"I'm still afraid of the unknown, and afraid of the past too. But you're worth the risk"

I am honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! Beauty Reborn takes a unique twist on the classic beauty and the beast story focusing more on healing, regret and self-discovery. I thought the author did well on plotting the story and writing the characters. I loved reading about Beauty and the Beasts interactions, how they were so gentle with each other, it was such a sweet romance. I also loved how Beauty really discovered herself throughout the book. The family were still a prominent part of the book although not as deeply explored as I would've expected them to be.

I loved the castle! Like the way the author described everything was just amazing! Their conversations were so interesting too! I loved how the author included a little bit of philosophy and took the time to explain the wishes and all the regret that came with them. Beauty herself was an interesting characters, the author did write her trauma well however as a fantasy reader I would've liked more stakes, maybe Stephen being a little more threatening at the end but this is just a personal preference. The authors writing style is something I can only, ironically, call whimsical. It was like soft, if that makes sense and i thought it matched the tones of the story really well, however it did take me a bit to get used to.

The ending was just perfect and the epilogue just wrapped everything up in a pretty little ribbon. It was a good read and I swear after reading this quote gave me goosebumps, I just loved how it tied into the story and really portrayed beauty's change.

"Perhaps the next time a girl went running out at night, crying and hoping to be eaten, she would instead find a sword to lift."

Overall I think this was definitely a solid read! Thank you to NetGalley, Shadow Mountain Publishing and the author for providing me with an eArc, all of these thoughts are my honest opinions.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Press in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Romance
Spice Level: Low (kissing but has references to assault)

BEAUTY REBORN is such an unusual take on BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. I really loved it! There's something about this story that is interesting for our time period with the obsession of surface beauty (think influencers and social media) and what that means as we find ourselves. This is a coming-of-age, a romance, how to navigate family relationships, and finding joy type of story.

There is family friction! Yay! It's so much more realistic. Not everyone thinks Beauty is the bomb—in fact, her sisters and her rub each other the wrong way. Beauty is seen as frivolous, never series, and a host of other descriptions.

Beauty doesn't see herself as beautiful—and even though this is a common trope, in this novel, I thought it worked because of her inner-demons. And she really does have reasons to run away from her life and the danger there.

In this story, Beast is very, very hesitant. Each word is measured. This added a depth to his character that I didn't expect. Oh, and the magical cursing! It's also not what I expected—and it was fresh and new and relatable!

Beauty Reborn is a great title for this book because the main character, Beauty, must figure out who she is and what she's worth. In essence, she is reborn. It helps that Beast sees her differently than she sees herself, but it is her arc and because of herself that she overcomes the trauma of the past.

This is a fantastic book for YA or adults. The themes are handled with sensitivity and could even open up a dialogue about how we treat others and personal worth over what society might believe.

Absolutely fabulous!

Yes! I highly recommend this book!

Happy reading!

In the first chapter I felt like I was jumping in in the middle of the story, but as you read Beauty slowly reveals more of the story. This book is an interesting take on the story of Beauty and the Beast. I really like how the author wove in how the books Beauty and the Beast read together helped Beauty figure out how to break the spell and kept her from making a similar mistake with the fairy. It was an enchanting tale!

Oh wow! This was a beautiful Beauty and the Beast Retelling! Such a pleasure to read this achingly poignant story for those who need it and for those who need to understand. It really opened my eyes to the struggle of life when you are hurting, the running away and turning to face your fears! I loved this re-invention! You don’t want to miss it!

I was first drawn to this book because the cover is so striking. Also Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my most favorite fairy tales.
This version, while similar, is different, with compelling aspects added to it.
It does include a library and a beast and another nasty beast who never gets his comeuppance.
I got a bit attached to the annoying little fairy.
Astra got exactly what she deserved.

I must apologize to my family for nearly completely ignoring them yesterday, because I was completely involved in this story and didn't want to stop reading. And yes, it was a one-dayer. I generally enjoy fairy tale retellings, so I was excited to read this book. The prologue kind of threw me off though, because it was very vague and made me worried that the entire story would be like that. I always get annoyed when past issues are hinted at, but never fully explained in a story. Thankfully, this book did not end up being that way. The full story did come out, just not all at once.

Before I started reading the book, I was unaware that this deals with sexual assault. I think the author handles that part of the story in the perfect way, and does a very good job of showing the reader how much that can affect the victim's entire life.

Having Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" running through my head while reading this book, I kept comparing the two. There are a lot of differences, but I liked them and felt that they worked well for this retelling. If you plan on reading this - and you really should - just plan on hanging out on your couch all day, because you won't want to put it down.

Beauty has already encountered a beast – a man who knows nothing of love and takes what he wants. Even her family’s loss of fortune doesn’t put her far enough out of his reach for her to feel safe.

When her father returns from the enchanted forest with a stolen rose and reports of a beast, Beauty sees her chance to escape the monster that haunts her. After all, her life has already been stolen from her.

What she finds in the magic castle is nothing like she expected. And maybe, just maybe, she’ll heal enough to love again.

The narrative is of a diary style – at times overly descriptive while at others whole sections are brushed over with a single sentence. As the story progresses, we get a more fluid storytelling, as if the author was impatient to get through the beginning.

Parts of the story are told in flashbacks as we learn the full truth of all Beauty endured at the hands of her tormentor.

Beauty Reborn is a beautiful tale of growth and recovery after assault. But Beauty’s growth is not just in healing from what happened to her. In the beginning, she’s thoughtless, often maliciously cruel to her older sister, and thinks she’s smarter than everyone else.

By the end, she has learned kindness – from a beast no less. She’s learned to put others before herself and to consider their wants and needs. And she’s become open-minded.

Beast’s character could have benefitted from a little more development. While their romance was very sweet to watch, he was a little one dimensional.

Overall, Beauty Reborn is an enchanting retelling of Beauty and the Beast that sticks closely to the traditional narrative.

4.5 Roses
No swearing
Minor mention of blood, but no descriptive injuries.
I’m giving intimacy a 3, but only because of the topic of assault. I think it’s handled well, but it is a topic readers should be aware of before reading.

(Thank you to Shadow Mountain Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.)

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This was beautifully written. It was close enough to the Beauty and the Beast story to recognize it, but removed from it enough to enjoy the novelty of this world and its characters.

The topic of sexual abuse was treated in a gentle way. It was mentioned, the feelings that it brings up were detailed, but the act itself was not. No matter what the sexual abuse looked like, not matter the act, no matter the details, it is sexual abuse, it is wrong and terrible. Because it was so well thought out and written, the details didn’t matter, the concept and feelings on the page were more than enough to be heard.

It was a beautiful story. I will looking up the author and read her other works!

Beauty and the Beast retelling, anyone? This was an interesting read for me. I enjoyed it, but it had a different vibe compared to my usual choice of books.

There are a lot of flashbacks so you get little snippets of the past slowly throughout the story as Beauty interacts with Beast. Their relationship was really sweet and I liked how they both helped each other grow.

Beast was my favorite with his quiet and steady personality. He was a gem.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Mentions of rape and sexual assault.

Beauty Reborn by Elizabeth Lowham is a YA fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Our main protagonist Beauty lives a life of fairy tales, being the youngest daughter she never expected to rise above her station and find love in those with a bit more money. But everything changes when the noble baron Stephan kisses her hand during a dance, and proclaims his love for her. And she gives him all her love back, until she denies him and he forcefully takes it anyway. Then her father emerges from the forest with a stolen rose and the tale of a ferocious beast. And Beauty takes it as a chance to get as far away from Stephan as possible.

I couldn't pass up this being a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it wasn't the best one I've read. I loved Beauty and her headstrong attitude, it was refreshing detail to the many damsels that end up in these types of stories. The plot however, was a little lack luster. The writing style was a lot of telling and not showing, which ended up being just a drivel of information with no real creation of tension.

A familiar story, but also not. A Beauty and the Beast re-telling (which I’m a sucker for) with some twists and surprises. There are things that are different than the usual tale and I really liked how the curse worked. I can’t go into more detail because I don’t want to ruin it. :)
Beauty had a family to save and makes the choice to save them. She goes on an adventure of sorts and learns things about herself and the Beast. the ending was good with no unanswered questions.

***Trigger Warning***
This book deals with sexual assault. It is done in a sensitive way, but it is mentioned more than once and is part of the storyline .

Unique take on a Tale as Old as Time!

Beauty is running from herself, from a past she can't escape and she will gladly accept a beast's lair as refuge. Except, this beast is far more gentle and kind than any man she has known. Can she break free of her inner prison and find safety in the love of a beast?

This story is not only unique in its retelling but also in its prose. The author definitely has her own voice in storytelling. It took me a bit to initially get into the story, but once I did I was thoroughly engrossed. I really enjoyed the heroine's expression through music and the softness of the beast. The castle with all it's magic was enchanting in their own way. There is a depth of pain that has to be overcome and two hearts that are searching for healing. But that is what makes it even sweeter when they find it.

I would like to provide a trigger warning that this book does have a character dealing with the emotional trauma of sexual assault. I feel it was handled well and nothing is described in great detail. I would recommend this read for anyone who enjoys a good beauty and the beast story, with sweet and poignant lessons.

Reviews Posted: April 24, 2023
Goodreads
Storygraph

I thought this was a very interesting and creative way of retelling a classic fairytale. I felt that the author remained true to what the fairytale was saying but was still able to make it unique.

I think one of my favorite parts of the book is that the author explores Beauty’s relationship with her siblings a lot. Their dynamics were interesting to read about, and I liked how they propelled her story in different ways.

While much of this story resembles the original tale, I like how the author gave different motives for Beauty going to the Beast.

Even though I liked the changes the author made, there were still a few things that missed the mark for me. The Beast overall lacked the personality to me. Beauty had her own inner struggles that I thought were interesting to read about, but at times I wanted her to be more proactive in her life. Near the end, we get more of that, but the Beast never really comes into his own for me.

The writing was 50/50 for me. At times it felt too simple and choppy. And at other times, it was whimsy and beautiful.

Overall the author brings a classic fairytale to life but makes changes that set it apart from others. While Beauty shows great development in regard to her family, the romance feels lackluster, and the Beast feels like a background character. It was a fun and quick read, but I wish that there was a little more development in places.

Beauty, the youngest child of a once-wealthy merchant family, is running from her past--from the boy she thought she loved, who took from her forcefully when she was unwilling to give freely. When her father returns from the enchanted woods surrounding their tiny cottage with a stolen rose in hand and a tale of a vicious beast, Beauty enters the forest to pay his debt. She expects to die, not to find a cursed beast that challenges her to face her trauma head on.

BEAUTY REBORN is a relatively short Beauty & the Beast retelling that's approximately 200 pages. Written as though Beauty is telling the reader her own story, it tweaks the original tale and gives both Beauty and the Beast different motives and a different backstory for the predicament they find themselves in, yet it still holds on to the familiar story we all know. In truth, I found the book rather hard to rate. I feel very on the fence with this one. 2.5 stars.

I think why I feel so conflicted is that I enjoyed the fairy tale atmosphere but also disliked the flat characterization that can too often come hand in hand with that same fairy tale vibe. Beauty has felt as though she's lost herself since her assault; Beast is very gentle and understanding and mysterious. I don't feel like I have a capability to define them or any character arc that they might have experienced.

I was decently invested in these characters, but didn't truly feel that until I was nearing the end of the book--I wanted Beauty and Beast to have a happily ever after. At it's core, it's very much about Beauty processing the assault she experienced and choosing what the rest of her life will look like in the aftermath. I've sat on my feelings towards this book for a whole day and still don't quite know how I feel. I think this will definitely be a book that gets a mixed bag of reviews.

TW: Sexual assault (off page)

Posted to Goodreads on April 24, 2023.

Yes, this is a re-telling of the classic Beauty and the Beast but with some key differences. The biggest one being that Beauty is basically running TO the castle (albeit she does “officially” go to save her father) because she’s running AWAY from a personal trauma. The beast here is more of a furry balm for her soul than a terrifying monster.

While there’s not a lot of action (more towards the end), I enjoyed the slower introspective pace as I felt given the sensitivity of the subject matter (the trauma is mostly alluded to), I felt it should be a “quieter” book, if that makes sense. We are able to follow Beauty on her journey from a vivacious 18 year-old, to a broken, disillusioned victim and finally to a stronger, more confident woman on the other side.

There could have been more development on the Beast, but it’s a shorter book and as the title bears out, this was Beauty’s story.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for providing the free early arc of Beauty Reborn for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

When Beauty's family loses their money, they are forced to move to a tiny cottage near a forest. One day, her father comes home with a rose - coming to say goodbye before he returns to face the Beast he stole it from and pay the penalty. But Beauty, having suffered trauma the family knows nothing of, goes in his place, hoping to die. Instead, the magic castle welcomes her and makes her at home - though the master stays out of sight. Gradually, she works out what she needs to do to rescue him, but it's something she's sworn never to do. But as she gets to know him better, leaving him to his fate becomes increasingly unpalatable too...

I've seen reviews comparing this to the original Beauty and the Beast story - but since I've never read or seen it, I can't comment on that. Instead, I'll say that this was my first book by this author, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised and hope to read more in future. Though fantasy mostly isn't my thing, and fairy-tale retellings something I would often pass up on, something about this story grabbed me from the start, and the characters and the interactions between them held my interest throughout - probably helped by the often-amusing magic castle. I particularly appreciated the way that Beauty gradually drew out the Beast from his darkness into the light. A good read.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

A tale that never grows old!

Scintillating, heartfelt retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Lowham ensorcelled my heart with a story that’s creatively original in its telling, and lyrical in its execution.
Beauty has two sisters, a brother and a father whose fortunes as a merchant sank with his ship.
Forced to sell everything and live in a humble cottage near the enchanted Forest, the family endures
Beauty at seventeen is a whimsical young woman who fancies herself in love with the local Baron’s son. He asks her to marry him but she refuses due to having older sisters. They must marry first. He persists. The third time he asks and she says NO, is when he confronts her alone in the house, in her bedroom. I can say no more!
Beauty goes to cut down some wood in the Forest. She chops into a living tree. Alarmed by her own actions she bandages the cut near the root and covers it with dirt. This is her first momentary glimpse of something that looks like a blue fairy.
Her father returns from hunting in the Forest with a rose he’s taken from the castle garden for Beauty. Beauty knows her father will have to pay. She sneaks out and goes in her father’s stead, standing at the gate and calling on the Beast.
Now the storyline takes us on a journey of loss, of understanding and of wishing. Magical!

A Shadow Mountain ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This book is toll from two different timelines one is current day where she is living with the beast because her dad decided to pick arose after taking shelter during a storm and forfeited his life but instead he four fits the life of the youngest daughter beauty so she willingly goes to the castle but unlike other retailings and the actual beauty and the beast there’s no talking teacup or cattle or anything else the only other person/animal she can see is the beast after a while when he finally lets her see him of course they fall in love and the other timeline it was before her dad lost his money in the nephew in air to the local Duke Stefan falls in love with her as a post to her sister Astrid who wanted it and expected it. Needless to say at first beauty is enamored with Stefan who is handsome but he slowly but surely shorter sometimes luxe are just a disguise for an evil nature and after asking her to marry him and her saying no he eventually decides to take what he actually wants from beauty and this is why and current day with the beast due to her trauma in past experiences she does not want to marry him. No this is why the book didn’t work for me for one they kept alluding to her loving the beast and yet she wouldn’t marry him and help him remove his curse I know she had trauma I get that that’s great but if she’s stuck at the castle anyway and she truly has an affection for the beast then I didn’t get why she kept saying no. I’m not gonna say how the book ends but I will say this book wasn’t as great as other retellings I have read because beauty and the beast has the always been my favorite Disney movie and book because Bell is the one who saves beast unlike traditional Disney tales where the prince save the day bell to me was always the hero but as I said this is a retelling and if I wanted the actual story I guess I could’ve read that. I received this book from NetGalley and a publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

A perfectly fine Beauty and the Beast retelling, but nothing really groundbreaking. I did appreciate the exploration of healing from trauma.

It was a surprising and intriguing book. I love retellings of Beauty and the beast and both the story and the cover really attracted me. The story is hard with a lot of trauma that made it just a little too heavy for me.
Although many aspects of the original story came back which it was definitely worth 3.5 stars for me


I received this arc through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion and a review