Rating 4.5

Think Romeo and Juliet only they're witches, older and a hell of a lot smarter, and cutthroat. Other than the fact that Olivie Blake wrote this in her signature writing style full of witty banter, characters with the ability to rip your heart out and stomp on it while you are on your knees thanking them for it, and a story with twists and turns you didn't see coming, the first sentence if all you really need to know. I really enjoyed this one and even though my heart was a little bruised by the end, I'm glad to have read it.

Huge thanks to Tor and NetGalley for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. ♥

I was genuinely surprised by this title. At the beginning it seemed pretty bold for someone to take on a Romeo & Juliet retelling in the time of Chloe Gong's immense success with "These Violent Delights" and "Our Violent Ends" then figuring out that the two families are the Antonova's and the Fedorov's, another use of Russian families like Gong's duology? It was a bit on the nose. Then first chapter was (and still is in my opinion) too similar to Gong's follow up series "Foul Lady Fortune." I was eventually able to sink in to Olivie Blake's world and storytelling but this was a huge hurdle to get through for me as a reader. The other issue I had is that Blake gives us zero explanation of her magic system and I was left both confused and wanting. We essentially deal with necromancy in One for My Enemy and it is just brushed aside as common practice....was no one surprised that people kept coming back??

Overall I enjoyed the story line, and this felt infinitely more approachable than The Atlas Six. The plot took several surprising turns yet it was all tied neatly with a bow at the end - almost too quickly...I had a good time reading this title but it wasn't something I wanted to rush back to in any way. If you struggled with the Atlas Six or even if you loved it I think many will be happy with this new book from Olivie Blake. Personally I am waiting to see what she does next and if we can get something as wholly original as the Atlas Six.

Think Romeo and Juliet if, instead of killing themselves, our lovers realized that their families were putting them through hell and just burned it all down. In the magical crime world of New York, bosses Kochei the Deathless and Baba Yaga rule competing slates of drug runners and organized criminals. Baga Yaga's seven daughters Kochei's three sons are raised to take over the family business, to be ruthless and willing to do anything. Machinations within machinations unfurl, and only the love between the children of the rivals can bring something good out of all the damage done. Engrossing and fully absorbing, One for My Enemy deserves a spot on your spring reading list. It is one of the best versions of the familiar story, with modern touches and magical beauty wrapped around a core of fury.

Baba Yaga and the mafia ... what an interesting concept. A thoroughly enjoyable premise--Baba Yaga and her daughters are magical drug dealers fighting for territory and revenge. Yaga's daughters are beloved, but they are also soldiers, and her youngest is finally turned loose on family business and encounters the youngest son of their biggest competitor. A Romeo and Juliet story ensues, rife with domestic angst and anger as well as the dangers inherent in running a drug cartel.

The story telling here was fantastic, though I didn't care much for the youngest daughter, Sasha, or find her terribly believable. Her favorite sister was very compelling, however. I could have taken or left any of the Federov brothers. I guess what I'm saying here is that, though the plot was fast-paced and fascinating, most of the (many) characters could have used a boost.

This book crosses genres, and will not only appeal to Blake's fans, but also those of us still stuck on the mafia trope, or who never got over Romeo and Juliet.

Thank you so much for the eARC. Olivie Blake truly has a way with words, and I enjoyed One For My Enemy so much! Delightfully dark. Olivie Blake is a favorite

Well, it had to happen, I finally have come across an Olivie Blake book that I didn't love.

So, I think this is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but not having read that play, I don't actually know? But I'm pretty sure. So, a retelling, set in a magical New York. And it just didn't work for me. I found it confusing, as there were a ton of characters, all of whom had at least two, but usually three names, and then lots of people dying, but are they really dead? It was also loosely based on Russian folktales, I believe? Both families had Russian names and the matriarch of the one family was Baba Yaga. I'm not sure if it is the confusion of characters, or the writing, or what, but I just could not care about what was happening in this story. It was a struggle.

To be honest, it was a stretch to give it 3 stars, but I bumped it up for the uniqueness of it, which I do hope worked for some folks.

One for My Enemy follows rival witch families in New York. We have the Antonova sisters, who help their mother, known to the public as Baba Yaga, distribute exclusive and personalized intoxicants. Then there are the Federov brothers. Their father, Koschei the Deathless, deals in information so he can get what he wants.

But things change when one of the families decides to push the limits on their 12-year-long stalemate. Thus begins a conflict that challenges both families, changes loyalties, and brings devastation.

One for My Enemy starts strong and is an emotional rollercoaster throughout the entire ride. Although I frequently thought "surely they can't get out of this situation," or "wow, really seems like things are wrapping up," Olivie Blake had another trick up her sleeve.

If you love family drama, crime bosses, and a touch of magic, you'll adore One for My Enemy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books/Macmillan Audio for providing an e-ARC and digital audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve yet to read an Olivie Blake novel that didn’t steal the breath directly from my lungs. ‘One for My Enemy’ is STUNNING. There’s nothing I don’t love about this book. True enemies-to-lovers, a Romeo and Juliet plot for the ages, longing and wanting and brimming with magic. There’s nothing else for me say except to read it and let it completely immerse you in its’ magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you., Tor Books, for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Olivie Blake’s ‘One for My Enemy” is an Urban Fantasy retelling of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ but with a little twist. Set in present-day Manhattan, the story follows the Federov Brothers, led by the family patriarch who goes by Koschei the Deathless and the Antonova Sisters, governed by their matriarch, who goes by the moniker Baba Yaga. Two rival witch families, entrenched in their own illegal crime operations and each other’s lives.

Rating: 3.75

While I think this is far from a perfect fantasy novel, Olivie Blake never seizes to deliver for those who love her books. Let me preface this by saying if you have previously read an Olivie Blake book and it wasn’t for you, this will not change your mind. It very much lives in between the chaos of the ‘Atlas Six’ and the cinematic romance of ‘Alone With You in the Ether.’

Let me get what did not work for me out of the way. This book hooked me very quickly in the beginning and had me at the end of my seat, up until about the third quarter, where I felt like the book slowed down significantly and began to drag a little bit. I found the fantasy elements of the story a little underdeveloped, like the magic system, and at times the play structure of the novel felt a little convoluted. But the last quarter picked right back up in time for such a satisfying and intense ending.

All being said, I will definitely be rereading this one because the romance was just enough to keep my little heart beating throughout. My favourite thing about Olivie Blake’s books is her ability to create a cast of characters so unique and distinct from one another that I am drawn into everyone regardless of the role they play in the story. Add in nods to Eastern Slavic folktales in there and some magical witch mafias, and I’m sold.

That and I am an absolute sucker for Romeo and Juliet retellings, and God, did this deliver for me. While Sasha and Lev’s storyline was adorable, but my heart ached for Dima and Masha’s. The yearning. The promises. The prose. I will be annotating this on undoubtedly. My heart broke in ways only Olivie Break could break, and I suspect it’ll be months before I ever piece it back together.

This one is definitely for the readers who loved Alone With You In The Ether, and I am excited to get my physical copy and look through the character art.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor, and Ms. Blake for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

...
This book. This book gave me a book hangover like I haven't had in quite a while. Olivie Blake has the most absolutely beautiful way with words. Every page is magic, both literal AND figurative. I'm not even a particular fan of Romeo and Juliet, but the combination of a modern reinterpretation of the original story, the Russian mythology and folklore, and Blake's gorgeous prose come together to make... yes, magic.

I really expected this to be the story of Sasha and Lev, but I wasn't surprised or sorry to find myself completely sidetracked by Masha and Dima. Frankly there's quite a bit going on here but it all comes together and it goes by SO fast. If I had known how fast I'd tear through this book I would have limited myself to five pages a day. And it's a bittersweet ending to begin with, full of all the wreckage and destruction of any worthy Romeo and Juliet story.

Anyways. There's a few characters that seem rather flat - specifically, I felt that Lilya, Katya and Irina were underdeveloped, and for all her importance as a human battery amplifier, Galina was a little less present than I'd like. And some of the plot points were a little under-resolved for my taste: what did Marya the elder (the erstwhile Baba Yaga) do after her exposure? What about the sisters? Did Sasha finish her group project? Did she stay in college? Whatever happened to Eric? Why was the Bridge on every other page? What about the shadow people?

BUT. There is so much happening, story-wise, that it's easy to lose track of single threads, and so much care and devotion put into the main characters that it's easy to forgive any missing bits. The Federovs, the Antonovas, Ivan, all shades of grey, all antagonists, bad choices everywhere and mistakes galore. It's a modern tragedy with all the sharp-edged romance of Russian folklore. Death, magic, love, blood, vengeance, sacrifice, betrayal, secrets, lies, painful truths, it's ALL there. Reading this book was like watching Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet on mute, savoring every longing glance and ethereal scene, every poignant moment with Masha and Dima.

I know I'll be re-reading this book. I'm ALREADY looking forward to it.

I am a huge fan of Olivie Blake's writing style and character building, as The Atlas Six and The Atlas Paradox have been some of my favorite books of recent years, and wow, this one swept both of those out of the water. I have a special place in my heart for Romeo and Juliet retellings, however faithful or vague they may be, and this one was an utter delight. I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the book and I didn't want to put it down even for a second. The moment I finished, I already wanted to restart and reread all over again. The characters and their relationships really sold this one for me, I'm a huge fan of complex family bonds, especially where siblings are concerned, and the Federov brothers and Antonova sisters were such beautifully developed dynamics that ebbed and flowed as the story did. Lev was a standout character for me, and Lev and Sasha's relationship may be a new all time favorite of mine. Every scene they had together conveyed so much chemistry and I was rooting for them the entire time. Marya and Dimitri made me chew drywall, in the best possible way. I could read about Marya Antonova forever. I highly, highly recommend this book, and I'm so excited to continue to read everything Olivie Blake writes, she's definitely become an auto-buy author for me.

What a fun, well-executed Romeo and Juliet retelling! I loved the chemistry, the twists, and the tension throughout!

One for My Enemy is a magical, Romeo and Juliette re-telling. I loved it from start to finish. Did the ending absolutely wreck me? YES. Did I also see it coming, of course. The story was so good! I loved the Marya/Dima story along with Sasha and Lev.

4/5 stars

I didn't realize that this had first been published in 2019. However, I'm glad it's being reissued. The story is one part Russian mob, one part Romeo & Juliet & one part fairytale all woven together to make a fascinating novel.
In modern day NY City, 2 rival witch families fight to maintain control over their respective empires. But as always, love gets in the way. On one side are the Antonova sisters and their mother, Baba Yaga. On the other side are the Federov brothers and their father, the crime boss known as Koschei the Deathless. After 12 years of relative peace, one family's (ahem) 'business ventures' cause a rift in the stalemate. But love complicates everything and even death is no match for war.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for the e-arc.*

This is my first Olivie Blake, but it will not be my last (though I'll wait patiently for all the Atlas Six books to be out before reading that series). The writing in here is just exquisite, and exactly the kind of prose I love. Even though the structure of the novel being written almost as a play, which makes since as it's a very loose Romeo and Juliet retelling but with witches, took me a minute to get into, the prose really overtook any issues I had there. The story itself can only be described as a wild ride from the very beginning. I think readers will know within 25 pages whether this book will be for them or not. For myself, I'll be purchasing a copy and even seeking out a special edition, as this has got to be on my shelf!

I’m rounding this up for the quality of writing. It was really more of a 3.5 or so star book for me. Mostly because there weren’t any really likable characters…. The story moved right along though and the writing was excellent
So it’s one I’d recommend if you don’t mind the characters in a book not being terribly nice…

An interesting take on a Romeo and Juliet retelling, but felt it to be a bit cliche and repetitive. The overwhelming amount of characters also made it difficult to follow along with the main story.

Amazing twist on Romeo and Juliet. Olieve Blake develops characters and gets us inside of their head. I loved Alone with you in the ether,but this one takes my number one spot od Olievie Blake's books. Olievie's makes us look at different love (obession) such as parents, siblings and lovers love. Which love would win in your life?

One for My Enemy was beautiful. A loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet that was so beautifully written and well crafted. I'm so excited to share this one with customers who love fantasy and strong women. I think I just felt the book went on a little longer than needed but I loved the characters and story.

4.5/5⭐️

I honestly really enjoyed this!! It was a Romeo and Juliet modern day retelling with fantastical elements intertwined in the story. I really enjoy Olivie Blake’s writing and I’m so glad this book lived up to my expectations! While the chapters (sorry, the acts since the book is broken up into 5 acts and an epilogue) were quite long, I really enjoyed all of it! Each scene within the acts balanced each other out so, if one scene was long, it was most likely that there would be a short one coming up. I also loved how it’s written from multiple perspectives while remaining in third person. I’m a huge sucker for being told all the information all at once which is why I’m such a fan of Olivie Blake’s writing since she does just that!