I was provided with an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, oh my gosh I loved this book! What a novel idea to do a retelling, but have it pick up after the "Happily Ever After." This was a wonderful and imaginative story about what happened after Belle broke the curse, and even goes so far as to inter weave actual historical peoples and events. There was plenty of action and plot twists, but the pacing was excellent. I love that they gave Belle an awesome best friend! I love that we get to revisit with old friends from the original tale. Speaking of the original tale, I love that the story is built upon the Disney version, which for me is the best version. There's just so much to love about this book. I highly recommend it and can't wait to read the others as they come out. I will definitely be adding this one to the young adult collection at the library where I work.

This book had everything going for it to be a 4 or 5-star read for me. Beauty and The Beast is my favorite fairytale, it being the aftermath of the breaking the curse and set during the start of the French Revolution sounds awesome. But I was bored for a majority of the book.

It took me a while to figure it out, but when I went to look at reviews to see if it was just me not enjoying it, I came across a review that pointed out what I think is the root of the problem, Belle doesn't seem like <i>Belle<i>.
The Belle I know from the classic story is headstrong, has strong opinions and isn't afraid to voice them. The Belle in this story is meek and doesn't talk out of turn often.

Lio, formally known as the beast, was also a rather dull character. The interesting thing about him is the obvious PTSD he would have growing up as a monster cut off from the world. But he was also not what I wanted to see from his character. He was so willing to take that advice of people he hadn't seen in a decade, and people who didn't know how he suffered over Belle, even after he makes her an advisor. I don't know, it's just not what I would expect.

Lio and Belle also spend very little time together before he decides to go on a tour to talk to the aristocrats over dealing with the potential of the commoners revolting in his province like they had started to do in Paris. It just seems very short-sighted, and again, when Belle warns him of this he basically brushes her concerns off. And that was around when I stopped reading. I have no idea if things get better to make this more of a 3-star read, but being nearly half-way through the book and very little happening made me decide that this may not be the book for me, and I'm bummed.

Rebel Rose is part of Disney-Hyperion’s new series of princess stories set in their historical context. It confirms once and for all that Disney’s version of Beauty and the Beast is set in 1789, just before the French Revolution. Given what I know happens to the French royal family, this is a pretty bold choice for Disney, and I requested this book mostly because I was intrigued to see how that would work out.

As it turns out, Beauty and the Beast takes place in the principality of Aveyon, not in France, so Lumiere is mistaken in declaring, “After all, miss, this is France.” But that’s all right. It neatly side-steps the fact that the other option would have been to pretend that France (and the rest of Europe) failed to notice their monarchy had vanished for several years and to erase the existence of poor Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. It does not, however, explain why the enchantress felt it necessary to transform Adam’s Lio’s staff into talking furniture as part of her curse.

Belle and Lio (it is odd to think of Beast as Adam or Lio, but Lio is odder - and apparently a nickname?) are doing a Grand Tour of Europe before she is “caged” by the life of a queen (or princess, a title she stubbornly refuses to accept). Their first stop is Paris, where they are required to see King Louis XVI, and suddenly subject to all the complexities and constraints of the greatest court in Europe. Naturally, the first thing to happen is Lio’s Parisian cousin, Bastien, determines it would be better if Belle didn’t actually go to Versailles with Lio, and this will clearly become a source of marital strife later on as the political strife develops.

There is a good deal of historical information introduced early on via Bastien, who delivers a very long “didn’t you know?” monologue in addition to pointing out Belle’s deficiencies as a noble (which are many, given she really isn’t one except by marriage). For readers unfamiliar with the French Revolution, as a young adult reader may be, this makes sense, and is not nearly as annoying as it could be. It is clear that a genuine attempt is being made on Theriault’s part to fit this story into history, and I appreciate that.

Something that caught my eye, and which I approve of, was the casual use of French words and phrases without Italicizing the non-English words. I find it more immersive when writers do this, as it normalizes the language, rather than drawing attention to it. Unfortunately, there are some other narrative choices which are as infuriating as this was welcome, such as using phrases like “screw etiquette.”* Somewhere in between there is a line from Mrs. Potts which seems more like it is speaking to the audience than to Belle, but I still like it: “We women are always twisting ourselves into knots for those we love without a care or consideration for how it might affect us.”

* Keep in mind, I am reading an ARC, and this and other quotations may change prior to publication.

What happens after “ever after”? Following the events of the classic fairytale, Rebel Rose follows Belle and Lio, formerly the Beast, as they navigate life after the castle’s curse. But it isn’t as simple as they had hoped. With tensions in neighbouring France swirling towards revolution, Belle and Lio must fight to keep Aveyon from following in France’s footsteps.

I really loved the concept of this book continuing on where the story of Beauty and the Beast ended, but I found the characters weren’t quite what I expected them to be. I felt that Belle wasn’t quite the stubborn and headstrong heroine we’re all used to. She sat back and held her tongue far more than I thought she would, instead allowing herself to fall into letting others make plans for herself and her kingdom.

I also found that, while Belle didn’t realize the identity of the villain right away, she was far too suspicious of them for the grand reveal to be shocking. It felt as if the lead up to the final conflict didn’t build enough tension, as it felt almost predictable.

This book will definitely appeal to those who like a good deal of history with their fairy tales, but there is a distinct lack of romance between Belle and Lio.

So. I had to sit on this one for a bit before I reviewed. I finished it last night and I was between 3-4 stars and I'm bummed that I'm disappointed so I guess I'm going with a 3.5 rounded down.

For those of you that don't know, this isn't a Beauty and the Beast retelling. This is an AFTERMATH of Beauty & the Beast. Everything happens like it did in the Disney movie and then we see how Belle & Lio (yes, the Beast's name is Lio) move forward and deal with the French rebellion. I LOVE the idea of this book and of this entire series. Apparently, the Queen's Council is going to feature the aftermath of several Disney Princesses and I am here. for. it.

So why the disappointment? I felt like the plot was just lackluster. There was an actual rebellion happening and we don't really get to see any of it. Instead, we hear again and again about Belle's conflicting feelings regarding the Beast since he basically kept her prisoner for a while until they fell in love and how she doesn't feel right being a queen when she was raised as a commoner. I mean, there could have been battles and plots and interweaving "let them eat cake" and so many good things! But alas, we actually seemed to get Tamlin & Feyre from A Court of Thorns and Roses (don't get me wrong - I love ACOTAR and I know it was a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but the overprotectiveness and shrugging off of Belle's feelings and opinions seemed a bit more Feyre + Tamlin to me).

As for the "bad guy," it was a classic Disney move. Bad is bad. I love me some Disney so I know what to expect going into it, but I think I was just miffed by this one because it was portrayed as some big mystery when it really wasn't. You'll see what I mean if you choose to read it.

The good - I enjoyed Belle's friendship with Marguerite, there was some LGBT rep, and LaFou makes a comeback. Who doesn't love LaFou? Actually, all of the major characters in the story we love are there, which was nice. It does hit the spot for nostalgia if that's what you're looking for.

Overall, it held my attention and I did enjoy my time, but I was just disappointed with the execution. I feel like this was a real missed opportunity because the set up was so good.

The Beauty and the Beast meets the French Revolution in this fascinating story. Shortly after Belle breaks the curse and saves the kingdom of Aveyon, she finds herself on her way to Paris with the man she fell in love with and saved. Lio, the name the prince goes by, needs to make his way to Versailles and determine where he stands with King Louis. Since the curse caused all of France to forget about Aveyon, Lio needs to remind people of his reign without anyone discovering the real reason behind his 10 year absence- the curse. As the events of the French Revolution unfold, Belle finds herself at the center of an uprising, plots against royalty, and her people finding their voice.


The story incorporates a defining historical period with a Disney story people know and love. While several characters make this book worth the read, unfortunately the book did not live up to its potential. After a solid start, there were several paths the story could have taken to keep its readers guessing and intrigued. However, the villain was revealed far too soon and Belle, the real hero, took too many chapters to realize her hunches were correct. Belle’s fear of becoming involved continued for a long time, and by the time she was willing to put her people before herself, it was almost too late.

Overall, 2/5 stars for Queens Council: Rebel Rose. There was so much potential for this to be an amazing novel. It had all the right elements, history, Disney, a strong heroine. But unfortunately, it just didn’t live up.

As a Millennial who grew up identifying with Belle and loving the Beauty and the Beast, it was inevitable that I (along with others in my age group) would realize that the French Revolution wasn't far from the happily ever after of our favorite Disney Prince and Princess.

This book answers the questions we had about what would happen to Belle and Beast during that time and if the French Revolution would make it to their borders or not.

Emma Theriault does a wonderful job at bridging the real world of France with Aveyon, the kingdom that Lio (the beast) rules over. Her mix of French phrases into the dialogue also helps with pulling you into the world she built.

Rebel Rose is a wonderful book for all Disney fans, especially those of Belle and Beast.

I have mixed feelings about the retellings that Disney-Hyperion publishes. I always crave darker versions of their stories because I’m edgy trash. I picked up a couple of books from their Twisted Tales series hoping for that sort of grit and was ultimately disappointed. The tone in those books felt pulled between the lightness of the original canon and the new, dark story the author was trying to weave. So I had some hesitation with picking up Rebel Rose, however The Queen’s Council is proving to be everything Twisted Tales wasn’t.

Theriault weaves a dark landscape of revolutionary France and does not pull her punches. The facade of the nobility, the starvation in the streets, the blood and gore that lead up to the final confrontation. It’s absolutely horrifying and poor Belle is in the middle of it all torn between her new position as a prince’s wife and her past as a commoner. She can sympathize with both sides but the horrific violence forces her into herself.

Unlike with the Twisted Tales series The Queen’s Council seems to skew older. It’s about the princesses (in this case Belle) growing into their role as queen and faces the challenges that come along with that. I loved the blend of historical fiction and Disney retelling. I don’t know if it’ll work so well for every princess but setting Belle in revolutionary France was a fantastic idea.

Every character is recreated with love and we get to see a different side of them from what the original movies present us with. I loved Belle and Lio as a fledgling queen and king. I loved the look we got into LeFou’s character finally giving him some real depth and purpose.

There is more than one gay character in this retelling and both are explicitly stated. Nothing so vague as a short second of them dancing with someone of the same gender. There’s a strong female friendship and plenty of women supporting each other. There’s treachery, a dash of romance, darkness and revolution. I honestly don’t think I could have hoped for anything more out of this retelling. I deeply look forward to seeing what the sequel will have to offer.

Historical fiction meets Disney Princess? Absolutely! Sign me up!
Prince Lio becomes the King of Aveyon after he marries Belle and prior to the start of the French Revolution. We get the comfort of all our beloved, and not so loved, Beauty and the Beast characters as they help Belle save the country and Lio.
The book gives you ample opportunity to learn about French history while expanding on the story of Beauty and the Beast.
I would love to see more Princess stories done.

**Thank you to Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my rating**

The Queen's Council answers the question of Disney fans everywhere: What happens after the kiss and the Happily Ever After? In this case, Belle has to try and stop the French Revolution from knocking on the doors of the home she's made with Prince Lio.

This book is the first in a series (the next princesses reported to be Mulan and Jasmine). I am very interested in seeing what they do with this. I enjoy the premise of "what's next" mixed with historically important events in the time period and/or culture of the princesses so much.

For this book, Belle struggles with not wanting a title (She doesn't want to be "Princess Belle". Just Belle), trying to rule a kingdom in the prince's absence, and thwarting the plans of an insider revolutionary. I think these are all struggles I could realistically see that character dealing with, but she also struggles with not believing in herself and not listening to her instincts throughout the book, which is not something I see Belle having a problem with in the film. Belle is very headstrong, stubborn, and brave. Someone who questioned their own instincts wouldn't have had the bravery to take her father's place or to stand up to a village mob. She is good at making quick decisions. It was nice seeing her grow into her own as a ruler and seeing her and Prince Lio grow as a couple, but this one character aspect confused me.

I would also say that it's very easy to tell who the villain is. The narration often says things like "there was something off about them, but Belle didn't know what it was" or "there was something not quite right about them". I am a little more lenient with this because I know this is Theriault's first book and especially for a first book, this was well researched and executed. However, in terms of the villain, giving so many hints about them being "off" comes off like she doesn't trust the reader to figure out who the villain is on their own. She was so blunt about it that I actually thought it must have been done on purpose as a red herring. I'm hoping if she writes another book in the series that she trusts her reader a bit more to figure out where allegiances lie on their own instead of telling them at every turn. The villain in general kind of has unclear motives which aren't made any clearer towards the end.

The historical aspects of this were well done. You can tell Theriault did a lot of research into the French Revolution, which makes the world building aspect of the book phenomenal. She has a talent for putting you right in the middle of the scene. Each beat you'd expect is there (e.g. "Let them eat cake", storming the Bastille, etc.). I was the most excited to see how this aspect fit, so I was happy it was well done.

The characters in general feel very familiar to the ones we know and love from the movie. I was glad to see that Cogsworth, Lumiére, and Mrs. Potts still played large roles in the story, along with new friends for this book. I also rather enjoyed that Belle has great female friends in Mrs. Potts and in a new character named Marguerite. Disney Princesses are often criticized for not having female friends, so it's nice to see that being addressed.

Overall, this was a strong start to a series and a great debut novel. I'm very likely to continue this series if this is how they're going to be. There was great historical background added to classic Disney stories with a few minor character hiccups along the way. I was very pleased to be able to revisit a kingdom from my childhood with additional historical aspects added.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

If you've ever wondered what happens to your favorite characters after their happily ever after, then you need to read Rebel Rose. As a huge Disney fan, I knew that this book would be perfect for me, since I've asked myself what happens next too many times to count. Rebel Rose follows Belle and the newly human Beast (here, named Lio) as the French Revolution storms the country and their kingdom of Aveyon. The author seamlessly weaves the political landscape with Belle's journey of self-discovery as she steps into her new life. I loved seeing both new faces and old friends in this tale, and it was a quick and entertaining read. I definitely recommend picking up this latest Disney retelling.

Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: Buy! If you are a Disney fan and/or a YA fantasy reader, you need to add Rebel Rose to your shelves. Plus, the cover is stunning, even just seeing it electronically. I'm so excited to hold a physical copy! If you're unsure of whether or not to buy, definitely borrow from your local library to make up your mind. You don't want to miss out on this fantastic retelling.

I was disappointed that I did not enjoy this book more as it was the top of my TBR. As a result I did not finish it because I was so saddened by how little I enjoyed it. There was a great deal of telling but not a lot of showing. the writing is beautiful but I didn't feel like I was being pulled in. I will likely try reading it again and will likely by it for the library because of the topic. It may just not have worked for me in this moment because the story is interesting and the writing is lovely. Still highly recommend because all the right elements are there.

Beauty and the Beast is my all time favorite Disney princess story. Though I'm not usually a big fan of retellings, I decided to give this a go. The cover is gorgeous! The description had me intrigued.

Unfortunately though, this was really hard for me to get invested in. The story takes place 10 years later after the Disney story I know and love. It felt slow and boring. It focuses heavily on political unrest and not so heavy on a love story. I know, I know....Bell already fell in love with the Beast. In order to keep my interest in a story, the romance has to be pretty near center stage. Add to the lack of romance, was the constant irritation I felt with the overuse of words and phrases from the original story such as "provincial life". There was a fair amount of French words or phrases which got on my nerves as well, and not just "mademoiselle" or "monsieur" - but words that the average reader would have no understanding or knowledge of their meaning.

Ultimately at 36% and 4 weeks later once I began reading, I realized the advice from my sister-n-law was right. It was time to DNF.

Fans that enjoy more historical fueled stories are likely to find this story more attractive. Give it a go if you fall in that category.

Favorite Quotes:
But promises born out of fear do not carry the same weight as those born out of love.

"The curse forced you to change, but the transformation was yours alone".

"I was in that darkness for ten years before you gave me a reason to seek the light," he whispered.

Fear was as much a motivator as hate. Fear made monsters out of men.

"I'd caution you not to judge a whole group based on the actions of the violent minority".

Language Rating: (1 light)
Mature Content Rating: 1 (light)
Final Rating: DNF

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for giving me the chance to read and review this E-ARC. I will publish this review on my blog (A Bookish Star), Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Instagram (@ABookishStar) closer to the publication date.

I loved this book! If you take anything from this review, then know that I adored Rebel Rose and I highly recommend it. It is essentially a sequel to Beauty and the Beast. It answers the question of what happens after the curse is lifted? This book combines history and fantasy. It is set during The French Revolution.

My favourite fairy tale and Disney movie are and will always be Beauty and the Beast. I can read countless retellings about Belle and the Beast and never grow tired of them. However, Rebel Rose is one adaptation that sticks out, and brings something new, amongst all the other retellings. It is the first retelling I have read that asks the question: What happens next? What happens when the fairy tale has ended? Does the relationship between the Beast and Belle survive? What challenges do they face next?

Theriault has created a heavily character-driven story. I love Disney's version of Belle in Beauty and the Beast. However, I love Theriault's version even more. Belle, in Rebel Rose, is coming to terms with her new life in the castle. She is struggling with the question of who is she? She is struggling between her identity as a person raised as a commoner and as a person married to a Prince. She feels she is in between two worlds without fully belonging to either one of them. I loved how Belle's character developed throughout the three hundred pages. I was easily able to pinpoint where she had started and how she has grown throughout the book.

Rebel Rose is a story about learning to trust oneself and others. Trust your instincts! Have confidence in your beliefs! It is a story about speaking up and not letting your voice be silenced or diminished.

I enjoyed the romance between Lio (the Beast) and Belle. I thought it was adorable, and I was always wanting more page time with the two characters. By the end of this novel, I was left craving more stories between Lio and Belle. I'm sad to know that future books in this series will not contain Belle and Lio.

The side characters and the antagonist were just as fleshed out as Belle. I felt the characters brought the world of Aveyon to life. I couldn't help but fall in love with Mrs. Potts, Chip, Cogsworth, Lumiere, and Marguerite.

Rebel Rose takes place around The French Revolution. I liked that the plot centred around the issues between the different classes around that time. The events of the story are a bit predictable. It wasn't hard for me to guess who the antagonist was in this story. However, all that being said, I like the overall message of this book. I liked how the author ended Rebel Rose. I think this book gives a good message to its readers.

Overall, I loved reading Rebel Rose. I think fans of Beauty and the Beast will not be disappointed with this take on the classic fairytale. I enjoyed the incorporation of history with fantasy. I felt that the characters brought this book and its world-building to life. I loved the message of trusting oneself and speaking up for what you believe in.

I love a good Disney Princess book! Rebel Rose was an absolute delight to read. I enjoyed getting to see so many familiar characters back again, with enough new ones to make it interesting. The historical situation was a great choice; it was wonderful to see beloved characters placed in the real-life events of their countries.

There were so many twists that I was never sure who was supposed to be on which side. I finished this book in one sitting and am already dying for the next one!

This is more than a retelling because it’s what comes after the “happily ever after”. It’s set in revolutionary France and I loved al the historical characters and nods to the time period. Belle is a strong woman, trying to find her voice as she goes from commoner to princess. I really loved Belle and the storyline with the historical spin

Thank you so much to Disney Hyperion for this arc through NetGalley.
Emma Theriault is an author to watch! This is an amazing retelling/ continuation of Beauty and the Beast, taking place just after the events of the curse being broken. It’s an interesting look into the French Revolution that we all know, adding in the kingdom of Belle and Lio.
I adored how modern Belle is politically as well as in general. It’s very refreshing to see and the explanation of the curse’s origin is a perfect tie in. The villains were so well written that I kept almost wondering if they were the villains or not and it kept me on my toes (I totally knew that the main villain was a villain but I did wonder sometimes if I was too confident!)
I honestly can not wait to see what else Emma writes and see which princesses are next for this series!!!

I LOVED THIS!
A Disney princess book set during the French Revolution,,, YES PLEASE! The story was absolutely delightful and a continuation of the original story that we all know and love. I was instantly sucked in.

Rebel Rose is set after the marriage of Belle and the Beast also known as The Prince, the happily wedded couple is headed to France to see The princes Cousin Bastien without explaining his ten year absence ( the curse has been erased from the memories of everyone except those that lived it). While the Prince goes to an audience in Versailles, Belle explores a magical mirror shop where a strange women urges her to follow her heart and save Aveyon .Belle then witnesses a beheading and a mob in the streets, In an attempt to prevent the revolution from happening in Aveyon Belle and Lio return home to their castle instead of continuing the travels they had planned. Unfortunately trouble is already brewing at home and danger is seemingly everywhere. Who can Belle trust? Family?Friends? Can she even trust herself!?!

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Disney books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love Beauty and the Beast, so naturally when I came across a continuation of their story, I jumped right on it. The Queen's Council Rebel Rose followed Belle as she navigates ruling beside her husband. This takes place during the time of the French Revolution and the author did a great job of weaving that event and this story together. For me, this book read like a movie so it made for an easy reading experience.

Overall, I gave this 3 stars because I wish there had been just a little more interaction between Beast and Belle.
However, I would recommend this to anyone who loves Beauty and the Beast or just Disney in general.

I have a mix of feelings about this title I love concept of a blended fairy tale retelling meets historical fiction. It was great to see familiar faces mingled with new ones. Bu this took me a while to get into. I am, ultimately, glad I stuck it out. The story definitely picked up as it progressed. Though I do have to ding it a bit for taking so long to become engaging-and also for making Lio (aka Beast) a bit of a dolt (listen to your wife!).

Was this story predictable? Yes. So predictable. Will readers enjoy it? Yes. They will. I am intrigued with how this series will continue.

For Libraries: I think this is a good one to take a chance on if you have fans of Disney, fairy tale retellings or historical fiction.