beckiebookworm1974's review
1.0
This is loosely based dark retelling of Beauty and the beast.
I am a massive fan of this fairy-tale and do try to read anything with any similarities.
This one wasn’t really for me I am sorry to say I just couldn’t connect with the characters within in any shape or form the two males Brandon and Coal were so polar in their opposite behaviour in their good guise and bad that I couldn’t relate to either of the two extremes.
They seemed like caricatures of good and bad with no interesting qualities in either persona.
I also found the characters themselves to be pretty one-dimensional and I just couldn’t get a feel on Marea at all.
As I didn’t connect with this, I just couldn’t bring myself to even care about any of the participants of this tale.
I also thought the world building itself could do with some fleshing as well, I imagined that this was some sort of fantasy realm but in the past due to the chamber pots and descriptions used but then it would come out with modernisms like trolling and the milkman and I would think Yah what!!!!
Its not that this had dark material, I like dark I just never felt actually affected by anything like I was one-step removed, which is not good considering the horrific monsters these two men seemed to be.
I then, unfortunately, lost interest and found my self skimming this I am surprised I finished as usually, this would have been a DNF but as I was quite far in here, I persevered.
Cole and Brandon in my opinion never really redeem themselves and I wasn’t convinced of anyone’s feelings that includes Marea herself.
This was an imaginative idea and the writing itself wasn’t awful but for me this was a bit of a hot mess.
I really wish I could have liked this more than I did.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Belles Betrayal.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
lifeinthebooklane's review
3.0
Well, unlike others, I loved this, especially this slightly irreverent and off the wall humour. Perhaps that's partly due to being British, like the author.
Marea was by parts tough cookie, foolish girl and bewildered captive. That's not to imply her character felt inconsistent but rather she had depths and layers to her personality. Cole and Brendan were slightly harder to connect to, well their 'castle' versions were anyway, which is the whole point of the story.
It's a very loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, please don't expect any of the Disney story line in this! In fact it's a pretty dark tale for the most part, Cole in particular subjects Marea to some horrific abuse. Some of the scenes/events may push buttons with their very dubious/non-consensual nature. However the whole fantasy/paranormal style setting removes this book so far from reality that personally I find it easier to condone/accept.
I loved how this book didn't end where so many other books would have done, but actually tied up those loose ends that other authors would have conveniently forgotten/ignored. It meant the book continually surprised me with it's twists, turns and unexpected plot developments. Alongside the darkness was some very British humour, tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecatory and with more than a hint of sarcasm.
Marea was by parts tough cookie, foolish girl and bewildered captive. That's not to imply her character felt inconsistent but rather she had depths and layers to her personality. Cole and Brendan were slightly harder to connect to, well their 'castle' versions were anyway, which is the whole point of the story.
It's a very loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, please don't expect any of the Disney story line in this! In fact it's a pretty dark tale for the most part, Cole in particular subjects Marea to some horrific abuse. Some of the scenes/events may push buttons with their very dubious/non-consensual nature. However the whole fantasy/paranormal style setting removes this book so far from reality that personally I find it easier to condone/accept.
I loved how this book didn't end where so many other books would have done, but actually tied up those loose ends that other authors would have conveniently forgotten/ignored. It meant the book continually surprised me with it's twists, turns and unexpected plot developments. Alongside the darkness was some very British humour, tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecatory and with more than a hint of sarcasm.
lindas_bookstoread's review
4.0
This is not Ms. Adams typical story, at least those that I have read. I would call this a very dark fantasy story. Non-consensual activities abound. Marea was there as a sacrifice to the beasts, as her mom was killed for being a witch, and Marea made sense to quench the beasts seven year hunger. A dark twist to Beauty and the Beast. This story had its strong areas and a few wek areas, but overall, this dark tale kept my interest.
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