REVIEW: Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Have you ever wanted to fall into a fantasy novel and have a chance to meet the characters in it? Then this book is for you!! Long Live Evil is campy, meta, over the top and seriously so much fun. I saw someone say this book was “strangely enchanting” and I wholeheartedly agree.

Rae falls into her favorite book series as the villainess and takes the reins of being totally evil to meet her ends. This leads to a lot of shenanigans because she is aware of plot points that are going to happen in the book, but like any story where you mess with time/narrative, we see her choices begin the directly impact the story. She is so HUMAN, I was really endeared to her character.

This book is strongest with its characters, I loved getting to follow Rae and her “minions.” Everyone has a common fantasy archetype, but it’s often turned on its head and we get to flesh out some of my new favorite characters. I love how they’re able to drive the plot forward with their differences. They’re all a little unhinged and nasty as they try to achieve their own goals.

This book also definitely plays with fantasy tropes in a way that feels new and fresh when romantasy as a genre was starting to feel a little stale. It’s a bit silly at times but my enjoyment wasn’t ever diminished as I devoured this book. I actually laughed out loud at moments which is rare for me with books, particularly with the use of modern slang (which I don’t usually like in fantasy books) because of the way the characters react to it.

I was able to listen to an advance edition of the audiobook and Moira Quirk truly made the experience for me, she added charm to each character she embodied which was such a treat. Thank you to @orbitbooks_us and @hachetteaudio for the advance audiobook!

Long Live Evil is out NOW and is a wild romp that you won’t regret if you just let yourself be taken for the ride 😈

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

DNF @ 20%.

Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. I was hoping that the concept would grab me and drag me on an exciting ride where I could root for characters who maybe aren't the best people. It didn't. And the main reason I stopped listening was because the main character was extremely annoying. I understand she is a modern-day girl who ends up in a fantasy world, but not even trying to fit in with the narrative? Confusing characters by saying something was AF? Using pop culture references every second sentence? Yeah, that wasn't enjoyable to read.
The audiobook itself was really good. The narrator did a great job of giving each character a distinctive voice and expressed emotion through the dialogue. So, if you're interested in the story, the audiobook is a great way to experience it.

This book was amazing. For once I didn’t see the ending coming. I adored the characters and they truly go on journeys where they improve as the flawed people they are.

This book ends on an absolute cliff hanger so if that isn’t your cup of tea please, for your own sanity, wait until the next book is released.

Rae is probably who we would all be if we woke up to find ourself in a book. She believes nothing is real and is blind to reality as she knows what’s going to happen. She knows the characters thoughts and feelings and nothing will change that. Except for the fact that it does change.

This book really shows the consequences of the butterfly effect. Little changes can completely alter a plot. Rae is an amazing character and her vipers really bring the story to life. I cannot wait for the next book.

The start of the book really made me think of Gideon the ninth and yet this feels more mature. It has a similar humour to the locked tomb which I loved and it wasn’t until the horror sisters were given voice that I realised it is the same narrator. I don’t think a better narrator could have been chosen. She really brings out Rae’s character and helps immerse you into the story. I found myself struggling to turn the book off and being disappointed when I had to.

Thank you very much to NetGalley for the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I had so much fun with this book! I struggled a bit to get
Into it for the first 1/4 but once I got into it I ended up having a really good time!

We’ve all wondered what it would be like to get sucked into the pages of our favorite story right? Well now we have the answer of what it would be like if we were the villain!

There was humor, it was dramatic and fun and it’s just a good time. There was also a great plot twist that I feel like I should have seen coming but didn’t. The ending also left me screaming and desperate for the next book!

I also do feel like a lot of the side characters like Key and the Golden Cobra really shined and I really enjoyed reading about them. Lady Lia also ended up pleasantly surprising me.

My one gripe is that I hate when characters use contemporary words/slang in portal fantasies. I just don’t like it, I find it irritating and it makes the characters look ridiculous for not even trying to fit in. But I assume it was meant to add to the humor of the book so I understand why it’s there even if those moments didn’t quite work for me.

All in all this was a very fun time and I’m looking forward to the next book!

I tried so hard to love this book but I think it's a case of a "not right now" book. It's one I will definitely try again in the future, but just isn't one that compells me now.
I DNFed at 26.1%, I am sad to say.
The book is good. It has a very promising plot:
Rae is dying of cancer. She's known this for a while, but eventually the night comes where she knows she won't make it. That is until a woman appears in her hospital room, offering her a chance to be cured... if she enters her favourite fantasy book series as a random character, steals a magical flower, and returns. Seems simple enough. What could go wrong?
I get that Rae is supposed to be a fun character but she is rather infuriating. The novel is set in a high fantasy realm, filled with bloodshed, treason, and badassery. It has medieval elements to it so it is by no means "modern". Except our heroine uses modern slang the entire time which naturally causes confusion and misunderstandings. I understand Rae is supposed to be young and caught up in all this whimsy, but it's your favourite fantasy book where you are trying not to die... Using slang like "A.F" and referring to Batman and Jesus is just plain silly. The references, whilst technically used correctly, just don't fit with the novel. Also constantly referring to your "allies" as your evil minions is... definitely a choice.
Whilst I only did get a short way into the book, the plot goes nowhere and somewhere at the same time. The pacing can't decide what to do with itself. It's one of those things that when I come back and read the book, it will definitely make a bit more sense.
I think the setup for the plot is good enough. I love that the author includes exerts from the supposed actual book as it really ties everything together and gives a backstory to the plot when needed rather than explaining everything. My only issue with the setup was the excessive names. When being tossed into a story, we first get acquainted with the FMC name and well as her sisters. I kept confusing the two but persevered. Rae then enters the novel under a character's name, who also happens to have many nicknames and references. Whilst being intruduced to new, and importnant, along with their backstories, the author flips between Rae's real name, her character's name, and references to the character. Rae's character is also a twin so we get given her "sisters" story thrown in there too. Fantasy character names are never easy, but I found it quite difficult remembering who was whom when there were seven different names used for each character, along with their royal titles and relations to other characters.
I do want to stress that I want to come back to this book and try it again. I definitely want to get the physical copy and I do encourage people to give it a chance.
Its perfect for fans of Fantasy who have always wondered how they would fair if they were trapped inside their favourite fantasy series. Hopefully you will remember more of it than Rae...

A dying women is given an opportunity to live by becoming a character in her favorite book series. She portrays the villain in this story filled with her favorite character, the handsome king, a sociopathic bodyguard, a dis-gruntled maid that knows how to use an axe and an entrepreneur playboy with a secret. Rae has one chance to change her fate and return healed to her world. She finds herself in many dangerous, compromising positions as well as some pretty hilarious ones.

This is the perfect book for any book lover that would love to meet and share the story with their favorite characters. This has a bunch of great pop culture references, lots of witty one liners and some really good action. The ending made my heart hurt and I cannot possibly wait until the next one is out!! What a unique and clever story. It was a so much fun!! The narration was fantastic!!

5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review .

4.25 stars
So freaking good! The premise itself is amazing, and the execution did not let me down. The humor was my taste, very tongue-in-cheek and balancing poking fun at books, while also showing the love and impact they have, as well as social commentary of common tropes. This is what I was hoping Assistant to the Villain would be.
To start off, the audiobook was really well done, and easy to follow even with all the POV switches (which is not an easy feat). Each character's voice felt distinct and added to their characterization.
I immediately found myself rooting for Rae, which was a tough position because things were just really not going her way for so long and I was holding my breath when she would ally with someone because I was hoping against hope they wouldn't betray her and was disappointed when it sounded like they were. I was pleasantly surprised though that she realized quickly, I love that Rae was actually smart. I also really appreciated the way it depicts illness- feels real and moving, and didn't romanticize it.
As for the side characters, my feelings are more complicated. There were a lot of them and they all had second titles as well that were used interchangeably, which was confusing at first. It got less so by the end, but there was a learning curve, though it's a funny 'complaint' to have when Rae herself complains about that at the start of the book lol. There were characters who I loved right away, like Key and Eric, but someone like Lia was really annoying for majority of the book. I can't say I'm a fan of hers by the end but she is more bearable when she's acting less holier-than-thou. Emer felt like one of the weaker characters (in terms of characterization) and I felt like her emotions were kind of all over the place/ very hot and cold. That being said, I'm hoping that book 2 will have a bigger focus on the side relationships and so we can get a better grasp on who Emer and Lia, and even Last Hope and Eric are.
The last bit of the book is nonstop action that made it impossible to breath normally (spoiler: I was holding out hope about Key and could not calm my heart down until the very last page, albeit my heart still breaks for the poor bby, I NEED him to know Rae didn't mean it 😭 I wanted to chuck my phone across the room when it all went down because wtffff my heart can't take it).
The cliffhanger was- *diabolical*. Jaw on the floor, evillllll. I need book 2 ASAP.
Huge thank you to the team at Hachette Audio and Netgalley for an early copy of the audiobook for an honest review :)

DNF at 75% 
This book was just boring, while there were some parts I enjoyed it was overall boring and didn't make me want to continue it.
There was a strong start and the FMC modern day references were really funny.
However as the story progressed it just became more and more boring.

Thank you so much for the early audiobook of this beauty!!

WOW what a wild ride. Not going to lie, took me a second to really understand what was going on and to get into this but once i was in, BOY WAS I IN.
These characters all took me by surprise and I was blown away by the creativity and characterization of Brennan's world. Brennan knows how to make captivating characters and has created something completely unique in this story. Obviously some of the fates of the characters were heartbreaking but I loved that I did not feel like Brennan held back. They knew exactly what they were doing and we all just got to go along with them.

Moira Quirk did an amazing job narrating this audiobook! She really brought Rae to life and did a great job distinguishing between all the characters. The accent (although VERY appropriate for the story) got to me a few times and I found it slightly annoying at times. However, she helped suck me into the story and brought these characters really to life.

I am 100% recommending this one to anyone who likes a little bit darker of a story, and who has ever wondered what it would be like to be sucked into your favorite book series....but do you think you'd be a good guy or the villain of the story?

Was this a little predictable? A little corny at moment (a noble steed named google maps?) sure. But was it also a delightfully fun romp through a storybook world, with a heroin, excuse me villainess, desperately trying to find the one thing she needs to get back home and save her life? Absolutely!
Rae is dying. But luckily for her, a mysterious woman appears in her hospital room with a magical way to save her life. Navigate her way through a popular fantasy series, find the magical flower and earn her way back to reality, hale and hearty again. Simple right?
Well... not so much.
Rae awakens on the eve of her own execution, well the execution of the character she has been dropped into, and it takes some first rate plotting and villainy to get herself out of it. Gathering up some evil minions and a plan, she manages to wiggle her way out of that!
But manipulating her way through a world she doesn't quite remember all the details of (okay she didn't really read the first book.. and only focused on her favorite parts...) is more challenging that she had hoped. But as Rae goes more comfortable, and gains a few more allies, she starts to get a real plan to reach her goal.
But nothing in the stories stays the same as it was on the page, and some background characters will surprise you with their leading man energy when you least expect it.
The ending was quite a surprise, especially as I didn't realize that this was the start to a series, and now I really want to see what happens next!

3.5 🌟
I really enjoyed the concept of this book. How it is about Rae, whom may be dying, but doesn't let that stop her. She enters her favorite storybook, as a villain and gathers other Villains. Trying to change their fates that are in the original story. I found some parts had a lot going on, so made it a little difficult to follow at points, may be because I listened to this on audiobook, or because this was higher fantasy than what I am used to. It was a pretty good book, and I would recommend it. Thank you netgalley for an advanced listener copy for an honest review.

First things first: Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Orbit for the ARC. Y’all have my thanks, per usual.

I don’t know where to start with this one because it is so different from anything I’ve read before. The only way I can describe this book is weird, campy, and meta. Long Live Evil is a dark and delightful read, that had an ending I saw coming from a mile away, which, shockingly, added to my love of it. This is a really unique story, though with some pacing issues, but if you're willing to look passes those then you're in for a lot of fun. There's a large cast of characters that can sometimes be hard to keep track of, but they are all pretty distinct once you get the gist of everything. I will say that Rae and her motivations did become blurry near the end, but I think that she followed the natural arc of her character, as opposed to becoming a “chosen one” archetype, or becoming an altruist and trying to save the world. She is literally just a girl with selfish motives, who turns the villain of the story into someone significantly more morally grey and acts as a mirror for the reader to reflect upon. Overall the story is engaging and interesting new take on the fantasy genre that asks the age old question: What you would do if you were put into a fantasy book as the villain?

Long Live Evil was a delight from start to finish. The narrator of the audio book is one that I have listened to before and she is lovely. The story itself took me by complete surprise. I have a family history with cancer and this element of the story almost made me DNF the audiobook, as dreaming of a way to save yourself while in the hospital can be cruel. However, once I got into the story and saw the twists and turns I was delighted. I love how the narrator was able to make the characters unique and full bodied with her cadence and inflection. There were points where the story seemed to drag, but upon completion all those elements were necessary to get the full story. There were plot points that I saw coming a mile away and some that took me by complete surprise.

I feel that everyone at one point has wanted to live inside their favorite story. This unique story blended elements of real life and fantasy so well that I was glad the story ended how it did. This is a fresh story that will entertain from start to finish.

Long Live Evil
Sarah Reese Brennan
4 / 5

Okay, so....

I put myself in the unfortunate predicament of having to review a book that's outside of genres I'm interested in.

Unfortunately this isn't my kind of book ... but, to be fair, that's totally on me. I typically don't read full synopsis for fear of spoilers (I'm looking at you, Motherthing) snd, in this case it did me a disservice because I went into the book thinking that it was going to be serving up a sci-fi horror moment... And that's pretty much exactly what we got was a mere moment. It's more of a romantic fantasy.
And romantasy is not my thing, personally.

But the writing was truly beautiful, and (for the most part) the story kept me engaged. (Hence my rating) I didn't have a single moment where I considered DNF'ing it. Brennan is a gifted author, that's for sure.

I also enjoy when we get stories told from the perspective of the "villain" character. That usually adds an intrigue factor, for me.

I dunno ... Despite it not being what I'd normally pick up, I enjoyed my time with it. And I can think of so many friends who are going to truly fall in love with this book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Hatchet Audio and Sarah Rees Brennan for kindly granting me access to the ARC in exchange for my review.

Oh my god I could not put this book down. I was already a fan of Sarah Rees Brennan and when you pair that with the brilliant narration and talent of Moira Quirk??? I will be recommending this book constantly. Cannot wait for the sequel.

3.5⭐️
Sarah Rees Brennan’s *Long Live Evil* is an engaging and darkly humorous exploration of villainy that flips the script on traditional hero narratives. Brennan's sharp wit and clever storytelling shine through as she gives us a fresh perspective on characters typically cast as antagonists.

One of the aspects I loved most about this book is how Brennan makes you rethink the concepts of villains and heroes. It’s a refreshing reminder that so much of what we perceive as good or evil is all about perspective. By diving deep into the psyche of her “evil” protagonists, Brennan challenges the reader to question the very nature of morality, making these characters relatable even as they tread morally gray areas.

I listened to this book as an audiobook, and while I’m a huge fan of the narrator from her other works, I found that the chaotic nature of the story made the audiobook hard to follow at times. I often found myself having to go back to the ebook to keep track of the plotlines. Additionally, I didn’t particularly love the Oklahoma drawl used for the main character; it felt a bit out of place and slightly distracting.

That said, the narrator’s overall performance was solid, as always, but given the complexity and fast pace of the story, I would recommend starting with the ebook for the first read-through. This will allow you to fully immerse yourself in Brennan’s intricate world without the risk of losing the thread.

Overall, *Long Live Evil* is a fun, thought-provoking read that challenges conventional ideas of good and evil. Fans of twisted fairy tales and villain-centric stories will find much to love here. Sarah Rees Brennan has crafted a tale that is as much about self-discovery as it is about embracing the darker sides of our nature. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and entertaining twist on classic fantasy tropes.

**Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.**

Note- I did have an issue with my NetGalley download, but I was able to listen to this on another platform.

I really enjoyed Long Live Evil - there's such a unique premise. A girl experiencing cancer treatment gets dropped right into her favorite series.... however she discovers she's actually the villain.

This story has the best of high fantasy and perfectly mixes in humor and whimsy. I think this will be a forever favorite for a lot of readers!

I thought the audiobook was phenomenal and it's done in a way that I can see myself re-listening over and over! I'm so grateful to have been approved for an audio ARC!

This is, hands down, my favorite new 2024 read. The characters were fun, relatable and I was rooting for side-villianess the whole way. Clever and amusing nods to fantasy tropes throughout. Epic ending! Honestly I hope this remains a stand alone because it was perfectly executed. *chef’s kiss

Moira, narrator for the audio, gave a stellar performance. Loved every minute!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for this wonderful read.

I was kind of disappointed in this audiobook. I got about 17% in, and it just didn't grab me. The first and probably main reason is because the audio quality felt so low. It sounded like there was a constant echo behind the narrator's voice, like it was filmed in a large, empty room. The echo made it hard to understand what the narrator was saying so I had to constantly rewind to pick up various words or phrases. It was incredibly distracting.

While I think a lot of people would enjoy this narrator, I didn't love her voice choices for the characters. This book could have really benefitted from duel narrators.

I'll be finishing this book in physical form because the audio quality was just too distracting.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hatchett Audio for the advanced audio. All opinions are my own.

"Nobody gets a happy ending unless we steal one. We can do it we're villains."

This was such a fun and ambitious mise en abyme that's a blend of both fantasy and adventure with a touch of reality, delivered with heart, humor, and a whole lot of action!

I loved our FMC Rae! Inadvertently and deliberately altering the storyline as the story progresses, she comes to care for these fictitious characters like I did! I appreciated the drive she has and the chronic illness rep we get with the flashbacks concerning her cancer.

With themes of hope and resilience, Rae's journey is not just about escaping reality; it's about confronting her fears and battling the darkness within and around her. Villain style! Brennan's writing is both lyrical and poignant, and Moira Quirk's narration was perfection allowing you to feel every joyous, sorrowful, and violent action as the story unfolds.

The side characters were on point! I loved the Golden Cobra and Key the most. A The characters were loyal, broody, and their development throughout the book kept me fully invested. Cobra's little secret is when this book clicked with me! And Key's unhinged actions and attitude was so much fun.

Where the modern anachronisms could have come off entirely out of place, they were instead humorous and enthusiastic. IYKYK

If you're looking for a fantasy read that's a story within a story with meta humor, emotional depth, and a villainous adventure, I highly recommend this one!
Looking forward to where the story takes us!