There's a part of me that just wants to leave a long "AH" scream about this book and call it a day for this review because I'm not sure how I can explain how much I love this book. Maybe you think I'm being overdramatic, but I think this book is absolutely fantastic. It's well paced, I was invested in all of the characters, it was even laugh out loud funny in a few spots, while also making me deeply care about what happens.

Rae, on her death bed from a terminal illness, gets a chance go into her favorite book series to find a flower that will heal her in real life. Rae is clever and funny and I was rooting for her from the beginning. There are two other POV characters (Emer, Rae's maid, and Marius, one part of the original major love triangle in the original book series) and, as I started their first chapters, I was just eager to get back to Rae, but by the end, I was desperate to see all of them safe and happy. I loved all the major characters really. They felt complex and fully realized.

While this is a comedic book, it's also just a straight up great book. The comedy is obviously part of that, but Long Live Evil is also extremely well written, both in prose and plot. I never felt like it flagged, it was very funny seeing the difference between Rae's modernity verses the book series fantasy setting, and this really felt like the author understood fantasy romance and had fun poking at bits of it.

I will eagerly wait the sequel and really anything else Sarah Rees Brennan. It you are at all interested, I would highly recommend reading Long Live Evil.

Let’s set the scene. Our Heroine, I mean Villainess: Rae. Teenager with cancer who is isekai-ed into her sister’s favorite fantasy novel. The Goal: escape fantasyland, return to the real world, and maybe change the villainess’s fate along the way. The Problem: everyone wants her dead—after all, she’s evil with a capital E. So why not embrace it?

Long Live Evil is surely a love it or hate it book. I think whether you love it directly correlates to having a soft spot for villains—especially the comically over-the-top sort in tight spandex. All I can say is keep turning those pages, because it’s a chaotic fever dream before everything starts coming together… Sarah Rees Brennan gives us campy, teenage drama, the vilest villainy, and some sneaky plot twists; making for a delightful romp that stampedes over typical fantasy tropes. The dialogue is A LOT. The characters are meta and unafraid of messing up the plot for personal gain (see above – villainy). And Rae may not remember the book quite as well as she should…

Overall it took a bit to immerse myself in this one, but once it got its claws in me I couldn’t stop. The ending had me re-reading for foreshadowing, the cliffhanger made me curse the fact that I read an ARC and the sequel isn’t even close to published yet. I got so much secondhand embarrassment that at times I had to straight-up stop reading, but tons of laughs as well. As someone who made it through, I strongly suggest suspending your disbelief from the beginning, don’t even try to read it seriously, and just enjoy the fun. 4/5 Stars, can’t wait for the next one Ms. Brennan!

Thanks again to Orbit Books for providing me with an ARC of Long Live Evil. My review is, as always, truthful and unbiased, and I hope it helps introduce readers to new books they will love!

This was certainly interesting. The main character, Rae, is dying and is given a chance to change that by being transported into the world of her favorite fantasy series, as the villainess who gets executed in book 1. If you've read any manga/manhwa/manhua withing the last few years, this kind of premise isn't unfamiliar, but it's still fun. At least, on the surface.

In terms of execution, I don't think this book worked completely. For starters the way it was written was very heavily info-dumping. That, and the book couldn't seem to decide how it wanted to be perceived. I feel like there are two routes you can go with a premise like this: lean full-in to the comedy of the situation or take a harsher look at the realities of a world like that, especially when it shores up against more modern sensibilities. This book tried to do both and didn't exactly hit the mark with either. (Like, there's a full-on, written out Disney-style musical scene--which may be fine in a full cast audiobook or y'know, as an actual viewing experience, but as a reader? Not fun. Reads very fanfic (in a negative way)) Some of the issue surrounding this is that Rae, as a character, is very quippy. She has a goal (which, fine, I can appreciate that) and doesn't see the people around her as anything more than characters. The way she talks and interacts with the world directly clash with the more serious moments. If that were intended to be the case, then sure, lean into the comedy--make it dark!--but that didn't quite seem like the intent. The author had a particular way of writing these moments where it would be like "quirky info-dump, a more serious look at the world or a certain issue, punchy line that's meant to hit hard, right back to quips". This had the effect of making those more serious moments feel like a joke. Not to mention that this way of writing didn't just happen every once in awhile, but sometimes multiple times within the same chapter. It just got tiring to read.

