Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

12 reviews

shinyfox's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Quirky, funny, light hearted while still being dark in its own way.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Gore, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death and Pandemic/Epidemic

indieandajean's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Assistant to the Villain is an adorable fantasy rom-com with more emphasis on the "com". The slow burn in this book will be of no surprise to anyone who enjoyed watching the tiktok series it was based on, and it makes for a lot of exasperation from a reader's perspective when you read many chapters of pining and them "almost" getting to the point. This is a feature, not a bug.

The characters are lovable, the plot moves along at a decent pace, and it has just the right amount of tropes that one would expect from a slow-burn, mutual pining, workplace rom-com. It also has a dragon, which is always a positive. 

My only complaint is that at times the book was a little too slow. There were unnecessary scenes that did little to move the plot forward or deepen the reader's understanding of the characters.  I understand that the author was given a three book deal and that where there is a three book deal about a single romance, there is going to have to be some filler. That said, the story never dragged, even through these filler moments, and it was always fun to pick back up to read. 

My review is probably somewhat biased as I fell in love with Evie Sage played by Hannah Nicole Maehrer in her Tiktok videos that were the catalyst for the books, but I challenge anyone who loves a good underdog to watch the videos or read this book and not also love the character. She, the Villain, Blade, Tatiana, and yes, even Becky, are great characters and it was fun to see them more fully fleshed out in this book. 

I am very much looking forward to book two which is coming out this fall, particularly because of the cliffhanger ending!

I recommend this one for anyone who enjoys a bit of humor in their romances, morally grey fantasy villains, dragons, and strong female characters who overcome obstacles and earn the respect of people around them. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

among_the_stacks's review against another edition

emotional funny informative lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

mariareviews's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

honestly? it was quite nice, won’t lie.
a literary masterpiece? no, but nice.

HOWEVER IVE GOT A BONE TO PICK AND THAT BONE IS ENDING BOOKS IN A CLIFFHANGER !!!!

babes, I’m a med student that’s so close to finals I can feel them breathing down my neck WHEN IN THE LIVING HELL I AM WILL I GET TIME TO READ THE SECOND PART??

that said…


Dearest authors,
PLEASE don’t end your book in cliffhangers like this. I ASSURE you that if I like the book I’ll gladly read the whole saga even if it’s a nonsensical mess. PLEASE. IM BEGGING (like trystan lol)

Yours dearly,
Maria.

Edit:

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE SECOND PART IS OUT AUGUST 8???! Honestly, f-ck every author that writes such cliffhangers. I’m tempted to rate it one star now. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Death of parent

Minor: Infertility, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was so fun to read! It was like reading a magical version of the office, if it were a fairy tale. I enjoyed the secondary characters, the banter and the world-building—I already can’t wait for the sequel!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

dinahquinn's review against another edition

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I actually didn’t guess the twist until close to it happening which a nice change up. There’s definitely hints before, but not the “hints” that are really a brightly lit billboard.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Child death, Death, Sexism, Torture, and Kidnapping

rehtaehwashere's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 

• What I liked: The story concept, the addition of magical creatures (really wasn't expecting that at all), family dynamics, a realistic feeling sibling relationship (even if it was minimal). The slow burn romance and will-they-won't-they, and the thirsting wasn't excessive at all
• What I disliked: the twist where
  the villain isn't actually the villain (that's what SOLD me on the book)
  , that the character was an obvious author insert plus the cringey quirkiness (typical romance-fantasy style) and inserting outfits randomly everywhere. Plus the
  <'dating her boss' /spoiler>  trope was kinda eh
• Overall thoughts: really cool story and I love the concept! Much better writing than fourth wing even if the characters are still the author-insert quirky girl thing which was less bothersome here because the story was interesting and was advertised PURELY as a romance so it is almost expected. Crabby male characters will always win me over because it's funny. The
  fake-trustworthiness of the 'good' people being pretty convincing 
    was good too.
• Recommend to a friend? Y

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

maregred's review against another edition

dark lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Torture, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Terminal illness

bookaholic_in_wonderland's review

adventurous dark emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual harassment

bones_jackson's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Nossa, muito fofo e engraçado, amei muito, e mal posso esperar pelo próximo livro, eu quero muito ver ela fazer o circo pegar fogo

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail