My feelings about this book are conflicted. It started out really strong and fast-paced, but then "something" happens in the story and the pace slows immensely. And it doesn't pick up for a while. By the time that it does, I've already grown bored. I liked Lucie, and Beast and even Rose towards the end. I liked the beginning and the ending, but the middle really bothered me. But maybe that's just me.

Lisa Jensen has reimagined the story of Beauty and the Beast but creatively tells it from the point of view of one of the maids in the Beast's household. This real and gritty tale does not shy away from the true nature of the beast and what he did that was reprehensible enough to earn imprisonment in a beast's body. However, the story focuses not on the beast but on the maid and her own path from despair and vengeance to hope and forgiveness. This allows an optimism to shine through the dark. This is a unique and welcome addition to Beauty and the Beast retellings.

Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*

Not only am I fan a hard-core fan of everything Beauty and the Beast related but also I enjoy books retelling the 'tale as old as time'. Lisa Jensen's second book of retelling characters from fairy tales deals with the Beast. If you haven't read her book "Alias Hook", do so. It's amazing!

So here's a trigger warning: there's a rape scene early in the book. Although I read the ARC, I do hope that there'll be a warning in the final copy.

Lucie is a poor village girl who becomes a chambermaid in JeanLoup mansion. I suspect that in historical times, the book takes place in the beginning of 19th century or so. There are lots of descriptions concerning the mansion, the servants and the life outside the mansion. And while Lucie at first has feelings for Jean-Loup Christian Henri LeNoir, Chevalier de Beaumont, they quickly shatter after that night.

Now here's a reaction that I have seen aggravating many readers. Lucie thought that it was her fault and she feels ashamed to the point of going to commit suicide. Let's backtrack. Pre-modern societies were harsh on women and especially women who lived in the countryside of the big European cities. In many occasions, a woman's honor was the only playing card she had and of course, there was no pill or condom. A woman raped had no word over the word of a man, even if he was in a higher class than her.

In a way, I understand Lucie reaction, despite being wrong in today's thinking. That's why when she meets the mysterious old woman, she tells her that it wasn't her fault and absolves her from the blame. From there the magic happens and the Chevalier turns into the Beast. BUT, there is a wonderful plot twist here, that made me love the book in the end very much.

I'm just going to say that it's also for the fans who loved the Beast and not the Prince as much ;)

Recommended if you can bypass the trigger warning.

When I read this book, I wasn't expecting the story I got. I was expecting another Beauty and the Beast rendition, where they live happily ever after. But what happens when they got the stories all wrong? When everything told through-out the years is slightly askew? This particular story is told from another perspective. And it is equally important. This is a story of revenge. Where the Prince is even more cruel than we ever thought possible, and Beast is even more generous than the stories say. So in reality, which is the human and which is the monster? I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Not only does it tell the story, but it also tells what comes after, which I really liked. This is truly a moving translation of the classic tale. I loved every word.

<b>Rating:</b> 2 stars

I freaking adore retellings just as much as the next person, so to say that this was a disappointment... Bit of an understatement.
What I expected was a dark and twisted retelling of one of my favourite fairy tales - and it was, but not in a good way.

This story first revolves around getting revenge for a crime that otherwise would’ve been left unpunished and let me tell you, that in combination with a fairy tale retelling intrigued the fuck out of me. Unfortunately though, I was quite disturbed at how the story progressed. In fear of spoiling anything, I won’t go into details so that will be that about the content of this novel.

Another reason for the low rating, was the writing. It didn’t engage me <i>at all</i>, I literally had to put down the book several times because I just couldn’t bring myself to care enough.

Basically, this had lots of potential but it didn’t work out for me.

This story was not what i expected. I had high expectations for this story considering it was my most anticipated release for the year and i was a bit disappointed with the story. I thought the plot was intriguing especially since i love the beauty and the beast tale but this book was just not it. It didn't keep my attention and sadly i ended up dnf the book. I wish i loved it but again i was disappointed. The writing was pleasant and this was different from beauty and the beast retellings I've read before but sadly it did not reach the mark and could have been better.

Thank you to Candlewick Press for sharing an early release of this title.

I'm in awe and humbled by this clever tale told through the eyes of a lowly chambermaid. I was expecting splendor and grace, I wasn't prepared for the cruelty that comes with the abuse of power and wealth.

It is a wonder how stories are told of "the prince as the hero and the Beast as the spell" when in truth the Beast is more deserving of love and beauty. We are often disillusioned by a handsome face instead of recognizing a kind heart, a gentle soul.

Beast is completely captivating. It is beautifully written and powerful in truth.

Read by Tina of tanglednbooks.blogspot.com

Beauty and the beast is my absolute favorite. I was so happy to receive this. It takes the story of beauty and the beast to another level. Highly recommend to anyone who is a fan of beauty and the beast. 5 huge stars!!

