Many thanks to Del Rey for the review copy of The Fox and the Devil, which came out Tuesday, March 10th. Let’s dig into my thoughts on this one.

The Fox and the Devil Synopsis

This book follows Anneke Van Helsing, daughter of the vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing. Years after his murder, Anneke is determined to track down his killer, and she’s shaped her life as a detective around that quest. As she follows a series of gruesome crimes she’s confident are linked to the same killer, Anneke’s obsession deepens… and the killer’s own obsession with Anneke does, as well.

The Fox and the Devil Review

At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of this one. It gets off to a bit of a slow start, but as the threads start coming together, things really pick up. The descriptions of the crime scenes Anneke investigates are pretty unsettling, as are some of the monsters she encounters. But for my part, the compelling story and engaging writing style made it so that I was able to focus on other things and not get too scared. It’s very much a vampire story, gothic horror vibe rather than a jump-scare soaked nightmare.

I could never predict where The Fox and the Devil would take me next. I love a surprising, twist-filled story, and I certainly found one here. It’s part horror, part sapphic love story, and part mystery. As Anneke encounters more information, things get more complicated rather than clearer, in the best way.

The story shifts over time and space in a way that some readers may find confusing. I had to occasionally flip back to the start of a chapter to confirm when and where we were. But I personally liked the nonlinear storytelling format for this book, and the way it sometimes plays around with point of view. This let us get a new perspective on things and help us settle into knowing different characters alongside Anneke.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Fox and the Devil delivers a vampire story with a twist. The supernatural element adds another layer to a story that is, at its heart, about a young woman eager to prove herself to a world that rejects her for her gender. There are elements of found family and a bit of an unusual love story here, along with a gripping plot and well-rounded characters. I highly recommend this one to fans of Gothic stories, steampunk, and detective stories.

Related Reviews

I also reviewed White’s YA horror novel, The House of Quiet, which is a sort of X-Men meets Hunger Games delight.

The weather has been really nice here, with sunshine and higher temps. We’ll definitely be getting at least another few cold snaps before spring is truly in motion, but it’s been lovely to get outside a bit more while I can. Hopefully the wind dies down so I can read outside without my pages getting blown around! Anyway, let’s get into this week’s updates!

Recent Reads

I finished 0 books last week, but I did finally roll credits on Pokopia after well over 40 hours of gameplay.

Current Reads

I’ve made some good progress, but I’m still working on the same two books I was last week. I’ve gotten a good way into The Fox and the Devil*. It’s definitely a bit more horror than I typically lean into, but it’s not too much for me so far. I’m more than halfway through and very curious to see where it’s all going. With any luck, I’ll finish in the next few days and have my review ready to go.

Also about halfway into I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki. It’s not at all what I thought I’d be like, and I’m not sure I’m going to end up liking it. It’s a lot of direct transcripts from the author’s therapy sessions with little bits of reflection sprinkled in. And the therapy is very different to anything you’d get here in the U.S. It honestly makes me uncomfortable to read. But I’m curious enough to keep going, especially as it’s a fairly quick read.

Up Next & On to You

I’ve got work travel next week, so I’ll be loading my Kindle with eARCs and some manga for the road. What about you, book friends? What are you reading, and how is it going?

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore Synopsis

Violet was once the Thornwitch, right-hand woman to the evil sorcerer Guy Shadowfade. But when he is finally defeated, she gets a chance to start over. And this time, she wants to be good. Violet doesn’t go far, taking up residence in the town that Guy once reigned over. As she tries to turn her plant magic to good, running a flower shop, she finds herself drawn to her new landlord. But things might not be quite as calm in Dragon’s Rest as she might have hoped, and staying on the good path could be harder than she thought.

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore Review

This book does something that cozy fantasies often struggle to do. Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore manages to bring in the cozy, small-town vibes while also delivering enough stakes to keep the story interesting. I felt invested in Violet’s story and the fate of Dragon’s Rest from the beginning. There are heartwarming cozy moments, not to mention a solid love story, but this book also delivers an engaging plot.

Violet as a protagonist is an absolute triumph. I love how nuanced her relationship to her past is, and how the complexities of leaving her former life behind are dealt with. The love interest has a similarly complicated past, though I found him a little bit less interesting. Their chemistry and banter felt authentic, though, and I didn’t mind the dual POV as much as I often do in these kinds of books.

There’s humor and heart here, which I appreciated. But most of all, I loved that the story took some interesting twists and turns I wasn’t expecting. I like when a story surprises me, especially when it’s a cozy fantasy or romance. These genres can lean into tropes pretty heavily, so it’s fun to find one that captures the spirit while also doing something a little different.

The worldbuilding and magic system are interesting. I will say I left with a few unanswered questions about how the world works, but it didn’t take away from the otherwise satisfying ending. The book does seem to leave things open for a sequel, but not so much that it doesn’t feel like a full and complete story on its own.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore is one of the best books I’ve read this year so far. It’s got humor, heart, real stakes, and interesting characters… not to mention a romance with some solid banter and a good bit of spice. I love that we see a nuanced, former villain as our leading lady here. If you enjoy fantasy at all, I highly recommend picking this one up ASAP.