thank you for the opportunity. i really loved this book and i’m so happy i got this read it. i am very grateful to be able to read ARC books

I truly enjoyed this book so much and I'm so happy I was able to read it!
The way the book handled anxiety, trauma, and nightmares about ones past was so nice. The characters were able to find ways to talk about and work through their issues together even when they didn't have all the details of the others issues or past.
I loved the magical and alchemical aspects and the explanations and knowledge that came along with them. I especially loved getting to learn about Violet's magic along with her.
This was such an amazing cozy read with romance, adorable creatures, dragons, and amazing characters.

this was such a fun story, and so many side quests that could be amazing (Katrina's story, the Support Group,Sedgwick, such fun!)
We meet Violet right at her worst moment, when her boss/father figure is killed, deposits him from being the evil Overlord of the region. We watch her meet new people, make new friends, and try to make her way as a non-villain, something entirely new for her.

There are many Mysteries and trials throughout the story, and a bit of romance, as well. We of course end up with a HEA.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this story, and would love to read more adventures in this world.

This book was an absolute delight! Like, if you’ve ever wanted to live in a tiny magical town with a sentient murder plant, a grumpy alchemist, and a whole lotta second chances, this book is so your vibe. It’s cozy fantasy with just the right dash of drama and a lil’ sprinkle of romance that had me grinning like an idiot.

I loved how it balanced light, whimsical moments with some surprisingly thoughtful stuff about identity, forgiveness, and whether people can truly change. Violet is such a lovable mess — awkward, trying her best, and lowkey terrified she’ll never be good enough. And honestly? Relatable. The banter, the small-town magic shop shenanigans, and the mutual pining were pure serotonin.

Also, can we PLEASE get more stabby plants in fantasy? It’s a niche, but it’s a good one.

Anyway — five stars from me. Sweet, fun, and just the kind of escapism I crave. Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Thank you for the early e-arc approval!
VTINaVA was a really cozy, fun read. I found this book to be really unique, easy to read, and I loved the main character, Violet. You are introduced to her as a villain and how that part of her life ends. She tries to have a fresh start in a small mountain town as a florist. I loved getting to know the town residents, especially her neighbors Pru and her brother Nathaniel. Pru is a magician and adds a lightness to the read and her twin brother Nathaniel is a grouchy but loveable alchemist. There is a puppy, a rock goblin and so many other really fun characters throughout the book. I really thought it was a cute read and think people will really connect to the story and characters. Some of the pacing was a little uneven at parts for me I think because this book was so cozy that it wasn't a stressful or tension filled read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the eARC. I absolutely adored this charming and whimsical story!

Violet Thistlewaite… is she a good witch or a bad witch? Violet gets a second chance at life and decides to open a flower shop in the quaint town of Dragon’s Rest. How will she handle her past that creeps up on her like a growing, poisonous vine?

This cozy fantasy is packed with extremely lovable characters, including a stabby sentient plant and a rock goblin, who captured my heart from the beginning! The competing signs, puns included, in front of Violet’s flower shop and Nathaniel’s apothecary was such a nice touch, and I looked forward to them at the beginning of many chapters.

I loved the budding romance between our FMC and MMC. The spice was there but not an overarching part of the story. The townspeople of Dragon’s Rest were like a warm hug and they made me want to live there. The plot tied up very nicely and I was surprised by some of the twists.

If you enjoy cozy fantasy, with magic, witches, and plants, this book is for you!

3*

I really wanted to love this book. It had all the markings of something that I would thoroughly enjoy, but I kept getting stuck on the fact that half of Violet's problems came from the fact that she wanted to start again, but basically did so from the bottom of the hill where she was living as the right-hand witch for a most hated villain.

The pacing wasn't perfect, and some bits felt a bit less thought through than others, but overall if you don't focus too much on the plot and more on the vibes, it was a sweet and heart warming story.

This is a sweet and funny novel with a romance that I would rate pg maybe pg 13. That should let you know the steam level. Violet was raised by a dark lord of sorts so she's a bit unused to how the "good" operate. However, given the opportunity to try instead of being killed with her adoptive father she will put in the effort. Moving to a small town of dragon's rest she opens a flower shop within sight of the castle she once called home. It is here as a renter of the business and home she runs into the twin owners. One of the pair, Nathanial is working hard to become a grumpy recluse even as he tries to save his own family business. Needless to say the pair clash in more ways than one. Yet they must work together when the town itself is threatened by horrors from Violet's past. It's a fun trip for sure. Well written, funny and with great dialogue this is an enjoyable book.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers of this book for the ARC!

Oh. my. GOSH. This was utterly delightful and so easy to read. I loved the characters SO much and found them so easy to enjoy. I loved how this book was cozy-adjacent while still managing to have higher stakes, and I had such a blast reading it. It's such a lovely story about the beauty of second chances, starting over, and giving yourself grace to be the person YOU want to be and not who anyone else thinks you are. 4.5 stars!

I found this book because of a thread Berkley posted describing it and I said immediately that I HAD to read it. I wanted to love this book so badly. What I will say is that after about 35 percent of the book I felt it finally picked up and got really interesting, but the first 30 percent at least was painfully slow. I felt there was a lot of detail or attention given to things that maybe could have been cut. It also seemed to be a bit repetitive at times, and I love cozy as much as the next girl, but cozy can border on slow if not careful and unfortunately this one did cross into slow in the beginning.

ALL THAT BEING SAID, I absolutely adored Violet. I love her journey of discovering she was never evil she was just turned into a weapon. I adored her breaking through the walls of Nathaniel's heart. I absolutely was GAGGED when I found out the whole town knew that she was the thorn witch all along and just wanted to support her. The fact they are all a little rehabilitated former villain helper support club town is SO cute. I loved the fun small town cozy magical vibes. There was the perfect amount of mystery and happenings to keep things interesting. I just think the first part of the book could have been a little bit better paced like the back half of the book.

All in all I really did like it and I am so grateful to be given the opportunity to enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley & Berkley for an advanced reader copy of Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore.

FIVE STARS! This book is amazing. I didn’t want it to end. Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore is the perfect story to cozy up with! Filled with lovable side characters, adorable side-kicks, a grumpy alchemist, and a murderous sentient plant, this book has it all! Read it, you will not regret it!

4.5 ⭐ this book is warm, magical, cozy, lush with nature... and I absolutely loved it. This story follows Violet, a recovering villain with a traumatic history who is just trying to be 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓, and Nathaniel, a grumpy alchemist who is prickly and does not trust easily, but is a kind and caring soul who would do anything for the ones he loves. It has a beautiful found family in the form of a local village community, who truly stands by the phrase "we take care of our own here." Oh, not to mention, there is also a wanna-be murderous pothos who is constantly trying to stab someone with pilfered garden sheers or knives (but is never quite successful). What else could you possibly want in a cozy fantasy?

At its core, this book highlights how beautiful life can be when you're able to do more than just survive it. It is dual POV, and I loved this choice, because I felt like I was able to become emotionally invested in both of ours MCs this way. Violet and Nathaniel feel vastly different things, and see the world in completely different ways (although, they are more similar than they'd like to admit at first), but they compliment each other wonderfully.

Overall, I think the story was cohesive and the world building was localized but well developed, and I appreciated the little bits of lore sprinkled throughout (Ex. the rock goblins! YES! We LOVE the rock goblins). Krempholtz's writing was also very well done, and I appreciated all of the plant and nature metaphors / imagery she was able to weave throughout the story. For most of the book, it felt like I could have been in a field of flowers, and I was not complaining.

If you were a fan of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱 by Sarah Beth Durest or 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 by Sangu Mandanna, definitely consider reading this!!!!!

I absolutely cannot wait for this book to be released! Thank you so much NetGalley and Ace publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

4.5-4.75 ⭐. I absolutely ADORED the heck out of this book, and I kinda of knew I would going into it, based on all the previous reviews and hype I had seen from others who read the ARC earlier this year. I mean, c'mon, a sentient homicidal pothos, a plant witch and a nerdy alchemist falling for each other, mixed in with small town vibes and character growth? Sign me up! And that adorably well-designed COVER is what drew me in originally, lets be honest. I love it.

