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Tales of the Underlight #1
How Beauty Met the Beast
4 hrs 27 mins
The Beast
Scarred. Damaged. Living with a terrible secret. Agent of the Underlight Wesley "Hauk" Haukon has nothing left but the fight for liberty against the oppressive Order of Ananke. He's starting to lose hope... and then he sees her.
The Beauty
Despite her night job as a burlesque dancer, grad student Jolie Benoit has always played the mostly good girl. That all changes following a scorching sexual encounter with a stranger whose face she doesn't see. After she's kidnapped by thugs and rescued by a man with a very familiar voice, Jolie becomes a pawn in a struggle she never knew existed.
Hauk knows he cannot have her, and resolves to protect his heart and his secrets. But as they work together and grow closer, he finds new reason to keep fighting. Dare he risk hope in a new life, one where Jolie can see past his ravaged face and where their friendship can grow into something more?
The trilogy continues in How Beauty Saved the Beast.
The Beast
Scarred. Damaged. Living with a terrible secret. Agent of the Underlight Wesley "Hauk" Haukon has nothing left but the fight for liberty against the oppressive Order of Ananke. He's starting to lose hope... and then he sees her.
The Beauty
Despite her night job as a burlesque dancer, grad student Jolie Benoit has always played the mostly good girl. That all changes following a scorching sexual encounter with a stranger whose face she doesn't see. After she's kidnapped by thugs and rescued by a man with a very familiar voice, Jolie becomes a pawn in a struggle she never knew existed.
Hauk knows he cannot have her, and resolves to protect his heart and his secrets. But as they work together and grow closer, he finds new reason to keep fighting. Dare he risk hope in a new life, one where Jolie can see past his ravaged face and where their friendship can grow into something more?
The trilogy continues in How Beauty Saved the Beast.
152 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 19, 2012
14 people are currently reading
2007 people want to read
About the author
Jax Garren
19 books220 followersJax Garren is the author of hot, urban paranormal romance like the Austin Immortals and the Tales of the Underlight. Though descended from Valkyries and Vikings (she’s part Swedish), Jax was raised a small town girl in the Texas Hill Country. She graduated from The University of Texas with a degree in English and a minor in Latin then found her own Happily Ever After with a handsome engineer who is saving the world through clean energy technology. Jax can be found at jaxgarren.com, at facebook.com/JaxGarren or on Twitter as @JCGarren. She loves meeting new people, so online or in person, make sure to give her a Viking “Hail!” adventure, and love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
March 12, 2016
Written September 20, 2015
3.8 Stars - Fun, adventurous and surprisingly good.
How Beauty Met the Beast is the first book in a three-part m/f series. I' not sure why, I just downloaded this audiobook on a wild chance this morning. — 4:27 hrs very well narrated by Thérèse Plummer
Wow, a good download choice. I feel pretty happy about this one. It will be more. ~ **some dance steps**
*********************************************************
How Beauty Met the Beast is set in present time in a kind of steampunk, or maybe to be labeled as a lightly paranormal, world. Whatever, a suspense filled romance.
It all start when our two main characters has a steaming hot encounter moment knowing nearly nothing about each other. Then they soon meet again and a running and chasing story begins. He is scarred and ugly, she is beautiful, surprising (for her) deep feelings and a liking arises.
# The Beast; Wesley "Hauk" Haukon, a scary looking huge and tall agent with a was damaged face working for the Underlight.
# The Beauty; Jolie Benoit, a burlesque dancer at nights, a grad student at days, the tough beautiful redhead.
*********************************************************
This story reminds me about that old TV show 'Beauty and the Beast' from the late 80:s. The show where he, lovely Vincent the noble (lion alike) beast-man, lived in a secret nowadays NY underground sanctuary and she, Catherine the curious nice dressed lawyer girl, was the stunning beautiful blond (nearly holy good) woman from above. (Remembering? - Watch a pic from the 80:s:)
Every weekly episode had a new suspense plot and in tiny steps we followed their higly romantic slowly growing love story a few seasons. —A epic heartbreaker tearjerker show. We had to wait unbelievable long for that first yummy kiss.— Awwww so sweet it was. Loved it back then.
How Beauty Met the Beast has in many ways the same (old) storyline and main topic (even if our hero here was wounded and nasty burned in the Irakwar ... but the heroine is once again a rebellious rich girl).
A new approach on a classic old story ...
In my opinion was this first book both a very enjoying and heartbreaking romantic series start. These characters are interesting, charming and I felt for them. So also this secret society and the world building here.
There isn't a dreadful shocking cliffhanger, we leave them in a pretty good and nice place, but Jax Garren way of telling, and the narrator Thérèse Plummer way of reading, made me sincerely to immediately yearn for the next part. I really looking forward to continue and get a hopefully epic grand HEA later on.
*********************************************************
I LIKE - Beauty & Beast tales - every single time
******
3.8 Stars - Fun, adventurous and surprisingly good.
How Beauty Met the Beast is the first book in a three-part m/f series. I' not sure why, I just downloaded this audiobook on a wild chance this morning. — 4:27 hrs very well narrated by Thérèse Plummer
Wow, a good download choice. I feel pretty happy about this one. It will be more. ~ **some dance steps**
*********************************************************
How Beauty Met the Beast is set in present time in a kind of steampunk, or maybe to be labeled as a lightly paranormal, world. Whatever, a suspense filled romance.
It all start when our two main characters has a steaming hot encounter moment knowing nearly nothing about each other. Then they soon meet again and a running and chasing story begins. He is scarred and ugly, she is beautiful, surprising (for her) deep feelings and a liking arises.
# The Beast; Wesley "Hauk" Haukon, a scary looking huge and tall agent with a was damaged face working for the Underlight.
# The Beauty; Jolie Benoit, a burlesque dancer at nights, a grad student at days, the tough beautiful redhead.
*********************************************************
This story reminds me about that old TV show 'Beauty and the Beast' from the late 80:s. The show where he, lovely Vincent the noble (lion alike) beast-man, lived in a secret nowadays NY underground sanctuary and she, Catherine the curious nice dressed lawyer girl, was the stunning beautiful blond (nearly holy good) woman from above. (Remembering? - Watch a pic from the 80:s:)
Every weekly episode had a new suspense plot and in tiny steps we followed their higly romantic slowly growing love story a few seasons. —A epic heartbreaker tearjerker show. We had to wait unbelievable long for that first yummy kiss.— Awwww so sweet it was. Loved it back then.
How Beauty Met the Beast has in many ways the same (old) storyline and main topic (even if our hero here was wounded and nasty burned in the Irakwar ... but the heroine is once again a rebellious rich girl).
A new approach on a classic old story ...
In my opinion was this first book both a very enjoying and heartbreaking romantic series start. These characters are interesting, charming and I felt for them. So also this secret society and the world building here.
There isn't a dreadful shocking cliffhanger, we leave them in a pretty good and nice place, but Jax Garren way of telling, and the narrator Thérèse Plummer way of reading, made me sincerely to immediately yearn for the next part. I really looking forward to continue and get a hopefully epic grand HEA later on.
*********************************************************
I LIKE - Beauty & Beast tales - every single time
******
December 19, 2014
A great introduction to a series; I loved the dialogues, the main characters, the fast storyline. I didn't care so much for the world building, it seemed a bit convoluted to me (modern era with a few steampunk elements and a touch of magic thrown on top) but then I'm not one for these settings ever, and I once more confirmed that I strongly dislike children, may they be 5 or 15, in romances. Really, Whitney is worse than Dani fo the fever series:( At least her part was too small to ruin my enjoyment. Hauk on the other hand was magnificent, I loved the idea of a scarred and heavily disfigured hero dealing with it stoically and even with humor, instead of the usual brooding, woo-poor-me attitude I'm used to seeing in romances (don't get me wrong, I like that approach very much mas well, but a change is welcome sometimes).
Be warned though that the book is an intro to a series, with no HEA for now; you have to wait for the next books to get that. I for one, am looking forward to reading them!
ARC provided by NetGalley
Be warned though that the book is an intro to a series, with no HEA for now; you have to wait for the next books to get that. I for one, am looking forward to reading them!
ARC provided by NetGalley
July 30, 2015
Series Review (no spoilers)
The Tales of the Underlight trilogy is a romance, fairy tale retelling, modern steampunk, magic and mythology all rolled into one - I'm shelving it under UF because it's a more general shelf but it's not really. As you can imagine, something this ambitious was bound to falter and fall apart at the seams but the characters were so compelling and the narration was so well done that I listened to them back to back, something I almost never do. Jax Garren is definitely an author to watch.
The 3 books are really different parts of the same story. Although each has a different denouement, the story arc follows the relationship of Jolie, a burlesque dancer and Hauk, a scarred ex-military soldier who serves as the muscle for the Underlight. As the titles of the books imply, there’s a Beauty and the Beast aspect to the stories and let me tell you that Hauk is really beastly looking. He’s 6’7″, has beserker rages and burns in 82% of his body. His face doesn’t have one of those token deformities in only one side; except for his mouth and eyes, his whole head and most of his body burned in a fire. But his personality is so compelling with a great sense of duty, honor AND humor. Although he is physically and psychologically scarred by his ordeal, he first presents a facade that makes him almost irresistible. Hauk is one of the best heroes I’ve read in a long time.
Jolie was a really decent heroine and I loved her as a burlesque dancer. Her first act was so charming, exactly what I would imagine a burlesque act to be. Understandably, she’s not immediately taken with Hauk – she likes him but can’t get past his appearance, which I thought was very honest. But once she gets to know him, she stops seeing the scars and falls head over heels in love with him.
The books have two important concurrent aspects: the romance and the conflict between the two factions. The first was better handled even if at times both Jolie and Hauk drive you a bit nuts. In the first book, they are friends; in the second they discover they are more to each other and in the third, the romance really blooms. Both were full of insecurities and doubts, but these made sense to me, even when I wanted to strangle them. As I mentioned, Hauk is really scarred and with his bulk and other issues, he really cannot pass unnoticed. He doesn’t feel very comfortable with strangers and he cannot walk down the streets without people being disgusted by his looks. I cannot blame how difficult it was for him to really believe that a woman as gorgeous as Jolie really loved him.
The overall conflict was all over the place, cartoonish and disconnected. The author simply tried to do too much and by the last book, this aspect of the story became unraveled. The idea of evil wealthy people was too simplistic: anybody with a rudimentary knowledge of economics understands that there are more people living in prosperity today than in the history of the world, so it cannot be all so bad. If the mission of the Underlight had been less ambitious (focusing on corruption or environmental issues), it could have been more believable and made the plot tighter, but as it was, it seemed a conflict out of a cartoon, with silly fights the Underlight won in unbelievable ways (Ananke should have had them every time.) By the end, even the author had to abandon some of the plot points she spouted in the first book because they made the life of the characters more difficult (not using cell phones, etc.) The ‘final fight’ wasn’t satisfactory and very anticlimactic. Lots of questions were left unanswered and important details weren’t explained so I get the feeling there will be more books to come, maybe with other people as main characters.
Therese Plummer was superb as the narrator. She has one of the best male voices I’ve listened – the main reason why I got the first audiobook – so when Hauk spoke, I heard him. I will definitely check out other books she’s narrated.
At the end, I had fun with these books but I didn’t take the conflict very seriously. I think that as long as your expectations are not very high in that respect, you’ll be able to enjoy the romance, which is the best part of the story.
Check out this review and others at Badass Book Reviews.
The Tales of the Underlight trilogy is a romance, fairy tale retelling, modern steampunk, magic and mythology all rolled into one - I'm shelving it under UF because it's a more general shelf but it's not really. As you can imagine, something this ambitious was bound to falter and fall apart at the seams but the characters were so compelling and the narration was so well done that I listened to them back to back, something I almost never do. Jax Garren is definitely an author to watch.
The 3 books are really different parts of the same story. Although each has a different denouement, the story arc follows the relationship of Jolie, a burlesque dancer and Hauk, a scarred ex-military soldier who serves as the muscle for the Underlight. As the titles of the books imply, there’s a Beauty and the Beast aspect to the stories and let me tell you that Hauk is really beastly looking. He’s 6’7″, has beserker rages and burns in 82% of his body. His face doesn’t have one of those token deformities in only one side; except for his mouth and eyes, his whole head and most of his body burned in a fire. But his personality is so compelling with a great sense of duty, honor AND humor. Although he is physically and psychologically scarred by his ordeal, he first presents a facade that makes him almost irresistible. Hauk is one of the best heroes I’ve read in a long time.
Jolie was a really decent heroine and I loved her as a burlesque dancer. Her first act was so charming, exactly what I would imagine a burlesque act to be. Understandably, she’s not immediately taken with Hauk – she likes him but can’t get past his appearance, which I thought was very honest. But once she gets to know him, she stops seeing the scars and falls head over heels in love with him.
The books have two important concurrent aspects: the romance and the conflict between the two factions. The first was better handled even if at times both Jolie and Hauk drive you a bit nuts. In the first book, they are friends; in the second they discover they are more to each other and in the third, the romance really blooms. Both were full of insecurities and doubts, but these made sense to me, even when I wanted to strangle them. As I mentioned, Hauk is really scarred and with his bulk and other issues, he really cannot pass unnoticed. He doesn’t feel very comfortable with strangers and he cannot walk down the streets without people being disgusted by his looks. I cannot blame how difficult it was for him to really believe that a woman as gorgeous as Jolie really loved him.
The overall conflict was all over the place, cartoonish and disconnected. The author simply tried to do too much and by the last book, this aspect of the story became unraveled. The idea of evil wealthy people was too simplistic: anybody with a rudimentary knowledge of economics understands that there are more people living in prosperity today than in the history of the world, so it cannot be all so bad. If the mission of the Underlight had been less ambitious (focusing on corruption or environmental issues), it could have been more believable and made the plot tighter, but as it was, it seemed a conflict out of a cartoon, with silly fights the Underlight won in unbelievable ways (Ananke should have had them every time.) By the end, even the author had to abandon some of the plot points she spouted in the first book because they made the life of the characters more difficult (not using cell phones, etc.) The ‘final fight’ wasn’t satisfactory and very anticlimactic. Lots of questions were left unanswered and important details weren’t explained so I get the feeling there will be more books to come, maybe with other people as main characters.
Therese Plummer was superb as the narrator. She has one of the best male voices I’ve listened – the main reason why I got the first audiobook – so when Hauk spoke, I heard him. I will definitely check out other books she’s narrated.
At the end, I had fun with these books but I didn’t take the conflict very seriously. I think that as long as your expectations are not very high in that respect, you’ll be able to enjoy the romance, which is the best part of the story.
Check out this review and others at Badass Book Reviews.
January 28, 2013
From the minute I heard about How Beauty Met the Beast I knew I wanted to read it, I love fairytale retellings and a steampunk style Beauty and the Beast retelling with a heroine who works as a burlesque dancer had me intrigued! Unfortunately the story didn't live up to my expectations and I found myself feeling disappointed.
I'll start with the positives and the main one of those is without a doubt Hauk. Our beast in this story is an ex soldier who suffered from third degree burns on over 80% of his body when he was caught in an explosion while he was still in the army. The only member of his unit to survive the explosion he was later unfairly accused of causing their deaths and left the army in disgrace. Hauk is an honourable man though, one who fights for what he believes in and who has joined a covert group called Underlight who are working together to fight against the large corporate giants who are trying to rule the world. Hauk is confident when it comes to his job, he knows how to fight and he is good at protecting people but he has been left feeling very vulnerable about his looks. Since his accident he has found it hard to let anyone get close to him and he feels like no woman would ever look twice at him. I really loved Hauk, he was strong, sexy and alpha but he could also be surprisingly gentle and protective.
Jolie came from a wealthy family but rejected her inheritance to follow her dreams of becoming a dancer. I admired that about her until I discovered that her grandfather had left her enough money to be considered a very wealthy woman in her own rights. It's very easy to reject wealth when you have plenty of your own to fall back on and I just didn't get the feeling that she would have followed through if she didn't have that back up. That wouldn't have bothered me on it's own but her attitude just made her come across as very shallow at times and I found it really hard to like her. There were times when I was so angry at her for the way she treated Hauk, yes he had bad scaring but he had saved her life and I wanted her to ignore his looks and appreciate everything he had done for her. I'm sure that her feelings and attitude will change as the series continues (they even started to by the end of this book) but it just really irritated me in this instalment.
I was a little disappointed that the steampunk element to the story was so downplayed, as far as I could tell most of the story could easily have been set in our world, the only time the steampunk came into play was in the underground lair of Underlight. They refuse to use electricity (I'm still not sure why) and have some interesting steam powered devices but I wanted more details. I actually wanted more information about everything to do with Underlight, I still don't feel like I understand their full mission plan and exactly what their goals are. I was also left confused about the bad guy's, the Order of Ananke, I'm not sure what their goals are or why they seem to have magical abilities when nobody else does. Overall the world building just didn't feel finished and that let the story down. Again I think this will improve as the series continues but I think each part of a series should to be able to stand up on it's own and the world building is a pretty important hook to get people wanting to read the rest of the books.
I still haven't made up my mind about whether I want to continue reading the series or not. I would really like to see more of Hauk but there needs to be a serious improvement to the world or it's going to lose my interest pretty quickly.
I'll start with the positives and the main one of those is without a doubt Hauk. Our beast in this story is an ex soldier who suffered from third degree burns on over 80% of his body when he was caught in an explosion while he was still in the army. The only member of his unit to survive the explosion he was later unfairly accused of causing their deaths and left the army in disgrace. Hauk is an honourable man though, one who fights for what he believes in and who has joined a covert group called Underlight who are working together to fight against the large corporate giants who are trying to rule the world. Hauk is confident when it comes to his job, he knows how to fight and he is good at protecting people but he has been left feeling very vulnerable about his looks. Since his accident he has found it hard to let anyone get close to him and he feels like no woman would ever look twice at him. I really loved Hauk, he was strong, sexy and alpha but he could also be surprisingly gentle and protective.
Jolie came from a wealthy family but rejected her inheritance to follow her dreams of becoming a dancer. I admired that about her until I discovered that her grandfather had left her enough money to be considered a very wealthy woman in her own rights. It's very easy to reject wealth when you have plenty of your own to fall back on and I just didn't get the feeling that she would have followed through if she didn't have that back up. That wouldn't have bothered me on it's own but her attitude just made her come across as very shallow at times and I found it really hard to like her. There were times when I was so angry at her for the way she treated Hauk, yes he had bad scaring but he had saved her life and I wanted her to ignore his looks and appreciate everything he had done for her. I'm sure that her feelings and attitude will change as the series continues (they even started to by the end of this book) but it just really irritated me in this instalment.
I was a little disappointed that the steampunk element to the story was so downplayed, as far as I could tell most of the story could easily have been set in our world, the only time the steampunk came into play was in the underground lair of Underlight. They refuse to use electricity (I'm still not sure why) and have some interesting steam powered devices but I wanted more details. I actually wanted more information about everything to do with Underlight, I still don't feel like I understand their full mission plan and exactly what their goals are. I was also left confused about the bad guy's, the Order of Ananke, I'm not sure what their goals are or why they seem to have magical abilities when nobody else does. Overall the world building just didn't feel finished and that let the story down. Again I think this will improve as the series continues but I think each part of a series should to be able to stand up on it's own and the world building is a pretty important hook to get people wanting to read the rest of the books.
I still haven't made up my mind about whether I want to continue reading the series or not. I would really like to see more of Hauk but there needs to be a serious improvement to the world or it's going to lose my interest pretty quickly.
December 6, 2017
2.5 stars
I thought this was going to be a steampunk Beauty and the Beast retelling. Aside from him being ugly AF and her being beautiful, it in no way resembles Beauty and the Beast. It was barely steampunk. It was set in the modern world with technology, but the Underlight people didn't use electricity and technology. That was the extent of the steampunk setting. It was disappointing to say the least.
