Quick Stats
Age Rating: 14+
Overall: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 3/5

I did enjoy this book, but the more I’ve sat with it, the more I’ve wavered between giving it a 4 star rating vs. 3.5 stars. I think I’m going to keep it at a four.
Pros: The idea behind this story, the idea behind the world, the characters.
Cons: The execution of the world building, the pacing, and the ending.
The characters were, for me, the most enjoyable aspect of this book by far. I loved every single one of them and thought they were well developed and relatable (with the exception of the prince, who felt pretty two dimensional). I liked the idea behind the world, but it was very confusing at times, and there were areas of the world building that needed something more to flesh it out, especially surouning the fairy godlings. The plot itself was interesting and engaging, and it took the beloved “beauty and the beast” story and made it its own in a really unique way. However, the pacing of the story undermined the plot. In many places, the story dragged and felt boring, and then we got to the end and everything moved way too fast and left things feeling rushed. I understand that with a fairytale retelling, you want a happily ever after, but this was just way too much in that respect. It felt unnatural and out of character for both Tevin and Merit.
All in all, I enjoyed the book and if it sounds like something you’d be interested in—go for it, but it didn’t live up to its potential.