Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for the Arc

I have always struggled with villain romances, and unfortunately, Long Live Evil fell into the trap of most of the lines becoming increasingly blurred between romantic and violent. Sarah Rees Brennan's Long Live Evil looks to be one of the first American novels to adapt the classic anime trope of an ordinary person transported into another word. This trope is acceptable but, unfortunately, does nothing to add to the story, as Rea (FMC) is a run-of-the-mill isekai protagonist, as is the world she falls into. A world that could be easily interchanged from any other fantasy series released within the last ten years; what makes a fantasy world so desirable to escape into how different they are from the real world, but Brennan's world doesn't stand out? Why would Rea love this world over any other?

This book was so refreshing! A fun, campy spin on fantasy that made me laugh out loud multiple times. The first 10-15% was so chaotic for me that I had a hard time getting invested but after the end of a chapter that made me audibly gasp I was hooked for the rest of the book and couldn’t put it down. This book is for so many people, - fantasy lovers, comedy lovers, people who love to root for the villains, and anyone who has ever felt like they weren’t the main character in their own life. I cannot wait for the next book in the series and plan to pick up a physical copy to read again. I’m knocking off 0.5 ⭐️ for the bumpy start but honestly may come back and change it to 5 ⭐️ after a reread. I love the way the author described chronic illness and reading the afterword gave me a whole new appreciation for the story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and of course Sarah Rees Brennan for the early ARC for review. I had a blast!!

I had a wonderful time reading it because of its unique style of writing and a great opportunity for laughing. The humor of this novel is on the next level. This is what I majorly enjoyed a lot.

Now, I’ll talk about the characters. The characters were very multi-layered so they were difficult to judge in the first few chapters. But from the middle, I started to get what exactly is happening and at the end, just don’t ask me what happened 😳. But truly it was fantastic. Rae, Key and the Emperor ( again like manhwa, I have fallen for the villain here 🤣).

One was desperate, the other was ummm… mysterious and daring and the other was the cruel snake in the kingdom but still I like him. I’m more interested in the main characters than the supporting characters. The supporting characters were interesting but I didn’t like the way some characters’loyalty changed in the end.

This time, my sympathies goes with the villain ( he is the best) . After all, I think all characters other than him were vipers lol.

The ending was a bit predictable. But I was extremely happy at the end because of my favorite character’s epic entrance. I can’t wait to see what he will do next.

3.75 Stars
After a bit of a slow confusing start, this was such a fun and unexpected read! It’s one of those books that is going to require you to look below the surface and dig into the actual story crafting process of fantasy writing, and explore how a single character can change a story. If you are not willing to do that, I don’t think you will enjoy this one. If you are someone who enjoys a plot to wrap your brain around and you enjoy campy, swiftie, meta comedy, you will absolutely love this story! I did find the beginning a little slow, but I’d say about the 30% mark I was fully immersing myself in the story, anxious about what would happen next and caring about all of the characters! The ending was fantastic and definitely made me want to continue on with the next installment!!

Long Live Evil was non stop fun! This is a highly original twist on the character from our world finding themself in their favorite book, only to wreak havoc on the original story. I appreciated how the difficulties of Rae's cancer are woven throughout the story- both in terms of her flashbacks in the real world, and the way in which she is able to live in a strong healthy body in the book world. With each beat the story kept me guessing. Just when I thought I knew what would happen, there was a turn I didn't expect!

I also loved how the story makes us think about what is real and what isn't- for Rae and all of the characters, what is happening in the world of "Time of Iron" is real and it is wonderful to see Rae begin to grapple with how her villainous actions affect the other characters; not to mention how she grows to care for many of them. For anyone who has wanted to visit a bookworld they have loved, this is a great exploration as to what it might be like.

While I would have liked to see more of this wrapped up by the end, I didn't also enjoy how the book closes. I am looking forward to seeing where this story goes in the future.

