Member Reviews

I LOVED THIS BOOK!?! It was so freaky and fun and different!!!!!!! Its like a historical romance, meets sci-fi, meets I don't even know what?! I loved Jelly's character so much and fell in love with Will immediately. The twists were so fun and I was always trying to figure out how the ending would play out! Such a fun read and a different play on the romance formula.

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This may not be the first time Angelika has attempted to piece together her dream husband using bodies from the local morgue but she certainly hopes it will be the last. Angelika has been assisting her brother Victor with his attempts to reanimate a reassembled human, and she dreams of being the next in the long history of Frankensteins who found true love and happily ever after. They are both successful in reanimating their creations, but Angelika's dream man (named Will, for now) wants to know who he was in life and Victor's seven foot tall man has run off into the forest. Hijinks ensue as Angelika tries to convince her creation that they belong together.

This book is DE-LIGHT-FUL. It reads like Frankenstein fan fiction in the best way. I won't spoil it, but there are some wonderful Frankenstein references (particularly the one at the end). I had a huge smile on my face from start to finish, and I will definitely read Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match again.

Angelika comes across a bit naive and immature at the beginning of the book, but, in light of the fact that she has been raised by a brother who is obsessed with being able to bring the dead back to life in order to beat his nemesis to the scientific achievement, it makes sense. I thought she had demonstrated growth through the story and I was cheering for her to find love.

I really enjoyed Will's search for his identity. Angelika begrudgingly agrees to help him find out who he was, with the hope that it will lead him back to her and a future together. The endeavor led them to some great side characters and hilarious moments.

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is quirky and fun, with a love story as its beating heart. It is the perfect fall read for someone who wants a little bit of weird and a whole lot of love.

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AHH Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match was such an amazing story. I laughed out loud so many times. I felt like this historical romantic comedy was exactly what I needed. I loved how different the story was and yet it was quirky and hit the spot perfectly! Angelika was smart and sassy and so hysterical and real. I loved her so much! Thisnwas another fantastic story by Sally Thorne!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review! 4 stars! ~Ratula

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This is the book I didn't know I needed. A dark historical romance is the perfect fall read. The book is quirky and unlike anything I have ever read. I am a huge Sally Thorne fan and The Hating Game is a forever favorite, but this book holds up! I love the characters and just how dark and funny they all are. I was instantly hooked after reading the first chapter. Also love a book with a good map in the beginning, it helps to immerse me into the story! I am hoping to see more romance books like this, I think Sally has really hit it out of the part and is starting a new sub genre of romance! Also that cover *heart eyes*!

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Angelina Frankenstein Makes Her Match made me laugh out loud several times. I was often reminded of a Tim Burton movie as I read. Its always fun to see a new take on a classic and Sally Thorne did a great job making this story her own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy to review. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Unfortunately I had to DNF this because I had an inherent issue with the nature of this retelling. I read Frankenstein in college as part of a fantasy literature course, so I am very familiar with the original story. However, I did not realize that there is almost no way to create a modern interpretation of this tale in a way that would be acceptable by modern standards. Angelika creates Will to satisfy this icky romantic (and kinda sexual) fantasy, and to be honest it just feels like she's creating a personalized s*x doll. If the gender roles were reversed, it would be simply unpublishable. I think my opinions are a matter of personal preference, and my extensive women's studies background is getting in the way of enjoying this one,

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Possibly my favorite Sally Thorne novel yet! A historical romantic comedy set in a fictional, alternate universe of the novel Frankenstein that reimagines the sheltered younger sister of Victor Frankenstein, Angelika, and her attempts to create the perfect man with which to fall in love. Despite every Frankenstein for generations finding their true love and wedded bliss, beautiful, if not a bit odd Angelika has run out of eligible suitors and decides she must step out from her older brother's protective shadow and create her own project. Equal parts romantic and hilarious, its Frankenstein like you've never read before. Full of carriages, candlesticks and corpses, readers will take a clever, intriguing, odd adventure alongside brilliant, eccentric Victor, his betrothed Lizzie, Angelika (affectionately known as "Jelly" by her brother), a dashing military Commander, and a few of the siblings' own creations. This book is perfect for spooky season and will appeal to readers of all genres. An absolute delight! Look for it on September 6, 2022.

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oh my gosh wowwww this was the book I had no idea I needed! Ridiculous and fun and gothic and romantic and everything that I could ever want in a story is in this one! This is a Frankenstein-inspired story--not quite a retelling--following Victor's sister, Angelika, who is essentially a wealthy, lonely girl in a woman's body. She pulls a Victor and creates her own monster, though with the intention that she will have him fall in love with her. There's a bit of a love triangle, but not enough to cause any distress, and there are also so many laughs. Like I said, this book is ridiculous, but in the best way possible: there's a pig with a crush on Victor, a portrait that changes moods, and weird science that may or may not work present-day. There's a bit of a mystery as well, regarding Will's past, and just all around lovable characters. Angelika in particular was so endearing; we see a lot of development in her character over the course of the story, and that made it even more incredible. I genuinely cannot recommend this enough--it's the perfect romance for the upcoming fall season. Preorder it ASAP!

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How do I describe this weird macabre horny delight of a gothic romance novel? It’s…the themes and tone of The Re-Animator Frankensteined with the self-aware charm and whimsy of The Princess Bride. Sally Thorne, you mad genius. Gratitude to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc.

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This book was.... strange. I love Sally Thorne, I love everything that she writes, and I loved that she did what she wanted to do in writing this story. That being said... it was a little too weird for me. Her writing is, and continues to be, witty and enticing - I couldn't put this book down. Perhaps it was because I read this book in the heat of summer in California, and not in spooky chilly October, but I found a lot of the plotline to be odd and uncomfortable. The main character was grating but well written. Her love interest, somewhat boring but I could understand the appeal. Perhaps I just couldn't get past the whole "reanimating" someone to fall in love with you premise of the book. Overall I felt... meh. I support Sally Thorne in writing whatever she wants to write, and I can see that a lot of people will love this book! If you want a spooky season read, look no further!

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Is this as good as the Hating Game? No. Is it good in its own way? Yes. Sally Thorne takes her imagination with tongue in cheek to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Angelika is Victor Frankenstein’s sister. She is an heiress and wants for nothing yet lives shabbily in their mansion as Victor’s work is his passion. Angelika may be a little smarter than her brother when it comes to animating a corpse. I was a little put off by the idea of siblings discussing and picking the parts of different bodies for Angelika to create her perfect man. But I stuck with the story. Her Will (the first name given to him) unexpectedly has some memories of his life which cause them to investigate who he was. I thought this slowed things for a bit but it is important time for the characters to learn about each other. Along the way Angelika grows as a person as love grows between the two. There are intimate bits but not as graphic as I remember Thorne’s writing. Victor seemed cartoonish but I liked his wife Lizzie. By the end I wanted a happy ending for everyone. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

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Sally Thorne is the master of writing quirky romances, and this is her most unique to date. It is, at it's core, a story about the gothic mansion that she personally built for the past couple of years, and I think that Angelika's story is the perfect tale to live within in. I had my doubts, with this being a Frankenstein-type adaption, but it truly was an emotional and touching love story. I didn't want to put it down. The Hating Game continues to be my favorite of hers, but I think this might be her most creative book yet.

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I know I’ve mentioned this in my Stories, but this book is BONKERS, and I mean that in the best way possible. @sallythorneauthor has written one of the most unique and emotional novels I’ve ever read. I even cried at the end, and that’s a rare occurrence for me when it comes to books.

Short summary: Siblings Angelika and Victor Frankenstein live a life of solitude and seclusion in a manor in the English countryside. While Victor tries to perfect his “creation,” Angelika tries to put together the perfect man by taking different body parts from cadavers. Her perfect man, Will, wakes up with no memories of his former life. He makes it his mission to find out, however, much to Angelika’s disappointment. Throw in a sex-crazed Victor, a hot military man, HYSTERICAL banter, and tender emotions, and you get a novel that is easily in my top 5 of the year.

Without spoiling it—and trust me, there’s a twist—this entire book is very Addams Family/Tim Burton-esque meets Mary Shelley meets Jane Austen. WITH STEAM.🔥

Besides the hilarious dialogue and hijinks, Angelika turned out to be my favorite thing about this book. In the beginning, she’s a spoiled girl who spends tons of money and has no concern for anyone else. However, over the course of the book, Will—with some help from the others—teach her that her time on earth should be spent caring about others and the kind of legacy she’ll leave behind. There are so many little nods to Shelley’s Frankenstein in the book, but Thorne does an amazing job of crafting a unique love story all by herself. I’ve never read anything like it. If you like the bizarre, macabre, humor, sex, love, and tender emotions, you really can’t go wrong. It’s got a little of everything. I can’t recommend it enough.❤️❤️❤️

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Arc Review 🌙

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne

Publication Date:
Genre: Romance/Paranormal/Comedy
Rating: 5/5

I’ll just go ahead and say this book is absolute shenanigans 🤣 And I mean that, in the best way possible. I would’ve never guessed that it was possible to take a Frankenstein retelling and spine it to make a romantic, funny and so incredibly heart warming novel…but that’s exactly what Miss Thorne has done here.

Angelika finds herself in the unlucky position of a renowned spinster just as her brother Victor is about to marry. So she puts all of her efforts in her personal project: building herself her perfect man. With Victor about to test his theory of reanimation and resuscitation she takes her change with the handsome stranger she found in the morgue. And it works! Only one problem: her perfect resuscitated man doesn’t immediately fall on his knees to marry her. He is otherwise preoccupied with being just brought back to life and having no memory.

As you can guess things get..complicated 🤣
I seriously recommend this novel if you want to have the laugh of your lives. Everything about it’s crazy, inventive and refreshing. Angelika was a great MC, I loved how stubborn and loyal she is. And you can really see her growth from a spoiled innocent girl to a kind and strong minded woman

One thing I liked the most was that Sally manage to follow the natural order of the original novel and even hint to it’s writing by the end of it. It made for quite a few interesting easter eggs.

Overall this is a quick read fill with laugh, love and brilliant imagination. I totally recommend you pick it up as soon as its available, you won’t regret it.

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Wow, just, WOW.

I loved this book so much. And I have to share that I despised The Hating Game. So this is a complete turnaround for me and this author. Angelika is such a relatable character I adore her. She and her brother are quite the pair! Their quick wit and sarcasm leap off the page. The dialogue is admittedly my favorite quality in this text. But there are so many enjoyable qualities to this novel.

The story starts off completely captivating. I couldn’t put it down, I have a feeling this one will live rent-free in my mind for a while. Which is definitely high praise, because I do not treasure historical romance. It’s my least favorite genre, to be frank. But this one was an adventure and a half. Angelika’s character puts you through the ups and downs of dating or ‘courting’. She so desperately wants to be adored, and doesn’t every woman want that? I truly felt for her in moments, and in others, I laughed at her expense. I loved all of the characters, and seeing how they interacted with one another. How they all mixed together to create the perfect family.

This is truly one for the ages, the subtle nods to the original Frankenstein were clever, and I admire that.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an advanced copy. This review is being left voluntarily, all opinions are my own.

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I will fully admit that I only read this book because Sally Thorne wrote it. I will read anything she writes and, also, I was very curious. This book was...different. Historical romance inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It's definitely not my usual read, but I really enjoyed it. The beautiful writing, witty banter, and tension we expect from Thorne were all there. And it was the steamiest of her books too. And, of course, there was a happy ending. I really admire Thorne's imagination and willingness to take risks in her storytelling. That said, I do hope her next book is contemporary!

