THE STORY:

A Curse so Dark and Lonely is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Some of the aspects of this story are pulled from that fairy tale, but they are done in a refreshing way that was a delight to read. Honestly I didn’t even know that this book was a Beauty and the Beast retelling until I started reading it, apparently I forgot that detail when I requested this book. Still, it was a very nice surprise. I tend to love retellings of that fairy tale.

The story of A Curse so Dark and Lonely was very interesting. It went ways I didn’t expect it to. There were quite a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, though a few things were predictable. Not that that is a bad thing, this is after all the retelling of a story, so some elements of it will already be familiar. Still, I was at the edge of my seat while reading this book, I couldn’t stop reading it. I needed to know what was going to happen next.

THE WORLD:

I have always enjoyed reading portal fantasy books. If you aren’t familiar with that term, portal fantasy is a story where characters from our world go to a fantasy one through some kind of doorway. (That probably started with my love for Narnia when I was little.) I just love seeing authors explore the clash between someone from our world and an entire new world. I don’t know if you can class A Curse so Dark and Lonely as a portal fantasy (I’m not an expert on that topic), but it follows Harper as she tries to navigate a fantasy world after getting to it from Washington.

I loved learning more about Emberfall throughout the story, about its history, political situation and many other things. The setting, combined with the curse, was fascinating to read about. I’m very exited that there is going to be a second book to this story, as I really want to know more about the world. There was just something magical about it that gripped me from the beginning.

THE CHARACTERS:

The characters were probably my favourite part of this entire book. Harper was an amazing character to read about. She is very stubborn and also very kind. I loved seeing her reaction to Emberfall and how she manages with that whole situation. Harper has cerebral palsy and I think that her disability was handled very well in the book. Though I’m saying that as an able-bodied person, so I might not be the best judge (so be aware of that). Anyway, Harper was amazing in many different ways and I loved seeing her grow throughout the book.

Rhee was a very interesting character as well. I loved the fact that we got to read from his point of view as well. That made me understand and sympathise with him even more. Rhee is a very layered character and I loved seeing his motivations and learning more about his past. I especially enjoyed the development that he got throughout the book. All of the main characters were very well developed. The relationship between Harper and Rhee was fascinating to read about. I loved seeing their relationship progress, from being hostile in the beginning to understanding each other later. Their dynamic and interactions were amazing to read and there were so many wonderful moments between them.

Another character that I was fascinated by was Grey. He was such a huge contrast to Rhee and I enjoyed learning more about him as the story progressed. I also found him to be one of the more mysterious characters in this book, as we don’t know too much about him. I loved reading about his relationship with Rhee, they have such a strong companionship. Side note: I hate the villain of this story so much! I really don’t want to go into any detail as to why, as that would spoil the story, but I just hate her so much! (I seriously needed to mention that.)

OVERALL:

I loved A Curse so Dark and Lonely. The characters, story and world of this book captured my interest from the beginning. The more I read from this story the more I enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone!

This book is Beauty and the Beast retold from a fresh perspective, with the beast a tortured prince of a medieval-style fantasy realm and the beauty a modern US teenager with a mobile phone and a fiercely independent attitude.

I love the clash of these two worlds, and found Harper especially compelling and empathetic as she gradually finds her strength and sense of identity via an entirely unfamiliar role. The author avoids the trap of dwelling on the character’s Cerebral Palsy and instead makes it a natural part of her life and identity, the same as her hair colour or stature. It is always great to see representations of more varied and interesting characters in a hero/heroine and Harper’s fighting attitude is admirable.

Rhen was a more problematic character, but then, that is how the beast is supposed to be: if he wasn’t flawed on the inside then he would never have been cursed with the looks to match! It was really good to see that his curse had greater implications than the trite ‘judging a book by its cover’ moral, and that the real pain wasn’t found in how he looked but how he behaved. If only we had seen him with a bit more life still in him, even if his attitude then was awful. As it is his defeatism and introspection were a bit wearing, so it is lucky we had Grey and Harper there to cheer things up and kick the plot forward.

The author avoids making the romantic aspect of the plot too central by making the character’s feelings far more believable than the source material. Rather than falling in Stockholm Syndrome over porridge gobbling and a ballroom dance the main characters develop strong bonds of mutual respect and understanding, but hearts and flowers are in shorter supply as they face some of the real challenges of managing a feudal kingdom. Whether it all leads to ‘true love’ or not by the climax… you’ll just have to read it yourself to find out!

I will confess to being slightly confused towards the ending, as I had been hooked following Rhen, Harper and Grey throughout their struggles to break the curse, save the kingdom and find themselves so the ambiguity regarding a lot of the big questions was a little disappointing. This was quickly explained when I read that there is a sequel on the way. I hope it doesn’t take many seasons to arrive, as I want to know what happens next!



A siren kicks up somewhere nearby, but it’ll be too late. I try to claw at his face again, but I catch his neck instead. Blood blossoms under my nails, and his eyes turn murderous. The sky lightens fractionally behind him, turning pink with streaks of orange.
His free hand lifts and I don’t know if he’s going to hit me or strangle me or break my neck. It doesn’t matter. This is it. My last sight will be a glorious sunrise.
I’m wrong. His hand never strikes.
Instead, the sky disappears altogether.

– Brigid Kemmerer, A Curse So Dark and Lonely

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

I liked this story. It was written really well, the characters were well built and the whole concept of the curse worked perfectly. The world building was fantastic. I’m praying there will be a second book.

I loved the fact that Harper had Cerebral Palsy, it didn’t make her any weaker or incapable. It made her stronger, more fierce, and more determined. I loved how feisty she was in the first half of the book. And then when she was ‘Princess’ she was determined for the people not to treat her any differently because of her ailments. She’s definitely one of my favourite characters of the year. I weirdly hoped that she wouldn’t go for the person that she’s supposed to. And I secretly think that she didn’t. I think she fell for the other man.

Rhen. I think that he was more well built out than Harper, with a whole country’s backstory behind him and the curse. But he still felt a little hollow. Maybe that was the way it was supposed to be though, as he had gone through the same thing for a while over and over again. But I still liked him.

My favourite character of the book is Grey. I felt more for him than Harper or Rhen. For the pure fact that it’s blatantly obvious that he is falling for Harper himself, but he is completely unable to act upon these feelings. It’s obvious to Rhen what is happening. We’ll see what happens there if there is book 2.

I loved the flow of the story, and the way the chapters switch between Harper and Rhen. And eventually the Monster. Even if they are a little on the short side. I liked the idea of there being a different universe that was accessible for only Grey. It made things a little more interesting on the magic side of the story. I really want there to be a follow up, I have so many questions still and I reckon a lot of people will have the same ones.

I think that this book is going to go one of two ways with readers. It’s either going to be massive, and really raved about. Or, it’ll go the other way. This book is far from perfect, but it is an excellent Beauty and The Beast retelling.

My Opinion:

This book!

THIS BOOK!

This book was one of the best books Ive ever read (and those are a lot) - and it also was THE BEST Retelling I ever got my hands on!

It was exciting, scary, mesmerizing and enchanting from the first page on and I couldn't stop reading. The Kindle nearly fell in the bathtub because some of the twists and turn were so unexpected and absolutely terrifying. The story was a whole fairytale in its own right and the division into two POVs was just perfect to get to know what was happening all the time.

I really never fall for two male characters at the same time - but this book? Oh man I broke down in two pieces because all of Brigids Characters were absolutely perfect. Harper was fierce and scary and the perfect anti heroine we didn't know we needed. And then there was Scary Grey and the soft Rhen. Do you see me melting already? Everyone and everything was perfectly written, even the wicked characters and then there were all these secrets and you knew what would be coming. We always expect the worst as reader - well this books gives us worser than worst. Like worst worst outcome and you still can't stop reading and hope for the good things to happen. Harper was my absolute favorite and now that I know, that there will be a Sequel I cant wait to get it in my hands.

This retelling of the beauty and the beats is so much more than only a retelling. Its a mesmerizing and hypnotizing read that everyone should pick up, and I am angry with myself, that I didn't read this ARC earlier because it will now wander off onto my all time favorite list.

Read this book.

Thank you. Over and Out :)

Trigger Warnings: This book features death due to cancer, loan sharks, threats of violence from loan sharks, kidnap, violent death, magical torture, violence, discussion of attempted suicide, threat of child murder and sexual abuse of a child, and a scene of blood, gore and viscera.

I am a huge fan of Brigid Kemmerer, and, as you know, a huge fan of retellings, so when I heard Kemmerer was writing a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I was immediately sold. But I didn't expect A Curse So Dark and Lonely to be as incredible as it was.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely has all the things you would expect from a Beauty and the Beast retelling: a girl held against her will, an enchanted castle, a prince who becomes a monstrous creature, a curse that can only be broken by a girl falling in love with the prince, a way for the girl to magically see her family, the girl returning to her family. But it also has so much more. What most retellings seem to forget is that the beast is a prince, and that princes have kingdoms. In A Curse so Dark and Lonely, we see that kingdom, the kingdom of Emberfall.

We have Prince Rhen, who has been cursed by an enchantress to relive the autumn of his 18th year over and over - and at some point during each season, he turns into a beast and loses all sense of self. He becomes a monster who wants nothing more to kill and destroy. His family are dead. The people who worked in the castle are dead, except for Grey, his Commander. When Rhen first realised what he becomes and the devastation he caused, he shut himself away in his castle, keeping away from his people, not wanting to hurt them. He shut the borders for more protection; with no-one to run the kingdom, there's no telling who might come in or out. He has been through hundreds of seasons, trying to charm women to fall in love with him, only for him to fail, or for him to kill them when he becomes the monster.

Harper is a girl from Washington, DC. Her mother is dying from cancer, father abandoned her family with his debt to violent loan sharks, and her older brother Jake is now working for the loan sharks in order to pay off some of the debt. Life is miserable for her family, living constantly in fear of having their debt called in, and of their mother dying. One night, Harper is keeping watch while Jake is terrorising a family for their debt, when she sees a man trying to lead away a woman who is so drunk she can barely stand. Harper can't just stand there and let this woman be hurt, despite the fact she has cerebral palsy, resulting in a limp that would be a disadvantage in such a situation. Nevertheless, she attacks this man to save the woman, and in doing so, is herself transported with Grey to Emberfall.

The fact that Harper is transported from our world into this high fantasy world is so interesting! She has no idea who Rhen and Grey are, no idea where she is, and she'll be damned if she's going to just sit about waiting for a rescue that isn't going to come. Yes, she's disabled, but that's not going to stop her from climbing out a window, climbing/falling down a trellis, stealing a horse - knowing to ride from physio after the multiple operations on her leg - and trying to get the hell out of here. And it's in trying to escape that she comes across a family whose house is being burned to the ground by soldiers who are intent on hurting them. Again, Harper can't just walk away and tries to help, with the weapons she stole when she stole the horse. Unfortunately, she doesn't know what she is doing, and is almost killed until Rhen and Grey find her and save them all. Now Rhen discovers what's happening in his Kingdom.

