schottjm's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed it...up to the last few pages. I'm sure there will be another book, although information on it seems scarce.
briarsreviews's review against another edition
2.0
Beauty, Beast and Belladonna is a mystery full of fairy tale lore.
I'm not gonna lie, this book just did not sit well with me. I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't enjoy it because it had everything I love: murder mystery, fairy tales, splash of potential romance, and historical mumbo jumbo.
Our lead, Ophelia is engaged to a total dufus (He reminds me of Gaston, if we are talking fairy tale references). While she's at this lovely palace like place, a horrendous murder happens and it's most likely due to a beast (from the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, of course). Ophelia and the gorgeous Professor Penrose try to solve the mystery of this brutal murder.
I felt that a lot of this book just did not need to be there. Half of the content felt like filler to me and left me very bored. I wanted to have more juicy information on the murder or Ophelia and Penrose potentially flirting more. I got neither. There was lots of drama filled random scenes that just left me aching for some more action.
I did really love the descriptions and history in this book. I found that's where this book shined for me. Unfortunately, that positive didn't outweigh the negatives. I was still utterly bored with this book. I'm sure there are many more people who will absolutely love it - I'm the kind of reader that needs constant action and movement.
Overall, this is a cozy mystery that would be great for some tea and a warm fire. Cozy mystery lovers should and will flock to this book. It is a wonderful gem, it's just not fast enough for me. I'd highly recommend this book if you love sweet, historical novels.
Two out of five stars.
I'm not gonna lie, this book just did not sit well with me. I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't enjoy it because it had everything I love: murder mystery, fairy tales, splash of potential romance, and historical mumbo jumbo.
Our lead, Ophelia is engaged to a total dufus (He reminds me of Gaston, if we are talking fairy tale references). While she's at this lovely palace like place, a horrendous murder happens and it's most likely due to a beast (from the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, of course). Ophelia and the gorgeous Professor Penrose try to solve the mystery of this brutal murder.
I felt that a lot of this book just did not need to be there. Half of the content felt like filler to me and left me very bored. I wanted to have more juicy information on the murder or Ophelia and Penrose potentially flirting more. I got neither. There was lots of drama filled random scenes that just left me aching for some more action.
I did really love the descriptions and history in this book. I found that's where this book shined for me. Unfortunately, that positive didn't outweigh the negatives. I was still utterly bored with this book. I'm sure there are many more people who will absolutely love it - I'm the kind of reader that needs constant action and movement.
Overall, this is a cozy mystery that would be great for some tea and a warm fire. Cozy mystery lovers should and will flock to this book. It is a wonderful gem, it's just not fast enough for me. I'd highly recommend this book if you love sweet, historical novels.
Two out of five stars.
katherineep's review against another edition
4.0
Where to even start with this book? This isn't just a simple cozy with a murder or two. This is a complicated story but it's so beautifully done it didn't feel overly complicated or messy.
The atmosphere is heavy at the chateau. Not only is Ophelia trying to figure out how to get out of her engagement but she's trying to figure out who is stealing items from the guests' rooms, who murdered the vicar, is everyone really who they say they are, and deal with her past relationship with Proferssor Penrose. Along with that is a mysterious beast like creature that has been spotted in the countryside, the mysterious death of several farm animals, and the villagers vocal unhappiness and unease about Comte de Griffe's plans to cut down a portion of the forest. There's a Gothic-y atmosphere but Chance's light turn of phrase and quick on her feet main character keep it from feeling overwrought.
I loved Ophelia. She's intelligent and grounded with a good sense of humor and a strong dash of mischief. She definitely isn't a conman but she seems to have a talent for getting herself into situations that she has to extricate herself from rather carefully.
This is the 3rd book in the series but the first book I have read. Most of the relationships were formed prior to this book but it at no point got confusing. Without over explaining, Chance made it very clear who was who and how they were connected. I am excited to go back to the earlier two books and get the scoop but only because I want more from the characters not because I wasn't sure what was going on.
