Long Live Evil

I feel torn about this book because on one hand I enjoyed the humor, the character development, and the delicious terror that is the Emperor. On the other hand I really had to force myself to finish this book. It was so long with those long ass unnecessary flowery descriptions all high fantasy books have which I hate, even though I know it was satirical in this book. (The Ballroom of Sighs did make me laugh though.) And I know that like Rae is 19 on the inside but the character she inhabits is 24 and kisses a 19 year old and that felt pretty yucky, idk. It was just weird. Also I was intrigued by this book because I thought our MC was going to go balls to the wall full villain but alas. I love a reformed villain, of course, but still looking for a villain MC to wreak havoc and win. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’ll probably read the next one tho because that cliff hanger was a f*ckin doozy and unfortunately now I’m hooked.

Long Live Rae!!! I had a wild good time devouring this book and cheering on the so called viper villains. I will say despite the chance Rae got to escape her dying body and try for a cure from that mysterious woman, she definitely was thrown into the story at an awful time for her character. Props to Rae for the quick thinking that did not end up with her dancing to her death in iron hot shoes (nod the the wicked Queen from Snow White, though Rahela in this one she is just the wicked stepsister). And while Rae hammed up the villain side of things, I did find that all the characters in this dark city of Elam with the Ravine spewing up dead every once in awhile to keep things interesting, were shades of grey, even the so called heroes and the damsels in distress so beautiful that the world falls down to worship them (that would be Lia) had dark sides. I liked the similarities fo Lia and Rahela as Snow White and Rose Red types. It was fun to root for the villains who embraced that darkness while still trying to help the story continue so that love could win and also the Emperor could rise. I absolutely loved Cobra, and the murderous minded Key and of course Rae. I also ended up liking a few others, once their true selves showed through. There are many laugh out loud moments (a horse named Google Maps!) hidden amid the copious amounts of blood shed. I am happy that someone got their just dessert (such a jerk they were!) and while the book ends on a cliff hanger (I really want to read the next book now!) I was going yes yes yes when the Emperor finally showed up though he seems really scary and I hope he doesn't destroy all the good changes that happened differently from the books that Rae had known.