A retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. A little bit fiction, a little bit fantasy, a little bit fairytale.

Beauty is the youngest and somehow has caught they eye of Stephan. She thought that was what she wanted, until she got to know him and wanted nothing to do with him. When her father comes home from the enchanted woods with a red rose, stating he has to return, she sees a way to escape.

This was an okay story telling for me. I didn't particularly like most of the characters and while the premise was good, it just fell a little flat for me. We do see a little bit of growth in Beauty, but overall this was just an okay read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Beauty Reborn” by Elizabeth Lowham is a captivating retelling of the classic "Beauty and the Beast" tale. The novel beautifully intertwines elements of PTSD and sexual assault, which are handled with sensitivity and depth throughout the book.

The protagonist, Beauty, is a strong and independent character who is forced to confront her traumatic past when she ultimately sacrifices herself to the “fierce beast” her father is indebted to. The relationship that develops between Beauty and Beast is complex and emotional, with both characters struggling to overcome their own personal demons.

Lowham’s portrayal of PTSD and sexual assault is handled with care and respect, adding depth and nuance to the story. The characters' journeys to healing and redemption are heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, making for a deeply moving reading experience.

The world-building in "Beauty Reborn” is also impressive, with a richly crafted fantasy setting that immerses the reader in the story. The pacing is well-done, with a perfect balance of action, character development, and emotional resonance. The story is not a long one roughly under two hundred pages, however the story is paced well and I read it in one sitting!

Overall, "Beauty Reborn”, is a beautifully written and captivating retelling of "Beauty and the Beast". The themes of trauma, healing, and redemption are handled with care and sensitivity, making this a powerful and unforgettable read. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging and addictive read.

I really enjoyed this book and would defiantly read more works by Lowham! Her writing style is amazing and addictive.

Quite a superb retelling! Well written and beautifully tragic in places. The dynamics between the family members are unique to each person. I found Beauty an interesting character, with her despairs, hopes and intelligence. This story focuses mainly on her growth and success in overcoming her fears.

I absolutely adore fairy story retellings, though they vary wildly on who does it justice and who is off with the fairies. This one didn’t disappoint. It had enough of its own point of view to make it worth reading. It needed to be a bit longer, with some more background on the family, and the whole storm/ rose stealing scene was barely a blip on the radar, which if it was more thorough could have done a lot to further delve into the character of the Beast. The characters definitely had room to evolve more, especially the Beast, he seemed a bit insipid, and there was so much more that could have been developed in terms of the enchanted wood and the fairy wishes. I appreciated the backstory of Beauty and Stephan, it was dealt with very tactfully and eloquently. I’d come back for more from Elizabeth Lowham. I appreciated the opportunity to read an advance copy through NetGalley in return for my honest opinion and review.

I am a fan of Beauty and the Beast retellings and this one did not disappoint. It read kind of similar to Beauty by Robin McKinley but I didn’t feel put off by it. It kept my attention and was a quick fun read.

OVERALL:
A beauty and the beast retelling, where Beauty’s name is really Beauty. Something terrible happens to her, and she runs away to take the place of her father, basically because she’d rather die than stay. Very similar type of Beauty and the Beast story, with a few exceptions (sexual assault, how the spell works). But it’s still a HEA.

20 Seconds
Beauty Reborn is about a girl named Beauty who by her own words is “whimsical” (cue the most overused word in the book) and when she spurns a rich baron, he attacks her. The story is the same regarding her father taking a rose, and her sneakily taking her father’s place at the Beast’s castle as punishment. And the rest is also pretty much the same. Beast under spell, knows how to break it, but can’t, girl shows up, they learn to like and trust each other…you get the picture.

My Favorite Part:
This is not my favorite part, but what I appreciated most was what I felt was a realistic portrayal of Beauty’s processing her assault.

CW: SA- While this book alludes to SA, it does not spend too much time on it and just lets you know that it happens. With how the whole book was, I was happy that the moment was not really focused on and that there weren't too many details.