As for the characters, I sort of wish the author had just focused the POVs on Rae and one other in-world character. Mostly because, despite the Rae-backstory-infodump in the extra-long prologue at the beginning of the book, Rae still never felt like a character that I connected with.

Overall, this just wasn't for me, but I can definitely see why people like it. I just think the author should have either gone full-comedy or more serious instead of dancing around both.

Thank you Orbit for the arc!! Your books usually hit perfectly in my scope of interests, and this one was pretty damn close!

I really loved the premise and the plot was absolutely intriguing! I do look forward to the sequel!
My only real issue I found, was it was hard to get in to at first. This reads more YA adjacent than adult. And being such a mood reader, I wasn’t mentally prepared for that.

You had me at the title. The description was just cake... and the actual book? Frosting.

Definitely do not think this book is for everyone but I had a great time. There definitely need to be more villain-focused stories and I am here to support, encourage, and push for more.

4 stars!

Thank you to Sarah Rees Brennan and Orbit for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Good god, what a ride. This meta-epic fantasy had it's highs and lows but I absolutely have to read the second book after that ending. Following Rae as she escapes her death from cancer in the real world by traveling to the world of her favorite book series in the role of the villain, this book is packed with action and humor.

First, the good. The cast of characters is very lovable and I just love an ensemble cast with multiple POVs. The premise is awesome and I really connected to Rae's grief over her illness and the freedom and friends she lost because of it. I know the author fought cancer herself and I think that comes through in the rawness of Rae's experience. This book is absolutely a love letter to books and readers alike, including a bit of a fun focus on fandom. I loved that two of the characters from the real world had different opinions on the love triangle and kept trying to get their ship together, it was so charming. There are also a lot of really beautiful meditations on good vs. evil and the role of privilege in how stories are told. Admittedly, I did kind of guess the big twist at the end but it was executed so awesomely that I didn't even care.

Now for things I had some issues with. Especially towards the end, characters occasionally internally flashback to past events and sometimes I didn't feel like there was enough indication of where their thoughts fell on the timeline and it got a bit confusing. I felt that it dragged at the 50-75% mark a bit just as we were waiting for the culmination of a lot of set up. The writing and the meditations mentioned earlier can be a bit repetitive at times which made the writing feel a little juvenile. In that same vein, this really feels more like YA to me other than some allusions to sexual content (though nothing graphic on page). I hope the series will get more adult as it continues. This is also just a personal preference but I don't enjoy action so I skimmed those sections and that slowed down the momentum for me a bit.

I think if you go into this with the expectation of a more upper-YA feel, you will enjoy it more. If you like C.S. Pacat's Dark Rise series, this is more humorous but the kind of tension and arc of the novel gives me the same vibe (which makes sense since I know the authors have worked together). All in all, I really liked it even if it was a bit slow for me. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book!

Happy reading!

When I saw this on Netgalley, I was pretty excited, because I love one of Brennan's YA books, In Other Lands. And this seemed like it had a similar vibe, but for adults (and I was correct). And I'm an adult, so bully for me or whatever. But anyway, I'm glad I grabbed it, because the book was delightful. The main character, who has terminal cancer, gets a chance to heal herself by obtaining a magical object from her favorite fantasy series. But, when she wakes up, she finds herself in the role of villainess...and she decides to own it. And own it she does! She pretty quickly surrounds herself with a diverting cast of rogues and shenanigans commence. So yeah, this had pretty much everything I look for in a book: likable characters, an engaging story, sexytimes, and, as an added bonus, it was hilarious (this is also a thing I love about In Other Lands in case you are looking for another book by this author). I laughed out loud more than a few times. Sure, the twists were pretty transparently telegraphed, and some of the characters were a little one-note but who cares when the book is so much fun? I never read sequels (should a publisher be magically reading this, please put recaps in the front of sequels), but I'll definitely read the next one in this series. 4 stars - I really liked it!

Thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for the eARC which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. Long Live Evil is out July 30.

