Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe Book 1)

It's no secret that I am a sucker for fairytale re-tellings and Beauty and the Beast is my favorite story to be retold. These retellings can get really deep and intense when done right. And CRUEL BEAUTY does not disappoint at all in this category. Seriously, it was so close to perfection that I have no idea how I can write this review. I'm 99% tempted to just keyboard smash and go OMGIGNIFEX over and over and over.

In the very beginning of this book, I had a little bit of trouble getting into it. Hodge suffers from a small case of telling and not showing. There's an insane amount of world-building and history in the beginning and the stories that she shared in order to bring these tales to life were fascinating. But each story was literally introduced with something along the lines of "this is how the story goes". I got sick of this form of info-dumping really fast. Luckily for me, after the initial world-building was out of the way (in a writing style full of beautiful imagery, I might add) this was no longer a problem and my issue of being disconnected from the novel quickly faded as the relationships explored in the novel began to fascinate me.

Everyone in this novel, and I mean everyone, is messed up. They've all got issues. Seriously, if an entire society or cast of characters belongs in a psych ward, this would be it. But, dang, did I love it. The sheer complexity brought to each character is absolutely absurd because nobody is what they seem on the surface. A common theme in this story is that there is wickedness and cruelty beneath nearly everything, it is simply outwardly visible in some more than others. This exploration of cruelty and wickedness shows that there is beauty in malice, and I loved this unique plot point. There seriously is beauty in malice. Who would have thunk it? I never would have thought it until Hodge convinced me of this.

But back to the beautiful characterization.

Our main character is among my favorite of all time. Nyx has lived a really complicated life full of negativity and hatred because of the fact that she was meant to be sacrificed to save her father's domain. Her destiny must be fulfilled and the fate of the world was literally riding on her shoulders. You can only imagine her upbringing--no love and compassion, but strict teaching and coldness so nobody would get attached to the wicked creature who would inevitably cease to exist mere days after her marriage on her seventeenth birthday. Because of this, it was surprisingly wonderful to see the few times her heart swelled beneath her tough and wicked exterior. It was not often, but it was heartwarming.

And the funny thing is that, like any Beauty and the Beast retelling, we do have romance in this one. Somehow buried way, way deep in the plot, it eventually grows to be all-consuming with the type of slow-burn that makes any girl swoon. Our prickly, impulsive heroine in love? No way!

When Nyx is married off to the Gentle Lord, a demon who can take the shape of a human, she expects to be dead by evening. What she does not expect is for a love triangle of epic proportions to ensue. I hate love triangles, but it's impossible to resist a love triangle done right. And while this is sickly twisted and broody and dark, this is a love triangle done perfectly and some other authors need to take serious note. We have Ignifex, the lord to which she is married who is surprisingly deep though incredibly forgetful despite the fact that his wickedness is even more pronounced then Nyx's. If there was a king of mind-effery and evilness, it would be him. And, boy, did I love him for it. It's hard to find a twisted, deep, caring yet cruel villain that can somehow make a superb hero all the same. Hodge managed to do just that. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Shade, the poor soul enslaved for nearly one thousand years by Ignifex to do his bidding. Shade has knowledge that Ignifex does not, knowledge that can alter the very world that Nyx lives in, but is unable to share it because of supernatural forces. Where Ignifex is forgetful and hard, Shade is intelligent and gentle, and Nyx can't help but be drawn to these two completely different entities that are cruel in their own ways.

Hodge's beautifully dark writing and twisted, masterful storytelling takes you on the ride of a lifetime with this one. Though it left me with a few questions, my initial woes were completely forgotten because I found the overarching tales to be so engrossing. With one of my favorite casts ever--heroes, villains, and anti-heroes alike--I think I may have found a new favorite world and author. With her debut novel Hodge presents herself as a force to be reckoned with, and I seriously recommend giving this book a chance. If you are at all a fan of dark, gritty reads like myself, I forbid you to not give this one a try.

A beautiful crafted debut! Cruel Beauty is a mesmerizing fairytale fantasy rich in Greek Mythology, enchanting romance, danger, and heartbreaking betrayal. I couldn't get enough of this book.

Cruel Beauty is a spellbinding story that had me rooting on the story's heroine, and had me falling in love with the beast she was destined to kill. Can I just say WOW, and leave my review at that? For once I am totally speechless on what else I can say. Hodge's writing is just WOW. This story is just WOW. It's nothing that I was excepting and ended up being everything I love in a book. I can honestly say, this is unlike anything I've read, and I've read a lot of books. It's both beautifully told and darkly alluring. I love it when an author can bring something completely unique to the YA world, and this book is definitely that.

This is a story that had me rooting on the main character, Nyx, from the get go and made me fall in love with the Beast (demon in this story), Ignifex, she was sent to kill. Like all well written fairytales/mythology stories, destiny has a way of interfering, and things don't go quite as planned. Nyx is AWESOME! Seriously! She has many of the same qualities I love about my other favorite heroines. She is strong willed, has nerves of steel, and is all around butt kicking girl. This girl holds her own, and yet behind all the toughness is a girl who's very much broken. Her family relationships are not only the cause of that, but are also what drive her. Not to mention it's her Father's bargain he made long ago with the Demon Lord who put her in the position she finds herself in. I loved seeing how much her character evolved over the course of the book. She was easy to emotionally connect to.

Oh Ignifex. I wish I could say he was nothing that I was excepting, but part of him was. Well, at first he was nothing I was excepting. The more I got to know him, I realized that despite him being a demon, he's also very much one of those character literary leading men who wants so bad to be one way, but they're tied to their fate and are forced to being another way. That's not to say Ignifex doesn't have his moments that melted my heart, as much as they also made me feel bad for him. The more I got to know him, the more I couldn't help myself and fall for him like Nyx does. Like Nyx, falling for Ignifex comes at a cost, and no matter what he feels for her, he's always honest about his true nature. I loved seeing how he evolved over the course of the book as well. He's a fascinating character.

I loved that fiery chemistry Ignifex and Nyx have. Both characters are definitely flawed. Like seriously messed up. Had they been written any other way I doubt I would have come to love reading about them. Hodge did amazing job with her characters. She throws in enticing twists that adds to the lore of both characters, aids in understanding some of the decisions they make.

Cruel Beauty's world building is absolutely stunning. There's no other way to describe it. It's vivid, and hauntingly beautiful. Having both the Greek Mythology and the Fairytale element, I felt, played perfectly into the world building. The castle, where the story is set, felt very much like a mysterious castle you'd except to find in any fairytale, like Beauty and the Beast. I also felt this setting resembled that of Greek Mythology, as it's set both in it's own world, and the human world. Cruel Beauty's setting is a world set within another world. There are rules that are set in this world that are very much tied to the rules of Greek Mythology. I love that twist in the story. While the characters believe in the Greek Gods, they also believe in the demons, who they believe originated from Tartarus. Like the angel/demon mythology, free will is something that is also very much apart of this story, but like all choices, either good or bad, there are consequences.

THIS BOOK is AWESOME! Rosamund Hodge has weaved together a stunning story that had me reading this book in one sitting. It's dark, enticing, and intoxicating. I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings and Greek Mythology, and I absolutely love the unique spin Hodge gave both, and the way she was able to mess both together. I never would have thought that mixing together the myth of Cupid & Psyche and Beauty and the Beast could be done, and done so flawlessly. I can not wait to read more of her books. This is a debut I highly recommend picking up.

When I first had the opportunity to obtain a review copy, I didn't because I'd checked out some early reviews and wasn't entirely convinced that I'd like the book. Then I started seeing a lot of high-rated reviews from my friends and started wondering whether I'd been a bit hasty. And I had, my friends. I had, because this book is now one of my favorites of 2014.

If you like the Goddess Test novels by Aimee Carter... Everneath by Brodi Ashton... The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski... The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas (publisher/blurb suggested)... Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (publisher/blurb suggested)... this novel may appeal to you. If you liked These Broken Stars by Megan Spooner and Amie Kaufman, this is a sort of similar narrative but in a high fantasy (rather than science fiction) oriented setting. I haven't read Beastly by Alex Flynn or Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay, but I imagine this novel will appeal to those fans as well. I will have to think more on other comparisons. In general, if you are a fantasy lover, give this novel a chance.

Ignore the comparison to Graceling. Maybe the only similarity I noticed was a strong, intense protagonist - I don't even think the feel of either book is similar. I'm not really sure why that's the marketing phrase. The author's GR bio with CB described as "Greek mythology meets Beauty and the Beast" is much more accurate.

In your fairy tale retellings, how much do you want your retelling to be like the original story? I'm not terribly familiar with other versions of Beauty and the Beast, but to me this book falls on the line of taking the concept of monster-and-human-romance but not sticking strictly to the retelling's demands. (It also seems like a mash-up of various retellings). This aspect allowed Rosamund Hodge to take a lot of risks that make this book stand out from other retellings.

Do you ever get annoyed / bored by the trope of protagonist-sacrificing-self-for-younger-sibling? Rosamund Hodge actually delivers on the sisterly bond - it's not an empty, one-girl-is-always-helpless and entirely uneven relationship. Nyx is human. Nyx resents having to sacrifice herself, but she has been trained to do right by her family. She both loves and hates her sister. This strikes me as being not only realistic but also incredibly refreshing for YA.

Are you open to the idea of love triangles and insta-love? A.) This "love triangle" doesn't actually strike me as a typical love triangle. It's there at times, but for a majority of the novel, it is not a cogent force hitting you with dramatic angst. B.) It is also purposeful, and not just to reflect a heroine's varying desires/visions of her future. C.) This book doesn't actually make me think of insta-love, but I know that some readers might think of it that way, so reading the romance with an open mind will help.

Do you want to read a standalone fantasy? Perhaps this is where the comparison to Graceling comes from - Cruel Beauty has a satisfying ending and a world that leaves room for further companion novels.

Are you okay with your characters being flawed? I love books that make me want to root for characters who've done s***ty things. Look at that summary. Look at what Ignifex has done. And yet I actually liked him as a romantic interest. There is no romanticization of what he does or who he is. He is gentle and cruel, arrogant and soft. And Nyx is not exactly perfect either. Her flaws and her anger do somewhat remind me of Katsa, and I loved her all the more for them. If you get the chance to read an excerpt of the novel, do so and sample Nyx's PoV for yourself.

Are you ready to have your mind blown? Because this book takes things to another level. The Greek mythology aspects are unlike anything I've read in YA. The gods bit reminds me slightly of Megan Whalen Turner's series and how Hodge also manages the belief and rituals of people in another pseudo-historical time. There are attempt to ease you into the world-building via info-dumps/occasional exposition, but otherwise you must hold onto things yourself. The plot is twisty and complicated and sometimes unpredictable, and will challenge you. The hero and heroine are remarkably flawed individuals but believable characters nonetheless who stand out for their flaws, who accept and love them in one another. The romance sometimes takes center stage over the "assassin" plot and that's for good reason. The book steadily builds toward its climax and resolution but is slower than more action-oriented YA novels. The writing is gorgeous, somewhere between purposeful, practical prose and poetic lilt. It is somewhat similar to Cashore's writing, but slightly less literary and also told from a first person point of view. In general: I highly recommend this novel.

My only complaint is that I'm still a tad confused about some things. This book is so twisty and different that my mind still needs to process some of what happened. There is also an info dump at the start of the second chapter, but it's not that long and you can probably skim it to get the gist of the land's history. If you DNFed because of that info dump, please try again and skip past that section. It gets better.

An excellent, excellent debut. I am pre-ordering Cruel Beauty, and I am looking forward to reading more from Rosamund Hodge. (Especially that Cinderella novella).

Cruel Beauty took me a lot longer to get through than I was hoping. The first half was rather uneventful for me and frankly, rather boring. I kept going because even though it wasn't exciting, I did like the story and I liked the characters enough. It wasn't a book I was close to putting down but it was that had my attention, just not for long periods of time. You know those books that grab you, reel you in and never let you go - where you read the book straight through? And then there's others that are good but not omigosh, I can't put you down good. That's this book for me.

I loved Beauty and the Beast and I think my biggest flaw was I was really looking for comparisons. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty but I was really paying attention for anything that would make me go oh, that's so like the movie, you know? I'm a Disney girl at heart, you know, so I guess I have high standards! But this was definitely a dark, intriguing retelling and if weren't for me searching so much, I think I would've enjoyed this more. It's one of those books where I want to set it aside for a few months and come back to re-read it. I think it's one I'd enjoy a lot more the second time around, now that I know what's happening. I can't say for sure but I really feel like it's one of those books.

I really like Nyx (and can I just say how much I love this name?); when she's married off Ignifex, a demon lord, she thinks her life is over. All of his previous wives are dead so she knew her fate would eventually follow in their footsteps but she was so determined to kill him before he could kill her. What I never expected was the bantering between these two. I couldn't help but love the sarcasm, the smart-ass remarks dished out between these two. It's something I enjoyed most about this book; when the author put these two characters together in a room, it was bound to have me laughing.

Then there's Shade, a slave of Ignifex during the day but almost human during the evening hours. There's a love triangle going on here and it something I really didn't like. It was a weird love triangle. I can't really describe it nor can I say how I felt about it. It felt forced with Shade where the chemistry felt natural between Nyx and Ignifex. Bitter, at times, but natural.

While there things I expected there were things that I hadn't seen coming. It's always exciting to think you have the book figured out, and maybe you do have some of it figured out but then the author throws something else into the mix that makes you take a step back and go, woaaaah, what just happened?!

If you love retellings, I think this is one you'll enjoy. If you're looking for an awesome standalone (I'm pretty sure this a standalone, riiiight?), then this is something you should check out. I'll be honest and say I don't see too many non-contemporaries that are standalones so that right there is something refreshing, right?

Reviewed by Jessica @ Step Into Fiction

I was really looking forward to this one because I love Beauty and the Beast retellings, but it's totally not what I expected. First of all, I had no idea that there was Greek mythology involved. Second, there was no good action whatsoever. It was really difficult to finish the book because it dragged at most parts.

The basic story is that Arcadia has been sundered from the rest of the world because of the Gentle Lord. In addition, the Gentle Lord is the one who controls the monsters in the shadows that attacks people and make them crazy. Nyx's father made a bargain with the Gentle Lord 17 years ago that cost Nyx's mother's life, and the bargain required Nyx to marry the Gentle Lord when she turns 17. So Nyx has been trained to hate and fear the Gentle Lord all her life, while knowing that she has the only chance to kill the Gentle Lord once she lives at the Gentle Lord's castle.

The story's beginning was very confusing if you hadn't expected all the Greek mythology. I didn't like Nyx at all. Throughout the entire book, it felt like she was complaining about her fate all the time. She feared for her life and repeatedly told us readers that the Gentle Lord, whose name is Ignifex, is a monster, but I never saw the monstrous part of Ignifex. In fact, I never felt like I got to know Ignifex that well before Nyx was in love with him. The story never showed me how awful Ignifex was, so whenever Nyx or anyone else blames the bad things on Ignifex, they just annoy me, because to me, the people who go to Ignifex to make the bargains are to blame, not Ignifex.

To make the story even more confusing is Ignifex's shadow, Shade. The story then became somewhat of a love triangle, with Nyx first falling for Shade after like two kisses. Seriously, the girl meets Shade a few times, and just because the guy kisses her and shows her a tiny bit of kindness, she assumes that he loves her and she loves him. That just tells you how desperate Nyx is for love. Then she goes and falls in love with Ignifex because Ignifex is the only one who accepts the evil and ugly part of her heart. What? Everything is made a lot more confusing because there weren't really clues lying around leading you to the ending, instead it's riddles riddles and more riddles that makes no sense, then bam! Explanation!

None of the other characters were likable either. Nyx's father deserves a good slap to the face. The aunt was a one-dimensional character so that Nyx can have more reasons/justification for hating her father. Nyx's sister, Astraia, did a complete 180 in the book so you don't know which one is her real character. None of them are memorable or 3 dimensional.

Overall, I liked parts of it because of the Greek mythology, but it was still disappointing after hearing so much hype around this book.

*A copy was provided by publisher for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and I was not compensated for my review.

I am confused on how to rate this. There is no denying that Hodge created a beautiful, interesting world with an interesting history. The characters are flawed, yet wonderful. The ending felt a little fast, but I still liked it. I'm not quite sure that it's "Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast," but it's still a captivating read.

Nyx has known for most of her life that she would be the sacrifice. Here sister is the beloved daughter and she is the useful one kept at a distance. She knows she will be married to the Gentle Lord, the one who rules all demons. She knows she is expected to destroy him, and in the process either be trapped with his forever or die. Nyx has never felt loved or valuable to her family, something that plays an important role later in the story. She'd developed a tough skin and an even tougher heart. She knows that if she doesn't let herself care for anyone, no one can use that against her.

Nyx fascinated me as a character. Her father has never shown her much love, instead showering her sister with affection while training Nyx to be the revenge he desires upon Ignifex. Nyx and her sister were part of a bargain their father struck with Ignifex, but it cost him his wife. As revenge, Nyx is supposed to marry and destroy him and his castle. Her father's desire for revenge leaves no room for compassion and love for Nyx. She's angry and hurt. She wants someone to feel for her situation. She feels like she is not a person, just a tool.

Ignifex somehow breaks her down and reveals a different side to Nyx. She suddenly has someone she wants to care for. She's meant to destroy him, but finds common bonds that make that task difficult. The main fault I find between Ignifex and Nix is that they barely spend much time together before it becomes love. I wish the relationship had been developed a little more right from the beginning.

The world building was done well. There's some Greek mythology mixed with the Beauty and the Beast elements. My favorite piece was the castle, though. It's forever changing, revealing new secrets and hiding others constantly. I loved reading Nyx's wanderings of the castle. Everything was so vividly described I could picture it all easily. The castle is its own character.

In the end, despite how I loved individual pieces of the novel, I didn't fall head over heels in love with it. It was good, yes, but not amazing. I think the Beauty and the Beast elements will really draw people in. It's a lovely and well-written novel, just not exactly what I thought I was getting into. Still worth a read for the imagery alone. Everything else is just an added bonus.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Balzer + Bray for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

Cruel Beauty is the type of retelling that's so twisted that it actually works. The classic Beauty and the Beast tale mixed with Greek mythology makes a gripping and powerful story about love and so much more than that.

I'm a sucker for retellings and Greek mythology so I was eager to read Cruel Beauty. Two favorites in one book. Awesome, right? Thankfully, it did not disappoint. Right from the start you can see the familiar elements that makes it similar to Beauty and the Beast but Hodge successfully added her own twists to make the story her own.

We have Nyx, a strong young woman filled with both love and anger. Nyx was raised to fulfill one mission: to marry the prince of demons, Ignifex, and to kill him. Her father foolishly bargained with the Ignifex himself. After years of not being able to conceive a child, he asked for children. Ignifex made good on his promise on the condition that one child will be his wife. Of course, his bargain contained convenient loopholes. The mother died after giving birth to Nyx's twin sister, Astraia. While Nyx's existence revolved around her impossible mission, Astraia grew up loved and treated like a princess.

It was quite understandable how angry Nyx was at her family, even at Astraia whom she loved deep down. She's never experienced genuine care and love her whole life so I can understand why she's full of resentment. But at the same time I can also feel how conflicted she is. No matter how angry she is, she's also motivated by love. She wants Arcadia back to the way it was when the sky was still blue and demons weren't freely roaming around. She wants a better world for her sister. She wants her father to love her the way he loves Astraia. I love how complex Nyx is. Even when she was inside Ignifex's house, when she was confused between her mission and her growing feelings for him I still found her to be one of the best female leads in young adult fantasy novels. Everything about Nyx was simply believable.

Then we have Ignifex, the equally complex Gentle Lord. For some bizarre reason, I never thought he was threatening. Of course he was despicable, what with all his shady bargains and demons he can control. But I somehow found his evilness to be... alluring. (Does that make me creepy?) His witty sense of humor makes him all the more irresistible. I especially liked the way he treated Nyx with such fondness. He was so vulnerable around her. The more time they spent together, the more Nyx discovered. She soon realized that there's so much more to Ignifex and his history.

I like that there really isn't just one side to this tale. There's so many layers to the story that I was guessing up to the very end. The pacing was steady. The writing, captivating. Characters, all different but contribute greatly. And the Greek mythology was incorporated smoothly. What I didn't like though is how fast Nyx fell for Shade, Ignifex's shadow. I get that she's craving to feel loved but it was still a little too fast. Oh and the ending... I didn't really get it much but no biggie. I still love the book and will recommend it to every reader who has yet to experience this beautiful story from Rosamund Hodge.

Short and Sweet:

Swoon-worthy, sinister, and magical! I adored this gothic love story. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and when it was over, I felt like I might never love another book as much as I did this one ever again.

To Elaborate....

Nyx is the daughter of a man who made a deal with the evil ruler of the land before she was even born. As a result, she is born betrothed to a man rumored to be a demon and has been trained from a young age to kill him to avenge her dead mother. It is unsurprising that Nyx is more than a little bitter and off center as a character. She has never felt loved and always known that she is little more than an instrument of vengeance. Still, Nyx struggles to accept her fate and please her father. It isn't long before Nyx is wed to Ignifex in a public ceremony and then promptly delivered to Ignifex's castle as his bride.

What unfolds in Cruel Beauty is quite different from any sugary, Disney princess version of Beauty and the Beast. Especially in the area of its lack of furry beast; Ignifex is indeed monstrous, but he is also beautiful and human in appearance. Nyx, unlike Belle, is an angry, but determined young woman who often makes terrible decisions. For Nyx, her life in the castle of a monster turns out to be the first time she has felt free in all of her life. It makes sense that she is unused to trusting her own instincts when her life up until this point has primarily entailed playing a role chosen for her by her own vengeful father.

So while Nyx finds that she does indeed despise Ignifex, she also begins to identify with this person who, like her, is not in charge of his own destiny. Furthermore, Ignifex truly sees Nyx as no one else has ever bothered to and it undoes her to be loved not in spite of her flaws, but because of them. However, Ignifex is not the only being competing for her heart within the castle walls....

All in all, Cruel Beauty features a tumultuous love story set in a terrifying and complex world. It is a truly gorgeous and indescribably dark tale that thrills until its final, breathless page.

Five absolutely deserved stars!

** spoiler alert ** My rating is 3.5 stars.

I did enjoy the story and found it entertaining. The author has a unique style and voice which captured my attention. I also liked the characters and her interpretation of the Beauty and the Beast retelling.

What I struggled with was how I felt after I finished reading it. I wasn't in love or disappointed either. This was an entertaining read and if you like a dark retelling of a popular fairy tale, then this would be a great read.

From a writer's stand point, I really liked how the author used different Greek and Roman mythologies for worldbuilding. I also liked the author's characterization of Nyx and Ignifex/Shade. Fairy tale characters are so Disney-fied that when an author goes against those expectations, it's refreshing and engaging. I really liked how Nyx was characterized. She isn't the the typical fairy tale heroine. She's bitter and resents that her father chose her instead of her sister to marry the Gentle Lord. She also resents her sister for being the one their father saved. I also liked how Ignifex/Shade was characterized. He is not the typical fairy tale hero. Ignifex makes bargains with mortals which usually end in some tragic way, but doesn't feel bad about it because he is the personification of hate and cruelty. Shade is the lost prince who was not brave enough to sacrifice himself for his kingdom. These faults in the author's characters are compelling and make for great conflicts.

I would recommend this to readers 14 years old and up. The language is clean and there is some violence but it's in the context of dark shadows that devour you and also death ending in tragedy (not explicity described). There is some sex, but it's only alluded to or implied. It is a dark fairy tale retelling, so do not go into it expecting the usual fairy tale characters you see in Disney movies.

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Cruel Beauty is an intriguing mix of Beauty and the Beast and Greek mythology. It seems like a bizarre combination, and it kind of is, but it also really worked for me. Nyx has been raised to be the bride of the Gentle Lord after her father agrees to a bargain with him: two healthy daughters in exchange for one. However, Nyx's mother died giving birth to her twin, Astraia, so she was the one their father chose to save. Nyx's heart is full of hatred and resentment toward her family, but she's willing to do her duty for her village. She's not only raised to be a bride, but she's also trained to kill their demonic ruler and set their world free.

The world of Cruel Beauty is simultaneously fascinating and confusing. There's a huge info-dump early on, which I did find interesting, but I think it raised more questions than it answered. Arcadia is trapped under a paper sky, cut off from the rest of the world. No one remembers why, since it was 900 years ago, but they all blame the Gentle Lord. Everyone worships the Greek gods, and some made up peasant gods, so their culture is steeped in mythology. There's also magic and demons! However, I could never tell if this was suppose to be a strictly fantasy world using real mythology, or if it was an alternate history which deviated when Arcadia was cursed. This nagged at me the entire time, although it wasn't really important in the grand scheme of things. I loved how the world worked, so where it was ultimately didn't matter much.

Of course, there's a romance at the center of Cruel Beauty. It's a love triangle, and I really liked how it was handled. Nyx's husband doesn't remember his name so he tells her to call him Ignifex. Then she meets his shadow, Shade. Unlike her husband, Shade is kind to her, so naturally she falls for him. And fast. It was actually way too fast, and I felt like I missed something, since they went from one sudden kiss to being in love. Then Nyx and Ignifex slowly start to grow close, once he starts being honest with her instead of just taunting her all the time. While I did like how the triangle was set up (and I figured out the Ignifex/Shade connection pretty early and was happy to be correct), I wasn't sold on either romance. I didn't feel any chemistry between any of them. I was more focused on Nyx helping to free her lovers as well as her home, which was pretty great.

Cruel Beauty is full of twists and turns, and not just in the Gentle Lord's house. Aside from the one twist, I never figured out where the story was going. I was completely hooked, since this world and plot was unique. But by the end, I was just super confused. I think there were a few too many twists and reveals along the way, so it kind of lost me. I was also really bothered by Nyx's sister getting a personality transplant out of nowhere. Other than that though, I really enjoyed it.

Before I start my rant and exaltations for Cruel Beauty, let it be known that it has nothing to do with Graceling. I really don’t know what’s gotten into the mind of the marketers of this book to say that it’s a sweeping fantasy where Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast. Seriously? Now that we’re clear about that, my second advice is to take this book with zero expectations. Don’t overanalyse it or somewhat because if you do, you might end up hating it.

Cruel Beauty might have gotten a 4-star rating from me, but it doesn’t mean that it’s one my greatest reads for 2013. It has flaws that might very well push some readers to despise it, but thank goodness, my patience got the best of me and thus, it surprisingly entertained me. Cruel Beauty is a story about Nyx Triskelion, a 17 year old girl who had been affianced to the Evil Prince of their village since her birth. Almost all her life, she harbored bitter feelings towards her family for her doomed future and at the same time, schemed morbid thoughts on how to kill her would-be husband and eventually, free the people of Arcadia. Will she succeed or not?

One of the most remarkable things about Cruel Beauty is that the main character is not your typical martyr “Belle” whose goodness of heart is beyond compare whatever. Nix is a bitter, malicious, vengeful and a scheming young lady who dances between the fine line of goodness and meanness. She hates her family, including her long dead mother, but at the same time, she loves them. It is when her feelings are so conflicted that I truly admire her. There were even times that I was almost convinced that she maybe the beast in the guise of a pretty maiden. Her personality greatly depicts that humans are innately bad, but ultimately, it is your choice whether you let darkness control you or you rise from your baser nature.

Nyx’s significant half, Ignifex, is also an enigma. Is he really the beast or the beauty trapped in his own prison? As much as I want to dissect his character, I couldn’t lest I risk you getting spoiled, my dears. I can, however, assure you that he will make you dizzy… he will make you frown… he will make you pause… he will make you curse… xD

The relationship between the characters was also praise worthy considering that Nyx is a vortex of conflicting emotions. You could never guess how she would exactly react when she’s interacting with her family, particularly her sister and with her husband, Ignifex.

Cruel Beauty is heavily entwined with Greek Mythology which I think would be a hit or miss for the readers. As for me, I was okay with it to the point that I was just taking a lot of things at face value. I didn’t overanalyse whether Hodge did her Greek assignment well or not because I didn’t pick this book because I want to read a greek mythos. I picked it up because it’s a retelling of one of my beloved fairy tales and I want to see if Hodge accomplished what she’s expected to deliver. And she did, folks. She did.

The world building was also commendable. Arcadia and the Prince’s castle are beautifully crafted and quite unique considering that fairy tale world building typically means that you have this castle in a far far away land whatever. But Hodge did something more to the setting that will leave you unsettled.

Though the plot was unique in its own way, I was not entirely happy with it. There were moments that it moved sluggishly and some events were getting repetitive. But for the most part of the journey, I was undeniably entertained. And friends, I think this is the only book where the instalove was slightly mindblowing. It seems like an instalove but it wasn’t really. I wish I could explain it without spoiling you. Please be happy though that Cruel Beauty didn’t rely on its romance to move forward. Its plot is dark, so please don’t expect that you’re going to read about tea pots animated to life and all that nonsense. It seamlessly combined a Greek Mythology and a levelled-up Beauty and the Beast story to tell a haunting tale that is Cruel Beauty.

Overall, this book did a great justice to our beloved Beauty and the Beast even with its faults. Rosamund Hodge certainly made an unforgettable debut out of Cruel Beauty.

***An ARC was freely provided by the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Harper Collins and Balzer and Bray!***

It all began with the cover. Roses, gowns, a running woman and I fell for it. When I saw that there was also the retelling of my all time classic "Beauty and Beast" I adored it.

I waited a year to find a copy available for borrowing and I was surprised to see so strange characters.

On "Cruel Beauty" the world-building is set on a fictional time, where folklore and roman history, greek mythology and magic come together forming an interesting mix. Nyx, daughter of the lord who is trying to destroy the Gentle Lord, the demon who has trapped their world, is send off to marry the demon in order for her father to pay for the bargain.

From the moment she arrives at the house, everything becomes...strange. It really took me time to UNDERSTAND the way the plot was revealed. Nyx is indeed a crule person who later becomes torn between her duty and her feelings. The Gentle Lord was truly a hald crazy, half cocky man who didn't even know the house (go figure) until the second half of the book, where we finally managed to see through the sceme of things.

It was really original the book, I admit that, but mostly it felt way too complicated. I still don't know if the bad guys were destroyed or if they will make any other appearances on the next novel. As a standalone it was really great but I would prefer if the plot wasn't too cramped at least.

A tale as old as time is given a sinister new twist…

Nyx’s fate was sealed even before her birth. Betrothed to the villainous Gentle Lord who rules Arcadia, Nyx has always known that love and a happily ever after are not a part of her destiny. While her twin sister was doted on and protected by her father, Nyx spent her childhood training for her mission to defeat her future husband and break the curse he cast on the kingdom. On the day of her wedding, Nyx steps forth with a hardened heart, prepared to sacrifice her life in order to save Arcadia.

Now Nyx finds herself trapped away in a castle filled with dark secrets and rooms even more malevolent than her new husband. Nyx knows she must not allow herself to be charmed by the deceiving and handsome Gentle Lord. But she is not prepared for the connection she feels to him and his similarly cold and wicked nature. Has Nyx finally found the person who will love her in spite of all her flaws? And will she still save Arcadia if it means destroying everything she most wants in life?

CRUEL BEAUTY is a Beauty and the Beast-inspired tale that also draws heavily on the classic themes in Greek and Roman mythology. Although the story starts out slow, all the plot twists and turns in the second half of the novel are difficult to keep up with and will leave readers’ heads spinning. Nevertheless, the dark passion and refreshingly flawed characters truly ignite this intricate tale.

This book's name calls out to you.
Nyx is meant to be given to the Gentle Lord on her 17th birthday according to the bargain made by her father. Her father bargained for a boon of children from the Gentle Lord for the sake of his wife- but everyone knows the prince of demons does not really grant bargains, the bargain gets so twisted that the person who asked for it regrets it ever after.

Nyx's mother dies during the birth. Her fraternal twin sweet hearted Astraia is loved and valued by her father and her Aunt for being like Nyx's mother. Nyx is valued as a weapon, she is being finely honed by her father to kill the Gentle Lord and sacrifice herself.
Once in the castle she finds Ignifex and his slave Shade. In the castle she finds a place where she is loved for herself for the things she is and finds herself to be. Beware readers! she is not a regular heroine;She is real, strong , weak,makes mistakes, does not care for doing the right thing but what she feels is right. She has poison on her tongue and steel in her spine.

The author really puts your emotions through the paces. I do not want to give away the story but you ll be rooting for one person and then rooting against them and railing against their stupidity. This is a book worth reading.

The plot gets so convoluted at the end that you are shocked that they are able to wriggle themselves out of it but they do. This is a book I would definitely read again.

This is no Disney fairytale I can tell you that. I expected a Beauty and the Beast retelling to be all hearts and flowers, but Cruel Beauty is a dark and twisted tale of forbidden love and betrayal. So you see how it differs. Of course it has many references to the original such as the enchanted mirror, but when you read this book it fells completely unrelated and a story in its own right.

Nyx the female protagonist is not your stereo-typical heroin who is always selfless and brave to a point when it is unbelievable. She is defiant and bitter, but this makes her relatable because if you were in a situation where you were born to die for others who had never loved you and seen you only as a tool to an end, you wouldn’t be the happiest person alive; far from it. This is why I think that she has to be one of my favourite heroines; she’s not a “hero”. She has her moments of hilarity as well as secrecy, much like Ignifex.

Ignifex who I also love (which was incredibly unexpected). He is the powerful demon Lord that has ruined Nyx’s life and her world, who has the blood of countless on his hands, yet still it’s hard not to fall in love with him. Just like all Roasmund Hodge’s characters he has so much depth past his handsome and witty demeanour.

My one complaint for Cruel Beauty was there was a lot of information dumping about the Greek mythology, and I for one hate when books do this and either skim read it or just skip those chunks, which led to a lot of confusion later on in this incredibly intricate book. But you just have to stick with it because the end will blow you away and answer all your unanswered questions that you hadn’t even realised you had.

I was utterly shocked by this book and more than that by how much I actually liked it! It was nothing like I had expected, and instead was shockingly creepy and eerie but that’s why I loved it. A stunning stand-alone book and I am desperate for more from this author.

Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk

3.5 stars

I am so glad that this was a stand alone. That, in itself, is refreshing - a young adult fantasy novel that is a stand alone!

The story itself kept me captivated. I was so caught up in the story, the mysteries, and Nyx that I read this all within a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. The mysteries in the house about Ignifex and the mystery of the house itself were intriguing and kept me guessing. Who was Ignifex really? However, the story lost a little of itself and got a little murky with some unbelievable parts toward the end. Also, while there was a wonderful love story, there wasn’t a lot of other plot. Nyx is married to Ignifex due to a bargain, but her father also has an assassination plot. This plot and the world building along with the reasoning for the plot are strong in the beginning but sort of peeter off and take a back seat to the love story. This didn’t bother me as I was expecting a Disney Beauty and the Beast story and not an epic fantasy full of great plots and world building. But I can see that a lot of readers will probably have issues with the story that strays away from the assassin story to a love story.

I liked Nyx, although I’m sure she will be a hard character for others to like. She’s a flawed character, but almost everyone in this story is flawed in some way. I love flawed characters, and I love a world filled with characters who live in the grey, so Nyx was a great character for me. Even in her anger and bitterness, I could see her hope, her compassion, and her kindness. She refused to be submissive to Ignifex and her strength showed throughout the book. She wanted to save her people even though she hated that she was forced to do so. She wanted to save her sister, even when her love was tainted with her bitterness and hatred. She worked hard even though she knew that the price may very well be her death. She grew throughout the book, and showed less of her anger and bitterness, but she never lost her strength.

There is a love triangle, sort of, which normally I would hate. This one isn’t that bad, but mostly because it is only sort of a love triangle. I don’t want to go into details because it might ruin some of the story. I will say that there is some instalove that caught me totally off guard. Although it was very quick and quite surprising, for some unexplainable reason, it didn’t really bother me that much. Maybe because I just rationalized that Nyx needed some love and let it go.

I LOVED the interactions and banter between Ignifex and Nyx. In the first interactions with Ignifex, it was hard to remember that he is supposed to be an evil demon ruler. He’s so amusing and amused by Nyx. I wish that there would have been more interactions between Ignifex and Nyx and less time with Shade. Sure, Shade is supposed to be the “good” guy, but their interactions were missing something, some spark, some humor, some passion, that was present when Nyx was with Ignifex.

I would say that this book is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast, and is mostly based on the Greek/Roman myths. I absolutely do not get the reference to Graceling in the synopsis- even the genre is off. To me, Graceling is more epic fantasy. This is clearly young adult fantasy with some basis in Greek mythology.

Overall, I really enjoyed the novel, although it does have its issues. I can also see that it won’t be a novel for everyone, especially those who go in expecting more fantasy plot than romance. Regardless, I will be interested in reading whatever Hodge writes next, especially if it is another stand alone.

To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an advance copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review originally appeared on Bibliophilia, Please at: http://www.bibliophiliaplease.com/2014/01/review-cruel-beauty-by-rosamund-hodge.html

I admit that I had never heard of this book before but when it was recommended at audible as something that I might like, I decided to buy it. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I am a fan of Disney’s version and I love Belle but this book is not it. It is a classic retelling set in a different place interspersed with Greek mythology (Cupid and Psyche’s story).

The place, Arcadia, is in a curse brought about by the selfish prince’s bargain with the Kindly Ones. Arcadia is a grey and sad place. Crops have stopped growing, there is no sky, there is no sun. People now rely on arcane-like magic for light and other things. Nyx’s father had bargained the Gentle Lord years ago for children and he was granted twins with the condition of giving up one when she comes of age so she can marry him. Of course, everything you ask from the Gentle Lord has a price and for Nyx’s father, it was the death of his wife in childbirth. Because of this, Nyx blames herself and pushes everyone away, including her twin sister.

Why I like it:
1. The story is odd, very odd. The setting is different and the characters are different but I think it enhances the story.
2. Dark. I love that it is dark, a little bit Gothic.
3. The world building was excellent. Rosamund Hodge created another world and described it to detail where I can actually imagine what it looks like.
4. It is very refreshing. I love that Nyx, the heroine was not a damsel in distress waiting to be saved. She was raised to defeat the Gentle Lord and save Arcadia and she tries to do it, despite knowing that she will die in the process.
5. The mixture of the traditional Beauty and the Beast elements and Greek mythology are seamlessly written. Although I did not see the fairy tale version of Beauty and the Beast because it was more based on Cupid and Psyche, it was mixed very well.

What I didn’t like about it:
1. The love triangle. I’ve read a lot of long triangle stories but this just felt off and a little bit annoying at times. When it is revealed who Ignifex and Shade are…well, let’s just say that I thought it was a little stupid.
2. I wanted the other twin sister Althea (?) to have her own story or to try to storm the Gentle Lord’s castle and save her. Or something to that effect. She was planning to but she didn’t follow through and she was a little bit selfish.
3. The selfish father and the scheming aunt. Need I say more?
4. The story got a little confusing sometimes. It was a little too much the last half of the book and if you aren’t careful, you will get lost and confused.
5. I hate the name Nyx. Not very princess-y at all.

I know a few readers who didn’t get it but I enjoyed this book a lot and gave it 5 stars because I listened to this via audiobook. I might have felt differently had I read it instead. A must listen. Oh and yes, I had a hard time reviewing this book!

THE AUDIOBOOK
This was read by Elizabeth Knowelden and I liked it. Her voice and pacing was perfect for the darker story, adding a sense of urgency to the story. I probably wouldn’t finish reading this book if I didn’t listen to it in audio format because it did drag in certain parts. However, with Knowleden’s reading, it did not feel dragging at all and I did not have the urge to hit the forward button. I give narration a 5.

Posted on my blog I Heart Romance
Purchased at Audible

Review originally posted on A Kernel of Nonsense blog.
The product of a bargain forged before her birth, Nyx Triskelion was raised with one purpose in mind–to kill the demon who has imprisoned her home Arcadia and cut it off from the rest of the world. Deep down, Nyx knows she’s been sent on a fool’s errand, but duty binds her to marry the evil lord Ignifex and avenge her mother’s death. But dangerous secrets lurk in every shadow of the Gentle Lord’s castle and the longer Nyx remains in the cursed house, the more she discovers that nothing, not even the demon himself, is what it seems.

I’m going to be honest, it took me a while to get into this book. In fact, it wasn’t until I got half way through that I was full immersed in the story. Part of the issue was Nyx’s inner dialogue in which she ruminates over her hatred for her sister and then feels ashamed for thinking such thoughts…over and over. And while the resentment Nyx feels is a legitimate part of her character, the redundancy of such negative sentiments was almost enough to cause me to put the book down. Another issue was the immediacy of Nyx’s attraction to both the captive Shade and her captor Ignifex, a problem I see much too often in young adult books.

It was easy to see what attracted Nyx to Shade, the mysterious shadowy captive. He is a means for her to obtain some control over her new life and was everything Ignifex was not. I found the more interesting relationship to be between Nyx and her demon husband. At first I couldn’t understand what she could possibly see in him, but then he started to grow on me. It was the uncompromising way he saw Nyx and the fact that against all odds, he made Nyx kind and gentle.

The most interesting part of Rosamund Hodge’s Cruel Beauty was not the romance or the dark atmosphere, but the relationship between Nyx and her sister Astraia. There was such an intensity of emotion on the part of the protagonist that I desired to see their relationship play out. Eventually this came about and the result is both ironic and eye-opening. My least favorite part of the book was the endless Greek mythological references because I felt most of it unnecessarily complicated the story.

Actual rating: 3.5/5

Nyx was such a strangely compelling character. For most of the book, her bitterness at being the one who must marry the demon Ignifex defines who she is. It is very understandable that Nyx should feel so wronged, and bemoan how unfair it all is, but she does do it a lot. But those feelings do play an important part in how the author reimagines the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. I can't say that I particularly like to read about main characters who accuse and grumble as much as Nyx does, but I was impressed with how well the author makes it integral to the story and to all of the characters' developments.

When it comes to the romance, I was a bit torn. I thought that Nyx's attraction to Ignifex was believable, as was his attraction to her, but I found it a bit laughable how quickly Nyx would forget everything she knows about Ignifex when he shows her a little romantic interest. But I did enjoy her relationship with him, and there were certain aspects to the couple's development that I found really satisfying. Even though I wanted Nyx to show more sense when she was around him, I thought they made a great pair.

The world-building was very rich and I loved how Greek mythology was interwoven throughout. The curse was complex, and unraveling the true nature of it was the great mystery that made me eager to read more. There were times I thought I knew what was going to happen, or understood the purpose of something, only for the author to take it in a completely new direction. I loved how unpredictable this story was for me. The writing was also a highlight - very lush and descriptive - it contributed to the Gothic atmosphere of the story, and to the complexities of the characters.

This book is an imaginative and suspenseful take on Beauty and the Beast. While I found the characters difficult to relate to sometimes, their dilemmas and motivations were always believable and worked so well in advancing the story. And the author brought so much dimension to this fairy tale retelling with the addition of mythological and fantastical elements.

*This review may contain spoilers*

“Where you go, I shall go; where you die, I shall die, and there will I be buried.”

This book was so Beautifully Dark that it was such a joy to read. Being a big fan of all the classic fairytales, this book definitely caught my eye. I was hooked from page one. From the very beginning, Nyx is angry with her dad for striking a bargain with the Gentle Lord which resulted her having to marry him. She was heartbroken for the life she never had, that her twin sister will be able to live. She had lived her whole life knowing that she will become the Gentle Lords wife, and knowing she had to kill him to save and free her people. Throughout the whole book there a lot of twists and turns that will  leave you reeling. There is a huge shocker that I was not expecting that left me wondering how Nyx was going to proceed from there. As the story progresses, Nyx starts growing closer to Ignifex both emotionally and physically. While at the same time growing a connection with Shade, who is one of Ignifex's shadows. As soon as she is dumped off at Ignifex's castle she discovers all is not what it seems. When she first meets Shade, she is wary of him, but as time goes by she grows closer to him. Shade becomes her ally. He helps her along the way in the best way he can. I really enjoyed Nyx and Shades relationship throughout the book. I felt they had an instant connection and they helped each other out. They had grown to trust each other, which is a big step for Nyx to put her trust in someone. Things seem to going well, until we see I side of Shade that shocks Nyx. That she doesn't know what to think of him anymore. Then we have Nyx and Ignifex's relationship that I absolutely loved. From the moment they met it was train wreck but in the best way. Ignifex's character was so different from Shades. He was Charming, Sweet, Cruel, Funny and Dark. I never knew what he was going to say or do. Nyx and Ignifex's relationship was so different from anything I have read. Nyx hated him and tried to kill him every chance she got. Ignifex seem to laugh off her advances at trying to kill him. They slowly begin to understand each other a little better, and seem to care what the other thinks. Nyx trys her hardest not to let her feelings for Ingifex get in the way of her duty. Then there is a turn in the story that has Nyx realizing her feelings for Ignifex. She finally gives into those feelings and acts on them. Ignifex is just as eager to give into those feelings because of his growing feelings for her. Nyx realizes even though she feels for Ignifex, her duties haven't changed. She still has to find a way to save her people without having to kill Ignifex. So Ignifex and Nyx work together to find a way to make that happen. She realizes this is the first time in her life where she has been happy and has some one in her life that truly cares about her, and she doesn't want to lose that. Then the story takes another abrupt turn that forces her to make a decision that will change her life forever. The ending was perfect, for all the characters involved. I couldn't have asked for a better ending. This story shows us that not everyone is perfect, that we each have bad and good in us. It's what we choose that ultimately decides our future.

This is a must read. I am looking forward to reading more from this Author. I can't wait to see what's next.

This was a book of mixed feelings. I love the original Beauty and the Beast story as well as the Disney adaptation, so I was a little leery of picking up this retelling on Audible (audiobook format). Right from the beginning, Hodge's version is heavily steeped in Greek mythology which can be a little distracting when you're paying more attention to figuring out the mythological reference than what's happening in the story. Much of the first half of the book is full of info-dumping without a whole lot of anything going on. I picked the book up and put it down too many times to count and very nearly gave up on it completely.

That said, I'm actually glad I didn't put the book aside permanently. Where Beauty was kind and loving, Nyx is angry and resentful. Where the Beast was selfish and petulant, Ignifex is perceptive and, at times, almost self-sacrificing. It made for an interesting dynamic once things actually got started (about half way through the book). The second half of the story almost made up for the dragging tediousness of the beginning. Hodge's use of imagery and language border on literary and I am completely in love with her style of prose. I think it was this talent that kept me listening to the audio. I am so glad too because the entire story is dark, twisted, and utterly satisfying. As soon as the audiobook was complete, I wanted to pick it back up and start it all over again (and very likely will when I get a break in my to-read list).

All-in-all, a solid book. Borderline gothic, phenomenal world-building, and refreshing characters. I suggest picking up the audiobook version rather than a hardcopy. The narrator does a great job and really helps draw you into the story.

Originally posted at Plot Twist Reviews.

Nyx has known all along she is to be sacrificed. She is to be married to the Gentle Lord, a demon who rules over their land making deals with people. Deals that cost them lives, money, love and more. She is to avenge her mother. She is to save the kingdom. But nothing goes as planned.

But Ignifex, the Gentle Lord, is not what she expects. Cruel and mean, warm and thoughtful, Ignifex confuses Nyx and now she’s not sure what her plan is. Not when she thinks she might love him. But Nyx can’t wait any longer. She must choose to betray her husband, her captor, her love and save the city, or sacrifice everything and everyone she has ever loved.

Loved.

I purposefully read this slowly, savoring each word. While the structure may remind reader’s of Beauty & The Beast, that’s where most of the similarities end. This tale is dark with traces of evil and malice laced between the words. I love Nyx. I love her bravery, and her sharp tongue. But I especially love that darkness inside of her. Her shameful thoughts and mean words that she keeps pressed to her heart. She is such a human, filled with regrets and torn between selfishness and duty. Characters like this, mixed and neither too good nor too bad, but just with that sharp bite of hunger and rage, are so interesting, bringing the book to another level.

Ignifex is equally intriguing. Yeah, he’s evil. But his back story and circumstances are not understood until the last remaining pages. And until then, he’s this shifting shadow, someone who you may grasp but then quickly vanishes out of your fingers. I like not being able to pinpoint exactly who he is and what his motivations are. Made him even more untrustworthy, but like Nyx, I so wanted to trust him.

The story itself is fun, opening slowly with a gorgeous setting and the past that keeps these characters in its grasp. As I got to know Nyx and Ignifex more, I read for longer and longer, immersing myself in this dark fairy tale of love, revenge and cruelty. There are lots of twists, sometimes falling closely to Beauty & The Beast, and other times shooting straight into those dark shadows in everyone’s hearts. I love all the grey area, the descriptive language of the evil demon shadows that claw at the characters, driving them to madness. The urgency of the threat is real, it’s there, it’s looming over you with every page turn.

Solid debut. Creative and mesmerizing story. Human characters and a believable romance.
What else could I ask for?
In fact, I may have bought a hardcover as soon as I was done with it. I loved it that much.

I can’t wait to see what Ms. Hodge writes next!

I’m a tad perplexed by my feelings for Cruel Beauty. There are some aspects about it that I really appreciated and enjoyed and there are a lot that just didn’t work for me. I love retellings, mythology and fairy tales so I should have loved Cruel Beauty. I should be raving about this book and recommending that everyone read it but I’m not really there. I make lists for just about everything in life so I guess I may as well make a pros and cons list for Cruel Beauty. Perhaps upon completion of my list I will be able to determine my feelings overall.

Cons:

1. It was extremely hard for me to get into this book.
2. I felt like there were too many instances where the story relied on the telling of other stories. There were so many pages full of these random myths that really didn’t seem to propel the story forward in any way.
3. The romance just wasn’t really there for me.
4. The characters confused me, especially Nix. Her actions never really aligned with her motives. I like to see characters evolve and change but I don’t appreciate characters who are wishy-washy.

Pros:

1. I appreciate that Cruel Beauty explores the complexity of human beings. There is good and bad in all of us and sometimes our various circumstances drive us to display more of one side of ourselves than the other.
2. The house in this book is both terrifying and awesome! I loved that it was always changing. It would probably give me a slight panic attack but every single day was sure to be an adventure.
3. I really liked that it was unclear who Nyx should trust when it came to her love interests. Cruel Beauty kept you guessing which I really appreciated.
4. This was far more than a retelling. Cruel Beauty felt fresh and unique from the tales it was inspired by.

CRUEL BEAUTY blends fairytales and Greek mythology together to create a unique romance featuring an unconventional heroine and hero. Nyx Triskelion has been raised to murder her future husband, Ignifex, known as the Gentle Lord. She has been raised knowing that she will die killing him. Oh how she resents her younger sister, who has been left ignorant and innocent of the darker parts of Nyx.

Nyx does not save the beast through her virtuousness. She's is angry, vicious, and can be as cruel as her husband. You see, Ignifex grants wishes, but they always go wrong. But isn't part of the fault the wisher who knows that his wish is doomed? Ignifex is no angel, but as Nyx comes to know him, she understands that there's more to him than cruelty. But then there's Shade, Ignifex's shadow servant, who is human by night. He could be Nyx's ally in destroying Ignifex.

CRUEL BEAUTY is a thrilling read in which love is complicated, and communication even more so. There's a wonderful sense of lurking danger, something even more sinister than Ignifex and Shade waiting in the shadows. The story's mythology is complicated, and goes far beyond the classical sources that spawned it. The setting sells the romance. There's something Gothic about it all, the manor, the secrets, the isolation. Nyx and Ignifex would not work in any sort of contemporary setting.

That is not to say that CRUEL BEAUTY is perfect. For one, it could use far more of Nyx's sister. Some of the book's most important action hangs on their relationship, but it doesn't have much force since the sister appears briefly in the beginning, then disappears until the climax. The reader has to take it on faith that the sisters love each other even as they hate and resent it each other. It could be a complicated relationship to rival that of Ignifex and Nyx, but it's just not there on the page.

I think CRUEL BEAUTY is a stunning, romantic debut. I enjoyed it, and I thoroughly enjoyed the nastiness of Nyx and Ignifex. Rarely do protagonists get to revel in being bad people. (But for all that, they aren't that bad.) I look forward to whatever Rosamund Hodge writes next.

An Open Letter To Cruel Beauty,

You ended up being the first book of the year to blow me out of the water. It could have been the beautiful way that you were written. It could have been the complex and flawed characters that filled your pages. It could have been the twisted retelling that you presented that threw even more than just Beauty and the Beast at us giving it and other tales a new face. But all in all, I think it was a combo of all of the things that I just mentioned. Congrats on being awesome and for giving me all of the feels and some really romantic moments. You've done good!

-The White Unicorn

I'm seriously floored by this book guys! Rosamund Hodge has created such a fresh and unique Beauty and the Beast retelling. There are just so many out there and I love a good fairytale retelling just as much as the next person, but you always wonder how they are going to turn out. I'll tell you that Cruel Beauty did not disappoint. Hodge took great care in creating a world that was fully it's own. She pulled in Greek myth as well as hints at other well loved fairytales. There are nods to Bluebeard and Rumpelstiltskin woven into the story as well. It's just a epic cluster of greatness that ended up working amazingly well together because Hodge knew just how to make her world come alive.

It was pretty great to see Greek Mythology used in such a creative way too. It was an interesting foundation for a fairytale. It built up a lot of cool story arcs and added this sense of mystery. I also liked how Hodge chose some of the lesser known myths to weave into her story. It made even someone who knows a lot about Greek Mythology (like me) stay interested in the bits of the stories that she chose to share. It kept things interesting for me and I wanted to know more.

Now that I've raved about the world building, I get to tell you guys about what really made this book work for me. As if the world building wasn't enough, cause it totally was. The stand outs in this novel were the characters. Somehow, Hodge managed to give us intense, flawed, complicated characters that are there to captivate you. I dare you not to be pulled into their stories. They are all messy. And when all is said and done they are all as evil as they are heroic and kind. They are real and they have these deep and raw emotions that just scream at you from the pages.

Nyx was the perfect person to tell this tale. Seeing everything through her eyes, brought the world to life in the most wonderful ways. Her relationship with her family is a mess and everyone is hiding things from her. Her husband is a demon lord who she has sworn to kill. There is another magical shadow like being hovering on the edges of her life and yet she still manages to hold firm to what she needs to do. She has these moments where she seems hard and she has these moments where she is one of the kindest souls you've ever met. She just works as a character.

There are two "men" vying for her attention. In my opinion Hodge does a love triangle right. Both Ignifex and Shade bring something to the table and watching Nyx's interactions with them is a blast. You just feel all the things that she's feeling about these gents. And I'd like to say that Hodge knows how to write her swoon worthy moments. She builds these completely different kinds of chemistry between Nyx and both guys. One is sweet and innocent and the other is playful, intense and slightly wicked. I got all the feels guys, ALL THE FEELS!!!

Also, I really enjoyed Hodge's writing style. It's one thing to be a wonderful storyteller, but I thought that her writing was also beautiful and honest. She wasn't afraid to give us darkness, but she never forgot to give us hope as well. She created a story that will play with your heart strings and will also keep you guessing as to how everything will end up.

So, in conclusion I have to say that I loved pretty much everything about this book. It is both a retelling and something much more. I highly recommend this one!

You can read this and many other reviews on my YA book blog <a href="http://thewhiteunicornfiction.blogspot.com/">The White Unicorn!</a>

Cruel Beauty was really something. Both a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and having Greek mythology, it was an explosive combination. I will tell you this right now, whatever you are expecting from this book is DEAD wrong! I had so many theories while reading, and next to none of them happened exactly how I thought it out. There are hints that could go so many different ways, it's insane!

The main character is Nyx. She is in no way shape or form a perfect person. And she knows that. She has a slightly irrational hate for her younger sister, and she has wicked in her heart. She admits that on page one. Her family though, with the slight exception of her twin sister, can all just poof. I hated their characters (in a good way) like the plague. Seriously, just die people! Nyx definitely goes through some changes in this book. She learns how to accept the people around her, and what it means to love. There's also Ignifex, AKA the beast. His character changes so much of the course of the book, it's amazing to watch. Also, there were lots of swoons where he's concerned. Knowing the story Beauty and the Beast will help with some plot points, but it does deviate as well.

The end! The end! I did not see it coming from a mile away. There was a lot of quick flipping of pages late into the night to see how it was going to end. The way the story ended, it could actually stand alone, but I REALLY want more! The characters got their story, but more is always appreciated. At some points, things got a little confusing. Like, whoa, where'd this come from? But it always made sense at some later point in the plot. The action was intense, the romance scorching, and the characters deep. They weren't your typical fairy tale heroes and heroins, they were so much more. Cruel Beauty is a beautiful retelling that isn't letting me out of it's grasp. A full five stars for sure!

Oh, I don't know how to describe my feelings for this book. I loved it. But I also took forever to start reading it, as I tried the beginning months ago but couldn't get into it. Then I got a print ARC of it and I tried again. Still had issues with the beginning, but I got through it, and it got so good. So glad that I read it.

I really enjoyed Cruel Beauty. It was a heartbreaking and beautiful book. The writing was amazing as well. But oh, I'm not sure I will get over that ending. On one hand it was so perfect. But holy crap. When I start thinking about some of the things that had happened my heart breaks. So cruel. And so perfect.

I'm not sure how to talk about this book. I don't want to give away the plot, so I don't think my review will be very long. But oh, there are some gorgeous characters to talk about. And I loved them all so much. Well, some I hated with a passion, but those don't count. I thought this book was done really well. It's very interesting and I needed to know what would happen next.

The characters in this book are all done so well. I loved reading about them all. The book is told from the point of view of Nyx, who has been told all her life what she needs to do to save the land. And oh, my heart just broke for her. She's an amazing character. Though she does have a little dark heart. Which I adored. I just, I kind of really hated her family. So much. Her father was not kind at all. I hated him. And I didn't like her sister, Astraia much either. But she grew on me. Well, maybe not that much :D

There is so much happening in this book. I'm not going to describe it. But oh. We learn so much. Some things bored me a tiny bit, but most of the things that happened had me very excited. But anyway. The plot focus around the Gentle Lord. Who is mostly a demon. And oh, I loved reading about him. He's a lot of cruel, but he's also not just that. He's very interesting to read about. And I loved him to pieces. We learn so much of him yet never enough. He must have been my favorite character :) I adored him.

I do suppose some would call the beginning of this book a love triangle. But I wouldn't say so. Shade is an interesting person. Well, first of all, he is mostly a shadow with no colors. But, hih, it didn't bother me that Nyx had some feelings for him, because I had peeked at the ending before starting. And although the ending may have told me too much, it also told me just enough not to be bothered by some things. And I did enjoy reading about Shade. Though he too did some pretty evil things. Sigh.

We get to see many scenes between Nyx and Ignifex. And I loved them all. They are fun to read about. Some things were a bit heartbreaking. They bicker a lot. And I loved it to pieces. They are adorable together. And I loved reading about the slow romance between them. It was perfect. Just wish there had been even more. Sigh. Though there were a lot. And it was so good! It was the best. Anyway. I really loved this book. And I loved the characters so much. And that amazing story line. So good.

I don't want to talk about the plot. Because that would mean thinking about it. And that would mean having my heart broken again by something that happens at the ending. Even though I loved it, it still breaks me when I think of a certain thing. Sniffs. But anyway. Cruel Beauty is amazing. It's so so good and I think you all need to read it when it comes out in January. I know I cannot wait to re-read it. And to own the gorgeous hardcover. <3 Sigh. I need all the copies of this amazing heartbreaking book.

Huge thank you to HarperCollins International for the print ARC of this gorgeous book. <3 So happy that I got to read it! I will always treasure it. Thank you also to the publisher for accepting me via Edelweiss months ago, though I didn't end up reading my eARC of it, hih. But I did read the book, and I'm so happy. But oh! I need a sequel. I really, really, really want a sequel to this book. <3

I got an advanced reading copy of this book to review through the the store Vine program. I love fairy tale retellings and this retelling of Beauty and the Beast was described as a mix of Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast. It ended up being a decent book, there were some things I really loved about it but also some things that could have been done better.

Nyx’s father made a deal with the Gentle Lord and as a result Nys will pay for his bargain. Nyx has been destined to marry the Gentle Lord since her birth, the Gentle Lord is basically a Prince of demons and shadows and is greatly feared by all. Nyx’s father has been training her since birth to kill the Gentle Lord and bring down his nine hundred year old kingdom which has kept their kingdom of Arcadia trapped in an isolated world. However when Nyx finally meets the Gentle Lord, Ignifex, she finds out that things are not quite how she has been lead to believe.

Nyx is an interesting character, she is obviously scared to meet her new husband. She is also a bit bitter against her sister, Astraia, who is allowed to live peacefully with the family because she takes more after her mother than her father. Nyx is determined to complete her mission of assassinating the Gentle Lord, but also strangely drawn to Ignifex’s strange mix of tenderness, dark humor, and cruelty. Nyx is a character that is very flawed and hard to like, but her cruelty paired with her compassion make her fascinating.

Ignifex is also a fascinating character. You don’t really know what to expect from him. He is more indifferent and playful than cruel in the beginning of the story. As the story continues we start to see more aspects of his personality, he is cruel, he is powerful, yet he can be kind and he is somewhat vulnerable. Of course he is handsome and dashing.

This book is mostly about the relationship between Nyx and Ignifex, and I have to say they are pretty excellent together. They each have a blend of cruelty and tenderness that compliments the other. They both are very flawed and they both do good and evil things.

The world is an interesting one. It seems to be based on Greco-Roman culture. There are a lot of mythology references throughout. In some ways this book is not only a retelling of Beauty and the Beast but also a retelling of Pandora’s Box and Cupid and Psyche.

There are a lot of elements from Beauty and the Beast in here as well. Although it is a bit twisted. Initially you think Nyx is Beauty and Ignifex is the Beast, but the roles could be reversed...Nyx does some truly beastly things as well and Ignifex is supposed to be a creature of sublime beauty. Nyx does get permission to leave to visit her family at one point (just like in Beauty and the Beast) and this triggers some momentous events (just like in the original Beauty and the Beast story).

There were a few things I didn’t like about this novel. It was very predictable, there is a bit of a love triangle at the beginning of the book but you can quickly figure out what is going on here and it is very predictable. I found the characters a bit hard to engage with at times and especially in the beginning of the book they weren’t very likable. I also felt like they were a bit 2D and could have been filled out a bit more, maybe it is just that the writing style isn’t as descriptive or flowing as it could have been.

The last thing I didn’t like was the fact that Nyx can do magic called Hermetic workings but they are never all that well explained and not used a ton throughout the book. The magic system between the Hermetic workings sounds fascinating and I really wish it had been expanded upon. Additionally Nyx doesn’t use this skill a ton throughout the book, it seems like a skill Nyx really values and I didn’t understand why she didn’t make more use of it.

The writing was a bit stark and simple for me, this made the book feel a little dull and lackluster at points. The story didn’t come alive and it was hard to picture some scenes in the book.

Overall this was a decent fairy tale retelling and a quick read. I liked the premise behind the book and throught the world was interesting. Although I liked the idea behind Nyx and Ignifex I really had some trouble engaging with them. I did enough the mythological elements throughout and thought this book did a decent job of retelling Beauty and the Beast in a unique way. There was just something about the writing style that made the book feel a bit dull for me, maybe it was that the writing style was a bit stark for this type of story. When I finished this book I kind of felt like, “Huh, well that was okay but it could have been better.”

Cruel Beauty is nothing like the Disney retelling of this classic fairy tale. Nothing at all.

First of all, Nyx is far from being an innocent, wilting dreamer. She’s been raised with the knowledge that she will be sacrificed and has been preparing to try and kill her future husband (and die in the process) her entire life. She knows she’s not good and tries to hide her ire from her sister, but she’s a fighter and refuses to go down meekly.

I wasn’t too fond of her sister, I have to admit, not in the beginning, where she seems so gentle and naive, and not later when she forces Nyx into a promise she doesn’t want to keep.

I also felt the whole setting with the Greek mythology and the demons (and the Kindly Ones, whatever those were) was a bit wonky and complicated – but that’s just an opinion, because I generally dislike the kinds of stories where Higher Powers hold all the strings. I liked the crazy, fantastical house, though, and the idea of the “hearts” of the four elements being its inner workings. I’d love to see that house’s “heart of water”, because it sounded like a truly magical place.

That said, I was really glad about what Hodge did with the love triangle in her story. All the guilt and the newfound passion that Nyx feels was quite well-executed. When I heard (this was an audiobook, after all) that there were TWO men in the house (her husband, Ignifax, and his shadowy servant/slave Shade), I had a brief “Oh, for God’s sake, not AGAIN” moment, but was pleasantly surprised with the way things turned out.

Read the whole review at my blog, Of Dragons and Hearts ([...])

I requested Cruel Beauty when available to request on Edelweiss because I love the disney beauty and the beast, and I had also seen some highly positive reviews from trusted bloggers and wanted to experience for myself.
The beginning of the book wasn't what I expected, and I didn't really get fully into it until Nyx was married and in the castle of the Gentle Lord. It was more about gods and goddesses, and repetitive moanings about her and her sister as well as a rather tedious to me set up of the world. Another thing that was lost in the retelling that was a favorite part of the Beauty and the Beast original was how Beauty sacrificed willingly for her family, and here Nyx really had no choice and she complained about it. However, several of my blogger buddies dubbed this a favorite so I kept with it longer than I might have otherwise.
However, I started liking the world and the story picked up when we met Ignifex and Shade. Both had qualities that made me want to know more about them and this is where I started being interested and invested in the story. I began to respect Nyx more and more because she is downright real. She has love for her sister, but also resents her because her father chose her sister as the one to fawn over and Nyx the one to sacrifice to the gentle Lord. But she doesn't just accept these feelings, she really tries to control and let the love win out.
The love triangle in this one is great. I was especially falling for Shade, and had a few theories about him, but I won't say because it would be a spoiler either way. He could only say certain things, and couldn't betray Ignifex because he was bound to him, but his gentle and believing nature really drew me to him. He helped Nyx when he could and I really pitied but also admired him at the same time for staying strong and still having hope after being imprisoned for so long.
Ignifex was an enigma. He was cruel lots of times, which wasn't a surprise since he is the ultimate deceiver but he also showed concern and care at times when I am sure that he didn't have to. In some ways I come to pity him knowing some of his backstory, but it is hard to keep feeling that when I am reminded of all he did, all the pain he's caused. The romance between the two always took me by surprise seeing his gentler side, but just like Nyx, I questioned it, and wondered what the outcome could possibly be.
Nyx has quite some adventures in exploring Ignifex's house, looking for answers, and trying to make things right, to fulfill her purpose and to find herself freedom.
The ending was perfect for the story. I was kinda confused at what exactly was going on from about 85% up to well, about 95% but still, I think that I know, or at least I pieced together enough that makes me good with the story. I think part of it may be my sickness haze, but I dunno.
Also, the ending was perfect. It somehow wrapped everything I wanted for this story (even when it seemed to be in direct contradiction to each other) and gave Nyx and ending that I couldn't even have conjured up. It had plenty of action, lots of character development and was a satisfying and good read that I am glad I stuck through the slow beginning for.
So, I will say that it was def worth the read, it had a slow (for me) beginning, I was confused at the resolution but it had an enthralling love triangle (that I was right about for once), a main character I came to love for her honesty and a heart-pounding and satisfying ending.

Bottom Line: A fantasy that had me a bit confused at times, slow in the beginning, but made it totally and completely worth it with the most unique love triangle and resolution I've ever read.

Cruel Beauty is a fairytale retelling...kind of. There are elements of Beauty and the Beast (as you'd expect), but also Bluebeard, Tam Lin, Cupid & Psyche, and many more. As you would expect, I loved it.

But I didn't just love it because of the clever weaving of known faerie tales in a unique way, but because the main character, Nyx, is awesome. And when I say awesome, I mean believable. She's wicked. Not heart-of-gold-but-fear-gives-her-a-sharp-tongue kind of faux-wicked; she's got hate and bitterness in her heart and she can't change that part of her nature. How often do we get protagonists who can be hateful (in thought and word, at least)?!

I love having a female protagonist who is complex- heroic, flawed, and who doesn't have to be moral, or obeisant, or romantic to be the hero.

All the characters in this book, actually, are very fleshed-out, real, and complex. Not a single one of them is a throwaway character, or a vehicle. And the feels! I had a lump in my throat for several chapters (no spoilers, I promise), but I couldn't stop listening. Also, there were passages that had me shuddering (and turning on lights).

I can't wait to read whatever Rosamund Hodge writes next!
I highly recommend this for fans of well-written faerie tale retellings, Greek mythology, realistic characters, clean romance, and twisty, dark tales.

On world building alone, Rosamund Hodge scored a huge ass WIN with her debut novel, Cruel Beauty. At least by my standards....

But, I did it again. I looked at the reviews for this book when I finished reading. I was still coming out of my "book-trance" at the time so I was feeling slightly protective. I get like that towards my books; it's completely in proportion to how much I enjoyed the book.

I can tell you, if you look past the marketing of this book as a "retelling" and go into it with the knowledge that this is an extremely dark, lush, intricate world built upon a new civilization that has to deal with defending itself from demons by offering sacrifices, you'll be more than rewarded with the most awesome "book trance" ever!

It's unclear what time period or where exactly this story is taking place (somewhere around Greece / Italy), but it's a civilization that lives with kings. Long ago, demons plagued the earth and in a last ditch effort, the last king made a bargain that saved his tiny island but a demon lord now rules over it all. To appease this ruling demon, sacrifices are made yearly in the form of wives for him. Nyx is the next sacrifice but she's been raised to actually fight back to save her island.

Where I myself stumbled a bit in the mythology was where the lords or people in higher standing worshiped the greek gods while the common folk (for lack of a better term) seemed to cling to the older ways and worshiped either the pagan, norse, or celtic gods and goddesses. Brigid was one of those pagan goddesses mentioned and she's in pagan, norse, and in celtic mythology. I'm completely spit balling my knowledge here so don't call me an expert or cite this review in any report. This is just my theory on where mythology fits into this story.

Have I mentioned the crazy demon house yet? Or the scary ass staircase??? I've got to tell you, when they sacrifice their daughters in this story, they pretty much leave them at the curbside and run. But Nyx is such a thoroughly complex and dare I say... young girl to be so brave and have such a heavy burden. I think she pretty much shuts down when she walks up the the demon house and promptly falls asleep in the foyer.

But then we meet the demon lord... Ignifex. He's charming, smart, and has the driest, most spectacular humor I've seen written in quite a while. What's the saying? "I'd do him." Yeah, that's about right.

Shade is a fellow captive in the demon lord's house. He befriends Nyx and helps her find her way through the house. I figured out his little secret early in the book but that never took anything away from the story because I still needed to know how it would all play out. Tee, hee... I'm such a non-spoiling tease, right???

Frustrating and infuriating are the best words to sum up the rest of the supporting characters. Every single one of them. No exceptions. None.

Overall, world building is what absolutely hooked me into this story. In the end, it was the complex story that held me enchanted all the way to the very last sentence, that made me LOVE the book. I'm looking forward to Ms. Hodge's novella, Gilded Ashes, coming out April 2014.

Nyx was a bit like a breath of fresh air: from page one she admits that there is a little bit of wickedness in her heart. Nyx is not one of those characters who is 100% determined to sacrifice everything for those she loves. Instead, she’s selfish at times as well as a tiny bit vengeful – and I freaking loved it! Oh, and don’t forget the anger. Gosh, Nyx is so angry for parts of Cruel Beauty but instead of whining about the uselessness of her situation or the unfairness of her and Ignifex’s roles, she uses that anger as a weapon to find a solution and get what she wants. What I didn’t like about Nyx is something I can’t discuss without spoiling too much but I will say that the moment when she breaks Ignifex’s trust is a moment I hated. WHY?!?!?!?!?!? It was all going so well :( … but then I guess books wouldn’t be as enjoyable if everything went according to plan. Moving on now.

Ignifiex… *sigh*. While Ignifex doesn’t grow as much in Cruel Beauty I honestly couldn’t help but love every moment he was on the page. When we first meet him he’s this mix of innocent and carefree with his darker side hiding, only showing in flashes of anger. And he. was. perfect. Seriously!! Neither Nyx nor Ignifex are pure of heart and they understand each other perfectly. Basically what I’m trying to say is that I really, really shipped them :D .

The plot in Cruel Beauty really pulled me in. Rosamund Hodge manages to combine a fairy tale retelling with Greek mythology and also demons and it all kind of gets jumbled up into this ball of awesomeness. This book hooked me from page one and the pace was just right: there were moments when I was turning pages like crazy but the rest of the time I was savouring the scenes, not wanting the book to finish (aka Nyx & Ignifex moments). I did get slightly confused towards the end with everything happening, but that’s also probably because of the frantic page turning I just mentioned.

Now the ending. Umm…. up until this point I was a huge fan of Cruel Beauty. And I still am. However, I want more!!! I thought Crimson Bound was a sequel to Cruel Beauty with the same characters and everything. And it’s not. I mean, everything wraps up in the end and there aren’t really any loose thread but because I was expecting a sequel with Nyx and Ignifex I didn’t expect the ending we got. It wasn’t bad, I just wanted more.

Forgetting my misleading expectations, Cruel Beauty was SO good! The way the author crafted the characters and the plot is kind of genius and I will definitely be going through a slight book hangover after this one ;)

Young Adult
4 stars

I was so totally excited about this book. Love everything at first glance. Love the title, love the cover, love the summary. What's not to love right. I wasn't disappointed. The book was everything I expected and more. It was dark, it was romantic, it was exciting, it was a bit creepy, it was beautiful.

Nyx was promised, by her father, as a payment for a bargain he made with a monster, a demon, someone that has entrapped their land and is seen as pure evil. Nyx will marry him when she becomes of age. Which she does and is dropped off at his front door. She isn't just to marry him but is expected to conquer him, kill him, even if it means killing herself in the process. Once she gets to the castle, Nyx finds that things aren't that simple and the demon, Ignifex isn't what she thought him to be. She embarks on a journey inside the house to find what she needs to destoy him. She has a bit of help from Shadow, which is well a shadow. What Nyx doesn't expect to happen, her hesitation in defeating the monster who has enslaved her or the fact that she may be just as evil on the inside.

I am not sure where to begin with this review. I know without a doubt I am over the tops in love with this book, the characters, the story line, the writing, the setting, it was all just superb, out of this world, magnificent, lovely, an so many more words I could use to describe the wonderfulness of this book. So I may run on a bit and possibly get off track because this book totally muddled my brain.

One of my favorite things about this book was the writing. The writing was just beautiful, dark, poetic. I loved the flow and fluidity of the words. I am not one that talks about the writing much, except to say if I liked it or not. The writing in this book made the book for me. The writing style gave the book character of its own. I felt I was in another world, a world of its own, a world I loved.

The goodness doesn't stop there. The story line was very alluring, romantic, and very mythical. I love Beauty and the Beast. It is my favorite fairy tale and I was really happy to see the dark come back into play. I also love Greek mythology or any mythology really, and I felt the mixture of mythology with fairy tale was genius. I couldn't think of a better fairy tale than Beauty and the Beast for this particular mixture. It brought on the dark and gave the story a great Gothic feel. Not only was there mythology but there was also fairies. More dark, more horror, more awe.

The romance as also spectacular for me. There was a bit of insta love, but to me, it belongs in fairy tales. So I actually really loved the romance. It wasn't sweet and loving, it was passionate and frightening, grim, tragic. It fit with the characters very well. There was a bit of love triangle but not really. It all made sense in the end and felt like it was meant to fall just as it did.

The characters were a love hate relationship. I loved and hated everyone of them and they will remain some of my favorite characters in many books to come. The main character Nyx was a very strong and determined girl. She knew her destiny and she accepted it. She didn't accept it well though. She hated her father, was bitter towards her sister, and was angry at her aunt. She accepted her purpose but despised it every inch of the way. It wasn't until Ignifex and shadow drew out her dark emotions that she started to accept things as they were and started to see so much more of everything else. She did have issues with self pity but that changed throughout the story.

I really loved Ignifex. I know he was the bad guy, supposed to be evil and all that, but really he wasn't all that. He had more than one side to him and even though he was a bit unpredictable, I saw through his charades and fell for him. Every now and again his ugliness would show and I would wan to slap him, but he seemed to always redeem himself in some way. Although his redeeming qualities weren't the best either, I could see there was so much more underneath the horrid stuff.

Shadow was another main character. I liked him enough. He had some pretty dark secrets, I knew from the beginning he wasn't who he tried to come off as. A nice guy. He was sweet but he had also had a dark side. I didn't quite connect to him as well as I did Ignifex, but I still very much liked him, he was a very wondrous part of the story.

The pacing was just right, the book was slow but only in the sense I didn't feel rushed. There was so much to take in and enjoy I appreciated the slowness of things happening. I was able to savor it all. It was a bit predictable, but um its a retelling so yeah that would happen. It was a great spin to a classic fairy tale.

This book will forever own a part of my heart. I will read and re- read, and probably memorize this book.

If someone told me that I would love this book as much as I did after reading the first chapter, I would have laughed. I thought, because of me attachment to the original fairy tale that I would find every flaw and compare this book to the classic. But before I knew it, I couldn’t do that because I fell hard into the world of Arcadia and fell even harder for The Gentle Lord.

However, I did find some things that drove me a little crazy. So let’s talk about those things first. Nyx has been training to defeat The Gentle Lord (mmmm) for roughly eight years, ever since her father has told her about her arranged marriage she has allowed resentment and hatred fill her heart. With that being said she must have a lot of anger and killer skills to defeat this guy, right? No. Besides her petty attempts to kill him, whenever these two are near each other there’s a lot of planning and even more kissing. On top of that, Nyx has a lot of trust issues because of the fact that her father is so willing to give her up yet, the first night at the castle, she’s already kissing and trusting this other guy! Who tells her ‘not to trust him too much’. Come on, Nyx! I thought you were better than that!

Cruel Beauty is still beautiful. The idea behind it is nicely planned out, as well as setting, the castle that Nyx stays in is described throughout the book with gorgeous detail that I felt as if I were right there in the house. The mythology is creatively woven into the story with a few different tales other than The Beauty and the Beast like French Tale, Bluebeard for one. For the most part, characters a very well-developed. I especially liked Nyx because she’s so very flawed yet she finds ways around it and accepts them as a part of her. My favourite character though, has to be The Gentle Lord because well, he’s amazing. He’s a realistic character in the sense that he’s very flawed, yet readers see both sides of him, he’s complex and super sexy and…I fell for him hard.

Rosamund Hodge was an author I was very skeptical about. I was afraid that she would majorly mess this up because Beauty and the Beast is my favourite ever. Like, I got a set of Disney Princess, and I painted on all of them except for Belle so that she could be the prettiest (I was only ten!), but I’m happy to say that her story has satisfied me, and I’m excited to see what she comes out with next. I recommend this to everyone who likes mythology and retellings.

The basic story elements of Beauty and the Beast are present, but Rosamund Hodge takes complete ownership over this story. Her Beast and her Beauty are so different from the norm, and their actions seem so out of character for the fairy tale, but it works. It makes for a deep and brutal, yet utterly lovely story.

The story is one that is all-consuming, pushing you into the world headfirst and forcing you to gain your bearings quickly. Once that happens, you are enthralled by Nyx's unexpected personality and darkness and charmed by Ignifex's surprisingly un-beastly manners and his struggles. Their personalities complement one another, and theirs is a relationship born out of mutual knowledge of the other, with no pretensions or falsity.

The mix of Beauty and the Beast and myth is just wonderful, and Hodge does a good job making the fairy tale into a mythic story, with the trickiness and caprice of the gods showing through. The writing itself is also quite lovely, though never especially flowery. It fits the story perfectly.

I would say that the ending is a bit confusing, with a lot happening in one quick burst, and it's hard to understand just exactly what went on to form the resolution. That's not to say you won't get the gist of the ending, but it might not perfectly make sense--and maybe that's intentional. To be comprehended but not understood. This entire world is a complicated one, though, and I'm rather in awe of Rosamund Hodge for coming up with it to begin with.

What makes this story unique, aside from what I mentioned before, is that the characters aren't necessarily likable. They're not righteous or humble or even kind, but they're real. Each character has their good sides but also their bad sides, and that's what makes you root for them all the way through. Cruel Beauty is a standout amongst retellings, and a new favorite of mine.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book. In fact, I loved the first few chapters, Nyx is not a kind person. She tries to be, but she is flawed and seething with the injustices in her life. Namely, the terrible deal that her father struck with the Beast of the story, the Gentle Lord. He and Nyx's mother got twin daughters but one had to marry the Gentle Lord when she turned 17. All her life, Nyx has been raised for this purpose and the opportunity it presents to destroy the Gentle Lord once and for all.

With teeth gritted and a fatalistic outlook, she does her duty but not before ruining the one good thing she had in her life; her relatiobnship with her younger sister, Estella. Now this was the part of the story I liked. I could completely sympathize with Nyx's disgust at the way she's treated in comparison to her much loved younger sister. Estrella has all the love and gentle treatment, Nyx all the lesson in the hermetic arts (some kind of hoodoo meant to kill the The Gentle Lord). But in the end, I thought her rage was entirely misplaced, the one who truly deserved her enimity was her pathetic, cruel father.

By the time he dropped her off in front of the castle of her new husband, I was seriously hoping Nyx would change her mind about the knife she was smuggling and leave it in her evil, selfish, father's body. He was the true villain of the story.

But what really downgrades this story for me is that it gets kinda boring. Nyx figures out that she will have to search the entire castle to find the magic points, perform the spell that will kill Ignifax/the Gentle Lord and return the land of Arcadia to the the normal realm or whatever it was that was happening to make the sky parchment beige, the stars and sun to disappear and for people like her father to take over a ton of stuff.

There were strange bits of other stories mixed in, the locked door and the warning from her new husband not to enter some of the rooms = Bluebeard

The guess Ignifax's real name game = Rumpilstiltskin

Ignifax's luxurious castle with food and drink appearing = Psyche and Cupid

The treatment of Nyx and Estella, the twins where one is to be sacrificed and the other is beloved = Vikram and Vetala

The previous wives who guessed the name incorrectly - Bluebeard's other wives

Anyways, the castle has lots of doors, some conceal waterfalls and others libraries with unreadable books, but since we already know what Nyx needs to find and she make's little to progress, well, to me the story seemed to lag a bit. Her dinners with The Gentle Lord became a bit dull too since he laughed at her naivety and she hissed with ill concealed loathing.

All in all, I didn't care for this book, but I think a lot of other people would.

This book was really close to being a five star favorite! I loved the characters, with their mix of lovable and detestable personalities. I loved the story line with Nyx exploring a malleable home, trying to save her family and all of her people, but also finding herself and acceptance. I loved the growth and the romance. I loved the mix of Greek-Roman mythology into a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It was all really well done.

Sadly, the ending was a bit convoluted, I think. It sort of lost itself in trying to be an unexpected twist, and I just didn't like the direction. I think it could've been better done with a cleaner progression. Even so, this was a really well done book and fairy tale retelling, managing to take elements from Beauty and the Beast but remain a unique and individual novel.

Lately I have felt a bit underwhelmed by many of the YA books I've been reading. It just seems like they fail to really suck me in. The romances are often rather bleh and I just always want MORE. Well, Cruel Beauty delivered on that, though I could say I still want more, but that's only because I'm greedy and I loved it so much I didn't want it to end.

This is a Beauty and the Beast re-telling. I'm not a big fan of re-tellings. I sometimes like them okay, but I don't seek them out and I hadn't read one yet that really worked well for me. So I think I went in feeling a bit unsure. The story pulled me in immediately. I had some tell me the beginning was slow, but it wasn't slow for me. I was liking it right away and didn't want to put the book down. Nyx starts out as a good girl who obeys her family's wishes. But once we really see in her head we see how much anger she has. She's angry at her family, she's angry at the Gentle Lord and even though she knows what she needs to do, you can see she just wants something for herself. Nyx has FIRE. I mean, words fly out of her mouth before she can stop them, all that anger she felt for years finally pours out when she's wedded to the Gentle Lord and in his castle. It's not this constant rage though, it's balanced with fear and even at times, happiness. I really enjoyed this balance in her and felt bad for all that she had gone through in her life.

Once I met the Gentle Lord, also known as Ignifex (not his real name), I wanted more, more, MORE! This is the kind of love interest that I love! So he's suppose to be this evil guy and everything. And yeah, maybe he is. But anyone who knows the Beauty and the Beast story is going to figure that there's probably more to him, or to his story. So I guess any 'evilness' was easy for me to overlook. He just had such a strong presence and something vibrant about him. I will say that there's more to this love story. It involves a Shade (which is called 'Shade'). Some could say it's a love triangle, but I'm not one of them. I'm not sure if it could fit in that category and it's too easy to slip spoilers, so I'm moving on. I will say that the way the romance developed felt lovely to me. The moments together were precious and wonderful. Even when Nyx was trying to trick Ignifex, it was just so entertaining.

This story is unique and strange and at times felt a bit confusing. It was almost hard to just wrap my head around everything. It got more complicated toward the end and you have to slow down and focus to really understand everything that happens. I wish it had maybe slowed down a bit and had more careful explanations, but that's really the only gripe I might have. When I finished this book I had this huge grin on my face. I actually wanted to go back and reread the scenes with Nyx and Ignifex because they were so perfect. I didn't want the book to end! It did have a full conclusion and I believe this is a series of companion novels in the same world, so I'm not sure if we'll see them again, but I really hope so!

I've debated whether it's a 4 star or 5 star and it's so hard to decide! I've decided to be a bit more strict on my ratings this year though and because of the confusing bits at the end I'm going with 4 stars. But really, it's very close to 5 stars! I loved it!

Cruel Beauty is one of those rare novels with which I have a love-hate relationship. The moment I saw the breathtaking cover and read the synopsis, I added it to my 2014 book wishlist as a must-read. Having finished it mere moments ago, I have mixed feelings not just about the anti-climactic ending, but also about the story as a whole.

