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Crown of Stars #1
Saving Beauty
"Tears are weakness, you must never cry..."
Captain Garren is a Singer—the most feared; the most lethal archer in the War. A soldier enhanced with the blood of monsters.
Taken against her will to fight, Orabelle is certain to be numbered among the thousands who've fought and died in vain. Under the command of the Captain, when everything is burning all around her, he may be her only chance for survival.
"We all have a choice, to be monsters or men...."
They say the War will never end, and Garren has always believed it to be true. Until he discovers something beautiful amidst the ashes. While his every action paints him as either beast or man.
How do you save someone who only sees the monster?
Captain Garren is a Singer—the most feared; the most lethal archer in the War. A soldier enhanced with the blood of monsters.
Taken against her will to fight, Orabelle is certain to be numbered among the thousands who've fought and died in vain. Under the command of the Captain, when everything is burning all around her, he may be her only chance for survival.
"We all have a choice, to be monsters or men...."
They say the War will never end, and Garren has always believed it to be true. Until he discovers something beautiful amidst the ashes. While his every action paints him as either beast or man.
How do you save someone who only sees the monster?
- GenresFantasyFantasy Romance
578 pages, Paperback
Published March 7, 2016
About the author
Elizabeth D. Marie
40 books66 followersELIZABETH D. MARIE is the author of several fiction works, including her epic fairytale retellings series Crown of Stars. She has been writing and imagining worlds since she was a child - where stories like The Chronicles of Narnia helped shape her imagination and draw her closer to the Master Storyteller and Creator.
Her heart is to provide clean, epic fiction for teens and adults. She believes in the power of stories and the truths they are meant to remind us of: that there is an unseen battle taking place, and we are a part of that battle. We are meant to shine a light into the ever present darkness and hold fast in faith for the return of the Great Lion, when all things will be mended and made right again.
As always, she would like to remind readers to KEEP THE LANTERNS BURNING AGAINST THE NIGHT; HOLD THE DARKNESS AT BAY.
You can support her endeavors on Patreon!
Her heart is to provide clean, epic fiction for teens and adults. She believes in the power of stories and the truths they are meant to remind us of: that there is an unseen battle taking place, and we are a part of that battle. We are meant to shine a light into the ever present darkness and hold fast in faith for the return of the Great Lion, when all things will be mended and made right again.
As always, she would like to remind readers to KEEP THE LANTERNS BURNING AGAINST THE NIGHT; HOLD THE DARKNESS AT BAY.
You can support her endeavors on Patreon!
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 4, 2020
AMAZINGGGGGG
An incredibly unique retelling of one of my absolute favorite faerietales of all time. This was an exceptionally well-written, clean fantasy novel with complex characters & an amazing story world. I NEED ALL OF THESE BOOKS!!!
That said, I would HIGHLY recommend this book, but caution maturity as to the great amount of violence & gore described. Regardless, this was a page-turner---I could NOT put it down!!
An incredibly unique retelling of one of my absolute favorite faerietales of all time. This was an exceptionally well-written, clean fantasy novel with complex characters & an amazing story world. I NEED ALL OF THESE BOOKS!!!
That said, I would HIGHLY recommend this book, but caution maturity as to the great amount of violence & gore described. Regardless, this was a page-turner---I could NOT put it down!!
September 25, 2019
Not your usual fairy-tale retelling
Oh. My. Word. I am confounded that this book has only a handful of reviews. I like fantasy, but it is not my usual genre. But I love a good romance and if two characters connect well, as is true with Orabelle and James, well, hello, I'm won over, no matter the genre. But high fantasy readers will enjoy the action-packed plot and strong writing. The pacing, the character arcs , the world-building are so well done that I had to let my Kindle read the text to me just so I could get other things done, because I could not pull away from the story. Even my Kindle narrator sounding out words and names wrong and pausing in weird places couldn't distract me from wanting more of this tale. This is not a typical retelling and bears little resemblance to the original Beauty and the Beast, but once you grow to like these characters, I don't think you'll care much that it isn't like the fairy-tale at all and instead will be impressed with the imaginative spin the author has put on it. Now I'm going to have to figure out when I can cram the other books in the series in my already high tbr. Don't hesitate. Give this book a try.
