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johnwillson's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Don't look to this book for deep and rigorous world-building. This is a light romance novel with a few aspects of medieval fantasy but also a lot of modernity.
The survival of the plot depends on the characters being dense and stubborn, which gets a bit tiresome. And the ending fails to resolve some major points, leaving things open for a sequel but leaving this reader disappointed.
The survival of the plot depends on the characters being dense and stubborn, which gets a bit tiresome. And the ending fails to resolve some major points, leaving things open for a sequel but leaving this reader disappointed.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death and Sexual violence
jiobiee's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
OVERALL: 3.5/10, or 1.75/5
What if we took the dynamic from Nimona, made it romantic, and made it considerably worse?
Make no mistake, I recognize that this isn't supposed to be high art. What I was looking for was a light, easy read that blends a cute office romance with a fantasy setting. I read the description, I've seen her TikTok's, I know the author is kind of going for that millennial New Girl Zoeey Deschanel thing and I was prepared to put up with it for the length of the novel. What I wasn't prepared for was just how one-dimensional even the most fleshed out characters are, how uneven, predictable, and boring the plot was, and just how poorly written it is. I cannot believe the target audience is supposed to be adult.
The sad thing is, I think the story would be salvageable if handled by a more experienced writer. The concept is good. The skeleton of a good work is here, somewhere. I could see this being a cute animated miniseries if handled by a competent writer's room.
Immediately upon reading the prologue I was struck by how clunky these character's names are- a bad omen of what was to come. Evangelina Sage? Evie for short? I didn't mind that The Villain called her Sage, but it made me wonder why that wasn't her first name instead- it was by and large preferable to Evangelina or Evie. Becky felt too on-the-nose for the office bully archetype. Tatianna felt like she could have benefitted by a slight fantastical altering of her name. I wasn't thrilled about the name Trystan either, although I found it preferable to most of the other names of characters in this book, save for maybe Griffin or Blade.
The narrative reeks of subversion for subversion's sake without any substance for it to ground itself. Frankly, it hardly accomplishes the subversions it sets out to- in trying to be empowering by showing the misogyny that Evie has struggled with in her life, the author takes two steps forward and five steps back. "Girl Power" only means so much to me when the main character cannot maintain control of her own life without the help of her romantic interest- and frankly, this wouldn't bother me so much if the narrative weren't trying to push this image of Evie as a modest but hardworking careerwoman happy to finally have more equality in the workplace. What is subversive about a woman being a man's PA? Or having a man lash out at her abuser because she's too weak to do so? It is annoying at best and problematic at worst, and I wish we would stop pretending something is progressive because someone declares it so.
Narratively, though, the biggest fuck-you to its audience was its ending. It sets up this mystery as to who might be betraying The Villain- and then lets you down by revealing the traitor as someone impossible to deduce by evidence alone. Now, this reveal is a bit of an obvious one- I had it pegged from the beginning. It was predictable. But up until the last couple of chapters, any evidence pointing to that person being the traitor was near non-existent. I would call the behavior of the individual from the betrayal onward to be character assassination if there were any character to assassinate. Wildly out of left field and written for cheap shock value alone. Worst still, we have to go over the same information again immediately after it happens because the author cannot help but repeat herself constantly.
I did not find the author funny. She is not good at humor. Evie is clearly a Renaissance Faire self-insert of the author and as such, I did not find Evie very funny. If you like She-Hulk and Thor: Love and Thunder-style quippiness with some classic 2010's style twee, maybe you would like it more than I did. I hated it.
The worldbuilding, magic system, and setting of everywhere other than the Manor was vague at best. It made keeping track of locations difficult and the sense of stakes was skewed considering the audience can't fully comprehend the consequences of the magic system in this universe.
Also, a shocking lack of romance in a book where the romance IS the main appeal.
Despite all of my qualms with the narrative, I will say that the dynamic between Evie and the Villain is a cute one. I found myself rooting for them to fall into a relationship with one another and eager to see how they progress. I did not like Evie, but I did like seeing the Villain squirm in situations where he didn't understand how to convey his romantic feelings. Seeing an anti-hero or a villainous character get butterflies is, unfortunately, one of my many weaknesses and I felt endeared to his character because of it.
I would say pick this up with no expectations but frankly, my expectations were low to begin with and I was still disappointed.
Make no mistake, I recognize that this isn't supposed to be high art. What I was looking for was a light, easy read that blends a cute office romance with a fantasy setting. I read the description, I've seen her TikTok's, I know the author is kind of going for that millennial New Girl Zoeey Deschanel thing and I was prepared to put up with it for the length of the novel. What I wasn't prepared for was just how one-dimensional even the most fleshed out characters are, how uneven, predictable, and boring the plot was, and just how poorly written it is. I cannot believe the target audience is supposed to be adult.
The sad thing is, I think the story would be salvageable if handled by a more experienced writer. The concept is good. The skeleton of a good work is here, somewhere. I could see this being a cute animated miniseries if handled by a competent writer's room.
Immediately upon reading the prologue I was struck by how clunky these character's names are- a bad omen of what was to come. Evangelina Sage? Evie for short? I didn't mind that The Villain called her Sage, but it made me wonder why that wasn't her first name instead- it was by and large preferable to Evangelina or Evie. Becky felt too on-the-nose for the office bully archetype. Tatianna felt like she could have benefitted by a slight fantastical altering of her name. I wasn't thrilled about the name Trystan either, although I found it preferable to most of the other names of characters in this book, save for maybe Griffin or Blade.
The narrative reeks of subversion for subversion's sake without any substance for it to ground itself. Frankly, it hardly accomplishes the subversions it sets out to- in trying to be empowering by showing the misogyny that Evie has struggled with in her life, the author takes two steps forward and five steps back. "Girl Power" only means so much to me when the main character cannot maintain control of her own life without the help of her romantic interest- and frankly, this wouldn't bother me so much if the narrative weren't trying to push this image of Evie as a modest but hardworking careerwoman happy to finally have more equality in the workplace. What is subversive about a woman being a man's PA? Or having a man lash out at her abuser because she's too weak to do so? It is annoying at best and problematic at worst, and I wish we would stop pretending something is progressive because someone declares it so.
Narratively, though, the biggest fuck-you to its audience was its ending. It sets up this mystery as to who might be betraying The Villain- and then lets you down by revealing the traitor as someone impossible to deduce by evidence alone. Now, this reveal is a bit of an obvious one- I had it pegged from the beginning. It was predictable. But up until the last couple of chapters, any evidence pointing to that person being the traitor was near non-existent. I would call the behavior of the individual from the betrayal onward to be character assassination if there were any character to assassinate. Wildly out of left field and written for cheap shock value alone. Worst still, we have to go over the same information again immediately after it happens because the author cannot help but repeat herself constantly.
I did not find the author funny. She is not good at humor. Evie is clearly a Renaissance Faire self-insert of the author and as such, I did not find Evie very funny. If you like She-Hulk and Thor: Love and Thunder-style quippiness with some classic 2010's style twee, maybe you would like it more than I did. I hated it.
The worldbuilding, magic system, and setting of everywhere other than the Manor was vague at best. It made keeping track of locations difficult and the sense of stakes was skewed considering the audience can't fully comprehend the consequences of the magic system in this universe.
Also, a shocking lack of romance in a book where the romance IS the main appeal.
Despite all of my qualms with the narrative, I will say that the dynamic between Evie and the Villain is a cute one. I found myself rooting for them to fall into a relationship with one another and eager to see how they progress. I did not like Evie, but I did like seeing the Villain squirm in situations where he didn't understand how to convey his romantic feelings. Seeing an anti-hero or a villainous character get butterflies is, unfortunately, one of my many weaknesses and I felt endeared to his character because of it.
I would say pick this up with no expectations but frankly, my expectations were low to begin with and I was still disappointed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gore and Torture
Parental Abusekieshab84's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is the most fun I've had reading a book in a long time. If I had a book blog I'd say it was a delightful romp.
I liked having the dual POVs. Doing that allowed me to see how both The Villian and Evie were idiots. Loveable idiots but idiots all the same. I really grew to love these characters. So well written. I'm very much so eager to read the sequel. The way it ended was amazing!
I didn't see the actual villian of the book coming until right after Evie discovers it. I was not expecting that person. That person was very unassuming. Very well done but the person is a bastard. Doing things like that to people you're supposed to love is unforgivable. I'm glad they got theirs.
I liked having the dual POVs. Doing that allowed me to see how both The Villian and Evie were idiots. Loveable idiots but idiots all the same. I really grew to love these characters. So well written. I'm very much so eager to read the sequel. The way it ended was amazing!
I didn't see the actual villian of the book coming until right after Evie discovers it. I was not expecting that person. That person was very unassuming. Very well done but the person is a bastard. Doing things like that to people you're supposed to love is unforgivable. I'm glad they got theirs.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Gaslighting
Minor: Child death and Sexual violence
avasbookmark's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
loverbot's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Pertencer era um conceito tão estranho para Evie, algo que ela desejava silenciosamente, mas que nunca descobrira como conseguir, mas aqui estava. O seu momento, as suas pessoas. A espera tinha valido a pena.
(…) A guivre não tardaria a perceber que a única forma de se juntar ao companheiro era deixar-se prender lá dentro com ele.
Quando se trata da coisa que mais amamos, pensou Trystan antes de correr para a grade, com Sage a protestar, aos gritos atrás de si, é sempre melhor estarmos presos juntos do que livres e separados.
Se insistir em continuar a aparecer atrás de mim desta maneira, vou obrigá-lo a usar um guizo.
A ponte gemeu e balançou sob o seu peso, e a escuridão que se estendia para lá dela ameaçava engoli-lo, mas a lua voltou a brilhar nas pedras preciosas do cabelo de Sage. Trystan manteve o seu olhar nelas, sabendo que seguiria aquela luz para onde quer que ela fosse.
Sinto que a vida está condenada a simplesmente acontecer, e não a ser vivida por mim.
Havia sempre alguém que precisava mais dele, e isso fazia-me sentir… sem importância.
Então a destruição é a solução dele? - Evie revirou os olhos, afastando o cabelo solto do rosto. - Homens - bufou.
Tu fizeste-lhe mal a ela - cuspiu Trystan, com o poder a surgir ao seu redor. - E isso é o suficiente para mim.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death and Confinement
Minor: Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping
snickells's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
ooms's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I really enjoyed how this book was set up similar to a mystery book. There is a reveal which I didn’t see coming but once it happened I could piece together all the clues that had give us to have the ‘ah-ha’ moment. I also enjoyed how it was written from both the two main characters view point so you can get both their perspectives.
The author provides a warning at the start of a few themes that it includes that could be triggering. Although it is set in a fairytale magical world, with some of the themes it includes the book is aimed at young adults and above I would say. The book highlights the moral greys of the characters, that no character is truely all good or all bad.
My only flaw would be a few times the writing doesn’t seem to flow which took me out of it.
The book ended on a cliff hanger and I’m looking forward to the next one!
The author provides a warning at the start of a few themes that it includes that could be triggering. Although it is set in a fairytale magical world, with some of the themes it includes the book is aimed at young adults and above I would say. The book highlights the moral greys of the characters, that no character is truely all good or all bad.
My only flaw would be a few times the writing doesn’t seem to flow which took me out of it.
The book ended on a cliff hanger and I’m looking forward to the next one!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
ellaraeread's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
rustbeltcoastie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I laughed out loud multiple times. This is morally grey hero done right, not just thinly-veiled abuse and toxicity masquerading as devotion. I’m starting the next one right away.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Sexual harassment
julessssss's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
not going to say that this was not mildly enjoyable. I think it was supposed to be light-hearted and in general, it did that (though the characters felt shallow/flat, but that is hardly unexpected for a book like this). Some plot points felt out of nowhere or unneeded/weird. My least favorite part was the rivalry between Evie and Rebecka, with the sexual assault stuff a close second.
Would recommend if you want a quickish, fun, romatasy read. However, I can not say that I feel this is good.
Would recommend if you want a quickish, fun, romatasy read. However, I can not say that I feel this is good.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment