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booksthatburn's review
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
CURSES is a Beauty and the Beast retelling which takes a few specific element of the older story: one person cursed to appear as a Beast, and one person who is generally considered beautiful being required to help them break the curse in exchange for forgiving a parent’s trespasses. Onto this basic premise the author has built a small world by which a larger story is supported. I like the story, I like the dynamic between merit and Tevin, between Merit and her various suitors, and generally with her group of friends and collaborators for them to help break the curse with as little meddling from her mother as possible.
Merit is far from the only person to be cursed by a godling's capricious whim. Godlings are rich fae who move in monied social circles and back up their whims with magic. Godling curses, even when meant to be kind, often cause trouble for the recipients. One of my favorite little details from early in the book is the story of a pair of step-sisters where one was blessed by a godling to have jewels and flowers tumble from her lips when she speaks. Her stepsister is quick to point out that constantly disgorging something, even something valuable, is a deeply unpleasant way to spend one's time. The jewels sometimes lead to cracked teeth, and she's constantly sneezing due to an allergy to flower pollen. The stepsister who speaks up is cursed to have reptiles and amphibians (sometimes venomous ones) pour from her lips whenever she speaks. This is a fairytale I was already passably familiar with, and putting it in the context of Beauty and the Beast is a very smart move narratively, as it represents a similar level of whim and malice as that in the main story. It means that Merit is far from the only major character with a curse, a situation which continues to develop. As for Merit herself, she was cursed after refusing to marry a man twenty years older than her in favor of hoping that the suitor her own age would marry her. But he took her mother's money to go away, and then Merit was cursed by a Godling to have to marry someone her mother chooses or else find someone who loves her even as a beast.
I appreciate stories with a modern sensibility to finding oneself in a magical world. This shows up in a few places, distinctly, one of the earliest of which is a discussion of how the temporary relief from curses can be at obtained through a tincture made from a magical plant, called bloom. There’s a brief discussion of what basically amounts to this world's version of subsidized healthcare, making sure everyone who needs Bloom can afford it. While I understand that some people might find moments like this a bit jarring, I enjoy them as they make clear that while this is a fairytale setting it’s not trying to be strictly medieval. Those two things don’t have to be intertwined, as the number of popular contemporary fantasy books can attest. I like stories of rogues and tricksters, deceptions and heists, and I thoroughly enjoyed Tevin as a main character. He’s the one forced to help Merit after his mother tries to steal one of the magical flowers. Latimer makes an excellent Gaston, with specific reasons beyond pure ego to pursue Merit and play the villainous role for a long stretch. There's a fairly large cast of secondary characters, but they become more relevant at a manageable pace. The story sticks to three narrators, which is quite manageable.
I'd happily read more books by this author, especially ones set in this world. The pacing is a bit odd at first, but it smooths out quickly. It's a retelling of a story I like, in a modern style I enjoy, casually queer, with heists and roguish main characters. It feels almost perfectly crafted to be a book I'd enjoy, and it pays off well.
Merit is far from the only person to be cursed by a godling's capricious whim. Godlings are rich fae who move in monied social circles and back up their whims with magic. Godling curses, even when meant to be kind, often cause trouble for the recipients. One of my favorite little details from early in the book is the story of a pair of step-sisters where one was blessed by a godling to have jewels and flowers tumble from her lips when she speaks. Her stepsister is quick to point out that constantly disgorging something, even something valuable, is a deeply unpleasant way to spend one's time. The jewels sometimes lead to cracked teeth, and she's constantly sneezing due to an allergy to flower pollen. The stepsister who speaks up is cursed to have reptiles and amphibians (sometimes venomous ones) pour from her lips whenever she speaks. This is a fairytale I was already passably familiar with, and putting it in the context of Beauty and the Beast is a very smart move narratively, as it represents a similar level of whim and malice as that in the main story. It means that Merit is far from the only major character with a curse, a situation which continues to develop. As for Merit herself, she was cursed after refusing to marry a man twenty years older than her in favor of hoping that the suitor her own age would marry her. But he took her mother's money to go away, and then Merit was cursed by a Godling to have to marry someone her mother chooses or else find someone who loves her even as a beast.
I appreciate stories with a modern sensibility to finding oneself in a magical world. This shows up in a few places, distinctly, one of the earliest of which is a discussion of how the temporary relief from curses can be at obtained through a tincture made from a magical plant, called bloom. There’s a brief discussion of what basically amounts to this world's version of subsidized healthcare, making sure everyone who needs Bloom can afford it. While I understand that some people might find moments like this a bit jarring, I enjoy them as they make clear that while this is a fairytale setting it’s not trying to be strictly medieval. Those two things don’t have to be intertwined, as the number of popular contemporary fantasy books can attest. I like stories of rogues and tricksters, deceptions and heists, and I thoroughly enjoyed Tevin as a main character. He’s the one forced to help Merit after his mother tries to steal one of the magical flowers. Latimer makes an excellent Gaston, with specific reasons beyond pure ego to pursue Merit and play the villainous role for a long stretch. There's a fairly large cast of secondary characters, but they become more relevant at a manageable pace. The story sticks to three narrators, which is quite manageable.
I'd happily read more books by this author, especially ones set in this world. The pacing is a bit odd at first, but it smooths out quickly. It's a retelling of a story I like, in a modern style I enjoy, casually queer, with heists and roguish main characters. It feels almost perfectly crafted to be a book I'd enjoy, and it pays off well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, Child abuse, Abandonment, Vomit, Body horror, and Animal death
Minor: Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, and Drug use
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
thenovelmaura's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5 stars. Thank you to Penguin Teen for the eARC of this gender-swapped Beauty and the Beast retelling! As with all the ARCs I review, this one came out months and months ago. So let's not delay any more than I already have, shall we?
Look, we all know I love an epic fantasy trilogy with dozens of characters and chapters of world-building. But sometimes what you really need is a quirky, standalone retelling with tons of fairy tale references that make you chuckle! Merit is not your typical beast, since her mom still expects her to live as a lady. She's required to attend society parties, find fashionable clothes that will cover her tail, and handle delicate teacups with her large claws. It was really fun watching Tevin and Merit navigate these picnics and balls while looking for her ideal suitor, and of course, falling for each other along the way.
I also loved Tevin's siblings and how their magical gifts made them perfectly suited for scams and con jobs. Oh, and I can't forget that there's a talking ostrich and a support group for the cursed, where we meet several familiar fairy tale heroes. As it turns out, fairies are always ready for more mischief, and the difference between a blessing and a curse is a mere matter of opinion. I almost gave this one a full 5 stars, but the ending was too rushed and convenient for my taste (pros and cons of a standalone). Still, if this book sounds like it'd be up your alley, you won't be disappointed!
Look, we all know I love an epic fantasy trilogy with dozens of characters and chapters of world-building. But sometimes what you really need is a quirky, standalone retelling with tons of fairy tale references that make you chuckle! Merit is not your typical beast, since her mom still expects her to live as a lady. She's required to attend society parties, find fashionable clothes that will cover her tail, and handle delicate teacups with her large claws. It was really fun watching Tevin and Merit navigate these picnics and balls while looking for her ideal suitor, and of course, falling for each other along the way.
I also loved Tevin's siblings and how their magical gifts made them perfectly suited for scams and con jobs. Oh, and I can't forget that there's a talking ostrich and a support group for the cursed, where we meet several familiar fairy tale heroes. As it turns out, fairies are always ready for more mischief, and the difference between a blessing and a curse is a mere matter of opinion. I almost gave this one a full 5 stars, but the ending was too rushed and convenient for my taste (pros and cons of a standalone). Still, if this book sounds like it'd be up your alley, you won't be disappointed!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Confinement
mwp_'s review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It’s been a while since I’ve read a fairytale retelling, so it was fun to jump into a gender swapped Beauty in the Beast story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Animal death
Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Drug abuse and Death of parent
aqulia's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
This is a great book. Some moments were a little off, but other than that it was great. The characters were all vibrant and full of personallity, and most of the cast (not including Tevin and Latimer's parents) were loveable. I really liked Ellery, Willa, and Cedric, and even Lady Zarla grew on me! While I normally don't read romances, I enjoyed this book. Would recommend, and I hoping to reread it sometime in the future
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Violence
Minor: Death and Death of parent
sophieissapphhic's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
2.75
Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes included in this review are from an unfinished copy of the book.
