A review by thecaffeinatedreader
A Bad Breed by Kat Ross

5.0

Let’s see if I can articulate words for how much I loved this. I’ll be honest I thought I was looking at a 3, maybe 4, cups of coffee read, it sounded entertaining and I knew I would like it, but it definitely exceeded my expectations. I love Victorian era books, whether they’re written in modern times or in Victorian times, they’re some of my favorite books but this also means I can be picky about them as I want something that really feels Victorian if they’re modern books.

This nailed it. Or rather, Ross nailed it. This instantly transported you to a feel of Victorian that felt as if you had leapt back in time. Her writing style though isn’t dry as some people might find Victorian books, she keeps you completely engaged from page one. This doesn’t just stay in London either, we get to travel around, and there’s so much beauty and darkness. ‘Gaslamp Gothic’ stays true, think of Penny Dreadfuls and all the dark things we love about Victorian-era gothic and Ross obliges by giving us those things. There’s the occult, secret societies, necromancer, ancient magic, and the hint of supernatural in a small Romanian village. Not to mention she makes everything she writes her own, this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast without making you feel that its sole purpose is just to retell a beloved tale.

Anne has vanished and Vivienne goes after her ward and friend, she needs to know what has happened. This is its own part of the book and it is the first we encounter when picking up A Bad Breed. I found myself so engrossed in Vivienne’s part in the book I forgot that we had yet to skim the surface of Anne and her own going-ons in the book. This is the third book in the series but it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. [Though, I’m ready to read the other two this month in preparation of book four coming out this summer.]

We switch from Vivienne to Anne and occasionally to Anne’s brother, who is also Vivienne’s bonded partner. This has to do with what and who they are which is fabulous and magical and if you want to know then go read it yourself.

Mostly though once we hit its stride, we’re reading this tale of Anne and her monster…or is she the beast in comparison? There’s such a complex twist to how these two feed off each other, that while you know who the beast is, it’s not always clear that, that should mean that the other is completely human/civil in tandem to the beast. [I mean this is one suave beast if I do say so myself, and I ship them and love their chemistry]

This, however, does not have the same ending as your typical Beauty and the Beast tale and I LOVE that. I actually thought the ending was brilliant, I’d say more, but I don’t want to give it away.

Beautiful landscapes, beasts with more to them than meets the eye, women who fight the darkness, and men seeking redemption. This book was amazing, and I’m gushing, I know, but I really hope to share just how much I loved this with you all. Please check it out if you are intrigued and get the chance.

A 5 cups of coffee read for me and a definite favorite. Thank you to Xpresso Tours for a digital copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion.