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Celestials #1
Gilded Rose
A beast is holding me hostage inside a chateau.
The world is plagued by creatures called the Dread, and the monster who's captured me is their king. But no matter how hard I try to get away, there's no escaping him. Not when he's magically bound to turn me into one of his creatures.
When I discover he wasn’t supposed to destroy cities—that he’s one of the Celestials meant to save humanity—I realize my only hope of survival is breaking his curse. The one that turned him into a beast.
But as I uncover the truth to break his curse, I begin to wonder if I’ve lost myself in the process...
Can I still escape him? Or has he taken my heart forever?
Fans of Robin McKinley and Grimm will fall in love with this twisted fairytale retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
The world is plagued by creatures called the Dread, and the monster who's captured me is their king. But no matter how hard I try to get away, there's no escaping him. Not when he's magically bound to turn me into one of his creatures.
When I discover he wasn’t supposed to destroy cities—that he’s one of the Celestials meant to save humanity—I realize my only hope of survival is breaking his curse. The one that turned him into a beast.
But as I uncover the truth to break his curse, I begin to wonder if I’ve lost myself in the process...
Can I still escape him? Or has he taken my heart forever?
Fans of Robin McKinley and Grimm will fall in love with this twisted fairytale retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
272 pages, ebook
First published November 27, 2019
716 people are currently reading
4538 people want to read
About the author
Emma Hamm
73 books4,624 followers
We all know you don't really care about reading my background. Enjoy Cap instead.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
October 7, 2021
DNF at 85%
I really loved this cover, and even though I was interested in the mystery- I was just getting too annoyed to finish.
Its sad, because the book started of great. We have our h, Amicia, who is living in the town of Little Marsh with her clockmaker father when the Dread invade. After hiding from the rampage and realizing that the Dread have taken and destroyed the town- she has to use her wits and inner strength to escape into the woods.
Eventually she find herself seeking refuge at a seemingly abandoned chateau only to discover that it is not only filled with the ranks of the Dread, but home base to the Dread King himself. How is she going to survive in this world alone surrounded by an army of Beasts?
So yeah if this sounds interesting stop reading here and check it out for yourself, but if not my spoilery review is below aaand well it is what it is.
x--------------------------------------------------x
So yes, after this the bare bones of the story are similar with a Beauty and the Beast retelling- but there is one major difference that just made me really dislike this book. In the original, the Beast is childish, cruel, and petulant- locking her away, being mean, and yelling at her...but in this story the main H/love interest tries to kill her.
Yeah he literally throws her off a roof intending her to die- where she breaks her arm, her leg, and several ribs...if it wasn't for some freak luck he would have murdered her. After this she keeps saying how he saved her- by dumping her on another Dead to heal, and pretty much soon after she's forgiving him and falling for him.
I mean come on why is this book trying to make me sympatize with an abuser, attempted murderer and a someone bent on genocide?
oh okay then, no harm no foul.
Because HE THREW YOU OFF A BUILDING!
I could understand if she thought she had to stay to help solve the Dreads problems and by extention the world, but she was pretty much forgiving him before she knew about the curse.
I mean in the original Beauty and the Beast he wasn't just a beast because of his looks, but because of his petty actions- and in this one he had literally killed people, destroyed lives, decimated villages, and tried to murder Amicia- twice.
I mean if I'm sorry, If someone tried to kill me I don't think I'd go an fall in love with them. Even then the romance was a little to cheesy for my taste.
I really loved this cover, and even though I was interested in the mystery- I was just getting too annoyed to finish.
Its sad, because the book started of great. We have our h, Amicia, who is living in the town of Little Marsh with her clockmaker father when the Dread invade. After hiding from the rampage and realizing that the Dread have taken and destroyed the town- she has to use her wits and inner strength to escape into the woods.
Eventually she find herself seeking refuge at a seemingly abandoned chateau only to discover that it is not only filled with the ranks of the Dread, but home base to the Dread King himself. How is she going to survive in this world alone surrounded by an army of Beasts?
So yeah if this sounds interesting stop reading here and check it out for yourself, but if not my spoilery review is below aaand well it is what it is.
x--------------------------------------------------x
So yes, after this the bare bones of the story are similar with a Beauty and the Beast retelling- but there is one major difference that just made me really dislike this book. In the original, the Beast is childish, cruel, and petulant- locking her away, being mean, and yelling at her...but in this story the main H/love interest tries to kill her.
Yeah he literally throws her off a roof intending her to die- where she breaks her arm, her leg, and several ribs...if it wasn't for some freak luck he would have murdered her. After this she keeps saying how he saved her- by dumping her on another Dead to heal, and pretty much soon after she's forgiving him and falling for him.
I mean come on why is this book trying to make me sympatize with an abuser, attempted murderer and a someone bent on genocide?
“The last time we were here, you threw me from the roof.” “And you survived.” The moonlight caught in his eyes, reflecting like that of an animal. Glowing in the darkness. “I was not myself, that night. I haven’t been for a long time.”
oh okay then, no harm no foul.
She’d never pitied him before. Not once. Amicia told herself she would never pity the monster, but he wasn’t a monster anymore. And he was in immense pain. Just like her.
Because HE THREW YOU OFF A BUILDING!
I could understand if she thought she had to stay to help solve the Dreads problems and by extention the world, but she was pretty much forgiving him before she knew about the curse.
I mean in the original Beauty and the Beast he wasn't just a beast because of his looks, but because of his petty actions- and in this one he had literally killed people, destroyed lives, decimated villages, and tried to murder Amicia- twice.
I mean if I'm sorry, If someone tried to kill me I don't think I'd go an fall in love with them. Even then the romance was a little to cheesy for my taste.
November 21, 2019
If you like -
and
Then you'll probably like this book.
and
Then you'll probably like this book.
November 14, 2019
Now this is a beauty and the beast romance!!!
When Amicia is forced to do the unthinkable, she finds herself roaming the forest in despair before she stumbles upon a winter chateau. Even as she enters, she is aware of the potential for danger and quickly learns her instincts were right. When death doesn’t claim her, she slowly begins to learn more about the creatures around her but the King is by far the one that most terrifies and intrigues her. A bargain is made and Amicia delves into the mystery that has cost her everything she holds dear.
I loved that Amicia was tough enough to stand up to the horrors that surrounded her. She was more than capable of kicking tail, but not in the physical sense. Book smart and educated in wisdom by her father, she could go face to face with the King of the Dread in spite of her fear.
The King was pretty terrifying. He is a true dark hero but his journey out of the dark kept me enthralled and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to learn exactly what had happened. While he is definitely a monstrous beast, even from the beginning the reader is aware that he is tormented from within. And not in your standard, “I’m scarred and no one wants to look at me” way.
This was so engaging that I didn’t want to put it down. With so much drama, action, and deep emotion, I was eager for Amicia to solve the mystery but hated to reach the end. Written in a way that feels suspended in some other time, this world was wonderously developed and beautifully detailed. I felt that I stood within the walls of the chateau or tried to decipher the words of a book, right along with Amicia.
I was absolutely delighted by everything about this story and the characters contained within!!! Cannot wait for more in this magical world!
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
When Amicia is forced to do the unthinkable, she finds herself roaming the forest in despair before she stumbles upon a winter chateau. Even as she enters, she is aware of the potential for danger and quickly learns her instincts were right. When death doesn’t claim her, she slowly begins to learn more about the creatures around her but the King is by far the one that most terrifies and intrigues her. A bargain is made and Amicia delves into the mystery that has cost her everything she holds dear.
I loved that Amicia was tough enough to stand up to the horrors that surrounded her. She was more than capable of kicking tail, but not in the physical sense. Book smart and educated in wisdom by her father, she could go face to face with the King of the Dread in spite of her fear.
The King was pretty terrifying. He is a true dark hero but his journey out of the dark kept me enthralled and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to learn exactly what had happened. While he is definitely a monstrous beast, even from the beginning the reader is aware that he is tormented from within. And not in your standard, “I’m scarred and no one wants to look at me” way.
This was so engaging that I didn’t want to put it down. With so much drama, action, and deep emotion, I was eager for Amicia to solve the mystery but hated to reach the end. Written in a way that feels suspended in some other time, this world was wonderously developed and beautifully detailed. I felt that I stood within the walls of the chateau or tried to decipher the words of a book, right along with Amicia.
I was absolutely delighted by everything about this story and the characters contained within!!! Cannot wait for more in this magical world!
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
July 18, 2023
“Save all of us from the darkest of fate, dear one. ”
Primer libro de la saga o trilogía, no estoy segura, de Celestials. La historia nos transporta en un mundo donde existen estos seres demoniacos llamados Dread causan estragos y transforman a los humanos en criaturas como ellos, pero nadie sabe de donde y como han surgido y que es lo que buscan.
“Keep on living. When the darkness closes in on you, that is the only way you can defeat it. ”
Antes de empezar la novela me gustaría decir que yo conocía a esta autora por otras novelas que tengo guardadas aquí en mi GR, sin embargo, decidí darle una oportunidad a esta saga primero sobre todo porque pensé que era una historia erótica por la portada. Sin embargo, no fue así porque es una historia romántica suave. Así que si buscan en esta novela algo “picante” no lo van a encontrar, la decepción entre comillas me la he llevado yo sola. A pesar de ello me lo he pasado bien leyéndola, una cosa no quita la otra.
“Continue to live in defiance of all the shadows want to take from you. Keen the light inside your chest burning. ”
La historia tiene tintes del clásico de la Bella y la Bestia, pero yo no lo llego a considerarla como un retelling; sino que la autora ha cogido esos elementos y creado una historia bastante interesante. Si es verdad que una vez terminas la historia el argumento puede llegar a ser cliché y te falta un poco de profundidad, pero lo que importa es que está bien escrita y bastante original, al menos desde mi punto de vista.
“I choose to see that sometimes forgetting who you were doesn’t mean you forget who you are”.
También comentar que esta historia no se encuentra traducida al español, yo me la he leído en inglés. En cuanto a su nivel lingüístico yo lo encuadro entre un B1-B2. No cuenta con un vocabulario específico del mundo, su prosa es ligera. El único problema que puede surgir es que te cuesten las primeras páginas, pero, eso es normal teniendo en cuenta que tu lengua madre no es el inglés.
En conclusión, una saga o trilogía, puesto que solo lleva publicados tres, que merece la pena echarle un vistazo y leerla.
“A beast is no longer beast when he is loved”.
Primer libro de la saga o trilogía, no estoy segura, de Celestials. La historia nos transporta en un mundo donde existen estos seres demoniacos llamados Dread causan estragos y transforman a los humanos en criaturas como ellos, pero nadie sabe de donde y como han surgido y que es lo que buscan.
“Keep on living. When the darkness closes in on you, that is the only way you can defeat it. ”
Antes de empezar la novela me gustaría decir que yo conocía a esta autora por otras novelas que tengo guardadas aquí en mi GR, sin embargo, decidí darle una oportunidad a esta saga primero sobre todo porque pensé que era una historia erótica por la portada. Sin embargo, no fue así porque es una historia romántica suave. Así que si buscan en esta novela algo “picante” no lo van a encontrar, la decepción entre comillas me la he llevado yo sola. A pesar de ello me lo he pasado bien leyéndola, una cosa no quita la otra.
“Continue to live in defiance of all the shadows want to take from you. Keen the light inside your chest burning. ”
La historia tiene tintes del clásico de la Bella y la Bestia, pero yo no lo llego a considerarla como un retelling; sino que la autora ha cogido esos elementos y creado una historia bastante interesante. Si es verdad que una vez terminas la historia el argumento puede llegar a ser cliché y te falta un poco de profundidad, pero lo que importa es que está bien escrita y bastante original, al menos desde mi punto de vista.
“I choose to see that sometimes forgetting who you were doesn’t mean you forget who you are”.
También comentar que esta historia no se encuentra traducida al español, yo me la he leído en inglés. En cuanto a su nivel lingüístico yo lo encuadro entre un B1-B2. No cuenta con un vocabulario específico del mundo, su prosa es ligera. El único problema que puede surgir es que te cuesten las primeras páginas, pero, eso es normal teniendo en cuenta que tu lengua madre no es el inglés.
En conclusión, una saga o trilogía, puesto que solo lleva publicados tres, que merece la pena echarle un vistazo y leerla.
“A beast is no longer beast when he is loved”.
January 1, 2020
3 Enjoyable Stars
This beauty and the beast retelling, begins with the Dread attacking Amicia’s hometown, dying her father askes her do something which stops the Dread from taking any more victims, but also destroys the village/town and all within it. Amicia is devastated by what she has done and tries to find safety and ends up at the chateau where the Dread King lives. Once she and the Dread King meet it is up to her to work out the truth - what is the curse and who is the Dread King?
The descriptions were very good, and had me visualising the Dread and chateau wonderfully. Not my favourite by the author, two occasions where a tiny bit of skim reading occurred, but still, overall, a good one time read.
Acquired via KU.
This beauty and the beast retelling, begins with the Dread attacking Amicia’s hometown, dying her father askes her do something which stops the Dread from taking any more victims, but also destroys the village/town and all within it. Amicia is devastated by what she has done and tries to find safety and ends up at the chateau where the Dread King lives. Once she and the Dread King meet it is up to her to work out the truth - what is the curse and who is the Dread King?
The descriptions were very good, and had me visualising the Dread and chateau wonderfully. Not my favourite by the author, two occasions where a tiny bit of skim reading occurred, but still, overall, a good one time read.
Acquired via KU.
November 8, 2019
This is not your average Beauty and the Beast retelling. First, stop and look at the gorgeous cover. Gargoyles-- um, yes, please! Emma Hamm did not disappoint. This story brings you a tragic beast, a confusing curse, and a heroine that stands her own. Amicia is beautiful, smart and resourceful. Magic and science are blended together in this romantic tale. I can't wait for the rest of the series to find out more about the Alchemists and the Celestials.
April 12, 2020
An enjoyable read but I'm not sure I am invested in the story enough for book two time will tell.
July 10, 2020
I have no excuse; I was warned.
Lame lame lame.
Lame lame lame.
April 28, 2020
The monstrous Dread have attacked and the last stronghold in the kingdom has fallen. Amicia, the daughter of a humble tinker, must make terrible decisions for herself and her people.
Alexandre, the King of the Dread, fights to remember who he is.
The alchemists, dripping blood, plot and connive to destroy the world.
Can love put to rights all that has gone wrong?
*Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh*
That is the long-suffering sound I frequently made while reading this book. While I think the idea for this story was original and interesting, I spent most of the book frustrated at the characters, frustrated at the situations, and frustrated at both the missing key details and the overabundance of pointless details.
Because of the criticisms I lay out in this review, along with many bolded words and exclamations, you may think that I hate this book, but I don’t. In the end, I think this book is worth reading once. I’m not sure it was worth paying for, but if you see it at your local library, go ahead and give it a try.
I grabbed a sample (the first two chapters or so) to see if it looked worth buying. The sample was great, so I bought the book. Unfortunately, after the initial action at the beginning, it got incredibly boring. Not that the action died down, but that the SAME action was supposed to hold my attention for about 30% of the book. I kept wanting to shout, “DO SOMETHING DEFINITE,” at both the main characters and the story itself. As a reader, I can only follow a character skulking about for so long, and Amicia skulked for at least 10 pages.
I kept wondering why I kept reading about how smart Amicia is when her actions, thoughts, and at times interactions with others are SO STUPID. At the beginning of the book, it’s believable that she’s this bright, logical, brave, science minded woman who just does a few dumb things because of the traumatic situations she’s in, but by the 50% mark I was convinced the woman couldn’t find her way out of a cardboard box. When I was 80% into the book and Amicia is still asserting she doesn’t believe in magic, I wanted to smack her upside the head; “I’ve acknowledged this awful curse on the people, I’ve been reading an enchanted book with letters that swirl and appear/disappear, I’ve encountered ghosts, I’ve watched people get turned into monsters in front of my eyes and watched a monster turning into a man, but magic? Pshaw, that’s not real.”
I could have forgiven Amicia a lot of her poor decisions if she would have just stopped whinging about being a peasant, “ I can’t look at such magnificent art; I’m a peasant. I can’t wear nice dresses; I’m a peasant. I can’t have a nice room; I’m a peasant. “ You are living in a rundown chateau with monsters dressed in loincloths lady, get some perspective. There is purpose behind her complaints. It’s pretty clear by the end that she’s meant to be overcoming her insecurity through Alexandre’s help (who you are is a big theme in the book), but it’s not done well enough to look like character growth/development.
Other reviewers mention that there are many unanswered questions, I agree, but in kind of a different way. I’m fine with all the questions that come with the mystery of the book. A great book keeps you hooked with great mystery. What truly drove me crazy was all of the questions I had that were not important to the overarching story, but which made the character’s actions either confusing or pointless. An example: Amicia just thought, “I’m NOT going to do this,” then less than a sentence later she’s thinking about how she IS going to do it, then, suddenly she’s NOT doing it again. Make up your mind! I understand how a character might go back and forth when making a difficult decision, but it wasn’t written like back and forth, it was written like the author forgot what she just said a second ago.
*Minor Spoilers*
Examples of confusing moments that never get an explanation or that led nowhere:
The beast discovers where Amicia is hiding. He and his beasts storm to where she is, but she’s gone before he gets there. It’s SO anticlimactic and pointless. If you have a build up it has to lead somewhere. Even if it lead to the monsters getting there, seeing she’s gone, and feeling disappointed, that would have been something, but no, it says they’re going to where she is, and then we hear nothing more about it.
The beast tells Remy to find the girl, and then……. Nothing, literally never go back to that character or that order. I thought that Bernard was possibly Remy, in which case that detail would have made sense, but then Bernard has knowledge and memory of things long before Remy, so if he is Remy I’m annoyed for entirely different reasons.
Alexandre falls into the frozen lake. His fellow beasts, who are loyal to him, don’t even try to help, then Amicia is also dragged in and Alexandre grabs her and flys out of the frozen lake. Why did no one else try to save the beast? Why did Alexandre not save himself before she fell in? Oh, did he forget HE CAN FLY ?! Maybe it was a test, maybe he wanted to die, I don’t know because the reasoning is never clarified.
These little details lead nowhere and just take up page space. I kept waiting for things that were hinted at to happen, but they never did. If I thought that they would be wrapped up in later books I’d be pacified, but they’re all things that aren’t important enough to be wrapped up later.
*End Minor Spoilers*
*Major Spoilers*
There is Deus Ex Machina galore: Gee, it’s so convenient that the Dread’s best warrior just lets Amicia run into her with a blade. It’s bad enough it happened once, but it actually topped itself by happening twice when Amicia again “accidentally” runs another antagonist through. Also, it’s pretty lucky that all of the alchemists just sit back and watch as Amicia kiss-cures the King. Yes, yes, I know that the Dread were holding them back, but earlier we learned the alchemists were stronger than the Dread King, who is the strongest Dread, so why can they boil his blood in his body but at this critical junction theyre powerless?
*End Major Spoiler*
While the pace of the book is interminably slow, the relationships progress swiftly and with no apparent reason. Amicia’s friendship with Bernard is the only relationship that develops at a normal pace and for normal reasons. Somewhere along the way, Amicia becomes friends with all the Dreads. The readers are not privy to how this happens, but apparently it does because the narration says so a little more than halfway through. Its jarring to have everyone be a stranger or antagonist one instant and then close friends the next. One second the beast is a murdering monster who threw Amicia off the building, the next second she loves him because he’s shown that he still has a human side ( I mean, he did save her from dying after he broke all her bones, so stand up guy, right?). It would have been okay to show his change leading her to love him, but really the only thing that seems to lead her feelings towards him are that she feels bad for him and helping him and the others assuages her guilt for murdering her village ( it may be harsh to characterize what she did as murder, her actions with what she knew at the time made sense….but she did kill everyone in a horrible way).
