When I read the blurb and realized this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I was like
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I love me a good retelling, so I was prepared for a romantic ride. What I didn't expect.. how freaking sexy this book was.
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This retelling had a major twist because scarred Lorccan thinks Alainn is a robot. So for a good portion of the beginning of the story I was wondering how he could develop feelings for her, but I had hope and no one could tell me differently.
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Since there is an AI robot, you know the robot is gonna go crazy and think she knows what's best for mankind. Robots are extremely creepy, so I was side-eyeing Rose the entire book, waiting for her to act.
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There was action, a complicated back story for both Alainn and Lorccan, and a crazy robot. My favorite part was, of course, the romance.
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Alainn breaks through the thick walls around Lorccan and makes him live again, but of course no love comes without tests. and theirs was TESTED!!!!!
Overall, a very good read.

I first came across Rita Stradling's Ensnared through the Kindle Scout program. I liked the description enough to nominate it. If you have not checked out the Scout program, I suggest you do. It has introduced me several new authors. Then I saw it available for review at Netgalley. It was an enjoyable and quick read.

The story is a Beauty and the Beast retelling set in the future. The future and the technology in it are an important part of the story. The curse is not what the reader normally associates with fairy tales. And this is one hell of a wicked witch. Trust me on this. This witch will make your skin crawl.

The main characters are Alainn, the young adult daughter of an important AI inventor Connor Murphy. Both Connor and Alainn's older brother, Colby, are both geniuses. Alainn is not. What she is, is a very direct and caring person. Caring enough to give up her freedom to save her father from jail. Lorccan Garbhan is an extremely (like Bill Gates wealthy) client of Connor Murphy's. Connor has designed AIs for Lorccan. Connor also has a gambling problem which he fuels with his client's money. When he cannot deliver his latest project, already paid for, Lorccan threatens to press charges and send him to jail.

While the story does have some of the traditional elements of The Beauty and the Beast, the girl putting herself at risk to save her father, the updated elements are well done. My only complaint is I was left unanswered questions about the curse itself. With the couple of f-words and descriptive sex, I would not give to a teen unless it was a mature teen and the parent read it first. This listed as New Adult and I would keep it in that category.

I really enjoyed this book, I was hooked from the moment I began to read it. The characters were well developed and the story itself was fantastic. There were many moments when I was there., frustrated as I yelled out loud about what the character was doing or what was about to happen. I became so engage with the story and found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable book.
I would certainly recommend this, especially to those who like a little bit of scifi with plenty of twists thrown in. Along with a bit of romance of course.

I wanted to read this because of the beauty and the beast reference. I expected it to be princessey, but im really glad it wasn’t. It’s a great insight into the world of artificial intelligence wrapped up in a simple love story, including acceptance of peoples compulsions, whether it be germs, adrenaline or gambling.
The story started slowly for me, and there were some points where I suddenly started thinking but what about, which was followed a chapter later by a workaround/explanation for it. It picks up pace towards the end – but its definitely a slow burner. I enjoyed the story – it’s a shame some of the characters were more developed to ‘round’ the story.

If I`d stopped reading at the half way Mark this could have been a 4* read. Unfortunately the plot unravelled and focused on tedious characters rather n the budding romance and I quickly found myself skimming pages. That being said, I`d definitely pick up another book by the author as the world building and concept really appealed.

I absolutely loved this book!!! The story line was new and refreshing. I also really liked how we read different pov.

Sold. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale. The amazing movie by Disney from my childhood probably has a lot to do with that. Even more, it’s quite simply one of the most romantic fairy-tales there is. The characters fall in love for all the right reasons, beyond bounds of appearances, judgement, and prejudices. You can always bet your last dollar that I’ll read a Beauty and the Beast retelling.

The past is a common setting for fairy tale retellings. Historical romance and medieval fantasy, usually. It was refreshing to see Ensnared using a different framework.

Ensnared is set close enough to present time that there isn’t the need for a lot of technical world building, which ends up being both good and bad, but it most definitely is the future. Robots do many and varied tasks: from every day menial things, to complex calculations.

With all these aspects to the story, Ensnared ended up doing better in some areas than others.

The romance between Alainn and Lorccan was sweet and nicely realized. It felt a little slow to build and then suddenly quite rushed, which was a bit of an odd transition for me. I liked that Alainn wasn’t there as a prisoner at Lor’s direction, which added a much better line of consent than the original has. There’s less Stockholm Syndrome, because he’s not her captor, and more bonding and care between two damaged people. I enjoyed this aspect quite a lot.

It was in the world-building and the plot that let me down. The world-building was sparse. There wasn’t a lot required – which was nice – but when you start describing a world in which AI is normal, I need to understand how we got there. When there are still junk, polluting cars, but AI capable of sustaining themselves and overwriting their programming, it’s too simplistic.

The robots themselves have evolved and there’s no real elucidation as to how this could have even happened. While I don’t want to read pages and pages of technical information, there was too much of a gap between plausibly realistic and what was happening here. I needed that link. It doesn’t take a lot either, just a little bit of history on how we got to the point where we could make realistic, human-passing, robots that are able to make themselves indestructible. Especially while the rest of technology hasn’t followed. Yes, there are holographic screens, but cell phones are still the norm, junk cars that belch fossil fuels are used, and the city seems normal, except robots are doing all the work – which makes me wonder what humans are doing to make a living.

The plot, too, got a little convoluted. Which is part of why the world-building fails. If the robots were a simple means of initiating the romance then I wouldn’t need all the background. That’s all they are, at first. But then there becomes this huge plot to do something, which we don’t really find out until the end. The AI robots are plotting and planning, many of them for various and contradictory purposes, and none of it really makes sense. Why do they choose the path they chose? I still don’t quite understand the logic of it. You have to really make me believe if the plan revolves around a single point being the fulcrum on which the future rests. Rose never convinced me of that, which made me question her plot, and thus the entire plot.

It didn’t help that there were random scenes from other points of view that were really unnecessary. Character showed up for no reason, adding nothing to the story.

Near the end the very interesting subject of what it is to be human, to have rights, was brought up. I didn’t have a lot of hope, by then, that the ethical and moral questions would really handled intriguingly. I was right. It was quickly brushed them aside because “evil robot.” Everything was tied up and resolved without really delving into the depth available with that subject, which makes me wonder why it was really brought up in the first place.

Ensnared is rife with possibilities, and while I enjoyed this entry of a Beauty and the Beast retelling it fell short in some of the other areas that it tried to branch into. I would have liked to see more depth to the ethical questions raised or have had them not included at all. There was a huge opportunity missed there.

Now, more than ever, I’m looking for stories to talk about real world problems and solutions in fantasy situations.

Beauty & the Beast retelling=sold. I really enjoyed the first half of this book. It took a very steamy turn, for which I have no complaints, but then the plot got a little wonky and characters were thrown together (for reasons that conveniently set up a love story for book 2?) and it felt forced (and rushed) and then (no spoilers) a bunch of stuff was skipped over and the tension was gone and I was just waiting for the last page to get here already. Overall a good read, but I was disappointed in the ending.

A great techno retelling of Beauty & the Beast! It was fun, fast-paced story that kept me turning pages to see what would happen next. Alainn is a feisty heroine that you can't help but root for; Lorcan is a beast with just enough mystery to keep you wondering where he's gonna go, and the AIs have just enough of a mix of good and evil to keep you guessing as to who is the real villain and what its motive is until the right moment. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good retelling of a classic fairy tale.

I think I'm probably just a sucker for happy endings (is that a spoiler? Spoiler alert then I guess. Or is this too late?) I was mildly satisfied because while it all tied together nicely in the end, both Alainn and Lorchann could have used some extra work. Sometimes I just wanted to punch the both of them, I'd rather not want to do that.

*3 1/2 stars*

Before I begin my review and thoughts, I have to mention this is my very first ARC after a friend on here told me about netgalley and was pretty fun. And it was a record read for me since I can be a slow reader but I definitely cruised through this one haha.

Okay onto my review: this is a retelling of my all time favorite story Beauty and the Beast but in a futuristic world. If I were to also describe this story, it would be basically "iRobot meets Beauty and the Beast" from what I was picking up later on.

"Automatons populated every street corner, darted around every open cafe, and disembarked from their long glass pod bussed while others took their place."

So in other words Alainn was basically a female version of Will Smith without the side of the law part and just an ordinary girl.

This is a story of a young girl I pictured m around her 20s, who basically switches places with a robot her father has created for this man who lives in a tower and who no one has seen his face and so she has to act like a robot. It did get a little weird that Lorccan Garbahn did end up falling in love with a "robot" or what he thought was a robot but after awhile can I just say, I want to marry Lorccan Garbahn! And I was even totally fangirling which I loved!

It started out too slow for me and I'm gonna be brutally honest here, but I was SO CLOSE like REALLY CLOSE to giving this 2 stars after 4-5 chapters. But once the two became friends around chapter 15-20, (Alainn and Lorccan) it kept moving up to 3 stars and to 3 1/2 the more I read but honestly not quite 4. But I did fangirl as it went on. After their love grew and she was forced to leave (like Belle in a way but Alainn was under different circumstances than belle) it got kinda slow again and dropped back to 3 stars. Then at some point as it went on even felt like it was dragging too much up until she and Lorccan were reunited THEN it got back up to 3 1/2 stars and the end was okay for me.

One thing I WISH it had was at least an epilogue. I thought the author should've gone a few extra pages in an epilogue to tie some things up but I guess it still ended pretty good. Just wish there was a "follow up" part of the story with some characters. So I'm gonna come up with my own ending and thoughts for some of the characters haha (which I won't say since it's coming out in December haha).

BUT here's some thoughts I had while reading this/the chapters as the story went on:

*NOTES FROM MY READING*

•okay so as I went on, it started to slowly move up to 2 1/2 stars and starting from chapter 10, it starts to pick up a little more and moved to 3 stars after chapter 15 as there's an early plot twist.

•I even listened to the Me Before You score soundtrack haha and kinda "helped" but I still kept pushing. (And in a good weird way it kinda fit the two couple haha)

•okay, after chapters 19-20 and by the end of 20, I'm now wanting to fangirl. This book may show future potential for me after all. It just started out too weird for me and slow and boring but the more I read the more it did pick up.


So I say it you're going to read this, give this at least 14-15 chapters. It gets better and starts to REALLY pick up but give it time I promise it'll really pick up once that friendship between Alainnand Loccran begins and you'll be fangirling like crazy!

But overall, it was good and I did enjoy it but not enough for 4 stars for me which is why I'm giving it 3 1/2 stars. But I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who likes any or all of these different themes to it (adult, retellings, sci-fi, Beauty and the Beast, and/or futuristic stories in general). So put this on your to read lists because it really is worth reading.


*I'm posting the review as well that I put up on my goodreads*

Who doesn’t love fairytale remakes? Not this girl! One of my favorite Disney stories is Beauty and the Beast, so you can imagine my excitement when I found an alternative version of this in science fiction form.

This story has all my feels. A romance story between a broken and disfigured man and a loving and damaged heroine. I couldn’t put it down, often growing irritated with people who continued to interrupt my story dwelling.

My only wish is that the buildup lasted longer. Don’t get me wrong, the buildup was sufficient for the story. I just love buildup and could read entire stories where the buildup is the entirety of the tale.

The characters were likable and compelling to follow. The robots were real characters in their own right with their lovable cuddle-bug personalities or their villainous ways.

I was ensnared by the story and I think romance loving, science fiction geeks like me, will enjoy it as well. If you’re a sucker for the emo boys, then this will hit the spot.

