I have been a big fan of Brigid’s books for a fair few years now. So when I heard she was writing a full on fantasy I was SOLD. I would like to put out there that Beauty and the Beast isn’t my favourite tale for a retelling but oh my, did this book make me think again!!

One of the things I have always loved in Brigid’s previous books is her characters. Again she delivers in this book. Each character is fleshed out and feels real, even when in Emberfall. I felt like I was in both Rhen and Harper’s shoes as we alternated throughout the book. (Dual point of view is always a win for me!) I adored Grey also and the relationships the 3 of them built with each other and everyone around them. I love how there were characters and moments to really make your feelings go to war with themselves.

This book also avoided one of my least favourite things in a fantasy, a world info dump at the start of the book. It read so smoothly and it was great to learn about the world as Harper did. At no point did I feel pulled out of the story because too much information was trying to be squashed in.

The writing throughout the book was flawless. I never felt like a character did or said something weird or that something didn’t make sense. I could believe it all.

The only thing I am mad about is that the book is over and I NEED more. Also I need more Grey in my life. He is my favourite character from this book and that ending. OH BOY. I cannot wait for another book in the series!

I highly recommend you check this book out when it releases (or PRE-ORDER it!) and if you haven’t read any of Brigid’s previous books, now is a great time to start. I think of her Elemental often with great fondness. Even if you aren’t into paranormal, I still urge you to give them a try. The characters are to die for.

I really liked A Curse So Dark and Lonely. Not so much in the beginning, in fact I almost DNF’d it three or four times because I just couldn’t get into it! I am SO GLAD I stayed reading it. It is drawing comparisons to Sarah J Maas’ ACOTAR and I would be inclined to agree. It has some great characters, a really interesting premise and plenty of “would they just get it together already moments?” 😂 Plus, it ends leaving the reader wanting more! I genuinely loved this though, and I can’t wait for it to be released to buy a pretty copy for my shelves! Highly recommended.

I'm quite lucky in that each of the Beauty and the Beast retellings I have read has been quite different, all of them taking a different approach to this well-known story. Writing the story from the perspective of the Beast has been done before (The Beast's Heart) but I had not yet read a book that was dual POV between the Beast and the 'Belle' character - in this case, called Harper - and I thought it was a really cool take on the story. The contrast between the two of them is played up all the more when you add in the fact that Harper is brought into the Beast's world from modern-day America. I'm not always such a fan of 'modern day meets fairytale' stories because I think you can get bogged down in setting up the metaphysic between the two and other similar details. In this book, there is a bit of 'it's magic, don't ask too many questions,' but I think that worked to its favour. Harper is a gloriously practical character who, while she doesn't accept the situation in which she finds herself, she does get on with things without holding things up.

I thought that the 'curse' scenario, the idea of a season repeating but the world still moving on outside the castle was truly inspired. In most Beauty and the Beast style stories (or any 'curse' stories really) the world seems to have forgotten the existence of the castle that has been cursed, it languours either in some magical realm or hidden away in the forest. In this book, the world is aware of the royal family, aware of the prince, and also aware that things are not going well for them. The added need to care for the people of the kingdom was a fascinating angle to explore, and it made this so much more than just a copycat Beauty and the Beast. 

I can't speak to the representation of Cerebral Palsy in this book from experience, I look forward to reading reviews from ownvoices reviewers and seeing what they think, but I did like the fact that it was there. Harper is aware of her own limitations, but she is also unwilling to let them hold her back from what she wants to achieve. 

In case you couldn't tell, I had a great time reading this book. It manages to take Beauty and the Beast, a hugely clichéd romance at this point, and turn it into something that had so much power to it, so much weight behind it, this is how you do a retelling. I would highly recommend it as the colder weather continues!

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a free advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I think I've just finished my favourite book of the year...

I got this book from Bloomsbury Publishing through NetGalley, and I cannot thank you enough. Your sent me this book in September, I got so busy and I'm sorry for that.

I started the book yesterday night and finished it in the middle of the night. It is how a retelling has to be done. At some point I wanted to cry not because what I was reading was sad just the opposite. It was beautifully written, it was mesmerizing, it was brilliant, magical and so addictive. I wanted to cry because I cared so much for every single character, I cared so much about what was coming next. I felt like I was Harper or maybe someone watching after her, looking to protect her.

This is the best Beauty and the Beast retelling I've ever read. Actually this is the best retelling I've ever read. I don't even what to say, where to start except that everyone should preorder this book. I cannot wait to own a physical copy of this book.

This story will make you feel everything that is humanly possible to feel: love, hate, fear, passion. You will fall apart then stand up and hope for the best. You will be on the longest and the best rollercoaster you've ever tried.

The writing style was everything I needed. I ate each word, I eat each sentence, I eat each page... I was dreaming all along the book. It is a 500 pages ebook that I got and I finished it in one sitting. I'm still in that world. I need more. I just need more...

❝We thought it would break you,” he pauses. “It did not. You took action to protect the kingdom. Your first order was to seal the borders. You sent word to each city to govern from within.”
“I do not deserve your loyalty, Grey.”
“Deserved or not, you have it.❞
⠀
Most of you are aware of my love for retellings. And this one left quite an impression.
First of all, I liked the concept behind the heroine’s condition. It always showed her strength, her character and never her weakness. And I liked how much brave she was.
I also appreciated the whole world-building. Two parallel worlds, the one we are used to, and the other, where Beauty and the Beast’s retelling took place. Made of castles, peasants and unforgettable warriors.
The Beast and his alter ego, the beautiful prince Rhen, was an interesting character… But as you must know, my attraction for the other guy has ancien roots. And as it happened with Rhysand from the very beginning, in this novel I was rooting for the obedient and stoic soldier, Grey. I loved, loved, loved how the whole transformation was plotted out and I was more than happy when I found out that the novel didn’t end with the final chapter. It just began 😍.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children's for providing me an Arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts are my own.

I would firstly like to thank the lovely folks over at Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me a gorgeous advanced readers copy! Prior to receiving this in the mail, I also requested this on net galley so thank you also to net galley. This is no way influences my opinion of the book.

If you enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses, Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Prince & The Lunar Chronicles… I feel as if you’re going to really adore this book!

Beauty and the Beast is such a classic and what was most enjoyable about A Curse So Dark and Lonely was how it was completely re-imagined with all the best elements of beauty and the beast intwined! The world that Kemmerer creates is so enchanting and wondrous, while at the same time realistic and relatable.

The characters are truly unique, while yes, they adopt many traits from the classic tale (especially Rhen) it still felt like an entirely different concept and world altogether. Harper was perfect. In my opinion I really enjoyed how a modern woman was taken into Emberfall, with all the expectations and behaviour you would assume given the circumstances and events that occur in the novel. Speaking of Emberfall... a gorgeous world that truly comes to life through Kemmerer's words.

I will admit, reading a novel that is closely resonant with B&B, there was no disappointment. While the novel starts off a tiny bit slow, it is well worth the wait. The chemistry between each of the characters truly helps brings this adventures, romantic and witty story come to life!

I could not recommend this book more.
I look forward to reading the final published version in January!
5.5 Stars from this very happy reader!

This was a pleasantly surprising read. YA retellings of fairytales seem to be evergreen – we see so many of them popping up every year – and one fairytale that remains incredibly popular for adaptation is Beauty and the Beast. I’ve already reviewed one – THE BEAST’S HEART – which was sadly quite underwhelming, but A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY made me excited about this story again!

A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY manages to be familiar and fresh at the same time, combining traditional fantasy tropes with a modern heroine. I’ve never read a YA novel where the main character has cerebral palsy, and I’ve not even heard of one that has a MC with the condition and is fantasy! The narration is shared between Harper, a girl from modern-day Washington DC, and Rhen, the prince of a kingdom called Emberfall. Their worlds usually never interact, but one day Harper is stolen away to Emberfall as the latest in a long line of girls in an attempt to break a curse…

The story is quite familiar. A girl is trapped in the castle with a prince who is cursed and is running out of time, and the only hope for him is if she falls in love with him. But there are differences here to most versions of the tale – Prince Rhen is gorgeous, and seems very much human. And Harper isn’t the only girl who has been trapped in the castle with him.

It’s hard to write a convincing version of Beauty and the Beast without veering into Stockholm syndrome territory, but Kemmerer manages it excellently – there’s a delicious slow-burn romance that is built on trust and understanding and empathy. As a reader, I felt there was a bit of a spanner in the works in the form of Grey, who is Rhen’s closest (and only!) companion and guard, who is the one that brought Harper to Emberfall in the first place – he’s basically my favourite kind of male character in fantasy YA. Stoic and stern, but with a soft heart.

This made it a teeeeeeeny bit harder to root for Rhen/Harper because I actually really shipped Grey/Harper as well. He’s the one to first connect and bond with her while Rhen can’t work out how to approach her, and he’s the only Emberfall citizen we see at all in our world – the clashing of Emberfall/Washington DC cultures is hilarious.

I loved how this was very much a high fantasy YA novel but also featured stuff I love about contemporary YA – Harper’s family is very poor and her brother has been reduced to carrying on their father’s shady deals in order to earn money, putting their whole family in danger. The whole time Harper is in Emberfall, she can’t forget her brother and sick mother back at home in DC, and she’s scared that her brother’s deal may have gone south. This is the source of a lot of tension between her and Rhen – she blames him for having stolen her from a family that needs her.

Another little embellishment on the tale is the role of Lilith, the enchantress that cursed Rhen in the first place. Rather than being briefly mentioned as the source of the curse, she’s actually there pretty constantly throughout the story – she can’t interfere while Rhen tries to break the curse, but she can sure as hell make life uncomfortable for him by taunting and jeering at him. Her reason for cursing him is different to the original story – and I think it’s a good change that makes her feel a bit more three-dimensional (and works well as backstory for Rhen too).

Besides the female protagonist having a disability, there’s also some gay rep in the form of Harper’s brother and his boyfriend – I was so glad that they weren’t just backdrop to Harper’s story but actually became very involved in the plot in the second half of the book.

The book is supposed to be able to be read as a standalone, but the last chapter made me hope that there will be a sequel – otherwise I’m not satisfied with how a certain character’s story was left!

“I’d order him to bind it, but the wound will be gone in an hour, when the sun is fully up. So will the blood on my hands and the sweat on the horse’s flanks. The cobblestones will be warm with late summer, and my breath will no longer fog in the morning air. The girl will be gone, and the season will begin again. I’ll be newly eighteen. For the three hundred twenty-seventh time.”

A Curse So Dark And Lonely is a unique and fascinating story and Brigid Kemmerer has done an outstanding job with this Beauty And The Beast retelling.

Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall, has been cursed by a powerful and vengeful enchantress. Doomed to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year until he can find a girl to fall in love with him. If by the end of the season, Rhen has failed, he turns into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction.

Now, at the start of his three hundred and twenty-seventh season, Rhen has destroyed his castle, lost his family and his last shred of hope.

Nothing has been easy for Harper Lacy. Her father is long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together. Constantly underestimated because of her cerebral palsy, but Harper knows exactly what she’s capable of and leant to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone on the streets of Washington DC, she finds herself sucked into Emberfall, and Rhen’s cursed kingdom.

I’m a huge fan of Brigid Kemmerer’s work, her YA fantasy series, Elemental is one of my all-time favourites, so I was super excited to be able to get an ARC of A Curse So Dark And Lonely.

I really liked Harper, I found she was an incredibly strong and genuine protagonist.

I absolutely loved the mixture between the real world and the high fantasy world of Emberfall, I can’t remember ever reading a book that crossed worlds like this. Although I did find the that the mixture of the dialogue, between Harpers more modern colloquial speech and Rhen’s older more formal way of talking (like you would expect royalty to talk), did seem to clash and sometimes broke the flow of the writing.

I adored the chemistry between Harper and Rhen, from their snarky exchanges to their sweet moments,

‘“It’s not always this stiff,” she says. “If a girl likes a boy she’ll rest her head on his shoulder.”
“Does this girl like this boy?” My voice is light, teasing like hers was, but my question is genuine.
Her blush deepens and her eyes sparkle in the light from the fire. She says nothing, but then she moves closer, until her body is against mine, and her head falls on my shoulder.’

I loved the way A Curse So Dark And Lonely ended and I can’t wait for the next book so I can read more about Rhen’s Guard Commander, Grey and see what happens next.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a Beauty and the Beast re-telling, so from the get go, I wasn't expecting complete originality from the main plot. As a big fan of the original story, I had high hopes for Kemmerer's take on the beloved tale. I was, however, disappointed.

It had its interesting moments, taking the girls from a alternate dimension - our world - and bringing them to the world of magic, the enchantress, and the helpful sidekick with a twist. But they weren't enough to keep my interest for long.

Harper suffers from Cerebral Palsy, a condition that effects each person differently, but is a serious life-long condition. Not for Harper though. She manages to tackle the somewhat medieval world that Rhen lives in with relative ease and only seems to remember her Cerebral Palsy when she's on her own and feels a twinge in her muscles. If you're going to have a protagonist that has a medical condition then have a protagonist that had a medical condition, don't just throw it in between plot shifts.

Rhen is as annoying as any arrogant and entitled prince can be. He lacks any real development and remains 2D from start to finish. The entire love story between him and Harper feels forced, they barely interact with each other, and Harper constantly flits between wanting to help, determined not to fall in love, and wanting to go home, whilst Rhen just laments over not being able to help his kingdom. Not the makings of an epic love story worthy of Romeo and Juliet and more like the farce of a relationship among the likes of Edward and Bella.

Besides the flaw of the two main characters, it was a good read, Mostly because of Grey, he was the glue that held the story together, and he had more development than Harper and Rhen combined. I'm invested in his story and want to see what happens. I'll be getting the next book in the series just for him alone. I'm still rooting for a Grey-Harper endgame, as unrealistic as it is, because they had the chemistry that was sorely lacking between Harper and Rhen.

This book was absolutely fantastic and I am so gutted I finished it so quickly. I almost want to re-read already, because I enjoyed it so much.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely will be the right book for you, if you enjoyed "Uprooted" and "Spinning Silver" by Naomi Novik. In my eyes this one is even better.
I loved every single character and the scenes played vividly in my mind. The pacing of the story was perfect for me and I loved that the author included a gay couple and our main character Harper, who has cerebral palsy.
It didn't feel forced like in some other books and I admired how the little imperfections in each character made them even more lovable and amiable.
The ending I saw kind of coming, but it tore my heart out nonetheless. It makes me wonder if there's another book coming afterwards. Brigid Kemmerer you did a fantastic job with this and I will be picking up whatever you write next for sure.
Thank you so much NetGalley and @BloomsburyBooks for providing me with an eARC of this book. It was wonderful and I'm already planning on re-reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely.

HOLY BGJDHBFGHJBDFGH... this book is fantastic! Where have you been all my life? This is how you write re-tellings folks! *be prepared, this is going to be a long review, LOL

Since there are already so many BatB re-tellings out there, I'm always a bit skittish to start a new one even though I love them in general. But a lot of them aren't really original and surprising anymore, to be honest. a Curse so Dark and Lonely is one of the few who hit all the right checkboxes for me though! It's original and surprising, entertaining, enthralling, addictive and magical. I couldn't have wished for more awesomeness. This was everything I hoped it'd be and MORE and I'm certain this book is going to get HYPED real fast when it releases in January 2019 - MARK YOUR CALENDERS and PREORDER this baby.

Let me start by saying that Brigid Kemmer has some real writing skills (This is the first book I've read by her) Her writing is incredibly addictive right from the start. Everything just 'clicks' for me in this one, you know? There's a really interesting and sometimes mysterious story-line, the world building and the settings are so vividly written. I loved exploring this world and seeing some politics added to it as well at some point. And then there's also the set of characters; it's magnificent and I really mean MAGNIFICENT. Loved them all so so much. They're so well developed and likable and they all are such great additions to this story.

[QUOTE]There is blood under my fingernails. I wonder how many of my people I've killed this time

Story-wise there are elements present that are similar to the known BatB story; There's a prince, a curse that has to be broken by love and a Beast/Monster. But boy o boy, it's so much more than thas as well! The author was able to write a unique story-line using these known elements and made it HER OWN and I couldn't love it more! There's politics, there are more settings aside from the castle and we really venture out into this world that's called Emberfall. We meet locals and we come across some really kick-ass fighting scenes that have you on the edge of your seat. This book screams girl power in the best ways possible - but don't you worry: there's enough opportunity as well for Prince Charming to come swooping in and save the day *wink* and leave us a blubbering mess of swooning fangirl.

some more Story-line talk
Harper gets thrown into this magical world -kidnapped really - and ends up in a magical castle where's only a prince and his commander present instead of filled to the brim with people bustling around as you'd expect to find. She learns of a curse that has to be broken by love but has no interest in it and the role she's supposed to play whatsoever. She only wants to escape and get back to her mother and brother in her own world. Her mother who's dying and her brother who ended up in a really bad place because he needs money to pay the medical bills for their mother...

For prince Rhen, the cursed one, this is his last chance of redemption, of breaking the curse. The last season in which he has to make a girl fall in love with him before he'll turn into a Beast forever and roam the lands killing people. He's lost everything over the years; his family, his kingdom and he's bound to lose the last thing he's got left; his friendship with Grey and his life. At this point, he's not even sure he wants to live anymore though. His time is a Beast and the things he's done because of that haunt him, but Harper is unlike any other girl he has come across. She will antagonize him, surprise him, impress him. She makes him think about things outside of his curse and if there's actually a possibility of him breaking it in this last season. That could be dangerous but he's got nothing to lose.

The stakes are high this time because the end is near and he finds himself opening up to Harper more and more. But he can't seem to catch a break when there's an enchantress who's sole purpose is to torture him every chance she gets. There's a war looming, coming from another country and Rhen has to fight not only trying to break the curse but to save his people, his kingdom, even if he's destined to not be in it any more in the nearby future. This story of being cursed, a kingdom on the break of war, friendship, love and finding redemption is heartbreakingly beautiful and I loved reading every second of it!

[QUOTE]I sigh. I'm so tired of this. One last season. I throw the chipped glass into the fireplace. It shatters into a thousand sparks that flare and die. "I will dress for dinner. Let us play this game one last time."

More character talk
I mean... our heroine Harper is GIRL CRUSH MATERIAL I tell you! She is amazing. I haven't read a book in a while with such a beautifully strong female lead written into it. Her character was written so flawlessly I think. Her having cerebral palsy makes me respect - and being in awe of her - even more because she's so inspiring and (head)strong. She's feisty and definitely no damsel in distress, so I was a huge fan of hers right from the start given how she stands up for others and is willing to fight for them. I love the way she kicks ass and how she's always able to surprise everyone around her by doing things they think are impossible for her to do. She's one hell of an underestimated character and that makes her really impressing, whoop whoop!

