DNF at 35%

Chalk this one up to just not being what I wanted it to be. It's a zany, very loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast where the beast is a girl. And really I probably should have read the description more closely! I heard gender-bent Beauty and the Beast and immediately said yes, great. I love the idea of a gender-bent version and the beginning was promising (girl (Merit) gets cursed because she refuses an arranged marriage, boy gets exchanged for his con artist mother), but then it went in a very different direction. Merit is wearing gowns and gloves, going to a cursed support group, and trying to pick someone to marry that her mother approves of before time runs out. Tevin offers to help Merit find the best match in exchange for his mother's misdeeds.

What we get is a very silly, more comedic take on a premise that follows hardly any of the beats of the original source material, nor does it have any of the darkness and angst. Which isn't a bad thing, it just wasn't what I was hoping for. And the cover is a bit misleading because it doesn't communicate the tone of the book at all. I think plenty of readers might enjoy this, but I think the marketing needs a tagline that gives a better sense of what the book is and isn't. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of Curses!

I really like the premise of this book - Beauty and the Beast retelling with the Beast character as a woman and the one to break the curse as a man. It's an interesting twist on the classic fairy tale, and so I was super excited to read it. Unfortunately, while the premise was amazing, the execution fell a bit short for me. It was hard to keep track of what was going on in the story, and I didn't really connect with either of the main characters, Merit and Tevin. I had trouble being invested in their stories, since I felt like their characters were a bit flat, especially Merit's. Tevin had some interesting family dynamics going for him, but I felt like the rest of his family was more interesting that he himself was. I also like the trope of falling in love while ostensibly helping the other person find someone else to marry, but since I didn't really connect with Merit's character, I had trouble caring about whether she found a husband or not. I really wanted to love this one, but unfortunately, it just didn't work for me.

Sometimes you read a book, and no matter how great the concept is- you just can’t get into it.
For me, that was this book.
The writing took a LONG time to get into, but the story itself was interesting and set at a good pace.

I absolutely loved this book. I got frustrated at their first fight, because I actually disagreed with who was right and who was wrong, but overall, this book was fantastic and I'll definitely be recommending it in the future.

This was an entertaining twist on Beauty and the Beast, and I thought the role reversal was very clever. I enjoyed the writing, but had trouble fully grasping the scope of the world and all of its intricacies and terminology. There were a lot of characters and plot points to keep track of, which made the book a bit confusing. All of the characters were likeable, but I didn't particularly love any of them. I am a big fan of the "I won't fall for you, but I'll help you find love" trope as well as forced proximity, but I never really felt the connection between Tevin and Merit. I did enjoy Tevin's interactions with his cousin and siblings though, and I thought his family dynamic was the most interesting. There was some great humor throughout as well as action and adventure, but I still found my mind drifting quite a bit while reading. The quirkiness and whimsy of the book reminded me a lot of Ella Enchanted and Shrek. I would have preferred more closure at the end, but overall this was an enjoyable read.

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

This was one of my most anticipated reads of this year. I loved the feminist twist on an original tale, and was captivated by McBride's writing style. I loved the dynamic between the two leads and especially enjoyed how their relationship changed over time. While it did run a bit YA for my tastes, I will definitely be recommending Curses in the future.

FINALLY, a good Beauty and the Beast retelling where the girl is the beast. Why is the girl never the beast? Is it because girls and women couldn’t possibly be beastly? Is it because women are expected to uphold a certain standard, to be perfect all the time? Is it because it’s just too unbelievable to some that a woman could have beast-like levels of rage? Is all of this beside the point? Pretty much, yes, but the point I’m driving at is that when I found out this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling where the young woman was the beast, I was very, very excited to check it out, so thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Curses gives us Merit and Tevin and their diverse band of friends and companions. Merit is a young woman of title and status who is expected to adhere to certain standards. When she ticks off her mom and, in turn, a godling faerie, she is cursed to become a beast. She doesn’t get a cool rose in a little glass case, but she does get a very specific time limit: she must marry either someone of her mother’s choosing or someone who truly loves her by her 18th birthday, or she is doomed to remain a beast forever. And unfortunately, it’s looking like it’s going to be someone of her mother’s choosing.