For a quick vibes check, I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, or any of the books in the Glimmer Falls series by Sarah Hawley. Lighthearted fantasy, cottegecore vibes but with a plant shop instead, lot of small town goodness and community, all woven together with a lovely little romance and tons of plant and alchemy-based puns and descriptors all throughout the story (but in a well done sort of way, not [always] in a dad-joke way). The story was so well written and I absolutely sank deep into the story as soon as I started reading it... and then simply could not put it down until I reached the end.

I'm really hoping that the author decides to turn this book into a little series, because I would read the heck out of more stories from Dragon's Rest's eclectic group of townsfolk.

I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Honestly, I loved this book. As someone who enjoys cozy fantasy and cozy stories, especially between epic/high fantasy series, this was such a welcomed surprise. Another reviewer said that this is a recommendation for fans of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and Emily Wilde, which I fully agree with. Unlike most stories where our MC is a villain, Violet is a former villain, trying to atone for her deeds and forge a new life of good…but, nothing is ever that cut and dry and we’ll just say perspective is everything. While a cozy story, there is some spice but it is pretty tame all things considered. The character development, struggles and ultimate relationships built throughout our FMC’s road to redemption are kept me interested and entertained This was my first title by Emily Krempholtz but it will not be my last. If you’re looking for a cozy read with witches, found family, redemption, life reboots, etc., then pick this one up!

I’m gonna need Emily Krempholtz to write many many more books; this is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read on NetGalley, and I’m dying for more!

I am loving the cozy fantasy moment, and Krempholtz perfectly executes this genre with “Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore.” The characters are Pitch Perfect, with excellent dialogue and character development. Both Violet and Nathaniel have realistic growth, relatable, challenges, and they make the reader want to be a better person.
Beside characters are utterly charming, from Pru the bard to Quinn, the nosy beekeeper about town, each secondary character feels like they have depths and room to explore (which I hope Krempholtz does in books!). Even the pets and plants have big personalities (looking at you, Bartleby). The town is charming, like a real-life renaissance festival, perfectly placed in a pseudo-medieval fantasy land, and the peril is perilous enough to keep me reading but not to stress me out.
The book is also well-written. The dialogue felt natural, it was never overly-descriptive or overly preachy and the romance was present without overpowering the plot.
Ten out of five stars; love this book! Can’t wait for more!!!

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore took my expectations and then absolutely blew them up. I did NOT know what I was getting into with this book until I was in it and I loved every.single.minute.

Violet and Nathaniel were such fun MCs- I love both of their inner dialogues and how they both battled with demons every single day. Having an ex-villain as the main character was such a fun concept, especially considering we got to see her fighting her instincts to be bad every so often. It made the whole story feel so much more authentic, although it is a cozy fantasy, Violet was so relatable. How often, every day do we have to choose to be good, to be kind and reading this book was such an important reminder that being a decent human being might not come natural to everyone, but it's really special to try to be better. Because at the end of the day, isn't that all we can do?

Nathaniel's haunted past was all another relatable component as well. This book was absolutely rife with deeper meanings. While it was funny and cute, it was also deep and healing too! It's rare for me to find an author who can balance the two so wonderfully and make me feel so much empathy for the MCs.

If you enjoyed The Spellshop, Assistant to the Villain or Long Live Evil- I would highly recommend picking this book up. It was the perfect formula for a fun cute fantasy read, while simultaneously catching you right in the feels to boot.

This was such a cute and fun read! The character development was just… chef’s kiss. Violet being a reformed villain is in the title of course, but it’s also the perfect way to give this cozy fantasy a little something extra. I loved hearing from her, and listening to her work her way through her negative self-talk was kind of therapeutic. I was literally kicking my feet and giggling over some of the scenes between the two love interests. I am discovering that I’m a sucker for grumpy/sunshine, and I loved the relationship between Violet and Nathaniel. Almost more than that, though, I loved all the friendships and the close community within the town. And there was a lot of great queer, disabled, and POC rep. Some points off for being (as is the nature of the genre) a little predictable and cliche, but overall I really loved this.

