It took me a couple tries to get past the first few chapters because I didn't care for the story. It did improve, but overall I found the story boring. It didn't add anything to the original tale, and there was a distance between me and the characters. I never really felt drawn into the story, or invested in their love.

It was interesting to see the Beauty and the beast story told through the Beast's perspective, but there wasn't really anything about this story that stood out. There were no dramatic plot twists, or changes to the story in any real way. It was simply the Beauty and the Beast story told through the Beast's perspective. And while that was interesting, it also wasn't? It was a story we've seen a thousand times over with no real changes to shake things up and draw you in? And it was a little bit strange how the Beast would spend all day watching Isabeau's family if I'm being honest.

This book was a delightful retelling of Beauty and the Beast from the Beast's point of view. The prose was lyrical without being gushy or un-beastly and fully captured the sensation of reading an old-fashioned fairy tale.

I love beauty and the beast retellings, but this one was not for me.

The writing was very flowery and overly descriptive and got kinda boring.
The story was in the POV of the beast, and the plot moves slowly. I didnt care for the roman e aspect either, the Beast simply loved Isabeau because she was there and he was monkey. There was no legetimate transformation or growth or development of feelings and at one point the beast askes Belle to marry him, she refuses but he continues to ask even after she said no. This kind of pestering isint romantic but manipulative and abusive.

I did like Belles family how and how their story devolved, her two sisters became independent and confident women. However I never cared for the Father he always just seemed so dysfunctional and unable to cope.

All in all I could not recommend this book at all.

I did not finish this book because I couldn't get into it. There was a lot of I walked here, I was angry, I was scared. I'm human. I wasn't remotely interested in the Beast's story because it came off as a lot of whining.

This book wasn't for me.

The Beasts Heart was good but in my opinion it would’ve worked so much better with a more modern voice.

This is a much more direct Beauty and the Beast retelling than I originally thought it would be but I really enjoyed that. When I first began this novel, I did not find the writing appealing. It felt as though the author was attempting to tribute an old timey vibe, while incorporating her own unique style. I found it to be choppy, and a tad confusing at times; however, as I continued to read, the simple charm of the melodic writing, started to rub off on me.

Isabeau as a main character was a treat to observe. We get a big chunk of the book about her sisters which I found to be enjoyable to read about. I think it contributed to the story very well.

I wouldn’t call it one of my favorite retelling but it has entertained me and the characters were memorable. I highly recommend this book to any readers who are looking for a great Beauty and the Beast adventure. The storyline may be super predictable but the characterizations were amazing.

The Beast’s Heart was a wonderful, descriptive retelling that had me engrossed in this well known fairy tale while giving it a fresh perspective. It took a deeper look at the Beast’s struggles, not only in regard to breaking the curse but also his feelings for Isabeau and how he came to be cursed in the first place. I really enjoyed this story as it felt true to the original with the setting and time period but had enough variation to keep it interesting. I’d recommend this book for fans of fairytale retellings but a must-read for those who love Beauty and the Beast.

2.5 out of 5 stars

***ARC received through NetGalley for review, much appreciated***

Another retelling of Beauty and the Beast, not a version of the Disney, its more true to the original story. Unfortunately this book commits a cardinal sin in the world of novels, its boring and I had no interest in the outcome of the main characters. A version of the story through the Beasts point of view should be interesting. He is written to have been past his anger and rage and just now a very lonely creature. I feel like we are supposed to be sorry for him, to cheer for him to get the girl but I just couldn't. Poor Isabeau doesn't fair any better. I never felt their romance grow. Which is interesting when you compare Isabeau to her sisters.

Both her sisters go through a strong well defined character arc. They start out struggling but grow into independent characters. Claude goes slow with her new relationship, which even though we never read about her previous relationship but it is clear how she has grown. While Marie learns a new trade, we follow her through it and her relationship with her guy. It feels like a natural development for the two women when compared to Isabeau and the Beasts relationship which feels forced. You can see the sisters character fall in love and become strong independent people, while there is nothing with the primary relationship.

Its her father that really bugged me. There is no other conflict so we are left with a father that is supposed to be heartbroken but just feels controlling. His daughters are flourishing and he seems incapable of accepting this or that they no longer are under his control. So he pulls the most abusive and manipulative action possible designed only to hurt Isabeau.

It is a disappointment that this book couldn't pull it out in the end.

I find myself torn, I always love the story of Beauty and the Beast in all of its' myriad incarnations, but with having read soo many versions it is hard not to compare them all. Having Beast's perspective was a treat, but much of his early years were so convoluted and confusing, it was hard at times to track what was real and what was nightmare. A chance to see Beast before his curse was totally missed, what I wanted and have been missing, was the REASON he was cursed. We've been told many a time, but usually only ever see but a one scene glimpse of bad behavior. This could have dove deep into what made him cold or cruel, but yet again, we get nothing. I wanted to be there, not be told after the fact. I feel like this is a huge opportunity lost.

Shedding my own wishes and biases I must admit that the story is enchanting. A magical world brought to life beautifully, if not originally.

This was a really interesting twist on a fairytale retelling. It was refreshing and also well written. I wasn’t 100% invested in the romance or I would have liked it much more. Still a very good read.

This was an interesting take on the Beauty and the Beast story. This version is from the Beast's point of view, which is rare (at least I haven't come across many like this). The author also added more to "Beauty's" family. In this version she has 2 sisters who's lives we get to see through the Beast's special mirror. There's no "bad" guy Gaston. And no magical furniture, though his castle does have magic and produces and does whatever they wish.

I give this book points for having a new vision of a classic story. It is slower in some parts and probably could have been shortened, but that doesn't mean it's bad. I'd say if you're a retelling fan or a Beauty and the Beast fan this book is a must read. If you're just a fantasy fan I'd say this book might be a hit or miss for you, but still give it a try.

