Book Review: City of Villains
- GeekyMcGeekerson
- Aug 20, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 8, 2023
Book Review: City of Villains by Estelle Laure a Disney Hyperion Book
“You're going to have to choose between your head and your heart...” - Estelle Laure, City of Villains
I am not a fast reader, and I always have a million other things going on. So, I do not get to read as much as I would like. However, I did get a book read the same year it came out. That is amazing for me! Most of the time, I read older books that I have had sitting on my shelves for years. And I have a ton of them!
Young Adult Books Are for Adults Too!!!
I enjoy all types of books, except romance. Give me horror and murder mysteries over love stories any day. And there are a lot of good books aimed at young adults that do not get the love they deserve since “Adults” do not think they are for them. This is one of those books. Another YA author I enjoy is Christina Henry. If you haven’t read any of her Fairy Tale inspired books, you are missing out.
I stumbled across this book at Barnes & Noble. The cover caught my attention right away. The comic book graphic style made me pick it up and flip through the pages. Although I already had a couple of other books picked out, this one went in my pile too.
I had to see who designed the cover. It was Phil Buchanan. And to find out he is from Ohio! Check out his designs if you get a chance. He is very talented. You can find his page HERE.
About City of Villains
Title: City of Villains Author: Estelle Laure
Publisher: Wednesday Books Publication date: February 2021 Genre: Fiction / Young Adult
Mary Elizabeth Heart is a high school senior who also interns at the Monarch Police Department. Her parents were killed when she was young, and she was raised by her aunt. Not long after her parents were murdered, magic disappeared, and many people were killed. Now there is a rift between the Legacy (those with magical lineage) and the Narrows (those without magic).
Strange things begin happening in the city, and grisly presents are for the police left by the Mad Hatter. Popular students come up missing and there is social unrest. This dreadful situation is not what Mary wants, but it is what she has been waiting for. She is thrilled when the Chief assigns her, her very first case. But is soon in shock when her best friend also comes up missing.
As Mary gets deeper into the case, she learns things about her friends she does not want to know. Is her boyfriend hiding secrets from her? Who is the girl with the horns? And if things weren’t bad enough, is there really a sea monster hiding in the poison lake?
Mary quickly finds out that you cannot trust anyone. But she needs to trust her partner, doesn't she? Should she tell her everything she has learned, or should she try to handle everything on her own? Not knowing what to do can be terrifying and physically draining.
……….And to top it all off, it may be possible to get magic back. But at what price?
In Conclusion: City of Villains Book Review
City of Villains by Estelle Laure is very well-written book that would be great for teens as well as adults. The story is unique but somewhat predictable. However, it is still a good read that features some of the most beloved characters from our favorite Disney movies.
Thankfully, City of Villains is going to be a Disney Villains Book Series! I cannot wait for the next book to come out. Until then, we can only imagine what Mary Elizabeth Heart and her friends are getting into.
I feel that—finding time to read when life’s nonstop is tough. Finishing a book the same year it dropped is a win in my world, too. City of Villains has that fun twist of making the “bad guys” the stars, and honestly, it’s refreshing compared to the usual hero narrative. I’ve been stacking unread books forever, but when I can’t commit to a full novel, I dip into korean webtoon english website — free webtoons online that give me that story fix in quick, bingeable chunks.