Enter Tevin, a professional conman with fae blood. In fact, his whole family are career con artists. When a con of his mother’s goes wrong, she trades Tevin’s services in exchange for her freedom. Tevin agrees to stay with Merit and help her sort through the potential suitors selected by her mother. Merit has been burned once before—badly—and she doesn’t want to go through it again. Her logic is that Tevin, as a con artist, will easily be able to spot a con artist. But of course, things always end up a little more complicated than that don’t they?
Block: She gestured to Tevin. “You’re the very definition of everything I’m trying to avoid. I’m hoping you can recognize your own and help me avoid them.”

From the get go, Merit is adamant that Tevin is absolutely not a candidate for marriage, and everyone who has ever read any book ever is reading along like, okay, sure, we’ll just see about that now, won’t we?

“You are not, nor will you ever be an option, Mr. Dumont.”

“Believe it or not, I understood that after you said ‘full offense, I didn’t ask you to marry me,’ earlier.”
So Tevin moves into Merit’s property, bringing his brother, Amaury, and his cousin, Val. Merit brings her guard Kaiya (who is honestly probably my favorite character) and her healer, Ellery. And you know…hijinks ensue. The gang begins attending a rigorous schedule of constant social events set up by Merit’s mother to help Merit get to know her suitors. Everyone has their own little agenda, and Tevin and Merit—against all plans—find themselves growing closer and closer.

I have to be honest with you, it has been a looooong time since I’ve read a fantasy book that I really, really enjoyed, especially a YA fantasy book. I haven’t even attempted many for quite some time now because it started to seem like everything was just so much of the same, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this one. Finally, something different. Yes, it’s a retelling, so in that sense some might not consider it incredibly “different”, but it’s a retelling that’s actually done in a really unique and enjoyable way. I loved a lot of things about this book, including the gender swapping of the beast storyline.

There’s also a major found family aspect to the story, and y’all know I’m a sucker for that. Yes, some of the people in the book are actually related by blood—Tevin, Amaury, and Val, for example are related, but the rest of the gang really bonds and they all end up caring for each other so much. Even before they all sort of come together as one unit, I loved seeing the found family bond between Merit, Kaiya, and Ellery. Merit’s mother isn’t exactly the best and she hasn’t always been there for her the way Merit wishes she would be, but it’s clear that even if Kaiya and Ellery started out working for her, they’re now her true support system.

“The problem with friends, Merit thought, was that they could not only see your little self-delusions, but felt comfortable calling you out on them. Also, you couldn’t toss them out the window, because you loved them and they were right. Even if they were annoying.”

The characters in this book are fantastic. Merit is a shameless bookworm with an attitude. Kaiya, one of my favorites, is a total badass. Ellery, despite their eyerolls and total lack of amusement for Tevin and Co.’s antics, will do anything for Merit and is always there at the drop of a hat. Val is a total firecracker and Amaury has that dry humor that I love.

“I’m always fun,” Amaury said deadpan. “Look at me now. I am a ball of laughs and jollity. A human construct of giddy social merriment.”

And Tevin. Tevin reminded me why I so love the “bad boy with a heart of gold” trope in YA. He has a checkered past and no shortage of smartass remarks for any and every situation. He almost never stops making sarcastic comments, and it’s hilarious. It seems like his presence really brings Merit out of her shell and I loved seeing their sarcastic, witty back and forth. That’s my favorite kind of romance. And, without spoiling too many things, it isn’t exactly the only romantic storyline in the book. There’s a bit of a crossover romance between the two friend groups, but I’ll let you read it to find out who! (All I’ll tell you is it’s really, really cute.)

There’s a great cast of characters in this aside from just the main people, as well. There are some great little side characters, like Merit’s Curse Support Group where she meets with other people who have been cursed by faerie godlings, or the well-meaning but awkward suitors like Cedric, who has recently taken to walking a peacock around on a leash at social events. One of my personal favorites is Willa, a young woman who has been cursed so that when she speaks, snakes and other reptiles fall out of her mouth. “The owner of the shop has complained that I’m creating a pest problem,” she complains early on about a local café. “I suggested the judicious use of mongooses.”