This Beauty and the Beast retelling hit me in a way I didn't know I needed. As a SA survivor, you learn that the trauma may always stay with you and learning to accept that is hard. This story was not what I thought it would be, but it was almost therapeutic to watch Beauty try to work through that same trauma.

I truly enjoyed how this story was written. The author's writing style had me captivated from the first page and I managed to read this in a day because I just could not put it down. I even went to a trivia night with friends and found myself still picking it back up in between rounds as I just needed to see what happened next.

I felt like although the root of the plot was Beauty and the Beast (magic rose, a beast in a castle, woman goes in place of father, etc), that wasn't really the focus of this story. It was more centered around Beauty's trauma and not knowing how/who to trust.

The only reason I would not rate this higher is that I felt there were some spots that fell short, such as with Astra. I wanted more growth from her even if she wasn't the center of the story.

I do love a good fairy tale retelling, and this one was whimsical and lovely! I truly enjoyed reading about Beauty's days in the castle, as she realized its magic and gently began to unravel the mystery of the Beast. Long hours spent together without actually seeing each other lent a mysterious quality to the story.

I really appreciate that the author of this book, a survivor of sexual abuse herself, sought to weave a tale of acceptance and love for those who have suffered in a similar way.

I did wish that the main character's name hadn't been "Beauty." It felt a bit too trite and unoriginal in what was otherwise a creative retelling! Some aspects of the story were not fleshed out enough to make sense to me, such as the story of Beauty's mother and father. It also seemed rather far-fetched to believe that a father who is described as being so kindhearted would not have at least tried to go after his daughter. In spite of several plot holes, and a lack of development in some areas, this story was fun to read!

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

I absolutely adore fairy tale retellings, and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorites. In this version, Beauty runs to the Beast, not just to save her father, but also because she's not sure she wants to survive. Instead of constantly asking Beauty to marry her, Gaston...I mean, Stephan, choose to take what he wants to force her into it.

This is not an action packed story; it's much more a story of healing and finding oneself. However, the pacing was still very well done, I never got bored, and managed to finish it one sitting. The only thing I wished had been done in more depth was the relationship between Beauty and Beast. It was missing the spark I needed to love them together.

I laughed repeatedly at Beauty’s comebacks and her sense of humor. Her relationship with her sister was so sad to me and it makes me thankful for the bond I have with my sister. Another thing I thought was amazing was how on the same day I read Genesis 41-42, I read this book and Beauty brought up the story of Joseph. All in all I loved this book so so much and I highly recommend!!

Content warning, mentions of sexual assault, but the author handled it really well.

I received an eARC from netgalley, all opinions are my own.

*Free copy through Netgalley*

I’m having a hard time reviewing this, because this book does exactly what it promises, but doesn’t bring anything new to the story.

If you love Beauty and the Beast, you’ll enjoy this book, because it’s exactly the story like you know it. Safe for some minor details, this book doesn’t take a new twist on the story or does something else that makes it special and unique.

The writing is very easy to read and I wish this book was a bit longer so we could have some more world building, character development and seeing the two characters grow closer to each other. We take a lot of time jumps which makes it difficult to really become immersed into the world, which is a pity.

I cannot express how much I loved this. A retelling of beauty and the beast with a twist, a cute, short romance. I've always been a fan of beauty and the beast and I was nervous going into this that it would be cliche and just follow the original story, however Beauty Reborn has a uniqueness to it that most retellings don't. In line with the original, Beauty is a strong female lead, however she has a big family and is more mature than the original, I felt she had a lot of depth and I enjoyed reading her emotional journey and character arc - instead of being your regular perfect female lead she does have flaws (which could make you dislike her) but she doesn't change them but instead learns to accept them. Another part I really enjoyed was the mix of magic, the fairy's in this book are a lot darker than you'd find in a usual retelling and all magic has consequences and regrets. Beast's character also had so many more layers to him than I expected, but I do wish you learned more about his past, and his interactions with Beauty are adorable. Overall I just enjoyed this so much it was just such a fun read and I hope Lowham does more retellings soon.

