What do you think?
Rate this book
The Vigil & Ante Files #1
We Could be Villains
Avoid spoilers. Don’t get fired. Defeat a not-so-fictional supervillain?
Seventeen-year-old fangirl Rosemary Collins lives for VIGIL & ANTE Studios movies. From action-packed superhero fights to sweet character moments, she’s here for it all. But in a real-life crossover no one saw coming, the fandom’s heartthrob supervillain, Ironfall, isn’t as fictional as the film studio wants her to believe. Beyond the glamorous red carpet lies the government’s most guarded secret: the movies are real.
Armed with a devilish grin and a wit as sharp as his knives, Ironfall needs her help, and refusing means he’ll kill her parents. Her only other option involves spying on him for the government’s secret superhero division. Suspended between fact and what she thought was fiction, Rosemary must join her heroes and create an impenetrable web of lies—or guarantee her parents’ safety as she watches the world burn at its adored villain’s hand.
Perfect for fans of pop culture and comics, WE COULD BE VILLAINS packs an entire cinematic uni-verse into a book. Join Rosemary and the not-so-fictional heroes (and villains!) of the VIGIL & ANTE films in this imaginative science fiction where superhero battles equal publicity stunts, fictional characters become family, and the villain just might steal your heart.
Seventeen-year-old fangirl Rosemary Collins lives for VIGIL & ANTE Studios movies. From action-packed superhero fights to sweet character moments, she’s here for it all. But in a real-life crossover no one saw coming, the fandom’s heartthrob supervillain, Ironfall, isn’t as fictional as the film studio wants her to believe. Beyond the glamorous red carpet lies the government’s most guarded secret: the movies are real.
Armed with a devilish grin and a wit as sharp as his knives, Ironfall needs her help, and refusing means he’ll kill her parents. Her only other option involves spying on him for the government’s secret superhero division. Suspended between fact and what she thought was fiction, Rosemary must join her heroes and create an impenetrable web of lies—or guarantee her parents’ safety as she watches the world burn at its adored villain’s hand.
Perfect for fans of pop culture and comics, WE COULD BE VILLAINS packs an entire cinematic uni-verse into a book. Join Rosemary and the not-so-fictional heroes (and villains!) of the VIGIL & ANTE films in this imaginative science fiction where superhero battles equal publicity stunts, fictional characters become family, and the villain just might steal your heart.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2022
58 people are currently reading
3091 people want to read
About the author
Megan McCullough
2 books196 followersMegan McCullough wanted a superpower, so she picked up a pen and became an author. Living in Florida, the theme park capital of the world, only fuels her love for storytelling. When she isn’t writing, you can find her designing a book cover for someone else’s literary masterpiece, fangirling over the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or wishing she was at Disney World. Join Megan’s adventures through her Instagram @meganmcculloughbooks or at meganmccullough.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
July 19, 2025
3 stars ⭐️ Clean Fiction - YA, Contemporary, Fantasy, Superheroes
2022 first read: I've been hearing so much hype for this story from a lot of my Bookstagram friends, so I did I thing I rarely do: I preordered a (e-book) copy. And then I read it on release day. (What can I say? Those aesthetic reels hooked me.)
I did have to turn off the logical side of my brain at times--I mean no offense when I say that--because I'm not a superhero/Marvel person, typically. (I liked Ignite and Twinepathy and that's my resume on superhero stories right there.) Once I did that, I was able to join into this world and enjoy some parts.
Towards the beginning of the story, I did feel a little...annoyed? frustrated? with Rosemary and her emotional reactions to events, but then I had to stop and ask my self, Lindsey, if you were in her shoes, you know you would be an emotional basket case. and thus I gave her grace.
I've never been a fan of movies (particularly children's movies) that make the villain out to be a good guy or just "misunderstood" for different reasons, so I was a little worried on how that would be in this story. My concerns were quickly shown for naught because Ironfall is a bad guy. With a tragic backstory, of course, but the meme of "this is my villain origin story" comes to mind since every villain has to have one, right? Ironfall kills people, he robs banks, he threatens her,he also has dreamy eyes apparently, so, yep, he checks the boxes of being a villain. And there was a moral dilemma problem I was facing: the attraction between Rosemary and him (I'm sorry I smirk every time I type 'Ironfall', can I use Nolan instead?). However, I was satisfied with the ending in that regard. I didn't know which way it would go, but I'm morally content on it.
(Side note: I absolutely adored all the Tumblr-like additions in between chapters, I was cracking up at how legit they were.)
There was a lot of fighting and therefore killing (in self-defense), but Rosemary is shocked with each dead body and does not like any bit of that latter part (killing).
Overall opinion? Not bad. I would definitely read the next one (unless I hear about something being in it that I wouldn't like, of course) and I'm intrigued to how the story will continue.
2025 reread: At times, this book reads a little too much like a fanfiction for a certain franchise and it can be a little cringy if you’re not a fangirl, but it’s still mostly fun and enjoyable. I think I am bumping my rating down from 3.5 to 3 with this reread, but I’m excited to finally get to the sequel now to see what happens next.
Ironfall’s dual personalities would make Jekyll and Hyde stand up to clap. He threatens to kill Rosemary and her family, but in the next sentence acts all flirty and winky and starts singing Broadway show-tunes. I may have gotten whiplash a couple dozen times because of this. That said, I still have to appreciate that there isn’t romance between the two of them in this book. It could have lead to more, but Rosemary knew full well that he is a villain, a killer, and threatening her, so, nope, not going to go there. At least, not on her part.
If this was a movie, depending on how much of the violence is shown, it would easily be PG-13 because of the fighting and killing. Which, honestly, is pretty fair as the majority of the Marvel movies are that rating as well.
As I was reading, different parts came back to me, but I had forgotten how awful Rosemary’s parents were. 😬
I have to comment on the cleverness of the title of this series (VIGIL & ANTE —like vigilante? Get it?) and the covers looking like file folders. For some reason that just makes me happy. Probably because I enjoy office supplies and puns.
Main Content
No language, minor words and phrases like the following are used instead: crap, dang it, dumb, freaking, gah, gosh, heck, idiot, kick butt, oh my gosh, oh my word, screwed up, shoot, shut up/shut it, stupid, what the--?, what the heck, why the heck; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; A mention of someone being cussed out.
Rosemary doesn't want to lie or be called a good liar, but has to do so to protect her secrets; Rosemary thinks she's being stalked and panics; Rosemary has a panic attack (up to a handful of sentences); Ironfall threatens Rosemary with a bomb, killing her, and killing her parents (which is why she works with him and is terrified that he will kill her and her parents); He teaches her to fight, but she thinks he is going to kill her multiple times during the fighting (*Spoiler* ).
Accidentally killing someone, the shock of it, & feeling guilty (up to a handful of sentences); Fighting (including for her life), Being attacked, Being held at gun- and knife-point, Being shot (tranquilizer dart), Shooting, & Killing others (self-defense) and major guilt; (up to a handful of sentences); Pain, Injuries, Being drugged, Passing out, & Blood/Bleeding (up to a few sentences); Seeing others shot, & Seeing those killed/dead bodies (up to a handful of sentences); Skipping school.
Rosemary knows that her parents don't truly care for or love her (yet she loves them anyway and wants to protect them) and wonders if she was "just an accident they were obligated to take care of"; They often ignore her and put themselves first, not paying her attention or when they do, it’s not positive; *Major Spoiler* ; Another character has a rough relationship with his father and it’s mentioned/talked about; Manipulation and gaslighting from parents is often mentioned and talked about because of these elements.
