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The Curse Girl
When Bee is imprisoned in a magical, cursed house because of her father's selfish choices, she has just one plan... escape! But she must solve a riddle and help her fellow prisoners break the curse that binds them all before she can leave, and that is proving more difficult than she originally thought thanks to the bitter young master of the house, Will.
Will wants nothing to do with Bee or her help (and he certainly isn't planning on falling in love with her), but he might have underestimated just how determined and clever--and irresistible--she can be.
Will wants nothing to do with Bee or her help (and he certainly isn't planning on falling in love with her), but he might have underestimated just how determined and clever--and irresistible--she can be.
194 pages, ebook
First published May 14, 2011
25 people are currently reading
1806 people want to read
About the author
Kate Avery Ellison
82 books896 followersI've been making up stories since I was five years old, and now I'm thrilled to be able to do it as a full-time job. I have an obsession with dark fantasy, dystopian futures, and Pride and Prejudice-style love stories full of witty banter and sizzling, unspoken feelings. When I'm not writing, I'm creating digital art, reading funny blogs, or watching my favorite shows (which include TVD and BSG). I live with my geeky husband and our two bad cats in Atlanta, GA.
Click here to read the first chapter of THE CURSE GIRL!
Click here to read the first chapter of FROST!
Attention Book Bloggers ~ If you are interested in interviewing me or reviewing one of my books, send me a message. I'd love to hear from you! (Please note: I am currently not able to fulfill most requests for print copies at this time, but you can always ask. However, I am ALWAYS able and happy to provide e-copies or PDFs of my books in exchange for an honest review.)
If you're wondering why I categorize books as "breathless," "cake," or "amnesia," check out this blog post!
Click here to read the first chapter of THE CURSE GIRL!
Click here to read the first chapter of FROST!
Attention Book Bloggers ~ If you are interested in interviewing me or reviewing one of my books, send me a message. I'd love to hear from you! (Please note: I am currently not able to fulfill most requests for print copies at this time, but you can always ask. However, I am ALWAYS able and happy to provide e-copies or PDFs of my books in exchange for an honest review.)
If you're wondering why I categorize books as "breathless," "cake," or "amnesia," check out this blog post!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
April 4, 2015
He glanced up once, eyes bored. “Please stop talking. I’m trying to eat.”
First I was like :
Bee - You are a whiny selfish brat,
Will - You are a self absorbedattractive jerk,
Rose - You weakling,
Liam - Shut up with your screaming,
Marian - You. Are.Amazing. Evil.
Then I was like :
Bee - Make up your mind and please, keep slamming the doors ( you are so mature )
Will - Why Will ? Why didn't you tell her ?
Rose - What the hell is happening to you :O
Liam - It's nice to be able to talk to someone,
Marian - You are crazy, woman !
Now I'm like :
Bee - I'm proud of you intelligent human, I love your determination :')
Will - I think I'm in love with your hair ;)
Rose - You need to get out more ;D
Liam - No comment. You shocked me.
Marian - Haha, shame. You got what you deserved !
Most hated characters go to :
Drew - You selfish ass. I bet if your sister, if you have one, went missing you wouldn't even have cared. I wouldn't mind hitting you in the head with a rotten fish :D
Dad - I cannot believe you sold your daughter out for wife number two. I pity you. No toilet paper for you sir.Good for nothing loser.
Other :
I adored the ending !
I loved this re-write :')
I loved Marians mood swings,
On the edge of my seat much.
More, more, more !
First I was like :
Bee - You are a whiny selfish brat,
Will - You are a self absorbed
Rose - You weakling,
Liam - Shut up with your screaming,
Marian - You. Are.
Then I was like :
Bee - Make up your mind and please, keep slamming the doors ( you are so mature )
Will - Why Will ? Why didn't you tell her ?
Rose - What the hell is happening to you :O
Liam - It's nice to be able to talk to someone,
Marian - You are crazy, woman !
Now I'm like :
Bee - I'm proud of you intelligent human, I love your determination :')
Will - I think I'm in love with your hair ;)
Rose - You need to get out more ;D
Liam - No comment. You shocked me.
Marian - Haha, shame. You got what you deserved !
Most hated characters go to :
Drew - You selfish ass. I bet if your sister, if you have one, went missing you wouldn't even have cared. I wouldn't mind hitting you in the head with a rotten fish :D
Dad - I cannot believe you sold your daughter out for wife number two. I pity you. No toilet paper for you sir.
Other :
I adored the ending !
I loved this re-write :')
I loved Marians mood swings,
On the edge of my seat much.
More, more, more !
May 8, 2012
This review is also available on my blog, Qwerty
Excuse me while I'm
for a while.
*Try to recompose myself which may or may not help in the construction of a coherent review because I'm pretty much in my fangirling mode*
My dear fellow readers,
I know there are a few reasons which render you feeling skeptical about the awesomeness of this Beauty and the Beast retelling.
1. The..well, the whole Beauty and the Beast retelling idea. When authors decided for their work to be based on a well known fairy tale, they either scored or failed miserably because they (the harsh word is, pardon me) basically ripped off these popular stories which most likely have a strong-based fans. So without a credit for originality, if you didn't nail it then your book will just be mocked around. Surprisingly, Miss Ellison here had done the near impossible task by nailing her version of Beauty and the Beast!
2. The title: Gee...if you put this book side by side to, let say,The Dark Divine, based on the title alone, I'd go with the latter on any days. But the title, The Curse Girl best suits the book anyway, so why I am complaining when the content is this good.
3. The cover: While I found the colour scheme as very nice, I'm always uncomfortable with model exposing her skin like that. (I know I should keep my conservative side to myself) but hey, Bee wasn't anywhere near a seductive or a sensual character, so the cover is a bit misleading for me.
4. Bee's full name is Beauty. At first, I was like, seriously? Craving for some originality here! I remembered her inner monologue which mentioned that Beauty was not her real name but I didn't recall her name was fully revealed until the end of the story.
5. The length. Yup, it's very short. And sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! Here we got a book which doesn't kid you around, telling you about all these craps you don't even care. Actually, I'm glad this book is short, otherwise, it might fail to sustain its magic on me. Nothing rushed, nothing underdeveloped, it was just nice :)
6. It is only $2.99 on Amazon. Okay, so you're being suspicious to unusually cheap books? Read Angelfall then you'll vomit rainbows.
Okay, here comes the actual review.
The plot
I admit that the whole plot was a bit Disney-ish but not that kind of silly Disney where everything is too good too be true. I believe every thing that happened in this book made sense and was justified appropriately.
While the storyline may be obvious to some readers, I was quite blinded by my swooning over Will! Haha...sometimes it is fun to let the books taken you by surprise instead of you trying to figure everything out from page 1.
The characters
I actually like every single character in this book!
Beauty - I warned you while Beauty is a certified martyr, she is still in her junior year, so stuff like prom, ice cream, sleepovers are still within her concerns. Yes, she ain't no Katniss or Penryn, but she is a very resourceful character. She can be reckless sometimes but still within reasons. And yeah, she IS funny.
The steps to the labyrinth fell away from me. A dank draft caught the candle flame and made it dance.
“Maybe I’m supposed to go down these steps,”I muttered aloud. Famous last words, maybe.
I inched forward. My toe bumped on the next step down. My chest squeezed tight.
An agonizing scream echoed from below. I froze. Better not go empty-handed. Who knows what was down there. I stepped back into my room and grabbed the candle bracket from the wall too. It was heavy brass. Good enough for braining monsters in a fight, right? Maybe not, but I felt better holding it.
See? I was useful.Apparently Beast Boy was too good to “paw around on the floor” and find things.
Beauty's father - While he was the reason why Beauty was trapped in Beast's mansion, he had his own reason and that reason was actually valid from my point of you. So, kudos to the author for not making me hate this guy.
Will - Hello? I think I might just found another Mr Darcy here! You must be thinking, since he is the Beast, he must be the dangerous, mysterious, brooding, cold kind of guy. I tell you what, I don't think he would lift a finger on a lady.
At first, he was moody and quick on snide remarks but he was cursed! Give the boy a minute, will you? Some of his witty comments;
"I prey on innocent villagers and terrify their children," he said with a nasty smile. "And sometimes when I'm feeling really evil, I read books or paint."
