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Beastly (Kendra Chronicles #1)

by Alex Flinn (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 65,190 ratings · 6,028 reviews

I am a beast.

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell...more

ebook, 336 pages

Published October 6th 2009 by HarperTeen (first published October 2nd 2007)

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Mar 06, 2011 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: romanitcs

Recommended to Cara by: Ash

Shelves: 2011, books-made-into-movies, fairy-tales, male-protagonist, fantasy

So this book has been around for awhile and my sister actually had read it when it first came out and when I asked her how she liked it she said, "It was interesting but kind of cheesy with the internal dialogue. It was eh." But then I saw the movie trailer so of course I had to read the book and see what the deal was. This always happen to me, I think, It's going to be made into a movie? Oh I gotta read that. Then I whip my head around and see I do the same thing like everyone else! Final verd...more So this book has been around for awhile and my sister actually had read it when it first came out and when I asked her how she liked it she said, "It was interesting but kind of cheesy with the internal dialogue. It was eh." But then I saw the movie trailer so of course I had to read the book and see what the deal was. This always happen to me, I think, It's going to be made into a movie? Oh I gotta read that. Then I whip my head around and see I do the same thing like everyone else! Final verdict: I'm definitely more romantic than my sister is.

Kyle Kingsbury seems to have everything and anything you would want. He's good-looking, dad is loaded, and is envyed by his peers. With his sense of entitlement he doesn't mind gloating and shining his ego on others, and he might as well crush other people's self-esteem while he's at it. Well karma (or in this case magic) will not let him get away so easily with that. He makes the mistake of blowing a girl off, and pays dearly for that mistake. Kyle gets turned into an actual beast and he has two years from the date to find true love. Someone has to love him, and more importantly he has to love them back. But is there anyone really out there who can love a beast?

No wonder Kendra, the witch who places the curse, gave him two years because Kyle has a lot of things to sort through. He reacts how you would expect, devasted (I would be pretty bummed too, everyone is at least a litte vain) and he has to figure out who he is without his looks. He had wrapped up his worth with his appearance and so it comes as quite a shock when that's stripped from him. I loved the side characters of the blind tutor and housekeeper. They keep him from going insane. I enjoyed seeing Kyle's character arc (who later renames himself Adrian), and just how much his perspective shifts. I wish I had copied down the quote, but I really liked the line that Lindy says. The basic gist was that once you know someone you see past their looks. It's like their looks is not what you first see, it's who they are that comes out more. I believe that's true. You do start seeing people for who they are, and not what they look like. Key message in this book.

It was a bit painful to see how "out of touch" Kyle was, but it does portray he's desperation well. I rolled my eyes a couple of times when I saw refrences to Shakespeare, but people who read books love to hear about people who love to read books. Jane Eyre makes quite a presence here as well, and I thought the loose correlation between the two stories was interesting. Despite a bit of cheesiness I throughly enjoyed reading how Kyle changes to Adrian, and how beauty is more than skin deep.

Exta note: This has almost nothing to do with the book, but everytime I would see the word beastly I would think about how for awhile people would say that to substitute cool or awesome. You know, like say this book was beastly!

And for those of you who didn't know they made a movie of the book!(less)

46 likes · like · see review

Jan 04, 2011 Joyzi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Alex Pettyfer, peeps who loves fairy tale retellings

Recommended to Joyzi by: clevvertv

Shelves: fairytale-retelling, e-book, fiction, ya-books, disappointing-books, books-to-movies, reviewed, author-american, contemporary-romance

Official Movie Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZmOm3...

...Love is never ugly...

***Movie Poster***

Beastly movie 2 Pictures, Images and Photos

Book Review

I've been curious to read this ever since I've watched the new movie trailer of this book which will stars Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Hudgens, and that would be showing on March 2011. I love Alex Pettyfer and I really wanted to read the book first so I'll have an idea what will be going on when I'm gonna watch the film.

The reason that I gave it 3 stars is because I have actually a v...more

17 likes · like · see review

Feb 01, 2011 Kristy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So, I am very, VERY relieved that I enjoyed this. I was beginning to wonder if I just didn't like Fairy Tale Re-tellings, but this one pulled me out of the slump!
I am so glad that Alex Flinn stuck with the "Beauty and the Beast" story... She made it modern, but didn't change the BIG details.

Our Beast, Kyle is a high schooler, a very rich, very good looking (as he describes himself, so obviously he's totally modest right?!?!?) one. He values looks and money over everything. He can't even look a...more

21 likes · like · see review

Aug 12, 2010 Bookwatcher ~Mary MooCow~ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magic, paranormal-romance, cover-is-pretty, teen-ya, beauty-and-beast-theme, favorites

Kyle Kingsbury is rich, tall, blond, perfect

.... and a spoiled teenager that take pleasure breaking young girls hearts. Really a awful person that deserve a witch lesson about inside beauty.

Well... books exist to this motive...

take us to charming and delight worlds helping us to forget the real world we live... place that acclaim anorexic models (that look like dead womans walking) as feminine beauty to follow.

No place to moral lesson, so going on with my review, I may say that this book (as...more

29 likes · like · see review

Oct 26, 2008 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Beastly is an updated and contemporary twist on the well-known fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. Instead of a prince and a castle, we have Kyle Kingsbury and his brownstone in Brooklyn. Kyle is a very good looking high school freshman, and of course he is spoiled rotten and is the biggest JERK alive. Thus, a witch turns him into the true beast that he is. And we all know that the spell can only be broken with true love’s first kiss! But who could learn to love a beast?

One of the things I liked a...more

7 likes · like · see review

Oct 24, 2010 Adi (Reading in the Windowseat) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-read-list, movie-tv-adapted, genre-romance, class-young-adult, own-on-paper, all-time-best, genre-paranormal, genre-urban

A modern Beauty & the Beast, this story has it all - romance, angst, realism, humour & action. I loved every moment of it.

Honestly, I learned about Beastly through the news that Alex Pettyfer was going to play the main hero in the movie adaptation, but it was the fact that the plot was based on my favourite fairytale that made me eager to read it. I was a little cautious about starting it, but once I began, there was no stopping.

Beastly is a modern rendition of a man without kindness cha...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 13, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who are fans of fairy tale retellings, particularly ones like "Beauty and the Beast"

Shelves: exceeded-my-expectations, glad-i-gave-it-a-chance, 2011-reads, best-endings, best-couples, reviewed

(Actual Rating: 3.5 stars)

"You will know what it is like not to be beautiful, to be as ugly on the outside as on the inside. If you learn your lesson well, you may be unable to undo my spell. If not, you will live with your punishment forever."

An egotistical man who believes himself to be better and above the rest of the world. A curse laid upon him. A stipulation that only the healing power of true love will revert him back to his original form. You know the drill if you've ever been exposed to...more

16 likes · like · see review

Jan 09, 2011 Terry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Perhaps I was tired and feeling a little raw when I read this in one four-hour sitting, but that isn't the only reason I got a catch in my throat and a drop in my eye. It follows the fairy tale closely, and I still was taken in by this story. This might be a love story that male readers can stomach, even enjoy. Could the female character have been more richly developed? Sure. Could either of the fathers in the book have been more fully-formed? You bet. But I think this is a good story, well told...more

9 likes · like · see review

Oct 23, 2011 Simcsa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, read-in-english, fantasy-paranormal, fairy-taleish, witches-wizards

Kyle always had everything he wished for, he is popular, rich, blond and physically perfect. His father taught him that the physical apearance is the most important thing, so he mocks the ugly ones and doesn't care about anyone, but himself. But what if he wasn't beautiful? What if he looked like the ones he always considered worthless? What would he do, if he was a beast?

I hadn't managed to finish Flinn's book A Kiss in Time, so I didn't have big hopes for Beastly. I almost gave up on it, but I...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 24, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009, ya

Like most of the female species, I was a lover of fairy tales growing up and Beauty and the Beast was among my favorites. I have read several adaptations of the tale, but Beastly is by far the best I’ve read to date.

Beastly, unlike many adaptations, is told from the view point of the Beast, aka, Kyle. Kyle is a beautiful, popular and rich teenage boy whose life has known nothing but privilege and nothing of love. Son of a famous newscaster and a mother who left him long ago, Kyle has no semblanc...more

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Sep 05, 2010 Lina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Beauty and the Beast

Shelves: teen-fiction-normal, teen-fiction-fantasy

Since before I was old enough to talk, Disney's Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite movies of all time. When other girls idolized real life celebrities, I idolized Belle. She was beautiful, independent and, most of all, smart. As I grew up, I learnt more about the origins of the story, I became intrigued. [For those unaware, the original story of Beauty and the Beast was to teach young women to be open to arranged marriages.] As it is a classic, there are multiple versions of the story a...more Since before I was old enough to talk, Disney's Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite movies of all time. When other girls idolized real life celebrities, I idolized Belle. She was beautiful, independent and, most of all, smart. As I grew up, I learnt more about the origins of the story, I became intrigued. [For those unaware, the original story of Beauty and the Beast was to teach young women to be open to arranged marriages.] As it is a classic, there are multiple versions of the story and many writers have tried to capture the magic of Beauty and the Beast for a modern audience.