Observant fans of the OG Beauty and the Beast renditions will spot a lot of fun little nods to the source material, like one of the suitors, Freddie who Merit says, “decorates with antlers, skins, and stuffed prizes, and when he isn’t hunting, he’s drinking” (remind you of anyone?) or a scene where Merit, in beast form, struggles to eat soup properly with a spoon. These are two of many little references that I thought were a lot of fun to come across in the story, so if you’re a Beauty and the Beast fan, I imagine you’ll like them, too.

I really loved this book, I loved the characters, and was joyfully surprised at how much fun I had reading it. This is a good four or four and a half star read, and I highly recommend it, especially for fans of YA, YA fantasy, Beauty and the Beast fans, and lovers of certain tropes, like the begrudging friends to romance trope. I highly encourage you to check this one out on July 20th when it releases! I really think people should be so excited about this one.

Thank you again to Penguin Teen for the ARC!

Curses is my first gender-bent Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I honestly enjoyed it! The world felt very similar to Ella Enchanted, and I loved all the LGBTQ+ rep. Honestly, all the characters were well developed, and there's a fantastic cast of side characters who you learn to love. This was a sweet and cute story with (actual) funny banter. I do wish it had a little more romance, but the slow-burn was definitely there. I'd definitely recommend this book to those who love B&tB retellings!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 3.5
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, Penguin and NetGalley, for the ARC!

I absolutely adore this book. I love the gender bend on the Beauty and the Beast tale. The fact that there is a character that uses they/them pronouns and a lesbian character is also incredible. I also love the fact that the love story isn’t an instance of “insta-love.”

Really enjoyed this gender bent retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Lish McBride!

This was such a unique and satisfying retelling! The focus on Merit's inner struggle to gain control of her life was a great journey to go on. And Tevin growing up with his family but wanting to be better grabbed your attention. Together they pushed each other to grow in a way that felt real, and how that grew into a romance was really fun to read.

I also loved the side characters, especially the cursed support group!!! Best found family I've read in a long time, and their hilarious antics had me laughing out loud! The start of the book felt a bit slow to me, but once Tevin arrives at the castle things really get going.

Definitely recommend this gender bent YA retelling of Beauty and the Beast!

Thanks to the publisher for my advanced reading copy!

This book is a quick fast paced Beauty and The Beast retelling and of course is the most unique retelling of B&B I have read obviously because its gender swapped and two while it didn't exactly follow the traditional story line, I loved how it paid homage to both versions of this infamous fairytale, the whole concept of different class of people in this land and how Godlings and their "gifts" work is very interesting. The writing is pretty good and the world building is simple yet complete, The main characters are fleshed up and definitely interesting, while I liked both the MC's individually, I felt like they lacked a convincing chemistry between them that the classic Beauty and Beast has, overall its a quick and fun read with a very fairytale-ish atmosphere all through!

I love fairytale retellings; they have always had a special place in my heart. Now this one, will be added to that place. It was so good! The book "Curses" By Lish McBride is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. But this isn't just any retelling, this is a REVERSE retelling *squeal. * The book follows a soon to be adult Merit Craven who refused to marry her betrothed. Due to this, she gets cursed by a godling. The curse is as follows; By her 18th birthday, she must either marry for love, or someone off her mother's list. If she fails to do so, she will remain as a beast forever. To get help in finding a suitable suitor, she strikes a bargain with Tevin Dumont to pay for his mother’s debt. Tevin must use his con-artist skills to help merit find a good match. This book is fun, lighthearted, and made me laugh so many times. I really liked the world that it was written in, it had some parts that were very magical and teeming with the fantasy vibe, but there were also modern-day parts of it as well which i enjoyed. The dialogue in this book is so funny and lighthearted, that i would read 1,000,000,00 pages just of that dialogue happily. The pacing of this book was very well done and not too quick or slow, my only complaint about it was i wish we had more time with the characters in the end i felt like it was a bit too fast. As for the world building, as you go on through the story, the way the fantasy world is becomes more clear. I have to say i was a bit confused in the beginning with all the kingdoms and baronies, but it got better. Also, the cast of characters helped.

