Mona Awad you beautiful soul you did it again!
I read Bunny and was obsessed and could not wait to read this, and I am so happy I did! For me, this book lived up to the hype that I had created for it in my head.
Awad delivers a surreal, dreamy, and horrifying gothic fairytale, that is all that I needed to know to instantly obsessed with Rouge.
Once I hit the final third of the book I could not put it down!

I always go into a Mona Awad book prepared for a completely twisted experience. And Rouge definitely delivered.

This was a fever-dream, fed by grief, envy and the drive to be beautiful. Awad examines the beauty industry, uncovering the ugly underbelly of the multi-million dollar business model that plays on our insecurities and has the power to decimate our self-esteem. After reading her previous novels, I was not surprised with the path(s) this book took.

Will recommend this book to fans of Awad, and readers who like to explore topics from an unusual perspective. Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I enjoyed this book! It's not my favourite Mona Awad (Bunny stays winning for me), but I loved the cult elements, the motherhood side, so much of it worked for me. I think, at times, it was a bit too convoluted in the dream state for me but again, I liked it a lot.

Rouge by Mona Awad is a fever dream of a novel, tackling issues of beauty, grief, identity, health, feminism, and reality.

When her mother dies, Belle returns to California to deal with her apartment, belongings, and business. While doing so, she is confronted with memories from her past and her mother’s obsession with the beauty industry and standards. She also meets people from her mother’s life and is invited to a mysterious spa. What happens there is very strange and the novel devolves into the reader wondering what is real and what is a dream. Is Belle losing her mind? Is there something sinister going on at the spa? What does Tom Cruise have to do with it all?

The book was weird and funny and suspenseful. I’m in the minority, but I enjoyed this more than Bunny, which is the other book by this author that I’ve read. I could follow this story more easily and found it moved along quickly. Again, it’s very strange, but I liked it.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

This book really had me thinking “what is going on” every five minutes. It was good but, I feel it was not for me. It was confusing as to what was going on

Beauty, Grief, and Identity

Rouge follows the story of Mirabelle, commonly referred to as Belle, who is deeply obsessed with skincare—a trait she inherited from her beauty-obsessed mother. After her mother's mysterious death, Belle travels to Southern California to pack up her mother's belongings. During her stay, she becomes entangled with a peculiar spa that promises transformative beauty treatments. As Belle delves deeper into the spa's secrets, she finds herself questioning reality and grappling with her own identity and self-worth.

Rouge by Mona Awad is a darkly captivating novel that offers a unique perspective on beauty, identity, and the mother-daughter dynamic. It is a thought-provoking read that challenges readers to question societal norms and their perceptions of beauty. With its rich narrative and complex themes, Rouge is a testament to Awad's skill as a writer and her ability to craft a memorable and impactful story.

FREAKY. But I expected nothing less from Mona Awad. This book had me feeling like I should check under the bed before I go to sleep, eery. I'm not sure I ENJOYED reading it because of this, but I think the story is excellent. Intriguing critique on the beauty industry and play on childhood stories we all know well.

The novel is about Belle, who is obsessed with her looks, has come home when her mother dies from falling off of cliff. As Belle takes care of her mother’s affairs, she finds her self wearing her mom’s red shoes, which take her to a private spa, where something otherworldly is going.
I did enjoy the imagery and language of the story, though at times the plot and action seemed to lag. Certainly, there are some interesting commentary and insights into beauty. 4 out of 5 stars.

This had me thinking the whole time, trying to decipher the underlying message. I fairly enjoyed the plot although it was confusing at times, it all came together at the end. The book portrays the true dark side of grief, envy and beauty. Overall a good read, I'm excited to read more by Mona Awad!

I really enjoyed the premise of the book, it was very intriguing and different compared to other beauty and the beast retellings. There were some parts I found a little boring, but I think it's a really great read for the fall time!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know what I just read. It was so unique when compared to what I typically read. I saw Mona Awad speak at an event in Calgary and was mesmerized by how she spoke of Belle and her book. At times it was very confusing and I did have to go back to reread the paragraph or chapter again. That being said this is going to stick with me for a long time. Incredible.

This was the first Mona Awad book that I’ve read. And I think I’m going to pick up bunny asap to compare.I don’t even know how to start explaining this one but here is my trying effort.

Belle works at a dress shop in Montreal, and when her mother passes away she has to go back to California to settle her estate. When she arrives she learns her mother is broke, sold her store, and just was ‘different’ before her passing. Belle finds out she was part of a group who then try to indoctrinate her. And that’s when it gets messy.

This book took a hit to track and follow. trying to figure out which is real life and which is imagination/horror world. But overall the story was unique which is something I totally appreciate. I didn’t find it too scary, so you will be able to sleep at night when you read it lol. Overall I give it a 3.5/5

This is my third book by Mona Awad and I really enjoyed it! Her books are certainly unhinged and you feel yourself slowly slipping into madness as you read it. After I finished it late at night I actually felt quite spooked! If you like books that blur the lines between what is real and what isn't I think you'll enjoy this read. It's fairly tale inspired, tinged with horror, and some of the scenes have stuck with me long after I read it.

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

DNF at 45%. This book is definitely different. The whole thing was feeling like a fever dream, and was very sporadic and all over the place. I know some people love this authors writing style, however for me I just couldn’t get into it.

*3.25*
While there were some aspects of this novel I did like (most of the flashback chapters where we see the protagonist as a kid and her dynamic with her mother, and the discussion of conventional standards of beauty), overall this book was just *too* surreal for me. I would have liked it if the plot was more straightforward/less confusing and there were less scenes that felt like/were (?) dream sequences.

Overall I enjoyed this novel, especially the prose. Mona Awad is an incredible writer even if her stories aren't always my favourite.

This wasn't for me unfortunately I DNF at 20%. I really enjoyed bits of it but just too slow for me.

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

Mona Awad doesn't disappoint. Rouge was strange and captivating and had me on my toes to see what was going to happen next. I enjoyed the writing and the suspense.

Mona Awad’s writing always leaves me with the feeling of what the heck did I just read. Was this whole book a dream, or did it actually happen. She makes me think after reading a book and I like that a lot.