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Border Kingdom
Roses in Amber
There is a story of a beast, and a merchant's daughter, and a curse that must be broken.
This is not - quite - that story.
Amber Gryce believes in magic the way anyone does: as a thing of the past, marked now only by the long reign of an ancient queen sworn to live until her stolen son is returned to her. Such stories are romantic but distant for Amber, surrounded by family and wealth.
But like magic, wealth can disappear. Left destitute, Amber's family retreats to a forest holding far from their city home, where Amber's love of roses leads her into the heart of enchantment, and draws her into a retelling of the tale as old as time....
This is not - quite - that story.
Amber Gryce believes in magic the way anyone does: as a thing of the past, marked now only by the long reign of an ancient queen sworn to live until her stolen son is returned to her. Such stories are romantic but distant for Amber, surrounded by family and wealth.
But like magic, wealth can disappear. Left destitute, Amber's family retreats to a forest holding far from their city home, where Amber's love of roses leads her into the heart of enchantment, and draws her into a retelling of the tale as old as time....
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First published February 6, 2017
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About the author
C.E. Murphy
97 books1,795 followersCE Murphy began writing around age six, when she submitted three poems to a school publication. The teacher producing the magazine selected (inevitably) the one she thought was by far the worst, but also told her–a six year old kid–to keep writing, which she has. She has also held the usual grab-bag of jobs usually seen in an authorial biography, including public library volunteer (at ages 9 and 10; it’s clear she was doomed to a career involving books), archival assistant, cannery worker, and web designer. Writing books is better.
She was born and raised in Alaska, and now lives with her family in her ancestral homeland of Ireland.
She also writes paranormal romance as Murphy Lawless and cozy mysteries as Catie Murphy.
She was born and raised in Alaska, and now lives with her family in her ancestral homeland of Ireland.
She also writes paranormal romance as Murphy Lawless and cozy mysteries as Catie Murphy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 5, 2019
Borrowed from the original Villeneuve's fairytale (not Disney-like). Expect twisted and a few surprises. And some ironic humor added.
The Beast raised a paw. "Amber, there is very little I can tell you about… anything. I can tell you that I'm caught in a war between two very powerful and very angry people, and that I can do nothing directly to challenge my fate."
-A practical heroine
-Powerful females
-Lesbian couples (or Bi)
-Fairies ala B.Froud.
-Good sisters
-A black warrior queen
"What was that," I finally whispered, and felt his massive head shake above mine.
"Dancing," he said. "Dancing is rarely safe in faery tales. Are you all right?"
"No." I shook my head, fingers coiled in the heavy mane that fell down his chest. "No. That was…was it trying to kill me, Beast?"
It seems that trying to fix you into a place provoked all kind of troubles...
About the end
The Beast raised a paw. "Amber, there is very little I can tell you about… anything. I can tell you that I'm caught in a war between two very powerful and very angry people, and that I can do nothing directly to challenge my fate."
-A practical heroine
-Powerful females
-Lesbian couples (or Bi)
-Fairies ala B.Froud.
-Good sisters
-A black warrior queen
"What was that," I finally whispered, and felt his massive head shake above mine.
"Dancing," he said. "Dancing is rarely safe in faery tales. Are you all right?"
"No." I shook my head, fingers coiled in the heavy mane that fell down his chest. "No. That was…was it trying to kill me, Beast?"
It seems that trying to fix you into a place provoked all kind of troubles...
About the end
March 7, 2017
It was really good until it got weird
And when it got weird it went all out.
Overall the writing was good, and I loved the characters of Amber and Beast. I thought they both had strong, distinct personalities that were natural complements to each other, and there was an obvious growth of friendship. I also liked the replacement for the required proposal.
Amber's sisters were not often featured, but I think they both still added something to the book, and it was nice to have a strong female representation in a fairy tale retelling.
The other characters were a lot weaker, and had very one-dimensional personalities. Motives and drive were usual unclear, and I knew them mostly as their roles, not as their names and personalities. A more distinct supporting cast would've been nice.