Looking at what I’ve written, even I would think I hated this book, but I actually didn’t. It has MANY flaws, but it feels like a real book, which is a triumph in itself. I didn’t feel the need to stop reading, I was interested in finding the answers to the plot questions. The issue was the frequency with which I was left thinking “it would have been good if….it could have been good if…” It’s a book that simply didn’t live up to its potential. Right before I finished I thought, “this would be great with an editor and some beta readers to just help with the more glaring problems,” but in the acknowledgements at the end the author mentions some editors and beta readers, so I’m at a bit of a loss. I definitely think the author should keep writing, and it looks like she’s a lot of people’s cup of tea, I just hope that there’s an improvement to her book polishing process so her stories can be as good as they deserve to be.
Alexandre, the King of the Dread, fights to remember who he is.
The alchemists, dripping blood, plot and connive to destroy the world.
Can love put to rights all that has gone wrong?
*Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh*
That is the long-suffering sound I frequently made while reading this book. While I think the idea for this story was original and interesting, I spent most of the book frustrated at the characters, frustrated at the situations, and frustrated at both the missing key details and the overabundance of pointless details.
Because of the criticisms I lay out in this review, along with many bolded words and exclamations, you may think that I hate this book, but I don’t. In the end, I think this book is worth reading once. I’m not sure it was worth paying for, but if you see it at your local library, go ahead and give it a try.
I grabbed a sample (the first two chapters or so) to see if it looked worth buying. The sample was great, so I bought the book. Unfortunately, after the initial action at the beginning, it got incredibly boring. Not that the action died down, but that the SAME action was supposed to hold my attention for about 30% of the book. I kept wanting to shout, “DO SOMETHING DEFINITE,” at both the main characters and the story itself. As a reader, I can only follow a character skulking about for so long, and Amicia skulked for at least 10 pages.
I kept wondering why I kept reading about how smart Amicia is when her actions, thoughts, and at times interactions with others are SO STUPID. At the beginning of the book, it’s believable that she’s this bright, logical, brave, science minded woman who just does a few dumb things because of the traumatic situations she’s in, but by the 50% mark I was convinced the woman couldn’t find her way out of a cardboard box. When I was 80% into the book and Amicia is still asserting she doesn’t believe in magic, I wanted to smack her upside the head; “I’ve acknowledged this awful curse on the people, I’ve been reading an enchanted book with letters that swirl and appear/disappear, I’ve encountered ghosts, I’ve watched people get turned into monsters in front of my eyes and watched a monster turning into a man, but magic? Pshaw, that’s not real.”
I could have forgiven Amicia a lot of her poor decisions if she would have just stopped whinging about being a peasant, “ I can’t look at such magnificent art; I’m a peasant. I can’t wear nice dresses; I’m a peasant. I can’t have a nice room; I’m a peasant. “ You are living in a rundown chateau with monsters dressed in loincloths lady, get some perspective. There is purpose behind her complaints. It’s pretty clear by the end that she’s meant to be overcoming her insecurity through Alexandre’s help (who you are is a big theme in the book), but it’s not done well enough to look like character growth/development.
Other reviewers mention that there are many unanswered questions, I agree, but in kind of a different way. I’m fine with all the questions that come with the mystery of the book. A great book keeps you hooked with great mystery. What truly drove me crazy was all of the questions I had that were not important to the overarching story, but which made the character’s actions either confusing or pointless. An example: Amicia just thought, “I’m NOT going to do this,” then less than a sentence later she’s thinking about how she IS going to do it, then, suddenly she’s NOT doing it again. Make up your mind! I understand how a character might go back and forth when making a difficult decision, but it wasn’t written like back and forth, it was written like the author forgot what she just said a second ago.
*Minor Spoilers*
Examples of confusing moments that never get an explanation or that led nowhere:
The beast discovers where Amicia is hiding. He and his beasts storm to where she is, but she’s gone before he gets there. It’s SO anticlimactic and pointless. If you have a build up it has to lead somewhere. Even if it lead to the monsters getting there, seeing she’s gone, and feeling disappointed, that would have been something, but no, it says they’re going to where she is, and then we hear nothing more about it.
The beast tells Remy to find the girl, and then……. Nothing, literally never go back to that character or that order. I thought that Bernard was possibly Remy, in which case that detail would have made sense, but then Bernard has knowledge and memory of things long before Remy, so if he is Remy I’m annoyed for entirely different reasons.
Alexandre falls into the frozen lake. His fellow beasts, who are loyal to him, don’t even try to help, then Amicia is also dragged in and Alexandre grabs her and flys out of the frozen lake. Why did no one else try to save the beast? Why did Alexandre not save himself before she fell in? Oh, did he forget HE CAN FLY ?! Maybe it was a test, maybe he wanted to die, I don’t know because the reasoning is never clarified.
These little details lead nowhere and just take up page space. I kept waiting for things that were hinted at to happen, but they never did. If I thought that they would be wrapped up in later books I’d be pacified, but they’re all things that aren’t important enough to be wrapped up later.
*End Minor Spoilers*
*Major Spoilers*
There is Deus Ex Machina galore: Gee, it’s so convenient that the Dread’s best warrior just lets Amicia run into her with a blade. It’s bad enough it happened once, but it actually topped itself by happening twice when Amicia again “accidentally” runs another antagonist through. Also, it’s pretty lucky that all of the alchemists just sit back and watch as Amicia kiss-cures the King. Yes, yes, I know that the Dread were holding them back, but earlier we learned the alchemists were stronger than the Dread King, who is the strongest Dread, so why can they boil his blood in his body but at this critical junction theyre powerless?
*End Major Spoiler*
While the pace of the book is interminably slow, the relationships progress swiftly and with no apparent reason. Amicia’s friendship with Bernard is the only relationship that develops at a normal pace and for normal reasons. Somewhere along the way, Amicia becomes friends with all the Dreads. The readers are not privy to how this happens, but apparently it does because the narration says so a little more than halfway through. Its jarring to have everyone be a stranger or antagonist one instant and then close friends the next. One second the beast is a murdering monster who threw Amicia off the building, the next second she loves him because he’s shown that he still has a human side ( I mean, he did save her from dying after he broke all her bones, so stand up guy, right?). It would have been okay to show his change leading her to love him, but really the only thing that seems to lead her feelings towards him are that she feels bad for him and helping him and the others assuages her guilt for murdering her village ( it may be harsh to characterize what she did as murder, her actions with what she knew at the time made sense….but she did kill everyone in a horrible way).