I think my main issue with this book is, though I got the gist of the story, I was also very confused by the storyline. I understood most of it, and I could see exactly where the author wanted to go with it, but it frustrated me that there were also more than enough instances where I was completely left in the dark. My frustration mounted with the torturously slow pacing, and often I was distracted and had to focus on finding my footing again. The story only hooked me around 65% into the book, and from start to end it is loaded – and I mean loaded – with angst. Never mind the angst, though, the insta-love and love-triangle, and Nyx’s indecisiveness whether she loves or hates Ignifex, Shade, and her family, was emotionally taxing – even more so because I’m not a fan of mushy, clichéd romance. The author tried very hard to make this a deep, meaningful romance in a story that is all about good and evil and beauty within, sacrifices and eternal love. Although she didn’t fail at this, it simply didn’t work for me because I was too distracted with everything I disliked about the romance.

However, I did appreciate the lyrical prose and poignant storyline, but it didn’t evoke any feels. I sort of liked Shade (more so in the beginning), and I loved Ignifex’s brazen, mocking taunts and the way he challenges Nyx (more so in the middle), but the closer I got to the conclusion, the less I started to care about these characters. Nyx confused and irritated me with her hot and cold indecisions, and I just didn’t get her. By the end I didn’t care about her, her family or her husband at all. Maybe it’s just me, but if the subtext is anything other than coming to terms with there not being a person alive with an entirely pure heart, I clearly missed whatever deeper meaning this story holds. I would have to actually care enough about the characters to understand any other deeper meanings hidden in this novel.

I was awed by the imaginative world-building and the elements of Greek mythology used as a foundation for it. I was fascinated with the world inside a world concept, and absolutely blown away by the splendor of the narrative. Cruel Beauty has a great number of highlights that makes it a profoundly memorable read, but in the end it wasn’t what I expected. I’d say it was the blatantly overdone romance and the instant love that spoiled it for me, but the sluggish pacing is also at fault here. Oh, and all the chapters spent detailing Nyx’s deep hatred for her family and her new husband which I feel could’ve been summarized skillfully in one or two chapters.

I’ve only read one other retelling of the Beauty and the Beast classic, and that is Beastly by Alex Flinn. If I had to choose which one to recommend between either Beastly or Cruel Beauty, I’d much rather recommend Flinn’s retelling of this much-loved classic. Still, I won’t deter anyone from reading Cruel Beauty either as it most certainly has its own merits if only for the concept, the world-building, the mythology elements, or the lovely prose. Cruel Beauty didn’t do anything for me, but I definitely want to read more novels written by this talented writer.

If someone told me that I would love this book as much as I did after reading the first chapter, I would have laughed. I thought, because of me attachment to the original fairy tale that I would find every flaw and compare this book to the classic. But before I knew it, I couldn’t do that because I fell hard into the world of Arcadia and fell even harder for The Gentle Lord.

However, I did find some things that drove me a little crazy. So let’s talk about those things first. Nyx has been training to defeat The Gentle Lord (mmmm) for roughly eight years, ever since her father has told her about her arranged marriage she has allowed resentment and hatred fill her heart. With that being said she must have a lot of anger and killer skills to defeat this guy, right? No. Besides her petty attempts to kill him, whenever these two are near each other there’s a lot of planning and even more kissing. On top of that, Nyx has a lot of trust issues because of the fact that her father is so willing to give her up yet, the first night at the castle, she’s already kissing and trusting this other guy! Who tells her ‘not to trust him too much’. Come on, Nyx! I thought you were better than that!

Cruel Beauty is still beautiful. The idea behind it is nicely planned out, as well as setting, the castle that Nyx stays in is described throughout the book with gorgeous detail that I felt as if I were right there in the house. The mythology is creatively woven into the story with a few different tales other than The Beauty and the Beast like French Tale, Bluebeard for one. For the most part, characters a very well-developed. I especially liked Nyx because she’s so very flawed yet she finds ways around it and accepts them as a part of her. My favourite character though, has to be The Gentle Lord because well, he’s amazing. He’s a realistic character in the sense that he’s very flawed, yet readers see both sides of him, he’s complex and super sexy and…I fell for him hard.

Rosamund Hodge was an author I was very skeptical about. I was afraid that she would majorly mess this up because Beauty and the Beast is my favourite ever. Like, I got a set of Disney Princess, and I painted on all of them except for Belle so that she could be the prettiest (I was only ten!), but I’m happy to say that her story has satisfied me, and I’m excited to see what she comes out with next. I recommend this to everyone who likes mythology and retellings.

The basic story elements of Beauty and the Beast are present, but Rosamund Hodge takes complete ownership over this story. Her Beast and her Beauty are so different from the norm, and their actions seem so out of character for the fairy tale, but it works. It makes for a deep and brutal, yet utterly lovely story.

The story is one that is all-consuming, pushing you into the world headfirst and forcing you to gain your bearings quickly. Once that happens, you are enthralled by Nyx's unexpected personality and darkness and charmed by Ignifex's surprisingly un-beastly manners and his struggles. Their personalities complement one another, and theirs is a relationship born out of mutual knowledge of the other, with no pretensions or falsity.

The mix of Beauty and the Beast and myth is just wonderful, and Hodge does a good job making the fairy tale into a mythic story, with the trickiness and caprice of the gods showing through. The writing itself is also quite lovely, though never especially flowery. It fits the story perfectly.

I would say that the ending is a bit confusing, with a lot happening in one quick burst, and it's hard to understand just exactly what went on to form the resolution. That's not to say you won't get the gist of the ending, but it might not perfectly make sense--and maybe that's intentional. To be comprehended but not understood. This entire world is a complicated one, though, and I'm rather in awe of Rosamund Hodge for coming up with it to begin with.

What makes this story unique, aside from what I mentioned before, is that the characters aren't necessarily likable. They're not righteous or humble or even kind, but they're real. Each character has their good sides but also their bad sides, and that's what makes you root for them all the way through. Cruel Beauty is a standout amongst retellings, and a new favorite of mine.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book. In fact, I loved the first few chapters, Nyx is not a kind person. She tries to be, but she is flawed and seething with the injustices in her life. Namely, the terrible deal that her father struck with the Beast of the story, the Gentle Lord. He and Nyx's mother got twin daughters but one had to marry the Gentle Lord when she turned 17. All her life, Nyx has been raised for this purpose and the opportunity it presents to destroy the Gentle Lord once and for all.

With teeth gritted and a fatalistic outlook, she does her duty but not before ruining the one good thing she had in her life; her relatiobnship with her younger sister, Estella. Now this was the part of the story I liked. I could completely sympathize with Nyx's disgust at the way she's treated in comparison to her much loved younger sister. Estrella has all the love and gentle treatment, Nyx all the lesson in the hermetic arts (some kind of hoodoo meant to kill the The Gentle Lord). But in the end, I thought her rage was entirely misplaced, the one who truly deserved her enimity was her pathetic, cruel father.

By the time he dropped her off in front of the castle of her new husband, I was seriously hoping Nyx would change her mind about the knife she was smuggling and leave it in her evil, selfish, father's body. He was the true villain of the story.

But what really downgrades this story for me is that it gets kinda boring. Nyx figures out that she will have to search the entire castle to find the magic points, perform the spell that will kill Ignifax/the Gentle Lord and return the land of Arcadia to the the normal realm or whatever it was that was happening to make the sky parchment beige, the stars and sun to disappear and for people like her father to take over a ton of stuff.

There were strange bits of other stories mixed in, the locked door and the warning from her new husband not to enter some of the rooms = Bluebeard

The guess Ignifax's real name game = Rumpilstiltskin

Ignifax's luxurious castle with food and drink appearing = Psyche and Cupid

The treatment of Nyx and Estella, the twins where one is to be sacrificed and the other is beloved = Vikram and Vetala

The previous wives who guessed the name incorrectly - Bluebeard's other wives

Anyways, the castle has lots of doors, some conceal waterfalls and others libraries with unreadable books, but since we already know what Nyx needs to find and she make's little to progress, well, to me the story seemed to lag a bit. Her dinners with The Gentle Lord became a bit dull too since he laughed at her naivety and she hissed with ill concealed loathing.

All in all, I didn't care for this book, but I think a lot of other people would.

This book was really close to being a five star favorite! I loved the characters, with their mix of lovable and detestable personalities. I loved the story line with Nyx exploring a malleable home, trying to save her family and all of her people, but also finding herself and acceptance. I loved the growth and the romance. I loved the mix of Greek-Roman mythology into a Beauty and the Beast retelling. It was all really well done.

Sadly, the ending was a bit convoluted, I think. It sort of lost itself in trying to be an unexpected twist, and I just didn't like the direction. I think it could've been better done with a cleaner progression. Even so, this was a really well done book and fairy tale retelling, managing to take elements from Beauty and the Beast but remain a unique and individual novel.

Lately I have felt a bit underwhelmed by many of the YA books I've been reading. It just seems like they fail to really suck me in. The romances are often rather bleh and I just always want MORE. Well, Cruel Beauty delivered on that, though I could say I still want more, but that's only because I'm greedy and I loved it so much I didn't want it to end.

This is a Beauty and the Beast re-telling. I'm not a big fan of re-tellings. I sometimes like them okay, but I don't seek them out and I hadn't read one yet that really worked well for me. So I think I went in feeling a bit unsure. The story pulled me in immediately. I had some tell me the beginning was slow, but it wasn't slow for me. I was liking it right away and didn't want to put the book down. Nyx starts out as a good girl who obeys her family's wishes. But once we really see in her head we see how much anger she has. She's angry at her family, she's angry at the Gentle Lord and even though she knows what she needs to do, you can see she just wants something for herself. Nyx has FIRE. I mean, words fly out of her mouth before she can stop them, all that anger she felt for years finally pours out when she's wedded to the Gentle Lord and in his castle. It's not this constant rage though, it's balanced with fear and even at times, happiness. I really enjoyed this balance in her and felt bad for all that she had gone through in her life.

Once I met the Gentle Lord, also known as Ignifex (not his real name), I wanted more, more, MORE! This is the kind of love interest that I love! So he's suppose to be this evil guy and everything. And yeah, maybe he is. But anyone who knows the Beauty and the Beast story is going to figure that there's probably more to him, or to his story. So I guess any 'evilness' was easy for me to overlook. He just had such a strong presence and something vibrant about him. I will say that there's more to this love story. It involves a Shade (which is called 'Shade'). Some could say it's a love triangle, but I'm not one of them. I'm not sure if it could fit in that category and it's too easy to slip spoilers, so I'm moving on. I will say that the way the romance developed felt lovely to me. The moments together were precious and wonderful. Even when Nyx was trying to trick Ignifex, it was just so entertaining.

This story is unique and strange and at times felt a bit confusing. It was almost hard to just wrap my head around everything. It got more complicated toward the end and you have to slow down and focus to really understand everything that happens. I wish it had maybe slowed down a bit and had more careful explanations, but that's really the only gripe I might have. When I finished this book I had this huge grin on my face. I actually wanted to go back and reread the scenes with Nyx and Ignifex because they were so perfect. I didn't want the book to end! It did have a full conclusion and I believe this is a series of companion novels in the same world, so I'm not sure if we'll see them again, but I really hope so!

I've debated whether it's a 4 star or 5 star and it's so hard to decide! I've decided to be a bit more strict on my ratings this year though and because of the confusing bits at the end I'm going with 4 stars. But really, it's very close to 5 stars! I loved it!

Cruel Beauty is one of those rare novels with which I have a love-hate relationship. The moment I saw the breathtaking cover and read the synopsis, I added it to my 2014 book wishlist as a must-read. Having finished it mere moments ago, I have mixed feelings not just about the anti-climactic ending, but also about the story as a whole.

I think my main issue with this book is, though I got the gist of the story, I was also very confused by the storyline. I understood most of it, and I could see exactly where the author wanted to go with it, but it frustrated me that there were also more than enough instances where I was completely left in the dark. My frustration mounted with the torturously slow pacing, and often I was distracted and had to focus on finding my footing again. The story only hooked me around 65% into the book, and from start to end it is loaded – and I mean loaded – with angst. Never mind the angst, though, the insta-love and love-triangle, and Nyx’s indecisiveness whether she loves or hates Ignifex, Shade, and her family, was emotionally taxing – even more so because I’m not a fan of mushy, clichéd romance. The author tried very hard to make this a deep, meaningful romance in a story that is all about good and evil and beauty within, sacrifices and eternal love. Although she didn’t fail at this, it simply didn’t work for me because I was too distracted with everything I disliked about the romance.

However, I did appreciate the lyrical prose and poignant storyline, but it didn’t evoke any feels. I sort of liked Shade (more so in the beginning), and I loved Ignifex’s brazen, mocking taunts and the way he challenges Nyx (more so in the middle), but the closer I got to the conclusion, the less I started to care about these characters. Nyx confused and irritated me with her hot and cold indecisions, and I just didn’t get her. By the end I didn’t care about her, her family or her husband at all. Maybe it’s just me, but if the subtext is anything other than coming to terms with there not being a person alive with an entirely pure heart, I clearly missed whatever deeper meaning this story holds. I would have to actually care enough about the characters to understand any other deeper meanings hidden in this novel.

I was awed by the imaginative world-building and the elements of Greek mythology used as a foundation for it. I was fascinated with the world inside a world concept, and absolutely blown away by the splendor of the narrative. Cruel Beauty has a great number of highlights that makes it a profoundly memorable read, but in the end it wasn’t what I expected. I’d say it was the blatantly overdone romance and the instant love that spoiled it for me, but the sluggish pacing is also at fault here. Oh, and all the chapters spent detailing Nyx’s deep hatred for her family and her new husband which I feel could’ve been summarized skillfully in one or two chapters.

I’ve only read one other retelling of the Beauty and the Beast classic, and that is Beastly by Alex Flinn. If I had to choose which one to recommend between either Beastly or Cruel Beauty, I’d much rather recommend Flinn’s retelling of this much-loved classic. Still, I won’t deter anyone from reading Cruel Beauty either as it most certainly has its own merits if only for the concept, the world-building, the mythology elements, or the lovely prose. Cruel Beauty didn’t do anything for me, but I definitely want to read more novels written by this talented writer.

I'm a huge fan of the "Beauty and the Beast" mythos, yet I don't agree with its message: that if a girl is nice enough to the brutish guy, he'll fall in love with her and change. Likewise, I like CRUEL BEAUTY, and yet I don't. I'm glad to see there are other reviewers who feel the same way about this book.

** MILD SPOILERS MAY BE PRESENT IN THIS REVIEW**

I enjoyed the blend of fantasy and Greco-Roman mythology. It adds twisty fun to the Beauty/Beast storyline. Old gods go hand in hand with shadowy demons lurking in a castle with is more than it seems. Doors lead to secret rooms and possibly to one's undoing. All of these elements have me going, "Yes!" The descriptions of the enchanted castle were visually arresting--I was constantly closing my eyes trying to picture what each room and the hearts looked like. These were all very well done.

My biggest problem was with our heroine, Nyx Triskelion (was I the only one who was rolling their eyes with this name?), and her love interest, a demonic presence called the Gentle Lord. First off, let me say that these two have issues AND I love them for that. She's angry because her father sold her to the Gentle Lord in a bargain. She hates her husband because of what she thinks he's done to her family and her homeland. Great, she's not perfect. The Gentle Lord is a dastardly force: he makes bargains with prices all of the people who come to him for cannot pay. Excellent, he's not squeaky clean.

What I don't understand is the almost bipolar way Nyx deals with the Gentle Lord. One second she's smacking him with a plate, the next she's apologizing. Why? I found these scenes where she attacked him unintentionally funny. And then you find out that the Gentle Lord may not be so bad after all. Such a letdown. They have cutesy moments where they're literally falling all over each other. But these two do have serious problems, and they think they're not worthy of love. So I can't help but smile for these two imperfect people. Give me characters like this more often!

There are some amnesia elements which tended to bog the story down near the end. There were some character changes which happened randomly, especially Nyx's twin sister Astraia. But now that I've had time to ruminate over CRUEL BEAUTY, I liked it well enough, just not as much as I thought it would. If you're a fan of "Beauty and the Beast" imaginings, do give this a shot. How you imagine beauty might change after reading this.

Cruel Beauty really captures the essence of what so many of us likely think when we hear the word ‘fairytale.’ What you will get is exactly that a unique fairytale with a touch of darkness, a delicious dose of the forbidden and a a painful yet exquisite romance. This is most definitely a romantic fantasy where the romance takes the lead in plot focus, secondary to the mystery of the heroines quest.

I have to admit when I picked up Cruel Beauty expecting a young adult book but while Nyx the heroine is a teenager, in her time/place she is of marrying age. So, considering she is married off at the very beginning it set a more mature tone for things. She still has many of the traits of a teenager but they are also tempered with very adult characteristics. I found this balance delightful. I’ve always had a soft spot for young adult fiction and this book toes the line between YA and Adult very nicely.

The world building! Oh I simply loved it! I think this Arcadia must be in the time period when the Greek gods were worshiped, but this country somehow has been locked away from the rest of the world and now is ruled by the ‘Gentle Lord’, a demon that strikes bargains with humans. And we all know what happens when you make a deal with the devil, that you’re going to get burned.

Nyx’s father made such a deal before she was born. His wife was despairing over not being able to have children and so he struck a bargain so that she could have healthy children. His payment – one of the children he would have to give up as a bride to the Gentle Lord, to dwell with him in his castle when she came of age. Of course you know there had to be a castle and what a fabulous castle it is! But I am distracting myself, so how did Nyx’s father get burned? If you ask for your wife to bear happy children and forget to ask that your wife also be healthy as well, the devil would like say – that’s your fault now isn’t it?

Nyx grows up knowing she is the lesser loved daughter that will be given up to the Gentle Lord while her beautiful sister is the one that love and affection is lavished upon. Perhaps this twists and deadens her heart? She tries to be the dutiful daughter keeping her true feelings locked away from everyone believing herself to be wicked for feeling the way she does about her lot in life. I think this brings up a very interesting point of nature versus nurture. One could wonder just how much of your environment and upbringing determines the type of person you become? I won’t spoil things but this exact point struck me as important when it came to the true hearts of Nyx and her sister.

The Romance!

Sometimes I like to tell myself that I’m not a huge fan of romance – but at those times I must be deluding myself because I absolutely adored the chemistry and romance in Cruel Beauty. I was swept up in the back and forth banter, each stolen caress and kisses enjoyed against Nyx’s better judgement. What can I say I was completely befuddled and didn’t set this down until I was finished.

What we ultimately have is a misunderstood and lesser loved girl, a forbidding castle, a villain, a prince and oh lets not forget a stepmother, and sisterly issues, lots of them. When you think about it these are all common elements you’ll find in many fairytales and not always are they used well. But in Cruel Beauty I absolutely loved how this re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast wove these elements and so much more into an entirely new and really heart-wrenching story. I can’t recommend it highly enough to lovers of romance and fairytale retellings!

Original Review of this Book is Posted on my Blog, Boricuan Bookworms.

"I used to believe that if I just tried hard enough, I could learn to love her without resentment, but finally I had accepted that it was impossible."

That's what I call a twisted good fairy tale! Cruel Beauty is being marketed as "Beauty and the Beast meets Graceling", and at first glance that's what you think. But then we're also introduced to really interesting mythology to create a really amazing reading experience.

Our protagonist is Nyx, and she's been taught her whole life to remember she must kill the man she is going to marry, so that she may save her village from an evil curse, when in reality everyone is expecting her to die. Nyx is definitely one of my favorite YA heroines. She's so flawed, but in such a great way. Gone is the Belle-like selflessness and loyalty we expect to see, instead, we're introduced to a girl whose heart is filled with hatred. She hates her father, hates her twin sister, but basically just hates the fact that she's the one who has to carry with this burden. What did she ever do to deserve this? Nothing. Nothing at all.

"One of us had to die. That was the bargain Father had struck, and it was not her fault that he had picked her to be the one who lived, but every time she smiled, I still thought: She smiles because she is safe. She is safe because I am going to die."

We the readers can't help but relate to her, can't help but be sympathetic towards her. I even came to hate her family as much as she did! Her only motivation is to keep her sister safe, because someone has to.

"I had to protect her- from the Gentle Lord but also from me, from the endless envy and resentment that seethed beneath my skin."

Another character I really enjoyed was Ignifex. Ignifex is supposed to be the Beast in this story. And in a way, he is. Ignifex is a demon who grants wishes but at a cost. You want to spend the rest of your life with your true love even if she's married to another? Well, your wish is granted. Too bad she's going to die of Syphilis and give it to you right before she dies. Ignifex is charming and sarcastic, his looks are hard to ignore, and you'll find you can't help but love him. Ignifex was such a complex character! We get to meet him more personally, and realize things about him that make him that much lovable. And yet he's so "evil". He does evil deeds and doesn't feel remorse at all. Yet we still love him.

If there was something captivating about this book, it was the fact that Nyx had to kill the man she was slowly falling in love with. How was she going to do that? I couldn't even kill a man I hated, imagine someone I was in love with.

I can't say I found something I hated about this book, except for the fact that in one point, the romance seemed to take precedence over the actual story. But don't fret! Because this passes somewhat quickly and then we're right back at the action. There is somewhat of a love triangle here, but it's not annoying or anything. I was actually intrigued by it for a while.

Other than the amazing characters and intriguing storyline, we also see great twists and turns. Things we don't expected or never imagined could happen,did. It helped keep you captivated throughout the whole story.

Overall, this book is very captivating, filled with romance, amazing characterization, and twists and turns you wouldn't expect. Those looking for twisted fairy tales have found the right book.

Rating: 4.5 stars

An ebook copy of this book was provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

Rosamund Hodge has written an impressive retelling of Beauty and the Beast (or Cupid and Psyche, to be more accurate). While not as complex as Robin McKinley's Beauty or Rose Daughter (both based on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale), Hodge engages more with Greco-Roman mythological tradition, which gives her entry into the fairy-tale-retelling arena more authenticity than most.

Other reviewers have amply described the novel's contents, so I will make a few notes on characterization here. One of the strengths of this tale is the limited number of characters. The isolation experienced by 'Beauty' forces the author to pay special attention to characterization and engage with the psychology of the few characters in play. I was most impressed with Hodge's Nyx (Beauty), the girl chosen to be sacrificed to the Gentle Lord (Beast). Her father chose her at a young age to be the sacrifice, and her entire family preached duty and honor to her for her entire life, while guiltily lavishing affection on the sister who would be kept. In most fairy tales (and in most YA novels) the heroine is pure, dutiful, innocent, and thoroughly good. This, we are told, makes her lovable, and therefore worthy of success in the tale. Hodge rejects such characterization and makes her Nyx resentful, angry, and full of hate. She hates her family for giving her up, for not loving her enough, for choosing the 'good' sister instead of her. On some level, Nyx feels that she deserves certain death for having these feelings. Instead, she intrigues the Gentle Lord, who keeps her alive. Why? Because darkness, complexity of character, and flaws make a person human and INTERESTING. I strongly approved of Hodge's message that perfection, innate goodness, and blind innocence are not the prerequisites for romantic relationships.

I was worried with the introduction of Shade that we were in for the standard YA love triangle, but Hodge twists that around too, defying expectation (*sigh of relief*). The steampunk aspect with the Hermetic Arts was an interesting addition, but it occasionally jarred with all of the Germanic fairytale/Greco-Roman mythology - the novel seemed stylistically busy at times.

All things considered (particularly the characterization), Cruel Beauty was a satisfying addition to the fairytale retelling genre.

Actual rating 3.5

I enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it. The writing was so beautiful. I was captivated immensely by it. Yet even with its lovely writing, it also had its flaws. First, it dragged tremendously through out the book. I was waiting more and more for something to happen but nothing happened! Secondly, there was way too much info dumping that it left my head spinning. The author wrote so much folklore and difficult names such that it became a little difficult to remember the significance of a certain name or story. Third, was the main character Nyx. I both liked her and was frustrated with her character because of the way she acted in the book. One minute she's thinking about avenging her loved ones by killing the bad guy, her husband Ignifex, and then next she's fawning all over him! Don't get me wrong they had good chemistry, Nyx just left me frustrated because she wouldn't make up her damn mind what she wanted. Lastly, the ending of the book was a good ending to the story, yet I was left confused. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I feel little underwhelmed by it.
Overall this was a good book, just not sure if I would recommend it. I believe this is a standalone so at least this would be a quick read. It is said that this is a beauty and the beast retelling, but I wouldn't consider it really. There were hardly any similarities that was like the fairy tale. This was a beautiful story though.

Before Nyx was born her father made a deal with a demon, he promised up one of his daughters to be a bride. Nyx has always known what is to become of her but her father has also prepared her to try to kill the lord demon.

The day has finally come for Nyxs wedding and she is prepared both mentally and physically to try to kill the dreaded demon. She makes her vows and goes to the demons castle. As she gets to know Ignifex though will she be able to do what needs to be done?

Its been a while since I've read a book that had me feeling so many different things. Initially when I finished Cruel Beauty I was like "What"!!! Its a confusing but captivating story.

Nyx is a very complex character. To everyone she is the dutiful daughter and does what shes told but underneath she has a dark and dangerous side. She fights an internal battle when it comes to her family. One on hand she loves her dad and sister but on the other hand she hates them for what they have done. To her its like her father hates her because she was the one he choose. Her sister looks like their dead mother and her father dotes on her. All this together makes her feel resentful towards both of them.

Its hard at first to like Nyx but you do feel sorry for her. She is basically being sent to her death because every other wife the demon has taken has been killed. I felt for her with her internal struggle. She is a very intriguing character that will invoke either a love/hate relationship with the reader. She is strong, fierce and determined but also a little mean, uncertain and ruthless. She is definitely a character that will stay with you one way or another.

Ignifex is the Demon Lord. He is made out to be a beast and a monster but is he everything they say? He is the demon of deals. Every deal he makes is barbed. He is mean and cruel but also charming. At the start you feel like he is the villain but as his story unfolds you see that not all is as it seems. His story is fascinating and heart wrenching.

Overall I have to say that Cruel Beauty is one heck of a story. Its beautifully written and wonderfully unique but its also confusing and slow at times. The world the author created is one that's vivid, complex and unique. She has created a magical place with a castle that's constantly changing and is packed with mystery. Its a world I wont forget easily. The author has a way of writing that will grab you and make you apart of the world your reading about. She captivated me with her writing and I will definitely read more by her.

Cruel Beauty is the debut novel for author Rosemund Hodge and although I didn't find it to meet my expectations I did find parts of it interesting.

It gets off to a very slow start with Nyx getting ready to go and marry the Gentle Lord. I couldn't figure out why he was called the Gentle Lord when he ruined people with his bargains. Nyx was raised to hate the Gentle Lord and to kill him. Her father made a bargain and she was the price of that bargain. She resents her family for making her have to be a sacrifice to save Arcadia.

For the most part Nyx just irritates me because she is sort of whiny. I mean I get that she has been raised to kill the Gentle Lord and her sister has been loved. I just felt like the story tries to pound that into you way to much and that gets boring. Nyx does seem to have a little bit more spunk than the previous wives because Ignifex actually seems to like her. It's because of her wicked heart that he likes her, but who wouldn't have a bit of hate in their heart when you were raised to hate.

This story has a most unusual love triangle of sorts as Nyx thinks likes Shade, who takes on the appearance of Ignifex at night while in the morning he is a shadow. Nyx also finds herself falling for Ignifex even though she knows he is evil and should be killed. It's towards the middle of the book that you get to the main love story between Nyx and Ignifex.

Although it is a little bit like a greek mythological version of Beauty and the Beast it also has a bit of Rumpelstiltskin in it as well. Towards the end I started getting a little confused on what what was happening but over all the ending was nice. I can't say that I hated this story because it really did have an interesting take on B&B, but I didn't love it either. The pacing at times was to slow for me and the repetitiveness that went throughout it made the story drag in places.

I have seen a lot of reviews on this book and I can see why some loved it and I can also see what some hated it. For me though it was just okay and I will check out the Cinderalla enovella that is centered in the same world as Cruel Beauty and give the author another chance.

We all have those books that blow us away. That render us speechless, leaving us amazed by its sheer beauty and wondering how you will EVER be able to give it justice. I myself, have had quite a few over this past year. My reviews were flails and feels. My coherence was non-existent. And….This is where I am right now with Cruel Beauty.

Cruel Beauty is an original, fascinating retelling of Beauty of the Beast, mixed with a lot of fantasy and mythology elements. Retellings are always a hit or miss, as I am sure most of you can agree. Someone can take an original story and really make it their own, while others, completely botch it. Cruel Beauty was a hit. It is an imaginative, beautiful and is in no way, lacking in originality, that’s for sure. I honestly haven’t read a book like this. Ever. It’s dark. Mysterious. Fascinating and so, so good you guys.

I love Rosamund’s style. Although there were times I felt like I was sinking in info dump, because the terminology was hard to follow, especially in the beginning. It’s very detailed and overwhelming and takes a little bit of time to get into the groove of things, but once you do.. You will be blow away.

