mainly romance with some random half-baked plot, but it was actually quite good and there was an excellent plot twist. not to mention the cliffhanger! that was straight up rude. I will be waiting very anxiously for the next book 🙁
₊˚❀.ೃ ࿔*:･
was this cheesy and kind of ridiculous? of course, but that's half the fun! I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a fun and quick read. happiest of reading mls 😚🩷🌷
❝ we’re all monsters in the end. at least mine lives in the light. ❞
❝ when it comes to the things one loves most, it is always better to be trapped together than safe and apart. ❞
❀ ~ long live by taylor swift
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
this book was such a cute fantasy romcom! it wasn’t as similar to the tiktok series as I was expecting but I did get the little references and I love how she expanded upon her idea with the tiktoks to make a full-blown book.
₊˚❀.ೃ character breakdown ࿔*:･
~ evangelina sage:
she was adorable! her personality went quite a bit overboard at times and I kind of wanted to put duct tape on her mouth at some of the stuff she said... the secondhand embarrassment was real. but I did love her and all her quirks for the most part! she reminded me a lot of evangeline from ouabh. even the names are extremely similar 🩷 they would either be best friends or hate each other hehe.
~ the villain:
cliché in the best way possible. moody and hot and, most importantly, unhealthily obsessed with evie. hannah knew what she was doing with this man 🤭 his personality was a little flat at times, though, like how he was a perfect gentleman but also had a literal torture chamber that he put into use daily... 🤔
~ the rest:
I loved blade and I actually ended up really liking becky– she was a fun character and ofc her unexpected romance with blade was adorable. But all of those characters simply pale in comparison to kingsley. a sassy little frog wearing a crown who communicates by holding up signs with words on them?? he was literally the cutest, funniest, best character. Kingsley stan foreverrr <3
₊˚❀.ೃ the romance ࿔*:･
classic grumpy x sunshine romance!! again, a bit cliché but it’s all in the name of a good time. this one wasn’t exactly enemies-to-lovers, as they were attracted to each other from the start, but it didn’t feel insta-lovey at all. they had the cutest little moments, when they hugged for like ten minutes! I almost died 🥺💗 I cannot wait for more of them in apprentice to the villain!!
₊˚❀.ೃ the writing ࿔*:･
this was my one problem with the book (I can hear you all collectively groaning. I’m sORRY I’m just very nitpicky with writing styles). it was extremely corny and kind of told, instead of showed. I still enjoyed the book, but it did have me considering the quality of hannah's editor.
overall, it wasn’t a constant problem, just sometimes, and it was still a fun narrative. one other little thing that I noticed was the amount of cussing. I’m fine with some, but it was not only unnecessary, it felt forced. I don’t know if the author felt some kind of need to make this seem more “adult” by adding a bunch of f-bombs, but it wasn’t needed. not a huge deal, but it bothered me.
₊˚❀.ೃ the plot ࿔*:･
so much fun! dragons and other mythical beasts galore. The world had a very classic fairytale-esque feel to it; the fantasy villain, the foreboding castle in the woods where he lives, innocent little village, etc. it was a little underdeveloped, but I loved the nostalgic old-disney vibe it had.
I was expecting this book to be mainly romance with some random half-baked plot, but it was actually quite good and there was an excellent plot twist. not to mention the cliffhanger! that was straight up rude. I will be waiting very anxiously for the next book 🙁
₊˚❀.ೃ ࿔*:･
was this cheesy and kind of ridiculous? of course, but that's half the fun! I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a fun and quick read. happiest of reading mls 😚🩷🌷
❝ we’re all monsters in the end. at least mine lives in the light. ❞
December 5, 2025
3.75
This was a lot of fun! It felt like an over-exaggerated romantasy that poked fun at itself... which I love.
While being a very comical read, I actually enjoyed the substance in the plot as well. It's not the "hardest" fantasy (that's not the point), and if you think about it too hard, there will likely be many things that do not make sense. But it overall was a delight to read!
The banter in the romance was my favourite part, Evie & The Villain are hilarious. I did get just a little bored around the middle, but the book picked right back up at the end and has seemingly setup for a very exciting second book.
Can't wait to read more in the series!
This was a lot of fun! It felt like an over-exaggerated romantasy that poked fun at itself... which I love.