Many mentions of fights, killing, shooting others, being shot, seeing others shot, pain, injuries, blood/bleeding, & dead bodies (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of terrorists & hostages; Mentions of serial killers; Mentions of autopsies & how some people died (including slit throats, up to a few sentences); Mentions of bank robberies & a heist; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & betrayal; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of nightmares; A few mentions of jails/prisons; A couple mentions of money laundering.
*Spoiler* ; A few mentions of Ironfall's devilish grin; A couple mentions of Ironfall thinking he has the body of a Greek god; A couple mentions of a costume having pointy shoulders that Rosemary referred to as "devil horns"; A mention of having a cult-like army; A mention of someone idolizing others.
Lots of pop culture references: Mentions of broadway musicals, songs, & actresses (Aladdin, Anastasia, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Beauty and the Beast, Hamilton, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Dear Evan Hansen, The Lion King, Cats, The Little Mermaid); Mentions of TV shows, movies, & characters (Criminal Minds, The Flash, Stranger Things, Harry Potter, Cars 2, Mission: Impossible, The Incredibles, The Winter Solider, Star Wars, Disney movies (not named), Black Widow, Felicity Smoak, Captain Cold, Indiana Jones, Avengers); Mentions of brand names, places, & items (Starbucks, Bath and Body Works, Best Buy, Home Depot, McDonald's, Walmart, Amazon, In-N-Out Burger, AirPods, MacBook, iPhone, iPad); Mentions of social media sites & websites (Buzzfeed, Tumblr, Google, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Uber); A few mentions of car brands (Mercedes and Ford); A few mentions of news sites (NBC, ABC, CNN); A mention of the Food Network.
A kiss lasting 2-3 sentences.
Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, & Nearness (up to a couple sentences); Noticing (including a bit of noticing his muscles, up to a couple sentences); Rosemary refuses to swoon over a villain or, on principle, call a villain hot (Ironfall); Ironfall says he doesn't know if mother or if she died or abandoned him; a 'babe' and a 'hot'; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of boyfriends, exes, & dates; Mentions of crushes & thinking someone is in love; A mention of a married couple kissing; A mention of an old man winking at Rosemary (& her being grossed out); A mention of a guy not being a creeper to high school girls; A mention of a sister being at her boyfriends for "like a week".
2022 first read: I've been hearing so much hype for this story from a lot of my Bookstagram friends, so I did I thing I rarely do: I preordered a (e-book) copy. And then I read it on release day. (What can I say? Those aesthetic reels hooked me.)
I did have to turn off the logical side of my brain at times--I mean no offense when I say that--because I'm not a superhero/Marvel person, typically. (I liked Ignite and Twinepathy and that's my resume on superhero stories right there.) Once I did that, I was able to join into this world and enjoy some parts.
Towards the beginning of the story, I did feel a little...annoyed? frustrated? with Rosemary and her emotional reactions to events, but then I had to stop and ask my self, Lindsey, if you were in her shoes, you know you would be an emotional basket case. and thus I gave her grace.
I've never been a fan of movies (particularly children's movies) that make the villain out to be a good guy or just "misunderstood" for different reasons, so I was a little worried on how that would be in this story. My concerns were quickly shown for naught because Ironfall is a bad guy. With a tragic backstory, of course, but the meme of "this is my villain origin story" comes to mind since every villain has to have one, right? Ironfall kills people, he robs banks, he threatens her,
(Side note: I absolutely adored all the Tumblr-like additions in between chapters, I was cracking up at how legit they were.)
There was a lot of fighting and therefore killing (in self-defense), but Rosemary is shocked with each dead body and does not like any bit of that latter part (killing).
Overall opinion? Not bad. I would definitely read the next one (unless I hear about something being in it that I wouldn't like, of course) and I'm intrigued to how the story will continue.
2025 reread: At times, this book reads a little too much like a fanfiction for a certain franchise and it can be a little cringy if you’re not a fangirl, but it’s still mostly fun and enjoyable. I think I am bumping my rating down from 3.5 to 3 with this reread, but I’m excited to finally get to the sequel now to see what happens next.
Ironfall’s dual personalities would make Jekyll and Hyde stand up to clap. He threatens to kill Rosemary and her family, but in the next sentence acts all flirty and winky and starts singing Broadway show-tunes. I may have gotten whiplash a couple dozen times because of this. That said, I still have to appreciate that there isn’t romance between the two of them in this book. It could have lead to more, but Rosemary knew full well that he is a villain, a killer, and threatening her, so, nope, not going to go there. At least, not on her part.
If this was a movie, depending on how much of the violence is shown, it would easily be PG-13 because of the fighting and killing. Which, honestly, is pretty fair as the majority of the Marvel movies are that rating as well.
As I was reading, different parts came back to me, but I had forgotten how awful Rosemary’s parents were. 😬
I have to comment on the cleverness of the title of this series (VIGIL & ANTE —like vigilante? Get it?) and the covers looking like file folders. For some reason that just makes me happy. Probably because I enjoy office supplies and puns.
Main Content
No language, minor words and phrases like the following are used instead: crap, dang it, dumb, freaking, gah, gosh, heck, idiot, kick butt, oh my gosh, oh my word, screwed up, shoot, shut up/shut it, stupid, what the--?, what the heck, why the heck; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; A mention of someone being cussed out.
Rosemary doesn't want to lie or be called a good liar, but has to do so to protect her secrets; Rosemary thinks she's being stalked and panics; Rosemary has a panic attack (up to a handful of sentences); Ironfall threatens Rosemary with a bomb, killing her, and killing her parents (which is why she works with him and is terrified that he will kill her and her parents); He teaches her to fight, but she thinks he is going to kill her multiple times during the fighting (*Spoiler* ).
Accidentally killing someone, the shock of it, & feeling guilty (up to a handful of sentences); Fighting (including for her life), Being attacked, Being held at gun- and knife-point, Being shot (tranquilizer dart), Shooting, & Killing others (self-defense) and major guilt; (up to a handful of sentences); Pain, Injuries, Being drugged, Passing out, & Blood/Bleeding (up to a few sentences); Seeing others shot, & Seeing those killed/dead bodies (up to a handful of sentences); Skipping school.
Rosemary knows that her parents don't truly care for or love her (yet she loves them anyway and wants to protect them) and wonders if she was "just an accident they were obligated to take care of"; They often ignore her and put themselves first, not paying her attention or when they do, it’s not positive; *Major Spoiler* ; Another character has a rough relationship with his father and it’s mentioned/talked about; Manipulation and gaslighting from parents is often mentioned and talked about because of these elements.
Many mentions of fights, killing, shooting others, being shot, seeing others shot, pain, injuries, blood/bleeding, & dead bodies (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of terrorists & hostages; Mentions of serial killers; Mentions of autopsies & how some people died (including slit throats, up to a few sentences); Mentions of bank robberies & a heist; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & betrayal; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of nightmares; A few mentions of jails/prisons; A couple mentions of money laundering.
*Spoiler* ; A few mentions of Ironfall's devilish grin; A couple mentions of Ironfall thinking he has the body of a Greek god; A couple mentions of a costume having pointy shoulders that Rosemary referred to as "devil horns"; A mention of having a cult-like army; A mention of someone idolizing others.
Lots of pop culture references: Mentions of broadway musicals, songs, & actresses (Aladdin, Anastasia, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Beauty and the Beast, Hamilton, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Dear Evan Hansen, The Lion King, Cats, The Little Mermaid); Mentions of TV shows, movies, & characters (Criminal Minds, The Flash, Stranger Things, Harry Potter, Cars 2, Mission: Impossible, The Incredibles, The Winter Solider, Star Wars, Disney movies (not named), Black Widow, Felicity Smoak, Captain Cold, Indiana Jones, Avengers); Mentions of brand names, places, & items (Starbucks, Bath and Body Works, Best Buy, Home Depot, McDonald's, Walmart, Amazon, In-N-Out Burger, AirPods, MacBook, iPhone, iPad); Mentions of social media sites & websites (Buzzfeed, Tumblr, Google, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Uber); A few mentions of car brands (Mercedes and Ford); A few mentions of news sites (NBC, ABC, CNN); A mention of the Food Network.
