Olivie Blake's writing is perfection.

One for My Enemy has a few different variations of Romeo and Juliet across two rival witch families, all of which pulled at my heart strings.

I usually dislike books with lots of POV characters because it's usually hard to keep track of all of them, but even though there are so many characters in One for My Enemy (often with several nicknames) I never had any issue keeping track of the characters, just because Blake's characters are so richly developed.

The world building of the witches and magic was *chef's kiss* perfection as expected.

This book can be read as a standalone. I'd definitely read another book set in this world though!

Really enjoyed the audiobook!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC! In this Romeo and Juliet retelling, we follow to warring magical families, the Antonovas and Fedorovs. The two families used to work together, but a rift has kept them rivals working under a tenuous detente for the past twelve years, now a violent betrayal has brought them to an all out war. The only problem? The youngest Antonova sister and Fedorov brother have fallen (maybe not hopelessly) in love. Can they heal the past wounds between the two families or will they be forced to separate as enemies? Olivie Blake's lavish writing is masterfully told through the narration of Ferdelle Capistrano.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook.

Olivie Blake has proven once again why she is an auto-buy author for me. This book was captivating and beautifully written and successfully drew me in from the very first page. I am eagerly awaiting my physical copy so I can highlight all of my favorite quotes from this story, as there are many.

"“Write me a tragedy, Lev Fedorov,” she whispered to him. “Write me a litany of sins. Write me a plague of devastation. Write me lonely, write me wanting, write me shattered and fearful and lost. Then write me finding myself in your arms, if only for a night, and then write it again. Write it over and over, Lev, until we both know the pages by heart. Isn’t that a story, too?"

SO. BEAUTIFUL.

I am typically not a big fan of retellings, but this was a rare exception for me. My only complaint were there were elements of this story that felt confusing, but I do wonder if I would have felt that way had I read instead of listened.

All in all an easy 4 star read and would definitely recommend to any fans of Blake, Romeo and Juliet, or tragic love stories with a hint of magic.

One For My Enemy, previously self-published, is set to be traditionally published on April 4th, 2023. The new editions are definitely worth checking out, including the stunning sprayed edges of the Waterstones edition, the black colorway of the Barnes and Noble edition, and the special blue colorway of the UK edition from Fairyloot. Don't forget about the original self-published edition that collectors are seeking!

The book has a gripping plot that includes forbidden romance, rival witches, and deep betrayals. However, I have to give it a rating of 2.75 due to the chaotic magic system and erratic character motivations. While these aspects could use some improvement, the overall story is still engaging and will appeal to many readers.

The audio version of the book was well done, with clear differentiation between acts and scenes, and the narrator did a great job with character voices.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to listen to this book before its publication day. I look forward to reading more of Blake's work, as she has an incredible imagination with many out-of-this-world ideas.

Olivie Blake has done it again wow. This was so beautifully written and I was hooked from the absolute first second. The chemistry between the Dima and Masha and Lev and Sasha was insane. I loved the parallel of the relationships where Lev and Sasha were essentially what Dima and Masha would have been if they had the chance. My heart broke for Dima and Masha because they both deserved the world and unfortunately their family rivalry tore them apart.

I know this is based on Romeo and Juliet so you think I would be prepared for a tragedy but let's just say I was not. The amount of times I had to pause this because I could not take the emotional damage at scenes was insane. This book is 98% hurt and like 2% comfort but all the hurt is so worth it. Also, you would think I would know what to expect with this one since it is based on Romeo and Juliet but I was kept constantly guessing and blindsided until the end.

I love the structure of this book where it goes back and forth between different characters. We got to see the history of Baba Yaga and Keoche and how they transformed from friends to enemies. We got to see how the characters ended up the way they were. I loved the transformation into corruption as the characters experienced their heartbreak and betrayal. Let me just say, I hated new Masha but in the best type of way. I completely understand why and how she became the way she did, but she was written in that role so well that even though I hated her, I also loved her. The betrayal and hurt she caused Sasha broke my heart because until that point, Sasha viewed Masha as this loving figure who treated her like she was special and different from her other sisters. So to listen to the scene where Sasha realized Masha's betrayal and how she just didn't care how Sasha felt was heartbreaking.

The only reason I bumped it down a half star is because I didn't completely understand the magic system or the epilogue. This may have been my fault since I did listen to the audiobook so maybe I missed important details at points, but I just didn't completely understand the families and characters powers. Also the epilogue, I liked how it ended but I just was kind of confused with Bridge and what happened with his father, or who his father was. Again, might have been my fault, but I feel like it could have ended without the epilogue.

Shout out to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the copy of this audiobook.

Buddy, Olivie Blake does not disappoint.

I read The Atlas Six after being lightly bullied into it and I loved it. So when I found One for My Enemy was being repackaged and republished I knew I was going to try to get my hands on it. And it did not disappoint!

On two different occasions I messaged by trash birds group chat and told them they should add this to their TBR.

I also had NO IDEA where this book was going to end up which was such a joy. It's a LOOSE retelling of Romeo and Juliet and the whole time you're thinking, are they going to actually live at the end of this story? And also, who is supposed to be Romeo and Juliet? There are several couples in this and we follow them all, and they are all star crossed. Poor babies.

Do I want them to live? Yes, because I love them. But also, no, no I do not want them to live because I want the metalness of R&J dying at the end. And I will just say, this book didn't disappoint me with where it ended. I am gleeful.

I guess I should actually give some kind of real review so I'll just say, Olivie Blake's writing is wonderful. It's beautiful without being purple prosey. It grips you by the collar and drags you through the wormhole that is imagination and drags you into the book's world. She wrote a weird, witchy retelling of Romeo and Juliet and she knocked it out of the park...which is not easy. R&J retellings are TIRED, but this is great, and unique, and dark.

My only critique of this book is that everyone in the book has multiple names. There are their given, Russian-based names, and then there are their nick-names. And it can get a little confusing when you're listening to it. I know we go through all their names at the start of the audiobook, but it's like an info-dump and who really pays super close attention to that? Not me. And all of a sudden there are endearments but also real names and it took me a WHILE to get them all straight. I think this is probably much easier to follow when reading the physical book.

Anyway, five out of five stars. Olivie Blake now has me in a chokehold.

ah yes, sexy and charmingly abrasive female characters are my achilles heel.

take romeo & juliet, throw in an oversized scoop of the romantic prose of alone with you in the ether and add a pinch of the philosophical thought and twisty plot that the atlas six is known for, mix it all together, and you’ve got one for my enemy. oh, and add witches.

somewhere in a grave, shakespeare is weeping softly at being bested.

also, I was cackling at the witty banter within the text message conversations. I need more of that from you, sis.

✦4.5 stars

I could recommend this book in one sentence: if you liked The Atlas Six, you will like this one. The story is pretty straightforward. Two Manhattan Russian families of witches brawl with each other over the drug market. Magic and Romeo and Juliet trope complicate things.
I have listened to the first half with no break whatsoever. I was engaged and wanted to know what will happen next. But after the first big event in a midbook, I was set back by the solution. One thing that seems to be Blake's signature move is focusing on relationships between characters, which is fine, but there are so many times I can read the same thing over and over. I get it. She is his whole world. Let's please move on. It doesn't add to dramatics, it adds to the annoyance. By the end, I was so bored and uninterested that I finished it not even caring anymore, despite quite charismatic characters. I think that you can only go so far with the tell now show. This plays into the disadvantages of the story. Overall, if that is something you enjoy, you will like this book for sure. The attention to detail is amazing, and I can tell the author did her homework, somewhat. There might be some stereotypes that I did not pick up on, but I'm not the one to notice them.