Beastly, is a modern day version of Beauty and the Beast, told from the perspective of the Beast. Kyle Kingston, is a young, handsome, rich, spoiled rotten child from NYC, who probably could make a cameo in Gossip Girl, is our Beast. He is transformed into a Beast by a witch when he invokes her wrath by proving how much of a terrible person he is. It is meant to be permanent, however, due to him performing one good task prior to being transformed he gets a chance for redemption. He must fall in love and be loved in return to be transformed back into his true form.

We know how this story goes and honestly, other than the modern update Beastly doesn't do anything special. It is a note for note retelling of a story we all know by verbatim. However, there are a few interesting points, like the online chat-room between different classic transformed creatures. There is a very somber point when the "original" Little Mermaid appears and we know what her fate is.

Instead of talking objects we get a Hispanic maid and a blind tutor, Will. Instead of the Beauty we get from usual fairy tale lore, our beauty is a shy, sweet, book smart, average looking girl named Lindy. Lindy's appearance is the only thing that separates her from "Beauties" of past. With her red hair, freckles, green eyes and crooked teeth, she would have never been the Beast's ideal in his past life.

The ending of this book is no different from any other version, which is to be expected, but at the same time I personally feel like this story could have improved from its average rating. First, is location. Due to its topic of arranged marriage it could have been retold in a society that largely still practices arranged marriages. In the location had been in India or some parts of the Middle East, there would have been an exotic element to the story.

Second, the Beast. While there is nothing wrong with it being from the Beast's perspective I felt like it was a very cliche foretelling. Going back to the idea that the story takes place in India or the Middle East, where our "Beauty" would have been betrothed since birth. That adds a feeling of dread and worry not only during the first few moments, but for years; knowing that every year you are getting older and will eventually be married to some man. Especially in society in which you are expected to only have his children.

Third, the relationship development. In a real marriage there would be social pressures to act in a certain ways that would challenge the girl's independence more than just being locked in a castle. It would be better to have the Beast help support her during those times to show her that he admires those traits in her. In alot or retelling, it seems that most of the admiration goes towards beauty and sometimes knowledge. Independence takes a back burner. Not to mention the admiration would be especially poignant due to the fact that he should be against her exhibiting those qualities.

At the end of the day, this book was simply average. No average isn't bad, it just forgettable.

Final Grade: C+

I wish this book had taken more risks. There is nothing wrong with sticking to tradition and trying to capture the spirit of a classic fairy tale, however, if you can't make the adaptation interesting it will always be average. The movie Ever After, was a retelling of Cinderella and while in the end our lead ended up with the prince, the journey was unique. The characterization was different, the romance was different and the story evolved into something more than just another retelling of Cinderella. The same with the book Ella Enchanted. Changing scenery doesn't make the story new, it's how you allow the characters to grow from their fairy tale roots and become something special in their own right.

Note: There is a movie adaptation of Beastly coming out and since Vanessa Hudgens is playing Lindy, I guess the moral of the story was lost in production(less)

11 likes · like · see review

Jan 25, 2010 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Hannah by: Hanneybean

Shelves: ya, 2010-reads

Beastly started slow, but as the story progressed, picked up speed and ended with a satisfying conclusion. The character of Kyle Kingsbury (aka the Beast) developed gradually and realistically.

I didn't know if I'd enjoy this YA book at first, (due to the noted slow start), but by 1/4 of the way in, I was invested and looked forward to seeing how author Flinn would bring the classic fairy tale to it's end within the modern setting.