The mystery wraps up nicely and all the loose ends are tied up nicely without being contrived. I thoroughly enjoyed all the time I spent with Ophelia and Professor Penrose and want more! My only negative is that if you're looking for a straight retelling of Beauty and the Beast I don't think you'll find that here though there is discussion of the story and the legend of the beast itself.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot.com/2016/02/beauty-beast-and-belladonna-review.html
The atmosphere is heavy at the chateau. Not only is Ophelia trying to figure out how to get out of her engagement but she's trying to figure out who is stealing items from the guests' rooms, who murdered the vicar, is everyone really who they say they are, and deal with her past relationship with Proferssor Penrose. Along with that is a mysterious beast like creature that has been spotted in the countryside, the mysterious death of several farm animals, and the villagers vocal unhappiness and unease about Comte de Griffe's plans to cut down a portion of the forest. There's a Gothic-y atmosphere but Chance's light turn of phrase and quick on her feet main character keep it from feeling overwrought.
I loved Ophelia. She's intelligent and grounded with a good sense of humor and a strong dash of mischief. She definitely isn't a conman but she seems to have a talent for getting herself into situations that she has to extricate herself from rather carefully.
This is the 3rd book in the series but the first book I have read. Most of the relationships were formed prior to this book but it at no point got confusing. Without over explaining, Chance made it very clear who was who and how they were connected. I am excited to go back to the earlier two books and get the scoop but only because I want more from the characters not because I wasn't sure what was going on.
The mystery wraps up nicely and all the loose ends are tied up nicely without being contrived. I thoroughly enjoyed all the time I spent with Ophelia and Professor Penrose and want more! My only negative is that if you're looking for a straight retelling of Beauty and the Beast I don't think you'll find that here though there is discussion of the story and the legend of the beast itself.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot.com/2016/02/beauty-beast-and-belladonna-review.html
ninjamuse's review
3.0
In brief: Ophelia Flax, sometime variety hall actress, is at her new fiancé’s manor to attend a hunting party and, oh yes, break up with him. But then a stagecoach breaks down at the gate, one of the travellers is found dead the next morning, and suddenly it’s up to her and Professor Penrose to catch the killer. Oh, and there’s a monster in the woods, scaring the peasants. Third in a series.
Thoughts: I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as the last two Fairy Tale Fatal books, but I think that was largely because I’d recently read another cozy and the tropes were at the forefront of my mind. I still found it very good fun, though, and I still adore Ophelia. And as always, the mid-1800s is wonderfully evoked without being shallow or twee, and the manor setting was nicely atmospheric. I liked the take on the closed-room mystery, too.
7/10
Thoughts: I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as the last two Fairy Tale Fatal books, but I think that was largely because I’d recently read another cozy and the tropes were at the forefront of my mind. I still found it very good fun, though, and I still adore Ophelia. And as always, the mid-1800s is wonderfully evoked without being shallow or twee, and the manor setting was nicely atmospheric. I liked the take on the closed-room mystery, too.
7/10
irishcontessa's review
1.0
1.5 stars
My rating for this went up and down like a rollercoaster as I read it. First, it went up (when compared to the first two books) to 3 stars because there is no Prue! Then it almost immediately plummeted to 2 stars because Ophelia, who has up to this point been smart, sassy, and brave, became dumb. Unfortunately, she kept doing dumb things with only glimmers of the character she had been in the previous two books.
The murder plot was still good but the rest just makes me wince. So I think I will probably not be reading any more in this series should any be published.
My rating for this went up and down like a rollercoaster as I read it. First, it went up (when compared to the first two books) to 3 stars because there is no Prue! Then it almost immediately plummeted to 2 stars because Ophelia, who has up to this point been smart, sassy, and brave, became dumb. Unfortunately, she kept doing dumb things with only glimmers of the character she had been in the previous two books.
The murder plot was still good but the rest just makes me wince. So I think I will probably not be reading any more in this series should any be published.
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