Do you have a favorite villain?⁠
⁠
Why do I ask? Let's talk about Long Live Evil for a bit. Rae, in the hospital with terminal cancer, is awoken by a mysterious person who offers her the chance to enter her favorite books (super violent epic fantasies a la Game of Thrones). If she can find the Flower of Life and Death, she'll be cured and able to return to her own world. If she can't complete the task? She'll be stuck in Eyam (remember, super violent fantasy world) forever. She says "Sure" (mostly to get this person out of her room) but does, in fact, wake up in the body of the villain of the first book on the eve of her execution. She's got to scramble immediately to put together a group of villains in the hopes of living long enough to get the flower.⁠
⁠
At first, I was rolling along and having fun reading, just waiting for the next sendup of epic fantasy tropes. (The Room of Memory and Bone especially tickled my fancy, both for the name itself and for the over-the-topness of a room entirely furnished with ground up human bones, complete with a throne where rulers' dead bodies are placed until they decompose.) But as the stakes got higher, I got more and more invested in Rae and in the other characters. It helps that the book is really funny, because if it took itself entirely seriously it would probably be a little too grim. While it doesn't end in a cliffhanger, the ending is ambiguous enough to make me really happy to see that this is the first in a series!⁠
⁠
Long Live Evil reminds me a bit of the Invisible Library series in the way it engages with narrative, and of course with the Fractured Fables duology, which has a similar setup and focus. It also called me back to one of my favorite '90s fantasy standalones, Villains by Necessity. ⁠
⁠
If you love fantasy novels, fandom in general, or thinking about reading, you should definitely check this one out.

2.5⭐/5.0⭐

I was drawn to this book by the premise because I love a good complex villain love interest. The idea of falling into my favorite fantasy novel was also intriguing.

I think this book will be hit or miss for most people due to the quirkiness of the writing. There are a lot of anachronistic references made to highlight the fact that the FMC is a modern girl thrown into a fantasy world. The book twists and highlights common romantasy tropes like damsel in distress, minor characters being unimportant, heroes vs villains etc. I thought the court politics and strategy was decently complex and the fantasy world the main character finds her self in was vivid and unique.

However, there is a lot that didn't work for me in this book. It reads YA even though the MC is in her 20's, just in the way she makes decisions and approaches conflict or problems - it read very immature to me. I understand her upbringing as a character can contribute to this but I would've liked a stronger, smarter main character or someone who shows growth of wit throughout the book.

Other elements that did not work for me were the pacing and plot lines. It takes a long time to really develop and the characters constantly make decisions that I disagreed with so it became frustrating to read. There were a few side characters that I liked but most of the main POV characters I had to push through reading because I could not connect with how they were acting. I also disliked the ending, it was going for an epic finish but fell flat for me.

This book has angst, humor, violence, friendship and a musical number! I think it could appeal to those who like isekais, subversions of common fantasy-romance tropes, unique fantasy worlds and overall quirky or humorous writing.

Thak you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book!

Long Live Evil, the first installment in Sarah Rees Brennan's new fantasy series, takes the classic bookworm's daydream and twists it into something fresh and unexpected. When Rae's life collapses around her, she clings to the solace of her favorite fantasy series. In a desperate moment, she seizes a chance at a magical bargain that transports her into the very world of those beloved books. She awakens not as the hero but as the villainess in the tale of the Once and Forever Emperor—a character she adores and has always seen as the story’s centerpiece.

From the start, Brennan cleverly subverts expectations by casting Rae not as the heroine but as the wicked antagonist. However, Rae embraces her new role with a mix of humor and determination. After all, villains often have the best wardrobes and sharpest one-liners. She quickly gathers an unlikely band of villains to her cause, intent on rewriting the story’s narrative and escaping her supposedly inevitable doom.

Brennan’s writing is engaging, filled with wit and charm, but it can also be quite disjointed. The narrative occasionally jumps erratically from one event to the next, making it difficult to keep track of the story’s progression. Rae herself is a compelling character—smart, funny, and relatable in her fangirl devotion to the Emperor. However, she also makes some baffling decisions that left me scratching my head.

The world-building is intriguing, populated by a cast of captivating characters, each with their own unique motivations and secrets. Key, Rae’s loyal bodyguard, particularly stands out, bringing a depth and loyalty to the story that adds layers to Rae’s journey. But as Rae starts to meddle more deeply in the world she thought she knew so well, the story takes a turn. Her unwavering belief that she knows how the plot will unfold becomes a frustrating flaw, especially when her presence begins to change the very fabric of the narrative and we as the reader see it immediately while it tales Rae far too long to come to these realizations.

Despite some narrative bumps, Long Live Evil is a fun, fresh take on the “trapped in a book” trope that explores the complexities of villainy and the nature of storytelling. Brennan invites readers to question what it means to be a hero or a villain, and whether one’s fate is truly set in stone. It's a promising start to a new series, and I’m curious to see how Rae’s story continues to unfold. If you enjoy stories with a twist on classic fantasy tropes and morally grey characters, this book is worth picking up.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In Long Live Evil, 20-year-old cheerleader Rae is dying of a fatal illness and nearing the end when she receives a mysterious visitor. This visitor offers her a chance to save herself by entering her favorite fantasy trilogy, inhabit the body of the character she most deeply associates with, and complete a quest. Rae accepts, only to be dropped into the villains' body that's just been beaten by the hero and right before her execution. Rae has to use her witts, inside knowledge of the characters and plot, and make allies as quickly as possible if she's to stand a chance.

This book has an amazing premise, exciting world-building, and truly loveable characters. The storytelling felt a bit clumsy, with the flow stuttering often, making it difficult to get through, but the enjoyable dialogue and hilarious characters made the struggle worth it. The story does a great job of throwing into question what evil really is based on whose perspective, how reality is defined, and many characters are forced to re-examine their moral values with sharp tongue-in-cheek humor.

Rae is a fun protagonist, confident but not unbelievably so. Her partners in crime are even more loveable!

Beware for the heart-wrenching cliffhanger!

Every now and again a story takes my hand for a walk, that turns into a jog, into a run, into a full blown sprint. My lungs are burning, my eyes are watering, but I’m having the time of my life. This year Long Live Evil is that book.

Sarah Rees Brennan is brilliant. She has woven a story that is witty, satirical, and intelligent, while simultaneously taking the piss out of the entire fantasy genre and its readers. I laughed, I cried (a lot), and I loved. It’s hard not to when Long Live Evil is populated by a cast of characters whose stories are all equally compelling. The bonds they form with each other are the most sincere and meaningful that I’ve read since Scott Lynch’s Locke Lamora. For once, I didn’t have the urge to skip chapters in favour of another character’s POV. Each character had something to offer; something that drove this amazing story forward.

While Long Live Evil is at many, many points very silly, at its heart it is a commentary on death and how we remember those who are no longer with us. It’s about the things out of our control, and about the choices that we do get to make and the consequences of those choices.

In a genre over saturated by elves masquerading as faeries, Long Live Evil breaks the mold and is storming the gates ready to reclaim fantasy. And I am here for it, are you?

Long Live Evil comes out this Tuesday August 27th. Do not miss out on this incredible book!

A gargantuan thank you to Orbit for the ARC copy of Long Live Evil via Netgalley.

If you ever wanted to take a walk through your favourite fantasy novel, you’ll love this story. If you ever sympathized with the villain? Strap in.

Rae is dying of cancer. She’s wasted away and angry. She’s only 20 years old and it feels like everyone has moved on without her. Then, a stranger offers her the chance to cure herself in the real world by going on a quest into a beloved fantasy novel; think Harry Potter level famous in this world. So she goes and lands in the body of a villain. What does she have to lose?

While she plots to complete her quest, she takes advantage of knowing the plot of the story. Except, it turns out, she’s changing the narrative while she lives it.

What follows is Princess Bride style adventure. The story characters are obvious characters, most of the time. It’s like being behind the curtain while also learning the plot as you go. It almost felt like the characters were breaking the fourth wall and using reality key words that obviously had no place in the story. The characters were confused but I was giggling. Very fun!

The pace is perfect: not too fast and not too slow. There’s no info-dumping and all the eye-rolling tropes become amusing when you know it’s all for the plot.

