Assistant to the Villain
Ratings201
Average rating3.8
DNFed @ 25%
someone said that this book is full of millennial cringe and they're right. I hoped that I could just turn my brain off for this book, but the writing is so bad I couldn't go through with it
Lo recordaba mucho peor!!!! Es bastante disfrutón OYE, le cuesta arrancar pero está guay :)
Era todo lo que él no merecía pero anhelaba de todos modos.
It took me sooo long to read it but it was a fun roller coaster!
+2 stars for: grumpy sunshine
+1 star for: healthy sisterly relationships
-1 star for: the most immature and ridiculous writing i've experienced in a while. this book feels like it had ZERO content editing. when you look up “tell don't show” in a dictionary this book would show up. it was so unbelievably frustrating to have to read about potentially exciting moments EXPLAINED to you instead of experiencing them. instead we got 60% office busy work, 20% omg look at me im so useless and clumsy bt also stunning, and 10% randomly intense character trauma. sighhhh, for me this felt like a complete waste of potential. the set up and premise seemed so full of whimsical silliness that was just completely unfulfilled. i found myself willing the pages to move faster cause i just couldn't. post reading mood: exhausted and not in a good way.
Silly and fun. Very tongue in cheek, or if it wasn't it was just full of ridiculousness.
DNF at 15%. I could tell immediately that the writing was very clunky and stilted, but thought I'd still try and give it a chance since the concept seemed campy and fun — but very very quickly became clear that this was not just awkwardly written, but was also full-on instalove (quite literally one scene after the intro, we are five months in the future and our POV character won't shut up about The Villain's lips), clumsy girl with question marks for a personality, dialogue straight out of a bad Hallmark movie, no humor that was hitting whatsoever, etc. It's a no from me.
3.5 stars. I wasn't sure about this book for the majority of it. It didn't grab me the way that I wanted it to and I can't really put my finger on why. Having said that, I was in it by the end and I will definitely read book 2. Glad that Evie is coming into her own. I think she's going to be a badass in the next book.
I think this book delivered exactly what I hoped it would - cute, easy to read, trope-y. It feels a bit like the book equivalent of...any kind of blue candy (jolly ranchers, lollypops, etc). It isn't the greatest gourmet food in the world, and it probably has a whole lot of sugar and chemicals, and you know that the blue isn't natural, but you still enjoy it in the moment and you know what to expect - no big surprises.
For folks that enjoyed this book, I would also recommend the Villains and Virtues series by A. K. Caggiano. Not the same story (obviously) but same root premise - sunshine character ends up hanging out with the grumpy villain for Reasons.
(I'm kind of loving this sudden popularity of making villains the main character - I love a morally gray character.)
ok, this was no literary masterpiece, but it was a helluva lot of fun.
i know how to go into a Red Tower book: by completely reducing my expectations to zero, or simply just expecting a mediocre but fun story... and that's exactly what Assistant To The Villain is. it's a cringey office rom-com but set in a medieval world that you can very much tell was written by a millennial. i loved every second of it, so much so that i read it in just two sittings. i need the sequel now tho. like right now. <3
Glad I read it
I finished this as part of a ten-day readathon. I know I've been saying that a lot; it's definitely helped me find the passion for reading and reviewing again. I just hope I can continue the trend after the motivation for completing tasks disappears. However, as I sat down to write this review, I found out that this book was big on BookTok. I will say that I enjoyed this so much more without the hype. It wasn’t amazing, but it was worth the time I spent yesterday and is worth three stars.
"Assistant to the Villain" by Hannah Nicole Maehrer is a refreshing twist on the classic villain trope, blending humor, heart, and a dash of fantasy. The protagonist, Evie Sage, finds herself working as an assistant to a notorious villain, and the story explores the unlikely dynamics between them. The book's strength lies in its witty dialogue and the chemistry between characters, making it an enjoyable read despite some predictable plot points.
The world-building is decent, though it occasionally feels underdeveloped, leaving some elements to the reader's imagination. The pacing is brisk, which kept me engaged, but it also meant that certain character arcs and subplots felt rushed. Maehrer’s writing style is accessible and engaging, perfect for a YA audience, though it might not offer the depth that older readers seek.
Part of the reason I picked it up is to try and find YA reads for my nephew, who is very picky. I think maybe if I was his age, I might have enjoyed it more. As an adult reader, I found myself craving more complexity and depth in the story and characters, but I can see how the humor, fast pace, and unique premise would appeal to a younger audience. The book has a certain charm and whimsy that might resonate more with teens, making it a potential hit for my nephew if he gives it a chance.
Este libro es mi primer libro cinco estrellas del año y se lo merece.
Evie te amo.
Trystan, te adoro.
El papá de Evie, mlp hp escoria de la vida, ojalá muera en el siguiente libro
Well this is my favorite read of the early summer so far! Assistant to the Villain is a delightful read, and an instant favorite and 5⭐️ book for me.
I normally read heavy, dark, spicy, etc. books and this wasn't that, but I still LOVED it.
The banter was witty, the FMC was smart and a little bit odd but so relatable. The MMC was broody and villainous, there was resistance to the attraction, a grumpy sunshine vibe, and so much more.
I loved this book so much! It was a perfect read and I cannot wait for the second one!
The way I and any other oldest sibling/sister can relate to Evie caring for her sister and taking care of her family is uncanny, and then watching the villain fall for her despite his best attempt at remaining detached? My heart 😍
I loved the chapters from the villain's POV. It was wonderful to see him breaking down his unfeeling walls one by one against his will, because he couldn't resist Evie. Ugh! Just loved it so much.
August cannot come fast enough for me to get my hands on book 2, Apprentice to the Villain! I recommend everyone pick this one up!
DNFd at 30%.
I'm sorry, I couldn't take it anymore. This book feels so unedited. The snark is so cringy and the plot feels like a copy and paste of all the popular tropes, but worse... I can't believe this is traditionally published. I dont know how it got past editing but it is not good.
DNF at 25 pages in, it reads more like a wattpad from 2015 than a book I'd be interested in. I'm sure it's great if someone is in the mood for a shallow, mildly entertaining read
AUDIOBOOK
I'd recommend this as a cute fantasy book with a good plot twist. I enjoyed their banter. It has a little action, but nothing actually scary. Not a great book, but pretty good.
A damn enjoyable story when a light, entertaining book is needed. Cozy setting, good sense of humor, well-done slowburn romance.
The storyline was awesome with so many twists and turns that I could hardly quit listening (I listened to the audio book).
For those wondering, it does have the F, S, H, and similar curse words sprinkled throughout. Not constant, but often. It also mentions that 2 women that liked eachother. It is also kinda heavy with violence, (More the frequencey and lots of deaths)
For younger readers, I would not recoment it. As a christian girl, I would reccomend Ages 15-16+