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tanya_tate's review against another edition
2.0
1.5 Stars
Some spoilers
I'm so disappointed in this book that it doesn't even deserve a review but I'll write one..
This was one of my most anticipated books of this year and it just disappointed me. ( Yall know how I am with BATB retellings.)
It started strong but slow but just fizzed out as I got farther into it and I had to force myself to finish it.
I loved Yeva at the beginning but now I really don't know how to feel about her.
The beast was too overdramatic for my tastes.
One of the biggest things for me is the fact I didn't connect to Yeva and the beast so called "romance". Hell I didn't even consider them friends at all. How can you when both keep telling the other that they are their captor for a cause or they will kill them in order to avenge someone that the other one didn't kill?
Beast: " I'm your captor but I need you to end my suffering so I'm going to lie to you by saying I killed your loved one and going to kill your other love ones if you don't help me. "
Yeva: "I hunt and kill you for what you did!!"
YOU KEPT REPEATING THIS SHIT DURING THE WHOLE BOOK SO IT WAS HARD TO SEE THEIR REACTIONS AS BEING FRIENDLY! THAT ANY THING THEY DID FOR EACH OTHER WAS THEM BEING FRIENDLY AND MAYBE FALLING IN LOVE! ALSO SOME OF THE THINGS THE BEAST DID WAS OF A CAPTOR! YOU CAN'T BUILD A FRIENDSHIP LET ALONE A ROMANCE WHEN YOU KEEP HANGING ON THAT!!
Also the fact this retelling of BATB ( which was a mixture of the original and the Disney version) really felt like Stockholm Syndrome to fullest because of that. In all honestly worse than the original cause with this one it seem like the author was trying to drive the point home. It honestly worked against her cause the romance wasn't believable because of it. This is why I love the disney version cause after their first icy interactions they started to become friends. The beast never referred to her as his captor at all but his friend. She never saw herself as his captor after their first couple meetings but as her friend. It wasn't until to was released and she come back to warn him about gaston that she realized she loved him. This version has nothing of that at all.
Also when you mix another fairy tale which not as known as the main one you are using,make sure it stand out more instead of being footnote that was used more towards the end. I never really heard of the Russian fairy tale "Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf" so it would have been nice that it was more in the forefront while BATB was in the background.
I read a lot of reviews saying this remind them of ACOTAR which it doesn't at all to me. The only thing this got in common with ACOTAR is both of the MCs are hunters. This honestly remind me more of Wrath and the Dawn due to that fact she was telling him stories, she wanted to kill him and only tried twice, and he was under a curse. That's it.
Don't get me started with this weird love triangle between Yeva,her sister and guy who wanted to Marry Yava cause they were both hunters.. ( Which seem like the only thing they had in common) It all honestly, he didn't need to be there cause he added unnecessary drama that wasn't needed which got resolved in a nice little bow .
I do love the fact that the majority of the book was in 3rd pov cause I'm getting tired of 1st person.. That's probably the only thing I still liked as the story went.
So this one was a bomb for me.
Some spoilers
I'm so disappointed in this book that it doesn't even deserve a review but I'll write one..
This was one of my most anticipated books of this year and it just disappointed me. ( Yall know how I am with BATB retellings.)
It started strong but slow but just fizzed out as I got farther into it and I had to force myself to finish it.
I loved Yeva at the beginning but now I really don't know how to feel about her.
The beast was too overdramatic for my tastes.
One of the biggest things for me is the fact I didn't connect to Yeva and the beast so called "romance". Hell I didn't even consider them friends at all. How can you when both keep telling the other that they are their captor for a cause or they will kill them in order to avenge someone that the other one didn't kill?
Beast: " I'm your captor but I need you to end my suffering so I'm going to lie to you by saying I killed your loved one and going to kill your other love ones if you don't help me. "
Yeva: "I hunt and kill you for what you did!!"
YOU KEPT REPEATING THIS SHIT DURING THE WHOLE BOOK SO IT WAS HARD TO SEE THEIR REACTIONS AS BEING FRIENDLY! THAT ANY THING THEY DID FOR EACH OTHER WAS THEM BEING FRIENDLY AND MAYBE FALLING IN LOVE! ALSO SOME OF THE THINGS THE BEAST DID WAS OF A CAPTOR! YOU CAN'T BUILD A FRIENDSHIP LET ALONE A ROMANCE WHEN YOU KEEP HANGING ON THAT!!
Also the fact this retelling of BATB ( which was a mixture of the original and the Disney version) really felt like Stockholm Syndrome to fullest because of that. In all honestly worse than the original cause with this one it seem like the author was trying to drive the point home. It honestly worked against her cause the romance wasn't believable because of it. This is why I love the disney version cause after their first icy interactions they started to become friends. The beast never referred to her as his captor at all but his friend. She never saw herself as his captor after their first couple meetings but as her friend. It wasn't until to was released and she come back to warn him about gaston that she realized she loved him. This version has nothing of that at all.
Also when you mix another fairy tale which not as known as the main one you are using,make sure it stand out more instead of being footnote that was used more towards the end. I never really heard of the Russian fairy tale "Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf" so it would have been nice that it was more in the forefront while BATB was in the background.
I read a lot of reviews saying this remind them of ACOTAR which it doesn't at all to me. The only thing this got in common with ACOTAR is both of the MCs are hunters. This honestly remind me more of Wrath and the Dawn due to that fact she was telling him stories, she wanted to kill him and only tried twice, and he was under a curse. That's it.
Don't get me started with this weird love triangle between Yeva,her sister and guy who wanted to Marry Yava cause they were both hunters.. ( Which seem like the only thing they had in common) It all honestly, he didn't need to be there cause he added unnecessary drama that wasn't needed which got resolved in a nice little bow .
I do love the fact that the majority of the book was in 3rd pov cause I'm getting tired of 1st person.. That's probably the only thing I still liked as the story went.
So this one was a bomb for me.
shaeilidh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.5
A beauty and the beast retelling featuring a hunter as beauty chasing down the beast. Lots of fun folktales thrown in throughout which I found interesting. Nothing revolutionary, it was a fun and easy read and I'd recommend.
leafblade's review against another edition
3.0
3.75/5??????
I don't know what to make of this book. I technically shouldn't even like it. It started slow, beauty and the beast isn't my fav classic fairytale ever, I *HATE* adverse settings (snow), I don't like when the love interest I liked isn't the one the main character ends up with.
But I somehow liked it?????? It kind of spoke to me???????????? I have literally no idea what just went on between this book and me but something happened okay. Two doggos in the same book. A blessing.
I don't know what to make of this book. I technically shouldn't even like it. It started slow, beauty and the beast isn't my fav classic fairytale ever, I *HATE* adverse settings (snow), I don't like when the love interest I liked isn't the one the main character ends up with.
But I somehow liked it?????? It kind of spoke to me???????????? I have literally no idea what just went on between this book and me but something happened okay. Two doggos in the same book. A blessing.
janagaton's review against another edition
2.0
Waste of my time, seemed like a retelling of ACOTAR rather than just beauty & the beast lol. Didn't care enough to pay much attention to the details. Wasn't into the plot. Would not recommend.
cmitchell2781's review against another edition
4.0
I've said before, I love retellings, and this was no exception. I absolutely adored taking the french tale and Beauty and the Beast and setting it in medieval Russia. You get the romanticism of France with the dark, cold magic of Russia.
I did have some trouble starting the book, but once Yeva got into the forest and out of proper society, I was much more intrigued by her story. I really enjoyed spending the time in the Beasts castle with her; following as she realized, finally, what it was she wanted for her life.
I would love to know how Yeva and Eovan's story plays out as they grow older, but I'm excited to dive into the authors next retelling, and letting Yeva live on in my imagination.
I did have some trouble starting the book, but once Yeva got into the forest and out of proper society, I was much more intrigued by her story. I really enjoyed spending the time in the Beasts castle with her; following as she realized, finally, what it was she wanted for her life.
I would love to know how Yeva and Eovan's story plays out as they grow older, but I'm excited to dive into the authors next retelling, and letting Yeva live on in my imagination.
tatyanavogt's review against another edition
4.0
So I got this book in one of my Uppercase book boxes and I wasn't super excited about it. I then found out that it is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and my interests peeked but I still wasn't sure about it.
Then I decide to read it, at this point I'm getting all hyped again. First thing, I see an intro video about the book by the Author (cool perk of the Uppercase book box) and she says something that kinda puts me off about it... Was this book not what I was expecting it to be, hoping it to be?
I started the book unsure of myself and worried that I'd finish it disappointed. But boy was I wrong because I absolutely LOVED this book.
It helps that I'm a big "Little Red Ridding Hood" Fan and I always imagined that fairytale to have some of the bad-assery of this book. Snow, "wolf", Kick butt girl in a cloak. Etc. Yes this is sort of un-related but it is TOTALLY a thing for me. And it definitely added to the magic of the book for me personally.
on TOP of that, I'm also a huge sucker for romance. So this book hit me in all the right places. Kickass female lead, dual natured humanity, romance and more. It was fun! Despite that, I do see some flaws within' the story and admit their is not a lot of time spent telling you when or where this book took place but I personally didn't really mind it.
Spoiler-y stuff:
I liked how the beast was shown as having two sides. Yeva could literally SEE the human side of him (which makes beauty falling for the Beast a little less "weird" I guess) I've always liked her accepting him for who he is and loving him even though she thinks she can't save him. It's powerful to me, and I think this book had no problem with that.
I think the overall pacing was good, I enjoyed the Beasts growing feelings for her. I was a little upset that she went through with the Kill when she did.. but I guess it was a plot point. As someone who isn't a fan of personally killing anything I didn't enjoy the scene where she is hunting and gets a rabbit. But since she doesn't just do it for sport it doesn't seem as bad.
But other then that, it was beautiful, it was magical, it was filled with girl power and a side of romance. It was an enjoyable book and I would recommend it. Especially if you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast and want to read and interesting twist on the classic story.
Then I decide to read it, at this point I'm getting all hyped again. First thing, I see an intro video about the book by the Author (cool perk of the Uppercase book box) and she says something that kinda puts me off about it... Was this book not what I was expecting it to be, hoping it to be?
I started the book unsure of myself and worried that I'd finish it disappointed. But boy was I wrong because I absolutely LOVED this book.
It helps that I'm a big "Little Red Ridding Hood" Fan and I always imagined that fairytale to have some of the bad-assery of this book. Snow, "wolf", Kick butt girl in a cloak. Etc. Yes this is sort of un-related but it is TOTALLY a thing for me. And it definitely added to the magic of the book for me personally.
on TOP of that, I'm also a huge sucker for romance. So this book hit me in all the right places. Kickass female lead, dual natured humanity, romance and more. It was fun! Despite that, I do see some flaws within' the story and admit their is not a lot of time spent telling you when or where this book took place but I personally didn't really mind it.
Spoiler-y stuff:
Spoiler
I liked how the beast was shown as having two sides. Yeva could literally SEE the human side of him (which makes beauty falling for the Beast a little less "weird" I guess) I've always liked her accepting him for who he is and loving him even though she thinks she can't save him. It's powerful to me, and I think this book had no problem with that.
I think the overall pacing was good, I enjoyed the Beasts growing feelings for her. I was a little upset that she went through with the Kill when she did.. but I guess it was a plot point. As someone who isn't a fan of personally killing anything I didn't enjoy the scene where she is hunting and gets a rabbit. But since she doesn't just do it for sport it doesn't seem as bad.
But other then that, it was beautiful, it was magical, it was filled with girl power and a side of romance. It was an enjoyable book and I would recommend it. Especially if you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast and want to read and interesting twist on the classic story.
votesforwomen's review against another edition
3.0
Likes:
-really really good sister relationships!
-the doggies were precious
-kept me reading
-description of the Wanting was SO GOOD
-Solmir (what is it with the poor nice guy? Whyyyy does the nasty one always get the girl???)
-the sisters were! So! Wonderful!
Dislikes:
-sorry, but it was boring
-let’s talk about Stockholm Syndrome shall we? Yeva’s friend tells her that she HAS it, with everything but a name, and she just SHAKES IT OFF and that does not sit well with me. Just because the guy isn’t mistreating her and has a soft spot for her doesn’t mean that she should fall for him. At alllll.
-also I know their dad was going crazy but I really hated that for them to know that, he had to hit Yeva. Like ughhhhh why.
-very Telling instead of showing
-the magic system and the world building never felt fully explained so I was kind of confused
-also I was doing a bit of skimming so maybe I missed it, but I couldn’t picture the beast at all?
-it just never connected with me
2.5 stars
-really really good sister relationships!
-the doggies were precious
-kept me reading
-description of the Wanting was SO GOOD
-Solmir (what is it with the poor nice guy? Whyyyy does the nasty one always get the girl???)
-the sisters were! So! Wonderful!
Dislikes:
-sorry, but it was boring
-let’s talk about Stockholm Syndrome shall we? Yeva’s friend tells her that she HAS it, with everything but a name, and she just SHAKES IT OFF and that does not sit well with me. Just because the guy isn’t mistreating her and has a soft spot for her doesn’t mean that she should fall for him. At alllll.