Spoilers -
Beauty Reborn was very fun and intriguing. I love how the beast was too shy to show himself to Beauty, it made him more interesting as a character. The relationship between the sisters was also realistic. I would love to know what happened to Astra and how she, if ever, completes the curse and hope it would change her as a person.

Beauty and Beast retelling tag and that alluring cover image were enough two reasons for me to request this book from Net Galley and truthfully was happy I did so.

Elizabeth Lowham’s imagination of the tale is sweet and romantic and at the same time kind of touching. With a different background provided for Beauty for walking into the forest and a different reason for the Beast to be turned into what he is, the author brings a fresh perspective to this oft repeated tale. The slow burn romance between Beauty and beast was wonderful with tender hearted moments that left me sighing.

Beauty’s traumatic ordeal I wish had evoked more empathy in me, somehow it just seemed to be something that was just there and not really felt. The author’s writing was exceptional with amazing quote worthy lines.

"I lived in a different castle one," I swallowed. "And I gave a man a room. But when I wouldn't give him anything else, he took the castle by force. And then I had nothing left to give."

Easy to read though I wished the pacing was kept to a standard, the beginning and climax felt kind of rushed while the central part of the story went at a moderate pace. Well, if you are a fan of the Beauty and Beast retellings, then this one is surely up your alley.

Delightful.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.

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The cover drew me in, but the gorgeous writing had me finishing this book in one day. It is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast with some unique twists and turns. Beauty (her actual name) goes to live in an enchanted castle to pay a debt incurred by her father. Once there, she meets Beast.

The story is so well written and beautiful, I found myself highlighting most of it. Beauty's humor and sarcasm, however, were my favorite parts. Great storytelling with a unique spin. Any lover of fairytales will love this book.

Trigger warning: Sexual Assault

Thank you Netgalley, Elizabeth Lowham and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

An interesting retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
I liked the way Beauty was shown, but I didn't like the short chapters and the switching back and forth in time.

A YA retelling of Beauty and the Beast, not overly original, taking the same ingredients, the same settings, but adding chatterbox features to Belle. I did not really enjoy the main character and had just hoped for more new-ness in the story. The writing was good, but I can't help feeling a little disappointed, there is just too many good takes on the Beauty and the Beast out there for this one to stand out.

Beauty Reborn is a beautiful, poignant, and bittersweet retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast. Whether you're a fan of the classic or the Disney movie versions, you will be happy with this version.
There are definite differences that make this version new. Many elements of philosophy-- what determines who or what is beauty and what makes one a beast?-- are explored in the plot. Very integral to this story is Beauty finding her strength to stand up for herself in a very important way.
The story flows well and is a real page turner. Highly recommend!

Beauty and the Beast is my favorite faitlry tale and I love retellings. This one was amazing.

The characters were well written. They had a depth that came off the page. They could have been real people. The story flowed and the jump between the past and the present was flawless.

She took the fairy tale as we knew it and add to it and it enhanced the story.

The downsides were while I liked Beauty's character, she came off stiff. The way she did something or said something at times were hard to believe. I also think there could have been more to the story. More interactions between Beauty and Beast. It felt like a chunk of the story was missing.
Stephen's character didn't really add to the book, except for what he did to Beauty. You could have taken him out and it would not have made a difference.

Overall, beautifully written and would recommend. I hope to see more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me a chance to read and review this book. This review is entirely my own.

*Trigger warning, discusses sexual assault.

This book overall was really well written. This was the first book I read by Elizabeth Lowham, and I enjoyed her writing. It very much had the fairytale feeling that you want in a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling. I thought the characters were well done and I enjoyed reading a new take on this story.

The story does have some heavy parts though. The book does discuss Beauty's sexual assault by Stephan (the Gaston character of the book). I do think this topic is important, and so I appreciated that it was discussed but it does definitely make the story heavier. Beauty does struggle with trauma and is rightfully deeply distrustful, so that adds to the heaviness.

Overall, the details are thankfully very vague on the actual assault other than a basic sentence saying it occurred. The story mostly focuses on the emotional aftermath of it In all, for anyone who has experienced sexual assault, I feel it's important to know that this topic is cover before making the decision to read.