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abinthebooks
DNF
I don’t care. That’s what the problem is with this book for me. I love sci-fi but I don’t love this one, which is sad because I loved [a: Brandon Sanderson|38550|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1394044556p2/38550.jpg]’s [b: Mistborn|68428|The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1480717416l/68428._SY75_.jpg|66322]. But I didn’t care.
I don’t care. That’s what the problem is with this book for me. I love sci-fi but I don’t love this one, which is sad because I loved [a: Brandon Sanderson|38550|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1394044556p2/38550.jpg]’s [b: Mistborn|68428|The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1480717416l/68428._SY75_.jpg|66322]. But I didn’t care.
DNF
Just DNF for now. I’m going to read this sooner to the release date of book 3
Just DNF for now. I’m going to read this sooner to the release date of book 3
*4.5 stars
Ok so I’m actually going to write down my more coherent thoughts now. I first heard about this book way over a year ago, and went out and bought it. Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite fairytale, even coming in before Peter Pan or Rapunzel (and trust me when I say I watched those DVDS till they weren’t playable anymore). Whenever I heard about a Beauty and the Beast retelling I always gravitate towards it, even if we don’t really ever see anything new.
But this, this my Goodreads friends and peers, is truly one of the best I’ve read. Admittedly, I know this book is definitely not for everyone. It’s a very slow book (even though our MC Harper is swept away from Washington D.C. within the first 15 pages), and to be completely honest, not a whole lot happens until the last 150 pages.
But I still loved this a lot, and that was because I love these characters. All of these characters have something so interesting about their dynamics and traits. Rhen is our beast character, but he’s so much more than that. [a: Brigid Kemmerer|4629194|Brigid Kemmerer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1563651388p2/4629194.jpg] deals with grief and heartbreak and hopelessness in a way I’ve never seen any author do. I’ve dealt with depression since I was 12, and I genuinely felt connected to Rhen as character and I sympathized with his character, even though he hadn’t always done the right thing.
Harper is such an interesting character too. She’s our Belle character, obviously, and on the contrary to what I said in my status update, claiming that she’s not like other girls, I found that that wore off as the novel progressed. She also has cerebral palsy, and I’ve never seen that represented in any book, especially not YA. She’s a strong female main character, whilst also having her downs, and no ‘I’m special, and invincible’ if you know what I mean. She often had to have people save her, but was so head strong, and she could protect herself when the time came.
Grey. Oh Grey. Baby how I love you. Grey had such a cool character dynamic. He was devoted to protecting Rhen, but you could still see he cared very much about him. Their friendship, as it progressed, was genuinely so sweet. And they way he cared about Harper was so so cute. He was always looking out for her, and giving her advice, and teaching her things. He was just such a soft cinnamon roll under all the ✨scary✨
Overall, I just really loved this book. I will make a note though that I’m 95% sure I’m not reading book 2, [b: A Heart So Fierce and Broken|42952728|A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers, #2)|Brigid Kemmerer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1559126810l/42952728._SY75_.jpg|66757917] or 3, [b: A Vow so Bold and Deadly|53138253|A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers, #3)|Brigid Kemmerer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594380552l/53138253._SY75_.jpg|71638553]. Everyone says they hate the way that book 2 takes the narrative, and from the reviews I’ve read, I don’t want to read book 2 at all. It seems that it makes Rhen an ass and Harper the villain and I just don’t want to read about that. I’m happy with book 1 and I’m going to imagine everyone ends happily.
* * *
OG Thoughts
First of all, what the fuck was that ending?! Second of all, what the fuck was that ending?! Third and finally, what the fuck was that ending?!
Ok so I’m actually going to write down my more coherent thoughts now. I first heard about this book way over a year ago, and went out and bought it. Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite fairytale, even coming in before Peter Pan or Rapunzel (and trust me when I say I watched those DVDS till they weren’t playable anymore). Whenever I heard about a Beauty and the Beast retelling I always gravitate towards it, even if we don’t really ever see anything new.
But this, this my Goodreads friends and peers, is truly one of the best I’ve read. Admittedly, I know this book is definitely not for everyone. It’s a very slow book (even though our MC Harper is swept away from Washington D.C. within the first 15 pages), and to be completely honest, not a whole lot happens until the last 150 pages.
But I still loved this a lot, and that was because I love these characters. All of these characters have something so interesting about their dynamics and traits. Rhen is our beast character, but he’s so much more than that. [a: Brigid Kemmerer|4629194|Brigid Kemmerer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1563651388p2/4629194.jpg] deals with grief and heartbreak and hopelessness in a way I’ve never seen any author do. I’ve dealt with depression since I was 12, and I genuinely felt connected to Rhen as character and I sympathized with his character, even though he hadn’t always done the right thing.
Harper is such an interesting character too. She’s our Belle character, obviously, and on the contrary to what I said in my status update, claiming that she’s not like other girls, I found that that wore off as the novel progressed. She also has cerebral palsy, and I’ve never seen that represented in any book, especially not YA. She’s a strong female main character, whilst also having her downs, and no ‘I’m special, and invincible’ if you know what I mean. She often had to have people save her, but was so head strong, and she could protect herself when the time came.
Grey. Oh Grey. Baby how I love you. Grey had such a cool character dynamic. He was devoted to protecting Rhen, but you could still see he cared very much about him. Their friendship, as it progressed, was genuinely so sweet. And they way he cared about Harper was so so cute. He was always looking out for her, and giving her advice, and teaching her things. He was just such a soft cinnamon roll under all the ✨scary✨
Overall, I just really loved this book. I will make a note though that I’m 95% sure I’m not reading book 2, [b: A Heart So Fierce and Broken|42952728|A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers, #2)|Brigid Kemmerer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1559126810l/42952728._SY75_.jpg|66757917] or 3, [b: A Vow so Bold and Deadly|53138253|A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers, #3)|Brigid Kemmerer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594380552l/53138253._SY75_.jpg|71638553]. Everyone says they hate the way that book 2 takes the narrative, and from the reviews I’ve read, I don’t want to read book 2 at all. It seems that it makes Rhen an ass and Harper the villain and I just don’t want to read about that. I’m happy with book 1 and I’m going to imagine everyone ends happily.
* * *
OG Thoughts
First of all, what the fuck was that ending?! Second of all, what the fuck was that ending?! Third and finally, what the fuck was that ending?!
DNF
I don’t care about these characters and I don’t like the writing. October is such a bad reading month for me this year ):
I don’t care about these characters and I don’t like the writing. October is such a bad reading month for me this year ):
*3.5
While this book will probably go on a list of Most Problematic Books of All Time I still found myself enjoying this book. When I tell you this book is a dumpster fire, I’m being 100% honest. This book is terrible. The writing is god right awful, the characters are all shallow and stacked up with cliches, making them have less personality than a fish, the girl on girl hate is insufferable, and Anna is a very very stupid bitch, I was enjoying myself.
I laughed at the sarcastic, and dry wit Between all of the characters, and I found myself liking Étienne against my better judgment (even though the dude can’t decide if he’s British, American, or French. He’s got a British accent, but he’s being raised in America, and France. At this point I’m convinced he’s Scottish). Étienne’s character is just basically every male love interest trope from the late 2000s, and early 2010s, but for some reason his British accent wooed me. (Even though the guy cheated on his girlfriend. More than once).
The writing in this book is so juvenile that is was blatantly hard to read, but I was still laughing at it the entire time. The girl on girl hate is absolutely hilarious in this book. Anna our main character can’t be friends with any girl without one of them calling her a slut, or them fighting over the Beautiful Étienne or for Anna to be a narcissistic bitch.
Speaking of Anna, she was most definitely a narcissistic bitch, but she also falls into the category of DUMB BITCH. She’s really, really dumb. And whiny. In the beginning of the book she’s angry her father is sending her to a boarding school IN PARIS because she’s going to miss the boy she’s crushing on. I was actually speechless. Then she’s lusting over Étienne St. Claire the whole book even though he, has a girlfriend (he’s lusting over her too, so). And then she claims that she wants to be a film critic from how much she just lurvssss movies, yet she doesn’t know France is the country where movies are one of the biggest things. Even St. Claire was shocked at this news, who wouldn’t be. She also decides to let herself starve for a whole week because she’s embarrassed to butcher French to the lunch ladies, and she doesn’t know how to point to pictures apparently or talk in English.
All the side characters were mediocre at best, and served no other purpose than to cause drama, and put rifts between Anna and Étienne. They didn’t do anything exciting, and weren’t very close to Anna even though they did everything together. Yeah their is that trope in here too.
