caymarie3's review
5.0
Excellent read!!! I ended up finishing it in a day, I just couldn't put it down! I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a new take on a classic tale.
marlinsavonije's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
loganshea's review
2.0
2.5
doom is used more times than was EVER NEEDED.
abusive relationship- she literally hits and kicks him for nothing
confusing (not explained well) magic system
annoying FL
imo really bad names that don’t fit the characters
ex shade. ignifex. nyx. astraia. AND FRICKING MARCUS
this screamed try hard but seem like you’re not tying
too many references to mythology that didn’t make sense half the time
slow start, and the hearts were confusing, author didn’t go into enough detail about important plot points(the hearts, why exactly he father made the deal, etc) that i was confused the whole time
really bad similes that make no sense and aren’t needed
ex “ignifex prowled my room like a cat kept indoors by the rain”
i hate how she knew his name then forgot it
everyone in this book is so fake and two faced it’s scary
Nyx’s way of thinking is all backwards, she believes in the wrong people, she doesn’t trust herself, she wants to love people who she can’t love and who don’t even love her
and the quote on the cover that says “her mission was to kill him. her destiny was to love him” didn’t even make sense bc there was no destiny or prophecies in this
I knew the ending before the beginning, not because it was spoiled for me, but just because it was so predictable
doom is used more times than was EVER NEEDED.
abusive relationship- she literally hits and kicks him for nothing
confusing (not explained well) magic system
annoying FL
imo really bad names that don’t fit the characters
ex shade. ignifex. nyx. astraia. AND FRICKING MARCUS
this screamed try hard but seem like you’re not tying
too many references to mythology that didn’t make sense half the time
slow start, and the hearts were confusing, author didn’t go into enough detail about important plot points(the hearts, why exactly he father made the deal, etc) that i was confused the whole time
really bad similes that make no sense and aren’t needed
ex “ignifex prowled my room like a cat kept indoors by the rain”
i hate how she knew his name then forgot it
everyone in this book is so fake and two faced it’s scary
Nyx’s way of thinking is all backwards, she believes in the wrong people, she doesn’t trust herself, she wants to love people who she can’t love and who don’t even love her
and the quote on the cover that says “her mission was to kill him. her destiny was to love him” didn’t even make sense bc there was no destiny or prophecies in this
I knew the ending before the beginning, not because it was spoiled for me, but just because it was so predictable
aliceyy's review against another edition
4.0
Short and sweet, Cruel Beauty had me sucked in from the very first few pages. The world is quite easy to get used to (for a fantasy at least, it's a pretty simple world), since it's a short book. There aren't too many characters, so it wasn't overwhelming. It's somewhat a retelling of 'Beauty and the Beast' but not really - just the idea of a girl stumbling across a 'beast/demon' I guess with a complicated past.
Because Nyx has been told when she was young that she would grow up to marry the demon prince in order to avenge her deceased mother, she went through an intense struggle between falling for Ignifex (the demon prince) and sticking to the revenge plan. So the insta love wasn't THAT OBVIOUS. But it /is/ a young adult novel, and it's marketed as romance, so insta love can only be expected. But yes because it's a short book, I mean, the romance had to develop kinda quickly or then they won't be able to get together in time for the climax to happen.
I think it's a really well done book for what it is - a fantasy, romance young adult novel. You shouldn't expect anything super complicated, or deep, or life changing because it's just not meant to be. This was exactly the type of book I was in the mood for after a REALLY LONG book, so I finished it really quickly, because the fast plot development is JUST WHAT I NEEDED. So I really liked it, and I would definitely read more of [a:Rosamund Hodge|6474354|Rosamund Hodge|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1362755691p2/6474354.jpg] because her writing style also was to my liking.
Because Nyx has been told when she was young that she would grow up to marry the demon prince in order to avenge her deceased mother, she went through an intense struggle between falling for Ignifex (the demon prince) and sticking to the revenge plan. So the insta love wasn't THAT OBVIOUS. But it /is/ a young adult novel, and it's marketed as romance, so insta love can only be expected. But yes because it's a short book, I mean, the romance had to develop kinda quickly or then they won't be able to get together in time for the climax to happen.
I think it's a really well done book for what it is - a fantasy, romance young adult novel. You shouldn't expect anything super complicated, or deep, or life changing because it's just not meant to be. This was exactly the type of book I was in the mood for after a REALLY LONG book, so I finished it really quickly, because the fast plot development is JUST WHAT I NEEDED. So I really liked it, and I would definitely read more of [a:Rosamund Hodge|6474354|Rosamund Hodge|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1362755691p2/6474354.jpg] because her writing style also was to my liking.
emberfireheart's review
3.0
This was a cute, entertaining book. The story was unique and imaginative (I’ve seen some reviews calling it a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but I didn’t get that vibe). I enjoyed the way Nyx’s internal conflicts were written; I thought she was a well done MC especially for a debut novel. I also enjoyed how witty the villain was. The book is fairly fast paced and there were some twists that I didn’t see coming. I would recommend this book to someone looking for a quick read with a fairytale quality- I used it as basically a palate cleanser after some heavy books and it was perfect for that.