Oh. My. Word. I am confounded that this book has only a handful of reviews. I like fantasy, but it is not my usual genre. But I love a good romance and if two characters connect well, as is true with Orabelle and James, well, hello, I'm won over, no matter the genre. But high fantasy readers will enjoy the action-packed plot and strong writing. The pacing, the character arcs , the world-building are so well done that I had to let my Kindle read the text to me just so I could get other things done, because I could not pull away from the story. Even my Kindle narrator sounding out words and names wrong and pausing in weird places couldn't distract me from wanting more of this tale. This is not a typical retelling and bears little resemblance to the original Beauty and the Beast, but once you grow to like these characters, I don't think you'll care much that it isn't like the fairy-tale at all and instead will be impressed with the imaginative spin the author has put on it. Now I'm going to have to figure out when I can cram the other books in the series in my already high tbr. Don't hesitate. Give this book a try.
July 4, 2019
Well written.
I really enjoyed this fantasy adventure. The authors descriptions and wording drew me in. Though it is a lengthy novel I couldn’t put it down! I can’t wait to read the next in the series. Clean and without language or witchcraft & sorcery. I highly recommend it.
I really enjoyed this fantasy adventure. The authors descriptions and wording drew me in. Though it is a lengthy novel I couldn’t put it down! I can’t wait to read the next in the series. Clean and without language or witchcraft & sorcery. I highly recommend it.
September 1, 2022
What. A. Story.
I was intrigued the moment I read the blurb, but it did take me a little while to get into the story. The reason being, it's an insanely long book and I'm such a slow reader. That, and it's primarily about a war, which war stories I usually have a harder time reading and getting into, but the author handled that aspect of it well and made me interested and invested in the history, progression, and outcome of the war.
It took about eighty or ninety pages for the separate threads to start tying together and the story to really get started. As soon as it did, I was hooked. Every time I stopped reading from that point on, I immediately wanted to keep reading.
It was more than just a war story, but a grim and emotional tale with a solid, slow burn romance, vivid writing style, captivating storytelling, and so many highs and lows.
I couldn't get the book out of my head for days while reading it, and I'm still thinking about it days after finishing it.
The story was darker than what I normally read, but there was no language or explicit sexual content. There was a lot of violence and heavier themes throughout, but I honestly enjoyed and appreciated reading a story that didn't shy away from the realistic aspects and grimmer situations most writers shy away from or gloss over, all while still keeping the content mostly clean.
It had a real Lord of the Rings feel to it. Combined with Beauty and the Beast, that was so much fun.
I adored how the fairytale side of it was handled. It wasn't a clean-cut retelling, but had more elements of and homage to BatB. The beauty and the monster, the ball with the yellow dress and the blue suit, and the nickname Garren had for Orabelle. I think I loved all of that a little too much!
I enjoyed Orabelle's character, her resilience, and her growth throughout the story.
Garren’s as well. The twist that the Beast was a human fighting the monster within was such a unique and intriguing twist. It felt more real than most BatB reimaginings. Combined with the faith elements interwoven in the story, it made it relatable.
I loved watching Garren’s struggle with his “curse” throughout and then it slowly beginning to break as he started becoming “human” again.
The only things I didn’t like was that after all the time the start and middle of the story were given to be told and to develop, the ending felt twice the pace and ended too quickly. That, and the odd gap in Garren’s and Orabelle’s ages, but it doesn't take away from the tale or the romance too much.
All in all, it’s an amazing book that absolutely blew my already high expectations. It simultaneously got me out of a reading slump and gave me a terrible book hangover.
I need to continue with the series - and soon. I'm dying to read the rest of the books now. There’s so much I want to see, especially the king's story (who I loved in this one), getting to see more of Adven Grey's character, and hopefully Orabelle and Garren again.
Before I go any further with the series, though, I definitely think I need to read Saving Beauty again. It’s officially been added to the collection of my favorite books!
I was intrigued the moment I read the blurb, but it did take me a little while to get into the story. The reason being, it's an insanely long book and I'm such a slow reader. That, and it's primarily about a war, which war stories I usually have a harder time reading and getting into, but the author handled that aspect of it well and made me interested and invested in the history, progression, and outcome of the war.
It took about eighty or ninety pages for the separate threads to start tying together and the story to really get started. As soon as it did, I was hooked. Every time I stopped reading from that point on, I immediately wanted to keep reading.
It was more than just a war story, but a grim and emotional tale with a solid, slow burn romance, vivid writing style, captivating storytelling, and so many highs and lows.
I couldn't get the book out of my head for days while reading it, and I'm still thinking about it days after finishing it.
The story was darker than what I normally read, but there was no language or explicit sexual content. There was a lot of violence and heavier themes throughout, but I honestly enjoyed and appreciated reading a story that didn't shy away from the realistic aspects and grimmer situations most writers shy away from or gloss over, all while still keeping the content mostly clean.
It had a real Lord of the Rings feel to it. Combined with Beauty and the Beast, that was so much fun.
I adored how the fairytale side of it was handled. It wasn't a clean-cut retelling, but had more elements of and homage to BatB. The beauty and the monster, the ball with the yellow dress and the blue suit, and the nickname Garren had for Orabelle. I think I loved all of that a little too much!
I enjoyed Orabelle's character, her resilience, and her growth throughout the story.
Garren’s as well. The twist that the Beast was a human fighting the monster within was such a unique and intriguing twist. It felt more real than most BatB reimaginings. Combined with the faith elements interwoven in the story, it made it relatable.
I loved watching Garren’s struggle with his “curse” throughout and then it slowly beginning to break as he started becoming “human” again.
The only things I didn’t like was that after all the time the start and middle of the story were given to be told and to develop, the ending felt twice the pace and ended too quickly. That, and the odd gap in Garren’s and Orabelle’s ages, but it doesn't take away from the tale or the romance too much.
All in all, it’s an amazing book that absolutely blew my already high expectations. It simultaneously got me out of a reading slump and gave me a terrible book hangover.
I need to continue with the series - and soon. I'm dying to read the rest of the books now. There’s so much I want to see, especially the king's story (who I loved in this one), getting to see more of Adven Grey's character, and hopefully Orabelle and Garren again.
Before I go any further with the series, though, I definitely think I need to read Saving Beauty again. It’s officially been added to the collection of my favorite books!
January 14, 2018
Wow! What a read! Elizabeth D. Marie certainly has a gift with words. If you are looking for a story that will draw you in right away, this is the book for you. A high action-packed fantasy read that keeps you guessing all the way, complete with all of the emotions. Ora and Garren were very strong characters that each developed throughout the book and I can easily count them among other favorite characters in other books I have read. Garren reminded me of Aragorn in "The Lord of the Rings". The mysterious ranger (or in this book, the Singer) that you had to get to know to form a strong connection to.
There wasn't much of the "Beauty and the Beast" storyline that I had hoped for. But definitely the "Beast" part of the story. Ok, maybe "Beauty", too. But maybe you know what I mean.
Despite all of this, I did have to give it a lower rating with some slightly mature content. Which also causes me to recommend it to older high school teens.
I look forward to picking up the second book, "Chasing Cinders", a Cinderella twist! And let's not forget the fact that the author also just released a third book, "Finding Mera", with a retelling of A Little Mermaid. Super excited!
There wasn't much of the "Beauty and the Beast" storyline that I had hoped for. But definitely the "Beast" part of the story. Ok, maybe "Beauty", too. But maybe you know what I mean.
Despite all of this, I did have to give it a lower rating with some slightly mature content. Which also causes me to recommend it to older high school teens.
I look forward to picking up the second book, "Chasing Cinders", a Cinderella twist! And let's not forget the fact that the author also just released a third book, "Finding Mera", with a retelling of A Little Mermaid. Super excited!
September 6, 2022
This book is perfect for fairytale retelling lovers, myself included!
The beast, beauty and the classic yellow dress 💛 are just the main details that the author kept from Beauty and the Beast, which is perfect. The spin that keeps us on our toes is wondering how and if the characters are going to survive the war in Astaire and how the beast if/will get the beauty.
A fantasy well done and clean! Can't wait to see what happens next in Astaire!
The beast, beauty and the classic yellow dress 💛 are just the main details that the author kept from Beauty and the Beast, which is perfect. The spin that keeps us on our toes is wondering how and if the characters are going to survive the war in Astaire and how the beast if/will get the beauty.
A fantasy well done and clean! Can't wait to see what happens next in Astaire!
August 30, 2016
The story is really quite interesting and only vaguely beauty and the beast in that we have a guy who has been modified to become a weapon of war (really awesome concept) who comes to a village and conscripts the young boys and forces a young innocent girl to come as well (the beauty). She's quite hateful at his actions (yes, he did a Bad Thing) and vows to save her friends from this horrible war. As she struggles to take care of them, she is thrown into the front lines and has to deal with all the ugliness of war, including the loss of those she loves. Can her spirit survive intact? As the 'beast' interacts with the girl he finds himself beginning to feel human emotions which trouble him and sometimes weaken him. But perhaps she can save him from the beast within. This is their struggle and it's a really great slow building transition from hate to affection to love that is pretty believable. He can sense her emotions but he never reveals his which makes for some typical budding romance conflicts.
In the middle of that overall romance story there are a bunch of subplots, like foothills, where you'd have problem, conflict, resolution, before a new one begins. This made the pacing seem a bit weird in places and I felt the book could have ended in at least three different spots due to the way these plots were put together. They were good reads, but I think it would have worked better to overlap a few rather than feeling like several short stories put together. There is also a reveal which is kept from the reader even though the main character learns about it well before the end. It annoyed me because it was such an obvious ploy to have something for the book's ending.
I felt the bad human guys were too one dimensional, though that is pretty common these days so you can cheer when they get what's coming to them. I did love the variety of the non-human enemies and felt they were unique from other fantasy stories which made them interesting. There are plenty of unresolved mysteries dealing with them for the next book too (whenever that one comes out). One in particular was really vexing and I can't wait to find out more about him.
I must say I would have liked more detail about how they cleaned out one of the enemy's nests. It was just brushed over when I was expecting more detail since it was a major deal in the effort to win the war. I'm thinking Barbara Hambly's The Darwath Series for a nicely detailed nest burning.
There were a few grammar mistakes scattered throughout but I didn't feel they came often enough to distract from the story.
Ok so my biggest pet peeve is actually the endnotes in the middle of the story to mark each made up word as if the reader couldn't work out what the possible meaning was from the context it appears in. I'd rather just see an appendix of terminology rather than endnotes. In the over a thousand books I have on my Kindle, this is the first one to do that. If the story is good enough, you don't need the definitions and there's no way in heck I'm going to click away from the story to figure out that yes, Creator is their god (duh), that's a measurement (don't really care how big it is), etc.
In conclusion, I really liked this story and I'm whining because there isn't a book 2 yet. Don't worry, this ends with a HEA and no cliffhanger.
In the middle of that overall romance story there are a bunch of subplots, like foothills, where you'd have problem, conflict, resolution, before a new one begins. This made the pacing seem a bit weird in places and I felt the book could have ended in at least three different spots due to the way these plots were put together. They were good reads, but I think it would have worked better to overlap a few rather than feeling like several short stories put together. There is also a reveal which is kept from the reader even though the main character learns about it well before the end. It annoyed me because it was such an obvious ploy to have something for the book's ending.
I felt the bad human guys were too one dimensional, though that is pretty common these days so you can cheer when they get what's coming to them. I did love the variety of the non-human enemies and felt they were unique from other fantasy stories which made them interesting. There are plenty of unresolved mysteries dealing with them for the next book too (whenever that one comes out). One in particular was really vexing and I can't wait to find out more about him.
I must say I would have liked more detail about how they cleaned out one of the enemy's nests. It was just brushed over when I was expecting more detail since it was a major deal in the effort to win the war. I'm thinking Barbara Hambly's The Darwath Series for a nicely detailed nest burning.
There were a few grammar mistakes scattered throughout but I didn't feel they came often enough to distract from the story.
Ok so my biggest pet peeve is actually the endnotes in the middle of the story to mark each made up word as if the reader couldn't work out what the possible meaning was from the context it appears in. I'd rather just see an appendix of terminology rather than endnotes. In the over a thousand books I have on my Kindle, this is the first one to do that. If the story is good enough, you don't need the definitions and there's no way in heck I'm going to click away from the story to figure out that yes, Creator is their god (duh), that's a measurement (don't really care how big it is), etc.
In conclusion, I really liked this story and I'm whining because there isn't a book 2 yet. Don't worry, this ends with a HEA and no cliffhanger.
November 13, 2021
Where do I begin? Saving Beauty is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It doesn't stick that close to the original fairy tale, but there is some of the tale in there, especially with how many times Garren is called a "beast" or a "monster" and with Orabelle being called "Belle" and "beauty".
But I started out not really knowing what to expect (I do that a lot, given as how it takes me forever to buy a book, even longer to read it, and by then I can't remember what it's about and why bother reading the blurb when you're getting ready to read the book anyway), and it pulled me RIGHT IN.
Beginning Sentences: *description*
Me: Oh...okay, so this is how we're gonna start, eh?
First Page: *scary guy with scar leads group of horsemen*
Me: Ah, I see, setting up the bad guys and the villain.
Second Page: *girl gets recruited to join the army*
Me: Aaaaand she's gonna be some epic "better than everyone else" chick. *yawns*
Me, a Chapter or Two Later: I have never been so wrong in all my life. *speed-reads the rest of the book over lunch*
The descriptions were perfect. Not too much, but enough to perfectly depict everything, the people, the battles, the scary creatures. A tiny bit of humor added in from time to time to keep things from being too dark.
Content: No language, which was really nice! Mostly, the main concern is the book is a touch dark and gorey. There are fights, wounds, scary beasts, and some unwanted advances made by one particular bad guy (nothing gets beyond rough grabbing and attempted kisses, though; but the bad guy's intentions are clear) towards a certain female. The main characters do kiss, and maybe there's a tad more description then necessary...or maybe my brother's aversion to kissing in books/movies has passed on to me?
Frankly, my biggest issue is the (kind of big) age difference between Garren and Ora. I mean, I know friends who are married and have big age gaps, and I know it happened a lot in the older days, but it's still something that stood out now and then. I think it's because Ora seemed older, and then a reminder of her age would drop, and I'd be like "Oh, yeah, she's a bit younger." I really feel as if Ora's age could have been pegged up a few years and everything could have gone over smoothly and nothing would have been different to the plot. The age difference is noted, and made obvious that the two characters don't feel as if that's an issue, so I guess I shouldn't either, hmm? But it is something I'll make mention of.
Overall, I really found this book gripping. A few surprises came out, things I thought would happen didn't happen, and the ending was way different then what I expected, honestly. But Garren is a terrifically complex character. He reminded me a lot of Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier, so when we learned his full name, I was like "YES YES YES!!!!" And Ora is a beautiful heroine. She's strong, she's capable, she goes out and fights in battles and shoots arrows and gets awkward at dinner parties...but she's also gentle and caring and gets scared and isn't some "amazing, perfect" markswoman. She's human and makes mistakes, but she still is GOOD with a bow, and she is BRAVE despite her fears and I just love her to pieces.
If you don't mind a bit of blood and gore and kissing, and enjoy reading adventure, mystery, and good characters, definitely give this one a read!
But I started out not really knowing what to expect (I do that a lot, given as how it takes me forever to buy a book, even longer to read it, and by then I can't remember what it's about and why bother reading the blurb when you're getting ready to read the book anyway), and it pulled me RIGHT IN.
Beginning Sentences: *description*
Me: Oh...okay, so this is how we're gonna start, eh?
First Page: *scary guy with scar leads group of horsemen*
Me: Ah, I see, setting up the bad guys and the villain.
Second Page: *girl gets recruited to join the army*
Me: Aaaaand she's gonna be some epic "better than everyone else" chick. *yawns*
Me, a Chapter or Two Later: I have never been so wrong in all my life. *speed-reads the rest of the book over lunch*
The descriptions were perfect. Not too much, but enough to perfectly depict everything, the people, the battles, the scary creatures. A tiny bit of humor added in from time to time to keep things from being too dark.
Content: No language, which was really nice! Mostly, the main concern is the book is a touch dark and gorey. There are fights, wounds, scary beasts, and some unwanted advances made by one particular bad guy (nothing gets beyond rough grabbing and attempted kisses, though; but the bad guy's intentions are clear) towards a certain female. The main characters do kiss, and maybe there's a tad more description then necessary...or maybe my brother's aversion to kissing in books/movies has passed on to me?
Frankly, my biggest issue is the (kind of big) age difference between Garren and Ora. I mean, I know friends who are married and have big age gaps, and I know it happened a lot in the older days, but it's still something that stood out now and then. I think it's because Ora seemed older, and then a reminder of her age would drop, and I'd be like "Oh, yeah, she's a bit younger." I really feel as if Ora's age could have been pegged up a few years and everything could have gone over smoothly and nothing would have been different to the plot. The age difference is noted, and made obvious that the two characters don't feel as if that's an issue, so I guess I shouldn't either, hmm? But it is something I'll make mention of.
Overall, I really found this book gripping. A few surprises came out, things I thought would happen didn't happen, and the ending was way different then what I expected, honestly. But Garren is a terrifically complex character. He reminded me a lot of Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier, so when we learned his full name, I was like "YES YES YES!!!!" And Ora is a beautiful heroine. She's strong, she's capable, she goes out and fights in battles and shoots arrows and gets awkward at dinner parties...but she's also gentle and caring and gets scared and isn't some "amazing, perfect" markswoman. She's human and makes mistakes, but she still is GOOD with a bow, and she is BRAVE despite her fears and I just love her to pieces.
If you don't mind a bit of blood and gore and kissing, and enjoy reading adventure, mystery, and good characters, definitely give this one a read!
May 5, 2021
Wow! This book was not at all what I expected. Not your typical Beauty and the Beast retelling. And I am so okay with that!
Fantasy is my favorite genre so this book was right up my alley! We are introduced to a war ravaged kingdom, Asteriae, whose army has been fighting the For’bane—half-human monsters—for so long, they are reduced to raiding their own villages to draft young people into the army. When Captain Garren forces Orabelle, a young girl from the Freelands into service, he gets more than he bargained for.
Garren is a Singer, an archer who has been experimented on, whose blood has been mingled with that of the For’bane, creating an elite soldier with extraordinary strength, skills and abilities. But, inwardly Garren is fighting a battle between the man and the monster.
Taken from her home, Orabelle is battling her own inner demons, but she must put those aside and learn to become a soldier in a war that sees no end in sight. I really enjoyed seeing her character growth through the story.
Orabelle and Garren develop a deep friendship which quickly turns romantic. They work well together, each able to help the other deal with their struggles and their past. I didn’t have a problem with the quickly developed romance, but I did feel a bit weird about their age difference, which was quite a big gap.
I feel like this story was very well written with a great plot, well developed characters, and lots of action. I loved it and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this author’s Crown of Stars series!
Fantasy is my favorite genre so this book was right up my alley! We are introduced to a war ravaged kingdom, Asteriae, whose army has been fighting the For’bane—half-human monsters—for so long, they are reduced to raiding their own villages to draft young people into the army. When Captain Garren forces Orabelle, a young girl from the Freelands into service, he gets more than he bargained for.
Garren is a Singer, an archer who has been experimented on, whose blood has been mingled with that of the For’bane, creating an elite soldier with extraordinary strength, skills and abilities. But, inwardly Garren is fighting a battle between the man and the monster.
Taken from her home, Orabelle is battling her own inner demons, but she must put those aside and learn to become a soldier in a war that sees no end in sight. I really enjoyed seeing her character growth through the story.
Orabelle and Garren develop a deep friendship which quickly turns romantic. They work well together, each able to help the other deal with their struggles and their past. I didn’t have a problem with the quickly developed romance, but I did feel a bit weird about their age difference, which was quite a big gap.
I feel like this story was very well written with a great plot, well developed characters, and lots of action. I loved it and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this author’s Crown of Stars series!
June 26, 2021
I enjoyed this novel. Quite a different turn for a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but the direction the author took was really unique. A bit heavy at times, but also compelling and made me want to keep turning the pages. Looking forward to reading the other books.
August 18, 2021
Saving Beauty is a unique fantasy twist on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. The story introduces Garren, a captain growing tired of fighting a losing war, and Orabelle, one of the newest archers in the army.
I enjoyed Orabelle’s fight for hope in spite of all the darkness and fear around her. In her present circumstances, it isn’t always easy to know what is the right choice and where she can place her trust, but her determination to remain true to what she believes guides her through her struggles.
Garren’s inner turmoil offers insight into the reasons not only for his personal battles but also the war the character find themselves trapped in. The “beast” aspect of his character is a unique take on the familiar and presents a tense battle between his humanity and the monster he was turned into.
Sometimes, the romance felt like it happened a little too quickly given their first encounters and feelings, but Orabelle and Garren work together well and I’m curious where their stories go from here.
Saving Beauty introduces a storyworld full of potential for exploring, and I’m eager to see more of it and its history in future books. With plenty of twists and mysteries, the story moves quickly and kept me turning pages to see what would happen!
I enjoyed Orabelle’s fight for hope in spite of all the darkness and fear around her. In her present circumstances, it isn’t always easy to know what is the right choice and where she can place her trust, but her determination to remain true to what she believes guides her through her struggles.
Garren’s inner turmoil offers insight into the reasons not only for his personal battles but also the war the character find themselves trapped in. The “beast” aspect of his character is a unique take on the familiar and presents a tense battle between his humanity and the monster he was turned into.
Sometimes, the romance felt like it happened a little too quickly given their first encounters and feelings, but Orabelle and Garren work together well and I’m curious where their stories go from here.
Saving Beauty introduces a storyworld full of potential for exploring, and I’m eager to see more of it and its history in future books. With plenty of twists and mysteries, the story moves quickly and kept me turning pages to see what would happen!
February 28, 2020
So I read this series backwards, or all jumbled up. Since each story is a stand-alone tale and only connected to the others by small pieces of the underlying plot, I don't think it diminished the joy of this tale in any way. When thinking about fairytales, the story of Beauty and the Beast is not one of my favorites. This retelling, however, tugged on my heart the entire time I was reading. From beginning to end, my attention was caught and held by captivating characters and awesome adventures. The story is well done, the plot believable, and I absolutely cannot wait to read book four which just came out a little while ago. If you love fantasy, clean reads, and fairytale romance with a bit of a twist, then you should definitely give Saving Beauty a try.
February 7, 2021
Saving Beauty certainly kept me interested as it told the tale of a bleak war and two people trapped in its harsh reality, clinging to whatever hope they could find. I enjoyed the take on Beauty and the Beast, even though it was only loosely based on the fairy tale.
My main struggle with the book was that I didn't really connect with the writing style, which often made it hard for me to connect with the characters, too.
As for the romance, it had some lovely moments, but I did have to suspend disbelief at times--especially in the first half of the story. It just seemed to develop too quickly, considering how they felt in the beginning and the difference in their ages. (And it was a pretty big age difference! Still not sure how I feel about that...)
But would I read the next book? Yes! I enjoyed learning about Asteriae and I'd be interested to see it explored further in the series.
My main struggle with the book was that I didn't really connect with the writing style, which often made it hard for me to connect with the characters, too.
As for the romance, it had some lovely moments, but I did have to suspend disbelief at times--especially in the first half of the story. It just seemed to develop too quickly, considering how they felt in the beginning and the difference in their ages. (And it was a pretty big age difference! Still not sure how I feel about that...)
But would I read the next book? Yes! I enjoyed learning about Asteriae and I'd be interested to see it explored further in the series.
August 23, 2024
Holy Wow!
This a fairytale retelling like no other. This books deserves WAY more readers and reviews.
The world building is flawless! The author gives us a nice long story that retells Beauty and Beast in a way that you wouldn’t expect.
My favorite part of this book is the author’s prose. From the very first page, I knew I was in for some beautiful writing.
This a fairytale retelling like no other. This books deserves WAY more readers and reviews.
The world building is flawless! The author gives us a nice long story that retells Beauty and Beast in a way that you wouldn’t expect.
My favorite part of this book is the author’s prose. From the very first page, I knew I was in for some beautiful writing.
December 23, 2021
3.85 stars
Did Not Finish
December 10, 2019DNF on 11/13/19 at 12%. Not the book; just my reading slump.
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