My favorite characters are the ones that are flawed. That have more issues and really make you feel. Whether it be FOR them or just in general, overall. And friends, Nyx is just that. She is such a strong-willed, frustrating yet loving character. She is angry, bitter and holds a lot of hate in her heart. (But hell, who wouldn’t?) Being raised as the one that would destroy the Gentle Lord, she knew her duty and knew what was at stake should she fail. Yet.. Yet, she has underlining defiance regarding that as well. She makes (several) mistakes but she owns up to them. She was just so real and honestly, one of the most genuine protagonist I have read in a long time. There were times I wanted to just scream at her in frustration though. AHH.

This brings us to Ignifex. He was such compelling and complex character. He honestly was hard for me to get a FULL read on, that’s how confused I was about this guy. I never really HATED him but there were times I seriously wanted to punch him in the face. I was taking his side and then switching as often, if not more, than Nyx herself. He has a very interesting back story and learning about what he does and why he does it, was one of my favorite aspects of the novel.

I won’t go into too many details about the romance. I loved it and want to GUSH about it. The banter, the wit and just.. AH. But there are things that you just need to read, on your own, without knowing much or ANYTHING about it. So there. :P

My Peeve- Aside from the few info dumps, I can’t find anything else that irritated me about this book.

Overall- I am wholeheartedly in love with this book. Seriously. Cruel Beauty will fascinate you with its beauty, uniqueness and compelling and complex characters that are so utterly believable and real. Rosamund Hodge is an author to watch and I will definitely be on the watch for more. I highly recommend this and I will definitely be buying this for my shelf.

I want to thank Balzer and Bray (Harper Teen) for sending me a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion or review.

So, I'll be honest from the get go and let you know that I did not read the blurb for this book prior to reading it. I loved the cover and heard so many people praising it, I just had to read it. So, when the chance presented itself, I jumped right in.

To not mention the cover would be a sin. So there I go. It's just gorgeous. I love the color scheme and imagery. It's really quite fantastic. So just by looking at this cover I wanted to read the book!

I'm a huge fan of fairy tale retellings. Or any retellings, to be honest. I love to see how authors take what I know and twist and turn it into something that it totally and completely unique. Hodge does this in such a great way. While I had heard it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I can honestly say while there are definitely underlying themes of this story, it is totally different and new. And I really didn't fell like I was reading a retelling but rather I was reading a unique story about a young girl who is sent to her death only to meet and fall in love with the man she should be set to kill. It's dark and twisty and romantic and amazing.

Nyx is such a strong character. I love how she is determined to find a way to save everyone. She begins her trek as a selfless person, hell bent on making sure her town becomes free. I really loved this character. She is strong and stoic. She does have very strong opinions and sometimes those get in her. While she wants to be good, she has this underlying darkness that is itching to break free. And she's snarky and sarcastic, which works well with the other main characters: Ignifex and Shade.
Ignifex and Shade, two sides of the same coin it seems. Ignifex is the monster, hell bent on containing Nyx's village of Arcadia. Shade, on the other hand, has a hand in wanting Nyx to free the city. Ignifex is all that is dark and brooding in a character. I really loved him from the very start. He was snarky and fun, a great compliment to Nyx. I seem to be drawn to the "bad guy" in books more often than the gentle souls that are portrayed as the best boyfriend material. This is Shade. He is loving and gentle side of the coin. He shows Nyx things she would not otherwise be able to see.
I will say that Nyx's sister, Astraia, really made me mad. I just didn't like her at all. In the beginning of the book she's so childish compared to her twin. I just can't understand how she could be so different. But later on in the book we see another side of her, one I was not expecting at all. It was liked she flipped a switch and became a different character. And I hated what she asked of Nyx.

The plot of this book is completely amazing. For the first three or four chapters, Hodge hits us with a lot of world building. I almost felt it was going to be a book full of info-dump. But I quickly learned that all this was necessary so that I could understand why Nyx needed to marry the Gentle Lord (demon lord, really, not sure of the name Gentle since he's anything but!). It's an intricate story of twists and turns, with slow reveals of information that peel back layers as reveal truths. Hodge also infuses a lot of Greek Mythology into this book: The River Styx, Pandora's Box and a bit of high fantasy.

And Hodge's writing, just...WOW. I am not sure I can adequately describe how rich and fulfilling it was to read her words. She paints pictures that are very vivid and real. She makes things complex and intriguing. There are some areas that I had to re-read in order to really grasp the ideas and understand what was going on, but it did't deter me from wanting to continue and figure out just what was going on.

All in all this book was absolutely fabulous. A fantastic debut novel. It's totally original and there's no way that my review would ever be able to truly capture its power. I urge you to pick it up, and read, and keep reading, and then finish reading and sigh as I did when you put it down at the finale! I'm really looking forward to Gilded Ashes and anything else Hodge decides to write. She has pushed her way into my top author list for sure!

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is a crazy awesome combination of a Beauty and the Beast retelling plus a whole new magic system plus Greek mythology. I read it pretty much in one day (snow day, woot!) even though I was supposed to wait for my reading buddy to catch up >.>. I just couldn’t resist! Cruel Beauty is spooky, tough, romantic, twisty, and all of the rest of those awesome adjectives :D.
Note: I received an eARC of Cruel Beauty through Edelweiss for an honest review. Some things may be different in the final version.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Published by Balzer & Bray on Jan. 28th, 2014
Genres: Fairytale Retelling, YA
Length: 352 pages
How I got my copy: NetGalley

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Strengths:
Nyx is everything I love in a heroine. She is quite damaged, almost an anti-hero(ine), but I completely get her. I understand her guilt and anger and conflict so well. I’m not even sure why I understand her so well, since my life has been kind of the opposite (no demons around here to make bargains with it seems), but Nyx is phenomenal.
Speaking of awesome characters, Cruel Beauty is full of them, but my other favorite is Nyx’s sister. You won’t understand why at first, but then you will and it’s awesome :D.
You might think there is a love triangle, but you must remember that it is Beauty and the Beast *cackles maniacally*.
Cruel Beauty is chock-full of schemes and trickery. I in fact almost had trouble keeping track of everyone’s schemes, but that is exactly what I love in a fantasy: complicated plot that fits nicely together in the end. So many people are making so many different bargains and promises, it was great trying to figure out where the loopholes were hidden.
Beauty and the Beast retellings have a big job in the romance department obviously, but it’s doubly true for me since I despise Stockholm syndrome romances. However, Cruel Beauty pulls off the romance wonderfully without any gnashing of teeth on my part ;-).
There is a whole new magic system on top of the Greek myths and Beauty and the Beast type things and it involves the four elements *happy dance*. I love magic that plays on the more traditional nature magic stuff, so it was really fun learning how this system worked.
For a while we think that demons are in charge of all of these shenanigans, but the real culprits are creepy and awesome and eerie way beyond demons!

Weaknesses:
The Greek myth incorporation is clever since Beauty and the Beast is basically the myth of Persephone retold and it’s fun the wonder what a country cut off from the progress of the world would think about the Greek gods. However, it just didn’t mesh for me. It kept felt jarring to reference the Greek gods by name and have the characters still worship them during a high fantasy retelling.
Nyx’s thoughts got a bit repetitive when she was trying to figure out what to do. Hopefully this is smoothed out a bit in the final version.
Cruel Beauty is Beauty and the Beast, so I shouldn’t be surprised that true love saves the day, but a girl can hope can’t she??

Summary:
I haven’t read any Beauty and the Beast retellings until now, but Cruel Beauty did an amazing job incorporating the cool parts of that story with a whole bunch of other fun elements to make a new fantasy world of its own (haha, literally). I really wish there was a sequel since that Hermetic magic system was just so awesome! If you are looking for a solid high fantasy with a deliciously damaged heroine and a splash of creepy, definitely check out Cruel Beauty.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Beautifully written story filled with mystery, romance, and interesting characters. It was slow moving at times, but overall it was a good read.

Opening Sentence: I was raised to marry a monster.

The Review:

Nyx has spent her whole life knowing one very important thing. When she becomes of age she will marry the Great Lord, the ruler of their kingdom, and then she will find a way to kill him. When she was young her foolish father made a bargain with the Great Lord and the payment was to give one of his daughters to the Great Lord to become his next wife. Nyx has spent her whole life training to rid her country of the tyrant that rules their country and she is willing to sacrifice everything to fulfill her duty.

When she turned seventeen she leaves everything behind and marries the powerful Ignifex. But to her surprise, Ignifex is very different than she expected him to be. He is surprisingly kind and the more time Nyx spends with him, the more she learns to care for him. Nyx always resented her family for never trying to save her, and she was never really ever able to be herself around them. But with Ignifex she doesn’t have to hide who she is, and for the first time in her life she feels free. Unfortunately, her mission hasn’t changed and she will have to decide what is more important, the kingdom she was raised to save or the man that has stolen her heart?

Nyx is a very complex character. On the outside you see the perfect daughter that has done everything in her power to do what she must, but underneath that there is a girl that just wants to be loved. She has a side to her personality that is dark and twisted, but all her life she has always kept it at bay. She is full of determination and drive, but there is a lot of hatred in her soul as well. I honestly found her fascinating and very intriguing. She wasn’t the easiest person to connect with, but I felt that I understood her.

Ignifex is charming, sexy, and very mysterious. One moment he was cruel and heartless, and then the next moment he was sweet and caring. You never knew what to expect from his character and I loved that he kept me guessing. As his story slowly unfolds throughout the pages, I found myself totally taken with him. His relationship with Nyx was sweet and real. They were able to be themselves with each other and they were able to look past the others flaws. Their romance was beautiful and timeless. Ignifex was a great character that was easy to fall in love with.

This was a wonderful story full of mystery and romance. Now I can’t deny that it is written beautifully, but it moved really slow for me. The writing style is very descriptive and lyrical, but there were times I had to reread parts to understand what was going on. So for me, the book felt like it dragged, and I got a little bored with the story at times. The best part about this book was the complex characters. Both Nyx and Ignifex have so many sides to their personalities and not all of them are pretty. I loved the depth you see in them and how their relationship brought everything to light. The setting was completely magical, with a castle that is ever changing and a mystery within its walls. While I was reading, I could vividly imagine the fascinating world that Hodge created. Also, the cover for this book is gorgeous, and it fits the story perfectly. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, I just wish it would have flowed better for me. If you are a fan of retelling or mythology, I would highly recommend you give this book a try. I think you will find it interesting and a good read.

Notable Scene:

If I thought of the house as a maze, I had no hope. I still got lost in Father’s box-hedge maze; I’d never solve this labyrinth.

But if I considered it a riddle . . . The house was a Hermetic working. And I had trained to master those all my life.

There is an ancient Hermetic saying: “Water is born from the death of air, earth from the death of water, fire from the death of earth, air from the death of fire.” In their eternal dance, the elements overpower and arise from one another in this order, and every Hermetic working must follow it.

Maybe I had to unravel the house’s mysteries in this order too.

FTC Advisory: Balzer & Bray/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Cruel Beauty. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Dark, thrilling, romantic, and full of secrets. This book was beyond amazing. Cruel Beauty was magnificent, brilliant, so wonderful that I can't even put it in words. But, I'll try. The fact that it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling already gave it a point in my book, since that's my favorite fairy tale. But, it went so beyond that.This book was perfection. I loved every bit of it!

I have to say that the world building was downright awe-inspiring. The world that the author created was darkly magical, ethereal, and just amazing. Despite how complex the world of this book was, I couldn't find a single hole in the world building. It was breath-taking how beautiful the world of Cruel Beauty was.

The character development was also note worthy. Every single character had so many dimensions and felt like real people. No character was entirely good or bad. Every one of them had their own assets and flaws. I really liked that about this book. With the flawless world building and character development, this book is one that draws you in and makes you part of the realm.

Nyx was one kick ass heroine. She's ruthless, somewhat cruel, and somewhat selfish. She resents her family and betrays one of her loved ones. She was not an entirely good person. And that's what was great about her. Despite her flaws, she was still a likable heroine. She was loyal to her kingdom and determined to do what was best, even if she had to sacrifice for it. She was remarkable strong and truly earned her happy ending, fighting tooth and nail to achieve it. I really liked her. I thought she was a brilliant character.

Ignifex was very similar. Despite his original status as the antagonist, he doesn't stay that way. He's cruel, selfish, and uncaring of others' pain. But, he's also protective of what he loves, sweet when he wanted to be, and, in the end, willing to sacrifice for love. Not to mention the literally split aspect of his personality. What do I mean by that? I can't say without ruining the biggest surprise in the book. But, it was one hell of a secret and it's revelation made so many little things that didn't quite make sense, suddenly have so much meaning to them. He was awesome and amazing and I totally adored him.

The romance was perfection. Nyx and Ignifex were really each other's perfect match. They are both strong, formidable, and, despite their flaws, had their redeeming qualities. And that allowed them to balance each other out. The romance was dark, sweet, and absolutely wonderful. I loved these two together.

As I said before, the other characters were so complex. From Nyx's sister and father, to Ignifex's servant, every character was dimensional and interesting in their own right. Even when I really didn't like some of them, I though they were great.

The plot was fast paced and I was utterly riveted the entire way through. The dark magic, the secrets, the surprises, the betrayals. It all had me on the edge of my seat. The secrets that were revealed were truly shocking and the revelation about Ignifex's past totally blew me away. The story was fantastic and the ending was perfect.

Cruel Beauty was a magnificent, wonderful, brilliant YA romance. I LOVED IT! It was dark, romantic, and full of surprises. If you're looking was an amazing YA book that defies expectation, this is one you'll want to read.

*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Disclaimer: I got this e-ARC from Balzer & Bray via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

Review:
Okay, the first thing you need to know is that whoever did the marketing on this book was incorrect. This is not Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast, it's Greek Mythology & Beauty and the Beast. The other thing you need to know right off the bat is that is slow in the beginning and there is a ton of info-dump, but please stick with it as it's one crazy ride.

I absolutely love Greek Mythology and while I know a lot of people thought that the addition of Greek Mythology turned the book a bit pretentious, I didn't I loved the addition of Greek Mythology. It took me back to 5th grade when I studied it and I tested myself throughout the book to see how much of it, I remembered.

Nyx knows that she is to be married to the Gentle Lord as soon as she is old enough. That was the bargain that her father made to him prior to her birth. She has never had a choice in the matter. She has resented her sister for being the favored one. She resents her father for not trying to save her from this fate.

Yet she has a plan. She plans to seduce the Gentle Lord, destroy his castle and free her people from the 900 year old curse that has been upon them.Yet no where in her plan did she expect to fall for Ignifex, the Dark Lord. She also never expected to meet Shade. Shade has more secrets than Nyx realizes. Shade is even more mysterious than Ignifex is.

In a book like this, you worry that so much effort and energy will go into the world building and that the character development will suffer. You'll be happy to know that it doesn't. The main characters are all fleshed out nicely and even the secondary characters are fleshed out nicely which was really nice to see.

For the first half of the book I was Team Shade. He was sweet and kind and clearly Nyx was interested in that. I think she was attracted to Shade not just because of his looks, but because for the first time, someone was kind to her and he valued her. My love affair with Ignifex didn't start until I was about 55% of the way into the book.

Before I knew it, I was swept up in Ignifex's clutches. He was much like Nyx. He was a prisoner in this castle much like herself. Yet somehow these two managed to fall in love. Before I knew it, I was rooting for them. Big time and my love of Shade was forgotten.

I am giving this book 4 stars mostly because the ending massively confused me. Maybe it was because I was up until all hours reading it, I'm not sure but overall it was really good and I would totally recommend this book to people who love Greek Mythology and or Beauty and the Beast.

**Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy**

CRUEL BEAUTY is the fairy tale retelling I didn’t know I was waiting for. Taking the Beauty and the Beast story and turning it upside down, spinning it around and still keeping it recognizable, it was entrancing and mind-blowing. Hodge created a fascinating setting, from what I could tell, an England cut off from the rest of the world, where mythology holds sway and the people worship the Gods of Olympus. Greek mythology played a large part in the story, with frequent references to Pandora, Persephone and other well known and lesser known stories.

Every character in CRUEL BEAUTY has flaws, and that is part of what made it so amazing. Nyx is the opposite of a typical fairy tale heroine- she’s angry, resentful, and at times she’s even cruel. Ignifex is handsome, but he’s a demon lord, ruling over the populace with his bargains, which never work out very well for the person on the other end of the deal. Even Nyx’s sister ends up being different than the reader expects. Nyx finds she can’t trust anybody, but then what do you do when you’re falling in love with the man you’ve been sent to kill? Watching the romance blossom between Nyx and Ignifex is so fascinating, as it is so hard to believe that love could come out of the circumstances, and yet Hodge does exactly that, never giving the reader the chance to doubt the veracity of the emotion.

CRUEL BEAUTY sometimes made my head hurt. It is so much more than a simple curse to be a Beast, there is a story of princes and gods, magic and demons, and the story whisked along at such a pace that I felt breathless the entire time. After reading it in one sitting, I almost feel like I should go back and read it again, take the chance to savor it. It seems to me a perfect little package, just waiting to be opened, full of little secrets I may have missed. I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to catch everything the first time around, as CRUEL BEAUTY sometimes had me so twisted up following the intricacies of the story.

CRUEL BEAUTY is one of the most creative takes on Beauty and the Beast that I have ever read (and I’ve read a lot). Definitely worth your time to pick it up and spend a few hours with Nyx and her world. My only complaint is that while CRUEL BEAUTY is an excellent stand alone novel, I wish that I could keep visiting the world Hodge created. Luckily, it looks like we’ll have another chance to peek inside- a novella, GILDED ASHES, will be coming out in April, and I’ve already pre-ordered it.

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
17-year-old Nyx has been raised to marry a monster – the Gentle Lord who rules over the village where she lives. An old rhyme gives her twin sister hope that she will slay the beast on her wedding night and return to her, but Nyx has little faith that she will achieve this. What she doesn’t expect is to fall in love with the monster, and actually want to be married to him.
Can Nyx break the enchantment over her village? And was the sky always the colour of parchment?

This book was weird. Just weird.

Nyx was such an odd character. She seemed to like causing other people pain, and would intentionally say things designed to hurt people, especially the people she loved. She also seemed to like inflicting pain on herself, why else would she fall in love with a monster? And not just any monster – a monster that she has sworn to kill, has been raised to kill! A monster who she claimed to hate, a monster who caused the death of her own mother!

The storyline in this was also weird. We had aspects of beauty and the beast, we had a touch of Rumplestiltskin and other fairy tales mixed in, and we also had mythology in there, with stories about Pandora! The storyline was complicated and confusing, and while at times I enjoyed parts of it, at other points I was really bored.

The romance was bizarre. After being sent to kill her new husband and failing, she claims to hate him, and then when something happens and all she needs to do is step back and watch him die, she saves him and decides that she loves him! I mean where did that come from? I just can’t fathom this one. At least in the Disney version of beauty and the beast the beast starts acting kindly toward Belle, and oh yes, she wasn’t sent there to kill him and free her village from a terrible enslavement.

The ending to this was also weird and confusing, and I’m still not really sure what happened. The whole thing was just odd, and I’m really not sure what to think!
Overall; weird and confusing.
6.5 out of 10.

My Thoughts: I have heard so many good and bad things about Cruel Beauty. It seems like people either love it or hate it. So, I was a little hesitant to read it. The beginning of it starts off a bit slow. Its hard to get into it. But once it livens up, it sure does liven up.

We are introduced to Nyx who has spend most of her life preparing to kill Lord Ignifex and avenge her mother and her people.

But Nyx meets him, and she is drawn to him. There is another character named Shade. Shade was a bit confusing for me at first. I wasn’t sure what he was or what he was up too. I took a liking to him as well.

Honestly, this one is so hard to describe I’m not even sure where to start. It was a bit confusing but I ended up really liking it. I liked the characters and the plot. It was weird in places but I liked that. I also liked how Nyx went around exploring the castle. Loved that part.

I thought Nyx was brave but she was also kind of naive at times.

Even though this one kind of felt weird, I’m glad I read it and enjoyed it. It was a bit slow but that is ok.

Overall: I don’t have too much to really say about this one. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It was an interesting tale. I felt a little disjointed at times but it easily cleared up and I understood things more. I can understand why some people will really like it while others won’t.

Cover: Like it! I didn’t realize she was on a staircase until I really looked. Kind of a complicated cover but at the same time not. haha.

What I’d Give It:4/5 Cupcakes
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Taken From Princess Bookie

Summary:
Nyx has been trained all of her life for vengeance. Her father made a deal before she was born for her to marry the Gentle Lord, Ignifex, the man who has brought tyranny down upon Nyx's people. Nyx is slated to marry and then kill him so that her people wil find relief. Training her entire life, she finds herself in an odd position once she finds that she kind of likes Ignifex. In spite of her attraction to him, she still attempts to kill him. Will she succeed or will something else come of their marriage?

My thoughts:
This mixes several fairy tales and myths together, but for the most part, I enjoyed myself. While I don't believe it is as close to the Beauty and the Beast tale that the title comes from, I do see aspects of that story. I feel that this is more securely based off of roman mythology. Either way, Hodge definitely blends a lot of legend into her fantasy tale. Ignifex became my favorite character. He is intriguing and manipulative. Overall, he's easy to enjoy figuring out motivations and learning about. I found him to be more enjoyable than Nyx, but she is also well drawn out. Far from Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, Nyx is not the pure hearted female. She is a tougher shell to crack and responds to love in a different manner than what we see in the fairy tale. I would say that she definitely has a stronger character base as a beast than as a beauty. I was able to guess where most of the story was going, but still found myself chuckling at things that were happening. The only problem is that it was a bit slow at times, which made parts tedious to get through.

This book was just ok to me I didn't become connected to the characters and I didn't really care what happen to them. I mean don't get me wrong the book was ok but I didn't love it. There were times when I was confused and didn't quite know what was happening or needed more to be explained about what did happen, or to go further into what was happening. Nyx was a little spitfire as for the Gentle Lord he was ok too but I wish more was explained/revealed as to why he gets the way he does when nightfall approaches. The ending of the book was also a little confusing too and I didn't quite understand what exactly happen and HOW we ended up there. I see where the author was trying to go with this book and the storyline but it just wasn't properly executed to me. Overall I wouldn't recommend this book and that is only because the book isn't worth the asking price. If it were $1.99-$3.99(pushing it) then yes I would recommend it, but you can find a better book for this price heck you could find 3 for the price of this book. While I didn't to much care for this book I would read future works from this author however it they are the same price as this book then I probably won't.

This is an excellent retelling of Beauty and the Beast set on an island in a world similar to our own. I love the story of Beauty and the Beast and have been a fan of some of the other fairy tale retellings that I have read recently so was excited to read this one. This book did not disappoint.

Since she was born Nyx has been trained to defeat the demon lord that rules over them all. To do this she is forced to marry him and is expected to get him to trust her and make himself vulnerable so that she can succeed in killing him where others have failed. But Nyx finds that Ingnifex and his story are far more complex then she had ever expected and finds herself warming up to him.

Nyx is a hard character to get to know at first. She has such bitterness and resentment and she does not think much of herself. This is due to the way that her father raised her to defeat Ignifex while favoring her twin sister who gets to remain at home with the family. I really started to like her after she went to the castle and started to come into herself and grow up through the things she learns there. Ignifex is an entertaining and complex character and I really liked watching the interactions between he and Nyx.

The story has elements of magic which I was excited about as Nyx is training to use these skills to defeat Ignifex, but once she gets to the castle you don't get to see much use of these skills. The story is interesting and the way it develops is different from what I expected. Even though it is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast there are quite a few differences that make the story stand out on it's own. The ending was different and I am still not sure how I feel about it. It was a little confusing at first but it did seem to work with the story.

I would recommend this to fans of YA fantasy books but especially to those who like fairy tale retellings or who have liked the book Cinder. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Cruel Beauty has been one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2014, so I was freaking out when an ARC magically appeared on my doorstep one day. As soon as I had a moment of free time, I started reading, and I just couldn’t stop until I had turned the last page.

I always love discovering a new fantastical world, and that which is found in Cruel Beauty is a curious one, with a rich and mysterious history, effortlessly blended with familiar myths. Early on, there’s a lot of heavy “info-dumping” which slows the plot, but is important to introduce the mythology that later comes into play. Do not let that stop you, because once the story truly starts, it will enthrall you to the end, and you’ll be grateful for the information which so brilliantly comes into the plot at a later point.

Nyx was such a unique character. Her past has left her hard and cold, almost broken in a way. She’s not a perfect, innocent girl. And because of her faults and shortcomings, I came to love her as a character. The interesting thing about this book is that I found myself wondering who was really supposed to be the beast, and who the beauty, because both Nyx and Ignifex have so many complicated layers to their character.

I had mixed feelings about the love triangle initially. The logic in me said “No! They’re dangerous!” and yet their was a burning curiosity about both Shade and Ignifex, which got the better of me, Before long I had fallen for both. They both had such different personalities, but both had this tenderness buried in them, and when it emerged in either I would swoon.

Cruel Beauty is a beautiful, dark, complex novel that has the potential to make you overflow with emotions of all sorts. I was angry and scared and confused, all for the characters who I grew attached to over the course of the novel. I cannot say enough about the cruel and beautiful power in this novel.

I'm going to start off this review saying that Rosamund Hodge can create the perfect atmosphere for a fantasy novel with her beautiful writing. Let me also say that I wasn't a fan of her character's relationships with each other. I liked the characters by themselves but not with each other.

Nyx was a fun protagonist, but she was also sort of irritating when she kissed Shade in the beginning, and for an assassin, she sure lusted over Ignifex a lot. But take those boys out of the equation, and I enjoyed her personality a lot. She was strong, and she knew her priorities. In the beginning (note that I say "beginning"), she doesn't let Ignifex's appearances (he's gorgeous) get in the way of her mission, which I loved.

Also Ignifex interested me. His entire story interested me. Some aspects of the novel felt unexplained to me (the darkness eating him. Correct me if Hodge did elaborate, and I'm just forgetting it), but maybe that's just me. His perspective regarding the people he made bargains with was fascinating as well. It allowed me to understand his character on a deeper level. And the fact that the never got angry with Nyx for her antics (you know, trying to murder him and all) was intriguing and made me like him as a love interest even more.

On the other hand, Shade seemed uninteresting to me. He was also irrelevant to me. I wish he had played a larger role in the novel so I could've gotten to know him more as a person. In honesty, I didn't really like his personality. From what I read, for someone who had been around Ignifex for so long, he sure didn't know much about his master. And all he ever talked about was how Nyx was their last chance. Talk about repetitive.

Nyx's relationships with both boys didn't really settle with me correctly. I didn't think she had a bond with either of them, Shade even less than Ignifex. Sure, Nyx and Ignifex has some cute/adorable lines in the course of the novel, and I liked them, but I didn't like them as a couple. They just didn't mesh well for me.

The world-building was amazing. Seriously. Despite a few holes in Ignifex and Shade (I think they were warranted with his situation), I thought that the history of Arcadia was explained very well, and I loved that aspect of the novel. Also, Hodge's writing just made everything so much better. Her word choice was marvelous.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book, but honestly not to the extent that I wanted to. Before reading this book, all I read were rave reviews, so I was expecting something jaw-droppingly amazing. It was good, but not a favorite. It was a good Beauty and the Beast retelling, so if you're looking for one of those, go right ahead!

"I think I'm wicked enough to love a demon."

Vicious but oh-so-romantic. My kind of fairy tale. :D

I want my fairy tales to sweep me off my feet, and Cruel Beauty did just that… marvelously. And if the heroine is not a damsel a distress, but a bold, feisty, and suspicious bride to the demon, then by all means, count me in!

Nyx is not afraid to be hurt (and yeah, hurt in return) and admit her hate. Here is a girl who grew up longing for a father's approval and love, while dreading the day she got offered as tithe to the demon who is the master of her town.

The story was just incredible, full of love and hate, and the thin line between them was indiscernible. This was not the fairy tale I expected. It was so much more!

The love triangle is easy to neglect, knowing that each chapter, Rosamund Hodge excites me with new bickering brimming with hatred coming from Nyx, towards Ignifex. The demon rises up to Nyx's spite, and I love it! And when she warms to the idea of Ignifex (and his nature), things starts to get swoony and sweet, and just plain fairy tale-ish. :D

The kiss-on-the-first-meeting was a tick, but I let that slide. This is supposed to be a fairy tale after all. Other than that, I just glided through the pages.

Nyx and Ignifex's tale will leave you marvelling with their truly one-of-a-kind love story. The almost-impossible romance between them was darkly funny yet warmly romantic, too. IMO, Cruel Beauty was the perfect valentine read. :)

Cruel Beauty had me at re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. As a huge fan of the original story I knew this book was for me. After reading a few chapters I realized it was more than that. It also stems from Greek Mythology as well. So with those two elements combined I settled down for a good read.

The story is about Nyx. Her father makes a bargain before she's born that she'll be married off to a monster that haunts her town. She's raised knowing that's her purpose in life, and also to kill the monster to free the town. Nyx hates her destiny. She's bitter towards those who love her. I can hardly blame her there. She hides so much anger in her heart that on the outside she's an obedient child, but on the inside a raging volcano of emotions.

By the time she gets to her 'new' home, she's ready to do battle with the monster, aka Ignifex, and reclaim her homeland. Things aren't as easy as she thought they would be. Ignifex is charming in a dangerous sort of way that she finds enchanting. She also befriends a shade-like shadow that helps her through the castle. And from here the story gets interesting.

I couldn't help but wonder who the shade was? Can Ignifex really be trusted? What's the deal with the town? All these questions and more kept me turning the page to find out more. So as far the story line goes, I liked it. I also like that Nyx was not your typical "damsel in distress." Her emotions were all over the place, but understandably. I also like Ignifex and Nyx together. I know he's the bad guy, but he draws you in and you want him to succeed.

Overall, I like this story. The cross between Beauty and the Beast and Greek Mythology really complimented each other. The story is fast moving and enchanting. Very entertaining!

Cruel Beauty started off slow and, at first, failed to capture my interest. I'm glad to say that it gets better, though! At first I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get into it. But, once Nyx moved in with the Gentle Lord, I became a lot more interested in it. Though, there were some back-and-forth moments for me -- between being bored and interested. Sometimes I would be into it and others I wouldn't. It was as if I was only able to become completely captivated when she was dealing with the Gentle Lord, which wasn't all that often in the beginning. The rest of the story was okay -- not bad, but not able to keep my interest either.

I found it interesting that Cruel Beauty is a fairy tale retelling -- it's based on Beauty and the Beast -- but it's filled with Greek Mythology references.

I'm not sure I was the hugest fan of any of the characters. I thought they were decent, but not my favourite. There was just something about Nyx that kept me from being able to fully connect with her. It's like the wall she put up to protect herself in the actual story was there between her and the reader as well. Which is not a good thing. Nyx's personality also seems much older than her sister, even though they are twins. I mean, I kind of get it, but I also think that it was too much of a difference in maturity. It always seemed like she was dealing with a little sister, a child. I guess that can happen in real life too, I just didn't like it in the story.

I loved the witty back-and-forth banter between Nyx and Ignifex. I thought it was entertaining to read.

Overall, I kind of have mixed feelings on this one. Which sucks, because I was looking so forward to it. I'd heard a lot of good things about it before picking it up.

Whoa!!! Great story and totally unique!!!

I borrowed my friend's book as soon as she purchased it, in fact I snatched it from her before she read it. I loved the story totally. Great descriptions and I was stunned to see the different descriptions of 'shadows' that the author included here. Every scene had it's unique description of darkness and I'm feeling a little shy to confess that I'm so afraid of dark and after reading it I started imagining eyes in shadows, creepy right?

The characters were so good and fascinating. I couldn't believe that Ignifex and Shade were the same person and when the actual reason behind it was stated then the picture became clearer and the pieces started to click together to solve the puzzle.

Nyx and Ignifex were a great couple and I liked their chemistry a lot and I totally understood her pull towards the bad boy, it's obvious!!!

Nyx's father was a total jerk and I had mixed feelings about Nyx's sister and aunt, sometimes they felt to be caring but sometimes they were totally indifferent about Nyx's life, that was frustrating !!!

I had have a small complaint that is the language sometimes felt a little confusing and I had to read at least two times before properly grasping the scene and visualizing it. The ending part where Nyx forgets everything at first and later she remembers and bargains with the Kindly Ones for her love, well that part felt totally confusing, I just hope it would have been much clearer so the experience would have been otherworldly instead of just good.

What about you guys? Did you face this problem too or was it a total otherworldly experience for you?

When I was a teen (and I'm a long way from that now), I liked to read books that had love stories with a darker, somewhat Gothic, edge to them. I enjoyed this book quite a bit as an adult but would have loved this as a teen.

It is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast (the classic fairy tale, not the Disney movie) with a young girl forced to marry a monster because of her father's actions. In this book, the heroine Nyx must marry the prince of demons (inexplicably named the Gentle Lord) because of a bargain her father made before she was born. Unlike Beauty in the fairytale, Nyx is not pure in heart -- she's angry at pretty much everyone and has been trained from childhood to destroy the demon and save her country. She expects to be either killed by her husband or to die in the process of trying to destroy him and she's not real happy about her fate and the people who put her there.

After she is married, things don't unwind quite the way Nyx expected -- and that's all the more I'm going to say about the plot because I want readers to discover it on their own.

There are elements of Greek mythology in the story -- the people of Arcadia worship house gods and various other gods. It isn't critical to know a lot of the mythology but it night help a little to understand some of the references. (For example, the Kindly Ones is a name given to the Greek Furies. This is not explained in the book but knowing it does give the story a different flavor.)

For parents, there is no swearing and no explicit sex.

This book is Beauty and the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin, and Greek Mythology all in one book. I AM OBSESSED!! As I am reading this book, all I can think about is Nyx when she first entered the palace. To hear about the monster she was being sacrificed to her whole life only to find out he could possibly not be the monster she thought he was.
I loved the way Ignifex treats her throughout the book. His personality is extremely lovable even though you don't want to love . I found myself ridiculously smiling every time Nix encountered Ignifex.

I enjoyed every page of this book. The only thing I wish is that the book would have been longer. I am usually not a fan of stand alone books, but this one left me fulfilled and on a book high. If you like fairy tales, this is a must read!

I absolutely adore retellings and Cruel Beauty definitely delivered another fav to my shelf!

This book is centered around Beauty and the Beast. I think that is one of my all time favorite Disney movies so when I saw this book I knew I had to read it. The author did an amazing job crafting the similarities and keeping the differences prominent enough that I didn't feel like I knew what was going to happen. When you are writing a retelling that is definitely key.

I also really loved the world that Hodge created. I don't think many authors could throw in mythology in a rich fantasy world and not make it hokey. Hodge did a terrific job at this blending and I honestly couldn't get enough. I would love to revisit this world.

I think my favorite part though was the characters though. They were just amazing and I wanted way more after the story ended. Nyx is definitely one of my favorite female characters. She was strong and I respected her decisions.

The only thing I didn't care too much for was the ending which is odd. I loved everything else about this book but that. I had something else entirely in my head when I started getting close to the last page and I was a little bothered by what happened. I can't complain though the author still delivered a solid ending and really that is all any reader can hope for.

Great book and wonderful writing! I will definitely look for this authors next release!

What I Loved: I was initially drawn to the fact that Cruel Beauty is supposed to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I don’t think I’ve read any of those so it was nice to see how this author would tackle it. I really loved Hodge’s writing. It was very elegant, vivid, and imaginary. I liked the world she created and the magic and mystery behind it all. I also enjoyed the dialogue. Nyx, although not a particularly positive protagonist, has her “Quick wit” moments and I actually enjoyed her interactions with Ignifex. I don’t want to give anything away, but just know that it was rather amusing seeing them together.

Left Me Wanting More: I’ll admit, it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting and the “retelling” part was a bit out there. Things didn’t really come together until a little after halfway through and that’s when I started to see more bits and pieces that resembled the B&B storyline. I also wasn’t too fond of the romance. While I did like their interactions, I didn’t believe their love. Things were a big rushed in the emotion department and I honestly preferred them as friends and cohorts rather than lovers.

Final Verdict: I think if people go into this with an open mind and maybe even, not knowing it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling, maybe they might enjoy it more. This is definitely one of those “slow burn” reads that you have to really be invested in. There were parts I really enjoyed and parts that were a bit confusing, but overall, it was a decent read. I’d say read this more for the uniquely magical world as opposed to the romance.

I grew up loving Beauty and the Beast (yes the Disney version, but I realize the real version isn't like that) and Belle is my favorite princess. (I am a Disney girl through and through :) ) so I was really excited to read this take on the classic fairy tale. I wanted to love it. I wanted to like it even. But it was only okay for me.

It took me a while to get into Nyx. At the beginning I really couldn't have cared less about her. Over time, she grew on me. And the flip flopping between her love of Shade and Ignifex kind of got old. Although I do admit that I understood the flip-flopping at the end.

Let's talk about relationship between Ignifex and Nyx. It bugged me. She was raised to be tough and knowing that she was going to die for her country. But the minute she sees the Gentle Lord, she feels something for him. Really? I can understand attraction growing over time once you get to know this person you've been raised to hate but not what seemed to be pretty much instantly. (Although she instantly fell in love with Shade too so maybe she's just that type).

The last part of the book confused me. I think I get the general gist of the story but all the hows and whys escaped me.

I found myself trying to find similarities to the movie I love. I loved the mention of the rose garden under the dome. And the way dinner would magically appear. So it wasn't a horrible book by any means. It just didn't make me fall in love with it like I'd hoped it would.

My feelings on Cruel Beauty are hard to explain – but let me try. This book is a strange mash-up of mythology, historical fiction, and a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I guess maybe I went in thinking this was going to be more along the lines of Beastly by Alex Flinn, just set in a different time period – but that is definitely not what this book is.

For me, the mash-up of the mythology and the retelling just didn’t work, though the writing itself was gorgeous. Cruel Beauty had too many facets to it and all of that actually confused me to the point of boring me. It almost felt like I had been dropped into the middle of a book – I was so lost and nothing ever made any sense. I totally understand the appeal for mixing a retelling with something like mythology (Cinder is a great example of a retelling mashing with Science Fiction) but for me, it just didn’t work here.

I’d like to read more by this author – seriously, her writing is divine – but for me, the story was the issue.

Hands down. I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK.

Plot: I’m all for classic re-tales. In fact, I’m always looking for the next great read in this area. And then this book fell in my lap and OMG, it’s amazing. If you read the synopsis then you know that this is a re-tale of Beauty and The Beast. I think the creativity for this story, the development of the characters and the world around it is an success.

Love: This is the part that captured me the most. The reader is introduced to the Gentle Lord, who is cursed. I enjoyed the way the reader got to know this guy. At first he is all business making snide remarks, but then his shell starts to peel away one by one, and were left with a guy who is not who we thought he is. I also really enjoyed Nyx’s growth as well. She is funny, strong, and her snarky comments kept me snickering through out the book. She too begins to understand that her plan will not go through as expected. She things differently and it changes her.

Ending: I love the ending. I like how Nyx stood up and fought for what she believed in. She took everything in with stride, throwing it back out at others. She captures the readers pulling them along for a ride that is different and unique.

Overall, I’m very happy and impressed with this story. I can totally go back and read it again. Smart and sophisticated, Cruel Beauty is an memorable read. Crafted with the beauty of deception, magic, and love, the story is an never-wavering inspiration. Profounding and engaging, Cruel Beauty steals the show!

4-1/2 Stars

Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite fairy tale, so I have a soft spot for any book proclaiming it has any relations to the story. Because of this, I have read quite a lot of retellings and reimagining of this beloved fairy tale. The drawback of having read so many is they start to sound exactly the same and become stale.

CRUEL BEAUTY was imaginative, fresh, and completely different than any other retellings I have ever read.

This story takes place in a fairy tale world cut off from the real world. The world and land is based on Greco-Roman mythology. There is a large info dump for the first couple of chapters, but it didn’t bother me as I found it very interesting. Also, that information is crucial to everything about the story.

Nyx, the “Beauty” in the story, is being forced to marry the Gentle Lord, the “Beast”, because of a bad bargain her father made before she was born. Nyx has been trained by her father to assassinate the Gentle Lord. Her father and his secret society believe by killing him, it will free their world from its prison and be part of the real world again.

The characters in this story are very complex, as in real life. No one is evil or good—there is so much gray it’s hard to know who to root for and where this story is going. It made predicting the outcome near impossible.

I really enjoyed this story and found it really intriguing. I would definitely read another story by this author.

If you’re like me, then you’ve probably been relishing in this fairytale retelling trend that has been sweeping the YA genre. While I’ve suffered through many painful attempts on twisting (more like destroying) classic stories, Cruel Beauty soars above them all.

Mix in some Greek mythology with a tale as old as time, a dash of romance and lots of intrigue and you are given a thrilling, page turner that will have you racing towards the end. This retelling has bits and pieces of the classic Beauty and Beast-esque themes and elements but strays far from the sugarcoated Disney version.

My favorite part of Cruel Beauty were the characters, especially Nyx. While some readers found themselves annoyed with Nyx’s ugly heart, I found it refreshing. So many YA characters are too good; they’re so nice that they aren’t relatable. Hodge created a character that’s pain was so believable, I could feel and sympathetize with her struggles and thoughts. Her relationship with her sister and family created an interesting dynamic in personal growth for her. Ideas of family and loyalty were explored as Nyx debates on her decision.

Nyx was not a cookie cut, Barbie-like character; she was flawed, angry, bitter and human.

Ignifex was another refreshing character. Although similar to the cocky, overused stereotype that are in practically every YA novel, I immediately liked Ignifex, warts and all. From his humor to his demons (literally!), I loved him.

The plot was a strong element, woven in with classic fairytale themes and Greek mythology, and really strayed away from the cliche endings of retellings. I will say that I’m not overly familiar with Greek mythology which made the references a bit more difficult, or should I say tiresome? It slowed me down as I read through this because I had to try and recall all the characters and stories I had learned about in 6th grade.

Cruel Beauty’s ending wrapped everything nicely for readers but still left us mesmerized by the dark and wonderful world.

Who Should Read It

Fans of Graceling and Entwined will love this dark, romantic novel that combines a sharp, fierce heroine with a troubled love interest.

If you’re a fan of Beauty and the Beast and are look to find one of the best retellings available, you’ve found it with Hodge’s Cruel Beauty!

While some content in the book is a bit on the darker side, ages 14 and up will love this story! Perfect for any fairytale lovers and romance fans!

I absolutely adore retellings and Cruel Beauty definitely delivered another fav to my shelf!

This book is centered around Beauty and the Beast. I think that is one of my all time favorite Disney movies so when I saw this book I knew I had to read it. The author did an amazing job crafting the similarities and keeping the differences prominent enough that I didn't feel like I knew what was going to happen. When you are writing a retelling that is definitely key.

I also really loved the world that Hodge created. I don't think many authors could throw in mythology in a rich fantasy world and not make it hokey. Hodge did a terrific job at this blending and I honestly couldn't get enough. I would love to revisit this world.

I think my favorite part though was the characters though. They were just amazing and I wanted way more after the story ended. Nyx is definitely one of my favorite female characters. She was strong and I respected her decisions.

The only thing I didn't care too much for was the ending which is odd. I loved everything else about this book but that. I had something else entirely in my head when I started getting close to the last page and I was a little bothered by what happened. I can't complain though the author still delivered a solid ending and really that is all any reader can hope for.

Great book and wonderful writing! I will definitely look for this authors next release!

What I Loved: I was initially drawn to the fact that Cruel Beauty is supposed to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I don’t think I’ve read any of those so it was nice to see how this author would tackle it. I really loved Hodge’s writing. It was very elegant, vivid, and imaginary. I liked the world she created and the magic and mystery behind it all. I also enjoyed the dialogue. Nyx, although not a particularly positive protagonist, has her “Quick wit” moments and I actually enjoyed her interactions with Ignifex. I don’t want to give anything away, but just know that it was rather amusing seeing them together.

Left Me Wanting More: I’ll admit, it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting and the “retelling” part was a bit out there. Things didn’t really come together until a little after halfway through and that’s when I started to see more bits and pieces that resembled the B&B storyline. I also wasn’t too fond of the romance. While I did like their interactions, I didn’t believe their love. Things were a big rushed in the emotion department and I honestly preferred them as friends and cohorts rather than lovers.

Final Verdict: I think if people go into this with an open mind and maybe even, not knowing it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling, maybe they might enjoy it more. This is definitely one of those “slow burn” reads that you have to really be invested in. There were parts I really enjoyed and parts that were a bit confusing, but overall, it was a decent read. I’d say read this more for the uniquely magical world as opposed to the romance.

I grew up loving Beauty and the Beast (yes the Disney version, but I realize the real version isn't like that) and Belle is my favorite princess. (I am a Disney girl through and through :) ) so I was really excited to read this take on the classic fairy tale. I wanted to love it. I wanted to like it even. But it was only okay for me.

It took me a while to get into Nyx. At the beginning I really couldn't have cared less about her. Over time, she grew on me. And the flip flopping between her love of Shade and Ignifex kind of got old. Although I do admit that I understood the flip-flopping at the end.

Let's talk about relationship between Ignifex and Nyx. It bugged me. She was raised to be tough and knowing that she was going to die for her country. But the minute she sees the Gentle Lord, she feels something for him. Really? I can understand attraction growing over time once you get to know this person you've been raised to hate but not what seemed to be pretty much instantly. (Although she instantly fell in love with Shade too so maybe she's just that type).

The last part of the book confused me. I think I get the general gist of the story but all the hows and whys escaped me.

I found myself trying to find similarities to the movie I love. I loved the mention of the rose garden under the dome. And the way dinner would magically appear. So it wasn't a horrible book by any means. It just didn't make me fall in love with it like I'd hoped it would.

My feelings on Cruel Beauty are hard to explain – but let me try. This book is a strange mash-up of mythology, historical fiction, and a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I guess maybe I went in thinking this was going to be more along the lines of Beastly by Alex Flinn, just set in a different time period – but that is definitely not what this book is.

For me, the mash-up of the mythology and the retelling just didn’t work, though the writing itself was gorgeous. Cruel Beauty had too many facets to it and all of that actually confused me to the point of boring me. It almost felt like I had been dropped into the middle of a book – I was so lost and nothing ever made any sense. I totally understand the appeal for mixing a retelling with something like mythology (Cinder is a great example of a retelling mashing with Science Fiction) but for me, it just didn’t work here.

I’d like to read more by this author – seriously, her writing is divine – but for me, the story was the issue.

Hands down. I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK.

Plot: I’m all for classic re-tales. In fact, I’m always looking for the next great read in this area. And then this book fell in my lap and OMG, it’s amazing. If you read the synopsis then you know that this is a re-tale of Beauty and The Beast. I think the creativity for this story, the development of the characters and the world around it is an success.

Love: This is the part that captured me the most. The reader is introduced to the Gentle Lord, who is cursed. I enjoyed the way the reader got to know this guy. At first he is all business making snide remarks, but then his shell starts to peel away one by one, and were left with a guy who is not who we thought he is. I also really enjoyed Nyx’s growth as well. She is funny, strong, and her snarky comments kept me snickering through out the book. She too begins to understand that her plan will not go through as expected. She things differently and it changes her.

Ending: I love the ending. I like how Nyx stood up and fought for what she believed in. She took everything in with stride, throwing it back out at others. She captures the readers pulling them along for a ride that is different and unique.

Overall, I’m very happy and impressed with this story. I can totally go back and read it again. Smart and sophisticated, Cruel Beauty is an memorable read. Crafted with the beauty of deception, magic, and love, the story is an never-wavering inspiration. Profounding and engaging, Cruel Beauty steals the show!

4-1/2 Stars

Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite fairy tale, so I have a soft spot for any book proclaiming it has any relations to the story. Because of this, I have read quite a lot of retellings and reimagining of this beloved fairy tale. The drawback of having read so many is they start to sound exactly the same and become stale.

CRUEL BEAUTY was imaginative, fresh, and completely different than any other retellings I have ever read.

This story takes place in a fairy tale world cut off from the real world. The world and land is based on Greco-Roman mythology. There is a large info dump for the first couple of chapters, but it didn’t bother me as I found it very interesting. Also, that information is crucial to everything about the story.

Nyx, the “Beauty” in the story, is being forced to marry the Gentle Lord, the “Beast”, because of a bad bargain her father made before she was born. Nyx has been trained by her father to assassinate the Gentle Lord. Her father and his secret society believe by killing him, it will free their world from its prison and be part of the real world again.

The characters in this story are very complex, as in real life. No one is evil or good—there is so much gray it’s hard to know who to root for and where this story is going. It made predicting the outcome near impossible.

I really enjoyed this story and found it really intriguing. I would definitely read another story by this author.

If you’re like me, then you’ve probably been relishing in this fairytale retelling trend that has been sweeping the YA genre. While I’ve suffered through many painful attempts on twisting (more like destroying) classic stories, Cruel Beauty soars above them all.

Mix in some Greek mythology with a tale as old as time, a dash of romance and lots of intrigue and you are given a thrilling, page turner that will have you racing towards the end. This retelling has bits and pieces of the classic Beauty and Beast-esque themes and elements but strays far from the sugarcoated Disney version.

My favorite part of Cruel Beauty were the characters, especially Nyx. While some readers found themselves annoyed with Nyx’s ugly heart, I found it refreshing. So many YA characters are too good; they’re so nice that they aren’t relatable. Hodge created a character that’s pain was so believable, I could feel and sympathetize with her struggles and thoughts. Her relationship with her sister and family created an interesting dynamic in personal growth for her. Ideas of family and loyalty were explored as Nyx debates on her decision.

Nyx was not a cookie cut, Barbie-like character; she was flawed, angry, bitter and human.

Ignifex was another refreshing character. Although similar to the cocky, overused stereotype that are in practically every YA novel, I immediately liked Ignifex, warts and all. From his humor to his demons (literally!), I loved him.

The plot was a strong element, woven in with classic fairytale themes and Greek mythology, and really strayed away from the cliche endings of retellings. I will say that I’m not overly familiar with Greek mythology which made the references a bit more difficult, or should I say tiresome? It slowed me down as I read through this because I had to try and recall all the characters and stories I had learned about in 6th grade.

Cruel Beauty’s ending wrapped everything nicely for readers but still left us mesmerized by the dark and wonderful world.

Who Should Read It

Fans of Graceling and Entwined will love this dark, romantic novel that combines a sharp, fierce heroine with a troubled love interest.

If you’re a fan of Beauty and the Beast and are look to find one of the best retellings available, you’ve found it with Hodge’s Cruel Beauty!

While some content in the book is a bit on the darker side, ages 14 and up will love this story! Perfect for any fairytale lovers and romance fans!

I was looking forward to this book, as retelling of the classic fairy tales is always fun. Not this one. The story p..l..o..d..d..e..d along, and the characters did not present anything that I was able to connect with as a reader. I like mythology, but if a reader is not familiar with classic Greek and Roman myths and gods, one will be completely lost in those parts of the book. Actually, I wasn't really sure how much of the mythology worked into the plot, other than just being a talking point for the characters to discuss. Seemed like the narrator just wanted to tell a lot of myths. It was tough to get through. I rarely abandon a book after once starting it, but this was one that I was tempted to just put away. I trudged on, hoping that it would get better and that all the myths would tie up into a really great climax and resolution, but they don't. I will not read anymore in this series, and this book will not go onto my classroom library shelf. I gave it 2 stars because though I did not care for the book, it didn't hate it either, but was really glad when I finished it.

Cruel Beauty is an intriguing and entertaining retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast fairytale. I found myself enjoying the characters and the interesting fantasy/paranormal elements in this world. Initially I was a little confused by the female lead character Nyx's somewhat instant attraction to Shade, her husband Ignifex's shadow (yes, his shadow- it's fascinating!), and the eventual love-triangle this created between Nyx, Shade, and Ignifex. But who knows, if I thought I would die soon (she's on a type of suicide mission), I would probably be desperate for love too! Other than that, I was totally sold on this book. I haven't read a lot of fairytale retellings but this one is a winner. And guess what? It's a standalone novel! Yay!!! It's been total coincidence but I have apparently been on a standalone marathon lately and loving it! Nothing wrong with series but sometimes you just need an open and shut type of story. My memory if horrible at recalling how many series I need to finish. Anyway, if you enjoy the Beauty and the Beast fairytale and are open to retellings, I would recommend Cruel Beauty.

My favorite quote:
“They said that love was terrifying and tender, wild and sweet, and none of it made any sense. But now I knew that every mad word was true.”

Short and Sweet:

I am really torn about this one, so I decided to break my review down into what I specifically liked, and what I didn't.

PROS:
- Nyx was a great, strong willed heroine. I loved her emotions and her attitude, as well as her resolve.
- I loved the romance between Nyx and Ignefix (I can never spell or pronounce that one right, oops.)
- The story was fast paced the entire time, and I could not turn the pages fast enough.

CONS:
- The book really lacked strong world building. I mean, I kind of understood how the world was explained, but at the same time there were so many mentions of things that just went completely over my head.
- That ending. Even after reading it twice, I still don't really understand what happened.
- SHADE. He really ruined the story for me, and I felt like the author could have toned it down a bit with him. I really didn't like how Nyx went all kissy kissy with him in the beginning--and how it continued all throughout even when she was starting to bond with Ignefix (spelling??).

[...]

Cruel Beauty has a little of Beauty and the Beast, Rumplestiltskin, Bluebeard, and Greek/Roman mythology.The plot was interesting, it was the characters I had a bit of trouble with. Nyx (Beauty) isn't the most likeable heroine in the world. She's bitter and angry although who could blame her when her father has groomed her since she was a child to sacrifice herself by killing Ignifex The Gentle Lord who is a demon keeping their country captive. He also makes bargains with a twist. For example Nyx's father made one for his wife to have twins. Ignifex agreed on the condition that one of them will be given up to be his wife. The twist in this bargain is that his wife does have twins but dies in childbirth. Because Nyx looks like her father who now hates himself he picks her to be the sacrifice all the while pampering and spoiling her younger twin who looks like their mother. Oh and to top things off he carries on a long term affair with their aunt. This guy definitely wouldn't win any father of the year awards. The problem is that none of the character are very likeable. I actually liked Ignifex the best because despite all the horrible things he did, it wasn't completely his fault, and he actually had a sense of humor. Despite the negatives however, the descriptions were beautiful and the book was quick moving. I wouldn't recommend buying it but it's worth checking out at your local library.

I'm often reluctant to review fairy tale inspired novels anymore since I don't approach them as entertainment so much as study since I work with fairy tales daily. That said, Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale and I was intrigued by this book's premise. And it is interesting and uses the original French tales as well as the Greek mythology that constitutes much of Beauty and the Beast's earliest origins. After all, the fairy tale is closely related to Cupid and Psyche.

Hodge provides some unusual twists in her retelling which will make the heroine unlikable to some readers but more sympathetic to others. As always, it's a matter of personal taste on whether you enjoy the book. There is some heavy world building at the beginning but acceptable and helpful, especially from a first time novelist. Overall, I enjoyed the book because it provided some plot points that I hadn't seen before, ones that I thought worked well with the story. The tale is romantic and frustrating while the heroine tries to determine who she is and what she will do, but that imperfection makes her interesting--after all, she wasn't raised to be much more than a human sacrifice and as an instrument. She must finish raising herself to achieve her happy ending without having received lifelong good guidance from family and others from a young age.

I had mixed reviews about this book, so I was a bit wary about reading this, but I ended up enjoying it very much. It's a retelling of Beauty & the Beast, but darker, with more moral ambiguity.

Nyx, our main character, is a girl filled with surprising bitterness. Which could be expected, since her father essentially sacrificed her for the greater good, and pretending that it is fine, that they are a happy family, has taken a toll on her, poison seeping into her heart. She's not quite the girl with kindness overflowing out of her like the Disney version of the tale, but it makes her a much more intriguing and well-developed character. Her thoughts can be quite venomous, more suiting of an antagonist than a protagonist, but there is something tenacious and brutally honest about her that I really liked.

"All my life I had bitten back cruel words and swallowed down hatred."

Forced to marry a monster, Nyx is more than surprised when she meets Ignifex, our villian with a charming tongue, who is definitely not the kind of person you would expect. He has a wicked edge to him, but there is something almost disarming about him that lures Nyx in, making her intrigued. Reminiscent of Bluebeard, he has had wives in the past, all deceased now of course, but Nyx is determined to win, to kill and defeat him so that their town will be free of the demons that haunt them.

" 'Nyx Triskelion, do you want to guess my name?'
'What's there to guess? I already know you're a monster.' "

While the overarching plot of this book was a bit slow, the build-up between the characters made the book was marvelous, and it made the other plodding parts of it worth my while. This book may have been a bit romance-heavy, but oh my it was a beautiful one. I inhaled every bit of it, and I absolutely adored the banter and clever, sharp words between Nyx and Ignifex. I tend to enjoy the pairings that begin with more hate than love, and the tangled up emotions between these two characters was enjoyable.

"He opened his eyes and stared up at me as if I were the door out of Arcadia and back to the true sky. 'That's what makes you my favorite.' He reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. "Every wicked bit of you." "

There are quite a few twists in this book and while I did see some of them around the corner, there were a few that I did not expect at all and made the path that Nyx followed to be quite twisted and convoluted. There is one thing that I have purposely not mentioned in this review, since it would be revealing tad too much, but had me partly worried since it is a trope I dislike immensely, although thankfully it was not what it seemed.

Besides the romance itself, what I liked the most about this tale was that no one was perfect, no character exempt from the various shades of morality and "good" vs. "evil" is not black and white. It is all too easy for your judgement to be clouded by your own intentions and thoughts, and I thought this showed all too well with Nyx and her perceptions of other characters.