"You want to break the curse, I want to break the curse. We don't need to be nice. We need to be effective. Just help me figure it out, and I'll make you a rich woman"
And the most wonderful thing, there was no ridiculously..
INSTA LURVE!!! They even hated each other at first.
"You’re ruining that book!” He pointed to the page I’d torn out. “That’s a perfectly good book!”
Holding his gaze, I reached down and ripped another page out. “I’m making roses.”
“Well, it’s my book.”
“Sorry.” I tore out another.
O.o Epic fight!!!
I even wondered, how could the author wrote a perfectly developed and believable love story in less than 200 pages!
My only criticism is probably this part here;
Will reached down to help me up, and when our hands touched an electric shock jumped between our fingers.
Seriously, this electric buzzing thingy HAS TO STOP!
Excuse me while I'm
for a while.
*Try to recompose myself which may or may not help in the construction of a coherent review because I'm pretty much in my fangirling mode*
My dear fellow readers,
I know there are a few reasons which render you feeling skeptical about the awesomeness of this Beauty and the Beast retelling.
1. The..well, the whole Beauty and the Beast retelling idea. When authors decided for their work to be based on a well known fairy tale, they either scored or failed miserably because they (the harsh word is, pardon me) basically ripped off these popular stories which most likely have a strong-based fans. So without a credit for originality, if you didn't nail it then your book will just be mocked around. Surprisingly, Miss Ellison here had done the near impossible task by nailing her version of Beauty and the Beast!
2. The title: Gee...if you put this book side by side to, let say,The Dark Divine, based on the title alone, I'd go with the latter on any days. But the title, The Curse Girl best suits the book anyway, so why I am complaining when the content is this good.
3. The cover: While I found the colour scheme as very nice, I'm always uncomfortable with model exposing her skin like that. (I know I should keep my conservative side to myself) but hey, Bee wasn't anywhere near a seductive or a sensual character, so the cover is a bit misleading for me.
4. Bee's full name is Beauty. At first, I was like, seriously? Craving for some originality here! I remembered her inner monologue which mentioned that Beauty was not her real name but I didn't recall her name was fully revealed until the end of the story.
5. The length. Yup, it's very short. And sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! Here we got a book which doesn't kid you around, telling you about all these craps you don't even care. Actually, I'm glad this book is short, otherwise, it might fail to sustain its magic on me. Nothing rushed, nothing underdeveloped, it was just nice :)
6. It is only $2.99 on Amazon. Okay, so you're being suspicious to unusually cheap books? Read Angelfall then you'll vomit rainbows.
Okay, here comes the actual review.
The plot
I admit that the whole plot was a bit Disney-ish but not that kind of silly Disney where everything is too good too be true. I believe every thing that happened in this book made sense and was justified appropriately.
While the storyline may be obvious to some readers, I was quite blinded by my swooning over Will! Haha...sometimes it is fun to let the books taken you by surprise instead of you trying to figure everything out from page 1.
The characters
I actually like every single character in this book!
Beauty - I warned you while Beauty is a certified martyr, she is still in her junior year, so stuff like prom, ice cream, sleepovers are still within her concerns. Yes, she ain't no Katniss or Penryn, but she is a very resourceful character. She can be reckless sometimes but still within reasons. And yeah, she IS funny.
The steps to the labyrinth fell away from me. A dank draft caught the candle flame and made it dance.
“Maybe I’m supposed to go down these steps,”I muttered aloud. Famous last words, maybe.
I inched forward. My toe bumped on the next step down. My chest squeezed tight.
An agonizing scream echoed from below. I froze. Better not go empty-handed. Who knows what was down there. I stepped back into my room and grabbed the candle bracket from the wall too. It was heavy brass. Good enough for braining monsters in a fight, right? Maybe not, but I felt better holding it.
See? I was useful.Apparently Beast Boy was too good to “paw around on the floor” and find things.
Beauty's father - While he was the reason why Beauty was trapped in Beast's mansion, he had his own reason and that reason was actually valid from my point of you. So, kudos to the author for not making me hate this guy.
Will - Hello? I think I might just found another Mr Darcy here! You must be thinking, since he is the Beast, he must be the dangerous, mysterious, brooding, cold kind of guy. I tell you what, I don't think he would lift a finger on a lady.
At first, he was moody and quick on snide remarks but he was cursed! Give the boy a minute, will you? Some of his witty comments;
"I prey on innocent villagers and terrify their children," he said with a nasty smile. "And sometimes when I'm feeling really evil, I read books or paint."
"You want to break the curse, I want to break the curse. We don't need to be nice. We need to be effective. Just help me figure it out, and I'll make you a rich woman"
And the most wonderful thing, there was no ridiculously..
INSTA LURVE!!! They even hated each other at first.
"You’re ruining that book!” He pointed to the page I’d torn out. “That’s a perfectly good book!”
Holding his gaze, I reached down and ripped another page out. “I’m making roses.”
“Well, it’s my book.”
“Sorry.” I tore out another.
O.o Epic fight!!!
I even wondered, how could the author wrote a perfectly developed and believable love story in less than 200 pages!
My only criticism is probably this part here;
Will reached down to help me up, and when our hands touched an electric shock jumped between our fingers.
Seriously, this electric buzzing thingy HAS TO STOP!
July 30, 2024
A fun and creative retelling of Beauty and the Beast. A lot of such retellings drag in the middle because--well, what else are Beauty and the Beast supposed to do but fall in love while sealed off from the world? Fortunately, Ellison plays up the curse, making it into a riddle that B&B are racing to solve before time runs out. I loved how Bee and Will started off snarky and mean to each other for their own reasons; it reminded a bit of Pride and Prejudice in a certain sense. And it takes a while for their relationship to develop, which was a relief. While there were some aspects of the story that the reader would have seen coming at first glance that Bee had to have revealed to her, her ignorance and then the surprise of the reveal were important parts of the plot and, honestly, who can blame her? Sure it's easy for the reader to see, but for a contemporary teen thrown into such a situation, it might be a little hard to believe every crazy thing that might be in such a cursed house. Overall, an enjoyable read and well worth the price.
May 30, 2012
*I received this book to review by the Author*
This story is a re-telling of the classic story Beauty and The Beast. If you are familiar with this Disney story you are able to recognize all the characters in this book easily.
Beauty also called "Bee" for short is a modern version of Belle. Bee is 17 years old living the regular teen life which includes hanging out with friends and dating Drew one of the cutest guy in school. Bee's life takes a drastic and enchanting change when her low down father trades his daughters life to the towns Legendary "Beast" for his second wife's well being.
I absolutely Adored this book! Two thumbs up and Five Stars for this crafty re-telling of a story that is so close to everyone's heart! The Author jump's right into the story from the first page which was very smart of her because the readers really dont need a lot of background because this is such an old story. I also appreciated how the author took all the special elements of the book including the Rose,the housekeeper,the curse, and The Beast and ran with it and made her own twisted story of Love,Murder,Betrayal,Forgiveness, and a little magic!
This was a short and lovely read. The Author plays a game of tug of war on your every emotion while reading and I found myself laughing out loud to "No He didn't" to "No She didn't!". I also loved the character commentary between Bee and William bickering back in forth and I laughed out loud when Will told Bee that her names fits her because she acts like a Bitch! LOL HILARIOUS!! I enjoyed this from beginning to end. All the twist and turns along with the mystery behind the events that lead to everyone being Cursed and the mystery to figure out how to break the Curse that has taken on a life of it's own.
Recommend to: I recommend this book to everyone who loves the original story of Beauty and The Beast. You will definitely have fun reading this and figuring out who all the characters are because of the twists the author puts in the story. A must read! I will definitely be reading more of Kate's books!
Cover Rating: 5 stars! The cover is a Beauty! :)
Favorite Quotes: "If being happy prevents you from being good, then I'd rather you were miserable. Misery breeds repentance, after all."
-Marian/Witch -The Curse Girl by Kate Avery
"Hatred is an ugly thing, Bee. It's like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. It corrupts the person holding it inside."
-Liam-The Curse Girl by Kate Avery
Tt@NeverEndingStoriesBookBlog
This story is a re-telling of the classic story Beauty and The Beast. If you are familiar with this Disney story you are able to recognize all the characters in this book easily.