Content Warnings: confinement, alcohol consumption, drug use, violence, emotional abuse (parental), body horror, deception, blood
Overall Rating: 2.75 / 5
Characters: 3.5 / 5
Writing: 3 / 5
Setting: 2.25 / 5
Plot: 2 / 5
Romance: 3.25 / 5
After invoking the wrath of a Godling, Merit is cursed to become a beast forever unless she marries someone of her mother’s choosing before her eighteenth birthday. Enter Tevin, a swindler. After Tevin’s mother trades him to the beast in exchange for her own freedom, they strike a deal: Tevin will help Merit choose the best match and prevent her from being deceived
When I heard Curses was a genderbent Beauty and the Beast retelling, I knew I had to read it. While Curses provides a unique twist, the story was executed somewhat messily and didn’t live up to its potential.
Overall, the writing style didn’t stand out, but I enjoyed the humorous moments sprinkled throughout the book. McBride also crafts notable characters with distinct personalities, and I didn’t have any trouble distinguishing between important side characters. I particularly enjoyed reading about Tevin and his cousin. It also was a pleasant surprise that at least one side character is sapphic and another uses they/them pronouns.
One other aspect I enjoyed was the discussion around Godling’s curses sometimes being gifts in disguise.
But ultimately, Curses didn’t live up to my expectations. Some areas of the story that were largely explored in the story didn’t amount to much- such as Tevin teaching Merit how to detect when other people were lying. There were other instances in which something felt like foreshadowing, but never came into play. In some chapters, POV changes were choppy and didn’t flow. Another character’s point of view I would’ve preferred to have been taken out of the story entirely. If hints had been dropped, this POV could have been dropped while keeping the plot the same, and I think the story wouldn’t have dragged as much.
I also wanted more from Merit- I wanted there to be a moment or opportunity for her to save herself. Instead, her curse required her fate to be dependent on someone else, and this was a source of frustration for me throughout the entire book. I really struggled with the way Merit was often portrayed as a damsel in distress and needed to be saved.
I have mixed feelings about the world-building of the book. I really enjoyed the concept of magic meeting technology. It set a steampunk kind of vibe, but I’m not sure it was suited for this story. While intriguing, it felt off-center because it didn’t fit the story. There were other aspects that were interesting as well, for example, flying badgers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Body horror
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Violence, and Confinement
Content Warnings: confinement, alcohol consumption, drug use, violence, emotional abuse (parental), body horror, deception, bloodmelaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book!
Merit has a problem--she's cursed. And she will remain in this beastly form forever if she can't get married to either a person of her mother's choosing, or someone who truly loves her...by her next birthday. Tevin has a completely different problem--his greedy parents traded him into Merit's services. So they make a deal--Tevin helps Merit find a husband, and his parents' debts will be paid. Simple enough.
I absolutely loved this retelling of Beauty and the Beast! Honestly--I love all of the characters so much. Merit, Tevin, Val...everyone. They are so fun and individual and I want to know more about every one of them. I loved the romantic development between the two main characters. I felt like it was very realistic and natural! I really loved how everything turned out and thought it was a great book!
Pub Date: July 20, 2021
Merit has a problem--she's cursed. And she will remain in this beastly form forever if she can't get married to either a person of her mother's choosing, or someone who truly loves her...by her next birthday. Tevin has a completely different problem--his greedy parents traded him into Merit's services. So they make a deal--Tevin helps Merit find a husband, and his parents' debts will be paid. Simple enough.
I absolutely loved this retelling of Beauty and the Beast! Honestly--I love all of the characters so much. Merit, Tevin, Val...everyone. They are so fun and individual and I want to know more about every one of them. I loved the romantic development between the two main characters. I felt like it was very realistic and natural! I really loved how everything turned out and thought it was a great book!
Pub Date: July 20, 2021
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Body horror, Violence, and Alcoholism
Minor: Drug use and Medical content
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Penguin Teen & Netgalley for an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Best case of surprise gays.
Rep: Nonbinary side character, lesbian side character, possible sapphic side character--not confirmed.
CWs: Violence, alcohol consumption, drugging of side character without their knowledge, body horror--kinda, animal death, confinement in cage, death of a parent, emotional abuse, medical content--exams by healer, panic attack.
Best case of surprise gays.
Rep: Nonbinary side character, lesbian side character, possible sapphic side character--not confirmed.
CWs: Violence, alcohol consumption, drugging of side character without their knowledge, body horror--kinda, animal death, confinement in cage, death of a parent, emotional abuse, medical content--exams by healer, panic attack.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Death of parent and Drug use
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