I received access to this short preview of The Beautiful through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

It's clear that I'm late to the party for this book as it's the first of four in this series. But I must admit, when it was released in 2019, I was a little bit vampire'd out, so I wasn't really on the hunt for a new vampire novel. Not that this sneak peek makes it entirely clear that we're dealing with vampires, but the synopsis on Amazon cleared up every doubt I had in my mind on that score.

There are a lot of things I loved about this small part of the story I got to read. It's historical, it's set in New Orleans, and near as I can tell, the MC is an almost fearless, badass chic. And that was at a time when even women were really expected to be seen and barely heard.

I'm obviously left with way more questions than answers because I only had five chapters to read, but boy do I plan on continuing this book at some point in the nearish future. This teaser definitely whetted my whistle for the story, and I think I'm ready to visit some vampires again.

Hmm, I didn't like this as much as I was hoping. The premise was intriguing, but I didn't have a great sense of the book by the end of the sampler. There were a lot of characters and it was difficult for me to distinguish what was going on.

That being said, I think this was will a very interesting book that many people will like. I'm not sure if I'll be reading the full version or not, just because multiple POV chapters aren't my favorite. The setting was very interesting, and the world-building was getting set up to be really intriguing.

This was a good way to see if I am interested in consuming the rest of the book. I think the story is starting out strong, and I would definitely be interested in continuing with the story and characters.

This sneak peek did exactly what it was meant to. Intrigue me and pull me into this world of mystery in New Orleans. And now I definitely want to read the rest of the book and the rest of the series! The writing really worked for me because it perfectly sets the atmosphere and the world and it also leaves hints of things to be revealed later which makes you want to keep going until you find out more. I'm already intrigued by our main character and her somewhat mysterious past and by the whole underworld of New Orleans she's just beginning to discover. I can't wait to keep going!

I loved this book. The history, the story, the characters are all so amazing. The end was thrilling and mind blowing and I can't wait to pick up the next one.

“But a greater fear lurked deep in Celine. Past the rush of blood, into the marrow of her bones. No matter where she went, danger followed. And it horrified her. Just as it thrilled her.”

ARC provided by Penguin Teen in exchange for an honest review.

Summary
Celine Rousseau is a dressmaker from Paris, who flees for her life to the vibrant but dangerous city of New Orleans. She soon becomes entangled in the glitzy underworld of the city, namely Les Cour des Lions and their leader, Sebastian Saint Germain. She is swept up in the glamour of the city, until one of the girls at Saint Ursiline convent, where Celine is staying, is found dead. As the murders continue to ravage the city, Celine takes matters into her own hands and just might discover an age old feud between creatures of the night.

Review
The Beautifulis full of lyrical and glitzy prose that plops the reader straight into the atmosphere of 1870's New Orleans. There's a vibrancy and decadence to the city that Ahdieh expertly captures through her prose. Great attention and care was given to describing the settings and the fashion, and allows the reader to really immerse themselves in the time period. It was something that I could really sink my teeth into.

From the beginning of the novel, I was instantly captivated by Celine and Bastien. Throughout the story, you can really feel the inner struggle of Celine trying to accept her inner darkness. Bastien rules over the court, and knows his own darkness. These two characters are instantly drawn to each other, and so much tension builds between them trying to fight that attraction. Their romance was so very slow burn and delicious. Pippa and Odette are two side characters who I also adored. Pippa is a sweet mannered girl staying at the convent with Celine, while Odette is a member of the court who enjoys being outlandish. While they both had a different relationship with Celine, they were both supportive of her and I loved reading about their friendships.

A common complaint I've seen with this book was that it was pitched as a vampire book, but there is not enough vampires. I, however, really enjoyed the slow and suspenseful way we discover the lore of the world. We mostly read from Celine's perspective, who knows nothing about the vampires of New Orleans, and learn the information as she discovers it. I loved that we got bits and pieces about these creatures as more revelations came to light, instead of info dumping. It really helped with the pacing and upped the ante on the suspense.

This book ended on a few big plot twists, and I'm really excited to get my hands on The Damned, which already has a release date and cover!!! It looks stunning and equally as intriguing as this first installment!

This is just a sneak peak but I'm totally hooked. The author gives us a compelling start with a lush setting and characters with mysterious backstories. Can't wait to see where this one goes.

This was a sneak peak of the book “The Beautiful”. The descriptions are very well thought out and helps the reader to envision the characters and New Orleans. The author goes back and forth between the main character, Celine and the monster that will most likely be crossing her path later on. I’m very intrigued to see where this story will go!

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read a sneak peak of “The Beautiful” in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this sneak peek. I liked The Wrath & the Dawn a lot, so I was really excited for this book as well. I am exciting to read the rest of the book. I am very interested in the story. I think that the characters were interesting and want to learn more about them. I can't wait to see how the plot progresses.

I somehow completely missed this book when it was somehow, so thank you for this sneak peek and putting it on my radar! I really love the writing and the immersive world Renee Ahdieh has created, I'm definitely intrigued to know more!

What an absolutely eerie start to this series! I was hooked by the second page. Ahdieh does a fantastic job of reeling readers in and leaving them wanting more. This sneak peek of “The Beautiful” did its job- I immediately ordered all the available books!

Well, this was simply not enough. I need more. I'm off to get this book right now.. I am in love with the writing so far and I just know this is going to be a story that I will fall in love with.

I knew this was a sampler when I started it but it was so good, I'm going to have to find the book. Great back story set in New Orleans and characters made to order to keep me reading until the end....

As a sneak peek, this tasty morsel left me wanting more. The characters are intriguing and the plot compelling. For a fantasy romance, this had plenty of anticipation and otherworldliness to keep my interest and want to read the entire novel.

Thank you Netgalley for this sneak peak! I am late to this series but am very eager to read all of it after this tantalizing preview. A young French woman moving to 1870s New Orleans and finding herself plunged into a very mysterious atmosphere...forbidden love, serial killers, and did someone say vampires? Oh my! This should be the perfect mix of spooky suspense, romance, and period drama -- a great find for a teenage audience.

I think if you like gothic, vampire romances set in historical period, this would be for you.

Just a note, author’s depiction of New Orleans circa 1870 is not historically accurate. And I did have issues with the dialogue being inappropriate to the time period. If you are interesting in a historically accurate Historical Fiction set in New Orleans, Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys is a favourite of mine. And follows a young woman trying to get into university in 1950s New Orleans. Obviously it’s a different era, but it was a favourite. It’s also not supernatural, but hey I really like New Orleans as a setting.

I haven't picked up a book by the author but this seemed promising! Although vampires may not be my thing, people will love this and I'm clearly hooked, especially after reading through the excerpt!

As much as I haven't loved Renee Ahdieh's other works, I'm always willing to give her another shot. Especially when it comes to vampires and other supernatural creatures in New Orleans (reminds me of the Originals tv show).

However, this book was just okay. I *loved* the romance because who doesn't enjoy a good angsty relationship? And the world is very immersive and well written. The plot comes off straight away as a supernatural murder mystery. AND THE ENDING JUST KILLS ME A LITTLE BIT.

However, there's just something about this book that I can't quite put my finger on for why it's just okay. Part of me thinks that it's trying really hard to be something that it's not.

Still, I'll pick up the next book to see where it goes from here!

I enjoyed reading this sneak peek and am eager to know the progression of the story. Thank you for giving me access to this excerpt.

I love how so many things happened in the book. I could not keep myself from the book because it was so good