bookish_spoonie's review against another edition
4.0
2nd Read: 4 stars
I enjoyed this slightly more than the first read. Renee Ahdieh's writing, as always is stunning.
1st Read: 3.5 stars
I adore Renee Ahdieh. Her writing is amazing and her other books are some of my all time favourites. I was really hoping The Beautiful would live up to those expectations and although for the most part it did, a few points fell a little flat for me.
The Beautiful is based in 19th Century New Orleans and features our female lead Celine who has escaped from a dark secret in Paris. The plot is basically a murder mystery involving different magical beings but the main focus was generally on Celine and I wish others got more notice and backstory.
I actually liked Celine, she was funny, upfront, brave and outspoken, especially for the 19th Century. I also liked our lead male Bastien, a hottie shrouded in mystery? Of course he caught Celine's attention! I enjoyed how their interactions developed over the course of the book and how Renee kept us in the dark about Bastien as well.
However, I was promised vampires and for a vampire book there was a distinct lack of vamp action or magical action for that matter. As a fantasy lover I just needed more of that element and less about the posturing of society or the food they were eating (which I usually love in Renee's books).
The story got off to a slow start but the last half was amazing and I was completely gripped.
There were a few scenes that I wasn't sure needed to be there and some aspects that are still a mystery and which I hope are cleared up in book 2.
Finally, the scene was set SO well and the descriptions of the city transported me. New Orleans always hold a mystical quality but being in the 19th Century and with all the different languages interlaced into the dialogue...well it was glorious!
I am looking forward to the next book but desperately hoping for more vampire action!
Please note that this book was gifted in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Hodder!
I enjoyed this slightly more than the first read. Renee Ahdieh's writing, as always is stunning.
1st Read: 3.5 stars
I adore Renee Ahdieh. Her writing is amazing and her other books are some of my all time favourites. I was really hoping The Beautiful would live up to those expectations and although for the most part it did, a few points fell a little flat for me.
The Beautiful is based in 19th Century New Orleans and features our female lead Celine who has escaped from a dark secret in Paris. The plot is basically a murder mystery involving different magical beings but the main focus was generally on Celine and I wish others got more notice and backstory.
I actually liked Celine, she was funny, upfront, brave and outspoken, especially for the 19th Century. I also liked our lead male Bastien, a hottie shrouded in mystery? Of course he caught Celine's attention! I enjoyed how their interactions developed over the course of the book and how Renee kept us in the dark about Bastien as well.
However, I was promised vampires and for a vampire book there was a distinct lack of vamp action or magical action for that matter. As a fantasy lover I just needed more of that element and less about the posturing of society or the food they were eating (which I usually love in Renee's books).
The story got off to a slow start but the last half was amazing and I was completely gripped.
There were a few scenes that I wasn't sure needed to be there and some aspects that are still a mystery and which I hope are cleared up in book 2.
Finally, the scene was set SO well and the descriptions of the city transported me. New Orleans always hold a mystical quality but being in the 19th Century and with all the different languages interlaced into the dialogue...well it was glorious!
I am looking forward to the next book but desperately hoping for more vampire action!
Please note that this book was gifted in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Hodder!
ashryver06's review against another edition
3.0
This review has taken a little while to write more so than others. That’s because I found this one hard to rate. I almost want to say I don’t think I’ve read a book written this way before. So let’s dive right in shall we?
Our story follows Celine Rousseau, a young woman who has fled Paris in order to start a new life in a convent in 1800s New Orleans. Along the way she forms a companionship with Pippa who has also chosen to start a new life in the convent. Celine and Pippa then meet a group of people known as “La Cour des Lions.” One member being the one and only Sébastien Saint Germain. Meanwhile a serial killer is on the loose and Celine may be next! This is where things start to get a bit murky for me.
I discovered once I finished this book and spoke to a few other people about it that this book is very “character driven.” Now I don’t have a problem with that because I absolutely loved the characters in this story. Celine was ahead of her time and Sébastien had a foul mouth. It’s the fact that I spent the whole book trying to figure out who the “La Cour des Lions were rather than trying to determine who the murderer was. It was almost like the main point of the story was a subplot. It’s like there was a fog over the story the entire time. I finished the book with no answers and a shit tonne of questions. Too be honest I thought I’d missed something. Maybe I hadn’t read it right or skipped over something by accident which left me feeling confused.
The era and setting of The Beautiful didn’t help with any of the plot either. I mean the whole 1800s vibe didn’t quite impact the story the way I thought it would. It just felt like this era was chosen because it would draw in the readers. Also, I was initially told this was a vampire book. WELL SORRY but I didn’t see any vampires until it became necessary to the plot. Like come on. I mean I don’t need team Edward or team Jacob level vampires but something more than what I got would have been nice.
Final thoughts – character driven, enjoyable story, no plot?
Rating - 3 ★ ★ ★
Our story follows Celine Rousseau, a young woman who has fled Paris in order to start a new life in a convent in 1800s New Orleans. Along the way she forms a companionship with Pippa who has also chosen to start a new life in the convent. Celine and Pippa then meet a group of people known as “La Cour des Lions.” One member being the one and only Sébastien Saint Germain. Meanwhile a serial killer is on the loose and Celine may be next! This is where things start to get a bit murky for me.
I discovered once I finished this book and spoke to a few other people about it that this book is very “character driven.” Now I don’t have a problem with that because I absolutely loved the characters in this story. Celine was ahead of her time and Sébastien had a foul mouth. It’s the fact that I spent the whole book trying to figure out who the “La Cour des Lions were rather than trying to determine who the murderer was. It was almost like the main point of the story was a subplot. It’s like there was a fog over the story the entire time. I finished the book with no answers and a shit tonne of questions. Too be honest I thought I’d missed something. Maybe I hadn’t read it right or skipped over something by accident which left me feeling confused.
The era and setting of The Beautiful didn’t help with any of the plot either. I mean the whole 1800s vibe didn’t quite impact the story the way I thought it would. It just felt like this era was chosen because it would draw in the readers. Also, I was initially told this was a vampire book. WELL SORRY but I didn’t see any vampires until it became necessary to the plot. Like come on. I mean I don’t need team Edward or team Jacob level vampires but something more than what I got would have been nice.
Final thoughts – character driven, enjoyable story, no plot?
Rating - 3 ★ ★ ★
nomomstayandread's review against another edition
4.0
Dark and creepy but I didn’t love the surprise villain.
ckkurata529's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book - a dark fantasy, but the end left me hanging and if the sequel entertains a love triangle, I’m out.
thewoollygeek's review against another edition
5.0
What can I say, Renee has blown it out the park again. I absolutely loved it, I’m a huge fan of the Wrath and the Dawn so I went into this nervously as I was so scared it wouldn’t be as good. Why thehell did I worry, it took a little while to warm up but a quarter of the way in I knew without doubt this was classic Renée at her best. It’s enthralling, it’s feels so long it feels since YA has had vampires and hopefully this will make them popular again. I love that Renée rwrites such empowered females that are flawed, human and so very realistic and inspiring. None of those unbelievable superwomen here, just realistically strong, I have a past amazing characters. No spoilers, but after that end there has to be more, right ? Please !
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
hopeglow's review against another edition
3.0
it wasn’t all bad but it wasn’t all good either, it’s just fairly typical and i’m kinda sad about that fact.
julie_ottosen's review against another edition
4.0
Sexet vampyr mordmysterie i New Orleans. Yes please.
Bogen er ikke perfekt, men for pokker hvor er hovedpersonen Celine bare alt andet end Bella. Hun er stærk, modig og selvstændig, hvilket er usædvanligt i 1872 hvor bogen foregår.
Bogen er ikke perfekt, men for pokker hvor er hovedpersonen Celine bare alt andet end Bella. Hun er stærk, modig og selvstændig, hvilket er usædvanligt i 1872 hvor bogen foregår.
j_ro85's review against another edition
5.0
Such a good book. Kept me in suspense the whole time, made me have a roller coaster of emotions for the characters, great plot. Highly recommend
rcaivano's review against another edition
Ok, all you Twihards out there...remember when you wanted a book that was like Twilight and you could never find it? Well, here it is. Celine is running away from Paris to New Orleans after committing a horrible crime, one she can’t forgive herself from committing, and one that has changed her. But once she arrives, girls who are close to her begin to get murdered, and the murderer is after her. But the murderer isn’t human, it’s some sort of demon that Celine can’t fight on her own. Her new friends don’t seem to be of this world and they are the only ones who can help her. Gastien is wrong for her - he’s arrogant and evil - but he’s also beautiful and charming. As much as she wants to stay away, she is drawn to him, and he to her. There is such a love hate relationship between the two of them, and as much as they try to deny it, he wants to protect her. She is a fierce, strong woman, who doesn’t need a man to protect her, and she tells him at every turn. She’s a great character, but she does turn to him, and her friends when she needs help. I liked it!
kendracus's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
New Orleans, Vampires, murders, all in the late 1800s!?!? sign me up
In order to escape her past, Celine travels from Paris to New Orleans. When Celine arrives in New Orleans, she is instantly captivated by its atmosphere and intricate history. A few days into her new life, Celine meets Odette, someone who seems to carry the entire city of New Orleans in the palm of her hands. Odette hires Celine to make her a dress, and soon Celine is wrapped up in the world of La Cour des Lions. She meets the enigmatic Bastien around the same time one of the girls from the convent is found dead.
Wow, I loved this book. I had some friends who had really enjoyed it so my hopes were quite high and this book did not come to play! It exceeded my expectations and more!
I think one of the things this book executed incredibly was it’s solid cast of characters. Each and every character was so diverse and deep in personality. It was easy to distinguish who’s who because of that. Also, I feel like we took a deep dive into each character throughout, making it feel like we truly got to know that person and develop a deep connection with them.
The author set up a love triangle that will definitely have more of a presence in the second book but I think it was well done. I’m not keen on love triangles but the way this one happened was unexpected and well-developed. Also, in a love triangle, I never find myself liking both guys. And here I am, liking both guys. Of course, I much prefer the mysterious and dangerous and darker one over the other, but I definitely have a soft spot for both.
I can see how this book might not be for everyone but I just truly adored it. It was a perfect October read. It was dark and enchanting and enthralling and enigmatic and there was a mysterious serial killer on the loose so that really helped with the spooky vibes.
I think this book is paving the way for a whole new generation of YA novels. Not only is it bringing vampires back, but it is also doing it in such a sophisticated and well thought out way. Absolutely nothing about this novel felt cheap or rushed or juvenile. You could tell the author did immense amounts of research for her setting and specific languages involved.
ugh I just LOVED this book
I think this book did an incredible job of answering plenty of questions but also leaving so many unanswered for the following novel(s). At the end of the book, I was like “oh, wow, now I get it,” and then I was thinking “...wait... no I don’t,” which sounds funny but it only makes me even more chuffed for the next novel in the series. It gives you as a reader and healthy knowledge and understanding as to what the story is about but also leaves you wanting so much more.
The only reason this gets 4.5 stars rather than a full 5 is because I felt like Celine and the love interest made a connection without any sort of a foundation. I did begin to truly believe in it once they developed further. They had great chemistry and tons of sexual tension. I just didn’t fully love the beginning of it all. But I can definitely overlook that since everything else about this book was so good.
Celine is an opinionated introvert. She doesn’t hide her opinions but she does keep certain feelings and experiences held deep down inside of her(understandably so). She’s bold and proud and confident. She was so fun to have as an MC. I became invested in her life and attached to her story. Her decisions never really bothered me and I loved the way her brain worked. Seriously itching to continue on with her story.
Odette is a force to be reckoned with! I loved her relationship with Celine. She was outgoing and charming and strong and slightly unpredictable.
Bastien is my new book boyfriend. No, but really, I love him. He’s our typical broody boy who is up to absolutely no good however he is one million percent redeemable and you can tell that from early on. He’s surrounded by his “family” that he also just doesn’t seem to quite fit in with. He’s also sensual and seductive and omg THAT SCENE!!! and THAT ENDING!!!
Pippa is almost the polar opposite to Celine, which created such an interesting dynamic, one that you really root for. Pippa instantly latches in to Celine. She’s a great friend. She kind, thoughtful, understanding, and non-judgmental.
Michael is introduced in such a way that is meant to shock you. He’s cocky and stern but I loved him from the start. He’s a detective on the case of the murder that starts all the drama, so his persona makes sense. We didn’t get to know him too well in this book but that’ll definitely change throughout the next book.
Everything about this book was a win in my opinion. I’m dying to know more about this world and what happens next.
Basically, you need to read this book. I rest my case.
*crossing my fingers that I can get my hand in an arc*
New Orleans, Vampires, murders, all in the late 1800s!?!? sign me up
In order to escape her past, Celine travels from Paris to New Orleans. When Celine arrives in New Orleans, she is instantly captivated by its atmosphere and intricate history. A few days into her new life, Celine meets Odette, someone who seems to carry the entire city of New Orleans in the palm of her hands. Odette hires Celine to make her a dress, and soon Celine is wrapped up in the world of La Cour des Lions. She meets the enigmatic Bastien around the same time one of the girls from the convent is found dead.
Wow, I loved this book. I had some friends who had really enjoyed it so my hopes were quite high and this book did not come to play! It exceeded my expectations and more!
I think one of the things this book executed incredibly was it’s solid cast of characters. Each and every character was so diverse and deep in personality. It was easy to distinguish who’s who because of that. Also, I feel like we took a deep dive into each character throughout, making it feel like we truly got to know that person and develop a deep connection with them.
The author set up a love triangle that will definitely have more of a presence in the second book but I think it was well done. I’m not keen on love triangles but the way this one happened was unexpected and well-developed. Also, in a love triangle, I never find myself liking both guys. And here I am, liking both guys. Of course, I much prefer the mysterious and dangerous and darker one over the other, but I definitely have a soft spot for both.
I can see how this book might not be for everyone but I just truly adored it. It was a perfect October read. It was dark and enchanting and enthralling and enigmatic and there was a mysterious serial killer on the loose so that really helped with the spooky vibes.
I think this book is paving the way for a whole new generation of YA novels. Not only is it bringing vampires back, but it is also doing it in such a sophisticated and well thought out way. Absolutely nothing about this novel felt cheap or rushed or juvenile. You could tell the author did immense amounts of research for her setting and specific languages involved.
ugh I just LOVED this book
I think this book did an incredible job of answering plenty of questions but also leaving so many unanswered for the following novel(s). At the end of the book, I was like “oh, wow, now I get it,” and then I was thinking “...wait... no I don’t,” which sounds funny but it only makes me even more chuffed for the next novel in the series. It gives you as a reader and healthy knowledge and understanding as to what the story is about but also leaves you wanting so much more.
The only reason this gets 4.5 stars rather than a full 5 is because I felt like Celine and the love interest made a connection without any sort of a foundation. I did begin to truly believe in it once they developed further. They had great chemistry and tons of sexual tension. I just didn’t fully love the beginning of it all. But I can definitely overlook that since everything else about this book was so good.
Celine is an opinionated introvert. She doesn’t hide her opinions but she does keep certain feelings and experiences held deep down inside of her(understandably so). She’s bold and proud and confident. She was so fun to have as an MC. I became invested in her life and attached to her story. Her decisions never really bothered me and I loved the way her brain worked. Seriously itching to continue on with her story.
Odette is a force to be reckoned with! I loved her relationship with Celine. She was outgoing and charming and strong and slightly unpredictable.
Bastien is my new book boyfriend. No, but really, I love him. He’s our typical broody boy who is up to absolutely no good however he is one million percent redeemable and you can tell that from early on. He’s surrounded by his “family” that he also just doesn’t seem to quite fit in with. He’s also sensual and seductive and omg THAT SCENE!!! and THAT ENDING!!!
Pippa is almost the polar opposite to Celine, which created such an interesting dynamic, one that you really root for. Pippa instantly latches in to Celine. She’s a great friend. She kind, thoughtful, understanding, and non-judgmental.
Michael is introduced in such a way that is meant to shock you. He’s cocky and stern but I loved him from the start. He’s a detective on the case of the murder that starts all the drama, so his persona makes sense. We didn’t get to know him too well in this book but that’ll definitely change throughout the next book.
Everything about this book was a win in my opinion. I’m dying to know more about this world and what happens next.
Basically, you need to read this book. I rest my case.
*crossing my fingers that I can get my hand in an arc*