One For My Enemy didn't go quite the way I expected it to and even though my opinions on what a book should be, are just thay, I still felt a little disappointed.

The writing style is what I've come to expect from Olivie Blake, entrenched in intellect and absolutely radiating bi energy. However, it definitely feels like an earlier work which I believe for the most part, it is.

It has all the hallmarks of what I liked in The Atlas Six and adored in The Atlas Paradox, but something was lacking for me. I couldn't put my finger on it.

Perhaps it was the world building? I felt like it could have done with more fleshing out. Particularly the nature of witchcraft. Even having finished the book, I don't have a clear mental picture of what a witch is in One For My Enemy.

But, what I did like here was all the murder. Lots of blood spilling, lots of fun violence. It speaks to something in me.

Gorgeously atmospheric and utterly emotionally draining and heart wrenching. This book played with every feeling and was beautifully written while doing so.
The feelings, the motivations, the characters, their wants and needs and desires, this story was character driven and in the best way.
Two rival witch families fight for everything, but if blood is spilled, the lines blur.
The sibling rivalry in particular was fascinating and made me want to keep reading as an older sister myself I saw a lot of myself in the characters
I also enjoyed the urban fantasy setting, while I don't enjoy it as much as high fantasy, it was exactly what this story needed

3.5 stars! I am a huge fan of Olivie Blake’s writing so it is no surprise that I love this book. A wonderful retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (one of my favourite pieces of work from him), which involved witches and magic. WHATS NOT TO LIKE?!

I absolutely adored the relationship between Sasha and Lev as well as Dimi and Masha. They honestly carried the book for me. Now I did get a little confused while reading but I’m putting that down to me instead of the story. Now some of the quotes are absolutely STUNNING in this book - my favourite one is “Write me a litany of sins. Write me a plague of devastation. Write me lonely…” and the little Shakespeare quotes at the start of each act were perfection.

My only problem with the book was the pacing! Sometimes it felt as though certain parts were being dragged out a bit too much and others not enough. But I honestly didn’t mind that too much because I could read Blake’s writing until the end of time.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Tor/Pac MacMillan for allowing me to read an arc copy of this book. I will be running to my nearest bookshop to get a physical copy when it is released in April!

A dark, magical story where two rival witch clans compete in the criminal underbelly to make riches. The seven Antonova sisters led by their mother Baba Yaga, and the Fedorov brothers of Koschei, known as the God of death. Circumstances have led to tensions bubbling over in a violent rivalry of revenge.

”Right, an eye for an eye, famously the best thing to do in these circumstances," Lev deadpanned, realizing only after he said it that Roman had apparently been serious.

And, OH MY WORD THE ILLUSTRATIONS! I want a paperback or hardback just for them. I’ve never bought a special edition, but for Olivie Blake, for this book? I’m considering it.

If you’ve been following my reviews, you will know I’ve always had a complicated relationship with romance-heavy books, especially in fantasy where it feels there’s just so much more to offer than love, pining and miscommunication between characters. Especially with the popular enemies-to-lovers troupe. Yet, I fell in love with the romance and characters and plights in this story. It was sweet and heart achingly beautiful.

”I'm not here for a one- night stand, Sasha, he told her. "The story we're writing? It has chapters. Installments. I don't want once."

"Write me a tragedy, Lev Fedorov.
of sins," she whispered to him. "Write me a litany
Write me a plague of devastation. Write me lonely, write me wanting, write me shattered and fearful and lost.”

I loved Lev, he’s like a loyal puppy. Funny, cute, and heart-breakingly devoted yet torn.

A beautiful, tormenting, memorable fantasy stand-alone.
If you enjoyed this, I would recommend These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong.

Absolutely stunning writing by Olivie Blake as per usual! Even if the plot isn’t my favourite I know I will always enjoy an Olivie blake book because of the way she writes. This wasn’t my favourite, especially compared to Alone With You in the Ether but still one I really enjoyed and will be purchasing/recommending!

“I will always love you, I will love you until the day I die— and if you’re the one to kill me, then by all means, you should know without a trace of doubt you will not have turned me away. I will have spent the final beat of my heart loving you, just as I always have. Only you, Masha. Only you, forever, I promise.”

Ughhhh. Inject this into my veins.

There is something about Blake's writing that has me in a CHOKEHOLD.

If you're looking for somewhere to start with Blake's writing, I scream from the rooftops that this is the one to start with. It is less complex than The Atlas Six without being simpler, if that makes any sense? It's an Urban Fantasy with some of the most beautifully written relationships I've read. Considering it was done so well over the span of a single book is even more impressive.

I swore, after trying and failing TWICE to read These Violent Delights that I was done with any kind of Romeo/Juliet retellings, but Blake reeled me in and wouldn't let me go until I had finished this, which is why it's midday and I'm only just thinking about starting work. It's also why I'm running on about 4 hours of sleep. I didn't want to put this down.

But thus is the magic of Blake's writing. I always think I know who I'm going to become attached to when I go into one of Blake's books, but every time, I find myself surprised. The complexity of not only the romantic relationships but the sibling relationships was so well done that I didn't care that the world building in this was a little lackluster. Blake more than makes up for it with her characters and the magic system she created for this story.

This is definitely a book I need physically on my shelf, and it's definitely one I'll reread non-stop.

I feel like that kid at school that nobody wants to sit with at lunch. I’ll pretend that doesn’t cause me severe deja vu.

I’m kidding, but seriously I just couldn’t follow the hype of this book. Truthfully, the hype of Olivie Blake is easily deserved - her style is specifically non-specific. She has a borderline ostentatious, confusing and oftentimes nonsensical approach to stories but without question manages to accomplish whatever genre of story she sets out to accomplish with ease. She’s different - and different is cool. The trouble for me is that her writing style doesn’t actually work for me - I don’t like the deliberately confusing timelines or characters - but sometimes the plot is enough to get me through.

The Atlas Six has a great plot with arrogant characters I loved to hate whilst Alone with you in the Ether had a psychological assassination of characters which was totally compelling. Here though, we have an urban fantasy marketed as a take on Romeo and Juliet (although clearly influenced by many other romances of its kind as well), and the characters AND plot just weren’t enough to get me through.

I’m the minority - this book has glowing reviews - but there were just some glaring issues for me I couldn’t get past. There are many POV’s in this book, but none were compelling to me; I couldn’t care less about any of the characters, and some I struggled to even remember half the time. The romances were silly, and whilst I get that miscommunication and instant attraction with needless demise is sort of the point - I really did find it silly and hard to believe, particularly in a mature, urban setting.

So it’s likely a case of this being a “me” issue, rather than the book. But I didn’t like it regardless. If you typically adore Blake’s work, you’ll enjoy this. If you sit in the middle, you likely won’t.

ARC provided from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC of 'One for My Enemy' by Olivie Blake.

'One for My Enemy' is the latest Olivie Blake to be published traditionally. This is my fourth Olivie ARC now and everything I receive a new one, I always get excited to see what's coming up. This book was much more complex plot wise to follow but I was immersed, as usual, and felt like the complexity added to the atmosphere of the story. Without giving too much away, this book is a definite favourite of the year already and I highly recommend it.

However, what I do need to mention is THE ART. Little Chmura's art shines brightly through the story as always. The artwork correlates perfectly and I just found myself staring at the art from time to time and getting lost in the little details.

Two rival witch families fight for wealth, status, and power in New York City. But when borders and lines are crossed the dichotomy between them begins to blur, too.

Olivie Blake can WRITE! I already knew and loved how this author constructed her prose, from reading The Atlas Six series, but was delighted to find the same extraordinary beauty featured here. It is through the lyrical wording that I really felt I understood each character's emotions. Their thoughts and feelings come alive and so, too, do their characters because of it.

The setting I wished had been payed a similar amount of attention as I found it a little less atmospheric than anticipated, but no less enjoyable for this. The characters drive this story and the background noise really does fade away as you become consumed by their many plights.

This was a heavily romantic storyline with magical inclusions played out in an urban setting. Urban fantasy will never appeal to me more than epic fantasy does but I remain engaged by all facets of this and Blake pens a story in such a way that makes any genre appeal, regardless!

🌹 One For My Enemy review🌹

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“Write me a tragedy Lev Fedorov. Write me a litany of sins. Write me a plague of devastation.”

Thank you so much to @netgalley for the arc of one of my favourite authors!

This book certainly did not disappoint. The story of the Fedorov’s and the Antonova’s was captivating, romantic and tragic and the sprinkle of magic made it all the better. I loved all of the characters, Lev being my favourite he is the best boy.

I cannot fan girl enough over Olivie Blake’s works. She is by far one of the best writers at the moment and one of my all time favourites I just love her writing style it’s so lyrical and captivating I adore it.

Overall, an amazing Romeo and Juliet retelling I can’t recommend enough if you like urban fantasy. Honestly I just want Olivie Blake to ruin me with her worlds over and over.