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.

Such a good book. I was hooked from the first page. Star-crossed lovers, Magic and powerful main characters. I could not put the *book* down. Olivie Blake's writing was phenomenal as usual. The plot was action packed and fast paced which is exactly what I needed this month. The story was completely unpredictable for me as I have never read Romeo and Juliet but I am sure that Shakespeare fans will love Olivie Blake's take on the play.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor PanMacmillan for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I'm not usually a fan of Romeo and Juliet retellings but this one hit the mark! I loved the witches and the boss women that Olivie wrote.

New York's magical underworld is dominated by two families. Lazar Federov, known as Koschei the Deathless, runs his shadowy empire with his sons Dimitri, Roman and Lev. More wholesome is Marya Antonova, known as Baba Yaga, and her seven daughters -- the eldest is Marya (Masha), the youngest is Sasha, the others are less distinctive -- and their trade in magical intoxicants. For over a decade an uneasy detente has been in place, but one family has broken the pact, and this means ... well, if not actually war, at least a bloody feud. Except that Koschei's sons and Baba Yaga's daughters are entangled in ill-starred ways...

'One for my Enemy' riffs off Romeo and Juliet (the chapter headings are quotations from the play) as well as Russian folklore and American mafia tales. Add magic, and everything becomes a great deal more complex. Characters are slain; characters are resurrected. Deals are made and broken. Loyalties are tested to breaking point. And the past is never truly past: Dimitri's teenage romance with Masha, Lev's accidental affair with Sasha, both echo the mistakes of their parents.

I'd have liked this a lot more if it hadn't been quite so focussed on emotional complexity -- between lovers, between parent and child, between siblings. Blake often tells us the different layers (spoken, unspoken, implicit) of a conversation, but there's much less detail about the setting, about the characters' physical appearance (mentioning someone's berry-coloured lipstick does not suffice, even if you do it repeatedly), and about the magical mechanics. I've enjoyed Blake's 'Atlas' novels, but this feels hollower, less cohesive. And it could be set anywhere: there's nothing here that, for me, evokes New York City more than, say, fair Verona.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review. UK publication date is 20 April 2023: it's actually been out since last year, but this is a sumptuously-illustrated new edition.

Unfortunately I was unable to read this book beyond the 20% mark due to the formatting. Words with 'ff', 'fl,' 'fi', etc letter combinations were missing these letters and thus fragmented and required too much puzzling out to allow for the reading the be enjoyable. Further sporadic interjections of numbers and breaking up of words just made the text unpleasant to parse. I had to give up at less than a quarter through the book as it became too much of a chore to try to figure out what was going on, and I realised I was not actually taking in any of the story.

From what I did gather, the story seemed a rather predictable retelling of the Romeo & Juliet tale. I'm not sure this would have been my cup of tea, even if I had been able to slog through the text.

I will keep my review to NetGalley only, as the formatting issues relate only to the ARC version of the book.

I got serious romeo and juliet vibes all the way through this book and I loved every minute of it. What I enjoyed was that it didn't just focus one two main characters and a plotline around them, there were multiple plotline intertwined and it made up a bigger story.
Very well written and such a heart wrenching ending!
Now I need to go read the authors other books.

Firstly thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Olivie Blake is becoming something of an auto buy author for me. I love the Atlas Six series so far, and Alone With You In The Ether was just heart achingly lovely.

One For My Enemy was tragic, and wonderful, and raw. The different love stories of each character (because yay, multiple pov!), the different kinds of love and hunger and how it affects your choices. The growth of particular characters in this book was just 🤌🏻

Loved the overarching Romeo and Juliet vibes with the warring families and star-crossed lovers. Loved the interwoven tales of Koschei and Baba Yaga. Many things you'd expect, and many you definitely don't, this book keeps you on your toes. Oh, did I mention they're witches?!

I'm always gripped by Olivie's writing. It's so fluid and thought provoking, and very very highlightable!! She has a style that draws you in, even during the slower more detailed scenes you never actually feel bogged down by words because they just have this lovely flow.

As a one and done standalone story this neatly wrapped everything up, however I would have loved the chance to get to know the rest of the Antonova sisters better!

Overall, another great addition to my growing Olivie collection 👀 now you'll have to excuse me whilst I impatiently await the next (Masters of Death is happily on preorder) I have also just bought her YA romance so maybe I'll give that a read soon 👀