...What to say about this book?
This is my first time reading a story with the male main character's specific mythical status in quite a long time. I've read this type of fantastical being in background characters and in plot devices recently, but our story really does end up focusing on what our male main character is and when I started this book and began to put together the clues that were being left for the reader, I was excited.
Unfortunately, I don't know that the end result of this book cemented deep interest in the type of mythological being that is discussed. Did our author create an interesting history for this fantastical creature in a modern world? She absolutely did! She also laid the groundwork for some interesting moral/ethical ideas that I'm assuming will be explored in future books if this becomes a series. But when all is said and done, I don't know how compelling the use of this creature is.
Now, our female main character is also blessed with an otherworldly feature that she discovers the power of throughout this story. I thought it was interesting to see this character explore and develop this skill in this book. And I do think the narrator for the audiobook very effectively demonstrated the main character's skill, which was a lovely addition to the audiobook. The reader is presented with a history for this skill as it pertains to the female main character, but if this book does progress to a series, I hope Kenny explores this subject even more as I think it provides a unique and interesting quality for our female main character.
With regards to romance, I was unfortunately rolling my eyes and leaning into disinterest through much of this book, which is saying something for a book being marketed as a romance novel. It's not that you can't sense chemistry or attraction between the two main characters, or that you aren't provided with enough information to give the relationship depth. The reader learns through narration about the depth of these two character's relationship in the past, which I feel would have been so much more impactful with flashback scenes. And for me, the real disappointment was the lack of deep conversation during these character's current day interactions considering the history provided by including information about their past.
Do I think this was a terrible book? No. It was just left wanting so much more. If you're looking for something with a mixture of romance, fantasy, and mythological/fantastical creatures, this may be a book for you!

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

This really misses the mark as a Gatsby retelling. What makes Gatsby so revered is Fitzgerald's ability to capture the flaws and struggles of humanity and the desire to achieve the American Dream (and how it's imperfect). These complex relationships and themes are missing from Beautiful Villain.

I also found that the characters having the same name and the same general plot was off-putting, I can't explain it. There wasn't enough difference between this and the original Gatsby to warrant a retelling. The paranormal aspect added absolutely nothing for me.

If you just need a spicy read, this would be adequate but don't read it for the Gatsby theme.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the ARC. I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was basically the Great Gatsby meets Rhapsodic meets Twilight but make it spicy. I loved how this Daisy had a little more agency, how this Gatsby wasn't just a tool but also amazingly sweet. Some things I really enjoyed were the romance, the plot, and Gatsby himself.

I found Daisy to be a little immature and unreasonably jealous. Jay was also possessive, but I can forgive it since I'm totally okay with the alpha male personality that he exudes from the beginning. But Daisy was unreasonably jealous at times, and I couldn't stand it.

The spicy scenes were written well, and I loved the two of them together, and I'll be curious to see them in the next book. Definitely helps that the audiobook narrator did a great job bringing this to life.

Beautiful Villain is a Gatsby retelling with a spicy vampire twist. The book sets out to tell a specific tale, and I believe it achieved it. However, I struggled with the repetitive nature. It was obvious that Daisy’s previous relationship significantly shaped her growth; however, it was repeated so frequently that it started to lose my interest. In terms of the actual retelling, though, I thought Kenney did well both with modernizing the tale and adding the paranormal twist. I also enjoyed the relationship and reconnection between Daisy and Gatsby. Additionally, I appreciated the addition of science to the vampire twist. I wish Daisy’s power and family backstory was further explored, though. I read this via audiobook and felt that Ruby Cherise did well with the narration. In fact, the narration was a big reason I finished the book after initially struggling at the beginning. Overall, I’m glad the narration was well done as I ended up enjoying the book overall.

Overall Rating: 3.5⭐️

I've read a few Rebecca Kenney books that i have thoroughly enjoyed. I love her sense of adventure and of course, the spicy bits. This was no exception. She definitely turned the tale of The Great Gatsby into a modern, paranormal, story with intrigue and spice. I really enjoyed this but I think new adult isn't the age range for me. The characters are in their 20's and definitely act like it. The story is fun, with some nods to parts of the original text (like the quote that starts with "wouldn't it be sad if...") and i loved the audiobook narrator. Overall, a really good one, and i'm so glad she has finally gotten picked up by traditional publishing, but this wasn't my favorite book of hers. Can't wait to read more though from this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley, though all thoughts are my own.

A completely addictive reimagining of The Great Gatsby that I didn't want to put down. Finished with college, Daisy Finnegan is ready for the freedom of summer and to reconnect with her cousin Jordan. Jordan brings her to a house party where she finds herself face to face her childhood sweetheart Jay Gatsby. While there are still pieces of the boy she remembers, Jay is an entirely new man, both seductive and full of secrets.

