A Decent Retelling, But Some Elements Fell Flat
"Charming Devil" had a lot of potential, and it definitely had its moments. I enjoyed the fresh take on the classic "Picture of Dorian Gray" story, with the gender-bent Basil and the magical twist. The author's writing style is engaging, and the pacing kept me turning the pages.
However, some aspects held me back from fully loving this book. I felt the chemistry between the main characters could have been stronger. While their relationship developed, it lacked the spark I was hoping for. Additionally, some of the plot points felt a bit rushed, and I would have liked to see more depth in certain areas.
Overall, "Charming Devil" is an enjoyable read for fans of retellings and those looking for a light, magical romance. While it didn't completely blow me away, it was still a decent story with some interesting ideas.

I have never read the source material for this retelling, but I don’t think that’s necessary to enjoy this book. Baz harbors a powerful secret that haunts what brings her joy, her art. She has lived with such powerful guilt but strives to live a content life. Baz tries her best, and I can admire that. Though I wanted to shake her at many points. Dorian was a hypnotizing figure, but I liked that Baz fought to look beyond. For a good chunk of the book, it felt like there were two stories at once. I'm glad that all of the dots connected by the end. There was a satisfying conclusion with intrigue leading you to anticipate the next book in the series.

This is a Dorian Gray retelling. I definitely enjoyed this author's variation of the original story. I found the relationship between the characters to be interesting and they held my attention throughout the story.

I loved this ARC! Dorian Gray is one of my favorite classic characters and Rebecca did a fantastic job incorporating everything Dorian into a current timeline. Perfect job and I can't wait for the paperback to come out so it can go on my trophy shelf!

absolutely love all of this author's retellings. it was a little slow in some parts, but it was still really good. spice was popping.

Received as an ARC, and though yes I loved the book and in so many way it had me captivated and couldnt stop turning the pages some of the scenes had me stopping just because I didnt enjoy it, now Im not saying anything bad by it im just saying some spots bored me. But thats okay, that was only one small thing.

The rest of the book, OMG! I loved it, easy to get lost into, the characters where believable and the plot had me sucked in, I felt like I was living in the pages and feeling what the Characters felt. Also if you liked The picture Of Dorian Grey then this book is right up your ally, the author has a way of capturing your attention and keeping it,

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I always love the spicy retellings by Kenney! I can never get enough, and this one did NOT disappoint! I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. I loved Dorian, of course, but Baz got on my nerves throughout the book. I hope Kenney keeps up this universe and adds more classic retallings!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley

Baz is an artist with magical powers that only manifest when she paints, a clear moral compass and a tragic past. Dorian is a caricature of a person who is blinded by selfishness, indulgence and apathy for others. After a chance encounter with one of Baz’s ancestors, Dorian has immortality but in order to keep it, he needs Baz’s help. Rather than show is true self, he gives her the fake Dorian he’s shown everyone for decades and Baz can see right through it.

I loved this book, as I do all of Rebecca Kenney’s novels. I love banter in novels, to me it gives the characters depth and this novel hit a home run. I typically dont like slow burns but I loved this book so much, I forgot it was supposed to have spice, I just loved the story.

If you love paranormal/ supernatural spicy romances with a retelling twist, this book (and truly all RK books) are for you!

This was a fun and clever retelling of a classic tale with a modern day setting. I did enjoy it a little more than the previous in the series- though standalone they are apart of a larger connected world.

I enjoyed Dorians character, but the mfc Baz was irritable at times. The twist at the end was nice! But I felt left with several questions in the end.

Another retelling from RK that made me want to watch the movie! I really enjoyed this version you've written. I loved the HEA, I enjoyed the thought process this provoked. The question of good vs bad.

I wish there was more spice, but I loved the relationship development between Dorian and Baz. Great book, Rebecca!!

Forever a fan!

I love classics (and I really do love Oscar Wilde), but I also love retelling, continuations, and ‘fan fiction’ so when I saw this ad read the synopsis I was immediately interested.

Despite my preference for preferring ‘continuations’ in a similar writing style, Charming Devil pulled me right in.

Clever and with a very cute cat (Screwtape - is this a nod to CS Lewis’s titular character in The Screwtape Letters?), I found Charming Devil to be a fun and enjoyable read.

This was my first time reading Ms Kenney’s work; I will absolutely read more.



Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the DRC

Wow this was so much fun! I absolutely love a retelling of the classics, and the Picture of Dorian Grey is one of my favorites, so this was calling my name. The premise immediately hooked me, and I loved the clever folklore tie-ins and the dark, mysterious plot balanced with a complicated romance. The universe Kenney is building, with appearances from other literary characters, is a delight—I’m a sucker for stories that blend iconic literary figures in creative ways. The main characters, especially the FMC (and her cat!), kept me completely invested. I’m eager to dive into the other books in this series to see where this universe takes us next, and go back and read the first.

I loved this book more than I expected. It was so well written and there was a lot going on but it never got overwhelming and it moved seamlessly. I'm definitely going to need to go back and read the first book even though it is t necessary to read this one.

I’ll admit, initially, I was a little put off by the idea of a retelling of The Portrait of Dorian Gray without the queer elements included. I should have known better, because of all the novels I have read by Rebecca Kenney, I have never once been disappointed by the respect for the source material and the execution of a well written story. This was no different. Particularly so when we consider that it isn’t so much a retelling as it is a continuation of Dorian’s story. Being the immortal man that he is. Hallward’s painting still exists, albeit is reaching a point of decomposition due to Dorian’s hedonistic and fast-living ways, that Dorian is forced to scour the world for a new painter, one who can achieve what Basil did before them thus allowing him to continue his frenzied debauchery.

