A review by authorkmg
Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay
5.0
Be still my nerd heart! It was like this book was written specifically for me. First, it's a sci-fi/fantasy/dystopian/romantic re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. I mean...do you need to hear anything else? LOL. What really sets this author apart from the other re-telling's out there was the fact that Isra and Gem both thought the other was the beast and that they, themselves were the beauty (not narcissistically...well not totally).
The other thing that puts a total spin on the classic fairy tale is that Isra is a princess locked in the tower and she's blind. Beyond the obvious switch in gender and the disability, there is a lot of intrigue that goes into this story. When she takes Gem prisoner for trying to steal the roses (which are AWFUL things, truly terrible) the friendship and eventual love that grows between them in so poetic and just truly beautiful. I really loved it.
The setting makes the entire love story so interesting. There's a lot going on as well. It goes beyond the love story and that's what really hooked me as a reader. The world building is truly amazing and I found the world they lived in fascinating and more than a little horrifying. I wanted to spend more time with them and while it is a standalone, I would have no problem and would actually enjoy, visiting this world and seeing Gem and Isra again.
Do I recommend this? Oh my GAWD yes! Please, please, please give it a try! It's so different and just full of awesome. It made my nerd heart sing! I'm off to check out more Stacey Jay books! Let me know what you think below!
Happy Reading!
The other thing that puts a total spin on the classic fairy tale is that Isra is a princess locked in the tower and she's blind. Beyond the obvious switch in gender and the disability, there is a lot of intrigue that goes into this story. When she takes Gem prisoner for trying to steal the roses (which are AWFUL things, truly terrible) the friendship and eventual love that grows between them in so poetic and just truly beautiful. I really loved it.
The setting makes the entire love story so interesting. There's a lot going on as well. It goes beyond the love story and that's what really hooked me as a reader. The world building is truly amazing and I found the world they lived in fascinating and more than a little horrifying. I wanted to spend more time with them and while it is a standalone, I would have no problem and would actually enjoy, visiting this world and seeing Gem and Isra again.
Do I recommend this? Oh my GAWD yes! Please, please, please give it a try! It's so different and just full of awesome. It made my nerd heart sing! I'm off to check out more Stacey Jay books! Let me know what you think below!
Happy Reading!