Overall, this book was intriguing and lovely, with eloquent writing and complex characters that more than made up for the sometimes tedious plot.

I think one of the highest forms of praise to describe a book with is that you lost sleep over it. And I missed out on sleep to read this wonderful book.
It has everything I love in stories: suspense, mystery, folklore, humour, gorgeous descriptions, and romance. It was refreshing and different, and I'm very glad I've finally read it!
I can only think of the parts I loved after finishing a good book, which makes for lopsided but nevertheless true, reviews.
The characters were deep and interesting, dark and real. The setting, with the ancient Greek/Roman aspects was very neat.
Easily a new favourite!
I recommend this book to anyone aged 16+ who wants to sigh and smile, sad to leave this world and the characters behind.

First off, let's acknowledge that awesomeness and cruel beauty that is the cover. It is SO pretty, I could look at it forever. It definitely is a good doorway into the story inside.

Synopsis Time!
The land Arcadia was cut off from the world physically 900 years ago during the Sundering. And for that entire time, the land was rule by the Gentle Lord, the Demon King, Lord of Bargains-whatever you wish to call him. Nyx's father (Nyx is the main character) once made a bargain with the Gentle Lord, and the price was that one of his daughters would wed the Lord when they come of age. And Nyx is that daughter.

Nyx never felt loved. Her father doted on her sister, her Aunt always looked at her with pursed lips, and she can't help but hate her sister for not being the one in her position. Her father told her at a young age what her destiny was, to wed the Gentle Lord and hopefully kill him, saving Arcadia and exacting revenge. She's okay with this plan, that is, until she meets him.

The Gentle Lord was supposed to be an ironic name, he was known to be viscous and cruel. Though, it turns out to be relatively true to name. Nyx walks into his castle expecting to be tormented, instead she's affronted with a handsome man. Though, his looks don't stop her from attacking him with whatever she can get her hands on: a fork, plate, her fist.

But then there's Shade, the Lord's shadow. He's the spitting image of his Lord, though with blue eyes instead of red. Nyx trusts Shade, he shows her what she needs to destroy the Gentle Lord, now known to her as Ignifex.

However, destroying Ignifex could be both detrimental to both Arcadia and her heart.

So yeah, intense stuff. Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite Disney princess movie, so reading this book was an absolute must. Rosamund Hodge did a BRILLIANT job of making this story her own. While you could definitely see the elements of the original story woven into Cruel Beauty, it was completely its own unique adventure.

The characters were perfectly imperfect. Let me explain that last sentence. Each character was crafted so well, acting out their parts perfectly. Nyx was a troubled girl, discontent yet accepting of who she was. She had a mean streak in her heart making her a suitable companion for the Ignifex.

Ignifex was great. Absolutely brilliant. He complimented Nyx as perfectly as she did him. He was not the nicest person granted, but he had his vulnerable side, that when it came out made you care about him all the more. Don't get me wrong, he had his shining moments when he was kind, they grew more frequent, too. And he was blunt. He told Nyx exactly what he thought and when he......well, I'll let you read that part. ;)

Shade was the one character I couldn't really figure out. He confounded me so much. At first he seemed too convenient. Then he did something and I was like, yup, he's bad. Then something else happened and I was left thinking, ummmmmm.

The story was so fun. In the beginning it may seem like their is an overload of description thrown at you, but it is very necessary to the story. The setting is described perfectly, leaving me wanting to visit the castle. It honestly seems like it'd be a blast.

I highly recommend this book! Please go read it!!

Happy Reading!!!

My feelings towards Cruel Beauty are extremely complicated — or rather, extremely diverse. There were things I really enjoyed, which make me want to rate this one 4 stars; but on the other hand, there are things that really frustrated me, which make me want to rate it… well. Lower.

One unexpected thing, which I really enjoyed, was the Greek mythology that’s woven into the story. I had assumed that this would be a straightforward retelling in a sort of newish world, and I totally didn’t see the Greek stuff coming at all. Actually, I’m pretty sure there were also a few other fairy tales in there, too. But yeah, I really liked everything about the worldbuilding and mythology, and I found that really engaging even when the characters or story got kind of frustrating.

Another thing that surprised me was the love triangle — yes, there is one. Wellll… kind of. And I appreciated that it wasn’t actually your normal love triangle. I’m not sure if I’ve made up my mind yet, on whether it’s a good-different or bad-different sort of situation, but if nothing else, I do think it makes for a pretty interesting part of the story.

My only real problem with any of the romance in Cruel Beauty is the insta-love (and I do mean insta-love). First there’s Ignifex, the evil Lord Nyx is trying to overthrow, and whom Nyx is very much dead-set against falling for. Aaaaand… then there’s Shade. Nyx’s reaction to Shade was insta-love in the extreme — it was jarring and felt really odd (honestly, her character didn’t really make sense to me at all — more on that later). Her relationship with Ignifex was miles better, for me. Actually, Ignifex was probably my favorite character in the whole book — at first he’s pretty much what you’d expect from the “beast” character, maybe a little more manipulative and cunning. But then as you learn more about him and his situation, he grew on me a lot. So I’m a fan of his for sure.

Nyx herself was extremely hair-pull-inducing. She seemed to be constantly changing her mind and feelings. I’ve heard some people say that this makes her more believable, which I can buy to an extent — feelings are complicated. I get that. But to me, her wildly changeable feelings felt extremely jarring, and I just couldn’t wrap my head around her. Also, her actions consistently contradicted what she’d been brought up and trained from birth to do. She’s been preparing to overthrow Ignifex for years, and within the first few days of arriving at his palace, she turns into someone who loses sight of her goals in favor of being emotionally strung out about Ignifex and Shade. She still tries to do what she’s been trained to do in order to overthrow Ignifex, but it never felt like a priority, or like there was any kind of tension behind it. Which was disappointing.

I’m also not a huge fan of Cruel Beauty‘s ending, like… at all. Having guessed how the “love triangle” would play out, that resolution was a little anti-climactic for me. I actually grew to love Ignifex by the end, and so… you know, at the end, how the beast has to change back into the wonderful prince? Yeah… I kind of didn’t want him to. -_-

Also, the resolution to Nyx’s town’s/world’s predicament was handled in a way that I never enjoy… I know that’s just my own pet peeve, but still. (Vague spoilers ahead…) It really annoys me when the resolution to any plot is to use some kind of Big Red Reset Button to “fix” everything. I always feel like it ruins the story that preceded it, and this case was no different.

As a result of this mode of resolution, there are a bunch of weird character-”development” twists at the end, which I thought were a liiiitle too convenient. Maybe the conclusion was too rushed to really deal with these changes appropriately… I feel like probably not, though. It felt strange and disorienting, and that’s not how I like books to be resolved.

In conclusion...

I’ve never felt so completely torn about a book before. Most of what I explained above is negative, yes, and I feel very strongly about those things: I did not enjoy those things. But… the things I did enjoy — Ignifex himself, and the Greek mythology, OH!! and Ignifex’s castle with its changing rooms and staircases (that was awesome) — I really enjoyed those things. Like, 4-star-level enjoyed them — they’re what kept me interested in Cruel Beauty, to be honest. I still can’t get over (what I see as) Nyx’s inconsistencies of character, or the way the resolution was handled… But I can’t get over Ignifex or the mythology either. So, though there were things that disappointed me overall, I think I’d still recommend this book if those sound like things you’d enjoy, as well.

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Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review. This review originally appeared on my blog, There Were Books Involved.

This book was definitely interesting and very unique!!!!

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite stories so with this book being a retelling i was more than eager to begin reading this book!!!

I felt the story's background to begin interesting and a very different kind of world that the characters lived in.. I was very curious hoe this story would go..

As the story went on i was very fascinated with the house!!! The way the story was written i could imagine what was happening.. And at times this book had a creepy edge to it..

I did feel for the character Nyx and she was one tough girl.. I wasnt too keen on her Nyx's sister though.. She kind of rubbed me the wrong way and irritated me..

The ending was quite a strange one but a good one!!!!!!!!

DNF - I was really excited to listen to this book when I got it from the library. I fell in love with the cover and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairy tales. However, this one didn't live up to my hopes. Maybe it was because I was listening to it rather than reading it, but I just didn't enjoy it that much. I don't want to say I found it boring... but I kind of did. It didn't hold my interest and I kept waiting for something to actually happen between Nyx and Ignifex. I think I got through CD 7 out of 9 before I gave up on it. Hope others enjoyed it more than I did!
Pagesofcomfort.blogspot.com

So I have to confess, I bought this book years ago and BAM because, let's face it, the cover is perfection. And wow. I could not have been more blown away by the dark, beguiling story. I have read this book so many times now, it is literally on the Shelf of Honor in my bookcase. Yes, that's a thing. But seriously.

1. Incredible main character.

Nyx is one of the best-written heroines I have ever come across.

2. Incredible all-other-characters.

Really everyone in this book was just great. Especially the guy ?. Nyx's clear headed view of the character's around her offers the reader a refreshingly stark perception. She sees all the bad and all the good in people, including herself. By the end of the book (because character development) she is able to without cynicism or bitterness, and without dressing people up to be better than they are.

3. Beautiful romance.

Just, wow.

4. Dark and beguiling folklore-esque setting.

To those one-star reviewers who thought this book didn't make sense, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you don't read a lot of fairytales.

5. Overall perfection

For the above reasons and so many more, this book will always remain a favorite. I now buy every Rosamund Hodge book as it becomes available. Incredible author, incredible stories.

Retellings are a huuge hit with me. Seriously, it can never go wrong. Cruel Beauty is Beauty and the Beast retold with a mix of my favorite topic, Greek mythology. I honestly enjoyed every second of it! Please oh please read this if you haven’t already!

This book really had all the boxes checked for me. Amazing plot, disney story, perfect male lead, perfect protagonist, twisty turvy story and brilliant backstories. It was just soo good.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is a twist of the classic tale Beauty and the Beast. Young Nyx has always known that her life is tied to the Gentle Lord and on her 17th birthday she is made to marry him. Immediately following her marriage Nyx is shipped off to her new home. Afraid but brave Nyx faces her future prepared to do anything to protect her childhood home... even sacrificing herself in the process. What Nyx could never have predicted is how she would come to care for the Gentle Lord and his shadow, Shade. The deeper Nyx goes into her new home for answers the more questions she has. Nothing is what it seems to be. Can Nyx free herself from her destiny? Can she save everyone or will she doom them? The only way to find out is to grab a copy and read for yourself.

Age appropriate for teens and older. There are hints to adult situations but Ms. Hodge does a wonderful job of writing it in a very teen tasteful way.

On a side note: I really enjoyed the Greek Mythology throughout this story, for I thought it added depth and was unique. Also I enjoyed the play on Beauty and the Beast.

There were a lot of things wrong with this book. I would have rated it lower if not for the fact I read it all in one sitting.

I'll start off without spoilers:
This story involves a lot of mythology, some of which really isn't necessary to the plot and is a bit boring to read through. However, it's the author's first book, so there would be little accomplished by expecting a ground-breaking tour-de-force.
Some parts were incredibly boring. I found myself skimming paragraphs on more pages than I usually do. I skipped a few pages at one point, and they weren't really integral to the plot so it didn't matter.
The beauty and the beast comparison seems entirely inaccurate for me. There are elements there, sure, but she could have gone without describing it as such, it was original enough to abandon the beauty and the beast plot. At the start, it reads like the myth of Psyche and Eros. and there is little actually in common with beauty and the beast.
The lead is nothing like Belle. She is feisty, which I liked a lot, but there were some scenes where I just didn't understand her actions. Ignifex was very interesting and I LOVE him I wish this book was written about him instead.
The descriptions, while being a bit unnecessary at times, we're great. They described everything in great detail so there was little confusion about what was going on.
I also LOVED most of the scenes between her and the boys. Romantic, sweet, fiery. I couldn't get enough. The banter between Ignifex and Nyx was to die for.
For a first book, it was very good and fun to read, albeit sometimes confusing and frustrating. But if you are looking for something fun and romantic, I would definitely suggest this book. If you're looking for a psychological twist or any sort of mystery, I wouldn't. Be your own judge.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS STOP READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS
Nyx's story is confusing. It makes sense, but it's hard to understand with so much unique language to the book. Some of the mythology could have been removed to make it clearer. Nyx's family has essentially abandoned her, favoring her twin. They don't seem to care about her, except her sister. But I didn't see sisterly love there at all. Her twin seemed pretty stupid throughout the entire book, even when she was meant to have changed. The thing Nyx said to her that was supposed to be cruel honestly didn't feel as earth-shattering as Nyx felt later.
Nyx was completely perfect at first. She was clever, mean, and fearless. But later in the book, she seems thoughtless and easily influenced, even though she is meant to be stronger. Her cruelty to Ignifex was much better than her cruelty to her sister. That's REAL cruelty, not just saying something hurtful.
Shade was an interesting character at first, but it became apparent rather quickly for me what was going on between Ignifex and Shade. It no longer became a question of "what is going on" to "how are they going to fix it". This predictability did not crush the book's purpose for me, though. I was still curious enough to read on.
In addition, the love triangle was ended by a literary cop-out. I won't spoil it here, that's too big of a spoiler, but I was incredibly disappointed in that, and not because of who she chose.
The mythology sometimes seemed disjointed and unnecessarily long. The Tom-a-Lone story was fine, but seemed to be incredibly unnecessary. The story of Pandora was also interesting, but only pieces of it had to be changed to fulfill the plot, not the entirely new story.
Nyx and her twin were the most irritating. Nyx was great in most scenes, but sometimes she was just stupid. It could be understood if she was being selfish or thought she was doing y he right thing, but some of the things had little driving force and seemed like unnecessary additions.
Shade was also irritating, personally. I understood very quickly that I didn't trust him, although he was meant to be the good guy. I wish he had been more believable.
Ignifex was perfect, though, and despite Nyx's stupidity, his love for her made sense. I didn't mind that she was cruel, I thought it was kind of awesome, but her senseless actions or weak reasons for actions made me cringe.
However, I did read the entire book in one sitting.
The ending left a few things to be desired. What happened after? Where would he live? Was the castle still destroyed?
But I WOULD suggest it so don't pass up on it because of this review.

Have I mentioned before that the tale of Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite, whether it is the classic Disney tale, a retelling or something darker? Because it is, hands down without a doubt my very favorite. Who could ever resist a girl way ahead of her time? One that is smart and witty and loves to read? One that thinks outside of the box and doesn't judge a book (or person) by the cover? One that follows her heart?

Not I.

Nyx was exactly that character I was looking for and hoping she would be. In fact can I just say that I loved this book? The unexpected darkness of it, the mystery, the sweet budding romance and the very fact that it blends mythology with a classic tale and the fact that the author takes it all and makes it very much her own. Very much a unique twist on an old tale.

This was beautifully dark and I quickly became caught up in the magic of it.

The author truly has created something unlike anything else I have ever read. It was easy to get lost in the mythical imaginative world that she created and not want to be found again.

Such a great retelling of Beauty and the Beast along with bits of Greek mythology.

I enjoyed reading the classic tale with all the new twist, it kept me on my toes and I couldn't help but continue to turn the pages until I finished the entire book.

When you have characters with rage, passion, betrayal, how can your attention not be on this book?

You really don't think the plot will work, but somehow Hodge makes it work with the occasional help of distracting us with lots of kissing.

Like I said, somehow it just works.

This book was a very interesting read. I read it in one day. Ignifex was my favorite character, but I did have some issues with the book.
WARNING: *some spoilers*

NYX: I didn't like how she kept calling herself a wicked sister and daughter. There's nothing wrong with being upset at your father for not loving you and being bitter that you were chosen to die and your sister was chosen to be loved. She learns to overcome those feelings and love her family but she's still easily guilted and manipulated into doing what they want. I thought she was a brave and clever heroine but I was hoping she would be clever enough to figure out how to outsmart the kindly ones and free ignifex and the world without betrayal and the timeline unraveling. Also her loyalty is flakey. She's indecisive. Maybe it would've helped if she let go of the plan to avenge her mother.

Her sister: she should of chose ignifex over her. The sister should be slapped.

Shade: initially and interesting character. I guessed from the beginning that Shade and Ignifex were two halves of the same person. But supposedly Shade was suppose to know the truth about everything but he never acted like he did, but instead blamed and judged Ignifex. In the end I felt he got overwritten because Luke was basically all Ignifex except for he had Shades eyes.

Ignifex: very well written character. I wish he would've told Nyx what the kindly ones were saying through her because maybe they could've strategized how to defeat the kindly ones and free the world/Ignifex. Maybe that's just wishful thinking but I was hoping that they would get smart and realize Ignifex isn't the problem the kindly ones are.

Luke: at the end of the book I wished for more time to get to know him. Maybe she could've ended it with an epilogue of them getting married in this new timeline or a few years later when they had kids. Or possibly she saves the world and puts luke together without consequences early on in the book and the rest of the book its just her and Luke and the kindly ones trying to get revenge against them.

Sparrow: I didn't understand who this person was

Loved the puzzle room and sandcastle room!!

Cruel Beauty was wonderful.
This is a beautifully written retelling of Beauty and the Beast that I just couldn't put down. I was completely captivated from start to finish.
To be honest I was a bit hesitant to read it. In fact, it's been sitting on a shelf for the past few months but I'm on a bit of a fairy tale kick lately so I figured what the hell? The idea of combining Greek mythology with one of my favorite fairy tales..well I wasn't sure how it would work. But it did. Quite well actually.

I loved everything about this book. The ending threw me a bit but overall I'm happy with the way the story turned out.
If you love mythology, fairy tales, or dark retellings of said fairy tales then you should definitely read this.

This is the first retelling of Beauty and the Beast that I read and hated it.

Nyx bored me out of my mind. And by the way, for someone virginal and pure she was quick enough to become... not so virginal and pure.

The house. Really, what's up with the thousand rooms and never ending stair?

The mythology: I like my Greek and Roman and anything else references, but this book over did it. Every other action was inspired or analyzed by some ancient hero or god. Got me bored as well.

The only good thing (which I missed) is that the lovely and tender sister turned out to be a little bitch of her own. How the heck dis that happened. I missed that because I started skipping pages like crazy. Oh well.

Nyx was good enough with the now-I-love-my-sister litany, and now I don't love her chant.

I can't grasp why she sacrificed her love for the sake of a family she despised rather than loved. Just as well.

Like in the movie Frozen, it turns out that a selfless act of love is strong enough to break any curse.

This dark, ominous rendition of Beauty and the Beast tells the story like never before.
17 year-old Nyx was bargained away by her father to be married to the Gentle Lord, Lord of the demons. All her life she was trained for this “mission” and her duty was to kill the Gentle Lord; to avenge her mother’s death and to free the people of Arcadia. She wasn't too happy about it but she accepted her duty. The last thing she expected was to fall in love with the demon.

This book is FULL of Greek mythology and I found myself constantly putting the book down to do some googling.
It was a slow start for me, kind of difficult to get into. I got confused very quickly on and had to reread several paragraphs. But, after the foundation was set and I found my rhythm the story really sunk its claws in me and I was hooked.
This story was captivating and built a world that can only be seen in the imagination. No amount of Special Effects could have done it justice. It was beautifully written and dark and scary and heartbreaking and exciting. Very rich in detail.
However, the romance left me feeling a bit empty. I would liked to have been able to feel it a little more.

Overall I really did like this book, just didn't Love it. It was great, but not Great. I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves fairy tale retellings.

3.5/5 Stars

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This is a book that I picked up because of the book cover but I did not really know what this book was about. It was only when I picked up the book to start reading it that I took the time to read the premise of the book. Then I was intrigued. I wanted to know how the author was going to put her own twist on a classic tale. Well I have to say that I thought that Rosamund did a very nice job telling Nyx and Ignifex aka Demon Lord's story.

This book is not like the Disney version that you may have grew up reading and watching. This version is more dark kind of gothic. I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. At times Ignifex came off as evil and aloof but then at other times, I got a glimmer that he really did have a heart. It helped with the allure that Ignifex should be feared. Nyx was a great heroine. She was strong and could hold her own against Ignifex. The ending was a very good one. I could picture this book being turned into a movie.

The book starts out promising, but I soon tired of her clinching her teeth, showing her teeth and her nails biting into her palms. Certainly a person has more body language than just these three. Next, the main female character is not likeable so it's hard to feel sympathy or relate to her. She betrays him so many times that I eventually didn't like her at all. She also whines too much, boo hoo my father doesn't love me, my aunt hates me, my sister is a bitch. The main male character is not kind or gentle at all, he is mean and nasty. Wouldn't recommend this to any of my friends. At the end of all this, there is no happy ever after. Total disappointment.

Huge thank you to the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of this. I'm writing an honest review to say thank you

3.5 Stars. I went into this with low expectations because a lot of the reviews were bad, but I rather enjoyed it. I DID get very bored about 50% into it and thankfully I pushed on through and then around 70% it picked up again.

The writing was beautiful, and the story was interesting. This is NOTHING like Graceling so I don't know why that's on the synopsis. It's also not that 'high fantasy' either. It's pretty light fantasy with some Greek elements.

Overall the story was good, but I'm not a huge fan of re-tellings or fairytales, so this was a bit out of my normal genre. I also was NOT a fan of the romance and the 'love-triangle'. I also didn't really like it when the 'L' word started flying around. And I felt that the whole marriage thing was a bit out of place for a YA book... I did like the characters a lot though! Nyx was sassy (tho I was confused at why she was so violent towards her husband... I was under the impression that she was supposed to woo him and kill him...) and the Gentle Lord (whatever his name was, I can't be bothered to look it up right now, Ingenfixealdkjf something) was smarmy, but in a charming way.

I really liked how the curse worked out and the end was great.

So if you like fantasy or re-tellings then you'll probably love this.

I'm going to be honest and say that I picked this up knowing that there wasn't a chance I would like it. I wanted to, but all the signs read "no."

Besides the fact that this was confusing from the beginning with strangely thrown-in details of Greek mythology (don't get me wrong, I love Greek mythology, but this put it into a whole new level), I see that no one is pointing out that this relationship between Ignifex and Nyx is all wrong. Now, I was only on page 300 so I don't know how this ends. However, I would not classify this as a romance novel. Why? Because this is stockholm syndrome. Nevermind the fact that Ignifex had a hand in killing her mother, Nyx may believe she sympathizes or even loves Ignifex, but she is not in a healthy relationship. That aside, the romance with Shade happened suddenly with no lead-up and the relationship between Nyx and Ignifex almost occured randomly. There was no romance in this book, only twisted misconception.

I admit, my review is going to be colored by the expectations that I had coming in. I was expecting a cheesy supernatural romance a la "The Goddess Test" or "Twilight." We all know the type: the protagonist sounds like your standard self-entitled modern teenager, regardless of setting. There will be a love triangle, and the unpleasant heroine will fall for the unpleasant hero without either of them recognizing their flaws. Well, let it be recognized that Tropes are Tools. Our protagonists were both flawed individuals, but they recognized that they were light on virtues, with the heroine noting her hatred of her father and her desire for revenge as negative, while the hero is fairly monstrous, making evil bargains with hapless villagers for his amusement and to protect himself from the fury of his masters. Our main characters take a lot of in-story time to fall in love, and when they do, it is not treated as pure but simply as strong. Finally, our love triangle is not a triangle at all but more of a...line? With two directions? Or coexisting nodes? I need to retake graph theory.

Let me talk about the symbolism. Properly used, symbolism can truly enhance a story, and I felt that what I saw here was truly beautiful. Let me clear something up first. The setting is not really the Greek province of Arcadia. A throwaway line indicates that the peasants called their region Anglia before Greco-Roman culture took over, so Arcadia is likely being used as mere byword for a pastoral paradise. The actual location owes a lot to England, thus names such as Brigit and Anglia. That being said, the integration of Greek and English mythology was impressive. No other word for it. The secretive order dedicated to overthrowing the Gentle Lord using Hermetics, from Hermes. This follows the classical four elements, but also bears a phonetic similarity to the hermeneutics prominently practiced by Christian scholars. The romance is Eros and Psyche meets Beauty and the Beast, and the demons of the outer darkness are the spawn of Typhon. The Kindly Ones refers to the Erinyes or Furies of Greek folklore, and these Kindly Ones bring justice...through tricksy bargains that always turn back on the supplicant. And they ride horses, and are tall and fair and mirthful and otherwordly, and kidnap a man known as "Tom-A-Lone." See (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tam_Lin) if you do not get this. Thus are the Kindly Ones melded with the Gentle Folk or Good Neighbors, the fey of Celtic and related mythologies. But my absolute favorite: the cause of Nyx and Ignifex is supported by a sparrow, who refers to the Kindly Ones as "young and foolish." The sparrow is, as is well known, a Christian symbol of the love of God for the week and downtrodden, which of course fits here, as it takes the protagonists' cause against the fey. But in Greek mythology, which deity has an interest in a love as strong as that of Nyx and Ignifex, a propensity for compassion and has the sparrow as its sacred symbol? Did you guess Aphrodite, goddess of love? So Greek and Christian conceptions of deity are both hinted at, and seeing the smug Furies brought down a notch is of course immensely satisfying.

I purchased this book on a whim from Barnes and Noble yesterday and I finished it in a matter of hours. I am a sucker for a well written retelling of classic fairy tales and this one did not disappoint. From the very start, the characters hooked me. This is not a super deep, super sophisticated and wordy book but it is definitely a fun read and I put it up there with the book Entwined in as far as fairy tale remakes go. I would definitely recommend this to young adult readers. The craftiness of the plot was fun and kept me guessing as to how the author would possibly be able to make it work. She made it work, believe me. Nyx had a personality that was believable and relatable and Ignifex might just be my new book crush. Well done, Rosamund, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Entrancing, brilliantly written, this story combines the plotlines and wonder of two classic tales and meshes them with a realm of fantastical ideas entirely unprecedented. This story takes the story of Cupid and Psyche (similar to the way CS Lewis retold it in his 'Til We Have Faces'), core components of the traditional Beauty and the Beast, and a series of mythological tales and weaves a thrilling tale.
With unexpected bursts of philosophy and an extraordinarily unobtrusive writing style -- you know, the type that makes you deal with each idea and image on its own, without detracting from them with verbosity or insufficient explanation -- Rosamund Hodges crafts a complex world. The world of "Cruel Beauty' is replete with delightful imagery, multi-faceted characters, clever quips, ethical dilemmas, paradoxical states, and intriguing philosophies.
There were things I disliked, yes, especially as prevalent as they were at the beginning. For example: the seeming over-simplification of emotional and supernatural realities, the over-emphasis of the sexuality the initial scenario demands of Nyx, and a few other things here and there. Yet I don't consider them monumental enough to give this book anything less than a full rating. Why? Because the author manages to dispel the importance of these annoyances as the ideas and characters take their place as the center of the book. Read this book with a realistic outlook on human nature & purpose, and it's a compelling inspiration to live life more fully, but no less intentionally.

All ties together: individual events and plot line, specific ideas and the overall focus. It's a masterpiece. True, it's a love story, as a story about love: but it's a love story about selflessness, commitment, knowing thyself, and the cruel weakness of man's nature-- it's about the impossibility of fulfilling responsibilities only bearable by a perfect person, and how we still can respond to that courageously.

To be entirely honest: Courage, love, and hope are central themes in this book, and they're dealt with intelligently /and/ inspirationally. I'm a sucker for that. I adored this book, overall, although with all things adored, there are reservations. You may hate it. But it's still worth your time.

Resembling Beauty and the Beast in plot but bringing in elements not only from other fairy tales but from a variety of mythologies as well, this was a really magical story. What made it really great though, were the characters. There was no pure hero or pure villain, everyone was a little bit of both, which gave this a realistic feel. Nyx was a strong heroine who wanted to do her duty but couldn't help but feel understandably bitter that the burden had been placed on her in the first place. Seriously when I was reading the beginning of the book, I had to keep putting it down because her pain really pours off the page and I didn't want to cry in public. Our villain Ignifex is cruel but is also someone constantly suffering. My only beef was the ending which was rather abrupt especially in comparison with the rest of the book. Still I couldn't put it down and I highly recommend it to all fantasy and fairy tale fans!

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Since birth, Nyx has known she must marry the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of an impossible bargain struck by her father. Her father foolishly thought he could bargain with the Lord of Bargains, he should have known no bargain can be ever won, yet he bargained anyway. His wife could not have children so he thought to seek help from the Gentle Lord, the Lord of Bargains, in the end he would have to give up his daughter in exchange for his wish to be granted.

Left with no choice but to wed the Lord, Nyx finds herself hating her family for the choices her father made. She hates her mother for allowing him to bargain with their lives, she hates her sister for not being the one chosen to marry and defeat the Prince, and most of all she hates herself for hating her family. On her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

There is one major problem with Nyx’s plan. Ignifex isn’t what she expected to find in a demon lord. He is charming, handsome, and even witty at times. I think his patience with her shows her that he isn’t as bad as his reputation. His castle is a magical labyrinth that changes all the time, she finds herself counting down the hours until she can explore the wonderful maze of doors and hallways. The castle itself comes to mystify and charm her almost as much as Ignifex does. It changes and challenges her just like her husband.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself drawn to him as only a person with a dark heart can be. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? Decisions, decisions.

