A review by smutfortwo
At First Spite by Olivia Dade

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

5.0

I absolutely adored this novel. Athena is someone who thrives on new and different challenges and when her world comes crashing down decides to stay put out of spite because she also can't afford to go anywhere else. She is so personable and lovely and builds this community around herself, but she also deals with some really heavy mental health issues. Matthew is the type of caregiver that gives everything to other people and completely depletes themselves. He’s also a bit uptight at the start but Athena starts pranking and trolling him (he doesn't get it at first) and when he finally gets it,  starts giving a little back. They really develop a teasing, playful friendship that becomes an actual friendship and I really love how their characters evolve and grow. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings