The Beautiful is the captivating first installment in Renee Ahdieh’s series, blending YA fantasy romance with rich historical and paranormal elements.

Initially, I approached this book with some trepidation after reading mixed reviews. The fear of encountering a book I might dislike or have to put down is always looming. Thankfully, The Beautiful exceeded my expectations. The narrative is steeped in mystery and secrecy, immersing readers in a society where much remains hidden. While hints about the characters' true natures are skillfully woven throughout, definitive answers come only at the end, keeping the suspense alive.

The conclusion suggests a shift towards a vampire-centric focus in the upcoming sequel, and I found this initial book to be a solid foundation for what’s to come. Ahdieh’s writing style is engaging, and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. I’m eagerly anticipating the next installment and what new twists it will bring. Overall, The Beautiful is an intriguing start to the series that left me wanting more.

Personally I am a bit over the vampire tales, however I still enjoyed this book. The cover was the very first thing to draw me in a d left me curious as to what this would entail.

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin for the ARC. Vampires are totally back. This definitely sounds exciting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

I had heard nothing but positive things about this book so when the publisher put it up as Read Now on NetGalley before the release of the series finale, I thought I'd give it a shot. I love everything about this setting. It's 1872 New Orleans and Celine Rousseau is a white passing teen girl who fled Paris under suspicious circumstances. That on it's own is fascinating to me and then you toss in a series of bodies being discovered in gruesome ways and I'm totally sold.

Unfortunately, the execution did not work as well as I might have hoped. For one, it never really felt like 1872. Like New Orleans has always had a fascinating meld of cultures but Reconstruction era New Orleans was especially fascinating and for the most part the story felt like it could have been any point in time and I really wish Ahdieh had leaned into the historical pieces more or else made it a modern story. As it was though I kept forgetting it was supposed to take place in the past because the speech and mannerisms were all so modern but then there would be some reference to the year and I would be pulled completely out of the story.

I did like the way Ahdieh wrote the vampires. I thought they were spooky and fun and I liked the hints of greater supernatural creature worldbuilding that will presumably get fleshed out later in the series. I thought Celine herself was a decently fleshed out character but everyone else felt a bit cardboard cutout, and I started to get very annoyed by the repetitious descriptions of Sébastien.

Overall, I'm not mad I finally picked this up but I definitely went in with expectations that were too high and while I didn't hate this reading experience, I'm not really compelled to continue reading the series despite the major cliffhanger.

Apologies but I did not realize I had this book to review. I did not finish it but that is nothing against the author. I was just not in the right frame of mind for this book.

The Beautiful kicks off a superb fantasy romance series that is much lighter on the spice but goes hard on the romance aspect and keeps you hooked the entire time. I found myself waiting to find out more about the mysterious La Cour des Lions and see how Celine would react to the events around her.

This novel focuses on Celine Rousseau and the La Cour des Lions, mainly their leader Sébastien Saint Germain. Celine is fleeing from a grisly crime, and the reality that she may end up trapped by the truth of it coming out, by running to New Orleans. There she should be focused on marrying into a respectable family and building a life that would insulate her from the crime she ran from, instead she finds herself drown in by the La Cour des Lions when one of their members hires her to create a gown.

Celine is a resolute and iron-willed young woman who will not bac down from a challenge and enjoys doing exactly what everyone says she should not be doing. She is an easily likeable FMC who carries the series on her shoulders as the main POV and does so quite well with readers being drawn into the world as she sees it, with the beauty she presents and deep love of life she possesses being a great asset to the first novel. On the other side the MMC, Sébastien Saint Germain, is everything you want in a slow burn enemies to lovers first novel. Brooding, slightly moody, obsessive, morally grey, and ready to burn it all down for her.

The novel itself is very descriptive, with a good amount of world building to ensure the reader can easily follow the magic systems and new plots as they are tied in, without the novel itself becoming weighed down by it or being too wordy.

I would recommend this novel to those looking for:
- A more YA romance with no spice and fade to black
- Morally Grey MMC
- Strong willed FMC
- Vampires and Fae in one world
- A novel set in New Orleans at its peak of beauty
- A fantasy novel with a touch of a mystery
- An easy but addictive read that will hook you through the four-book series

I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

I remember reading this book when it first came out, it was one of the first young aadult books I read as an adult and it helped draw me back into the world of fantasy.

This story is beautiful and will draw you in, these characters are so well written and this world is so developed you would never think it was the first book in a series.

I fell in love with this world, I can't recommend it enough if you're looking for something that is immersive in the romantasy genere, it's brilliant and yet somehow each book gets better.

Wrong Book at the Wrong Time.

First, I apologize to the author and publisher for the lateness of this review.

While the allure of the plot originally hooked me, this book failed to hold my attention. I have tried multiple times to get into this book. Restarting over and over but still not being able to push through. this is a DNF for me.

It’s the nineteenth century and a strong willed, sharp minded, witty tongued young lady lands in New Orleans to start life anew. Little did she know the Crescent City holds its own secrets and not everyone is human.
Ahdleh’s characters are varied and smartly written, the plot leads you seamlessly through to an ending I didn’t imagine coming. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and looked forward to picking it back up when life demanded I put it down. Well done and won’t be the last Ahdleh I read!

First I would like to thank the publisher for proving me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the story of Celine Roussau who after some troubles in Paris moves to New Orleans to live with the sisters of the Ursuline convent. While there she meets a lot of mysterious characters with their leader being Sébastien Saint Germain, who both fascinates and frustrates Celine all at the same time. As people around Celine continue to be found dead she decides to fight back but needs the help of Sebastien to execute the plan, which will put them both in danger.

What I Liked:
- New Orleans, I love the city and its a great setting for this story as there is a change of finding some kind of mystery/magic around every corner in the Big Easy
- Celine, she had a rough upbringing having to hide her true identity but is confident in her knowledge and abilities so rarely backs down even to men if she believes she is right
- Creatures, there are a variety of creatures that pop up throughout this story including fantasy and human creatures/monsters
- Romance, I liked how Sebastien and Celine were drawn to each other in spite of trying to fight it and their drive/strength drew then together

Overall this was a good book, it was a bit long for my taste with some extra filler that I think could have been removed without really missing anything from the overall story. As this ended on a cliffhanger I will eventually continue the series but it is not one that I feel like I need to pick up right away. If you like historical romantic fantasy books set in a great city with a unique cast of characters and keeps you guessing till the end I would recommend you check this one out!

This book was okay, it was a bit long, but I really enjoyed reading it. This is a fantasy story. I would recommend reading it.

I was so excited to read this book because of the author because The Wrath and the Dawn and its sequel are two of my favorite books. But this book just didn’t hit the same.

This was great! A fast easy read that I wish I had read sooner! I look forward to reading more books by this author!!!

I have previously read Renee Ahdieh's work and enjoyed this, this book was no exception! I look forward to future books in this series, a great start!

How did I not read this sooner? This was great. This was a fast and easy read. The world was fun, the characters were great. I can’t wait to read book two.

I will preface this by saying that I do not typically read young adult fantasy, so while I found this book to be just okay, other readers may enjoy it more than I did.

"The Beautiful" by Renée Ahdieh presents a lush and atmospheric world set in 19th-century New Orleans, teeming with intrigue and mystery. Ahdieh's writing style is rich and immersive, transporting readers to a vibrant and decadent setting filled with secrets and hidden dangers. While the atmosphere and setting are undeniably captivating, the character development in "The Beautiful" falls somewhat short of expectations. Despite the intriguing premise and diverse cast of characters, some protagonists feel underdeveloped, lacking the depth and complexity needed to fully engage readers.

The plot unfolds at a steady pace, with moments of suspense and intrigue interspersed throughout. However, the pacing can feel uneven at times, with certain plot points dragging while others feel rushed. The central mystery, while intriguing, may not hold the same level of suspense for all readers. Relationship dynamics play a significant role in the narrative, with alliances and betrayals driving much of the plot. While some relationships are well-developed and compelling, others feel superficial or predictable, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the story.

Overall, "The Beautiful" offers an immersive and atmospheric read that will appeal to fans of historical fantasy. While it may not fully deliver on character development and pacing, its evocative setting and intriguing premise make it a worthwhile choice for readers seeking a captivating escape into the world of 19th-century New Orleans.

I think this is a really strong book that falls under the extremely and annoying personal category of "overwrought and too flowery writing" that I just don't love. I think this book will have PLENTY of lovers though- it's just not for me!

I did end up really enjoying The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh. It's a fun YA read set in 1870s New Orleans with romance, vampires, and a murder mystery.

Something felt off about how the 1870s New Orleans setting was portrayed, and the vampire aspect is pretty light. There are also some paranormal aspects and the vibe overall was creepy. I really enjoyed the murder mystery aspect, as well as the main characters. And that cliffhanger! I know this is a well-beloved series, and I would definitely recommend it for younger YA readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-copy!

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