ricottae's review
2.0
I was super excited about this book, and once again, I was disappointed. The story and characters had SO MUCH POTENTIAL, and yet the story was rushed and the details were not built up and spun out properly. She had so much that she could have stretched and explored with this story, so many background details and information about the characters. Instead, she told a story that was very shallow and left me wanting more.
mel_reviews_in_a_pinch's review
5.0
Fairy tale retellings have become extremely popular. When they’re done right, they provide some of the highest quality reading out there. When done wrong, they’re usually a hot mess which can still be entertaining (sometimes). I personally love them. As far as Disney goes, Beauty & the Beast was one of my favorites. I liked that Belle enjoyed reading. She made me feel like I wasn’t a weirdo as a kid. Plus there are very few people immune to the idea of changing the bad boy. I’d like to think I’m one of them, but alas I’m really not.
In case it somehow hasn’t been made clear yet, Cruel Beauty is a Beauty & the Beast retelling. Since that’s one of my favorite fairy tales, I have ridiculously high expectations of anyone trying to write something with it as the source material. Rosamund Hodge has now become one of my favorite authors.
The intricacies of the world created in Cruel Beauty is staggering. The addition of demons to the story was a twist that enjoyed, since I’m a fan of the supernatural. Nothing was exactly as it seemed in this world, which was a cool way to comment on how we’re perceived in life versus how we are in private. There were so many quotes that made me stop and take a deep breath because that’s how I felt, but never acknowledged (or realized).
“I had been waiting, all my life, for someone undeceived to love me.”
“You fought and fought to keep all the cruelty locked up in your head, and for what? None of them ever loved you, because none of them ever knew you”
The way that the back and forth “love triangle” was written between Ignifex, Nyx and Shade was not great. I understand now and am less irritated because it makes sense to me, but it made Nyx come across wrong. I don’t want to say shallow because that seems like the wrong descriptor, but for a while it really seemed like she didn’t know how to listen to her own heart. It wasn’t even a matter of brain vs. heart. She really did come across as having no clue, which bothered me. Repressed feelings? I can get behind that. Struggling to communicate feelings? I can get behind that too. Not having a freaking clue? I immediately think you’re a moron (everyone knows, even when they don’t want to admit it).
I went back and forth with how I felt about Nyx, until she started to accept all parts of herself. Yes, she was cruel. Yes, she could be sweet. We all have light and dark to our personalities and I loved seeing her accept that about herself and stop feeling ashamed. Shade was eh. I thought there was something off about him to be honest. Ignifex was amazing. He’s the jerk that knows he’s a jerk and doesn’t apologize for it. Turns out there’s a reason (which only made me love him more), but he easily held my attention throughout Cruel Beauty.
Ultimately, I loved reading Cruel Beauty. I can’t wait to read more by Rosamund Hodge (I’ve already checked out Crimson Bound from the library – no, it’s not part of the same series). If you like paranormal, fantasy or fairy tale retellings then I would definitely recommend Cruel Beauty.
For more reviews, check out Reviews In A Pinch today!
In case it somehow hasn’t been made clear yet, Cruel Beauty is a Beauty & the Beast retelling. Since that’s one of my favorite fairy tales, I have ridiculously high expectations of anyone trying to write something with it as the source material. Rosamund Hodge has now become one of my favorite authors.
The intricacies of the world created in Cruel Beauty is staggering. The addition of demons to the story was a twist that enjoyed, since I’m a fan of the supernatural. Nothing was exactly as it seemed in this world, which was a cool way to comment on how we’re perceived in life versus how we are in private. There were so many quotes that made me stop and take a deep breath because that’s how I felt, but never acknowledged (or realized).
“I had been waiting, all my life, for someone undeceived to love me.”
“You fought and fought to keep all the cruelty locked up in your head, and for what? None of them ever loved you, because none of them ever knew you”
The way that the back and forth “love triangle” was written between Ignifex, Nyx and Shade was not great. I understand now and am less irritated because it makes sense to me, but it made Nyx come across wrong. I don’t want to say shallow because that seems like the wrong descriptor, but for a while it really seemed like she didn’t know how to listen to her own heart. It wasn’t even a matter of brain vs. heart. She really did come across as having no clue, which bothered me. Repressed feelings? I can get behind that. Struggling to communicate feelings? I can get behind that too. Not having a freaking clue? I immediately think you’re a moron (everyone knows, even when they don’t want to admit it).
I went back and forth with how I felt about Nyx, until she started to accept all parts of herself. Yes, she was cruel. Yes, she could be sweet. We all have light and dark to our personalities and I loved seeing her accept that about herself and stop feeling ashamed. Shade was eh. I thought there was something off about him to be honest. Ignifex was amazing. He’s the jerk that knows he’s a jerk and doesn’t apologize for it. Turns out there’s a reason (which only made me love him more), but he easily held my attention throughout Cruel Beauty.
Ultimately, I loved reading Cruel Beauty. I can’t wait to read more by Rosamund Hodge (I’ve already checked out Crimson Bound from the library – no, it’s not part of the same series). If you like paranormal, fantasy or fairy tale retellings then I would definitely recommend Cruel Beauty.
For more reviews, check out Reviews In A Pinch today!