Body of Chaos

Elizy Kingdom #1

by Nicolette Beebe

Instead of magic hair, Ripley has magic blood.

Ripley Griever has been locked away for 21 years, afraid of what the world would do with her unpredictable magic. But when Fletcher Darkly breaches the walls of her tower to rescue her, she breaks her mother's loyalty to save him from her grips. Now, they must escape through treacherous terrain and malevolent creatures to reach the Kingdom of Elizy to fix her magic before the Cidris hunters capture her for her blood.

But as she journeys through the dangerous Ölden Lands, she begins to realize that Fletcher's help may come at a steeper price than she may be able to pay.

“Body of Chaos” is a captivating dark fantasy romance inspired by the story of Rapunzel, full of adventure, magic, and unexpected twists that will leave readers on the edge of their seats.

-Spicy romance
-Forbidden love
-High romantic tension
-Tower-bound captive rescued by handsome stranger
-Unpredictable magic
-Dark fantasy
-Magical blood
-High stakes
-Fantastical creatures
-Adventurous plot
-Twists and turns

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Retellings, Dark Romance, Magic, Adult

344 pages, Hardcover

Published March 30, 2023

About the author

Nicolette is a Bay Area author of alluring romances that span from dark contemporary to the depths of the apocalypse. Outside of the all-consuming obsession to write, she is in love with being a full-service editor. She taught the fourth grade for five years, and is now a part-time substitute. During downtime, she enjoys knitting and crocheting while watching video game playthroughs with her hubby and fur baby.

Reviews

[Bryneyre The Book Eater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bookstagram | Facebook | Booktok

👩🏻🩸🌌 4.5 MAGIC STARS ⭐️ 🌌🩸👩🏻

World building: 3.5/5⭐️
Romance: 4/5⭐️
Pace: 5/5⭐️
Characters: 4.5/5⭐️
Spice: 3/5 🌶️

UPDATE: I didn't notice the review was posted in half. This is the corrected version.

First of all, I want to say I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Body of Chaos is a fantastic dark fantasy romance and Rapunzel retelling.

... I'll just say I liked it so much I reread it 3 more times and it became better and better every time, noticing little but meaningful details and hints I wasn't aware of in the first read. I even showed some lines out of context to my friend and she was pretty convinced to read it!

🩸The book starts quite smooth, but it progressively becomes more addictive and complex, specially when it comes to the protagonists.

🩸Ripley is quite an interesting character, more capable and rounded than we can see from the start. Nicolette does a proficient job by creating a character with amnesia, who doesn't really know about the world she lives in and the people she interacts with, and putting the reader in her shoes.
Her inexperience and ignorance of the outside world makes us more curious about what's going on in the story: who should we trust? Is what they're telling us the truth?

🩸Ripley's first experiences match with ours, we're exploring the world at the same time as her, while the rest of the characters and creatures know everything they should about it.
It's a thrilling experience and it makes me eager to learn, instead of feeling like they're infodumping.

🩸Fletcher is NOT just an attractive love interest.
It could seem so at the beginning, but he's waaaay more than that. He's as mysterious and nuanced as he is hot and handsome, full of dark secrets we want to discover.

🩸Reading this book was living the magical Disney fantasy fairytale experience, but even better: with action, gore, lots of creepy and eerie moments, violence, tension, depictions of mental health issues and even serious matters like racial extermination (don't worry guys, I didn't forget about the smut). I felt lots of different emotions while reading, even having chills and shedding a tear in some scenes. This book is IMPACTING, don't let yourself be fooled by the fact it is a Rapunzel retelling.

🩸With such a complete and well-written story, I was confused: it seems like the typical fairytale fantasy setting, with kingdoms and castles and magical creatures, but modern elements appear in the story like ... noise cancelling headphones? TVs?? And guns?? Yoga????

Idk, it wasn't something that worsened the experience but it left me puzzled every time they showed up.

🩸Ripley and Fletcher have chemistry, and they're really cute together. They're so possessive and protective of each other... and I liked it too much.

🩸About the schmexy scenes: quite good. Perfect balance of hot horniness and romantic gestures. It's not only sex, there's connection and importance in them. I can't say I'm disappointed, I reread them like 20 times lol 😉😏.

Conclusion? It was a short read but it left no crumbs. Simple but well-done. I'm desperate for the next book (in case you're wondering, it will be releasing in a few months).

