This book is a ride! This reads like part Tim Burton and part Adams Family. It is full of creepy characters that are impossible not to love. Angelika Frankenstein is lonely and the impending engagement of her brother has pushed her to try to create her own love match. Literally. She finds Will in the morgue, resuscitates him in a mis-matched way, and then declares herself instantly in love. What she doesn't expect is that Will may have other plans for his second future.

I adored the adventure that Sally Thorne brings us on with these characters. In addition to Angelika and Will, there is Victor, the crazy brother, Christopher, the "perfect" suitor, and a slew of other people that all together make up this fantastical world. There is laughter, tears, emotions galore and a whimsical feel that keeps the pages turning and has you unable to look away just to see how it all turns out.

This is a definite departure for Thorne but I would say if you love romance with an almost fairytale feel, you should check this one out. 3.5 stars

Witty and charming, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the perfect seasonal romance that will have you chuckling and falling in love with the Frankenstein family, quirks, inventions, and all.

Inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic tale, Thorne adds a new exciting spin to the timeless Frankenstein story, focusing on the romantic entanglements of Victor’s sister and assistant, Angelika, as she seeks love by making her perfect husband.

Sally Thorne does it again and steals my heart in another sweet and captivating romance that I literally couldn’t put down! I loved all the little nods back to the original Frankenstein story, as well as the new additions and ties she created.

The tongue-in-cheek banter and playful dynamics from the whole cast of characters came to life off the pages of the book and were just SO ADORABLE. I fell for every one of them and their unique journeys. And the character development in this book was just amazing! I loved how we see it from so many characters as they come to terms with their struggles and true feelings for each other. It melted my heart!

If you’re looking for a lighthearted and fun story to start off your spooky reading season, definitely add this new adventurous tale to your list!

4.5/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Sally Thorne’s new book Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is unlike any book I have read in awhile. Set in 1814 Victor and Angelika Frankenstein are trying to to do what no one else has been able to do and that is bring a dead person back to life. Self centered Angelika takes it one step further when she creates the perfect man for to love. Is it guaranteed that Angelika’s creation will love her back?
The story is filled with quirky characters that will at times frustrate you but you will ultimately fall in love with. One of the best parts of this story is watching how all of the characters, especially the Frankenstein siblings change through out the story..

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match for an honest review.

In this retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor's sister Angelika reanimates a man to be her fated mate. Unlike the original, "Will" (the nom de cadavre they give him) is not a tabula rasa, and while he doesn't have memories of his former life, he does know that he had one. Unfortunately for Angelika's plans, he's more interested in finding out about his past than about creating a future with her. Through their relationship - primarily through viewing her life through the eyes of someone she wants to impress - Angelika grows as a person.

The book couldn't seem to find its feet between a serious character study of Angelika (who, as in the original, plays god by creating life to her own specifications) and a whimsical romcom in the style of India Holton's literary pastiches. There was a lot of potential, but sadly we didn't love it. If you want a surface-level book very loosely based on the original, this might be for you.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the ARC of this!

I love Sally Thorne and I love retellings, so of course I was going to love this! It was such a fun story from beginning to end, the characters were fantastic. The romance sometimes felt a little awkward, but I’m willing to forgive it by virtue of it being so entertaining. For fans of The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein and anyone who felt the classic Frankenstein needed more romance.

Okay, listen. I haven't read any of Sally Thorne's other books and I think it was a mistake to do this one first. I acknowledge that.

That said, for me life is too short to spend more time on this book, and I am DNFing at 25%. (If I had finished I have no doubt it would be less than a star...) The tone of this is ALL over the place and completely incongruous. The dialogue is by turns stilted and stiff or too modern and casual. The first 10% felt like being at a sleepover as a tween girl and trying to impress other tween girls by talking about cock a lot: full of a bunch of hot air.

Angelika is COMPLETELY insufferable. She's angry that the man she brought back to life without his consent might want some time away to clear his head. She's petulant that the man can forgive her brother Victor for his role in his resurrection but not her. Beyond the story just not making sense - he has no memories but somehow has a "quick mind" to make up lies when they go back to the morgue to ask questions about his body's origin - he has no personality and yet Angelika falls in love with him immediately. I'm sure that has nothing to do with his large member and instant tumescence at seeing her when he awakens from death. Or the fact that she literally gave him life, but with no examination of the complexities or weirdness there.

The pitch really intrigued me and I think with a more thoughtful writer this could've been an interesting conversation about consent and forgiveness, but for me, Tborne was entirely too cavalier with the idea and not in a way that was fun for me. Trying to sidestep the consent issue by having Angelika insist, "I asked your dead corpse if you wanted to come back and I could SENSE that you said yes" and then having the man agree? Absolutely not.