And what better why for our love interest to confess his love to Anna with a direct quote her,
”I cheated on her everyday. In my mind, I thought of you in ways I shouldn’t have, again and again. She was nothing compared to you. I’ve never felt this way about anybody before”
Because that’s just so romantic.
But even though all these things are true, and this book is terrible, I still enjoyed it. It was fun to laugh at, and I definitely didn’t take this book, or myself for that matter to seriously while reading this book.
While this book will probably go on a list of Most Problematic Books of All Time I still found myself enjoying this book. When I tell you this book is a dumpster fire, I’m being 100% honest. This book is terrible. The writing is god right awful, the characters are all shallow and stacked up with cliches, making them have less personality than a fish, the girl on girl hate is insufferable, and Anna is a very very stupid bitch, I was enjoying myself.
I laughed at the sarcastic, and dry wit Between all of the characters, and I found myself liking Étienne against my better judgment (even though the dude can’t decide if he’s British, American, or French. He’s got a British accent, but he’s being raised in America, and France. At this point I’m convinced he’s Scottish). Étienne’s character is just basically every male love interest trope from the late 2000s, and early 2010s, but for some reason his British accent wooed me. (Even though the guy cheated on his girlfriend. More than once).
The writing in this book is so juvenile that is was blatantly hard to read, but I was still laughing at it the entire time. The girl on girl hate is absolutely hilarious in this book. Anna our main character can’t be friends with any girl without one of them calling her a slut, or them fighting over the Beautiful Étienne or for Anna to be a narcissistic bitch.
Speaking of Anna, she was most definitely a narcissistic bitch, but she also falls into the category of DUMB BITCH. She’s really, really dumb. And whiny. In the beginning of the book she’s angry her father is sending her to a boarding school IN PARIS because she’s going to miss the boy she’s crushing on. I was actually speechless. Then she’s lusting over Étienne St. Claire the whole book even though he, has a girlfriend (he’s lusting over her too, so). And then she claims that she wants to be a film critic from how much she just lurvssss movies, yet she doesn’t know France is the country where movies are one of the biggest things. Even St. Claire was shocked at this news, who wouldn’t be. She also decides to let herself starve for a whole week because she’s embarrassed to butcher French to the lunch ladies, and she doesn’t know how to point to pictures apparently or talk in English.
All the side characters were mediocre at best, and served no other purpose than to cause drama, and put rifts between Anna and Étienne. They didn’t do anything exciting, and weren’t very close to Anna even though they did everything together. Yeah their is that trope in here too.
And what better why for our love interest to confess his love to Anna with a direct quote her,
”I cheated on her everyday. In my mind, I thought of you in ways I shouldn’t have, again and again. She was nothing compared to you. I’ve never felt this way about anybody before”
Because that’s just so romantic.
But even though all these things are true, and this book is terrible, I still enjoyed it. It was fun to laugh at, and I definitely didn’t take this book, or myself for that matter to seriously while reading this book.
The first book I’ve read this month is a 4 star, which is off to a great start! Anyways, this book was really cute.
I’ve read plenty of Beauty and the Beast retellings in my time as a reader, to many to count in fact, and I’ve never really loved any of them. [b: A Curse So Dark and Lonely|43204703|A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1)|Brigid Kemmerer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574179523l/43204703._SY75_.jpg|50519947] was really the only Beauty and the Beast retelling that has stuck with me, but I think I can call this my favorite Beauty and the Beast contemporary retelling.
Like I said, I thought this book was really cute. I liked the romance, and the characters, and the portrayal of guilt and remorse and heartbreak was pretty good, at least in my eyes. Rosie goes through the motions, and pain of losing her mother, and the way she describes how she feels without her mom made me genuinely sad. The way Vance talked about his guilt, towards the people he’s wronged and the things he’s done, and his anger at his parents was very understandable and I really did feel something during those scenes.
This book also has much LGBTQIA+ representation. I think almost every character in here is bisexual, or doesn’t define their sexual preference. We have I believe two non-binary characters in here as well. You don’t really see a lot of books with that much rep, unless it’s focused solely on sexual identity and sexuality.
Ok time for some spoilers! These spoilers are minor, but if you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read this paragraph!
A few things bothered me though, like the weird thing with Rosie’s dad, and Vance’s guardian. Rosie’s mom had died only a year before, and her dad was already flirting with other people? It just felt a little unrealistic. Also it was really weird when all of Rosie’s friends called her dad, space dad? The meaning behind it basically meant that her dad was good looking enough to be in a space movie/tv show? I mean who’s friends really say that to your other friends dad? Right, no one. I also found it really weird that one of the main couples from the first book in this series broke up halfway through this book? It just felt really out of place.