Overall audiobook was an awesome production and even tho it would be cool to have a PDF with all the characters, I was able to follow it no problem. Also, the lector had an amazing and soothing voice, so it was a pleasure to listen.

I really wanted to love this but it just fell a bit flat for me. This was just OK for me. I'm sad about it, trust me.

I think this could have been cut down and still held its shape, while still hitting all the drama and tragedy. Speaking of which, when those big moments came, I felt that.... well, I didn't actually feel anything, and that's the problem. I didn't really care much about the characters. Sometimes the emotional drama between them was so over the top that it was just too much. It almost felt campy in a way, but not in a way I vibed with.

if there’s one thing olivie blake knows how to do it’s write a story that’ll have me so invested i never want it to end! listening to this audiobook was such an experience. i’ve read the original version so hearing the new edits was such a treat! these new edits really added a lot more to the story and the characters you can tell olivie blake only gets better as an author. her writing is so well put together. the audiobook narrator also did such an amazing job at depicting the story and characters, i loved it!

I never have a bad time reading an Olivie Blake book and this was no exception. One for My Enemy feels like a modern mashup of Romeo and Juliet, Russian mythology, and Practical Magic. It has Shakespearean levels of melodrama, enemy families that are deeply intertwined, magical drugs, death that may or may not last, starcrossed lovers, and wonderfully vicious women.

It's a wild ride with lots of twists, complicated relationships, and big feelings. If that sounds like your cup up tea I do recommend it. I had a great time with it, though occasionally the emotional drama was so over the top as to feel campy. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I took my time with this book. It's a magical, political/crime family re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet. While similar in theme, this story is more complex and delves further into the motivations and strengts of about a dozen key characters.

The family dynamics and loyalties, deceptions and risks are well-explored and I have been fully engrossed in the outcomes for all the characters, alive or dead.

Truly and genuinely relieved I liked this one.

Needless to say, I was nervous to read this after DNF'ing my last Olivie Blake book 8% in because of the indigestible pretentiousness of it. I was a little worried when I saw a few reviews saying the same about this but they are so very wrong. This was absolutely stunning and not at all what I expected.

It's certainly a loose take on Romeo and Juliet, but with Russian witches in New York City. The emphasis of the story lies not in the magic but in the families feuding between it. Both heads, building an empire for their children to take over, not understanding that the forbidden love crossing boundary lines can make all the difference in keeping those empires alive. The characters are so rich in this, focusing mainly on the three Fedorov brothers and the oldest and youngest Antonova sisters.

There is so much history and politics between each family and I am obsessed with how masterfully this was told. It slips between POVs and past and present, unfolding with an ease that lent this a fairy tale quality. I honestly don't know if I enjoyed Lev and Sasha as a couple more than I did Masha and Dima. The latter took me by surprise, as they aren't as charismatic as the former, they are just as tragic with the most compelling backstory.

Macmillan was kind enough to offer me the audiobook early and the narrators did a wonderful job with this.

I have to knock a star off for the ending though, because what the heck was that? After the gorgeous slow build towards it, the ending simple did not hit and I was so lost as to what was going off. If there was some huge machination that had been taking place over the entire book I clearly missed it.

Okay, I'm 1 for 2 on Olivie Blake books now, but I'm willing to dig deeper into that backlist of hers soon and hopefully push into more that I like.

One for My Enemy by Olivie Blake is a captivating tale of rival witch families in modern-day Manhattan. The Antonova sisters and their mother Baba Yaga control the premium intoxicants market, while the Fedorov brothers and their father Koschei the Deathless rule the community extortion ventures in the magical city. After a change in one family's interests, the fragile co-existence between the two families comes to a head, and bad blood brings them to the brink of disaster. In the midst of this conflict, fate intervenes, and everyone must choose a side.

Blake weaves a web of intrigue, magic, and love as the siblings struggle to stake their claim, and the loyalty of each family is tested to the limit. The story is well-paced, and the characters are well-developed, with each having their own motivations and secrets. The tension between the families is palpable, and the stakes are high as they each try to gain the upper hand.