A kiss lasting 2-3 sentences.
Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, & Nearness (up to a couple sentences); Noticing (including a bit of noticing his muscles, up to a couple sentences); Rosemary refuses to swoon over a villain or, on principle, call a villain hot (Ironfall); Ironfall says he doesn't know if mother or if she died or abandoned him; a 'babe' and a 'hot'; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of boyfriends, exes, & dates; Mentions of crushes & thinking someone is in love; A mention of a married couple kissing; A mention of an old man winking at Rosemary (& her being grossed out); A mention of a guy not being a creeper to high school girls; A mention of a sister being at her boyfriends for "like a week".
October 14, 2022
I started writing this book on November 1, 2017. Then, it was just a side story I planned to keep to myself. But the characters and story took on its own life, and their stories screamed to be shared with the world. After many rounds of revision, it looks very different, but the heart of it is the same: a love letter to the Marvel fandom. So if you enjoy Marvel, fandoms, action, and a whole lot of heart, this book is for you! It's written by a fan for fans. I hope you enjoy it!
Content/Trigger Warnings: violence, anxiety, child abuse (think Thanos with Gamora + Nebula), gaslighting + manipulation
Content/Trigger Warnings: violence, anxiety, child abuse (think Thanos with Gamora + Nebula), gaslighting + manipulation
May 17, 2022
We Could Be Villains gives you everything you want in a superhero book and more. What could be better than your favorite fandom coming to life? Everyone can relate to a protagonist like Rosemary. You'll find yourself rooting for her, hurting with her, and fangirling along about her favorite movie actors. This story holds you with its high stakes, fun characters, and a supervillain that's just really hard to dislike. We Could Be Villains is the perfect story for anyone who loves action, spies, found family, and the MCU.
May 19, 2022
Is it really possible for an author to mix superheroes (and villains), secret agents, theatre, and big screen, movie magic all into one novel?
Well, yes, apparently it is!
Mccullough does all of the above and more in her sci-fi, debut novel, We Could be Villains. And I think young adult readers, no matter their preferred genre, are going to love this tale! (I did, and I almost exclusively read fantasy.)
This story is the perfect blend of seedling romance, high-stakes espionage, and magical superhero escapades. You will be on the edge of your seat, maybe even biting your nails sometimes, but for the most part, you’ll probably just be glued to the pages because of the heartthrob supervillain, Ironfall. Yes, he’s hot. Yes, you’ll sympathize with him. And yes, you’ll probably fall in love with him.
Anywho, all that to say, YOU, MUST, READ, THIS, BOOK!
Well, yes, apparently it is!
Mccullough does all of the above and more in her sci-fi, debut novel, We Could be Villains. And I think young adult readers, no matter their preferred genre, are going to love this tale! (I did, and I almost exclusively read fantasy.)
This story is the perfect blend of seedling romance, high-stakes espionage, and magical superhero escapades. You will be on the edge of your seat, maybe even biting your nails sometimes, but for the most part, you’ll probably just be glued to the pages because of the heartthrob supervillain, Ironfall. Yes, he’s hot. Yes, you’ll sympathize with him. And yes, you’ll probably fall in love with him.
Anywho, all that to say, YOU, MUST, READ, THIS, BOOK!
May 24, 2022
It’s official. I’m a Megan McCullough fan! We Could be Villains stuns with its clever voice and original plot—a comic-lover’s dream come true. This book is pure fun from beginning to end. I’ll be shocked if an adaptation doesn’t reach the big screen. I give We Could be Villains five out of five superheroes, or supervillains. ;)
October 5, 2022
So! This book was… something of a ride.
I’m not a Marvel fan, but I was totally drawn in by the premise. I mean, it sounded so cool! And I think that a lot of readers, Marvel fans or not, would still love this book. I just… didn’t.
I think the biggest thing was the writing style; it felt a little bumpy and not well edited. That and the main character's voice made for a rather uninteresting journey for me... Even though I had my fair share of problems with the MC, I might've liked her more if the writing style had characterized her better.
As for the MC herself, well, I didn't care about Rosemary or her predicaments (of which she has a great many). She was to me one of those characters who tries too hard to be relatable... While I appreciate that the author gave her a number of interests instead of just one or two in the same general category, that only contributed to an amalgamation of random qualities that didn't feel properly rounded out into an interesting protagonist or narrator. But I also don't think it was entirely her fault, because her character could have developed quite well on its own. It just... didn't. And that could partly be because of the romance.
There were times that I genuinely liked Ironfall, but those were mostly the times when he wasn't head-over-heels for Rosemary. The romance seemed to develop too quickly for me to really catch up, but I sort of get it because these characters are just teenagers. And if it weren't for the fact that the story couldn't seem to decide how seriously it should take itself, I would have even thought him a heck ton more realistic than most YA love interests! As it is though, the Hot Handsome Love Interest card was played one too many times, and by the time that was over I was just very confused about how we were supposed to take everything. But some people like that, I guess...?
So yeah, those were what did it for me... But honestly, the plot was quite fun. I love any reference to spy stories, and heist stories, and all those kinds of stories, so some parts did make me happy :)) There were a few parts near the ending that really stretched my ability to suspend disbelief for a contemporary novel, but they're kind of spoiler-y so I won't mention them. Anyway, I seem to have the minority opinion on this novel, so I'm sure a lot of readers of this review will still enjoy it.
*I received an ARC of this book. A review was not required; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
I’m not a Marvel fan, but I was totally drawn in by the premise. I mean, it sounded so cool! And I think that a lot of readers, Marvel fans or not, would still love this book. I just… didn’t.
I think the biggest thing was the writing style; it felt a little bumpy and not well edited. That and the main character's voice made for a rather uninteresting journey for me... Even though I had my fair share of problems with the MC, I might've liked her more if the writing style had characterized her better.
As for the MC herself, well, I didn't care about Rosemary or her predicaments (of which she has a great many). She was to me one of those characters who tries too hard to be relatable... While I appreciate that the author gave her a number of interests instead of just one or two in the same general category, that only contributed to an amalgamation of random qualities that didn't feel properly rounded out into an interesting protagonist or narrator. But I also don't think it was entirely her fault, because her character could have developed quite well on its own. It just... didn't. And that could partly be because of the romance.
There were times that I genuinely liked Ironfall, but those were mostly the times when he wasn't head-over-heels for Rosemary. The romance seemed to develop too quickly for me to really catch up, but I sort of get it because these characters are just teenagers. And if it weren't for the fact that the story couldn't seem to decide how seriously it should take itself, I would have even thought him a heck ton more realistic than most YA love interests! As it is though, the Hot Handsome Love Interest card was played one too many times, and by the time that was over I was just very confused about how we were supposed to take everything. But some people like that, I guess...?
So yeah, those were what did it for me... But honestly, the plot was quite fun. I love any reference to spy stories, and heist stories, and all those kinds of stories, so some parts did make me happy :)) There were a few parts near the ending that really stretched my ability to suspend disbelief for a contemporary novel, but they're kind of spoiler-y so I won't mention them. Anyway, I seem to have the minority opinion on this novel, so I'm sure a lot of readers of this review will still enjoy it.
