Not my usual genre, but I was intrigued by the gender swap approach and wanted to try this one. It's an entertaining take on a "tale as old as time."

This book just rides in the middle for me. I didn't love the characters, but I didn't hate them. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the darkness of the retelling.

A young thief, trapped inside a cursed castle, is the unwilling guest of a beautiful, yet distant noblewoman, her creepy ladies in waiting and her loyal servants. Confident in his good looks and braggadocious ways, Beau is certain he can escape and make off with loot to rescue his brother - until he encounters both the fearsome beast that roams the night, and the luminous little girl locked in the cellar. A reimagined, baroque Beauty and the Beast gets a comprehensive update that will resonate with modern readers. Allegories tend to the didactic, and some clunky anagrams and anachronistically modern attitudes may irk fairy tale purists, but the romance, drama and on-point introspection will engage readers looking for a thought-provoking love story. Set in a fantasy medieval Spain. All characters read as white. LQBTQ diversity included. Thanks to Scholastic and NetGalley for an Advance Readers Copy in return for an unbiased review.

Beastly Beauty is a gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It features Arabella as the beast and Beau as the beauty. Both with tragic backstories of the time and not completely of their own making, though they are held there by their own hearts.
I didn’t want to like this book. I read Stepsister and loved it, and requested this book because I was hoping for it to be told in the same style. It was not, some how it was transformed. I struggled through the first third because of this and how shallow some of the characters seemed. I am incredibly glad I pushed on as this hit parts of me that I didn’t know needed to be soothed. Childhood trauma and emotional health are both in your face and handled with care. For a moment I felt seen, and whole while reading and I think that is the epitome of someone’s perfect book. Its not whether or not the book that is perfect, but that it’s the perfect read for that moment in your life that makes the largest impact.
I received an arc and am leaving this review of my volition.

A Beauty and the Beast retelling that is not only gender-swapped but offers a commentary about learning how to accept who you are, flaws and all. Beau is a thief who is worried about his little brother, the only family he has left in the world. He plans on using the stolen ring that he has hidden away to build a new life for the two of them, but his plans are derailed when the band of thieves that he travels with stumbles upon an seemingly-abandoned castle. When they are chased by a beast, the rest of the group leaves him behind to die, and Beau must confront both who he is as a person and the dangers that lurk in the castle to make it out alive.

I didn't expect some of the turns that this story was going to take, which is something that I tend to love about Donnelly's writing. The opening with Espair and the little girl playing card games. The subtle hints to who each of the ladies of Arabella's court actually were (especially when Espair goes back to play what basically amounts to Scrabble with the little girl). The clock that had fascinated the band of thieves so much but ended being much more terrifying. The pieces were woven so well together, and even though I saw the ending coming once the reader was told about the events of the day that Arabella was cursed, it was revealed so beautifully.

I look forward to returning to this book one day, to see if there are other hints dropped like breadcrumbs along the way that I missed during this first read-through. Be ready to want to read this book straight through, and it might be prudent to keep a box of tissues nearby just in case.

So this was mid. Honestly, I can't say much more than this. The two main leads (Beau and Arabella) were not memorable. I thought that only really some of the secondary characters were developed well. And I thought that Donnelly's writing with the breaking of the fourth wall or whatever we want to call it with other fairy tale characters started getting tiresome after a while. She writes the whole story like something dark and crazy was going to happen and I was like, um this is it? Okay then.

"Beastly Beauty" follows thief Beau and Lady Arabella. Beau and his band of merry thieves come across a castle and then a horrible beast chases them out and Beau's supposed "family" leaves him to die. Beau though finds that he is not able to leave the castle and instead is trapped there like the servants in the castle and Arabella and her court. Beau does what he usually does (tries to charm people with his face) to figure out a way to escape. Things change though when he realizes that Arabella is not like the women he has met before. She seems unbothered by him and he wants to find out what she is hiding.

There's a lot going on plot-wise with Beau and Arabella and the whole book doesn't start to gel til about the 60 percent part. I think that is when most of the "secrets" were revealed and you just wanted things to get a move on. The flow was awful. I already guessed at things before the reveal and I found out I was right. I was also bored by it too.

The best I can say is that this is definitely a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but you also get some Sleeping Beauty in here as well. But it's not something I can see myself reading again and again.

I always find it fascinating to see how a skilled author can give readers a fresh, fractured look at a fairy tale that has been ingrained into children's reading for ages. Jennifer Donnelly proved herself to be just such an author several books prior to BEASTLY BEAUTY. Donnelly has a fan following that easily surpasses Disney's. This time, she has delivered Beauty and the Beast into a setting cursed by the actions and attitude of Arabella and her prince to be, Beau, a thief just trying to escape the consequences of his own actions. The book is an excellent read. Donnelly continues to earn her Top Ten spot on my TRB list. 5 easy stars.

Wow, this book takes you through a twist on the Beauty and The Beast. Twist and turns and lessons learned. Really enjoyed this one!

A gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast that challenges societal expectations of women and encourages readers to defy limitations. The book's emotional narrative resonates with themes of hope, inspiration, and motivation. The author, Jennifer Donnelly, deserves to be praised for her extraordinary storytelling skills and vivid character creation. The book is not only an engaging read but also a testament to character strength, defiance of societal norms, and the power of hope.

Beastly Beauty is the first book I've read by Jennifer Donnelly. She did a very interesting reimagining of Beauty and the Beast that is also a gender swap. The beauty is a young man trying to get back to his sickly brother who happens to end up in an enchanted castle. The Beast, a woman stuck in time with a deadline to find love or sentence all in her castle to death.

***My story isn’t for the heroes out there, for the shining knights and perfect princesses. My story is for the screwups. For those of us who never seem to get it right. The ones who say too much, or not enough.***

Arabella is stuck and has lost almost all hope. She tried over the years to find love and failed each time. She was resigned to her fate, that is until Beau showed up and with him the glimmer of hope that perhaps, just perhaps this thief might be able to steal her heart and break the curse that is just days from killing everyone in the castle. As the story unfolds the reader gets to see not only through Arabella's but also through Beau's eyes the story of the past and an inkling of how Beau might be able to save the future.

I really enjoyed this re-imagining of one of my favorite fairytales. It was interesting how Arabella was the Beast and who all of her ladies in waiting were. Beau is just as broken in so many ways. He has traded on his looks to survive and while he hates the life he is in an wants an escape he is stuck with some feelings of worthlessness that are hard to overcome. Arabella and Beau understand each other in their feelings of inadequacy, how they have let down the people they love and how they aren't sure how to break the chains that bind them.

“Do not speak for love, Lady Espidra,” she said, her eyes blazing. “Do not hold that word in your mouth when you do not hold it in your heart.” She swept her finger in front of her, pointing at all the ladies in turn. “Not one of you knows anything of love. Love does not run. It does not turn tail. Love never, ever gives up.”

This is a story of redemption and breaking all of the odds against you. It had enough going on that I was always engaged and really loved the idea of the magic of the curse that was on the castle and how Arabella was supposed to break it. There is some great imagery and tender moments to awe over without going too overboard. Really a great read for those who enjoy Beauty and the Beast retellings.

“You must do one thing and one thing only— become the person you were meant to be. No matter how daunting that task may be. Otherwise, your life is not a life; it is merely a long, protracted death.”

Beauty and the Beast with a twist. I like how the beast in this story was a woman. A young woman raised as an aristocrat who is meant to be sweet and compliant so that she can marry well, Arabella is anything but. Arabella has her own mind and own ambitions that are frowned upon. As a result in an attempt to suppress her emotions things take a turn for the worse.

A curse is placed upon Arabella and all of the inhabitants of her family's castle and only an act of true love can break the curse. The author did a great job by portraying Arabella’s emotions as lady's of her court. Her emotions were so strong that they manifested into the physical embodiment of the emotion represented. It's clever how her strongest emotions: Despair, Rage, Fear etc were described as women but her emotions that she gave up on: Hope, Faith and Love were little children.

A failed robbery put Beau in her path. Beau is a thief and he just wants to get back to his little brother who is sick. Of course the castle inhabitants are thrilled to have him there as they feel he may be the one to break the curse.

Arabella and Beau had a rough go at things but once they started spending time together he was able to make her feel things which in turn was loosing the hold her negative emotions had on her.

This was a story of finding a love within in order to break the chains over one's feelings of vulnerability and worthlessness. The more time Beau spent with Arabella the more she opened her heart. The more her heart was open the more she allowed more positive emotions to enter. It was a hard fought battle because Despair, Guilt, Rage, Fear, Shame, Jealousy, Glee, Disdain, Sorrow and Remorse didn't want to release the reigns over Arabella's emotions but with Hope, Faith, Compassion, Pride, Vulnerability, Joy, Love and Beau’s love chiseling away at Arabella's heart only the strong will win.

Unfortunately, time is of the essence and the clock is ticking and if the curse isn't broken by death’s deadline all will be lost. It's a good thing that Arabella has a relentless thief and a couple of determined little girls named Hope and Faith working hard to achieve the impossible.

I love Beaty and The Beast, and while I appreciate the concept of the gender switch idea. I didn't make it past the third chapter. This book just didn’t grab my attention. This book just wasn’t for me.

Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly

I'll be honest, I was ready to put this book down about two chapters in, but I have it a second chance. The twist of having the genders switched in the story was interesting. But it took entirely too long to get momentum in the story. For that I couldn't get connected with them. Of course you want the curse to be broken, but I was more invested in Beau than Arabella.

I adore Beauty and the Beast and all retellings of the original tale. When I saw this adaptation pop up in my feeds I was very excited to pick it up and was graced with the ability to read it early.

In this twisted retelling, Arabella is the beast and Beau is our weary traveler trapped in the castle without an understanding of the magic taking place there. Arabella and her court and staff have been trapped in a curse for a hundred years and their time is about to expire.

The story is told from Beau's POV with a little bit of whimsical storyteller inserted in a few locations throughout the read. Beau is a thief, a poor kid just trying to make a life for himself but also have enough money to support his younger brother. His gang come across the castle on a dreary night while being chased for a job they pulled. Once across, they encounter a lovely spread of food and after indulging are chased off by a monster, most of the group makes it back across the rickety bridge but Beau is trapped and the bridge has collapsed. While trying to plot his escape, Beau learns more about the castle staff and their curse.

Arabella is plagued with despair and longing and she knows her time is almost up, but it has been so long and no suitor has helped her solve the curses riddles. The company of characters in this book make it all the more whimsical, they are lovely and keep the story moving, because both Beau and Arabella are sadly really one-track minded.

The overall story building was well done, and I really enjoyed the twisting of this tale. I wasn't sure how it was going to be done, with the MCs swapped but Donnelly does a really good job making the story her own and really diving into this new curse.

I think if you are looking for something true to tale just a M/F swap - this is not for you. If you are relaly interesting a a good adaptation, retelling, I think you will enjoy this one. I really enjoyed the ending and the overall message - I won't spoil it though.

I understood the direction this book was going for, but on my end it didn’t quite meet it. It felt scattered and off kilter, and I found myself waiting for it to be over.

It was a fine read for folks who like Beauty and the Beast retellings, but for people who may be wanting more spark than just the standard story, this may not be the read for you.

Now this is some good writing!

Beastly Beauty is fantastically crafted, with some sharp prose and an enrapturing tale. While it definitely leans toward the younger side of the YA scale, it’s a creative and absorbing story fit for all ages.

Arabella labors under a curse placed upon her as a youth by a furious witch. Her inability to be biddable so she can marry well has sealed her fate; her family and friends are trapped in the castle, forever under the spell’s thrall, and sentenced to work in her service. Furthermore, everyone in the village falls into a coma that resembles death.

