The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
pinkupengu's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Alcohol, Grief, Drug use, Death of parent, Death, and Cursing
Minor: Colonisation
missreaderaddict's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
wet_towlette's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book is definitely young young adult. I certainly enjoyed this much more when I was 14 but for what it was, it was good. Nothing really special but cute nonetheless. Although I greatly wish the author didn’t have to bring up his incredibly blue eyes and gigantic hands all the time ðŸ˜
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Cursing, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol
thenovelbookshelf's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A meet-cute enemies-to-lovers retelling of Beauty and the Beast (I think).
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When Princess Jaya Rao learns that the son of her family's nemesis is at the boarding school Jaya and her sister, Isha, will be attending, Jaya plots for Grey to fall in love with her then break his heart as revenge on his family.
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As the school term goes on and the plan is in place, Jaya finds herself falling for Grey. How can she separate herself from revenge, finding out who she is and her sense of duty as a Royal heir?
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I had fun reading this rom-com with so many problems that kept popping up and the different and diverse characters. Hoping to read the next book soon.
 Â
When Princess Jaya Rao learns that the son of her family's nemesis is at the boarding school Jaya and her sister, Isha, will be attending, Jaya plots for Grey to fall in love with her then break his heart as revenge on his family.
 Â
As the school term goes on and the plan is in place, Jaya finds herself falling for Grey. How can she separate herself from revenge, finding out who she is and her sense of duty as a Royal heir?
 Â
I had fun reading this rom-com with so many problems that kept popping up and the different and diverse characters. Hoping to read the next book soon.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Death
e_flah's review
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Of Curses and Kisses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling set in a boarding school, all of which sounded firmly up my alley. It was disappointing that this ended up being just an okay read for me. I never fully bought into the romance between Jaya and Grey because they aren't really developed beyond surface-level facts. Jaya in particular seemed defined solely by her feelings of duty toward her family and her position. I really wanted more out of her character, particularly to see the kindness that Grey often said she showed toward him.
It always bums me out when a book set in a boarding school spends basically no time developing the setting. St. Rosetta's Academy had so much potential. It's a boarding school outside of Aspen, Colorado for kids of the rich and famous. The glimpses of St. Rosetta's we got were intriguing but I just really wanted more. Even in areas where the setting ties into the Beauty and the Beast story, like Grey's abandoned tower, there wasn't much description given.
It always bums me out when a book set in a boarding school spends basically no time developing the setting. St. Rosetta's Academy had so much potential. It's a boarding school outside of Aspen, Colorado for kids of the rich and famous. The glimpses of St. Rosetta's we got were intriguing but I just really wanted more. Even in areas where the setting ties into the Beauty and the Beast story, like Grey's abandoned tower, there wasn't much description given.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
emily_mh's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It's a crime that this book doesn't have a higher average rating. I enjoyed this so much! The setting was absolutely wonderful. I mean, a boarding school in the mountains in autumn and winter, with a cute little mountain village and day trips to Aspen??? Incredible. It oozed luxury and coziness. I also loved Jaya and Grey as main characters. I definitely related to Jaya, with her Type A, big sister energy, and Menon KNEW how to write that male perspective.Â
In terms of plot, I thought that it was a really cool adaption of Beauty and the Beast. The pacing was so well done, with just the right amount of time spent at each stage: enemies, budding relationship, angst and the reconciliation. The angst was SO GOOD, but so was the reconciliation - it was so urgent, but soft and sweet at the same time.
I did dock this book half a star as the inner monologues of Jaya and Grey were verrry repetitive in the beginning of this book. There was also a LOT of hindsight at this point too which disconnected me from the present story too much. But overall, this book was fun, enjoyable, lighthearted and FULL of love and deserved every one of its 4.5 stars.
I will also say that I thought the infidelity plot line was kind of unnecessary. Although the cheater/homewrecker kind of got their comeuppance, I just questioned the need for its inclusion, as I always do in romance books.
In terms of plot, I thought that it was a really cool adaption of Beauty and the Beast. The pacing was so well done, with just the right amount of time spent at each stage: enemies, budding relationship, angst and the reconciliation. The angst was SO GOOD, but so was the reconciliation - it was so urgent, but soft and sweet at the same time.
I did dock this book half a star as the inner monologues of Jaya and Grey were verrry repetitive in the beginning of this book. There was also a LOT of hindsight at this point too which disconnected me from the present story too much. But overall, this book was fun, enjoyable, lighthearted and FULL of love and deserved every one of its 4.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, and Sexism
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Cancer, Drug use, and Murder
malloryfitz's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pregnancy
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