Cursed Beasts

by Mandy Muse

365 days to break a curse. That shouldn’t be too hard, right? I’m a Belladonna and my family is a coven of powerful witches. …Except I have no magic and no idea what the hell is going on. When my father took me to meet a client in the middle of the night, I wasn’t worried. That was, until he left me with three cursed men and no way to return home. Zev, Aeon, and Lucien are not what I expect. They’re angry and tormented, but hot as hell. They tease me with desires I shouldn’t be feeling. The downside to being trapped? The beasts are vicious and want to kill me. I’m not just stuck with them. I’m hunted by them. I want to break the curse created by my ancestors. But I can’t do it without their help. Can we give in to our undeniable chemistry and break the spell together, or will their need for revenge be too strong for me to survive?

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, M M Romance, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Retellings, Why Choose

328 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 13, 2023

About the author

Mandy Muse writes spicy adult romance. Born and raised in Texas, she is a stay at home mom with an imagination that has always left her daydreaming. When she is not writing, she is trying to keep three kids from playing with her laptop and keep them from learning how to read, so she never has to explain what mommy writes.

Reviews

[Jenni · Rating 1 out of 5]

The concept behind this is interesting, but I could not get into the book. I disliked all the characters; no one wanted to tell anyone anything, and it felt like scenes were just missing. Disconnected.

Also, the author would get stuck on a random word, like "snapped," and use it 4-5 times in back-to-back paragraphs in different ways before finding a new word they liked. No idea why that stood out to me, but it started to get on my nerves. Maybe I was being too picky but I just couldn't finish this.

DNF @ around 25%

[MaybeMayaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

• ⚠️FULL REVIEW TO COME SOON⚠️

• Just because I gave it a 4/5⭐️ doesn’t mean I wasn’t pissed off with the ending, Zev or the fact that she only mated with ONE OF THEM IN THIS FUCKING BOOK!

[Moni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kolejny retelling Pięknej i Bestii? Nie śmiem odmówić. Jest klątwa do złamania, jest ona, która została postawiona przed faktem dokonanym i oczywiście są oni - zabójczo przystojni 🙈 Czuje trochę braki w komunikacji, choć przypuszczam, że to celowy zabieg aby utrzymać klimat slow burn. Na prawdę spodobała mi się ta książka, a do tego mam pewną teorię co do rozwiązania klątwy, i ciekawa jestem czy byłam blisko 😉

[tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaaaahm! Am
Gonna need to get into the next book right away cauz the ending just crushed me ….#cliffhanger

-enemies to lovers
- primal play
- paranormal romance
(witches, shifters, magic)
- forced proximity - why choose / MMFM
- strong, kickass FMC
-secrets / mystery
-found family
Spice 🌶️🌶️

This book was so good!
Cursed Beasts is a Why Choose Paranormal romance that centers around Katarina, Zev, Aeon, & Lucien.

Sent away from her home, Katerina a witch to help break a curse for three wolves/ shifters cast by her ancestors and she’s only been given a span of one year to do it.

She comes from a family of magic and though a little different from the rest of them; powerless having never performed magic by herself she’s determined to break the curse.

Maybe this is a blessing in disguise as she gets to stay away from her cheating abusive husband and even finds new purpose in life trying to learn how to perform magic with tge help of Lucien who’s the first to accept the whole plan of a descendant of whoever cursed them helping them.

I loved how Lucien and Aeon are slowly and gradually accepting her for who she is and even helping her, I also love how despite thinking that Katarina is the enemy, Zev is always trying to protect her. But he’s got to get it together

[Marian. · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ 4,5

Amazing, steamy, wtf book.

You don't know how much I liked this book, the whole world of witches and shifters? the whole thing around the curse? friends I tell you that it was really good, the spicy scenes? on point and that feeling of enemies to lovers between them and the fights were excellent. Zev, Aeon, and Lucien are the three shifters who have the curse of only being human for one hour a day and this is only at night, only a Belladonna can break the spell and this has been our main character Katarina the only thing is that she has no magic, at first they feel attracted to her but come on, she is their "enemy" and they try to make life impossible for her while they are in their human form, now without saying spoilers the relationship of these four is somewhat slow and even well into the story is that we see something but it doesn't take anything away from the story. And here with a small spoiler, it is left with an unresolved ending, they give you clues throughout the book about the curse but in the end you stay the same and now I need the second book because I NEED ANSWERS!!!!!

Even though I'm not a big fan of paranormal romance, I found this story very entertaining and graphic, so read the trigger warnings before starting, because even though I feel like it wasn't that surprising for me, it could be a trigger for another person.


Thanks to Mandy Muse & The Author Agency for the arc in exchange for my honest review 📚!!

______________________

No saben lo que me gustó este libro ¿todo el mundo de las brujas y los cambiaformas? ¿todo el tema alrededor de la maldición? amigos les digo que fue re bueno ¿las escenas spicy? on point y ese sentimiento de enemies to lovers entre ellos y las peleas fueron excelentes. Zev, Aeon, and Lucien son los tres cambiaformas que tienen la maldición de solo ser humanos una hora al día y esta es solo en la noche, solo una Belladona puede romper el hechizo y esta viene siendo nuestra protagonista Katarina solo que ella no tiene magia, al principio ellos se sienten atraídos hacia ella pero vamos que ella es su “enemiga” y tratan de hacerle la vida imposible mientras están en su forma humana, ahora bien sin decir spoilers la relación de estos cuatro es medio lenta y ya hasta bien entrada la historia es que vemos algo pero no le quita nada a la historia. Y aquí con un pequeño spoiler, queda con un final sin resolver, te dan pistas a lo largo del libro sobre la maldición pero al final quedas en las mismas y ahora necesito el segundo libro porque NECESITO RESPUESTAS!!!!!

Si bien no soy muy fan del romance paranormal pero esta historia me pareció muy entretenida y gráfica así que léanse los triggers warnings antes de empezar, porque si bien siento que no fue tan sorprendente para mi a otra persona puede ser un detonante.

[Lakshmi Praveen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god. My first PNR , Shape shifter book and an RH ,boy am in love. This one was such a good one.A beauty and the beast fantasy retelling and I was blown away and surprised, so happy to read this one. Our belladonna, Katarina and 3 beasts ( super hot men) Zev, Aeon and Lucien

The curse that's befallen the men has to be broken by a belladonna, enter Katarina who is tasked with breaking the curse for the men. What happens when she gets to meet the men/shifters and the chaos that ensue.
I love Lucien but Aeon has his moments. Zev, well let's just say that he is ever present there..... I am so floored by this book it's crazy I need more more more. This book put me through the wringer , the varied emotions I experienced while reading took me to all different heights. Katarina is seen as a powerhouse and not a meek woman which I love , ( girl power) she makes her presence known that you can't take her for a ride. And geez I'm in love with her.
The ending, damm cliffhanger, shit i need more like yesterday!!

Can't wait for the rest of the series to be out .

Merged review:

Oh my god. My first PNR , Shape shifter book and an RH ,boy am in love. This one was such a good one.A beauty and the beast fantasy retelling and I was blown away and surprised, so happy to read this one. Our belladonna, Katarina and 3 beasts ( super hot men) Zev, Aeon and Lucien

The curse that's befallen the men has to be broken by a belladonna, enter Katarina who is tasked with breaking the curse for the men. What happens when she gets to meet the men/shifters and the chaos that ensue.
I love Lucien but Aeon has his moments. Zev, well let's just say that he is ever present there..... I am so floored by this book it's crazy I need more more more. This book put me through the wringer , the varied emotions I experienced while reading took me to all different heights. Katarina is seen as a powerhouse and not a meek woman which I love , ( girl power) she makes her presence known that you can't take her for a ride. And geez I'm in love with her.
The ending, damm cliffhanger, shit i need more like yesterday!!

Can't wait for the rest of the story!!!

[Alexandria Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨
📖: Cursed Beasts
🖋️: Mandy Muse
⭐️: 5 of 5
🌶️: 5 of 5
💬: “Run little Belladonna, because when I catch you, you won’t be laughing.”

⚠️: Please check the warnings as this book may not be suitable for all readers. As always, protect your mental health.💛

Tropes, Topics & Themes:
✨Multi POV
✨MMFM
✨Witches, Shifters
✨Beauty and Beast retelling
✨Enemies to lovers
✨Primal
✨Forced Proximity
✨Why Choose
✨365 days to break a curse

Witches, Shifters, and 365 days to break a curse… oh my!

Katerina is a magic-lees married witch who is dropped off by her father at a castle to break a curse. From the moment she steps through the door, she is unaware of the secret, lies, and danger that she just walked into.

“One year, Katarina. Break their spell and then you can come home.”