Rae and her band of villains don’t feel alive per se, but they feel like fleshed out characters. But they are just characters and you’re in on the joke. They draw you into the world and the story and I was rooting for them. I wanted to know how they were going to live now that Rae was changing the rules.

I loved reading this two-in-one style story. I found myself wishing there were more pages when I hit the end. I would absolutely read a sequel to this! I sincerely hope there will be.

I highly recommend this fun little adventure and definitely read the afterword too.

4 ⭐️

If you want to feel like Evira, Mistress of the Dark got thrown into a campy version of The Neverending Story….look no further. This was a very self aware story that was a little cheesy at times but overall it was quite a fun experience. The audiobook narrator really helped up the fun camp factor and really improved my experience. My major gripe would be this book sells itself as were following the villain, but we aren’t really she is still quite a good person who ends up in the body of a villain if the story which isn’t the same thing. But don’t let that deter you, I would highly recommend giving this book a shot.

Thank you to Orbit for providing me a copy to review.

If Leigh Bardugo likes a book, I will also like that book. The pacing was a little off but I still had a good time reading this. It was very campy and I enjoyed the twists.

What a chaotic and eventful journey!

This book was such a chaotic whirlwind of a book! I'm still reeling as I write this. Where to even begin? This book brought a whole other level of storytelling to the table. This book went above and beyond my expectations. Now was it without flaw, no...but that ending made up for everything!

The energy of this book was spastic and so different than anything I've ever read before. This story was a chaotic puzzle that you piece together as you read, and the journey to the end is so worth it. I found myself blazing through the last half of this book cause I had to see how it ended. I have so many questions about where this book is headed. Like this book ended in a manner that has me craving the next book ASAP! This book was really one of those where it came down to expecting the unexpected. And with them being villains, it all makes so much sense. The chaos works because it's not your typical cut and paste fairytale. It's so much more than that.

One thing I will say is that this book is clunky. If that isn't your vibe, it might be a more difficult read. I found that I came to enjoy the chaos of it all. I also wasn't a huge fan of the multiple POVs, but that was a more personal preference than anything else. Also this book is not romance heavy. So just an FYI for all my romance loving fantasy readers. This book definitely is light in the romance department.

Overall I really enjoyed the story. Definitely can't wait for the sequel!

I want to give a big thank you to Orbit, the author, and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5/5

"In real life, people let you go. That was why people longed for the love from stories, love that felt more real than real love."

I've been anticipating this book ever since it was announced and was so incredibly happy to get an advanced copy from Orbit Books on NetGalley ~~ all thoughts and opinions are my own.

"An anti-hero was just a villain with good PR."

To begin I want to say I cannot do this book justice with my review. I can simply just tell you I adore it, I love it, I want to read it again and again. I'm obsessed. I love Brennan's writing (and have for a while now -- I really enjoyed her Lynburn Legacy trilogy and a lowkey obsession developed after reading In Other Lands) and it shined so much here with this plot and the characters. It's an isekai-type story with our protagonist Rae (who is on the brink of death from cancer) getting offered a deal to where if she can survive in the world of her favorite book series, Time of Iron, long enough to get the fully bloomed Flower of Life and Death, she can come back and be cured. She's thrown in as a villainess, Rahela AKA the Beauty Dipped In Blood (btw everyone in Time of Iron has these amazing titles: The Last Hope, the Once and Forever Emperor, the Golden Cobra, the Iron Maid). Rae initially acts exactly like I would if I were suddenly thrown into a story and I adore her for that -- she takes nothing seriously because it isn't real, she forgets certain plot points and character names (I really feel that as my memory is horrible), and she makes a ton of random real world references that really confuse the Time of Iron characters. I personally find her very endearing, especially her reaction to seeing her favorite character in person for the first time. I adore the other characters as well and a lot of them get their own POV chapters which is delightful. This book is also super funny, the humor caught me off guard sometimes in the best way. I could keep going on but I'm going to cut myself off for now. On my re-read in the future I'll add some more details about my favorite characters.

"His eyes were mirrors to the ravine. Rae had heard if you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you. She hadn't heard, then the abyss becomes your pal who thinks you have many common interests."

