Love a good villain story? Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan is a genre-bending romantasy where a terminally ill woman enters her favorite fantasy book, and ends up the villain. Read our full review to see why this twisty, quote-worthy adventure is one of 2024’s most buzzed-about reads.

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

Sara Rees Brennan’s Long Live Evil was an absolute one of a kind read. It was hard for me to review, simply because I can’t compare it to other books or review it in the same way. The author acknowledged all of the fantasy tropes readers know and love while simultaneously irreverently flipping them or twisting them in fun new ways. She also takes readers on a fun romp of an adventure, and shares a glimpse into what it’s like to be the villain.

First of all, this is probably the ARC with the most highlights of quotes I wanted to remember this year. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with such an equal amount of humorous quips and poignant, emotional moments. From the summary of the book, readers will know that Rae is suffering from a terminal illness where she has very little choices left to her. However, when she’s offered the chance to rewrite her life and enter the pages of her favorite book, she understandably jumps at the opportunity. I really enjoyed her zest for life, and her creativity (especially when she has to get out of sticky situations). I also enjoyed all the crazy twists and turns readers are taken on, especially since the author would it make seem like one thing was happening and completely pivot with an unexpected surprise.

My only complaint was the pacing. Because of the way the book is structured compared to typical book structure, I think it kind of threw my brain off initially and I didn’t know what to make of it. The beginning starts out well, the middle drags on, and once we get to the real action towards the end of the book I was hooked. I do hope the next book fixes that as I’m invested in seeing how Rae’s story ends (and if there’s a happily ever after, whatever that may look like).

Overall, a simply amazing read that I will definitely be revisiting in the future. I would recommend this to die hard romance and fantasy readers rather than someone new to the genre. I’m excited to follow more of this story in the future with the second book in the series (especially with how the first and last chapters connect – mind absolutely blown).

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