I'm sure there is an audience for this, who have more ability to suspend disbelief in this instance than I, but it's not a good fit for my wee bookstore.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really thought I was going to hate this. The prologue didn't impress me at all. But I really got pulled in after a few chapters and was completely engrossed by the end. It didn't have the steaminess of The Hating Game, but the character development was really good and even though it was pretty predictable the decisions the characters made were in line with their personalities, not something that always happens. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and the mention of Mary Shelley at the end was a cute edition.

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and NetGalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Sally Thorne never fails to deliver! This book is pure awesomeness!
I loved every particular thing about it, and instantly fell in love, right from the very first chapter!
#AngelikaFrankensteinMakesHerMatch #NetGalley

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 4.5/5 stars

When Sally Thorne said her new book was inspired by her haunted dollhouse, I knew I would love it. Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is a bonkers, spooky twist on a romcom that is perfect for the Halloween season.

Angelika, Victor Frankenstein’s younger sister, has run out of suitors and decides to make her own perfect man. When she resurrects the handsome Will, her romantic fantasies are dashed because Will is focused only on one thing - uncovering his true identity. The two team up to investigate his past and of course - romance occurs.

If Tim Burton directed Bridgerton, it would be this book. It is so fun and weird and fantastical and wacky and steamy. It spoke to my spooky brain because I, as a person with a haunted dollhouse, was this book’s target audience. I loved it. I am ready for Halloween.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match (𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂) — 3.5 ⭐️

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: September 6, 2022

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Most people know about Victor Frankenstein, but what about his sister, Angelika? Just as intelligent as her brother, Angelika wants one thing in life - to share a love like her parents had. Having no luck with her pursuits in the past, she decides to create her own perfect suitor during one of her brother’s experiments. Unfortunately, there wasn’t instant love from the resurrected man. When searching for clues of his past, Angelika happens upon a man who sweeps her off her feet. Now, she’s stuck deciding between her creation or her new friend, and she wonders if she was to rash in her invention.

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: While it was strange, it was a fun book! The author fully committed to the modern retelling, and I was here for it. There were a lot of points that took me by surprise, and I felt engaged in the story. I enjoyed it, and it was a good start to the spooky season! 🎃

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 —
🔺 Love Triangle
✨ Fantasy
👻 Spooky
📖 Short Chapters
📣 Modern Retelling
🏃‍♀️ Fast Paced
👩‍🏫 Ambitious MC

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐟 —
🧟‍♀️ You think the Frankenstein family is cool
🎁 You want to be pursued by a love interest
🧼 You enjoy luxurious soups
🧠 You are a smarty pants
💐 You’re interested in botany

𝐓𝐖: sexual content, death, grief, blood

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, for providing me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is a Frankenstein-inspired story not a retelling - with wonderful nods to the original Frankenstein.


We follow Victor Frankenstein's self-centered, spoiled sister, Angelika, who spends tons of money and has no concern for anyone else. Every Frankenstein for generations has found their true love and wedded bliss even her absurd brother has met his match and is betrothed to his dramatic play-write Lizzy. Angelika has run out of eligible suitors and decides she must create her own. Thus begins this unconventional, off-center, strange, outlandish historical paranormal romance.

If you can suspend disbelief, accept some bawdiness, and not worry about absolutely every bit of plot then this quirky read this could possibly be the book for you.


I received this ARC from Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#AngelikaFrankensteinMakesHerMatch #NetGalley

This modern retelling of Frankenstein is wildly funny, but also wildly weird. I don’t even know what I think of it if I’m being honest. It was really well written but the first 10-12% of it fell a little flat for me, it took me a minute to really get into it. There was a part that I out loud said, “wait you want your brother to do what”? Once I got past that weird moment I really enjoyed the book.

A slow burn, insta love romance with a Frankenstein twist. This was my first book by Sally Thorne and I can totally see why people love her writing and the magic that they bring, I totally think this is the perfect book for spooky season! Don’t go into this with serious expectations because seriously, it’s so bizarre but so good. I can’t explain it, without just saying read it. In the end the message is clear and full of love and I enjoyed it for that aspect alone,

