Review | “An Apprentice of Death” By: Nicki Chapelway

Never deal with death, they say, she has a way of claiming her own.

~ “An Apprentice of Death” ~ Nicki Chapelway

Helloooo Everyone!!! Happy Valentine’s Day! I know that today is often celebrated for the romance. Well, I just want to say that it’s okay to be single. Being single means that you get to celebrate with the people you love. I’m going to be celebrating with my family with a nice dinner at home, a movie, and chocolate (who says that boys are the only ones with chocolate? I happen to have my own little supply 😉 ) And one of my favorite traditions of Valentine’s Day, is getting to read a good book with my cat and dog.

Which reminds me, there is this really good stabby romance fantasy story that is a must-read this Valentine’s Day, “An Apprentice of Death” by Nicki Chapelway that just came out! Happy release day! You know it’s going to be good when the heroine is supposed to kill her love interest. Filled with elves, death, bloodshed, magic, and stabby happy romance (all in good taste).

So with nothing else to do, let’s get this review on the road!

About the Author Nicki Chapelway

Nicki is a twenty-something author of fantasy and YA. She has been writing since she was eleven, and has since published several works. She enjoys creating stories with twisty-stabby faerie romances, retellings that take a darker turn, and epic fantasies in worlds full of monsters and magic.

Nicki lives in Ohio where she spends far too much time watching TV, playing video games, and sleeping. She listens to music basically all the time, and adores obsessing over mythologies, her shows, and her slew of fictional boyfriends. When not writing, she can usually be found at her desk with either a paintbrush or a pen in her hand.

Follow her on:

• Website: https://nickichapelwayauthor.wordpress.com/
• Blog: https://nickichapelwayauthor.blogspot.com/
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• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14921514.Nicki_Chapelway
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nicki-Chapelway/e/B07DM54C9G
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• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nickichapelway/_saved/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/olfaxhiuke3fd3f9hl0z4hmwl
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• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Nicki-Chapelway-Fantasy-Author/100088487791174/

About

“An Apprentice of Death”

(Book #1)

By: Nicki Chapelway

“I don’t love Dirk.”

I could have though… someday. Had fate been kinder and we been born to different houses as different people then maybe.

“Then what exactly do you say is between you two?”

“It’s… complicated.”

~ “An Apprentice of Death” ~ Nicki Chapelway

She has no name; he doesn’t remember his past.
Together they might have ruled the world.
If only she hadn’t been sent to kill him.

As one of the last living Death Elves, Wraith was born with a powerful gift. She possesses the ability to evade her patron goddess—Death herself. It comes only at the cost of the life of the last person she touched. For as long as she can remember, Wraith has been trained to do one thing: harness her ability to kill for the House of Castrele.

As an orphan, Dirk has not been afforded many opportunities. Kidnapped and raised to become a living weapon, his purpose is to serve the House of Balvlin as an honored elite guard. But still he wonders what his life would have been had fate been kinder.

When the deadly assassin and cocky warrior meet, sparks and daggers fly. Despite the fact that they serve warring houses, Dirk and Wraith find themselves unmistakably drawn to each other, until they learn that they have both been sent to take part in the peace talks between their two houses. Peace talks where Dirk is supposed to find and exploit the weaknesses of his house’s enemies. And Wraith has been ordered to kill those attending.

Enter the world of Varelis, a land that has no king, where the eleven houses wage wars in the names of their gods, and magic exists that can kill with a single touch. If you enjoy kick-butt heroines, swoony heroes, and sizzling slow-burn enemies to lovers romance, discover An Apprentice of Death, a new romantic YA fantasy series perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sylvia Mercedes, and Elise Kova.

My Review

5 Stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Have you ever read a book that was sooo good, but you couldn’t really pinpoint why? Well, I’ve been there with this book. Until I really got down and thought about it. I like books with darker themes that can still get me to laugh. Books about assassins, especially if the assassin finds out that they have to kill their love interests (what can I say? If it is love or death and is not because of a chronic illness, I’m hooked. Gotta love my stabby romance flicks XD The best part is when it is not even toxic XD). Sprinkle in my love for elves and a creepy forest scene and you really got my attention.

Well, this book literally has everything that I want in a novel. Nicki also has a way of words that makes her novels so easy for me to sit for long hours reading. Wonderful prose, sarcastic humor, and characters that somehow grab my heart and refuse to let go. I wasn’t expecting some of these characters to be so lovable. I mean, IT IS a Nicki novel, so I should’ve known better. I had thought that some of these characters were only going to be on the sidelines, and yet, right at the right times they come out and say something or do something that just makes their character so deep. And that ending had such a twist that I am ready for book two to come out because I NEED answers. I was expecting something totally different to happen, and yet, I think the ending was extremely better than I could’ve thought.

The story starts with our MC, Wraith, preparing to go on her next elaborate assassination mission. The job should’ve been simple, go in, pretend to be the daughter of a nobleman, then kill everyone, blaming it on the one individual she cannot kill (got to love immortal magic). What she did not know is that she would run into one of the guys that she would have to kill, and what’s worse than having to kill him is the fact that he’s a pretty nice guy.

If that’s not good material right there, then I don’t know what is.

Not only do we have some fun shenanigans going on, but the worldbuilding itself is pretty great too. There are eleven houses. Most of them belonging to the elves, where they follow a different god that gives them different magical powers. Two of the houses belong to the humans, but they usually don’t get superpowers. And there is one dwarven house.

Now, the elves don’t like to intermix with each other since their powers don’t mix and the offspring end up being powerless like humans. But intermixing with humans is okay.

And yes, it was a little overwhelming with how many houses there were to keep up with and who has which power and whatnot. But then I really appreciate that this book only really focuses on a couple of the houses. While, I think we will learn more about the other houses in a different book, by only focusing on a few in this one allows us to dip our toes in the world without going neck deep all at once. So, big applause to the author for being able to put us in such a huge world without overwhelming us.

Probably one of my favorite scenes in the story is when they decided to go into a creepy forest for a shortcut. Look, I love a good creepy forest scene. It is what I live for!

This book reminded me a lot of “The Ravenwood Saga” series by Morgan L. Busse. How everyone is in a different house with different powers and how the main character is supposed to kill her love interest. So if you love that book, then this book is perfect for you!

The Characters:

Our main character, Wraith, is a death type of elf, one of the only houses that had fallen, because well, that’s death for you. XD I honestly wasn’t expecting her to be so much of a cinnamon roll. Sure, she might seem tough, but underneath she is super precious. She had a conscience, which works so well for characters like her. Her backstory was horrible and really put into perspective why she continued to do what she did. She was scared and didn’t know how to get out of it. I loved how she watches the birds and longed to be free like them. How she loved books so much that she stole them, read them, and then gave them away to a stranger.

Dirk. I really liked him. He made me laugh more than once with his humor. He really cared about the people around him and was the best person to be there for Wraith. (Plus, he has a cool ax!!! AN AX!!!!) And I loved how he called Wraith “Owl” because of her eyes. So cute! ❤

Cornelius really surprised me. I thought that he was just going to be necessary for the plot and I didn’t expect him to give our MC such good advice.

Don was the best host, LOVED him!

Content in Book:

1. Violence and gore. (Killing someone and worrying about the blood leaking through the floorboards. Getting impaled with a tree root and dying. Torture and dying. Using magic to use the blood inside a person to kill them. Touching someone to kill them later. Cannibalism (just people trying to eat others, but it never actually happens). With axes, knives, magic, and hand-to-hand combat. Mentions of blood throughout (being covered in blood. Wounds. Dead people. Etc.). Etc.)
2. Child abuse. (Torture. Making them kill other people. Killing them, knowing that they will come back to life. Leaving them in a cellar filled with spiders. Etc.)
3. Magic. (Concerning the worship of other gods. Concerning death, water, blood, manipulation, forest, and more.)
4. Some sexual comments that never go anywhere. (How love elves make love and so forth). (This novel is low spice and I don’t think the main characters even kissed.)
5. Worshiping other gods.
6. Drinking alcohol and getting drunk.

Who I Would Recommend This Book To:

Those who like fantasy novels with enemies to lovers where the MC needs to kill her love interest. Books with elves. Where everyone is separated into different houses and has magical powers depending on which house they are born in. Those who like sarcastic humor. Those who like books about death. Those who like books about cinnamon roll assassins.

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Where You Can Find The Book

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Conclusion

Fan art of Wraith

I extremely enjoyed this book and read it in about a week. I really hope that my review shows how much I have enjoyed the story. (It was honestly so good and that ending!!! The next book can’t come out fast enough!) This book also came out on Nicki’s birthday, so wish her a happy birthday by buying this book. =D (Happy Birthday Nicki!)

So would you walk into a creepy forest? Let me know in the comments down below! Because I would walk in a creepy forest whilst smiling. XD But also, you need to read this book. Have a happy Valentine’s Day guys!

Enjoy the Adventure! =D
Grace M. Morris

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