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mrs_gale's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I have a soft spot for Beauty and the Beast retellings but this was incredible.
I loved the story but especially the characters. Harper, Rhen and Grey are amazing. Cannot wait to read the next book!
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, and War
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
mpbookreviews's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
stardisciple_08's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Plot: I thought the story premise was very unique, which made it quite enjoyable. There were some slow paced moments, though those moments were spent further developing the plot. I personally enjoy a lot of angst, so the healthy relationship development—while cute—didn’t suit my fancy. HOWEVER, the book still DELIVERS the angst, it just takes a little waiting.
Characters: I found the characters to be very realistic. Their actions—frustrating at times—made sense almost the entire time. I also loved how the characters relationships developed over a practical period of time. Nothing was instantaneous (meaning no “love at first sight despite everything he/she/they did” nonsense) and it accurately depicted the complexity of a relationship in those circumstances.
Writing: I love Love LOVED the writing🤭This story had me thoroughly immersed, I dare say to a fault! The vocabulary was nice as well, I was able to learn a few words and apply them.
Graphic: Gore, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Torture, and Kidnapping
Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War
jillie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The last few chapters were unsatisfying for me & the epilogue flipped things in a way I did not like. I won’t be continuing the series (I had decided that before even reading this, based on what others have said about the next 2), and I wish I hadn’t read the epilogue. I really dislike where it appears the story goes next.
Now that that’s out of the way, the good!
Character Work:
I could gush about these characters for so long! Harper and Rhen were very good leads. Kemmerer did so much with their storylines and their growth throughout this story. The side characters were rich & added depth to the world. I genuinely don’t think I will forget these two mains anytime soon. We got to know them very well & I just loved them.
World Building:
I really felt like I was in this kingdom. While the world isn’t large, I did feel it was detailed well enough to have a great grasp of it without being too bogged down with super intricate world building. We also got a good feel for how the kingdom was before our story starts.
Romance:
Ugh, the yearning! I loved reading these two open up to each other & learn to trust. I wanted a little bit more from their relationship in the end, but their growth to friends and more was really sweet to read.
Writing:
Not much to say here except that I greatly enjoyed it. It was emotional & I was impressed with how Kemmerer was able to convey things without pages of explanation. She puts you into the world and minds of the characters so well! I felt like I was experiencing it.
The Villain:
What I was most impressed with here was that the villain was truly terrifying. That can be hard to accomplish when you know the main character isn’t going to die. But this “big bad” was scary enough even without that threat & had plenty of torture to go around.
Overall- It’s the best Beauty & the Beast retelling I’ve read so far. loved the first 95% of it or so way more than I expected. I do wish it had stuck the landing for me (& I also wish I didn’t know certain things about where the story goes). However, I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy.
January 2024
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Vomit, Kidnapping, and War
cdoubet's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
onefineelephant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror and Child death
Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
kcmg710's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
taryn_g's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Death, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Gore, Terminal illness, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Ableism, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Vomit
katievallin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Vomit, and Abandonment
annorabrady's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Gore, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Ableism