BTW I need 5-10 business days to recover from that ending I literally sat in my seat and just stared out the window for a while -- I need the next book ASAP (the worst part about ARC reviewing is the extra waiting !!)

"That was the true reason she loved the Emperor. Finding a favorite character was discovering a soul made of words that spoke to your own. He never held back and he never gave up. He was her rage unleashed. She didn't love the Emperor despite his sins, she loved him for his sins. At least one of them could fight."

"This isn't a story. This is our lives!" ... "Maybe it's both."

Long Live Evil is an adventure from beginning to end! It’s meta, theatre-kid style fun, and filled with cleverness. When Rae is given a chance to enter her favorite fantasy series, she is dropped into the plot as an existing character. Rae is now the villain and she’ll have to remember all her knowledge of the books to make it back to life as she knew it. With the help of her handmaiden, a bodyguard, and a multifaceted spymaster, Rae is determined to find her own happily ever after.

I loved this book! Long Live Evil is so funny and unafraid to take risks. The characters are well-designed and complex- especially the Golden Cobra! His origin story and the secrets he held were fascinating to watch unravel. I loved his romance! Rae is incredible as a villain and intent on deciding her own fate. The side characters (like Key!) are equally as compelling.

Throughout the book, Brennan’s clear love of fantasy tales and how these books can provide an escape shines. Long Live Evil is the perfect book for readers who love fantasy and have wished they could slip through a doorway to a different realm. It’s a love letter to fantasy readers who love their villains as much as their chosen ones.

Long Live Evil is action-packed, has hilarious dialogue, and is filled with captivating characters. Readers who seek meta fantasy and villains with hearts of gold will love this book. I seriously can’t wait to find out what happens next in the sequel!

Thank you to Sarah Rees Brenann, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

I was first interested in reading this book because of Leigh Bardugo and Alix E Harrows amazing reviews. I definitely enjoyed the story and became way too invested in some of the side characters. I don’t normally pick up books that would be make me cry but I almost shed a tear because of the fate of my favourite side character. Some reviews say the characters are typical archetypes and the twists are predictable but I didn’t find that at all! I had a faint idea of one twist but nothing else. I’ve also heard this described as a fantasy romance but I didn’t think the romance was the main plot point, I almost thought there could have been a bit more. I had both the e-ARC and ALC but I wasn’t a fan of the audio, something about the narrators voice didn’t work for me, I found the accents a bit hard to understand. Overall I thought this was a fun read, and I’m really excited for the next book. For me, this did really live up to hype.

Thanks to NetGalley, Orbit, Hachette Audio and Sarah Rees Brennan for the e-ARC and ALC

Happy pub week!!

I think the concept for this book is amazing, but unfortunately the writing is just not for me. I knew that pretty early on but decided to stick it out for the review’s sake. But now that I’m here, I find myself with very little to say and even less of it is kind…

I will look forward to other works by this author, since her ability to tell a story is very strong and I love the concept!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc!

Love Live Evil is a great example of the Isekai trope in a longer, novel format. In an Isekai story, the main character is transported to, reborn in, or trapped within a different world, which is often a video game or a fantasy universe. In this case, the main character suffers from a terminal illness and is offered the chance to steal a magical object within her sister's favorite book series that can save her life in the real world.

The problem is that she wasn't fully paying attention when her sister read it to her. Although the main character did pay some attention, so she knows a few things, she still gets caught by surprise. The contrast between how she and the other characters speak offers plenty of moments worth a smile and a chuckle.

The story moves quite quickly for its length. I feel that some sections could have been cut to make it more concise, but for fans of the book, the extra length may be an added bonus.

With snappy responses and humor, campy vibes, musical numbers, and a self-awareness that makes you look at well-used archetypes and tropes in a different way, this is a great fall read. Love Live Evil is a unique start to a series that promises fun, camp, and plenty of laughs.

Unfortunately Long Live Evil was a DNF at 20%. I really struggled with the dialogue even though it was clearly intentionally jarring. It led to me being frustrated and confused for most of it. I do think this book will work for the right person and I may revisit it at a later date but for now it’s just not for me.