Despite being so highly recommended this book felt like it needed quite a bit of work. There were moments where I lost the train of what was happening. Other moments time was passing by so quickly I couldn't understand where we were now. Even though I generally love Beauty and the Beast retellings this one sadly just couldn't keep me hooked enough to finish.

The Beast’s Heart by Leife Shallcross broke me! This is such a beautiful tale, written from the perspective of the Beast. I’ve always enjoy the original Beauty and the Beast and so far all it’s incarnations. This one is unique in that it puts the reader in the mind of the Beast for the entire story. I was mesmerized. It’s achingly beautiful and poetic.

I need to be honest before I continue. I started reading an eARC of this book prior to its release and just couldn’t get into it. I read roughly 15% and had to put it down. Why? Well, to be blunt, it’s quite wordy. As I’ve already mentioned, The Beast’s Heart is beautifully written with lush detail. It’s akin to reading someone’s most private thoughts. I struggled, but because I was intrigued and enjoying the Beast’s tale, I thought I’d listen to the audio…..I mean it’s Jim Dale, he’s fantastic. And I’m SO glad I did. I preordered the audiobook and listened to the entire thing in about three days. Jim Dale brings the Beast to life and I found myself enthralled. The only thing that could have made it better is if Dan Stevens was reading because well….



Seriously I totally pictured him the entire time I was listening 😂

Back to the story. It opens with the Beast realizing he is in fact a man and attempting to recover the humanity he’s lost while he was terrorizing the forrest around his former home. The Beast is a complex character. It’s very obvious to the reader that he thinks poorly of himself and his past choices, even if he never discloses what those were. He’s a creature who is lonely and painfully ashamed of what he has become. Yet determined to break his curse, he finds Isabeau.

Isabeau is a beauty, inside and out. She’s not the dark headed bookworm of Disney, but a fair headed artist who loves the simple things in life. I found her charming, and I loved that the Beast didn’t scare her at all. In fact, she sees the man behind fur. And as she does, you fall more in love with our narrator.

Overall, The Beast’s Heart is a unique take on the classic. There’s enough of the original woven into the story that it’s fun to pick those things out, yet there is plenty new to it. I really enjoyed the narration. If you enjoy audiobooks, I recommend this one for Jim Dale alone! If you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast, don’t let this one sit on the shelf. Read it asap.

A new take on a Disney classic.
I have to say I have never read a fairytale retelling before so when this one came up for review I jumped at the chance to try something new.

After reading the blurb and seeing the cover I was super excited to start The Beast’s Heart. To tell the story from the Beast’s POV would of been a difficult task as for the most part the Beast isn’t a likeable character.

I liked the authors writing throughout the book but I did find some parts to be very descriptive. Overly so at times which wasn’t needed. But it felt like the author was trying to extend the story more.

I didn’t feel a connection with the characters at all. I didn’t understand their relationship and how Isabella ended up in the castle or how she and the Beast could form any kind of relationship.

I would definitely try a different book by this author and more fairytale retellings in the future.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for letting me review a copy.

It's been a while since I've read a retelling, and I have always been a sucker for Beauty and the Beast themes. So I was intrigued by the premise of this story, as a retelling from the Beast's perspective. And I have to say, I was not disappointed.

This story was a little different than other retellings I have read in the past, and its been so freaking long since I read the original, I can't tell how much it diverged from the original story line. But I liked it regardless. The Beast was such a solitary and sad creature, his vulnerability fairly leapt off the page in this story. I just wanted to snatch him up and pet him and hug him and love him forever. (I may be dating myself with that cartoonish reference!) We start out with the Beast when he is lost to his animal nature, and is slowing coming back to himself and his humanity. The Beast finds himself at his ancestral home, which is full of magic, and seems to be as a consequence of his curse.

Then you have the traditional parts of the story with the father of our heroine coming to the castle first, followed by our heroine, Isabeau. I found Isabeau to be a likeable heroine, yet sometimes confusing. I didn't always understand her treatment of the Beast... but that was okay, because this story was from his perspective so it was all about him, his thoughts, issues and feelings. When they were together, I did like the relationship between the pair. Though I felt sad for the Beast who tried so very hard to get Isabeau to love him.

The magic added a nice aspect to this story and I liked the way it was woven throughout - it wasn't overpowering but added touches of convenience here and there to ease the way. I didn't quite buy the reasoning or rationale behind the Beast's curse, but it didn't detract from the story much for me. I thought the addition of Isabeau's sisters, who we watch go through their own personal growth, was also a nice addition to the story. It gave us an alternate focus when Isabeau and the Beast were not together.

If you are a fan of retellings, give this one a shot. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher.

Enchantments and dreams!

My first impression was of the rich descriptive language that peppered this magical story. The opening few paragraphs set up the tone and Shallcross's word smithing is riveting. I loved it!
Beast's description of the curse brings his nightmare alive for us, where the "real is indistinguishable from the phantasm...Living under such an enchantment is akin to being trapped in the grip of a restless slumber, fighting toward wakefulness and finding only dreams locked within dreams."
Magical with a capital "M" this story indeed is. Told mostly from the Beast's point of view this reimagining of Beauty and the Beast set in seventeenth century France is both a nightmare, a romantic gothic fairy tale, and a tale of love conquering all. But it's the "telling" that makes this fantasy a winner. It's a novel that starts off with thorns and blooms in the most unexpected of ways.
The raw pain of Beast (or Lord Beast as Isabeau calls him) is palpable, and calls to us at a visceral level. Beast's struggle to even understand why he'd been transformed from human to monster is very real.
Isabeau (the beautiful younger daughter of Beast's one and only ever "guest") is to me a mystery that reveals itself only towards the end of the novel. That's when we see the changes wrought in Isabeau's family in her absence through her eyes. We have seen it through Beast's, however, Isabeau's viewpoint rounds that picture out.
Just a fabulous rendition of a traditional tale.

A Berkley ARC via NetGalley

Some parts were a bit hard for me to get through.
Overall, though, this was still a story that I enjoyed. Beauty and the Beast is one of my all time favorite tales. The Disney adaptations being some of my favorites as well. It's interesting getting to read it from the Beast's point of view. You definitely get put into his perspective; seeing things the way he does.
I always enjoy a good fairytale re-telling, and this is one you don't want to miss out on.

The Beast’s Heart is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast through the Beast’s eyes and while it’s largely loyal to the original, the author does add her own spin to it. The Beast was once a man until a curse changed him and after years of solitude, a man stumbles upon his grounds and eventually tries to take a rose from the gardens. The Beast offers him a deal, his safety in exchange for his daughter Isabeau. Sounds familiar, right? And should you read the book, it will continue to sound familiar in a lot of ways. It was easy to get into the story but I will say the back and forth between Isabeau and the Beast did get repetitive. Even though the author did a good job of setting up their relationship for a slow burn, it did feel a bit tiresome at times because they were so confined to the estate and its “magical inhabitants” were not of the Disney variety. Instead what I liked best was actually the author’s decision to give more insight into Isabeau’s backstory, specifically her father and two sisters. It was seeing how their lives went on after Isabeau’s sacrifice, not to mention the sisterly bonds between them all, that intrigued me the most. It also helped to break up the monotony I mentioned earlier. But in the end, the romance failed to tug at my heartstrings and I couldn’t help feeling underwhelmed overall.

3.5 Stars

Sweet. Magical. Classic.

The Beast’s Heart is indeed a very sweet story. It is a retelling of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast told from the perspective of the Beast. I very much enjoyed his voice and it helped to add a unique spin on this “tale as old as time.”

After an old man is saved from winter weather by the Beast and his house, the Beast tricks him into forcing his youngest daughter Isabeau to stay with him indefinitely. While Isabeau’s family thinks they may never see her again, Isabeau strikes a deal with the Beast. She pities him and his loneliness and agrees to stay with him for one year. The Beast tried to provide his new guest with anything she should want and also takes it upon himself to watch over her family in his magic mirror. Over the course of the year, the fear Isabeau once had for the Beast turns to respect, then friendship, and eventually love.

I am of the opinion that perhaps this tale was a little too familiar. Shallcross did not take many liberties with the story, so it was more as if she were literally retelling the the fairy tale from the Beast’s perspective, rather than putting her own spin on it. Of course, as a fairy tale fan, I still enjoyed the read, but it was like reading a classic novel instead of a contemporary YA.

Overall, the plot is very cut and dry. Only so much can happen between two people in an empty house. The subplot of Isabeau’s sisters trying to live their lives without her helps, but as it is just the Beast watching them, it is hard to get engrossed in their side of the story.

The Beast definitely made for an interesting characters, although without the presence of an outside perspective, it was difficult for me to attribute all his negative qualities to him. He displayed fits of rage, but they were all justified and never shown for very long. Also, despite the mention of his claws, paws, and muzzle, it was also difficult to consistently imagine him as a beast, for whatever reason.

Isabeau was a pleasant heroine, but she fell a little flat for me. The Beast admired her from the start and found little fault with her, save for when she was a mopey mess, which a surprising large chunk of the time.

The other characters, namely Isabeau’s family, were interesting enough to watch, and at times had real promise for complex characters.

The last comment I intend to make is on the magic of this story. Many times it seemed a bit of a stretch to me. Perhaps it has a very large reach in the more classic tales, it has been quite some time since I have read any, but here it seemed too much. Magical invisible servants that grant your every wish and the ability to make things materialize miles and miles away? I thought it more of a way to move the plot, rather than add to it.

Overall, a very quick and easy read that I truly did enjoy, despite its shortcomings. I would recommend it to anyone loves the classic tales of romance. I personally prefer my novels with a bit more action, but still a pleasant read.

Partial review on Goodreads; Full review on my blog Write Before your Eyes.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whimsical and enchanting!
Leife Shallcross’s latest reimagining of the classic story of Beauty and the Beast is more similar to Beaumont’s 18th century abridged La Belle et la Bête than it is the Disney classic—which is a total compliment! No offense to Disney, but the classic version of this story really has much more depth and darkness.
(Sidebar: Did you ever watch the HBO series Sex and the City? The final season has this pretty great song La Belle et le Bad Boy that I think of every time I read this title! It’s pretty amazing as far as French rap songs go.

Reflection

In The Beast’s Heart, the story is retold from the perspective of The Beast. After spending over 100 years trapped in an enchanted and dark forest, with no company but the unseen magic of his stately home, The Beast longs to meet another soul. But he is confused, he has very little memory of who (if anyone) he was before and what his curse entails. All he knows is that he is doomed to this body, unable to connect with others due to his appearance.

When he lures Isabeau to this chateau, he never dreamed of falling in love with her. But soon the magic of Isabeau’s kindess and light seems to outshine even the most fantastic magic in his home. The Beast wants Isabeau to himself, but he also desperately wants her to be happy. In a heart-warming tale of healing, heart, and finding happiness, The Beast’s Heart shows a new and fresh perspective on a classic tale.

I’m so happy that Leife Shallcross drew so many elements from Beaumont’s version of the story. I’ve always found the complexity of Isabeau (Belle, for you Disney fans) to be related to her family, rather than just her father. Though they don’t reference the brother’s in this version, she does have sisters and they play such an important role in the story.

I loved Claude and Marie. Rather than being one-dimensional or paling in comparison to the perfect leading lady, Claude and Marie are so filled with love and have such unique characterization. I would love to read a spinoff about Claude and Marie, and I’m delighted by how much we got to see of them!

There is a total YA vibe to this book that really worked. I read the Beaumont version in high school myself, so this seems like the perfect genre to place the story in. It crosses the threshold of “ageless”, where I can see a parent reading this to a child, a young adult finding their own reading interests, or an adult who loves whimsy enjoying this.