While being a very comical read, I actually enjoyed the substance in the plot as well. It's not the "hardest" fantasy (that's not the point), and if you think about it too hard, there will likely be many things that do not make sense. But it overall was a delight to read!
The banter in the romance was my favourite part, Evie & The Villain are hilarious. I did get just a little bored around the middle, but the book picked right back up at the end and has seemingly setup for a very exciting second book.
Can't wait to read more in the series!
December 8, 2023
4.4 ⭐
I'll be honest and say that I was kind of sceptical when starting this because I'd seen some mixed opinions about this book, but turns out that reading was so much fun!
➥ world
for some reason, I'd thought this was only romance, so I was positively surprised when I saw that it's set in a fantasy world. there isn't any detailed world building, but it absolutely didn't matter because it's definitely a "casual" fantasy book - there is simply no need for an explanation of the world. it all makes sense just by following the story.
still, there were some fantasy creatures and magic, which were fun to discover, especially because I've never read any other book where there is a magical ink lol! they definitely add to the overall experience of the book.
➥ plot
because this was a relatively short book, i liked that there was only one big plot twist. since it was at the almost ending of the book, the whole story was being lead to this outcome, which might sound a bit risky because the reveal could've been unsurprising. however, firstly it was kept interesting by making me suspect different people to be the traitor (they were looking for a traitor amongst their own), always having me question if the people were telling the truth. secondly, I did not expect the outcome at all! it came out of nowhere but still made so much sense, which I really love. it gave the story a kind of "refreshing kick" and had me sitting on the edge of my seet for the last few chapters - i couldn't stop reading!
the final two chapters are making me so excited for the next book. I needed it like yesterday.
➥ writing
this book was written in such a funny and light way, making me laugh so many times! while there were some minor things I sometimes didn't reallyyyy like (like a repetitive word), it was still very easy tobinge read and I especially loved the descriptions of how the magic looked.
in addition, I loved that there were two point of views!
➥ characters
how is it that i already love so many of these characters when I've only just met them?!! thank you, HNM, for creating such amazing people.
I can't get enough of evie. she's so so sweet, clumsy and bubbly and made me smile often. her optimism paired with her humour and sarcastic remarks made meand the villain love her instantly!
sadly, she's often burdened by her traumatic past, yet she's still able to smile. she has to be a parent for her little sister while she herself never really had one, which shows what a strong woman she is.
additionally, she's also got a "dark" side to her. she doesn't fear the evil things the villain does and does some k1ll1ng herself(only those who deserve it, she's not weird!!), especially at the end. I really hope I'll see more if this side in the next book since it's exciting to see her "evil". she was a great embodiment of "female rage" at the ending!
same as evie, I've fallen for the villain. firstly, if anyone is worried about him being called the villain in the whole book (I was) : don't worry, he's got ahot normal name as well!!
when I tell y'all this man is amazing, I'm telling the truth. he's the perfect morally grey, hot character, who has a soft spot for the female main character. he's so stubborn but then slowly melts, which was adorable to read about.
he too has a traumatic past, which I feel like I don't know that much about yet, so I'm looking forward to getting to know him on a deeper level, especially because I'm excited for some explanations about why he became the villain.
Kingsley, Blade and other side characters were such a great addition to the book. i really like them all. also - am i seeing a potential for a side character relationship (or maybe even a spin-off?) between blade and Becky? I hope so hihi they'd be so cute.
➥ evie and the villain
they are everything and more and exactly what i mean when I say sunshine X grumpy. I can't get enough of them. I didn't even get more than only one kiss, which can't really be counted as one- y'all read that right, NOT EVEN MORE THAN ONE (1) KISS. and i love it because there's sooo much potential for an amazing slow (not super slow but like they have to become a bit more friends yet and then there could really happen something) burn.
their chemistry is so good. the lingering looks, the "accidental" touches, the touching each other a second longer than necessary, the trusting each other with their traumas, the bickering and sarcastic comments, the touch her and you die - i got it all.
moreover, the way they think about each other???!!? people died. they are SO cute and SO in love with each other. especially the way the villain thinks about her - he describes her with such beautiful words and compares her to the sunlight and to colours, calling her adorable nicknames.