There is some profanity, and some suggestive dialog, but nothing h...more

10 likes · like · see review

Oct 19, 2011 Gabby Jaramillo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about a boy Kyle Kingsbury, he is a high school sudent at tuutle and he cursed with a spell. The spell is to be ugly, and if he cant find someone to love hima nd kiss him in one year he is stuck like that forever. The main characters in this book is Kyle Kinsbury, Kendra, the witch, Lindy, the girl Kyle falls in love with him,Magda, the maid for Kyle, and Will, the blind guy that tutors Kyle so Kyle dosent have to go to school being ugly. Yes Kyle was the biggest problem in the sto...more This book is about a boy Kyle Kingsbury, he is a high school sudent at tuutle and he cursed with a spell. The spell is to be ugly, and if he cant find someone to love hima nd kiss him in one year he is stuck like that forever. The main characters in this book is Kyle Kinsbury, Kendra, the witch, Lindy, the girl Kyle falls in love with him,Magda, the maid for Kyle, and Will, the blind guy that tutors Kyle so Kyle dosent have to go to school being ugly. Yes Kyle was the biggest problem in the story the next on was Will he was the blind gut helping out Kyle with his school work. Magda she was sent to America to pay for her falmily and she hasent seen her family in four years. Lindy's problem is thst she was taking away from her dad, her dad was caught breaking into Kyles greenhouse. A adventure for Lindy was that she had to go to live with Kyle. I really love kyle, Kyle was a romantic guy but a jerk. Kyle was romantc for how he began loving Lindy after the fact he was still mad about the spell he had the strength to love again. He was a jerk before he became a Beast for always thinking he was perfect and he had the good looks. He was always negative on all the "ugly" kids.

I can relate more to Lindy then any other character. She is a nerdy but outgoing girl with a fantastic personality. She was taking away from her dad, and she was not able to forgive him about what he did. Yes, I have felt the same way as Kyle by feeling and being called ugly. He was strong, and wasnt upset about what people say about him, I am very strong and don't take things personily just like Kyle. Kyle was upset for the first couple of days he was turned inot a beast, he finally grew out of the stage of being afraid of what peoples been saying about him on the streets.

I loved this book, because of all the drama and romance in it. it was the perfect book for me and i hope they make a second one so i can read it. Yes i do it is when Kyle changes his name to Adrain, it makes no sense to change his nme. He changed his name because he looked up "Kyle" on the internet and it meant "handsome" and he was not handsome no more thats the reason why he changed his name. I don't have a favorite part the whole book is my favorite, I love it. I don't wish to change the ending because it became to be amazing ending.

I would mostly recommend this book to older, teenage girls. I choose this recommendation because guys are not interested into romantic chick-flicks. Boys are mostly into reading sport and mystery books more then girls. Yes I would recommend this to others.

(less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tales

This was a re-telling of the classic Beauty and the Beast story - or so I'm told. Yup... believe it or not, I have never read or watched the Beauty and the Beast. Of course I knew the basis, but this was my first full experience with the classic story.

My first thought: I liked it. As a story it was fairy-tale like, as expected. So: cheesy and obvious. But romantic and cute as well. It also didn't hurt to get to picture Pettyfer as Kyle. ;) The writing was simple and made it easy to go through t...more

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Feb 12, 2011 Kc rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Blah is the word to describe this novel.
Blah, blah, blah, and more blahs.
I got it because I want to see the movie, I'll admit it. And I hope it's a whole lot better than this book.
It's a remake, modern-take on Beauty and the Beast. From the beast's point-of-view. I don't know, maybe some people enjoy reading a book that is kind of a silly take on themes that could be a bit more serious. Personally, I couldn't finish this because it was very boring, and the characters seemed lacking, stereotypica...more

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 07, 2010 Aik Chien 인첸 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a charming retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast. The author added some twists and turns to make the story differ from the original version. And this is what that makes it an enjoyable book.

Kyle Kingsbury is the son of a famous and wealthy newsman, and he also has what it takes to make girls swoon over him - good looks. His life is perfect, yet deep inside, he isn't. When he plays an evil trick on a fat, ugly girl named Kendra, he is cursed to become what he really is - a b...more This book is a charming retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast. The author added some twists and turns to make the story differ from the original version. And this is what that makes it an enjoyable book.

Kyle Kingsbury is the son of a famous and wealthy newsman, and he also has what it takes to make girls swoon over him - good looks. His life is perfect, yet deep inside, he isn't. When he plays an evil trick on a fat, ugly girl named Kendra, he is cursed to become what he really is - a beast. He is given a chance to reverse the curse - he must fall in love with a girl who loves him back within 2 years. Or else, he will remain as a beast forever.

The story is set in a modern New York, and this is definitely refreshing. After Kyle turns from a handsome, popular kid into an ugly, terrifying beast, his father tries to bring him to seek medical help, but they come to no avail. At last, Rob Kingsbury decides to refrain his son in a secluded area so that no one would notice his presence.

To me, Kyle isn't really a bad guy, he just likes to act like he is. I always think that there is still some goodness in him. At first, he denies the beauty of a rose and think of it as a cheap, ugly flower, but when he becomes a beast, he cares for the roses he planted as if they were his treasure.

This story tells us not to judge someone based on their appearance, but rather what they really are on the inside because what you see is not necessary real. Looks do not determine everything, so even if you don't have an attractive mien, that doesn't mean that you're going to be despised and shunned by others. As time goes by, others will learn to see the goodness/evil in your heart. If you have a kind, caring heart - then you are beautiful.

Will Kyle finally find his true love and break the curse? Will he change his attitude towards the better side? Will he learn to observe the beauty in his daily life? Read this book to find out.

I'll end my review with a quote from Beastly:

"Those who do not know how to see the precious things in life will never be happy."

(less)

15 likes · like · see review

Nov 09, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Cana Rensberger for TeensReadToo.com

"Kyle Kingsbury, you are beastly."

That's what Kendra said. Beastly. But Kyle had it all: popularity, good looks, money, and any girl he wanted. Kyle never missed an opportunity to let the inferior people know just how far beneath him they were, including his best friend, whose dad was merely a doctor. Kyle's dad was the nightly New York City news anchor. At Tuttle, an elite school for the richest of the rich, Kyle was a somebody.

Until the school...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Happie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Beauty and the Beast have always been one of my all-time Disney favorites, so of course, I was curious when I came across this book.
First, I was not disappointed, it is indeed a modernized, re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, complete with all the "castle", the roses, Linda's ("Beauty") father the way how she was given/offered to "Beast" and supporting characters (I could even imagine Magna as the modern Mrs.Potts).
I always enjoyed when the narrator is from the point of view of the male protag...more

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Mar 08, 2010 Page (One Book At A Time) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010

I was amazed at how easy it was to hate a main character. I guess the author was hoping you would look past this and continue on with the story. I did, but only because I figured it this book was true to the fairy tale, he couldn’t stay like this for the entire story. I was right, but I don’t think he redeemed himself very well. It almost seemed like instead of changing and becoming a better person, he just managed to find someone to overlook his faults and love him anyway. Which, I guess is the...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: z-read-in-2011, ya-paranormal

Kyle started out as a truly selfish, self-centered and a cruel human being. He totally deserved the curse. He had it all, and then he lost it. His loneliness is overwhelming.

But I love the way he matured and started to care for people around him. And the way that physical appearances ceased to matter.

His friendship with Lindy is refreshing. It takes time for her trust to build. And he was so sweet with her.

Now, if you read this book as a contemporary YA, Kyle/Adrian's action would be disturbing...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 26, 2010 Kathryn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, read-2010, motion-picture-tie-in

this is the thrid book version of "Beauty and the Beast" I 've read this year. I just can't seem to get enough of it !

This book is a modern day version, and a very good one at that. It's witty, sarcastic and full of love.

And there was this "dialog", in between chapters that I thought it was quite interesting.
A conversation with all the fairy-tale characters who transformed into something different.
And they were having a session with a certain Mr. Anderson. lol
I thought it was quite funny. *^^...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Renz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"LOVE IS NEVER UGLY."

The Beauty and the Beast is one of the most popular fairy tales in the world. Children already know it, already watched it. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it yet. Which is a good thing if you're going to read Beastly.

Beastly by Alex Flinn is a retelling of The Beauty and the Beast.

Kyle Kingsbury is a perfect guy, he's handsome, rich and famous. He is also an evil guy, arrogant, cruel, selfish and a total asshole. One night, he humiliated a girl in front of the whole student...more "LOVE IS NEVER UGLY."

The Beauty and the Beast is one of the most popular fairy tales in the world. Children already know it, already watched it. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it yet. Which is a good thing if you're going to read Beastly.

Beastly by Alex Flinn is a retelling of The Beauty and the Beast.

Kyle Kingsbury is a perfect guy, he's handsome, rich and famous. He is also an evil guy, arrogant, cruel, selfish and a total asshole. One night, he humiliated a girl in front of the whole student body, not knowing that the girl he just bullied is a witch. She got angry at Kyle and turned him into a beast. The only thing that can break the curse is a kiss, TRUE LOVE's kiss.

First thing I noticed was the "UNNECESSARY" IM conversation between a guy named Mr. Anderson and some people who have been transformed into creatures(or vice versa).The creatures, Froggie (The frog; The Princess and the Frog), Silentmaid (Ariel; The Little Mermaid), BeastNYC (The beast/Kyle; Beastly) and Grizzlyguy (Who the hell he is?), told their own stories which is, obviously, unimportant.

The story is slow paced, which is a good thing for this book. It makes me eager to know who will be Kyle's true love.

It was also predictable. For me, the twists aren't good enough. Sorry. :|

Adrian King is always hopeless. He always have negative thoughts. He's always like "She doesn't trust me. I'm ugly, I have no chance." and I'm sick of that. UGH

The ending was good. Fairy tales always have happy ever after, what do you expect?

Book to Movie Comparison.(view spoiler)(less)

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Apr 14, 2011 Krystl Louwagie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was a lot of fun and I went through it pretty fast. It's a light, but entertaining read. I liked the meshing of modern day and fantasy (though, if written well, I'd have loved it leaning either way just fine, too-I do really like when fairy tales are used to tell a *completely* realistic story). Anyway, I did find the first half or 2/3rds of this book better than the last. Sadly, I think I found the mean Kyle more entertaining? And he got generally a little more boring and depressing (...more

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Feb 06, 2011 Erika rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-books

I am not going to lie. This book is pushing itself into Twilight territory, but I like that the story is told from the Beast's perspective. When I watched the Disney movie as a kid, I rooted for him, but I it was all about Belle for me. This story took a twist on the classic tale, setting the story in present day New York City. Kyle Kingsbury starts out as a confidently handsome rich kid (the same stereotype you might find in Pretty in Pink) who looks down upon anyone who doesn't look as good as...more

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Sep 05, 2010 Emi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tales, magical-realism, books-with-movie-adaptations

I didn't actually read this book, but listened to the free audio download from audiobookcommunity.com. Regardless, I really enjoyed it. Kyle and Lindy's relationship is heartfelt and sweet, and author Alex Flinn actually takes the time to develop it naturally. There's a reason why the "Beauty and the Beast" fairy tale is a tale as old as time!

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Mar 13, 2011 Ash E. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who like romance but not TOO much romance

Recommended to Ash by: Shannon Keene

Shelves: fantasy

REVIEW COMPLETE

Beastly was, for me, the perfect romance novel. I am generally not a fan of romance - in fact, I tend to despise it - but I received a strong recommendation from a close friend with good taste in books and decided to purchase it on iBooks, feeling I had nothing to lose (my weekends are pretty boring). I was immediately hooked, and stayed up all night reading it - mainly because my parents forced me away from television on which I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean (the S in my...more

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 18, 2013 Exina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Magic. It was magic, and the magic is called love.”

“Beastly” is a heartwarming, wonderfully retold version of “Beauty and the Beast”. It is a very delightful read, with the chat sessions, the modern-day setting, the wide range of emotions, lots of references to classics, and tons of roses. It is just perfect. I expected a fairy tale retold, I’m not disappointed.

The story deals with important issues, such as inner values over appearance, abandoned children, the parent-child relationship, true fr...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Raechella rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chic-lit, fairytale-retellings, reviewed, romance, humor, young-adult, contemporary, book-series

“A beautiful thing is precious, no matter the price. Those who do not know how to see the precious things in life will never be happy.”

Situated in a contemporary backdrop—New York City, to be exact—Beastly by Alex Flinn is the re-telling of the classic fairytale “Beauty and the Beast.” Our male protagonist, Kyle Kingsbury, is the son of a famous news anchor—a busy man, who indulges his son through material things to compensate for his inconsistencies as a father. Appearances matter to him the mo...more “A beautiful thing is precious, no matter the price. Those who do not know how to see the precious things in life will never be happy.”

Situated in a contemporary backdrop—New York City, to be exact—Beastly by Alex Flinn is the re-telling of the classic fairytale “Beauty and the Beast.” Our male protagonist, Kyle Kingsbury, is the son of a famous news anchor—a busy man, who indulges his son through material things to compensate for his inconsistencies as a father. Appearances matter to him the most, and eventually, mattered to Kyle as well. Kyle has looks to die for, fame, and the perfect girlfriend—a conceited guy who makes a pedestal of himself and despises “ugly” people. At a school dance, he makes an indecent move that made Kendra, who turned out to be a witch, utterly humiliated. As a comeuppance, the former Mr. Perfect Guy became a beast—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore of his body—and only a true love’s kiss will reverse the curse.