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Sally Thorne, Avon Books, and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book.
This was my first of Sally Thorne's books, and I am immediately a FAN! Even though I imagine this is a little different than her other romances, the writing, the story, the character all drew me in and kept me engaged until the very end. I'm hoping that will be true of her other novels.
The banter between Angelika and Victor had me laughing out loud from the first few chapters. I highlighted a lot of the book because it was hilarious. One thing that makes a five-star romance for me, though, is the character and relationship development. Angelika Frankenstein truly had it all! I fell in love with every character, even those that did not come in until later in the book. They were all so unique with distinct personalities and voices, and Sally made me root for every one of them!
The romance was more of a slow burn with pining that was felt viscerally. I laughed, I cried, I stomped my feet over the heroine and hero's relationship. Additionally, the third act conflict didn't make me want to tear my hair out over "yet another miscommunication" that is present in many romance novels. There were stakes and other plot points that were relevant and allowed for diversity of conflicts while they also allowed the characters to grow and develop.
Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is one of those cinematic reads that I can see becoming a great, fun film as I read. I'd love to see an adaptation of it one day.
I cannot wait for the release of this novel, and I will be purchasing a physical copy for my personal library. Angelika Frankenstein is a book I look forward to reading again and again.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the digital reading copy of Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match, receipt of which does not impact my review.

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the spooky season book I needed in my life! It’s quirky and weird and I LOVED every page. Historical romance crossed with a spooky science vibe. Angelika Frankenstein has been assisting her brother, Victor, with his science experiments for a long time - and his current project is the biggest - reanimating dead bodies. Angelika is seen as weird and odd (because she has the audacity to ask questions!) by the local men and has no suitors, even though the Frankenstein’s are loaded. So what’s a gal to do? Make her own true love after a visit to the morgue!

The plot is delightful and the side characters, even better. My favorites include pig Belladonna (who is in love with Victor) and her piglet and Victor’s fiancé, Lizzie.

I truly think that Sally Thorne’s books keep getting better and better. I’ve been a fan since The Hating Game, but this is my new favorite.

Have you ever read Frankenstein and thought...this needs to be sexier?

Yeah, me neither.

Angelika Frankenstein is Dr. Frankensteins sister. Her and her zany brother get into hijinks raiding the local morgue for dead bodies to sew together. Thus creating the perfect man for spinster Angelika. I guess this is the only way she could find a suitable man? Except he doesn't have any memory of who he is and therefore lacks any history or personality for that matter. Angelika is of course instantly in love with him. So there is a bit of an insta-love situation that I dislike.

A+ for creativity and writing. I do love Sally Thorne's books.
But this is not my cup of tea. The ride is just a little too wild and weird. And I like weird.

***Advanced copy obtained from Avon and Harper Voyage via Netgalley***

This book was so wonderfully weird, and I think that’s what makes it great. It is completely different from anything else I’ve read by Sally Thorne, not to mention completely different from any romance book I’ve ever read. I flew through it in a day or two, and think that it’s the perfect book to read to kick off the spooky season. I think a potential criticism for this book would be that it is too weird, but to that I say- embrace the weirdness! I went into it expecting a zany Frankenstein retelling, and Thorne totally delivers.
As I was reading, I went back and forth on how I felt about Angelika as a main character. My main struggle with her was her attitude toward Will at the beginning, in that she is very loving and obsessed with him from the beginning. However, I think that is the point of her character. She has been repeatedly rejected because she is deemed “too odd” after being cooped up in that manor her whole life. This pushes her to a breaking point of sorts, making her decide that she is going to create her ideal man instead, which accounts for why she is so loving of him from the moment she revives him. I also think that, since she spent her whole life interacting primarily with her brother, she would not have a good knowledge of social cues and of what true love looks like, which is something she comes to learn throughout the story. I also loved how she came into her own power. At the start of the story, she is more submissive to Victor, assisting him in anything he needs, which makes it really satisfying when she starts to stand up for herself and her capabilities as a scientist.
I loved Angelika and Will’s relationship. There was so much angst and tension between the two, and I loved the way it progressed from Angelina’s blind devotion to her learning everything about him that there is to truly love. He was sweet and attentive, and I enjoyed unraveling the mystery regarding his identity (and am incredibly proud of myself for putting it together before the characters did). Is it strange that Will is a reanimated corpse? Sure. But the weirdness is part of what gives this book its charm and what makes it entertaining. There was a bit of a love triangle in this book, but I actually didn’t mind it because 1) it’s fairly clear the entire time who Angelika will choose and 2) it gave Angelika’s character the opportunity to experience the messiness of emotions and made her grapple with the fact that she had feelings for both of the men at the same time.
Finally, I think that Victor deserves a special shout out, because he was such an entertaining supporting character. He was just so wonderfully chaotic that I loved whenever he was in a scene. I also greatly enjoyed seeing the way he developed, from taking Angelika’s assistance for granted, leaning on her for anything and everything, to being able to carry out his own experiments and ideas on his own.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun. It felt like a classic romantic comedy from the 30s and 40s, with the quick-witted banter between the characters, and the utterly zany messiness of the situations they found themselves in. If you’re looking for a fun, Tim Burton-esque read to kick off spooky season, then this one is for you.

💀Angelika Frankenstein Makes her Match💀

Rating: 3/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, Sally Thorne and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I just really could not get into this book. I felt like the entire time I was really trying to figure out where this story was going. There were so many parts of this book that I was just cringing. I also hated the love triangle. Angelika literally tells the Commander that she will always choose Will, she wants to marry Will right now and the Commander just ignores her. Like who does that?

There were just way too many plot holes and aspects of this book that just didn’t make sense. I hated how some of the characters acted for most of the book and then when they made one good decision it’s like oh wow look this person has completely changed. There wasn’t any character growth for any of the characters in this book. The idea of this book had so much potential but the execution of it just failed for me.

✨ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ✨

📖: Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match
✍🏼: Sally Thorne
💻: @avonbooks
📅: September 6, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

This is a very cute book & absolutely perfect for spooky season, especially if you’re more into romcoms than thrillers or horror.

Pros:
• well written
• quirky & unusual
• spooky Frankenstein vibes

Cons:
• the dialogue wasn’t consistent with the time period. I understand this was meant to be a lighthearted quirky book, but the way the characters conversed really bothered me.
• We’re told that Angelika is very unusual & strange. A woman that stands out from the crowd, but that’s just it—we’re just told that she is & that’s that. We don’t ever witness any actions, behavior, or thoughts that portray her as actually being so strange & different.
• it drags on. I felt like the book could’ve been about 100 pages shorter. I was expecting more of a spooky, whimsical little romance, but it felt more like a mild mystery, ixnay the suspense, as the majority of the book is just about Will finding out who he was before death & Angelika being mad that he doesn’t seem to be interested in her, so she pines away for him in vain.

I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations. Please, do NOT let me sway you against this one based on my personal opinion! It IS a good story, just not my personal cup of tea.

Thank you, @netgalley & @avonbooks for gifting me this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love Sally Thorne and the charming weirdness of her previous books, but Angelika was too weird even for me. A Frankenstein retelling that doesn't have the "scientist" reckon with their decision and their subject's lack of consent doesn't sit well with me, especially since Angelika explictly created her "monster" so she could marry and have sex with him. I also found the way Angelika and Victor talked about said creation and his ahem physical attributes to be off-putting - I would rather cut off my own arm than talk with my brother that way. The book also turned weirdly religious at the end. All in all, not for me, but I do admire Sally for taking a chance and writing something so different from her other books.

Review posted on Goodreads now and to be posted on Instagram @aleasbooknook on September 1st at 7:30am

2.75/5⭐️ 𝚎𝙰𝚁𝙲 - 𝙿𝚞𝚋. 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝚂𝚎𝚙𝚝. 6, 2022

This is gonna be a tough review to write.

This book was raved over by other reviewers for being the gothic, Tim-Burton-esque historical romance that we all needed. I am here to give you a critical review and let you know that it is 𝑵𝑶𝑻 that.

First, here's what I did like:

The ending. The last 15% of the book was more convincing than the other 85%. It was during that 15% that I finally started understanding the relationship between Angelika and Will. The inclusion of Mary Shelley at the end was also a nice touch.

Now for what I didn't like:

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is a book that struggles to find a genre and a course for the story. The story goes all over the place and has many loose ends that are not tied up. It was almost as if this book needed a little more editing before being published. Or, well, maybe 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆. There were grammatical errors, sentences that just didn't make sense, and sentences that were misplaced.

Beyond the grammar errors and plot-holes, the entire premise just infuriated me. Sally Thorne painted Angelika as a spoiled, indecisive woman who cannot possibly live her life without a man. Angelika must be married or she will simply 𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌. This is true for her in the beginning when they create her "perfect man" (this is problematic too) and in the end. However, it is important to note that even though she is a static character that shows little to no development throughout the course of the novel, the other characters have convinced themselves she is different. Her "change" is mentioned several times by other characters, although it is virtually nonexistent.

This review is getting awfully long, so I will make a few more short points:

Angelika and Will's relationship is highly unbelievable because Will goes from, "I couldn't possibly, ever, want to be with you," to "I must have you NOW," too quick. There is no build up and nothing to convince the reader that it is sincere until the end.

The lewd comments that Victor makes towards or about Angelika and her love life is just...uncomfortable. Especially considering they are siblings.

Thank you Netgalley and Sally Thorne for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.