Beauty also called "Bee" for short is a modern version of Belle. Bee is 17 years old living the regular teen life which includes hanging out with friends and dating Drew one of the cutest guy in school. Bee's life takes a drastic and enchanting change when her low down father trades his daughters life to the towns Legendary "Beast" for his second wife's well being.
I absolutely Adored this book! Two thumbs up and Five Stars for this crafty re-telling of a story that is so close to everyone's heart! The Author jump's right into the story from the first page which was very smart of her because the readers really dont need a lot of background because this is such an old story. I also appreciated how the author took all the special elements of the book including the Rose,the housekeeper,the curse, and The Beast and ran with it and made her own twisted story of Love,Murder,Betrayal,Forgiveness, and a little magic!
This was a short and lovely read. The Author plays a game of tug of war on your every emotion while reading and I found myself laughing out loud to "No He didn't" to "No She didn't!". I also loved the character commentary between Bee and William bickering back in forth and I laughed out loud when Will told Bee that her names fits her because she acts like a Bitch! LOL HILARIOUS!! I enjoyed this from beginning to end. All the twist and turns along with the mystery behind the events that lead to everyone being Cursed and the mystery to figure out how to break the Curse that has taken on a life of it's own.
Recommend to: I recommend this book to everyone who loves the original story of Beauty and The Beast. You will definitely have fun reading this and figuring out who all the characters are because of the twists the author puts in the story. A must read! I will definitely be reading more of Kate's books!
Cover Rating: 5 stars! The cover is a Beauty! :)
Favorite Quotes: "If being happy prevents you from being good, then I'd rather you were miserable. Misery breeds repentance, after all."
-Marian/Witch -The Curse Girl by Kate Avery
"Hatred is an ugly thing, Bee. It's like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. It corrupts the person holding it inside."
-Liam-The Curse Girl by Kate Avery
Tt@NeverEndingStoriesBookBlog
April 22, 2012
I got this book to review from the Read It & Reap project.
As far as fairy tales go, this variation of the Beauty and the Beast theme was okay. The story reminded me more of the tale of the Prince beyond the Seven Seas with the male lead changing into an animal/monster only at night, but that was quite refreshing. That particular story is seldom mentioned when people think of a version of Beauty and the Beast, as far as I know.
There were just some teeny-tiny things that made me not enjoy the book as much I would have liked.
1) the outside world time scale:
2) Bee's character: She was too... beastly to work as the second main character in a B&tB story. Frankly I do not understand how Will could fall in love with her.
Maybe those two points wouldn't have irked me so if the story had been longer. There would have been more chance to see the character's behaviour change.
As it was, I wanted to see more interaction between Bee and Liam in the dungeon. Instead I got sort of googly eyes at the pretty boy upstairs and a riddle that made me wonder what went on in Will's head, because for a guy who spent years with nothing else to do but read his twenty-thousand-books library and look for a way out, he sure was very oblivious to the screaming obvious metaphor of the curse riddle. on the other hand, maybe he already knew what was needed to break the curse, and just to think about it. That would have made sense at least.
As far as fairy tales go, this variation of the Beauty and the Beast theme was okay. The story reminded me more of the tale of the Prince beyond the Seven Seas with the male lead changing into an animal/monster only at night, but that was quite refreshing. That particular story is seldom mentioned when people think of a version of Beauty and the Beast, as far as I know.
There were just some teeny-tiny things that made me not enjoy the book as much I would have liked.
1) the outside world time scale:
2) Bee's character: She was too... beastly to work as the second main character in a B&tB story. Frankly I do not understand how Will could fall in love with her.
Maybe those two points wouldn't have irked me so if the story had been longer. There would have been more chance to see the character's behaviour change.
As it was, I wanted to see more interaction between Bee and Liam in the dungeon. Instead I got sort of googly eyes at the pretty boy upstairs and a riddle that made me wonder what went on in Will's head, because for a guy who spent years with nothing else to do but read his twenty-thousand-books library and look for a way out, he sure was very oblivious to the screaming obvious metaphor of the curse riddle. on the other hand, maybe he already knew what was needed to break the curse, and just to think about it. That would have made sense at least.
April 19, 2012
I absolutely loved this book! Not only was it a retelling of one of my all time favorite fairytales, it stood out more than I expected. Bee and Will were a hoot and I loved Kate Ellison's take on the witch and the curse. I had been toying with the idea of doing my own retelling of this classic, but reading this blew that thought right out of my mind. Ellison's take is perfect in my estimation. I wouldn't have done anything differently, well maybe a few things, but they are so insubstantial I would be writing the same book. lol.
So if you are like me and love Beauty and the Beast, especially the Disney version, you have to read this book. I laughed so many times at the natural feeling banter. Bee became real to me. And as an author, I can't think of any highter praise than that. Great job Kate! I'll be looking into your other books for sure. I loved your style.
So if you are like me and love Beauty and the Beast, especially the Disney version, you have to read this book. I laughed so many times at the natural feeling banter. Bee became real to me. And as an author, I can't think of any highter praise than that. Great job Kate! I'll be looking into your other books for sure. I loved your style.
January 28, 2020
AME. Es un libro super fresco y que se lee en una sentada. La historia es sencilla pero me ha gustado muchísimo !!!
April 3, 2022
3.5 stars
April 23, 2012
I was fortunate to receive a free copy of this ebook to read and review from the Read it and Reap event, part of the Shut Up and Read group. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it at first because it is a take on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. That story has been retold many times before, and it is difficult to make such well-known tales fresh and interesting. Kate Ellison has succeeded!
This book was well written. The story was well paced and the characters were interesting. I loved Bee, Will, and Marian. My only gripe is that I wish I could have learned more about them. As this is a novella, the story is short. There were many interesting things mentioned that I wish were explored more, such as Bee reflecting that her father never believed she was his, and some tantalizing hints given that went nowhere, like this comment from Mrs. Teasley, Bee's neighbor, about Bee's deceased mother: "Your mother was a good woman. Misunderstood, maybe, but a good woman. You look just like her. I always wanted to tell you that."
What is meant by that? How was Bee's mother misunderstood? Who thought she wasn't a good woman? Why did Mrs. Teasley always want to say that to Bee? I also would have loved to have been able to read Marian and Robert's story in detail, and been given a clearer picture of Marian and her life and progression as a witch, as well as Will and Rose's life before the curse. I think this book could have easily spanned a novel and still been just as much fun and held true to the Beauty and the Beast story the way it did.
I did have one issue with consistency. Bee mentions many times that she is unable to cry. At the end of chapter 15, she says she finds herself crying for the first time since her mother died. However, in chapter nine, there is a scene where she describes tears falling onto her origami creations. While discrepancies like this bother me, it wasn't enough to ruin my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, this modern take on the classic was very well done. Aside from the one little disagreement in the details (Bee's inability to cry), the objections I've raised are due to my love of the story. I enjoyed it so much I wanted more!
This book was well written. The story was well paced and the characters were interesting. I loved Bee, Will, and Marian. My only gripe is that I wish I could have learned more about them. As this is a novella, the story is short. There were many interesting things mentioned that I wish were explored more, such as Bee reflecting that her father never believed she was his, and some tantalizing hints given that went nowhere, like this comment from Mrs. Teasley, Bee's neighbor, about Bee's deceased mother: "Your mother was a good woman. Misunderstood, maybe, but a good woman. You look just like her. I always wanted to tell you that."
What is meant by that? How was Bee's mother misunderstood? Who thought she wasn't a good woman? Why did Mrs. Teasley always want to say that to Bee? I also would have loved to have been able to read Marian and Robert's story in detail, and been given a clearer picture of Marian and her life and progression as a witch, as well as Will and Rose's life before the curse. I think this book could have easily spanned a novel and still been just as much fun and held true to the Beauty and the Beast story the way it did.
I did have one issue with consistency. Bee mentions many times that she is unable to cry. At the end of chapter 15, she says she finds herself crying for the first time since her mother died. However, in chapter nine, there is a scene where she describes tears falling onto her origami creations. While discrepancies like this bother me, it wasn't enough to ruin my enjoyment of the story.
Overall, this modern take on the classic was very well done. Aside from the one little disagreement in the details (Bee's inability to cry), the objections I've raised are due to my love of the story. I enjoyed it so much I wanted more!
