✨ 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀✨
📖: Beautiful Villain
💻: Publication date: July 16, 2024

Recent grad Daisy Finnegan is still reeling after ending a toxic long term relationship. She’s restless and uncertain about her future. When her childhood sweetheart suddenly re-enters her life, familiar yet different, she is swept into a world of lavish parties and fanfare. Daisy can’t help but wonder if there’s something more sinister brewing. Now, she revisits her feelings and desires while discovering dark and occult secrets that upend her life.

Tropes:
❤️‍🩹 Healing FMC
🩸 Morally grey MMC
💕 Second chance romance
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Found family
🤫 Secrets & supernatural creatures
☘️ Irish folklore
🌶️: mod-high

"𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯…𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘭𝘺, 𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘭𝘺, 𝘸𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴.”
"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘧, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘐'𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘱𝘩𝘢.”

Rebecca paints a dazzling world of the affluent while highlighting the disparity between the wealthy and less privileged in the community. I enjoyed the infusion of Irish folklore and scientific basis of certain supernatural creatures and the exploration of humanity and immortality.

Jay Gatsby is shrouded in mystery and exudes confidence and a bit of danger. We slowly learn of his secrets and motivations. Daisy is sweet and accommodating but was lost to herself and struggled with self-worth and societal expectations. As the story progresses, Daisy slowly finds her own voice, shedding the golden girl facade in favor of developing some bite while endeavoring towards a future on her own terms.

Brimming with mystery, romantic nostalgia, and a dash of suspense, Beautiful Villain is an inspired Gatsby reimagining with a contemporary fantasy twist!

Huge thanks to the author, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Beautiful Villian is book one in the Gilded Monsters series. It is a Great Gatsby retelling with a magical twist. Daisy recently ended a seven year relationship after discovering her boyfriend Tom has been cheating on her. She soon becomes reaquainted with her childhood sweetheart Jay Gabsy. Jay has changed a lot since there time apart and there is definitely more to his current status.

Jay is beyond devoted to Daisy. Everything he has done, everything he has become is all for her. I enjoyed their dynamic and willingness to have open conversations.

I am curious to see where book two goes.

PS as a lover of alternative music, I loved all the music references!!!

A vampire romance that's actually The Great Gatsby Retelling? Tell me you aren't instantly intrigued just reading that! My first book by Rebecca Kenney and it was brilliant. The captivating and smart storytelling delivered the old world in a new package. You will find the same debauchery of grand parties, the Gatsby way of life, the longing of two lovers who got separated before they could declare it, the interfering toxic people, the drama, the passion....but in such a fascinating set up that it won't feel the same. As far as retellings go, this is one of the most innovative and well executed one.

Daisy has left the poor and humble part of their town once her father got a big job for his research. And she lost contact with the boy who was her best friend...The boy who she loved first. Now she has just graduated from college and just broke up with her abusive boyfriend Tom. One day, her best friend Jordan( also a famous parkour influencer) and her cousin drags her to a lavish party hosted by a mysterious billionaire. Who is none other than Daisy's best friend..Jay Gatsby. How did he get so rich? Because he is a vampire now and runs a business of giving immunity to humans by turning them. It's a whole empire. The thing is Daisy isn't normal either. She has a magical power of controlling people with her voice..that's more intense on vampires. Can she fit in Jay's world who has done everything to be enough for her?

You will definitely enjoy this more if you are at least familiar with The Great Gatsby plot as it was simply delightful to read how the author incorporated the different parts seamlessly. Jay is completely devoted to and obsessed with Daisy. He has done some extreme things to be deserving of Daisy. He can be real intense. Specially when he shows his ruthless side. The vampire Jay can be terrifying but for Daisy..he is a complete softie. I love this kind of combination in my book boyfriends. Daisy has lived through a lot. Her heart first belonged to Jay but when she lost him..Tom was there and she let him get away with a lot. She was starving for affection and Tom manipulated her. She lost a lot of her confidence and her sass but Jay pushed her up. She discovered full potential of her special power and by the time the story ends..she emerged as a true queen. I loved how the author gave her a special lineage too. There was some action and drama related to the vampire world those kept the story riveting. The author built an exciting supernatural world with rules, powers and aberration.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

The great Gatsby with Vampires!

