The Coveted and the Cursed

by Lylah Taylor

It's never too late to bloom.

Mira's life has never been her own. In a land where magic is feared and shunned, hers seems to be the exception.

The Coveted is known throughout the kingdom for having the ability to grant a heart's desire. At least, that's what the rumors say.

In order to survive her endless string of captors, Mira has developed tactics to keep herself safe. But when a fearsome beast breeches the walls of her latest captivity and steals her away in the night, Mira will question everything she knows as she's brought to an old kingdom, long ago thought to be abandoned.

***
Dark magic is awakening again, and no one knows why. Guilt-ridden by the shame of his past, Dante is determined to save his people, maybe finding a shred of redemption for himself along the way. The Coveted's magic is their best chance, yet, upon getting to know the woman he's taken, a different desire stirs in his heart.

Desire makes people dangerous, and secrets could mean the downfall of an entire kingdom.

This Beauty and the Beast retelling is perfect for fans of The Plated Prisoner series and Ella Enchanted. The Coveted and the Cursed is a fantasy romance. Contains mature themes and explicit romance.

Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romance, Romantasy, Magic, Beauty and The Beast, Retellings

499 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2024

Reviews

[‧₊˚ ☁️sophie ☾｡♡⊹。 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75 ⭐️

When I first saw 'The Coveted and the Cursed' by the author online, I was intrigued by its premise, offering a fresh perspective on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale. The idea of both the beauty and the beast being cursed caught my attention, so I decided to sign up for the ARC to explore this unique twist.

From the very start, I was drawn to the meticulous world-building in the book. It's one of the aspects I truly admire. The author's ability to paint such vivid and detailed scenes made it easy for me to imagine the setting. Unlike with other books, I had no trouble getting lost in the story. However, I did find that the first 50% of the book primarily focused on world-building, with not much happening in terms of plot development. It wasn't until after the halfway point that the story began to progress. 

I particularly enjoyed the found family element in this book, especially the relationships between Jasper, Calista, Hu and Alina. They all made it really feel like home and I was so happy to see Mira finally opening up to them. Throughout the story, Mira remained an enigma, keeping me curious and engaged until the very end. I found myself constantly pondering the nature of her magic and how it functions, particularly the role of her blood. It was surprising that these details weren't explained in detail until the end, leaving me eager for answers in the next book

Dante was undoubtedly a softie at heart. I admired how he consistently prioritized her needs over his own. His love for poetry, as well as his heartfelt gestures of writing poetry for her, easily captured my heart. I appreciated the moments they shared together, simply enjoying each other's company through reading. I’m also obviously a sucker for an MMC who’s always there to save you and wants nobody else near you except him until you’re better 🤭

Overall, I found it to be a pleasant read. I'm glad that the main characters got their happy ending, and I'm eager to explore more of the author's work in the future. Hopefully, I'll find the answers I'm looking for in the next installment. I want to extend my sincere thanks to Lylah for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Maliyah F · Rating 4 out of 5]

An arc read for my joint bookstagram with a friend (longdistancereaders), and one we certainly enjoyed. We went from late night discussions after every couple of chapters to discuss our predictions and our thoughts. With how the story had been going from around chapter 1-7, I had initially thought that Prince Nicholas to be the “beauty” (as he’s described as generous and as an attractive, nice man) while Mira was the “beast” (as she was born “cursed” in her mind). The story building was amazing, the plot twists kept the storyline unpredictable and refreshing, which is nice for a book that is meant to be a retelling/loosely inspired by a classic like Beauty and the Beast. I don’t usually read romantasy past a few series like the Lunar Chronicles, which the vibe of this book honestly somehow reminds me of, but perhaps this book had been able to open the doors to me to enjoying romantasy more.

[Aleshia Chalklen · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC: The Coveted and the Cursed is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and I must say I really enjoyed both the comparisons and differences throughout this.

Lylah's writing style is really easy to follow and provides both the emotional impact in parts and comedic relief. I was both heartbroken and laughing throughout which was beautiful and made the read super enjoyable.

Things you can expect:
🔥Beauty and the beast retelling
🔥a cursed land
🔥found family
🔥a woman trapped by her circumstance
🔥poetry loving beast
🔥a man shamed by his past
🔥 Secrets
🔥A dark magic awakening

I would also add he falls first 😁

Fave quote; "Sometimes people battle with things inside themselves. Wars not fought by swords and arrows are just as harmful."

Star rating: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 2 🌶️🌶️

[spidermse · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Weight constantly carried on your shoulders eventually turns into a part of you that you no longer notice. A new extension, as normal as an arm or a leg. But when it gets taken off, you recognize how much of a burden it'd been."

I have to say that when I first started this book I was immediately hooked and the story was very captivating and had me wanting to keep reading, but by about half way I started to lose a lot of interest. There wasn't much interaction, at least on page, between the main characters so when the romance started it fell very flat for me. The spice, once we got to it, was fine. Nothing like super crazy. And of course the monster lover in me was a bit disappointed that she only had fun times with him after he turned into a human. 🤣

The world building was interesting but it soon became a bit too much for me to follow. And it felt like a lot of the plot was resolved a bit too easily by the end - like the author just wanted to be done with it. It was a let down after all the mystery and angsty build up throughout the whole book. From the descriptions of the world and the characters I was imagining a medieval type of fantasy world but some of the modern terminology used by the characters really threw me off. Like I did not expect them to say "high five, girlfriend!" or "chicks and a dude".

I loved the found family in this story and the side characters! Their relationships and humor were entertaining to read. It was great to see how much they all took care of each other.

Overall it was a good read and an interesting spin on Beauty and the Beast.

[Lisa Conant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶1/2 out of 5

Tropes:
🐺Beauty and the Beast Retelling
⚔️War Torn Land/Curses
🩸Touch Her and Be Ripped Apart
❤️‍🔥Slow Burn
👿Angst

📚 Review:
I'm undone by the sheer beauty of this story! Not only top tier storytelling but one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings I've read!
Our story starts with a somewhat dark mystery as we are introduced to a captive Mira (FMC), a fiery haired woman with magic that was "blessed" to her. Though it proves to be a curse in its own way for her, as throughout the years she's been stolen and held captive repeatedly by men wanting to use her for abilities, which all believe will grant them their desires. The particulars of her actual "gifts" remain tactfully hidden to us until later in the story.

The Kingdom is afflicted with a darkness of its own, manifested by black tendrils claiming and killing the land. A Beast comes to steal her away and back to his castle in the region closer to this affliction, in hopes of utilizing her gifts to heal the land. But this Beast , his land and its shunned magic-wielding locals are far more than they seem.

I am intoxicated by the relationship that grows between Dante (our Beast) and Mira. The slow burn is epic and dialed to angsty perfection. Her initial fears, the way she protects herself emotionally due to her past captivity traumas is both sensitive and realistic. Dante is layered with an achingly beautiful complexity. And the visuals of his beastliness, the snow covered forests, the rich warm interiors of the castle, is described with painterly literary flourish.

Dante and Mira's growing tenderness is folded in intimate moments, with the beauty and fragility of the petals of a rose itself. Each has their own secrets they have kept in their hearts behind lock and key for fear of pain.

The ensemble cast of characters in his castle provides some lovely humor and a strong found family bond. The specifics of his curse has some wonderful nuance as well to again make this retelling original.

Cinematic in scope, with heart clutching drama, blistering tension, pulse pounding fear and sizzling passion...I am satiated by this story in a way that every book lover dreams of. I am SO happy Dante and Mira will be visited again in a future book because they are my ride or die! Dante's story just broke me and put me back together in the best way possible.

This book is an all time favorite of mine, no question. I'm an emotional mess right now 😆 but I can't wait to re read this again in a few months because I love it so very much.

[Bethany Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You are the air that fills my lungs. The light chases away the dark.”

"The Coveted and the Cursed'' is a spicy Beauty and the Beast retelling that immerses readers into a fantasy world filled with dark magic and fantastical creatures.

The story is a dual POV that follows Mira and Dante. Mira, the coveted, who is known throughout the kingdom for having the ability to grant one’s heart's desire… At least that’s what the rumours say. Dante, a beast determined to save his people, and perhaps a shred of redemption for himself along the way.

Mira has spent her whole life being captured by people who want her to grant their hearts desires. After her most recent “rescue” by the Prince, Mira is stolen away by a beast in the night to the cursed kingdom, where dark magic is awakening and no one knows why.

The magic system in this book is really interesting. However, I felt that it was often more show than tell which left me wanting more explanation. Surface-level explanations also left gaps in my understanding regarding the history and politics, as well as the magic systems. I will say that the pacing of the book is great, it’s relatively fast paced with plenty of twists and turns!

The characters are incredible with distinct charm and unique personalities. I absolutely adored Calista and Jasper, they are such great characters that compliment each other perfectly! Mira and Dante’s dynamic is wonderful and the journey they have on page is really lovely to read, and get me started on the slow burn!

Overall, I really enjoyed "The Coveted and the Cursed" and the theme of found family, forgiveness and acceptance shines through beautifully. If you love fairytale retellings filled with action, magic, romance and heartbreaking scenes, this is for you!

[KMart Vet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun and fresh take on the classic Beauty and the Beast story with a lot more humor than I anticipated. I really liked Mira, a young woman whose magical abilities make her a sought-after source. Favored by the gods, she is known as The Coveted for her reputed power to grant everyone's greatest desire. Mira has learned to navigate her captivity and she's a bit of a con-woman but only because it means safety.

The novel begins with a brooding tone, painting a picture of Mira's harrowing life and the oppressive world she inhabits. This is a young woman who is treated more as an object than her own person. Yet, after the first quarter, the narrative takes an unexpected turn, embracing a lighter, more campy humor that contrasts sharply with its initial darkness. This abrupt tonal shift can be jarring, but it also introduces a delightful and charming cast of side characters that enrich the story with a found family dynamic.

The romance between Mira and Dante, the guilt-ridden hero seeking redemption, is heartwarming. Both characters are gentle souls with complex pasts, bringing a refreshing softness to their relationship that stands out in the fantasy romance genre. Mira’s personal growth is particularly compelling, as she evolves from a prisoner to a pivotal figure in the quest to save the kingdom.

The inclusion of spicy scenes feels somewhat misplaced, clashing with the otherwise light-hearted and humorous dialogue. These moments could have been omitted without detracting from the overall narrative for me.

Overall, this is an engaging and enjoyable read. Thanks to R&R Booktours and the author for the copy. This review is honest and voluntary.

[☽｡⋆ Shells (jlreads_) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is probably a beauty and the beast that has more plot and world-building than spice, which some retelling that I've read tends to focus more.

Anyway, I would say the writing pretty much did a good job. It was compelling for me and really gave the vibes of a dark-ish fairytale in some ways.

My only problem is that the story really didn't have much going after, like the last 70-ish %. Another thing is the details of the magic, which I think is more of a telling than showing? There's also parts that were unanswered for me, and everything just felt and resolved easily, which made it very anticlimactic, especially when Mira was kidnapped by Maroev (corrent me if I'm wrong with the name) guy, that part was just resolved easily in my opinion.

I didn't have problems with the characters, I think they are really decent personality wise, but I just think there weren't enough quality that made them stand out.

The romance also felt short considering the fact that the novel is more of a world building. I kind of didn't feel the romance there.

Overall, I think this was okay. Could have been better.

~thank you author for the e-arc~

[Amber's Book Cave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:
🌹 Beauty and the Beast Retelling
🌹 Woman Trapped by Circumstances
🌹 Found Family
🌹 Cursed Land
🌹 Dark Magic
🌹 A Man Shamed by His Past
🌹 Secrets

My Review:
I was drawn to "The Coveted and the Cursed" for its intriguing twist on the Beauty and the Beast story, where both characters are cursed. The world-building is immersive, with richly detailed scenes that had me hooked from the start. While the first half is focused on establishing the setting, the plot really picks up in the second half, delivering an exciting and engaging narrative. The found family dynamic, especially between Jasper, Calista, Hu, and Alina, adds a heartwarming layer to the story. Mira's enigmatic character and Dante’s poetic, selfless nature kept me hooked, making their interactions particularly memorable.

Overall, this book blends romance, mystery, and fantasy elements beautifully. The unexpected plot twists and well-developed characters make it a standout in the romantasy genre.

Big thanks to Lylah Taylor & R&R Book Tours for the ARC! All opinions are my own and unbiased. 🖤

[Samantha Ness · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story so much I read it twice. TWICE. I can be a mood reader and tend to keep my rereads to a minimum but couldn’t help it with this story. This has to be one of the best retellings for beauty and the beast I’ve read. This book had me feeling all the feels! I was turning pages nonstop (even while family was visiting) and found myself sneaking away to find out what’s next. I loved the characters and their backstories and the heartbreak and strife. Mira was a fantastic MC and I felt everything she did throughout the story. I cried with her, laughed with her, loved with her. This is an amazing found family and if that’s a fave trope- read this immediately. Lylah wrote such a creative take on the classic that the references were welcomed and also the story stands out on its own. I’m so excited to read what’s next!

Thank you so much Lylah for sending me an arc of this story. Absolutely phenomenal!

[WhisperedReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Coveted and the Cursed had me completely captivated in its magic from the first page.
I wasn't sure what to expect in this beauty and the beast retelling, but it ended up being something better than I could have imagined.
It is painfuly beautiful. It captures pain, heartbreak, hopelessness, distruction, greed, and the ugliness of desire in the most artistic way. At one point, I openly SOBBED.
We did get to watch as the Mira (the beauty) and Dante (the beast) navigate their tragic life's and turn the ugly into inspiring beauty. The heartbreak turning to love, the helplessness to hopeful, the destruction to creation, the greed to selflessness, the desire to compassion.
The storyline/plot is well done. The character development is on point.
The side characters are placed with perfection. I can not say enough good things about this book!


All my gratitude to Lylah Taylor for writing and sharing this beautiful piece of art.

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

★ ½ ☆ ☆ ☆

Many thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mira is “The Coveted”, cursed with a magic that brings good fortune on those around her. Since the death of her parents, her life has been at the mercy of her captors, with each of her new keepers extending the trail of blood left in her wake, doing whatever necessary to secure her. When Mira is brought to live at the Prince’s palace, she suspects her life of instability may be over, until she finds herself stolen, again, this time by a Beast.

I love a fairytale retelling, and The Beauty and the Beast is a long time favourite. Unfortunately, the writing really let me down in this book, and it became a regretful DNF for me at 35%, after which I skimmed through the remainder of the book. I very, very rarely DNF books, and I’m always considerate of genre conventions and differences in writing styles, especially with books I read to review.

I have no interest in panning indie writers, so I’ve tried to keep my commentary detached. However, I want to thoroughly justify my rating, so here is a brief list of some of the problems I had with the writing that have prevented me from being able to complete the book. If these things don’t bother you, you would likely have a better reading experience than me.

Pacing and Worldbuilding
It took 25% of the book before we met or even heard mention of the Beast. In a The Beauty and the Beast retelling. “The Cursed Kingdom” alluded to in the title is first mentioned at 26%, also after no foreshadowing of its existence, even with the large word count allocated to worldbuilding. This felt more like a blindside, and less like an intriguing development. After so many pages were spent on background, side characters, and establishing the bleak outlook of our FMC, I found myself entirely uninvested in her future that was not at all alluded to in over 100 pages of writing.

Ineffective Repetition
In addition to persistently repeating how sorrowful and hopeless our main character is, I counted the phrase “may as well” three times in the space of 5 pages (not a lone offender).

Overuse of Literary Techniques
The most egregious of which are the overuse of metaphor and sentence words. My biggest issue is that these were used so liberally in utterly normal situations that required no emphasis or additional impact.

Some metaphors:

My mind became a black canvas, untouched by strokes of thought or comprehension for what was happening.

Mira (FMC) said this after being asked “are you alright” by a maid because she slipped in the bath.

Horror dug its nails into me, latching on with a biting grip.

She realised it was a little insensitive to tell the same maid that she was lucky she didn’t have to wear heavy ballgowns.

The grand set of doors opened before me, groaning in their hinges—a low, sullen moaning that could have come from the depths of my soul.

She was entering a ballroom.

Some one word sentences:

Synchronised. Calculated. Beautiful.

(p75)

Warm. Full. Protected.

(p104)

Watched. Listened.

(p104)

Stolen, kidnapped, abducted.

(p115)

Unaffected.

(p115)

Powerless.

(p115)

Sore, tired, hungry.

(p130)

Cozy.

(p139)
Note the frequency.

Bizarre or Unnecessary Descriptors
Some of the descriptions are just utterly baffling. Some examples, questionable choices in bold:

She pinched her mouth closed, warmth emanating from her upwardly curved expression.

Read: “she smiled warmly” ☠︎

Their jovial, gluttonous laughter reverberating off solid gold walls and decorations as they glimpsed upon an innocent child and chose her for their amusement.

“Decorations” are the one part of this sentence that could have been expanded on, yet were not.

Gurgled sounds of phlegm made my face wince.

No comment.

Persistent Use of Passive Voice
This made sentences not only sound extremely repetitive, but made narration of a sequence of events unnecessarily complex to follow. Passive voice is often used to sound more formal or sophisticated, but with almost every sentence being passive, it made reading feel laborious, and the writing feel “overdone”. Here’s an example, though almost all of the above are also passive:

A sigh painted in sadness came from my mother.

Not only is this another case for the metaphor point, this sentence could have read “my mother sighed sorrowfully” and had the same impact, without the reader needing to double back to pin that the disembodied sigh [insert metaphor] came from Mira’s mother.

Juxtaposition of Flowery Narration with Modern Dialogue
This heading says it all. Jarring to read.

”Thanks. And if you could, you know, not mention this.” She gestured to her tucked trove of cutlery. “That’d be great. Not all of us get to live in a swanky castle, you know? I’m sure the prince won’t miss these.” She gave me a supplicating smile and a wink before she bound down the hallway with unexpected grace before turning a corner and disappearing into the quiet night.

This is not an exhaustive list (clichés could get a section too), but I hope I’ve clearly outlined some of my thoughts. Writing style is a personal signature, but “poor writing” does, in my opinion, exist. Unfortunately the editors did not do their job here.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The Coveted and the Cursed is a Beauty and the Beast retelling with two cursed main characters. I absolutely adored the descriptive world building and the way that elements from Beauty and the Beast were woven throughout the story to make it feel somewhat nostalgic, yet still incredibly unique.

I also loved Mira and her character development. Her journey from a life of submission and captivity to one of freedom, confidence, and love brought tears to my eyes. The found family trope in this book is IMPECCABLE. It will warm your heart and give you all the feels.

Dante’s transformative journey was also compelling. I loved his protective nature and how he cared for others, including those in the cursed kingdom. His love for Mira was incredibly swoon-worthy. I absolutely loved how their relationship bloomed into a deep-rooted love, despite the initial captivity.

Here’s one of my favorite quotes from The Coveted and the Cursed:

“But know that for every day for the rest of my life, I will see you in the sunrise and sunset. In the flowers that fight to bloom here. In the twinklers that shine in the night. I will never not think of you. You are and will always be my entire world.” 😭😭😭

I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it!

Thank you so much to the author for sending me an eARC to review ♥️

[Nita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good way to get introduced to an author. The story was definitely a sloooowww burn and not just the spice aspect. You spend a lot of time trying to figure out what Mira's blessing really was and how it truly worked. During that time you find out just how awful her life has been with being captured so many times since she was 8 due to her "blessing." Her life slowly starts to change when she's taken by the beast (Dante). Dante starts out as an unintentional grump take starts to show Mira his soft side. The two grow closer to each other the longer they are around each other. Each end up being will to make the ultimate sacrifice for one another.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶🌶🌶

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!! This book will forever be my most favorite Beauty and the Beast Retelling!! PLEASE PLEASE GO READ THIS BOOK!!! I swear I loved this book so much!! I absolutely loved Mira and Dante (the beast) together. But I have to say one of my most favorite side character has to be Jasper. I swear he makes me laugh so much. I swear I have never cried so much over rocks. (You will get this reference once you read the book.) ugh I swear I cried like a baby at the end of the book especially after what almost happened to Dante.

[Amanda Mercedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this one! I think a major part had to do because it was a retelling with elements of two of my favorite stories: Beauty and the Beast and Ella Enchanted. Whenever I caught references or similar moments, it made me happy. Retellings for me are like snuggling in with a favorite blanket.
The beginning starts off a little sad, but mainly because it’s kind of awful what greed and desperation does to people. Mira has never been free because the gift she is perceived to have lead people to kidnap her all the time to hopefully utilize her magic. She is then kidnapped by a prince— but this isn’t her prince. She’s then kidnapped by a beast— and thus the beauty and the beast part of the tale starts.

Thank you R&R Book Tours for the copy!

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVE twisted fairytales… and this one is TWISTED!! Utterly in love with this cruel and twisted Beauty and the Beast inspired book! Run to this dark and spicy romance!

Perfect for fans of The Plated Prisoner series and Ella Enchanted.

🥀Dark Magic
🥀spicy Romamce
🥀Captive
🥀Found Family
🥀Beauty and the Beast Retelling
🥀Trapped by Circumstance

LOVED THIS ONE!!!!

[allison | readingwithcoffey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling but with a twist - both the beauty and the beast are cursed. I really loved the dark fairytale vibes. The world building is very detailed, however, it definitely is a slow burn plot wise and takes a while to fully figure out what Mira’s curse is. Despite this, I was hooked from the start with how wonderful Lylah’s writing style is. I also really enjoyed the found family element and the fun side characters. And, of course, I loved watching the slow burn relationship of Mira and Dante blossom throughout the book. Overall, a great read, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf 20% unfortunately the writing style wasn’t my favorite…interesting concept though.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

CUTE!

A story about a girl with a special ability who is used and taken advantage of for it her entire life, until shes taken by a beast, who also wants to use her for her ability.

A Beauty and the beast retelling with slow burn and found family and found self worth.


The only complaint I have is that there were a few characters who were sus, but we never got anything else from them, so I’m thinking maybe they’re sprinkled into the other retellings that the author is writing.

There was also a disease in the story that we never learned of its whereabouts, or how to defeat it, which is also assuming is going to play into the other retelling stories.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, the characters and the banter.

[Solene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Real disappointment here. And it had started so well - honestly, the writing was quite lovely, and the concept of the Coveted was intriguing enough to keep me reading. 23% in, when I still had no idea what Mira's magic was, or anyone else's, for that matter, I started getting a little impatient. "Wait for it" I told myself, "the big reveal will be worth the wait". Well, it was not.