-also I know their dad was going crazy but I really hated that for them to know that, he had to hit Yeva. Like ughhhhh why.
-very Telling instead of showing
-the magic system and the world building never felt fully explained so I was kind of confused
-also I was doing a bit of skimming so maybe I missed it, but I couldn’t picture the beast at all?
-it just never connected with me
2.5 stars
ritmanbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Esta historia se acerca bastante a la del cuento clásico de ‘La Bella y la Bestia’, pero al mismo tiempo tiene una trama original; conserva la esencia de la historia clásica a la par que tiene su propia personalidad.
La narración es ágil; a pesar de que no entra en trama hasta alrededor de la página 90, la introducción del mundo y de los personajes es necesaria, y además, marca un ritmo constante que se va a mantener hasta el final. La autora no prolonga ni pausa los hechos innecesariamente.
Los personajes están muy bien construídos y esto hace que las relaciones sean creíbles, ya que están muy bien fundamentadas. De hecho, considero que el desarrollo de la historia, en general, es muy coherente y que hay una clara evolución (lógica) tanto en los personajes como en las relaciones, hasta llegar al desenlace final.
Es una historia preciosa que engancha prácticamente desde el principio. Si no le he dado las cinco estrellas es porque me ha faltado un poquito de sentimiento. Aún así, me ha parecido una historia mágica que recomiendo.
La narración es ágil; a pesar de que no entra en trama hasta alrededor de la página 90, la introducción del mundo y de los personajes es necesaria, y además, marca un ritmo constante que se va a mantener hasta el final. La autora no prolonga ni pausa los hechos innecesariamente.
Los personajes están muy bien construídos y esto hace que las relaciones sean creíbles, ya que están muy bien fundamentadas. De hecho, considero que el desarrollo de la historia, en general, es muy coherente y que hay una clara evolución (lógica) tanto en los personajes como en las relaciones, hasta llegar al desenlace final.
Es una historia preciosa que engancha prácticamente desde el principio. Si no le he dado las cinco estrellas es porque me ha faltado un poquito de sentimiento. Aún así, me ha parecido una historia mágica que recomiendo.
edshara's review against another edition
4.0
I am a big Beauty and the Beast fan, so I was interested to see if I would like this book or not. I’m happy to say this was a pretty good retelling. I liked how this story mirrored the Disney version, yet was unique in its own way.
I thought the family dynamic was great and I liked the positive relationship that Yeva had with her two sisters, as well as, her dad. It was also nice to see that for a time Yeva’s dad, didn’t stick to the gender norms of the time period and let her hunt and hang with him in the forest.
I liked Solmir and thought he was a good guy, although he was a little pushy, in his affections. The storyline with Yeva’s dad seemed a bit abrupt to me and it also felt like something was missing.
The romance between Yeva and the Beast seemed realistic and I liked its progression. It was also interesting to see how supportive her sisters were, even if they did hinder her, a little. The whole semi-love triangle was a bit annoying. I just didn’t like the idea of people choosing to potentially be miserable for no real reason. I felt it was unnecessary, especially when feelings were made very clear. Overall a great book and an excellent retelling. I may have to reread this again soon.
I thought the family dynamic was great and I liked the positive relationship that Yeva had with her two sisters, as well as, her dad. It was also nice to see that for a time Yeva’s dad, didn’t stick to the gender norms of the time period and let her hunt and hang with him in the forest.
I liked Solmir and thought he was a good guy, although he was a little pushy, in his affections. The storyline with Yeva’s dad seemed a bit abrupt to me and it also felt like something was missing.
The romance between Yeva and the Beast seemed realistic and I liked its progression. It was also interesting to see how supportive her sisters were, even if they did hinder her, a little. The whole semi-love triangle was a bit annoying. I just didn’t like the idea of people choosing to potentially be miserable for no real reason. I felt it was unnecessary, especially when feelings were made very clear. Overall a great book and an excellent retelling. I may have to reread this again soon.
smartinez9's review against another edition
3.0
Fairly solid, not especially groundbreaking. The main character‘s indecision rankled at times, but other than being too easily swayed she didn’t annoy me. I still cannot fathom how when “choosing her words carefully” she used her last question to ask the all-knowing fox “Can you show me how to destroy the Beast?” when he could easily have said “Yes” and then dipped, but whatever.