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apersonfromflorida's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Death, and Sexual assault
Minor: Torture and Child death
abby_can_read's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
📖
I have mixed feelings on this book. This book was better than I expected. I think Maehrer tried to hard to be funny in places. There was some character development and in-development.
Overall, this book kept me interested. I found the plot to be predictable, and the writing style got annoying in places. The worldbuilding was lacking in areas. The characters were fine.
I do plan to read the sequel.
I have mixed feelings on this book. This book was better than I expected. I think Maehrer tried to hard to be funny in places. There was some character development and in-development.
Overall, this book kept me interested. I found the plot to be predictable, and the writing style got annoying in places. The worldbuilding was lacking in areas. The characters were fine.
I do plan to read the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent and Torture
amyredfern's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
*** contains mild theme spoilers***
Ugh ... Unpopular opinion but... It was just so disappointing. The premise of the book was fantastic, I just wish that instead of the 100 pages the author AB-solutely wasted in the middle of the book painstakingly eliminating one obviously-wrong perpetrator from another, she had actually created some character development of Evie and the Villain at the start of the book.
We missed really any context of the villain earning his reputation other than a lot of grunting and chopped-heada references, which were boring and unoriginal after the author burned through the joke 3 times in the first 50 pages.
The plot? The problem? The twist? Meh. It was... Okay. A little unbelievable. Daddy issues on steroids, pretty much. It's just... Sigh.
It was such a fun, different concept that just utterly lacked world-building and character development. I wanted to love it, but just couldn't.
Ugh ... Unpopular opinion but... It was just so disappointing. The premise of the book was fantastic, I just wish that instead of the 100 pages the author AB-solutely wasted in the middle of the book painstakingly eliminating one obviously-wrong perpetrator from another, she had actually created some character development of Evie and the Villain at the start of the book.
We missed really any context of the villain earning his reputation other than a lot of grunting and chopped-heada references, which were boring and unoriginal after the author burned through the joke 3 times in the first 50 pages.
The plot? The problem? The twist? Meh. It was... Okay. A little unbelievable. Daddy issues on steroids, pretty much. It's just... Sigh.
It was such a fun, different concept that just utterly lacked world-building and character development. I wanted to love it, but just couldn't.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
I loved this book so much. I’m pretty sure I felt every possible emotion while reading and I had such a fantastic time reading this. I can’t wait to read the second book!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Violence, and Sexual assault
Minor: Torture and Child death
bookrecsbyjess's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This was absolutely delightful! I’m so excited for the sequel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Kidnapping, Violence, Cursing, Blood, Sexual harassment, and Death
thereadinghammock's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The banter, A+. The sarcasm, exquisite. The pining, chef's kiss. I loved the sleuthing mystery of trying to find the mole in The Villain's operation. As you may know, I'm terrible at predictions, so I was throwing out theories left and right to my book club group and I gasped at all the big reveals, like a picture perfect audience. I was literally sputtering on the couch power reading the last 100 pages!
I can't believe that CLIFFHANGER! That's a lie, I 100% can believe that's the cliffhanger and it's perfect for the pacing of the overall book and goes to show just how perfect Evie and Trystan are for each other.
Now I need to get on the hold list for the the sequel ASAP at my library before it's 6 months long!!
I can't believe that CLIFFHANGER! That's a lie, I 100% can believe that's the cliffhanger and it's perfect for the pacing of the overall book and goes to show just how perfect Evie and Trystan are for each other.
Now I need to get on the hold list for the the sequel ASAP at my library before it's 6 months long!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Grief, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture, Confinement, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
kierasreadingjournal's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
✨5 STARS!!!✨
“You are chaos.”
Okay, most of you probably know that I DON’T hand out 5 star reviews easily! 4 stars? Yes, all the time. But 5 stars are reserved for the books that really hit me. That struck a chord in me. That mean something to me!
And I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t actually expecting to pick up another 5 star read this year! I’ve already read one, and I thought that was going to be the end.
I WAS WRONG!!!
Obviously, or we wouldn’t have a huge 5 STARS!!! at the beginning of this. 😆
But Ms. Maehrer’s writing is GENIUS!!!
It’s SOOO QUIRKY!!!! And I absolutely adored the style! The plot twists struck me out of NOWHERE!!! Like, I could not have guessed them from a mile away! And yet, at the same time, I was hitting myself (figuratively) for not figuring it out sooner!
The characters!! Ugh. The CHARACTERS!!! 😍😍😍 I love them all SO MUCH!!! Evie and Trystan and Becky and Blade and Tatianna and EVERYBODY!!!
Not to mention the CHEMISTRY between characters!! The TENSION!! I was rocking giggles and butterflies and even stamping my feet a couple of times. It was just TOO GOOD!!!!
It’s family now! This book has become family to me. 🥹💖 And I cannot WAIT for book two!! 🎉🥳
“You are chaos.”
Okay, most of you probably know that I DON’T hand out 5 star reviews easily! 4 stars? Yes, all the time. But 5 stars are reserved for the books that really hit me. That struck a chord in me. That mean something to me!
And I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t actually expecting to pick up another 5 star read this year! I’ve already read one, and I thought that was going to be the end.
I WAS WRONG!!!
Obviously, or we wouldn’t have a huge 5 STARS!!! at the beginning of this. 😆
But Ms. Maehrer’s writing is GENIUS!!!
It’s SOOO QUIRKY!!!! And I absolutely adored the style! The plot twists struck me out of NOWHERE!!! Like, I could not have guessed them from a mile away! And yet, at the same time, I was hitting myself (figuratively) for not figuring it out sooner!
The characters!! Ugh. The CHARACTERS!!! 😍😍😍 I love them all SO MUCH!!! Evie and Trystan and Becky and Blade and Tatianna and EVERYBODY!!!
Not to mention the CHEMISTRY between characters!! The TENSION!! I was rocking giggles and butterflies and even stamping my feet a couple of times. It was just TOO GOOD!!!!
It’s family now! This book has become family to me. 🥹💖 And I cannot WAIT for book two!! 🎉🥳
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Police brutality, Violence, Cursing, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Death, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Sexual assault, and Torture
streetrc's review
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Violence
stacynoe's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a very fun and silly book--don't go in expecting War and Peace. But the characters are very likeable (the ones you're meant to like). There are a few underlying dark themes that pop up from time to time, but they aren't graphic. Lots of talk of torture and some off-screen beheadings but most of that is made light of. I did Not realize it's the first in a series, so the storyline is unfinished by the end of the book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence and Sexual harassment
jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
I was suprised by how much I genuinely enjoyed this book. It’s unique perspectives of the villain. And his assistant Evie were funny, refreshing and riddled with each’s impulsive thoughts.
The focus on the villains and not a hero archetype was very refreshing and and something I look forward to continue reading in its expected sequel.
Atop of its unique perspectives, this book was truly unpredictable and I never saw many of the betrayals coming. Arguably though, this just kept me infinitely more engaged.
The focus on the villains and not a hero archetype was very refreshing and and something I look forward to continue reading in its expected sequel.
Atop of its unique perspectives, this book was truly unpredictable and I never saw many of the betrayals coming. Arguably though, this just kept me infinitely more engaged.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Child death, Medical content, Blood, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail