Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies! I have been participating in the 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge, and I pledged to read fifteen books. I think I'm going to make it, y'all! Next week will be my final post for summer reading.
This week I'm sharing with you our book club selection for August and three books with morally gray characters. There is definitely a trend currently in fiction (especially fantasy and "romantasy") of morally gray main characters. I don't see this trend going away anytime soon. But before I get into that, I want to share our book club selection: Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell.
According to Goodreads
An aimless young woman starts writing to an accused serial killer while he awaits trial and then, once he’s acquitted, decides to move in with him and take the investigation into her own hands in this dark and irresistibly compelling debut thriller.
Recently ghosted and sick of watching her friends fade into the suburbs, thirty-something Hannah finds community in a true-crime forum that’s on a mission to solve the murders of four women in Atlanta. After William, a handsome lawyer, is arrested for the killings, Hannah begins writing him letters. It’s the perfect outlet for her pent-up frustration and rage. The exercise empowers her, and even feels healthy at first.
Until William writes back.
Hannah’s interest in the case goes from curiosity to obsession, leaving space for nothing else as her life implodes around her. After she loses her job, she heads to Georgia to attend the trial and befriends other true-crime junkies like herself. When a fifth woman is discovered murdered, the jury has no choice but to find William not guilty, and Hannah is the first person he calls upon his release. The two of them quickly fall into a routine of domestic bliss.
Well, as blissful as one can feel while secretly investigating their partner for serial murder…
My Review:
This was an unexpected choice for book club because we typically don't read many psychological thrillers/mysteries. But I must admit that this one gave us plenty of fodder for discussion, and the main topic: Hannah. ***SPOILERS AHEAD*** I really wanted to like her, truly...because if I can't relate at all to a character, or if I can't find any redeeming qualities in said character, then I cannot enjoy the book. Notice I'm talking about Hannah, not the man accused of being a serial killer. I think I'd feel better if I had a diagnosis for her. She's mental, in a narcissistic, sociopathic kind of way. Since I'm not a mental health professional, I'm unsure what her problem(s) is/are, but I'd like to know. She writes to a serial killer, leaves her state and home to go to Atlanta for his trial, she stalks his friends and family, and lets William (the accused killer) in her hotel room just hours after he's released. Who does that? Then she moves in with him and continues to try to prove his guilt.
There are a few surprises in the narrative, however several book club members solved the mystery very early on. What surprises me most is that I didn't DNF the book. It was like watching a train wreck that is horrifying, yet for some strange reason I could not look away (put the book down). It's probably because Tasha Coryell is a very good writer. Her characters are extremely well-drawn, even though nearly all of them (with the exception of a friend of Hannah's) are despicable. One thing that Tasha also succeeds in is allowing the reader access to Hannah's thoughts. This is perhaps one of the most creative if not frightening elements of the book. It's not a place I ever want to be again. As far as I'm concerned, Hannah can just keep her crazy thoughts in her own head and never should she (or Tasha) share them. The twist at the end is horrific, and of course it's presented to us via Hannah's twisted brain. I wouldn't have read this book had it not been a book club selection, however it did give us a lot to talk about. I just felt like the discussion was more of a mean girl forum hating on Hannah, and the book itself was our "burn book." I don't know how to rate it, but I'll probably give it either three or four stars out of five on Goodreads. Although I hated Hannah, it was still very well-written.
The next book I'll be reviewing is Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis. It's a "cozy fantasy" about a morally gray dark sorcerer who probably at one point was fairly evil. Cozy fantasies are becoming very popular, and one reason is because the reader isn't subjected to complicated "world building." I purchased this book from Barnes and Noble as it was recommended to me in a marketing email. I thought the premise sounded cute, so I purchased a copy.
According to Goodreads
A sharp-witted, high fantasy farce featuring killer moat squid, toxic masculinity, evil wizards and a garlic festival - all at once. Perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, K. J. Parker and Travis Baldree.
It’s bad enough waking up in a half-destroyed evil wizard’s workshop with no eyebrows, no memories, and no idea how long you have before the Dread Lord Whomever shows up to murder you horribly and then turn your skull into a goblet or something.
It’s a lot worse when you realize that Dread Lord Whomever is… you.
Gav isn’t really sure how he ended up with a castle full of goblins, or why he has a princess locked in a cell. All he can do is play along with his own evil plan in hopes of getting his memories back before he gets himself killed.
But as he realizes that nothing – from the incredibly tasteless cloak adorned with flames to the aforementioned princess – is quite what it seems, Gav must face up to all the things the Dread Lord Gavrax has done. And he’ll have to answer the hardest question of all – who does he want to be?
Dread Lord Gavrax has had better weeks.
My Review
The Goodreads blurb states that those who enjoy Travis Baldree's books will like this one. Baldree wrote the Legends and Lattes Series, and it's probably the most popular of all the "cozy fantasies." Our daughters love his books, so I thought I'd probably enjoy Dreadful because of the comparison. It also has a morally gray main character which is also very on-trend lately. Lord Gav is morally gray only because he is the victim of his own magic and can remember very little of his history and current situation. Apparently when he was the Dread Lord Gavrax, he was a most loathsome lord of not only his castle keep, but also of the village under his protection. Because he can't really remember his evil ways, he questions whether or not he wants to be "that person." He also doesn't know what trauma caused him to become the evil lord he once was.
And then there's the issue of the princess locked in his dungeon. Gav was charged with kidnapping her, his assignment for an upcoming heinous ritual involving three other evil, dark wizards. These wizards are just days away from arriving to his castle, and he must discover quickly what the purpose of the ritual is. The castle staff composed of goblins quickly realize something is up with Gav, and I enjoyed the humorous scenes and dialogue as we learn secrets about his staff right along with the once-dark-now-gray lord. As time is ticking closer to the ritual and the impending arrivals of the dark wizards, the mayor of the village decides to host a garlic festival at the same time to make-up funds from a pitiful harvest. Gav is in way over his head trying to glean information from his rivals and stay on top of all the garlic festival planning and festivities. It's enough to make anyone insane....oh, and did I mention he has a "thing" for the princess? She is not your typical damsel in distress: she's smart, pithy, and not having any of Gav's attempts at flirting.
There's a lot going on in this book, and I love all of it. I love the humor, characters, hilarious dialogue, and surprising plot points. If you want to try reading the cozy fantasy genre, this is a good one to see if you might like reading them. I thought it was so much fun!
Finally, I'll be reviewing the first two books in a trilogy. This series is extremely popular on Instagram and BookTok. The second book came out last week, and I reread book one before reading book two. I love this series so much! The characters are definitely morally gray, yet they are very likable and relatable.
Assistant to the Villain is the first book in the series.
I will be reviewing it first.
Assistant to the Villain
According to Goodreads
Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.
With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.
But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.
Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.
After all, a good job is hard to find.
My Review
Apprentice to the Villain is one of my favorite books. It is so cute, and it is also considered a cozy fantasy with a morally gray male main character. Also, this one is considered a "romantasy," but the romance takes a backseat to the action and magical aspects of the narrative. This is definitely a slow burn in the romance department: it mostly consists of Evie saying embarrassing (usually slightly risqué) things that totally discomfits the Villain. It's almost as if she's punched him in the gut!
Evie and the Villain have an interesting "meet cute" in the Hickory Forest when she stumbles upon the Villain while he's being pursued by the King's Valiant Guards. He saves her from being discovered, and she uses her scarf to bandage a wound he's suffered during the chase. He takes Evie back to his Massacre Manor where he promptly hires her as his assistant.
Evie's new position as the Villain's "sunshiny new assistant" puts her immediately at odds with the office's human resources administrator named Karen Becky. Becky is all business all the time. She is a rules follower, and she doesn't suffer fools or anyone not falling in line lightly. Kingsley, the resident frog who wears a crown, takes an immediate liking to Evie. Kingsley is a favorite character because he communicates by holding up little signs, like "HALP" (his spelling not mine) and "DANGER." It's amazing how well Hannah Maehrer illustrates Kingsley's personality with very small and concise actions. All the characters in the book are both caricatures of typical office workers (think The Office) and yet they are also very well-drawn with interesting back stories.
Usually I read these "romantasy" books because one of my daughters begs me to read them. I actually read this one on my own, and I'm so happy that I did because it's laugh out loud funny. The only problem for me is that it ends on a cliffhanger, and it was not fun waiting for book two to be released. If you are interested in reading more genre fiction, especially "romantasies" or cozy fantasies, I highly recommend it. The story is fantastic, and the Villain who begins as more black than gray (he does torture and kill his prisoners) is revealed to be more and more gray as the story progresses. This is the true genius of this book. I would give it more than five stars if I could.
NOTE: For those of you who are still unsure about a cozy fantasy, think The Princess Bride.
Apprentice to the Villain
According to Goodreads
LIMITED FIRST PRINT RUN―featuring spray-painted edges, while supplies last in the US and Canada only (NOTE: This is the edition I read).
"An engaging love story about finding strength in vulnerability." ―Kirkus Reviews
NOTICE TO STAFF: There has been a disturbing increase in cheeriness, sprightly behavior, and overall optimism of late. Please resume your former dark, ominous terrors at your earliest convenience. ―Mgmt
Evie Sage has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who would have thought that working for an outrageously handsome (shhh, bad for his brand) evil overlord would be so rewarding? Still, the business of being bad is demanding, the forces of good are annoyingly persistent, and said forbidding boss is somewhat…er, out-of-evil-office.
But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs―Kingsley’s included―point to catastrophe. Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom’s magic, and it’s made The Villain’s manor vulnerable to their enemies...including their nemesis, the king.
Now it’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.
It’s time to step out of her comfort zone and learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It’s all so…so…delightfully fun.
But what happens when the assistant to The Villain is ready to become his apprentice?
My Review:
NOTE: This review will be short because I don't want to post any spoilers from Assistant to the Villain since I'm posting both reviews on my blog at the same time.
What I will tell you is that this sequel takes up right where the last book left off. I was not expecting such an emotionally charged beginning to Apprentice, so I was completely caught off guard. This installment to the series explains a little more about how some people have magic, and others don't. Unfortunately it seems that people received their magic after a struggle or trauma. We learn more about how the Villain wields his magic, how it works, and what could be affecting it. Evie doesn't seem to have any magic, but I'm betting that eventually she will. The entire kingdom of Rennedawn is held together by very old magic, and the story of how the kingdom came into being is told to children as if it were a fairytale: some residents doubt that there is any truth to the tale. The story also includes a prophecy of what could happen in the future when the magic fails, and what can be done to save Rennedawn. There are forces competing to hasten events to prevent the kingdom's loss of magic then impending destruction. This book also ends on another cliffhanger that is similar to the last one. I am definitely looking forward to the next book because they keep getting better.
This one does have more romance between Evie and the Villain, and we get even more points of view in this book which I also like. Normally I don't like "head hopping" or multiple points of view, but Hannah Maehrer does an excellent job with this. Still, like the first installment, this one is much more about magic, lots of action, and a heart-stopping race against time rather than romance. And the way in which Evie becomes the Villain's apprentice is super-cute. I think anyone who enjoys fairytales, humor, witty dialogue, unexpected plot points, and a little romance will absolutely love this series. If I were only allowed one shelf with my very favorite books on it, this series would be included. That's saying quite a lot, My Lovelies!
Thank-you for reading my blog and Literary Friday reviews! I will wrap up summer reading next week.
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Ricki Jill
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