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Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match takes you on a journey of finding your heart's desire at last and seeing how far you can go to keep it.

This is a historical romance combined with gothic elements and is inspired by a legend but with a modern twist. Angelika and her brother Victor Frankenstein who are scientific geniuses, dig through forgotten bodies to create their masterpiece. Victor is competing against a rival, while Angelika wants to make the man of her dreams. Things go as you might expect, but a little luck goes a long way, and Angelika succeeds. Her dream man wakes up without memories of who he is or what happened.

I am not a fan of insta-love, but this type was more of an insta/slow-burn love if you will. Once Angelika's creation wakes up, she is already drawn to him like a moth to a flame, but he does not return her affections and says he never can. Angelika has to go through hoops to show him the way to her heart. Since his feelings were not reciprocated initially, it did not give off the ick that usually comes with insta-love for me. As the story develops, you get to watch how he helps make Angelika become a better person while he is trying to find out who he is in the meantime. You root for them both to find their way, and also the side characters as well. It was a wonderfully refreshing read. I enjoyed all of the characters, especially Angelika and Victor; I loved how quirky and intelligent they were, and when they speak their truth, they mean it. Angelika loves so fiercely that I was dying for her to get a happily ever after.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Avon and Harper Voyager, for sharing the opportunity to read an ARC of Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match. This review is being left voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

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As you can guess from the title, this isn't your usual romance story.

Things are looking pretty grim for Angelika Frankenstein, sister to Victor (from the well-known classic). She isn't getting any younger and has no suitors. In an attempt to avoid a lonely spinster life, she does what any woman would do, builds her own potential mate, lol. Thus "Will" is born, or should I say, reborn?

What I liked about Angelika is her blunt honesty with Will. She doesn't hide from him what he is, a combination of parts from various corpses. And she doesn't hide her intentions, wanting him to eventually become her husband. But her guilt at what she's done, and Will's good nature, make her want to help him find out his past, even if it costs her the chance at love.

The story is slow paced at times as the siblings and their growing cast of characters help Will in his search for answers, along with hunting down Victor's own creation, Adam. There is also a bit of a love triangle involving Angelika. It's clear that her comfort around Will has allowed her to loosen up, seeming less desperate, and thereby making her appealing to more than one man. However, there is never a doubt where her heart lies.

Overall, while this was an unrealistic read, it was still highly entertaining. Worth checking out if you're interested in a cheeky twist on the classic Frankenstein story.

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It's all in the title! In this novel, Angelika Frankenstein does, indeed make her match. The often overshadowed and under appreciated Angelica is her brother, Victor's, faithful lab assistant. Although she has great skill, her contributions are often disregarded by her brother. Angelica desires a match, but finding one is difficult due to her brother's reclusiveness and her own straightforward nature, which some men find disturbing. However, when both Frankenstein siblings create life one night, Angelica may have finally found her love match, if only she can convince him to stay with her.

Remaking Frankenstein as a romance novel is no easy feat, but Thorne has pulled it off. While it may be difficult for some readers to move past the fact that the love interest is a reanimated corpse, the story is a lot of fun. The cast of characters are lively and well drawn. The mystery of who Angelica's corpse was in his first life will keep readers invested in the story.

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I find this whole thing fascinating. Sally Thorne kicked it off with a beloved contemporary romcom debut, followed it with two that many readers describe as underwhelming, and now this super-weird gothic romance...honestly, I wish she went further. Go all the way in, girl! Angelika enlists her brother's help in picking the perfect dick from an assortment of corpses in order to make her perfect man? And that man turns out to have been a priest? Iconic, honestly. That said, why the minimal spice? Let your freak flag fly, Sally. Go full Angela Carter.

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