It took me a bit to get into this novel, but in the end I enjoyed it. The writing at the beginning was a bit confusing and hard to follow. After I trudged through the beginning, the rest of the story flowed pretty well. This was a really cool, new concept that I hadn’t read before. I loved that Rae was the villain and truly reveled in it. A villains love story? PERFECTION.

This one may have not been for me.

I really like the premise, but the writing style was maybe a bit to YA. Would totally give to any of my nieces and nephews though. The character work is incredible, and plot unique. Would 7/10 recommend for any YA readers.

This was a very interesting concept, but I feel like the arc still needs a lot of polish to feel complete that I don't think is possible with the release window of the final novel. The beginning is tragic but an interesting setup, but once the main character is in the novel the pacing feels meandering and slow. The excerpts at the beginning of each chapter felt unconnected and unnecessary. The climax is better paced and packed with action, but at the finale it drops the twist and then just ends abruptly. It overall felt like a first draft, There's a lot of potential here and I look forward to seeing this author grow as she prefects her craft.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Orbit Books and the author Sarah Rees Brennan for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I read the blurb and was immediately like YES PLEASE. Villainous heroine lets gooooo! Some of the Goodreads reviews made me hesitant to request this arc but thank goodness I went with my gut on this one. Because this book was amazing!
I liked Rae from the very first page. She reminds me very much of my older sister. Her situation was heartbreaking. I knew from the official blurb that the MFC would be dying, but the situation still caught me off guard. I lost my father to cancer a few years ago, and this evoked many memories from that time. I put the eARC down for a while.
I’m not out here reading books to analyze literary merits. I need entertainment, an escape, and this book delivers that. It was a fun ride. The humor is consistent. You will know in the first few pages if it appeals to you. I enjoyed it thoroughly! I didn’t see plot twists coming. Anxiously awaiting the next one!

LONG LIVE EVIL isn't without flaws: first, it's not truly an adult debut as advertised, but a YA crossover (albeit with a little more spice and cursing, but still no sex for the heroine... which, come on, if she's going to embrace being a villainess for feminist reasons among others, can the author let her have some ORGASMS please ffs!). The metafictional structure also doesn't always work; some of the scenes are trying too hard (primarily the big song and dance sequence and some of the pop culture references, although I'm sure there's a portion of the readership for this title that will adore them); and the ending is a twist-that-isn't, at least if you've been paying attention, but which feels quite abrupt and cliffhanger-like nonetheless.

That said, this novel actually has something substantive to say about the big questions--good and evil, life and death, the nature of stories and storytelling--that sets it apart, and the parts of Rae's journey based on the author's own experiences are as emotionally visceral and deeply personal as any memoir. It also has all her usual humor and action and several queer romances, plus the epic fantasy sequences and descriptions are tonally perfect for what they're trying to accomplish, acting as a send-up of the genre while still reveling in the over-the-top drama and sexiness of the deliberately purple style being employed. I hope Sarah Rees Brennan, who I've always thought doesn't get enough critical appreciation as a writer, will keep taking bigger swings in her future adult works! Thank you all for coming to my TED talk.

ETA: Wait, is this just the first book in a duology? If so, the ending hits very differently, and it's also super annoying not to have been told whether it was a standalone or not in the copy before requesting! Publishers, I'm begging you, please learn to understand how critical it is to manage reader expectations by giving enough information so we don't feel baited-and-switched when it comes to major things like whether something is the first book in a series or if the content matches the genre it's being published as, etc..

I've read and enjoyed Sarah Rees Brennan's YA offerings, so when I'd heard she'd written an adult book - an "epic fantasy" no less - I was delighted. "Long Live Evil" sounds exactly like the sort of tongue-in-cheek tale I'd enjoy, being an accomplished villain-preferer, and so when I started reading it, my hopes were high.