END OF MINOR SPOILERS
I also think that I probably wouldn’t have liked this as much if I had read, [b: Geekerella|30724132|Geekerella (Once Upon a Con, #1)|Ashley Poston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476734515l/30724132._SY75_.jpg|50652411], and [b: The Princess and the Fangirl|39725622|The Princess and the Fangirl (Once Upon a Con, #2)|Ashley Poston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542265229l/39725622._SY75_.jpg|61408547], mainly because I actually think those books would have probably been better...but I probably should have read them because I was really confused on the terminology for the tv/movie series in here.
Overall though, this book was really sweet and pretty funny. The characters were good, the plot was interesting, and I really enjoyed the bookish aspect to this book. Really excited to read more by [a: Ashley Poston|4279769|Ashley Poston|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1603175651p2/4279769.jpg].
* * *
THIS COVER WILL BE MY DEMISE
I’ve read plenty of Beauty and the Beast retellings in my time as a reader, to many to count in fact, and I’ve never really loved any of them. [b: A Curse So Dark and Lonely|43204703|A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1)|Brigid Kemmerer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574179523l/43204703._SY75_.jpg|50519947] was really the only Beauty and the Beast retelling that has stuck with me, but I think I can call this my favorite Beauty and the Beast contemporary retelling.
Like I said, I thought this book was really cute. I liked the romance, and the characters, and the portrayal of guilt and remorse and heartbreak was pretty good, at least in my eyes. Rosie goes through the motions, and pain of losing her mother, and the way she describes how she feels without her mom made me genuinely sad. The way Vance talked about his guilt, towards the people he’s wronged and the things he’s done, and his anger at his parents was very understandable and I really did feel something during those scenes.
This book also has much LGBTQIA+ representation. I think almost every character in here is bisexual, or doesn’t define their sexual preference. We have I believe two non-binary characters in here as well. You don’t really see a lot of books with that much rep, unless it’s focused solely on sexual identity and sexuality.
Ok time for some spoilers! These spoilers are minor, but if you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read this paragraph!
A few things bothered me though, like the weird thing with Rosie’s dad, and Vance’s guardian. Rosie’s mom had died only a year before, and her dad was already flirting with other people? It just felt a little unrealistic. Also it was really weird when all of Rosie’s friends called her dad, space dad? The meaning behind it basically meant that her dad was good looking enough to be in a space movie/tv show? I mean who’s friends really say that to your other friends dad? Right, no one. I also found it really weird that one of the main couples from the first book in this series broke up halfway through this book? It just felt really out of place.
END OF MINOR SPOILERS
I also think that I probably wouldn’t have liked this as much if I had read, [b: Geekerella|30724132|Geekerella (Once Upon a Con, #1)|Ashley Poston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476734515l/30724132._SY75_.jpg|50652411], and [b: The Princess and the Fangirl|39725622|The Princess and the Fangirl (Once Upon a Con, #2)|Ashley Poston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1542265229l/39725622._SY75_.jpg|61408547], mainly because I actually think those books would have probably been better...but I probably should have read them because I was really confused on the terminology for the tv/movie series in here.
Overall though, this book was really sweet and pretty funny. The characters were good, the plot was interesting, and I really enjoyed the bookish aspect to this book. Really excited to read more by [a: Ashley Poston|4279769|Ashley Poston|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1603175651p2/4279769.jpg].
* * *
THIS COVER WILL BE MY DEMISE
Totally forgot this was required reading for my 5th grade English class! Didn’t love it when I read it, but I was probably just to young to appreciate it. Should probably go back and reread it soon!
*3.5
This book was fine, but it definitely reminded me of Romancing the Duke, which I read earlier this month. Do all of Tessa Dares books have a formula? I will admit this book made me grin, and laugh, and I liked all the side characters set up for the next books. The smut in here was better than Romancing the Duke though, so this is getting an extra half a star
This book was fine, but it definitely reminded me of Romancing the Duke, which I read earlier this month. Do all of Tessa Dares books have a formula? I will admit this book made me grin, and laugh, and I liked all the side characters set up for the next books. The smut in here was better than Romancing the Duke though, so this is getting an extra half a star