I liked Hauk. The guy had been through some serious life changing shit. Instead of being rewarded for being a good guy all he got was screwed over. His burns made his life hard. People didn't treat him the same. There was no way to stop it from happening but he didn't deserve it. Jolie annoyed me. She was a 24 year old with money, but she started stripping to piss off her parents. She needed to grow up and move on with her life. I hated it in the beginning of the book was she was surprised that Hauk did normal things like make jokes. Physical scars doesn't mean someone isn't human. It made her seem ignorant. I didn't understand why Hauk trusted Jolie so much. There was no reason for it and he divulged important secrets that could have put many people at risk. It did get better as it went along, but I'm not interested in reading the next one.
I thought this was going to be a steampunk Beauty and the Beast retelling. Aside from him being ugly AF and her being beautiful, it in no way resembles Beauty and the Beast. It was barely steampunk. It was set in the modern world with technology, but the Underlight people didn't use electricity and technology. That was the extent of the steampunk setting. It was disappointing to say the least.
I liked Hauk. The guy had been through some serious life changing shit. Instead of being rewarded for being a good guy all he got was screwed over. His burns made his life hard. People didn't treat him the same. There was no way to stop it from happening but he didn't deserve it. Jolie annoyed me. She was a 24 year old with money, but she started stripping to piss off her parents. She needed to grow up and move on with her life. I hated it in the beginning of the book was she was surprised that Hauk did normal things like make jokes. Physical scars doesn't mean someone isn't human. It made her seem ignorant. I didn't understand why Hauk trusted Jolie so much. There was no reason for it and he divulged important secrets that could have put many people at risk. It did get better as it went along, but I'm not interested in reading the next one.
January 31, 2016
This was not what I expected.
For some reason I thought it was going to be steampunk - it wasn't really even though there were some steampunkish gadgets for antitech reasons. I did really like this though. The beast is a scarred former army ranger, beauty is a burlesque dancer and the bad guys are servants of Fate. There's a mild touch of magic, and a little bit of smexy time right off the bat. Loved both leads. I did this in audio and liked it so much that I immediately bought the kindle/audio pairings for the next two books.
For some reason I thought it was going to be steampunk - it wasn't really even though there were some steampunkish gadgets for antitech reasons. I did really like this though. The beast is a scarred former army ranger, beauty is a burlesque dancer and the bad guys are servants of Fate. There's a mild touch of magic, and a little bit of smexy time right off the bat. Loved both leads. I did this in audio and liked it so much that I immediately bought the kindle/audio pairings for the next two books.
July 16, 2014
3 stars
Wesley "Hauk" Haukon has given up on finding love a long time ago, when he was severely burned during his service in Afghanistan leaving him badly scarred and dishonourably discharged. Now, he's fighting for a different, worthy cause. He's fighting for freedom in a world where most people have forgotten it's meaning and essence. And he's perfectly happy with his life. Well, not really, but he's learned to accept it. Then he sees her. Jolie Benoit. Good girl. Burlesque dancer. And a woman so beautiful Wesley couldn't even dream to hope she'd ever look at someone like him without disgust.
Jolie has lived in a shadow of her father and the Benoit name for years. Telling her who to be, how to act, how to look... Well, now she'll be breaking rules she's followed for far too long. Burlesque is fun. And so is the stranger whose face she couldn't see, but who had excited her more than any man before.
When Jolie is almost kidnapped, the two of them will have to face each other, their pasts and fears... And people so powerful, they might just be rulers of the world...
Definitely an interesting beginning of a trilogy of "Beauty and the Beast(Hulk)". Both Jolie and Hauk are very interesting and unique, and watching them interact sparks a lot of intriguing possibilities. They have a long way to go, though. Mostly Jolie. The first meeting was a little off, too. Maybe too unbelievable? Also, the way this series is constructed seems a bit strange. This book was too short, and seemed more a part of a book, than one in its own right. Not a whole, in too many ways, I mean. Its length also made everything seem a bit too fast. The pacing was good, though and the story an interesting one. I like the writing style and the diverse characters. I'm very curious about what comes next for all of them.
ARC courtesy of Carina Press via NetGalley
Wesley "Hauk" Haukon has given up on finding love a long time ago, when he was severely burned during his service in Afghanistan leaving him badly scarred and dishonourably discharged. Now, he's fighting for a different, worthy cause. He's fighting for freedom in a world where most people have forgotten it's meaning and essence. And he's perfectly happy with his life. Well, not really, but he's learned to accept it. Then he sees her. Jolie Benoit. Good girl. Burlesque dancer. And a woman so beautiful Wesley couldn't even dream to hope she'd ever look at someone like him without disgust.
Jolie has lived in a shadow of her father and the Benoit name for years. Telling her who to be, how to act, how to look... Well, now she'll be breaking rules she's followed for far too long. Burlesque is fun. And so is the stranger whose face she couldn't see, but who had excited her more than any man before.
When Jolie is almost kidnapped, the two of them will have to face each other, their pasts and fears... And people so powerful, they might just be rulers of the world...
Definitely an interesting beginning of a trilogy of "Beauty and the Beast(Hulk)". Both Jolie and Hauk are very interesting and unique, and watching them interact sparks a lot of intriguing possibilities. They have a long way to go, though. Mostly Jolie. The first meeting was a little off, too. Maybe too unbelievable? Also, the way this series is constructed seems a bit strange. This book was too short, and seemed more a part of a book, than one in its own right. Not a whole, in too many ways, I mean. Its length also made everything seem a bit too fast. The pacing was good, though and the story an interesting one. I like the writing style and the diverse characters. I'm very curious about what comes next for all of them.
ARC courtesy of Carina Press via NetGalley
June 17, 2015
This is a beauty and the beast retelling. Jolie Benoit was a daughter of a politician who balked at the family tradition and became a burlesque dancer. One day after work, she was attacked but rescued by a fan named Wesley Hawkins "Hawk" who was dishonorably discharged after his team was massacred in Afghanistan allegedly by Hawk. Hawk was horribly disfigured by the explosion, so he tried to keep himself hidden from view.
When Hawk learned Jolie and her niece were the intended victims of a kidnapper, Hawk tries to figure out what was going on. Through their time together, Jolie learned to see beyond the burned face and got to know the man inside. Soon she found herself attracted to Hawk.
This book had a lot of things for such short one. A lot of action and good dialogue. It wasn't cheesy or overly romantic. The author even had a transgendered character, which I hope we get to know more about. I also enjoyed the "glutten free" pizza and beer as Jolie has Celiac's disease.
I think I might have to get book 2 now.
When Hawk learned Jolie and her niece were the intended victims of a kidnapper, Hawk tries to figure out what was going on. Through their time together, Jolie learned to see beyond the burned face and got to know the man inside. Soon she found herself attracted to Hawk.
This book had a lot of things for such short one. A lot of action and good dialogue. It wasn't cheesy or overly romantic. The author even had a transgendered character, which I hope we get to know more about. I also enjoyed the "glutten free" pizza and beer as Jolie has Celiac's disease.
I think I might have to get book 2 now.
July 9, 2015
http://bookslifewine.com/r-how-beauty...
This is a hard book to review.
It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I'm thinking that it is closer to the original than the Disney version.
IIRC Recap of Beauty and the Beast
So, this is where we are starting from with How Beauty Met the Beast.
In this retelling Beauty is Jolie Benoit. Jolie is a burlesque dancer and the youngest daughter of a media mogul (ex: Rupert Murdoch). The Beast is Wesley "Hauk" Haukon, a severally burned and scarred ex-Army Ranger.
The story starts with Hauk and a friend being chased by some bad guys – part of a group that is run by Jolie’s father. In order to escape they drop by a (I hate to call it a strip club…) burlesque club that is run by a friend. Performing at this club is Jolie. Hauk gets a chance to see her perform and he is entranced.
After Jolie’s performance he goes to the back of the club to catch up with his friends when he runs into Jolie backstage. Jolie is changing clothes behind a white sheet. Hauk walks up to the sheet and they strike up a very short conversation that culminates in Hauk performing oral sex on Jolie through the sheet. They never actually touch or look at each other but Hauk brings Jolie to orgasm.
Afterwards Jolie is almost kidnapped and raped. Hauk saves her but she doesn’t realize that he is the same guy who ate her out via a sheet. The next day Hauk and Jolie find out her 12 y/o cousin Whitney was kidnapped at the same time. Hauk abandons his position in the Underlight for a time to assist Jolie in locating and rescuing her young cousin. It is assumed that Jolie’s attempted kidnapping (and attempted rape) and her cousin’s completed kidnapping is done to force her father in to publishing (via both TV news and Newspaper) some false story that would change the possible outcome of a major political event. The best example I can give is to imagine Rupert Murdock’s young granddaughter is kidnapped in order to have Rupert Murdock publish false information to influence the US Presidential election.
I really liked this book…but I also disliked it as well. I loved Hauk – he has been through so much and has so little. He’s such a great guy. I also liked quite a lot about Jolie. I loved that she had a gluten allergy and I loved that she was a burlesque dancer. She seemed to make her mind up quickly and didn’t come across as a helpless damsel in distress. I also loved the fact that she seemed to own her sexuality. She made no excuses for it and I ♥ that.
I did find myself rolling my eyes at the single “sex scene” in this book – the “through the sheet” cunnilingus between Hauk and Jolie. Jolie…just didn’t come across as the type of woman who would let a strange man touch her so intimately without even seeing his face. Another eyeroll inducing part was the situation near the end with Whitney (12 y/o cousin) running her mouth at 10 miles an hour felt…very forced and false. There were so many things wrong with that scene that I gave some consideration to putting the book down for a few days to get over my irritation.
A handful of people have shelved this book as Steampunk. While there is some mention (very little) of magic, this is not Steampunk. This is a contemporary romance that has some magical elements. Hauk and his friends are in an organization called the “Underlight.” From what I could decipher the Underlight is an organization that does not agree with the current state of personal technology (internet, cellphones, etc). They live a life free of these type of technological implements underground. That’s about it. And that’s not Steampunk.
I enjoyed this story for the most part. I was excited about having a hero that had to deal with some of the real horrors that come with being a soldier. So often Romance heroes that are [ex] high ranking military have managed to have no body damage. That’s just not statically possible so I really appreciate the realism of the fact that the hero is scarred. It reminds me (very, very little) of the story of our American solider Taylor and his wife.
Most of the story plays out pretty nicely.
What killed this book for me (and dropped it from 4 to 3 stars)was the ending. This is a serial…though there was no warning that it was part 1 of 3 in the blurb. There is no HEA. There is no HFN. There is just an ending of “we’re friends.” When you are expecting an HEA…that is a rather rough ending to take.
Book two (How Beauty Saved the Beast) is not due until February 2013. I was a lot more interested in buying and reading this book…until I realized there is a part 3 How Beauty Loved the Beast due out in May 2013. *facepalm* Seriously???! I hate serials. The jury is still out on if I will read parts 2 &3. We’ll see.
Please note: This book was provided free via Netgalley for an honest review.
Official How Beauty Met the Beast website
This is a hard book to review.
It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I'm thinking that it is closer to the original than the Disney version.
IIRC Recap of Beauty and the Beast
The Beast was originally a prince who was beautiful but rude, mean and nasty. He was cursed to be a Beast until he could find someone to love him as a Beast.
Fast Fwd a few years...
Beauty's father was caught stealing a flower from the Beast. He demands someone in return. Beauty finds out what happens and decides to go in place of her father. She goes to the Beast's castle and he makes her the mistress of the castle. Beast and Beauty begin a friendship. He gives her luxurious clothes, great food, good conversation, etc. Basically everything she could want. Every day he asks her to marry him and she declines.
After a period of time she gets a chance to go home to see her family. She tells them of how wonderful her new life is. Her [jealous] sisters decide to talk her into staying home for longer than she was given leave. They hope this will piss of the Beast so he will eat her. She stays for a week or two longer than she is supposed to. Then she dreams of the Beast dying alone...pining for her.
She goes back to the castle where she finds him in the garden dying. She begs him to live and to marry her - she realizes she can't live without him.
Once she agrees to marry him he turns back into a handsome prince. They get married and live HEA. Except her bitch-sisters...who are turned into statues.
So, this is where we are starting from with How Beauty Met the Beast.
In this retelling Beauty is Jolie Benoit. Jolie is a burlesque dancer and the youngest daughter of a media mogul (ex: Rupert Murdoch). The Beast is Wesley "Hauk" Haukon, a severally burned and scarred ex-Army Ranger.
The story starts with Hauk and a friend being chased by some bad guys – part of a group that is run by Jolie’s father. In order to escape they drop by a (I hate to call it a strip club…) burlesque club that is run by a friend. Performing at this club is Jolie. Hauk gets a chance to see her perform and he is entranced.
After Jolie’s performance he goes to the back of the club to catch up with his friends when he runs into Jolie backstage. Jolie is changing clothes behind a white sheet. Hauk walks up to the sheet and they strike up a very short conversation that culminates in Hauk performing oral sex on Jolie through the sheet. They never actually touch or look at each other but Hauk brings Jolie to orgasm.
Afterwards Jolie is almost kidnapped and raped. Hauk saves her but she doesn’t realize that he is the same guy who ate her out via a sheet. The next day Hauk and Jolie find out her 12 y/o cousin Whitney was kidnapped at the same time. Hauk abandons his position in the Underlight for a time to assist Jolie in locating and rescuing her young cousin. It is assumed that Jolie’s attempted kidnapping (and attempted rape) and her cousin’s completed kidnapping is done to force her father in to publishing (via both TV news and Newspaper) some false story that would change the possible outcome of a major political event. The best example I can give is to imagine Rupert Murdock’s young granddaughter is kidnapped in order to have Rupert Murdock publish false information to influence the US Presidential election.
I really liked this book…but I also disliked it as well. I loved Hauk – he has been through so much and has so little. He’s such a great guy. I also liked quite a lot about Jolie. I loved that she had a gluten allergy and I loved that she was a burlesque dancer. She seemed to make her mind up quickly and didn’t come across as a helpless damsel in distress. I also loved the fact that she seemed to own her sexuality. She made no excuses for it and I ♥ that.
I did find myself rolling my eyes at the single “sex scene” in this book – the “through the sheet” cunnilingus between Hauk and Jolie. Jolie…just didn’t come across as the type of woman who would let a strange man touch her so intimately without even seeing his face. Another eyeroll inducing part was the situation near the end with Whitney (12 y/o cousin) running her mouth at 10 miles an hour felt…very forced and false. There were so many things wrong with that scene that I gave some consideration to putting the book down for a few days to get over my irritation.
A handful of people have shelved this book as Steampunk. While there is some mention (very little) of magic, this is not Steampunk. This is a contemporary romance that has some magical elements. Hauk and his friends are in an organization called the “Underlight.” From what I could decipher the Underlight is an organization that does not agree with the current state of personal technology (internet, cellphones, etc). They live a life free of these type of technological implements underground. That’s about it. And that’s not Steampunk.
I enjoyed this story for the most part. I was excited about having a hero that had to deal with some of the real horrors that come with being a soldier. So often Romance heroes that are [ex] high ranking military have managed to have no body damage. That’s just not statically possible so I really appreciate the realism of the fact that the hero is scarred. It reminds me (very, very little) of the story of our American solider Taylor and his wife.
Most of the story plays out pretty nicely.
What killed this book for me (and dropped it from 4 to 3 stars)was the ending. This is a serial…though there was no warning that it was part 1 of 3 in the blurb. There is no HEA. There is no HFN. There is just an ending of “we’re friends.” When you are expecting an HEA…that is a rather rough ending to take.
Book two (How Beauty Saved the Beast) is not due until February 2013. I was a lot more interested in buying and reading this book…until I realized there is a part 3 How Beauty Loved the Beast due out in May 2013. *facepalm* Seriously???! I hate serials. The jury is still out on if I will read parts 2 &3. We’ll see.
Please note: This book was provided free via Netgalley for an honest review.
Official How Beauty Met the Beast website
November 21, 2012
I’m a sucker for a beauty and the beast trope. Wesley Hauk has third degree burns over 80% of his body and is missing a leg due to an explosion when he was in the military in the middle east. He was the only person to survive that explosion, and later gets blamed for it. He deserts and ends up in a place called the Underlight, a secret organization that lives under the city of Austin in a complex tunnel system. Started 100 years ago, they are on no government records, no public utilities etc. They use no internet, no electricity, no telephones. They do create peculiar inventions to meet their needs. Their purpose for living this way is to “fight industrial control of our media, government and resources and return the power to the people.”
Jolie is a wealthy heiress who only wants to dance, much to the dismay of her parents. On her first night dancing for ‘Pussy Will-Oh,’ a burlesque show, when changing later behind a sheet, a man approaches. He happens to be our hero, but she doesn’t see him due to the sheet. Hauk is mesmerized by how beautiful she is and spontaneously pleasures her through the sheet. Later that night Jolie is kidnapped, Hauk can sense when something violent is happening, and he runs into thwart the kidnapping attempt. Because of what happened to him in the military, he kind of blacks out when he gets enraged and goes on a mass violent killing spree, saving Jolie and dragging her down into the Underlight. From here Jolie learns about his secretive world and they must find out why Jolie was kidnapped.
I had a love/frustration relationship with this book. I really loved Hauk and Jolie. Hauk is a tortured, disfigured soul who can’t control his rages and yet can be so gentle and warm at other times. He has a good heart, and I really like the start of his relationship with Joile. Jolie surprised me. She is a flirt and would say things that made me smile. She is saucy and confident and I liked that about her.
My frustration grows from the world building. It took a long time for me to grasp what the Underlight exactly is, and I still don’t feel like I understand it all. There are the people of the Underlight but then also the bad guys at The Order of Ananke, who also can use magic (more hinted at than a main element in the story). These members of Ananke, politicians and CEOs are set of destroying America. Or something like that. I feel like I need more explanation as to what is happening in this world. I’ve seen some reviews that say this is set in a alternate United States, but I didn’t feel that way. I think it is set in the future, and has magical elements, but not an alternate universe. I also don’t feel like this is steampunk, more of a contemporary suspense book, with a small paranormal aspect. All of this uncertainty adds to my frustration as I wanted a firmer grasp on this world. This book is only a novella, and it needed more pages to reveal what could be a very intriguing and different set-up.
Let me also note that this book ends with no happily ever after. Hauk and Jolie are on the path towards romance but I believe this is a trilogy and their HEA won’t come until book 3. I wish the blurb would have eluded to this more..but at the same time if there would have been a HEA at the end of a book this short, it would have been too rushed.
To summarize – Thumbs up to hero and heroine, thumbs down to the set-up of the world. I think if this had been a full length, instead of three novellas, I could have settled into the world more and understood things much better.
Rating: C
Jolie is a wealthy heiress who only wants to dance, much to the dismay of her parents. On her first night dancing for ‘Pussy Will-Oh,’ a burlesque show, when changing later behind a sheet, a man approaches. He happens to be our hero, but she doesn’t see him due to the sheet. Hauk is mesmerized by how beautiful she is and spontaneously pleasures her through the sheet. Later that night Jolie is kidnapped, Hauk can sense when something violent is happening, and he runs into thwart the kidnapping attempt. Because of what happened to him in the military, he kind of blacks out when he gets enraged and goes on a mass violent killing spree, saving Jolie and dragging her down into the Underlight. From here Jolie learns about his secretive world and they must find out why Jolie was kidnapped.
I had a love/frustration relationship with this book. I really loved Hauk and Jolie. Hauk is a tortured, disfigured soul who can’t control his rages and yet can be so gentle and warm at other times. He has a good heart, and I really like the start of his relationship with Joile. Jolie surprised me. She is a flirt and would say things that made me smile. She is saucy and confident and I liked that about her.
My frustration grows from the world building. It took a long time for me to grasp what the Underlight exactly is, and I still don’t feel like I understand it all. There are the people of the Underlight but then also the bad guys at The Order of Ananke, who also can use magic (more hinted at than a main element in the story). These members of Ananke, politicians and CEOs are set of destroying America. Or something like that. I feel like I need more explanation as to what is happening in this world. I’ve seen some reviews that say this is set in a alternate United States, but I didn’t feel that way. I think it is set in the future, and has magical elements, but not an alternate universe. I also don’t feel like this is steampunk, more of a contemporary suspense book, with a small paranormal aspect. All of this uncertainty adds to my frustration as I wanted a firmer grasp on this world. This book is only a novella, and it needed more pages to reveal what could be a very intriguing and different set-up.
Let me also note that this book ends with no happily ever after. Hauk and Jolie are on the path towards romance but I believe this is a trilogy and their HEA won’t come until book 3. I wish the blurb would have eluded to this more..but at the same time if there would have been a HEA at the end of a book this short, it would have been too rushed.
To summarize – Thumbs up to hero and heroine, thumbs down to the set-up of the world. I think if this had been a full length, instead of three novellas, I could have settled into the world more and understood things much better.
Rating: C
June 16, 2013
2 ½ stars. It was hard to stay interested. Things not developed enough.
The setting needed more description. Not enough details about why the powerful ones were in control, what was their agenda, why is the world like whatever it is, and why do some live in secret - the Underlight, and what is their agenda.
The characters were interesting but needed more explanation. I wanted to know why Hauk had special abilities - his healing and he could sense violence when it was nearby.
The story needed more telling about who kidnaped Jolie earlier and her sister currently. Who were the kidnappers, what did they want, how did Jolie’s kidnaping end. What’s going on with her father.
I felt like the author was barely touching on several things but not getting into it.
It’s a novella - about a third of the length of a regular novel. It’s a little steampunk, a little paranormal, a little dystopia, a little urban fantasy. It’s not one clear genre, but that’s ok.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher which I do appreciate.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Kindle count length: 1,825 (264 - 329 KB) 104 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: one. Setting: unknown future time Austin, Texas. Copyright: 2012. Genre: steampunk paranormal urban fantasy.
The setting needed more description. Not enough details about why the powerful ones were in control, what was their agenda, why is the world like whatever it is, and why do some live in secret - the Underlight, and what is their agenda.
The characters were interesting but needed more explanation. I wanted to know why Hauk had special abilities - his healing and he could sense violence when it was nearby.
The story needed more telling about who kidnaped Jolie earlier and her sister currently. Who were the kidnappers, what did they want, how did Jolie’s kidnaping end. What’s going on with her father.
I felt like the author was barely touching on several things but not getting into it.
It’s a novella - about a third of the length of a regular novel. It’s a little steampunk, a little paranormal, a little dystopia, a little urban fantasy. It’s not one clear genre, but that’s ok.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher which I do appreciate.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Kindle count length: 1,825 (264 - 329 KB) 104 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: one. Setting: unknown future time Austin, Texas. Copyright: 2012. Genre: steampunk paranormal urban fantasy.
October 16, 2012
Wesley “Hauk” Haukon lives a lonely existence, his work as an agent of the Underlight is the only acceptance he has found since he was burned badly in a fire and his disfigurement makes others uneasy. Needing a place to hide, Hauk finds himself entranced by the new burlesque dancer, Jolie Benoit and a sensual outrageous act he performs behind the shadows to bring her pleasure. Everything beautiful is what Jolie possesses to Hauk’s beast like qualities, but when Jolie is attacked Hauk is by her side protecting her. Hauk wants Jolie, but knows the beautiful woman could never want a man so scarred to be by her side, but the more tie he spends with her he wonders if she maybe she is the one who can look past the exterior and see what is inside.
Full review on Sensual Reads
http://sensualreads.com/?p=10927
Full review on Sensual Reads
http://sensualreads.com/?p=10927
October 10, 2012
I received this book from Carina Press. Full disclosure that Jax is a friend of mine.
Now with all that out of the way, I loved this story! It's part 1 of a 3 book series so the romance is left unresolved but I LOVE Hauk and Jolie. Theirs is such a unique, deep romance. I'm a sucker for a really scarred hero and Hauk is scarred, physically from the war. I love how Jax didn't gloss over the real wounds he has or make everything magically go away, either.
The story isn't resolved so she needs to get her butt in gear and get the rest of them out there...*ahem*.
Seriously, this is a great story with fantastic world building.
Now with all that out of the way, I loved this story! It's part 1 of a 3 book series so the romance is left unresolved but I LOVE Hauk and Jolie. Theirs is such a unique, deep romance. I'm a sucker for a really scarred hero and Hauk is scarred, physically from the war. I love how Jax didn't gloss over the real wounds he has or make everything magically go away, either.
The story isn't resolved so she needs to get her butt in gear and get the rest of them out there...*ahem*.
Seriously, this is a great story with fantastic world building.
July 4, 2015
I actually really liked the love story in this book, and I really liked the two main characters. HOK was very likable, and you could completely understand why Jolee fell for him, scars and all. Where this book fell short for me, was in the world building. It was all over the place, and very confusing, I thought. Maybe it will all make sense in a future book, but I haven't decided if I'm going to read the next book in the series, yet.
December 15, 2017
How Beauty Met the Beast is the first in a series that takes the familier fairy tale and gives it a little urban fantasy twist.
The story itself is a mix of a contemporary thriller and a mysterious paranormal novel. It’s light on the fantasy and light on the steampunk, though they do play big roles in the novel but it doesn’t weight the story down any. It deals with some tougher topics like having a visible injury and the social impacts of that but stays light and fun. We even get some odd little hints that there is a lot more going on in this world than Jolie ever knew, maybe more than Hauk knew and he is more privy to the weird than normal. I really dig the background power struggle between the Underlight and those in the Order of Ananke. I do wish that we got a little more info on the Underlight as it seems really amazing, but I really look forward to seeing it explored more in the next book as Jolie becomes more acquainted with this hidden society.
While the setting and world might be a little gritty, the romance is super sweet. I love Jolie and Hauk together, and their banter, once they let go of their nerves and insecurities, is perfect. It starts out steamy but after that’s it’s a bit of a slow burn as they work up actually getting to know each other and figure out exactly how they feel, even by the books end they are still testing the waters. I read so many romance novels that all have their relationships’ beginning and end all in less than 400 pages, so it’s incredibly nice to find one that’s highly entertaining and paced in such a way that it draws out the romance just so.
Therese Plummer is a ‘new to me’ narrator and I think she did a wonderful job with Beauty. She has wonderful pacing and brings an energy to the reading that really hones in on those feel good moments.
The story itself is a mix of a contemporary thriller and a mysterious paranormal novel. It’s light on the fantasy and light on the steampunk, though they do play big roles in the novel but it doesn’t weight the story down any. It deals with some tougher topics like having a visible injury and the social impacts of that but stays light and fun. We even get some odd little hints that there is a lot more going on in this world than Jolie ever knew, maybe more than Hauk knew and he is more privy to the weird than normal. I really dig the background power struggle between the Underlight and those in the Order of Ananke. I do wish that we got a little more info on the Underlight as it seems really amazing, but I really look forward to seeing it explored more in the next book as Jolie becomes more acquainted with this hidden society.
While the setting and world might be a little gritty, the romance is super sweet. I love Jolie and Hauk together, and their banter, once they let go of their nerves and insecurities, is perfect. It starts out steamy but after that’s it’s a bit of a slow burn as they work up actually getting to know each other and figure out exactly how they feel, even by the books end they are still testing the waters. I read so many romance novels that all have their relationships’ beginning and end all in less than 400 pages, so it’s incredibly nice to find one that’s highly entertaining and paced in such a way that it draws out the romance just so.
Therese Plummer is a ‘new to me’ narrator and I think she did a wonderful job with Beauty. She has wonderful pacing and brings an energy to the reading that really hones in on those feel good moments.
November 15, 2012
Warning. This is definitely not for children. This book is very, very much so for adults. As in, this is not your Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. But, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good story. On the contrary, this will be a series I am definitely going to read. Why? Because it’s not all about the adult content, and I love a good romance that also has a good story line, and this is one of them. Not to mention the dystopian society. At least, that’s what I got from it. Its very close to the same as our modern day world but with some tweaks here and there making it seem like a dystopian(ish) society, and, of course, there is an underworld society…that always means interesting things are guaranteed to happen. Now, this book is also something you have to follow along with because there is a lot of politics. There is also some stuff that comes as a bit of a surprise when we learn about Jolie’s past. It did almost seem a little awkward because it wasn’t something that came through in her character right away. Also I didn’t really research the book before I started reading it, so I had no clue it is going to be the first in a series and my mind kept questioning how this was all going to end in such a short novel. It was very stressful for a while, but that was all my fault. Although there are some awkward moments, there are many good ones, there are interesting characters, situations and a promising future for this series.
Good:
Hauk—A pretty decent guy, former army man. Overall sexy even with his scared body, which he keeps ripped by the way. He’s an alpha male, but hides it behind his scars.
Jolie—willing to refuse her father’s money so that she can determine who she really is.
Bad:
Jolie—There are some aspects about her that I’m not to sure about—mainly her choice in men.
Overall (Writing style, story line, and general):
Overall the small novel is filled with romance, action and intrigue. The writing style is well done, but the story moves fast, which means you have to make sure you’re paying attention when you read it. There is minimal humour, but there is some and it’s well placed. There is definitely passion and interesting characters, and a storyline that promises to be an interesting one. I have to admit that although the cover caught my eye the girl on the front is not how I picture Jolie, the dude in the back is how I pictured Hauk, but the girl seems more circus like than the Jolie I pictured. Overall this is a series I will be following.
View more of my review and others at my blog: www.mynotsovacantshelf.blogspot.com
Good:
Hauk—A pretty decent guy, former army man. Overall sexy even with his scared body, which he keeps ripped by the way. He’s an alpha male, but hides it behind his scars.
Jolie—willing to refuse her father’s money so that she can determine who she really is.
Bad:
Jolie—There are some aspects about her that I’m not to sure about—mainly her choice in men.
Overall (Writing style, story line, and general):
Overall the small novel is filled with romance, action and intrigue. The writing style is well done, but the story moves fast, which means you have to make sure you’re paying attention when you read it. There is minimal humour, but there is some and it’s well placed. There is definitely passion and interesting characters, and a storyline that promises to be an interesting one. I have to admit that although the cover caught my eye the girl on the front is not how I picture Jolie, the dude in the back is how I pictured Hauk, but the girl seems more circus like than the Jolie I pictured. Overall this is a series I will be following.
View more of my review and others at my blog: www.mynotsovacantshelf.blogspot.com
August 19, 2015
“Jolie Benoit,may I have the honor of this waltz? ” He would hold her in his arms and try not to step all over her feet.
She looped her hand through the crook of his elbow. “Why, Wesley Haukon, I thought you’d never ask.”
♫ Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then some body bends
Unexpectedly ♫
Not ANOTHER Beauty and the Beast tale only, but a totally intriguing, erotic and action-packed story in a steampunk world. This first book sets the foundations of a very promising tale to unfold luring its readers with its different and captivating approach to the classic story. This is not an innocent nor a vulgar version of the story, but it is a sexy and sweet and respectful adaptation that brings new elements to one of the most told stories ever - something that recommends the skills of its author.
♫ Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bitter sweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east ♫
Highly intrigued and curious for the next books in the series.
She looped her hand through the crook of his elbow. “Why, Wesley Haukon, I thought you’d never ask.”
♫ Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then some body bends
Unexpectedly ♫
Not ANOTHER Beauty and the Beast tale only, but a totally intriguing, erotic and action-packed story in a steampunk world. This first book sets the foundations of a very promising tale to unfold luring its readers with its different and captivating approach to the classic story. This is not an innocent nor a vulgar version of the story, but it is a sexy and sweet and respectful adaptation that brings new elements to one of the most told stories ever - something that recommends the skills of its author.
♫ Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bitter sweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east ♫
Highly intrigued and curious for the next books in the series.
November 9, 2015
I thought this was a steampunk historical romance judging by the cover, but it isn't. It isn't really steampunk at all - more contemporary with paranormal elements at the moment. I also didn't realise there were 3 books so there isn't a HEA for Jolie and Hauk just yet, but I am already reading book 2. I loved the setting and the chemistry. Despite the shorter length, I thought the characters were well developed, though the plot was a little thin and over with quickly. I didn't mind though. I really want to see what happens next with this couple.
November 25, 2012
It’s been a long time since I’ve actually sat down and read a novella, but for a busy book reviewer it was a nice change of pace. How Beauty Met the Beast is only 38,000 words, and I spent a pleasant evening breezing through it. A modern re-telling of the Beauty and the Beast story, it has many positive elements: engaging characters, a wonderfully unique setting, and a very surprising sex scene. Now that I have your attention (!)…
Jolie Benoit is a burlesque dancer at a club called Pussy Will-Oh! in Austin, Texas when she has an unexpected encounter with a hulk of a man who visits her dressing room after a show one night. The twist is that Jolie is changing behind a sheet that has been strung up to give her privacy, and their anonymous encounter takes place with the sheet between them. Hauk, the beast of the story, is an Army Ranger vet who is terribly scarred from a fire in Afghanistan. Although he is attracted to the beautiful dancer he watches at the club, he knows she is off-limits and way too refined to ever be attracted to him. They part ways, and Hauk never expects to see her again. But fate throws them together, of course, when a group of men called the Order of Ananke tries to kidnap and rape Jolie. Hauk rescues her and takes her to an underground community called the Underlight, a place that Hauk calls home and whose residents work in secret to overthrow groups like the Ananke, who are dumping chemicals into Austin's water supply.
Jolie is shocked and scared when she sees Hauk's face for the first time, but she doesn’t connect him with the man from her dressing room until later in the story. When he tells her that a twelve-year-old girl named Whitney has been kidnapped by the Ananke in order to blackmail her grandfather, Reginald Benoit, Jolie admits that Whitney is her niece, and Benoit is actually Jolie’s father. Hauk and Jolie, along with other friends from the Underlight, join forces to help rescue Whitney from the clutches of the Ananke.
The story takes off in a fast-paced race to track down Whitney. Along the way we get to know more about the elusive Hauk and his terrible past as well as a host of flavorful characters that interact with Hauk and Jolie, both above ground and below. The relationship between the two slowly evolves as Jolie begins to see past Hauk’s scars into the gem of a man that he is inside. What I really enjoyed about this book was the quirkiness of the characters, many of them misfits of one type or another that are simply trying to fit in and find love and acceptance.
I absolutely loved the Underlight, an almost technology-free underground city where residents each learn a craft to keep their world sustainable. It reminded me of the tunnel world under the subways of New York City in the original Beauty and the Beast TV show, and I wanted to know more about this fascinating world. What didn’t work as well for me was the Order of Ananke, the bad guys that are trying to presumably rule the world and corrupt society. Some supernatural elements are added into the story when the gang breaks into the Order's stronghold to find Whitney, as the Order of Ananke uses magic and goddess worship to control their enemies, but I honesty felt the story would have been just fine without the magic, which almost seemed thrown in so that the book could be called “paranormal fiction.”
What really makes the story shine are the characters and the relationships between them. I love Hauk and his tragic back-story, and I think Jolie is a perfect foil for his dark and haunted past. Other characters, such as the likeable cross-dressing Catrina who runs the Pussy Will-Oh! and Hauk’s computer hacking sidekick Brayden, add interesting side stories and fodder for future books. I wasn’t as impressed with musician Paul, Jolie’s philandering boyfriend, or Jolie’s niece Whitney, a somewhat annoying character that didn’t do much other that act as a device to try to get Hauk and Jolie together, but I loved most of Garren's characters and wanted to get to know them better.
I had such a fun time reading How Beauty Met the Beast, a story that shows how people from different sides of the tracks can find happiness together. I'm anxious to read more about the Underlight and the people who live there, and luckily the next two novellas in the trilogy both come out in 2013. I fervently hope that the author finishes what she started with Jolie and Hauk (*wink wink*) because I was definitely left wanting more in that department.
Many thanks to Carina Press for supplying a review copy.
This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy.
Jolie Benoit is a burlesque dancer at a club called Pussy Will-Oh! in Austin, Texas when she has an unexpected encounter with a hulk of a man who visits her dressing room after a show one night. The twist is that Jolie is changing behind a sheet that has been strung up to give her privacy, and their anonymous encounter takes place with the sheet between them. Hauk, the beast of the story, is an Army Ranger vet who is terribly scarred from a fire in Afghanistan. Although he is attracted to the beautiful dancer he watches at the club, he knows she is off-limits and way too refined to ever be attracted to him. They part ways, and Hauk never expects to see her again. But fate throws them together, of course, when a group of men called the Order of Ananke tries to kidnap and rape Jolie. Hauk rescues her and takes her to an underground community called the Underlight, a place that Hauk calls home and whose residents work in secret to overthrow groups like the Ananke, who are dumping chemicals into Austin's water supply.
Jolie is shocked and scared when she sees Hauk's face for the first time, but she doesn’t connect him with the man from her dressing room until later in the story. When he tells her that a twelve-year-old girl named Whitney has been kidnapped by the Ananke in order to blackmail her grandfather, Reginald Benoit, Jolie admits that Whitney is her niece, and Benoit is actually Jolie’s father. Hauk and Jolie, along with other friends from the Underlight, join forces to help rescue Whitney from the clutches of the Ananke.
The story takes off in a fast-paced race to track down Whitney. Along the way we get to know more about the elusive Hauk and his terrible past as well as a host of flavorful characters that interact with Hauk and Jolie, both above ground and below. The relationship between the two slowly evolves as Jolie begins to see past Hauk’s scars into the gem of a man that he is inside. What I really enjoyed about this book was the quirkiness of the characters, many of them misfits of one type or another that are simply trying to fit in and find love and acceptance.
I absolutely loved the Underlight, an almost technology-free underground city where residents each learn a craft to keep their world sustainable. It reminded me of the tunnel world under the subways of New York City in the original Beauty and the Beast TV show, and I wanted to know more about this fascinating world. What didn’t work as well for me was the Order of Ananke, the bad guys that are trying to presumably rule the world and corrupt society. Some supernatural elements are added into the story when the gang breaks into the Order's stronghold to find Whitney, as the Order of Ananke uses magic and goddess worship to control their enemies, but I honesty felt the story would have been just fine without the magic, which almost seemed thrown in so that the book could be called “paranormal fiction.”
What really makes the story shine are the characters and the relationships between them. I love Hauk and his tragic back-story, and I think Jolie is a perfect foil for his dark and haunted past. Other characters, such as the likeable cross-dressing Catrina who runs the Pussy Will-Oh! and Hauk’s computer hacking sidekick Brayden, add interesting side stories and fodder for future books. I wasn’t as impressed with musician Paul, Jolie’s philandering boyfriend, or Jolie’s niece Whitney, a somewhat annoying character that didn’t do much other that act as a device to try to get Hauk and Jolie together, but I loved most of Garren's characters and wanted to get to know them better.
I had such a fun time reading How Beauty Met the Beast, a story that shows how people from different sides of the tracks can find happiness together. I'm anxious to read more about the Underlight and the people who live there, and luckily the next two novellas in the trilogy both come out in 2013. I fervently hope that the author finishes what she started with Jolie and Hauk (*wink wink*) because I was definitely left wanting more in that department.
Many thanks to Carina Press for supplying a review copy.
This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy.
November 21, 2012
3.5/3.75
This short novel is very, very tricky. I keep trying to think how to place it and the solution eludes me.
It's a bit of a fairytale retelling, a very much all growed up Beauty and the Beast. But I can't quite call it that. There are some steampunkish elements, but that label doesn't work either. There are some romantic elements, but if I called this a Romance it would imply certain traditional tropes that just aren't here. There is action as well as a bit of magic too, along with mysterious societies and a secret war. So, an Urban-Fairytale-Steampunkish-Romance-Fantasy.
Hauk is a horribly scarred veteran of Afghanistan, and is sure that no one will ever be able to look past his scars. He devotes his energy into helping the Underlight, a secret underground community, against the evil Order of Ananke (whose members control the media, governments, and in general try to take over the world).
Jolie is an heiress who is thumbing her nose at her family by working as a burlesque dancer. She is attempting to live her life on her own terms, and is in an open relationship with a musician. After her first show, she has a steamy encounter through a curtain with Hauk (although she never sees his face). Later, she is almost kidnapped when a monstrous looking man with a familiar voice rips her assailants apart. Soon she is in an underground community and is learning more about her family's ties to the evil Order.
There is some action, a little flirting, but not much else in the romance department, and we do have an annoying teenager (who is thankfully kept to a minimum). This isn't an "after a night Jolie can look past all of Hauk's scars and they are in love the end". Nope. She does get used to his scars and starts to appreciate Hauk, but there are still 2 books to go in this trilogy.
It's a really quick read, and I was intrigued by the world and the assorted characters. I like Hauk. I think most Romance fans will love the tortured Hero who feels he'll never have anyone love him. Jolie is a bit tougher to like in that respect, because Hauk is so sympathetic, but I did think her reactions were realistic, and she showed some growth. I wish we had seen more of the Underlight and its inhabitants. Hopefully in book 2 we will.
When I say quick read, I mean quick. This is a short novel, and there will likely be folks saying, "Where is the rest?" You know I'm good with short stories, and since I knew going into it that there would be more than 1 book, I'm OK with the short installments.
[received an ARC to review]
This short novel is very, very tricky. I keep trying to think how to place it and the solution eludes me.
It's a bit of a fairytale retelling, a very much all growed up Beauty and the Beast. But I can't quite call it that. There are some steampunkish elements, but that label doesn't work either. There are some romantic elements, but if I called this a Romance it would imply certain traditional tropes that just aren't here. There is action as well as a bit of magic too, along with mysterious societies and a secret war. So, an Urban-Fairytale-Steampunkish-Romance-Fantasy.
Hauk is a horribly scarred veteran of Afghanistan, and is sure that no one will ever be able to look past his scars. He devotes his energy into helping the Underlight, a secret underground community, against the evil Order of Ananke (whose members control the media, governments, and in general try to take over the world).
Jolie is an heiress who is thumbing her nose at her family by working as a burlesque dancer. She is attempting to live her life on her own terms, and is in an open relationship with a musician. After her first show, she has a steamy encounter through a curtain with Hauk (although she never sees his face). Later, she is almost kidnapped when a monstrous looking man with a familiar voice rips her assailants apart. Soon she is in an underground community and is learning more about her family's ties to the evil Order.
There is some action, a little flirting, but not much else in the romance department, and we do have an annoying teenager (who is thankfully kept to a minimum). This isn't an "after a night Jolie can look past all of Hauk's scars and they are in love the end". Nope. She does get used to his scars and starts to appreciate Hauk, but there are still 2 books to go in this trilogy.
It's a really quick read, and I was intrigued by the world and the assorted characters. I like Hauk. I think most Romance fans will love the tortured Hero who feels he'll never have anyone love him. Jolie is a bit tougher to like in that respect, because Hauk is so sympathetic, but I did think her reactions were realistic, and she showed some growth. I wish we had seen more of the Underlight and its inhabitants. Hopefully in book 2 we will.
When I say quick read, I mean quick. This is a short novel, and there will likely be folks saying, "Where is the rest?" You know I'm good with short stories, and since I knew going into it that there would be more than 1 book, I'm OK with the short installments.
[received an ARC to review]
November 4, 2012
Wesley Haukon is on the run. While running after completing an assignment,with the Order of Anake chasing him, he seeks shelter at a burlesque dance show party. Here he sees the lovely Jolie Benoit giving her debut performance. Enchanted by her beauty, the scarred, defaced and damaged Hauk follows here into back stage. Somehow turned on by a stranger whose face Jolie has never seen, she has a sexual encounter straight out of her dreams. So when she wakes up after being attacked, she finds herself in the arms of a monster. A demon whose face is damaged beyond repair.
This novella was surprisingly good. It started off well and gripped me straight away. The burlesque dance was particularly fun to read and the scene after had me fanning for herself. I was unable to get a good feel of the world the story was set in but I'm hoping the subsequent stories will be able to shed some more light on it. Although whatever was described promises to be interesting.
"It's okay sweetie, it's okay. You're okay." You're safe Just....lodged under the arm of a behemoth. We're going to get you out. Eventually."
Hauk was so insecure about how he looked even though he was cocky about it. He did not let on how much it affected him and his life. I also liked how the author managed to get Jolie slowly change her views about Hauk and how slowly his looks stopped bothering her. The ending was unsatisfying but left me wanting for more. An interesting novella but characters who have depth and a world that will leave you intrigued.
"Stick with me, beautiful. I can't promise a good times, but if history is any indicator, I can promise it'll always be interesting."
ARC provided by NetGalley
Read more of my reviews at Escapism from Reality
This novella was surprisingly good. It started off well and gripped me straight away. The burlesque dance was particularly fun to read and the scene after had me fanning for herself. I was unable to get a good feel of the world the story was set in but I'm hoping the subsequent stories will be able to shed some more light on it. Although whatever was described promises to be interesting.
"It's okay sweetie, it's okay. You're okay." You're safe Just....lodged under the arm of a behemoth. We're going to get you out. Eventually."
Hauk was so insecure about how he looked even though he was cocky about it. He did not let on how much it affected him and his life. I also liked how the author managed to get Jolie slowly change her views about Hauk and how slowly his looks stopped bothering her. The ending was unsatisfying but left me wanting for more. An interesting novella but characters who have depth and a world that will leave you intrigued.
"Stick with me, beautiful. I can't promise a good times, but if history is any indicator, I can promise it'll always be interesting."
ARC provided by NetGalley
Read more of my reviews at Escapism from Reality
March 15, 2013
3.5 stars
This title came to my attention after two friends (Katie and Nadine wrote positive reviews. As always with such case, it just intrigued me.
Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed...
It wasn't bad, I still planned to read the next story. However, it wasn't a smooth-sailing read. The first 1/4 part of the story, I was VERY annoyed. I didn't like how these two strangers (Hauk only saw Jolie that night on stage) doing horizontal tange without even exchanging names first. Plus I disliked the feeling that I was shoved into this world-building without any preparation. But I decided to go on since those friends loved it and I wanted to reserve my judgment.
The second part was better -- though I was still felt a bit detached with the story and characters. Hauk was okay, but Jolie didn't win me over. Yet. Having said that, I did think her reaction towards Hauk, by not willing to even consider that Hauk was "Wesley the Divine Tongue" as realistic. It's easy to believe that Beauty will love The Beast and overcome the horrible look. But truthfully, anyone would have a knee-jerk reaction to someone with scars. It's bullsh*t if you think otherwise. What was important was that Jolie learned about Hauk, that he was more than just a disfigured man.
The last 1/2 of the books, though, it was much better. I enjoyed how Hauk and Jolie worked together to save Whitney. Plus I enjoyed the banters by then. Jolie was quite sassy and Hauk overcome his disadvantages in look by having great sense of humor. I also thought that Travis and Whitney as amusing...
So yep, I wasn't impressed, but maybe story #2 would be better
“Why? Because you have red yarn? I have a red corset. Corset trumps yarn in the male brain " ~ Jolie
This title came to my attention after two friends (Katie and Nadine wrote positive reviews. As always with such case, it just intrigued me.
Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed...
It wasn't bad, I still planned to read the next story. However, it wasn't a smooth-sailing read. The first 1/4 part of the story, I was VERY annoyed. I didn't like how these two strangers (Hauk only saw Jolie that night on stage) doing horizontal tange without even exchanging names first. Plus I disliked the feeling that I was shoved into this world-building without any preparation. But I decided to go on since those friends loved it and I wanted to reserve my judgment.
The second part was better -- though I was still felt a bit detached with the story and characters. Hauk was okay, but Jolie didn't win me over. Yet. Having said that, I did think her reaction towards Hauk, by not willing to even consider that Hauk was "Wesley the Divine Tongue" as realistic. It's easy to believe that Beauty will love The Beast and overcome the horrible look. But truthfully, anyone would have a knee-jerk reaction to someone with scars. It's bullsh*t if you think otherwise. What was important was that Jolie learned about Hauk, that he was more than just a disfigured man.
The last 1/2 of the books, though, it was much better. I enjoyed how Hauk and Jolie worked together to save Whitney. Plus I enjoyed the banters by then. Jolie was quite sassy and Hauk overcome his disadvantages in look by having great sense of humor. I also thought that Travis and Whitney as amusing...
So yep, I wasn't impressed, but maybe story #2 would be better
“Why? Because you have red yarn? I have a red corset. Corset trumps yarn in the male brain " ~ Jolie
November 8, 2012
Find the enhanced version of this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
I enjoy fairy tale twists and while Jax Garren's How Beauty Met the Beast is obviously meant for mature readers, it is easily one of the most entertaining publications I've had good fortune to come across.
I know gushing is not best the way to go when composing a review, but folks, I got nothing else. In rare form I have absolutely no complaints. Garren's heroine, Jolie Benoit, is smart, sassy, and engaging. Her hero, Wesley Haukon, is intense, dynamic, and captivating. Maybe I've just had bad luck with the genre, but I am not used to seeing such layered and/or compelling personalities in adult lit.
Speaking of which, I was blown away by Garren's ability to toe the line when it came to the steamier portions of her story. There is a single explicit scene towards the beginning of the novella in which she demonstrates an aptitude for racy subject matter, but it was what she managed to accomplish with the rest of the text that I found so fascinating. Rather than compose and launch a barrage of sex scenes at the reader, she draws out the tension, using it to explore the character of her leads. I loved this method and again, maybe I've just had bad luck with the genre, but I really enjoyed Garren's approach.
In terms of writing style, Garren won me over hook line and sinker. Sarcasm, wit, humorous innuendo. The dialogue had me laughing on numerous occasions and the narration made the book or my kindle in this case, almost impossible to put down.
It probably goes without saying at this point, but I absolutely loved this one and can't wait for the future installments.
I enjoy fairy tale twists and while Jax Garren's How Beauty Met the Beast is obviously meant for mature readers, it is easily one of the most entertaining publications I've had good fortune to come across.
I know gushing is not best the way to go when composing a review, but folks, I got nothing else. In rare form I have absolutely no complaints. Garren's heroine, Jolie Benoit, is smart, sassy, and engaging. Her hero, Wesley Haukon, is intense, dynamic, and captivating. Maybe I've just had bad luck with the genre, but I am not used to seeing such layered and/or compelling personalities in adult lit.
Speaking of which, I was blown away by Garren's ability to toe the line when it came to the steamier portions of her story. There is a single explicit scene towards the beginning of the novella in which she demonstrates an aptitude for racy subject matter, but it was what she managed to accomplish with the rest of the text that I found so fascinating. Rather than compose and launch a barrage of sex scenes at the reader, she draws out the tension, using it to explore the character of her leads. I loved this method and again, maybe I've just had bad luck with the genre, but I really enjoyed Garren's approach.
In terms of writing style, Garren won me over hook line and sinker. Sarcasm, wit, humorous innuendo. The dialogue had me laughing on numerous occasions and the narration made the book or my kindle in this case, almost impossible to put down.
It probably goes without saying at this point, but I absolutely loved this one and can't wait for the future installments.
November 7, 2012
Let’s see where to begin...
I have mixed feelings about this book. It gave me genre whip lash. After reading How Beauty Meet the Beast I feel like I read a contemporary romance that wanted to be a paranormal romance with steampunk envy.
The world building was all over the place. I was confused at first if the time period was past, present or future. Or if it was an alter world but as I continued to read I figured out it was modern day and time but only because the hero was in the army and stationed in Afghanistan.
When we first encounter him, he is riding a motorcycle powered by steam and then we learn that he is disfigured by a fire while he is in Afghanistan. Then there is a little more steampunk-like inventions in the underground tunnels that he lives in.
Later in the story there is mention of magic use and something happens to our hero, Hauk that seems like he might be more than human. Now the whole undercover society, one bad and one good fits in with the urban fantasy world.
But the reason I kept reading was the characters. I really enjoyed the heroine, Jolie and hero, Hauk’s chemistry. Had it not been for the strong leads and their likability, How Beauty Meet the Beast could have easily been a DNF for me. But since I did like the main character I have hopes that the 2nd book, How Beauty Saved the Beast will have some of the genre split personality worked out as we get deeper into the arc of the story.
arc provided by publisher through Netgalley
I have mixed feelings about this book. It gave me genre whip lash. After reading How Beauty Meet the Beast I feel like I read a contemporary romance that wanted to be a paranormal romance with steampunk envy.
The world building was all over the place. I was confused at first if the time period was past, present or future. Or if it was an alter world but as I continued to read I figured out it was modern day and time but only because the hero was in the army and stationed in Afghanistan.
When we first encounter him, he is riding a motorcycle powered by steam and then we learn that he is disfigured by a fire while he is in Afghanistan. Then there is a little more steampunk-like inventions in the underground tunnels that he lives in.
Later in the story there is mention of magic use and something happens to our hero, Hauk that seems like he might be more than human. Now the whole undercover society, one bad and one good fits in with the urban fantasy world.
But the reason I kept reading was the characters. I really enjoyed the heroine, Jolie and hero, Hauk’s chemistry. Had it not been for the strong leads and their likability, How Beauty Meet the Beast could have easily been a DNF for me. But since I did like the main character I have hopes that the 2nd book, How Beauty Saved the Beast will have some of the genre split personality worked out as we get deeper into the arc of the story.
arc provided by publisher through Netgalley
November 17, 2012
Posted on Under the Covers
I am a sucker for all things Beauty and the Beast so I jumped on this opportunity to read this novella. However, I found that I was unable to really connect to the author’s voice or the characters. I found the world to be interesting at first, but then as it became more detailed, I found that I could not really keep track of it all. It seemed a little messy to me and I think my initial confusion stayed with me throughout the entire novella.
At times the writing was OK, but then when it jumped into dialogue, I felt very detached from the characters. The author bombards you with a few different characters at first and really shows how they fit in the world.
The one thing I really liked about this book was Hauk. He’s an interesting character and I loved that he isn’t your handsome shining knight. I think more authors should attempt to write heroes who are like Hauk more. I found it to be refreshing.
This is the first book in a trilogy and since it is a shorter length, I think a lot of things happened at a very fast paced. The HEA doesn’t occur at the end of this book, but that didn’t bother me too much. For me it was my detachment from the world and characters. Unfortunately, I’m not interested enough to continue.
*ARC provided by Netgalley
September 2, 2014
I enjoyed this book and it’s fast paced, exciting world, but at times I felt a little overwhelmed. There is a lot of information, but not always enough information, if that even makes sense. I wasn’t sure if I understood what was going on or which faction was which or what they all believed in. What I did understand was Hauk and Jolie, which is really what mattered in this novella. These two were very dynamic and interesting. I couldn’t wait to learn more about them and see what had brought them to where they were.
Hauk or Wesley’s story is sad and we only sort of scratched the surface of it, I think. I felt horrible for him and how people looked at him…or didn’t. I loved his first interaction with Jolie and I hope that it is this moment that helps her see past the Beast. That and the fact that he continues to put himself on the line for him. Jolie is feisty and seems fun. I love that she never really let anyone control her. She didn’t really understand what was happening, but she wasn’t just going to let Hauk run off and take care of things that she felt was her responsibility.
I am excited to read the rest of the trilogy. The relationship that Hauk and Jolie have started is going to be extremely fun to watch unfold. And I’m really interested in learning more about the world that they live in.
Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
Hauk or Wesley’s story is sad and we only sort of scratched the surface of it, I think. I felt horrible for him and how people looked at him…or didn’t. I loved his first interaction with Jolie and I hope that it is this moment that helps her see past the Beast. That and the fact that he continues to put himself on the line for him. Jolie is feisty and seems fun. I love that she never really let anyone control her. She didn’t really understand what was happening, but she wasn’t just going to let Hauk run off and take care of things that she felt was her responsibility.
I am excited to read the rest of the trilogy. The relationship that Hauk and Jolie have started is going to be extremely fun to watch unfold. And I’m really interested in learning more about the world that they live in.
Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
May 9, 2013
Four stars is probably generous, but I was so delightfully surprised by this short little book that I'm in a generous mood. The book was too short to fully flesh out the characters and do a lot of world building. The main characters had an intense and rather unrealistic (but oh so hot) first encounter. But after that initial encounter the relationship between the two main characters developed at a much more natural pace for me. I could buy their growing attraction and friendship. Plus, this book made me laugh out loud (or at least snicker) quite a few times.
In a different mood, I would have been more disappointed in the lack of world building and the brevity of the work. But as it stands it was a fun, quick read and I'm curious to read the next.
As a side note, I see some people calling this steampunk and I'm scratching my head at that. It's basically a contemporary romance with a little, tiny bit of fantasy mixed it. A group of people who choose to live off of the grid of modern society and utilize alternatives to modern conveniences does not equal steampunk to me. So if you're looking for a real steampunk read, look elsewhere.
In a different mood, I would have been more disappointed in the lack of world building and the brevity of the work. But as it stands it was a fun, quick read and I'm curious to read the next.
As a side note, I see some people calling this steampunk and I'm scratching my head at that. It's basically a contemporary romance with a little, tiny bit of fantasy mixed it. A group of people who choose to live off of the grid of modern society and utilize alternatives to modern conveniences does not equal steampunk to me. So if you're looking for a real steampunk read, look elsewhere.
August 16, 2013
***1.5***
First of all, this is not steampunk.
It takes place in the present. Hauk is an ex-Army Ranger who fought in Afghanistan. Why would anyone label this as steampunk I have no idea. His whole unit was killed in the fire and he almost didn't make it. The accident left him scarred for life and a wanted man. Jolie is a daughter of a media mogul and she is secretly working as a burlesque dancer.
The story and their first encounter start after her show. It was lust at first ... sight, though it can hardly be called that because they had some kind of curtain between them. I can't say I liked that part of the story.
The world sounds promising though. A hidden war is happening all around and the two fighting factions are the only ones who know about it - the Order of Ananke and the one Hauk belongs to. He lives in the Underlight, a sort of underground commune. They are some kind of freedom fighters. I can't say Hauk and Jolie are enough for me to want to read the next story, but I probably will. I am interested to see what happened to Hauk in the past and for now that is the only reason why I am thinking of reading the next one.
First of all, this is not steampunk.
It takes place in the present. Hauk is an ex-Army Ranger who fought in Afghanistan. Why would anyone label this as steampunk I have no idea. His whole unit was killed in the fire and he almost didn't make it. The accident left him scarred for life and a wanted man. Jolie is a daughter of a media mogul and she is secretly working as a burlesque dancer.
The story and their first encounter start after her show. It was lust at first ... sight, though it can hardly be called that because they had some kind of curtain between them. I can't say I liked that part of the story.
The world sounds promising though. A hidden war is happening all around and the two fighting factions are the only ones who know about it - the Order of Ananke and the one Hauk belongs to. He lives in the Underlight, a sort of underground commune. They are some kind of freedom fighters. I can't say Hauk and Jolie are enough for me to want to read the next story, but I probably will. I am interested to see what happened to Hauk in the past and for now that is the only reason why I am thinking of reading the next one.
November 21, 2021
Hauk is ex-military. He was the only survivor of a fire that killed the rest of his team. He was also blamed for the fire. He has severe scars all over his body as a result. Jolie has lived a life of privilege. However, she is fully aware of that and is very down to earth. She is also a burlesque dancer. They meet one night while Hauk is hiding and share a very steamy moment. What makes it more unusual, is she heard his voice, but didn't see him. Hauk saves Jolie from an attempted kidnapping.
This is a futuristic society and the Underlight is a group of people that live underground, off the grid, and their focus is civil and environmental justice. Their enemies are the Order of Ananke and their security force the Hands of Atropos. There was a lot going on in this one. I am curious about the rest, it's a trilogy. However, I checked and at this moment this book (#1) and book 2 are NOT available. Only #3 is still available for purchase. I did read the author got her rights back and may re-release.
Love this cover.
This is a futuristic society and the Underlight is a group of people that live underground, off the grid, and their focus is civil and environmental justice. Their enemies are the Order of Ananke and their security force the Hands of Atropos. There was a lot going on in this one. I am curious about the rest, it's a trilogy. However, I checked and at this moment this book (#1) and book 2 are NOT available. Only #3 is still available for purchase. I did read the author got her rights back and may re-release.
Love this cover.
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