3.5 stars rounded up!

Short and Sweet:

I enjoyed this unique and exciting take on ‘The Beauty and the Beast,’ featuring a fantastic couple to ship.
To Elaborate…

At school, Dylan has the nickname ‘Beast.’ Between his large size, muscles, and hair, he’s felt defined by his physical appearance since he was young. When he has an accident on a roof that leads to him breaking his leg, he is put in therapy for self-harmers. There, he meets Jamie. Jamie isn’t afraid to call Dylan out when he needs it, and she is smart, funny, and gorgeous as well. Dylan zones out during therapy and misses when Jamie talks about being transgender. Dylan must work out his hang-ups and misplaced anger if he wants to be with the best girl he’s ever met.

I love this contemporary twist on B&tB. It reminds me of a more diverse Beastly (by Alex Flinn). Dylan is full of rough edges and a big heart, and his flaws are nuanced well done. I absolutely adore how Jamie isn’t afraid to call him out. Dylan isn’t used to people standing up to him, and Jamie has no problem doing that. She is fierce and complex on her own, and I especially like how the author includes both of their relationships with their mothers (and Dylan’s sort-of-friend, JP’s, relationship with his mother as well). I shipped Dylan and Jamie from their first meeting, and their journey through ups and downs, emotions, swoony kisses, and heartache is magical.
Final Verdict:

Though contemporary isn’t my go-to genre, I’m so glad I read this one. Beast is a wonderfully diverse story of love, sexuality, and what it means to know and accept yourself.

Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2016/10/blog-tour-beast-brie-spangler/