Fantastic work from Leife Shallcross, who is certainly a much-welcomed voice in fiction!

With many thanks to our partners at Berkley Publishing,

If you like fairy tale books like me.
If you like good plot of the book like me.
If you like good writing and flawless reading like me.
If you like magical characters in a book like me.
If you like to escape into world or romance like me.
This book is for YOU!

DNF at 17%

Beauty and the Beast is a favorite classic of mine and I always leap at the chance to explore the ways authors can re-imagine the beloved trope, but I struggled with connecting to Leife's writing. It felt very stilted and like it was translated from another language to English. I don't know if that's the case, but it felt like some words or phrases were improperly used or positioned. That, and its slow pacing were what constantly pulled me from the story, and I found myself putting it down after a page or two frequently. I'd like to try the story again someday, hoping it's a story that has to find you in a certain mood, but for now I'm putting it on the shelf of Not Finishing.

I love Beauty and the Beast retellings. LOVE. I’m slightly obsessed with that particular story arc/plot and love seeing the different spins authors put on it. I think part of it is because I absolutely adore castles, and COME ON who hasn’t been obsessed with the Beast’s library?

When I first read the blurb for this one, I got super excited – and then read a very negative review (by a reviewer I usually agree with and whom I really respect), which made my toes curl…butbutbutbut it was Beauty and the Beast! So I decided to give it a shot anyway, and lo and behold I was approved for an ARC. I’m so glad now that I didn’t let one review decide whether or not I would read the book. While of course no two people are going to feel exactly the same and the reviewer was perfectly professional and within rights to feel as they did, I personally felt the book was lovely!

This book surprised me by how closely it follows the original. Of course it is not exact, but it has many more similarities than most of the adaptations I’ve read. It is set in old France, in the 18th-ish century. Isabeau i.e., Belle, is the youngest daughter of a merchant with three daughters. The beast, cursed for an undetermined amount of time, has spent years wandering the woods around his cursed castle and later within the castle itself, attempting to claw his way back to some guise of humanity.

The magic of the story is rather different, as there are no talking candlesticks or clocks and no Mrs. Potts (so sad), but the Beast’s house definitely has a mind and life of its own and is indeed very magical…more on that later.

Characters

First of all, the Beast. He’s a very sympathetic character, though a flawed one. He was cursed by a faery who had a long history with his family, and cursed NOT for being evil, but for another reason that you’ll have to read to find out. He is very…well, mopey. Which is really quite understandable given the circumstances, but sometimes I did want to shake him. He recognizes, too, that his manipulation and threatening of Isabeau’s father was wrong and cruel, and he is sorry for it, but as Isabeau later tells him, “Desperate men do desperate things.”

The Beast definitely grows and changes throughout the story, as he does in the original and most retellings. His woe-is-me attitude sometimes crept in and made him annoying, but overall I liked him.

Isabeau is your typical Belle, except – and I can’t quite forgive this – she is NOT as obsessed with books as my idea of Belle always is! In fact, she declares that she doesn’t quite know what she is good at or what she really enjoys, as her last few years have been spent just trying to make ends meet and help her sisters and father out of the deep depression they collectively fell into after the demise of their father’s fortune. Oy. She remains mostly the same through the book, except of course she comes to see the Beast in a very different light by the end.

Isabeau’s father and sisters were rather different than any portrayal of them that I’ve read, as well. I didn’t particularly like any of them except the oldest sister, but they provided a nice contrast.

The Iffy Stuff

The negative review I read said the Beast was essentially a voyeur and that was a large part of the reviewer’s problem with the book. So, I went into this expecting him to basically be a peeping Tom, mainly on Isabeau. Which wasn’t really what happened at all. Again, YMMV and of course if it bothers someone they should say so! However…the so-called voyeurism occurs at the behest of the Beast’s magic mirror, which is part of his house’s magic. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t – and not always when he wants it to. The book DOES use the mirror A LOT to let the reader see perspectives other than the Beast’s, which is effective but given that he is seeing everything that we are, is kind of…odd. But then, what exactly is normal about his circumstances? He’s much, much older than anyone else still living. His house magically manifests food and clothes. His lands are in all four seasons at once. What’s a magic mirror added to all that? Also, the fact that sometimes it just shuts him off made a difference to me. Sometimes, even when he desperately wants to see something, the mirror says no.