[QUOTE]"What Lilith is doing to you is wrong, Harper says. I hope she does come here. I hope she comes to this room. Because I don't care what I have to do. I'm going to end her.

Rhen... our prince and 'Beast' was such an intriguing and mysterious character and I couldn't get enough of him. He's definitely a prince charming when he wants to be - LE SIGH - but he also has a darker side to him - aside from being the Beast I mean. He's mentally not always in a right place, which I can totally understand seeing what he went through and has done so over the years - not willingly - when being the Beast, and I just really liked reading about his 'darker' side. He's not this flawless and perfect character you come across so often and that makes him so freaking fantastic and loveable as one of our leads.

[QUOTE[I clench my jaw. I once thought the monstrous destruction was the worst part of the curse, but I've long since learned that it's not. It's this, the repeated humiliation and punishment. The powerlessness to reclaim what is mine. Being forced to watch as every dignity is stripped away.

And not Rhen alone is one character you're destined to fall in love with. Noooo Sir. There's Grey, his Guardsman/Commander and friend really, who's been beside him from before the Curse was casted. And he was such a fantastic addition to this book. He provided for a lot more depth in a lot of scenes and I loved how these three characters formed this strong bond with one another. (the story is being told from Rhen and Harper's POV but Grey is definitely present enough to be mentioned as being another lead character I think)

There'll be some more minor characters along the way whom are being introduced and they all fit in perfectly with the story. The author did an amazing job of creating a set of characters that's diverse and interesting and loveable. I can gush about all of them forever.

Romance talk
There's a romance present of course and I was so curious and scared at the same time to read about it, since it's so hard to write refreshing ones. But even though there's this whole 'break the curse by love' thing going on, and you think you've seen it all already, the romance really isn't Too much and just in such beautiful balance with everything else. It's progression is steady-paced and it's really well-developed and believable which made me so excited! I gobbled it all up and couldn't get enough of it! The romance is just enough to have all the romance-lovers out there hooked and not too much to have the readers who don't like romance as much, feeling overwhelmed. It's just the right amount of romance in contrast to the story and it's development.

[QUOTE]For one brief moment, I forgot the curse. I forgot that she is not some simple girl who sparks intrigue with every other word from her tongue. And for one brief moment, I remembered. I remembered what it was like to want to touch a girl, not as part of a carefully planned seduction designed to lure her into breaking this curse.

Conclusion
Where to start when summarizing this story? Not possible. There's so much to fangirl about, because that's what I've really been doing here, lol. This is a BatB retelling like you've never seen before and I mean that in the best way possible. This is a story that makes you swoon, ache, cry, love, fall apart at the seems and it makes you crave more when finished. Like I said before; This was everything I'd hoped it'd be and more... I can't recommend this book enough and I hope you'll be swept away by this amazing story just as I was and still am.

[QUOTE]This was never a curse to be broken. This is a death sentence. The true curse has been the thought that we might find escape.

*I am so very thankful to the publisher for sending me an arc of this book. This was one of my most highly anticipated 2019 releases and I count myself so lucky that I was able to review it in exchange for leaving an honest review. I am so Happy that this book turned out to exceed my expectations!

I love the "Letters to the Lost" series and I love "Beauty and the Beast", so when I saw the phrase "Beauty and the Beast reimagining by Brigid Kemmerer", I was automatically on board. Accordingly, I came into this one with high expectations.

There's less of the traditional "will she see through the ugly exterior to the person beneath?" in this version. Rhen is a good person, if you overlook the whole "kidnapping girls to break the curse" thing, and the main obstacle between the two of them is overcoming the point that Harper hasn't come here willingly and he's putting on a bit of an act to try and get her to break the curse. I liked it, original take on the whole fairytale curse trope, but adjusting from what I traditionally expect from a Beauty and the Beast story took a while.

As per usual with Brigid's books, the characterisation is amazing. I liked Rhen and Harper's dynamic, drawn together by their need to help people and do their best for the kingdom. Harper soon became a firm favourite, a strong female heroine in all the best ways. I also had a major soft spot for Grey, the Commander of the guard. I really hope we get a sequel, because not all the loose ends were tied up and I really want to know what happens with Grey, so keeping my fingers crossed!

A curse so Dark and Lonely follows the story of Rhen, the prince of Emberfall who is cursed to repeat the same season over and over again trying to break the curse which fell upon him. Harper herself was struggling to cope with her mother’s illness and the debts collected by her father when she is taken to Emberfall against her will by commander Grey.

Harper is one of those characters that you don’t have a choice but love them. She fights for what she believes in and is not afraid to stand up to anyone. She is not afraid to wear a dress and play the part of a true lady either and embracing her feminine side. It really stood out to me this scene when she turned around and said that she was born with her injuries and she will die with her injuries, so they need to teach her how to work with that and for me that was so empowering. She is not flawless either; with the best intentions she makes mistakes and is not afraid to own up to that.

Rhen, the Crown Prince of Emberfall, seems to be the typical brooding ya hero at first glance, however, as the story progresses, we get to learn a lot more about him and I cannot begin to say how much I love him. His interactions with Harper were refreshing and made me very happy inside. He might seem uncaring, cold and aloof, but he actually has the ability to empathise and see things from a completely different perspective and I found myself many times agreeing with this opinions. He and commander Grey have a brilliant relationship and I loved their banter and camaraderie. All the supporting characters I felt they were fleshed out enough for their roles.

The plot was faced paced and kept me turning the pages; I read this book in two days. The writing was very rich and easy to read. The characters had unique voices and I really appreciated the relationships following a natural, realistic progression. The ending also made my heart skip a bit and I am really excited to see what the author will come up with next.

I enjoyed this book very much, I basically devoured it on two days. I totally recommend it if you like ya fantasy and especially Beauty and the Beast retellings; this is one of the good ones!

I am a complete sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings, but they almost always fall into cliche traps; this one really didn't. I fell for Harper pretty hard almost immediately, never really warmed to Rhen entirely but he was still better than a lot of male leads, supporting cast also awesome, the Enchantress actually gets in on the action... this is probably my favourite retelling since Entreat Me, and I really liked that.

I'd seen this book all over Twitter and I love a good retelling so I was really keen to pick this up so I was excited when I was accepted to review this one. It's taken me a while to get to as in the recent couple of months I have both moved house and had a baby so my reading definitely slowed down (or stopped 🙈) but I'm getting back into the swing of things now and this was just what I needed to get me back into the reading groove.

Here are my thoughts...

What I liked
• It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and as I've already said I love a good retelling. In my opinion this was a good example of a retelling as there were clear nods to the original story and key plot points but enough individuality to the story to keep it interesting.
• The representation. The main character has a disability and there were LGBT side characters. Neither of these aspects were handled badly but they could of been done better (I'll explain below).
• There were several strong characters all of which had strong morals. Harper was a strong, independent female who didn't want to be treated any differently. Grey demonstrated loyalty and showed what it meant to be a good friend. Rhen had quite a complex personality. This developed well over the novel and he definitely grew as a character in a good way.
• I enjoyed the romance. It was very slow burn and I loved the way both Harper and Rhens feelings developed over the course of the novel.

What I thought could be better
• I would of liked a bit more world building. It felt very much just like a mediaeval version of our current world. Which was fine but there was often mention of magic and I would of liked this explained a bit more.
• The representation of Harper's disability, although good and not problematic, could of been done a little bit better. At times it felt like it was an afterthought but that's just my opinion. This could be interpreted as it not being a problem to her, which is obviously a good thing. I think there's a fine line between good rep and bad and I might just be being a bit picky.

This retelling was really great and I loved it so much. I recommend it to anyone who's in love with fairytales and Beauty and the Beast.

This is a book I've been excited to read. As someone with a minor form of cerebral palsy who has a sibling with it a lot worse I was excited to see representation in a fantasy book. And it was good rep. Okay, it didn't stop Harper from doing much but for some people, it doesn't. It still had an impact on her life and that was nice to see.

The general Beauty and the Beast plot was good. I questioned having Rhen human for most of the book at first but I would. His beastly days had a profound effect and I liked seeing how that affected him and his relationship. That it wasn't just an ugly form that was stopping him from finding love. I didn't like Rhen and Harper together at first but as their relationship changed I liked it more and more.

The other characters were interesting. Grey was awesome and that ending 😱. I'm looking forward to seeing what he'll do next. I also loved Freya and Noah. They should pop up more in the future!

This is an awesome read and I'd definitely recommend!

Many thanks to Bloomsbury for providing me with this E-Arc of A Curse so Dark and Lonely in exchange for an honest review.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely is told from dual points of view - Rhen and Harper's.  Harper is living in D.C. with her dying mother and brother.  Their father has left them, along with debts they can't repay, to people who you don't want to owe a debt too,  In desperation, Harper's brother is shaking down other's in the same boat for the criminals that threaten their lives.  While standing guard for her brother, Harper sees a woman being kidnapped and decides to interfere.  Instead of scaring off the would be kidnapper, she finds herself transported to a strange land in her place.

Rhen, a prince, lives in a castle with his commander, Grey.  They have been cursed to relive the same season over and over again until Rhen finds a girl to fall in love with him.  This is made almost impossible by the fact that the curse involves him transforming into a vicious beast at the end of each season and wreaking havoc on everyone around him.

When he finds Harper is certainly not like any of the other girls that have come before, breaking the curse ceases to be the only matter at hand.  There's a chance he still might be able to help some of his people.

This was a phenomenal Beauty and the Beast retelling that I couldn't put down.  Although Harper's stubbornness sometimes frustrated me as she often made things worse for herself, I really loved her as a character.  Rhen's growth was also fantastic to watch through the story.  I also adored Grey, maybe more than every other character! The action was brilliant and the anguished choices the characters constantly had to make made for such engaging reading.  I didn't intend to read the entire second half of this book last night, but there was no way I could stop.  Coffee was invented for a reason, right?

An engaging, entertaining read with dynamic characters and a decent plot. The concept was interesting and pulled off well, this retelling was engaging and the author did well balancing the modern world and the fantasy one. There was a great range of interesting characters, but the relationships between them felt a little lacklustre and the love triangle was unnecessary in my opinion. The second half was a bit flat compared to the first, and the resolution felt rushed, but overall, I enjoyed this book.

This was an interesting one, and a twist on the Beauty and the Beast tale. It wove several common tropes into one, so I was interested to see where it led.

Harper/Feyre: the girl kidnapped and brought to a castle, where she’s at the mercy of the troubled prince and his grumpy-but-tameable captain. I liked that the author wove her cerebral palsy into the story, although it only seemed to crop up when Rhen described her walking abilities. Obviously, Harper becomes a figurehead in battle with little-explained ease.

Rhen: the love interest that Harper swore she wouldn’t like but obviously ended up liking, who was cursed to turn into a beast unless he found love. The fact that it was an endless cycle was a good twist though.

I felt that some of the characters fell a little flat at times; relationships happened to move the plot forward more than anything else, and certain events needed much more description and lead-up.

Grey, bless him, was such a pawn (although I’d be interested to see how his ending ties up). Noah was the best, and more needed to be made of his transition to Emberfell. Jake wasn’t that well fleshed out, but this was explained away by ‘not that close’ - I just didn’t feel much for him.

And Lilith. Oh, Lilith. Of course the evil lady villain had that name. She could have been much more interesting with her ‘woman scorned’ vendetta but again, she fell a little flat.

An easy read that I’m sure will appeal to Sarah Maas fans (although the latter’s world building is a lot more compelling). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!