Our FMC, Mira, was abducted at 8 years old and taken from one place to the next by people who wanted to use her magic to fulfill their every desires. She is the Coveted - rumored to magically grant wishes, which means she lived in captivity most of her life. Where did she go? Who taught her to read? We hardly get any information on what happened during that time. Only that she likes to read, and has a coping mechanism that helps her to disassociate when she is abducted by a new captor. We don't know if she was treated well, and we certainly don't know what people did to her to get her to perform magic and grant them their wish. This is all very obscure. And in all those years, did NO ONE realize that she could not actually do anything with her magic?!

The 2nd half of the book was a huge let-down, as soon as the romantic relationship went up a notch the story took a turn for the worse. The declarations were over the top and immature, Mira was shallow and childish - I mean, her angry outbursts were worthy of a 6-year old?! Every situation with an ounce of adversity was resolved in a ridiculous manner. When she is taken back by the Prince and Dante goes after her, she merely has to tell Nicholas and his army that her powers are "gone" for them to lower their weapons and let her go. That was the most laughable conflict resolution I ever did see. The Prince just lets her go, out of the goodness of his wee heart. Which is another massive issue with the writing here: the author could not commit to writing true villains.
Therefore, the conflicts that arose never came to anything serious, and fell flat pretty quickly.
Dante breaking his curse? That took one page, despite it being one of the most important aspects of the story. Disney did it 100 times better, honestly.
Dante goes back to his ex to get her to curse him AGAIN? After the ridiculous rescue scene he just goes back to normal and realizes he can actually shift at will now. How convenient.
Jasper is taken down during one not so memorable fight scene? He just reappears in the next chapter with a 2-line explanation.
Not to mention, after all this thick-as-cream suspense around Mira's powers - her magic turns
out to be pretty shit after all.
2 stars for the melancholy chapters in the first half of the book. I skimmed the final 100 pages, to be perfectly honest, and still feel like I haven't missed a thing.

[Cassie Stancell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A-r-c Reader here <3
“Wars not fought by swords and arrows are just as harmful.” - Mira, Ch. 11
ONE (of many!!!) of my favorite quotes from this book.
If you are interested in:
➽ Beauty and the Beast Retellings
➽ Unexpected friendships
➽ Poetry-loving MCs
➽ Grumpy vs. Sunshine (kind of?) Love Interests
➽ Fantasy and Fairytales
THEN THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!!!!
I read this book over the span of 3 days and through those three days, I finished the book in about 12 hours! I fell in love with the characters so quickly and the ending had me in tears (BUT don't worry there are NO SPOILERS in this review!
First off,
Mira: Female MCs sometimes can be touch and go, especially with the damsel-in-distress type...but that isn't what she was!
Dante: DANTE. My LOVE. So soft and pure. Such character development was made even with only a brief look into his past self!
Jasper: Jasper is the comedic-relief that was much needed during the heavily emotional and intense times throughout. He could always make a situation better with the humor that he adds into conversation.
Calista: The powerhouse and also mom-friend that is Calista! When you read her backstory, I would have to forewarn that it is pretty traumatizing, as there is a trigger that I included in the trigger warnings at the top of this review. It is heartbreaking what she went through and I am so glad that she found the people that she did. A true family, despite no blood relation or ties to them.

AND There are so many more amazing characters as well as queer representation inside this book! If you have read these books, I would suggest that you check this one out as well:
➽ A Court so Dark and Lonely
➽ A Court of Thorns and Roses (THE ENTIRE SERIES)
➽ From Blood and Ash
➽ King of Battle and Blood

[Jennifer Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I will say that it seems to start out slow. There’s a lot of world building and the author lays a good foundation of information. Just when I was wondering if the pace was going to pick up, bam! Once Mira is kidnapped by the beast things really get going. My heart absolutely broke for Mira and the life that she had been dealt. I can’t imagine the hopelessness she felt at times. Lylah really does a great job of conveying Mira’s struggles and emotional turmoil. Just when she thinks things are possibly going to be better, she’s taken by a beast. Sure that she’s doomed to die, she’s taken by surprise when he saves her from ogres. Their relationship is tentative at best, and slowly the beast realizes that he doesn’t want her to feel like a prisoner. Their relationship builds into something incredibly beautiful and ultimately life changing for both of them. The beast captured her so she would break his curses, but she makes him realize he had the power to break his curse all along.

The story in this book was very intriguing. You get the sense that there is much more going on behind the scenes than just the curse Dante is dealing with, and I hope we get more of that in book 2. But in this book, I loved Dante and Mira. I loved how she saw his soul beyond the beast, and how he saw the woman hurting beneath the exterior of the coveted. Their willingness to absolutely sacrifice everything for each other had me in tears by the end. I definitely want to see what happens in Prince Nicholas’ story, as well. Completely recommend this beauty and the beast retelling!

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The coveted and the Cursed was my introduction to Author Lylah Taylor. When I first signed up to read this book, I was intrigued by the Beauty and the Beast theme and needed to see how it would be done. I was not disappointed!

The story follows Mira, the "coveted", a girl cursed with magic that everyone desires, in a kingdom where magic wielders are not welcome. Mira grew up being stolen from one person after another, each with their own plans for her and her magic. Just when she feels that she's found somewhere to settle (which just so happens to be a Prince’s castle), she is stolen away by a giant fearsome beast. Mira must rely on her heart and her instincts to navigate through her new situation.

From the beginning, I was hooked, needing to know the secrets of the cursed, and how they would handle what was thrown their way. The world building felt thorough, but not overdone. Mira and the Beast’s chemistry was electric, and even though it was a slow burn, it really paid off when things heated up. While I love Mira and beast as a couple, I also fell in love with the family Mira found in Jasper, Calista, Hu, and Alaina. Seeing her finally able to break down all the walls she had up most of her life was heart-warming.

As with any "Book 1" in a series, I was nervous going in about what cliff hanger we’d be left with, but Lylah tied up Mira and Beast's story very well, and I'm super excited to read the next story in the series!

Thank you Lylah for the opportunity to read an ARC of this story!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Coveted and the Cursed by Lylah Taylor is a really fantastic Beauty and the Beast retelling, emotional and twisted, featuring a dark magic that’s infecting and killing all the land in the kingdom.

Mira is the FMC, an unusually beautiful young woman “blessed”with being one of “the coveted”. The reader learns from her introduction that she’s been taken as a captive over and over her whole life by men who want to use her for her magic abilities. Society has been led to believe she will grant them whatever they desires. The specifics of Mira’s magic are revealed much later in the book.

A ferocious Beast enters the story when Mira has been rescued from one captor and taken to a castle, a more beautiful location, but the situation is still the same. The Beast whisks her away to his own large home, closer to the worst of the dark magic’s infestation, hoping to convince her to help and heal the land.

The relationship between Mira and the Beast (Dante), is a very slow burn, helped along by the found family that lives with him and their mutual love of books. The PTSD rep is strong and the layers of trauma and complexity that both characters possess and begin to confide is truly lovely. I could 💯 love this beast and I understand why Mira falls deeply for him.

I love the found family of Jasper, Calista, Hu, and the others. Excellently fleshed out and dynamic and charming. I love the world this author has created and am so excited to see where this twisted fairy tale takes us in the next book!

[Spiritedbookishbabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book starts out with Mirabelle kidnapped by Clint and locked in a small room in a cabin. Clint killed Mira’s family because they were trying to stop him from taking their daughter for her magic. Clint thought if he took her that she would be able to help him because he is sick. After a few weeks of being in that room Mira woke up to Clint making stew after he realized she was awake he asked her how she felt about going outside for a while.

Mira spent the whole afternoon outside while Clint was putting the stew away. When he was finished they made a fire and were looking at the stars, Clint looked at Mira and asked is she could see a way to help him and Mira said that it was up to the gods. Then Clint heard something in the woods and told Mira to go back into the cabin and that’s where soldiers attacked and killed Clint for taking her.

The soldiers took Mira to the princes castle and there she stayed for a short time. The prince has told Mira that she could stay as long as she wanted, but being the coveted makes her wanted by everyone and not in a good way. One night Mira was outside alone and this beast came and took Mira from the castle. If you want to know what happens next you need to read this book. It’s so good!!

I really enjoyed the whole book. I was sad when it ended because the book was just that good. I wish I could read it again for the first time and be surprised all over again. I will definitely recommend this book to everyone and pick up a physical copy for my home library. Everyone as your reading this review. Go buy this book!!

[Anais (atrailofpages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mirabelle is a Coveted. Many want her for her magic expecting she’ll do amazing things for them. Well, one day, soldiers come to arrest her current captive and take her away because the Prince wants her.

Mira is now living at the castle, still unsure of what her true purpose and wonders if things are not quite what they seem, when she’s suddenly kidnapped by a beast one evening and taken to The Cursed Kingdom.

Mira is once again a captive…at least, she thinks she is, and she needs to keep her guard up and find out what this beast and his people want from her, and whether she can even help or trust these people.

I love Beauty and the Beast retellings. I’m always looking for new ones to read. This one was very different and unique!

The Beast lives in The Cursed Kingdom, which is filled with mythical creatures and beasts and humans and witches, and everyone can talk. What I found interesting was that it seemed like a completely different world because the way they spoke was much more casual and modern than where Mira came from. Usually that bothers me, but it totally worked for this story! It was a culture shock for Mira I’m sure 🤣

I liked the unique take on the Beast being a “king” and a unique take on the curses(yes plural. Read to find out!). The Beast is basically a big cinnamon roll with a morally grey streak. I thought he was completely adorable!

Mira doesn’t trust easily after all the promises she’s been given over and over again that were never delivered, and then of course being captive for being the Coveted. Her life has been rough, and so her standoffish-ness is understandable when she has no idea whether these kind people are genuine. So, the romance is a slow burn, but so is the found family that slowly develops in here.

The romance is a slow burn that’s slowly built on trust and I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT. It’s tension-filled and frustrating and wonderful. These two were just too cute!

Now, I will say that there was some detail lacking, for example, I’m still unsure if Mira is the ONLY Coveted, or if there are others, and the world itself could have been expanded on more, because The Cursed Kingdom kind of just popped up randomly, and it was sort of explained, but I think there could have been more world building.

That being said, I loved this story and I highly recommend this one! Especially if you love Beauty and the Beast retellings!

I receive a gifted e-copy to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Tishana Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lylah had me at "Beauty and The Beast" retelling and the cover?! Are you kidding me! It is easily one of the most beautiful covers I ever seen. I love seeing authors do amazing retellings on some of my favorite Disney stories and Lylah really nailed this retelling perfectly!

First, it was a little on the thick side and took a bit to get through, but well worth the read! Her way of world-building, writing characters that really told this entire story in a unique and relatable way. The way she chose different word choices and helped to visually paint a picture of what's going on in her novel stood out for me. I loved that it was a fantasy romance, showing a whole new side to the Beauty and the Beast story that made it one of my favorite reads in 2024.

Mira and Dante's individual character growth and story were perfectly intertwined and I loved that Mira wasn't like the usual Belle we see in the original Disney, she was a strong-minded girl and totally unique. This was my first romantasy book and I might easily become a die-hard fan of this genre. Since this may either be a duet or series, I'm definitely curious to see where Lylah continues t to take this story. And I will be continuing to follow her author journey! Also this will be a book that graces my personal shelf! 🫶🏽


One of my favorite quotes from the book!
"Sometimes people battle with things inside themselves. Wars not fought by swords and arrows are just as harmful." BEAUTIFULLY SAID!!!

[Issabooklife · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the slowest of slow Burns that I have ever read. The book offered great world building while also giving into the classic old tale of beauty and the beast this took on a more storytelling of the brothers Grimm version rather than the Disney version. I felt that the book didn’t takeoff until after 50% of the book. The first 50% of the book took on a lot of world building and a lot of back-and-forth and in some parts I felt as if it wasn’t necessary but it did give you a bit of insight of how the other characters play into the story. I also felt there were definitely some parts where they were just repeating constantly, and it didn’t really do much to add to the story in my opinion. The book didn’t really take off until about 75%. Towards the end it was rushed and I wish more detail was put in the end than in the beginning. There was a lot that I felt they could’ve gone into more and maybe they’re gonna go into it in book 2, but I’m not necessarily jumping to read or go into book 2. If you like slow burns, if you like retellings of beauty and the beast, if you enjoy lots of world building, then this book is definitely for you. The spice doesn’t take part until the very very end of the book. I would give it about a one pepper out of five peppers and 3 1/2 stars out of five stars for the overall book.

[Lumie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Lylah Taylor for the ARC.

Plot 4.5/5
Characters 4/5
Ending 3.75/5
Interest 4.25/5


Overall 4/5

-Overall I really liked this book. There were many elements which made me really enjoy it like the fairytale aspect. It did take me a little while to get into it because at first, I was kind of confused as to what was happening but once things settled, I was really intrigued. The world ended up feeling really beautiful to read about and plot wise, I was so interested in the story.
-The characters were nice, although I did feel like Mira was a bit too much of a damsel in distress. As in, she always needed saving and never saved herself. However, the slowburn between her and Dante was really nice but then it kind of felt like there was sudden switch with no in between but I still really liked their relationship. The side characters were all so great as well. I loved Jasper and Calista.
-The ending felt a bit too rushed. I felt like there was a lot happening in just a few pages. There was a twist which I didn’t see coming but then it ended up being a bit cliche, which doesn’t have to be a bad thing, and some aspects were quite predictable. This can be read as a standalone, as I believe the second book will follow different characters. And I still want to read more.