The Beautiful and the Cursed

The Dispossessed #1

by Page Morgan

After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And Grayson has gone missing.

No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn’t dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she’ll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Angels

341 pages, Hardcover

First published May 14, 2013

About the author

Page is the author of THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED, THE LOVELY AND THE LOST, and THE WONDROUS AND THE WICKED, young adult gothic thrillers critically acclaimed by Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, VOYA, and The Bulletin. Page’s novels have been an IndieNext selection, a Seventeen Magazine Summer Book Club Read, and a #1 Amazon bestseller. Her next book, THE LAST HUNTSMAN, is a reimagining of the Huntsman and Magic Mirror from the tale of Snow White.

She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and their three daughters, an English Pointer, an arrogant cat, two boring bearded dragons, a one-eared bunny, a bunch of chickens, and during the summer and fall, their neighbor’s two sweet horses.

Page also writes adult historical romance under the name Angie Morgan. Find out more at www.AngieMorganBooks.com

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without a doubt, this is one of the most creative spins in YA paranormal that I've read lately. But then again, I've been smacked in the face with a glut of angels, fairies, vampires, and werewolves, so anything well-written outside of those oh-so-familiar territory is bound to be a Big Effing Deal.

So this was what a nightmare looked like by the light of day.

The setting is also one not typically seen in YA; turn-of-the-century (1899) Paris. Our main heroine, the 17-year old Ingrid, her 15-year old sister, Gabriella, and their mother are newly arrived to a crumbling, decaying abbey that is to be their new home, while their mother indulges in her much longed-for hobby of opening her own art gallery. Ingrid's twin brother Grayson was charged with helping with the location of such a place, and has spent awhile in Paris. There's just one problem...he's disappeared. Ingrid and Gabby spends the rest of the book hunting down their lost brother, while encountering all sorts of mysterious creatures and events on their relentless quest.

The setting is beautifully described, and the writing well-done. I felt all the action scenes were superbly described, and the mystery surrounding everything unfolded in a rational manner, in a way that never bored me, even if the plot and the mythology surrounding the book is something new.

And it is something new. When reading a book about werewolves, vampires, or fairies, the reader automatically assumes and expects them to behave a certain way because the legend and mythology surrounding these creatures are so well-known to us. We expect vampires to drink blood, we expect Mab and Titania, Oberon and the Wild Hunt in a story with fae. But here we are introduced to gargoyles, and new sects and terminology that requires new explanations: Dusters, the Alliance, the Dispossessed, the Angelic Order, hellhounds, the Underneath.

That's a lot of mythology, a lot of terminology, but it never gets confusing because the author does such an excellent job of incorporating every element to us, in a way that the reader never feels patronized or that they're being not-so-subtly informed. It is never outright told, but everything is eventually explained in a gradual manner, so that the reader does not feel like wringing their wrist or ripping out their hair because they don't know what the bloody hell is going on. The gargoyle mythology is well-developed and so interesting, I love learning about them, that they're bound to protect a household where a statue exists. I can't overemphasize the fact that I was never confused or lost. In so many stories, the built-up setting is sometimes contradictory, sometimes confusing, and the action scenes just leave me completely lost. I was always engrossed in the story while reading this book.

The setting is well-done, beautifully described, but never overshadows the story. This Paris has a very Gothic feel, with decaying buildings, ancient abbeys, underground tunnels, and dirty Parisian streets. It never feels overdone, and enhances the overall feel of the mystery.

The characters were well-written, and out of the main cast, there was only one who rubbed me the wrong way. Ingrid is an excellent heroine, she is devoted to her brother, headstrong but not stupid, intelligent and unafraid.

I found her sister Gabby to be more grating and multidimensional. Gabby, unlike Ingrid, is fiery and very often makes stupid decisions, but that could be explained by her age, although I found it pushes the borders of credibility that she is given so much freedom at her age and at this time. Gabby is hypocritical and contradictory at times, she doesn't blink at the thought of visiting a waiter she met once for information at his room, but hesitates when it comes to trusting people who have saved her life repeatedly. She constantly flaunts the borders of propriety, like dressing up like a bordello girl to visit a waiter at his home for information...

Her sister’s eyebrows would have leaped clear off her forehead had she seen the dress Gabby had changed into: an evening gown of profane red satin with a black lace overlay and a plunging, black lace–trimmed neckline that accentuated her rather voluptuous décolletage. The gown wasn’t appropriate for a girl just shy of sixteen to wear in midafternoon.

But then again, a visit to Henri’s flat wasn’t appropriate, either.

...then acts like a prude when it comes to visiting a known Alliance member when he invites her to step into his bedroom for conversation. She is flighty, contradictory, and endangers herself more than once.

Nevertheless, Gabby is overall a believable character, despite of---or maybe because of her flaws.

Gabby knew the truth of it. She was pampered. She was most definitely privileged. But if there was one thing she was not, it was a damsel in need of rescuing.

Gabby's love interest is the dislikeable character of whom I speak. Nolan is a jerk, overbearing, patronizing, and uninteresting. I can't see the attraction. He is also considerably older than her 15 years.

Nolan tugged Gabby against him and smothered her protest with a kiss. His lips moved tentatively over her mouth, hers stunned and graceless, her hands clenched into fists against his chest.

Um, a 15 year old girl? Pedophile much?

I also had a small problem with Grayson, Ingrid's brother. I can't help but feel that Ingrid is more than he deserves. She is the best sister, ever (spoken by me, who is the worst sister ever), She is absolutely persistent on finding Grayson. Their connection is so strong, she loves him so absolutely, and from what we know of Grayson, it doesn't feel like he is worthy of such devotion.

The story is told in omniscient view, which I love. We get to see things from Luc, Ingrid, Gabby, and Grayson's point of view. While the rest of the cast doesn't know what happened to Grayson, we do. The reader knows what Grayson is experiencing, even if it doesn't make much sense at first without the explanation, but we know what Grayson is feeling and experiencing. While Ingrid is worrying herself sick and endangering herself to find out what happened to her beloved brother, Grayson never gives her a single thought.

There is a love triangle within the story, but it is not an overwhelming one. The romance, if any exists, is mainly between Luc and Ingrid. If I haven't written much about them, it is not because they're uninteresting in any way, but their characters are complex and the story unique, and I feel these the main characters should be discovered by the reading of the book and not through a review.

[starryeyedjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me at gargoyles.
___________________________________________________

Actual Rating:  1/2

Gargoyles!  That's the only word I needed to see in the summary to know that I had to read this book.  And then, I immediately started picturing this:




What?  You didn't?  :P  In all seriousness, I'm usually a little squeamish about inter, um, species (?) relationships in books...I mean, how would that even work?  Especially since the gargoyle in his true form lacks any reproductive organs.  ;0)

Now that that's out there...I kind of loved this novel.  It takes place right at the turn of the century, in beautiful Par-ee (that's Paris for those of you who don't speak French), and though I've never been to The City of Light myself, it wasn't hard to imagine myself there among les grotesques, basking in the beauty and the culture, while hoping that this missing brother turned up unharmed.



This book was everything I was hoping for and more.  From the sometimes complicated relationship between siblings to the history of the gargoyles in Paris, I was utterly captivated.  Throw in shape-shifting gargoyles, a secret alliance that keeps their existence hidden, and crazy underworld magic, and I am a very happy girl.  I'm usually iffy when it comes to multiple third person perspectives because they tend to give away too many secrets while providing glimpses at each characters circumstances, but I rather enjoyed reading from Ingrid, Gabby, Luc, and yes, even Grayson's point-of-view.  Though, Luc was probably my favorite because he was such a tortured soul...I have a soft spot for characters that cling to their guilt and the remorse that comes with it.  Also, I loved his fierce protectiveness.

There is some swooning to be had from this book, as well...no chaste pecks on the cheek or hand, despite the time period.  It nicely counteracts the ugliness of the situation but doesn't detract from the overall plot.  But I feel I must warn you that a love triangle is afoot, if all indications prove to be true.  I hope that doesn't come to fruition, though.  It's the standard safe choice versus dangerous and brooding guy, and you can probably guess which one Ingrid is leaning toward.  Her sister Gabby, on the other hand, has no such decision to make.  If only she didn't love to hate her own swoon-worthy rogue.  *sigh*



Above all else, I loved the lush use of descriptive imagery, from the way the author describes the physical attributes of the gargoyles to the way she depicts their shifts.  The book cover immediately grabbed my attention.  The mention of gargoyles held it.  But the writing ensured that I will be back for more of this beautiful story and its tragic characters.  And that I'm going to be pestering the husband for a trip to Paris for months to come.


Thanks to Random House for providing an ARC for review!

This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in beautiful Paris, 1899, The Beautiful and the Cursed is a unique, violent, sometimes disturbing YA Gothic involving demons, Gargoyles, and… something unexplained that is one of our main characters.

With the appearance of two dead bodied within the first 70 pages, I knew I was in for a good time. Though not a bad thing (for me), this book was a little more violent than I expected. Aside from the initial dead bodies we're treated to gory bodily remains and beastly attacks--which were pretty cool I might add. Hell hounds make for really awesome evil! To protect from these creature are gargoyles; amazingly described as these massive beasts, gargoyles have to protect the humans residing in their estates, and can turn to and from human form. This gargoyle lore - gargoyles not being something I knew very much of - left me kind of in awe. Page makes them both darkly beautiful and monstrous. Their human forms give us century old characters: some are bitter, some are lonely, others revel in the power they possess, but they all carry a certain air of desperation that makes them a little… menacing. Aside from the fantastic visuals of these beasts (including their metamorphosis), Paris also comes alive in this novel with rich scenery and ambiance. All that in addition to the beautiful prose = A+ on the writing!

The multiple perspectives in this book take us from one sister to another, starting when they find out about their missing brother. One sister - Ingrid - has unexplained powers that have started to materialize, which has everyone perplexed. The other, Gabby, is a little jealous and dealing with feeling helpless in her shadow. Although they are both very determined young women, I'm always partial to the less damsel-in-distress-y types (even though Gabby is set against being such, she still is), so I found Ingrid to be a much more compelling character. The ability to shoot lightning from your fingers (!!) will do that! The sisters are our main POVs, but we also get glimpses into Luc's and Grayson's which come with both good and bad results. Good because we get answers fast: we learn what's happening to Grayson, we find out a lot about the Gargoyles; but bad because for one, we relive some of the same scenes echoed through a sister's POV (which I did not find necessary), and for another, we find out things way before the girls do, therefore making the wait a little monotonous. It doesn't help matters that the plot is not especially fast paced. Sure there are some deaths and intriguing happenings, but the actual plot doesn't start moving until three quarters through. Once this happens though it's a pretty freaky ride until the end.

There is also romance in this novel, and with all the different POVs we get a mix of forbidden love, confused emotions, and even a slight love triangle. I did not find the romance to be the book's best quality, to be honest. I never grew especially connected to any of the couples, nor did I feel a large amount of chemistry between them which always makes the romance a bit bland. It could have been worse.

With excellent imagery and splendid writing, The Beautiful and the Cursed is an original work of Gothic fiction. It takes a little bit to get going, but it is worth it at the end.

Also I gotta say, the UK cover grasps the book so much better than the froufrou US cover (although the US one is gorgeous, this is just not a froufrou book)
 

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not one who usually reads historical fiction, but this one appealed to me. Mystery, horror, with a gothic feel, set in Paris! I couldn’t resist and I’m glad I gave this story a chance!

Seventeen year old Ingrid is flung into a world where mythical creatures are anything but myth, when her mother, sister and she move to Paris from London. Her mother plans on renovating an old abbey into a gallery to exhibit her art, and during the renovations Ingrid, her sister Gabriella and Grayson are to stay in the abbey’s old rectory, only Grayson is missing when they arrive. He was sent ahead to locate and purchase a property suitable for his mother’s endeavor and he chooses the old abbey. Ingrid and Gabby are horrified to find the rectory and abbey old, musty, creepy and haunting. Surrounded by gargoyles sitting as grotesque sentries at the top of the building the place gives Ingrid shivers. Turns out there’s a reason for that.

When they arrive and find Grayson missing with reports of local girls disappearing as well, Ingrid and Gabby are more than alarmed and they make plans to find him. Reluctantly involved in the quest is Luc one of the abbey’s servants. He’s young and beautiful and Ingrid finds out there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Luc. Not just Luc, there’s a whole other world in Paris that Ingrid and Gabby discover just under their noses, and unfortunately their brother Grayson found himself smack in the middle of it.

This story was an intriguing mix of fantasy, mystery, and horror and interspersed with romantic tension. The story is told in the third person and switches from the perspective of Ingrid, Gabby, Luc and Grayson so that we get to know each character a little more intimately.

Seventeen year old Ingrid is still reeling from humiliation over an incident in London, so moving to Paris is a welcome change but finding her twin Grayson is missing is like a stab to the heart. She is very close to her brother, almost like an invisible cord connects them, so she knows he’s in danger but still alive. Fifteen year old Gabby is impetuous and outgoing, so she doesn’t think twice about consequences when she bands together with her sister Ingrid to find Grayson.

Grayson’s disappearance is wrapped up in Luc’s secret world, so he’s not going to let Ingrid and Gabby search for Grayson by themselves. He’s connected and bound to all residents of the abbey, but finds himself even more so to Ingrid. She’s also affected by Luc, with his striking good looks and infuriatingly hostile attitude. As much as Ingrid would like to ignore Luc, she finds out he is one of the keys to finding her brother.

I really liked the original idea of this world and its creatures, and the setting of Paris back in the 1800’s was mysterious and intriguing. But there’s a lot going on with this being the first book in a series, setting up and explaining the world, and creatures. There are several POVs and a descriptive style of prose, and all this combined made it a little difficult to get into the story at first. Once I settled in, though, the story got a whole lot more interesting, even if the pacing was a little slow.

There are a few attractions and romances a-brewing with Ingrid and Gabby. Shades of a love triangle with Ingrid, Luc and another character, Vander, who is also part of this mystical world, made me a little nervous. I can’t stand love triangles, but so far the situation is bearable, because Luc seems to be the clear winner, even though their romance is in the forbidden category. He’s definitely my pick. Gabby’s romance was of the antagonistic variety, which made it a little more fun and lighthearted.

All in all, this is a promising start in a series with an original concept, and while it didn’t leave on a cliffhanger, it left you wanting more. I will be picking up the sequel to see what happens next.

A copy was provided by Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.

Come visit The Readers Den for a chance to win a copy of The Beautiful and the Cursed!

[Wendy Darling]

So excited that there seem to be so many YA gothics coming out recently! Well, "so many" meaning...a few.

[Alicia Batista (Addicted Readers) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

A spiraling, dark historical paranormal, that has just about everything you could possibly crave in a Young Adult book. THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED was absolutely stunning and immensely addicting, I loved it for so many reasons!!

Wow, WOW, WOOWWW!!! That's how THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED left me feeling!! It had everything, I mean EVERYTHING!!! From it's historical background, and Paris setting, with a touch of fantasy, to it's terrifying supernatural creatures, and fierce powers, to it's many different POV's (But was totally done right), and hot French men, with one Scottish blood to entice any girls darkest desires, and it's thrilling vengeful demons out for blood, literally!! There was so much going on, but wasn't over done in the least! I loved that there was always something different going on in each POV, but still intertwined with each character and the overall plot of the story. It was just fascinating to be inside the dark, dazzling, murderous streets of Paris, where anything can happen, even in daylight...

THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED took a direction I usually try to steer clear of. It had multiple POV's, I mean A LOT of them. It had four steady POV's, but also some side characters got in a few chapters here and there too. Usually I get overwhelmed and feel the lack of connection towards the main characters when a book is written like this, but Page Morgan pulled it off and some!!! I can honestly say that I enjoyed every POV that Morgan threw at us. They all had their own distinct voice, and depth and character development, that made me want to pull back the layers and examine each of them and their hidden secrets.

But even though I did love them all, I did like some POV's more then others, but didn't dislike any at all. And that's how I know Page Morgan did these POV's just right. Because usually I can only handle two POV's in book at a time, and sometimes two is even too many without me getting irritated, and feeling the lack of connection to the characters and their struggles. But that did not happen here in THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED!! Nope, I felt the pull towards each and every character for their own special reasons. And I loved seeing the different angles of this world, and what each character felt and how it all connected and intertwined with each other. But out of all the characters, I would have to say Ingrid and Luc were my favorites. Though Gabby and Nolan ran neck and neck. But I also thought Vander was pretty hot too, in his own sexy/geeky kinda way. But nevertheless, Ingrid DEFINITELY belongs with Luc, even with his lack of being human, and it being forbidden with the vow of a death threat shall it be broken. If anything, that makes it even more enticing and desirable... ;)

The writing was absolutely spellbinding!! I alternated between audiobook and hardback, and OMG, the audiobook brought this story to life. The narrator, Mary Jane Wells worked her magic and portrayed the accents down for each culture and character, and brought a different spark of life to each POV with her wicked narrating!! But still, the true praise goes to the author Page Morgan, for not for her epic storytelling, fierce characters, and darkly thrilling world, this book would not be what it is, BREATHTAKING....

THE PLOT...

~ INGRID ~

After a terrible accident, Ingrid's life is forever changed. She's more then ready to leave her friends and life behind in London, and move back to her birth Country of Paris, France. She hopes she can put the past and the shameful scandal that sent her running behind her, and start anew with her twin brother Grayson, and baby sister Gabby. But then when they arrive in Paris to find Grayson missing, and not only that, but numerous girls have also disappeared, some even turning up dead and dismembered in pieces, scattered all around Paris. Ingrid's imagination starts to runs rampant, and she is perplexed at what could of possibly happened to her twin. Something sinister is at play, and Ingrid knows there's more to her brothers disappearance then what meets the eye, and she's determined to find out just what that is.

Searching for answers leads Ingrid out after dark, and strait into the horrifying truth, monsters really do exist... After almost being devoured by a hellhound, Ingrid is saved by a winged creature that she finds later to be Luc, her gargoyle protector. And even knowing he's her protector, and that he can't harm her, she knows she should still be scared, she should be repulsed by him, find him hideous, but she doesn't. She's drawn to him in more ways then she can fathom, but human/gargoyle relations are against the rules, and come with dire reprimand's if caught abused. But Ingrid can't find it in herself to care. Her heart wants what her heart wants...

But all that becomes an after thought when she herself starts to change, and she finds herself with a power she did know she had, a powerful gift, or curse depending on how you looked upon it, but it's just made her a target, and she's being hunted...

~ GABBY ~

Being the baby sister out of her sibling has never really made life easy for Gabby. And not being one of the twins as Ingrid and Grayson are, is a double blow to Gabby. Already feeling like an outcast within her own family, Gabby hopes that'll change when they move to Paris. But what Gabby doesn't except to find on the Paris streets, is a whole new world that will change her life forever...

Swept into the supernatural world, Gabby grips at with all she has. Joining forces with the Alliance, a secret demon fighting organization that rids the streets of demons, Gabby can't help but to be excited, and want to make herself useful. She tired of being little Gabby, she wants to earn her own place, become her own person, she wants to train to fight, and she's ready to start slaying some demons...

~ GRAYSON ~

After a horrifying secret is revealed, Grayson is sent to Paris months before his families arrival with the excuse of locating a livable residents for their family to shortly follow. But the truth is, Grayson's other half is starting to surface, weighing him down as something inside is fighting to be let loose, wanting to be feed and urging him to do things he would never normally do. But then before he can act on this impulse, he's kidnapped by a hellhound and taken to the underneath where monsters reside, feasting on humans and devouring their blood. And Grayson has just become their next human blood-bag...

Tortured and injected with hellhound blood, Grayson is subject to excruciating pain as his body starts to change, slowly giving into his inner-self he's been fighting. Something wants Grayson stronger, wants him bloodthirsty, wants him to feed an succumb to the impulse and fest on human blood, something wants him to become a monster, to become a hellhound...

These three siblings world collide, and ignite the supernatural world they've become entangled in. They will all have to rely on themselves and even their inner demon to make it through the horrifying monsters hunting them, and inside of them...

In this explosive debut, lives are forever changed, identities are exposed, inner demons are surfaced, betrayals are made, enemies strike, monsters are revealed as the supernatural and human world collide, and ignite the spark that inflames this world to the very core. And before all is said and done, it may be the ultimate downfall of humankind...

THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED was addicting from start to finish, and already has me reading the next book in the series and loving it just as much! I quickly fell in love with this world and the thrilling characters, and the dark tone that Page Morgan interweaves. I seriously cannot think of a single thing that I did not like about this book. BUT, even though I absolutely adored it, it just didn't turn out to be a 5 star read for me. There was nothing negative that jumped out at me, or deferred my rating, but my love for this book just didn't reach that level of awe and enjoyment as a 5 star read would. But nevertheless, THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED was epic, totally, addicting and swoon worthy to the very last page.

Overall, THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED was everything I hoped for and more. I loved the quick-witted writing, the enchanting world setting, the deadly creatures out for blood, the demon hunters cutting them down in the blink of an eye, the fierce character development, and the heart-breaking romance. If you like thrilling paranormal, with deadly creatures, set in the historical world in the dazzling City of Paris, with addicting characters and bitter sweet romances, then THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSE is DEFINITELY one book you DON'T wanna miss!!!

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some nightmares walk in the light.

Holy guacamole, I have never loved a gothic novel so much! I am beyond overjoyed that I was able to nab this book from ARCycling and I truly loved every minute of reading this one. Les grotesques are my new favorite paranormal creatures. I need me some more gargoyles!

The gargoyles featured in this novel is what really made me want to read this book. I was fascinated by the fact that a new paranormal creature was being brought onto the scene and I wanted to read more. Take the fact that this gargoyle is obviously hundreds of years old and introduce him to his modern British charge who recently moved to Paris and you have a delicious forbidden romance that was incredibly enticing despite its slow bloom. I loved every minute of it, made all the more powerful by the deliciously romantic historical setting of the 1890s in Paris. I think that what I enjoyed most about this romance and Luc, my new gargoyle book boyfriend that is full of immense swoon, is that this was clearly a case of selfless love. Loving our main character, Ingrid, was against Luc's very existence and loving a man that was half scaly stones is against the very thought of the nature of attraction. But she loved him because of his protectiveness for her and she was attracted to his gargoyle that showed his human features as well as his human form. I found it to be a rather powerful bond despite it caused a lot of issues in both of their separate worlds. I loved these two together so much that him simply declaring, "you're my human!" made my heart burst with joy.

I think that the historical aspect of this setting in beautiful, romantic Paris is what made this book even more captivating. What better place for young, forbidden love and the craziness of demons and hellhounds lurking under the protection of the night? Where else could the protection of gargoyles be so believable and welcome? This setting not only electrified the story-telling, the romance, and the overall plot, but it kept my attention riveted to the page because of my love of historical fictions. Truly, if you love historical novels or are looking for a book to get into historical fiction, this is a perfect book for you. The gothic feel and the darker aspects of this novel can only be described as delicious.

And, if you haven't already guessed it, I think that Morgan's characterization skills are absolutely magnificent. I loved Luc and everything he stood for, but what really blew me away was Ingrid and Gabby. These two sisters are fierce and have an amazing sisterly blond. They were amazing because despite being of the upper class, they didn't conform to societal standards. Despite being women, they did what they wanted. If they wanted to go out, they would go out whether it was proper or not. Sure, some of their actions were impulsive, but I had immense respect for them because they stood on their own two feet and held their heads high. Gabby, being the younger sister, had a tongue of silver and beauty that could be rivaled by nothing. And Ingrid had certain powers of her own, but together they make an amazing duo. And, while Ingrid had Luc and even Vander, a boy who can see the dust of demons, Gabby had Nolan, the delicious and hilarious Scot who posed as a detective when creatures from Underneath were involved in death. Watching the two of them go back and forth was both comical and believable, I loved every minute of it.

As mentioned above, this book has the traces of a love triangle, but this is a love triangle done right! Both boys are on two different playing fields and it's not as if they went head to head in a macho battle. This was two boys who wanted her attention and had two different ways of going about getting it, though it is incredibly clear that Ingrid has passionate feelings for only one of them.

I loved this book so much that this review can be never-ending, but I want to close out with one point. My ARC says that this book is marketed for the audience twelve years old and up. I think that this is a slightly young audience for this novel. This book takes place during a terrifying time in Paris where young girls are being abducted in the night and torn to shreds. When some remains were found it can be rather graphic, and there's even a scene where splashes of blood are described coating the outer walls of one of the girl's homes. I'm 18 and I actually had to put this book down after 11:30 because I began getting jumpy at any random noise my cats made. It's a creepy world, and I can't imagine many 12 year olds dealing with it well unless they had immeasurably thick skin and don't scare easy.

Full of plot twists galore, this gothic and historical paranormal ties together a delicoius forbidden romance, a battle between good and evil, angels and demons, and two sisters stuck in the middle of it all. A must read for anyone willing to give it a try, I highly recommend it. Morgan's debut has not gotten the attention it deserves.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

SPOILERS:

I was in the mood for a whimsical, romantic YA story so I rolled the dice on a review copy of "The Beautiful and the Cursed." It's set in 1890s Paris, and I figured horse-drawn carriages, ballgown-clad young ladies and the romance of turn-of-the-century France would not go amiss. So the hook was gargoyles come to life....well, I've got an open mind and you just never know when a book will transcend an offbeat theme and grab you. Having just finished up the book, I can say that while this is not an awful book, it's also not as good as most of the YA fiction I've gotten used to reading. Here's why.

1. The gargoyles. I could have gotten more into the whole gargoyle thing if it weren't so convoluted and weird. Apparently there is a single God and he has angels, but the angels serve humans, and it's the humans who are God's favorites (which led me to wonder why, if we're His favorites, we get stuck with war, pestilence, disease, violence, mortality and natural disasters, but I digress). Gargoyles are created as a punishment and they've got to protect humans. There are demons, too, and they can go after humans, and honestly, I can't remember how it all fits together because it's just kind of bizarre, with the gargoyle/angel/demon thing grafted onto monotheism. Or something.

2. The Twilite rip-off factor. Human girl infatuated with half-monster/half-human who can't be trusted to get intimate with her because of his demonic side. Said human girl is torn between hunky monster guy and another guy who is nicer and not half-monster. Sound familiar?

3. Too much plot that didn't gel. Main character Ingrid had to leave London because she burned her friend's ballroom down after the friend got engaged to the guy Ingrid liked. Mom whisks Ingrid away to Paris to open an art gallery. (Not sure that many wives of British nobleman did such things at this time, but okay...) Ingrid's brother goes to Paris first to scout out a house and gallery site, deciding to rent a run-down abbey, then disappears before the family shows up. He was kidnapped by a female angel-gone-bad (who used to be his and and his sister's guardian angel) who is trying to lure him into becoming a demon. One sister shoots lightning out of her hands while the other aspires to be a demon-hunter. They are driven to find their missing brother, while hanging out with the gargoyle dudes and trying to avoid a serial killer preying on young women (who is actually the female angel-gone-bad who needs the blood of unravaged maidens). See?

4. Pedestrian writing. The dialogue of the characters doesn't sound in keeping with the times, nor does much of the behavior of the sisters. Phrasing is clunky and there is repetition of certain words, lack of flow, a general lack of sharpness.

5. What I call Trilogy Syndrome. Every YA book now has to be part of a trilogy, so you read a 300-page book and still are left with so many loose ends and obvious segues into the next volume in the series. Meh.

In sum, I'd say the concept had promise but the book wasn't executed skillfully enough to make this a really good read. The author describes writing the book in a very condensed period of time, which makes me wonder if taking a bit longer to revise and refine it might not have helped a good deal.

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this book, I have never read a book involving gargoyles so that’s what got me interested in the first place , I thought this tale could be cheesy and cliche but the story is very well written, both main characters can stand on their own (the sisters), the dispossessed (the gargoyles)are very well written as well and the glimpses we get at their structure and historic background are very interesting and well written. The order felt a little too cliche but they also can stand on their own and the author gave them very important roles inside the story . There were some unnecessary romantic scenes and kind of a love triangle which is why I don’t give this book 5 stars , but I’m definitely interested in reading the sequel and see how the story develops. Very good beginning to a series.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really hoping this would be good and not your typical angels and demons read and it really was so much more and so much better than I had anticipated. Definitely want to finish this series. Full review to come.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Beautiful and the Cursed is a book I've been meaning to read ever since I saw the gorgeous cover and the word "gargoyle" in the synopsis. I decided to wait to read it, however, until all three books in the trilogy were out, so I could do a binge-read. Lately, I've been finding that binge-reading gives me the best experience of a series. Part of me is glad that I waited to give this a shot, but the other half is yelling at me for not starting it sooner because I'm, without any doubt, in love with Page Morgan's writing.