Character Rundowns:

Merit- I really liked merit. She was definitely relatable in many ways, and i loved how she stuck up for herself. Especially when it came to her mother. Her dialogues with Tevin were very entertaining, especially in the beginning when they clashed. It definitely made for some good banter.

Tevin- I simply ADORED tevin's character. Hes witty, charming, charismatic (literally) and a touch arrogant. But under all of that he's smart and kind and has a heart of gold. Which is much unlike his mother and father. That just goes to show how he truly got roped into his family’s cons. I also liked the portrayal of his gift. I think it was interesting to see him use it, and it gave a sense of the magic system.

Val- Val was my favorite character in the entire book. Shes so funny and her dialogue caused me to laugh all the time. Val is super relatable, especially with how awkward it is when she talks to her crush. She truly didn’t know how to flirt, which was so funny so thanks to Tevin for saving the day! Speaking of, her banter with Tevin is witty and fun and it too made me smile. The way Lish Mcbride wrote the dialogue for them, you can see the love and the bond they have. Its more like they are siblings than cousins and I’m here for it. I also really liked Val’s interactions with Kaiya, and I really, really, REALLY, R.E.A.L.L.Y want a book for them. Their chemistry is immaculate and could make for such a good love story that I really hope we get.

Lady Zarla- If there was one character who came the farthest throughout this magical journey, it was Lady Zarla. Her character development was the most prominent, and it caught me off guard. So much so, that it almost felt out of character for her. That’s how well she was written in the beginning. But it was nice in the end to see her care for her daughter and truly be happy for her.

Latmier- Like Tevin, Latmier was just roped into his families schemes and I truly believe he is a good guy. But did that stop him from making blood boil? ABSOLUTLEY NOT. He made me mad, but that’s what any good villain does. I also think there is potential for a book for him, even though he got a half redemption arc.

Ellery- YES. JUST YES. I loved that they were like a maternal figure for Merit. I find that super sweet especially since Merit’s relationship with her mom was a bit broken. I also really liked their development. Ellery truly stepped out of their comfort zone in the end, and I’m proud of them. So go bestie Ellery! They showed such positive development it made me smile. Also, heck yes to the non-bianary rep!


In conclusion, If you like fairy tale retellings and light hearted books that will make you smile, this book should already be in your cart to preorder!

Curses is a gender-bend, Beauty and the Beast retelling (don't worry, there's a Gaston character as well, ;)). I really enjoyed this twist on a classic fairy-tale. Merit, is cursed for acting "beastly" for not going to her arranged marriage engagement party, and has until her 16th birthday, to either get married to her mother's choice, or fall in love. You'd think this would be an uncommon thing right? Wrong! Merit is apart of, and as make friends in a cursed support group!
I enjoyed the adventure, different POV's and diversity throughout the book. There's also a fair amount of laugh and twists to keep you interested!
I recommend this book if you love fantasy, fairytale retellings, witty and strong female leads, and a slow burn romance!

I loved this retelling! This was a gender bent Beauty and the Beast retelling and it blew my mind! It was a little hard to follow at first, but once I knew who was who I was enthralled! I really enjoyed how she could change between her human and beast forms by taking a tonic.

I really loved the relationship between Merit and Tevin! I love the slow burn they had building throughout the entire book! I especially loved the ending!

What I loved most about this book was that Merit was a strong female lead and she was not going to idly by while her fate was decided for her by her mother.

Review to be posted on alisoninbookland on July 12; Will cross post to GR
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Curses was so delightful. It was truly a shake up of Beauty and the Beast as well as fairy tales in general. I loved how modern the story felt. There were 'technology' elements that felt like fantasy nods to modern day technology (mirrors and mage light). There was diversity threaded through the story and places. It felt like a real world to walk into.

I particularly loved how common place curses were. They're treated as a minor inconvenience like breaking your leg. It sucks for a few months but ultimately you're probably going to be fine.

