★.·´¯`·.·★ A R C Review ★·.·`¯´·.★

Title: One For My Enemy
Author: Olivie Blake
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Publish Date: April 20, 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Source: Netgalley

Happy publication day to this beautiful retelling of Romeo and Juliet! ⚔️🌺

I want to express my gratitude to #NetGalley, Pan Macmillan, and Olivia Blake for granting me an advanced reader’s copy of #OneForMyEnemy.
Although I had never read an Olivia Blake novel before, I was intrigued by the great reviews of Atlas Six and immediately requested this book on NetGalley. I am happy to report that I was not disappointed.

Initially, I was a bit confused about the timeline, but Blake skillfully clarified it as the story progressed. Her writing style was mind-blowing, and she expertly intertwined each character's storyline, leaving a lasting impression.

The book is a story of two rival families battling for supremacy: the beautiful Antonova sisters versus the influential Fedorov brothers, both led by ruthless leaders known as Baba Yaga and Koschei the deathless. From the start, these two leaders were at each other's throats and would stop at nothing until the other was defeated. They were indifferent to who got hurt in the process.

The illustrations included in the book were a nice touch. However, while reading this ARC, I found it annoying that I couldn't read it on my Kindle (which is where I read all my Netgalley ARCs) due to the formatting. I could only read it correctly on the Netgalley reader, which was not user-friendly for me.

In my opinion, the magical elements in the book could have been better explained. Additionally, several plot points were unnecessarily prolonged, which affected the pacing of the story. Many things happened without a clear explanation, leaving me feeling disconnected from the plot and the family feud.

The book heavily emphasized romance, which may have been the reason why the plot was underdeveloped. However, even the romantic relationships felt contrived and forced upon the reader.

The plot was promising, but there were parts where it became too confusing and predictable. But, then again, isn't that typical of Shakespeare's writing? The book felt longer than necessary, and it took me several attempts before I could immerse myself in it properly. Nevertheless, Blake's writing felt lyrical and raw, which was a significant plus.

Overall, I found myself mesmerized by the world that Olivia Blake has created. If you're a fan of star-crossed lovers mixed with urban fantasy, then this book is for you. I highly recommend this epic read.

What I loved most about the book is the amount of research that Olivie made into Russian names, folklore and language. There was none of that Shadow and Bone nonsense, every name and every version of the name was so very well thought out and that added so much flavour!
I also absolutely loved how she has woven the details from Baba Yaga and Koschei folktales into the story.
That being said, Olivia’s writing style is not my cup of tea. There was a lot of “all vibes no plot” and it felt like it took us twice as long to get to the point.
But I loved the characters and the story, so 3.7 out of 5.

One word: LOVE. if it’s one thing olivie blake can do it’s enemies to lovers. From fanfics to the Atlas six that woman has never missed

Olivie Blake’s writing is always lovely, and this book is no exception. It’s lyrical and rich without straying into the territory of being flowery.
The characters were stronger than the plot for me personally. I found the pacing a little slow, though that did improve towards the latter half.
As we don’t have too many characters, I appreciated being able to get to know the cast well, their stories and how the fit into the plot.

All in all, a solid read. If you are usually a fan of Olivie Blake, you are sure to enjoy this.

Olivie Blake’s writing is just urgh *chef kisses* It’s such a unique style and I just get lost in it. I have not read the self published version so I can’t say if there are any drastic changes but this book was a wild ride with twists and turns

The idea of another Romeo and Juliet retelling doesn’t usually fill me with much excitement, because it is an overused story, which is often done badly, however this was Olivie Blake doing the retelling, how could I not be excited, it would be fabulous and exciting and beautiful, I was not wrong ! Everything I loved, the execution, the characters , of course the writing as Olivie has a beautiful style so lyrical. And it sweeps you along. I loved her twists, that Baba Yaga and Koschei the Deathless as a mafia boss type family/business was just brilliant and the idea of our Romeo and Juliet taking fate in their own hands. Just brilliant, if you can’t tell I really liked this and definitely recommend this.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I wanted to like this, I really did but I have a feeling that Olivie Blake is just not for me.
She has a beautiful way of writing that would satisfy a poet and most of her description is wonderfully lyrical.
Sadly, I am not a poet and found it a little pretentious.
Blake has a habit of saying the same sentence half a dozen times in different ways in order to forcefully drive her point across and I found myself skipping large tracks of passages that were just the same sentiment phrased differently. The point was not so much hammered in as staked through the heart, the ribcage and out of the backbone. Several times out loud I found myself saying "Dude, I get it!"
Then there was the actual plot. With childhood lovers who were torn apart by their family's feud and forced to watch while their various family members were killed off by each other, it was very reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet; I didn't care for Romeo and Juliet either.
I rolled my eyes at the characters so many times that I became intimately acquainted with the back of my head. Stupid choices were made so many times and often with no other reasoning than Marya said so.
In the end, several plot points seemed pointless and the multiple epilogues were needless.
I'm not one for literary masterpieces so, like I said, maybe Olivie Blake just isn't my wheelhouse but I can understand the appeal and know why this will win many awards.

.

Headline:
Sweeping characterisation
Polarising families
Irresistible connections

I'm sure most readers dipping into reviews know that this story is founded in Romeo and Juliet and honestly, Blake executed this vision of witches in New York with two competing families so well. What I expected, was to end up on the side of one family over another but the Antonovas and the Fedorovs were equally entracing as they were unpleasant. Each family had some characters I really loved and some I hated.

For me, it felt like there were four main characters in this book (who I loved equally) and then a set of really strong secondary characters with some others in the background. The idea of Baba Yaga and Koschei the Deathless were initally rather intimitdating with a mafia boss feel to their families, legacies and business dealings. The children of these families however had more grounding, practicality and loyalty to one another, I trusted most of these individuals more.

The story was incredibly surprising, the directions it went, the shocks and twists. I was kept glued to the page, sometimes a little heartbroken, sometimes doing a double take.

Could he really taste so sweet, being her enemy.

I know people have sometimes struggled with the density of Blake's writing, its tendency towards a convoluted narrative but One For My Enemy was truly accessible, linear in the main and easy to read. I'm definitely a fan of this book.

Thank you to Tor Books and Black Crow PR for the review copy.

This romeo and Juliet style story is probably one of my favourite reads so far this year. There is just the right amount of magic with a little mystery and some wonderful twists. The romance element is beautiful and emotional. I especially enjoyed the intricacy of the various stories of each individual character. A truly wonderful book which I will read again and again.

Mixed reviews on this book. The writing style and descriptions were beautiful; I was obsessed with the world building and Olivie's take on this story. However, I struggled to connect with the book. I did enjoy TAS, but something about Olivie's books fall flat for me. She's a great author but just not for me.

I was given this eARC by @netgalley and @panmacmillan , in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a few years since I read Romeo & Juliet, and when I heard about this modern retelling with a witchy fantasy twist, I knew I had to read it!

This is the first book that I read from Olivie, so I can’t compare it with her previous releases (Atlas Six is still on my TBR).

The world-building was underwhelming for me, this story was set in New York, but it could have been set anywhere else. Considering the Slavic folklore references used for Baba Yaga and Koschei and the majority of characters’ names, maybe it would have made it more cohesive if it was set in a Slavic country?

The two main couples were likeable (Masha + Dima and Sasha + Lev), but I felt that Sasha and Lev’s relationship was too instantaneous.

The biggest letdown is that the plot and magic system felt too disorganised (even for the expected chaos for a Romeo and Juliet retelling), and it felt simply too long, and without enough casualties (IYKYK).

I also felt that at a certain point that all the plot development relied on a visit to “The Bridge”, which made it too predictable and dull.

Overall, I didn’t connect with this story, the repetitiveness of the plot by the numerous visits to “The Bridge” and chaotic magic system, made it difficult for me to finish the book and continue to care for its characters. I don’t think is a bad book per se, it was just not for me…

However, if you are a Shakespearian and retelling lover, give it a try!

One For My Enemy by Olivie Blake is a captivating and emotionally charged retelling of the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet. The story is set in a world of witch families in New York City, where two rival criminal empires are at the brink of disaster due to bad blood and fraying loyalties. The author's writing style is as always a form of art in itself, and we expect nothing less from Olivie Blake, she's done it again.

The plot did feel a bit confusing at times, the unexpected ending is absolutely blowing my mind. The characters, particularly Sasha, Lev, Dimitri, Masha, and Ivan, are well-developed and easy to connect with.

One For My Enemy is a masterpiece and can only highly recommend it if you're a fan of Romeo and Juliet, and also Olivie Blake

Tragedy, revenge, loyalty, bad blood. A Romeo and Juliet retelling, based in modern-day New York City. A poetic web of historical feuds, lust and loss. The magic, grit and underground dealings had me enthralled by the very first chapter. Purposely minimising the heads of the family's POV really enhances their looming presence over their children and the strain of acting for your family's name. This beautiful lyrical language is jam-packed with highlightable quotes. Russian folklore is nicely woven in with the Koschei the Deathless and Marya which I loved looking into and exploring more.
The story felt like a natural conclusion around 50%, the rest of the book could have been a second book or at least be condensed so it felt like it was very drawn out. Although not my favourite from Olivie Blake, I'm still glad to have experienced this story.

4.5/5

Three words to describe this book: lyrical, dark, alluring

The writing - Every time I pick up an Olivie Blake book, I'm completely engrossed in her prose. It's rich without feeling flowery. Her writing is, for lack of a better word, sexy. Sentences drip with metaphor and tension and it's absolutely gorgeous. I'm beginng to think she could release a summary of the phone book and I'd find it engaging and beautiful.

The story itself - I didn't know much going in. The title caught my attention and I skimmed the blurb (enough to know there were witches involved). This take on Romeo and Juliet is easily the best I've ever read. Seeing the two tragic heroes take their fate into their own hands was not only exciting, but also a vastly different approach. Sure, in the average retelling, the heroes rail against their fate, but it is, after all, fate. Watching these two dismantle everything around them was so much fun.

The characters - This is a very character driven book. The sibling relationships were excellent and the tension between family responsibility and love truly drove the entire story. Every character had layers of complexity. As usual, I support women's wrongs, so Masha is probably my favorite.

I tend to read books in one sitting, but due to scheduling, I picked this up and put it down several times. Because of that, I think my opinion of the pacing suffered a little. I was most invested in Masha's scheming in the second half. Sasha and Lev were cute, but I wasn't super interested in their romance until everything hit the fan. To be fair, I'm not generally a fan of insta-love, so that is *probably* a 'me problem' rather than an actual issue with the book.

If you're looking for a fresh, dark, magical take on Romeo and Juliet, this is it. Do yourself a favor and read it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I quite enjoyed this supernatural retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Set in modern day New York tells the story of two warring witch families.

I loved the character development throughout the book- there aren’t many characters so you really get to know them and backstory of the start of the feud

I did feel the book was longer than it needed - the action was over halfway through the book and until fifty pages from the end it was just lots of deals going back and forth between the characters which didn’t really set up the ending.

Would recommend.

Amazon Summary
In New York City, two rival witch families fight for the upper hand . . .

The Antonova sisters are beautiful, cunning and ruthless, and their mother – known only as Baba Yaga – is the elusive supplier of premium intoxicants. Their adversaries, the influential Fedorov brothers, serve their crime boss father. Named Koschei the Deathless, his enterprise dominates the shadows of magical Manhattan.

For twelve years, the families have maintained a fraught stalemate. Then everything is thrown into disarray. Bad blood carries them to the brink of disaster, even as fate draws together a brother and sister from either side. Yet the siblings still struggle for power, and internal conflicts could destroy each family from within. That is, if the enmity between empires doesn’t destroy both sides first.

My Review
I really love Olivie Blake books and this was brilliant.

One for my Enemy is a Romeo & Juliet retelling full of forbidden love, rival families, witches & magic. I could not put this book down (figuratively speaking i was reading it on my kindle). The world building was great as were the plot and characters. I would really recommend for any Olivie Blake fans

Witches in New York do Romeo and Juliet-ish. Interesting concept.

Two families of witches in New York have to deal with forbidden love, death and rivalry in a plot with elements of Shakespeare’s tragic romance. The Fedorov sons and the Antonova sisters mix love, magic and death with a few other characters getting involved. There are not many characters and they are reasonably well-developed. The story moves along well and the concept is quite original. I’m not sure how much I enjoyed it and I found it longer than necessary. It’s still an interesting read and I’m glad that I chose it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Going to have to send Olivie my therapy bill!! Obsessed with this, I will definitely re-read multiple times in future. It was powerful, romantic, beautiful, heart wrenching. The ultimate enemies to lovers

So, from the cover and the quote on the initial chapter, I couldn't help but sigh with disappointment that this was going to be another Romeo and Juliet retelling. Don't get me wrong, I really do like the story, but I feel like there's so many great adaptions, what more can be done with it?

Wow! Was I wrong! Apparently, there's room for one more!

We're following two rival witch families in New York City

There's the powerful and beautiful Antonova sisters, and their mother - known only as Baba Yaga - is the elusive supplier of premium intoxicants. Then there's the Fedorov brothers, who serve their crime boss father. Named Koschei the Deathless, his enterprise dominates the shadows of magical Manhattan.

For twelve years, the families have been fighting between themselves for power and influence over the witch borough. Until one day everything is thrown into disarray. Bad blood carries them to the brink of disaster. Yet the siblings still struggle for power and internal conflicts could destroy each family from within.

The book is filled with twists and turns that'll have you on the edge of your seat! It's gripping, addictive and an emotional rollercoaster. It's been one of my favourite reads this year and would highly recommend!

I know Olivie's writing from fanfiction which I enjoyed and figured I'd check her other works. I pretty much like the Romeo and Juliette retellings so when I saw this book I had to get it. The book overall was good but I would have liked if it was more focused on Masha and Dima. The tension there was just so good. Didn't care much about Sasha or Lev because I couldn't really see the chemistry between them. Overall I did enjoy the book but didn't love it.