*I received an ARC of this book. A review was not required; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
October 25, 2022
*deep breath* I NEED BOOK TWO
July 1, 2022
*CUE ENDLESS INTERNAL SCREAMING*
WHO performed this work of literary genius?! WHAT did I just read?!? WHY was it so good?!?! WHEN does the sequel release?!?!? HOW can I EVER wait that long?!?!?!?
I have no words. This book is amazing. READ IT.
Read it if you love spies. Read it if you love drama. Read it if you love enemies-to-friends-to-something-more romances that sweep you off your feet and make you forget you ever knew how to breathe.
In short, read this book. NOW. Then come find me so we can squeal over it together.
WHO performed this work of literary genius?! WHAT did I just read?!? WHY was it so good?!?! WHEN does the sequel release?!?!? HOW can I EVER wait that long?!?!?!?
I have no words. This book is amazing. READ IT.
Read it if you love spies. Read it if you love drama. Read it if you love enemies-to-friends-to-something-more romances that sweep you off your feet and make you forget you ever knew how to breathe.
In short, read this book. NOW. Then come find me so we can squeal over it together.
October 24, 2022
4.5 stars. Ok, this was such a cool book! I loved the feel and the whole fangirl-finds-out-it's-real kinda thing. A full-length review is available here! -->
https://mlmilligan.wixsite.com/blog/p...
https://mlmilligan.wixsite.com/blog/p...
October 3, 2022
“The acting. The red carpet. The memes.”
Rosemary lives the life every fangirl dreams of! When I first heard this book would have an entire franchise come to life I knew it would be a hit—and after reading it, I proved myself right. ;)
The amount of times I screamed at this book is probably a bit embarrassing, but it was well-deserved. All of the characters have officially won my heart—some maybe a little more than others—and I would die for every single one of them.
If you love Marvel, Broadway, and/or sassy villains, this book is perfect for you! I cannot wait for everyone to get their hands on a copy of this masterpiece!
P.S. Sam is mine, just wanted to let y’all know. <3
“You’re doing great kids!“
Rosemary lives the life every fangirl dreams of! When I first heard this book would have an entire franchise come to life I knew it would be a hit—and after reading it, I proved myself right. ;)
The amount of times I screamed at this book is probably a bit embarrassing, but it was well-deserved. All of the characters have officially won my heart—some maybe a little more than others—and I would die for every single one of them.
If you love Marvel, Broadway, and/or sassy villains, this book is perfect for you! I cannot wait for everyone to get their hands on a copy of this masterpiece!
P.S. Sam is mine, just wanted to let y’all know. <3
“You’re doing great kids!“
January 7, 2023
Awesome story! I've been waiting for it for a long time, ever since Megan let me read the first few chapters for critique . . . and now that I've read it, I just want VIGIL&ANTE book 2.
Loved the banter, the movie references ("Where's my supersuit?"), and the vibe of the whole book. It definitely lost me logistically at a few points after the halfway mark, but that's my only major gripe.
If you like superhero stories (or even think you might like them), I'd recommend reading this book!
P.S. - This is also the fastest I've read a book recently. Only took me a few days, even though I've been in a "carry the same book around for weeks" mode lately.
Loved the banter, the movie references ("Where's my supersuit?"), and the vibe of the whole book. It definitely lost me logistically at a few points after the halfway mark, but that's my only major gripe.
If you like superhero stories (or even think you might like them), I'd recommend reading this book!
P.S. - This is also the fastest I've read a book recently. Only took me a few days, even though I've been in a "carry the same book around for weeks" mode lately.
December 29, 2022
This book is easily one of the top five books I read in 2022. I was immediately hooked by page one because of how relatable Rosemanry's fangirl vibes are, and I really did just love every minute of this book. The story flows beautifully, the characters are well-rounded, and the whole thing is basically a love letter to the fandom community.
What I Loved:
Ironfall. Sometimes you have a villain that's just fun to hate. Other times, you love a villain because they are so flawed and broken and just need a hug. Ironfall is definitely closer to the latter, and he was just a really good character. I like the fact that he is super morally gray, but not in a way that makes me feel icky. Like, he knows that he's a bad person who has done terrible things, and he owns that. He's not in denial about who he is or what he's done, and that's a remarkable trait amongst villain characters. Overall, this dude is my favorite and pretty much the best part of the book.
Sam and Rosemary's friendship. I love a good romance, and everyone knows that. But I also really love platonic love and hardcore friendships because those are just as, if not more, important. Sam and Rosemary have such a strong bond that literally bleeds through the pages. They truly care about one another, which makes the stakes that much higher when one of them is in danger (which is like the whole novel, honestly). I also really love their banter. This will always make me like a book better, and this one had the sassiest, most delightful sibling-like banter that just made me really, really happy.
The fandom culture representation. I haven't read a ton of books that feature fandoms or pop culture references, so this was really fun. I've seen some people list out all the fandoms that are referenced, and it's a really long list, so I applaud Megan for finding a way to cover so much fandom ground with this book (she really deserves an award for this). Furthermore, I like how this book shows the positive side of fandoms. Not every fangirl or fanboy is a psychotic person who has an unhealthy obsession with a person. Some people are like that, but not all of them, and I appreciate that this book gives us some good representation.
The plot twists. I did manage to predict one of the big twists for this book (I even messaged Megan to tell her my theory), but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the twists at all. Every one was beautifully executed and offered enough foreshadowing that they never felt completely unrealistic (as some twists tend to feel). Basically, I just really love every part of this book and will never stop telling people about it.
What I Didn't Love:
Rosemary skipping school. I obviously get it because who wouldn't skip school in that situation, but like...how is she gonna graduate? Is she going to graduate? This thread was never really wrapped up, so it's just a small bit that kind of confused me in regards to her long-term arc.
Content warnings: Gun violence, death, murder, blood, injuries, stalking, gaslighting, manipulation, child abuse (think Thanos with Gamora + Nebula), panic attacks/anxiety, and grief.
What I Loved:
Ironfall. Sometimes you have a villain that's just fun to hate. Other times, you love a villain because they are so flawed and broken and just need a hug. Ironfall is definitely closer to the latter, and he was just a really good character. I like the fact that he is super morally gray, but not in a way that makes me feel icky. Like, he knows that he's a bad person who has done terrible things, and he owns that. He's not in denial about who he is or what he's done, and that's a remarkable trait amongst villain characters. Overall, this dude is my favorite and pretty much the best part of the book.
Sam and Rosemary's friendship. I love a good romance, and everyone knows that. But I also really love platonic love and hardcore friendships because those are just as, if not more, important. Sam and Rosemary have such a strong bond that literally bleeds through the pages. They truly care about one another, which makes the stakes that much higher when one of them is in danger (which is like the whole novel, honestly). I also really love their banter. This will always make me like a book better, and this one had the sassiest, most delightful sibling-like banter that just made me really, really happy.
The fandom culture representation. I haven't read a ton of books that feature fandoms or pop culture references, so this was really fun. I've seen some people list out all the fandoms that are referenced, and it's a really long list, so I applaud Megan for finding a way to cover so much fandom ground with this book (she really deserves an award for this). Furthermore, I like how this book shows the positive side of fandoms. Not every fangirl or fanboy is a psychotic person who has an unhealthy obsession with a person. Some people are like that, but not all of them, and I appreciate that this book gives us some good representation.
The plot twists. I did manage to predict one of the big twists for this book (I even messaged Megan to tell her my theory), but it didn't lessen my enjoyment of the twists at all. Every one was beautifully executed and offered enough foreshadowing that they never felt completely unrealistic (as some twists tend to feel). Basically, I just really love every part of this book and will never stop telling people about it.
What I Didn't Love:
Rosemary skipping school. I obviously get it because who wouldn't skip school in that situation, but like...how is she gonna graduate? Is she going to graduate? This thread was never really wrapped up, so it's just a small bit that kind of confused me in regards to her long-term arc.
Content warnings: Gun violence, death, murder, blood, injuries, stalking, gaslighting, manipulation, child abuse (think Thanos with Gamora + Nebula), panic attacks/anxiety, and grief.
October 14, 2022
2.5 ⭐️
I think Megan as a writer has so much potential! The story and the concept was so original and I hadn't seen anything like it before. The interview portions between each chapter was also cool to see all come together.
That being said, the characters and dialouge really fell flat. Some of the phrases characters were saying felt super cringey to the point of second hand embarrassment. Also I have a peeve when it comes to hacking. I don't belive anyone not even an expert could hack the CIA in under 5 minutes, and definitely not a 16 year old. There were many plot holes or unrealistic things that occurred in this book that I couldn't just pass over, the hacking being just one example. Filming and editing an entire blockbuster movie in 3 months isn't gonna happen, it'll take 3 months alone to edit (especially with the size of the "team"). People just making fake badges left and right also got me because how do you know what the badges look like, who to impersonate, etc.
But setting aside all that, the "romance" (if you can even call it that) felt very forced. And I think that was the idea in the beginning but by the end I'm only convinced one character has feelings and the other one is just confused, and not in a romantically confused way, just a I'm not sure which way the author wanted me to lean.
I also cared about none of the characters, not a one. A character at one point is killed off, and I feel like we as a reader got to form no attachment to the character nor did we get to see any relationship between them and anyone in the book for it to have any impact.
As much as I hated seeing the word "meme" in a book, the "reddit" style blog posts were cool and they added that fan element in. But oh my goodness were there so many pop culture references in this (which I did know going in). And I think I've accepted that I dislike when specific pop culture references to movies & books occur. That being said, I know quite a few people that I KNOW would love this book. And perhaps if I read this back when I was a geeky sophomore in highschool I would've loved it. However, I am not that right now, but that being said I believe this book has an audience that will enjoy it, especially younger kids.
I do hope Megan gets her next 2 book deals because I'm sure her writing will only improve from here! And again, the story has a lot of potential, I just want to feel more connected to the characters.
I think Megan as a writer has so much potential! The story and the concept was so original and I hadn't seen anything like it before. The interview portions between each chapter was also cool to see all come together.
That being said, the characters and dialouge really fell flat. Some of the phrases characters were saying felt super cringey to the point of second hand embarrassment. Also I have a peeve when it comes to hacking. I don't belive anyone not even an expert could hack the CIA in under 5 minutes, and definitely not a 16 year old. There were many plot holes or unrealistic things that occurred in this book that I couldn't just pass over, the hacking being just one example. Filming and editing an entire blockbuster movie in 3 months isn't gonna happen, it'll take 3 months alone to edit (especially with the size of the "team"). People just making fake badges left and right also got me because how do you know what the badges look like, who to impersonate, etc.
But setting aside all that, the "romance" (if you can even call it that) felt very forced. And I think that was the idea in the beginning but by the end I'm only convinced one character has feelings and the other one is just confused, and not in a romantically confused way, just a I'm not sure which way the author wanted me to lean.
I also cared about none of the characters, not a one. A character at one point is killed off, and I feel like we as a reader got to form no attachment to the character nor did we get to see any relationship between them and anyone in the book for it to have any impact.
As much as I hated seeing the word "meme" in a book, the "reddit" style blog posts were cool and they added that fan element in. But oh my goodness were there so many pop culture references in this (which I did know going in). And I think I've accepted that I dislike when specific pop culture references to movies & books occur. That being said, I know quite a few people that I KNOW would love this book. And perhaps if I read this back when I was a geeky sophomore in highschool I would've loved it. However, I am not that right now, but that being said I believe this book has an audience that will enjoy it, especially younger kids.
I do hope Megan gets her next 2 book deals because I'm sure her writing will only improve from here! And again, the story has a lot of potential, I just want to feel more connected to the characters.
April 18, 2023
Going to be completely honest and say I’m not the target audience for this book. I’ve grown out of superheroes, after being disappointed by superhero movies, and don’t choose to consume superhero content often. I read this one for two reasons:
1: my sister recommends this constantly
2: Megan is super cool and I really want to support her
This book doesn’t do anything wrong so I’m giving it four stars. It’s a good book. It’s one I’d recommend highly to people that I know love this genre. If anyone’s doing it well, it’s Megan.
Definitely look into it!
1: my sister recommends this constantly
2: Megan is super cool and I really want to support her
This book doesn’t do anything wrong so I’m giving it four stars. It’s a good book. It’s one I’d recommend highly to people that I know love this genre. If anyone’s doing it well, it’s Megan.
Definitely look into it!
Read
October 28, 2022REVIEW TO COME!!!
June 26, 2025
⋆⭒˚.⋆✪⋆⭒˚.⋆𝘝𝘈⋆⭒˚.⋆✪⋆⭒˚.⋆𝘝𝘈⋆⭒˚.⋆✪⋆⭒˚.⋆𝘝𝘈⋆
🦸♂️~Genres~🦸♂️
Sci-fi/Fantasy/Contemporary/Romance/Mystery thriller/Heists/Found family
Avoid spoilers. Don’t get fired. Defeat a not-so-fictional supervillain?
🦹♂️~Characters~🦹♂️
(Rosemary Collins) FMC she was definitely VIGIL & ANTE'S #1 Fan, She also loves Broadway musicals I really liked her
(Ironfall "Nolan" "Rhett Wickford") MMC he likes Percy Jackson so there's that. He was such a likeable villain, He is a theater kid at heart, omg he was so funny, I really liked him.
(Agent Liam Blake "Xavier Jay") VIGIL & ANTE DIRECTOR he was like a dad to everyone and I loved it. I really liked him.
(Agent Manda "Jana Anthony") she was more of a kick butt now, talk later kind of person I really liked her.
(Agent Ver Larsen "Noelle Atkins") VIGIL & ANTE HACKER I liked her.
(Sam) ROSEMARY'S FRIEND he is a hacker and
He definitely has a crush on Josie I liked him he was great.
(Josie) ROSEMARY'S FRIEND she likes Sam, I liked her.
(Marie) ROSEMARY'S MOM She does interior design she doesn't care about Rosemary at all
(James) ROSEMARY'S DAD He is a banker I didn't like her parents at all.
(REDACTED) IRONFALL'S DAD no just no he was awful.
Side by side.
🗽~Quotes~🗽
"You're the only person who can help me take over the country. you, Rosemary Collins are the last piece of the puzzle." He paused, steeping closer as the crowd enveloped us. "Together we could be villains"
"Don't play dumb, I know you're a fan." "Not of you," I retorted. "Okay, Maybe a little bit, but only because you were such a well-written character. And kind of likable." And kind of handsome. Did I just think that?
🎬~What I liked~🎬
The cover, The sprayed edges, The reverse dust jacket, The writing style, The transcripts, The plot, The fandom elements, The references to Musicals (If you are a theater kid you would like this I think) The humor, The twists towards the end, The fan posts/Discussions, Absolutely everything!
📑~What I disliked~📑
Nothing!
📁~Trigger/Content warnings~📁
Throat slitting, Murder, Gun violence, violence, fighting, parental neglect, panic attacks, Blood, Betrayal, Attempted murder
🎞️~Language~🎞️
Crap, Heck, Oh My Gosh, Gosh
🦸♂️~Genres~🦸♂️
Sci-fi/Fantasy/Contemporary/Romance/Mystery thriller/Heists/Found family
Avoid spoilers. Don’t get fired. Defeat a not-so-fictional supervillain?