Let me begin by saying, I'm a shifter girlie. But Rebecca F. Kenney is tempting me with vampires. This book was so good. It's intriguing and new yet also familiar. You don't have to be a Gatsby aficionado to enjoy it, but it definitely helped that I'd read it once long ago in high school. My favorite character was Daisy. Rebecca has such an interesting take on her and has given her a delicious character arc.

I highly recommend this one!

Beautiful Villain is a retelling of The Great Gatsby. I went into this book blind. I glanced at the summary quickly and knew it had to do with Gatsby but did not know what the twist was. This was an enjoyable read. However, I think Gatsby was a bit too flawless... I wish he had a bit more depth outside of being in love with Daisy and his past after he was separated from Daisy. I also wished there was more of Nick but I don't think it was an issue.

The last Gatsby retelling I read was a miss so I am glad this one was a hit. That being said, I am only familiar with the 2012 movie rather than the actual source material but this book made me want to pick up the original text source!

Think the Great Gatsby... meets vampires. BAM! There's your synopsis haha.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an ALC of this one, it was a fun one to listen to.

Jay Gatsby is the same billionaire you know from the stories.. but he's a vampire now. Daisy is still the same character as well, she's still human though... for now.. maybe?

I was really excited when I saw Rebecca posting about this one because the idea behind it is one of my favorite, a modern spicy retelling. And I can't not read a book about Vampires okay.

I definitely think I'll love this one more as a physical or ebook, mainly because while the story was good as an ALC, it didn't hold my attention as well as a physical version may have.

I can't say much more without spoiling the book, but if you like Rebecca's books I think you'll enjoy this one too.

This was my first book by this author. The Twilight-tinged Gatsby storyline was interesting. The author had done a great job of depicting Daisy’s inner world and the long detailed descriptions of Daisy’s surroundings didn’t detract from the story at all. I enjoyed how Daisy was such a strong character and that the steamy scenes underlined that sense of female empowerment. I rooted for Daisy as she tried to rebuild her life. The romantic storyline was slow but felt well paced and the connection between the two leads felt palpable. A very engaging read.

Tropes:
Childhood friends who lost touch to ❤️
Second chance
YA
Vampire Diaries vibes
Touch her and 💀
Gatsby retelling
“I did this for you”

3⭐️
3🌶️

The audio for this book does not disappoint! The book itself was great and the audio gives so much more depth to these characters. I think the narrators did a fantastic job.

Normally I am hesitant about reimagined classic stories, but Beautiful Villain was so fun! I always wished The Great Gatsby had a happy ending, and this book finally gave it to me. Through vampirism, Jay Gatsby is able to survive being shot rather than dying in his pool, and readers get to see justice for Jay and Daisy. Not only did we get justice, but also swoon-worthy romance, spicy hot smut, and a nail-biting fight scene. This book truly gave Scott Fitzgerald, William Shakespear, and Bram Stoker a run for their money. I keep recommending this book to everyone at my library and they are all so perplexed over the idea of The Great Gatsby plus vampires, but everyone loves it! I cannot wait for the world to read this book and fall in love with the idea of happy endings for our literary classics. The narration was also superb, and I hope Rebecca Kenney stays with her for any future stories!

I've really enjoyed Rebecca Kenney's indie published books so seeing her get a trad pub deal was so exciting. I liked the sound of this story. It's been a long time since I read a vampire romance. I enjoyed the nostalgic vibes this gave me. It reminded me of Twilight only smuttier and less broody. I loved the childhood friends to lovers. The vampires weren't some super secretive thing in this story. Which I appreciated. I liked the science aspect to how they become vampires. The audio narration was good although this would have been better with a duel pov. The romance was rather lacking for me. I didn't feel the chemistry between Jay and Daisy. I don't get the title because Jay is anything but a villain. There's also no real plot, it's all vibes. It's not a bad story but also not a standouts 3.5 stars

I loved this audiobook so much ! The narrator was so good ! I am a huge Great Gatsby fan so of course when I saw this was a vampire retelling of the classic novel, I had to read it asap. Highly recommend !

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

Despite loving second-chance romance, vampires, and retellings of classic stories, this one just didn't connect with me unfortunately.
The prose style (and dialogue in particular) was quite juvenile and it felt like it was written for a young adult audience. The characters were also hard to connect with and I didn't feel that the relationships (especially that between Daisy and Gatsby was developed particularly well. I also felt VERY turned off by the asshole 'alpha' demeanor of Gatsby. Possessiveness is fine in moderation but he just came off toxic in a peculiar way and so I didn't connect with him at all.

I definitely think this book has its market, its just not me unfortunately. If you're into the whole possessive alpha male shtick and don't mind cringey dialogue I think you'll like this, might be a nice guilty pleasure read for some!!

Beautiful Villain is a retelling of The Great Gatsby, but with a twist. I had read The Great Gatsby in high school but don't remember it, so I'm not sure how closely this follows to the plot. It started out really good, but didn't finish as strong as I had hoped. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator was fantastic. She did a great job with the different characters and made the book more enjoyable. I would listen to other books she narrates.

