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Reversed Retellings #2
The Beast and the Beauty
Can a woman, cursed with the guise of a beast, charm a handsome prince into proposing marriage?
Once the resplendent belle of the court, Sybil de la Roche is now struck with a curse, making her the most grotesque woman in the kingdom. To reclaim her lost beauty, she must secure a marriage proposal. However, after forty long years and twenty-eight rejections, she resolves to shatter the curse herself. But the arrival of a charismatic stranger stirs a tumult of hope and fear within her.
Enter Prince Gerald, the most handsome man in Savony, on a mission to locate a long-lost mage. When a snowstorm maroons him at an isolated manor, he becomes intrigued by the enigmatic woman residing there. However, his attempts to know her are thwarted by her fierce determination to keep him at bay.
To fully appreciate this sequel, we recommend first reading Book 1, Till Midnight, before setting forth on the journey of The Beast and the Beauty.
Once the resplendent belle of the court, Sybil de la Roche is now struck with a curse, making her the most grotesque woman in the kingdom. To reclaim her lost beauty, she must secure a marriage proposal. However, after forty long years and twenty-eight rejections, she resolves to shatter the curse herself. But the arrival of a charismatic stranger stirs a tumult of hope and fear within her.
Enter Prince Gerald, the most handsome man in Savony, on a mission to locate a long-lost mage. When a snowstorm maroons him at an isolated manor, he becomes intrigued by the enigmatic woman residing there. However, his attempts to know her are thwarted by her fierce determination to keep him at bay.
To fully appreciate this sequel, we recommend first reading Book 1, Till Midnight, before setting forth on the journey of The Beast and the Beauty.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 30, 2019
230 people are currently reading
466 people want to read
About the author
Arisa May
20 books14 followersArisa writes stories with a touch of magic, and is especially interested in portal fantasies (isekai) and the villainess trope. She has written over fifteen novels; several have been translated into French and Italian. She hails from Taiwan, where she can’t survive without air-conditioning, and when she’s not reading or writing, she enjoys baking desserts and dancing to Kpop.
*formerly published under the name of Aya Ling.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
*formerly published under the name of Aya Ling.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
April 1, 2019
Rating: Confused between 3 and 4
At the start, the pace was quite slow and boring which made me apprehensive. I was torn between dnf-ing and continuing. Because even of I liked the concept of the gender bend tale, so far ( in the first book and this one) the author's writing had been very disappointing and I didn't want to drag through anymore.
The story started out in the predicatble and typical way but thankfully, around a quarter ( or half ) way through the author has altered the story from the original one. So even though the message remains the same and most of the main facts are present, the story is all together different. That was where things started getting interesting. So even if the writing hasn't gotten the superior quality that I've come to expect of the author. It wasn't all so bad. By the end I was quite into the story. Inquisitive to know what's gonna happen.
This isn't something I would really recommend anyone because even if the framework and storyline is good the writing is slow and boring and basically a spoil sport. So it might seem like a waste of time dragging oneself through. While the actual idea is great, the presentation is lacking. I had great expectations from the series but so far it has been very disappointing , atleast in the deliverance. The story is pretty interesting in theory.
At the start, the pace was quite slow and boring which made me apprehensive. I was torn between dnf-ing and continuing. Because even of I liked the concept of the gender bend tale, so far ( in the first book and this one) the author's writing had been very disappointing and I didn't want to drag through anymore.
The story started out in the predicatble and typical way but thankfully, around a quarter ( or half ) way through the author has altered the story from the original one. So even though the message remains the same and most of the main facts are present, the story is all together different. That was where things started getting interesting. So even if the writing hasn't gotten the superior quality that I've come to expect of the author. It wasn't all so bad. By the end I was quite into the story. Inquisitive to know what's gonna happen.
This isn't something I would really recommend anyone because even if the framework and storyline is good the writing is slow and boring and basically a spoil sport. So it might seem like a waste of time dragging oneself through. While the actual idea is great, the presentation is lacking. I had great expectations from the series but so far it has been very disappointing , atleast in the deliverance. The story is pretty interesting in theory.
March 31, 2019
This was a pretty good read! I don't read many gender-swapped fairytale retellings, and this was definitely the first gender-swapped B&B retelling I've seen. Though it's not my favorite, I liked the way the author incorprated the elements of the story with such a refreshingly new twist.
The Beast and the Beauty tells the story of Gerald, second-oldest prince of Savony--whom we met in the first book of this trilogy, and Lady Sybil de la Roche, a noblewoman cursed to look like a demon. Gerald here is the "Beauty," being the most handsome man in the land, and through fate he finds himself stuck in Sybil's enchanted household.
The romance was pretty well done. Most B&B romances are, though, so that makes sense. I did have a problem with Gerald's being continuously called dazzling with a feminine beauty... I guess I just expected him to look as manly as he acted. Anyway.
As for the retelling on itself-- except for the gender-swapped roles, I don't think it was all that original. It didn't stand out much from most other retellings. So I guess originality is a point I can only count lost.
The content-- mostly clean. :) There may have been a suggestive moment or two, and at one point Sybil gets drunk, but otherwise I'd say it's good. However, as a personal opinion I have to point out that there was a very minor character introduced as having undergone "transformation" from man to woman. That part made me very uncomfortable, I regret to say. It was also highly unnecessary and contributed absolutely nothing to the overall story.
All in all, 2.5 stars. A good book to read in one afternoon.
*I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
The Beast and the Beauty tells the story of Gerald, second-oldest prince of Savony--whom we met in the first book of this trilogy, and Lady Sybil de la Roche, a noblewoman cursed to look like a demon. Gerald here is the "Beauty," being the most handsome man in the land, and through fate he finds himself stuck in Sybil's enchanted household.
The romance was pretty well done. Most B&B romances are, though, so that makes sense. I did have a problem with Gerald's being continuously called dazzling with a feminine beauty... I guess I just expected him to look as manly as he acted. Anyway.
As for the retelling on itself-- except for the gender-swapped roles, I don't think it was all that original. It didn't stand out much from most other retellings. So I guess originality is a point I can only count lost.
The content-- mostly clean. :) There may have been a suggestive moment or two, and at one point Sybil gets drunk, but otherwise I'd say it's good. However, as a personal opinion I have to point out that there was a very minor character introduced as having undergone "transformation" from man to woman. That part made me very uncomfortable, I regret to say. It was also highly unnecessary and contributed absolutely nothing to the overall story.
All in all, 2.5 stars. A good book to read in one afternoon.
*I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
June 18, 2020
3.5
I liked this one a lot better then the first though
I liked this one a lot better then the first though
December 29, 2019
Aya Ling's writing continues to improve. The first book in this series was also well done and this one makes more sense if you've read it beforehand. While I enjoyed this story and its plot and characters, I didn't appreciate the one or two seemingly random details thrown in that didn't enhance the story at all, but rather served only to highlight the author's opinion of some lifestyle choices that I don't adhere to. Overall though, an enjoyable read.
I did receive an ARC; this review was written voluntarily.
I did receive an ARC; this review was written voluntarily.
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November 21, 2020Since I'm writing a retelling of Beauty and the Beast this NaNo, I've been in the mood to get back to reading B&B retellings...including any I could find that are gender-bent, like my current one. So far, this is the only one I've found. It's also my first book by Aya Ling, and I did enjoy it quite a bit!
I've got to say that I probably feel the opposite about this book than most of the reviews on here- I actually enjoyed the first half, when it was just Gerard and Sybil at the castle, better than the last half. It just seemed more classic "Beauty and the Beast" than the later chapters, in which the story became a bit more connected to the overarching plot of the book series. That being said, the climax was well-done. So while I would have liked to have a book with this premise that was more of a standalone (this is book #2), I didn't have any trouble following along despite this and found it a unique take on the story!
I've got to say that I probably feel the opposite about this book than most of the reviews on here- I actually enjoyed the first half, when it was just Gerard and Sybil at the castle, better than the last half. It just seemed more classic "Beauty and the Beast" than the later chapters, in which the story became a bit more connected to the overarching plot of the book series. That being said, the climax was well-done. So while I would have liked to have a book with this premise that was more of a standalone (this is book #2), I didn't have any trouble following along despite this and found it a unique take on the story!
May 22, 2019
This is the best book in the series so far. The things I had issues with in Till Midnight were much improved in this one. The writing was stronger. Everything was smoother (and more interesting) in general. I didn’t struggle or force myself to keep reading like I did with Till Midnight.
There are so many B&B retellings out there, but I can say that Aya Ling has the most unique version (from what I’ve read so far). I really enjoyed it. I felt good chemistry from Sybil and Gerald.
I can’t wait for the next book from Aya Ling. From what I gather, it seems to be a Sleeping Beauty retelling and I’m all for that (c’mon, pretty sleeping princes).
There are so many B&B retellings out there, but I can say that Aya Ling has the most unique version (from what I’ve read so far). I really enjoyed it. I felt good chemistry from Sybil and Gerald.
I can’t wait for the next book from Aya Ling. From what I gather, it seems to be a Sleeping Beauty retelling and I’m all for that (c’mon, pretty sleeping princes).
November 28, 2021
I’m enjoying these reverse fairy tales. It is interesting how the author has combined three different fairy tales into a series of three books with some of the same characters being in all of the books. One story flows into the next. Which makes me, the reader, want to continue reading the next book. I loved Prince Gerald. While I liked Sybil. I had a harder time liking her because she was so focused on pushing Gerald away. Sybil was the beast in the story who had her beauty stolen from her. Ironically the man who can break her curse is a man that is as lovely as she once was. The two see the meaning of beauty in different ways. Gerald has to teach Sybil what beauty really is.
January 26, 2020
3.5 stars
Fun read, but didn't love the ending. Looking forward to the next book.
Fun read, but didn't love the ending. Looking forward to the next book.
April 7, 2019
The Beast and the Beauty follows up Till Midnight as the second book in Aya Ling's Reversed Retellings series, which reverses the gender roles from well-known fairy tales. This book was her take on the story of "Beauty and the Beast" with a male beauty and a female beast. Though Gail Carson Levine did something similar to this with Ogre Enchanted, The Beast and the Beauty is more of a direct translation of the romantic elements of the original story, giving the reader a better opportunity to look at how the dynamics of the characters change when their genders are reversed. A conventionally beautiful man has different problems than a conventionally beautiful woman, and the same applies to a grotesque or deformed man vs. a grotesque or deformed woman. I thought this was a very clever take on the story while still staying true to the most beloved elements of it.
The Beast and the Beauty is the story of Lady Sybil de la Roche, a rich debutant who was cursed by a wicked sorceress who was jealous of her striking beauty. Unlike her beasty counterpart from prior "Beauty and the Beast" adaptations, Sybil is quite mild-mannered, and her demonic appearance is not meant to be a reflection of her cruelty to the enchantress. She is also immortal during the curse along with everyone living at her manor, so there is a very significant age difference between her and Prince Gerald when he finds her. In that respect, is similar to a vampire romance story, something that has also been explored in prior adaptations of this fairy tale. Sybil's loyal servants do everything they can to hide her deformities in the hopes that she will find a suitor to end the curse, but it always goes horribly wrong when they learn the truth. As a result, Sybil grows extremely cynical over the years and comes to the conclusion that all men are superficial, something that many women in the real world are unfortunately taught from a young age.
Prince Gerald, the "beauty" of the story, was introduced as one of the twelve princes in the prequel novel Till Midnight. He is a quiet intellectual who wears spectacles and loves to read just like many modern iterations of Belle. However, he also receives a lot of unwanted attention as a man for having striking blonde hair, blue eyes, and delicate facial feature. He is often chastised for looking too effeminate, a fate that is also shared by Martin, a character from another Aya Ling novel, A Little Mermaid. The conventional charms that women try to use on him have no effect because his interests lie solely in matters of the mind. Gerald is very humble and does his best to try to blend into the background as much as he can for someone with such a striking appearance. When he breaks into Sybil's manor to find shelter during a freak storm, he is more than willing to pitch in to help the servants repair the damage he caused.
The love story in this book is a touching tale of acceptance toward both oneself and one's partner. The message is even more poignant when women are conventionally expected to look pretty in order to find love more than men. It is made clear many times that Gerald only wants to break the curse for Sybil's sake because she hates living in a body that is not hers in a state where time is frozen. For the first half of the book, she refuses to reveal her identity to Gerald. She disguises herself as a maid named Alma and covers her face with a veil. Even though Gerald tells her multiple times that he values intelligence and wit over beauty, she cannot accept it to be true after the years of rejection she experienced prior to meeting him. Only after she is willing to let her guard down are they truly able to be together.
The Beast and the Beauty is everything you could possibly want from a gender-reversed adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast." It addresses all of the same themes as the original story in a more poignant manner by reversing conventional fairy tale roles and exploring the nature of love and superficiality. I loved how Sybil and Gerald were able to bond over their love of reading and that Sybil learned it was possible for someone to accept her the way she was after being repeatedly let down for so long. There was one pointless character death in the book that bothered me, but that was the only thing I didn't like. If you love romance, fairy tales, and challenging social norms, I suggest checking it out.
The Beast and the Beauty is the story of Lady Sybil de la Roche, a rich debutant who was cursed by a wicked sorceress who was jealous of her striking beauty. Unlike her beasty counterpart from prior "Beauty and the Beast" adaptations, Sybil is quite mild-mannered, and her demonic appearance is not meant to be a reflection of her cruelty to the enchantress. She is also immortal during the curse along with everyone living at her manor, so there is a very significant age difference between her and Prince Gerald when he finds her. In that respect, is similar to a vampire romance story, something that has also been explored in prior adaptations of this fairy tale. Sybil's loyal servants do everything they can to hide her deformities in the hopes that she will find a suitor to end the curse, but it always goes horribly wrong when they learn the truth. As a result, Sybil grows extremely cynical over the years and comes to the conclusion that all men are superficial, something that many women in the real world are unfortunately taught from a young age.
Prince Gerald, the "beauty" of the story, was introduced as one of the twelve princes in the prequel novel Till Midnight. He is a quiet intellectual who wears spectacles and loves to read just like many modern iterations of Belle. However, he also receives a lot of unwanted attention as a man for having striking blonde hair, blue eyes, and delicate facial feature. He is often chastised for looking too effeminate, a fate that is also shared by Martin, a character from another Aya Ling novel, A Little Mermaid. The conventional charms that women try to use on him have no effect because his interests lie solely in matters of the mind. Gerald is very humble and does his best to try to blend into the background as much as he can for someone with such a striking appearance. When he breaks into Sybil's manor to find shelter during a freak storm, he is more than willing to pitch in to help the servants repair the damage he caused.
The love story in this book is a touching tale of acceptance toward both oneself and one's partner. The message is even more poignant when women are conventionally expected to look pretty in order to find love more than men. It is made clear many times that Gerald only wants to break the curse for Sybil's sake because she hates living in a body that is not hers in a state where time is frozen. For the first half of the book, she refuses to reveal her identity to Gerald. She disguises herself as a maid named Alma and covers her face with a veil. Even though Gerald tells her multiple times that he values intelligence and wit over beauty, she cannot accept it to be true after the years of rejection she experienced prior to meeting him. Only after she is willing to let her guard down are they truly able to be together.
The Beast and the Beauty is everything you could possibly want from a gender-reversed adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast." It addresses all of the same themes as the original story in a more poignant manner by reversing conventional fairy tale roles and exploring the nature of love and superficiality. I loved how Sybil and Gerald were able to bond over their love of reading and that Sybil learned it was possible for someone to accept her the way she was after being repeatedly let down for so long. There was one pointless character death in the book that bothered me, but that was the only thing I didn't like. If you love romance, fairy tales, and challenging social norms, I suggest checking it out.
August 11, 2024
This is the first reverse fairytale retelling that I have read and I found the premise intriguing.
Especially since it's The Beauty and the Beast.
However, despite the intriguing premise and a very nice twist, this fell short for me.
The characters felt just as flat as the romance and the story as a whole lacked that little something that makes it stand out and keeps readers glued to the pages.
The fact that the prince's appearance was constantly described as 'feminine' to the point of 'he's only missing a dress', rubbed me a bit the wrong way, just as the out of the blue sex change mentioned by a character at the end.
Speaking of end, it was a letdown.
I will neither continue with the series, nor read any other books by this author.
Especially since it's The Beauty and the Beast.
However, despite the intriguing premise and a very nice twist, this fell short for me.
The characters felt just as flat as the romance and the story as a whole lacked that little something that makes it stand out and keeps readers glued to the pages.
The fact that the prince's appearance was constantly described as 'feminine' to the point of 'he's only missing a dress', rubbed me a bit the wrong way, just as the out of the blue sex change mentioned by a character at the end.
Speaking of end, it was a letdown.
I will neither continue with the series, nor read any other books by this author.
March 30, 2019
Swapping gender roles for the retelling of this tale was a surprise to me and I thought it was such a cool twist to the story. Here we have Lady Sybil de la Roche, once a gorgeous but vain and rather callous woman who is cursed to look like a demon by a jealous witch. As part of the curse, she and her servants never age and at the start of the book, decades have passed since they were cursed and the world and their original lives have passed them by. Then Gerald, the second-eldest of 12 princes, and incredibly beautiful for a man, admired by women and men alike, is stranded near Sybil's mansion due to a snow storm while he is on a quest.
The characters are well written, the story is good, well-paced with a quite a bit of tension building up towards the end. Some people may not like the frequent references to Gerald's beauty, because he was a strong male lead character. I think what the author may have been trying to convey was that even though Gerald was over the top handsome and Sybil, when cursed, was an ugly monster, in the end what counted was their character and how Sybil grew as a person. They learn to love each other for who they were, not how they looked. To me, that was the real story. I truly enjoyed it and am waiting for the next book in the series. And, while you don't need to read the first book of the series, 'Till Midnight', to enjoy this one, it helps with the backstory and is a good read also.
The characters are well written, the story is good, well-paced with a quite a bit of tension building up towards the end. Some people may not like the frequent references to Gerald's beauty, because he was a strong male lead character. I think what the author may have been trying to convey was that even though Gerald was over the top handsome and Sybil, when cursed, was an ugly monster, in the end what counted was their character and how Sybil grew as a person. They learn to love each other for who they were, not how they looked. To me, that was the real story. I truly enjoyed it and am waiting for the next book in the series. And, while you don't need to read the first book of the series, 'Till Midnight', to enjoy this one, it helps with the backstory and is a good read also.
May 5, 2019
Enjoyable Twist on the Classic Tale
Normally, the beast is a man. In this tale, it’s a woman. The beauty is a man pretty enough to be a woman, even though he’s handsome, too. What I liked about this retelling is that it developed a plausible reason why Gerald might be kind and Sybil was beastly in looks only. Normally out beast is angry and lashes out. Sybil hides behind a veil and avoids questions about herself. Gerald is drawn to her *because* she treats him as an equal and provides him with the rare pleasure of discussing and debating books.
I could relate to Sybil’s certainty that he could never be interested and appreciated that once the secret was out, he didn’t mind at all. In fact, when she finally was a beauty again, he decided he could get used to it, even though he loved her other appearance more.
The one thing I didn’t like was how we didn’t get to see our HEA. We know it’s coming, likely in a later book, but we didn’t get to see them happily married, sitting by the fire, drinking hot chocolate and happily discussing books. It’s a minor complaint, and not one to stop me from reading the next book, but it do wish to see the loose ends tied up.
Normally, the beast is a man. In this tale, it’s a woman. The beauty is a man pretty enough to be a woman, even though he’s handsome, too. What I liked about this retelling is that it developed a plausible reason why Gerald might be kind and Sybil was beastly in looks only. Normally out beast is angry and lashes out. Sybil hides behind a veil and avoids questions about herself. Gerald is drawn to her *because* she treats him as an equal and provides him with the rare pleasure of discussing and debating books.
I could relate to Sybil’s certainty that he could never be interested and appreciated that once the secret was out, he didn’t mind at all. In fact, when she finally was a beauty again, he decided he could get used to it, even though he loved her other appearance more.
The one thing I didn’t like was how we didn’t get to see our HEA. We know it’s coming, likely in a later book, but we didn’t get to see them happily married, sitting by the fire, drinking hot chocolate and happily discussing books. It’s a minor complaint, and not one to stop me from reading the next book, but it do wish to see the loose ends tied up.
March 29, 2019
Clever gender-swapped re-telling of 'Beauty and the Beast' where Gerald, the best looking of the 12 princes from 'Till Midnight' (gender-swapped '12 Dancing Princesses') becomes trapped at a large manner in the middle of a snow storm. Lady Sybil was so beautiful before her curse, that her picture hangs on a wall in Gerald's castle because his grandfather fell in love with her beauty. Cursed to appear as a beast, she has searched for someone to propose for the last 42 years.
We see a few characters from 'Till Midnight' but 'The Beast and the Beauty' offers mostly its own cast, drawing readers further into the connected stories of this series and setting up the next book, which I look forward to reading.
I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com
We see a few characters from 'Till Midnight' but 'The Beast and the Beauty' offers mostly its own cast, drawing readers further into the connected stories of this series and setting up the next book, which I look forward to reading.
I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com
April 4, 2019
Curses, Adventure, and Romance!
I was so happy to see one of my favorite fairytales retold in such an interesting and unique way as Aya Ling has done with The Beast and the Beauty. Sybil is the beast in this version, a beautiful woman who was cursed by a witch. For 42 years she has tried to break the curse, only needing a proposal to do so, but to no avail. Prince Gerald, one of the 12 fighting brothers introduced in book 1, is on a mission as his other brothers to track down a very powerful mage. Fate brings Sybil and Gerald together and it is only together that they will survive. If you enjoy curses, adventure, and romance, this book has it all and more! Although this is a separate story focusing on one of the 12 brothers, book 1 should be read first.
I was so happy to see one of my favorite fairytales retold in such an interesting and unique way as Aya Ling has done with The Beast and the Beauty. Sybil is the beast in this version, a beautiful woman who was cursed by a witch. For 42 years she has tried to break the curse, only needing a proposal to do so, but to no avail. Prince Gerald, one of the 12 fighting brothers introduced in book 1, is on a mission as his other brothers to track down a very powerful mage. Fate brings Sybil and Gerald together and it is only together that they will survive. If you enjoy curses, adventure, and romance, this book has it all and more! Although this is a separate story focusing on one of the 12 brothers, book 1 should be read first.
March 28, 2019
It's the retelling of the beauty and the beast. It's the second book of the series. I recommend you read the first book of the series first.
Here we have Prince Gerard, second prince of Savony, and cursed Lady Sybil. But the story is more complex that only the need to break the curse. There are situations from the first book that continue here.
The plot thickens to the end of the book, and we'll meet new characters and surprises.
The book is excellent, Aya's writing is amazing, she gets you inside of her magical worlds and make you feel strongly for the characters.
Can't wait for the next book of the series.
Here we have Prince Gerard, second prince of Savony, and cursed Lady Sybil. But the story is more complex that only the need to break the curse. There are situations from the first book that continue here.
The plot thickens to the end of the book, and we'll meet new characters and surprises.
The book is excellent, Aya's writing is amazing, she gets you inside of her magical worlds and make you feel strongly for the characters.
Can't wait for the next book of the series.
June 27, 2019
Again the plot of this book was so well done especially having the man be the "beauty" and the female being the beast. Most of the book was clean until the very end where again the author made a female mage state that she had a sex change by using her magic to do so. This was so out of place I don't know why the author decided to include it. Such a shame the book could have been so much better. I don't know if I'll read other books in this series. Had I known it had this content I would not have bought so many books by this author. Such a disappointment for a book that truly could have been so good!
October 1, 2019
For the most part I enjoyed this genderbent Beauty and the Beast. It very cleverly dodges the whole captor-captive thing by having the Beauty--here Prince Gerald, the second-eldest prince from Till Midnight--be stuck in the Beast's castle thanks to bad weather and a destroyed bridge. The Beast--Lady Sybil--wants nothing to do with Gerald, as she's tired of rejections thanks to her cursed appearance. It also continues the main plotline of the series and adds another major antagonist. It's exciting and entertaining, and the two leads are a good match for each other.
There are, however, some major plotholes that prevented me being from able to enjoy the story completely.
There are, however, some major plotholes that prevented me being from able to enjoy the story completely.
April 6, 2020
I loved this re telling! Sybil was the perfect beast she was powerful awesome kind and well read. I really liked how she had both characteristics of Belle and Beast. I loved the way the story flowed and how it followed the Disney movie but had a lot of new twists.
I really loved Gerard too he was the perfect gentleman book lover and warrior. This book was so good I knew it was a series but I thought it was a stand alone it’s really not. Now I need to read the other ones because this ends on a cliff hanger.
For all fans of Beauty and The Beast this is a must read. It just pulls toy into the story. I love the idea of the role reversal it makes the story fun.
I really loved Gerard too he was the perfect gentleman book lover and warrior. This book was so good I knew it was a series but I thought it was a stand alone it’s really not. Now I need to read the other ones because this ends on a cliff hanger.
For all fans of Beauty and The Beast this is a must read. It just pulls toy into the story. I love the idea of the role reversal it makes the story fun.
November 2, 2020
It's about Sibel, she is cursed by the witch Moira to look like a demon/beast. She wanted her body for she was beautiful. She tried to have men propose to her for 42 years.
Gerald is the 2nd eldest prince of 12. He is looking for the mage who can break the troll curse.
