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Fairytales of Folkshore #4
Beast of Rosemead
For fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses, comes the highly anticipated new installment in the #1 bestselling Fairytales of Folkshore series!
A BOOKISH BEAUTY. A BEASTLY PRINCE. A DEADLY CURSE.
Bonnie Fairborn’s wish to escape her small-town life for one of adventure is granted in the worst way when she’s flung along with her family into the unknown. The nightmare deepens when she wakes up to find her best friend Ada gone and her father offered as a sacrifice to the terrifying Beast of Rosemead.
After trading her life for his, her bid for escape ends in a lethal brush with fairies. When the beast almost dies to save her, she discovers he is the missing Crown Prince of Arbore, and the victim of a vindictive fairy’s curse. With time to undo it running out, he and his monstrous staff believe she’s the only one who can save them all.
But how can she fall in love with the gruff and mysterious Leander, let alone to a deadline? And would that be enough to break the curse? Especially now she’s discovering that nothing, including her own life, is what it seems?
This is book 1 of 2 of the Rosemead duology.
With thousands of copies sold and millions of pages read, Fairytales of Folkshore is a series of interconnected fairytale retellings. Bonnie’s story continues with BEAUTY OF ROSEMEAD.
A BOOKISH BEAUTY. A BEASTLY PRINCE. A DEADLY CURSE.
Bonnie Fairborn’s wish to escape her small-town life for one of adventure is granted in the worst way when she’s flung along with her family into the unknown. The nightmare deepens when she wakes up to find her best friend Ada gone and her father offered as a sacrifice to the terrifying Beast of Rosemead.
After trading her life for his, her bid for escape ends in a lethal brush with fairies. When the beast almost dies to save her, she discovers he is the missing Crown Prince of Arbore, and the victim of a vindictive fairy’s curse. With time to undo it running out, he and his monstrous staff believe she’s the only one who can save them all.
But how can she fall in love with the gruff and mysterious Leander, let alone to a deadline? And would that be enough to break the curse? Especially now she’s discovering that nothing, including her own life, is what it seems?
This is book 1 of 2 of the Rosemead duology.
With thousands of copies sold and millions of pages read, Fairytales of Folkshore is a series of interconnected fairytale retellings. Bonnie’s story continues with BEAUTY OF ROSEMEAD.
421 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 8, 2019
269 people are currently reading
651 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Tempest
14 books309 followersAs the spawn of Trekkie comic book nerds, the importance of storytelling is an integral part of my being. Spinning tales since I learned to speak, now my books can take others through my adventures and necessary escapism.
I live with one foot in Florida with my family and two spoiled cats, and the other firmly lodged in fantasy.
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I live with one foot in Florida with my family and two spoiled cats, and the other firmly lodged in fantasy.
Follow me on Bookbub
Join my VIP mailing list by clicking HERE!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
October 2, 2019
I LOVE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST RETELLINGS... BUT I JUST COULDN'T LOVE THIS ONE... 😶
Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite fairy tales. Therefore, I have read many BatB retellings and usually, they all manage to do something that excites me. This certainly didn't...
👎 THE THINGS I DISLIKED 👎
Yelling: I am not kidding or exaggerating - the first 3rd of this book nobody spoke in a calm, normal manner. Everyone was screaming or yelling and every dialogue sentence ended with an exclamation point. Man, that bothered me SO much - exclamation point!
Pace: The pace of this book was completely unbalanced. The first half of this book was almost frantic and without any 'down-time', way too many things happened. The second half was just plain boring, because nothing happened at all...
Dialogue: I like dialogue. It provides emotions and feeling to the book. But there can be too much of a good thing and this book certainly proved that. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say, that this book consisted of 75% dialogue. Furthermore, the dialogue was stilted and unnatural...
Not-so-secret-curse: What makes the Disney version of BatB so magical and beautiful? That Belle falls in love with the Beast of her own volition without knowing that that was the key to saving him. That magic was taken away in this book as the Beast, Leander, actually told the Beauty, Bonnie, that she had to fall in love with him to break the curse. Magic-mirror shattering!
Characters: The characters were underdeveloped, flat and non-distinctive. The only one, you could tell apart from the rest based on characteristics was Castor, the 'Gaston' character of this book. He at least had some flair.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Full disclosure! I have not read the first three books in this series as I was under the impression that this was the first in a duology and, therefore, could be read on its own. I will try not to let this colour my review and will, therefore, not touch upon the world building, which, I must assume, has been explained in previous books.
Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite fairy tales. Therefore, I have read many BatB retellings and usually, they all manage to do something that excites me. This certainly didn't...
👎 THE THINGS I DISLIKED 👎
Yelling: I am not kidding or exaggerating - the first 3rd of this book nobody spoke in a calm, normal manner. Everyone was screaming or yelling and every dialogue sentence ended with an exclamation point. Man, that bothered me SO much - exclamation point!
Pace: The pace of this book was completely unbalanced. The first half of this book was almost frantic and without any 'down-time', way too many things happened. The second half was just plain boring, because nothing happened at all...