The buildup was good, and the climax was climactic. The resolution could've used some work. It read as if she didn't have any idea how to justify those final choices, and so she just didn't. It was an abrupt ending, to say the least.
/Spoilers/
The weird parts start picking up maybe past two-thirds of the way in. And they sort of just had me cringing. I would've preferred the story without it.
I really don't think it was necessary to have Maman also be Beast's mother. It was weird, because that's an uncomfortable age gap, and it also just leaves that faint impression of incest. It's not, but still. You're marrying the half-brother of your half-brothers and it's just weird.
Then, Amber and Beast end their story as some weird hybrids. She's practically a tree, he's still partly a beast. It's just weird. Like, why is that necessary? How did that happen? And this is where the poor resolution comes in. I don't think she really know how to satisfactorily answer those questions, so she just gave a flimsy "because magic and stuff" excuse and ended the novel. "We have a lot of explaining to do." And it would be nice if the readers were also present for that, thanks.
/end spoilers/
So, it's not a bad read. It has its strengths. But if I could just change that last third, I would.
And when it got weird it went all out.
Overall the writing was good, and I loved the characters of Amber and Beast. I thought they both had strong, distinct personalities that were natural complements to each other, and there was an obvious growth of friendship. I also liked the replacement for the required proposal.
Amber's sisters were not often featured, but I think they both still added something to the book, and it was nice to have a strong female representation in a fairy tale retelling.
The other characters were a lot weaker, and had very one-dimensional personalities. Motives and drive were usual unclear, and I knew them mostly as their roles, not as their names and personalities. A more distinct supporting cast would've been nice.
The buildup was good, and the climax was climactic. The resolution could've used some work. It read as if she didn't have any idea how to justify those final choices, and so she just didn't. It was an abrupt ending, to say the least.
/Spoilers/
The weird parts start picking up maybe past two-thirds of the way in. And they sort of just had me cringing. I would've preferred the story without it.
I really don't think it was necessary to have Maman also be Beast's mother. It was weird, because that's an uncomfortable age gap, and it also just leaves that faint impression of incest. It's not, but still. You're marrying the half-brother of your half-brothers and it's just weird.
Then, Amber and Beast end their story as some weird hybrids. She's practically a tree, he's still partly a beast. It's just weird. Like, why is that necessary? How did that happen? And this is where the poor resolution comes in. I don't think she really know how to satisfactorily answer those questions, so she just gave a flimsy "because magic and stuff" excuse and ended the novel. "We have a lot of explaining to do." And it would be nice if the readers were also present for that, thanks.
/end spoilers/
So, it's not a bad read. It has its strengths. But if I could just change that last third, I would.
February 24, 2017
When you open a book and see it’s been dedicated to Linda Hamilton and Ron Pearlman, you crack your knuckles and say, oh yeah, these characters are going to have some agency!
Getting into the initial world building, I was pleasantly surprised that in this particular fantasy land, a person’s choice of sexuality doesn’t even rate a comment from anyone else. People are wherever on the Kinsey Scale they wish to be at any given moment, and that’s that. What’s more – equal marriage rights for everyone! Huzzah!
Of course, it’s not all unicorn rainbow farts, as any character who has sex outside of marriage is considered, ahem, rather “loose”.
There is some sort of pagan religion based on goddesses of the sun and moon worship, and it has absolutely no ban on pork products, as bacon takes center stage to a great deal of the plot. (It’s a real hipster take on B&B).
Murphy started with the original de Villeneuve version and teases out what might have been going on with the Beast’s mother’s backstory to make quite a credible retelling in terms of both action and characterization.
She then liberally borrows from McKinley, Kingfisher, Disney and both French live action film versions, and melds them all together to create an entirely new take on the tale that absolutely charmed and delighted me, leaving me cheering on this Beauty and the Beast as the twist and turns kept coming, some obvious, some way out the left field, all wonderful to read.