This book had an array of different characters, all of whom I found to be very enjoyable. The primary characters in The Beautiful and the Cursed, are two British sisters, Ingrid and Gabby, who find their way together with their mother to Paris, after an accident at a ball pushes them out of society. I loved both these girls for their different personalities. Ingrid, the older sister, who learned throughout the book about her brewing powers, was the one I gravitated more towards. She was strong-minded, intelligent and was someone who fought for what she wanted. She stood up to others whenever it was necessary and her bond with her missing twin brother, Grayson, was genuinely written. Every time Ingrid would ache due to his absence, my heart would ache for her. It was painful to watch, but Ingrid wasn't one to wallow. Instead, she tunneled that sorrow into finding her brother, a quality I found endearing and admirable. Gabby, on the other hand, was definitely the less mature one of the two, but that wasn't a negative thing. I liked the contrast between the two sisters and while I was certainly more into Ingrid's character, I still very much liked Gabby. She was extremely bull-headed and tended to find herself in dangerous situations. At the same time, it was hard not to feel for her because she felt left out because of how strong the bond between Ingrid and Grayson was. Still, despite it all, she too, fought to help find her brother. By the end of the book, things changed drastically for her, and while I was saddened by the events, I thought it was an event that will push her to grow up in the next two books. Page Morgan did a fantastic job at developing her secondary characters as well. It's rare to find books where the secondary characters almost feel like they are main characters because of how well they are developed, and The Beautiful and the Cursed is one of those books. My favorite were Luc, a gargoyle, protecting Ingrid and Gabby, and Nolan, a Scot who took an interest in Gabby.

Their romances with Ingrid and Gabby were swoony and perfectly written. Luc and Ingrid had a forbidden aspect to their relationship because of Luc being a gargoyle, which made it physically impossible for them to be together, but dear god! The romantic moments that the two of them shared had my heart racing. I so want them to be together and cannot wait to see how that will happen in the next book. This book had one of the best romances I've ever read. Oh and what's better than one gorgeously written romance? Two beautiful romances, of course! Gabby and Nolan's relationship didn't have that forbidden part to it, Page Morgan managed to make it just as addicting as Ingrid and Luc's by keeping the tension. They constantly bickered together and their banter was adorable. I'm so impressed that this was Page Morgan's debut novel because the world building was phenomenal. The luscious Parisian setting together with the world of gargoyles, demons and angels was stunning to me. I had a hard time looking away because her writing was so vivid. I loved the complex politics that existed between the different creatures. Plus, the blend of paranormal and historical fiction was captivating in every way. The plot too, while a little slow at first, kept my attention throughout with it revolving around Ingrid and Gabby trying to look for their brother, Grayson, and discovering this whole new world. Page Morgan is certainly a masterful storyteller.The only minor complaint I had was that sometimes the switch in POV wasn't very smooth, especially because it happened within the same chapter. However, that did not hinder my enjoyment of the novel.

The Beautiful and the Cursed was a fantastic start to a new series. I'm excited to see where the author takes the characters to next. Not only does this book have an original premise and an exotic Parisian setting, but it also has wonderful characters and some of the most romantic romances I've ever read in YA. Don't miss out on this series!

[Kassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very different than anything I've ever read! It was truly fantastic. I LOVED the world and being immersed in it was such a great experience. The characters are very like-able and I really enjoyed reading about Ingrid. I loved the setting in 1899 Paris, very cool! I can't even explain this book though because it is so unique. If you like crazy paranormal/fantasy books, you should like this one! Some new elements, creatures and ideas I have never even thought about are present in this story, which made me love it more! The only thing I had a problem with is that it was a little slow for me in the beginning and for some reason I wasn't completely sucked into the story, but still overall had a blast reading it! Also, I really liked all of the romance subplots that were going on. Being from both Gabby's and Ingrid's POVs, there's a lot of love drama! I can't wait for the next one ;D

[Valeria Andrea]

Paris,
Gargoyles,
an ABBEY,
Paris...
I'm in.
You've got me.

& that cover is so beautiful I'm double in.

But I warn you: if the protagonist is anything like the chick in cover, you know, desperate, selfless, helpless... your damn damsel in distress, we are going to have a BAD time.
BAD, bad time.

[Jesslivraddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai adoré ce livre pour plein de raisons :

- L'univers : c'est la première fois que je lis un roman fantastique qui parle de gargouilles et ça m'a beaucoup plus. La mythologie créée par l'auteur est crédible et fonctionne très bien ;
- Les personnages : j'ai adoré les soeurs Waserly. Ingrid parce que même si un monde inconnu s'ouvre à elle, elle a l'esprit ouvert, pose les questions mais n'est pas rebutée ni effrayée par ce qu'elle voit, ce qu'elle apprend. Gaby parce que malgré son âge, elle fait prendre d'une grande maturité et d'un grand sens critique, comprenant certains enjeux bien tout le monde.
J'ai aussi aimé Luc parce que malgré son côté "je suis une gargouille, je suis maudit et je suis obligé de m'occuper de ses humains dont je me fiche", il a un côté assez humain et Nolan parce qu'il a un côté "je te cherche parce que tu me plais" qui m'a beaucoup séduit.
J'ai moins accroché avec Grayson mais c'est le contexte de l'histoire qui veut ça, hâte de le découvrir dans le tome 2.
- Les relations entre les personnages : Oui, oui y a de la romance. De la double romance même ! Et pour moi, elle s'intègre parfaitement dans le récit, avec le côté fantastique... surtout en ce qui concerne le côté maudit, le côté amoureux qui ne peuvent pas être ensemble.
- L'ambiance du roman : le style est un peu soutenu mais j'ai trouvé que ça ajoutait un certain charme à l'histoire, à l'ambiance très Paris fin du 19ème siècle. J'ai bcp aimé le cadre de ce Paris fin 19ème pour placer l'histoire, cela rendait le tout encore plus crédible !

Bref, j'ai kiffé. Ce premier tome est un vrai COUP DE COEUR !!
Hâte de lire le tome 2 que j'ai déjà commandé... je pense le commencer assez rapidement dès réception histoire de ne pas perdre l'histoire encore toute fraîche dans ma tête.

Il vient de sortir en VF chez Bayard Jeunesse.
Si vous aimez les univers fantastiques avec une pointe de romance, je vous recommande fortement ce titre.

Pour ceux qui veulent le lire en VO : le style est assez soutenu sans être trop complexe. J'ai du certes aller au dico un peu plus souvent mais ça ne m'a pas non plus handicapé. Il me fallait toujours quelques pages pour me faire au style à chaque reprise de la lecture, même une fois dans le rythme, dans la dynamique du livre, ça allait tout seul !

[cc · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a disappointment.

In short, this is a historical fiction version of Twilight with gargoyles, angels, and demons, instead of vampires, plus a missing brother.
(Don't even think of coming at me because I'm comparing this to Twilight, I can make comparisons if I want to!)
Also, when will the love triangles trend come to an end, Jesus Christ, it's so goddamn stupid and annoying. I have no patience left for this.


Read at your own risk.