Dialogue: I like dialogue. It provides emotions and feeling to the book. But there can be too much of a good thing and this book certainly proved that. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say, that this book consisted of 75% dialogue. Furthermore, the dialogue was stilted and unnatural...
Not-so-secret-curse: What makes the Disney version of BatB so magical and beautiful? That Belle falls in love with the Beast of her own volition without knowing that that was the key to saving him. That magic was taken away in this book as the Beast, Leander, actually told the Beauty, Bonnie, that she had to fall in love with him to break the curse. Magic-mirror shattering!
Characters: The characters were underdeveloped, flat and non-distinctive. The only one, you could tell apart from the rest based on characteristics was Castor, the 'Gaston' character of this book. He at least had some flair.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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June 7, 2019
Beast of Rosemead is the second instalment of retellings from Lucy Tempest’s Fairytales of Folkshore. You can check out my review of the first instalment, a gender bent retelling of Aladdin, here. I was immediately ensnared by Ada and her trials in Cahraman, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Bonnie’s journey.
As this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Bonnie is a beautiful characterisation and reiteration of Belle. Bonnie has lived an incredibly sheltered life, where she has been coddled by not only her father, but by her best friend Ada. There is nothing more that she yearns for than adventure and freedom – she manages to get the adventure, though I’m not too sure about the freedom. Bonnie has grown up being lost in whatever book she could get her hands on and has a rather naïve view of the world and its inhabitants which gets turned completely on its head when she wakes up in Arbore and trapped in a house with a brute.
The Beast, Leander, follows quite similarly along the path that I love of the original Beast – in that unsure but determined path to better himself once he is shown empathy along with a challenge. The friendship/relationship which develops between Bonnie and Leander felt genuine and well-paced. It was delightful to see the respect blossoming alongside the possibility of feelings, whether romantic or otherwise.
Beast of Rosemead is filled with fantastical characters, who you will connect to just as much as the main characters (if not more or on par, in one such instance) and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of the different fairytales interwoven through the stories, in such a delicate manner so as to not overload you but instead to enthral you.
I can definitely see overarching parallels to other Beauty and the Beast retellings and I can’t wait to see what Lucy does next with it in book 2 of the Rosemead duology.
*many thanks to the author for providing an eARCc in exchange for an honest review.
As this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Bonnie is a beautiful characterisation and reiteration of Belle. Bonnie has lived an incredibly sheltered life, where she has been coddled by not only her father, but by her best friend Ada. There is nothing more that she yearns for than adventure and freedom – she manages to get the adventure, though I’m not too sure about the freedom. Bonnie has grown up being lost in whatever book she could get her hands on and has a rather naïve view of the world and its inhabitants which gets turned completely on its head when she wakes up in Arbore and trapped in a house with a brute.
“In all my readings and daydreaming, the hero was always able to eloquently debate with the heroine, to empathize with or at least understand her situation or dilemma and help elevate her from them”
The Beast, Leander, follows quite similarly along the path that I love of the original Beast – in that unsure but determined path to better himself once he is shown empathy along with a challenge. The friendship/relationship which develops between Bonnie and Leander felt genuine and well-paced. It was delightful to see the respect blossoming alongside the possibility of feelings, whether romantic or otherwise.
Beast of Rosemead is filled with fantastical characters, who you will connect to just as much as the main characters (if not more or on par, in one such instance) and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of the different fairytales interwoven through the stories, in such a delicate manner so as to not overload you but instead to enthral you.
I can definitely see overarching parallels to other Beauty and the Beast retellings and I can’t wait to see what Lucy does next with it in book 2 of the Rosemead duology.
“I’d read enough about heroes. It was time I became one myself.”
*many thanks to the author for providing an eARCc in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2019
Once again I have been enthralled in the universe that Lucy Tempest has created! I adore this series, I truly do. I keep my paperbacks on my nightstand neatly stacked and I make sure they stay in great condition. Heck, the only complaint I have is now I don’t care about my other books!! They’ll sit and collect dust and I just don’t really care but I won’t dare let the dust attack my Tales of Folkshore books, such beautiful covers don’t deserve it.
While reading Lucy Tempest’s writing I often find myself getting excited and going to google something related to the stories, this is an often occurrence for me when I get excited about a new book/series, but there is sadly not anything online because the book is not yet mainstream which saddens me deeply. I go to google fan art or spoilers I’m too excited about to wait for, I can’t wait until more people get a hold of her books. In every word you progressively become more excited, with each chapter you see the beautiful development of a story and the characters you grow to love. I love noticing the subtle hints that connect characters to future books and the actions that fleshes out the characters that turns them into something much more complex than the average Mary Sue you often see in other books in the same genre.
I currently work at a book store and wish I had a million copies of her work to hand out to customers when they ask me what I’m reading or what my favorite book is. I would like to thank Lucy for creating a complex storyline with an amazing assortment of distinct characters and creating an extraordinary lore in her series that is built into the characters even more. Everybody deserves a favorite series and author— this is mine.