-servant Victoire finds him in a snowblizard by the lady's manor. Take him in
-lady sybil: who can ever love a beast. Disguises herself -Alma. They connected and bond about books!!
Hunting together: veil falls, Gerald doesn't care for beautiful, the mind is that counts. She is ashamed at first. He wants to help her break the silent curse- go to the mage
Gerald is the 2nd eldest prince of 12. He is looking for the mage who can break the troll curse.
-servant Victoire finds him in a snowblizard by the lady's manor. Take him in
-lady sybil: who can ever love a beast. Disguises herself -Alma. They connected and bond about books!!
Hunting together: veil falls, Gerald doesn't care for beautiful, the mind is that counts. She is ashamed at first. He wants to help her break the silent curse- go to the mage
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2022
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but I found this book harder to connect to. For a story about seeing beneath appearances, I feel like that wasn’t really explored. Sybil still judges men based on looks even when she is cursed and is looking for these men to break the curse. The romance wasn’t that believable to me, I honestly don’t really know why they like each other. I would also skip the parts with Ethan and Enzo as they were just unnecessary and annoying. The focus on Gerald being so beautiful he looked like a woman was also kind of annoying.
April 22, 2019
Aya Ling has done a very thorough job thinking through the quirks of gender-bending fairy tales! I knew she was setting Gerald up to be the Beauty with all that hype about being pretty enough to be a girl, but I wasn't sure how likable vain, aging court belle trapped in a beast's body was going to be. Clearly, making them both bookworms still works on a gender reversal! Ah the power of novels! I can't wait to see what goes down in the reversed Sleeping Beauty!
March 31, 2019
Enjoyed the story
This next story was awesome, I look forward to finding out what happens. I found the story unique and not like other retold fairy tales. The story did have some elements from beauty and the beast, but the story was uniquely it's own. I look forward to the next book, it will be interesting to see what happens.
This next story was awesome, I look forward to finding out what happens. I found the story unique and not like other retold fairy tales. The story did have some elements from beauty and the beast, but the story was uniquely it's own. I look forward to the next book, it will be interesting to see what happens.
May 1, 2019
Way better than book 1
Loved this new take on beauty and the beast. The main characters were both likable. The story moved at the right speed; there was enough action and enough nods to the original story. I am so pleased with this book after the 1st in the series was disappointing. Excited to read book 3!
Loved this new take on beauty and the beast. The main characters were both likable. The story moved at the right speed; there was enough action and enough nods to the original story. I am so pleased with this book after the 1st in the series was disappointing. Excited to read book 3!
December 31, 2019
Eh. The apathy was strong with this one. No one was particularly noteworthy, for better or worse. The idea of a reverse Beauty and the Beast story is interesting, but not much was done with it. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and the relationships between the characters fell flat, like the writing.
July 18, 2020
Another reversed point of view in a classic story. This time, the girl was turned into a hideous beast and the prince stumbles upon her. It’s a well balanced story and the thing I found really heartwarming is that what brought them together was their love for books and reading. Another interesting story, really light and a really enjoyable read!
April 10, 2019
Well done!
Ms. Aya has written an interesting novel with a twist about beauty and the beast . An exciting and thrilling , gender bender as she calls it . Looking forward to even more of her tales.
Ms. Aya has written an interesting novel with a twist about beauty and the beast . An exciting and thrilling , gender bender as she calls it . Looking forward to even more of her tales.
June 18, 2019
Wonderful gender swap
Loved the first book...devoured the second! I'm such a fan of fairytale retellings, and this was so refreshing as it was the same but so different! I loved the adventure and sweet romance and I can not wait for the next.
Loved the first book...devoured the second! I'm such a fan of fairytale retellings, and this was so refreshing as it was the same but so different! I loved the adventure and sweet romance and I can not wait for the next.
June 24, 2019
I enjoyed reading this book. This book has wonderful characters and a wonderful plot. I had a hard time putting this book down. I enjoyed this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I will be reading the next book in this series.
July 8, 2019
This was ok. The gender-swap is why I was curious to read this retelling, but I found the pacing slow and the story just ok. Also, the descriptions of Gerald seem really flat. "He's, like, totes beautiful."
March 10, 2021
Maybe it’s me, but this is not what I wanted. I wanted it to just be about them in the castle, getting to know each other and falling in love. I also probably wanted a shorter story. The story didn’t have an ending. They didn’t get married and the two bad witches got away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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