The characters were wonderful. I grew very fond of them. Is the romance the most unique twist? No, but I still enjoyed the slow journey our characters took to get there.

I find humor is so hard to get right in books. You want to laugh on occasion but you don't want to sacrifice storylines for a 'cheap' laugh. McBride manages to walk that line perfectly. There are still elements (a character is turned into a bird temporarily as a punishment) that will make you laugh at the silliness but won't get in the way of moving the plot along.

If you're wanting a fairy tale inspired story to make you laugh, cry (just a little), and simply fall in love with the characters, Curses is sure to be your new favorite retelling.

Curses is a fairy-tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast that flips the script: the beast is the girl and the beauty is the boy. The reverse is fun and both of the protagonists were likeable. Perhaps the most delightful aspect of the book was the large ensemble of young adults and their comradery. A couple of groups of young people come together and all become friends while supporting the protagonists every step of the way. Their interactions and banter were light and natural. Because there were often many people in a scene, it was very confusing and repeatedly snagged up this reader that there was a non-binary character who was always referred to as they/them; this without fail required a passage to be rewound and reread to understand if it was they/them in the traditional sense or this particular non-binary character.

The fantasy world setting was only lightly developed, as it is mainly served as a backdrop for the events and the catalyst for the curse. The details of the world really weren't critical and some of the scenes towards the end feel a little extraneous to the narrative, causing the end to drag a bit. This is a book that is firmly aimed at fairy-tale enthusiasts, and in general, will be enjoyed by them.

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy

Fast paced, beautiful retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Absolutely loved the LGBTQ+ representation and addition of a nonbinary culture. Enjoyed the hodgepodge of characters and the slight but powerful references to mental health and its importance. Realistic family dynamics, laugh out lout hijinks, an imaginative use of magic, and a sprinkling of romance really made this a truly enjoyable ride!

what a lovely, fun story. this is a wonderfully done beauty and the beast retelling, and I really really liked it.

I think my favorite part of this book would have to be the lighthearted, whimsical tone and writing. there was so much banter and humor thrown around in every chapter, and it was perfect for this charming, playful story. I was constantly huffing with laughter. the writing was easy yet still fun and compelling. with comical curses, beautiful ballgowns, and ruthless royalty, this felt like an enchanting childhood fairytale all over again.

the characters were all so well written as well. despite being a somewhat simple story, the two main characters got the perfect amount of development, and the side characters were also a charm. I loved both merit and tevin, and the romance between them was absolutely perfect. it was an adorable, sweet, slowburn that was actually believable, and I loved the buildup and just every moment between them. they both grew and developed so much individually, making their connection just that much more endearing.

overall, I really enjoyed this clever, refreshing, reversed beauty and the beast retelling, it falls in the younger end of YA, and I'd recommend this lighthearted, sweet story to anyone looking for a simple fairytale story and a break in generic, dark fantasy.

A gender-reversed telling of Beauty and the Beast, set in a world with magic and fairyborn. Merit Cravan (yes, that name is supposed to bring up certain imagery) is the cursed one, desperate to break the curse she's been under since she refused to marry the much older man her mother chose and had her heart broken by a con artist (all in the same day). The problem? She only has until she's 18 to either marry someone of whom her mother approves or someone who really loves her, and we can all guess how well that's going to work. Tevin, another con artist, agrees to help her sort through the potential suitors (it's complicated as to why), but they've only got six weeks to accomplish this seemingly enormous task.

I loved the characters and their interactions. Merit may not be a raving beauty but she's a kind, intelligent and funny friend; Tevin, when he's not trying a con, is gorgeous but also kind, intelligent and funny. Even the secondary characters are well drawn. One quibble: Aubrey, Tevin's brother, is supposed to be this incredible intelligence gatherer and yet seems not to do a lot regarding the potential husbands. What's with that? It was also fun to see the sisters from "Diamonds and Toads" make an appearance. Maybe we'll get a book with their story?

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

Curses is a wonderful retelling of the classic "Beauty and the Beast" with a twist. This "gender swaped" story will blow you away. It was one of my most wanted books of the year and it did not disappoint. It's funny and you won't be able to put it down.