Rose & Thunder

by Lilith Saintcrow

Isabella Harpe, last in a long line of witches, drifts with the wind. Her tarot cards always ready to bring in enough to live on, and her instincts keep her mostly out of trouble. Unfortunately, bad boyfriends and even worse luck strand her near the most dangerous place for a witch to land—beside a cursed town, and an even more cursed man.


Jeremy Tremont’s family built their house over an ancient place of power, turning it into an uneasy, rose-choked sanctuary for the weird and the dangerous alike. Scarred, quiet, and difficult, he’s not Isabella’s idea of a prospective employer, no matter how badly she needs the money. He’s paying well, and there’s only one she has to be home by dusk. Because in Tremont City, bad things happen after nightfall.


Secrets hide in every corner, an ancient curse cloaks itself in silence, and Isabella’s arrival has begun a deadly countdown. Despite that, she may have found a home—all she has to do is figure out how to break the curse.


Oh, and survive in the dark…

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Shapeshifters

271 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 20, 2015

About the author

Lilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as a child, and fell in love with writing stories when she was ten years old. She and her library co-habitate in Vancouver, Washington.

Reviews

[Mindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I can't pass up a Saintcrow book, they all have the same pitfall - the leading lady. Which is odd, because the men are so deliciously tortured yet likeable & real. The women are overwrought & contradictory, & they make the absolute worst decisions every damn time. Isabella is no different. One second she seems proud to be a witch who's seen almost everything, the next she's freaked out by the weirdness around her. And the gypsy drifter persona seemed fitting, but the hippie schtick got old quick. She likes patchouli & Nag Champa? Is this 1994? Please. I enjoyed the new take on an old fairytale, but as usual I just wanted the fearful heroine to go away.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2

If you are a fan of Ms Saintcrow, this book is probably a must buy. Mostly as a way to support her, as this is a self published novel. It's a great, great retelling of the Beast and the Beauty fairy tale, Saintcrow style :)
There's the usual great world building behind, and plot. But it's in the style of her "minor" work, Taken, rather then her darker series, or even the Romances d'Aquitaine.
To me this imply a "weaker" heroine, lacking the strength, the will or the intelligence of her usual female MC. Add to this that the hero was mostly 'mute' due to the curse, and I couldn't really get a reading on him as a character, except as a cursed gentleman.

Awful cover aside, that makes plain and banal what isn't, it's a very nice, sweet romance. A good way to get to know this author.

Note that, even selfpub, the ebook is basically full priced at 7 bucks.

[bewoelkt.aber.heiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nachdem es hier um eine Die Schöne und das Biest-Geschichte geht, hat man als Leser natürlich von Anfang an eine ungefähre Ahnung, wie die Geschichte verlaufen und sich entwickeln wird. Trotzdem hat Saintcrow die Elemente in ganz eigener Weise interpretiert und konnte mich damit sehr gut unterhalten.

Handlung & Spannung
Von Anfang an baut die Autorin unterschwellig einiges an Spannung auf. Zuerst trifft die Protagonistin Isabella in einer Stadt im Nirgendwo ein, in der irgendetwas nicht stimmt, dann nimmt sie eine Stelle bei einem Hausherren ein, der nicht nur völlig vernarbt ist, sondern auch irgendetwas im Schilde führen muss. Als Isabella sich dann einmal im Haus von Jeremy Tremont eingelebt hat, lässt die Spannung jedoch etwas nach, denn es dauert sehr lange, bis sie dem Fluch auf die Spur kommt, der auf Tremont liegt. Gestört hat mich diese Stagnation im Spannungsbogen allerdings gar nicht allzu sehr, denn die verzauberte und geheimnisvolle Atmosphäre trägt eindeutig durch die Geschichte.

Charaktere
Isabella war mir als Protagonistin des Buches sehr sympathisch. Sie ist zwar keine dieser taffen Kick-Ass-Heldinnen, die ich von Saintcrow in Form von Jill Kismet oder Dante Valentine gewohnt bin, doch sie entwickelt eine ganz eigene Form von innerer Stärke, während Tremont ihr ans Herz wächst und sie sich entscheidet, ihm zu helfen. Tremont hingegen hätte noch ein wenig mehr Tiefe vertragen. Er ist gemäß seiner Rolle als das Biest verschlossen und ruhig, jedoch ein vollkommener Gentleman, dem wohl niemand widerstehen kann. Darüber hinaus hätte ich jedoch gern noch ein wenig mehr über ihn erfahren, als es der Fall war.
Die entstehende Beziehung zwischen den beiden erhält in der Geschichte viel Platz und muss auch durchaus den einen oder anderen Rückschlag einstecken, wodurch sie sehr glaubhaft und real wurde.

Weltentwurf
Das Worldbuilding war - wie ich es von Saintcrow gewohnt bin - neu und originell: die Übernatürlichen leben unerkannt unter den Menschen und sie sammeln sich vor allem an sogenannten Ley-Linien, in denen magische Energie fließt. Schade finde ich es jedoch, dass hier nicht allzu viel Komplexität zu Stande gekommen ist. Gerade die magischen Elemente im Haus Tremont hätten etwas genauer erklärt werden können. Es gibt die für die Geschichte typischen Diener, die hier jedoch unsichtbar sind. Isabella wird angestellt, um eine Bibliothek in Ordnung zu bringen und seltsamerweise beginnt diese, Bellas Wünschen zu folgen, sodass Bücher sich automatisch einsortieren usw. Leider wird hier bis zum Schluss nicht aufgelöst, wer oder was die unsichtbaren Diener sind und warum die Bibliothek eine eigenständige Entität zu sein scheint. Das ist nicht allzu tragisch, da das Ende mit Showdown in sich mich sehr begeistert hat, aber es hätte der Geschichte mehr Tiefe verleihen können.

Fazit
Saintcrow liefert eine romantische und originelle Neuinterpretation von "Die Schöne und das Biest" mit einer sehr intensiven Atmosphäre und sympathischen Figuren. Ein wenig mehr Tiefgang beim Worldbuilding und Tremont als Charakter sowie etwas mehr Action und Spannung hätten nicht geschadet, das Ende rundete die Geschichte jedoch wunderbar ab.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beauty and the Beast retelling. Nicely done, but a few plot-holes and inconsistencies.

[Kate]

Despite the obvious romance branding of the naked male torso on the cover, this strikes me much more in line with a urban fantasy novel. A retelling of Beauty and the Beast, with some twists and additions.

[Chelsea Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!

Isabella Harpe, last in a long line of witches, drifts with the wind. Her tarot cards always ready to bring in enough to live on, and her instincts keep her mostly out of trouble. Unfortunately, bad boyfriends and even worse luck strand her near the most dangerous place for a witch to land-beside a cursed town, and an even more cursed man.

Jeremy Tremont's family built their house over an ancient place of power, turning it into an uneasy, rose-choked sanctuary for the weird and the dangerous alike. Scarred, quiet, and difficult, he's not Isabella's idea of a prospective employer, no matter how badly she needs the money. He's paying well, and there's only one catch: she has to be home by dusk. Because in Tremont City, bad things happen after nightfall.

Secrets hide in every corner, an ancient curse cloaks itself in silence, and Isabella's arrival has begun a deadly countdown. Despite that, she may have found a home-all she has to do is figure out how to break the curse.

Oh, and survive in the dark.

This book was ok.

As far as retellings go, it was an interesting take on Beauty and the Beast with a twist that I enjoyed. The way Tremont Mansion kind of filled in for the castle and the servants was cool. And then there's the ever present library which sounds awesome!

I did have some issues with Isabella. She was a little too "I'm weird but this is too weird. Why can't everyone be normal?". I also didn't really like her attitude of "I'll stay until the wind calls my name". Well, that's not true. That's fine if someone is that way, but I really didn't like the fact that every time things would get too weird even for her/She and Jeremy would get closer/she'd start to realize that she like Tremont/etc, she'd pull that thought up. It felt more like a way for her to hide who she was and not explore her feelings. She was also very obtuse and sometimes her decisions were sooo stupid and didn't feel like they fit with her character.

Jeremy was a nice hero. He was so wonderfully tortured yet so sweet and shy and he really helped the romance aspect for me. I also really like how protective he became of Isabella and how initially it was just to keep her safe from the town, but as he spent the time with her and realized she was his cursebreaker, it became protecting her to make sure she stayed. But he was also willing to let her go if she wanted.

I could have used a little more backstory on the curse. It felt like it really wasn't explained all that much, it was just there and then suddenly it wasn't. Also would have liked just a bit more about the invisible servants, because they were interesting. But all in all, good retelling and I'll certainly keep reading Lilith Saintcrow's books.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable Beauty and the Beast tale. Even though I am sucker for fairytale retellings I often find them a little boring. Fortunately this one wasn't and I enjoyed how Isabella wasn't the typically 'sweet' Belle but rather a more streetwise version. I was incredibly frustrated by how obtuse she is and her stupid decisions which put her in danger at the end and I would have liked a little more explanation about the whole curse (it was never adequately explained to my satisfaction how/why it came about and was hereditary, who set the terms for breaking it etc) and the whole Protector thing and visitors to the library could have used some more explanation too.

[Kellie Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swept Away

Old storyline "Beauty and the Beast" with an engaging twist and some modernization. I was immediately swept up, I really liked the House invisible, and the references of things that go bump in the night. The story started to bog down toward the end. Isabella, the female MC , was too obtuse and it started to become irritating. Plus as a witch I'd expected more defensive powers when threatened. Her anecdotes of her travels prior to coming to Tremont were fun. Overall a good book and I will check out more of the authors work.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good retelling. Gritty and modern but not as Dark as Saintcrow sometimes gets.

[Shannon Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy Beauty and the Beast retellings, Rose & Thunder offers a new variation. In the traditional story, Beauty is a very proper, good girl, and the Beast is quite a jerk, entrapping people and so on. In this modern retelling, Beauty is very much NOT the traditional proper, good girl, while the Beast is very proper and polite. This characterization swap-up immediately makes this Beauty and the Beast stand out. The story stays fairly true to the inner elements of the traditional fairy tale. The variations are quite refreshing. All in all, this is a fast, easy read that should appeal strongly to fairy tale fans. If you are, in particular, a collector of Beauty and the Beast retellings, then you absolutely MUST add this one to your collection.

[Maria DeBlassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this urban fantasy retelling of Beauty & the Beast. It had all the elements of a good modern fantasy, from a creepy town that's clearly hiding a big secret, to things that go bump in the night, and a house that seems like more than a house. Throw in the epic library, and I was a goner. The heroine was a perfect blend of witchy know-how and hot mess, working through her own issues even as she is called about to solve the mystery of the man she works for (synchronously ending up where her help is needed is her magical calling). The ending was deeply satisfying, as both heroine and hero work together to bring peace to the town and help on another deal with their personal stuff.

[Gloriamarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I swear some of my favorite writers are turning it out for the YA market. I read a trilogy by this author that I enjoyed very much a few years back. Two of the titles were The Hedgewitch Queen and The Bandit King.

Anyway, back to this book. I found the characters fascinating. I found the town fascinating. I loved reading the entire book. And a self-cleaning house, what's not to love about that? Vivid, lush imagery, truly surprising twists, well-developed characters.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story although I wasn't a fan of the heroine. I liked the hero, who was a little tortured yet likeable. Isabella however was contradictory and a little ridiculous. She'd act like she had seen everything since she was a well traveled witch and then be freaked out by the weirdness around her and without fail she would make the absolute worst decisions every time which got old fast. Overall, I enjoyed the new take on an old fairy tale.

[JoReadsRomance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very different Beauty and the Beast

I love Lilith Saintcrow, her writing style is a pleasure to read and her characters are never boring. I really enjoyed this Beauty and the Beast re-telling, it wasn't predictable or cliched in the slightest. My only complaint would be the ending, which felt slightly rushed, but overall I very much enjoyed the story.

[Rosalind M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite fairy tale motif. I wanted to love this modern version, but Isabella is too dense for a supposedly experienced witch, and her insistence in demanding answers goes on far past the point when it's plainly spelled out for her that they aren't just going to be thrown into her lap.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A retelling of the beauty and the beast story. It has the usual problem of the author's standalone books - so much hinted character backstory, without ever revealing it. It often results in the opposite of its intended effect, so you get flat, one-dimensional characters. But otherwise a worthwhile read.

[fulano]

cw: violence, injury, drug use

This is probably one that I should read because it had everything I liked, but by God, it was boring. Nothing really happened and I was utterly confused for the entirety of my reading it. Maybe I’ll reread this someday.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great retelling

A witch is called to an odd house with a disfigured man under a curse. But nobody will tell her what curse, or how to break it. It’s a good slow burn, with fascinating characters, and a compelling mystery.

[Marielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beauty and the Beast retelling, PNR. I liked that the heroine wasn't the usual naive girl, but rather a thirty-year-old witch with life experience. Good world-building and a strong voice.

[Tim McCanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully exciting retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I've read it a couple of times and this is a great example of the storytelling talent of Lilith Saintcrow.

[Rene · Rating 4 out of 5]

First- horrible cover. It depicts nothing of the story.
Second - a fun and well written retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
Third- I’m thankful to have stumbled across a new author to devour.

[Salma Ouaket · Rating 1 out of 5]

The beauty and the beast, if Belle was a witch and the beast was a tiger and poorly written!!!

[Emma Fearon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulously good

Really great story. Worth reading.
I have read the brilliant Jill Kismet, Dante Valentine and Bannon and Clare series so this author is a favourite of mine.

[Kim Palinkas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the Gothic feel of this take on Beauty & the Beast.

I'm usually more effusive in my praise, but that's my main takeaway. Nice gothic feel, good development of the world (as always from this author), nice character development, and I really love her 'voice'.

I did find myself stepping back a little to question some of the choices the heroine makes - putting herself in danger when previous to those choices she had showed more sense and self-preservation. I suppose the tension had to be upped - it just felt a little out of character for her to make the choices she does.

I would recommend this book - though readers of Ms. Saintcrow's more gritty Urban Fantasies may miss the darker, rawer voice she displays in those works. All in all this was a nice Gothic Beauty & the Beast with an enjoyable amount of romance.

[Jedi Kitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable Beauty and the Beast retelling. The suspense and mystery kept me reading, as well as the romance. The hero and heroine are part confident, part vulnerable. They're realistic characters, feeling their way towards one another amid secrets and danger. Both are memorable and interesting- and stupid at times. But it makes for fun reading. Jeremy is standoffish, haughty, yet sweet. Isabella is earthy and modern. I thought Isabella's whole hippie thing was a bit dorky, but I suppose people like that really do exist!

[Lisa Maddison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lilith Saintcrow is one of my favorite authors and this book is one of the reasons why. Great character development, even better world-building, and centered around Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. There is a curse that needs breaking and when witch Isabell blows into a town in Colorado, she accepts a job with a scared man to look after his library. There was a great build up in the story line which kept me interested and reading late into the night.

[Nelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has its flaws, being romance novel and all, but it's one of the better retellings of 'Beauty and the Beast' out there, if not the best. If you like the author and\or fairytale retellings set in modern world, I can highly recommend it. It should also be noted that it's one of L. Saintcrow's novels with happy ending, which are few and far between. ;)

[Erica Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Urban fantasy Beauty and the Beast. It makes you want to let the wind call you away...
Lilith Saintcrow is forever one of my favourite authors, love her heroines and style! The way Isabella interacts with magic is interesting and unique - I love how Saintcrow writes romance so subtly and sweetly too.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roses and thunder

I very much enjoyed reading this book. it has fantasy,realism and kindness. I love this genre. Lillian saint crow never ceases to amaze me with all of her books. you can never anticipate how the story will go even in a series