The curse must be broken by a belladonna who must live and is trapped with three beasts, Zev, Lucien, and Aeon.

With the hatred that comes with the Belladonna family name. The men must learn to trust Kat to help them break the curse.

“So, what you're saying is I need Lucien to butter up Aeon who then might butter up Zev for some information?”

From tension, attraction, secrets, and lies. Can the beasts let the power of revenge go? Will Kat be the first belladonna to finally break the curse?

“At least I got to fuck you before you left. Or should I say, died?”

That cliffhanger!!!!🤯🤯🤯 I can’t be left hanging like that!

Thank you, Mandy Muse and The Author Agency for this EARC! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.

[bersabea giudice · Rating 3 out of 5]

L'idea di base di questa serie è buona, il fatto che però la storia si svolge quasi per intero in un palazzo fatiscente, perlopiù tra la biblioteca e la stanza della protagonista, rende il tutto un pò monotono e poco avvincente.
Il punto di vista più interessante è quello di Katarina, che con le sue ricerche tenta di svelare il mistero della maledizione, chi l'ha lanciata, perché l'ha lanciata e come disfarsene.
Per quanto riguarda i tre lupi maledetti, Zev, Aeon e Lucian, quello che attira più l'attenzione è il primo, e non in senso positivo.
Chi è solito leggere RH conosce bene questo personaggio, quello che lotta strenuamente per non legarsi alla protagonista, che la disprezza per qualche motivo più o meno valido, e devo dire che in generale non è un personaggio che mi dispiace, mette pepe alla storia, la sua caduta è sempre la più dolce e soddisfacente.
Zen risulta però eccessivamente aggressivo, quasi isterico nel suo modo di fare, non mi piace che chiami la protagonista " quella puttana " e non mi piace che più di una volta abbia preso in considerazione l'idea di ucciderla, allo stesso tempo non mi è piaciuto che Katarina sia andata a letto con lui senza la minima esitazione e tentennamento.
Al momento Aeon e Lucian spiccano solo per la loro relazione, che va oltre a qualcosa di puramente fisico, ammetto che non amo quando 2 membri dell'harem hanno una storia trasversale che esclude la protagonista o che comunque la rende non necessaria, ma vedremo come si evolverà il tutto.
Leggerò il seguito.

[Charleys Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

At this point, if Mandy Muse is writing it, I'm gonna read it! I was so excited for a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and this book did not disappoint! I love Mandy Muse's writing and how she can create worlds and relationships that you want to dive into. Cursed Beasts is about Katarina, a Belladonna, a witch from a very powerful family. Kat is trapped in this house with three cursed men. Did I mention that they also are wolves? She is tasked to break the curse on these men in only a year.

Kat is a strong woman who knows how to fight and put people in her place, and I could not get over that chase scene! I loved all of the men, Zev, Aeon, and Lucien, for different reasons; they all have the same curse and are bound to one another but see the world so differently. I loved the uniqueness. Many times in the why-choose Shifter series, the men are all on the same page and work together to have a romance with the FMC; this book is not that. Everyone has to come to terms with their feelings for the Belladonna. I could not get enough of this book and was unprepared for the cliffhanger it left me on!

If you love paranormal, why-choose, forced proximity romances, you must check out this book immediately!

Please check trigger warnings before reading!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Muse perfectly blends the historic vibes of Beauty and the Beast with a unique modern twist that had me devouring the story.
Around 50% complete I saw some reviews that had me unsure how I’d feel about the end. I think it was a great execution of a cliffhanger, I was left speechless, till I wasn’t and proceeded to vent to my SO and I’m glad I already had book two loaded up and ready to go.

To sum it up…
Katarina Belladonna is the misfit of her coven, a witch with no magic. When her father decides to go against plans and send her instead of her well prepared sister, Katarina finds herself abandoned and betrayed by her family. With no information, no magic, and no way of leaving will she be able to break the Beasts curse?
Hmmmm…..
This Beauty and the Beast retelling has just enough nostalgia and a strong helping of spice. From the simple fact that there’s more than one beasts to the way Muse handled the staff of the house, the story feels fresh and new in a genre that I read heavily. I also love the little details that leave the reader believing it could be taking place just down the road in that creepy rundown house where you never see the owners. The blending of the beasts stuck in time and the modern heroine is fun (packed your phone, house doesn’t have electricity, there’s plumbing though so take your little wins) and brings the story into the present. I read through this book so quickly, a few sprints over a few days. I read this as an ARC precursor to book 2 and 3, so ARC reading the series as a whole.
Favorite Quote
“My Wolf has longed for you since the beginning, but the man has craved you just as long”” - Lucien
Lucien has a few great flowery lines of love he shares with Katarina but this is my favorite pure moment.
“If he had his way, he would've marked Aeon as well. Being buried in her didn’t help, and all the sex in the air made it worse.” Lucien discussing his wolf.
Spice & Triggers 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I get why some reviewers were frustrated that the book ends with only one mated pair but knowing that there are 3 beasts and 3 books I was expecting each book to have one major pairing I think. I’m absolutely in love with the menage, the MM and MF scenes were well written and believable while still hitting that fantasy oomph you want from a book like this. Katarina’s marriage to the epitome of a Gaston-Hole made the cheating aspect absolutely not a problem for me. The bullying is pretty mild as well.

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second ARC for Mandy.

She is an amazing author, I love her writing style I have read everyone of her books so far and loved them.

I loved how it’s beauty and the beast’s, because everything is better with more men and MMF. I am so pissed off on how it ended. I really needed to know what was going on in her head when he told her.

The fact that she “doesn’t have magic” is a little weird.
I can’t wait to see how much power she actually has.

Her husband is an absolute pile of steaming shit. And her father isn’t much better. Her family truly tried but failed due to her father.

The way Mr.Potter just shows up and scares her I loved it. He is the sweetest thief.

The guys are all so different, but they all balance each other out.
So far I think Zev is going to be my favorite. He is just a brute asshole.

[Cassee Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Possible Spoilers Ahead**

To start my review I was very excited to read this author for the first time. When I heard about this novel, I was very intrigued from the get-go. I do not normally read paranormal romance or anything with shifters, so I was keeping an open mind. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. This novel left me screaming. “Why is there not another Novel #2 yet? I need it out now. I must know what happens next??” 😡 Now let’s jump into my review.

To start the novel off our strong headed FMC, Katarina, born into a noble family of witches she is the black sheep, the outcast for being magicless and without an heir thus worthless to her family. Her wretched husband and father have done unimaginable things to her to solidify how much she does not matter. After her father traps her in a home with 3 desirable men with no instruction other than “You have one year to break the curse if you want to come home” she is at a loss. Centuries have gone by and her family is their only hope of being free. She was not what they expected, she is not like all of the others before her.

When the feelings of distrust, confusion, pain and pleasure unfold what will that mean for this story? Who are these men? Why are they cursed? How can a magicless witch break a curse? What will she do?

Zev, Lucian, Aeon, 3 men trapped forever under a curse. They only can retain their human form for 1 hour everyday 🐺 Zev is broody and the least seen in this novel (except when being a 🤬). Aeon takes a while to come around to Katarina, he also has a relationship with Lucien beyond a brotherhood. Aeon is a quiet one but not afraid to stand his ground. Lucien is the sweeter one of the 3 but vicious when he chooses to be. All three together are a dangerous mix.

Shoutout to the tacos and shots scenes 😍🔥😍

Will these men fall for her? Will they get over their revenge and anger enough to listen? Will trust ever form between them? Will Zev stop being a 🤬?

Honorable mention to Mr. Potter. He is so sweet and kind. I get so giddy when he is happy over his cooking 😁 I just adore him ❤️

🖤 MMFM - Why Choose
🔥 Beauty and Beast Reimagined
🖤 Forced Proximity
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Paranormal Romance 🐺🔮
🔥 First in Series
🖤 🔥.5/5

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Heather Roue · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️
3.75/5 🌶️

Omgggg I LOVED this book. I’m not usually into shifter romance but I adored Mandy’s writing and the way she depicted mates and mating bonds. All the past trauma everyone endured provided so much more depth to the story and character development that it felt more realistic. I cannot explain enough how much I recommend this book.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has just about everything you could ever ask for. Spicy scenes, MM, enemies to lovers, mates, curses, magic, PRIMAL kink, why choose…

What a way to start the 2024 reading season! 🥳

This story was really enjoyable, the flow to everything was smooth and I enjoyed the tension that is constantly building throughout with all the characters.

I’m off to start book 2 right now because of that ending 🥵☠️ I don’t if it’ll be okay.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love. What an abrupt ending tho

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

Very predictable and why did the FMC take so long to look at the books. What did she do with her time. It was weird, but whatever.

[Michelle Elman · Rating 4 out of 5]

love retelling!!!

This was such a great book one to trilogy of a retelling of beauty and the beast!!! You have a pretty bad@$$ FMC that gets sent off to live with three cursed, sexy, hot magical shifters: Lucien, Aeon, and Zev. Katarina has one year to break the curse put on these men or she dies.

I’ve read enough why choose to always be put off by the FMC coming in and all of a sudden being more important than the established couple. I hate that. The one downfall this book had is one min Lucien and Aeon are declaring to wanting to be with each other for good and the next Lucien is all “ oh Katarina’s the one.” I just wished the author would have kept the relationship with Lucien and Aeon just as prominent as Lucien and Katarina’s. I’m assuming the next book will be heavier on Katarina and Aeon and then the third book will be more Katarina and Zev.

[RenDaggry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my God, it was an unusual experience and I loved it! It was a wonderful romance with a touch of the paranormal

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beauty and the Beast retelling but RH? Yes please!

Katarina is from a long line of witches from a powerful family. The catch? She missed out on the generational magic. One night she goes with her father to help with a job but ends up being left and magically bound to a castle with 3 huge men who happen to be Wolf Shifters.

They are human for an hour a day but make her life a living hell in their wolf and human forms. Her days are filled with fear, curiosity and a confusing purpose. Break the curse.
What curse? Who knows at this point? This book is chaotic and full of mystery.

Each of them feels the pull to one another. Lucien and Aeon are a hot mess of bad communication and intense chemistry. Then we have Katarina and Lucien, I wasn't expecting them to be first or it to happen at all but I'm here for it. Zev is a world of his own and at this stage, f*ck him and the cliffhanger!

This was a binge read, I couldn't put it down! I can't wait for book 2!

[Toubob · Rating 2 out of 5]

The FMC is abused, tortured, mistreated by the wolves and it turns her on. The wolves/men treat her like shit and then are pissed that she (and past witches) don't help them with the curse. They hate her for something that happened 200 years ago and take it out on the FMC. Yeah...Nope!!

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

365 days to break the curse
A witch with no magic
3 men living 1 hour a day in human form

I can count on one hand how many paranormal romances I have read. I read the blurb for this one and was really interested in it. I am so glad I picked this one up cause, girl is obsessed!

Tropes:
Why Choose
Primal
Paranormal
Shifters/witches
MMFM
Enemies to Lovers

I wasn’t that far in before I knew I was going to love this book. Katarina, or Kit Kat (just wait) is a witch with no magic, married to a horrible man, with the promise of heirs. Unable to give him a child so far, he is a cheater and she is very unhappy with her life and family.

"They gave me the feeling they were the predator, and I was the lamb who was just left by her father to get slaughtered."

Her father drops her off at a castle with 3 men, telling her she has a year to break their curse. The men had been betrayed and cursed to living as humans for 1 hour a day, the rest as wolves. They are all weary of her intentions, as all other belladonnas have been deceitful. After much thought, and really not wanting to help them and just escape, she decides to try and help so she can then run away from everything.

The information starts to pour out of the books and research Katarina discovers, and I found it all very fascinating!

The men do not make her time there easy at all. All while they have insane attractions to each other, as much as some may want to deny)

Zev is an angry jealous man, but protective when he needs to be. he feels the betrayal from years ago the most and the least trustful of Katarina. Lucien is the youngest, very protective of Katarina with hearts in his eyes for her and Aeon. Aeon is the middle man between them all, quiet and kind of indifferent and unsure of Katarina.
rubbed her a little faster.

“Scream for us, Kitten,” I growled,Give us your pleasure.”

“You’re so responsive, Kitten . I might have to see how many times you can moan our name in one night,”

I don’t know how long this series will be, but those last few chapters, and the little bit of info dropped in the last sentence have me wishing for the next book, like yesterday. I am so invested in this story and the characters.

[Jenny (jennyluvslitbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice-o-meter: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
POV – Multiple
Genre/ Trope: Adult Romance/ Paranormal/ Fairytale Retelling/ Dark Romance/ Why choose/ MM/ MFMM/ Romantic Suspense/ Witches and Shifters/ Forced Proximity/ Enemies-to-lovers/ Damaged Heroes/ Kickass Heroine/ Fated Mates/ Band of brothers/ Found Family

Lucien x Aeon x Katarina x Zev

Cursed Beasts is the first book from The Belladonna and her Beasts and my first read from the author. This is a dark, spicy retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a whychoose, paranormal twist.

To be honest, I went in blind into this book, armed only with the knowledge that it’s a retelling and an RH. So, I was truly excited to start reading it.

Katarina has always had it rough because of her being a magic-less witch in a powerful, highly sought-after family. Constantly keeping up with her family’s expectations and the pressure of being a pariah in their society, she longed to be loved for what she is. When her father asked her to accompany him to a client and then forcibly left her there to break a hundred-year curse, she vowed to break it and finally free herself from the shackles of her own family. The only problem – she is magic-less and must find a way to convince the three hot-as-sin shifters to help her.

The storyline was entertaining and so were the characters. Kat was a hardened, feisty, self-reliant woman, while Lucien is the baby of the shifter trio. He is best described as the sensitive, loving, loyal kind of guy. Aeon is enigmatic, broody, intellectual who serves as the adviser of their alpha, Zev. The last member of the pack, the alpha Zev, like I said is grumpy. Alpha-hole. Yes, he has reasons on why he is the way he is, and I can’t blame the guy. But sometimes, he can be very stubborn and like Kat, you’d want to slap him to put him in line. The pacing of the story veers from fast-paced to some drawn out scenes. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed it and with that crazy cliffhanger, featuring the resident grumpy alpha-hole Zev, I’m dying to read the next book.

Please check the TW/ CW on the author’s page before diving into this one.


Special thanks to the author and The Author Agency for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[🌻Jules Reads it all 🌻 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To everyone who loved Beauty and the Beast, because one beast was never enough”.

Apparently, this was something I didn’t know I needed.

Cursed Beasts: The Belladonna and Her beasts Book 1 is a shifter, paranormal, why choose / RH MMFM, romance written by Mandy Muse.

Katarina Belladonna is a powerless witch living in the modern era. She comes from a long line of powerful witches, but she never manifested her powers. In her fathers eyes, she is seen as useless and only good for breeding, but even at that she has failed. Her husband is also a total piece if shit.

One night, after her husband hits her for the first time, her father dumps her at a dilapidated mansion where three mysterious men wait for the Belladonna.

Lucien, Zev, and Aeon wait for the Belladonna every forty years or so to spend a year with them and try to break a 200 year old spell placed on them by the Belladonna’s ancestors. Only a belladonna can break the spell. Katarina knows nothing about the spell, and doesn’t know why she is there.

Lucien, Zev, and Aeon have been cursed to only be human during the witching hour, between 3 and 4 AM, the rest of the day, they are forced into their wolves with no connection to their wolves, only able to act on the wolffish instincts. They know exactly why she’s there, even if she doesn’t.

The relationship development between Katarina, Aeon, Lucien, and Zev is very well done. It takes time, trust building, sexy encounters, a little bit of hate, and learning what the word Fuck means for the four of them to behind to build a bond.

This world exists along side ours, but the boys are stuck 200 years in the past because they haven’t been allowed to move on because of the curse. There are fabulous scenes with Lucien eating a Kit Kat for the first time, Lucien asking what the word “fuck” means, and Zev finding Katerina’s vibrator and not knowing what it was.

There were was laughter along side sadness, heart wrenching pain next to inherent sassiness, and a deep pain that is unique to each them they all have to move past to figure out the curse together.

…and it ends in a cliffhanger…

This book is incredible. Go check it out. You won’t be disappointed! Now, pardon me while I go stare at the wall while I wait for the second book to come out…

[ava 🙀 · Rating 1 out of 5]

erm so… nothing happened ? 😔 the entire book we are building up like “nobody has broken this curse” and “never trust the belladonnas, but she’s different!” and then you get into the story and every single chapter is the same. they shift at 4 am, one of them attacks her, and another saves her because her presence brings his consciousness back in his wolf or something i don’t even know.

and then the characters couldn’t keep a consistent personality whatsoever. at the beginning lucien is like the friendly-cute one and then all of a sudden he is an asshole who ditches his boyfriend for the girl and just marks her without her knowing? barf. and zev? girl pick a struggle. he was fine with her then all of a sudden he wants to kill her? AND a scene that really stuck out to me was when her husband almost raped her, zed saved her, and then he’s talking to aeon saying it was a trick to betray them or something. like what? did you not just witness the husband beating her and trying to do those things to her? and i don’t even know what was up with aeon he was kind of just there.

and i read this in two days so i went to bed and then finished it the next day, when i picked the book back up at the 70% mark, i completely forgot everything that had happened, the book is basically completely unremarkable and not really memorable.

and the ending? the build up to her wanting to go live her life free of her coven once she breaks their curse and the fact she’ll die if she can’t is the whole purpose of the book. but no, we don’t get to see if she broke the curse, because why would we 💁🏻‍♀️. we just get a stupid bipolar sex scene with zed after he’s trying to gaslight her once again, and is getting up in her face about manipulating them or something along those lines. when i say nothing happened the entire 300+ pages, i mean it 😔.

[theromantasybookcorner._ · Rating 5 out of 5]

rᥲ𝗍іᥒg: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
gᥱᥒrᥱ: ᥕһᥡ ᥴһ᥆᥆sᥱ ⍴ᥲrᥲᥒ᥆rmᥲᥣ r᥆mᥲᥒᥴᥱ

This book was so good! Cursed Beasts is a Why Choose Paranormal romance that centers around Katarina, Zev, Aeon, & Lucien. I absolutely loved the characters, the witchy-ness, the angst, and the tension of this book!

Katarina is our FMC, and her family has made her feel like an outcast because she doesn’t have any magic. Her husband is the worst and she doesn’t feel like she really belongs in her family. Her father drops her off at a mansion in order to break a curse that three wolf-shifters are under and she has a year to do and absolutely no idea where to start.

I absolutely loved her - she was so badass and didn’t ever back down from a chase. Zev, Aeon, and Lucien were determined to scare her in the beginning because they don’t trust her but she was fearless in front of them and fought them back! I loved that about her.

I loved our MMCs too and all for different reasons! Lucien is the youngest and sweetest and is the most willing to help Katarina break the curse. He definitely gave me golden-retriever vibes. Aeon is mysterious and quiet, and wants to trust Katarina but their past with her coven leaves him very conflicted. Zev is the most hot-headed one and is the Alpha. He feels the pull towards Katarina but doesn’t let himself feel it because of they betrayal they experienced years ago. They all feel a pull towards Katarina and she feels it it towards them to.

I loved everything about this book and can’t wait for Book 2 because that ENDING! I am definitely wanting and needing more because I need answers!

Thank you @authormandymuse and @theauthor.agency for the opportunity to read this as an ARC! These are my honest thoughts and opinions!💜

[Heysoybet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

“𝑹𝒖𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒂, 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈”

(EN)

Not even know where to start.

I give this book 4.5 stars, not because it was bad, but because at first I felt that it was going very slowly and the story was just not advancing, but after a few chapters I must say that it caught me and I couldn't stop reading.

Now let's talk about the story I NEED ANSWERS, I won't give much information or spoilers why cause have to read it, but while I was reading my doubts were just growing more and more, some of them were becoming clearer but most of them weren't and I needed to know more! !

The characters, each one has that something that makes you like them, but I must say that at one point I got very angry with Katarina and Lucien! I was reading and wanted to hit them! But by the end of the book the author gave us a little more of our other two protagonists and I calmed down hahahaha

This is the first part of the series and I must say that I loved it, I'm rushing to read the second

Just one more thing to say and this is probably a spoiler, but I hope they kill Katarina's dad and Caston

(ES)

No sé ni por donde empezar.

Le doy 4.5 estrellas a este libro, no por que fuera malo, si no por que al principio sentí que iba muy lento y nada más no avanzaba la historia, pero después de algunos capítulos debo decir que me atrapó y no pude dejar de leer.

Ahora hablemos de la historia NECESITO RESPUESTAS, no daré mucha información ni spoilers por qué tienen que leérselo si o si, pero mientras leía nada más iban creciendo más y más mis dudas, algunas de iban aclarando pero la mayoría no y yo necesitaba saber más!!

Los personajes, cada uno tiene ese algo que hace que te guste, pero debo decir que en un punto me enojé muchísimo con Katarina y Lucien! Yo estaba leyendo y quería golpearlos! Pero ya para el final del libro la autora nos dio un poco más de nuestros otros dos protagonistas y me calmé jajajaja

Esta es la primera parte de nuestra serie y debo decir que amé, voy corriendo a leerme el segundo

Solo una cosa más que decir y esto probablemente si es spoiler, pero ojalá y maten al papá de Katarina y a Caston

[Nicole M · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The magic that held us here had a tight grip on us and she might be our only hope at breaking the curse.”

Blurb:

365 days to break a curse.
That shouldn’t be too hard, right? I’m a Belladonna and my family is a coven of powerful witches.
…Except I have no magic and no idea what the hell is going on.
When my father took me to meet a client in the middle of the night, I wasn’t worried. That was, until he left me with three cursed men and no way to return home.
Zev, Aeon, and Lucien are not what I expect. They’re angry and tormented, but hot as hell. They tease me with desires I shouldn’t be feeling.
The downside to being trapped? The beasts are vicious and want to kill me.
I’m not just stuck with them. I’m hunted by them.
I want to break the curse created by my ancestors. But I can’t do it without their help.
Can we give in to our undeniable chemistry and break the spell together, or will their need for revenge be too strong for me to survive?

Thoughts 💭
I mean who doesn’t love a good retelling of Beauty of the Beasts?!!! Now add some of my favorite tropes why chose(MM/MF/MMFM), fantasy/paranormal and primal play you get a hell of a read. I could not put this book down. I was in love with each one of these characters including Zev.. This is the first book I’ve read from Author Mandy Muse and she did not disappoint. I love her way of writing! The spice was hot AF and the plot was phenomenal. This is a book you don’t wanna miss!! Trust me.. 😉

Keep in mind: This book does end on a cliffhanger.

And O.M.G….. Can we talk the end?!!! F^cking ZEV 🫢🫢

[kaylaschapterchats · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great introduction to this new universe.

Katarina is sent on a midnight appointment where she meets the clients, 3 beautiful men, to be exact. Her father informs her that she has 365 days to break their curse or don't bother coming home (can't return home). However, Katarina doesn't have any power even though she is a belladonna.

Katarina soon learns that Zev, Aeon, and Lucien are all witch shifters and are only human for an hour of the day, which has token it's toll on all 3 of them. The 3 men have a dark history with the belladonnas, which is over 200 years of festering feelings, though Katarina has no clue as to why that is until she starts researching to help break the curse.

It was amazing that she was shown as a strong yet compassionate fmc despite the men treating her so poorly, especially Zev and Aeon. However, they can't deny their attraction towards Katarina, and all wonder why this time is different for them.

I love all 3 of the men, but Zev really needs to get it together and realise Katarina is there to help them, but his feelings, along with dark history with the belladonnas, hinder him making much progress with Katarina and also his pack.

Lucien is so cute, and he needs to stick up for himself more, especially where Aeon is concerned.

Poor Mr Potter deserves to move on. However, he wouldn't leave the men that he sees as sons. It was great to see that he saw immediately that Katarina was different and the friendship they formed was really lovely.

It's so worth the read!!! That cliffhanger, though...

Can't wait for book 2 ❤️❤️❤️

🪄 why choose
🪄 beauty and the beast retelling
🪄 primal play
🪄 forced proximity
🪄 shifters and witches

[Smutty Books Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Run, Belladonna, because when I catch you, you’re going to regret everything.”

Katarina was born into a coven of the most powerful witches. Even without having magic of her own, she still helps out her father and the coven with local magical requests. Until one night her father takes her to a mysterious client in the middle of the night and instead of aiding the client alongside her father in their magic request, he drops her off and tells her she has 1 year to break their curse before she can return home.

The 3 vicious beasts, Zev, Aeon and Lucien, are not what Katarina expects when she’s dropped off and spell-bound to stay on their grounds. The men are fully against her and make her life a living hell, thinking that she has no plans to help them break their curse, especially since she has no magic to aid in that request. But when the beasts become primal and come out to play, things start shifting…and I don’t just mean the men.

“I might not do it tonight, but I want to erase the memory of the man who didn’t give you everything you deserve. Show me how to f-ck you, and make you scream my name.”

Rating: 5/5
Steam/Spice: 3.5/5
Tropes:
- enemies to lovers
- primal play
- paranormal romance (witches, shifters, magic)
- forced proximity
- why choose / MMFM
- strong, kickass FMC
- secrets / mystery
- found family

“The magic that held us here had a tight grip on us and she might be our only hope at breaking the curse.”

Final thoughts: Ok when I saw this book was a paranormal why choose with primal play, I immediately signed up for the ARC. This book far exceeded my expectations! I was drawn in from the very beginning and literally couldn’t put it down. The characters are so interesting and the whole story line is intriguing, unique and captivating! The primal chase scenes and the library scenes were my favorite. I cannot wait to continue this new series in book 2!