This was a great idea mixing paranormal with the great Gatsby. The devotion of Gatsby is fabulous.

Daisy I find her to be a little young in the mind but I also think that brings the story together and shows how good Gatsby is for her.

Deaths, violence, spice, fights, massive party’s and outfits.

This was a fun read

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was drawn to this book by its beautiful cover, and then when I saw that it was a Great Gatsby retelling with vampires, I was fully invested.

This book gives you childhood friends to lovers, abusive ex-boyfriend, stunt devil best friend, LGBTQ+ rep, vampires, protective MMC, and siren-like FMC. You get some spice but not too much. You also get a conflict that is resolved by the end of the story, without any cliffhangers (which I always appreciate).

To me, this book was decent, but it did not blow me away. I feel like both modernizing The Great Gatsby and adding vampires was just too much, to the point where I did not see many parallels between this and The Great Gatsby other than the rich MMC having the same name and throwing parties all the time. Not that there needed to be a ton of parallels! Personally, I think this may have been better if it kept the older time period and added vampires, but that's just my own opinion. I also did not feel fully engaged in the story, and I can't quite put my finger on why.

I am coming to the conclusion that Rebecca's writing just isn't for me as this is the second ARC I've read, but believe me when I say that I am in NO WAY talking down about Rebecca as a writer. I know plenty of people who love her stories, but everyone has different tastes, and that is absolutely okay. I am so appreciative to have been able to read this advanced copy and I am so excited to see this GORGEOUS book in the hands of so many readers come release day!

This vampiric Great Gatsby retelling was a big miss for me. I DNF’ed it at 50%. This is my biggest reading disappointment in 2024. I’m not a fan of Kenney’s writing style. The dialogue was corny and immature. It’s weird because it’s very steamy and adult, yet the characters acted like they were twelve. It lacks character development, world-building and logic. It felt like fan fiction on Wattpad. From reading the five-star reviews I think I could recommend this to Romantasy fans who enjoy corny writing and are just looking for a spicy vampire retelling.

Rebecca is a master of retellings!

Beautiful Villain is inventive, enthralling, and sexy. The nods to the source material is such a treat for lovers of classics while she offers so much of her own creativity in equal measure.

Entertaining and immersive, this is a must read.

This book was such a clever retelling of The Great Gatsby. I loved the paranormal twist, and the enormously expanded world compared to the original book. I enjoyed that the book was unafraid to seriously discuss topics of class and power. The first half of the book was a little predictable, but the second half was very enjoyable.

The Great Gatsby but make it modern and add a fun, fantasy twist and some spice 🤩

As soon as I saw that this was a reimagined version of one of my favorite classics, I knew I had to read it. I loved that this was its own story, while still using the main elements of the classic story. Not only were there Easter eggs from the book, but there were even one or two from the film, which I thought was really fun.

Beautiful Villain is set in modern day North Carolina, and follows a heartbroken Daisy and a lovesick Gatsby…but he’s different than the boy she loved when she was younger… darker somehow… but she can’t quite put her finger on what it is.

Until Gatsby is shot… yet he doesn’t die.

Secrets come to light, old passion reignites, and danger lurks in the shadows, making this story hard to put down.

I gave this read a 4.5/5 because I would’ve liked a little more yearning (personally). But overall, this was so much fun to read and I loved the spice and the much-deserved HEA we never got in the classic. Definitely recommend for fans of fantasy or paranormal romance, vampires, and a mmc that falls first

I was provided an ARC of this title for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Daisy and Jay.
A spicy take on The Great Gatsby with a fun & modern vampiric twist.

I always love a Rebecca F Kenney title, so it’s not a surprise that her first traditionally published title was a ballpark knockout for me.

