This book is SO FUN. It’s lighthearted and goofy, a really unique spin on the morally grey trope. It’s the same kind of fantasy (not quite a romance yet) romp as Between by L.L. Sterling; funny, witty, hilarious side kicks, etc. 

I love Evie and her enthusiasm and competency. Her feud with Becky is also entertaining in that their mutual disdain for each other is more of a mask, because at the end of the day, they have a lot of respect for each other. The rest of the main side characters are charming and engaging. KINGSLEY. 🐸👑

Trystan and Evie are just…. *chefs kiss* The slow, slow, slow (and unresolved) burn in this first book makes me eager for more (or to just set myself on fire, haven’t decided yet). I love some good “let’s kiss to distract the guards and make ourselves seem like something we are not” trope. Classic. 

Despite the lighthearted humor, I did like the way the author balanced the silly and the serious. Evie has some significant past traumas that she clearly hasn’t properly worked through yet, and I appreciated how she responded to being confronted with past abusers (

yassss, girl, cut his head off) and then attempted to face the extreme betrayal of her father. Honestly, that revelation was so heartbreaking, because Evie had been caring for him for years, and he turned out to be a total scumbag. Garbage. The ink/notebook was a clever way to spy on the Villain. Anyway, my heart still breaks for Evie and her sister. But the way she rose out of that all fierce and unapologetically filled with rage, YES.

I also appreciated the introduction to Trystan’s siblings and some background to their past, though clearly not all. I felt the lightheartedness/seriousness were well balanced while still keeping the book out of dark and dreary territory. 

What a fun book, honestly. I was going to read something else before Apprentice, especially since Accomplice doesn’t come out until late this summer, but….I need it now. 

My only major complaint about this book is that I cannot stand the audiobook narrator; I tried listening to it twice, and the narrator’s cadence and word emphasis drove me insane. It’s such a shame, because this book would be a DELIGHTFUL audiobook with the right narrator. (Keep in mind, this is a PERSONAL OPINION.)