Well, they were adjusted, Quickly. "Long Live Evil" is young adult; it may let a few curse words fly here and there, but it's written exactly like a young adult book might be written in terms of style and simplicity of language. To make things worse, it tries really, really hard to be funny. Self-referential. Kind of like Scream was a romantasy. Unfortunately, it's a classic case of Brennan making her snarky teenage protagonist say and do things using slang that's dated, with pop culture references bursting forward off the page all the way. This would be one thing if solely our fish-out-of-water heroine (villainess?) did it, but then the other characters likewise started in on it despite being from a fantasy world, and it was just... way too much. The jokes barely landed, the characters were largely flat. It was like a satire without teeth.

If this had been marketed as a YA comedy, it would have fitted more than the comparisons it's trying to make.

4.25 stars!

First, I have to say I’m so glad there’s a planned sequel to this book because of that ending! Ugh! I’m still reeling from it.

I love the premise of this book, a dying girl is transported into her favorite series to try and save her life. In doing so, she changes her life and the story.

What I loved: Rae, Key, and the Cobra! The Cobra is hands down my favorite character. His introduction to the book is still one of my favorite scenes, he’s brilliant! Key is such a sociopath, I love his character so much. I’m still not over how he ended up at the end of this book.

Rae, oh poor Rae, she’s such a delightful mess. She’s funny, mean, and just starting to grow up and realize that actions have consequences. I’m looking forward to her continued growth!

What drove me crazy at first is the world building learning curve. A lot of the characters have a ton of names and nicknames. It took me a while to remember who is who and who was talking and what their backstory was, but once that clicked into place then things really picked up. I sorely wished for a glossary to refer back to for all the names. I knocked some points off of my star rating because I was a bit overwhelmed at first.

I am so curious to know what happens next. Do our characters get a happy ending in the next book? Who will change and who lives up to their new, full potential? Will Lia ever stop tripping into people’s arms???

Overall, a fun novel, and an ending that I think people will be thinking about for a while.

3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

This was a fun ride, but I feel like this could have been more polished. Now, I did read the eARC, so maybe it will be in the final.

I loved the premise of this book. The main character finds herself transported to her favorite book series to escape death. Over the course of the book, the characters that start off tropey develop more personality, and you really start to root for them.

However, I found the writing to be really difficult to get through in the first 15%. I almost DNFed. I am glad I pushed through, because it was a fun read. I also felt like the first names of the characters were really overused. It felt unnecessary. My last complaint, was the modern slang in a fantasy setting. Given the nature of the book, I understand it, but it threw me out of the story quite a bit.

I am planning to read the next book in the series, because I loved the twist in the end, and I'm excited to see how book 2 plays out.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the eARC!

DNF at 55%. unfortunately this book is incredibly hard to get into because the story the protagonist has been dropped into is paper thin nonsense. The problem is that you feel like you don’t know where it’s going unless you know the plot of the fictional book she’s been dropped into, but you can’t know it because it’s not a real book you’d have read in advance. The entire thing feels like watching a 12-year old read a choose your own adventure book which in theory could be interesting but in practice is just incredibly dull

"Long Live Evil" by Sarah Rees Brennan is a daring debut that upends traditional fantasy tropes by placing readers in the villain's shoes. The novel follows Rae, who, after her life collapses, enters the world of her favorite fantasy series through a magical bargain. Instead of the heroine, she becomes the villainess alongside an intriguing ensemble of characters, including an axe-wielding maid, a brooding knight, and a charismatic spymaster.

Brennan's narrative challenges the conventional dichotomy of good versus evil, exploring themes of morality and power as Rae and her fellow villains attempt to rewrite their fates. With witty dialogue, vivid descriptions, and escalating stakes, "Long Live Evil" is a gripping read that offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be a villain, making it a must-read for those who enjoy complex characters and a twist on familiar narratives.

“Don’t listen to stories encouraging you to be good, telling you to shine in a filthy world and patiently endure suffering. Screw suffering. It’s too hard to be good. Do the easy thing. Do the evil thing. Grasp whatever you desire in your greedy bloodstained hands.”

this is for every fantasy fan who wants to be or be with the villain. preferably both.

this is HANDS DOWN one of my favorite reads this year yet. an epic quest portal fantasy with heart, guts, & laughter, and a girl who gets to say fuck you, i'm choosing myself.

She was Lady Rahela, the Beauty Dipped In Blood. She was the heroine’s evil stepsister. And she was due to be executed tomorrow.

“Ambition is wicked, and I want so much. If I want to live that makes me a monster, if I want a man that makes me the harlot of the tower, if I want a throne that makes me an evil queen. Fine. I’ll be a wonderful monster. I trust my own wickedness. I will never believe in someone else again.”

brennan manages to take every well-worn (read: worn out), stereotypical, anticipated fantasy archetype cliché and throw it into delightful subversion with rae's introduction into the world of eyam. it's reminiscent of the magicians for me (at least the tv show, i haven't read the book) - rae stepping into the very fantasy world she's loved her whole life and knows (well, almost) every detail about, cleverly manuevering it to the bewilderment of her enemies. but, a drop in the ocean causes a ripple effect throughout the rest of the sea...

the self-awareness and meta element of the storytelling allows brennan to directly confront and critique the sexist tropes not only in fantasy media, but of society at large (bc what are stories, but a reflection of ourselves and our existing world?). s/o to her for also bringing in the queer rep and letting typically two-dimensional side characters become so much more real and loveable.

Relationships with no mistakes and no obstacles had no bite. Reading them was like consuming soggy salad for every meal and calling that healthy eating.

“What’s reality, except something that really affects us? If enough people believe in something, doesn’t it become real?”

“Sometimes women writers got discussed as if they ran a fictional vampire dating agency, while clearly men writing green bare-breasted tree women burned with pure literary inspiration.”

“But the poets don’t write about heartless wanton women because they hope never to meet them.”

rae's journey starts from the all-time low point of her life; the nearing end of it. while i felt incredible sympathy from rae's vivid recollections of her experience through sickness and its devastating alienation and loneliness, i also got to delight in brennan's incredible gift of wit and delight around every corner of her story.

“All this slut-shaming. Where’s the slut-praising? Quick, someone tell me I’m wicked cute and have great time management.”

“I’m supporting him.”
“You’re blackmailing him!”
“In a supportive way!”

She fixed an expression of extreme interest on her face, as if at a party with a college guy telling her about film studies.

i could honestly give you more quotes to convince you to read this (i have over 300 highlights in my arc) but i shan't spoil all the fun for you!

i am fully sat for the next book, i cannot WAIT to see where this series goes next!

Choose wrong.Choose evil.

I honestly don't know if I can give a decent synopsis of this because it is a little wild. We enter the story from the viewpoint of Rae, a woman who is on the brink of death. She gets a rather bizarre offer from a stranger- to enter the world of her favorite fantasy series. Only when she enters the world, she discovers she is in the body of the villainess of the story. What's a girl to do but decide to embody evil and change the fate of the one whose body she inhabits?

The characters are mostly compelling, the hook very interesting. The middle was a bit bogged down. Honestly, if I had DNF'd at 75%, as I was tempted to do, I would have given this book a 3 star rating. The last bit was wild. And the end? What a cliffhanger! I really hope there is a sequel to this one. I have to know what happens!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing a digital galley proof in exchange for an honest review

Calling it now: Long Live Evil is my favorite book of 2024. I cannot gush effusively enough, but I'm going to try. Our heroine is Rae, a young woman losing a battle to cancer. She wakes up to discover she's now inside her favorite book series and in possession of the body of Lady Rahela otherwise known as the Beauty Dipped in Blood, a villainess who Rae knows will be executed in mere hours. What else can a girl do except turn evil, gather a troop of minions, and try to bend the plot of the book to her will?

LLE is an isekai or portal fantasy, where someone from the "real" world travels to a fantasy world. But in Brennan's hands, the tropes are transformed into something truly marvelous. This book is laugh out loud hilarious again and again with so many quotable lines (this is of course from the same author who gave us "Sword sisters not misters"), but it's more than just funny: this book is a remarkably thoughtful exploration of what it means to be a hero, a villain, a damsel in distress, a sister, have a healthy body, and how the most unfair of social mores extend into fantasy worlds too.

Don't believe me? Leigh Bardugo called this "supremely satisfying" and Holly Black called this "brilliant." AND IT IS. If we don't get some lovely editions of this book from Fairyloot, Illumicrate, etc. I will positively cry.