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Beauty Reborn
“Suspense-building flashbacks. Soul-searching, cautionary realism. Beauty herself is an intriguing, well-crafted original.” ― Kirkus Fantasy and reality collide in this retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” about a young woman’s heroic quest to save herself. Beauty’s life is the stuff of fairy tales. The youngest in her family, Beauty isn’t trying to catch Stephan’s eye. He is the lord baron’s heir, well above her family’s modest station, but when he kisses her hand at a party, Beauty is swept away by his charm, his wit, and his passionate declarations of love. Hearts can be untamable creatures, especially when touched by the fires of first love, and Beauty doesn’t see the truth of Stephan’s intentions until it is too late. Until he stops asking for Beauty’s love―and simply takes it from her one night despite her refusal. Beauty locks away the secret of what happened to her, and when her father emerges from the enchanted forest with a stolen rose in his hand and the tale of a vicious beast on his breath, Beauty seizes the chance to run as far from Stephan as possible. She has some experience with beasts, after all. Certainly the one in the forest couldn’t be any worse than the one she’s already encountered. Breaking the Beast’s curse might be the key to discovering her own path to healing―and finding the courage to allow herself to feel reborn.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published May 9, 2023
28 people are currently reading
5290 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Lowham
5 books198 followersElizabeth (Liz) Lowham dreams of a future house that is seventy-percent library with at least three lavish window seats. Her reality is five bookshelves and a rocking chair, which isn’t so bad. She is the author of Beauty Reborn, Astra Remade, and Casters & Crowns. She has a BA in English from BYUI.
Learn more at www.elizabethlowham.com
Learn more at www.elizabethlowham.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
January 10, 2023
It was a weird retelling of Beauty and the Beast that promises much but delivers nothing of what's expected. It works on the plot premise, very positive in my opinion, of giving Beauty a different reason to go to the castle of Beast on her own without the usual father messing up (... much) and give Beast a different reason for being turned into a monster than in the fairy tale and most other retellings.
That alone would've been one wonderful premise to build on. I mean, how many retellings have we already got that go for the usual rose theft or debt? And how many retellings have we read in which Beast is unwillingly shapeshifted for pissing off a magical being with zero sense of humour? Too many! So, if Beauty goes to the castle due to the workings of a rival that manipulates his way into her life and Beastie boy becomes Beastie boy for not being careful about what he wished for, the story is going to be promising, right?
Oh, no, you're a too optimistic person, Marquise. Always expecting good premises to end in good execution. When will you ever learn? Never, apparently. So I was deeply disappointed by the absolute lack of spine and character shown by both Beauty and Beast here. Especially her, the banana I just hate has more spunk than that girl, and I still feel like I'm insulting the banana. I'm not trying to overdo sarcasm here, it's seriously a lackluster main female lead, which is surprising in itself given how easy Beauty is to write. Even the evil sister had more backbone, and that in spite of being a bit of a caricature villain. And, it pains me to say because Beast is my favourite, he's a wet dog of a monster, about as scary as a toy poodle trying to posture in front of a Great Dane. The rival for Beauty's affection easily outshone him.
I can't believe I'm writing this, the baddies are the stars! And they're not even complex and nuanced baddies. You can't root for the main couple because they have little to no chemistry, and you can't root for the evil ones because they're not fetching villains, so you're left with just a sauce that has all the ingredients but no spice.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
That alone would've been one wonderful premise to build on. I mean, how many retellings have we already got that go for the usual rose theft or debt? And how many retellings have we read in which Beast is unwillingly shapeshifted for pissing off a magical being with zero sense of humour? Too many! So, if Beauty goes to the castle due to the workings of a rival that manipulates his way into her life and Beastie boy becomes Beastie boy for not being careful about what he wished for, the story is going to be promising, right?
Oh, no, you're a too optimistic person, Marquise. Always expecting good premises to end in good execution. When will you ever learn? Never, apparently. So I was deeply disappointed by the absolute lack of spine and character shown by both Beauty and Beast here. Especially her, the banana I just hate has more spunk than that girl, and I still feel like I'm insulting the banana. I'm not trying to overdo sarcasm here, it's seriously a lackluster main female lead, which is surprising in itself given how easy Beauty is to write. Even the evil sister had more backbone, and that in spite of being a bit of a caricature villain. And, it pains me to say because Beast is my favourite, he's a wet dog of a monster, about as scary as a toy poodle trying to posture in front of a Great Dane. The rival for Beauty's affection easily outshone him.
I can't believe I'm writing this, the baddies are the stars! And they're not even complex and nuanced baddies. You can't root for the main couple because they have little to no chemistry, and you can't root for the evil ones because they're not fetching villains, so you're left with just a sauce that has all the ingredients but no spice.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2024
I collect beauty and the beast retellings like infinity stones; I'm gonna need more space, I think.
November 22, 2022
Wow I am really surprised how much I liked this. When I first started I was impressed by the writing then I noticed how much it was like one of my favorite books Beauty by Robin McKinley. I wonder if she got her idea from that book. I have read that book so many times I knew where this one was different and the differences were awesome. There is room for improvement in the movement of the book. I would get a little lost at times. There was a lot of back and forth. I wonder if it the released version this will be broken up better. It was so fast paced I swallowed this book up so quickly. Beauty by Robin is a much slower book. But at the same time I wanted it to slow down and wanted more! This is an author I will be following. Just loved the writing.
Here is a sample of a couple of my favorite lines.
''We were shoulder-deep in truth, and I felt the thorns"
"I think......." I swallowed. "I think God makes light out of darkness. But the darkness still exists.'
This is not a book filled with religion but there is a part near the end with talk of God. I included a bit of it above. This is a sweet romance with a couple of kisses.
There is a rape and the aftermath that drives this book. It is handled beautifully. I would let my 16 year old read this.
Here is a sample of a couple of my favorite lines.
''We were shoulder-deep in truth, and I felt the thorns"
"I think......." I swallowed. "I think God makes light out of darkness. But the darkness still exists.'
This is not a book filled with religion but there is a part near the end with talk of God. I included a bit of it above. This is a sweet romance with a couple of kisses.
There is a rape and the aftermath that drives this book. It is handled beautifully. I would let my 16 year old read this.
January 19, 2023
Beauty Reborn is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with both similar and unique twists to the original tale. It’s a decent length—not too long but not too short—and each chapter wasn’t that long either, so I was able to get through this book pretty fast (plus, it helps being a very fast reader 😉).
I’m giving this book 4 stars for two reasons, one positive and the other constructive criticism. So let’s start with the positive.
There were some scenes in the story that I really liked between Beauty and Beast. Some that were tender and pure and touching. And I liked that how, while this story shared some similarities—Beauty’s love for books, their slow enemies-to-lovers trope, etc.—there were unique elements, such as Beauty’s fear of relationships because of past trauma, which the author handled very well. How Beast treated and cared for Beauty and was so respectful of boundaries after what she’d gone through was so touching.
And now the constructive criticism….
The beginning of the story was much too fast paced and not enough space of the book was devoted to setting up the story and establishing a solid beginning plot. Also, the climaxes of the story fell short for me and definitely left me wanting more. The rest of the book was fine, but definitely the pivotal scenes in the book were a tad disappointing to me.
However, all that to say, the author has a lovely writing style and I’m glad to have read this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an eARC of Beauty Reborn. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts are expressly my own.
I’m giving this book 4 stars for two reasons, one positive and the other constructive criticism. So let’s start with the positive.
There were some scenes in the story that I really liked between Beauty and Beast. Some that were tender and pure and touching. And I liked that how, while this story shared some similarities—Beauty’s love for books, their slow enemies-to-lovers trope, etc.—there were unique elements, such as Beauty’s fear of relationships because of past trauma, which the author handled very well. How Beast treated and cared for Beauty and was so respectful of boundaries after what she’d gone through was so touching.
And now the constructive criticism….
The beginning of the story was much too fast paced and not enough space of the book was devoted to setting up the story and establishing a solid beginning plot. Also, the climaxes of the story fell short for me and definitely left me wanting more. The rest of the book was fine, but definitely the pivotal scenes in the book were a tad disappointing to me.
However, all that to say, the author has a lovely writing style and I’m glad to have read this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an eARC of Beauty Reborn. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts are expressly my own.
March 5, 2023
I can never resist a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and Elizabeth Lowham’s Beauty Reborn offers a unique spin on the original tale. It’s a captivating story with contemporary themes and issues, and I became really invested in Beauty’s journey.
The story includes many of the classic Beauty and the Beast elements. The destitute father who steals a rose from Beast’s garden, the ungrateful siblings, the magical setting, and the Beast’s curse are all part of the story. However, the novel doesn’t focus as much on the fantastical elements as we often see in Beauty and the Beast retellings. Instead, it is a story of grief, healing, learning to trust, and sacrifice. It follows Beauty’s journey as a survivor of abuse and shows how she faces her trauma.
Beauty and Beast are both compelling characters with interesting backstories. Healing from the trauma of abuse, Beauty’s life isn’t as charmed as it might seem. Her story, while in a fantastical setting, addresses issues that women today face. I liked her growth and thought her arc was powerful and emotional. I liked Beast, too, and found it interesting that the story also focuses on his trauma. This aspect of his story is often glossed over, but the curse has affected Beast profoundly. He, like Beauty, learns a lot about himself and heals as his relationship with Beauty grows. And I love how Beast respects Beauty’s boundaries even when he’s forced to ask her a question he already knows the answer to. His kindness and sincerity not only contrasts the other men in Beauty’s life and his frightening appearance but also highlights how unfair and punishing his curse is.
Though the secondary characters weren’t as developed as Beauty and Beast, it works well in the story. Like the classic piece, the focus remains on Beauty and Beast. I feel like the less-developed characters are meant to be stagnant archetypes that highlight the many layers and immense growth of the protagonists. That being said, I would have liked a little more development of these characters, the plot, and the fantasy elements, especially because I loved the author’s writing style.
Overall, I thought this was a unique retelling with some really powerful messages. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy reimaginings but would recommend checking out the content warnings before reading, as there are elements of the story that could prove triggering.
Special thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
The story includes many of the classic Beauty and the Beast elements. The destitute father who steals a rose from Beast’s garden, the ungrateful siblings, the magical setting, and the Beast’s curse are all part of the story. However, the novel doesn’t focus as much on the fantastical elements as we often see in Beauty and the Beast retellings. Instead, it is a story of grief, healing, learning to trust, and sacrifice. It follows Beauty’s journey as a survivor of abuse and shows how she faces her trauma.
Beauty and Beast are both compelling characters with interesting backstories. Healing from the trauma of abuse, Beauty’s life isn’t as charmed as it might seem. Her story, while in a fantastical setting, addresses issues that women today face. I liked her growth and thought her arc was powerful and emotional. I liked Beast, too, and found it interesting that the story also focuses on his trauma. This aspect of his story is often glossed over, but the curse has affected Beast profoundly. He, like Beauty, learns a lot about himself and heals as his relationship with Beauty grows. And I love how Beast respects Beauty’s boundaries even when he’s forced to ask her a question he already knows the answer to. His kindness and sincerity not only contrasts the other men in Beauty’s life and his frightening appearance but also highlights how unfair and punishing his curse is.
Though the secondary characters weren’t as developed as Beauty and Beast, it works well in the story. Like the classic piece, the focus remains on Beauty and Beast. I feel like the less-developed characters are meant to be stagnant archetypes that highlight the many layers and immense growth of the protagonists. That being said, I would have liked a little more development of these characters, the plot, and the fantasy elements, especially because I loved the author’s writing style.
Overall, I thought this was a unique retelling with some really powerful messages. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy reimaginings but would recommend checking out the content warnings before reading, as there are elements of the story that could prove triggering.
Special thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
February 16, 2023
I found this retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story a bit basic. While there were some variations between this retelling and the fairy tale, I would have loved to see the story stretched a bit further.
Beauty's character arc was very well written. I loved getting to see how she gradually was able to recover and rise from the pain of her past.
Beast was a nice, considerate love interest, but I never really fell in love with him. I feel like seeing him encounter the villain would have made him a much more loveable character.
Content warning: This book alludes to a rape in a character's past (nothing is shown). Age range: 14+
Overall, I enjoyed this story about the individual worth of each person, no matter their internal or external scars.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Beauty's character arc was very well written. I loved getting to see how she gradually was able to recover and rise from the pain of her past.
Beast was a nice, considerate love interest, but I never really fell in love with him. I feel like seeing him encounter the villain would have made him a much more loveable character.
Content warning: This book alludes to a rape in a character's past (nothing is shown). Age range: 14+
Overall, I enjoyed this story about the individual worth of each person, no matter their internal or external scars.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2025
Honestly, this soft and vibey Beauty and the Beast retelling is so underrated!
When you look at the book as a whole, it doesn't have that much plot in terms of action, but it does have a lot of character development, two people forming a gentle relationship and finding someone who understands and loves them for who they are. It's so delicate and lovely and a bit different from the usual retellings.
I saw some people say in their reviews that they found the Beast to have no chemistry with Beauty, or no personality. While I respect their opinion, I'd have to say I disagree. It all depends on what kind of character you're looking for. I actually loved that (unlike most male characters nowadays), Beast was soft-spoken, said only a few words and didn't do any greatly heroic acts that you can see immediately - but when you look closely, he shows his love in every little moment with Beauty. He encourages her to speak, he sought out her company all the time, he complimented everything she did, and he respected all of her decisions. Even when he was forced by his curse to do something, he tried as best as he could not to hurt her in the process and explain to her why it is what it is.
All in all, their low-key romance was something my cold heart didn't know it needed ♥
When you look at the book as a whole, it doesn't have that much plot in terms of action, but it does have a lot of character development, two people forming a gentle relationship and finding someone who understands and loves them for who they are. It's so delicate and lovely and a bit different from the usual retellings.
I saw some people say in their reviews that they found the Beast to have no chemistry with Beauty, or no personality. While I respect their opinion, I'd have to say I disagree. It all depends on what kind of character you're looking for. I actually loved that (unlike most male characters nowadays), Beast was soft-spoken, said only a few words and didn't do any greatly heroic acts that you can see immediately - but when you look closely, he shows his love in every little moment with Beauty. He encourages her to speak, he sought out her company all the time, he complimented everything she did, and he respected all of her decisions. Even when he was forced by his curse to do something, he tried as best as he could not to hurt her in the process and explain to her why it is what it is.
All in all, their low-key romance was something my cold heart didn't know it needed ♥
September 24, 2024
She was his beauty his Orla the Pirate Queen, and He was her wee beastie, her Cabin boy, forever and always
╰⪼ ³sᴛᴀʀs⋆⭒˚.⋆
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋ “𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙄'𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙, 𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙄'𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙨.” 𓇢𓆸
THIS BOOK WAS A EMOTIONAL PUNCHING BAG Like oh my gosh. At first I thought I was going to need to dnf this book. I thought I was going to get a cute fluffy romance book. I thought I thought well I was wrong okay!!!! Oh my gosh this book. The characters were well meh, the creativeness with the setting was uhmmmm.... bad, but the creativeness with the conversation the poetry of the book was well beautiful!!!!!
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋ “𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙨 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙗 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙙.” 𓇢𓆸
Beauty Okay I do not like her name. AT FIRST but now I love it. I love how the author gave me a whole back story on the name! I love it I love it!! I love how even though through her trauma she still was herself. She did not shy away from what she thought or believe in. She was her sparky self and I love it! Beast Okay that's my man That's my man!!!! I love this guy so freaking much. Even though we literally got GLIMPSES of him I loved him. I really felt so bad for him but also did not feel bad. He deserved being turned into a beast he deserved to learn to be careful for what to wish for Like oh my gosh. Also the blue fairy!!! Stop okay I love them and that scene in the library made me cry like sir does not have permission to be all broody and handsome and with a snap of him claws (see what I did there) and become this gooey cutie<3
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋ 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄'𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𓇢𓆸
StephenI love him, I love him, I love him That is what a lunatic would say. I will not hold back the spoilers here!!!!!! I tell you THIS WILL BE SPOILERS!!!!!!! Anyways this man told Beauty He "loved" her and asked her to marry him. And after being rejected, went to her house while she was sick, SICK! and go to her bedroom and say this crap, "You can deny me of marrying you but it really is only a title, you are my Beauty." and then R@p€ her!!!!! Like against her damn will!!!!!! This man disgusts me he disgusts me!!! And how when she was gone told her FATHER that she was pregnant with his child and told the father to sell her hand in marriage just cause of that!!!!! I tell you I think my neighbors across the whole neighborhood could hear me yelling my freaking voice out!!!!!! I oh my gosh!!!! And to top of this mess up scenario Beauty's power wealthy hungry older sister
Astra
Was literally ready to sell her SISTER to be wealthy and what married to a man with money. This woman is greedy and so vain this woman makes my skin crawl because I know there are people just like Astra and Stephen and I scares me. Also the end Astra she is so vain literally!!!!! Well I guess I need to read her story.
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋ "𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨." 𝙁𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙙. "𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙨𝙝, 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙖𝙨𝙝 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚, 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙." 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘴𝘩𓇢𓆸
Overall I liked this book. It was honestly much darker than I thought it would be in it's 195 pages. I cannot get over it. This book is a something. I honestly have no words like none on how this book is relatable and how I feel.
⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆
Pre-Review
I can't ya'll I might cry
╰⪼ ³sᴛᴀʀs⋆⭒˚.⋆
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋ “𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙄'𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙, 𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙄'𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙨.” 𓇢𓆸
THIS BOOK WAS A EMOTIONAL PUNCHING BAG Like oh my gosh. At first I thought I was going to need to dnf this book. I thought I was going to get a cute fluffy romance book. I thought I thought well I was wrong okay!!!! Oh my gosh this book. The characters were well meh, the creativeness with the setting was uhmmmm.... bad, but the creativeness with the conversation the poetry of the book was well beautiful!!!!!
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋ “𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙨 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙗 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙙.” 𓇢𓆸
Beauty Okay I do not like her name. AT FIRST but now I love it. I love how the author gave me a whole back story on the name! I love it I love it!! I love how even though through her trauma she still was herself. She did not shy away from what she thought or believe in. She was her sparky self and I love it! Beast Okay that's my man That's my man!!!! I love this guy so freaking much. Even though we literally got GLIMPSES of him I loved him. I really felt so bad for him but also did not feel bad. He deserved being turned into a beast he deserved to learn to be careful for what to wish for Like oh my gosh. Also the blue fairy!!! Stop okay I love them and that scene in the library made me cry like sir does not have permission to be all broody and handsome and with a snap of him claws (see what I did there) and become this gooey cutie<3
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋ 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄'𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𓇢𓆸
Stephen
𓏲⋆ ִֶָ ๋ "𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨." 𝙁𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙙. "𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙨𝙝, 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙖𝙨𝙝 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚, 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙." 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘴𝘩𓇢𓆸
Overall I liked this book. It was honestly much darker than I thought it would be in it's 195 pages. I cannot get over it. This book is a something. I honestly have no words like none on how this book is relatable and how I feel.
⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆⋆⭒˚.⋆
Pre-Review
I can't ya'll I might cry
May 22, 2023
BEAUTY REBORN is a retelling of the classic Beauty & the Beast story. It’s a quick read, but it still managed to include some lovely character growth for Beauty as she recovers from the trauma of sexual assault and learns to be a better person. It was a great fit for an afternoon read, and I really enjoyed it.
March 7, 2023
CW: mention of rape
Probably more of a 3.5.
I’m not someone who reads a lot of Beauty and the Beast retellings because it’s not a story I grew up with. But this one had a lovely looking cover, so I requested the publisher for an arc and was excited to read it. And turns out it was enjoyable.
The prose was definitely the best part of this story. There were some very beautiful lines throughout and I highlighted my copy quite a bit. However, it also felt like this was a story that was very close to the original, maybe even assumed that you know the actual story and only parts of it are changed or retold to give it a new feel. There’s an enchanted forest and castle, one faerie who grants wishes and that’s it - it’s the extent of world building here and as a huge reader of fantasy, that was a tad bit dissatisfactory for me. But the pacing itself was quick, and the way the past of Beauty is told in short bursts of flashbacks was done quite seamlessly.
This is a fairly short book, almost like a novella, which is probably why I felt that we didn’t get enough time for the characters to be developed. Beauty is suffering because of the trauma in her past and wants an escape from that, so I liked that she gets the slow healing that she deserves through the time she spends with Beast. He on the other hand doesn’t have a POV, and is a very limited conversationalist, so I felt like we only got to know Beast through Beauty’s perspective which was maybe enough to show his kindness and compassionate nature, but we never truly get to know him in depth. I liked that Beauty’s family was mostly supportive and there were only a couple of twists with the villains. But there really isn’t too much to do for the supporting characters.
In the end, I liked reading this book. It was a short and quick read, and has a charming quality to it, but I think I was expecting more yearning or romance. This might be your cup of tea if you love the original Beauty and the Beast fairytale but haven’t read too many retellings, and are ready for a shorter read.
Probably more of a 3.5.
I’m not someone who reads a lot of Beauty and the Beast retellings because it’s not a story I grew up with. But this one had a lovely looking cover, so I requested the publisher for an arc and was excited to read it. And turns out it was enjoyable.
The prose was definitely the best part of this story. There were some very beautiful lines throughout and I highlighted my copy quite a bit. However, it also felt like this was a story that was very close to the original, maybe even assumed that you know the actual story and only parts of it are changed or retold to give it a new feel. There’s an enchanted forest and castle, one faerie who grants wishes and that’s it - it’s the extent of world building here and as a huge reader of fantasy, that was a tad bit dissatisfactory for me. But the pacing itself was quick, and the way the past of Beauty is told in short bursts of flashbacks was done quite seamlessly.
This is a fairly short book, almost like a novella, which is probably why I felt that we didn’t get enough time for the characters to be developed. Beauty is suffering because of the trauma in her past and wants an escape from that, so I liked that she gets the slow healing that she deserves through the time she spends with Beast. He on the other hand doesn’t have a POV, and is a very limited conversationalist, so I felt like we only got to know Beast through Beauty’s perspective which was maybe enough to show his kindness and compassionate nature, but we never truly get to know him in depth. I liked that Beauty’s family was mostly supportive and there were only a couple of twists with the villains. But there really isn’t too much to do for the supporting characters.
In the end, I liked reading this book. It was a short and quick read, and has a charming quality to it, but I think I was expecting more yearning or romance. This might be your cup of tea if you love the original Beauty and the Beast fairytale but haven’t read too many retellings, and are ready for a shorter read.
January 29, 2023
Yeah, this was not great, unfortunately. Honestly, I might need a forever break from Beauty and the Beast retellings. I thought this one had promise with the MC recovering from sexual assault, but it fell flat.
Reasons I didn’t vibe with this book:
- no plot tension. At all.
- romance was so dry. No chemistry to be found.
- MC was insufferable and unmemorable. Beast was mediocre.
- telling instead of showing
Thanks to Shadow Mountain for the arc.
Reasons I didn’t vibe with this book:
- no plot tension. At all.
- romance was so dry. No chemistry to be found.
- MC was insufferable and unmemorable. Beast was mediocre.
- telling instead of showing
Thanks to Shadow Mountain for the arc.
August 23, 2023
When Beauty's father comes home in debt to a beast in the forest she takes his place at the Beast's castle without hesitation. She feels it better to be devoured by a beast then to be forced into a marriage to a different monster. Can Beauty find her worth again after feeling like everything was taken from her? And what role will the beast play in her new world?
I absolutely loved this retelling, even though I went in sceptical. I didn't think there was much room in my heart for Beauty and the Beast retellings after A Court of Thorns and Roses, but Beauty Reborn holds it's own in less than half the page count. Beast is well written and the banter between him and Beauty help you fall in love right along with her. Beauty's growth throughout the novel is a great testament to women working through trauma and how it's not always a forward journey. Backslides are inevitable and the author handles these moments with a truth the reader can resonate with.
5 stars and a heavy recommendation for Beauty Reborn. Recommended for readers who enjoy true retellings with new twists while staying true to well known material. Age range 12+ as nothing graphic is on the page. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this retelling, even though I went in sceptical. I didn't think there was much room in my heart for Beauty and the Beast retellings after A Court of Thorns and Roses, but Beauty Reborn holds it's own in less than half the page count. Beast is well written and the banter between him and Beauty help you fall in love right along with her. Beauty's growth throughout the novel is a great testament to women working through trauma and how it's not always a forward journey. Backslides are inevitable and the author handles these moments with a truth the reader can resonate with.
5 stars and a heavy recommendation for Beauty Reborn. Recommended for readers who enjoy true retellings with new twists while staying true to well known material. Age range 12+ as nothing graphic is on the page. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2023
A tale that never grows old!
Scintillating, heartfelt retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Lowham ensorcelled my heart with a story that’s creatively original in its telling, and lyrical in its execution.
Beauty has two sisters, a brother and a father whose fortunes as a merchant sank with his ship.
Forced to sell everything and live in a humble cottage near the enchanted Forest, the family endures
Beauty at seventeen is a whimsical young woman who fancies herself in love with the local Baron’s son. He asks her to marry him but she refuses due to having older sisters. They must marry first. He persists. The third time he asks and she says NO, is when he confronts her alone in the house, in her bedroom. I can say no more!
Beauty goes to cut down some wood in the Forest. She chops into a living tree. Alarmed by her own actions she bandages the cut near the root and covers it with dirt. This is her first momentary glimpse of something that looks like a blue fairy.
Her father returns from hunting in the Forest with a rose he’s taken from the castle garden for Beauty. Beauty knows her father will have to pay. She sneaks out and goes in her father’s stead, standing at the gate and calling on the Beast.
Now the storyline takes us on a journey of loss, of understanding and of wishing. Magical!
A Shadow Mountain ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
Scintillating, heartfelt retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Lowham ensorcelled my heart with a story that’s creatively original in its telling, and lyrical in its execution.
Beauty has two sisters, a brother and a father whose fortunes as a merchant sank with his ship.
Forced to sell everything and live in a humble cottage near the enchanted Forest, the family endures
Beauty at seventeen is a whimsical young woman who fancies herself in love with the local Baron’s son. He asks her to marry him but she refuses due to having older sisters. They must marry first. He persists. The third time he asks and she says NO, is when he confronts her alone in the house, in her bedroom. I can say no more!
Beauty goes to cut down some wood in the Forest. She chops into a living tree. Alarmed by her own actions she bandages the cut near the root and covers it with dirt. This is her first momentary glimpse of something that looks like a blue fairy.
Her father returns from hunting in the Forest with a rose he’s taken from the castle garden for Beauty. Beauty knows her father will have to pay. She sneaks out and goes in her father’s stead, standing at the gate and calling on the Beast.
Now the storyline takes us on a journey of loss, of understanding and of wishing. Magical!
A Shadow Mountain ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
May 9, 2023
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC.
NOPE.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I want to be able to come here and tell y’all I enjoyed this, but I just flat out did not.
This wasn’t a retelling so much as a direct copycat of the original movie. I don’t feel like I got anything new out of this story and instead wished I was just watching the movie.
At barely 200 pages there isn’t enough context or story to get the full sense of Beauty, her family, or her relationship with Beast. Beauty and Beast play make believe games while in the castle and hardly talk to one another for most of the book.
There’s some small good moments about finding light in the dark and such. That’s about all I can pull out that I liked.
No world building (once again I feel like it was leaning on the hope that I had seen the movie), random flashbacks to two different time points that didn’t flow, and multiple other things.
I unfortunately cannot recommend this one.
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy Retelling
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of sexual assault and potential rape (on page, but extremely vague)
NOPE.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I want to be able to come here and tell y’all I enjoyed this, but I just flat out did not.
This wasn’t a retelling so much as a direct copycat of the original movie. I don’t feel like I got anything new out of this story and instead wished I was just watching the movie.
At barely 200 pages there isn’t enough context or story to get the full sense of Beauty, her family, or her relationship with Beast. Beauty and Beast play make believe games while in the castle and hardly talk to one another for most of the book.
There’s some small good moments about finding light in the dark and such. That’s about all I can pull out that I liked.
No world building (once again I feel like it was leaning on the hope that I had seen the movie), random flashbacks to two different time points that didn’t flow, and multiple other things.
I unfortunately cannot recommend this one.
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy Retelling
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of sexual assault and potential rape (on page, but extremely vague)
May 2, 2024
Super cute stand alone
December 1, 2022
I'd like to thank Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reviewing this book.
I'm a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings. So when this popped up I knew that I just had to read it. (Even so, I was curious about that storyline bit that was supposed to be giving Beauty a reason for running to the Beast.)
Let me say, the strongest bits are the relationship between the Beast and Beauty, and the reason why she chose to run away to the castle, Everything else was poorly written and it felt like I was slapped right in the middle of a story that had already been going on.
When you open the story, you're in the middle of a conversation going on and a sale of items in the house. It's like the author was like, 'well, you already know the story so no use explaining to you what's going on with so and so'. ... I don't know YOUR story so why don't you tell it to me? Instead, the backstory is stretched out between ill written prose.
If I had to enjoy Beauty on her own, I can't. I did not find her very likeable - and I thought I would have more sympathy given what she went through - but she was written so empty. Like going through the motions of what Beauty is supposed to do.
Another thing is that there is no world building AT ALL in this story. The farthest you get in world building is 'oh there are faeries, oh there is magic'. That's it. The hell?
The Beast has one of the most original backstories I've read in a while and I rather liked him, he had a tad bit more character to him than Beauty but not by much.
The villain of the piece is obviously the person that Beauty ran away from. He shows up in flashbacks and again at the end. There is also another villain that came out of no where that I found rather refreshing but they too were not given much character than just to exist.
I had problems with this retelling and while it had some good bits, it had a lot going against it which made me rate poorly.
I'm a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings. So when this popped up I knew that I just had to read it. (Even so, I was curious about that storyline bit that was supposed to be giving Beauty a reason for running to the Beast.)
Let me say, the strongest bits are the relationship between the Beast and Beauty, and the reason why she chose to run away to the castle, Everything else was poorly written and it felt like I was slapped right in the middle of a story that had already been going on.
When you open the story, you're in the middle of a conversation going on and a sale of items in the house. It's like the author was like, 'well, you already know the story so no use explaining to you what's going on with so and so'. ... I don't know YOUR story so why don't you tell it to me? Instead, the backstory is stretched out between ill written prose.
If I had to enjoy Beauty on her own, I can't. I did not find her very likeable - and I thought I would have more sympathy given what she went through - but she was written so empty. Like going through the motions of what Beauty is supposed to do.
Another thing is that there is no world building AT ALL in this story. The farthest you get in world building is 'oh there are faeries, oh there is magic'. That's it. The hell?
The Beast has one of the most original backstories I've read in a while and I rather liked him, he had a tad bit more character to him than Beauty but not by much.
The villain of the piece is obviously the person that Beauty ran away from. He shows up in flashbacks and again at the end. There is also another villain that came out of no where that I found rather refreshing but they too were not given much character than just to exist.
I had problems with this retelling and while it had some good bits, it had a lot going against it which made me rate poorly.
December 18, 2022
3 1/2 elevated to 4.
This was a surprising, intriguing read.
The cover and the premise pulled me in and the writing kept me going. It's a different twist on B&B but one that works. It's not a light version; there is trauma and darkness that drives the characters, and the development of the relationship between the main characters is the strongest point.
I receive a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
This was a surprising, intriguing read.
The cover and the premise pulled me in and the writing kept me going. It's a different twist on B&B but one that works. It's not a light version; there is trauma and darkness that drives the characters, and the development of the relationship between the main characters is the strongest point.
I receive a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
May 20, 2023
I'm a big Beauty and the Beast fan, I make no secret of that. (I love pretty much any fairytale retelling, tbh, but BatB holds a special place in my heart) I'm always curious to see how different authors will take on the story, and this one sounded like it would be very personal for the author. And that definitely comes through in the storytelling.
As a retelling, it's fairly straightforward. There's a girl named Beauty (which feels a little on the nose but she does point out how on the nose it sounds, so there's that) and a man-like creature she calls Beast (who isn't actually mean to her at all, he's a big sweetheart who ended up being my favorite character). Beauty's father gets in trouble over a rose, Beauty takes his place, there's a magic castle, etc.
The difference being that Beauty is actively hoping to get eaten by the Beast. She's going through incredibly hard things, and it continues to chase her into this situation. Trigger warnings for sexual assault and the trauma that comes with it.
I flew through this book; the writing style is lovely and easy to read, the plot moves along at a snappy pace (often flashing back to before the castle), and I did truly care about the characters. The romance between Beauty and Beast was very sweet, though I have to say that until the last few chapters, I kind of expected them to end up together platonically? Which would have been kind of a fun change, but I do love them together.
Four stars from me, and I'll be interested to read from the author again in the future!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
As a retelling, it's fairly straightforward. There's a girl named Beauty (which feels a little on the nose but she does point out how on the nose it sounds, so there's that) and a man-like creature she calls Beast (who isn't actually mean to her at all, he's a big sweetheart who ended up being my favorite character). Beauty's father gets in trouble over a rose, Beauty takes his place, there's a magic castle, etc.
The difference being that Beauty is actively hoping to get eaten by the Beast. She's going through incredibly hard things, and it continues to chase her into this situation. Trigger warnings for sexual assault and the trauma that comes with it.
I flew through this book; the writing style is lovely and easy to read, the plot moves along at a snappy pace (often flashing back to before the castle), and I did truly care about the characters. The romance between Beauty and Beast was very sweet, though I have to say that until the last few chapters, I kind of expected them to end up together platonically? Which would have been kind of a fun change, but I do love them together.
Four stars from me, and I'll be interested to read from the author again in the future!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
October 18, 2023
4.5
The wording and detailed phrasing in this book is SO beautiful! I will definitely be following this author. She's incredibly talented!!!! The retelling reminded me a lot of Robin McKinley's version of Beauty at first but was different enough that it drew me in instantly. I found myself comparing the two though quite often. I was surprised by the heavy topic thrown in about half way through of finding out why Beauty feels so "broken" and is "running"....to the beast. Being taken advantage of by Stefon(Gaston character in this book)...the author handles it delicately with no details but it's devastating and broke my heart for my favorite beloved Belle character (Beauty in this version) I would definitely warn of maybe some triggers for anyone who has suffered from sexual abuse. So so sad😭. It was beautiful to see the Beast be so kind and loving and help her heal... and see Beauty find hope and feel loved by her family and those around her. I enjoyed the twists and turns thrown in at the end and LOVED the epilogue. Having said all this, because of the heavy topic I wouldn't recommend this for young adults unless the parent feels it appropriate.
Beautifully written... though maybe a bit rushed. LOVED the ending ❤️...It would be so fun to have a second book!
The wording and detailed phrasing in this book is SO beautiful! I will definitely be following this author. She's incredibly talented!!!! The retelling reminded me a lot of Robin McKinley's version of Beauty at first but was different enough that it drew me in instantly. I found myself comparing the two though quite often. I was surprised by the heavy topic thrown in about half way through of finding out why Beauty feels so "broken" and is "running"....to the beast. Being taken advantage of by Stefon(Gaston character in this book)...the author handles it delicately with no details but it's devastating and broke my heart for my favorite beloved Belle character (Beauty in this version) I would definitely warn of maybe some triggers for anyone who has suffered from sexual abuse. So so sad😭. It was beautiful to see the Beast be so kind and loving and help her heal... and see Beauty find hope and feel loved by her family and those around her. I enjoyed the twists and turns thrown in at the end and LOVED the epilogue. Having said all this, because of the heavy topic I wouldn't recommend this for young adults unless the parent feels it appropriate.
Beautifully written... though maybe a bit rushed. LOVED the ending ❤️...It would be so fun to have a second book!
January 21, 2023
There are some things I liked about this book and others I definitely didn't. I really appreciated the few new twists on an old and beloved fairy tale with differing motivations behind what many of the characters did. I did not, however, like how closely this follows the tale of Beauty and the Beast. I prefer my retellings to be more "inspired by" the original. The author's writing style is easy to read and flows well, which allowed this to be a very quick read for me. I enjoyed this book but feel like it may be missing something. I like how it focuses on healing and grief as Beauty deals with the tragedy she's been through. I do wish we could get more personality from Beast and the epilogue is too long.
*TW: rape (not graphic or specific)
Thank you to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain for my complimentary copy of this book. All opinions here are my own.
*TW: rape (not graphic or specific)
Thank you to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain for my complimentary copy of this book. All opinions here are my own.
March 11, 2023
An excellent retelling with an entirely new spin on the original Beauty and the Beast. Beauty is both kind and stubborn, great traits to have in her environment. She did not fall into the magic of the castle as quickly as I thought she would. Beast brings great contrast to the story. We see him as shy and uncertain yet hopeful. The castle's curse remains similar but with delightful differences. I enjoyed seeing deeper into Beauty's family and her motivation behind going to the castle. This book has a bit of a darker tone but I loved how the author handled each situation. Stunning prose kept me reading and brought the whole thing to life.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
May 8, 2023
“For all the thorns I’d faced, at last I’d found the roses.”
Fairytale retellings are definitely a favorite genre so I jumped at the chance to read this book. Beauty Reborn is a creative if darker twist on the much beloved Beauty and the Beast fairytale. It’s a story of the deepest hurts and struggles combined with second chances and hope.
The story begins much like several retellings. For me it most closely resembled Beauty by Robin McKinley and the Disney cartoon version. However, for all the similarities like the father picking the rose and Beauty taking his place, the magical castle, Beauty’s love of reading, and of course the Beast himself, there are compelling differences which drew me into the story. It’s a little confusing in the beginning because Beauty’s story switches back and forth between the past and her present circumstances, but I was soon drawn into the narrative and found I couldn’t put it down.
At first, Beauty comes off as somewhat unlikable. She’s the youngest of three sisters and thrives on her intellect. She’s often described as whimsical. But, what makes her unlikable is her personality when she becomes enamored with Stephan. All too quickly, she learns that he’s not what he seems. He leaves her so broken that she revels at the chance of going to Beast’s castle to be eaten by him. Little by little my attitude about Beauty changed as she reveals more of what happened to her. I soon understood her fears, melancholy, and distrust of not only Beast, but all men.
I absolutely loved Beast. His reason for being a beast is different than any previous retelling I’m aware of and I enjoyed the way his story is revealed through the stories Beauty reads to him. He’s extremely sensitive to Beauty’s needs and infinitely patient with her. I enjoyed the way the author portrayed Beauty’s healing process as she helps the Beast learn to read and write. I also enjoyed their play acting scenes. The ending was fast paced and I’m hoping that we’ll get Beauty’s nasty sister Astra’s story and that she’ll learn her lesson much like the Beast.
This author is definitely one to watch out for. I enjoyed her writing style and was impressed by the depth of emotion she put into the book. Just a word of warning, this book deals with some deep topics like sexual assault and the aftermath, including suicidal ideation. While the author handles this very sensitively and nothing is described in detail, I’d still recommend it for older, mature teens. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given.
Fairytale retellings are definitely a favorite genre so I jumped at the chance to read this book. Beauty Reborn is a creative if darker twist on the much beloved Beauty and the Beast fairytale. It’s a story of the deepest hurts and struggles combined with second chances and hope.
The story begins much like several retellings. For me it most closely resembled Beauty by Robin McKinley and the Disney cartoon version. However, for all the similarities like the father picking the rose and Beauty taking his place, the magical castle, Beauty’s love of reading, and of course the Beast himself, there are compelling differences which drew me into the story. It’s a little confusing in the beginning because Beauty’s story switches back and forth between the past and her present circumstances, but I was soon drawn into the narrative and found I couldn’t put it down.
At first, Beauty comes off as somewhat unlikable. She’s the youngest of three sisters and thrives on her intellect. She’s often described as whimsical. But, what makes her unlikable is her personality when she becomes enamored with Stephan. All too quickly, she learns that he’s not what he seems. He leaves her so broken that she revels at the chance of going to Beast’s castle to be eaten by him. Little by little my attitude about Beauty changed as she reveals more of what happened to her. I soon understood her fears, melancholy, and distrust of not only Beast, but all men.
I absolutely loved Beast. His reason for being a beast is different than any previous retelling I’m aware of and I enjoyed the way his story is revealed through the stories Beauty reads to him. He’s extremely sensitive to Beauty’s needs and infinitely patient with her. I enjoyed the way the author portrayed Beauty’s healing process as she helps the Beast learn to read and write. I also enjoyed their play acting scenes. The ending was fast paced and I’m hoping that we’ll get Beauty’s nasty sister Astra’s story and that she’ll learn her lesson much like the Beast.
This author is definitely one to watch out for. I enjoyed her writing style and was impressed by the depth of emotion she put into the book. Just a word of warning, this book deals with some deep topics like sexual assault and the aftermath, including suicidal ideation. While the author handles this very sensitively and nothing is described in detail, I’d still recommend it for older, mature teens. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given.
August 7, 2024
“It’s true what the folktale says: I did choose to live with the beast. But not for the reason you think. Not to save my father. Not even to save myself. In truth, I was hoping I’d be eaten.”
When a book starts like this…oh my.
Beauty is the youngest of four children. Beloved by her father, protected by her brother, and envied by her sisters. Living up to her name she is sought after by the handsome young heir to a title, Stephan, and quickly falls for his charm. After he repeatedly asks for her love and she denies him three times, a moment comes when he forcibly takes it from her.
Beauty, slowly succumbing to the tumultuous storm and chaos in her heart, steals her father’s punishment and runs away in hope of being destroyed by the Beast.
Having read two different versions of the original story and collecting quite a few retellings, it would be easy to say this is one of my favorite fairy tales. This version did not disappoint.
@lizlowham has a gift for telling stories of growth, rebirth, and redemption. In the beginning of the book the narrative is rough, harsh, full of sadness and desperation. It is impossible to not feel the full depth of Beauty’s pain and anguish. However, as the story progresses, there is a subtle change in the voice. By the end you feel the fullness of the healing that has taken place through the soft and gentle manner of the narration. It is truly beautiful!
This story is going to receive a special spot in my Beauty and the Beast retellings collection. For this one truly is Beauty Reborn.
***Content/Trigger warning: I absolutely loved this story but I do want to be totally transparent with a heavy topic discussed that is an integral component to the plot. Off page s€xual assault is discussed. No details are given but it is alluded to several times. Only the emotional hurt and damage are discussed. Physical descriptions are not given. The author, herself, is a victim of this crime and I feel she handles the topic with the appropriate care and sensitivity needed.
When a book starts like this…oh my.
Beauty is the youngest of four children. Beloved by her father, protected by her brother, and envied by her sisters. Living up to her name she is sought after by the handsome young heir to a title, Stephan, and quickly falls for his charm. After he repeatedly asks for her love and she denies him three times, a moment comes when he forcibly takes it from her.
Beauty, slowly succumbing to the tumultuous storm and chaos in her heart, steals her father’s punishment and runs away in hope of being destroyed by the Beast.
Having read two different versions of the original story and collecting quite a few retellings, it would be easy to say this is one of my favorite fairy tales. This version did not disappoint.
@lizlowham has a gift for telling stories of growth, rebirth, and redemption. In the beginning of the book the narrative is rough, harsh, full of sadness and desperation. It is impossible to not feel the full depth of Beauty’s pain and anguish. However, as the story progresses, there is a subtle change in the voice. By the end you feel the fullness of the healing that has taken place through the soft and gentle manner of the narration. It is truly beautiful!
This story is going to receive a special spot in my Beauty and the Beast retellings collection. For this one truly is Beauty Reborn.
***Content/Trigger warning: I absolutely loved this story but I do want to be totally transparent with a heavy topic discussed that is an integral component to the plot. Off page s€xual assault is discussed. No details are given but it is alluded to several times. Only the emotional hurt and damage are discussed. Physical descriptions are not given. The author, herself, is a victim of this crime and I feel she handles the topic with the appropriate care and sensitivity needed.
May 27, 2023
Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite fairytale. I liked it even more after Disney released the cartoon movie showing her love for reading and books. I'm always on board to read a new re-telling of Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty Reborn has many of the same elements as other versions, but I like the unique twists that were found in the book. At first, Beauty is not the most likable character. Her trip to the Beast's castle brings many changes to her. Trigger Warning: One thing that should be mentioned, Beauty has been sexually assaulted by a titled man, Stephen, and this accounts for how she thinks and feels about the Beast. (Nothing graphic is told in the story.)
Beast also has a different story in that he hadn't always been a Prince, but wished to become one and a fairy gave him his wish with consequences. When Beauty and Beast interact, it's a slow burn of learning and growing before love grows.
Beauty Reborn includes Beauty's family, her father, her angry conceited older sister, and her more likable middle sister. There are many moments that I truly feel empathy for Beauty, her background, and her past relationship with her harshly critical late mother. Debut Author Elizabeth Lowham has a nice lyrical writing style that kept the story moving for me. I enjoyed this version and especially loved the moments that Beauty and Beast spent together reading, acting out plays, and letting the magic of the castle bring them together.
Beauty Reborn is a must-read for those that love fairytale retellings, especially of Beauty and the Beast.
Beauty Reborn has many of the same elements as other versions, but I like the unique twists that were found in the book. At first, Beauty is not the most likable character. Her trip to the Beast's castle brings many changes to her. Trigger Warning: One thing that should be mentioned, Beauty has been sexually assaulted by a titled man, Stephen, and this accounts for how she thinks and feels about the Beast. (Nothing graphic is told in the story.)
Beast also has a different story in that he hadn't always been a Prince, but wished to become one and a fairy gave him his wish with consequences. When Beauty and Beast interact, it's a slow burn of learning and growing before love grows.
Beauty Reborn includes Beauty's family, her father, her angry conceited older sister, and her more likable middle sister. There are many moments that I truly feel empathy for Beauty, her background, and her past relationship with her harshly critical late mother. Debut Author Elizabeth Lowham has a nice lyrical writing style that kept the story moving for me. I enjoyed this version and especially loved the moments that Beauty and Beast spent together reading, acting out plays, and letting the magic of the castle bring them together.
Beauty Reborn is a must-read for those that love fairytale retellings, especially of Beauty and the Beast.
July 22, 2023
4.5
I wasn't keen on the story at first, but it was a wonderful retelling. In this version there is an allusion to sexual assault. I feel like this actually added to the story. Stephan, the true beast was human, selfish, and deviant. And oddly enough parallels the beast I know. The beast was truly a prince of a man, compassionate and honest.
My favorite quote: I think God makes light out of darkness. But the darkness still exists.
And beauty from ash, although it's ash still. The bad is not good, but through grace, we can make something good of it in the end.
I love this quote because as I work with domestic violence, sexual assault, and intimate harm victims, they always end up stronger and wiser when they go through the healing process.
I wasn't keen on the story at first, but it was a wonderful retelling. In this version there is an allusion to sexual assault. I feel like this actually added to the story. Stephan, the true beast was human, selfish, and deviant. And oddly enough parallels the beast I know. The beast was truly a prince of a man, compassionate and honest.
My favorite quote: I think God makes light out of darkness. But the darkness still exists.
And beauty from ash, although it's ash still. The bad is not good, but through grace, we can make something good of it in the end.
I love this quote because as I work with domestic violence, sexual assault, and intimate harm victims, they always end up stronger and wiser when they go through the healing process.
December 26, 2024
I love Beauty and the Beast retellings, and this is a good one. There was enough elements of the original fairytale for it to be endearing, but enough new twists and insights to make it fresh and unpredictable. The characters are strong and multi-dimensional, and the writing is eloquent and provocative. Unlike the original that focuses on redemption, this one focuses on healing and centers on Beauty not the Beast. There is plenty of magic, but the growth and epiphanies occur through human experiences and relationships making the story much more realistic than a typical fairytale, and as a result, the happily ever after much more gratifying.
November 21, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
April 26, 2023
Unique take on a Tale as Old as Time!
Beauty is running from herself, from a past she can't escape and she will gladly accept a beast's lair as refuge. Except, this beast is far more gentle and kind than any man she has known. Can she break free of her inner prison and find safety in the love of a beast?
This story is not only unique in its retelling but also in its prose. The author definitely has her own voice in storytelling. It took me a bit to initially get into the story, but once I did I was thoroughly engrossed. I really enjoyed the heroine's expression through music and the softness of the beast. The castle with all it's magic was enchanting in their own way. There is a depth of pain that has to be overcome and two hearts that are searching for healing. But that is what makes it even sweeter when they find it.
I would like to provide a trigger warning that this book does have a character dealing with the emotional trauma of sexual assault. I feel it was handled well and nothing is described in great detail. I would recommend this read for anyone who enjoys a good beauty and the beast story, with sweet and poignant lessons.
Beauty is running from herself, from a past she can't escape and she will gladly accept a beast's lair as refuge. Except, this beast is far more gentle and kind than any man she has known. Can she break free of her inner prison and find safety in the love of a beast?
This story is not only unique in its retelling but also in its prose. The author definitely has her own voice in storytelling. It took me a bit to initially get into the story, but once I did I was thoroughly engrossed. I really enjoyed the heroine's expression through music and the softness of the beast. The castle with all it's magic was enchanting in their own way. There is a depth of pain that has to be overcome and two hearts that are searching for healing. But that is what makes it even sweeter when they find it.
I would like to provide a trigger warning that this book does have a character dealing with the emotional trauma of sexual assault. I feel it was handled well and nothing is described in great detail. I would recommend this read for anyone who enjoys a good beauty and the beast story, with sweet and poignant lessons.
August 20, 2024
I needed this book.
♡
♡
May 4, 2023
Oh wow! This was a beautiful Beauty and the Beast Retelling! Such a pleasure to read this achingly poignant story for those who need it and for those who need to understand. It really opened my eyes to the struggle of life when you are hurting, the running away and turning to face your fears! I loved this re-invention! You don’t want to miss it!
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