~~What I liked~~
-The mystery of Jay was fun at the beginning of the book. I do wish a bit less would have been disclosed in the blurb, it might have been more surprising if I didn't already know what was coming.
-A good effort was made to explain the how and why behind Jay's choices and the 'pseudoscience' behind turning people into vampires.
-While there are alcohol and drug use in the book, I did appreciate the safety measures taken for those who do choose to imbibe. The main characters also mostly abstain, promoting safe choices.
-The writing was good and it was a quick read (listen). There weren't too many characters or an overly complicated plot.

~~What I didn't like~~
-The romance is more like obsession and doesn't seem healthy.
-The plot seems short-sighted and I really have to suspend my disbelief for a lot of the things that take place in the book. Daisy seems to be the only one to think that eventually vampires will take over the world, but long-term it could happen.

Overall, it was a neat idea and I enjoyed my trip into this make-believe world. I don't know if I would recommend it unless someone really loved vampire novels, but I would be interested in other books by this author.

Let me rave about this romantasy novel that stole my heart! It's a modern retelling of the Great Gatsby with vampires that's dark and steamy. And the audiobook is otherworldly, the narrator is new to me but I find her voice not only compelling but also enchanting. She weaves intricate details and emotions into every scene, making the characters come to life. And I'm obsessed with Daisy and Jay's love story, it's beautifully written and I couldn't stop thinking about it even after I finished it.

If you're a fan of the Great Gatsby or just love a romantasy with a touch of glamour and modern fantasy, this book is a must-read. The narrator's skillful blend of fantasy and romance will keep you drawn in until the end. I highly recommend reading through audiobook!

I really enjoyed this! If I've read 'Great Gatsby' before then I do not recall it at all so I definitely wasn't too worried about straying from original. In fact I did do some research to make sure this had HEA (which she does advertise that it is so no spoiler here!) My biggest complaint was that Jay told Daisy's best friend before her and also her cousin found out before her. I know in all of these books there's always the male keeping a secret but just thought it was kind of isolating that everyone knew but her. Other than that it was a nice easy read with a good amount of spice! I would definitely read more by this author.

Quick Summary: A wildly entertaining paranormal retelling of a classic

My Review: Beautiful Villain by Rebecca F. Kenney is book #1 in the Gilded Monsters series.

About the Book: An unfinished story that was rewritten before two bonded friends were inevitably reunited...

Jay Gatsby never forgot Daisy Finnegan. They had once shared a closeness that was bound to lead to something remarkable. When circumstances out of their control separated them for a time, their paths went off and into the extreme. As fate would have it, they reconnected after seven years. They were different and the same. They found that they still shared a connection and so much more.

My Final Say: This novel was an insanely naughty supernatural reworking of The Great Gatsby. It was Twilight with a twist, in a way. It was both strange and familiar, at the same time. It was so captivating that I found myself wanting to listen to it non-stop in one go.

Other: Classics plus sci-fi/fantasy equal my new favorite literary treat. There is most certainly a place for fluff and stuff pleasure reads. This was simply an off-the-wall , just-because-I-can novel meant for readers who want something different and strange. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, and that's okay. It was mine.

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: NA
Re-read: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: 👍💬

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to review this title in exchange for an honest critique. I very much look forward to following this series and this writer.

Have you ever sat down and thought:

What would The Great Gatsby/ Twilight hybrid be like?

Well I never had, but was pleasantly surprised when chosen to listen this NetGalley ARC for my opinion.

Gone are the traditional character traits from this storyline. This is just dandy in my opinion since Daisy Buchanan (Finnegan in this iteration) might be the most loathsome literary character to date. Jay Gatsby is less of a pining push over also, no insult to the great F. Scott Fitzgerald. The rest of gang is all there too, Tom is still an abusive ass, Myrtle still drools over Tom and Cousin Nick is here, but with a twist. He is no longer the narrator, we see this story from Daisy's point of view. Additionally, NYC and it's outskirts are traded for the lush North Carolina countryside and it fits well.

The premise of an elusive rich socialite is retained, and Jay's opulent parties are still in the mix. Parties now contain offers to an exclusive group, a sort of "life insurance" that bestows its clientele the enjoyment of paranormal powers. This new gang of vamps are mindful of their blood intake and lay low on the radar of normal society.
Antagonists arise when meet the "old school" vampires. These guys are traditional in their vampire behaviors (ya know, in the realm of disbelief that there are new age and older traditional vampire gangs)

This was a really fun one to listen to, although if it wasn't for the Great Gatsby schtick, I'm not sure I would have love it as much. It's really intelligent to take characters we know of and plop them into another storyline like this. It's clearly slated to be a series and I could see where the growth of these characters would good.