He ultimately finds his new artist in Baz, a painter that has been forbidden from ever painting the likeness of another human being due to a bloodline ability that tethers the subject’s soul to the painting. A gift, or curse, that Baz was informed of far too late and only after her parents both passed on does, she truly understand the whispering premonitions that have plagued her for her entire life. Naturally, she wants nothing to do with Dorian – who, in the modern era, is a pompous and social media in touch influencer.

Dorian, however, is convincing in the way that he can creep into Baz’s mind, coaxing her into a life she’s craved for much of her adult life, and ultimately coerces her into a Faustian bargain that, once fulfilled, would give them both what they desire most: Dorian, a way to continue his hedonistic and immortal ways, and Baz, an entrance into the right avenues of the art world.

Overall, the book was well-written and enjoyable for me. I loved the characterization of a modern Dorian Gray, and I even enjoyed Baz as a female-contemporary to Basil. Albeit, her tendency to try and encourage her beliefs and understandings onto others became a bit of a nuisance until quite a bit into the novel. I think Baz’s sensibilities are justified, however, given what she’s experienced and the way she’s steeled herself to the world as a result.

What always enraptures me in anything written by Kenney, though, is the world she crafts. Even when the setting is modern, or the world we know, there is a particular edginess to it that makes it undeniably different. And this was no exception. There is a unique mythology that comes along with the Gilded Monsters and a secondary villain to Dorian that contributes to a compelling story full of twists, turns and just the right amount of spice.

As always, I would like to thank NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca and Rebecca Kenney for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Five out of five moons, no question. And a further emphasis that if Rebecca Kenney writes it, then I will read it.

Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 | 5/5

I love Rebecca Kenney, so when I got the opportunity to do get an ARC of one of her books - I hopped on it as fast as I could. This book did not disappoint, and is on par to what you would expect from Rebecca. I loved it, and could not put it down once I started reading it. I loved the characters, and the plot was interesting. I get so tired of the same retellings, it was refreshing to find one that was Dorian Gray adjacent.

Charming Devil is the reimaginative retelling of Dorian Grey we didn't know we needed. Just as moody and mysterious as the original, this spicy retelling has added twists and turns that make this story more than a retelling.

This book was so good that I now want to read about Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde. This was the second book of this Author's that I have read and I absolutely loved it. The Premise of the book was so good.

An advanced copy was provided through Net Galley prior to this review. This will be a relatively spoiler free review.

Charming Devil, the second book in Rebecca Kenney’s Gilded Monsters series takes on another literary classic and gives it a modern-day spin. Dorian Gray is a very wealthy influencer who runs through people and things with little thought about the consequences until he has no choice but to face them. After all, what concern would Dorian have for consequences when his portrait experiences them rather than him? Baz, a distant relative of Dorian’s first love, has her own demons as well – she’s running from a past and consequences from actions she was too young to understand. When the characters meet, the results are nothing short of explosive in all the best ways. Desperate to continue his existence, Dorian uses all the charm and influence he must try and convince Baz to help him, all the while facing battles neither of them had ever expected.

I’ll admit, The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of my absolute favorite books of all time, and one that I’ve reread frequently. This leads me to always be nervous when I hear about a different take on it, no matter who is tackling the material, because I feel the story won’t manage to hold up well enough. When it comes to Kenney’s book, I quickly learned that I didn’t need to be worried at all. Every one of those sharp edges Dorian Gray has – the spoiled nature, the hedonistic behavior, the callousness towards others – were not overlooked to make him a more palpable character. For her part, Baz’s own edges were there to be seen as well, making both characters – and the rest of the characters in the book – fascinating because of their depth and layers. They’re allowed to be imperfect, which in my opinion is one of the best things a book character can be. The fact that Kenney doesn’t shy away from this made me incredibly happy and allowed me to enjoy the book even more than I had hoped to.
Additionally, the bits of ancient folklore and magic that Kenney weaved throughout the book brought a new energy to the old story that kept me intrigued and wanting to know more. While this may only be a two-book series (Gilded Monster, Kenney’s take on The Great Gatsby is very much a part of this world and referenced a few times, though Charming Devil is a stand-alone), I very much hope that Kenney returns to this universe a few times more. Her world-building alone makes me want to read another dozen or so books in this world, because I know how amazing they will be.

Charming Devil is a wonderful escapist read, capturing and keeping the reader’s attention completely. It’s easy to want to read this book in one sitting and let the rest of the world fade away for an afternoon – or a weekend. One would expect nothing less from Dorian Gray.

As soon as I heard this was Dorian Gray inspired, I needed this haha!

I love what Rebecca Kenney is doing with retellings. She puts her own twists on it that make it feel fresh and new. I really liked what she did with Dorian Gray. Baz and Dorian are complicated characters. Sometimes you like them, sometimes you don't. But that's what made them so interesting for me. I liked how conflicted Baz was and Dorian, is well Dorian Gray, lol. I thought Kenney did a great job writing their relationship and chemistry. If you enjoy a bit of dark romance, you'll love these two.

This also has supernatural elements so that was cool. I thought it kept the plot moving along as well as interesting. I thought the way the plot concluded made sense and was satisfying.

If you enjoyed Beautiful Villain, you'll devour this!

I recieved the ARC from netgalley, and as usual, anything Rebecca F Kenney I could not put it down. As someone who loved and religiously read classics like The Great Gatsby and Dorian Gray as a teen, I can say I absolutely devoured this retelling of one of my favorites. The little twists she puts on the story to make it modern yet still fantasy, is nothing shy of amazing. If you love classics that you read when you were in school and are also a dark romance reader, this next installment of Gilded Monsters is definitely the book for you. If you like your MMC so morally grey he is one step away from pure black, this book has that. The rollercoaster I went on rooting for him, but sometimes voting against him, gives him one of the best character development arcs I've read in a long time. I definitely can't wait for her next installment in the series.