I loved this entertaining retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale, it kept me captivated, had great characters and was an innovative take on a classic tale. I loved the authors use of AI's in this story, keeping up the intrigue and suspense as to their intentions well. I also liked her different uses of "rose" throughout the story, forming links back to the original tale. Your heart breaks for Lorccan and the life his past has forced onto him and you can not help but like Alainn; she is tough, compassionate but also somewhat damaged. Their slowly developing romance was warm and captivating, drawing you along with them and making you want them to find their HEA. I really enjoyed this story, it had mystery, intrigue, romance and some great twists. I received this ARC from NetGalley at no cost and under no obligation to review.

Ensnared by Rita Stradling - A Romance, Sci-Fi story.

Alainn Murphy is 24 and the daughter of an absent minded inventor. Lorccan Garbhan is hideously scared and trapped in his home. "Sound familiar?"

This seemed to be a futuristic, adult version of Beauty and the Beast. I hate to call Lorccan a beast! He is definitely NOT! A scarred man that has no immune system. To think that in the future scars wouldn't have been fixed with skin grafts, nanobites or microbites or whatever, but hey the debate can go on and what do I know, for the sake of the story this is needed., so will forgive Rita for writing it that way. For the purpose of the story poor Lorccan had to have a reason to remain in the dark side of the light. I just found the whole idea of this story so out of the ordinary and engaging. I was hooked!. I could see this so turning into a horror, but glad it didn't!

I loved the gentle slow romance building between Alainn and Lor. I like seeing the lengths Lor goes to, to get back what he had with his Jade. Watching Alainn trying so hard to get back and doing what she thought Lor wanted but then really fighting for him was so great to read. I was surprise and very happy with the ending. I absolutely loved this book and would like to read more or Rita Stradling which I will definitely be look for.

This book came out of nowhere and stole my heart! I was not expecting how much I would love this book. Granted Beauty and the Beast is one of my all-time favourite Disney films but I’ve always been iffy about anything remotely resembling sci-fi.

Alainn is one of the most relatable characters I have ever read, the normal girl in a family of a unbelievably intelligent family. All the characters had flaws that were out in the open and it just made the book feel more real.

This book stole my life for 4 hours! The story is so absorbing and there were so many twists and turns that you would not expect. The inclusion of humanoids that can rewrite their own code was both interesting and slightly scary to think of.

The romance in this book was slow burn, definitely the best kind. They slowly spend time with each other and fall in love, and it is magical!

I whole heartedly loved this book and would recommend it to anyone that loves retellings, romance or a little bit of sci-fi!

I'm very surprised by this book. Even though sci-fi is not a gnere I read much, I love retellings so I dived into this book.
It's quite true to the original story but adding twists and turns. It's very fast pace and addicting.
The romance is not insta-love, which I appreciated. You can see how the relationship between the two main characters develops, and how the become friends and then lovers.
For a debut novel I think it was really good and had lots of potencial.

Overall Thoughts:
I have done another review on this author and really enjoy her writing. Ensnared is a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast set in the future. Robots have become a part of everyday life in this new future; working as policeman, nurses, and even companions. It's pretty creepy.

What I liked:
– Alainn; pretty much everything about her. She was 24, which I really liked. She has had time to experience life and see what else is out there before falling in love with Lor. Alainn had been through a horrifying experience when she was only 17, which only strengthened the depth of her character. Overall, Alainn is caring, adventurous, witty, and fun to read.
– The romance between Alainn and Lor was more of a slow burn than an inferno, making it more realistic and believable. The love between Alainn and Lor seemed genuine and lasting.
– There weren't a lot of sexy scenes, but the few there were were well done. Somewhat graphic, but not vulgar. I would say appropriate for 16+.
– This was a very quick read and captured my interest within the first chapter. Like the last book I read from her, Making Bad Choices, it is a great book to read if you have an open afternoon and need a book to get your mind off things, without having to concentrate too hard on keeping up with the plot or characters.

What I didn’t:
– I liked the ending, but I wish it would have had just a little more. It didn't feel unfinished necessarily, but open.

