November was an experimental month of reading books and genres that I wouldn’t usually choose, this included a fairytale world, vampires and a heavy discussion on race as an immigrant. I wanted to broaden my reading sphere and explore plots that were a curve ball to my usual reading habits, and I did just that…albeit I didn’t like it but sometimes its good to try new things – or so I’m told. This is what I love about being a book reviewer and working with publishers on Netgalley, I can explore new genres and discover new loves. But this month I was disappointed. I hate it when I don’t finish a book or have to rate it low, but sometimes it just goes like that. *disclaimer – I am in no way hating on the authors or their work but simply stating an opinion. What may work for me doesn’t work for another and vice versa.*
Books of November
DNF (did not finish) Assistant to the villain. This was a book I was really intrigued to read because I always find myself rooting for the villain, especially when they have a deep and intricate back story that really makes the reader relate to their moral dilemma of being evil and being justified in their evil-doings. In this novel, Evie is exactly as it says, an assistant to the villain and things started well and had room for potential – up until the 30% I was really enjoying the plot and the characters and I continued to read to about the 50% mark and lost interest. The plot was slow and felt like scenes grouped together rather than scenes that were pushing the plot forward. I wasn’t invested in the villain and Evie’s lives and they were very two-dimensional without any memorable characteristics. The world building was giving me Far Far Away vibes from Shrek, I think this was because of the frog with a crown (not a bad thing) – but I was expecting a talking donkey and three little pigs to jump out at any moment. I do think that may have improved things ever so slightly. But the world was very thin and I couldn’t really imagine the village and the history that had shaped the world, let alone begin to understand the complicated dynamics between the King and the villain.
Overall, I really liked the concept but I was hoping for a darker twist on the idea of a villain and explore the justification for being bad. Sadly, this wasn’t for me. Very slow without much direction so I had to make the difficult decision to not finish reading.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eArc in exchange for an honest review*
Read my full review here – Again, this missed the mark for me and had the opportunity to discuss a poignant topic of racism and feeling like an outsider but was executed poorly. Audrey is too immature, selfish and doesn’t attempt to see the point of view of other characters. By the end of the novel, Audrey isn’t redeemed for her actions, in my opinion, and I can’t envision what will happen to her character next. Like in life one should never forget their roots and pretend they are something they are not. One can grow, but should never turn their back on the people who supported them before their success elsewhere.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eArc in exchange for an honest review*
I initially requested this book because it sounded very exciting with a Bridgeton style ball, but with vampires. I’m not usually a vampire fan but can appreciate the interesting dynamics this brings to the plot and characters. However, this wasn’t for me. The concept of ‘fake dating’ and a Bridgerton influenced story of a vampire version of the marriage mart was initially intriguing and had a lot of potential for subverting what has already been done before. But something was missing. The romance between Julian and Thea was very rushed and at no point did I feel that these two characters were actually ‘fake dating’ it went from “be my fake girlfriend and I’ll show you the world” to “I love you” in nearly the same breath. There was no space for forced proximity to create tension between a vampire with powers to control and a human who had just discovered the supernatural world. This made their relationship two-dimensional. The magic and foundation of the sacred rites was muddled and adding witches into the mix was even more confusing. I think the novel needed to have more focus on world building, especially as this is the first novel in a series. Other characters are mentioned as add-ons in scenes without adding to this new world of supernatural rites and vampires. If characters like Sebastian and others, added dialogue to enrich the context of the supernatural world and the rites. This would have given the reader a deeper insight into how significant the rites and marriages are within the novel.
The pacing was ok, but nothing really happened a part from Julian and Thea pining for each other and giving each other mixed messages. Thea is also presented as a child-like character who cannot make her own choices when she is an adult and this creates an uncomfortable power balance between Julian and Thea. The conflict between Julian and Thea was muddled, at one moment Thea is angry but then she isn’t but then it all flips again. Higher stakes needed to be created in this environment of blood-thirsty vampires and how they perceive humans – an element of danger was missing. The radical group of vampires as a major antagonist needed to be threaded through the plot for the reader to understand why they are such a big threat to the old ways and how difficult it is to infiltrate this world.
Overall, this wasn’t for me but I think someone who enjoys novels with vampires and loves that gothic genre will appreciate this novel more. I think the characters, conflicts and world building needed more depth to create an immersive read. I also felt very uncomfortable with the dynamic of the relationship between Thea and Julian – it was fast and very strange to read.
Final thoughts
Disappointing but not a waste of time. I think all books – good or bad – deserve space to breath and be read whether they are a masterpiece or a quick, entertaining read. The reader is always learning about what they like and don’t like. Despite the negative critiques, I am in no way hating on the authors or their work but simply stating an opinion. What may work for me doesn’t work for another and vice versa.
I have some really exciting festive reads planned for December so watch this space to see what literary delights I indulge in next!
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