Name: Tall Dark and Evil
Rating: 4.9 (5 reviews)

Alexi Blake

Tall Dark and Evil

Chiara Vitale Zelaia

Rating: 4.5 stars

TALL DARK & EVIL is a standalone that makes me wish for a longer series, because I could have kept reading about these characters forever! If you’re like me and love villainous banter (think Jude and Cardan in The Cruel Prince), you’ll be gobbling up pages for every moment between Alis and Reiks. These two were the embodiment of anti-heroes who border on villains, but they weren’t without their insecurities and sweet moments as well. For such a short book—and a standalone, at that—these characters were incredibly fleshed out and I couldn’t help but root for them every step of the way. Their dynamic was so entertaining, and trying to unmask the machinations of Reiks’s devious mind was a delight! I also really appreciated the secondary cast, especially Alis’s family. A united family is something I love in any witch coven, but sometimes the relationships could get tense or strained, and that made them much more realistic. I do think I would have liked a few more pages to better dive into Alis’s past, but this didn’t diminish my enjoyment of her or the book in any way.

The magic and world-building was so interesting, I really want this to become a series. This world offers endless possibilities with how vast and interesting it is, so I’m hoping for more books set within it. The secondary characters are certainly strong enough to handle the main protagonist role *wink wink*. Cannot wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

Rating: 4.5 stars


That feeling when the characters’ banter is so fun and deliciously intense that you want the book to go on forever...

Tall, Dark and Evil is an excellent blend of characters, romance and worldbuilding. Alis is a very interesting protagonist. You know from the start that she’s different from her cousins, and the author has done a fantastic job weaving the mystery until the very end, giving us little hints and peeks every here and there. And Reiks…he stole my heart. He’s intelligent, cunning, handsome and charming. Plus, he’s a prince! How could I have not fallen in love with him? Together, the two have so much chemistry and banter. I lived for their scenes! Is there some spicy action? Indeed, there is! The supporting characters were also intriguing, especially Alis’s family (Valina in particular) and Zale, who I hope to see more in the future! I know this is a standalone, but there's so much potential to continue this as a series, perhaps with different romantic pairings...please, oh pretty please! I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters just yet. 

As mentioned above, the worldbuilding was interesting and very well explained without unnecessary info-dump. I love it when magic and politics mix up in fantasy books. The academic setting at Five was a good way to meet the players, as it would have been difficult to see them interact outside when they come from different kingdoms, but I really loved the moments where the plot brought us out of Five and into courtly politics. However, my top moments were undoubtedly the ones where Alis and Reiks are together. 

Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy! Opinions are my own.

Tall Dark and Evil

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