The author's writing style is engaging, and the plot twists keep the reader on their toes. The world-building is excellent, and the magical elements are seamlessly woven into the story. The themes of family, loyalty, and love are explored in a fresh and exciting way, and the ending will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.

Overall, One for My Enemy is a thrilling and immersive read that will delight fans of urban fantasy and magical realism. With its complex characters, intricate plot, and richly imagined world, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good story.

Read if you like:
✨ Magical Realism
🧙‍♀️ Witches
📝 Shakespeare
💔 Forbidden Love
😬 Rivals to Lovers
🗡️ Revenge and Power Struggles

This one has a lot going on and really requires good attention to the story, especially on Audiobook or else you are bound to miss or confuse what is going on.

There are a lot of characters though this one mainly centers on two of the girls, and two of the boys from the opposing families and how they are entwined despite being rivals and enemies.

I loved the Shakespeare references as those really tied in so well to the story.

All in all I don’t know that I could recommend this one on audio because of how many characters and all that was going on. It was definitely hard to keep track, especially with a single narrator. The store was well done, so I would still encourage reading this one, if Audiobook is decided on make sure to take it slow and pay attention so you don’t miss any details!

Thank you to Macmillan audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

One For my Enemy immediately captured my attention with the storyline and witches!! I love witches. But somewhere along the way the story switched characters and it took me a bit to get adjusted to that storyline. I really thought that overall it was a good story and I enjoyed the addition with the trickster Fae as well.
The narrator, Ferdelle Capistrano did a wonderful job portraying all of the characters and using a variety of tones and inflections for each character.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC.

Two rival witch families fight for wealth, status, and power in New York City. But when borders and lines are crossed the dichotomy between them begins to blur, too.

Olivie Blake can WRITE! I already knew and loved how this author constructed her prose, from reading The Atlas Six series, but was delighted to find the same extraordinary beauty featured here. It is through the lyrical wording that I really felt I understood each character's emotions. Their thoughts and feelings come alive and so, too, do their characters because of it.

The setting I wished had been payed a similar amount of attention as I found it a little less atmospheric than anticipated, but no less enjoyable for this. The characters drive this story and the background noise really does fade away as you become consumed by their many plights.

This was a heavily romantic storyline with magical inclusions played out in an urban setting. Urban fantasy will never appeal to me more than epic fantasy does but I remain engaged by all facets of this and Blake pens a story in such a way that makes any genre appeal, regardless!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Olivie Blake, and the publisher, Tor, for this opportunity.

“I could have been enough if you had ever let me”

4 ⭐️

The story is about rivaling witch families, the Antonova and the Fedorov, feuding to maintain control of their criminal empires. Empires that were built on the loyalty and heartbreak of the oldest siblings, Masha and Dima. After 12 years of relatively “peace” , the families are thrown into full war with blood being shed on both sides. Uncover truths come to light that change the tide of the war and question the loyalty of every family member. This book is not just a love tragedy. It's a story that explores family dynamics. From birth order to being raised a narcissistic parent. Every character is unapologetically themselves, whether their moral grey or evil, its up for the reader to decide.

The story did leave off with open ended but if you want to be destroyed in the best way, I would definitely recommend! I don’t recommend this in audiobook. We do get multiple POVs and with the book being formatted like a play, I found it hard to follow and had to keep rewinding and pausing to make sure I understood correctly.


FULL DISCLAIMER: I received this audiobook ARC through netgally (thank you!!)

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this early!

This has quickly become my favorite Olivie Blake book! The family battles, the magic system and the love in this story is absolutely amazing! I’m so in love with this story and characters that I can’t wait to read it again! I will be recommending this to everyone!

3/5 Stars

One For My Enemy started off as a 5 star read but long it went the more I start to wish it would just end. It was extremely to drawn out for the storying being told and could have a lot of it cut out and it would still be the same story