There is always a special place in my heart for beauty and the beast. A childhood memory that always brings love, joy and danger to a wonderful story. This beast was a pure gentleman. A man... or beast of his word. He is only looking for someone who will love him for who he is, but aren't we all? There is something wonderful about a story like this. It really shows the good in people, something that is rare these days. This is what I loved about this book.

There were two things I didn't like, pretty big things. The beginning was a little flimsy. The beast let the father go and told him to bring his daughter back to live with him for a year. The father could have left and never returned since the beast had nothing that the father needed, but of course the father brought his daughter back to live with the beast.

The second thing that bothered me was the slow nature of the story. I was hoping something would happen, but it never did. Nothing really happened until the last 10% of the book and it made for a long read.

All together, this was still a good book. A wonderful twist on the childhood story that we all love. Read it and make up your own mind.

A very slow and lush retelling of Beauty and the Beast told from the Beast's perspective entirely. It follows the original version quite closely though it redeems the sisters and happily ever afters are had by all. As I mentioned though, this is a very long retelling. It rarely dragged surprisingly enough but if you aren't a fan of all the details of everything being shared, this version may be too slow for you. I liked the world building in such a small space and how it's as much a mystery to the person who was cursed (Beast) as the people who stumbled into the curse throughout the story. Also, Shallcross's language is gorgeous; the fairy tale tradition is leaned into hard and well. The Beast's voice is lyrical and yet authentic. He sounds exactly like a fairy tale hero should (with a hint of wokeness that was very much appreciated by this reader).

I love a good retelling! I saw this pop up on Netgalley and had to throw out a request for it. This was a fun re-imagined YA-ish settling of Beauty and The Beast. This one was a little slow rolling for me but the world crafting was excellent.


I am a big lover of the romance parts of a read, so the fact that that wasn’t the fore front for this read gave me a bit of pause, but at the end of the day it was a riveting read page after page. I loved the crafting of the world and the twists on the story that we all know. It kept me engaged and enchanted as I read.

Retellings have a special spot for me. I love the fact that loosely, we know where the story is going to go. We know the end game. But all of the parts in-between, all of those are up for grabs. This was one of the reads that plays very close to the known tale in some points, but browns and changes in a large way for others.

A solid 4 star read for me with a fantastic cast and beautiful world.

The book was a binge worthy read over a weekend. I couldn’t put it down. It was a different take on Beauty and the Beast. Having the perspective of the Beast opens a whole new perspective on this old classic tale.

I really enjoyed this title. I'm a sucker for any "Beauty and the Beast" themed titles and this is the first I've read from the Beast's point of view. It kept me reading and it was nice to see things from his perspective. In fact, in reading I saw several parallels to another book series I'm reading, one that has nothing to do with this original tale. Recommending it to fantasy and fairy-tale fans will be easy!

This book was received as an ARC from Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and Thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love the story of Beauty and the Beast and have read and seen many adaptations of the story. This one however had a new twist on the character of the Beast that caught my attention in a good way because the character focused on the connection he had with the girl Isabeau and not on his angry monster qualities at first compared to the Disney adaptations and the original story by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve. Every page got better and better and more interesting as you read on and if you are fans of any of Beauty and the Beast than you will enjoy The Beast's Heart.

We will definitely consider this title for our YFantasy collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I loved everything about this book. The language was beautiful, the narrative compelling, the characters relatable and the ending satisfying. Just like in the Beast's castle, just as I started to ask a question, the answer appeared. It would have been interesting to hear a bit more about his grandmother and the fairy, but it wasn't necessary. I liked that the book didn't end with the transformation, but told a bit about the adjustment from beast to man. I would highly recommend this to everyone who loves Beauty and the Beast and is not fully satisfied by any other version.

It's always interesting to read a retelling of a Beauty and Beast story to see what they've included and what they've been influenced by. I was surprised how much this story took from the original story. I've never read someone using the dreams Beauty had.

Beast isn't a jerk in this, instead he's feral because he's been by himself in rundown castle for hundreds of years in the form of a beast. The book quickly does away with the idea that Beauty is a captive and instead makes him so pathetic that she agrees to keep him company.

I really liked how her family was expanded. In the original, she had lazy, spoiled sisters. I was so glad that when Beauty left the sisters started taking care of the house and develop as characters.

My one complaint is that the book could have been shorter. A lighter bit tighter in area.

Well, folks. You know the story. A cold-hearted prince meets Fairy Justice. Except this time the story is told entirely from the perspective of the Beast. Will the beautiful Isabeau fall in love with him and break the curse?

Full disclosure...I've always been in love with fairytales and I am a super-mega-raging Beauty and the Beast fangirl. I was just about six years old when the original Disney phenomenon hit the theaters and I remember watching it on the big screen like it was yesterday. It sounds ridiculous but this movie did alter the course of my little life. It ignited my love for epic romance. It set my standard for brainy, beautiful book loving heroines. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm obsessed with this story.

So I was excited to read a version of this story from the Beast himself. And, generally, I liked it. There's a heavy fantastical feeling threaded through the entire story and Leife Shallcross is a talented author who writes vividly and emotionally. If you like fantasy, and I do, you will probably enjoy this book.

However, and maybe it's just the reading mood I'm currently in, but I do wish that there was a little bit more going on in this story. A little more action. As this story is told from the perspective of the Beast A LOT of the story is happening inside his own head. It's a lot of inner monologue. And while it's executed superbly, I thought a little more action would have been nice. There were a few scenes that felt prolonged to me and I was tempted to skip ahead.

But, again, Ms. Shallcross is a very talented writer and weaves magic very prettily throughout this adored classic tale. If you're in the mood for something with an epic, contemplative feeling, check out The Beast's Heart!