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Fairy Tales of Lyond #3
The Beauty's Beast
Lady Kathryn’s father sends her to court to find a husband, but being penniless and disinterested doesn't bode well for her success. Bored by the petty intrigues of court, her frustration and loneliness are eased when the king charges her with the care of his newest acquisition: a wolf he and his hunters have recently captured. What the king doesn't realize is his remarkable pet was once Gabriel, his favorite knight, cursed into wolf form by an unfaithful wife.
The beast’s uncanny intelligence and human-like behavior convince Kathryn that he is more than what he seems. Resolving to help him, she doesn't count on the greatest obstacle being Gabriel himself. The longer he stays in wolf form as a captive of the court, the harder it becomes for him to remember his humanity and to fight his wolfish urges to maim and kill.
Only Kathryn’s affection and determination stand between Gabriel the wolf and Gabriel the man. But when the one who betrayed him returns to court, will Kathryn’s love be enough to keep Gabriel from exacting a brutish revenge that will condemn the wolf to death?
THE BEAUTY’S BEAST contains elements of the original Beauty and the Beast fairy tale mixed with some of the charming medieval fables of Marie de France. This book is part of THE FAIRY TALES OF LYOND SERIES, a set of adventurous and romantic fairy tale retellings. All books in this series take place in the same world of true love and grand fantasy adventures. You can read them back to back, or as individual, stand-alone books.
Books in The Fairy Tales of Lyond Series:
Enchanting the King
The Apprentice Sorceress
The Beauty's Beast
The Changeling Child
The beast’s uncanny intelligence and human-like behavior convince Kathryn that he is more than what he seems. Resolving to help him, she doesn't count on the greatest obstacle being Gabriel himself. The longer he stays in wolf form as a captive of the court, the harder it becomes for him to remember his humanity and to fight his wolfish urges to maim and kill.
Only Kathryn’s affection and determination stand between Gabriel the wolf and Gabriel the man. But when the one who betrayed him returns to court, will Kathryn’s love be enough to keep Gabriel from exacting a brutish revenge that will condemn the wolf to death?
THE BEAUTY’S BEAST contains elements of the original Beauty and the Beast fairy tale mixed with some of the charming medieval fables of Marie de France. This book is part of THE FAIRY TALES OF LYOND SERIES, a set of adventurous and romantic fairy tale retellings. All books in this series take place in the same world of true love and grand fantasy adventures. You can read them back to back, or as individual, stand-alone books.
Books in The Fairy Tales of Lyond Series:
Enchanting the King
The Apprentice Sorceress
The Beauty's Beast
The Changeling Child
ebook
First published September 6, 2010
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About the author
E.D. Walker
13 books89 followersE.D. Walker, a native of Los Angeles, is the author of The Fairy Tales of Lyond Series that begins with Enchanting the King. As a child, she grew up knowing all the words to the songs in Disney’s fairy tale retellings. (Sleeping Beauty was always her favorite.) Lo and behold, she eventually grew up to write fairy tale retellings of her own.
By day, E.D. helps corral engineers for NASA (without doing any of the tech stuff herself, of course). By night, she loves to write her clever heroes and heroines bantering their way to true love. E.D. is a total geek, a movie buff, and a mediocre swing dancer. E.D. and her husband live in sunny Southern California with two of the neediest housecats on the planet.
By day, E.D. helps corral engineers for NASA (without doing any of the tech stuff herself, of course). By night, she loves to write her clever heroes and heroines bantering their way to true love. E.D. is a total geek, a movie buff, and a mediocre swing dancer. E.D. and her husband live in sunny Southern California with two of the neediest housecats on the planet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
December 3, 2016
More fairy tale than romance
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is a very strong homage to the traditional fairy tale. It has violence, love, lessons learned and redemption. Stylistically, this story is also reminiscent of fairy tales with its simplistic yet descriptive narrative and straightforward plot told as though from a distance. I truly felt immersed in the way I did when I read these types of tales as a child. Beyond a few mildly suggestive thoughts and some heated kisses, this story is nearly as sensually tame as those much more brief stories of old.
I felt the romance was where this retelling was weakest. True to the plot of Beauty and the Beast, Kathryn falls in love with the very human-like wolf, the cursed Duke Gabriel. However, it is difficult to develop a deep and passionate romance when one half of the couple is nonverbal and has no thumbs. Like the fairy tale, the wolf beast maintains his form very long into the book. There simply was no opportunity for Walker to craft a credible romance between two humans, which is what romance genre readers will crave.
As a fairy tale retelling, this novel is a success and contains originality. As a romance story it is less impressive. 3.5 rounded to 4 stars.
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is a very strong homage to the traditional fairy tale. It has violence, love, lessons learned and redemption. Stylistically, this story is also reminiscent of fairy tales with its simplistic yet descriptive narrative and straightforward plot told as though from a distance. I truly felt immersed in the way I did when I read these types of tales as a child. Beyond a few mildly suggestive thoughts and some heated kisses, this story is nearly as sensually tame as those much more brief stories of old.
I felt the romance was where this retelling was weakest. True to the plot of Beauty and the Beast, Kathryn falls in love with the very human-like wolf, the cursed Duke Gabriel. However, it is difficult to develop a deep and passionate romance when one half of the couple is nonverbal and has no thumbs. Like the fairy tale, the wolf beast maintains his form very long into the book. There simply was no opportunity for Walker to craft a credible romance between two humans, which is what romance genre readers will crave.
As a fairy tale retelling, this novel is a success and contains originality. As a romance story it is less impressive. 3.5 rounded to 4 stars.