➥ conclusion
I'm so glad I picked this up! it's such a feel-good, comforting book that's super addictive.
I can't wait for the next book!
I'll be honest and say that I was kind of sceptical when starting this because I'd seen some mixed opinions about this book, but turns out that reading was so much fun!
➥ world
for some reason, I'd thought this was only romance, so I was positively surprised when I saw that it's set in a fantasy world. there isn't any detailed world building, but it absolutely didn't matter because it's definitely a "casual" fantasy book - there is simply no need for an explanation of the world. it all makes sense just by following the story.
still, there were some fantasy creatures and magic, which were fun to discover, especially because I've never read any other book where there is a magical ink lol! they definitely add to the overall experience of the book.
➥ plot
because this was a relatively short book, i liked that there was only one big plot twist. since it was at the almost ending of the book, the whole story was being lead to this outcome, which might sound a bit risky because the reveal could've been unsurprising. however, firstly it was kept interesting by making me suspect different people to be the traitor (they were looking for a traitor amongst their own), always having me question if the people were telling the truth. secondly, I did not expect the outcome at all! it came out of nowhere but still made so much sense, which I really love. it gave the story a kind of "refreshing kick" and had me sitting on the edge of my seet for the last few chapters - i couldn't stop reading!
the final two chapters are making me so excited for the next book. I needed it like yesterday.
➥ writing
this book was written in such a funny and light way, making me laugh so many times! while there were some minor things I sometimes didn't reallyyyy like (like a repetitive word), it was still very easy to
in addition, I loved that there were two point of views!
➥ characters
how is it that i already love so many of these characters when I've only just met them?!! thank you, HNM, for creating such amazing people.
I can't get enough of evie. she's so so sweet, clumsy and bubbly and made me smile often. her optimism paired with her humour and sarcastic remarks made me
sadly, she's often burdened by her traumatic past, yet she's still able to smile. she has to be a parent for her little sister while she herself never really had one, which shows what a strong woman she is.
additionally, she's also got a "dark" side to her. she doesn't fear the evil things the villain does and does some k1ll1ng herself(only those who deserve it, she's not weird!!), especially at the end. I really hope I'll see more if this side in the next book since it's exciting to see her "evil". she was a great embodiment of "female rage" at the ending!
same as evie, I've fallen for the villain. firstly, if anyone is worried about him being called the villain in the whole book (I was) : don't worry, he's got a
when I tell y'all this man is amazing, I'm telling the truth. he's the perfect morally grey, hot character, who has a soft spot for the female main character. he's so stubborn but then slowly melts, which was adorable to read about.
he too has a traumatic past, which I feel like I don't know that much about yet, so I'm looking forward to getting to know him on a deeper level, especially because I'm excited for some explanations about why he became the villain.
Kingsley, Blade and other side characters were such a great addition to the book. i really like them all. also - am i seeing a potential for a side character relationship (or maybe even a spin-off?) between blade and Becky? I hope so hihi they'd be so cute.
➥ evie and the villain
they are everything and more and exactly what i mean when I say sunshine X grumpy. I can't get enough of them. I didn't even get more than only one kiss, which can't really be counted as one- y'all read that right, NOT EVEN MORE THAN ONE (1) KISS. and i love it because there's sooo much potential for an amazing slow (not super slow but like they have to become a bit more friends yet and then there could really happen something) burn.
their chemistry is so good. the lingering looks, the "accidental" touches, the touching each other a second longer than necessary, the trusting each other with their traumas, the bickering and sarcastic comments, the touch her and you die - i got it all.
moreover, the way they think about each other???!!? people died. they are SO cute and SO in love with each other. especially the way the villain thinks about her - he describes her with such beautiful words and compares her to the sunlight and to colours, calling her adorable nicknames.
➥ conclusion
I'm so glad I picked this up! it's such a feel-good, comforting book that's super addictive.
I can't wait for the next book!
August 16, 2024
3 ★'s
I don't know if I've ever been this divided by a book.
This has been on my tbr for a while. The concept has always seemed so intriguing to me, but I've waited to be in the mood for something lighthearted and funny with fantasy elements.
This definitely delivered aspects of that, however overall I didn't really get what I expected, so starting off the mood clashed quite a bit. It took me an awfully long time to get into it.
(Not even exaggerating, I think only I fully got into it around the 80% mark.)
Throughout the entire book I definitely had moments I enjoyed that went by undisturbed, but just as fast the book lost me. It felt a bit like I was trying to latch on to these moments, trying to get into the story but as soon as a new chapter started I felt like I had to start afresh.
The flow of the book wasn't cohesive and simply felt choppy to me. This might be a stylistic choice to build on the quirky fmc, or get that 'The Office'-feel where you're just dropped into a new setting with very little context, but it more often than not just simply lost me hence why it took me so long to get through this book.
✧ Her brows knitting together as she realized this dress might be what she was buried in if she wasn’t careful tonight. She sighed. At least it was sparkly. ✧
I'm not gonna talk too much about the last 20% because I don't wanna spoil anything, but damn that was good. I didn't see the plot twist coming and feel so heartbroken for Evie for how things played out. I'm also proud seeing her development in confidence from the start of the book to the ending.
✧ She wasn’t light; she was color. Every single one, dancing otherworldly and bright over his unworthy eyes. ✧
That together with the incredible chemistry between The Villain and Evie is why I still feel like I can rate this with 3 stars. Their dynamic is honestly why I got through this book. I ate up every single one of their scenes like I was starving. Trystan's perspective on Evie, his silent, begrudging affection and obsession was absolutely everything. If it weren't for them I know I would likely not pick up the next book, but I need to see how they play out.
✧ He’d enjoy it, and try to hold this memory in his heart until the day of his inevitable horrific death, which wouldn’t matter because he’d gotten to hold her. ✧
idk if this review makes any sense or if I'm just blabbing, ty for reading it though<3
____________
⌞Pre-read:⌝
This has been circulating a lot in my feed the last few days, and seems people are really enjoying it?? So I'm happy to give it a shot. This might be a good middle ground between my romcom era and hopefully can get me back to my fantasy era, because damn I miss discovering new fantasy I just haven't been in the right mood.🥲
I don't know if I've ever been this divided by a book.
This has been on my tbr for a while. The concept has always seemed so intriguing to me, but I've waited to be in the mood for something lighthearted and funny with fantasy elements.
This definitely delivered aspects of that, however overall I didn't really get what I expected, so starting off the mood clashed quite a bit. It took me an awfully long time to get into it.
(Not even exaggerating, I think only I fully got into it around the 80% mark.)
Throughout the entire book I definitely had moments I enjoyed that went by undisturbed, but just as fast the book lost me. It felt a bit like I was trying to latch on to these moments, trying to get into the story but as soon as a new chapter started I felt like I had to start afresh.
The flow of the book wasn't cohesive and simply felt choppy to me. This might be a stylistic choice to build on the quirky fmc, or get that 'The Office'-feel where you're just dropped into a new setting with very little context, but it more often than not just simply lost me hence why it took me so long to get through this book.
✧ Her brows knitting together as she realized this dress might be what she was buried in if she wasn’t careful tonight. She sighed. At least it was sparkly. ✧
I'm not gonna talk too much about the last 20% because I don't wanna spoil anything, but damn that was good. I didn't see the plot twist coming and feel so heartbroken for Evie for how things played out. I'm also proud seeing her development in confidence from the start of the book to the ending.
✧ She wasn’t light; she was color. Every single one, dancing otherworldly and bright over his unworthy eyes. ✧
That together with the incredible chemistry between The Villain and Evie is why I still feel like I can rate this with 3 stars. Their dynamic is honestly why I got through this book. I ate up every single one of their scenes like I was starving. Trystan's perspective on Evie, his silent, begrudging affection and obsession was absolutely everything. If it weren't for them I know I would likely not pick up the next book, but I need to see how they play out.
✧ He’d enjoy it, and try to hold this memory in his heart until the day of his inevitable horrific death, which wouldn’t matter because he’d gotten to hold her. ✧
idk if this review makes any sense or if I'm just blabbing, ty for reading it though<3
____________
⌞Pre-read:⌝
This has been circulating a lot in my feed the last few days, and seems people are really enjoying it?? So I'm happy to give it a shot. This might be a good middle ground between my romcom era and hopefully can get me back to my fantasy era, because damn I miss discovering new fantasy I just haven't been in the right mood.🥲
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52,940 reviews