Overall, 4/5 stars. I wish I had been a little more invested in Isabeau and the Beast’s romance, but it was still very sweet and they are both very likeable characters. I loved the descriptions of the old, crumbling yet magical castle and grounds. I especially loved how the Fairy’s relationship to the Beast’s family, particularly his grandmother, was revealed. I’ll definitely be getting a copy of this for my shelf!

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The Beast's Heart is a beautifully written tale, with many aspects of the original story. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, and the beast is a brooding, melancholy, not entirely sympathetic character - but his plight kept me reading and Isabeau was a very amiable heroine.

In depth review will be posted on my blog at the link below, and on GoodReads, on 14 February 2019.

DNF at 10%.

I was looking forward to reading this one, but it was just not for me.

I read 10% and put it aside as I just wasn't able to get into it. Since then I have picked it up half a dozen times, but kept putting it down and reading another book, so it was time for me to say no more.

I am sure others will love this book, especially those who love Beauty and the Beast.

A magical tale as old as time.<

This was an enchanting retelling of Beauty and the Beast, told from the Beast’s perspective.... my only true knowledge of this story is from Disney and from that movie I had a bit of a soft spot for Beast... so I was really excited when I heard this book was going to tell us the story from his point of view... and this book did not disappoint... although I do have to admit because this book had a bit of a young adult vibe the Beast wasn’t quite as alpha as I would have liked... A magical story, lyrically told, that really gave me a real fairytale vibe... The writing was a bit old-fashioned and really gave you a sense of being right there with Beast and Isabeau... this was something that actually threw me off, not being right there with them, but the fact that the main female protagonist was not named Bell but Isabeau... not going to lie it took me a good while to figure out she was the correct love interest, I kept waiting for Bell to show up! Once I got over that I really got into the story and fell in love with this beautiful castle and the adorable Beast...

I am sure most of you are very familiar with this plot so I’m not going to regurgitate it... One thing I think you need to know before you pick it up though it is very heavy on the romance, a very clean romance, but romance all the same... Beast was one determined and relentless man and I have to say I am not sure if Isabeau was worthy of his love? It could possibly be that women were much more reserved in 17th century France then they are today,Isabeau just seemed a little cold... but I really did like her family her father and her sisters, and I like that Beast could glimpse them in that magical mirror...

A beautifully told story Full of heart and charm! Recommend🌹

<h1>🎵🎵🎵 Song Running Through My Head</h1>


Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly
Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the beast
Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before and ever just as sure as the sun will rise
Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
Certain as the sun
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the beast...</i>

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bNB2Sj-6GDI

*** huge thank you to Berkley for my copy of this book ***

I’ve read quite a few Beauty and the Beast retellings lately, and it’s interesting to see how different they all are, and the way they choose to deviate or stick to the original. The Beast’s Heart remains pretty true to the original La Belle et Le Bete by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot du Villeneuve, with a few changes. The story is entirely told from the beast’s POV, which is something I’ve never seen before.

Much like Villeneuve’s tale, it has a merchant getting lost while traveling home, and finding refuge at seemingly abandoned, but obviously enchanted, castle. He is fed and cared for by invisible servants, and as he departs for home he passes by the castle’s rose garden. He takes a single rose for his youngest daughter, and like in the original, that is where the beast snares him.

After centuries of cursed madness and savagery, the Beast is now quite civilized and refined, but desperately lonely. Once the daughter, named Isabeau, arrives at the castle, he feels immediate regret and tells her she is free to go, but begs her to agree to stay for one year. Feeling pity, she agrees and they eventually build a fragile friendship.

There was so much I liked about this book! It’s quite slow and rich, so don’t expect much action. The Beast is a fantastically complex character, cursed but gentle, flawed but intriguing. The writing is flowery and descriptive, so while the Beast doesn’t come across as necessarily masculine or alpha, you do at least get a very good grasp of his inner turmoil and emotions. He treats Isabeau with constant caring and respect; her happiness and comfort is literally his entire focus.

This retelling was also unique in that a portion of the story centers around Isabeau’s father and sisters. They’re far more relatable and likeable than in the original version, and it gives the story much needed variety.

There a few things I didn’t like, namely the reason for the Beast being cursed. The fairy’s rather vengeful motivations seemed quite forced and melodramatic, since the Beast wasn’t really a bad dude to begin with. I still liked the story, and give it 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Beast's Heart, all opinions are my own.

I'm going to cut to the chase and be incredibly honest with you all. This one did not hit home for me. I feel this is going to be a rather short review because I don't want to spend a lot of time and energy explaining away a book I only ever felt mediocre about.

The Beast's Heart is a Beauty and the Beast retelling told from the point of view of the Beast himself, but to me this one fell flat. I couldn't help but compare it to other Beauty and the Beast retelling's I've read. The magic system was a little overbearing at times and I actually didn't like seeing this story from the Beast's point of view. Some parts left me a little creeped out? He used his magic in ways that I didn't agree with and it made me want to put it down. Which I actually ended up doing several times and had to come back to it later.

I think part of my problem with this story is that it felt a little TOO young adult, it seemed slightly too immature for me. There were times it felt like the author was trying too hard to convey what was happening by adding in big descriptive words that ended up taking away from the actual story.

I am giving this 2 stars because it is a good story but overall I thought it could have been executed better. I never really cared about the characters and the romance felt off to me. The pacing was slow during the romance parts and it made me feel detached from the story. I think this story was a good idea, but it was not my cup of tea.

I LOVED that this book was told from the Beasts point of view. The book isn't only about his courtship with Isabeau, but he analyzes the events that led up to his cursing. I loved seeing how his life unfolded and understanding what led him to be the cold-hearted person he was. I found it fascinating.



This is not the Disney story. I was grateful that there wasn't a Gaston. Isabeau has two sisters who added a lot of depth to the story. This book isn't about one love story, but three.



If you love a good fairy-tale retelling this book is one that you'll want to read.



Source: I requested a copy from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Well, this was okay. No big issues really, I just found myself bored reading it. We have how many retellings following Beauty from Beauty and the Beast? Well we get one told from the Beast's point of view. I compared this book a bit to "Beastly" since that's the only book I have read that told the story from the Beast's point of view. I have to say that this Beast doesn't seem to have been pretty pathetic. The author starts off with us following him after he's been turned. The flow though was off from beginning to end. Nothing picks up and I just didn't feel a sense of urgency about finishing (why it took me so long to complete).

"The Beast's Heart" has us following the Beast with Shallcross incorporating some Young Adult themes too. I for one would love it if we had a more adult Beauty and the Beast like with Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton. Man, I was in love with Vincent...

Okay, back to the book. We have the Beast going through his tale of woe and of course he eventually meets his Beauty (Isabeau). Shallcross doesn't really do anything new with this. I think telling the story in the Beast's POV should have made me more engaged with the story, however, it just didn't work. Another reviewer mentioned how old the Beast sounded, and I got that feeling too. At one point I wondered if he was 100 years old or what. Some readers noted how this book was very voyeuristic since you get to read about the Beast spying on Isabeau's family via his magic mirror. The magic mirror plot device was in the cartoon, musical, and the latest musical. I think it's bothersome in this one since he uses it throughout the book to watch/spy on Isabeau.

Isabeau doesn't have much to do in this book. She just seemed kind of okay about the whole thing with the Beast. I needed to believe that she fell in love with him and needed him just as much as he needed her, and I never got that sense. Then again, she was a prisoner of his and was forced to keep him company. So you can see why as a reader she seemed to be kind of meh on things. I think "Beastly" was smart to move this into modern times and also include his "beauty's" consent to stay.

The house is another character in this one. No you don't have things talking to you. But as the relationship between the two characters improve, so does the castle.

Isabeau has sisters in this one unlike with the Disney version of Beauty. I have to say the main reason why I gave this 3 stars is that the sisters were a nice saving grace in this book. Shallcross has Marie and Claude as independent young women who struggle without their sister. Including them reminded me a bit of "Hunted" by Meagan Spooner who followed the sisters along with the main character of Yeva. Besides following Yeva, we followed her sisters who had to get along with her being there and had their own romances.

I really thought the writing was okay, nothing that really grabbed me. It just read as being try hard at times with Shallcross trying to mimic older fairytales. I get it, the Beast isn't modern, but good grief, it needed to make me want to keep reading. I think honestly this book was too long. This was over 350 pages and the flow of the book was slow throughout. It's okay if an author does that because the book is building to something great that is going to blow your mind. I didn't get my mind blown here. I just started getting more and more bored and wondering when they were going to get together to break his curse.

The Beast’s Heart by Leife Shallcross
 
BLURB~
“A luxuriously magical retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in seventeenth-century France--and told from the point of view of the Beast himself.

I am neither monster nor man—yet I am both.

I am the Beast.

He is a broken, wild thing, his heart’s nature exposed by his beastly form. Long ago cursed with a wretched existence, the Beast prowls the dusty hallways of his ruined château with only magical, unseen servants to keep him company—until a weary traveler disturbs his isolation.

Bewitched by the man’s dreams of his beautiful daughter, the Beast devises a plan to lure her to the château. There, Isabeau courageously exchanges her father’s life for her own and agrees to remain with the Beast for a year. But even as their time together weaves its own spell, the Beast finds winning Isabeau’s love is only the first impossible step in breaking free from the curse . . .”
 
REVIEW~
 
This is NOT a Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. In fact, it’s rather dark, IMHO. It is told from the Beasts POV and there is no Belle, in this version, we have Isabaeu. The premise of this book was very intriguing. Especially since Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairytales.
 
The author’s writing was skillful, with careful attention to detail. The pacing, however, was a bit off for me. It was kind of slow. I did enjoy the book and characters. I like the fact that even Isabaeu had flaws as well as the Beast. I was pleased to read a version of what the Beast might’ve been thinking in this story. I have to say, however, that I was a bit put off with this retelling. It didn’t have antagonist as far as I could guess. Though I found it character driven and written well, I felt it was lacking in some way.
 
Overall, it was enjoyable read, despite the pacing. The author did a wonderful job at giving insight into the possible inner most thoughts of the Beast. I do believe it is worth reading. 3/5 stars.

I was given this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This review, or portions thereof, will be posted (when able) on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, Kobo, IG, FB, Pinterest, Litsy, and my own blog.
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Barnes & Noble~ Karyl-Ahn-white_7
Litsy~ Karylahn or Karyl White

[This mini-review was part of a larger roundup of Beauty and the Beast retellings]

The Beast’s Heart follows the Beaumont version quite closely in the beginning: a ruined merchant stumbles into the Beast’s domain; he steals a rose; Beauty is sent to the Beast’s for a year. The key difference is that this retelling is centered on the Beast, not Beauty. His transformation from ravening beast starts even before her arrival; his self-improvement is not entirely dependent on her intervention. The story also follows Beauty’s father and two sisters after Beauty leaves. The sisters were mired in depression over the family’s ruin. Without Beauty around to perform all the household chores, they are forced to step up and care for themselves. In time, they become both confident and competent, and find their own love interests. In many ways, the sisters’ transformations are the most profound in the story, as the Beast’s transgressions which resulted in the curse feel muted and indistinct, and their courtship isn’t as grounded in everyday life like the sisters’.