If you want to enhance the reading experience and you really want to understand the story and the characters' backgrounds and behaviours, sign up for the author's newsletter and read the short prologue for the second book that comes in the email, The Ritual in Fletcher's POV. It will shed some light over some important questions in the first book, you won't regret it! 💜

[Nicolette Beebe]

🖤 Escape into a world of dark fantasy and unexpected romance with "Body of Chaos"
🩸 Experience a Rapunzel-inspired tale like never before, where instead of magic hair, Ripley has magic blood
📚 Kindle & KU
🎧 Audible edition available mid-May
🙏 Thank you kindly for your support!

[Joy Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantasy was never my cup of tea and I was always a bit too pragmatic to really enjoy anything set in a magical world, however, Body Of Chaos is one of the few exceptions.

< Ripely has spent most of her life locked up in a tower, at the hands of her abusive “mother” who drains her magic from her instead of teaching her how to control it… Until one day, the mysterious Fletcher breaks into the tower and “saves” her. He then brings her on a journey back to where she really belongs, surrounded by magic and danger. >

I really liked Ripley’s character. She’s very realistically written, with her doubts and insecurities - coming from so many years spent with her abusive mother - her naivety and innocence when it comes to how dark and cruel her world really is - because of all the time she spent locked up away from it - and her very selfless and loving soul that makes her the perfect fairytale heroine.

Fletcher, on the other hand, was a lot more mysterious and even once I reached the end of the book, I still felt like I didn’t know anything about him.

The chemistry between the two of them is really good, they have a deep and mysterious connection that they can’t deny or resist, which results in some very well written spicy scenes.

The author built a world of magic, with vivid and detailed descriptions of the fantastical creatures inhabiting it and the wonders of its magical flora, easily transporting the reader into it.

This story was very good, but I must say that I’m left a bit confused and sad after that plot twist of an ending, I wasn’t expecting to finish that book crying in shock!

I’m looking forward to reading book 2 in the series and see what happens next, it can’t come soon enough!!

⚠️ Some parts of the story are pretty dark, with heavy themes and graphic descriptions of some scenes, which didn’t bother me personally but I think it’s important to note for anyone who might have a problem with that.

[Amanda Sloothaak · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! This is a dark retelling of Rapunzel and let me tell you that it is twisted and dark in the best of ways. The world is so interesting to discover with the vivid descriptions that just pull you in. It's a true joy to discover it together with Ripley for the first time. I honestly had to get used to the dynamic between Ripley and Fletcher for a moment but that also makes it all the more realistic to the story as one of them has to get to know the other again as well.

It's a great story with dark twists here and there and I can't wait for the second book to go out in the world.

[Erica Heard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizy Kingdom Series: This book had me hooked from the start, the details of each individual character and their background stories, all the way to the emotional rollercoaster ending. It had me immediately picking up the second book in the series. I never felt like I should skim over a section, not once was I bored or felt like the story line was lacking. The way everything and everyone connects together is true art. Nicolette Beebe did an amazing job and this series is great for anyone looking to dabble into Fantasy/Romance.

[Amber Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this after following the author on Instagram for her Fourth Wing skits. I also was intrigued by it being Rapunzel inspired. I am new to the fantasy genre so at times I ahead to reread parts to clarify and make sure I understood. I did like it and I am definitely reading the next one! I had a lot of emotions at the end of this so I cannot wait to see what happens next.

[Holly Schwartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Rapunzel and I love a fairytale retelling! And this was very good! It was a really good first book, the ending caught me off guard mostly because I forgot she was writing more! this is little out of my regular genre of books but it wasn’t quite as dark as I was anticipating - but don’t get me wrong it WAS!

Ripley and Fletcher were pretty much the darker versions Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder that I was expecting! And they did have some sweet moments. Him saving her from the tower, him telling her how they know each other, her staring to have feelings for him and not having a filter about it and her realizing that life outside of the tower can be exciting and she has a whole life waiting for her. But it is actually still terrifying out there?! And there’s so many things out to get her!

The fantasy part felt very magical! The world was well built even though we don’t necessarily know everything! And I think our understanding will grow with the next books, which is exciting!

I feel like there was a lot happening in a short amount of time? But also somehow not enough was happening? It was a quick read and since there’s more books I think that will be great, and it was a good first book of a series. And the ending was not at all what I was expecting! I am a strictly HEA girlie and it caught me off guard. But once I remembered there are going to be more books it all made sense!