Easily five stars. A fun and fast paced romantasy that will give Gatsby & vampire fans alike a little thrill. Rebecca is a retelling queen, who has a fun and spicy take for every tale, and I will happily continue to gobble her books up for breakfast lunch and dinner.

Thank you to Rebecca F Kenney, SourceBooks Casablanca, and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book felt like reading a classic CW romance show but make it Gatsby with vampires. A total must read!

First book of an urban fantasy Great Gatsby retelling with vampires and other creatures of myth. Great cast of characters, fun easy to follow plot with a dash of spice. Thoroughly engrossing! Thank you NetGalley & Rebecca Kenney for the gifted ARC

I haven't read Gatsby since I was in high school and honestly, I forgot all about it. Once I picked this book up and started reading it, I remembered. This book encompasses the vibes, the opulence, the danger. It's a great novel with complex characters. I was thrown at first when I realized it took place in today's world (I didn't re-read the blurb) and I love it more for taking place in the here and now. I also love the author's description of...the condition. Well done.

I always see this author's TikToks on my FYP so when I say this was available on NetGalley I knew I wanted to give it a try.

The premise for this story was so intriguing. Retelling The Great Gatsby with a paranormal twist is so cool. I think the author did a good job of combining the two genres. They meshed well and gave a classic story new life.

The characters were flawed but fun. I liked the relationship between Jay & Daisy. Their romance was steamy, forbidden and dramatic. Really kept me engaged and interested. The angst and drama kept me engaged and the story thrilling. The romance was perfect.

Would recommend for fans of paranormal romance.

I'm leaving my rating as a neutral 3 star due to the fact I DNFed the book at 41%.

But lets get into why I DNFed...

I can understand the draw to this book and why others really enjoyed it, It deal with life and the struggle we have as individuals with a paranormal twist but for me it really was just kind of boring, unfortunately.

The Great Gatsby is a great story but when you bring it into modern times and add twilight elements it just ends up being weird. I also felt like there was a total disconnect with the spice of this book. The spice is good, from as far as I listened but it didn't' fit the setting of the book. It's kind of hard to explain.

Again, this is just my opinion so, take it with a grain of salt.

I absolutely loved this book. The combination of the Great Gatsby and vampires is one I had never even considered, yet when I read it all I could think was how had I gone 30+ years without it. Rebecca's style if writing is the perfect balance of world building/info and beautiful characters who bring the plot to life. I immediately pre-ordered this book before I had even made it to the ending.

Sexy AF, romantic, found family, vampires, LGBTQ rep, and a Great Gatsby retelling- sheer perfection! As someone that loves the classic romances with dark undertones, this was so fun! Rebecca Kenney brings her effervescent sense of humor into this story, but still manages to really grab your heart and not let it go. Don't even get me started on the chase scene - have a cold shower or a warm body ready for this one!

Daisy doesn’t know what to do with her life. Her abusive boyfriend cheated on her, and now wants her back, she has zero motivation and is taking a break from college and living with her parents while she figures things out. She remembers a boy from eight years ago that she still thinks about at times and wonders whether he even remembers her.

Her friend Jordan suddenly reaches out and tells her about a party she went to that a billionaire was hosting and how amazing it was and invites Daisy to his next party.

When they arrive to the party, Daisy learns the host is the boy she met eight years ago. And wonders he’s still the same or if he has changed like she has.

This was a very interesting and unique take on The Great Gatsby. It had the wild, crazy and fun parties, the elusive and charming Gatsby, Daisy who loves parties and her cousin Nicky. And then it seems the similarities change from there.

I enjoyed the romance the most. Daisy went through a very traumatic experience with her ex-boyfriend for so many years and I wanted her to be good. Whenever Tom came into the picture I wanted to punch him 😤 And when Jay comes around, my heart just melted every time he opened his mouth around Daisy. He’s just so sweet and adorably awkward to the point that he babbles around Daisy and when you find out more about him, it’s interesting to see that he’s still the same boy from years ago when she first met him and it’s just too cute the way he acts around Daisy. And Daisy needs good like Jay.

They each help heal the other as they get to know the new them and they both need that and need each other.

Then the monster aspects that pop up in here were expected and yet unexpected, and I loved it.

I will say there was a lot of repetition from Daisy repeating what she was feeling and I was like “yes girl I know”, and she was back and forth a lot, and I know she went through a lot, I totally get the trust issue, but saying you accepted all of Jay and then a second later asking yourself whether you know Jay and then being fine with him a second later was a bit old after a bit.

Other than that, I truly enjoyed the story and loved the romance and definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the gifted e-ARC to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I read the blurb for Beautiful Villain, there was both something familiar about it and something that felt new and I can proudly say that the book reads very true to that prediction. With a fresh take on a very familiar genre, Beautiful Villain has the capacity to capture your attention from page one and hold it to the very last word.

As readers we’ve all come to absolutely love and enjoy the slow-burn build-up of a book; the patience and angst that comes with it only adding to the experience (when done well, of course). However, finding books that draw your interest and tickle your intrigue from page one are a rare and special treat and Beautiful Villain is certainly one of those reads.

Rebecca F. Kenney’s writing is fast paced and addictive and there’s a certain youthfulness to the read that I hadn’t expected to find. Given how long it had been since I dove into a book that reads this way, I was impressed to observe it did not much influence my experience negatively. What did surprise me about the book was that there were as many poignant moments as there was youthful angst written into it. With lots of heart and a unique storyline carved out of some seen-before themes, Beautiful Villain has the potential to be a ‘single-sitting’ read for most readers.

The set-up in this book is fairly familiar: a long lost friend that the FMC has never forgotten who reappears in her life and turns everything she knows on its head. A fairly simple world; but the way that Kenney has built this storyline and crafted the worldbuilding is what makes this book what it is. With deeply emotional moments, moral dilemmas, and surprises, Beautiful Villain secures its own little corner in the well-paved path of its genre. That being said, I would classify Beautiful Villain to occupy a sweet spot that exists between high fantasy, magical realism, and maybe even some science fiction! However you wish to classify it, Kenney has done a great job selling the narrative to the reader. Portrayed in single person perspective Beautiful Villain follows a straightforward approach to narration. Facts and emotion tangle in an initially simple but increasingly complex tale between two childhood friends who are more than they seem.

The plot for the story I think is definitely one of the more strong elements of the book. Beautiful Villain has many subtle details and intricate aspects that slowly merge and weave into one evident story purpose. However, as mentioned earlier, there are many other underlying emotional elements that infiltrate every scene. I do think that this book gave off the energy of a standalone, however if it were to be a series, I can see all that’s been written into it that would be perfect for resolving later. But, if this book is a standalone, there were many little threads that I found weren’t particularly tied off with a neat conclusion to them. They may not be extremely noticeable but they were my more favourite parts of the book and I loved that the author had included (subtly) and spoken about the many facets of a mental health struggle. So I personally would have loved seeing them all explored and concluded.

The characters in the book are aplenty, but I greatly commend the author in the way that she wrote them into the story. With precise and sometimes even hard hitting introductions, all the characters (be it primary, secondary or tertiary) were extremely well defined and occupied exactly the right amount of scene space and were mostly never plot devices. With unique and distinct personalities, every character will certainly leave an impression both in the story and in the reader’s mind.

As neat as many aspects of the book were, I did feel that some that seemed simple were made complex and those that were complex were simplified too much; especially as the book neared to the end. It was at those points that I personally experienced some disbelief and confusion; which also ties back to my struggles with the way that some of the plot lines were resolved

Beautiful Villain can certainly draw you into its story where science and magic co-exist and make you forget the world for a few hours. This book has many sensitive and graphic themes that can be triggering for some. Please check content warnings before reading.

DNF @ 32%. This just felt kind of cheesy to me. The dialogue felt like an older person trying to sound young to be cool. There were also just so many references to real life things like TikTok and 2020 that it really took me out of the story, but that’s also a personal preference. I just don’t think this book was for me