Looking at what I’ve written, even I would think I hated this book, but I actually didn’t. It has MANY flaws, but it feels like a real book, which is a triumph in itself. I didn’t feel the need to stop reading, I was interested in finding the answers to the plot questions. The issue was the frequency with which I was left thinking “it would have been good if….it could have been good if…” It’s a book that simply didn’t live up to its potential. Right before I finished I thought, “this would be great with an editor and some beta readers to just help with the more glaring problems,” but in the acknowledgements at the end the author mentions some editors and beta readers, so I’m at a bit of a loss. I definitely think the author should keep writing, and it looks like she’s a lot of people’s cup of tea, I just hope that there’s an improvement to her book polishing process so her stories can be as good as they deserve to be.
November 13, 2019
*I received this book after telling the author I would love to Beta Read her book, which was in response to her newsletter. *
I didn't know what to expect from this book. Just before starting it, I had finished another Beauty and the Beast retelling ( A Curse So Dark and Lonely )that had quickly made it to the top of my list of favorite retellings. I didn't expect this book to be as great as that, but it was! Gilded Rose: A Beauty and the Beast Retelling quickly made it to the top of my list and is now one of my favorite retellings.
The Beast is one of a kind in my eyes. He seemed more demonic and I honestly loved that. It made me think of Persephone and Hades. I hadn't read a book where the beast was portrayed this way, and it left me wondering how on earth the author was going to have Amicia fall in love with someone like that.
The first chapter did a great job at setting up the story and getting it on its feet. The second chapter is what really pulled me in and got me hooked. It kept me wondering what was going to happen and how. It pulls the story to where it needs to be, out of slight background for the rest of the story and into where the story will be going.
There are so many relatable things for readers. I couldn't help but highlight quotes that I enjoyed and things that made me laugh. It definitely brought me to love the book more and feel a connection with it.
Amicia and the Beast (and a couple of other characters you will get to know) hold a special place in my heart now. Even one of the characters close to the Beast we aren't supposed to like. They are all unique and have a special trait that really sticks out, and I find that to be very realistic. Although we are made up of many personality traits, we usually have one that sticks out no matter what and kind of governs the rest.
Do not underestimate this book. It got me to tear up and ripped my heart out. I didn't expect it before reading it, and I surely didn't expect it while reading. I also didn't expect it to end the way it did. I was really sad to see that I was nearing the end because I wasn't ready for the story to end. Thank God there is room left for another book! Keeping my hopes up :)
I cannot wait for this book to get into more hands, and to have a hard copy in mine. I absolutely enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good fantasy romance/retelling that is original.
I didn't know what to expect from this book. Just before starting it, I had finished another Beauty and the Beast retelling ( A Curse So Dark and Lonely )that had quickly made it to the top of my list of favorite retellings. I didn't expect this book to be as great as that, but it was! Gilded Rose: A Beauty and the Beast Retelling quickly made it to the top of my list and is now one of my favorite retellings.
The Beast is one of a kind in my eyes. He seemed more demonic and I honestly loved that. It made me think of Persephone and Hades. I hadn't read a book where the beast was portrayed this way, and it left me wondering how on earth the author was going to have Amicia fall in love with someone like that.
The first chapter did a great job at setting up the story and getting it on its feet. The second chapter is what really pulled me in and got me hooked. It kept me wondering what was going to happen and how. It pulls the story to where it needs to be, out of slight background for the rest of the story and into where the story will be going.
There are so many relatable things for readers. I couldn't help but highlight quotes that I enjoyed and things that made me laugh. It definitely brought me to love the book more and feel a connection with it.
Amicia and the Beast (and a couple of other characters you will get to know) hold a special place in my heart now. Even one of the characters close to the Beast we aren't supposed to like. They are all unique and have a special trait that really sticks out, and I find that to be very realistic. Although we are made up of many personality traits, we usually have one that sticks out no matter what and kind of governs the rest.
Do not underestimate this book. It got me to tear up and ripped my heart out. I didn't expect it before reading it, and I surely didn't expect it while reading. I also didn't expect it to end the way it did. I was really sad to see that I was nearing the end because I wasn't ready for the story to end. Thank God there is room left for another book! Keeping my hopes up :)
I cannot wait for this book to get into more hands, and to have a hard copy in mine. I absolutely enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good fantasy romance/retelling that is original.
January 30, 2020
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There are so many Beauty and The Beast retellings out there, but Gilded Rose is one of the best!
After A Curse So Dark and Lonely, I didn't think I'd find its contender. When I downloaded this book on Kindle Unlimited, I didn't have any expectations but now I can't wait to read the sequel! It surprised me with fascinating beasts we called the Dreads, rich world-building, and of course, the sweet and heartbreaking romance.
One thing I love about retelling is that you thought you knew what was going to happen but the next thing you know, you've been swept off of your feet by the unexpected twists and turns.
Gilded Rose definitely brought something utterly different with the classic story. The background story behind why there's the Beast was so detailed and have potential to get bigger on the next book. Curses and magic tangled together in an intricate tale of sacrifice, love, and betrayal.
I love Amicia! She was strong, brave, and kind. Her life was hell, but she endured and keep fighting. No matter how many times the world tried to bring her down, she'd not gave up. I think she's the reason why the romance didn't appear sooner, and I'm glad for it.
Alexandre was a character that I had a hard time coming around to. After all he's done, I refused to switch into his lane. My mind kept telling me all the bad things even though I knew, he wasn't himself when those happened. But, at one point, in the library, he was bantering and it came off cute and my heart just melted. Underneath his appearance, he was a sweet and caring man.
And also, I want to mention Bernard because he was the most precious bean and I JUST WANT HIM TO BE SAFE AND HAPPY. Basically, he was the first character who intrigued me. You won't regret knowing him.
Overall, Gilded Rose was a mind-blowing read. It was so well-written, I got so caught up in the story and the characters until 2a.m.and I don't regret a thing when my eyes were begging me for some sleep while in the class
If you're looking for an awesome retelling with addicting romance, I recommend it to be added to your TBR list!
There are so many Beauty and The Beast retellings out there, but Gilded Rose is one of the best!
After A Curse So Dark and Lonely, I didn't think I'd find its contender. When I downloaded this book on Kindle Unlimited, I didn't have any expectations but now I can't wait to read the sequel! It surprised me with fascinating beasts we called the Dreads, rich world-building, and of course, the sweet and heartbreaking romance.
One thing I love about retelling is that you thought you knew what was going to happen but the next thing you know, you've been swept off of your feet by the unexpected twists and turns.
Gilded Rose definitely brought something utterly different with the classic story. The background story behind why there's the Beast was so detailed and have potential to get bigger on the next book. Curses and magic tangled together in an intricate tale of sacrifice, love, and betrayal.
I love Amicia! She was strong, brave, and kind. Her life was hell, but she endured and keep fighting. No matter how many times the world tried to bring her down, she'd not gave up. I think she's the reason why the romance didn't appear sooner, and I'm glad for it.
Alexandre was a character that I had a hard time coming around to. After all he's done, I refused to switch into his lane. My mind kept telling me all the bad things even though I knew, he wasn't himself when those happened. But, at one point, in the library, he was bantering and it came off cute and my heart just melted. Underneath his appearance, he was a sweet and caring man.
And also, I want to mention Bernard because he was the most precious bean and I JUST WANT HIM TO BE SAFE AND HAPPY. Basically, he was the first character who intrigued me. You won't regret knowing him.
Overall, Gilded Rose was a mind-blowing read. It was so well-written, I got so caught up in the story and the characters until 2a.m.
If you're looking for an awesome retelling with addicting romance, I recommend it to be added to your TBR list!
Want to read
October 16, 2019Saw this cover on Instagram and was like... I need this in my life. I also am wondering what it says about me as a person but... WHO CARES. *adds*
March 24, 2021
I legitimately wish that the first 50% wasn't him trying to actively kill Amicia. And I know sometimes people write that and I'm usually like lol he probably just like half-heartedly hunted her down because her father probably killed his dad.
No.
Nonono.
This guy LEGITIMATELY TRIED TO MURDER HER.
He basically trapped her inside the walls of his castle and then ferreted her out after weeks or starvation and dehydration. Then when he caught her he THREW HER OFF THE SIDE OF SAID CASTLE.
She ended up almost dying but was recesitated because... idk. He's a nice guy? Aside from hating all humans and wanting to enslave them into an army of murderous, unrepentant monsters? I still don't really understand what made him be like "huh. Shoving this girl off the side of my house didn't feel that great. BERNARD! Yeah. You seem like you won't rip out her intestines and cackle as she dies a slow, painful death. Take care of her."
In the end, I was able to lull myself into believing that none of the stuff in the beginning happened so that I could get through the rest. It was okay. The interactions were...okay. The plot points were actually kind of interesting. The fairytale? Eeehhh.
No.
Nonono.
This guy LEGITIMATELY TRIED TO MURDER HER.
He basically trapped her inside the walls of his castle and then ferreted her out after weeks or starvation and dehydration. Then when he caught her he THREW HER OFF THE SIDE OF SAID CASTLE.
She ended up almost dying but was recesitated because... idk. He's a nice guy? Aside from hating all humans and wanting to enslave them into an army of murderous, unrepentant monsters? I still don't really understand what made him be like "huh. Shoving this girl off the side of my house didn't feel that great. BERNARD! Yeah. You seem like you won't rip out her intestines and cackle as she dies a slow, painful death. Take care of her."
In the end, I was able to lull myself into believing that none of the stuff in the beginning happened so that I could get through the rest. It was okay. The interactions were...okay. The plot points were actually kind of interesting. The fairytale? Eeehhh.
Read
July 7, 2020I could tell pretty early on this was going to be cheesy..
April 23, 2020
4.6 stars
This book really hit the nail on the head. I have a weakness for winged men, pretty dresses, the night sky, innocently intimate touches, and all things gold.
"In that moment, Amicia was not just a woman. She was every atom of a falling star who had raced an entire lifetime to be reunited with the light she had lost."
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. I could have finished this book quicker, yet I found myself highlighting, screenshotting, and re-reading certain passages because this story has an abundance of dream-like moments which I am incredibly grateful for.
This is my favourite retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Strongly recommend.
This book really hit the nail on the head. I have a weakness for winged men, pretty dresses, the night sky, innocently intimate touches, and all things gold.
"In that moment, Amicia was not just a woman. She was every atom of a falling star who had raced an entire lifetime to be reunited with the light she had lost."
This is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. I could have finished this book quicker, yet I found myself highlighting, screenshotting, and re-reading certain passages because this story has an abundance of dream-like moments which I am incredibly grateful for.
This is my favourite retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Strongly recommend.
November 24, 2019
When the author was offering ARCs, I jumped at the chance because for whatever reason, I have quite the collection of B&TB retellings/adaptations under my belt, so why refuse a chance to add another? It's always interesting to see where an author can take the basic outline of a classic fairy tale, and this does happen to be the author's second stab at a retelling. For a standalone, the read was a pretty nice experience that I got through in one sitting. The writing of the author is always very nice and I thought the approach to the beast's curse was a unique take. Most stories have the curse be a more self-contained thing, but this one speaks of something bigger than just one random prince getting a lesson beat into him with magical vengeance, so it'll be interesting to see the author explore this more in upcoming installments of this series (which, as far as I know, focus on other Dread in other kingdoms, with this couple's story being concluded).
The one thing that was a little bit of a let down about this book, like it has been with most of Ms. Hamm's work, is that I craved more details and depth, because her ideas are really great and I see amazing potential in them. There are questions left unanswered about the world, about the characters pasts, about why the plot took this step or that step, things of that sort. I think this story performed better than Heart of the Fae for me because I liked the characters better and understood their motivations better, but it still felt like the story had so much more to give. C'mon, Emma! I know you're capable of blowing my socks off with exquisite depth and detail. The world seemed really rich and interesting, but outside of its beauty, I was left wondering so many things about it and think that the curse muddling memories was a little too easy of an out to explaining things. Sure, it allowed for a level of conflict and mystery, but it also left me with a lot of questions.
Overall, I'd say it was a read worth my time. It wasn't perfect, but my qualms are probably more my preference as a reader and not necessarily inherit flaws with the story or writing. I'll probably look into the next book in the series! I hope this series has several of these "tied in but stand-alone" titles so we get to see the bigger plot regarding the alchemists unfold and maybe get more insight into the celestial beings and what not.
It is almost 4 a.m. for me as I type this, so my thoughts may not all be here, like, I didn't really go in depth about the romance (outside of Alexadre throwing her off a roof and then never explaining why he thought doing so was for her own good, it wasn't really problematic or anything, and the book is overall clean, with only a few swear words and vague references to sexuality without any explicitness), but there was nothing that stuck out so much that I feel a longer discussion is warranted at present.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. As per Booksprout's agreement, I promised a review by a certain date in exchange for the ARC, but my thoughts are all my own.
The one thing that was a little bit of a let down about this book, like it has been with most of Ms. Hamm's work, is that I craved more details and depth, because her ideas are really great and I see amazing potential in them. There are questions left unanswered about the world, about the characters pasts, about why the plot took this step or that step, things of that sort. I think this story performed better than Heart of the Fae for me because I liked the characters better and understood their motivations better, but it still felt like the story had so much more to give. C'mon, Emma! I know you're capable of blowing my socks off with exquisite depth and detail. The world seemed really rich and interesting, but outside of its beauty, I was left wondering so many things about it and think that the curse muddling memories was a little too easy of an out to explaining things. Sure, it allowed for a level of conflict and mystery, but it also left me with a lot of questions.
