e-ARC, 352 pages
Release Date: January 28, 2014Published by: Balzer + BrayCruel Beauty Universe, #1Source: EdelweissFor fans of: Fantasy, YA, Romance, RetellingsGraceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl’s journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.
Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.
Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.
With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.
As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex’s secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.
*MY THOUGHTS*
One thing I’ve noticed about this book….. You either loved it or you hated it. There was really not a gray area. I’m guessing its because the beginning isn’t that great. And that’s exactly what happened to me. I fell victim to the bad beginning.
I’m a little upset because I really wanted to love this one. Especially since it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Which I have decided to stop reading. They never seem to work out for me. It’s like expect way too much out if them and they never come out right.
This is another one where I’ve seen some bloggers say it gets better as the book goes on, but I just couldn’t get into it. I made it to about 30% and I just felt like with all the information they had already given me had told me the entire story and I didn’t need to read the rest. *shrugs*It was a little unfortunate because I didn’t even want to skim it like I normally do my DNF’s, but I mean, it was a retelling. I had always known what would happen.
I’m a little upset because I really wanted to love this one. Especially since it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Which I have decided to stop reading. They never seem to work out for me. It’s like expect way too much out if them and they never come out right.
This is another one where I’ve seen some bloggers say it gets better as the book goes on, but I just couldn’t get into it. I made it to about 30% and I just felt like with all the information they had already given me had told me the entire story and I didn’t need to read the rest. *shrugs*It was a little unfortunate because I didn’t even want to skim it like I normally do my DNF’s, but I mean, it was a retelling. I had always known what would happen.
I hate being the black sheep. I hate not loving a book that everyone else does, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I wasn’t impressed and I don’t care to see what else happens.
Overall, I give this
I feel this way about many of the retellings I've read too. Such a bummer :(. Here's to hoping your next read is a much better experience! Thanks for sharing.
Keely @ Realms of an Open Mind
Sorry to hear that this one wasn't for you. I am still eager to give it a try myself.
Many bloggers have been saying the same thing with retellings and that "genre" truly is hit or miss with some people. I always try to be easy on retellings, going in knowing that this is NOT the same story I grew up with or whatever. To think of it as a book loosely based on the tale…such and such!
If you don't feel like completely giving up on fairy tale retellings, I'd recommend the Once Upon a Time series. It's slightly oldish–I read the beginning books as a young teen when I was craving Paranormal YA and that genre had yet to exist–series, but I truly enjoyed nearly all that I read. There are all different books based on a fairy tale by a different author. For instance, my absolute favorite that I read was Snow by Tracy Lynn. A completely different telling of Snow White! I was in awe of this story back in middle school or possibly freshman year in high school. I can't remember which makes me feel old! Or just that I have a sucky memory! 😉 But anyway, I loved that book and reread it a few times even, because back then I had time for rereads!
There are lots of different fairy tale retellings in this one. I think 2 were B&B, but I only ever read 1 and that was one of the earlier releases. But again, I only recommend this in case you don't want to totally give up on fairy tale retellings. If not, then no harm no foul!
Apologies for the long comment! I hope your next read is much more to your liking! 🙂
Have a GREAT day!
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