This is a more adult beauty and the beast than most of us are used to. There are themes of attempted suicide and what some might perceive as rape. Overall, it's an alright, poorly spelled version of beauty and the beast. I just wish there was a redemption arc for the Beast and Luci could lessen her desire for revenge.

Was not able to finish, written poorly and done in a way that promoted something I could not stand. I think that there could've been other things done, besides the thing used, and the story would have been easily read and enjoyed.

DNF @ 13%

TW: Rape (and attempted suicide)

I can't condone or promote a book that romanticizes "falling in love" with your rapist. That's a hardcore NOPE from me.

This wasn't a bad Beauty & the Beast retelling, necessarily, and there were a lot of elements I did like. Lucie's voice was strong throughout, and I did think the author's approach to the "beast" curse was a unique one. The message, I think, was lost though as the Beast didn't actually have to experience a redemption arc--and Lucie's arc of overcoming her desire for revenge wasn't clear or dark enough to compensate. A beautifully written story, but not a retelling that struck me.

I received an ARC copy from netgalley for my honest review,  so thank you netgalley and publishers for offering me this book! ♡
I was so excited to read this book! The cover is gorgeous and the synopsis sounded really interesting. But there is a brutal rape near the beginning of the story and even though I read several more chapters after the event I couldn't get past what had happened... The beast is not held accountable for his own actions, rather the blame falls back to hos mother... The publishers should think twice before this book is released.. Rape is never okay and it is even less okay when putting the blame on someone else.. I dont care what your upbringing is or how terrible your parents may be, YOU made a choice to rape someone and ONLY YOU should be held accountable.. it really makes me mad when people say " I was raped as a kid, so thats why I did it " thats a BS excuse, if you were raped as a kid then you know the terror what feeling of your innocence being taken fron you, so WHY would you want to inflict that on someone else?!?!?! That doesn't even make sense.. The world is the way that it os because people make these excuses about their childhood and dont take accountability!!! I don't like reading about it on the news and I certainly dont like reading about it in a fairytale retelling!!!!!
This was my first book by this author and definitely my last. I give this book a
1 star rating! It doesn't even deserve that!

I read this in two evenings. First, the cover is stunning. I'm a hopeless Beauty and the Beast fan, it's my favorite fairytale by far. I didn't read the blurb, I just saw it was a retelling of sorts and hoped the ARC would be sent. Wish granted. However, this is not your typical fairytale. It's very dark and covers some very dark ground. VERY DARK.

I wasn't necessarily disappointed, but Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge, was not at all what I was expecting. Most of you likely already know about the rape scene. And I'll be honest, I was shocked, very shocked. You can instantly pick up that Jean-Loup is not a nice guy by any stretch of the imagination--but this? I was horrified for Lucie and had to re-read once over to make sure that what I was reading was correct. It was a gut punch. I'll say this for the author, I, um, cannot quite imagine writing a rape scene and then the emotions of the victim after. It was painful reading about the pain this caused and the devastation it evoked in Lucie. I wanted to cry and hold her. Comfort her in some way because she was all alone with no one to turn to, not even for a shoulder to cry on. It was rough. The author delivered there--in capturing the victim's pain. It was hard to read and make it through. You need to know Jean-Loup is evil. A few pages in I'm thinking the worst I have to deal with here is that Jean-Loup was your usually variety of vain and selfish ... nope. This took it to an entire different level and I guess had I been prepared for that, it would've been less shocking (obviously), maybe a warning of some type? It also made it hard for me to see where he could possibly redeem himself in any way after something of that magnitude. It damaged poor Lucie so much so that she attempted suicide. Okay, now that I have all of that out of the way ... on to the good stuff.

The Beast was a very much likable and empathetic creature. I wish we'd met him before Jean-Loup. I thought it very clever on the author's part to have Lucie transformed into the candlestick. Reading about how empowered and protected that made her. I cheered Lucie on, but it still left me sad that Lucie folded into herself that way. The writing was impressive and flowed well. Nothing dragged on. I loved the witch and all the magic that came with the castle. Rose (what a different approach) was likable and things certainly did not end like I thought they would, so as a reader I appreciated the element of surprise. This is not a predictable novel, in any way.

I would agree that the Beast in any version is who you fall in love with, and I loved the author's note at the end explaining that. I do love that the Beast is who we love and in the end we get the Beast who is the good guy and stays the good guy.

Overall, wonderful writing, very unique retelling, and caution yourself as this novel contains a brutal rape scene and the victim's detail of how she is trying to survive something that has killed her on the inside.