Overall, I'd say it was a read worth my time. It wasn't perfect, but my qualms are probably more my preference as a reader and not necessarily inherit flaws with the story or writing. I'll probably look into the next book in the series! I hope this series has several of these "tied in but stand-alone" titles so we get to see the bigger plot regarding the alchemists unfold and maybe get more insight into the celestial beings and what not.
It is almost 4 a.m. for me as I type this, so my thoughts may not all be here, like, I didn't really go in depth about the romance (outside of Alexadre throwing her off a roof and then never explaining why he thought doing so was for her own good, it wasn't really problematic or anything, and the book is overall clean, with only a few swear words and vague references to sexuality without any explicitness), but there was nothing that stuck out so much that I feel a longer discussion is warranted at present.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. As per Booksprout's agreement, I promised a review by a certain date in exchange for the ARC, but my thoughts are all my own.
November 9, 2019
I received a free copy of this book from book sprout ( but I’m not going to cancel my preorder!)
4.5 stars
WOW! Unlike any romance book I have ever read before. This is a retelling of Beauty and Beast, and a book I have desperately been waiting to read ever since I read the blurb months ago!
I read this book in a day, engaged wholeheartedly from the first page till the very last. I couldn’t read the words fast enough, but was also checking how much was left Of the book, trying to slow down so I could stretch out the story. It was simply that good.
I loved both the main characters. Their love story paced out to perfection. No instalove, and no unnecessary angst. The storyline was fantastic. As beautiful to read as it was was to watch the Disney animated version.
And even though it’s a retelling, Emma Hamm made it very much her own story. At one point I skipped ahead for a quick peak, as the storyline was unfolding in such way I Thought it could possibly finish on a cliffhanger! There were moments I was holding my breath at what was being revealed! And you know it’s a good book that when even though you know what the premise of the story is, you still don’t know what’s actually going happen in the story!
As this is book 1 in the Celestials series, I’m already twitching for the next book in the series! There’s a reason Emma Hamm is 1-click author for me!
4.5 stars
WOW! Unlike any romance book I have ever read before. This is a retelling of Beauty and Beast, and a book I have desperately been waiting to read ever since I read the blurb months ago!
I read this book in a day, engaged wholeheartedly from the first page till the very last. I couldn’t read the words fast enough, but was also checking how much was left Of the book, trying to slow down so I could stretch out the story. It was simply that good.
I loved both the main characters. Their love story paced out to perfection. No instalove, and no unnecessary angst. The storyline was fantastic. As beautiful to read as it was was to watch the Disney animated version.
And even though it’s a retelling, Emma Hamm made it very much her own story. At one point I skipped ahead for a quick peak, as the storyline was unfolding in such way I Thought it could possibly finish on a cliffhanger! There were moments I was holding my breath at what was being revealed! And you know it’s a good book that when even though you know what the premise of the story is, you still don’t know what’s actually going happen in the story!
As this is book 1 in the Celestials series, I’m already twitching for the next book in the series! There’s a reason Emma Hamm is 1-click author for me!
February 23, 2020
Ms. Hamm has crafted a book that is reminiscent of the fairy-tales of old and given it the soul-searching, calling-a-horse-by-its-name attitude we need in contemporary fiction. Amicia and Alexandre are characters molded out of the familiar, (taking on the beauty and beast roles respectively), but they quickly break the idea of what we know to be their classic storybook counterparts. Alexandre is flawed but finds redemption in the deepest parts of himself where he is still "human", and Amicia pushes past blanket compassion towards all and makes adjustments to her expectations regarding the capabilities of beasts and humans alike. I had been eagerly awaiting the release of this series and Ms. Hamm did not disappoint.
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 10, 2019
I really loved this book! Definitely one of my favourite books from Emma Hamm.
I think the way she chose to do this retelling is actually very original. Her inspiration for this really made this book stand out against other Beauty and the Beast retellings.
I’m looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
I think the way she chose to do this retelling is actually very original. Her inspiration for this really made this book stand out against other Beauty and the Beast retellings.
I’m looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
December 3, 2019
amazing writing and I loved the characters!
January 26, 2021
"Only a woman filled with infinite light would dare to kiss the damned."
Emma Hamm is quickly become a must read author to me. After Of Goblins and Gold I have made it my mission to devour anything she has to offer. A Beauty & the Beast retelling with a true beast and a strong heroine. The Dread are terrible creatures who have terrorized people and villages for years. They are to be feared. Amicia has witnessed first hand the devastation they bring and now she is trapped in a derelict chateau inhabited with The Dread. Buying out her time, Amicia is starts to see that these creatures are more than meets the eye.
Even though this is a tale as old as time Emma Hamm put her unique stamp on this classic.
January 16, 2020
Honestly, I should have just DNF'd this.
When I say nothing happens for the first 50%, I mean nothing happens. The pacing of it so slow it's infuriating. Then, when you get to the second half of the book, everything happens too quickly. Out of nowhere, when Amicia had been afraid of the Dread, she and the King start developing feelings for each other. Their feelings make no sense because no time has been spent to develop their relationship.
The King of the Dread (the love interest, the beast) first interacts with Amicia by throwing her off the roof of the chateau and then, for reasons unknown, he decides to let her live. Amicia and the King barely interact until the second half and honestly it feels like Amicia should have ended up with another of the Dread whom she actually spends time with and they develop a more meaningful relationship than the one between Amicia and the King.
The premise was so interesting, and I liked the idea of the beast character being a literal monster instead of the trend that's going around lately where the beast is just a metaphorical one (if that, in some of them).
This book was basic. The author had an interesting idea, but they didn't take the time to properly develop anything. The romantic relationship was lackluster and wasn't written well enough to be believable. The world and the alchemists sparked some interest, but they are also underdeveloped.
If you want a well written, well thought out, Beauty and the Beast retelling with a believable romance, this isn't what you're looking for.
When I say nothing happens for the first 50%, I mean nothing happens. The pacing of it so slow it's infuriating. Then, when you get to the second half of the book, everything happens too quickly. Out of nowhere, when Amicia had been afraid of the Dread, she and the King start developing feelings for each other. Their feelings make no sense because no time has been spent to develop their relationship.
The King of the Dread (the love interest, the beast) first interacts with Amicia by throwing her off the roof of the chateau and then, for reasons unknown, he decides to let her live. Amicia and the King barely interact until the second half and honestly it feels like Amicia should have ended up with another of the Dread whom she actually spends time with and they develop a more meaningful relationship than the one between Amicia and the King.
The premise was so interesting, and I liked the idea of the beast character being a literal monster instead of the trend that's going around lately where the beast is just a metaphorical one (if that, in some of them).
This book was basic. The author had an interesting idea, but they didn't take the time to properly develop anything. The romantic relationship was lackluster and wasn't written well enough to be believable. The world and the alchemists sparked some interest, but they are also underdeveloped.
