lydia ꒰ ಇ ꒱ (semi-hiatus for summer!!)'s Reviews > Assistant to the Villain

3.20 ☆

❝ when it comes to the things one loves most, it is always better to be trapped together than safe and apart. ❞

❀ ~ long live by taylor swift
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you

this book was such a cute fantasy romcom! it wasn’t as similar to the tiktok series as I was expecting but I did get the little references and I love how she expanded upon her idea with the tiktoks to make a full-blown book.

₊˚❀.ೃ character breakdown ࿔*:･

~ evangelina sage:
she was adorable! her personality went quite a bit overboard at times and I kind of wanted to put duct tape on her mouth at some of the stuff she said... the secondhand embarrassment was real. but I did love her and all her quirks for the most part! she reminded me a lot of evangeline from ouabh. even the names are extremely similar 🩷 they would either be best friends or hate each other hehe.

~ the villain:
cliché in the best way possible. moody and hot and, most importantly, unhealthily obsessed with evie. hannah knew what she was doing with this man 🤭 his personality was a little flat at times, though, like how he was a perfect gentleman but also had a literal torture chamber that he put into use daily... 🤔

~ the rest:
I loved blade and I actually ended up really liking becky– she was a fun character and ofc her unexpected romance with blade was adorable. But all of those characters simply pale in comparison to kingsley. a sassy little frog wearing a crown who communicates by holding up signs with words on them?? he was literally the cutest, funniest, best character. Kingsley stan foreverrr <3

₊˚❀.ೃ the romance ࿔*:･

classic grumpy x sunshine romance!! again, a bit cliché but it’s all in the name of a good time. this one wasn’t exactly enemies-to-lovers, as they were attracted to each other from the start, but it didn’t feel insta-lovey at all. they had the cutest little moments, when they hugged for like ten minutes! I almost died 🥺💗 I cannot wait for more of them in apprentice to the villain!!

₊˚❀.ೃ the writing ࿔*:･

this was my one problem with the book (I can hear you all collectively groaning. I’m sORRY I’m just very nitpicky with writing styles). it was extremely corny and kind of told, instead of showed. I still enjoyed the book, but it did have me considering the quality of hannah's editor.

overall, it wasn’t a constant problem, just sometimes, and it was still a fun narrative. one other little thing that I noticed was the amount of cussing. I’m fine with some, but it was not only unnecessary, it felt forced. I don’t know if the author felt some kind of need to make this seem more “adult” by adding a bunch of f-bombs, but it wasn’t needed. not a huge deal, but it bothered me.

₊˚❀.ೃ the plot ࿔*:･

so much fun! dragons and other mythical beasts galore. The world had a very classic fairytale-esque feel to it; the fantasy villain, the foreboding castle in the woods where he lives, innocent little village, etc. it was a little underdeveloped, but I loved the nostalgic old-disney vibe it had.

I was expecting this book to be mainly romance with some random half-baked plot, but it was actually quite good and there was an excellent plot twist. not to mention the cliffhanger! that was straight up rude. I will be waiting very anxiously for the next book 🙁

₊˚❀.ೃ ࿔*:･

was this cheesy and kind of ridiculous? of course, but that's half the fun! I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a fun and quick read. happiest of reading mls 😚🩷🌷

❝ we’re all monsters in the end. at least mine lives in the light. ❞