First off I just adore this cover!! This was such a cute magical romcom. It was a bit spicy too. I laughed so much. I loved the story of the cursed family. It was so interesting. Rebecca curses Nona and her family just because she wants the life that Nona has. With every curse comes a way to break the curse. Nona and her family just need to figure that out. I just loved the side characters. Chicken mama was just great! I highly recommend this. Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining but could have been better

Nona May Taylor was cursed by a witch to become an old woman, while the witch enjoys Nona’s stardom and career as a singer. Nona is content in her secluded cabin with her family and her agent, who were also cursed by the witch.
However, Nona saves Charlie, a hiker, and is nursing him back to health. He brings her hope, and Nona realizes maybe there’s a chance to break the curse. Is Charlie indeed her true love? If yes, will the witch let it happen without a fight?
The story comes in three parts in Nona’s first-person POV.

What I Like:
The family dynamics are the highlight of the book. Nona is eighty-three years old (though her real age is around 22) and the only human in her family. The rest of them have been cursed to become various animals.
From the beginning, readers can see the love and bonding between Nona’s family members, the agent included. They are quirky and have distinctive personalities, even though they don’t get an in-depth characterization. It’s refreshing to read about such positive family dynamics despite their situation.
The setting is also well done. The snow, cold, cabin, and woods create the right atmosphere for the plot. There are quite a few instances of hunting for food and dressing the dead animals (I don’t mind it; mentioning it for others to be prepared).
Charlie is adorable and a sweetheart (despite one of his decisions). It is easy to see him and Nona as a young couple in love even though there isn’t enough ‘show’ where it’s necessary.
There is enough humor to make the reader chuckle a few times. The story is more or less lighthearted and very much surface-level (this is a disadvantage too). The first half is definitely stronger. The most enjoyable part of the second half is Larry.
There is no third-act breakup or miscommunication. And we also get an epilogue to present the story with a neatly tied bow.

What Could Have Been Better for Me:
The book is a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast. While I’m not bothered by that, I do wish the whole concept of the curse and the actual story behind it is better presented.
As the reveals begin in the second half, the story switches to romance, which still works to an extent. However, the plot gets more and more convoluted as it progresses.
It could have still worked if the threads were handled in detail. Instead, we get random bits and pieces of information in an attempt that bring them, which doesn’t entirely succeed.
NGL, the threesome caught me unawares. I’m not sure why it is even there except to tick it off a checklist. Also, given the ages and their past, it makes the whole thing awkward. Some relationships don’t have to be defined by sex, and the sort of pity angle makes this even worse.
The climax could have been a lot stronger. It started well, but the villain is a caricature, which made the whole thing feel OTT. Confrontations in snow remind me of Breaking Dawn (something I enjoyed a lot more).
An item that plays a prominent role in the plot is quite easily obtained and used so causally that I didn’t even feel its presence and power. Moreover, Aunt Lulu and her cabin could have amplified the atmosphere but have a limited role.

To summarize, The Curse of Nona May Taylor is a medium-paced, lighthearted read with talking animals and a love story. This would have worked better if the subplots were more cohesive and detailed or removed to retain focus only on the core story.
Thank you, NetGalley and Pinkity Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

A retelling of ‘The Beauty and Beast’ follows Nona May Taylor, a twenty-three-year-old folk singer who has been transformed into an old lady, by a witch who desired her fame. Not only did she condemn Nona, but she has also cursed her family and agent, turning them into a range of animals. The only way that the curse will be broken is for Nona to find true love. So, when Charlie, an injured hiker needs to be rescued by Nona and her family, it seems like he might have feelings for her which is unlikely as Nona looks like his grandmother. Yet when Charlie begins to play her songs and laugh at her jobs, Nona begins to wonder if there is a change that he could fall in love with her.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this cute and endearing novel. Nona’s family members were so entertaining, all vying for reader attention but not overwhelming Nona and Charlie’s romance. Without revealing too much of this story, I thought it quite magical. A great read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have no idea what I was expecting with this book but this was definitely not it. I felt like I could predict what was going to happen but I also couldn't at the same time. Nona and Charlie are cute and I liked their love story. The whole curse aspect was wild and I don't fully understand it but I had a good time.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This was a such a unique twist on fairy tales and I really enjoyed it! It took a little bit of focus for me to remember who was who and what their curse was.

The premise of this book was intriguing, but the execution was amazing... I was delighted, giggling, gasping. So much fun. It was frankly a bit bonkers in the best way and I had such a great time reading this little magical cozy contemporary fantasy romance. It's a gender-flipped Beauty and the Beast but Hardy gives the story her own unique take.

We find our heroine Nona living as an 80yo in a remote cabin in Montana. She lives with her family and her manager, and they have all been cursed by a wicked witch who was seemingly jealous of her. While Nona was given the body of an old lady, her mother is now a chicken, her step-dad a pig, her sister a fox, her brother-in-law a rabbit and her manager a ferret. They can all still talk and eat human food, but have to live as animals which, as you can imagine, is very difficult and depressing. For years, they've struggled to get by together and grown very close. Nona was a popular folk singer before the curse but now, stripped of her identity and money and with nobody who would believe her predicament, lives in her grandparents' old cabin in the wilderness. Until she helps a lost, injured hiker and things start to change...