April 21, 2012
I received a copy of this book for review as part of the Read it and Reap event from the Shut Up and Read group here on Goodreads.
This is a modernized retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a few new twists from the author. Much of the story will be familiar to anyone familiar with the Disney version; teenaged Bee is imprisoned in the mansion to save her family, stuck with the company of peculiar, amnesiac servants and the grumpy master of the house, and enlisted in helping break the curse that holds them all there. Happily, there are some additions - the parts of the story that take place with faeries, elves and witches in the Fey Lands, for instance - that keep this from having a been there, done that feel. (I would really love to see Ellison explore the Fey Lands further in future works!)
My main complaint with the book - which is quite short - was the pacing. The plot, particularly in the last 1/4 of the book, felt rather rushed and the ending was a little hollow because of that. The characters Ellison has envisioned for each role are interesting if slightly unexplored/underdeveloped in spots (again, probably to do with the shortness of the story). It's a positive sign that I was actually interested in knowing more about them, however. There were some times in the first 1/4 or so of the book where Ellison showed signs of SMS (Stephanie Meyer Syndrome - 'If one adjective is good, six must be better!!') but I was very pleased to see that didn't carry through the rest of the text.
Overall this was a fun, fast read that left me wanting to read more, both about these characters and from this author. I'd recommend it to fans of the BatB story, younger readers and people looking for a little light fantasy.
This is a modernized retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a few new twists from the author. Much of the story will be familiar to anyone familiar with the Disney version; teenaged Bee is imprisoned in the mansion to save her family, stuck with the company of peculiar, amnesiac servants and the grumpy master of the house, and enlisted in helping break the curse that holds them all there. Happily, there are some additions - the parts of the story that take place with faeries, elves and witches in the Fey Lands, for instance - that keep this from having a been there, done that feel. (I would really love to see Ellison explore the Fey Lands further in future works!)
My main complaint with the book - which is quite short - was the pacing. The plot, particularly in the last 1/4 of the book, felt rather rushed and the ending was a little hollow because of that. The characters Ellison has envisioned for each role are interesting if slightly unexplored/underdeveloped in spots (again, probably to do with the shortness of the story). It's a positive sign that I was actually interested in knowing more about them, however. There were some times in the first 1/4 or so of the book where Ellison showed signs of SMS (Stephanie Meyer Syndrome - 'If one adjective is good, six must be better!!') but I was very pleased to see that didn't carry through the rest of the text.
Overall this was a fun, fast read that left me wanting to read more, both about these characters and from this author. I'd recommend it to fans of the BatB story, younger readers and people looking for a little light fantasy.
April 29, 2012
To atone for her father's mistake, Bee is sent to the Beast's house. However, the town rumors were not all true. The Beast turns out not to be a creature, but a cursed teenager with a savage attitude that needs Bee's help to break the curse put on the house decades ago by a witch out for revenge. If Bee breaks the curse, she can go home. What's the catch? Their time has almost run out. As Bee struggles to find the answers that they need, she must control the turmoil that wishes for her to escape and forget everything.
The Curse Girl is a marvelous retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The characters demand your attention, the writing style flows perfectly, and the plot sucks you in and doesn't let you go.
And this cover - isn't it gorgeous! <3
Characters
Bee: Bee is a girl who gives up everything she has ever known to save her family. She brave, beautiful, kind, and smart. I found her to be the perfect narrator and grew quite fond of her.
Will: Will is the moody, mysterious, and dark gentleman. He has a tough time showing his emotions and dealing with "Curse Girl" (as he calls Bee). His suffering was excellently executed and I really enjoyed him as the main male character.
Marian: Oddly enough, I really liked Marian! Her insanity was portrayed well and her background with Robert was simply wonderful.
Housekeeper: I had to mention Housekeeper.Her description completely blew me away. The imagery Ellison uses with her is stunning.
Things I saw coming from a mile away
The Curse Girl is a marvelous retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The characters demand your attention, the writing style flows perfectly, and the plot sucks you in and doesn't let you go.
And this cover - isn't it gorgeous! <3
Characters
Bee: Bee is a girl who gives up everything she has ever known to save her family. She brave, beautiful, kind, and smart. I found her to be the perfect narrator and grew quite fond of her.
Will: Will is the moody, mysterious, and dark gentleman. He has a tough time showing his emotions and dealing with "Curse Girl" (as he calls Bee). His suffering was excellently executed and I really enjoyed him as the main male character.
Marian: Oddly enough, I really liked Marian! Her insanity was portrayed well and her background with Robert was simply wonderful.
Housekeeper: I had to mention Housekeeper.Her description completely blew me away. The imagery Ellison uses with her is stunning.
Things I saw coming from a mile away
April 22, 2012
Ok first of all, Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie. So for obvious reasons, I decided that this sounded interesting and wanted to give it a shot. Boy I was I glad I got to!!!! This story was a different approach to the Disney movie and I LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!!!!! It was such so simple to me but yet it still pack a punch. I came across like a couple errors(nothing to take away from the story, I just notice things sometimes).
Anyways, as I started reading I was yelling man Bee's dad is a punk for doing that to his daughter. He just like, took off *wheels screeching* LOL. Anyways I hate putting out spoilers so I won't. I loved Bee but I loooooooooooooved Will even more!!! So hurt, and...idk, vulnerable? Idk but I was really vibing with his character. He was so sweet to me, even with his 'jerkish' moments. I loved the twist in this end...like ooooooooooooh you wicked wickedbitch...I mean witch. lol. EVERYONE should give this book a try!!! REALLY REALLY!!!
Ps. I have to write this line because it really made me LOL...yea I'm weird. When Bee thought "I felt like a mind prostitute or something". LOL! I loved this book!!! :)
Anyways, as I started reading I was yelling man Bee's dad is a punk for doing that to his daughter. He just like, took off *wheels screeching* LOL. Anyways I hate putting out spoilers so I won't. I loved Bee but I loooooooooooooved Will even more!!! So hurt, and...idk, vulnerable? Idk but I was really vibing with his character. He was so sweet to me, even with his 'jerkish' moments. I loved the twist in this end...like ooooooooooooh you wicked wicked
Ps. I have to write this line because it really made me LOL...yea I'm weird. When Bee thought "I felt like a mind prostitute or something". LOL! I loved this book!!! :)
April 22, 2012
This was an interesting take on Beauty and the Beast.
There were some elements of the story I enjoyed and others I wish had more detail. The characters were interesting but with the story being so short, we weren't given a lot of background/insight into who they really were. I also wish we would have gotten more information surrounding Bee's relationship with her father. It was mentioned that she felt her father wasn't really her father but that was it. I would have liked to understand the reasoning behind that as well as why her mother left. I would have also liked to know more about Robert and Marian since their relationship was integral to the story.
Overall, the story was good. I liked that the mirror was a passageway into the Fae Lands. It added a twist to the standard Beauty and the Beast story. I also enjoyed the origami magic and am glad Bee finally put the pieces together on how to get out.
Overall it was a cute story and a quick read.
There were some elements of the story I enjoyed and others I wish had more detail. The characters were interesting but with the story being so short, we weren't given a lot of background/insight into who they really were. I also wish we would have gotten more information surrounding Bee's relationship with her father. It was mentioned that she felt her father wasn't really her father but that was it. I would have liked to understand the reasoning behind that as well as why her mother left. I would have also liked to know more about Robert and Marian since their relationship was integral to the story.
Overall, the story was good. I liked that the mirror was a passageway into the Fae Lands. It added a twist to the standard Beauty and the Beast story. I also enjoyed the origami magic and am glad Bee finally put the pieces together on how to get out.
Overall it was a cute story and a quick read.
November 28, 2011
The Curse Girl is a pretty decent retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast tale. I liked the idea of The Fey Lands as well as the origami magic and other magic at play in the house. Unfortunately I didn't love the main character too much. The hot-headed feisty-for-barely-any-reason female doesn't do it for me anymore. I found her a little unnecessarily dramatic. As a whole I liked the idea of the story, but the constant use of the word "jerk" and the slamming of doors and stomping out of rooms in a huff became redundant very quickly. I must admit though that YA is not my genre at all and my thoughts on the book do not in any way mean that others might not enjoy it. It is relatively well-written (apart from a few cases where continuity and sense might be a bit questionable) and I imagine it is definitely a book that teenagers might enjoy reading.