Kyle’s father sought for medical attention, but no one and nothing could treat him. His father then decided to dispatch him into another house and appointed a blind tutor and a housemaid for him—as he couldn’t afford to ruin his image by having a son like that. Later, a man breaks in into the house and gets caught; he exchanges his daughter for his freedom, and Kyle accepts the deal as he was desperate to find his “true love.” He confined the girl within the house, and thus happened to be our female protagonist—Linda—a plain-looking, good-hearted, bookish girl.

Personally, I think the story was adorable, charming—which, I suppose, was really meant for young readers. I swear, my younger sister read this, like, 10 times; and if you ask her whether it’s good or not, she’ll definitely say “yes” a hundred times. I liked the fact that it was written through the beast’s perspective—in that way, I have known him better, sympathized with him, witnessed his growth as a person, and captured his soft side that wasn’t there before. However, his attachment to Linda, at first, seemed a bit forced—but as the story goes on, you’ll see that the affection becomes real—not only on the beast’s side but on Linda’s as well. There were sappy moments, yes, and the ending was a bit fleeting. The twists weren’t that great but okay. Other than that—just great. The morale of the story was what I liked best: that beauty isn’t defined by the outward appearance but on the inside. A bit clichéd but is still what people these days can’t quite comprehend. Like what Linda said, “People make such a big deal about looks, but after a while, when you know someone, you don´t even notice anymore...” And by the way, the chat thingy was adorable too—the fact that there were others like him who had the same fate and needed the same solution—finding true love and the like.

Nevertheless, it’s an easy read, light and fun—an incredible mishmash of an old classic and a contemporary tale. I give it 4 stars.
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Mar 24, 2012 Teresa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I didn't like this book. But didn't dislike it, either. I just felt disappointed a little bit, because I felt it was overhyped and that there are better books out there that deserve to get more recognition than this. Two things I did like about this book, though, were the structure and idea behind the story...And even then, they weren't even that original. And I really like my books to be original. But I can forgive that, because it wasn't the worst book plotline in the world. In fact, it was ok...more I didn't like this book. But didn't dislike it, either. I just felt disappointed a little bit, because I felt it was overhyped and that there are better books out there that deserve to get more recognition than this. Two things I did like about this book, though, were the structure and idea behind the story...And even then, they weren't even that original. And I really like my books to be original. But I can forgive that, because it wasn't the worst book plotline in the world. In fact, it was okay and maybe a bit creative. But the thing is that I had high expectations for this book. There were so many raving reviews for it, it gained many nominations, the movie was supposed to be awesome, and Alex Pettyfer is gorgeous. :)) But I shouldn't have judged a book to be amazing just because one of the most hottest Hollywood actors in the 21st century is playing the protagonist. I could make a whole list of all the pros and cons about this book, and trust me, the cons will win by a LONG shot. For example, the romance was sappy, weird, and just damnstraight forced. No, I'm not lying about that last part. 89.99999999999999% of Kyle's feelings for Lindy were due to the curse and his desperation to love and be loved. Excuse me, but that just isn't love. In fact, it's way too far from ever being love. Love's about falling for somebody and wanting to be with them forever without any hidden agenda or deperation to get close to them or anxiety of getting them to fall in love with you. That's the whole point of it. The writer didn't make their love believable or genuine, something that was missing the whole time of the book. Second, I didn't like Kyle. Or maybe I should rephrase that. I couldn't relate well to him. And I feel that I must relate (or at the very least, sympathize ) with my main characters in order for me to enjoy the book. This wasn't the case here. Kyle was obnoxious, desperate, careless, monstrous, foolish, reckless, and just too weird. I felt a bit sorry for him, but that ended when he stalked stranger girls with his mirror, hoping that one of them was decent enough to love him. Of course, if I were in his situation, I'd be desperate and vulnerable, too. But not that desperate enough to force a girl I barely know to isolate herself from her father and her life to come live with me for, say, 1-2 years. I mean, just WTF was going on in the author's head? Crazy..... And plus, I didn't see what Kyle saw in Lindy. She was just as boring as cardboard. I didn't feel any spark or life in her. She might as well have not even been in the story, because I barely register in it throughout the book. I don't see myself two months from now remembering her as an amazing love interest.
Now, although, I didn't like some parts of this book, there were many pros. I liked the writing, the plot, the idea behind the book, Will Fratalli, Pilot, even the witch (cause at leat she had the decency to knock some sense in Kyle) and the way the author described New York. Even though I felt Kyle and Lindy's relationship was lifeless, I did like the tutoring sessions and the poems and how they got to know each other through it. I liked how Kyle sought out love and comfort through his newfound hobby of planting and creating a garden. I liked the fact that Lindsy liked to read, which is very relatable to most people and also great for love interests. I also very much adored the ending. It was amazing, if not a bit rushed. I won't spoil anything in this review, but you just gotta know that the ending was great and I loved how it was resolved and pain-free. It was great to have a happy ending for once.
So for this book, I would give it a 2.5 rating. It wasn't terrible, but had way too many flaws for me to be comfortable reading it. There were its good sides, though. I don't regret reading the book. I actually enjoyed some parts. I will definetely be watching the movie someday. I want to see if the film will be better or worse than the novel. Peace :)(less)

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Jul 14, 2012 Dani goodreads rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Dani by: chapter chicks

Kyle Kingsbury is the perfect guy, tall, blond and rich. Any girl would kill to be with him, but his life has always been based on looks, for Kyle everything he needs to be happy is beauty. He was mean to people, and he was stupid enough to be mean to a witch. This witch turned him into a beast to teach him a lesson, as ugly on the outside as he was on the inside…

Because of his new looks Kyle is forced by his father to leave the city and live in a big apartment house in Brooklyn with his maid an...more

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About Alex Flinn

I was born in a log cabin in the Big Woods of . . . okay, maybe not. I was born on Long Island, New York. When I was five years old, my mom said that I should be an author. I guess I must have nodded or something because, from that point on, every poem I ever wrote in school was submitted to Highlights or Cricket magazine. I was collecting rejection slips at age seven!

I learned to read early. But...more I was born in a log cabin in the Big Woods of . . . okay, maybe not. I was born on Long Island, New York. When I was five years old, my mom said that I should be an author. I guess I must have nodded or something because, from that point on, every poem I ever wrote in school was submitted to Highlights or Cricket magazine. I was collecting rejection slips at age seven!

I learned to read early. But I compensated for this early proficiency by absolutely refusing to read the programmed readers required by the school system -- workbooks where you read the story, then answered the questions. When the other kids were on Book 20, I was on Book 1! My teacher, Mrs. Zeiser, told my mother, "Alexandra marches to her own drummer." I don't think that was supposed to be a good thing. Now, when my daughter, Katie, brings home FCAT prep materials where you are supposed to read a passage and answer questions, I want to ask the teacher, "Does she really need to do this? She can read!!!"

My family moved to Miami when I was in middle school. I had a really hard time making friends, so I spent a lot of time reading and writing then. But unlike Christopher Paolini or Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, I never finished writing a novel. That was also when I learned to be a keen observer. By high school, I'd made some friends and gotten involved in various "gifted and talented" performing arts programs. I studied opera in college (I'm a coloratura -- the really loud, high-pitched sopranos.) and then went to law school.

It was law school that probably helped with my first novel. Breathing Underwater deals with the serious and all-too-common problem of dating violence. I based the book on my experiences interning with the State Attorney's Office and volunteering with battered women. I thought this was a really important topic, as 27 percent of teenage girls surveyed have been hit by a boyfriend. I'm happy that the book is so popular, and if you are reading this bio because the book was assigned for school, I'm happy about that too.

I started writing an early (and laughable) version of Breathing Underwater in college (I was really bored on a car trip with my parents). I didn't get back to it until I had my first daughter, Katie. I'm self-taught. I went to the library and took out books on writing. Then, I read a lot of young-adult novels by writers I admired, particularly Richard Peck. Reading his books is like listening to Mozart -- you learn the right way to write a novel. Then, you fill in your own style. I actually got to meet Richard Peck in person at a workshop of the Key West Literary Seminar. Lots of writers have been really helpful to me, especially Richard and fellow YA author, Joyce Sweeney.

I think I write for young-adults because I never quite got over being one. In my mind, I am still 13-years-old, running laps on the athletic field, wearing this really baggy white gymsuit. I'm continually amazed at the idea that I have a checking account and a mortgage. So I try to write books that gymsuit girl might enjoy. It's a way of going back to being 13...knowing what I know now.
Right now, I live half a mile away from my old middle school, in Palmetto Bay, a suburb of Miami, with my husband, Gene, and daughters, Katie and Meredith. (less)

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Breathing Underwater (Breathing Underwater #1)

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“Just because something is beautiful doesn´t mean it´s good.” — 631 people liked it

“those who do not know how to see the precious things in life will never be happy.” — 417 people liked it

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