Would I recommend this book to family and/or friends?
– Definitely

TLDR; Well-done retelling of Beauty and the Beast packed with romance, courage, and compassion. I'll be on the lookout for more from this author.

*Review posted on Goodreads now and will be posted on my blog in December 2017. Link will be updated then.

A unique and innovative new take on the traditional Beauty and the Beast fairy tale that invites questioning and analysis of the future of automation and AI.

Rose 76GF, a robot with AI built in Alainn Murphy's image, was commissioned by Lorccan Garbhan from Connor Murphy, Alainn's father and an inventor riddled with money problems. When her father is threatened with jail time for failing to produce Rose as scheduled, Alainn concedes to Rose 76GF's plan to take her place in Mr. Garbhan's uncontaminated, sealed building home. But what really is Lorccan looking for? And what are Rose 76GF's intentions? And what has Alainn gotten herself into?

A quick and fantastical read, Ensnared does a good job of painting a strange futuristic world filled with all powerful AI-enhanced robots, adorable monkey automatons, and the flawed humans at the center of it all. The plot is fast-paced and interesting (it does contain mature elements). Perhaps my only problem with the plot was that one storyline (the Cara Miller and the abduction plot) felt a little forced at the end with not enough foundation, but the overall story was well-laid out.

I would recommend this for all lovers of fairy tales who enjoy a sci-fi twist and beautifully flawed hero-heroine pair.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a fair review!

I'm sorry but I personally didn’t like the book at all, the attitudes of the characters really put me off. I just couldn't get past that to get into the story because of that I couldn't finish it and I won't post anything about it to my blog or any of my social media accounts. I probably would have been able to get into the story more if the brother wouldn't have been so mean to his dad and sister.

This seemed to be a modern day, adult version of Beauty and the Beast. I found the premise interesting in that apparently robots are a fully integrated part of the human race even taking jobs such as gas attendants, police and others that were once the sole property of humans. A perfect set up when you have a man, who has been told by his parents he has a life threatening auto-immune disorder, cannot interact with the outside world for fear of catching even a benign virus that could kill him. Therefore he needs an AI robot to teach him how to interact with humanity as he’s been cut off from them his entire life.

The only thing I didn’t like was it would’ve been nice for there to be some kind of explanation as to how human society became so interdependent and integrated with robots. Maybe I’ve just seen the Terminator movies one too many times but we’re constantly being told the threat AI can impose upon the human race, a threat which is addressed in this book, so I’m curious what precipitating event occurred to make the population decide the threat of AI taking over human society was less than a repeat of the event that started the integration.

I found the ideas unique. The full character development took the entire length of the book so at times I felt frustrated not understanding why the characters were acting the way they did, what motivated them, but I kept with it because her writing style flows very well and makes it an easy to read book. I was glad I did because by the conclusion Rita Stradling had full developed her characters so I understood why they each acted the way they did, who they really were and what kind of people they are. Even her AI was given enough personality and identity so you could end up hating a ‘robot’.

Her dialogue was very conversationalist in that it flowed naturally and felt realistic.

Her sex scenes at first creeped me out because it’s described as a human having sex with a robot and now all kinds of weird boundaries and ethical/moral dilemmas are being crossed. However, the way she wrote them was so steamy my husband woke up a very happy person this morning …. :-)

I wish there had been more description about what their society looked like and how it functioned but she did a very good job giving you an idea of what the main setting, the tower, looked like and how it would be to live there. The only detail about the tower that I didn't understand was she stated at one point the food was 'printed' which with our current understanding and use of technology printing something does not make it edible so I'm vastly curious how their society managed to create 'printed' food, how is it different from normal food, how are humans capable of digesting it, etc.

Overall I felt it was well written and it definitely gives you a lot to think about when it comes to the direction society is moving towards. We may be far off from having AI and robots take over but everyday there are more companies using technology to replace humans in even the most basic of jobs. It just takes baby steps…..