Enter Beau and his brother, two thieves seeking to sack the seemingly empty castle and town. Beau’s brother becomes ensnared by the curse placed on the town and Beau – strangely unaffected by the situation - goes looking for help at the castle. The castle’s servants think Beau and Arabella are perfect for one another – a sentiment that Beau, who is creeped out by the castle and the angry creatures apparently roaming the halls at night - strongly disagrees with. Can true love blossom? Or is it doomed from the start?

A lot of what carries Beastly Beauty to the realm of the transcendent is that it’s very strongly written. Donnelly is a creative, smart writer, and her work is excellent in this novel. While it might seem like a hodgepodge of Disney tropes, she makes us like the characters and worldbuilding so much that the whole book sails through what could have been a dull exercise.

There are some mild flaws in the magical system; if you think hard enough about it, you’ll poke some holes in it and start wondering at the hows and whys it of all. You’ll wonder why some reactions to this very bizarre situation aren’t intense enough, and you’ll start questioning a few of the plot elements. But this is a book for getting lost in the unusual and the surprising – for enjoying the flawed characters, for getting wrapped up in the plot.

Yes, there are some obvious parallels happening here – rage equaling beastliness, and points about mental health and feminine expression of self. It’s all pitched at a level that’ll be very elucidating for the young, and it’s wrapped up in a fun retake on the tale of Belle and Beast. Sometimes you can’t ask for more. Beastly Beauty delivers beauty all right – in spades, and unstintingly. It’s a great little book, even with a few warts present.

Meh. This was one of my most anticipated ARCs this spring, but sadly I was very disappointed. I loved Stepsister, and this was not that. I did appreciate how closely she kept the story to the original Disney movie, and thought her adaptations were really creative and original. Overall, the plot was incredibly similar, but I didn’t believe the romance which was the best part of the movie. He was desperate to leave until he suddenly loved her? I lived for the sneaky side glances and budding moments as Belle and the Beast realized they were falling and I felt this sadly skipped over those parts. Even the ballroom scene lacked the chemistry it should have had! Neither character really stood out or had much growth throughout the novel, but seemed to simply have a change of heart due to running out of time. I would recommend her other books before recommending this one.

I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley (THANK YOU) and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Pub date: May 7 2024

Arabella’s mother has plans for her. She will be sweet and quiet. She will also marry whomever her mother tells her. To do this, she must hide her real thoughts and dreams from everyone around her. She is doing her best but learns she can no longer stand quietly and let others be abused. When her anger is released … a curse is put upon her. After a time, Beau has been captured in Arabella’s castle and the servants think he may be able to break the curse. Beau only wants to get away. He believes there is no such thing as love. Is there a chance that Beau and Arabella can break the curse?

Beastly Beauty is a stand-alone fairy tale re-telling where the main characters' genders are reversed. Most readers will be familiar with the popular reincarnations of Beauty and the Beast and this version has everything a fairy tale fan would want. Donnelly did a wonderful job switching the roles and putting a fresh spin on a beloved tale. Beastly Beauty will be a hit for everyone who enjoys a good re-telling.

2.75 rounded to 3.

I am hopeful that this book will get the editing it needs. But also, I struggled with feeling Arabella and Beau had an connection. I am a sucker for retellings, and this had so much potential. I loved the idea around Arabella's ladies, and Hope and Faith, but I just did not feel compelled to root for the MMC and FMC. In that regard, it feel flat. Here's to hoping that there is some reworking happening in the background before this is released.

Interesting take on Beauty and the Beast. The story struck me as a bit of a mash-up between Beauty and the Beast with bits of Sleeping Beauty thrown in. In some places, we're taken very deep philosophically and in others we skim the surface of some crass mentality, played out in the behavior and words of the (thankfully) more minor characters.

My favorite quote:
"You must do one thing and one thing only - become the person you were meant to be. No matter how daunting that task may be. Otherwise, your life is not a life; it is merely a long, protracted death."

I received an ARC; this is my honest review.