Even better, I finally got the version I’ve always wanted of three sisters teaming up to go into battle to fight evil magic with swords, good magic, and some well-deserved childish name calling. Then, as an interesting bonus she throws in an ending slightly borrowed from Uprooted, pushing hard the message that beauty is more than looks.
I like to compare books to food, and for this one, I rank it up there with eating chocolate and drinking champagne while in a most delightfully cozy bed.
April 22, 2017
Now this is my second favourite retelling of Beauty and the Beast after the McKinley version (Beauty - I have to name which one, as Robin McKinley has based a number of her novels on the basis, not to mention has written two clear retellings, the second one is Rosedaughter).
In her afterword she mentions that this version is based on the version of 1740 and to me it seems to make the whole situation more plausible.
This book isn't as as grim in tone as I remember Rosedaughter to be (have never reread it), nor as Disney-Princess (or maybe more children's books Miyazaki-heroine) fun as Beauty (although it also has a very nifty horse), and the turns and twists and eventual outcome just seem very right for the story.
I thought it would be cut short as it was only 150 pages on my e-Reader, but it gives enough room to all the characters to breathe and the story to unfold without feeling rushed or rambling, a tribute to the skill of the author.
In her afterword she mentions that this version is based on the version of 1740 and to me it seems to make the whole situation more plausible.
This book isn't as as grim in tone as I remember Rosedaughter to be (have never reread it), nor as Disney-Princess (or maybe more children's books Miyazaki-heroine) fun as Beauty (although it also has a very nifty horse), and the turns and twists and eventual outcome just seem very right for the story.
I thought it would be cut short as it was only 150 pages on my e-Reader, but it gives enough room to all the characters to breathe and the story to unfold without feeling rushed or rambling, a tribute to the skill of the author.
April 21, 2017
I am a huge fan of Murphy's other work, and I love retold fairy tales, so I was thrilled to see her come out with this book. Then it turned out to be even better than I could have dreamed. Probably one of my favorite Beauty and the Beast versions ever.I'd give it six stars if I could.
February 14, 2017
I do love this not-Belle heroine. Interesting non-Earth world and nice humorous moments sprinkled throughout.
Who wouldn't love enchanted bacon?
Who wouldn't love enchanted bacon?
September 10, 2017
A few flaws, mostly towards the end, but a vivid, vibrant, thought-provoking adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. There are no surprises, but there is originality. None of the characters are weak, instead avoiding the fairy tale stereotypes. They are beautifully painted, to the point that you barely notice that the book is half way through before The Beast appears. I especially like that Amber, the Beauty, avoids feisty. Her history and interior life are well written, and she reacts to her situation with layered feelings and logic.
Loved it.
Just...maybe...too many roses?
Loved it.
Just...maybe...too many roses?
February 16, 2017
Finished late last night and I love it! I loved that it continued the same things as in Magic & Manners: matter-of-fact POC and fluid sexuality. Amber and Beast are amazing together and the ending was just right for them. This isn't Disney, after all, and I am very grateful.
Minor quibble: it could have used another pass by someone to pick out a handful of typos and weird word results.
Minor quibble: it could have used another pass by someone to pick out a handful of typos and weird word results.
Read
March 24, 2017DAMMIT MEME, I WAS READING THIS BOOK AND WAS ALL PREPARED FOR THE MAIN COUPLE TO FINALLY BANG AT THE END, AS PREVIOUS LOLSBIAN SEX WITH OTHER CHARACTERS HAD BEEN VAGUELY DESCRIBED ALREADY, WHEN THE MAIN LADY TURNED INTO A TREE AND IT ENDED IN A FADE-TO-BLACK. AND THE PSEUDO-INCEST DIDN'T EVEN MAKE UP FOR IT >:(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2018
This had great potential. I really enjoyed the plot twists as weird as they were.
But the ending ruined it all. Just to out there and left me feeling like the curse was never broken.
But the ending ruined it all. Just to out there and left me feeling like the curse was never broken.
October 1, 2019
It's gonna be a no from me, dawg.
Compliments up front: the use of language is good; the characters are for the most part sharply drawn (aside from the indistinguishable little brothers); and the unselfconscious queer-friendliness and non-all-white-ness is a nice change from the norm.
Now onto why this is a low 3 stars for me. Even if I could forgive the several major typographical errors -- I guess this might be essentially self-published? -- the whole thrust of this story is just so full of ick to me. The story basically has five sexually active adults, and they are all like two degrees of fucking separation from each other . . . even though many of them are also related to each other?!?!? The prince fucks his foster mother; his foster mother fucks his mom; his mom and his foster mom fuck Amber's dad; the prince and Amber are gonna fuck . . . like, how is this OK???
It might have been sliiiiiightly easier to swallow were it not for the fact that Amber keeps getting stricken by visions of the prince's mother and foster mother fucking each other. Who, by the way, are also Amber's mother and foster mother (just the other way around). Raise your hand if you are super into the idea of experiencing your mom's or your stepmom's sex life firsthand! What's that, absolutely nobody?? Huh.
And it's not just the ick factor. Look, the entire heart of Beauty and the Beast -- a relatively modern fairy tale, as fairy tales go -- is that Beauty falls in love with the Beast and promises to marry him -- to spend an entire lifetime with him -- despite his appearance. Because true love can happen under any sort of physical circumstances. That's the point of the story! She doesn't know that agreeing to marry him will turn him back into a man. She doesn't know he's a prince. She just knows that she loves him for who he is.
This book turns the "Will you marry me, Beauty?" question into "Will you sleep with me?" That's . . . a fairly unforgivable pollution of the fairy tale's ideals. Amber is portrayed as a woman who's already had casual sex (with a man who is never seen "on screen"), plus she figures out pretty quickly that the Beast is the transformed prince who needs sex to be un-magicked, so . . . it's actually a relatively easy decision for her to be like, yeah, I'll fuck this monster for the greater good, no biggie. And in fact that's what happens! She says, yes, I'm DTF, and then she gets magicked away by the evil mom/foster mom/faery/whatever. There's no consideration, as in the original tale, of what it would mean for Beauty to agree to marry a Beast, to throw in her lot with him for the rest of her life, to (she thinks) give up her normal life with her normal family of origin, to love and to cherish and all the rest. Here the Beast is asking for a one-night stand, and Amber becomes amenable relatively quickly. The rising action and climax (har) then all become about fighting Amber's mom/the Beast's foster mom, instead of Beauty turning her back on her family of origin and coming to terms with her love for a creature she thought was a monster.
Oh, also, at the end, Amber becomes a tree and the Beast becomes a hot beast. Shrug emoji.
Compliments up front: the use of language is good; the characters are for the most part sharply drawn (aside from the indistinguishable little brothers); and the unselfconscious queer-friendliness and non-all-white-ness is a nice change from the norm.
Now onto why this is a low 3 stars for me. Even if I could forgive the several major typographical errors -- I guess this might be essentially self-published? -- the whole thrust of this story is just so full of ick to me. The story basically has five sexually active adults, and they are all like two degrees of fucking separation from each other . . . even though many of them are also related to each other?!?!? The prince fucks his foster mother; his foster mother fucks his mom; his mom and his foster mom fuck Amber's dad; the prince and Amber are gonna fuck . . . like, how is this OK???
It might have been sliiiiiightly easier to swallow were it not for the fact that Amber keeps getting stricken by visions of the prince's mother and foster mother fucking each other. Who, by the way, are also Amber's mother and foster mother (just the other way around). Raise your hand if you are super into the idea of experiencing your mom's or your stepmom's sex life firsthand! What's that, absolutely nobody?? Huh.
And it's not just the ick factor. Look, the entire heart of Beauty and the Beast -- a relatively modern fairy tale, as fairy tales go -- is that Beauty falls in love with the Beast and promises to marry him -- to spend an entire lifetime with him -- despite his appearance. Because true love can happen under any sort of physical circumstances. That's the point of the story! She doesn't know that agreeing to marry him will turn him back into a man. She doesn't know he's a prince. She just knows that she loves him for who he is.
This book turns the "Will you marry me, Beauty?" question into "Will you sleep with me?" That's . . . a fairly unforgivable pollution of the fairy tale's ideals. Amber is portrayed as a woman who's already had casual sex (with a man who is never seen "on screen"), plus she figures out pretty quickly that the Beast is the transformed prince who needs sex to be un-magicked, so . . . it's actually a relatively easy decision for her to be like, yeah, I'll fuck this monster for the greater good, no biggie. And in fact that's what happens! She says, yes, I'm DTF, and then she gets magicked away by the evil mom/foster mom/faery/whatever. There's no consideration, as in the original tale, of what it would mean for Beauty to agree to marry a Beast, to throw in her lot with him for the rest of her life, to (she thinks) give up her normal life with her normal family of origin, to love and to cherish and all the rest. Here the Beast is asking for a one-night stand, and Amber becomes amenable relatively quickly. The rising action and climax (har) then all become about fighting Amber's mom/the Beast's foster mom, instead of Beauty turning her back on her family of origin and coming to terms with her love for a creature she thought was a monster.
Oh, also, at the end, Amber becomes a tree and the Beast becomes a hot beast. Shrug emoji.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2023
Truth be told, this is one of my favourite books. I first read Roses in Amber in 2017 and have come back to it a number of times since. The book tells the story of Amber, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, whose family falls on hard times and is forced to flee their creditors to a remote hunting lodge. After months in the wilderness, Amber and her father return to the city to settle some of their debts before a magical storm waylays them on the return and they find themselves guests in a mysterious palace populated by invisible servants and a ferocious beast.
There is much that charmed me about Roses in Amber but one thing that really stood out for me where the characters. I enjoyed Amber as a protagonist and having the story told through her eyes kept me enthused to read on. That C.E. Murphy was able to use her to reveal the history of the kingdom was a nice touch.
The author's experience with writing fantasy romance also lent a playful edge to the relationship between Amber and Beast. It's not something that is always explored in detail in these stories and I liked how you could see the changing relationship between the characters as the story evolved. It leads to a quite touching scene toward the end of the book where Amber and Beast's roles in the after-dinner scene are reversed.
After my first reading of Roses in Amber I admit that I found the ending to be a bit on the strange side, but subsequent readings have warmed me to it. Sometimes, I think we expect everything to be wrapped up with a nice little bow, but while we do get a "happy" ending it most definitely isn't the one that we were expecting.
There is much that charmed me about Roses in Amber but one thing that really stood out for me where the characters. I enjoyed Amber as a protagonist and having the story told through her eyes kept me enthused to read on. That C.E. Murphy was able to use her to reveal the history of the kingdom was a nice touch.
The author's experience with writing fantasy romance also lent a playful edge to the relationship between Amber and Beast. It's not something that is always explored in detail in these stories and I liked how you could see the changing relationship between the characters as the story evolved. It leads to a quite touching scene toward the end of the book where Amber and Beast's roles in the after-dinner scene are reversed.
After my first reading of Roses in Amber I admit that I found the ending to be a bit on the strange side, but subsequent readings have warmed me to it. Sometimes, I think we expect everything to be wrapped up with a nice little bow, but while we do get a "happy" ending it most definitely isn't the one that we were expecting.
March 11, 2017
Wow. My feelings on this book are so mixed. I am sick in bed right now, and I needed something to take my mind off how crappy I feel, so I bought this book as the first few sample chapters drew me in. First off, this writer is an AWESOME writer. Her details, her use of language and prose, are amazing. The story? Excellent, intriguing, if at times a bit strange. I wanted more. You know those books who are way too long and could have been cut in half? This was a book that needed to be three times longer than what it was. I wanted more Pearl. More Opal. More Amber and Beauty. I was not sure how I felt when some of the "hidden family secrets" were revealed, but I felt if the author wanted to go in that direction, she needed us to see more of these characters, she explained away half the book with visions and people just informing other people of their pasts, and so in the end, it was hard to fee anything for a lot of the characters, even though the writing style was beautiful and the plot interesting. I even kind of enjoyed the aftermath after the curse was broken, revealing who Amber and the Beast truly were, but it ended with kind of a silly note, and as I said before, I needed more from almost every aspect of this book. This could have been a five star book, in the end, I was left disappointed, therefore I liked it well enough, but I did not love it, although I am curious to check out some of this author's other works.
September 7, 2018
Excellent narration on this audiobook. Strong writing. I almost gave up on it early on as we don't meet the beast until a full third of the way in. The intertwining character relationships were...very strange and the pseudo-incest was cringey. A woman, who is not the mother of a boy but takes care of him from infant to early adulthood, enchants herself as a younger doe-eyed lass and seduces the young man. And the strong, bloodthirsty queen fights her former lover after catching him with her son and goes into hiding but is later revealed to be the weak and sickly stepmother. Weird. Not weird enough to quit the book, though. I shrugged and carried on, completely willing to immerse myself into the story.
And I was enthralled with this book until the ending and then I was disappointed. The beast and the beauty are some weird hybrids of their former human selves and I just can't wrap my head around why. The book ends immediately after their reveal without explaining how or why the characters are left as tree and...I don't even know what the beast is supposed to look like. A human? With long hair all over his body? With claws? No distinct hooves, the author does enlighten us with that detail. It doesn't make anatomical sense. I reread the passage several times to try to understand.
Anyway, it was a good book and worth reading but has a lot of flaws.
And I was enthralled with this book until the ending and then I was disappointed. The beast and the beauty are some weird hybrids of their former human selves and I just can't wrap my head around why. The book ends immediately after their reveal without explaining how or why the characters are left as tree and...I don't even know what the beast is supposed to look like. A human? With long hair all over his body? With claws? No distinct hooves, the author does enlighten us with that detail. It doesn't make anatomical sense. I reread the passage several times to try to understand.
Anyway, it was a good book and worth reading but has a lot of flaws.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2017
I briefly thought, when I started this book, that I may have made a mistake as the book I read immediately preceding it was Robin McKinley’s Beauty. I shouldn’t have worried. CE Murphy’s Roses in Amber stands strongly in its own right, and I think I liked it even more than I liked McKinley’s version.
It’s true that I know something of Murphy’s history with the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale (more specifically that it’s her favorite and her opinions on various adaptations which have come out) so I was not surprised at how well she made the story her own, with her own voice, without losing the heart and feel of the original material.
I am always pleased with the humanity embodied by Murphy’s characters, and this novel has that in spades. Altogether a very satisfying read.
It’s true that I know something of Murphy’s history with the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale (more specifically that it’s her favorite and her opinions on various adaptations which have come out) so I was not surprised at how well she made the story her own, with her own voice, without losing the heart and feel of the original material.
I am always pleased with the humanity embodied by Murphy’s characters, and this novel has that in spades. Altogether a very satisfying read.
June 11, 2020
I’ve been reading C.E. Murphy books since the first book in the Walker Papers series. I then read the books written as Cate Dermody. This book is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and for the first few pages I was worried that I’d found a C. E. Murphy book that I disliked. And then the book drew me in and I was hooked. Some of the characters aren’t developed very fully, but that’s only a minor gripe.
Maybe Amber and family settle into their changed circumstances too easily , and the success that they have a little convenient, but then this based on a fairy story.
This is easy to read and even if you know how the story is going to finish there are a couple of twists to keep the story interesting.
Maybe Amber and family settle into their changed circumstances too easily , and the success that they have a little convenient, but then this based on a fairy story.
This is easy to read and even if you know how the story is going to finish there are a couple of twists to keep the story interesting.
August 17, 2017
Wonderful. Awesome. Brilliant.
I am predisposed to like C.E. Murphy's book since I first picked up a copy of Urban Shaman for a plane trip and fell in love with her characters and writing. That said, I wasn't sure what to expect from this fairy tale adaptation. I am a sucker for retold tales, but not as big a fan of Beauty and the Beast.
I should never have worried. This is a fabulous book and turns so many of the tropes upside-down and sideways in SUCH a good way. I adore the characters, the world-building, the fact that same-sex love/marriage is NORMAL in this world and that the magic and fantasy elements made sense.
Thanks for a great book!
I am predisposed to like C.E. Murphy's book since I first picked up a copy of Urban Shaman for a plane trip and fell in love with her characters and writing. That said, I wasn't sure what to expect from this fairy tale adaptation. I am a sucker for retold tales, but not as big a fan of Beauty and the Beast.
I should never have worried. This is a fabulous book and turns so many of the tropes upside-down and sideways in SUCH a good way. I adore the characters, the world-building, the fact that same-sex love/marriage is NORMAL in this world and that the magic and fantasy elements made sense.
Thanks for a great book!
February 13, 2022
I always have to read Beauty & the Beast retellings. This one was OK -- fixed some issues with the original story, but created some new ones. The most annoying part was the creation of some adorable new characters (Beauty/Amber has younger brothers!) who are completely underused in the story.
Being sexually attracted to the Beast isn't my particular kink (as Amber says, how would that even work?), but if it's yours, then you might give this version more stars than I did.
Being sexually attracted to the Beast isn't my particular kink (as Amber says, how would that even work?), but if it's yours, then you might give this version more stars than I did.
June 9, 2019
I burned through this in two days and it was just marvellous. A really lyrical feeling to (another) Beauty and the Beast retelling and I absolutely loved the twists at the end and the conclusion, which left the characters in a great ending place. Catie’s writing is always such a palate cleanser, and this was just marvellous.
August 4, 2019
Loved it!
Well written and original. Beauty and the beast with a twist. The story kept me entertained. I loved the practicality of the main character and her off sense of humor. Well done.
Well written and original. Beauty and the beast with a twist. The story kept me entertained. I loved the practicality of the main character and her off sense of humor. Well done.
August 6, 2023
Roses in Amber is a true delight.
This retelling of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast is simply delightful. There is conflict, magic, amazingly strong-willed female characters, elves, and thrilling action.
This retelling of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast is simply delightful. There is conflict, magic, amazingly strong-willed female characters, elves, and thrilling action.
November 20, 2018
Goodbye, family. I will be over here, reading this excellently weird beauty and the beast story. I am effectively gone until I finish this book.
May 3, 2018
This was a unique and fascinating twist to the traditional "Beauty and rhe Beast" tale. I also got just a hint of Tam Lin toward the end. Hoping for a sequel!
July 26, 2019
Interesting new take on the traditional Beauty and the Beast.
December 27, 2020
Narrated by Amber Gryce, Murphy's fantasy delves into the trope of Beauty and the Beast; including elements from the legend of Tam Lin.
Want to read
August 20, 2021As mentioned in an article
October 13, 2021
4.5, rounded up
January 22, 2025
If, like me, you enjoy skillful retellings/adaptations of classic fairy tales, READ THIS BOOK! I adore Beauty & the Beast stories, and this is a lovely one! And while this isn't a queer romance, it's set in a world where queer romances are normal -- a beautiful merchant's daughter is as likely to marry a rich woman as a rich man -- that didn't so much make the story feel modern (it's not) as it made the story an even nicer one to read!
Read
April 21, 20172.5 rounded up
November 26, 2017
A 4.5, I really enjoyed this. It is reminiscent of Robin McKinley's Beauty which is also one of my favourite's but this has a much more adult flavour.
I particularly like the fact that the on the surface traditional fantasy kingdom is open to gay relationships. This isn't a big thing and doesn't affect the main characters but it is refreshing to read. I've subsequently picked up a few of CE Murphy's books and am enjoying them.
I particularly like the fact that the on the surface traditional fantasy kingdom is open to gay relationships. This isn't a big thing and doesn't affect the main characters but it is refreshing to read. I've subsequently picked up a few of CE Murphy's books and am enjoying them.
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