Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me

this was a fantastic villain origin story that provided very insightful commentary on the toxicity and racism that pervade the entertainment industry. definitely some weird pacing in the first half and a couple of minor plot holes in my opinion, but overall, a wonderfully spooky read and incredible debut.

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nadiajohnsonbooks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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kaylajcj's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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

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ladymadestar's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-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

Absolute stunner of a debut novel. The beginning felt a bit slow to me, but it truly brought us into Laure's world. We see her passion for the ballet. Her struggle to be accepted by her peers. The way she feels about her place in the ballet, especially as a black girl in a sea of white girls in France. She's already playing in hard mode in the ballet due to that. When one is pushed so far, where do you go?

The story was compelling, I found the twists exciting. I'm a big fan of horror, and the body horror in here was wild and well described. Looking forward to more from Jamison Shea.

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megansreading's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

The prose was strong and the author did amazing setting the scene, tone, and mood. I wanted to rate it higher for that reason, but honestly I don’t think this story will stick with me. I liked the characters but no one stood out to me, and the plot felt repetitive in the middle. I wasn’t reaching for it as much as I would have liked to. I don’t think I’ll read any sequels.

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bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

“Even Chaos has rules. To receive, we must be willing to take. To win, you must be willing to fight. To drink in life itself, you must be willing to bleed.”

➽ I Feed Her to the Beast is a compelling villain origin story! It follows Laure Mesney, a Black ballet dancer who's trying to prove herself in Paris among her much wealthier, white classmates. I liked the setting and getting to see the cutthroat world of ballet that Laure finds herself in. It was easy to emphasize with her, as she's ambitious and tired of being overlooked for being a Black girl with no special connections. Laure ends up turning to a primordial power in the Catacombs in order to get the power to excel. I loved seeing her dark powers emerge and how they helped her be successful. At the same time, she's putting herself in a dangerous position, as there are other powerful players! This was an intriguing, unique story, but it was missing that special spark for me. The secondary characters were pretty bland and the romance underdeveloped. The pacing was all over the place sometimes, so I wasn't as invested as I could have been!

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jaz_gets_literary's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.25

I throughly enjoyed this book. I read the digital copy in tandem with the audiobook. If you can listen to the audiobook, please do. The different voices especially when the Beast comes into play is absolutely amazing. Laure is trying to get to the top in the Parisian Ballet scene but it’s hard when you’re black and especially when you’re not in the top elite like all the other members. How far will you go to be the best and what all are you willing to give? Racism and classism are at the forefront of why Laure feels as if no one sees her. Even if she is better than the rest they will never admit it but maybe there’s a way to make them. Deep below Paris in the catacombs there’s an entity that may be able to help her but is it really worth it. I can’t to wait to read the next book.

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ashylibrarian's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book takes readers on a wild journey or determination, revenge, and rage as a new villain story unfolds. Laure Mesny has poured her life into the Paris ballet, scoring top marks in everything, only to be overlooked by the privileged, white elite when it matters most. Filled with burning anger, Laure ventures into the Paris Catacombs to strike a deadly deal with a monstrous god.

This book is gory. Its gross. It shows how race still plays a prominent role in elite society and sports. Though the book was slow-moving at times, I think it still packs a horrific punch that will leave readers wondering what they would do for power.

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