If you want a well written, well thought out, Beauty and the Beast retelling with a believable romance, this isn't what you're looking for.
December 1, 2019
This was my second try at an Emma Hamm novel. I'm not sure what it is about her writing that doesn't work for me, but there's something that just feels off for me. I wish I enjoyed it more because Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale retelling.
January 23, 2021
I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did! Amicia surprisingly wasn’t some terrified damsel in distress but full of humor and strong willed while being in a scary place full of monsters. I adore Alexandre. I can totally understand how her feeling for him changed so drastically although I didn’t expect it to be so quickly. I’m definitely not complaining cause sometimes I feel the animosity goes on a little too long in some stories when I’m dyyyying to see the characters start caring for each other. This book didn’t disappoint me.
December 12, 2019
Love beauty and the beast retellings
December 12, 2019
A great Beauty and the Beast retelling! Original world, characters, and beautiful prose. I'd expect nothing less from Hamm!
December 27, 2021
"This was a human woman. Not a human woman general who studied the tactics of war and secrecy. This was just a woman, a small one who had tucked herself into some nook of his home where they could not sniff her out. He had never been bested by another creature before...The Dread were the most terrifying beasts in the land. Humans trembled at the mere mention of his forces, and yet this woman had managed to not only evade him, but send a wave of uncertainty throughout the ranks."
This was totally wickedly amazing! Especially for my first Emma Hamm book. This was one of those that was a late night reading before bed on my backlit kindle but I can't remember when it picked up for me to the point I couldn't put it down and just devoured it even though I was devouring another one I'm currently reading but this one got my attention big time at some point and I found myself finishing it first before my other one I was way into.
I have to say though this retelling was well done and being actually close to the true Beauty and the Beast story was perfect! I did read or skim to see if Amicia was in the other two books in this trilogy and when I didn't see her name in them and the more I read this one, the more I wondered how Emma Hamm was going to lead into the next books or at least set them up. And oh boy did she build that up perfectly and I loved the twist to it and now excited to pick up the next book when I get a chance. The end was a great way to end this one and I saw some had issues with the King of the Dread trying to kill Amicia earlier by throwing her off a balcony but she survived despite a few broken ribs and broken leg and cut arm and all and then he decided to keep her alive but there was a particular reason as to why he kept her alive afterwards and it ended up being well written. I see that as a possible equivalent but more exciting to the wolves attacking Belle in the original Beauty and the Beast and yet, in that story, if you think about it, the Beast could've left her to the wolves and let her die but he didn't and ended up saving her for some reason he probably didn't know what and the rest is history. It was definitely different from other retellings of this timeless story I've read that I love and is my absolute favorite story so Emma Hamm nailed this one for me and that's saying a lot. This is so far my third favorite Beauty and the Beast retelling.
Top 3 Beauty and the Beast retellings I've read/remembered:
1- Cruel Beauty
2- Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
3- Gilded Rose
This was totally wickedly amazing! Especially for my first Emma Hamm book. This was one of those that was a late night reading before bed on my backlit kindle but I can't remember when it picked up for me to the point I couldn't put it down and just devoured it even though I was devouring another one I'm currently reading but this one got my attention big time at some point and I found myself finishing it first before my other one I was way into.
I have to say though this retelling was well done and being actually close to the true Beauty and the Beast story was perfect! I did read or skim to see if Amicia was in the other two books in this trilogy and when I didn't see her name in them and the more I read this one, the more I wondered how Emma Hamm was going to lead into the next books or at least set them up. And oh boy did she build that up perfectly and I loved the twist to it and now excited to pick up the next book when I get a chance. The end was a great way to end this one and I saw some had issues with the King of the Dread trying to kill Amicia earlier by throwing her off a balcony but she survived despite a few broken ribs and broken leg and cut arm and all and then he decided to keep her alive but there was a particular reason as to why he kept her alive afterwards and it ended up being well written. I see that as a possible equivalent but more exciting to the wolves attacking Belle in the original Beauty and the Beast and yet, in that story, if you think about it, the Beast could've left her to the wolves and let her die but he didn't and ended up saving her for some reason he probably didn't know what and the rest is history. It was definitely different from other retellings of this timeless story I've read that I love and is my absolute favorite story so Emma Hamm nailed this one for me and that's saying a lot. This is so far my third favorite Beauty and the Beast retelling.
Top 3 Beauty and the Beast retellings I've read/remembered:
1- Cruel Beauty
2- Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
3- Gilded Rose
December 11, 2023
This is my first review of an Emma Hamm book and I don't know why it has taken me this long but I am so happy I am finally reviewing this book now!
I have never read a beauty and the beat retelling, so this was my first and WOW.
I had no idea what to expect but I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. I didn't even realize I had really gotten deep into it when I had between other books I was reading.
Emma has in incredible talent when it comes to throwing her readers into an enchanting world of discovery and adventure mixed with wonder and romance 😉. I really look forward to her method of storytelling and this world she has created showcases some of her greatest strengths.
A lot of the characters in these books are very relatable and enjoyable. Amica is so strong a fierce and a TRUE force to reckon with. And the King of Dread....I mean come ON Emma!! The cover art alone was enough to have me swooning but when you get fully into the story and the chemistry between the two?! I couldn't get enough!
Such a great read!
I have never read a beauty and the beat retelling, so this was my first and WOW.
I had no idea what to expect but I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. I didn't even realize I had really gotten deep into it when I had between other books I was reading.
Emma has in incredible talent when it comes to throwing her readers into an enchanting world of discovery and adventure mixed with wonder and romance 😉. I really look forward to her method of storytelling and this world she has created showcases some of her greatest strengths.
A lot of the characters in these books are very relatable and enjoyable. Amica is so strong a fierce and a TRUE force to reckon with. And the King of Dread....I mean come ON Emma!! The cover art alone was enough to have me swooning but when you get fully into the story and the chemistry between the two?! I couldn't get enough!
Such a great read!
July 23, 2021
1At face value, I enjoyed this book even though it was slow at times. It was fun to read and I went through it quickly. But if I think about it more than just the surface, I'm super underwhelmed. The plot was slow but the romance seemed to speed by for no apparent reason.
Spoiler below:
I just gotta say. He actually THREW HER OFF A ROOF. How do you fall in love with someone after they throw you off a roof?
Spoiler below:
I just gotta say. He actually THREW HER OFF A ROOF. How do you fall in love with someone after they throw you off a roof?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2020
Unfortunately, this was super disappointing to me. This took me literally over a month to read. I have no idea why but I just could not get into this one. Which is super weird because I usually LOVE Emma Hamm's books. I don't know why, but this one just did not seem to vibe with me.
*read on kindle unlimited
*read on kindle unlimited
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