April 20, 2012
An enjoyable story and a fresh twist on the Beauty and the Beast tale. I got through this novella in a couple of hours. I found the main character Bee a little annoying at times as I felt her reactions were a little excessive on occasion, but overall she was a strong willed girl which made the story all the more enjoyable. I really liked the authors descriptions of the fey lands and thought the witch was great! I would recommend this story to all, as I feel that it can be enjoyed by all ages.
April 16, 2022
Un retelling de "La Bella y la bestia".... Que no me logró convencer.
Esta es la historia de Bee, que por un acuerdo que realizó el padre, termina quedándose en una casa encantada que, según los rumores, es el hogar de una feroz bestia. Hasta acá la historia promete... Pero....
Bee es una adolescente, y como toda chica de esa edad tiene ciertas actitudes que me hacían enfadar a medida que leía la historia.
La autora agregó personajes (por ejemplo, Rose), como también una maldición que iba más allá del hecho de que debería romperse por el beso del verdadero amor (está visión muy Disney). Eso me pareció interesante como también que Bee empiece a descubrir lo importante que es en ese mundo.
El protagonista... Bueno ... "La supuesta bestia", nunca hizo nada salvaje ni algo para ser considerada una bestia.
Los demás personajes estaban allí y punto. Nunca sentí que fueran relevantes.
Este libro me costó terminarlo ....meses! Porque tan sólo no tenía ganas. No fue una historia significativa y hasta momentos fue bastante confusa....
Esta es la historia de Bee, que por un acuerdo que realizó el padre, termina quedándose en una casa encantada que, según los rumores, es el hogar de una feroz bestia. Hasta acá la historia promete... Pero....
Bee es una adolescente, y como toda chica de esa edad tiene ciertas actitudes que me hacían enfadar a medida que leía la historia.
La autora agregó personajes (por ejemplo, Rose), como también una maldición que iba más allá del hecho de que debería romperse por el beso del verdadero amor (está visión muy Disney). Eso me pareció interesante como también que Bee empiece a descubrir lo importante que es en ese mundo.
El protagonista... Bueno ... "La supuesta bestia", nunca hizo nada salvaje ni algo para ser considerada una bestia.
Los demás personajes estaban allí y punto. Nunca sentí que fueran relevantes.
Este libro me costó terminarlo ....meses! Porque tan sólo no tenía ganas. No fue una historia significativa y hasta momentos fue bastante confusa....
April 20, 2012
I'm not really sure whether this review has any spoilers or not, but read it at your own discretion. lol
Anyway, this is one GOOD book! It captured me from the get go, and wouldn't release me until the last page! I found myself laughing, crying, and awe-ing with the characters. The book has essence! Even though based on a fairytale, I found myself willing to believe the events occurring! The characters were so life-like it felt like I'd known them all my life, and in a way, I guess I have!
Kate Avery Ellison took a story that is close to all our hearts, brought it into the 21st century, and gave it that extra magical touch it was missing!
Unlike Beauty, who only had her looks going for her, Bee has spunk! She has fire in her a belly, and a good heart in her chest! At certain moments, she really reminded me of myself, as I'm sure she will do to almost everyone who reads this book. I really found myself relating to her! I mean, she's not one of those perfect girls that most authors portray as heroines. She's a regular human, just like anyone of us, whose fate just happened to be tangled in a big mess. While she has the kindest heart ever, she's also selfish. While she is certain of herself and has a whole lot of confidence, she still has her self doubts and insecurities. Those insecurities make her very endearing to all of us!
I found the Beast to be someone I'd readily fall in love with! At first, he came off as your typical teenage bad-boy! But then I realized that that's his defense.. Just like any other human who has been hurt, he hides behind his snark comments and mean behavior, when in reality, he's just a sweet boy paying for the sins of someone else.
At first, the story was a bit too fast paced, and I felt like there were some events that were not used to their full capacity, some emotions were left unattended, and the characters had a lot more to offer. But as I read on, I realized that the only reason why the beginning was rushed was because the author wanted to get to the good part. I still felt like I'd rather have more attention payed to the beginning, but I understood the reason behind the rush. At certain points, I also felt like there were informational dumps. It was like there were no clues, nothing to help us figure out much on our own, and then suddenly BLAM! in one conversation, the whole story is spilled on us readers, as well as on Bee, and we were just left there to deal with it. These are basically the only reasons why this story was a 4 star one instead of a 5 star one, although for the first time ever, I feel like reading this book again!
My favorite part is when they're in the library and Will is telling her all the amazing qualities that he likes about her, when in her head she's having her destructive self talk, pointing out all her insecurities, trying to shield herself from his praise so she wouldn't get hurt… I don't know if there is anyone on earth who hasn't had that moment, and to see it in a third person point of view… It was incredible!
Finally, I have a note for the author that is most definitely a spoiler!
Anyway, this is one GOOD book! It captured me from the get go, and wouldn't release me until the last page! I found myself laughing, crying, and awe-ing with the characters. The book has essence! Even though based on a fairytale, I found myself willing to believe the events occurring! The characters were so life-like it felt like I'd known them all my life, and in a way, I guess I have!
Kate Avery Ellison took a story that is close to all our hearts, brought it into the 21st century, and gave it that extra magical touch it was missing!
Unlike Beauty, who only had her looks going for her, Bee has spunk! She has fire in her a belly, and a good heart in her chest! At certain moments, she really reminded me of myself, as I'm sure she will do to almost everyone who reads this book. I really found myself relating to her! I mean, she's not one of those perfect girls that most authors portray as heroines. She's a regular human, just like anyone of us, whose fate just happened to be tangled in a big mess. While she has the kindest heart ever, she's also selfish. While she is certain of herself and has a whole lot of confidence, she still has her self doubts and insecurities. Those insecurities make her very endearing to all of us!
I found the Beast to be someone I'd readily fall in love with! At first, he came off as your typical teenage bad-boy! But then I realized that that's his defense.. Just like any other human who has been hurt, he hides behind his snark comments and mean behavior, when in reality, he's just a sweet boy paying for the sins of someone else.
At first, the story was a bit too fast paced, and I felt like there were some events that were not used to their full capacity, some emotions were left unattended, and the characters had a lot more to offer. But as I read on, I realized that the only reason why the beginning was rushed was because the author wanted to get to the good part. I still felt like I'd rather have more attention payed to the beginning, but I understood the reason behind the rush. At certain points, I also felt like there were informational dumps. It was like there were no clues, nothing to help us figure out much on our own, and then suddenly BLAM! in one conversation, the whole story is spilled on us readers, as well as on Bee, and we were just left there to deal with it. These are basically the only reasons why this story was a 4 star one instead of a 5 star one, although for the first time ever, I feel like reading this book again!
My favorite part is when they're in the library and Will is telling her all the amazing qualities that he likes about her, when in her head she's having her destructive self talk, pointing out all her insecurities, trying to shield herself from his praise so she wouldn't get hurt… I don't know if there is anyone on earth who hasn't had that moment, and to see it in a third person point of view… It was incredible!
Finally, I have a note for the author that is most definitely a spoiler!
April 26, 2012
I absolutely loved this book. It was an easy-read, and I read it in one sitting, with a quick break in the middle to tell my husband how much I was enjoying it. Then, once I finished it, I took a break, and later that night, read the whole thing again. Because it was fun, and cute, and because it has great re-readability. Even if, like me
This book was well-written, with a few errors but nothing major. It had great flow, and despite the fact that the reader knew the basic plot (yay, a Beauty and the Beast retelling - I love these so much!) it still managed to surprise several times. It didn't just unfold following all the steps of B&tB - there were subtle twists and new reasons for things. I don't want to give too much away, but the placement of the curse, the way to break the curse, and how the curse functioned were all significantly altered, so that the reader could feel appreciation for the B&tB plot without feeling like s/he was reading Beauty and the Beast.
And I really loved the naming process in the house, and the way it provided the title for the book. And the fey lands - I think that was a very interesting addition.
I wish the book had been longer. I wish certain things had been further explained. But the book was sufficiently long, and the things left to the imagination were perhaps more appreciated that way. And it was adorable to read. I was laughing out loud and my husband kept coming in to ask me "What's happening now?" because I was so amused.