Thank you to Nicolette Beebe for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Sarah Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPOILER FREE REVIEW:

This book is SO GOOD!! Tangled is one of my favorite Disney movies ever and Nicolette does an incredible job at taking a cherished story and retelling it in a new and compelling way with unexpected twists. Fletcher and Ripley individually are so well-written and together just 😍. The world building is amazing, I love the detail in her descriptions and the descriptive imagery paints the scenes so I feel like I’m right there with Ripley and Fletcher. Also the ending is just 🫢😱. I read this in only a couple hours and immediately purchased the second one because I couldn’t wait. Definitely recommend this book!

[Sarah Perwitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received this as an ARC from the author***

This wonderful dark Rapunzel telling will leave guessing and wanting more! The twists and turns Ripley goes through as an Elizian that is being hunted leaves you wondering who is truly a friend and who is a foe. Fletcher Darkly is a dream come true when she wants to leave the tower but will it stay that way? The ending will make you BEG for the second!

[Danni Neeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rapunzel Inspired Re-Telling with a dark romance twist.

Ripley & Fletcher's story is intriguing. The description of the outside world is beautiful. It left me wanting more so I can't wait for Book 2 to come out soon. I like the twists in the book that differ from the classic Rapunzel story as they create suspense and made me want to keep reading even though most of us know the story of Rapunzel but this is different in a great way. I was on the edge of my seat a few times making myself keep reading so I can find out what happens.

Great easy, quick read.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that had me immediately hooked and once finished, I had the 2nd book (currently reading) opened and started within minutes because I simply needed to know what happens next.
I’m a huge Disney/ Grimms’ Fairytales fan so seeing someone take on these, especially the Rapunzel story always comes with some hesitation but I beyond thrilled I started it. It is most definitely different than what we know and so refreshing to see a new take on this Fairytale.

[Jacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Body of Chaos is… chaotic 😅 I tried to hold onto this writing style for dear life, but I’m sadly DNFing at 55% because this is written like a fever dream, and not a good one. It’s just Ripley and Fletcher going on a journey that Ripley knows next to nothing about, with someone she knows nothing about, who tells her nothing, who she talks to about basically nothing, and she has magic she knows nothing about….. I’m just not getting enough of a coherent story to continue.

[Dolly G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my god. This book. THIS BOOK!!! I LOVED IT TIMES 100. The ending is sending me into a a book coma!

Body of Chaos is a Rapunzel re-telling... a beautiful one! Ripley is our main character, locked in a tower to preserve her elizian magic. The novel starts of with a blast as Fletcher immediately finds himself infultrating the tower! The freedom of the outside world pulses through Ripley's veins as she learns to control her magic, and plottwists find themselves at any turn and corner. especially the end!!!!

The genre is fantasy & romance, intended for 18+ audiences. This book has trigger warnings, so assure yourself before you read!

The author's writing style is descriptive and insanely interesting to read. The book sucked me in right off the bat just from how beautifully it was written. The plot is beautifully paced and thought out, with no gap left open.

Okay okay, my thoughts time! I absolutely loved this book! Ripley deserves the world and nothing less! I've emotional connected with so many of these characters, Loving and hating every one at the same time. I'd read it a million times over. It definitely stands out among other fantasy books I've read. I'd say there is nothing about it I would change, and I'd definitely purchase a paperback to have in my library at home.

I felt everything at once; anger, sadness, excitement, joy, and so much more! If you're looking for an emotional available book, this is the one!!!

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

I'm so excited for the second book! I'm on the edge of my chair just waiting 🥹

[Barbara Dobrovitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scroll down for the German version.

I became aware of Body of Chaos because of the cover and blurb.
Disney move over... It's a dark retelling of Rapunzel and it's dark in many ways. There is nothing black or white. Many characters move in a gray area.

You know the classic fairy tale, this version has a lot of interesting twists and variations. The worldbuilding is exciting and you learn more and more about the individual groups and the dangers for our protagonist Ripley.

It's great to discover this world as a reader with Ripley. To be honest, I had to get used to the dynamic between Ripley and Fletcher, but that also made the story all the more realistic. I suffered so much with Ripley, she also has her demons and doesn't always behave correctly, but she just has to endure so much from so many different beings. My heart broke for her over and over again.

It's a great story with dark twists here and there and after this cliffhanger I can't wait to read the second book.

GER

Ich bin wegen dem Cover und dem Klappentext auf Body of Chaos aufmerksam geworden.
Disney move over... Es ist eine düstere Nacherzählung von Rapunzel und sie ist in vielen Arten düster. Es gibt keins schwarz oder weiß. Viele Charaktere bewegen sich in einer Grauzone.

Man kennt das klassische Märchen, diese Version hat sehr viele interessante Twists und Abwandlungen. Das Worldbuilding ist spannend und man erfährt immer mehr über die einzelnen Gruppierungen und auch Gefahren für unsere Protagonistin Ripley.

Es ist toll diese Welt als Leser mit Ripley zu entdecken. Ehrlich gesagt musste ich mich erst an die Dynamik zwischen Ripley und Fletcher gewöhnen, aber das macht die Geschichte auch umso realistischer. Ich habe mit Ripley so gelitten, auch sie hat ihre Dämonen und verhält sich nicht immer korrekt, aber sie muss einfach so viel ertragen von so vielen unterschiedlichen Wesen. Mein Herz brach für sie immer und immer wieder.

Es ist eine großartige Geschichte mit hier und da dunklen Wendungen und ich kann nach diesem Cliffhanger es kaum erwarten das zweite Buch zu lesen.

[Chey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay… let’s talk about this book that called me because of this wonderful cover. I will start by saying that when I started reading, I couldn’t manage to like the story or characters so much- didn’t empathize with any of them. But, slowly, after I fully invested in this story, I started to like it more and more, until I finished and now I have one feeling: I need the next book right now.
Ripley is a girl who was trapped in a tower by your mother, her whole life. Constantly tortured by her, Ripley didn’t know anything except this life. One day, she was rescued by a man- Fletcher, who promises her a different life and who promises her a safe place to be herself. This is how the story began and, even though I didn't like so much about the exhausting times Ripley grabbed herself in danger, I didn’t expect the cliff in the end and now I have many theories to explain the whole thing.
P.S.: I love Fletcher, of course.

[Melanie S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for good fairytale adaptations and this dark version of Rapunzel did not disappoint. I loved the dynamic relationship between Ripley and Fletcher Darkly. Ripley and Darkly are much more complex, bold, and fierce than their classic counterparts. Ripley has lived a life, brainwashed to believe that she is being sheltered from the evils of the world and that her magic is too strong and unpredictable to leave unchecked. She is rescued by the dark, mysterious,Fletcher Darkly who tells her that they know each other and that she has something that belongs to him. They embark on a twisted adventure that leads to love, heartache, and betrayal. I can’t wait for book 2.
If you like dark fantasy romances, this compelling, brilliantly written fairytale adaptation is for you.

[Kali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the dark, grown-up version of Rapunzel, and it's both everything I hoped for and nothing like I expected. Even though there's magic and fantasy woven throughout, the story struck at the core of really relatable human experiences. Early on, Ripley has to choose between the familiar suffering of her childhood and the intimidating potential of a life she knows nothing about. It's thrilling and terrifying to be along for her adventure, which is far more romantic and intense than the classic version. Although this was clearly inspired by the original Rapunzel story I know and love, Body of Chaos goes much deeper and manages to be completely unpredictable up to the very last page. GIVE ME MORE.

[Easton Huffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say this book was very interesting! The world building was well done. The explanation and creativity for the magic system was very unique. I never saw myself reading a book like this but I was pleasantly surprised. The characters are cool and their experiences and backstory make them so unique and interesting and it helps bring array of emotions to the story. I do find some parts in the story to be frustrating when it comes to the romance aspect, but when I tell you my jaw fell so hard into the ground while ready this book I promise you it did. I give this book a very solid 4.5 stars.

[Kelly Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted an e-copy ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a dark Rapunzel retelling & it was done flawlessly! I loved the overall story, but in particular the changes from the traditional Rapunzel tale. Every environment and scene was described in vivid detail and really allowed you to immerse into their world.
This is a dark retelling though, with darker imagery and adult content and topics.
Highly recommend for adult fans of Rapunzel who love retellings. You won’t be able to put this one down. I read it in about a week, and I’m a slow reader :P! It keeps you reading, pacing was good.

[Leia Faiga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally finished this in 24 hours! I’m absolutely enamored with this book! Ripley is such a beautiful paradox. She’s innocent to a fault, but I can tell that she will never allow that innocence to be her weakness again. Fletcher… oh Fletcher, fletcher, FLETCHER! I promised no spoilers. But I was taught, if I have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all. I need time to process before I can ever utter or read that name again. Let’s just say, he could win an Oscar for his performance.

THIS IS A MUST READ! DEFINITELY STEAMY TO THE 10th DEGREE!

[Jemimah Jonah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I just say, if you’re a dark fantasy romance lover like me - you’re gonna want to drop everything and read this book which is.. PURE ART. @33nbeebe has done it yet again.

Ripley is such a badass! And not to mention my current favourite adaptation of Rapunzel. The writing was stellar. The plot was magnificent and y’all the characters and the book cover - TO DIE FOR! #darkfantasy #bodyofchaos

[Andrew King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing novel by Nicolette Beebe
Setting: well developed and inhabited
Characters: Nicolette does a good job at controlling what the reader thinks of them
Plot: an intense twist on a classic fairy tale, introducing it's own elements without detracting from the original
Overall: 5/5 would recommend even if just for the beautiful cover.
Also how dare you, I'm not gonna explain why but you know what you did!

[Emilie Ocean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!

This first book in the series is a page turner! I couldn’t put it down. I fell in love with the characters almost instantly. What a take on Tangled and the Rapunzel fairytale! While it may be a retelling, you don’t need to enjoy fairytales to devour this book. Any fantasy and romance enthusiast would love Body of Chaos. It has wit, suspense, twists, and spice. It is an amazing read!

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. It’s mind-twisting and entertaining and it takes so many twists and turns that I didn’t anticipate in the slightest. I literally read it in less than twelve hours. The story and characters sucked me in and I couldn’t put it down.

The imagery and descriptions in the book were absolutely beautiful and the characters were so well-written and they felt so much like real people to me while reading. Definitely a must-read if you like dark fantasy/romance!

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Body of Chaos is a dark fantasy retelling of Rapunzel and boy does this get dark. Ripley has been locked in a tower by her horrible mother, who drains Ripley of her blood to keep her too weak to use her magic. One day Fletcher shows up and upends Ripley's entire life. He offers her a choice, sanctuary in a place that can help fix her magic.

As I said before, this gets quite dark. However, the author put content warnings in the beginning of the book, so I suggest all people read them. (I, for one, am super grateful for content warnings and think they belong in all books that tackle dark subject matter, so kudos to Beebe for that.) One scene was quite horrific, but I can't discuss it here because I'm a spoiler-free reviewer. The story is fast-paced, and I didn't really connect with any of the characters. Also, I feel like this book suffers from purple prose, further creating a distance from this reader. I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either. However, that's just me. You may just find this story right up your alley.

Thank you to the author for this ARC copy.

[TheSugaredBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very captivating storytelling! From page one, I was sucked into this dark Rapunzel retelling. I loved seeing the world through Ripley's eyes. It's all so exciting and beautiful! It's hard to not fall for Fletcher, he's beyond charming. There are so many twists and turns, nothing is what it appears to be. The spice was 🥵🥵! Ripley may be a little naive, but she's determined and is discovering just how strong she really is. I devoured this story and can't wait for more!!

[Gail Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that was eventful! 😂
The story pulls you in from the very first paragraph. It is a dark, joyful, sizzling story that will get your pulse racing from start to finish. Loved it. Cannot wait for the next book

[Amelia-Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah 😳🤩🤩😍🥵 i was engrossed in this book from cover to cover!! The right amount of delicious smut with plot twists i never expected. THAT ending was unexpected and made my jaw physically drop 😲 i couldn't believe it (and suddenly my feelings on Fletcher changed) !!

[Lexy Wuellner · Rating 5 out of 5]

She got me hook line and sinker!

This is an exhilarating retelling of rapunzel. We all know the original, yet Nicolette still kept me on my toes with her twists and turns. Ripley is forced to learn so much in a short time when she is faced with a whole new world. I can't start the second book fast enough to see what Ripley and Fletcher have in store for us next.

[Heather Mylek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE fairytale retelling! oMg she does a great job with this book! I had a hard time putting it down! It does go dark but it is great! Highly recommend!!