This is a wonderful story that not only delivers on the romance, but also warms the heart. Nona's little animal family are just amazing and I loved the way they all cared about each other so much. They all are determined to be happy with their lot even when they're despairing about ever going back to normal again. The plot is a bit convoluted and OTT, involving wicked witches, earth magic and an enormous talking bear protector but I thought that was part of the fun of the tale.

It's also surprisingly spicy and frankly I was NOT prepared for the MFM moment Nona has - frankly all the charterers are obsessed with sex due to their isolation/age/animal state for years and it's kind of hilariously unhinged in that respect.

Recommended as a fun seasonal read as the snowy winter setting means lots of cooking, baking and getting warm by the fire in the cabin.

I was drawn in by the gender switched Beauty and the Beast retelling I had heard about, but this one just wasn’t for me.

I was invested the first third, kinda bored the second third, and then it gets to a very random threesome that didn’t need to happen. It kinda ruined it for me. By then, I just kinda wanted to get it over with.

I like the writing style, so I’ll read her again. I’ve heard Come As You Are was fantastic, so maybe I’ll go to it for a better idea of the author.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley. I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

So much fun! there's a lot (A LOT!) going on here. If you love the paranormal, a witch, a curse and all things Beauty and the Beast, as well as some serious animal shenanigans (go Fritz!) then this is a great read. It was a bit outside of my normal, but such a fresh read. Charlie is a honey and so is Nona May.

I love Jess K Hardy's writing and I'm looking forward to reading what comes next!
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.

So this book is weird. No other way to describe it. But it's also quite unique, excellent, and very entertaining. A lot of magical realism, outright magic, and a bit of mystery. I found myself drawn into what the heck was going on and why (!!) and staying because I loved the characters, their dynamic, and relationships with one another. I can't get into the plot too much without spoiling the book. So let's just say Nola May and her family are cursed and have been living remotely in Montana under this curse for five years. And then one snowy evening, a mysterious stranger appears in the woods and (snap!) things get even weirder. Yes, you have to suspend all belief as this is clearly a magical book and if animals can talk, anything is possible. Just go with the flow and enjoy this ride.

I was so excited for this one, and when I finally finished it ( I had issues downloading but that's no issues of the publisher) I did really enjoy it!

The characters and story were super cute, I would have liked a faster pace but that's just personal preference!

Great seasonal read that's cute and cosy

I enjoyed this modern spin on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale and thought it was clever to flip the genders and put the FMC into the role of the "beast", or in this case the old hag.

I loved how the author didn't shy away from any aspects of the female aging process. I also loved the family dynamics and the core message that regardless of the hardships they endured, they did it all together, still lived life and loved each other to the best of their abilities.

My only dislike was that the plot felt unwieldy towards the second half. The story is told in 3 parts and each part added more plotlines and twists, to the point that it felt longer and busier that it probably needed to be.

I picked this book up because it's spooky season and I am getting right into the magical/supernatural/fantasy romances this year.

The concept of this book is a gender-swap modern version of Beauty and the Beast. It starts of really well, with Nona (a twenty three year old trapped in an 83 year old body because of a curse) is living in a cabin in the woods when she discovers Charlie, an injured hiker.

Charlie and her have a deeper connection and it seems like he can see through the curse, but there is more to Charlie than what Nona sees as well. He's hiding more than what he lets on.

The story started off really well. Nona is an excellent character, as are her family trapped in the bodies of various animals. There are a few humorous moments as Nona discusses her physical ailments as an older person and the other characters are also quite fun to read.

In saying that, I got confused halfway through and admit to skimming to the end. With bears, rubies, bedroom scenes and all kinds of magical happenings I felt I completely disoriented ... lost in the woods, if you will.

The conclusion felt cobbled together, and by that time, I had lost interest in it all.

While there were certainly some moments that I really enjoyed, ultimately there was too much going on in this story for me to really connect with it.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

They had me in the first half…

And then it all went downhill.

The world building was awful. I was so confused with who Charlie was, because the hints were all over the freaking place. His story about his family made no sense, and then he started defending his crazy sister who ruined five YEARS of his fiancé’s life as well as her family’s lives.

And the threesome. I can’t even. What the hell was that and can we please put it back where it came from?

If you’re going into this for the supposed “Beauty and the Beast” theme, I’m sorry to say you’ll be disappointed. If you’re going into this for a fairytale-like reading experience…you’ll still be disappointed but in entirely different ways.

REVIEW
Five years ago, a jealous witch cursed 23-year-old folk singer Nona into the body of an 83-year-old, and her family and manager into a menagerie, then stole her career. She's adjusted to their unusual life in a remote cottage, but, when they have to nurse Charlie, a charming but injured hiker, back to health, she can't help but wonder if he sees the real her underneath the wrinkles.
I absolutely ADORED this gender-flipped retelling of Beauty and the Beast! There were so many laugh-out-loud moments - Nona was absolutely hilarious, but there were also some incredibly poignant parts. I particularly loved how well Jess K. Hardy wrote each 'animal's' individual quirks and mannerisms. But as I grew to know each individual character, my heart broke for each and every one of them. It's a rare talent that can make me sob over a talking ferret, let me tell you! But I did, as well as for each and every other one at some point. And I absolutely adored Larry and his cookies.
Nona and Charlie were so sweet together, and I adored their connection. I won't spoil any of the story, but I really loved the story arc, particularly the overall message of love over adversity. And that final chapter and epilogue? Just exquisite.
Fun and hilarious, but interwoven with a truly magical soulmates story.

Overall Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Heat Rating: 🔥.5
Emotional Rating: 🙈😂💓🙈😂🙈💓😂😊💓🥰😂💓🙈💔🥰💓😭💓🥰😂😊😭😊💔😬🤔😊🥰😢🙈💓😉😂😊🥰💓🥰😊😍💓😬😂💓🙈💓👏🏻🤔💓😢😬💓😬😏🙈💓😉🥰👏🏻😬😮😊🥰😬👏🏻🥰💓😊😟💓👏🏻😢👏🏻😢👏🏻💓😢🥰😏😂😭🥰

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review. The Curse of Nona May Taylor is published on 1st November in the UK*

Favourite Quotes:

"Don’t be afraid, Nona. Never be afraid to follow your heart. You can’t control anything else in this world, but you can control that. And that gives you power. The only power we ever truly have.”

"I know that no matter what happens, no matter who wins or who loses, we will be fine.”

This books caused surprisingly more tears than expected.

The Curse of Nona May Taylor is as similar to Beauty and the Beast as I am to my skinnier younger self. . . You can tell we might have possibly started out as the same person, but we clearly did not end up at the same place. The idea of similarity is there but the story is NOT the same. So if you go in expecting it, you will be (hopefully) presently surprised as I was.

The characters are laugh out loud hilarious and more endearing and REAL as chicken, rabbits, pigs, etc. than if they were in human form. And no, I do not feel this is a spoiler because you learn of these characters in the first chapter.

If you are looking for something with a bit of whimsy, a touch of magic, and a lot of heart than this book is exactly what you are looking for.

Thank you NetGalley and Pinkity Publishing for the ARC!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Nona May Taylor a 23 year old was a famous singer that was cursed by a jealous witched. The witch makes Nona have old skin and takes her place raising the charts of music. Nona decides to hide out in her grandpa's Montana cabin. She is not completely alone just isolated enough to leave alone with her closest neighbor being miles away. Nona also has her mother, Wally (step-dad), Bridge (sister), Jack (brother-in-law), and Fritz (her agent) but they have all been cursed as well. Instead of being turned into a old person like Nona, they were turned into animals.

Then one day a hiker shows up. He was hurt really bad and after they all worked together and got him to Nona's cabin they realized his leg needed stitches. Nona had to do the stitches herself. When he comes to, he freaks and they start talking. Nona ask him for his name which is says is Charlie. Nona inwardly panicked because her last hit before she was cursed was called "Missing Charlie" and now she has to nurse back to health a super cute guy named Charlie.

Her family and agent believe Charlie could be the answer to the curse. The true love that will break the curse and make them normal again. Rebecca, the witch who cursed Nona, won't make it that easy.

There are so many twist and turns in The Curse of Nona May Taylor. I enjoyed Nona May Taylor's story and Jess K Hardy's writing.

3.5 Stars rounded up

This book pleasantly surprised me. When I first started I was afraid it was going to be too silly. The story opens to an old woman chopping wood in the middle of winter before returning to her home where a group of (very opinionated) talking animals await her. The talking animals are her family. There is a hen (her mother), a huge pig (her stepfather), a fox (her sister), a rabbit (her brother-in-law), and a ferret (her friend/manager). The animals mostly behave like people (included eating), but sometimes do random animal things (such as when the hen walks off to go lay an egg). The old woman is actually a cursed pop star who is in her early 20s. Her family was cursed along with her when she mysteriously upset a witch.

This was a silly and fun gender swap retelling of Beauty and the Beast. By the end the story I was charmed and wanted to keep reading. Would recommend to anyone looking for an off the wall Beauty and the Beast retelling that is fun and lighthearted. One of my few complaints is I wish it wasn’t closed door. There are a few spicy scenes that are hinted at, but all fade to black. I could have done without the hinting if as the reader we weren’t going to get to know more. At first I didn’t think I would, but after thinking about it for a bit I appreciated the Six Feet Under final scene-like epilogue.

I did not expect to like this book so much. I went in expecting it to be your typical Beauty and the Beast retelling, however, it was much more. I loved the characters and the way the story unfolds to reveal the true villain of the story. The characters' relationships are realistic, and Nona and Charlie are adorable. I did thought the thing with them and Fritz near the end came out of nowhere, maybe it was just me, and it almost made me a little uncomfortable. However, overall I loved this book, and I would definitely check out other books by this author.

OMG this Beauty and the Beast retelling is on fire!! All the snow is melted because of this book right here! Loved it!!
I just reviewed The Curse of Nona May Taylor by Jess K Hardy. #TheCurseofNonaMayTaylor #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]