This book doesn't come out until November and it's last in my ARC TBR list in order of needing to be read.... so of course, it's the only thing I wanted to read this week! First off -- Is Cozy Romantasy becoming a Genre?!! PLEASE tell me this is the start of a new trend and that this charming blend of spicy romance, fantasy and cozy setting is a sign of great things to come! I was totally spellbound by this novel! The love story gave me literal tingles - it was soooo yearn-y and grumpy/sunshiney and comically sweet!

Most romantasy involves war, gore, death, high stakes drama/adventure but Cozy Romantasy is the genre I never knew I always wanted.
Just an ex-sorceress trying to be a florist and an ex-alchemist trying to be an apothecary teaming up together to save their sweet little village from a terrible (magical?) blight and falling in love in the process. Hell yeah! Dial me up another several books in this series PLEASE. Especially if they have a cast of loveable supporting characters and a HEA for two deserving leads like this one!

Ding Dong! The evil overlord has fallen and his minions have scattered to the winds....or rather the town of Dragon's Rest next door to the former evil lair. After having her life spared, the Thornwitch, Violet, decides to try using her magic for good and live a quiet "normal" life in the village. She befriends Pru who co-owns the local apothecary with her grumpy brother Nathaniel. Soon Violet is renting a room and shop space from them to launch her florist business and making friends, but forgiving herself and starting over won't be easy. When a great evil falls, there will always be repercussions.

Here's the only alchemical formula you need to know:
Violet + Nathaniel = Spicy Chemistry + Teasing Tension-Filled, Sign-Play Foreplay + Magical Mystery = One Giddily Happy Romance Reader

It's ultimately a story about overcoming past wrongs and grief to craft the life you want and the future you deserve. To do that, our characters need forgiveness and people who believe in them in order to believe they are deserving of true happiness as well. No Violet Thistlewaite, you were never a villain - just manipulated and abused by one.

The Cover is AMAZING! I think the cover will sell the book and readers who make their purchase based on the cover won't be disappointed. Props to the art department! The story is a ro-magical fairytale hug. How is this the author's first book (with her name on it)?! Readers, follow this colorful lady for more fun, fireside romantasy in the future!

This book was JUST what I was looking for!

I really loved Violet's story: a former villain yearning to atone for her sins, and start a new life of good. A new start is something we all want at times.

It is cozy, warm, and fantastical with a great message. Though the atmosphere is light, and the characters fun and quirky, the story held on to it's substance. While I found it to drag a bit towards the middle, this was not a deal breaker for me. Emily Krempholtz's writing was great, dropping profound, quotable gems here and there.

Overall, this was a solid debut from Emily Krempholtz!

I absolutely fell in love with Violet Thistlewaite Is Not the Villain Anymore! I devoured this book in a day and a half, I was so absorbed in the story, I couldn’t put it down. From the very beginning, Violet’s character grabbed me. Her introduction was beautifully done, showing us not a villain, but a girl who had been manipulated by one and was just trying to put all the darkness behind her.

Her move to Dragon’s Rest and her genuine struggle to be good felt incredibly real. I deeply connected with her imposter syndrome, the internal tug-of-war with the voice of her villainous adoptive father, and her love of plants, especially the mischievous little pothos she keeps around. She just wanted to belong, and that quiet longing made me love her even more.

The romance? Chef’s kiss. The MMC starts out grumpy and very anti-Violet, but watching him slowly warm up to her and reveal his own struggles while falling in love? Perfection. Their chemistry was a lovely slow burn that balanced cozy fantasy and heartwarming romance so well.

My only (minor!) gripe (and the reason for the 4.5 instead of a full 5 stars his that the spicy scenes felt a little… tease-y. Not quite open-door, not quite closed-door, but more like cracked-door: just enough to get your heart racing, only to have the door slammed shut right before the good stuff. That said, the romance and emotional intimacy were still beautifully done.

Overall, this book felt like being wrapped in a soft blanket while sipping tea in a magical cottage. I loved every minute of it, and the author did an incredible job of making me feel like I was right there with Violet. Highly recommend for fans of cozy fantasy and emotionally rich romance.