The largest criticism I have is that some of the threads in the plotting got loose. But none of these things are terribly important. The book was very fun to read, and I would highly recommend it for a quick and satisfying adventure. I liked it so much that I immediately went and bought the other things for sale by the author, so I do think she's an author worth watching.
This book was well-written, with a few errors but nothing major. It had great flow, and despite the fact that the reader knew the basic plot (yay, a Beauty and the Beast retelling - I love these so much!) it still managed to surprise several times. It didn't just unfold following all the steps of B&tB - there were subtle twists and new reasons for things. I don't want to give too much away, but the placement of the curse, the way to break the curse, and how the curse functioned were all significantly altered, so that the reader could feel appreciation for the B&tB plot without feeling like s/he was reading Beauty and the Beast.
And I really loved the naming process in the house, and the way it provided the title for the book. And the fey lands - I think that was a very interesting addition.
I wish the book had been longer. I wish certain things had been further explained. But the book was sufficiently long, and the things left to the imagination were perhaps more appreciated that way. And it was adorable to read. I was laughing out loud and my husband kept coming in to ask me "What's happening now?" because I was so amused.
The largest criticism I have is that some of the threads in the plotting got loose. But none of these things are terribly important. The book was very fun to read, and I would highly recommend it for a quick and satisfying adventure. I liked it so much that I immediately went and bought the other things for sale by the author, so I do think she's an author worth watching.
May 2, 2012
Wow! What an awesome short read. This novella was generously shared by the author for a review, and I have to concede to the hype. This was hard to put down, and almost read same date, if I didn’t have to succumb to the very annoying need to sleep.
For anyone that enjoys the fairy tale stories of Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, this will be a very entertaining and enjoyable novella. ‘The Curse Girl’ is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast story set in current times. A young high school girl, Beauty, is delivered to the ‘Beast’s’ house by her father, who is marked by the ‘curse’ after he makes a very bad decision. In order to save her family from the curse, Beauty walks away from her life as she knows it, as soon as she steps foot in the house that is surrounded by myths of legend. She becomes a prisoner of the house with the Beast, who is really just a boy close to her age, who is also trapped along with his sister and household staff in the enchanted home. Beauty, in her quest of finding a way to escape, assists Will, the so called Beast, with finding an answer to the riddle that would break the curse they are all under.
For YA fans, this story follows the enjoyable rules of girl meets boy, can’t stand boy, then finds herself attracted to said boy as they work together towards a common goal. There is no ‘Insta-love’ here, which was a relief as I have just been assaulted too much lately with YA novels that feature such an annoying trend.
For the small size of this book, the author was great at character building. A lot of attention was paid not just to the two main characters of the story, but to everyone involved. Ya, of course Beauty and Will have the most focus for obvious reasons. But I did enjoy the attention to characters such as Housekeeper, Liam (before the predictable reveal towards the end), and of course the mean villainous witch, Marian. So the end result is, you care about them or despise them, and you can relate to them all in some way or another.
The ending was quickly wrapped up, and that was probably the only negative thing about this book. It just felt like it could have been a much longer story. But the negative is a positive. Obviously I was enjoying the heck out of this novel to be upset by how quickly it all wrapped up. But some of the wrap ups were a little too convenient, or without resolution (ie, her family moving away so no confrontation with father dearest who was so willing to give her up, and it ends pretty much once the curse is lifted – and yes I realize that may be a spoiler, but we all know the story of Beauty and the Beast, so get over it.)
I have to say I am impressed with the writing skill for a first published novel by this author. Kate Avery Ellison writes like a pro and reeled me in like one. I definitely have her next works on my ‘to read’ list for the future.
For anyone that enjoys the fairy tale stories of Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, this will be a very entertaining and enjoyable novella. ‘The Curse Girl’ is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast story set in current times. A young high school girl, Beauty, is delivered to the ‘Beast’s’ house by her father, who is marked by the ‘curse’ after he makes a very bad decision. In order to save her family from the curse, Beauty walks away from her life as she knows it, as soon as she steps foot in the house that is surrounded by myths of legend. She becomes a prisoner of the house with the Beast, who is really just a boy close to her age, who is also trapped along with his sister and household staff in the enchanted home. Beauty, in her quest of finding a way to escape, assists Will, the so called Beast, with finding an answer to the riddle that would break the curse they are all under.
For YA fans, this story follows the enjoyable rules of girl meets boy, can’t stand boy, then finds herself attracted to said boy as they work together towards a common goal. There is no ‘Insta-love’ here, which was a relief as I have just been assaulted too much lately with YA novels that feature such an annoying trend.
For the small size of this book, the author was great at character building. A lot of attention was paid not just to the two main characters of the story, but to everyone involved. Ya, of course Beauty and Will have the most focus for obvious reasons. But I did enjoy the attention to characters such as Housekeeper, Liam (before the predictable reveal towards the end), and of course the mean villainous witch, Marian. So the end result is, you care about them or despise them, and you can relate to them all in some way or another.
The ending was quickly wrapped up, and that was probably the only negative thing about this book. It just felt like it could have been a much longer story. But the negative is a positive. Obviously I was enjoying the heck out of this novel to be upset by how quickly it all wrapped up. But some of the wrap ups were a little too convenient, or without resolution (ie, her family moving away so no confrontation with father dearest who was so willing to give her up, and it ends pretty much once the curse is lifted – and yes I realize that may be a spoiler, but we all know the story of Beauty and the Beast, so get over it.)
I have to say I am impressed with the writing skill for a first published novel by this author. Kate Avery Ellison writes like a pro and reeled me in like one. I definitely have her next works on my ‘to read’ list for the future.
July 13, 2012
That was such a yummy book. Honestly, I REALLY didn't know what to expect when I started "The Curse Girl".
I didn't know if it would be a fairy-tale in the 21st century or well...something else.
But it WAS a fairy-tale in the 21st century. And MORE.
The first time I'd originally read Beauty and the Beast was when I was about six years old (give or take). It was a picture book sorta thing that had few lines and more pictures with a Beastly Beast and a pretty Beauty.
But this..this was almost like going back to when I was a kid and logic didn't play part saying "This isn't true. It's just a book telling you a story you'll forget about later."
I was back to when I was six years old, sitting with my night lamp on and reading fairy-tales.
I was back to that time where everything I read about actually existed. When I'd dream of winged horses and talking Lions (yeah, that was 'cos of Narnia).
I was back to gaining a moral from books.
And this book had one too.
A moral. It really was a fairy-tale and I enjoyed it. I must've finished it in two hours. It's a pretty short novella.
Will.
I found Will to be so much even after what happened to him and his family. Sure, he was bitter. But hell, I would be too. But there was broken man inside that wanted friendship and love.
There's one line there in the book that rings true.
"Everyone wants love."
And it's true. And I'll probably remember this forever.
Bee.
Though I found the name Beauty really...different. I like her character. She was stubborn (childishly so) and strong. Maybe not physically, but morally. And mentally. She took on challenges and didn't mourn enough for the world (which I'm finding most heroine's seem to be doing). Yes, she was a LITTLE indecisive but, hey, aren't we all at time?
Bee and Will.
They were like fire crackers. They burst into flames spontaneously and make noise and don't seem to work right at times, and stuff but they cause the most beautiful thing in the sky that make even people who scoff at those who burst crackers to look up at the sky in awe and say "Hey! Look at that one!"
4.5 Stars. I recommend it to those who just want to go back in time to when they were twelve (or in my case six).
I didn't know if it would be a fairy-tale in the 21st century or well...something else.
But it WAS a fairy-tale in the 21st century. And MORE.
The first time I'd originally read Beauty and the Beast was when I was about six years old (give or take). It was a picture book sorta thing that had few lines and more pictures with a Beastly Beast and a pretty Beauty.
But this..this was almost like going back to when I was a kid and logic didn't play part saying "This isn't true. It's just a book telling you a story you'll forget about later."
I was back to when I was six years old, sitting with my night lamp on and reading fairy-tales.
I was back to that time where everything I read about actually existed. When I'd dream of winged horses and talking Lions (yeah, that was 'cos of Narnia).
I was back to gaining a moral from books.
And this book had one too.
A moral. It really was a fairy-tale and I enjoyed it. I must've finished it in two hours. It's a pretty short novella.
Will.
I found Will to be so much even after what happened to him and his family. Sure, he was bitter. But hell, I would be too. But there was broken man inside that wanted friendship and love.
There's one line there in the book that rings true.
"Everyone wants love."
And it's true. And I'll probably remember this forever.
Bee.
Though I found the name Beauty really...different. I like her character. She was stubborn (childishly so) and strong. Maybe not physically, but morally. And mentally. She took on challenges and didn't mourn enough for the world (which I'm finding most heroine's seem to be doing). Yes, she was a LITTLE indecisive but, hey, aren't we all at time?
Bee and Will.
They were like fire crackers. They burst into flames spontaneously and make noise and don't seem to work right at times, and stuff but they cause the most beautiful thing in the sky that make even people who scoff at those who burst crackers to look up at the sky in awe and say "Hey! Look at that one!"
4.5 Stars. I recommend it to those who just want to go back in time to when they were twelve (or in my case six).
May 29, 2012
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher Type: Indie
My Review:
First thoughts: Holy cow this was good! I could hardly put my kindle down long enough to feed my kids or even sleep. What a fun ride!!!
So, here's the skinny: Yup, I'm clueless, I didn't even realize that this was a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. Had I known, I would've been a bit leery. Classic stories retold can turn out cheesy, but this wasn't the case at all. In retelling the story, yes, there's an element of predictability, but Ellison's shockingly creative with it. Creative and unique elements rank high on my happy meter :) Every facet of the story was twisted and altered in a way that made this story new and surprising (yes, plot twists that leave you saying "I did not see that coming!"). My favorite twist was the magic that surrounded the origami. That gave me shivers. **happy sigh**
I love Bee. She's an amazing character. Strong, yet vulnerable, Bee is thrust into the extraordinary while still struggling to hold onto her average teen life of friends, school and a sort-of-boyfriend. I loved how she explained herself: "I wasn't a hero, and I wasn't admirable. I was simply stubborn enough to keep going even when everything seemed to be falling apart." Then there's Will. Oh, Will. He's such a complete jerk at first. Truly a beast. I loved the back and forth between these two. I loved how Bee called him "Beast Boy." Their dialog created many a giggle.
Overall, my only complaint is that, due to the nature of the story, this is a stand alone book. There's no more. I will indeed re-read this book; I'll miss these characters and will need to revisit them. I really, really loved this book!!!
Cover Art:
This is a cover that makes a girl want to read a book without so much as a glance at the description. It's so beautiful!!! It's mysterious and magical, perfectly representing what you find inside.
See more of my reviews at: http://knowntoread.blogspot.com/
Publisher Type: Indie
My Review:
First thoughts: Holy cow this was good! I could hardly put my kindle down long enough to feed my kids or even sleep. What a fun ride!!!
So, here's the skinny: Yup, I'm clueless, I didn't even realize that this was a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. Had I known, I would've been a bit leery. Classic stories retold can turn out cheesy, but this wasn't the case at all. In retelling the story, yes, there's an element of predictability, but Ellison's shockingly creative with it. Creative and unique elements rank high on my happy meter :) Every facet of the story was twisted and altered in a way that made this story new and surprising (yes, plot twists that leave you saying "I did not see that coming!"). My favorite twist was the magic that surrounded the origami. That gave me shivers. **happy sigh**
I love Bee. She's an amazing character. Strong, yet vulnerable, Bee is thrust into the extraordinary while still struggling to hold onto her average teen life of friends, school and a sort-of-boyfriend. I loved how she explained herself: "I wasn't a hero, and I wasn't admirable. I was simply stubborn enough to keep going even when everything seemed to be falling apart." Then there's Will. Oh, Will. He's such a complete jerk at first. Truly a beast. I loved the back and forth between these two. I loved how Bee called him "Beast Boy." Their dialog created many a giggle.
Overall, my only complaint is that, due to the nature of the story, this is a stand alone book. There's no more. I will indeed re-read this book; I'll miss these characters and will need to revisit them. I really, really loved this book!!!
Cover Art:
This is a cover that makes a girl want to read a book without so much as a glance at the description. It's so beautiful!!! It's mysterious and magical, perfectly representing what you find inside.
See more of my reviews at: http://knowntoread.blogspot.com/
November 2, 2016
The Curse Girl is a delightful retelling of the classic fairytale The Beauty & the Beast. Along with its promising premise, it was the other reason why I wanted to review this story (I love The Beauty & the Beast!). I had a feeling that I’m going to enjoy it and I definitely did!
One of the things why I genuinely enjoyed The Curse Girl is because it has its own distinctive story despite being a retelling. Author, Kate Ellison, brilliantly spin her own unique twist and dash of romance and mystery while keeping the main theme of the fairy tale alive.
The story was has a perfect pace. I got instantly hooked! Ellison’s writing style is straight-forward and certainly gripping. Ellison’s version of the mansion where the Beast lives along with his cursed Butler and other servants was perhaps one of my favorite aspects in the story. The mansion itself was spooky and seemed to have its own life!
The characters worked well for me too. I think Ellison did an impressive job in terms of crafting her own version of the Beast and Belle and even with the house servants. Let’s start with Will who is the “Beast” in the story. First of all he’s not as hairy as a beast or with razor sharp teeth, he’s actually quite handsome but his snobbish and hot-tempered attitude is more “beastly”. Bee, on the other hand, the “Beauty” or the Belle in the story, is merely a simple girl but because of his father’s betrayal and selfishness, she ended up locked up in the cursed mansion. Along with Bee and Will, I really liked Will’s little sister, Rose, too. She’s such an adorable young girl. There’s a mysterious character as well, Liam. He was like Bee’s confidant during her stay at the mansion. Perhaps he’s one of the reasons why I got deeply hooked in the story. The dynamics between the characters is quite compelling
Overall, The Curse Girl is a highly entertaining story with well-written plot and characters. I definitely recommend this to fans of YA Retellings and to those who genuinely enjoy fantasy stories!
One of the things why I genuinely enjoyed The Curse Girl is because it has its own distinctive story despite being a retelling. Author, Kate Ellison, brilliantly spin her own unique twist and dash of romance and mystery while keeping the main theme of the fairy tale alive.
The story was has a perfect pace. I got instantly hooked! Ellison’s writing style is straight-forward and certainly gripping. Ellison’s version of the mansion where the Beast lives along with his cursed Butler and other servants was perhaps one of my favorite aspects in the story. The mansion itself was spooky and seemed to have its own life!
The characters worked well for me too. I think Ellison did an impressive job in terms of crafting her own version of the Beast and Belle and even with the house servants. Let’s start with Will who is the “Beast” in the story. First of all he’s not as hairy as a beast or with razor sharp teeth, he’s actually quite handsome but his snobbish and hot-tempered attitude is more “beastly”. Bee, on the other hand, the “Beauty” or the Belle in the story, is merely a simple girl but because of his father’s betrayal and selfishness, she ended up locked up in the cursed mansion. Along with Bee and Will, I really liked Will’s little sister, Rose, too. She’s such an adorable young girl. There’s a mysterious character as well, Liam. He was like Bee’s confidant during her stay at the mansion. Perhaps he’s one of the reasons why I got deeply hooked in the story. The dynamics between the characters is quite compelling
Overall, The Curse Girl is a highly entertaining story with well-written plot and characters. I definitely recommend this to fans of YA Retellings and to those who genuinely enjoy fantasy stories!
April 24, 2012
I truly enjoyed reading this book. It was quick, fun, and cute. From the very first pages, I found myself humming music from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, because it was so reminiscent in feel of the movie. Bee was a sympathetic and relatable main character who I found myself rooting for. Will was also a great character. He was just the right balance between depressed and upset with sweet, making you care about him anyway.
Most of my problems with this book lay in how short it was. I felt that it just wasn't long enough to really explain the world to me. Especially in the beginning, I was confused about just how magical the world of the book was. While it seemed modern, Bee also seemed unsurprised by the curse and everyone seemed to believe in the legends behind the house. I also remain confused about just how connected the "real" world and the world behind the mirror are.
I also wasn't a huge fan of the ending. While I enjoyed the twists in the riddle to the final conclusion, I felt confused about Will and Bee. Neither of them expressed sentiments of "true love" for the other and while I understand that it may have been more realistic, I felt it ultimately detracted from the emotional impact of the story.
Overall I really did enjoy reading this book. It captured the fairy tale and twisted it well, leaving me guessing even though I knew how Beauty and the Beast plays out. I highly recommend it for people who enjoy retellings of fairy tales, especially fans of Alex Flinn's Beastly. Thanks to Shut Up and Read's Read it and Reap program for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
Most of my problems with this book lay in how short it was. I felt that it just wasn't long enough to really explain the world to me. Especially in the beginning, I was confused about just how magical the world of the book was. While it seemed modern, Bee also seemed unsurprised by the curse and everyone seemed to believe in the legends behind the house. I also remain confused about just how connected the "real" world and the world behind the mirror are.
I also wasn't a huge fan of the ending. While I enjoyed the twists in the riddle to the final conclusion, I felt confused about Will and Bee. Neither of them expressed sentiments of "true love" for the other and while I understand that it may have been more realistic, I felt it ultimately detracted from the emotional impact of the story.
Overall I really did enjoy reading this book. It captured the fairy tale and twisted it well, leaving me guessing even though I knew how Beauty and the Beast plays out. I highly recommend it for people who enjoy retellings of fairy tales, especially fans of Alex Flinn's Beastly. Thanks to Shut Up and Read's Read it and Reap program for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
October 17, 2012
OMG! I cant believe how interesting this book was.I loved Bee. Her character was amazing. Strong, yet vulnerable, Bee is thrust into the extraordinary while still struggling to hold onto her average teen life of friends, school and a sort-of-boyfriend.I loved how she explained herself: "I wasn't a hero, and I wasn't admirable. I was simply stubborn enough to keep going even when everything seemed to be falling apart." Then there's Will. Oh, Will. He's such a complete jerk at first.I loved the back and forth between these two. I loved how Bee called him "Beast Boy." Their bickering made me giggle so many times.
The plot was quite creative.The twists were great and what ended up breaking the curse in the end was beyond great.I also really enjoyed the Fey Lands and the different descriptions for the types of creatures there.The law of the land was quite awesome. All in all the book is pretty great.
Fav Quote -
“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I could. My voice sounded strong and smooth, but my hands were shaking. I put them in my lap so he couldn’t see.
“I prey on innocent villagers and terrify their children,” he said with a nasty smile. “And sometimes when I’m feeling really evil, I read books or paint.”
The plot was quite creative.The twists were great and what ended up breaking the curse in the end was beyond great.I also really enjoyed the Fey Lands and the different descriptions for the types of creatures there.The law of the land was quite awesome. All in all the book is pretty great.
Fav Quote -
“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I could. My voice sounded strong and smooth, but my hands were shaking. I put them in my lap so he couldn’t see.
“I prey on innocent villagers and terrify their children,” he said with a nasty smile. “And sometimes when I’m feeling really evil, I read books or paint.”
April 23, 2012
I received this book for free from the Good Reads group Shut Up and Read.
This was a really good retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It's one of my favorite stories. I really liked all of the characters and loved the details that were given about the house. I liked how the rooms changed and the origami came to life. I would have liked to find out more about what happens to the other people in the house at night. You only see Housekeeper at the end as part of the wall, but what happens to Rose, and Butler?
I do wish that more details were given about some of the characters though. I would have liked to know more about Robert and Marian. The subtle comments about the baby she was carrying when he left her make you believe that the baby wasn't his. Who's was it? If she was so in love with him why did she cheat?
Then there is the off the wall comment that Mrs. Teasley makes about Beauty's mother. What did that mean?
There were so many strings left undone. I really did enjoy the story, but I would have liked it much more if it had been more complete and had tied up more of the loose ends. Overall a great book, though and I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to the author and the moderators on Good Reads for providing yet another great book!
This was a really good retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It's one of my favorite stories. I really liked all of the characters and loved the details that were given about the house. I liked how the rooms changed and the origami came to life. I would have liked to find out more about what happens to the other people in the house at night. You only see Housekeeper at the end as part of the wall, but what happens to Rose, and Butler?
I do wish that more details were given about some of the characters though. I would have liked to know more about Robert and Marian. The subtle comments about the baby she was carrying when he left her make you believe that the baby wasn't his. Who's was it? If she was so in love with him why did she cheat?
Then there is the off the wall comment that Mrs. Teasley makes about Beauty's mother. What did that mean?
There were so many strings left undone. I really did enjoy the story, but I would have liked it much more if it had been more complete and had tied up more of the loose ends. Overall a great book, though and I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to the author and the moderators on Good Reads for providing yet another great book!
January 12, 2016
This book was simply delightful. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't even begin to put it down. I loved the modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a fresh twist to it. I loved Beauty or Bee as she is referred to, she was very sweet and strong and I loved how she was able to adapt to her situation without being mopey or feeling sorry for herself, she always tried to make the best of things. I loved her relationship with Will, the gorgeous beast who was quite rude to her at the beginning, but she never let him intimidate her or walk all over her. Will was a wonderful male lead, he was arrogant and on occasion said and did things that he shouldn't have, but he truly was a sweetheart and gentleman. Being the cursed beast he really was a just lonely soul longing for affection and comfort and I loved seeing him open up to Bee. It was so cute to see their relationship change from mutual dislike to this sweet infatuation to a genuine love and Will and Bee had some super adorable, smile inducing moments on numerous occasions. I liked the magical aspect of it and even though it was similar to other retellings there were still some added dimensions to it that made it unique and fresh. Overall, I can't even describe how much I loved this book.
August 28, 2014
I really liked this book. And I mean, REALLY liked this book. I don't know if it's because I've always loved the story of Beauty & The Beast but even though this book was a little short, it was perfect. It was modernized well and if the author had described the story a little more and given just a bit more development, it could have been longer and even better than it already is.
But anyways, I liked the story, like I've already said because the love between the two characters was awesome. I just really like reading about the development of a relationship from hate to friendship and then finally to love. In this case, the book was an easy read, just something light hearted to enjoy.
The house is what drew me in. This might be a small detail in this book, but the description of the house was great. It reeled me in and I liked it ever since including the minimal characters which is not always something I like but it worked out well here. Good job Ellison!
But anyways, I liked the story, like I've already said because the love between the two characters was awesome. I just really like reading about the development of a relationship from hate to friendship and then finally to love. In this case, the book was an easy read, just something light hearted to enjoy.
The house is what drew me in. This might be a small detail in this book, but the description of the house was great. It reeled me in and I liked it ever since including the minimal characters which is not always something I like but it worked out well here. Good job Ellison!
April 24, 2012
Okay so it was really hard for me to get past the beginning only because it was so similar to Beauty and Beast. In my opinion its best to be more subtle mainly in the beginning. Even with the rough start I really enjoyed the book; I cried which, I did not expect. I love the description, every detail was so vivid, it is really well written. There were so many twists I couldn't predict what was going to happen (yay) and very well organized, sometimes things get jumbled in the twists and it can be confusing, but that did not happen here!!!! The characters were all very well portrayed I felt like I knew each one of them a little, it was very easy to fall in love with this classical story with a twist. I look forward to reading more from this author, I expect great things from her!!!!
April 28, 2012
This is a cute little read. It is a re-telling of the classic 'Beauty and the Beast' fairy tale. It was actually fairly accurate to the original as the author kept a lot of the same elements with just a little twist.
Even though this is a novella the characters are fairly well developed and you are able to care for them. The only thing I would have changed would be a little more of a back story about her family. In saying that, I understand it is very hard to have a lot of detailed info in a short story.
I recommend this little gem. If you like fairy tale re-tellings than this one will not disappoint!
Even though this is a novella the characters are fairly well developed and you are able to care for them. The only thing I would have changed would be a little more of a back story about her family. In saying that, I understand it is very hard to have a lot of detailed info in a short story.
I recommend this little gem. If you like fairy tale re-tellings than this one will not disappoint!
May 1, 2012
I love the story of Beauty and the Beast and better with a different twist. I really enjoyed this version of the Beauty and the Beast story. Although a little too short for my taste but it was very interesting on how a story can be tweaked to create another wonderful story that I will not soon forget. Will is a jerk; Liam is a better person even though he is not your typical male. Rose is a sweetheart and all the other characters bring back the feeling that one got when we first saw the movie. Thank you Kate Ellison for the opportunity gave me and allowed me to review the book.
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