*PT* Cuidado com o Dálmata

[Rez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rating: 1.5

The concept of this story was interesting. It had a good start with the potential of a promising YA involving a rather unique creature (gargoyle!) and a gothic theme, but was struck by the Twilight bug bearing all its hallmarks:
• Female protagonist infatuated (instalove!!) with the mysterious swoon -worthy guy with constant reference to his hunkiness (check)
• Battling forbidden attraction (check)
• Hero is dismissive, arrogant, rude and ‘insert other less than amorous adjectives’ with the heroine (check)
• Sigh…the dreaded love triangle (check)
• The other dude is actually nice to the heroine (check)

The plots and suspense eventually tapered to predictability and boredom. It took me a while to finish the book since I keep putting it off but had to force myself to finish since I do not want to leave a review for a ‘dnf’ book’.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Setting. Awesome.
Characters. Awesome.
Mystery. Magic. History. Awesome.
Uniqueness = 100%

It was a bit slow at times but it is always refreshing to read a novel and not think to yourself 'oh wait, have I read this before?'

Hat off to you Page Morgan.

[Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

actual rating: 4.5 stars

This book is full of hot guys, badass ladies, and great gothic mystery. It's definitely one of my favorites of 2013.

There really is only one fault I found with this book. The first 10-15% of the book was good, not great. I was a bit confused by the mythology. I was just waiting for the inevitable moment when it all clicks into place and I can enjoy the story. It happened soon after the ten percent mark; and I dove right in. After that, I didn't come up for air once. (Translation: I read it in one day).

+ HOT GUYS. Pretty much every young male character was a total hottie, each in different ways. There were 4 (at times 5) of them. Yeah, you read that right-- 5 hotties. And they ALL flirt with the girls. Ha, it was awesome! The guys are totally all vying for at least one of two girls, and I loved every bit of it. You go, girls. Werk.
It's funny because I was just recently thinking, why are there always only one maybe two hot guys going for the girl? I mean...if she's that awesome or pretty or special...why not more? Oh I know it's YA, but still. Thank you Page Morgan for delivering up the cuties! And much, much more.

Some of you may still call me a young adult (I'm 26).. BUT do the ya books all have to be so chaste?! I mean c'mon I want some make out sessions and hot and steamy ones, too! So to both of these things, Beautiful and the Cursed totally delivered. It's my perfect dreamy blend that doesn't go into the adult romance category. So get ready for some HAWT scenes.
And Luc? Aw, man...he's...*sighs*
*swoons*
*actually mimics girl on the cover*

Another one of the great things about this book-- are the main characters (sisters) Ingrid and Gabby. The girls are not helpless. And they're in 19th century Paris. You get Ingrid and Gabby who are both spoiled rich girls..except, they're not really spoiled rotten (in attitude, I mean). Ingrid has powers, Gabby does not-- yet Gabby is more of a fighter and can hold her own. Its exceedingly rare for a book with paranormal elements to have humans alongside the (in this case) gargoyles / demons and still look formidable. The fact that Gabby is a formidable opponent without needing a guy to fight for her or rescue her? Totally gratifying. Each girl has a unique personality and I love them both! I am pretty partial to Ingrid, though. I identified with her. And, we see more of her because of the narration.

[Side note: yes, there are multiple points of view, but it won't give you a headache. It's just enough so that you care about characters that you may not have otherwise gave a flying flop about. (Seriously).]

I loved Ingrid because she reminded me of myself. She's strong and her sister described her as having a cold, iron exterior. As a reader you share Ingrid's hurt and confusion to this statement because you know her inner sadness and turmoil is anything but. However she's a strong woman; not to mention a total badass. And so is her sister, Gabby! I know, I'll give you a moment to recover from your shock that there's not only one strong female character; but two. Yup. Oh and don't worry, even though we're in 19th century France you still get some MAJOR Buffy-style fight scenes! And tons of lip locking and crazy flirtatiousness (just go with it) behind locked doors. *wink*
There's actually one part where a Gabby takes a knife and slides under a demon cutting his underbelly which she describes as being "soft as butter" while green blood sizzles on the ground where she just was. Aw man. I whooped so loud my cat got scared. I mean-- how awesome is that?!?

Finally, I have to remark upon the setting. The setting is perfect. Creepy, gothic, old world Paris. An old decrepit abbey. A missing brother. Girls going missing all over the city. I mean, it's amazing. Does it live up to all that it can be? Yes. The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars was that first part where things that had to be established got a little choppy.

The badass heroines, steamy guys, unique mythology, and solid plot makes this novel one you do not want to miss.

[Sarah Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is tough to rate. It did keep my interest, but not enough to bother with the other books.

I really liked the sensational Victorian trappings of the Beautiful & Cursed world. It has a Stoker fin-de-siecle gothic feel (with strong Supernatural & Buffy undertones), particularly in the setting -- lots of old stone buildings, cobbled streets, fog, & plush fabrics. Most of the side characters were good, & there was no disappearing parent syndrome or forced-isolation-for-ease-of-plotting disease. I also liked the gargoyle/demon/angel mythos -- it made more sense than most demon/angel books I've read, & the heroine's Snowflake Status was explained in a believable way (putting aside the highly far-fetched plot, but that's necessary in any PNR series). The action scenes were decent with a heavy dose of macabre. I also liked that there were multiple characters with important roles & the focus wasn't solely on the dippy Twu Wuv romance.

That being said...

The dippy Twu Wuv romance is there, & it's particularly Twilight-esque. That in itself I might have forgiven, had the characters therein been particularly unique, but they weren't. I didn't find them very interesting -- but I didn't find them very annoying, either. They're just...stock. Expected. Ho-hum. It's like they stood around waving flags that said "WE'RE YA, Y'ALL." There were times when I really, really wished the author had pushed the envelope just a bit more (example: making Ingrid not a virgin) to back up a blurb that implies Penny Dreadful-meets-YA, but alas. There were several scenes when it felt like the author was holding back in one way or another -- and holding back makes for 3-star books instead of 4.

Even with the flaws, it's one of the better YAs I've read recently. (Just look at my track record -- merely wanting to finish is a victory.) Despite this so-so review through adult eyes, I can say with confidence that I'd have gobbled it up in middle school. Some things never change. :D

[Louisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gargoyles? GARGOYLES!

While I did like the book on a general whole, it unfortunately suffered the same downfall as Megan Shepard's The Madman's Daughter, another YA gothic, did: the romance(s) underwhelmed the creative plot and setting. I really liked the spin on les grotesques that Page Morgan took with this. YA today is incredibly oversaturated with werewolves and vampires and angels. Even mermaids are making a splash on the scene. Gargoyles, on the other hand, haven't really been done, and certainly not in the context of 1899 Paris.

On the other hand, I'm not a fan of the love triangle(s). Certainly the characters do nothing to help that. I don't favour any one pairing over the other. The boys are all described as handsome, good-looking, devastatingly good-looking, striking, attractive... Jeez, must be something in the water. The fretting over forbidden romance really takes away from the plot.

If the middle of the book had plodded on, I'd have been very disappointed, but at least the ending saved my enjoyment of the actual story between the Dispossessed, the demons and the angels. I'll only pick up the sequel to find out what happens on that front. Couldn't be less invested in the romantic subplots. Maybe somewhat rooting for Nolan and Gabby? That's all.

[Dana Al-Basha | دانة الباشا]

[Sunday, ‎November ‎17, ‎2013] Residing in desolate abbey protected by gargoyles, two beautiful teenaged sisters in turn-of-the-century Paris discover deadly and otherworldly truths as they search for their missing brother.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan
Book One of The Dispossessed series
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 14, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC won from a giveaway

Summary (from Goodreads):

After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn't a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And Grayson has gone missing.

No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn't dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she’ll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.

What I Liked:

Oh oh oh I LOVED this book! Why did I wait so long to read it?! I've had this ARC since before this book's publication - so, like, a year now. SHAME ON ME. This is historical fiction, and I LOVE historical fiction, in YA and adult age levels. I also really enjoy paranormal novels. So, when you combine the two, historical fiction and paranormal fiction really work for me. This is a great example of how the two blend and mesh into something amazing!

Ingrid and her family (with the exception of her father) move to Paris, trying to avoid social scandals in order to save Ingrid's reputation. But what Ingrid doesn't realize is that her brother has been taken by demons. Her home is guarded by gargoyles, charged with protecting humans. And she herself, Ingrid, isn't quite normal. Everything goes back to the woman who has Grayson, and who is searching for her (Ingrid). It seems like everyone wants Ingrid, whether to kill her, or to take her blood. Ingrid wants to find her brother, but she quickly realizes that she has stumbled upon something that is much more than her twin's disappearance, something in which she was already infinitely involved.

I honestly didn't think I would like Ingrid, at first. I'm not entirely sure why. I'm not a huge fan of her name, but it grew on me. I thought she seemed a bit uptight, but as the story progressed, I really liked the person that she becomes. The character development is really well done in this book, for both Ingrid and Gabby (Ingrid and Grayson's younger sister, by about one and a half years).

That's something that I really liked about this book - the characters were all really well developed and crafted. Also, we get to see many perspectives, in this book. It's written completely in third person, but we get limited points-of-view from Ingrid, Gabby, Grayson, and Luc. I especially liked reading from Luc's point-of-view. Of course.

Luc is the gargoyle charged with protecting the Waverly females. He is brusque and closed-off, just trying to do his job. He is hundreds of years old, so this job gets boring. But soon he realizes that life tracking Ingrid, Gabby, and their mother is not easy. He has an affinity for Ingrid, which isn't easy, because she's human. Ish. And he is a gargoyle. I love his surly personality. I love his abruptness. This never really changes throughout the book, but it's obvious that there are many sides to Luc. He is most compassionate and most stubborn when it comes to Ingrid.

The worldbuilding in this book is AWESOME. I've never been to Paris, and know even less of historic Paris, but I think Morgan did an excellent job with her historical research (or, if anything, she did a really good job of convincing us of what is history). I loved how well the world is crafted, and how easy it is to slip into the nuances of the world. It's not hard to follow all of the names and creatures and lore.

The story seems simple - find Grayson. However, this plot snowballs into one huge tangled chaotic mess. Okay, it's not a mess. But there are so many things going on at once. However, it isn't confusing. I like how complicated Morgan makes this story, how many pieces there are to everything. It all comes together and meets in the end of this book, which is a touch overwhelming, but I liked the ending a lot. Well, the immediate ending is a bit sad. But the climax and the falling action after the climax is great.

The romance is straightforward, yet, not. Ingrid falls in love with Luc, even though it's basically impossible for "human" (is she though?) and a gargoyle to be, um, physical. You'll notice that in this series, physical displays of emotion are few and far between, when it comes to Luc and Ingrid. It's sad, but true. But that makes the rare moments when they are physical with each other SO BEAUTIFUL.

I won't mention anything else about the romance surrounding Ingrid. She loves Luc. Luc loves her. There is also Gabby, who falls in love with someone. I loved seeing that happen, because Gabby is quite the character. She is pigheaded and feisty, not calm with a simmer, like her sister.

I really liked this book, you all. Like, I LOVED it. I can't say enough about it! I hope you all pick up this book (or series in general)!

What I Did Not Like:

I don't really have much to say in this section. However, this book is a four-star-read from me... that's just how I feel! I think the romance, in its slow, torturous web, makes me sad. I really wish things could be easier from Ingrid and Luc! I love the romance and hate it at the same time. So it makes this book a little bittersweet for me - hence the four stars.

Would I Recommend It:

YES! Most definitely! I really liked this book in its entirety - the historical fiction part, the paranormal, the adventure, the romance. I must say, the romance is both beautiful and heartbreaking, and I love it. I hope that it ends well, by the end of the series, but for now, I'll excuse Morgan for toying with us readers. If you enjoy historical fiction, or paranormal-based fiction, you will enjoy this book! It's very unique and fresh, and I am so glad that I have the chance to read at least the first two books!

Rating:

4 stars. I absolutely loved this book! And I'm writing this review with knowledge of what happens in the second book (I binge-read the two back to back, so now I'm writing reviews for both). I can safely say that this series is one of my favorite YA historical fiction series!

[Isamlq · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author sums it up best, “It’s about real living gargoyles … in Paris… in the 1890’s. And they, like, protect humans. Or something.” To be perfectly honest, were you to strip all that down, you’d likely say you’d read a version of this somewhere, some when before.

There’s a girl, you see, and she’s been pigeonholed as fragile and weak, only to have each action/ thought by her run contrary to that. And it’s a family affair too, this being more than you think them to be at first. Both her sister and twin brother differ in some way or other. It’s her sister, Gabby who’s the most remarkable, I felt. As the girl was more in your face, more confident and more active in getting things rolling. The brother’s a whole other mystery though, and it’s on his end that things started feeling much too Tessa and brother all over again for my liking. Must it always be the brother getting into trouble with and the devoted younger sister(s) doing the worrying/saving/thinking? Seems like it to me.

Then the love interests, of which there are many in this one, none of them felt “new” to me. There’s perfect sharp looking distant brooding Luc and bookish but in a hot way Vander… (and check out those names! If those aren’t love interest names, I have no idea what is!) The thing is there’s loads of romance to go around. Gabby too had her own troubles with the obnoxious (but in hot way) Nolan. To be honest I enjoyed the last pair the most, at least they made sense, with Gabby aware as she was of what she had going for her, and Nolan only too aware of the same.

Though this tries to be more than a YA love story, with Luc and his world… it doesn’t quite succeed. A lot of the tension is brought out by Ingrid and Luc and their ‘should we shouldn’t we’ moments. Then later by Ingrid’s other moments of ‘look at the hot boy with the books!’ As well as by Gabby’s own drama of I hate this ass but actually like him! EXCEPT there are other moments too; the moments where we catch a glimpse of the world that Luc, the Dispossessed, the Alliance and whoever else had been keeping secret. It’s those bits I’d have loved of more.

So, we know parts: how they protect the humans in their charge, and how they follow orders and tow the line… and how some of them would rather not. Then we find out who the bosses are and who the bosses of their bosses are… and it all gets a tad complicated, complications I wouldn’t have minded were it a bit more cleanly laid out. Then throw in the a world of baddies versus their world of good guys (who weren’t behaving like typical good guys either). It’s the little bits I liked… the rules that guide them, the responsibilities they put up with that I would have liked more. That aside, this was fun… and yes, different not all the time mind you. Hell, not even most of the time!) But those glimpses into the underworld as well as the demons? there’s an almost nightmarish quality to them. And I liked that aspect the most.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page Morgan's debut novel, The Beautiful and the Cursed is just as beautiful inside as it is, outside. While the cover may be what originally drew me to the book, the writing and the story are what kept me reading!

I'll start with the setting since that's one of the things I loved most about The Beautiful and the Cursed. Paris in 1899. What more could you ask for? Well, how about mystery and intrigue and a possibly haunted abbey covered in stone gargoyles that are more than what they appear to be? Wow. I've always been a fan of historical fiction and while The Beautiful and the Cursed is more than that, it captures everything I love about traditional historical fiction. The setting is haunting and beautiful and makes me long to travel back in time to be able to visit the Paris that Ingrid Waverly and her family inhabit. The setting alone could have made me enjoy this book a lot but add in everything else and I completely adored it.

The paranormal aspect was probably the best part. How many books have you read about gargoyles? I've read one, now. The Beautiful and the Cursed is so far from your everyday paranormal story. I won't give anything away but let's just say that it's super unique and so intriguing. I would love more original stories like Page Morgan's.

The characters are easy to like from the very beginning. Even knowing nothing about them, I was drawn to the stories of the twins, Ingrid and Grayson. I loved the connection that they shared and while they were very different people, they truly loved each other. The relationship with the rest of the Waverly family was just as great. Gabby seemed a little dramatic but I quickly grew to like her. Luc was mysterious and handsome and while there was always something a little off about him, I did like him. If you are a person who is very character driven when it comes to reading, you'll love The Beautiful and the Cursed.

Overall, The Beautiful and the Cursed is one fabulous book. It's unique, beautifully written, and completely captivating. I hope to read more of this story in the future!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Beautiful and the Cursed was just as fantastic as I had hoped it would be.

In the world of The Beautiful and the Cursed gargoyles are real and so are demons. Ingrid and Gabby’s brother has gone missing and girls are being kidnapped then found dead in Paris. When the two sisters start digging around for any sign of their brother, they discover the world of gargoyles.

I’ll start with Ingrid and Gabby. I found Ingrid to be very interesting and I preferred her POV over the others’. I sometimes wished she had been a little more out spoken though especially when it came to her interactions with Luc. With that said, I don’t think of this as a bad thing. The book takes place during the 1800s but this aspect of her was just part of her personality.

Where Ingrid lacked this boldness, Gabby was over flowing with it. Honestly, Gabby got on my nerves at first. I was slightly annoyed I had to read her POV but as the book went on (and she continued to interact with Nolan) I came to really enjoy the way she just blurted out what she thought. It’s become slightly endearing for me.

And that leaves Luc—their personal, household gargoyle. I really enjoyed the beginnings of him coming around and becoming more human. I’m interested to get to know him. His lot in the gargoyle caste system was really interesting and I think ultimately fitting, especially with the book’s ending. If anything can be said of him, it’s that he’s loyal.

The writing was very refreshing for me. The entire books was well written. Every piece of the puzzle was presented at precisely the right moment, and everything was put together right at the end where it’s best suited. The world is very interesting and I hope Miss Morgan will delve deeper into it. Needless to say, I was blown away. And with how things ended, I can’t wait to see how things work out with Luc and his new (shall I say?) “friend.”

[Nuzaifa · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS:

The Beautiful and the Cursed was a reminder of why I adore YA books. Gargoyles in 1890's Paris ? Sign me up, dude!

Ingrid along with her mother and sister, Gabby are forced to move to Paris from London after an accident.

The sisters move into an abandoned abbey which Ingrid's mother plans to turn into an art gallery only to find that their brother, Grayson is missing when they arrive.

Morgan's writing paints a vivid picture of Paris and I couldn't help but fall in love with the city over and over again.

The story is narrated in multiple POVs and is woven together seamlessly to create an imaginative and unique story.

Don't let the girl on the cover fool you because the Waverly sisters are definitely not damsels in distress. The Waverly siblings, the swoon-worthy love interests and the supporting characters were well written and multidimensional and I found myself being very interested in each and every one of their stories. But I have to admit that it was Ingrid's and Luc's scenes that I was eagerly anticipating!

Built on mythology of les grotesques, incorporated with an element of mystery and interspersed with romance, Morgan's debut is a compelling read that had me hooked from page one.

MY RATING: 4 AND A HALF STARS

FAVORITE LINES:

“I’ll get to you if you need me,” he whispered, the press of his fingers a tangible version of his pledge. She wished neither of them was wearing gloves. The feel of his skin against hers shouldn’t have been the foremost desire in her mind, but it was. Luc sapped her of all reason, it seemed. And his touch made it difficult to breathe.
“I know you will,” she said.

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ingrid moves to Paris with her family after a horrible incident gone wrong. Her new home is an abandoned church with gargoyle statues all around. As Ingrid and her sister Gabby explore Paris, they realize that the super natural creatures from legend and myth come to life. And the boy that she befriends may not be who he seems. Together they unravel one of the greatest secrets and are thrown into a world full of mystery and danger.

What can I say about The Beautiful and the Cursed? If I can sum it up in one word, it would be intense. The book kept me wanting more. The mystery was unraveled at regular intervals and I couldn’t help but want more answers. The cast of characters were just as strong as the story’s plot and I really enjoyed their dialogues and their relationships. And I also loved the setting! Paris? Who wouldn’t want to get lost in that city? I felt like I was there and that’s something I don’t find often.

Page writes Ingrid’s story with her beautiful storytelling, the violent murders, and the mysterious secrets that surrounds The Beautiful and the Cursed‘s world. Highly recommended for fans looking for a supernatural read.

Characters
Loved all the characters, especially the boys!

Pacing/Length
Great pacing! Super fast!

Cover/Design
LOVE IT! Gorgeous and oh-so-pretty!

Plot
I love a good mystery and this one kept me asking questions!

Overall, a wonderful read that kept me wanting more!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been in such a reading slump when it comes to YA paranormal - I'd actually thought that I was just completely burnt out on the whole genre, which felt really sad. (And which had much more to do with me than with any particular books or authors!)

But then - OMG, I loved this book. I just absolutely devoured it! I love Page Morgan's rich, evocative writing, and the way she summons up the whole fabulous setting of 19th-century Paris as beautifully as she sketches her characters. I loved both of the parallel heroines in this book, older-sister Ingrid and younger-sister Gabby, who are both really strong and fierce in very different ways. I *really* loved the forbidden romance between Ingrid and Luc, her own personal gargoyle, which is complete with complicated power dynamics in both directions. The whole book is an utterly delicious Gothic in every way.

(One small note: I don't think the UK cover does the book a great service - it's striking, and I love the gargoyle, but the girl's hair and outfit make the book look like a contemporary paranormal to me, whereas one of my favorite parts of the novel was the rich historical aspect. On the other hand, maybe it'll help readers who wouldn't normally try a historical novel try out this one??? I don't know.)

If Book 2 were out today, I would have already bought it and locked myself in my room to devour it. I want it NOW.

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read. For me, this is a rarity as the story is a historical fiction paranormal story. I am not a big fan of historical fiction books, but if the writing is good, I will give it a try. In this book, the writing was quick-witted and really enjoyable. Also, I really liked the world setting. The world was beautiful and I cannot wait to explore this world again. The characters were great. I thought they were complex and dynamic, and the romance was beautiful yet heartbreaking. I did feel like the story was slow at some times, but it did not take away my enjoyment from the story. I cannot wait to see what book 2 has in store next. Overall, a great read.

[Lauriie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nachdem ich am Anfang nicht so begeistert von der Hamdlung war und deswegen nicht so gut in die Geschichte gefunden habe, hab ich es in den letzten 2 Tagen regelrecht verschlungen. Hoffentlich wird der zweite Band der Reihe demnächst ins Deutsche übersetzt. Aber jetzt da ich die ganze Welt rund um die Gargoyles endlich verstehen kann ich mich bis daheim mit Jennifer L. Armentrouts Dark Elements Reihe hinweg trösten....