A review by drchavez
Artisans by Julie Reece

5.0

While I really enjoyed the plot and most of the characters in this gothic retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I have to only give three stars simply because of the character Gideon, the "beast." His controlling and manipulative personality wasn't admirable to me, and I cannot wrap my head around a woman as strong as Raven falling for a man like him. Obviously, being the beast of the story, he was supposed to be unlikable in the beginning, but he doesn't really change in the end, he just has these uncharacteristic moments of compassion and kindness. That being said, I loved the mystery and horror elements of this book, and Reece's writing style and witty dialogue is amazing. All in all, I enjoyed reading the book and it kept my attention, so I can't really complain.