Scan barcode
kaeliwolf's review against another edition
5.0
This book is utterly phenomenal, I couldn't stop reading once I started. It is an enchanting tale of a young beastie who learns how to live, how to love, and how to hate. It is a book for dreamers and for those who still carry hope in their soul. I love this book, and I can't wait for the next one!!
marieintheraw's review against another edition
1.0
Urban fantasy that's hard to grasp. Additionally, the story felt flat to me.
lhirl's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
agapi9's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.25
lunaballz's review against another edition
4.0
I have mixed feelings on this one.
I'll start with saying it was actually really captivating, I didn't want to put it down when I was reading it, and the plot felt original and very interesting.
But....I didn't care about any of the characters? Anouk was irritatingly naive for most of the book; starting off as someone who has literally never left the house so is naive about everything in the world and then becoming really confident in her knowledge after just being out of the house for a day.
The rest of the cast? I couldn't really care less about them. The super wonderful amazing Luc doesn't even show up for most of the story, Beau seems to only exist as a love interest that can drive, Cricket is just the foul-mouthed sister, and Hunter Black is just the tall brooding stabbing guy. Viggo is the only one with half a personality, and that's only after they put a spell on him.
The LGBT rep is fairly small, but there. More of a fantasy that has queer characters than a story about queer characters, if that makes sense. There's a transgender character who plays an important but fairly minor part. And Hunter Black is gay, but it's only barely mentioned.
All in all, I liked the book and will read the sequel, but the character development was seriously lacking.
I'll start with saying it was actually really captivating, I didn't want to put it down when I was reading it, and the plot felt original and very interesting.
But....I didn't care about any of the characters? Anouk was irritatingly naive for most of the book; starting off as someone who has literally never left the house so is naive about everything in the world and then becoming really confident in her knowledge after just being out of the house for a day.
The rest of the cast? I couldn't really care less about them. The super wonderful amazing Luc doesn't even show up for most of the story, Beau seems to only exist as a love interest that can drive, Cricket is just the foul-mouthed sister, and Hunter Black is just the tall brooding stabbing guy. Viggo is the only one with half a personality, and that's only after they put a spell on him.
The LGBT rep is fairly small, but there. More of a fantasy that has queer characters than a story about queer characters, if that makes sense. There's a transgender character who plays an important but fairly minor part. And Hunter Black is gay, but it's only barely mentioned.
All in all, I liked the book and will read the sequel, but the character development was seriously lacking.
ladytiara's review against another edition
3.0
Have you ever wondered about fairytale characters who are turned into animals? Or animals who are turned into people? If you have, Grim Lovelies is the book for you. It's the story of a group of "beasties," animals transformed into people who are fighting to stay human.
Our heroine Anouk and her fellow beasties were created by Mada Vittoria, a powerful witch living in Paris. Anouk is the youngest of the beasties, as she's only been human for a year. She is a house servant for her mistress, and she's never been allowed to leave the house. She watches Paris from the windows and wonders about the world outside. When Mada Vittoria is murdered, Anouk and the other beasties have only three days to find a spell to keep them human or else they will revert to their animal form.
This is a great setup for a fantasy novel, and there were parts of it I enjoyed. The magic world is an intriguing one, with royals at the top of the food chain and witches just underneath. Then there are the witches' boys, adopted sons who provide blood for their witch mothers' spells; goblins, who are treated as second-class citizens; and the beasties, who don't really fit in anywhere. I loved the goblins. They were hilarious, and their fashion choices sound awesome. (I love that the beasties occasionally mistake humans for goblins because Parisian humans have started dressing like goblins.) The stakes were high for the beasties. Going back to being an animal means losing their memories of being human and the found family they've made, and this is particularly hard for Anouk, who's only just begun to live.
There were some things that I was less into. I didn't find most of the characters very interesting, and the only one I found intriguing wasn't in the book very much and came to an unsatisfying end. I wasn't on board with the romantic aspects either. Anouk has a romantic entanglement with a fellow beastie and another character seems to be romantically interested in her. Since Anouk comes across as very young and innocent, two characters being so attracted to her seemed unrealistic (or a little creepy).
This book skews a little more to the younger side of YA, and I think readers in that age range will really enjoy it.
I received an ARC from Amazon Vine.
Our heroine Anouk and her fellow beasties were created by Mada Vittoria, a powerful witch living in Paris. Anouk is the youngest of the beasties, as she's only been human for a year. She is a house servant for her mistress, and she's never been allowed to leave the house. She watches Paris from the windows and wonders about the world outside. When Mada Vittoria is murdered, Anouk and the other beasties have only three days to find a spell to keep them human or else they will revert to their animal form.
This is a great setup for a fantasy novel, and there were parts of it I enjoyed. The magic world is an intriguing one, with royals at the top of the food chain and witches just underneath. Then there are the witches' boys, adopted sons who provide blood for their witch mothers' spells; goblins, who are treated as second-class citizens; and the beasties, who don't really fit in anywhere. I loved the goblins. They were hilarious, and their fashion choices sound awesome. (I love that the beasties occasionally mistake humans for goblins because Parisian humans have started dressing like goblins.) The stakes were high for the beasties. Going back to being an animal means losing their memories of being human and the found family they've made, and this is particularly hard for Anouk, who's only just begun to live.
There were some things that I was less into. I didn't find most of the characters very interesting, and the only one I found intriguing wasn't in the book very much and came to an unsatisfying end. I wasn't on board with the romantic aspects either. Anouk has a romantic entanglement with a fellow beastie and another character seems to be romantically interested in her. Since Anouk comes across as very young and innocent, two characters being so attracted to her seemed unrealistic (or a little creepy).
This book skews a little more to the younger side of YA, and I think readers in that age range will really enjoy it.
I received an ARC from Amazon Vine.
frekinney's review against another edition
4.0
The world building was an interesting blend of faerie lore and completely new material. The plot was captivating but felt a bit sporadic. The character arcs are well executed reversals of initial flaws or perceptions while staying consistent with who the characters really are and what they want. The cliffhanger is gripping and sets up the conflict for book two quite well.
meswauncyc's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-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
3.5
kcolt97's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0