🦹♂️~Characters~🦹♂️
(Rosemary Collins) FMC she was definitely VIGIL & ANTE'S #1 Fan, She also loves Broadway musicals I really liked her
(Ironfall "Nolan" "Rhett Wickford") MMC he likes Percy Jackson so there's that. He was such a likeable villain, He is a theater kid at heart, omg he was so funny, I really liked him.
(Agent Liam Blake "Xavier Jay") VIGIL & ANTE DIRECTOR he was like a dad to everyone and I loved it. I really liked him.
(Agent Manda "Jana Anthony") she was more of a kick butt now, talk later kind of person I really liked her.
(Agent Ver Larsen "Noelle Atkins") VIGIL & ANTE HACKER I liked her.
(Sam) ROSEMARY'S FRIEND he is a hacker and
He definitely has a crush on Josie I liked him he was great.
(Josie) ROSEMARY'S FRIEND she likes Sam, I liked her.
(Marie) ROSEMARY'S MOM She does interior design she doesn't care about Rosemary at all
(James) ROSEMARY'S DAD He is a banker I didn't like her parents at all.
(REDACTED) IRONFALL'S DAD no just no he was awful.
Side by side.
🗽~Quotes~🗽
"You're the only person who can help me take over the country. you, Rosemary Collins are the last piece of the puzzle." He paused, steeping closer as the crowd enveloped us. "Together we could be villains"
"Don't play dumb, I know you're a fan." "Not of you," I retorted. "Okay, Maybe a little bit, but only because you were such a well-written character. And kind of likable." And kind of handsome. Did I just think that?
🎬~What I liked~🎬
The cover, The sprayed edges, The reverse dust jacket, The writing style, The transcripts, The plot, The fandom elements, The references to Musicals (If you are a theater kid you would like this I think) The humor, The twists towards the end, The fan posts/Discussions, Absolutely everything!
📑~What I disliked~📑
Nothing!
📁~Trigger/Content warnings~📁
Throat slitting, Murder, Gun violence, violence, fighting, parental neglect, panic attacks, Blood, Betrayal, Attempted murder
🎞️~Language~🎞️
Crap, Heck, Oh My Gosh, Gosh
October 11, 2022
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
We Could Be Villains is a fast-paced read, and I did have fun with it. But the tonal inconsistencies were too much for me to overlook.
In the end, I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy We Could Be Villains. The cover is beautiful and the premise is really, really fun (especially for a Marvel fan like myself). But it just wasn't for me.
We Could Be Villains is a fast-paced read, and I did have fun with it. But the tonal inconsistencies were too much for me to overlook.
In the end, I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy We Could Be Villains. The cover is beautiful and the premise is really, really fun (especially for a Marvel fan like myself). But it just wasn't for me.
October 1, 2022
3.5 stars. When I first learned of this book, the Marvel fan in me was on full alert. I've also had thoughts of what if X were real? How cool would that be? Or what would it be like at all? Because of that, this book bumped to the top of my TBR list.
Why only the 3.5 stars then? As much as I love the concept and wanted to love the characters, the storytelling itself felt off to me. For instance, I didn't feel immersed in the story or connected to the characters. The main character was supposed to be 17, but read more to me as 15; there was a lot of unnecessary repetition in her narration (it's first person POV). Also, for a superhero book, the main superheroes that everyone in the series loves were noticeably absent.
The book would have also benefited from some additional editing to tighten things up and smooth things over. As an example, I noticed there were certain plot points revealed at one point only then to be revealed again later and characters were surprised as if it hadn't already happened.
The story itself also dragged a bit, although it did pick up and get more interesting toward the end, and that's what saved it for me. Given how it ended, I'll probably pick up the second in the series as I'm curious how it'll progress, and I'm hopeful it'll get better.
Why only the 3.5 stars then? As much as I love the concept and wanted to love the characters, the storytelling itself felt off to me. For instance, I didn't feel immersed in the story or connected to the characters. The main character was supposed to be 17, but read more to me as 15; there was a lot of unnecessary repetition in her narration (it's first person POV). Also, for a superhero book, the main superheroes that everyone in the series loves were noticeably absent.
The book would have also benefited from some additional editing to tighten things up and smooth things over. As an example, I noticed there were certain plot points revealed at one point only then to be revealed again later and characters were surprised as if it hadn't already happened.
The story itself also dragged a bit, although it did pick up and get more interesting toward the end, and that's what saved it for me. Given how it ended, I'll probably pick up the second in the series as I'm curious how it'll progress, and I'm hopeful it'll get better.
November 21, 2022
I absolutely love when a book delivers on its premise, and this one is right on the money! We Could be Villains follows Rosemary, a huge Vigil & Ante (read: Marvel-esque) fangirl as she stumbles into the high-stakes reality behind her favorite movies. With her difficult home-life, cinematic passion, and quirky tagalong co-worker, Rosemary is definitely a character that you can connect with almost immediately, and it's so fun to follow both her excitement and fear as she navigates the new and dangerous world of undercover superheroes. It was really interesting to see the Vigil & Ante world unfold before her, along with some twists that definitely caught me by surprise.
Interspliced with her narrative is an interrogation of Ironfall, the smooth villain of Vigil & Ante and Rosemary's blackmailer. I absolutely loved seeing the contrast between his take on events and Rosemary, and the chemistry between them is intense! Let's just say I'm a big Ironfall fan. The promise of a enemies-to-lovers romance is THICK and definitely has me checking for the release date of the sequel!
Definitely recommend for any superhero fans looking for a fast-paced romp through a world that you'll definitely will want to jump into for yourself!
Interspliced with her narrative is an interrogation of Ironfall, the smooth villain of Vigil & Ante and Rosemary's blackmailer. I absolutely loved seeing the contrast between his take on events and Rosemary, and the chemistry between them is intense! Let's just say I'm a big Ironfall fan. The promise of a enemies-to-lovers romance is THICK and definitely has me checking for the release date of the sequel!
Definitely recommend for any superhero fans looking for a fast-paced romp through a world that you'll definitely will want to jump into for yourself!
October 6, 2022
I have no words—this book took me by total surprise!
Full disclosure: I am not a superhero or a Marvel fan, but having followed Megan on Instagram and seeing some fantastic things about the story, I decided to try it!
The plot is twisty, engaging, and suspenseful, full of intrigue in the heart of NYC. I love a good spy/mystery adventure!
As for the characters, I adored them!!
•Sam is a hoot
•Ver is awesome
•Dad Liam is the best
•No-nonsense Manda
•Rosemary is relatable and brave
•Ironfall is rather morally grey and yet there’s something redeemable about him. My heart goes out to him!
The found family angle is so beautiful and has my heart! The laughs, the high stakes, the heart of this story blew me away in the best of ways!
The ending resolved just enough to be satisfying while leaving a cliffhanger that has me eagerly awaiting the next book! 😍
Full disclosure: I am not a superhero or a Marvel fan, but having followed Megan on Instagram and seeing some fantastic things about the story, I decided to try it!
The plot is twisty, engaging, and suspenseful, full of intrigue in the heart of NYC. I love a good spy/mystery adventure!
As for the characters, I adored them!!
•Sam is a hoot
•Ver is awesome
•Dad Liam is the best
•No-nonsense Manda
•Rosemary is relatable and brave
•Ironfall is rather morally grey and yet there’s something redeemable about him. My heart goes out to him!
The found family angle is so beautiful and has my heart! The laughs, the high stakes, the heart of this story blew me away in the best of ways!
The ending resolved just enough to be satisfying while leaving a cliffhanger that has me eagerly awaiting the next book! 😍
March 1, 2023
*sobs*
Okay, but I really need book two, like right now. Please!!!!