While reading Lucy Tempest’s writing I often find myself getting excited and going to google something related to the stories, this is an often occurrence for me when I get excited about a new book/series, but there is sadly not anything online because the book is not yet mainstream which saddens me deeply. I go to google fan art or spoilers I’m too excited about to wait for, I can’t wait until more people get a hold of her books. In every word you progressively become more excited, with each chapter you see the beautiful development of a story and the characters you grow to love. I love noticing the subtle hints that connect characters to future books and the actions that fleshes out the characters that turns them into something much more complex than the average Mary Sue you often see in other books in the same genre.
I currently work at a book store and wish I had a million copies of her work to hand out to customers when they ask me what I’m reading or what my favorite book is. I would like to thank Lucy for creating a complex storyline with an amazing assortment of distinct characters and creating an extraordinary lore in her series that is built into the characters even more. Everybody deserves a favorite series and author— this is mine.
June 8, 2019
Really liked this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It is no doubt that it is that story, but at the same time the author had succeeded in making it a completely new and different story.
The Belle character is different, she has just as much, if not more, to learn about herself as the beast. The Gaston character is extremely annoying, and you feel this need to hit him I’m in the head with something hard (and maybe smash his head in?) but at the same time he isn’t directly cruel, just really lacking in his interpretation of the world.
I loved what she did with the servants in the caste, and how she has introduced other fairytales into the story in a way that has you think it really fits in (even if in the original stories it really doesn’t😂).
I’m really looking forward to the next book. It will be pre-ordered as soon as it is possible!
The Belle character is different, she has just as much, if not more, to learn about herself as the beast. The Gaston character is extremely annoying, and you feel this need to hit him I’m in the head with something hard (and maybe smash his head in?) but at the same time he isn’t directly cruel, just really lacking in his interpretation of the world.
I loved what she did with the servants in the caste, and how she has introduced other fairytales into the story in a way that has you think it really fits in (even if in the original stories it really doesn’t😂).
I’m really looking forward to the next book. It will be pre-ordered as soon as it is possible!
June 12, 2019
Intense
I loved reading this first part of Bonnie's story and I can't wait to get my hands on the next one and finish it in September. This retelling had several familiar elements but it has plenty that's unique to this book as well as some surprises that I never saw coming.
I loved reading this first part of Bonnie's story and I can't wait to get my hands on the next one and finish it in September. This retelling had several familiar elements but it has plenty that's unique to this book as well as some surprises that I never saw coming.
September 21, 2019
Fantastic!! I have been waiting months for this book and it is well worth the wait. However, it ended! Just like the first three books in the series, this Beauty and the Beast retelling cannot be contained to one book. Too many nuances and plot thickenings.
Letting Aladdin develop fully over the course of three books seemed excessive to me until I read them. Then it all made sense and deepened my appreciation for the world that Lucy Tempest has created and heightened my anticipation for the stories she has hinted at. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Type faster, Lucy!
In the interest of fairness, I did receive a complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own and freely given.
Letting Aladdin develop fully over the course of three books seemed excessive to me until I read them. Then it all made sense and deepened my appreciation for the world that Lucy Tempest has created and heightened my anticipation for the stories she has hinted at. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Type faster, Lucy!
In the interest of fairness, I did receive a complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own and freely given.
June 9, 2019
This is the first book of Ms. Tempest’s that I’ve read. I’ve heard good things about her books and have been excited to give them a try and I was not disappointed! Beast of Rosemead is not your average Beauty and the Beast retelling. It’s unique and exciting! I absolutely love when an author sets up for future stories in their books. I can already see a Robin Hood and Sleeping Beauty book coming after this and I just can’t wait (especially for the Robin Hood story)!!!
June 8, 2019
I love this story. It has everything to keep a reader hooked! Can't wait for the next one.
June 12, 2019
WOW! Just WOW!
I have said this before (I think I did!) but I'll say it again, Lucy Tempest never stops surprising me!
With her first trilogy in the Fairytales of Folkshore, she brought us an Aladdin retelling like NEVER before...and FAR superior to its source material AND The Selection. And I mean FAR superior! I think I've reread THIEF, PRINCE and QUEEN of CAHRAMAN six times by now, and every time they actually get better. BUT....
I was worried about Bonnie's story! I admit I couldn't see how she could bring anything new to the much, MUCH used and reused Beauty and the Beast story.
I shouldn't have worried!
BEAST OF ROSEMEAD takes the Disney variation and makes it so, SO much more. The way it should have been but was never made. I always felt B&B was so rushed, its characters so stereotyped, and the development of the romance so skimmed over, so it never realized its potential. It has now!
BEAST of ROSEMEAD really delves into the characters, gives them a fascinating background and delightful growth arc, and makes you believe and root for the slow-burning romance, and all the other developing relationships between Bonnie and the castle inhabitants. The supporting characters for the first time are real people who are as interesting as the main characters, not just props (like in the Disney movie, almost literally, or figuratively, like in A Court of Thorns and Roses—and dare I say it, I enjoyed BOR more than I did ACOTAR!)
And the best thing? BEAST has finished with the original story, with such fresh twists BUT what's coming promises to be an EPIC variation and continuation, making the B&B story so much more satisfying and rich. The book ends not on a cliffhanger, but on a pivotal development point giving us a very logical and satisfying ending for the first act. I still wish the next book was available so I can immediately binge it, but I'll be waiting very impatiently for it and preordering it the moment it appears!
I can't recommend this book enough, not to mention the previous books in the series. Each book I've read from Lucy Tempest has been a true find and a treasure I've been enjoying over and over ever since I discovered her.
I CAN'T wait for Beauty of Rosemead and the conclusion of this epic retelling!
I have said this before (I think I did!) but I'll say it again, Lucy Tempest never stops surprising me!
With her first trilogy in the Fairytales of Folkshore, she brought us an Aladdin retelling like NEVER before...and FAR superior to its source material AND The Selection. And I mean FAR superior! I think I've reread THIEF, PRINCE and QUEEN of CAHRAMAN six times by now, and every time they actually get better. BUT....
I was worried about Bonnie's story! I admit I couldn't see how she could bring anything new to the much, MUCH used and reused Beauty and the Beast story.
I shouldn't have worried!
BEAST OF ROSEMEAD takes the Disney variation and makes it so, SO much more. The way it should have been but was never made. I always felt B&B was so rushed, its characters so stereotyped, and the development of the romance so skimmed over, so it never realized its potential. It has now!
BEAST of ROSEMEAD really delves into the characters, gives them a fascinating background and delightful growth arc, and makes you believe and root for the slow-burning romance, and all the other developing relationships between Bonnie and the castle inhabitants. The supporting characters for the first time are real people who are as interesting as the main characters, not just props (like in the Disney movie, almost literally, or figuratively, like in A Court of Thorns and Roses—and dare I say it, I enjoyed BOR more than I did ACOTAR!)
And the best thing? BEAST has finished with the original story, with such fresh twists BUT what's coming promises to be an EPIC variation and continuation, making the B&B story so much more satisfying and rich. The book ends not on a cliffhanger, but on a pivotal development point giving us a very logical and satisfying ending for the first act. I still wish the next book was available so I can immediately binge it, but I'll be waiting very impatiently for it and preordering it the moment it appears!
I can't recommend this book enough, not to mention the previous books in the series. Each book I've read from Lucy Tempest has been a true find and a treasure I've been enjoying over and over ever since I discovered her.
I CAN'T wait for Beauty of Rosemead and the conclusion of this epic retelling!
June 12, 2019
A truly fantastic first installment in the Rosemead duology and among the best Beauty and the Beast retellings I've ever read, maybe even inching out my till now absolute favorite, A Court of Thorns and Roses! Actually it has one thing over ACOTAR and it's that I LIKED Leander far, far better than Tamlin, and I bought into the slow-burning romance way more, too. In fact, I love ACOTAR for the writing and the action, not the characters, as I never like Feyre either and never understood her motivations and willingness to do anything for the family who mistreated her. I LOVE Bonnie and totally get and sympathize with her motivations and can't wait to see her become the hero she resolved to be.
If you like clean romance, great worldbuilding, breathtaking adventure, cleverly plotted twists and unexpected endings grab this whole trilogy today and dive into one of the best fairytale retellings around.
Lucy Tempest is on my autobuy list now, and I can't wait for the rest of the retellings in her fantastic Folkshore universe.
If you like clean romance, great worldbuilding, breathtaking adventure, cleverly plotted twists and unexpected endings grab this whole trilogy today and dive into one of the best fairytale retellings around.
Lucy Tempest is on my autobuy list now, and I can't wait for the rest of the retellings in her fantastic Folkshore universe.
June 27, 2019
Lucy Tempest is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I know that some may not believe me, but it is true. Ms. Tempest is amazing storyteller. I am not normally a fan of retold stories from my childhood, but these stories are so different that Tempest has breathed a life into them all of her own. Her writing almost mirrors J.K. Rowlings with how a little detail from the first book that you almost (or do) overlook becomes a tie into a later story and thus tying the series together in an intricate web.
This book was my favorite of Tempest's to date. Bonnie is a fun character to follow that you can get behind because she isn't helpless, she really tries and does the best she can. I can't wait for the next in the series, Beauty of RoseMead coming September 24, 2019.
This book was my favorite of Tempest's to date. Bonnie is a fun character to follow that you can get behind because she isn't helpless, she really tries and does the best she can. I can't wait for the next in the series, Beauty of RoseMead coming September 24, 2019.
June 15, 2019
Like the first trilogy in the series, this is perfect every way. Deft writing, thorough editing, addictive plot and the most fully fleshed and likeable characters and cleverly connected world building I've read in a very, very long time. You don't have to read the first trilogy at all to enjoy this book, but it's a TREAT if you do, as you see the reflection of heart-wrenching developments from Bonnie's eyes, and it only adds incredible depth to the whole experience.
I have to say this is now my favorite reworking of the much-visited and reworked Beauty and the Beast fairytale, and I can't wait for the second part, which promises to take it where no one has taken it before! Thank you Lucy Tempest for such a wonderful series, and for doing justice at last to a tale that had such potential that never got truly explored.
HIGHLY recommended for anyone who likes YA, Fantasy, fairytales, retellings, wholesome romance, believable characters, airtight plots and very, very well written books.
I have to say this is now my favorite reworking of the much-visited and reworked Beauty and the Beast fairytale, and I can't wait for the second part, which promises to take it where no one has taken it before! Thank you Lucy Tempest for such a wonderful series, and for doing justice at last to a tale that had such potential that never got truly explored.
HIGHLY recommended for anyone who likes YA, Fantasy, fairytales, retellings, wholesome romance, believable characters, airtight plots and very, very well written books.
June 12, 2019
Fantastic! Yet again Lucy Tempest delivers an impeccable story with incredible writing, pacing, character growth and world-building. I REALLY want to visit Folkshore! And I want to be friends with all her heroines!
This has to be my favorite take on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale among the literal dozens I've read, and YES, that includes A Court of Thorns and Roses! And it's not even complete yet! I anticipate an epic conclusion in the next book, so I don't know how much more I will love it then. After the Cahraman trilogy, I'm totally certain that it will be better than I could even imagine.
I'm hounding Lucy Tempest's website and Amazon page waiting for the preorder to appear so I can pounce on it!
This has to be my favorite take on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale among the literal dozens I've read, and YES, that includes A Court of Thorns and Roses! And it's not even complete yet! I anticipate an epic conclusion in the next book, so I don't know how much more I will love it then. After the Cahraman trilogy, I'm totally certain that it will be better than I could even imagine.
I'm hounding Lucy Tempest's website and Amazon page waiting for the preorder to appear so I can pounce on it!
June 27, 2019
If you read the first three books in this series (a retelling of Aladdin), and haven't picked up this book yet, then what are you waiting for? It is just as amazing as the first books, and I'm so glad there are more books in this world!
I love how Bonnie, the main character in this book, is distinct from Ada from the first three books. Bonnie perhaps isn't as street savvy or hands-on skilled, but she is a strong character who is thrown headfirst into a massive problem.
I love all the characters and how the curse plays out in this one. It is super well done.
I really can't wait for the next book of this series to find out what happens next!
I love how Bonnie, the main character in this book, is distinct from Ada from the first three books. Bonnie perhaps isn't as street savvy or hands-on skilled, but she is a strong character who is thrown headfirst into a massive problem.
I love all the characters and how the curse plays out in this one. It is super well done.
I really can't wait for the next book of this series to find out what happens next!
June 17, 2019
I can't BELIEVE how great this book was.
After the Cahraman trilogy, the best trilogy I've read in AGES, I was worried about Bonnie's book. I thought, not another Beauty and the Beast retelling!! They've been sprouting up at an alarming rate in the last couple of years. So I didn't think Ms. Tempest would be able to do anything I haven't seen yet.
Turns out, I was TOTALLY wrong. Her take on B&B might not be wholly original, but it's UNIQUE in its execution. The addition of a sheltered beauty thirsting for adventure, then growing up right before our eyes all through the book, a cursed Beast who's actually got depth and a sense of humor, not only a temper, and the way he slowly fell in love with Bonnie was heartbreaking, especially since it didn't get exactly reciprocated. I can't wait for book 2 when it finally is.
I LOVED what Ms. Tempest did with the secondary characters, who in every iteration had been more or less props. But she always makes her side-players as complex, entertaining and real as her protagonists, so I shouldn't have been surprised.
Introducing Robin Hood and Will Scarlet in this B&B retelling was SUCH a treat! I can't wait for the Robin's book and I'm going agog trying to work out who his heroine would be!
All in all, a masterfully written, highly polished work of art that I recommend to everyone who loves fantasy and wholesome romance!
After the Cahraman trilogy, the best trilogy I've read in AGES, I was worried about Bonnie's book. I thought, not another Beauty and the Beast retelling!! They've been sprouting up at an alarming rate in the last couple of years. So I didn't think Ms. Tempest would be able to do anything I haven't seen yet.
Turns out, I was TOTALLY wrong. Her take on B&B might not be wholly original, but it's UNIQUE in its execution. The addition of a sheltered beauty thirsting for adventure, then growing up right before our eyes all through the book, a cursed Beast who's actually got depth and a sense of humor, not only a temper, and the way he slowly fell in love with Bonnie was heartbreaking, especially since it didn't get exactly reciprocated. I can't wait for book 2 when it finally is.
I LOVED what Ms. Tempest did with the secondary characters, who in every iteration had been more or less props. But she always makes her side-players as complex, entertaining and real as her protagonists, so I shouldn't have been surprised.
Introducing Robin Hood and Will Scarlet in this B&B retelling was SUCH a treat! I can't wait for the Robin's book and I'm going agog trying to work out who his heroine would be!
All in all, a masterfully written, highly polished work of art that I recommend to everyone who loves fantasy and wholesome romance!
June 23, 2019
To be honest, I was really worried after the truly PHENOMENAL Cahraman trilogy, wondering where Lucy Tempest would go from there, and what she could possibly do with Beauty and the Beast that I haven't seen a hundred times before. It turns out I shouldn't have worried.
In her mega talented hands, B&B, though this first part of the duology followed the Disney version more or less ( in sequence of events only) it was far better than anything I could have expected, and actually the best B&B retelling I've read so far. With the promise of far different things to come with the second part of the duology taking us to Fairie and far away from the usual B&B fare, I'm expecting the whole story to be epic.
This is the first time I've seen REAL character development and emotional growth AND relationship slow burn that is both convincing and satisfying in a b&B retelling. Also the side characters are finally more than plot devices to tell the backstory to the heroine through. They're real people and very, very interesting ones I'm fully invested in and can't wait to see their stories unfold.
As for the inclusion of Robin Hood, can I say GENIUS??? I'm really wondering how his story will unfold and knowing Ms. Tempest, it's going to be truly unexpected. I have a suspicion who his heroine will be, and I can't wait to be proven right!!! I'm right, am I not?
Even if I'm not,I know Ms. Tempest will make me enjoy whatever she comes up with, and I'm bating my breath waiting for the next chapter, and for all the Folkshore magical stories.
Can't recommend this book and the whole series enough folks! Grab your copies today and do yourselves a favor and binge read them!
In her mega talented hands, B&B, though this first part of the duology followed the Disney version more or less ( in sequence of events only) it was far better than anything I could have expected, and actually the best B&B retelling I've read so far. With the promise of far different things to come with the second part of the duology taking us to Fairie and far away from the usual B&B fare, I'm expecting the whole story to be epic.
This is the first time I've seen REAL character development and emotional growth AND relationship slow burn that is both convincing and satisfying in a b&B retelling. Also the side characters are finally more than plot devices to tell the backstory to the heroine through. They're real people and very, very interesting ones I'm fully invested in and can't wait to see their stories unfold.
As for the inclusion of Robin Hood, can I say GENIUS??? I'm really wondering how his story will unfold and knowing Ms. Tempest, it's going to be truly unexpected. I have a suspicion who his heroine will be, and I can't wait to be proven right!!! I'm right, am I not?
Even if I'm not,I know Ms. Tempest will make me enjoy whatever she comes up with, and I'm bating my breath waiting for the next chapter, and for all the Folkshore magical stories.
Can't recommend this book and the whole series enough folks! Grab your copies today and do yourselves a favor and binge read them!
July 7, 2019
Once again I have fallen for the beauty and magic of Lucy's Tempest writing and characters. Beast of Rosemead is Part 1 of the fairy tale retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story, this time with the characters name Bonnie and Leander. I love the banter between Bonnie and Leander and the other characters. The author's take on the enchanted castle/servant staff is different from the other Beauty and the Beast retellings which is thoroughly refreshing. Its a must read for fans of Beauty and the Beast retelling or fans of KM Shea and Melanie Cellier.
(The story is part of the Fairytales of Folkshore series and even though you can read Beast of Rosemead on its own, however I highly recommend that you have read the Thief of Cahraman because the author makes reference to events that happened before this story.)
(The story is part of the Fairytales of Folkshore series and even though you can read Beast of Rosemead on its own, however I highly recommend that you have read the Thief of Cahraman because the author makes reference to events that happened before this story.)
June 30, 2019
Another superb installment in the Fairytales of Folkshore series! Though the unpredictable twists only happen by the end, this Beauty and the Beast retelling is the best written one I've read in forever, and I've read many. The character and relationship development are the best I've seen, and the writing makes me feel I'm right there in that castle, inside Bonnie's mind and experiencing this new fantastical world she's been literally thrown into. I can't wait for the second part of her adventure into Faerie and all the revelation of all the secrets hinted to throughout the book.
If you love B&B retellings, very tightly written and polished stories with amazing heroines who really grow and slow-burning romance development at its best, this is the book for you!
If you love B&B retellings, very tightly written and polished stories with amazing heroines who really grow and slow-burning romance development at its best, this is the book for you!
June 29, 2019
Such a fantastic book, I don't know where to start. So well written and plotted! One of the very best Beauty and the Beast retellings I've ever read, and that's when I expect far more to come in the second part concluding Bonnie's and Leander's story! The twists at the end is leaving me bating my breath for September when Beauty of Rosemead is released.
July 3, 2019
Another love for me!
I am.a.big beauty and the beast fan...I read all retellings! And I loved this! Her first three pulled me in and now I am hooked and can't wait for the next. It different and the same and it's not hard to read. Her story takes me to this land and I love it.
I am.a.big beauty and the beast fan...I read all retellings! And I loved this! Her first three pulled me in and now I am hooked and can't wait for the next. It different and the same and it's not hard to read. Her story takes me to this land and I love it.
June 18, 2019
I think I like this book more than Disney’s version. I wish I didn’t have to wait so long between books.
June 29, 2019
Another amazing installment in the Fairytales of Folkshore series. It is like the description, a Beauty and the Beast like never before. For the first time, Beauty (Bonnie) has an actual character and journey and development, and the Beast (Leander) has dimensions and growth, and the developing relationship is believable and riveting. The world building is as usual from Ms. Tempest, detailed and immersive without any info dumps, and the side characters fully fleshed and the dialogue delightful.
I can't wait for the second part concluding this delightful retelling that I can't recommend enough!
I can't wait for the second part concluding this delightful retelling that I can't recommend enough!
June 30, 2019
One word. Fantastic. Much more than I expected, since all Beauty And The Beast retellings have never developed Belle and The Beast and their relationship as I hoped. Beast of Rosemead shines in this respect and it's abundantly clear that after the familiar retelling is now over, that Ms. Tempest will take us away from the known Beauty And The Beast story and into something totally original in the second part...and I can't wait! I already pre-ordered Beauty of Rosemead the second it became available and am counting the days till September!
I can't recommend this book enough as well as all the other books in the series. Do youself a favor and binge them today!
I can't recommend this book enough as well as all the other books in the series. Do youself a favor and binge them today!
September 29, 2019
Wow
This book is amazing I'm so great full to have found these books! I can't wait to read more!! !
This book is amazing I'm so great full to have found these books! I can't wait to read more!! !
July 13, 2019
Lucy Tempest is now one of my top ten favorite authors, among hard-hitters like J.K. Rowling and Sarah J. Maas. I can't believe thousands of people aren't talking about her and reviewing her books! Really...why aren't they? Her writing is on par with the best and her characters are always meticulously drawn and surprising, her world building is amazing and most of all, her books are so addictive. I can't get enough of them and hope she writes more and more, so though I'm not one to write reviews, I always write ones for her books so she'd keep on writing and providing me with those masterpieces!
Beast of Rosemead was the Beauty and the Beast retelling I didn't know I needed and now I can't wait for the second part in Beauty of Rosemead, where I'm sure Lucy Tempest will surprise and delight me with the unexpected, like she did in her Cahraman trilogy, giving us a totally delightful and unpredictable Aladdin retelling.
I wish more people would be introduced to her great work and support this incredible indie author who deserves thousands of five star reviews!
Beast of Rosemead was the Beauty and the Beast retelling I didn't know I needed and now I can't wait for the second part in Beauty of Rosemead, where I'm sure Lucy Tempest will surprise and delight me with the unexpected, like she did in her Cahraman trilogy, giving us a totally delightful and unpredictable Aladdin retelling.
I wish more people would be introduced to her great work and support this incredible indie author who deserves thousands of five star reviews!
July 12, 2019
Now THAT'S how Beauty and the Beast should be done! Characters with real personalities and development and a romance that develops organically that you can truly root for. Even side characters that are real people and not just literally props in the story. I love how Ms. Tempest imagination had brought them all to life and made me unable to wait for the conclusion of this duology. Beauty of Rosemead promises to take us where no Beauty and the Beast retelling has ever taken us before and I for myself can't wait for the wild ride. Brava, Ms. Tempst!
July 27, 2020
I'm a sucker for a good fairytale retelling, and Lucy Tempest already had me 100% from the very beginning of the Cahraman series. However, if retellings are my weakness, then Beauty and the Beast retellings will be my downfall, and Beast of Rosemead was no exception.
I had some vague ideas of what would happen in Bonnie's story due to Adelaide's story, and I knew one thing that was subtly hinted at from the very beginning of Thief of Cahraman (which is kind of a big deal for me, because I don't pick up on little foreshadowing details often), and it was fascinating to see how things truly played out with Bonnie knowing the tiny bit I did about the foreshadowing.
I also found it interesting where this timeline intersected with the Cahraman trilogy. I imagine it's happening during and after the events of Queen of Cahraman, although I could be wrong, as the passage of time is kind of hard to follow between the two. I'm hoping this leads to a reunion in Beauty of Rosemead but I remember there was a big time skip between the last scenes of Prince of Cahraman and the beginning of Queen of Cahraman, maybe about two weeks, so I'm not sure where that all works itself in. I also hope Fairuza makes an appearance in Beauty of Rosemead; she almost has to if I'm right about where the timelines intersect.
It was also intriguing to learn more about Bonnie's background. I have many thoughts about what her heritage and her parents could mean for her and Leander, and once again the story leads me to question just how much influence Nariman has over all of Folkshore, and even Faerie or at least her knowledge of it.
Fairytales of Folkshore is the first series I can remember where I've actually bought the books immediately after finishing the first, and it might be some combination of the $100 Amazon gift card I won, the quarantine, and the fact that I was able to read the second book for free on the Kindle app as well, but this is the fastest I've ever my way through a series with this many books in a long time, and the first one where I truly think every book is better than the last, when Thief of Cahraman already set the bar sky high.
I love Lucy Tempest and can't wait to read the next installment, and then Ornella's story in Princess of Midnight. And hopefully if I pace myself Fairuza's story will be out by the time I'm finished too. But seriously, I don't want this series to end!
I had some vague ideas of what would happen in Bonnie's story due to Adelaide's story, and I knew one thing that was subtly hinted at from the very beginning of Thief of Cahraman (which is kind of a big deal for me, because I don't pick up on little foreshadowing details often), and it was fascinating to see how things truly played out with Bonnie knowing the tiny bit I did about the foreshadowing.
I also found it interesting where this timeline intersected with the Cahraman trilogy. I imagine it's happening during and after the events of Queen of Cahraman, although I could be wrong, as the passage of time is kind of hard to follow between the two. I'm hoping this leads to a reunion in Beauty of Rosemead but I remember there was a big time skip between the last scenes of Prince of Cahraman and the beginning of Queen of Cahraman, maybe about two weeks, so I'm not sure where that all works itself in. I also hope Fairuza makes an appearance in Beauty of Rosemead; she almost has to if I'm right about where the timelines intersect.
It was also intriguing to learn more about Bonnie's background. I have many thoughts about what her heritage and her parents could mean for her and Leander, and once again the story leads me to question just how much influence Nariman has over all of Folkshore, and even Faerie or at least her knowledge of it.
Fairytales of Folkshore is the first series I can remember where I've actually bought the books immediately after finishing the first, and it might be some combination of the $100 Amazon gift card I won, the quarantine, and the fact that I was able to read the second book for free on the Kindle app as well, but this is the fastest I've ever my way through a series with this many books in a long time, and the first one where I truly think every book is better than the last, when Thief of Cahraman already set the bar sky high.
I love Lucy Tempest and can't wait to read the next installment, and then Ornella's story in Princess of Midnight. And hopefully if I pace myself Fairuza's story will be out by the time I'm finished too. But seriously, I don't want this series to end!
February 5, 2022
If there is one story I hate and love at the same time, it's the story of Beauty and the Beast. It's almost impossible to explain why I hate it that much. I guess it's the beastly prince turning into a handsome man at the end of the story, implying that you still only get happy endings if you're beautiful. But it's easier to explain why I love it so much: It's the ultimate haters to lovers and it's that one story where love is about really connecting on a personal level. I was therefore excited to start this one.
In many ways this book follows the well known tale very very well. It's quite clear from the start that our Gaston is present for this story. And from there on all the well known elements and scenes are incorporated in the most natural way possible. Our Beauty gets a library, there is an attack bringing the two of them closer, but not before she's thrown plates at his head and refused to eat, while he still thinks he can command a girl to love him.
For a little while the story therefore was nice, but not very fresh or original. Of course, there was the mythology. In a great way Tempest fit the story into her world and connected it in several ways to the other tales in this series of interconnected tales. That also means connecting the mythology and although it's a well known way of doing this tale, it's the one I love most: The outside reflecting the inside. But, at the very end Tempest takes some original, fresh and interesting turns.
And that's mostly because Tempest allowed her characters to take that turn, a turn that fitted them and makes so much sense! Mostly because Tempest really wrote amazing characters in this story. I especially loved Bonnie and mostly because I recognized myself in her so much. The annoying kid interrupting people's stories with questions and comments, always wanting more knowledge and enjoying nothing as much as a good book.
I'm really excited to dive into the next book, especially because it seems we're leaving the original tale behind and are moving into original territory!
In many ways this book follows the well known tale very very well. It's quite clear from the start that our Gaston is present for this story. And from there on all the well known elements and scenes are incorporated in the most natural way possible. Our Beauty gets a library, there is an attack bringing the two of them closer, but not before she's thrown plates at his head and refused to eat, while he still thinks he can command a girl to love him.
For a little while the story therefore was nice, but not very fresh or original. Of course, there was the mythology. In a great way Tempest fit the story into her world and connected it in several ways to the other tales in this series of interconnected tales. That also means connecting the mythology and although it's a well known way of doing this tale, it's the one I love most: The outside reflecting the inside. But, at the very end Tempest takes some original, fresh and interesting turns.
And that's mostly because Tempest allowed her characters to take that turn, a turn that fitted them and makes so much sense! Mostly because Tempest really wrote amazing characters in this story. I especially loved Bonnie and mostly because I recognized myself in her so much. The annoying kid interrupting people's stories with questions and comments, always wanting more knowledge and enjoying nothing as much as a good book.
I'm really excited to dive into the next book, especially because it seems we're leaving the original tale behind and are moving into original territory!
November 27, 2019
This book is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with Bonnie Fairborn as the Beauty and Leander as the Beast. It is the fourth installment of the Fairytales of Folkshore by Lucy Tempest.
I enjoyed this retelling of Beauty and the Beast and thought the story was very good. It is the same as the original Beauty and the Beast. Bonnie seemed a bit too spoiled. The world setup was very good.
I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this retelling of Beauty and the Beast and thought the story was very good. It is the same as the original Beauty and the Beast. Bonnie seemed a bit too spoiled. The world setup was very good.
I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2020
A retelling of Beauty and the Beast...I honestly felt it was more it’s own tale. Although there are some parallels to the original, I think going into it knowing it was a retelling made me hesitant to like it. I compared the characters quite a bit more than probably necessary (beauty and the beast is my favorite so naturally I would compare).
Although Bonnie was not my favorite character, I really enjoyed Leander and Jessamine. I’m excited to read the next one because I feel like Bonnie is finally owning herself and the next steps will be more adventure than preamble.
Although Bonnie was not my favorite character, I really enjoyed Leander and Jessamine. I’m excited to read the next one because I feel like Bonnie is finally owning herself and the next steps will be more adventure than preamble.
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