The people are poor and starving. With the borders closed, there is no trade. Rhen's people are suffering and they're dying - and now soldiers, claiming to be on orders from the King, are destroying people's homes and stealing the land. Karis Luran, Queen of Syhl Shallow is invading. Emberfall is on the brink of war, with no army to defend its people. This is when the fairy tale retelling becomes more like a high fantasy - quite possibly my favourite genre, and so pleased me no end - and we see Prince Rhen act like a prince and try to figure out, with his commander, how to save the kingdom. Inspired by Harper, who, when more soldiers appear at the inn where Rhen has taken the family who were attacked, on a whim, pretended to be a princess of another kingdom - DC, called Disi by everyone else - whose father is negotiating an alliance with Emberfall, and will help boost Emberfall's ranks with his own army. They take the lie Harper told, and run with it. But now Harper must always be Princess Harper of Disi in public in order to help, while also desperately wanting to get home to her mother and brother.

I absolutely loved Harper. She's no damsel in distress sitting around waiting to be rescued. She's tries to save herself, and more than once she tries to rescue others. She's resourceful, and thinks quick on her feet, and she's so kind and compassionate, brave and courageous. She's also pretty so assertive and will stand up to this prince who has kidnapped her, who sometimes treats her, she believes, like she's a stupid little girl who knows nothing. She is just awesome.

I don't have cerebral palsy, nor am I otherwise physically disabled, so I really recommend you read other reviews from people who are to hear about their thoughts on the representation, but there are few thoughts I'd have that I'd like to share. I think it's also really important to note just how awesome it is that "Beauty" in this retelling is a girl with a disability. I've heard from disabled people in the book community that they are almost invisible to non-disabled people; not seen at all, really. But in A Curse So Dark and Lonely, Harper is "Beauty". She is seen, and she's important - in more ways than just as a girl - one of many over the hundreds of seasons - who could possibly fall in love with Rhen and break the curse. The people of Emberfall are in awe of her, and inspired by her, not in a disabled inspiration porn way, but because of who she is. As far as they're concerned, they have been abandoned by the King, but now here is a girl - who they later believe is a princess - who is putting her own life in danger in order to save them, who stands up for them, who brings them food from the castle because they are starving. She's not a princess, that's a lie, but Harper already has an effect on them before there's any hint that she's a princess. It's her kindness and her bravery that inspire the people, and the fact that she will fight for them. It makes them want to fight right along with her. Harper isn't a "chosen one" character. She's just a girl who is frightened and unsure, but can't turn away from suffering, and agrees to continue the princess charade in order to help these people. She is not kind and brave despite her disability or because of it, but in addition to it, as Kemmerer says herself in her author's note. Her disability effects her in regards to her movement, but it's not who she is, and it's who she is that makes her so important. And Harper is just awesome, and I loved her.

Rhen was pretty awesome, too. He has suffered so much; he has to deal with the knowledge that he has killed his family, that he is a danger to his people. That the only way to break the curse is for a woman to fall in love with him. He has tried to break it by bringing about his own death multiple times, but he just wakes up again on the day of his 18th birthday. He is constantly tormented by Lilith, the enchantress who cursed him, a vicious and sadistic woman who delights in Rhen's physical - as she will cause him great pain, magically, just from a touch - and mental suffering. He no longer knows what to do. He has tried and tried, and he has failed, time and again. Why will Harper be any different. But she is different; she's not so easily charmed as the previous girls, and she stands up to him, and she's smart and kind and brave - not to mention beautiful. Emberfall and it's people are nothing to her - and she's made it quite clear that she wants to leave - and yet time and time again she does so much to help his people, at risk to herself, and he can't help be but admire and appreciate her for that. Rhen is tortured, and he's trying his best, but really, he doesn't see how it will make any difference in the long run. An army is coming, and he has no army to meet them. You can't help but feel sorry for Rhen.

Grey! Oh, how I loved Grey! We don't get the story from his perspective as we do with Harper and Rhen, but we see various sides of him through his relationships with them both. He is fiercely loyal, and will do whatever Rhen commands, but he will make it known through his silences when he thinks Rhen's being an idiot, and when Rhen gives him to say what he thinks, he will tell him so. He's kind and understanding with Harper, but he'll also chastise her when she puts herself in unnecessary danger. Because she isn't a princess, she can't see the consequences of her actions beyond right now and what they'll mean for the kingdom at large. But he is an important adviser to both Rhen and Harper, and he is just the best. He's funny and firm, but also sweet and kind, and I loved him.

The ending! Oh my god, the ending! I absolutely did not see it coming! There were a couple of moments in the space of a few pages where I thought the story was going to end completely differently, and I was practically screaming, "WHAT?! No!" with shock, but then it would twist again, and oooh, the actual ending! Mate. MATE! The sequel, A Heart So Fierce and Broken, is going to be epic! When it comes to story, plot, and politics, at least. But it's also going to be completely heartbreaking when it comes to what the ending means for individual characters. So, so heartbreaking, and oh my god, I just want to give someone the biggest hug, because... why?! Why would Kemmerer do that?! Oh my god, it's going to be as awful as it is epic. And my fears are practically confirmed by the title of book two, and I am an excited but miserable bunny. I can't bear it, but I also absolutely cannot wait! 2020 can't come fast enough!

I adored A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and it is quite possibly my favourite Beauty and the Beast retelling. If you love retellings, or if you love high fantasy, or if you love Kemmerer's previous books, you absolutely cannot miss this!

A Curse So Dark and Lonely was a book that I received from Netgalley and it was one of the books I was really looking forward to reading. Some of my favourite books are fairy tale retellings and this one has such a cool twist. I actually really loved the fact that there was a modern take on some of the story but that it didn’t overtake the story.

I think it might be best if before I start gushing about how great the book is I should talk about one of my biggest issues with the book and with Harper. This is just a small complaint but it was one that I noticed and it was one that stuck with me. She forgot her family! Like really forgot her family, and this wasn’t just any ordinary family they were in dire straits when she left. It really impacted the way I saw her and her interactions in A Curse So Dark and Lonely. I wanted to like her as a character but it was a huge obstacle and reason behind my disconnect with her.

Now I say I had a disconnect with her as a character but that for once didn’t seem to impact my reading and enjoyment of A Curse So Dark and Lonely. I love Rhen’s and Grey’s relationship. I love the flaws and the hardships that they face and how they deal with them. I definitely enjoyed the dynamics, because I think it’s important that the hierarchy seemingly hadn’t disintegrated between the two of them. Which I haven’t seen before in a relationship between a prince and his subordinate, they are usually best of friends and the lines are blurred.

I have to say something about the setting and the way that the modern was used and switched between was really interesting. It was something A Curse So Dark and Lonely did really well. I think it took me by surprise if I’m honest, it’s not something that I have seen done well in other books. So it was nice to read a book that did it well.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely was definitely a book I really enjoyed and I completely recommend reading it! The characters are rich and the setting is well written. I also really loved the politics that were interwoven throughout the story and the plot line.

Harper wants to help a young girl who is being kidnapped, she will be kidnapped in her place and will find herself in a parallel world, with a prince she will have to get to know.

Rhen is a prince but unfortunately following a spell he is led to relive the same season over and over again, transforming himself into a beast at the end and killing all his people if he does not find love.

Grey is Rhen’s bodyguard and he is the one who picks up the girls on land and takes them to Emberfall.

I liked this story, the fact that the prince is cursed and that he has to do everything to make a young girl fall in love with him before she discovers that he is changing. He is certainly arrogant, but deep down he has a good heart.

I love Grey, he’s a good friend and an excellent guard. He does everything he can to protect Rhen and then Harper.

Harper is a strong young girl, she will do everything she can to resist Grey and then Rhen, she will try to run away and eventually she will get to know the two people she lives with.

A curse so dark and lonely is catchy, there are funny moments, sad moments and Prince Rhen’s life has not been pink. Despite everything, he will try to save his people as best he can.

I can’t wait to read the second volume because the end scares me a little bit, there is no love triangle for the moment but I’m not necessarily confident on this point for the future.

Quick word: A book with fascinating characters not to be missed.

For a long while, I thought the title of this book was A Curse so Dark and Lovely, which of course, no. But really the word ‘lovely’ brings a sort of truth to Rhen’s situation. If not for the curse, he would never have become the man he is by the time he meets Harper. The curse is terrible for the kingdom and even worse for Rhen’s family, but for Rhen himself, it saves him. There’s a sense of loveliness about that, but truly, it’s more lonely (than lovely) for Rhen—so actually A Curse so Dark and Lonely is the perfect title.

While this novel follows some of the features of Beauty and the Beast, in other ways it is updated and quite different. Rhen has cursed the whole kingdom, Emberfall, with his arrogant and privileged behaviour (not to mention reckless and thoughtless) and part of that involves turning into the monster, who without realising, kills and destroys without discrimination. The castle is enchanted, music plays, food always available, in which time moves differently. Outside the perimeter of the castle grounds, Emberfall is suffering, vulnerable to outside forces waiting and wanting to conquer it.

Rhen’s only companion is Grey, commander of the guard, sworn swordsman and accomplice in playing out the never ending cycle of the curse. This relationship is a very strong element of the story, with Grey forming a very crucial part of the triad. His sacrifices are many and his guilt strong.

Harper, our romantic lead, one half of the narrative, hero and saviour (of Rhen, Emberfall and Grey) is a thoroughly modern girl (I wanted to say ‘Millie’, but that dates me soo bad). She isn’t Grey’s choice to be the next attempt to break the curse. She fights Grey off his choice—an inebriated partly unconscious girl—and ends up in Emberfall by accident. Snarky, fierce and completely proactive, she disarms both boys in different ways, and the tussle for understanding and communication is a delightful component of the narrative. Harper’s background is grounded and authentic, and she’s possibly the only way forward for Emberfall. Watching her not only accept the role she has to play, but also developing respect and concern for both Rhen and Grey makes A Curse So Dark and Lonely a worthwhile and satisfying read. Knowing Kemmerer is already working on book two means the cliff-hanger is almost bearable.

Rhen is the heart of the story (Grey is the strength, Harper is the spark). He is tortured (quite literally as well) and damaged, unable to forgive himself, both as a royal prince and as the monster. His regrets are many, his accomplishments few. Harper forces him to confront the reality of his situation and demands he does something to help his people. One of his strengths, his ability to strategise, allows a plan to formulate, and with that comes hope, a very dangerous emotion.

There are several secondary characters, including Freya, Zo and Harper’s brother Jake, who round out a strong amazingly created cast. Their loyalty to Harper, and their own determination to save Emberfall means that ultimately the three main protagonists have others to help and support them. The climax is suspenseful and suitably dramatic, and the epilogue is, as mentioned before, appropriately open ended.

I haven’t mentioned Harper’s cerebral palsy. So beautifully integrated, Harper constantly stresses that it’s not a disability, it’s just part of her. When Grey teaches her to defend herself, she merely finds way to compensate, and the respect she garners shows how important self-confidence and strength of will can be. There are other inclusive additions, including a strong same sex relationship, which shows Kemmerer’s understanding of what current novels require.

I very much enjoyed immersing myself in this wonderful combination of fantasy land and contemporary storytelling. Kemmerer is one of the best young adult authors currently writing male leads—flawed, yet finding ways to be better, and romantic without being skeezy or fake. Her ability to present friendships between (straight) males promotes positive bonding and excellent role modelling. I would love to see this given to boys because while the cover might be off-putting, this is not an overly romantic, or girly story. Harper fights her attraction, there is very little kissing, and the action is strong and exciting.

Thanks to publishers, Bloomsbury and Netgalley for advanced copy. Highly recommended for readers who love early Sarah J Maas, series by Alwyn Hamilton and Sabaa Tahir, the Rephaim series by Paula Weston. Due out everywhere this coming week.

I LOVED THIS BOOK, IT WAS INCREDIBLE! I loved everything about it, the characters were incredible and I know they will stay with me for a long time. I love the story of Beauty and The Beast so this was always going to be a good start but this book was so unique and added so much more to it. The plot was incredible and I was completely hooked, I really struggled to put it down and could not wait to pick it back up again. 

The characters were the most amazing part of this story. Harper is an incredible female lead, she is so strong and brave and even when she is scared, she is so selfless and willing to do whatever it takes to save those she loves. She also has Cerebral Palsy which I thought was amazing, she doesn't let her disability affect her and nobody expects less of her due to this. 

Rhen is also a really interesting character. He has a lot of development throughout the book and I love how he confides in people about his emotions. He is another strong character that only wants to do what is best and is incredible respectful of those around him. 

Grey came across as really horrible at the beginning but again he has a lot of development and he quickly becomes a favourite. I really enjoyed his character and his friendship with Harper as well as the complicated relationship between himself and Rhen. 

The world is really interesting, I would love to learn more about the way it works and why Emberfall is separate to Harpers earth. There must be more magic in the world and I am also interested in learning more about that as well as the past of all the characters. The plot was really interesting in this book and I was so hooked, it was so fast paced and there was always something interesting happening. 

I loved the relationship between Rhen and Harper, it was obviously based around the typical romance from Beauty and The Beast however it was different and really well done. I am really interested to see what happens in the next book. 

The ending was so interesting, I am so excited for book two and I am so ready to see what happens next to all these amazing characters. That ending was definitely a great way to leave it!

I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves Beauty and the Beast, it would be perfect for fans of A court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas and Hunted by Meagan Spooner!


I will post this review to my blog and Goodreads on the 28th of January, on my instagram when I receive a physical copy and on Amazon when the book has been released.

My new review policy for 2019 is that I won’t review every book I read.

This is because I was starting to find writing reviews a bit like doing homework and if you know you have to do ‘homework’ after each book it tends to suck the joy from the reading experience.

My ‘unofficial’ rule was to only review ARCS (otherwise what’s the point of requesting?) and any book that I had a strength of feeling about (either positive or negative). Anything ‘meh’ or ‘alright’ could be gently pushed aside.

But what happens if an ARC is an ‘alright?’ Well, I guess I have to review it.

I have rated A Curse So Dark and Lonely 3 stars out of 5. I enjoyed it. It was good. It had a fairly standard plot and followed a lot of typical YA conventions and tropes but it was an easy read with engaging characters.

It was – nothing special. There are a ton of Beauty and the Beast retelling’s and this can now be added to the pile. A Curse So Dark and Lonely seems to be very hyped at the moment as one of the more amazing versions but unfortunately for me it was average.

Our three main characters are Harper, Rhen and Grey with the story being told from the alternating POV’s of Harper and Rhen.

Harper is our ‘Beauty’ who has been unwittingly dragged from Washington D.C to Emberfall by Grey, loyal Commander of Prince Rhen, in the hopes that she will help remove the curse.

Rhen is our ‘Beast,’ cursed to live out season after season of turning into a different horrific beast until he can find a woman to fall in love with him.

The characters are engaging enough although at times Harper does fall victim to ‘not like other girls’ syndrome and despite all the talk about Rhen’s ‘arrogance’ the narrative portrays him more as desperate and self-loathing. I found it a bit laboured to read Harper’s constant complaining about his arrogance when I just felt I was being ‘told’ he was arrogant and not ‘shown.’

Although Grey is not a main character he is a very interesting secondary character (though as the sequel seems to be Grey focused that makes sense).

All three characters worked well together and I didn’t feel like the relationship between Harper and Rhen was the usual ‘insta-love’ which can easily occur within YA. The development of their relationship felt more organic and there may even be an additional complication with Grey and Harper’s possible feelings towards each other. This may play out in the second book but while I like the possibility of having some bumps in the road to love I was over love-triangles ten years ago.

Unfortunately I found the villain’s rather one-dimensional and rolled my eyes at the lack of substance behind their motivations. Revenge and power are the easiest ones to use but there needs to be reasons behind revenge and power other than the light ones provided here.

The world building was standard although I switched off from the explanations of Emberfall’s geography but then I found that I also switched off from the over explanations of strategy and war.

The plot had a tendency to meander and I found the first half of the book, where it was more about the build up of the characters relationships, more interesting than the second half. The second half became politics, action and Harper thinking a lot about her family.

Also, the end of the book is really not the time to introduce new characters – I had no emotional connection with them, despite being ‘told’ I should.

I’m not sold on the fact that this is part of a duology or possibly even a series because it really didn’t need to be and the twist felt like it was just something to serve as an entrance into the second book rather than make any meaningful perspective change towards the plot.

All in all, this was a solid YA book and I did enjoy reading it but for me it’s not a particularly standout or amazing book.

I am still in two minds about this book, while the pages kept turning and I really enjoyed the reading experience, there was just something missing for me. While this is a fantastically unique retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story it ended up as a somewhat average read for me.

We started with such an interesting concept, almost sort of a reverse of Enchanted where Harper from Washington DC with her own world of problems finds here self sucked into a fantasy land. It seemed the perfect combination. However, for me it just fell a bit short. There was very little in the way of world building. Magical aspects were mentioned in passing but never explored so no feeling of the realm of Emberfell was ever really established, which is a shame as it could have really turned this book into a five star. The lack of descriptions just makes the world feel like it just materialised intsead of having the rich history that the author is trying to imply. There is also zero explanation of where this world sits in relation to our own, in fact it is brushed off with a hand wave and that is to me somewhat disappointing.

Unfortunately I also felt that some of the characters were underdeveloped and 2 dimensional, the villain was lack lustre and we never really felt in control to me. There were also so many interesting side characters we just didn’t get much about, Noah (the boyfriend of Harper’s brother) was just a surprising character but he only appeared in the last 100 pages of the book and we never fully got a sense of who he is.

The saving grace was Harper herself, she was so tenacious and vibrant that she was what kept the pages turning. While I cannot speak for the Creibal palsy representation, I liked the inclusion of it within the story. I appreciated that it wasn’t heralded as something for her to overcome and conquer but instead just a facet of her life as a whole. There was also Grey who I found more interesting than Rhen the Prince, I found myself routing for him more than anyone else. We did get snippets of his back story but still not enough to be fully satisfied. We also get chapters from Rhen’s perspective and while it does forward the story nicely I found his flip-flopping emotions a little difficult to follow. I feel this was due to the underdevelopment of the Villian and her backstory which was an integral part of the challenges faced by Rhen.

I honestly was not sold by the first half of this book. It was very slow paced and appeared to just be a standard Beauty and the Beast story. From the first 100 pages I couldn’t see how a 500 page novel could be made. I was wrong! The story takes a great turn and we get almost a heist style story, an adventure to save a kingdom at any cost. This was fun and I would have happily carried on those aspects and forgoe the romantic plot line. The action scenes we finally get are great but rushed. They involve characters who I felt are a bit to quick to accept what is happening and this again is due to the lack of worldbuilding.

I was unaware this was a series until the epilogue and while it sets up a potentially interesting plot line I kind of felt it caused the ending of this book to fade to nothing and that just didn’t do it justice. Again I am in two minds, I liked this story enough to keep turning the pages and reading on to how it resolved but I was also left with not really feeling anything for the characters and how it resolved. I will most likely give the second in the series a try but I don’t know if I would rush to pre-order. It’s more of a nice find on the two for one tables at Waterstones that I would happily pass time with, than a great need to return to the world. A curse so dark and lonely is by no means a bad book it is just not going to make my personal favourites.

My main complaint: It was BORING! Nothing happened at all, it was way too long. And this 20 pages of action at the end, did not make up for the non-action in the first 450 pages..

The book started of really promising and I was really interested. But then nothing happened, and it kept repeating itself. If the book was 200 pages shorter, I think I would have liked it way more. Since the writing was really good but they should just have skipped a big part of the story.

I was contemplating to stop reading this book so much, but every time I thought ‘maybe in the next chapter something will happen’, and every time it was not the case.. I should DNF books more easily, since it does not make sense to read books I do not enjoy.

I’m still giving this book 2 stars because the writing was really good, and it did like the authors take on the beauty and the beast story! I would definitely look into other books she would write in the future.

I would only recommend this book to people who like a really really slow romance.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This is a Beauty and the Beast Retelling and I was so excited to get my hands on this. Doubly so when I saw it was written by Birgid Kemmerer. I’ve heard so many good things about her other books, especially Letters to the Lost.

Although one can definitely see the inspiration from the original tale, the base work of the story, Kemmerer did put her own spin on things and I quite enjoyed myself reading this. In fact, I read 75% of this book in one go because I just couldn’t put it down. So points for Intrigue!
It's more than a love story, or a curse, it's about what you're willing to give and about the politics of leading a country.

In this story, Harper is from DC and gets (somewhat) accidentally dragged into another world; Emberfall. She doesn’t go willingly nor quietly. I really enjoyed her reactions to this. Her struggling with helping or staying out of things was really relatable. And poor Grey having to deal with her (a little irony, but also .. really)

Which brings me to my first big surprise: how well the two worlds blended together. Normally I’m very cautious of a book where a character from our modern world gets whisked away into a fairy type country. It poses a lot of problems. How well and fast does the character adapt to being essentially thrown back in time for about 100-200 years? How do the people from said other world react to the characters language, customs, clothes etc?

But I shouldn’t have worried because it was beautifully done. Grey, who is the loyal (and only) guard of Prince Rhen gets the power to travel to our world to … well … kidnap/convince a girl to come with him to Emberfall. He’s done this quite a lot lately (327 times to be exact) so he is fairly used to our world.

Harper, on the other hand, is first caught up in the danger of being dragged away and focuses on escaping and manages to ignore or explain away some stuff at first. And while she is awed by the castle and everything her priority is getting away (sensible girl right there!)
I loved the fact that she could get around reasonably well because she did horse riding back when she was younger as a form of therapy for her cerebral palsy. (Loved this because one, as far as I can tell, her cerebral palsy is written very well and carefully, but it also makes it way more plausible for her to be able to ride (not that that can’t be a hobby just because but it didn’t feel as convenient this way for me)).
And the things I liked most about her? She was fierce, yes, brave and a little bit reckless, but she also listened when people told her something was dangerous (well most of the time). She strived in Emberfall. She strived and really came into herself and seeing what she is capable of doing if people just let her.

Rhen was enjoyable to read about. I’m not head over heels in love with him, but he was a solid character and the more I learnt about him the more I actually liked him. I did pity him in all the scenes with Lillith (I’ll talk about her in a sec) and I quite liked the way he handled those situations.
He was a little bit lost, poor boy. And quite defeated but didn’t wallow in self pity which I really appreciated.

And now Lilith. This is one of my only complaints about this book. She is the villain and she was quite flat tbh. I love me a good complex villain. She was not.
She is wicked, no doubt. and some scenes are great and maybe it is because she isn’t in the book that often, is not really the focus, but I did miss a well written villain a bit.

But my fav has to be Grey. As I said, he is Rhen’s guard and he is loyal. Like extremely loyal! And though he is a bit standoffish he has a secret charming site that we get to see from time to time.

The worldbuilding is on point. It’s not overwhelming but you do really get a sense of what Emberfall looks like and what the people have been through.

The ending was relatively predictable and I did get to a point were I was like … really?? ("I can see no path to victory"?!) But I did still enjoy it and there were some things I did not necessarily see coming.
What I really appreciated about the ending was how the relationship ended and what was being said. You’ll know what I mean when you’ve read the book.
And the last scene? Although predictable it still did make me excited to read the sequel!

All in all I can really recommend this book if you like retellings. I certainly enjoyed my time reading. I flew through it!
Although I do think this is a very in-the-moment type of book … meaning I enjoyed it immensely while reading, but after finishing it and letting my feelings settle a bit I did notice a few things here and there that weren’t my favourites. (Also, I would’ve liked to know more about Harpers life before Emberfall.)

Huge thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book!

Anyone who knows me, knows that Beauty and the Beast is my favourite fairytale and Disney movie, so I am automatically critical of any kind of retelling/reimaging of the classic but Brigid Kemmerer did an amazing job with this novel! She took the story and twisted it into something dark and juicy and completely different but yet somehow still very much the same. I am in awe of the author and in love with this book.

Full (spoiler-y) review here: http://wmsreads.tumblr.com/post/182317073362

A Curse so Dark and Lonely is one of the most hyped books of this year in the YA fantasy community. When I started reading it, I was expecting the usual Beauty and Beast retelling, the girl falling in love in the end and then all problems are solved... but this was so much more than that.

Harper is a no-nonsense character. I absolutely loved that about her. She's tough, kind-hearted, brave and she is a great rep for cerebral palsy, in my opinion. I don't have cerebral palsy, so I cannot speak from experience, but I never thought she was badass despite that, but rather it was just something else about her, like being short. Rhen is complicated, difficult to love and always scheming. The character development in this book is amazing. I spent a lot of time wondering if I wanted them to fall in love or not, worried about the kingdom, swooning a bit over Grey, and generally being tense waiting for terrible things to happen any time. Which, you know, they do.

This book is so dark and gritty and takes an emotional toll on the reader. I wanted things to be alright but had no idea how they ever would. The storytelling is wonderfully seductive, and the twists and difficult decisions and sacrifices that were made all the time broke my heart. There is so much at stake, and it gets more and more complex as the story goes. I am almost scared to read the next book. I could barely sleep the night I finished this, going through the details and the twists in my head and possible outcomes.

As dark fantasies go, this is one of the best I've read so far!

ACTUAL RATING 4.5

A Curse So Dark and Lonely opens on New York. A teenaged girl, Harper, waits as lookout for her brother as he threatens an unknown person who hasn’t paid their debts. While she waits, a woman is being kidnapped, stolen from the streets by a man determined to save his lands by breaking his curse with her love. Next minute, the tables are turned and suddenly he is on the ground while his prey runs for her life and Harper brandishes a tire iron. Fade to black and she wakes to a foreign room, foreign men and her kidnapper awaiting her return to the world of the living. I loved how this opened, it got me excited for a novel which has been hyped to within an inch of its pre-publication life. But let me tell you now, it actually deserves it.

Now, if you aren’t into the cover thing, that’s all good but seriously, my main reason to request this from Bloomsbury was this cover. Its blue (the arcs are shiny, and silver and I covet them but meh, Ill just have to get the normal one) and covered in leaves. It’s all ambience and broody and pretty much tells the reader just what they are getting in for.

Harper has cerebral palsy; she should be limited by life but instead finds ways around it. Throw a villain at her? Instead of fighting fair, she uses her surroundings. Need to escape? Well, she can’t climb but she can sure as hell try. She doesn’t let her altered ability stop her and I absolutely loved it. For the majority of the novel, I actually forgot she had legs that don’t work properly because honestly, except for the few points where she mentions it and the little passage at the end, Harper is a normal teenager who hates being confined to their room but refuses to speak to her elders. Basically, she is genius when it comes to an MC.

The men of the piece, Rhen and Grey, are so damned knightly and proper, I actually rolled my eyes at their introduction. But only for a minute. After around 1/3 of the novel, I wanted to beat Rhen to a bloody pulp because, honestly, you just can’t fix stupid. Grey on the other hand, I wanted to grab a hold of and whole bodily push him in the direction of his lady friend. By the end however, I just wanted everyone to be ok. Like, that ending had me feeling all the feels (not cool Kemmerer).



Now essentially, A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a Beauty and The Beast retelling but reversed so as the prince gradually becomes more Beastly than less. It’s a great twist and one I really enjoyed. At its bare bones this tale would have been good. Under Kimmerer’s guidance, it was amazing. The scenery was magnificent with its changing of seasons after a single step, the castle felt more like it had personality than just being a random building and instead of a wilting rose, this version has scales which slowly creepy onto our prince. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and story, but the real stars of the show would have to be the secondary characters.

First off Harper’s handmaiden is just auntie goals. She is soft and squishy and full of love but also has a diamond hard exterior where nothing can get to her. Karis Luran, while rarely actually present is so sinister that I cower at the thought of her attacking the unwitting neighbouring lands. She is all spite and venom and ultimatums (A+ girl-villains!). Jamison is just so ridiculously loyal that I can’t fault him. He is knightly and regal but knows what it is to be close to rock bottom.

But the ultimate meanie crown and my favourite character would have to be Lillith. A scorned witch determined on getting revenge, she puts Rhen into an endless loop of torment for his sins. Occasionally popping in for a visit to check on his progress, the Witch Queen (not an official title but what can you do) is all things vindictive. I especially loved her torturing Grey for being protective of Rhen. Note to everyone out there – if you want to write a nasty girl who hates men, check out this novel because this woman is amazing. I feel she is warranted in her actions and you will fil at any attempt to convince me otherwise.

My only peeve with this was the fact that I found it just a tad too predictable. From Rhen and Harper’s narrative arc’s to Grey’s real identity, I was unfortunately able to pick them all.

The clichés aside, I found this novel very enjoyable and accidentally read it straight through, finally going to bed at 3am. It’s a very healthy and almost perfect 4.5/5.

Until I read this book, I thought that I was fed up of Beauty and the Beast retellings. I mean there are some amazing ones out there, but in the last few years, we've had rather a lot quite close together. But A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a Beauty and the Beast retelling like no other. It was a beautifully unique take on the story while also keeping the heart of the story strong and powerful.

Obviously I have to comment on Harper's cerebral palsy. This is the first character I've seen in a fantasy story with a disability like this and I felt it was handled beautifully. I'd love to see a review from some with cerebral palsy myself as I can't say anything about the accuracy of the writing, but Kemmerer made sure that it was a part of who she was and while also making sure not to see her only as her cerebral palsy. Harper was beautiful, strong, capable and determined. She wanted to learn how to do everything and refused to let her disability hold her back, except when it came to dancing (because who isn't going to be put off by passed experiences?) It felt so real and I loved her so much.

The fact that Rhen went through most of the story not as a physical beast was so interesting. I had my doubts about it at first, but it worked so well. Because at the start of the story? Rhen was a bit of a beast personality-wise. It was interesting to see how much the curse had made him close himself off, how the very fact that he was turning into a monster at the end of every season and killing everyone he cared about was shutting him off and making it pretty impossible for him to find the love that would break the curse. Until Harper of course. Watching him and Harper move around each other and slowly open up to each other was also just perfect.

I think this is the retelling of Beauty and the Beast that has felt the most real to me. Because the love was so real that it hurt.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury UK for giving me a chance to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this YA fantasy Beauty and The Beast re-telling.  The synopsis sounded right up my street and I was really excited to get into it.

The story centers on Prince Rhen of Emberfall and Harper who is from our world.  An unfortunate encounter between Harper and Rhen's one and only remaining guard, Grey, leaves Harper reeling and most definitely not in DC anymore. 

It's made very clear from the start that this is Rhen's last 'season' of which there have been hundreds, though time outside of his castles estate is passing much slower than within.  I felt like the story was almost made to seem stagnant at the start to reflect on Rhen's state of mind, he almost goes through the motions of his life, so when Grey appears with a very angry Harper, brandishing an iron bar, I think they both realised pretty sharpish that maybe this season wasn't going to go quite to plan.

I really liked the addition of Freya and Jamison into Ironrose Castle; they added a bit more to the story, as well as Zo.  It was really nice to see how both Rhen and Harper reacted around other people; especially with Harper the driving force behind most of Ironrose's new residents.  Rhen and Grey's relationship is also really well written, and you could tell how fiercely loyal a person Grey is.

The story wove together very well and I actually couldn't put it down when I hit the final 40%, which I read in one go.  Really well done - and that epilogue, wow, I can't wait to read more from this universe and find out all the information after the epilogue!

Age Range

I’d say that this book is marketed at the YA category; so would suit ages 13+

Finally – Would I Recommend It?

Yes definitely – I love a good retelling and this is definitely up there as a favourite.  I can't wait a whole year for the sequel, it's too long! A Heart So Fierce and Broken, which is set for release in January 2020.  Also, the paperback is to die for, so pretty!

4/5 ✰

I picked this up after hearing so many amazing things from other reviewers and friends, and like them, was not disappointed. I don't know what it was about this book that made me love it so much, but I flew through this in a matter of days, and loved every single minute. The characters were sassy, and strong, and the story was so fresh when compared to other re-tellings of the same story. I'm used to seeing the beast portrayed as purely that, and being fully aware of his actions within that state, that seeing it from a different perspective was like a breath of fresh air.
In addition to that, the decision to choose a female protagonist that was not from the same world as the prince, and was also disabled, was unique all in itself.
Everyone knows the story about a prince who needs to find a girl to fall in love with him in order to break the curse. It's a tale as old as time (see what I did there?) but what if the girl is a modern day Belle, who wasn't supposed to be taken into that story? This book answers that with ease.

Like many people, Beauty and the Beast was one of my favourite films as a child, and I love seeing it be retold time and time again, but I'm growing bored of the same old story. Kemmerer twists this brilliantly into something new, and somewhat unexpected. Harper is strong-willed, and relies solely on herself. She comes from a less than savoury background, and had learnt to deal with the tough hands life throws her way, and this clearly comes across in the book. She stands up to Rhen and Grey, and earns their respect, just as they earn hers. And the fact she's disabled definitely made this better for me.
It's something we rarely see in literature, especially YA fantasy. There's a lack of disabled characters, with very few examples springing to mind for me (honestly, the only one I can think of right this very moment is Kaz Brekker from the Six of Crows duology), and this allowed more diversity to be included. Harper's CP doesn't hinder her that badly, and it's made very clear that it affects different people differently, and after reading the acknowledgements, it was nice to see that Kemmerer had consulted people who suffered with CP, and made amendments based on their thoughts and opinions.
Harper's disability only made her stronger in other ways, and her development throughout the book was done fantastically.

Rhen's character development was also ridiculously amazing. The part he plays, tortured, spoiled, and roguish, were typical of what we expect, but seeing things from his perspective put a nice twist on things. Sure, he's the stuck up prince we're all accustomed to, but his feelings were incorporated in a more accessible way. You can see his persona change throughout the book, with each new thing that happens, and that's nice.

Of course, there's not a lot about this book that really surprised me. We all know the basic plot line. But I was left captivated, glued to the page, and sucked into the world of Emberfall. I found myself wanting to stay and find out what happened to these two characters, and felt upset when things went awry. The writing kept me wanting more, and I was sorry to let go of it all at the end (but yay for sequels right?), wishing I could stay in that world forever.
It's quickly become one of my favourite reads of all time, and I know it'll be one I'll be thinking about for a long time.
If you pick up any retelling this year, make it this one!

I loved this. It was dark, moody, twisty and overall wonderful. I loved the characters, the setting and the premise. Just a stalker retelling and example of how to do it right.

Cannot wait for more.