Okay, but I really need book two, like right now. Please!!!!
October 3, 2022
I guess I’m in the minority about my thoughts for this book? And I feel super bad about it because I really wanted to love this one! I mean, the concept is killer and the cover is gorgeous. What’s not to love? I had high expectations going in, but the execution is what really took me out of the story.
First of all, I was not a fan of the writing style—and I full acknowledge that this could totally just be a me thing! However, to me it kinda felt like I was reading… fanfiction? 🫣 It just read amateur and imo felt like it could have gone through a few more rounds of edits.
Now, onto the plot—this book had all the potential for a brilliant and gripping plot. But the execution was so lackluster! I was never really surprised by any of the plot points or reveals. It all felt kinda stale and I found myself skimming a lot of it.
Then there’s the characters. I’m not gonna lie I had a really hard time caring for the characters, which I feel horrible about. 😭 However, Ironfall did end up growing on me (it would have been more so if his character had been more consistent). But the romance felt super underdeveloped, even to the point that it made me a bit uncomfortable.
Okay, so that review probably makes it sound like I hated this book, but there were actually some things I did like! There were a few good moments that made me smile or laugh, and I enjoyed some of the side characters, and the theatre kid parts. 😂 I don’t want this review to be entirely negative.
So in the end, this book didn’t blow me out of the water like I was expecting it to, but that’s okay! If this one sounds interesting to you, I’d say give it a try and see for yourself. I can honestly understand why a lot of people enjoyed it, especially Marvel fans. This book just wasn’t for me. 😁
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
First of all, I was not a fan of the writing style—and I full acknowledge that this could totally just be a me thing! However, to me it kinda felt like I was reading… fanfiction? 🫣 It just read amateur and imo felt like it could have gone through a few more rounds of edits.
Now, onto the plot—this book had all the potential for a brilliant and gripping plot. But the execution was so lackluster! I was never really surprised by any of the plot points or reveals. It all felt kinda stale and I found myself skimming a lot of it.
Then there’s the characters. I’m not gonna lie I had a really hard time caring for the characters, which I feel horrible about. 😭 However, Ironfall did end up growing on me (it would have been more so if his character had been more consistent). But the romance felt super underdeveloped, even to the point that it made me a bit uncomfortable.
Okay, so that review probably makes it sound like I hated this book, but there were actually some things I did like! There were a few good moments that made me smile or laugh, and I enjoyed some of the side characters, and the theatre kid parts. 😂 I don’t want this review to be entirely negative.
So in the end, this book didn’t blow me out of the water like I was expecting it to, but that’s okay! If this one sounds interesting to you, I’d say give it a try and see for yourself. I can honestly understand why a lot of people enjoyed it, especially Marvel fans. This book just wasn’t for me. 😁
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2023
3.5 stars that I’m rounding up :) I flewwwww through this one y’all
August 29, 2025
five stars!!! rtc
April 24, 2025
4.5 stars
This book is every Marvel fan's dream. It's written from the first-person perspective of 17-year-old Rosemary Collins, who is *obsessed* with VIGIL & ANTE films. And her world is turned completely upside down when she learns her favorite characters aren't just characters - they're all real. The movies are their cover from the general public... and the supervillain of the series needs HER help.
This is SUCH a fun book. Every fangirl and fanboy out there has, at one time or another, had the thought "what if my favorite characters were real?" Rosemary gets to live that thought and it catapults her ordinary life into something absolutely extraordinary.
As a fangirl of more fandoms than I can count, I felt SEEN in this book. Rosemary is so realistic in her thoughts and reactions to things, which I liked. So often in fantasy stories, the ordinary character reacts... unrealistically to things. Rosemary is a 100% believable character. My only complaint about that is there's just a smidge too much repetition in her thought process for my personal liking, but everyone has different opinions, so that's not something I'd consider a flaw in the book.
There were a few pieces of dialogue that felt stiff and/or cheesy, but for the most part, it was very well done. There were also a few themes that were repeated/reiterated a lot. Repetition is good for making sure the reader knows something is important or to drive the point home, but at times I found myself thinking "yes, we got it..."
My only true irk was the villain's plan to "take over the world." It felt a little flat and vague - I would have liked to have seen a more polished/specific goal BUT I am an adult reader and this is 100% a YA book with a young, inexperienced villain, so taking over the world is probably what he believes he's supposed to do. So, I'm not judging that too severely since it will definitely appeal to younger readers. Always remember the intended audience in your reviews, y'all. :)
Anyway, I was living for the snippets of interview transcript at the end of each chapter. That element was absolutely brilliant. Getting tiny, broken up peeks into Ironfall's POV were delicious and I wanted more. (Hint Hint Megan - we need more Ironfall POV!!)
The book works because it doesn't take itself too seriously - it's a fun story that feels like it started with a fanfic that asked "What if there was an AU where the characters were real?" It's fantastic. If you've ever unintentionally gone down a Tumblr rabbit hole of your favorite fandom, you'll really appreciate this book. It manages to adapt current memes and phrases in prose form, yet it completely works. I almost went to Tumblr to look for something from the book before I remembered it was fictional and no such Tumblr page actually existed (...yet). It's the perfect book for fans of superheros, Marvel, theater kids, and anyone who is thoroughly obsessed with any fandom.
Do yourself a favor and preorder it immediately.
This book is every Marvel fan's dream. It's written from the first-person perspective of 17-year-old Rosemary Collins, who is *obsessed* with VIGIL & ANTE films. And her world is turned completely upside down when she learns her favorite characters aren't just characters - they're all real. The movies are their cover from the general public... and the supervillain of the series needs HER help.
This is SUCH a fun book. Every fangirl and fanboy out there has, at one time or another, had the thought "what if my favorite characters were real?" Rosemary gets to live that thought and it catapults her ordinary life into something absolutely extraordinary.
As a fangirl of more fandoms than I can count, I felt SEEN in this book. Rosemary is so realistic in her thoughts and reactions to things, which I liked. So often in fantasy stories, the ordinary character reacts... unrealistically to things. Rosemary is a 100% believable character. My only complaint about that is there's just a smidge too much repetition in her thought process for my personal liking, but everyone has different opinions, so that's not something I'd consider a flaw in the book.
There were a few pieces of dialogue that felt stiff and/or cheesy, but for the most part, it was very well done. There were also a few themes that were repeated/reiterated a lot. Repetition is good for making sure the reader knows something is important or to drive the point home, but at times I found myself thinking "yes, we got it..."
My only true irk was the villain's plan to "take over the world." It felt a little flat and vague - I would have liked to have seen a more polished/specific goal BUT I am an adult reader and this is 100% a YA book with a young, inexperienced villain, so taking over the world is probably what he believes he's supposed to do. So, I'm not judging that too severely since it will definitely appeal to younger readers. Always remember the intended audience in your reviews, y'all. :)
Anyway, I was living for the snippets of interview transcript at the end of each chapter. That element was absolutely brilliant. Getting tiny, broken up peeks into Ironfall's POV were delicious and I wanted more. (Hint Hint Megan - we need more Ironfall POV!!)
The book works because it doesn't take itself too seriously - it's a fun story that feels like it started with a fanfic that asked "What if there was an AU where the characters were real?" It's fantastic. If you've ever unintentionally gone down a Tumblr rabbit hole of your favorite fandom, you'll really appreciate this book. It manages to adapt current memes and phrases in prose form, yet it completely works. I almost went to Tumblr to look for something from the book before I remembered it was fictional and no such Tumblr page actually existed (...yet). It's the perfect book for fans of superheros, Marvel, theater kids, and anyone who is thoroughly obsessed with any fandom.