I'm a big fan of fractured or retold fairytales, and BEAST does not disappoint. The story begins before the transformation and is told by Lucie, a newly arrived young servant in the castle. Like everyone around her, Lucie is smitten by the devastatingly handsome chevalier, but when she falls victim to his violence, it is her fierce wish for revenge that triggers his downfall. As Jean-Loup changes into Beast, Lucie leaves her weak, unwanted human form behind and becomes a candlestick holding candles that never burn out. From here, the story follows a familiar trajectory, but with a twist that leads to an unexpected outcome. A lush, suspenseful story.

I'm a huge Beauty and the Beas fan so I was very excited. The writing is poorly paced and choppy, also I could not gwt into the story. Lucie becomes a servant meets the handsome noble, he rapes her. She goes to a witch to see him cured and he gets transformed into a beast. She is also transformed into a candlestick, the beast for some reason does not remeber her former self and the the now candlestick lady falls in love with him.......her rapist. The end is awful and used some contrite reason to somehow make it soe technically the beast was never responsible for his actions rbis somehow makibg his actions as a rapist supposedly forgivable.....I can not condone any of this..therefore I would not reccomend this book.

This should be titled: How to ruin my favorite fairytale 101.

“Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge” begins with Lucie a girl in need of a job who finds her place working as a maid under a cruel master and when he finds himself transformed into a hideous beast to pay for his crimes and she too is bewitched to watch his suffering until a girl arrives with the ability to set him free if and only if she can fall in love with a monster.

Let’s get right to it and say this is not your Disney fairytale because guess what ladies and gentlemen the pre beast prince is a serial rapist! But wait before you get upset just know that it’s not his fault because why should a man be responsible for his actions when you can blame another woman and in this case it’s his mother, because why not?

Please for the love of god stop writing stories that romanticize abusers. I don’t care that they tried to make this as though he was a beast as a man and a man as a beast just stop it. And to have his victim fall for him over the course of this curse is absolutely disgusting and not to mention the complete and total willingness for a three way “agreement” between Lucie, the Beast and this versions Belle because at the end of the day he still can’t be faithful.

I’m at a loss really this was so awful would give zero stars if applicable.

**thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I can not go on with this book as there is a brutal rape scene in the beginning...which is completely unnecessary. I think the author should change this before the final publication.

I really enjoyed this fresh version of Beauty & the Beast. The beginning was a bit difficult for me to get through (adult situation), but it sets the premise for the entire book and why it's ultimately about love and revenge. Lucie, a young woman new to the service of the young, handsome, and cruel Chevalier, becomes obsessed with revenge so that she gets caught up in the curse of the castle. Parts of it reminded me vividly of the Disney cartoon, but the book and characters stand on their own. It's a solid read that I finished in a couple of hours -- I couldn't put it down. I will continue reading anything by Ms. Jensen :).

They say Château Beaumont is cursed. But servant-girl Lucie can’t believe such foolishness about handsome Jean-Loup Christian Henri LeNoir, Chevalier de Beaumont, master of the estate. But when the chevalier's cruelty is revealed, Lucie vows to see him suffer. A wisewoman grants her wish, with a spell that transforms Jean-Loup into monstrous-looking Beast, reflecting the monster he is inside.

But Beast is nothing like the chevalier. Jean-Loup would never patiently tend his roses; Jean-Loup would never attempt poetry; Jean-Loup would never express remorse for the wrong done to Lucie. Gradually, Lucie realizes that Beast is an entirely different creature from the handsome chevalier, with a heart more human than Jean-Loup’s ever was. Lucie dares to hope that noble Beast has permanently replaced the cruel Jean-Loup — until an innocent beauty arrives at Beast’s château with the power to break the spell.- Goodreads

This book has been on my tbr 2018 edition since I heard about it last year. So when I got approved for an arc via Netgalley, I put everything down to take a stab at it. 

Man, was I disappointed. 

About 30% through the book, I couldn't stand Lucie's voice anymore. I understand her revenge and her wanting to see how the revenge plays out. I even understand her slight mercy. But she has this tone that becomes redundant. When she sees the beast changing and becoming the "person" she hoped the Chevalier would have been, she fights with herself to stay mad, to stay hateful. After what he did, it shouldn't take a whole lot to state in hate mode. I actually was surprised by the change of heart. Yes, they were technically two different people but how Lucie was able to look at the beast and not remember what he has a human had done.... I have no idea. 

The book moves fast enough. It doesn't take a lot of time for you to see his transformation to a beast and to a likeable beast. The story begins off one way but then you're literally disguised how quickly it turns left. The author wrote a very intense scene, that I had to put the book down for a moment to regain my composure. This is why I didn't understand how Lucie was able to jump ship. 

But what I really enjoyed about this book was how the author spun this retelling. The point of view, Lucie, is completely different from what I have read. She is literally the third party to the classic fairy tale and it was interesting to see her point of view. However, for a story about revenge, there wasn't enough intensity and anger that I had hoped for. 

Overall, this wasn't a bad read but it could have better. 

2 Pickles