This book is a captivating retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast story. Filled with magic, mystery, and a touch of romance, this book will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.
The story follows Arabella, a young debutante who is struggling to fit into the expectations of society. Her parents want her to be meek and compliant, but Arabella can't suppress her fiery nature. When her attempts to control her emotions backfire, she is cursed and trapped in a castle with her family and servants.
What makes this book stand out from other retellings is the exploration of what it truly means to be 'beastly.' Arabella is not physically transformed into a beast, but her curse is a reflection of her inner turmoil. She is considered beastly because she is passionate, ambitious, and unapologetically herself. In a society that values docile women, Arabella's strong-willed nature is seen as a threat.
The character development in this book is exceptional. Arabella starts off as a rebellious and headstrong young woman, but as the years pass, she becomes resigned to her fate and loses hope. This change is heartbreaking to witness, but it also adds depth to her character. Beau, the handsome thief who enters the castle, also goes through a transformation as he learns to trust and love again. The chemistry between Arabella and Beau is palpable, and their relationship grows organically throughout the story.
The writing in Beastly Beauty is enchanting and lyrical, making it a pleasure to read. Donnelly weaves a spellbinding tale with vivid descriptions and rich world-building. The castle itself is almost a character in its own right, with its mysterious ladies-in-waiting and malevolent presence lurking in its corridors.
At its core, Beastly Beauty is a story about learning to love and accept oneself, flaws and all. It also tackles important themes such as societal expectations, gender roles, and the power of love. Donnelly's message is clear: there is nothing 'beastly' about being true to yourself and following your dreams. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.

Thank you NetGalley, Scholastic Press, and Jennifer Donnelly for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I’ve read books by this author before and LOVED them, plus Beauty and the Beast was my favorite Disney movie as a kid, so I immediately requested this one. And it did not disappoint! I loved this one - the prose was beautiful, the changes were well-made, and the romance felt real. I couldn’t put it down honestly and read it in one day. If you like Beauty and the Beast, Disney retellings, YA romance novels, and more, be sure to pick this one up!

<blockquote>The curse is her fault -- after all, there's nothing more "beastly" than a girl who expresses her anger -- and the only way to break it is to find a boy who loves her for her true a cruel task for a girl who's been told she's impossible to love.</blockquote>

Beastly Beauty is a reverse gendered retelling of Beauty and the Beast following our beast Arabella and our beauty Beau.
I enjoyed the overall theme of this book, encouraging women to embrace themselves for all of their emotions and passions, not just the traits that would make them appealing for possible partners. The ladies of Arabella's court being her negative emotions (rage, shame, fear) personified and all of her positive emotions seemingly missing was a very fun concept. I felt like the characters themselves were well written and enjoyable. I did not on the other hand enjoy the pacing of this book at all. For almost the first half of the book it felt like not a lot was happening at all, then very suddenly everything dropped all at once. Beau and Arabella went from never seeing/talking to each other to instalove and I feel like it would have been more enjoyable if their relationship had been built at a more steady pace.

Rating: 2.25 rounded up
I received an ARC of this book from Netgally and Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.

I love fairy tale retellings and I was so happy to get to read this one. It is a gender swapped retelling of beauty and the beast. The plot was perfect and the romance was great.

This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling with the roles reversed. Beau and his group of friends stumble upon a castle which they enter with the intent to rob, when things go awry, Beau soon finds himself a prisoner of the castle. With the bridge destroyed and abandoned by his friends Beau must find a way to escape to get back home to his sick brother Matti. Meanwhile, Arabella and all who reside in the castle are held there by a curse, they wonder if Beau will be the one to break the curse.

Arabella has faced some hardships and is pushed around by her family, she has her strengths and a desire to protect her friends, but she is losing faith that her curse will be broken and she has a problem with trust as a result. Beau is determined to leave and will do everything in his power to do so, even if it means lying to Arabella. In time Beau and Arabella find that they need to learn to trust each other and work together. I liked the bantering between Beau and Arabella and seeing them learn each other's secrets and grow closer over time.

I love the story of Beauty and the Beast and am always eager to try a new retelling. The gender swapping caught my interest. Overall, this was a good read. The pacing was a bit slow so it took me a while to get into the story, but once I did, I was interested to see how this would end.

3.5 stars

This was a really fun gender swapped Beauty and the Beast retelling about a girl named Arabella who is cursed along with everyone in her castle. One day a thief named Beau finds himself trapped in the castle and is desperate to escape, but little does he know everyone is counting on him to break the curse.

While I still love a good YA, I think is better suited to a younger audience. It has a great message about self love, embracing your emotions, and following your passions. It’s definitely a little instalovey, but I enjoyed Beau & Arabella’s flirty banter and how they challenged each other. Overall this is a very cute and heartfelt story, and I would recommend it to fans of YA & magical retellings.

Thank you to Scholastic for the ARC!

Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly is a young adult fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast - this story sends a clear message to young women that their worth is so much more than just being a pretty face. The author encourages young ladies to love all the parts of themselves, even the parts that others may consider ugly. There is an overall theme of radical acceptance that the author taps into in a most clever way. This is certainly not your typical fairy tale as the author focuses on going against the formula that is expected from most fairy tales that young girls grow up consuming.

I enjoyed the symbolism throughout the piece - there is a great deal of psychological depth which I think ladies who are coming of age will find relatable. As a 33-year-old woman, some parts seemed a bit corny/cheesy and it did feel a bit young, but I absolutely believe that the perfect audience for this would be a girl in her early teens to early twenties. There’s always been so much pressure on women to act polite and to “let the men do the talking,” and this novel will remind young girls that they have so much more to offer than just their looks. A reminder that they can be accepted for even the dark and beastly parts of themselves and they shouldn’t feel ashamed or guilty for being complex and multi-faceted.

I thought the magic was a lot of fun along with having some great characters. I definitely recommend this one to young fantasy readers.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Scholastic for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I anticipate this book will be well received by the intended audience but no matter what age you are, there's definitely a message for you to take away.

3.5 stars!

Such an intriguing way of doing a retelling of a fairytale. I love a female 'monster'! The story is captivating, and I'm sure will be loved by many in the YA audience. It was a quick read for me and I had a fun time, but a couple of things stopped it from being a love: some of the writing wasn't my style. The conversations seemed so modern, but it's clearly not a modern setting (1800?), which pulled me out of the story. I'm also not an insta-love fan in my stories. I know this book will find its audience though.

This one was not for me! The pacing, the voice, the stylistic choices, the dialogue — nothing worked for me. The pacing felt stilted and insta-lovey. The liberal use of bold, italic, fourth wall breaks, and interludes just confused me. The modern dialogue with bad puns did not fit the story at all. With such a solid premise, I think this could be right up someone’s alley, but it was not up mine.

I believe both Jennifer Donnelly and Christina Henry excel in crafting dark fairy tale retellings, or rather, redefining them as midnight tales. Donnelly's "Stepsister," a retelling of Cinderella from the stepsister's perspective, immediately captured my interest. She breathes life into the overlooked characters of fairy tales, allowing readers to see them in a new light. When I learned she had penned a gender-reversed Beauty and the Beast tale with a werewolf twist, I was sold before even delving into Arabella's journey.

Arabella's character is a delightful blend of quirkiness, intelligence, refinement, and emotional depth. Despite her rare capabilities and passion for architecture, she's treated as an outsider by her family, who push her towards conventional pursuits. Trapped in a castle with a mysterious council of eccentric women, Arabella faces earth-shattering tragedies and secrets lurking within the castle walls, including a child held captive and a midnight monster threatening lives.

Enter Beauregard Armando Fernandez de Navare, a charming but troubled thief who finds himself unexpectedly entangled in the castle's mysteries. Desperate to escape and protect his brother, he forms an unlikely alliance with Arabella. Their burgeoning connection, amidst danger and deception, adds layers of intrigue to the story.

The book's rich symbolism, psychological depth, magical realism, and nods to other fairy tales create a captivating narrative. The dynamic between Beau and Arabella, filled with witty banter and simmering chemistry, elevates the story, blending elements of opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers tropes. This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is among the best I've encountered, and the poignant epilogue left me yearning for more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this captivating book in exchange for my honest opinions.

In this captivating read, the author masterfully weaves a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. Through a blend of richly developed characters and a meticulously crafted plot, the book offers a unique exploration of its central themes, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the story's depth and complexity. The narrative is paced perfectly, balancing moments of intense action with thoughtful reflection, ensuring that readers are hooked from the first page to the last. The author's ability to evoke emotion and create a vivid, immersive world is truly remarkable, making this book a must-read for anyone looking for an exceptional literary experience.

Beyond its compelling storyline, the book stands out for its insightful commentary on the human condition, weaving philosophical questions into the fabric of its narrative. The author's skillful use of language not only enriches the text but also elevates the reader's experience, offering new perspectives on familiar themes. Whether it's the intricate dynamics of relationships, the exploration of identity, or the confrontation with ethical dilemmas, this book tackles complex issues with sensitivity and intelligence. It's a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the nuances of life, making it a valuable addition to any book lover's collection. Regardless of genre, this is a work that resonates on multiple levels, affirming the enduring impact of well-crafted literature.

This retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” reverses the genders of the original fairytale, so that the Beast is a young woman named Arabella and the Beauty is a young man, named, appropriately enough, Beau. Neither character is truly one thing or the other; they both have been deeply wounded and suffer emotional pain inside the walls they have each built around themselves.

The story behind what made Arabella into a beast has at its core a feminist theme: Arabella was not compliant but rather burned to express her own agency, and thus incurred a horrific curse. For his part, Beau has come to regard love as a sham, and trust as a tool.

Thrown together by chance in the magical castle in which Arabella has been trapped, the two need to overcome their own fears and self-erected barriers to break the curses that have blighted their lives.

Donnelly is a skillful storyteller, and manages to capture the pain and hope of the central characters in a way that makes the readers invested in the outcome and how it will unfold in her richly imagined alternative version of the story.

strong fantasy work thatt deals with the fairy tales in a great way. would very much rec. thanks for the arc!

Sadly, I DNFed this book and I’m a fan of Beauty and the Beast. Right away it read more like an adult book than a young adult book with Beau and his mistress and just the way it was written overall. I just wasn’t the biggest fan and couldn’t get into it but I’m sure others will love it. I definitely believe this is on the way older side of young adult maybe even new adult if anything. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions stated are solely my own!

4.5 stars

Wow. Just wow. I have not yet (until now) read Jennifer Donnelly. This book was stunning. Unputdownable. Listed as Y/A but good for any age really. The characters were fabulous, the story was totally engrossing. Good underlying message too.

I’m literally buying all her others now, because of this.

Another stunning addition to the incomparable Jennifer Donnelly's repertoire. I loved it - absolutely loved it and could not put it down. Ms. Donnelly's prose is one of the best I have had the pleasure to come across, and her ability to create wonderful, strong female characters make her a must read for all young women. This book is no different. She turns a beloved fairy tale on its head and it emerges stronger than ever. I loved every second of it and plan to read and savor it again and again. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to review this fantastic book. You will love the beginning, the middle, but will race to the end to see what happens! Ten stars!!!!!