Do yourself a favor and preorder it immediately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2022
Fair warning: I will not be including quotes or exact scenes in my review because I did read an ARC of this book, and I do not want to accidentally spoil anything.
I actually finished this book in less than a day because it was impossible to put down. The premise of the story is very unique and well thought out. There were so many twists that it keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering when the next one will spring itself on you.
The book is wonderful for so many reasons, the least of which being that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The author incorporates the themes of “fandom culture” and all the aspects of fandom dynamics into the story in a way that keeps it relevant and helps advance the plot but keeps it from overpowering the story. We see the fangirling and the (admittedly cheesy) moments, but they do not distract from the story. These moments actually seem to ground the story and make the main character relatable because, if we are being honest with ourselves, we would all probably react in very similar ways.
Megan McCullough does such a fantastic job of humanizing the villain of the story while also reinforcing the fact that he is capable of (and has absolutely no qualms about) doing objectively bad things and acting like his actions were perfectly normal. Ironfall is not wholly good or wholly evil and has extremely relatable motives for his actions. All of these attributes combined can help the reader sympathize with him, even if we don't agree with the actions taken to achieve his goals.
I feel like a big theme of this book is disillusionment. Throughout the story and the situations she finds herself in, the main character gets a peek behind the proverbial curtain at the people she thought she knew intimately and also the people she idolized, which causes her to become disillusioned to the things she had always believed to be true.
All of these points come together to make a quick and fun read that draws you in from the very first page. It handles difficult subjects with elegance and grace and even though it's written in a way that makes you want to binge read the book; the way it's written also makes you feel deeply connected to the characters.
I actually finished this book in less than a day because it was impossible to put down. The premise of the story is very unique and well thought out. There were so many twists that it keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering when the next one will spring itself on you.
The book is wonderful for so many reasons, the least of which being that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The author incorporates the themes of “fandom culture” and all the aspects of fandom dynamics into the story in a way that keeps it relevant and helps advance the plot but keeps it from overpowering the story. We see the fangirling and the (admittedly cheesy) moments, but they do not distract from the story. These moments actually seem to ground the story and make the main character relatable because, if we are being honest with ourselves, we would all probably react in very similar ways.
Megan McCullough does such a fantastic job of humanizing the villain of the story while also reinforcing the fact that he is capable of (and has absolutely no qualms about) doing objectively bad things and acting like his actions were perfectly normal. Ironfall is not wholly good or wholly evil and has extremely relatable motives for his actions. All of these attributes combined can help the reader sympathize with him, even if we don't agree with the actions taken to achieve his goals.
I feel like a big theme of this book is disillusionment. Throughout the story and the situations she finds herself in, the main character gets a peek behind the proverbial curtain at the people she thought she knew intimately and also the people she idolized, which causes her to become disillusioned to the things she had always believed to be true.
All of these points come together to make a quick and fun read that draws you in from the very first page. It handles difficult subjects with elegance and grace and even though it's written in a way that makes you want to binge read the book; the way it's written also makes you feel deeply connected to the characters.
January 19, 2023
I was almost as much of an emotionally frustrated basket-case as the MC while reading this…
First things first. The cover and the premise are phenomenal.
As for the story within, I really enjoyed it. I mean, I read it in the span of five hours. It was pretty addicting. The writing was easy to settle into and the format was unique and fun (the interview transcriptions and tumblr post editions throughout the novel were my favorite parts.) But NGL, I had to suspend my disbelief. My fangirling could only cloak the logical side of my brain so much.
I whipped through about four hundred pages with the desperate hope that I’d get justification for shipping Ironfall (aka The Villain) and Rosemary (our Heroine). There was so much betrayal and manipulation and uh, murder (**mostly from Ironfall** *hides behind hands*). I thought Rosemary was teetering on Mary Sue level at times, but Ironfall being three dimensional with intense charisma *almost* made up for it. And I was okay with where their “relationship” ended up from a moral standard point, so I’ll give credit where it’s due. Nice job, author. ;-)
Even though I spotted the plot twists a mile away, I still ended up finishing the book with questions I hope the sequel(s) will answer. I want/need more backstory on VIGIL & ANTE as organizations and more info on how on earth superhumans became a thing! Deeper character backstories would be much appreciated, because I’m colored-curious.
I left the pages of We Could Be Villains humming the lyrics to “We Could Be Heroes”, accompanied by theories for the upcoming installments. Hence the solid four stars.
First things first. The cover and the premise are phenomenal.
As for the story within, I really enjoyed it. I mean, I read it in the span of five hours. It was pretty addicting. The writing was easy to settle into and the format was unique and fun (the interview transcriptions and tumblr post editions throughout the novel were my favorite parts.) But NGL, I had to suspend my disbelief. My fangirling could only cloak the logical side of my brain so much.
I whipped through about four hundred pages with the desperate hope that I’d get justification for shipping Ironfall (aka The Villain) and Rosemary (our Heroine). There was so much betrayal and manipulation and uh, murder (**mostly from Ironfall** *hides behind hands*). I thought Rosemary was teetering on Mary Sue level at times, but Ironfall being three dimensional with intense charisma *almost* made up for it. And I was okay with where their “relationship” ended up from a moral standard point, so I’ll give credit where it’s due. Nice job, author. ;-)
Even though I spotted the plot twists a mile away, I still ended up finishing the book with questions I hope the sequel(s) will answer. I want/need more backstory on VIGIL & ANTE as organizations and more info on how on earth superhumans became a thing! Deeper character backstories would be much appreciated, because I’m colored-curious.
I left the pages of We Could Be Villains humming the lyrics to “We Could Be Heroes”, accompanied by theories for the upcoming installments. Hence the solid four stars.
October 11, 2022
Fourteen year old me who was absolutely obsessed with Marvel and wished that something like this would happen would have claimed this as her new favorite book. It feeds my inner fangirl😊
May 16, 2022
Superheroes meet Hollywood!
If you like super powers, double agents and musical theater this book is for you. McCullough uses wit, a dash of sarcasm and to pull together this fast paced novel. It’s jam packed with secrets and intrigue amongst the background of New York, and the secret/not so secret VIGIL & ANTE headquarters…I mean movie studio. Oh, and did I mention there’s a lovable hunky villain running this whole show?
We Could Be Villains is perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer’s Renegade series, Marvel’s Agents of Shield, and
If you like super powers, double agents and musical theater this book is for you. McCullough uses wit, a dash of sarcasm and to pull together this fast paced novel. It’s jam packed with secrets and intrigue amongst the background of New York, and the secret/not so secret VIGIL & ANTE headquarters…I mean movie studio. Oh, and did I mention there’s a lovable hunky villain running this whole show?
We Could Be Villains is perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer’s Renegade series, Marvel’s Agents of Shield, and
October 2, 2022
OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY G O S H H H H H HH H
THIS. BOOK. IS. EVERYTHING.
THE DYNAMICS.
THE CHARACTERS.
THE P A C I N G ! ! ! ! !
the only, and i mean the only possible fault i could find was i wasn't super satisfied with the romance... (i mean my shipper heart that doesn't care about toxicity or time or normal things is just upset) but even so like??? it was realistic??? it was healthy??? there were boundaries???
THE THEMEEEEEE????
Megan McCullough, you have a new fan.
THIS. BOOK. IS. EVERYTHING.
THE DYNAMICS.
THE CHARACTERS.
THE P A C I N G ! ! ! ! !
the only, and i mean the only possible fault i could find was i wasn't super satisfied with the romance... (i mean my shipper heart that doesn't care about toxicity or time or normal things is just upset) but even so like??? it was realistic??? it was healthy??? there were boundaries???
THE THEMEEEEEE????
Megan McCullough, you have a new fan.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews