Good character growth and found family but didn’t enjoy as much as the first one. The humor worked some of the time for me in this book but wasn’t as fun and lighthearted as the first. Overall amazing writing, and ideas and would probably recommended it.

Davi returns as the Dark Lord, and sets her plans in motion with her usual wit. The problem this time, though, is that she knows she no longer has the reset from dying she had in the first book. I liked the first book just a bit more than this one, largely because the dying and coming back got so funny. However, not having the reset gave Davi a chance to grow as a character, and that turned out pretty well.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, this is a real damn good job at sticking the landing, as Dani actually figures out how and why the time loop is working, and who the big bad of the situation actually is. For the most part Wexler nails the voice and humor on Dani, though I will admit there were some comments about leaving the horny shit for AO3 (but actually guys the sex was totally raunchy) that got a bit eye rolly at times for me personally. Show, don't tell! The footnotes still do great though, and the ultimate resolution is pretty damn great. Fun duology that's absolutely worth your time.

Django Wexler’s first book in the Dark Lord Davi series, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying was a phenomenally fun time loop fantasy. I read it right at the tailend of 2024 and put it on my Top Ten list for the year. The follow-up, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me misses the mark at times for me, but is still loads of fun. The ending works really well and the humor puts the two books on a “Re-read in the Future” list for me.

In my previous review of HTBTDLADT, (found here), I noted my love of time loop stories from Star Trek to Groundhog Day. Here, the Time Loopiness of the story is a key part, but kinda disappears for a while. In the first part of the book, it’s definitely hanging over Davi and her closest friends, but Wexler subverts Chekhov's Gun a bit with how it plays out. In the final third of the book, Davi’s unique gifts come roaring back to the forefront of the story as the circumstances of her place in this world become clear. Sometimes in time loop stories, such as Groundhog Day, we don’t ever find out the nature of the loop and what forces are in control of it, but Wexler crafts the origins of the loop and its creator into the overall story.

Overall, a good amount of what worked for me in the first book was either absent or positioned differently in the sequel, so for the first two-thirds of the book I found it a little harder to buy-in and engage with the story. In HTBTDLADT, the concept of found family sprung up organically as the book progressed. Soon after EWTRTW starts, Davi and Tsav leave their Wilder Army and infiltrate the human kingdom. It’s necessary for the story and where it eventually goes, but something just felt missing. Throughout the books we’re reminded the Davi has lived hundreds of years and countless lives among these people. She tells the audience over and over about her relationship with Prince Johann in previous iterations, but there’s still a little bit of “show, not tell” that hampers the story at times.

For a little over the first half of the book, I was enjoying it, but had some troubling vibing with it. But I’ll give Wexler a lot of credit -- about two-thirds of the way through, EWTRTW turned it on. I could not put the book down, anxiously going from one page to the next to see what was happening and where Davi’s fate was taking her and her friends next. In the end, the final arc of the book paid off big time. I really enjoyed Davi’s humor, but also totally understood why the villain was annoyed to death (literally) by her throughout it all.

If you enjoy humor with your fantasy and a little bit of time loop shenanigans, I recommend reading both books in Django Wexler’s Dark Lord Davi Duology.

Thank you to Orbit for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is absolutely an "if you liked book one, try book two!" sort of sequel--the stakes are properly raised and the book does a great job of answering questions without getting bogged down in details, while maintaining the same tone and humor of the first one. I also really appreciated the "hey, do you remember anything at all from book one? Let me remind you" prologue. I am a serial book one forgetter, and not having to go look for a summary after reading the first ten pages and being confused was really nice.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This one was slow to pick up for me. I didn’t think it got real interesting until 40% of the way through, because I like the wilder characters better than the human ones. However, it did answer all my questions from the first book and I’m happy with the way it ended. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Orbit and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity.

This takes off immediately after the events of [book:How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying|198493860], so read them back-to-back or at least in very close proximity. Reading this book alone would not provide a satisfactory experience.

We get to see some personal growth from the Dark Lord; her origins, if not completely explained, are at least partially illuminated. There's a wrap-up with everyone's happily-ever-afters, so further series installments seem unlikely (although spinoffs in the same universe could be on the table).

eARC from NetGalley.

My only complaint is I wish there was more. Just as good, if not better, than the first. Begins in a pleasing recap, so a reread of book prior isn't needed to pick up right where we left Davi. Raunchy and scrappy as ever, Davi is just as I remember her. The tone of the duology is just too damn fun and I enjoy the footnotes just as I did previously. Worth the read if you're looking for a good time, as I'd imagine Davi would suggest.

This book is an absolute blast from start to finish. If you didn't read the first book, don't worry, as the beginning catches you up. This book is a chaotic, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt romp through a world where supervillains are the norm, and one painfully average girl is stuck in a death loop and now has to reluctantly be caught up in global domination schemes. Wexler nails the balance between laugh-out-loud moments and genuinely clever world-building, with quirky characters who are equal parts lovable and infuriating.

I really enjoyed this book. It is full of humor and adventure. The magical world is interesting and the quirky characters are great. I like the humorous writing style. It is engaging and fun. This is a fantastic book.

I received a copy of this book from Orbit in exchange for an honest review.
Thankfully, this one does not end on a cliffhanger like the first book. Everything gets wrapped up nice and tidy at the end.

This book is not quite as fun and lighthearted as the first one. There aren't as many consequences when everything starts as Davi is still working hard to find the right path which necessitates many restarts of the loop. In the sequel, we see her struggle with the weight of not wanting to restart again and hold on to what she's accomplished. There's a lot that Davi has to process with the ramifications of that and that felt very real.

Overall though, if you liked the first book, you'll like this one as well. Still a lot of action and it's very fast-paced as Davi has to juggle quite a lot at once. Lots of characters though so hopefully you remember them from the first book!

Thank you Django Wexler for giving us a duology instead of an endless series. This book picks up right where we left off with Davi as the dark lord and questioning all her choices. She may have become the dark lord but her problems are far from over. The wilders are set to destroy the humans (which Davi is) and her death loop issue is still not resolved.

This book was enjoyable, however lacked some of the craziness the first book had. Davi is a little more serious and questions her choices now more than she had before when she believed everything would eventually just reset anyways.
The humor of the overall book is the same. So if you enjoyed book 1 you will most likely enjoy book 2. There's a lot of breaking the fourth wall and Davi's hilarious inner monologue.

Overall the plot kept moving and never felt slow, however the long chapters might put some in reading slump as it's hard to pause or take breaks. The overall pace of the book was fast which I appreciated about both books. Lots of twists and turns. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

After really enjoying the first book, I was excited to dive into this sequel. The plot was solid, and the supporting characters were great, but I had a really hard time getting through it. Once again, the main character was constantly horny, and it took so much away from the story. It felt excessive and often distracted from the more interesting elements of the book.

Which is a shame, because at its core, the story had a lot of potential! If I could have cut out all the overly sexual moments, I think I would have enjoyed it so much more. If you loved the first book for the plot, just be prepared for more of the same when it comes to the main character’s personality. For me, it made this one a struggle to finish.

If there was one book that I absolutely needed this year, it was a Dark Lord Davi sequel and Django Wexler did not disappoint in this hilarious follow up to How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.

Picking up right where the last book left off, Davi now realizes that her actions do in fact have consequences and that changes her entire prospective on her time loop and the world in which she is falling hard for a sexy bald orc lady. Saving her friends lives now becomes her mission, while also trying to figure out who or what has been messing with her all this time. We've got himbo ex-boyfriends this time around, a dragon, and of course Davi's relentless need to find out how Artaxes poops.

Written with the same snark and wit, Wexler maintains the vibe, personalities, and worldbuilding that was started in the first installment. There are plenty of shenanigans, laugh out loud dialogue, and revealed secrets to keep the pages turning. My only complaint is the ending. That's my complaint. That it ended. I need so much more Davi in my life to help distract from the horrors that persist outside. I don't think I doomscrolled once while reading this book which is worth an award in and of itself.

Recommending this series to anyone and everyone who loves fantasy and does not mind raunchy dialogue or some interspecies loving. Love is Love, people - as long as it is consensual, of course.

Please continue this series. Two books is simply not enough. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.

Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Django Wexler for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoyed the first book of this duology, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, you will absolutely want to read this one. In this book, we pick up with a very short recap of the first and then right into the action. What does Davi do now that she is the Dark Lord and her plan for peace between the wilders and the humans has failed? With the same humor (and footnotes) as the first book, it's so much fun to follow Davi and her friends? allies? horde? as they try to change the world for the better.

The book opens with a prologue which sums up the (mis)adventures of the first book, which was both well written and entertaining,as well as helpful since I hadn’t read book one. And if you enjoy the voice of the character in the prologe, you’re in luck because that’s the voice and humor of the rest of the book. For me, the voice is fine. I liked Davi, and thought she showed a fair bit of growth through the story, from treating people like they were disposable to realizing that every person died was someone she couldn’t get back without resetting her progress, without giving up what she’d already achieved.

However, the humor didn’t work for me. It felt very calculated, sometimes forced., especially when the author was using an innuendo only to have to use the footnote to say “Look at this! Look at me! I’m funny!”. It lessens the impact of the original sentence, and kind of kills the flow of the joke. However, that’s just my opinion. Other people may find that the humor works for them and have a much better time with this book because of it.

The plot was well put together, the writing is solid, and the pace was nice and brisk. If you’re a fan of the author or enjoyed the first book in the series, you’ll probably have a good time with this one. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

A humongous thank you to Orbit Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Well, we are back in the world of footnotes. Oh and Davi, too I guess and her hot orc girlfriend Tsav. The heroine with the least of aspirations and drive for glory has just been crowned, you guessed it, the Dark Lord. The leader of what will be a genocide of evil humans. Yay? Mind you this is after she finds out that a) she’s not the first person from Earth to have landed here and b) they’re not exactly interested in her leadership skills. After a brief yet footnote-laden recap, we are off to the town of Shithole. Where everything is brown. Every. Thing. Is. Brown. And Davi has a plan, er, set of objectives.

This one overall hits different. The first book was filled with frenetic energy that was essentially Davi. The frustration of starting over repeatedly, of trying to navigate something that after hundreds of years didn’t feel real, it made sense to be flippant. But it’s different now. After the loop only set her back a day, she’s coming to terms with the permanence of her actions and their consequences. We get to see her mature a bit and really lean into being a leader that has to make hard decisions.

The ending is the duology is exactly what you might think it is. I’m not mad at it either. It really could only end this way. Surprisingly touching, to be honest. I’ll definitely be pre-ordering a copy of this book!

Also. Octopanzer. *snort* That is all.

3.75 on StoryGraph

I was thrilled to be able to get my hands on this book. The first in the series was such a delight, hilarious and had so much heart.

This book does get to that balance of heart and humor again, but it takes a minute. I struggled to get into the beginning of the book. The way the start of this book is written is a little jarring and disjointed as we separate from the majority of the original cast quickly at the beginning. I missed them a lot. It took a minute before I really felt like I could enjoy the new human characters and felt myself getting back into the story.

Once things hit their stride again, I really enjoyed the story. The expansion on the world was great and I really enjoyed the last third of the book.

I wish that there was more of a resolution at the end. I felt like the end was a bit rushed and I wanted to see more of where everyone ended up.

Overall, a fun follow up to the first, and I was happy to see everything wrapped up well.

I cannot even begin to explain how much I love these books. From Davi’s hilarious internal monologue, to the action packed storyline, to the ROTFLMAO footnotes that had my family side-eying me as I cackled like a crazy person, I didn’t find a single thing to dislike about this book or the first one.
I loved Davi’s wild ride through the Wilds and the Kingdom and all her friends and foes along the way. I enjoyed the quick end to a character who I’ve disliked since book 1, and was surprised by but not the least bit disappointed by the Big Boss fight at the end.
Would I have loved to see more of Davi, Tsav, Johan, Mari, Droff, and Amitsugu and their lives after this wild journey? Absolutely! Will I be rereading both these books despite that? Yes, yes I will. Will I still be pining away for some shorts or novellas in this world so we can see what the characters are up to now? For sure. 100%. Until the end of time.