This novel is a street version of Beauty and the Beast, with family violence, housing commissions, alcoholism, and many dark social issues. This is a very interesting take for people more into contemporary novels and realism.
Personally, what I like about retellings is the weaving of the wonder of fairytales into a new setting, in other words, a reimagining of the tale into something more relevant today, but that keeps the dream quality of those kinds of stories. Sadly, I found this novel stripped away a lot of the magic of the Beauty and the Beast, and that lessens my interest. I guess I had expected a little fantasy or even just some magical realism. But that wasn't the point.
The book is written well, the characters a very real and I'm sure that if I liked social novels I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

This book took me a little bit to get into, but once I got to meet and understand the characters, I appreciated the book more. I initially struggled a bit with the slang the characters used, but that’s simply due to inexperience on my part. Again, once I got a feel for the characters and how they interacted, this dialogue made much more sense. I also picked up this book thinking it would be a Beauty and the Beast retelling. While there are elements of that, this took a different direction, which I appreciated! Kat and Robbie are each dealing with their own coming-of-age challenges and finding solitude in each other was a fun perspective on how relationships evolve and change between friends.

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This felt like it could have been a good read but I stressed out with it when I saw how little time I got left for reading it so I actually DNF it.

If I had more time or was in another mood this might vad been a book I would enjoy.

Thanks for letting me read this one in exchange for honesty.

A wonderful story about accepting people for who they are and how they treat others, Instead of how they look. Some of the lingo was a little lost on me not enough that I couldn't understand the story but clearly not a dialect I was commonly used to. Touches on some sensitive subject but was handled well and made the read enjoyable.

I was provided a free ARC through Netgally in exchange for my honest review.

I love how realistic these characters are, they are beautifully flawed each in their own way. The pov alternates between Robbie (a teenage boy with medical issues that have kept him in isolation for a long time, he yearns for "normalcy" and independence) and Kat (a teenage girl wise beyond her years having to deal with adult problems while living with her alcoholic father) They are seeking the same thing for different reasons but despite their differences they complement each other. This story itself is both sad and happy. Recommend for anyone teen+

The story is about two teenagers -- ,Robbie and Kat, who both have broken homes and less than ideal fathers.
Kat's father is a drunk who relies on Kat for everything. Robbie's father is afraid of how the world treats him so he tries to keep him prisoner in the house.

Robbie sneaks out to find the nurse who treated him as a child - he thought she treated him like her own son, and he was in need of the affection. The nurse, who has since died, is Kat's mother. The two teens then form a friendship.

This book is sad and it is sweet, and it is uncomfortable. I also thought it was too short - it felt like something was needed and maybe it needed to be fleshed out more. It was also dark, and had a dark feel - like when you read a gothic novel, and just feel that oppression.

It is hard to rate this because it was a very good story. However, it felt incomplete and it was a difficult read - even as short as it was.

I do want to thank the author, the publisher and #netglley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

4.5 stars.
A story both poignant and very realistic, “Beauty and the Freak”, by Jackie Bateman (Evernight Teen), deals with what it means to grow up being drastically different, the power of kindness and compassion, and how adults can learn a lot from suddenly rebellious adolescents.
This is such a riveting, engaging story, with two teens as leads, and their lives entangled in a very gray, wet and windy Scottish town.
Robbie and Kat are amazing characters, so young yet having already experienced pain, loss and rejection, and becoming more resilient because of it.
Robbie’s emotions are so strong and his condition so touching. The stigma, bullying and morbid curiosity are heartbreaking. It’s really unusual (rare) and I loved the way the author gradually revealed details about it.
I found that Kat, festy, sweet and wise beyond her years, was the perfect pair for Robbie and likewise his strength, protectiveness and innocence were ideal for her.
Some contrasts – Robbie is super strong and super gentle – and contradictions – some of his dreams are so easy to fulfill, yet the total seclusion thwarts them – give the story layers and substance
I loved how the author conveyed such a strong sense of place, through visual and other sensory descriptions (a multitude of smells), often articulated with the leads’ emotions and their personal and family drama.
The story has some sadness and violence but thankfully a positive outcome.
I liked the diversity in terms of characters and experiences and how those differences were reflected in their speech.

TWO ABANDONED REBELS. ONE EXPLOSIVE CONNECTION.

Beauty and the Freak is a modern twist retelling of the age-old classic Beauty and the Beast, both main characters Robbie and Kat have personal and family issues that cause them to bond and enter into a difficult period during one of their schooling years. When Robbie faces his community after years of hiding in the shadows, he’s branded a monster. His condition Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy means that his body is freakishly muscular, he wants to find Nurse Nola, the one who understood him but instead he finds streetwise Kat who wants to find Nola for different reasons.

This book pulled me in with its blurb and play on Beauty and the Beast, and I loved the little snippets in the book with nods to the classic, such as the chipped cups and the rose paintings, plus it was interesting to see how the concept played out without the romantic ties, and it did so quite nicely. However the ending was kind of bittersweet, but I feel that this book could have more to give, there is some more development that could have been given as well as certain topics that could have been looked into more and not just used for shock value to add to the story and give Robbie a reason to scare/protect Kat.

This is a smaller novel that is told from both perspectives of Robbie and Kat, which really adds to their character development, it was interesting to read about everything that they both have suffered, and they are not even 16 yet. They both have a chance encounter, and from their budding friendship develops and they help each over through a number of situations. I liked both characters but they both did struggle with their behaviours, Robbie was very insecure a lot of the time, and Kat seemed to struggle with the idea of someone looking out for her from time to time, she came across as a bit too independent for a 15-year-old.

This book is targeted towards middle school audiences and above, but with the instances in this book with a number of triggering topics and the fact the author tackles a number of issues that the main characters and their family members all have to deal with, from alcoholism, to bullying, to violence and also sexual assault, it is a lot to handle in one small book, and I would recommend readers look into the trigger warnings first and take your time with this book, I feel it’s not one that you can devour in one sitting.

In all honest I am not sure how I feel about this book, and it is taking some time to think of a rating, because as much as it was a good read it did not come without its faults to me, and I feel like I was expecting more from the book than I got. Thank you to Netgalley for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review

A lovely short novel about friendship, resilience, and creating bonds with the most unexpected yet also most loyal kind of people. It's the story of Kat, a girl from a dysfunctional home with an alcoholic dad she despises, and Robbie, a boy with a rare genetic disorder that causes his muscles to overgrow (imagine a sort of Hulk), which in turn has isolated him at home with his widowed father. One day, he goes to seek help from a nurse that's known him from birth, and instead runs into Kat trying to get her drunk father cared for at hospital.

These two desperately isolated souls encounter each other without meaning to, but quickly become friends, protecting and supporting each other. For Robbie, this means learning to accept there's people who won't judge or reject him for his freakish appearance, get out of his secluded existence and into school, with the aggravation of having to deal with bullying from cruel peers. Kat is instrumental in this, assisting Robbie along the way and becoming as much of a protector to him as he is to her. It's heartwarming and makes you feel happy to see these two grow and face the world together.

The book is meant for middle school age audiences and up, and is clean, although there are instances of parental misbehaviour, as in, neglect and addiction. Kat can be harsh at times, on herself and above all on her dad, which can give the impression that she's a bitter girl, whilst Robbie has self-esteem issues. These are struggles the target audience can definitely relate to as well as the matter of bullies at school. I asked for this book because it plays on the "Beauty and the Beast" archetype, and I wasn't disappointed by the story. It follows the tale's thematic arc even though it's not exactly a retelling, and shows how the tale works in non-romantic context pretty fine as well.

Omg....this is so, so, so sad. I was so worried about every character this book has! The writing is so good!

It's been a while since I read a really intense, good young adult fiction. This is it and I am really impressed.

The story deals with broken flawed characters with family members dealing with a lot of issues. It's a lot to take in while you'd be reading this book. I would suggest you to take your time to read it.

You will want to do something for the characters and you will feel guilty the entire time not being able to do anything about it. They struggle and keep struggling throughout the entire read. But honestly I love how raw and honest the characters are, their development is done so well. The story telling is fantastic. The writing nailed it.

The ending is everything! Life is indeed beautiful and it's made of imperfections.

Thank you, Evernight Teen, for the advance review copy.