October 6, 2015
5 Words: Love, royalty, lies, werewolf, revenge.
There were a few side plots that seemed unnecessary, that seemed to draw it out a bit too much, but overall it was a pretty decent read.
It reminded me of an epic medieval fantasy, but without the endless pages and maps and family trees.
I liked the story itself, I just wish it had been stripped back a little. So much was happening that it was sometimes difficult to keep track. I did like that the story did throw a few curveballs at the reader, as a retelling a lot of this was predictable but some of the twists really made it stand out.
I received a copy of this for free via Enchanted Book Promotions for review purposes.
There were a few side plots that seemed unnecessary, that seemed to draw it out a bit too much, but overall it was a pretty decent read.
It reminded me of an epic medieval fantasy, but without the endless pages and maps and family trees.
I liked the story itself, I just wish it had been stripped back a little. So much was happening that it was sometimes difficult to keep track. I did like that the story did throw a few curveballs at the reader, as a retelling a lot of this was predictable but some of the twists really made it stand out.
I received a copy of this for free via Enchanted Book Promotions for review purposes.
October 3, 2016
4.0 stars
Nice, but nothing special. I really liked the scenes when Gabriel was still a wolf, those were SO sweet. But after he changed I didn't see their connection as more than friends. But the writing was good and I liked some of the ideas. Especially Gabriels wife surprised me. Didn't see that coming. I wished Kathryn's friend, the magician, got a separate book, he was so nice and sweet without being a love interest. Yeah! I loved that Kathryn had him as a friend without him being more than that.
Nice, but nothing special. I really liked the scenes when Gabriel was still a wolf, those were SO sweet. But after he changed I didn't see their connection as more than friends. But the writing was good and I liked some of the ideas. Especially Gabriels wife surprised me. Didn't see that coming. I wished Kathryn's friend, the magician, got a separate book, he was so nice and sweet without being a love interest. Yeah! I loved that Kathryn had him as a friend without him being more than that.
dnf
December 3, 2021I really liked the unusual premise of this one, but several insignificant little annoyances with the book added up just not being engaged in the story:
*I was promised werewolves! Despite the word werewolf being throw around, it didn't really feel any different from the usual 'mind of a man in the shape of a beast' story.
*Brief references to the main character thinking about how repressed she is as a woman, which in a historical era character, always feels to me like the modern author transferring her own thoughts/words/opinions in an anachronistic way.
*A few awkwardly phrased descriptions.
*I was promised werewolves! Despite the word werewolf being throw around, it didn't really feel any different from the usual 'mind of a man in the shape of a beast' story.
*Brief references to the main character thinking about how repressed she is as a woman, which in a historical era character, always feels to me like the modern author transferring her own thoughts/words/opinions in an anachronistic way.
*A few awkwardly phrased descriptions.
July 3, 2011
"If you but knew, you would withdraw yourself from my love, and I should be lost indeed." - Marie De France, The Lay of the Were-Wolf (translated by Eugene Mason, 1911)
Lady Kathryn de Réméré, daughter of Lord Stephen, is sent to court in the hopes of finding a husband. penniless and plain plus a penchant for books dim her prospects of catching one. accompanying her King and Queen Aliénor on a hunt one day, she takes pity on a wolf which had been attacked by the hunting dogs. Kathryn is given charge of nursing it back to health with the help of Llewellyn, the court magician and herbalist. in time she learns the truth that the beast is no other than Gabriel fitz Michael, Duke de Doré and nephew to the King. Gabriel has been trapped in his lupine form due to the treachery of his wife Alisoun de Canille and Sir Reynard de Troumper.
this is not a retelling of the Beauty & the Beast fairy tale we are familiar with but rather a retelling of Bisclavret or The Lay of The Werewolf. it is one of the breton lais written in anglo-norman around the 12th century by court poetess Marie de France. but what an impressive and masterful retelling by author E.D. Walker!
i think she has found her calling and niche by bringing to life an obscure or relatively less known classical work, pumping fresh blood into it and giving the story a wider perspective and more in-depth characterization.
the tale of Kathryn and Gabriel was a delight to read. the language was beautifully written, formal yet simple to understand and appropriate for the period in which the events take place.
The Beauty's Beast speaks of love that transcends physical appearances and embodies chivalry, honor, compassion, justice and retribution. there is drama, adventure, magic and romance of the non-erotic sort.
that is why i find this book appropriate for advance upper middle grade readers as well. so DO NOT be put off by the cover. i never take stock on book covers most of the time anyway but it would be great if the current one were changed to reach more readers. some of them - especially parents who buy books for their children - might well ignore an excellent book on account of the featured image of a half naked man.
this is a surprisingly outstanding debut that should not be missed!
Disclosure of Material Connection: i am a member of the Book Lovin' Bitches E-book Tours and a copy was provided by the author. although payment may have been received by Book Lovin' Bitches E-book Tours, i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was i obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Lady Kathryn de Réméré, daughter of Lord Stephen, is sent to court in the hopes of finding a husband. penniless and plain plus a penchant for books dim her prospects of catching one. accompanying her King and Queen Aliénor on a hunt one day, she takes pity on a wolf which had been attacked by the hunting dogs. Kathryn is given charge of nursing it back to health with the help of Llewellyn, the court magician and herbalist. in time she learns the truth that the beast is no other than Gabriel fitz Michael, Duke de Doré and nephew to the King. Gabriel has been trapped in his lupine form due to the treachery of his wife Alisoun de Canille and Sir Reynard de Troumper.
this is not a retelling of the Beauty & the Beast fairy tale we are familiar with but rather a retelling of Bisclavret or The Lay of The Werewolf. it is one of the breton lais written in anglo-norman around the 12th century by court poetess Marie de France. but what an impressive and masterful retelling by author E.D. Walker!
i think she has found her calling and niche by bringing to life an obscure or relatively less known classical work, pumping fresh blood into it and giving the story a wider perspective and more in-depth characterization.
the tale of Kathryn and Gabriel was a delight to read. the language was beautifully written, formal yet simple to understand and appropriate for the period in which the events take place.
The Beauty's Beast speaks of love that transcends physical appearances and embodies chivalry, honor, compassion, justice and retribution. there is drama, adventure, magic and romance of the non-erotic sort.
that is why i find this book appropriate for advance upper middle grade readers as well. so DO NOT be put off by the cover. i never take stock on book covers most of the time anyway but it would be great if the current one were changed to reach more readers. some of them - especially parents who buy books for their children - might well ignore an excellent book on account of the featured image of a half naked man.
this is a surprisingly outstanding debut that should not be missed!
Disclosure of Material Connection: i am a member of the Book Lovin' Bitches E-book Tours and a copy was provided by the author. although payment may have been received by Book Lovin' Bitches E-book Tours, i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was i obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
October 10, 2010
Monica’s Review
The Beauty’s Beast by E.D. Walker is the ideal Beauty and Beast. The beauty, Kathryn, does not shy away from the beast, Gabriel, whom she looks into his deep blue eyes and sees something in him, human. Walker does a great job in writing this book in such detail about the life that Gabriel had with his wife and how he became that beast due to her indiscretions and betrayal. Kathryn is just a lonely girl after losing her mother when she was a teenager and her father sending her to the King to see after her and maybe find her a suitable husband. After Kathryn tends to the beast after saving him in the forest from being killed only makes her realize that she cares and adores the beast and maybe love. The beast, Gabriel, feels the same way but only one thing is standing in his way of finding true love. He was been a wolf for the past 2 years, cursed, and of course who can forget his wife. Very well written by Walker with such grace of how someone can fall in love with someone else with the unimportance of looks but of how they are truly inside.
In Chapter Seventeen, Walker writes about how Lady Alisoun, wife to Gabriel, betrayed her husband, Gabriel. This is where the King will try to see what actually happened with his nephew, Gabriel, and how they can help in freeing him from the curse of being a wolf and help him become a human again, the knight he should be. Wonderful writing—not only does Lady Alisoun get what she deserves for the betrayal. A quote from the book writing so well, "I banished my first lord to inhuman exile, and God condemned me to live like this. To live and die a leper and an outcast, so I may know threefold what I have inflicted upon the filthy werewolf. But never, never will I help him back to his human form. If I must die accursed and contemptible, then I will not go alone into the fire." Even after her acknowledgement of her being cursed by her own betrayal she does not have the heart to free Gabriel. Why not free Gabriel so he can redo his life now that she has remarried and has what she wanted his land, money and the status of Duchess. ?
I highly recommend this book, The Beauty’s Beast by E. D. Walker for readers that love the idea that nobody should judge a book by its cover. What counts is within, not how they look.
5 Tea Cups!
The Beauty’s Beast by E.D. Walker is the ideal Beauty and Beast. The beauty, Kathryn, does not shy away from the beast, Gabriel, whom she looks into his deep blue eyes and sees something in him, human. Walker does a great job in writing this book in such detail about the life that Gabriel had with his wife and how he became that beast due to her indiscretions and betrayal. Kathryn is just a lonely girl after losing her mother when she was a teenager and her father sending her to the King to see after her and maybe find her a suitable husband. After Kathryn tends to the beast after saving him in the forest from being killed only makes her realize that she cares and adores the beast and maybe love. The beast, Gabriel, feels the same way but only one thing is standing in his way of finding true love. He was been a wolf for the past 2 years, cursed, and of course who can forget his wife. Very well written by Walker with such grace of how someone can fall in love with someone else with the unimportance of looks but of how they are truly inside.
In Chapter Seventeen, Walker writes about how Lady Alisoun, wife to Gabriel, betrayed her husband, Gabriel. This is where the King will try to see what actually happened with his nephew, Gabriel, and how they can help in freeing him from the curse of being a wolf and help him become a human again, the knight he should be. Wonderful writing—not only does Lady Alisoun get what she deserves for the betrayal. A quote from the book writing so well, "I banished my first lord to inhuman exile, and God condemned me to live like this. To live and die a leper and an outcast, so I may know threefold what I have inflicted upon the filthy werewolf. But never, never will I help him back to his human form. If I must die accursed and contemptible, then I will not go alone into the fire." Even after her acknowledgement of her being cursed by her own betrayal she does not have the heart to free Gabriel. Why not free Gabriel so he can redo his life now that she has remarried and has what she wanted his land, money and the status of Duchess. ?
I highly recommend this book, The Beauty’s Beast by E. D. Walker for readers that love the idea that nobody should judge a book by its cover. What counts is within, not how they look.
5 Tea Cups!
May 16, 2011
Review:
I just finished this book and can I just say I felt I just read a true fairy tale this book had everything a hopeless romantic like myself loves. Sweet romance, wickedly evil villians, who you just want to reach through the pc screen and strangle. As I kept reading I was rooting for Kathryn and Gabriel to find a way to be together.
Kathryn reminded me of Cinderella(without the evil stepsisters) unless you want to count Beatrice who I might add was a major witch. But back to Kathryn, she is everything I like in Heroine of this time, sweet but fights back and does it with grace as Lady of the Court should.
And Gabriel poor guy, you can't help but feel for him. He cast himself out due to what he calls his affliction until he is cared for by the lovely Lady Kathryn.
I loved as well the back story of the King and Queen as well it blended in with the story so well. At first I thought the Queen was going to be the witch so I was pleasantly surprised when that wasn't the case.
I definitely will be reading more books by E.D Walker in the future, Will I recommend yes if you love stories with Kings, Queens, Ladies of the Court with a werewolf twist then this book is for you. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I just finished this book and can I just say I felt I just read a true fairy tale this book had everything a hopeless romantic like myself loves. Sweet romance, wickedly evil villians, who you just want to reach through the pc screen and strangle. As I kept reading I was rooting for Kathryn and Gabriel to find a way to be together.
Kathryn reminded me of Cinderella(without the evil stepsisters) unless you want to count Beatrice who I might add was a major witch. But back to Kathryn, she is everything I like in Heroine of this time, sweet but fights back and does it with grace as Lady of the Court should.
And Gabriel poor guy, you can't help but feel for him. He cast himself out due to what he calls his affliction until he is cared for by the lovely Lady Kathryn.
I loved as well the back story of the King and Queen as well it blended in with the story so well. At first I thought the Queen was going to be the witch so I was pleasantly surprised when that wasn't the case.
I definitely will be reading more books by E.D Walker in the future, Will I recommend yes if you love stories with Kings, Queens, Ladies of the Court with a werewolf twist then this book is for you. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
March 14, 2016
~I kindly received this book via NetGalley in an exchange for my honest review~
The novel written by Walker is not bad. It has a captivating premise, an interesting alternation of POVs, and overall, while not betraying the fairy tale vibe, it is a pretty original story.
It lacks of depth, though.
The world-building, the magical elements and the character development are barely sketched (for instance, no words are spent to explain to the reader the origins/circumstances of the curse). The Author tells rather than showing how Kathryn and Gabriel fell in love for each other and the plot seems a bit too rushed.
As I said, it's not bad, but that wasn't enough to hold my interest.
The novel written by Walker is not bad. It has a captivating premise, an interesting alternation of POVs, and overall, while not betraying the fairy tale vibe, it is a pretty original story.
It lacks of depth, though.
The world-building, the magical elements and the character development are barely sketched (for instance, no words are spent to explain to the reader the origins/circumstances of the curse). The Author tells rather than showing how Kathryn and Gabriel fell in love for each other and the plot seems a bit too rushed.
As I said, it's not bad, but that wasn't enough to hold my interest.
October 6, 2014
I was pleasantly surprised by this.
August 8, 2016
Confession time.
You write a book, make a movie, tv show, coloring book, ANYthing that has to do with Beauty and the Beast and I am THERE. It's kind of my thing. I don't know why, but books, roses, beautiful gentle ladies who can see into the heart of a beast and fall in love just gets me EVERY time.
This book does not disappoint. It's not the traditional B&TB story, but it has the elements of roses, books, magic and a man trapped in the form of a beast, yet loved by the beautiful, intelligent, loving and gentle brunette. (I'm a brunette, so that part of the story is kind of key for me...)
I loved how all of the characters were drawn. The secondary characters were strong and the bad ones were really great to dislike/hate. I liked the Medieval world, though there were a few more modern colloquialisms, it didn't jar me out of the book.
The cover took a bit of warming up to. Until I read that the beast was a wolf, I thought she was hugging a bear... :/ The colors are pretty and the woman is a bit too blonde for the female MC, but the roses were very pretty.
If you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast, I would recommend this to you. Some renditions can be rather poor, but this one does the story justice, with an interesting twist to it. There are some violent scenes and one of a rather repulsive physical disease described somewhat graphically, as well as a woman getting beaten and talk/suggestion of rape, so not for anyone under young adult I would say.
Note, this is the second of a trilogy, but I didn't feel the lack of the first book at all. I will DEFINITELY pick up the third one once it is out, which is August of 2016, so any day now!!!!
Four stars for a telling of B&TB that is right on the mark. It's not quite fair, but I judge all B&TB stories against "Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast" by Robin McKinley. This book doesn't quite hit the greatness of that book, but it isn't bad at all. It's just against some stiff competition in my book.
My thanks to NetGalley and EDW Books for and eARC of this book to read and review.
You write a book, make a movie, tv show, coloring book, ANYthing that has to do with Beauty and the Beast and I am THERE. It's kind of my thing. I don't know why, but books, roses, beautiful gentle ladies who can see into the heart of a beast and fall in love just gets me EVERY time.
This book does not disappoint. It's not the traditional B&TB story, but it has the elements of roses, books, magic and a man trapped in the form of a beast, yet loved by the beautiful, intelligent, loving and gentle brunette. (I'm a brunette, so that part of the story is kind of key for me...)
I loved how all of the characters were drawn. The secondary characters were strong and the bad ones were really great to dislike/hate. I liked the Medieval world, though there were a few more modern colloquialisms, it didn't jar me out of the book.
The cover took a bit of warming up to. Until I read that the beast was a wolf, I thought she was hugging a bear... :/ The colors are pretty and the woman is a bit too blonde for the female MC, but the roses were very pretty.
If you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast, I would recommend this to you. Some renditions can be rather poor, but this one does the story justice, with an interesting twist to it. There are some violent scenes and one of a rather repulsive physical disease described somewhat graphically, as well as a woman getting beaten and talk/suggestion of rape, so not for anyone under young adult I would say.
Note, this is the second of a trilogy, but I didn't feel the lack of the first book at all. I will DEFINITELY pick up the third one once it is out, which is August of 2016, so any day now!!!!
Four stars for a telling of B&TB that is right on the mark. It's not quite fair, but I judge all B&TB stories against "Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast" by Robin McKinley. This book doesn't quite hit the greatness of that book, but it isn't bad at all. It's just against some stiff competition in my book.
My thanks to NetGalley and EDW Books for and eARC of this book to read and review.
March 2, 2016
Check out my other reviews, discussions and link ups at Fantasy of the Silver Dragon.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I do love fairytale retellings. Especially when they have more unique twists to them. I haven't seen a werewolf used as the Beast before. I also liked that it was a more medieval tale, back in the times of kings, queens and knights.
I was afraid at first that the queen would end up being one of the bad guys, but was pleasantly surprised to find that she was actually Kathryn's friend. I liked the glimpses of the way the king and queen interacted, both together as a couple, as well as with the members of their court.
I loved the way Gabriel acted during his curse. It was believable as well as almost heartbreaking at times. His actions as a wolf worked for me (even if they were rather more dog-like most of the time), and getting to see his inner musings was both entertaining and sad. Kathryn was a strong female character, even if she was more learned and strong-willed than women were 'supposed' to be back then. Something she pointed out to herself as well as Gabriel. I also really liked the court wiseman/magician.
The bad characters were suitably bad, and got what they deserved. You know how the story will end, since it IS a retelling after all. But the way the characters get there was totally engrossing. I read this in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like fairytale retellings, you need to read this one!
This review was originally posted on Fantasy of the Silver Dragon
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I do love fairytale retellings. Especially when they have more unique twists to them. I haven't seen a werewolf used as the Beast before. I also liked that it was a more medieval tale, back in the times of kings, queens and knights.
I was afraid at first that the queen would end up being one of the bad guys, but was pleasantly surprised to find that she was actually Kathryn's friend. I liked the glimpses of the way the king and queen interacted, both together as a couple, as well as with the members of their court.
I loved the way Gabriel acted during his curse. It was believable as well as almost heartbreaking at times. His actions as a wolf worked for me (even if they were rather more dog-like most of the time), and getting to see his inner musings was both entertaining and sad. Kathryn was a strong female character, even if she was more learned and strong-willed than women were 'supposed' to be back then. Something she pointed out to herself as well as Gabriel. I also really liked the court wiseman/magician.
The bad characters were suitably bad, and got what they deserved. You know how the story will end, since it IS a retelling after all. But the way the characters get there was totally engrossing. I read this in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like fairytale retellings, you need to read this one!
This review was originally posted on Fantasy of the Silver Dragon
January 11, 2011
I bought and read it all on in one night, and I loved every minute of it. I enjoyed the take on werewolves, (which I won't give away). It was a unique twist on how they can - and can't - change shapes, as well as what they are capable of. Rather than being mystical beings with lots of magic, they are very limited in their animal forms. It was a nice change and presented the characters with an entirely new set of problems.
The interaction between the characters, which was especially difficult considering the hero can't speak through most of the novel, were well done. We get insight into his thoughts, but he cannot interact "normally" with the heroine, so making their relationship plausible without getting...strange... was a challenge, and I think it was pulled off exceptionally well. He isn't perfect, and the author makes a truly likable hero, even with his faults.
I also enjoyed the heroine. Kathryn was likeable, believeable, and I felt for her as the novel moved along. The secondary storyline about why she was at court wasn't the most original ever, but I liked it. The villans were unlikeable, and I have to say they earned everything they got in the end - which won't be what you expect.
Overall, it was a great romance, and I really enjoyed it. Will definitely be looking for E.D. White's next book. Four Stars.
The interaction between the characters, which was especially difficult considering the hero can't speak through most of the novel, were well done. We get insight into his thoughts, but he cannot interact "normally" with the heroine, so making their relationship plausible without getting...strange... was a challenge, and I think it was pulled off exceptionally well. He isn't perfect, and the author makes a truly likable hero, even with his faults.
I also enjoyed the heroine. Kathryn was likeable, believeable, and I felt for her as the novel moved along. The secondary storyline about why she was at court wasn't the most original ever, but I liked it. The villans were unlikeable, and I have to say they earned everything they got in the end - which won't be what you expect.
Overall, it was a great romance, and I really enjoyed it. Will definitely be looking for E.D. White's next book. Four Stars.
July 17, 2014
An imaginative retelling of a favorite fairy tale, "The Beauty's Beast" is both compelling and entertaining. Author E.D. Walker tells her take on the tale in a descriptive manner, yet somehow leads the reader to also ponder what she is not saying, thus adding to the intrigue of the story line. Lady Kathryn de Remere's neglectful father sends her to the king's court to find a suitably plump-in-purse husband. Seeking to ease his gambling-induced financial burdens, her father cares little for the happiness of his own daughter. A fateful encounter with a strange wolf will change Kathryn's life forever. Spared during a hunt by the good king, the wolf with the soulful eyes and knowing, human expressions has deep, unexpected ties to the royal lineage. Is there enough of the nobleman left in the noble beast to save his very humanity? Will Kathryn's friendship and tender attentions keep the man from losing himself to the darker side of his nature? Can happiness be found where hope was almost lost? I look forward to reading more works from the talented E.D. Walker, who also writes as Beth Matthews.
January 9, 2016
Kindly provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review........
I love fairy tales and this one was perfect. It is an account of beauty and the beast, but with a twist......our beast is a werewolf and he retains his humanity. Gabriel (beast) broke my heart, he turned into a werewolf permanently as a result of trusting his shrew of a wife.......b*tch.
Anyway, if this would not have occurred he never would of meet Kathryn.....the gorgeous, kind, lady to the queen. Kathryn protects the "wolf" as she thinks he is from being slain at a hunt.
You get the POV of both character's, although Gabriel's is more of an inner dialogue. Everything about this tale kept me engaged and I would highly recommend to any readers who love fairy tales with a bit of a spin.
Well done ED for a stunning, beautiful love story. It made me shudder with happiness at the end. Many thanks for this opportunity xx. I would love if you could think up more fairy tales to re-write.....yes, I adored your writing skills that much x.
Later peeps xx
I love fairy tales and this one was perfect. It is an account of beauty and the beast, but with a twist......our beast is a werewolf and he retains his humanity. Gabriel (beast) broke my heart, he turned into a werewolf permanently as a result of trusting his shrew of a wife.......b*tch.
Anyway, if this would not have occurred he never would of meet Kathryn.....the gorgeous, kind, lady to the queen. Kathryn protects the "wolf" as she thinks he is from being slain at a hunt.
You get the POV of both character's, although Gabriel's is more of an inner dialogue. Everything about this tale kept me engaged and I would highly recommend to any readers who love fairy tales with a bit of a spin.
Well done ED for a stunning, beautiful love story. It made me shudder with happiness at the end. Many thanks for this opportunity xx. I would love if you could think up more fairy tales to re-write.....yes, I adored your writing skills that much x.
Later peeps xx
January 23, 2025
I love the cover art (the illustrated one). I generally love Beauty and the Beast retellings, however, this one was a bit too cheesy for me at times, and I definitely kept getting frustrated with the lack of justice for sexual harassment, assault, and rape. Really frustrated that not even the King could punish Reynard and that when a man harasses or harms a woman in any way, it's her reputation that's at stake! Definitely frustrated that a man can do whatever he wants with a woman without consequence if she is out after dark and alone. Ridiculous! Anyway, that and some of the cheesy love scenes are what kept me from enjoying this more. Ultimately, there was a satisfying end, although I'd really like to know how Gabriel became a werewolf in the first place, and I like the two main characters, the Beauty and the Beast. I definitely like that the Beast is a werewolf and a Knight, and that the Beauty isn't the most beautiful in the land. I like the loyal and honorable love that develops between them.
July 1, 2016
I really loved the two main characters in this story. The heroine was nice and spunky and the hero was courageous and loving but knew when to get his stuff together and take care of business. I have to say that I really enjoyed all the secondary characters as well. I loved the King and Queen and now I'm wanting to read their story which is alluded to in this tale. This book does get a little dark in places as our heroine does get attacked and almost raped but is saved in time by the hero. However I believe the author needs to go back over the text as several sentences didn't flow right to me and I had to re-read them several times to get the gist of what she was trying to say.
The author did a very good job mixing Beauty and the Beast with werewolves and the medieval era. I'm looking forward to reading Enchanting the King when it is released next month.
The author did a very good job mixing Beauty and the Beast with werewolves and the medieval era. I'm looking forward to reading Enchanting the King when it is released next month.
July 27, 2011
A sweet medieval retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Kathryn is supposed to find a husband at court. A wolf is hunted by the hounds and Kathryn saves him. She protects him. He protects her. Kathryn discovers who he is and must keep him from being killed when he attacks a knight. Very interesting telling. Also does the time period well.
July 29, 2015
This was a cool take on Beauty and the beast. In this story we have a man trapped in werewolf form for most of the book the main guy did not even talk. I was not sure I was going to like it but this was surprisingly well done. The story was good and fast moving. I enjoyed it a great deal.
October 13, 2014
Adorbs. Not too fluffy. Something light to read in your spare time.
August 13, 2015
Great twist
This was an interesting twist on the story of beauty and the beast. Of course it had all the chivalry parts that I enjoy in these kind of stories.
This was an interesting twist on the story of beauty and the beast. Of course it had all the chivalry parts that I enjoy in these kind of stories.
June 13, 2018
It's not a bad book. A little above average, but not much. If the beast isn't a straight up beast in these retellings, he's a were something. So him being a werewolf wasn't a big surprise. Plus the girl is hugging a wolf on the cover, so that's a dead giveaway. I think what was new to me was the acceptance of magic as part of everyday life, we've got the shaman actually performing magic; such as scrying and then. But then we've to nun's as well so there's some aspect of Christianity in this world.
Plot wise. The overall story was good, not as clean as I would like. There is some stretch of the imagination. I can see the wolf entertaining children. But I couldn't get my head around him training with the knights. What was he doing? How was he supposed to be training with them? And why were they so chill with it. I guess since it is part of this mythos magic is accepted and therefore the wolf is perfectly fine trying to train with the knights.
Characterwise. Lady Kathryn was a good heroine. Gabriel, was a good leading man, I liked how he learned that he'd actually been a really shallow person and not as good a husband as he thought he was.
I loved the King and Queen. I liked how they worked through their relationship problems, by talking and the fact they were both intelligent. The king figured out pretty quickly who and what the wolf was, and he came up with a plan to help him out. They were also benevolent,< spoiler> For instance when the queen gave Kathryn her dress. I'm glad the two became friends The magician was enjoyable as well. I totally wanted the trio to go off on adventures together. They seemed like such a good set.
The writing was a bit simplistic, you have no trouble at all following the story. But it was still good. However aside from a few things. there's not much I haven't seen reading other version of Beauty and the Beast. Probably because it's so popular.
Recommended? Sure
Buy/Borrow? Borrow first. It's not a stand out book, so chances are you might want to save your money.
I have realized this is part of a series so I may read the other books. I'm not for sure yet. But for being part of a series. The second book I think according to goodreads, this works as a standalone. I never felt I was missing any information about any previous events while reading this. So I don't think it's necessary to read all the books unless you want to.
Plot wise. The overall story was good, not as clean as I would like. There is some stretch of the imagination. I can see the wolf entertaining children. But I couldn't get my head around him training with the knights. What was he doing? How was he supposed to be training with them? And why were they so chill with it. I guess since it is part of this mythos magic is accepted and therefore the wolf is perfectly fine trying to train with the knights.
Characterwise. Lady Kathryn was a good heroine. Gabriel, was a good leading man, I liked how he learned that he'd actually been a really shallow person and not as good a husband as he thought he was.
I loved the King and Queen. I liked how they worked through their relationship problems, by talking and the fact they were both intelligent. The king figured out pretty quickly who and what the wolf was, and he came up with a plan to help him out. They were also benevolent,< spoiler> For instance when the queen gave Kathryn her dress. I'm glad the two became friends The magician was enjoyable as well. I totally wanted the trio to go off on adventures together. They seemed like such a good set.
The writing was a bit simplistic, you have no trouble at all following the story. But it was still good. However aside from a few things. there's not much I haven't seen reading other version of Beauty and the Beast. Probably because it's so popular.
Recommended? Sure
Buy/Borrow? Borrow first. It's not a stand out book, so chances are you might want to save your money.
I have realized this is part of a series so I may read the other books. I'm not for sure yet. But for being part of a series. The second book I think according to goodreads, this works as a standalone. I never felt I was missing any information about any previous events while reading this. So I don't think it's necessary to read all the books unless you want to.
March 21, 2023
It's a cute book. Is it a great, profound work of literature? Well, no. But it's cute. It wins originality points since it is based on the original Bisclavert, but also it gives me strong Shiver vibes, for some unexplainable reason.
I think the main thing I didn't like about this book was that no character had a backbone. They would show a little resistance to anything another character asks of them, but in one page their will completely crumples. The biggest example I can think of is . Also, I didn't really get "romance" from Wolf-Gabriel and Kathryn because you know...Gabriel was a wolf. Big Shiver vibes. But it's cute ig.
I think the main thing I didn't like about this book was that no character had a backbone. They would show a little resistance to anything another character asks of them, but in one page their will completely crumples. The biggest example I can think of is . Also, I didn't really get "romance" from Wolf-Gabriel and Kathryn because you know...Gabriel was a wolf. Big Shiver vibes. But it's cute ig.
January 30, 2019
This book is an adaptation of a 12th-century French fable, which it references in a small excerpt at the beginning of the novel. (Fans of 1980s cinema will likely recall “Ladyhawke”, an interesting version featuring Matthew Broderick.) The novel turns this into a convincing love story, complete with conniving handmaidens, a brutish courtier, kindly nuns, nervous knights, a court magician and the various denizens you'd expect to be hanging around a medieval castle.
The story is sweet and salty by turns. The tale contains all sorts of thrilling adventures as well as tender, passionate romance. The addition of Lady Kathryn to the original tale is entirely convincing and she's a worthy heroine. She's smart, bold, learned, passionate and compassionate. You yearn for her and Gabriel to have their happy ending and it's an ending that is earned.
For those who like adventure with their romance or romance with their adventure, all sprinkled with a touch of the supernatural, The Beauty's Beast neatly answers that need.
The story is sweet and salty by turns. The tale contains all sorts of thrilling adventures as well as tender, passionate romance. The addition of Lady Kathryn to the original tale is entirely convincing and she's a worthy heroine. She's smart, bold, learned, passionate and compassionate. You yearn for her and Gabriel to have their happy ending and it's an ending that is earned.
For those who like adventure with their romance or romance with their adventure, all sprinkled with a touch of the supernatural, The Beauty's Beast neatly answers that need.
December 25, 2017
I bought this book at the RT convention last year because of the cover and synopsis and I'm glad I did because it was a great book and I can't wait to read the next one! I also can't wait to track down the authors YA book that was mentioned in the back of this one. If it's anything like this book it'll be fantastic!
September 28, 2017
This was a cute sweet romance. Basic concept is ex-SEAL Gabe has had his face scared from IED explosion in Afghanistan. He has a dog with one leg from an IED also. Vanessa meets Gabe in a sex club because she is way over dressed and Gabe picks up on that real fast. She's there doing research for a movie she is going to be in. The rest is just fun and exciting and I enjoyed it a lot.
February 16, 2019
Okay read. Clean romance. Somewhat stilted language, passive sentences.
June 1, 2019
Great retelling of Marie de France's "Lay of the Werewolf"
January 31, 2016
Thank you to the author for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publish date: 14th March 2014
Full review can also be found on: Paein and Ms4Tune’s Book Blog
I found this to be quite a unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The Beast wasn't a monster, he was a wolf! And Beauty wasn't a phenomenal beauty, she was just beautiful to Gabriel (the Beast).
I love fairytale retellings, especially beauty and the beast ones and this was no exception. At just 207 pages (book length is something I've been paying attention to, this past month or so) it's not a lengthy read. It could perhaps have done with some other padding - perhaps more of an elaboration on the hows and whys of Gabriel's situation - though everything important was pretty much covered at least in passing.
The wife's fate was rather dramatic and out there, but I didn't care that it was possibly outlandish, it served her right and though the ending seemed a little rushed it was perhaps because the story rushed or maybe I rushed reading it....There was mention of only a month between one happening and the next, but perhaps a little after would have been nice, however I feel that if it had been any longer then my next few sentences would not be in this review:
This is what seems to be called a "clean romance." We get us some kisses, but that's it for excitement of the romantic nature except for the mention of a sleep over or two. There's plenty of action for a fairytale however. Hunts and attacks and even a small amount of magic oh my! Very small amounts of magic compared to some beauty and the beast stories.
It doesn't take long for most of the main characters to realise who the wolf is. You might think this will take away from the drama of the whole thing, except it doesn't. In this, Gabriel is sort of the 'damsel in distress' not Lady Kathryn. In fact, Lady Kathryn seems to be going about the place, fixing things around her, not always intentionally either which is actually brilliant.
I do wonder if the lack of world building mean's this will be part of a series, but so far I've not found an indication of this which is a shame. I'd love to see what E.D. Walker would do with some of the other well loved fairytales. I'm still waiting for a book to do to Snow White what Once Upon a Time has, maybe it's something Walker will consider...
January 8, 2016
3.5 stars. This is a sweet Fantasy read with a distinct fairytale feel that was easy and enjoyable. The good people are really good, the baddies are horrible, there’s love, romance, a bit of retribution, betrayal, tested loyalties and a strongly determined female lead who isn’t afraid to stand up for her hero – even when he is furry and running around on four paws.
If you’re looking for something deep, dark and menacing with meticulous political machinations to tangle yourself up in and a plot that leaves you guessing throughout – you won’t find that here. Instead this is a pseudo-Medieval court in a France-like setting, with lordly knights, ladies in waiting and a straightforward tale that leads you exactly where you’d expect it to.
Kathryn is a bit of a misfit, too smart and forthright for marriage, with no money and a disinterested father. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind, has no patience for bullies and is more than capable of standing up for herself. In truth she’s a thoroughly modern miss and I liked her, even if I’m still a little confused as to where her in-depth knowledge of werewolves came from.
Speaking of wolves, it might have been nice if there had been at least a little mystery as to his identity, but never mind. I would also have liked him to have been slightly more wolf-like, rather than essentially being an overgrown dog throughout. It might also have been nice to have experienced more of his change of heart towards Kathryn, because one moment all women are evil, the next she’s the most beautiful and wonderful person he’s ever encountered and he loves her forever!!
So overall this is an enjoyable, if slightly predictable, tale that definitely falls back on a few genre clichés to pull it through (the ladies in waiting definitely came out of a one-size-fits-all box). If you’re looking for a fairytale romance that demands nothing of you but time and attention, then this ticks all the right boxes. It’s romantic, the characters are likeable and it follows the Beauty and the Beast trope perfectly. As a piece of escapist romance it does its job well.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
If you’re looking for something deep, dark and menacing with meticulous political machinations to tangle yourself up in and a plot that leaves you guessing throughout – you won’t find that here. Instead this is a pseudo-Medieval court in a France-like setting, with lordly knights, ladies in waiting and a straightforward tale that leads you exactly where you’d expect it to.
Kathryn is a bit of a misfit, too smart and forthright for marriage, with no money and a disinterested father. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind, has no patience for bullies and is more than capable of standing up for herself. In truth she’s a thoroughly modern miss and I liked her, even if I’m still a little confused as to where her in-depth knowledge of werewolves came from.
Speaking of wolves, it might have been nice if there had been at least a little mystery as to his identity, but never mind. I would also have liked him to have been slightly more wolf-like, rather than essentially being an overgrown dog throughout. It might also have been nice to have experienced more of his change of heart towards Kathryn, because one moment all women are evil, the next she’s the most beautiful and wonderful person he’s ever encountered and he loves her forever!!
So overall this is an enjoyable, if slightly predictable, tale that definitely falls back on a few genre clichés to pull it through (the ladies in waiting definitely came out of a one-size-fits-all box). If you’re looking for a fairytale romance that demands nothing of you but time and attention, then this ticks all the right boxes. It’s romantic, the characters are likeable and it follows the Beauty and the Beast trope perfectly. As a piece of escapist romance it does its job well.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
October 18, 2015
It seems that fairy tale retelling and reinvention has become quite popular. Some try reversing genders, others try different eras and locations. In this version, the beast is a shifter, another creation quite popular with readers today.
Taking place mainly in a medieval court, Lady Kathryn is placed as an aide to the queen in hopes of finding her a husband. We learn much about court life and rivalries, jealousy and deceit.
One day while out hunting, Lady Kathryn gets separated the group. She is startled by a wolf and climbs a tree to be safe. The dogs smell the wolf and bring the hunters back. While in the tree, Lady Kathryn notices the wolf's unusual blue eyes. The wolf throws himself on the king's mercy when Kathryn is rescued. The king decides to make him a pet. No man is willing to stay with the wolf and help it adapt to court life. Lady Kathryn volunteers. This changes life for everyone!
It is discovered that the wolf is actually a Garwolf, a shifter, who used to be one of the king's favored knights, also his nephew. How he came to be wild in the woods is a tale of mystery and treachery.
Can those who discover the secret help the garwolf turn back into the man? Who will try to prevent that?
A fun and exciting paranormal medieval fairy tale reimagining.
I did receive this book in exchange for a n honest review.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
Taking place mainly in a medieval court, Lady Kathryn is placed as an aide to the queen in hopes of finding her a husband. We learn much about court life and rivalries, jealousy and deceit.
One day while out hunting, Lady Kathryn gets separated the group. She is startled by a wolf and climbs a tree to be safe. The dogs smell the wolf and bring the hunters back. While in the tree, Lady Kathryn notices the wolf's unusual blue eyes. The wolf throws himself on the king's mercy when Kathryn is rescued. The king decides to make him a pet. No man is willing to stay with the wolf and help it adapt to court life. Lady Kathryn volunteers. This changes life for everyone!
It is discovered that the wolf is actually a Garwolf, a shifter, who used to be one of the king's favored knights, also his nephew. How he came to be wild in the woods is a tale of mystery and treachery.
Can those who discover the secret help the garwolf turn back into the man? Who will try to prevent that?
A fun and exciting paranormal medieval fairy tale reimagining.
I did receive this book in exchange for a n honest review.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
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