My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Assistant to the Villain is a fun, quirky fantasy novel set in a modern-esque world straight out of a fairytale story. Full of vibrant characters, Maehrer offers readers a kind-hearted FMC that is at times painfully relatable and a villain for a love interest who is simply dashing.

Overall, Assistant to the Villain was enjoyable and a super quick read, but there were times when I wanted to throw it across the room—and not in a good way. I wished Maehrer had fleshed her world out a little better because the modern elements clashed with the old-world aesthetic of Rennedawn. I was also frustrated by some of the character actions and the plot. There were things that, perhaps as because I was actively editing my own novel and my head was still in “critique mode,” that just up and bothered me. I wouldn’t say they were inconsistencies, though they definitely felt like author conveniences. That said, I’m still waiting for Evie and The Villain to get together. I’m a big fan of the grumpy x sunshine dynamic and slow-burn. I’d also like to raise the idea that Evie and the Villain are dorks in love but I digress.

Romance aside, I did find that the main plot was slow. Knowing this is a series, I’m okay with that but also not rushing to read the sequel. I may read it in the future if I find myself on the cusp of a reading slump, but on its own, I wouldn’t reach for Apprentice to the Villain before another book on my TBR. While the main plot was slow, there is a lot of action in Assistant to the Villain that made it easy to turn the pages.

In all, I did enjoy Assistant to the Villain for the cozy, low-stakes novel I was looking for at the time. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read with an interesting mesh of modern and fairytale aesthetics, Assistant to the Villain is the perfect read.