This novel is supposed to be based on the classic beauty and the beast tale we all have known and probably loved. I don’t see the beauty and the beast tale, I see a girl who is broken and has had to hide her feelings her whole life. Now that she finds herself married to a man who really isn’t all bad but still bad enough, she feels she can finally acknowledge her own heart. She isn’t beautiful she is actually described as rather plain by Ignifex himself. Nyx is drawn to Ignifex because she too can be evil but unlike him she feels remorse for her actions and thoughts. She knows she must defeat him in order to save her home but that will mean giving up her love for him and let’s face it, we can all be selfish in the name of love.

Ignifex is a demon who has been bargaining with the lives all those who are trapped in Arcadia. I think he enjoys what he does not because he is an evil demon but because those who come to him aren’t pure of heart anyway. When he bargains with a person he always gives them what they want but in a twist or with carefully chosen words, he will always win. Nyx begins to see that he doesn’t always like making deals with people but he is the Prince of Demons not the King. He is ultimately sealed to his fate just as she is. Ignifex loves her, he really does because she challenges him, she is cleaver, and strong. He loves her because he knows her heart and inside there is a tiny bit of hate and evil lurking there with just enough kindness to love him back.

I know a lot of reviews complained of ista-love but I don’t think there was any insta-love going on. When Nyx first got to the castle she spent weeks searching for the hearts of the castle. She dined with Ignifex and saw him here and there and developed a bond with him. She even struck a deal with him that together they would try to free him but in the mean time she would still finds ways to destroy him and he still went about his business of ruining the lives of those who seek to challenge their destiny. I felt as if enough time went by for these two to fall in love.

I won’t go too much into the end but I really wanted the two of them to be evil together and maybe even free Arcadia but still rule it. I wanted Nyx to learn to enjoy making deals with people because Ignifex was right, did those who came to him really think they were going to win? Those people kind of deserved what they got. I liked how their love and relationship was dark and twisted yet gentle and kind at the same time. I wanted it to stay that way, I wanted her to tell her family she was the Princess of Demons now! Arcadia had been trapped under that parchment bubble for 900 hundred years and occasionally plagued by demons, what’s 900 more or even an eternity when she had love? I know it’s dark but this book is dark fantasy after all.

Ok, the only problem I really had with this book other than it didn’t turn out the way I wanted *sigh* was the beginning. What was all that mythology crap? I get the book is based on mythology and folk lore whatever but the first 30 pages made me want to put it down. I hated all that myth background crap because it was just too much, too in depth, and I just didn’t give a crap because it was confusing. I really do recommend this book for those of you who like dark fantasy type books. I don’t think it’s too fast paced but it was good read. I really did enjoy it and will probably read it again at some point.

Oh my. This book was amazing. My only complaint about Cruel Beauty is that it was not longer. The character and world building were done wonderfully. The writing was beautiful. I've read a few Beauty and the Beast retellings but none were done as wonderfully as Cruel Beauty. I'm a HUGE fan of mythology and fairy tales and to have a story that combines the two was such a pleasure to read. I've seen reviews mentioning plot holes, but honestly I was so wrapped up in the story and needing to know how it ended that I didn't even notice. I can't wait to read more from this author. I'll be picking up Crimson Bound as soon as I get to a bookstore

Overall this book was just okay, I feel like there was a lot of unnecessary information provided. Like I was expecting the Hermetic workings to play more of a role in defeating the Gentle Lord and she spent all this time searching for the Hearts of air and fire and what not, she also spent years learning how to undo them and in the end what was the point of us learning about the Hermetic workings when they play no significant role in the overall storyline. I was expecting this big ending with her defeating the Kindly Ones and saving Ignifex and Shade with her undoing the Hermetic workings and the real ending was FAR from anything heroic.
I also felt this book was slow building but then rushed to the ending, with a whole lot of questions unanswered.
Overall I was enjoying this book and was excited to see where it was going and how it would end for Nyx, but by the end I was left with a confused look on my face like, "this is it?"

Nyx, "Was born to marry a monster." Before Nyx and her sister were born her father went to the demon in the castle and made a deal for his wife to have the kids she so desperately wanted. The condition: one of his twins will be the bride of the demon when she comes of age.

All her life Nyx has hated her father ( for picking her to marry and kill the demon), and her sister ( because she was the one daddy doted on her whole life, so carefree.)

Nyx has been trained her whole life on how to theoretically kill the demon and save her land, the only conquence, she has to die with him. Being a tough, strong, and determined young woman; Nyx won't let Ignifex, her demon husband, or Shade, the shadow look-a-like, stand in her way of freeing her people.

I purchased this book on a whim from Barnes and Noble yesterday and I finished it in a matter of hours. I am a sucker for a well written retelling of classic fairy tales and this one did not disappoint. From the very start, the characters hooked me. This is not a super deep, super sophisticated and wordy book but it is definitely a fun read and I put it up there with the book Entwined in as far as fairy tale remakes go. I would definitely recommend this to young adult readers. The craftiness of the plot was fun and kept me guessing as to how the author would possibly be able to make it work. She made it work, believe me. Nyx had a personality that was believable and relatable and Ignifex might just be my new book crush. Well done, Rosamund, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Entrancing, brilliantly written, this story combines the plotlines and wonder of two classic tales and meshes them with a realm of fantastical ideas entirely unprecedented. This story takes the story of Cupid and Psyche (similar to the way CS Lewis retold it in his 'Til We Have Faces'), core components of the traditional Beauty and the Beast, and a series of mythological tales and weaves a thrilling tale.
With unexpected bursts of philosophy and an extraordinarily unobtrusive writing style -- you know, the type that makes you deal with each idea and image on its own, without detracting from them with verbosity or insufficient explanation -- Rosamund Hodges crafts a complex world. The world of "Cruel Beauty' is replete with delightful imagery, multi-faceted characters, clever quips, ethical dilemmas, paradoxical states, and intriguing philosophies.
There were things I disliked, yes, especially as prevalent as they were at the beginning. For example: the seeming over-simplification of emotional and supernatural realities, the over-emphasis of the sexuality the initial scenario demands of Nyx, and a few other things here and there. Yet I don't consider them monumental enough to give this book anything less than a full rating. Why? Because the author manages to dispel the importance of these annoyances as the ideas and characters take their place as the center of the book. Read this book with a realistic outlook on human nature & purpose, and it's a compelling inspiration to live life more fully, but no less intentionally.

All ties together: individual events and plot line, specific ideas and the overall focus. It's a masterpiece. True, it's a love story, as a story about love: but it's a love story about selflessness, commitment, knowing thyself, and the cruel weakness of man's nature-- it's about the impossibility of fulfilling responsibilities only bearable by a perfect person, and how we still can respond to that courageously.

To be entirely honest: Courage, love, and hope are central themes in this book, and they're dealt with intelligently /and/ inspirationally. I'm a sucker for that. I adored this book, overall, although with all things adored, there are reservations. You may hate it. But it's still worth your time.

Resembling Beauty and the Beast in plot but bringing in elements not only from other fairy tales but from a variety of mythologies as well, this was a really magical story. What made it really great though, were the characters. There was no pure hero or pure villain, everyone was a little bit of both, which gave this a realistic feel. Nyx was a strong heroine who wanted to do her duty but couldn't help but feel understandably bitter that the burden had been placed on her in the first place. Seriously when I was reading the beginning of the book, I had to keep putting it down because her pain really pours off the page and I didn't want to cry in public. Our villain Ignifex is cruel but is also someone constantly suffering. My only beef was the ending which was rather abrupt especially in comparison with the rest of the book. Still I couldn't put it down and I highly recommend it to all fantasy and fairy tale fans!

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Since birth, Nyx has known she must marry the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of an impossible bargain struck by her father. Her father foolishly thought he could bargain with the Lord of Bargains, he should have known no bargain can be ever won, yet he bargained anyway. His wife could not have children so he thought to seek help from the Gentle Lord, the Lord of Bargains, in the end he would have to give up his daughter in exchange for his wish to be granted.

Left with no choice but to wed the Lord, Nyx finds herself hating her family for the choices her father made. She hates her mother for allowing him to bargain with their lives, she hates her sister for not being the one chosen to marry and defeat the Prince, and most of all she hates herself for hating her family. On her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

There is one major problem with Nyx’s plan. Ignifex isn’t what she expected to find in a demon lord. He is charming, handsome, and even witty at times. I think his patience with her shows her that he isn’t as bad as his reputation. His castle is a magical labyrinth that changes all the time, she finds herself counting down the hours until she can explore the wonderful maze of doors and hallways. The castle itself comes to mystify and charm her almost as much as Ignifex does. It changes and challenges her just like her husband.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself drawn to him as only a person with a dark heart can be. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? Decisions, decisions.

This novel is supposed to be based on the classic beauty and the beast tale we all have known and probably loved. I don’t see the beauty and the beast tale, I see a girl who is broken and has had to hide her feelings her whole life. Now that she finds herself married to a man who really isn’t all bad but still bad enough, she feels she can finally acknowledge her own heart. She isn’t beautiful she is actually described as rather plain by Ignifex himself. Nyx is drawn to Ignifex because she too can be evil but unlike him she feels remorse for her actions and thoughts. She knows she must defeat him in order to save her home but that will mean giving up her love for him and let’s face it, we can all be selfish in the name of love.

Ignifex is a demon who has been bargaining with the lives all those who are trapped in Arcadia. I think he enjoys what he does not because he is an evil demon but because those who come to him aren’t pure of heart anyway. When he bargains with a person he always gives them what they want but in a twist or with carefully chosen words, he will always win. Nyx begins to see that he doesn’t always like making deals with people but he is the Prince of Demons not the King. He is ultimately sealed to his fate just as she is. Ignifex loves her, he really does because she challenges him, she is cleaver, and strong. He loves her because he knows her heart and inside there is a tiny bit of hate and evil lurking there with just enough kindness to love him back.

I know a lot of reviews complained of ista-love but I don’t think there was any insta-love going on. When Nyx first got to the castle she spent weeks searching for the hearts of the castle. She dined with Ignifex and saw him here and there and developed a bond with him. She even struck a deal with him that together they would try to free him but in the mean time she would still finds ways to destroy him and he still went about his business of ruining the lives of those who seek to challenge their destiny. I felt as if enough time went by for these two to fall in love.

I won’t go too much into the end but I really wanted the two of them to be evil together and maybe even free Arcadia but still rule it. I wanted Nyx to learn to enjoy making deals with people because Ignifex was right, did those who came to him really think they were going to win? Those people kind of deserved what they got. I liked how their love and relationship was dark and twisted yet gentle and kind at the same time. I wanted it to stay that way, I wanted her to tell her family she was the Princess of Demons now! Arcadia had been trapped under that parchment bubble for 900 hundred years and occasionally plagued by demons, what’s 900 more or even an eternity when she had love? I know it’s dark but this book is dark fantasy after all.

Ok, the only problem I really had with this book other than it didn’t turn out the way I wanted *sigh* was the beginning. What was all that mythology crap? I get the book is based on mythology and folk lore whatever but the first 30 pages made me want to put it down. I hated all that myth background crap because it was just too much, too in depth, and I just didn’t give a crap because it was confusing. I really do recommend this book for those of you who like dark fantasy type books. I don’t think it’s too fast paced but it was good read. I really did enjoy it and will probably read it again at some point.

Oh my. This book was amazing. My only complaint about Cruel Beauty is that it was not longer. The character and world building were done wonderfully. The writing was beautiful. I've read a few Beauty and the Beast retellings but none were done as wonderfully as Cruel Beauty. I'm a HUGE fan of mythology and fairy tales and to have a story that combines the two was such a pleasure to read. I've seen reviews mentioning plot holes, but honestly I was so wrapped up in the story and needing to know how it ended that I didn't even notice. I can't wait to read more from this author. I'll be picking up Crimson Bound as soon as I get to a bookstore

Overall this book was just okay, I feel like there was a lot of unnecessary information provided. Like I was expecting the Hermetic workings to play more of a role in defeating the Gentle Lord and she spent all this time searching for the Hearts of air and fire and what not, she also spent years learning how to undo them and in the end what was the point of us learning about the Hermetic workings when they play no significant role in the overall storyline. I was expecting this big ending with her defeating the Kindly Ones and saving Ignifex and Shade with her undoing the Hermetic workings and the real ending was FAR from anything heroic.
I also felt this book was slow building but then rushed to the ending, with a whole lot of questions unanswered.
Overall I was enjoying this book and was excited to see where it was going and how it would end for Nyx, but by the end I was left with a confused look on my face like, "this is it?"

Nyx, "Was born to marry a monster." Before Nyx and her sister were born her father went to the demon in the castle and made a deal for his wife to have the kids she so desperately wanted. The condition: one of his twins will be the bride of the demon when she comes of age.

All her life Nyx has hated her father ( for picking her to marry and kill the demon), and her sister ( because she was the one daddy doted on her whole life, so carefree.)

Nyx has been trained her whole life on how to theoretically kill the demon and save her land, the only conquence, she has to die with him. Being a tough, strong, and determined young woman; Nyx won't let Ignifex, her demon husband, or Shade, the shadow look-a-like, stand in her way of freeing her people.

Nyx has grown up with the knowledge that she is being sacrificed for the sake of her realm. Forced to marry the demon prince who terrorizes her people, she is ready to die to achieve her task. But upon entering her marriage, she finds that not everything is how she imagined...especially her husband.

This is a cool dark version of Beauty and the Beast. I really enjoyed the fact that Nyx was a bit selfish and jealous. Too often heroines are perfect, making them inhuman. Nyx is very human, making her struggle all the more interesting as she struggles with her dark desires throughout the story.

I always find the retelling of fairy tales to be really fun. And I definitely enjoyed this one. Would recommend this book to anyone who likes fairy tales.

Genre: YA Romance
Read: May 18, 2015
My Review:
On a whole, this book was great. Every aspect was unique and original. Let's face it, there's not much that can be done in retellings without them seeming redundant, but this one is so different yet so true to the story, it may even be my favorite. This book caught me off-gaurd, so if you'd like a retelling this is your best bet. The only flaw that knocked a star off was the abrupt ending. Now, its an ending where the reader either appreciates it, or despises it. I appreciate the ending but I just wish we have more closure as reader, I just need more. Other than that, the book was a very special retelling of beauty and the beast.

Recommend: Highly

I am not quite sure what we have in this young adult book. I think I liked it. It seems to be a combination of Rumpelstiltskin (guess my name), Greek Mythology and the old young girl attracted to the "bad boy" theme (two bad boys in this case). The heroine, Nyx, has been trained her whole life to seek out and destroy a demon, of sorts, that she feels is responsible for killing her mother. When she finally gets to meet him a strange hate/love relationship in which she continues to vow to kill him while at the same time craves his love and kisses. This is the "bad boy" theme played to the hilt. I think you killed my mother but give me another kiss. That is why I think I liked it but maybe could be talked out of it. Well written though.

I had my doubts at first, when I picked up on a couple of silly little things that irked me (repetition of words and phrases too many times, some phrasing that just didn't sit right with me, a couple of overdone ideas), but really those seemed limited to the beginning. I didn't notice things like that later on, and the author turned out some beautifully written sentences with delicious imagery.

The story itself was great fun. It hooked me and I finished it in 2 days, staying up until 3am to finish it and probably ignoring my children a bit more than I should have (sorry boys!) The author ended up hitting me right where she wanted to. Mystery and mythology meet in a story that is a little magical, and a little romantical... A very satisfying tale.

I will definitely want to check out more of this author's work as it comes out.

A likable main character can make or break a fantasy novel -- it's the difference between an inoffensive plotless story and "Twilight."

And unfortunately, "Cruel Beauty" is hampered severely by a not-very-likable main character, a cold-hearted villain who is also a sexy woobie, and a fantasy world that is intriguing but poorly-sketched out. While the first half of Rosamund Hodge's debut novel is gratingly predictable, she does manage to introduce some interesting twists in the second half... which are usually railroaded by the romance.

Because of a deal her father struck, Nyx has spent her entire life knowing that she will be wed to the ironically named Gentle Lord, Ignifex, the master of the madness-inducing demons. Unsurprisingly, she hates everyone in her family who is involved in this, including the sister who will be safe because of her sacrifice. And when she is finally sent to her new husband's labyrinthine house, she has just one goal: find a way to kill him.

However, Ignifex rather predictably turns out to be incredibly hot, doesn't hurt her, and doesn't have sex with her. Nyx is left to wander through the house with a mysterious, enchanted young man she calls Shade, who looks exactly like Ignifex. But as she gets to know Ignifex better, she learns that he is being controlled by outside forces -- and has secrets that may be her key to stopping him.

One major problem with "Cruel Beauty" is the setting and background... or more precisely, the fact that it's distractingly difficult to even tell what it is. It seems to take place in a Greco-Romanic society set in an alternate Great Britain, with demons and a covered sky... but Hodge leaves giant chunks of her invented society a mystery, such as the question of whether this is a pseudo-medieval society or not.

Unfortunately, the book's biggest flaw is Nyx herself. She's a fairly standard spunky princess type, but it takes a LONG time for her to experience anything other than seething hatred for anyone or anything. And while it's understandable that she would be extremely angry and bitter... it doesn't make her very likable. While eventually we see some inner conflict and affection for others, the bitter, sour taste continues until about halfway into the book.

She also provides a villain/love interest who is almost as irritating, because he's explicitly mentioned as being a Faustlike creep with a Bluebeard-style room of dead wives... but Hodge keeps softening him up and making him less and less evil, so we won't overlook his hotness. It makes him feel more like a post-Edward Cullen bad boy, trying to convince us of how evil and dark he is... but not really, because he's also hot and misunderstood and tormented.

However, Hodge does have some promise as a writer. Her world, however confusing, is intriguingly unusual in its mix of old English and Greco-Roman influences, and she slashes the story with some excellent-quality horror (Nyx locked in the room of dead girls, or attacked by the singing Children of Typhon). And she throws some intriguing twists into the story, such as a betrayal by someone Nyx trusted.

And while Hodge overloads the story on romance (seriously, how many times will Nyx ogle Ignifex while he's sleeping?), she does manage to produce a fairly decent fantasy story in the book's second half, with a rather shocking act by Ignifex that changes everything. However, the ultimate twists involved with Shade and Ignifex are kind of predictable.

"Cruel Beauty" is not quite a cruel experience, but Rosamund Hodge needs to do some work on her world-building exposition and characterization. Interesting for fans of paranormal romance or twisted fairy tales, but has some serious flaws.

I will not pretend this book was perfect; it was not. There was a bit of an info-dump at the beginning of the book and I have to admit, some of the character developments were a bit forced.
But.
I enjoyed this book so very much. I was just coming off of a REALLY bad book and I was looking for something that would just capture my attention, and Cruel Beauty did just that. The dialogue was witty and I loved the three main characters: Nyx, Ignifex, and Shade. More specifically, I loved the way none of them were perfect and all of them had flaws, flaws that were relevant to the story. All three of them played off of each other well, and the interactions between Ignifex and Nyx were, in my opinion, the best parts of the book. The antics were perfectly comical and I was laughing out loud at some moments. It is not often that I physically show my delight with a book, but Cruel Beauty did it.
I would rather not spoil this story, but I do have some problems with this book. The relationship between Shade and Nyx was kind of forced. Again, this is only my opinion, but this is a minor problem for me. The first couple chapters of this book were exposition-y, which could be solved by a more even integration with the story. However, this part of the chapter gave some insight into Nyx's character, and had to be done. I was not a big fan of the writing style itself, but it was not bad.
With this said, the good stuff in this book far outshines the minor flaws I have found with it. It was enjoyable, funny, and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last words.
So, I thank you again, Rosamund Hodge. You have restored my faith in books and I will read every single one of your other books. :)

I don't think I will ever find a book that gripped me as intensely as this one. I laughed, I cried, I felt every word on the page in my gut, and I will never forget it. The prose is phenomenal and beyond what I've seen in any books I've read before or since. I would recommend Cruel Beauty to every person I pass on the street if only I knew they would appreciate it as deeply as I do. Even if you don't end up this way, I still think everyone should read this book because everyone can find something beautiful in this story.

The premise of this book and the cover itself caught my eye immediately. I thought - now that sounds like a book that would be very interesting- and I loved the idea of the main character ending up falling for her sworn enemy.
I read through this entire book and thoroughly enjoyed it, and the entire time did not realize it was a beauty and the beast retelling! I just figured that out now after looking at some reviews. I had heard it was a retelling, but could not tell what it was a retelling of. I was sucked right into the intricate and compelling story line right from page one, and noticed a lot of Greek mythology references. With this going on, I actually did not notice the ongoing beauty and the beast references, though perhaps it would help to actually have read that original story, as I have only watched Disney's version.

Overall I really enjoyed that the story line was a lot more complex then you first think. Actually about mid way through I was beginning to get a little disappointed because the romance was not going the way I expected, and I kept wanting things to happen differently; but by the end of the book everything worked out in a way that was best for everyone, and all I could think was "that was a very good book". I wanted it to keep going on and was sad that it ended.

One final note - I was actually quite excited that there were enough hints that I ended up figuring out the major plot twists before they occurred, and knew what was going to happen and how it was going to end. From reading some reviews it sounds like a lot of people got very confused, but the author actually did a very good job at letting you know what was going to happen, even if there were a lot of confusing areas. Very wonderful novel and highly recommended!

I got this from the free table at Worldcon this weekend, with a note in the front saying the author would be autographing later- unfortunately I missed the timeframe the note described. I didn't feel too bad about that fact until I started reading it that night, at which point I really, really regretted not being able to stop by and tell her what a lovely book it was and how much I enjoyed it.

It flows so well that reading it is a pleasure. I recognized several aspects of mythology and fairy tale, some of which seemed an unusual combination but which, in the comtext of the story, worked beautifully together.

I have read a ton of fairy tale retellings lately, and I still feel incredibly stupid for taking so long to read this one. CRUEL BEAUTY isn't just a fairy tale retelling--it's an exploration of ancient civilizations, Greco-Roman mythology, and morality. The world-building is impressive, the plot has no shortage of twists and turns, and at the center of it all is a love story between two bitter, angry people who I found myself rooting for anyway.

Rosamund Hodge's debut was well worth waiting for, and I'm already planning on picking up her next book.

“Cruel Beauty” is as dark and elegant as the lovely cover promises it will be. The novel successfully takes the typical elements of the Beauty and the Beast story (the mirror, the magical house, the library) and turns everything on its head. Nyx was a fantastically refreshing heroine. She wasn’t insecure about who she was or what she looked like, and she had a rare honesty with herself. Ignifex, aka the beast, is…wow. The author doesn’t try to make excuses with him, or soften his character. He isn’t, of course, as bad as he seems at first, but he’s no saint, either. The descriptions of the castle were awesome. I wanted to live there, when it wasn’t freaking the heck out of me! If you love dark, beautiful stories, Beauty and the Beast, or strong characters, this is a must-read.

What a beautifully written book! It is a fairy tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but even though there are some common themes, it is REALLY different.

First. Our heroine is angry and bitter about her circumstances. I love her humanness! Because who wouldn't be pissed if your father made a deal with the devil and you were to be the evil one's bride.

The world building is fantastic, dark, eerie, and just beautiful.

I got this ebook from the library and devoured it in a night. Totally worth reading and sharing with your fairy-tale-loving friends.

The mythology and world building were nicely done. If not for that, I would've rated this lower. It was an interesting mish-mash of fairytales and mythology.

I did not like Nyx. I have a hard time enjoying a book when I dislike one of the main characters. She is probably the most fickle, capricious main character I have ever read. I love him...I hate him...I love him...I hate him. And it seemed as if her mind changed on a whim. By the time she was in love "for real" I had mental whiplash and can't even recall why she decided she loved him (that time)...you know, right before she decided (yet again) to kill him.

Beauty and the Beast is my all time favorite fairytale so when I find a new retelling of it I instantly need it right away. This definitely had its Beauty and the Beast aspects but it was sooooo different and I admire how much Rosamond Hodge was able to change it up. I found the Greek mythology incorporated in the book to be really interesting as well because the author took her own sort of spin on it which I find to be truly unique.

The book opens up with the line:
"I was raised to marry a monster."
I'm not sure about all the other people who read it, but that had me interested right away. Anyways, our main character is Nyx. Her father made a deal with the demon prince when he and his wife could not conceive any children. He was so desperate for a child that he struck a bargain. The bargain was that his wife would conceive two daughters but one would have to marry the prince when she was older. Needless to say he went through with the bargain but his wife was not strong enough to bear the twins and past away in childbirth.

Naturally he is heartbroken by his wife's passing and wants vengeance. So he chooses Nyx, the older of the twins, to go through with the marriage and trains her in the ways to kill the demon lord. Nyx has to get married to him and is sent away to the castle from which she is never to leave. We then meet our mysterious, dark, and handsome demon lord, Ignifex. As can be expected their relationship at first is not romantic....at all. But through bickering and bantering they grow to love each other. Nyx then has to choose between loyalty to her family and her home, or love.

I really like Nyx. She is both kind and wicked at the same time. She always has this hatred burning in her that she never truly gets past which makes her so realistic. I enjoyed reading from her perspective A LOT. At times her thoughts were twisted and there were a few parts that I got really frustrated at her for but I overall did like her character.

Then of course you have Ignifex. Tall, dark, and handsome. What more do you need to know? At first we are led to believe he is a utter monster who is always angry and abusive but that isn't really who he is at all. He is such a complex character but I fell in love with him. Ignifex was my favorite character in the book. I loved practically all the parts he was in. He was so blatant and mischievous and he even had me laughing at sometimes throughout the book.

The romance....oh the romance! I really liked this! At first we have this love-triangle-but-not-really going on but it was out of the picture pretty quickly (sort of). I'm not going to say anything more about that. I loved Ignifex and Nyx so much. The dialogue between these two characters were probably my favorite part of the book from the beginning to the end.

I'm still sort of mind blown from this book. I did not think the book would end the way it did at all. It had a serious plot twist at the end and I flew through the last hundred pages anxious to find out what happened. I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you like fantasy or fairytale retellings!

The most boring book I have listened to in ages. Not sure what put me more to sleep: the monotonous narrator* or the story that made no sense, was not believable and dragged on forever.

I wish I could get the time I wasted on this back.

* Elizabeth Knowelden

So I loved this book. Loved it so much that I cried near to the end cause it was just so sad and I wanted everything to be okay and gosh I’m going to be rambling I think. Ignifex and Nyx are just one of the best things since sliced bread and jello. Not together. That would be gross. But Nyx and Ignifex aren’t! This book is one of the most adorable, most practical, most determined romances that I’ve read so far. Nyx has to make a difficult choice, falls in love with the roguish and ever adorable Ignifex, all while dealing with the fact that she was basically trained to stick a knife in his heart. Obviously she fails at that right off the bat, but it makes for lovely Nyxifex times. I giggled with delight at their romance. So. Darn. Cute.

I seriously loved the plot here. I have to admit, the beginning is a bit slow, but press onwards and you’ll be rewarded with a piece of fiction that grips your senses and dangles them in front of your nose like a carrot until you finish the darn thing. The conflict was Beauty and the Beast-esque, but not so much that it wasn’t its own tale. CRUEL BEAUTY holds its own, even when problems rise up that you think are just going to ruin your day.

Completely a must-read, and I can’t wait to read Rosamund’s next book. Maybe we’ll hear more about Nyx and Ignifex at some point!

The similarities to Beauty and the Beast were very subtle. Had I not read the blurb before hand, I probably never would have connected the two. I haven't seen any other reviewers mention this, so maybe I'm crazy, but I thought there were also some similarities to Rumpelstiltskin. Add in some Greek Mythology and you have something entirely unique. This was a very different kind of romance. It was tender at times, but it was also dark and twisted, and I liked it. The thought and creativity that must have gone into the development of Cruel Beauty is pure craziness! I'm looking forward to more from this author!

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were developed really well & the story had a good pace to it. I also liked how the setting was very detailed to the point that the reader was swept up in this world. The only small issue I found was at the end where the conclusion felt a bit rushed, but the conclusion was a solid one. Overall, I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone! Happy Reading! :)

This is an interesting book. I don't usually read romance stories but this one was a great choice. When I saw the cover at the library I knew I had to read because it was beautiful and just haunting at the same time. The story itself had a great plot and you never know which way the story would go. I also think Ignifex was an interesting character who is bad on the outside by a gentle demon at heart. That is a strange for a demon.

Well before her birth Nix has been betrothed to Ignifex, after all that was the deal that her father made with the ruler of their Kingdom.

It was never even a choice between Nix and her twin sister. Her father would never give up Astraia.

But Nix won't be a dutiful bride, she won't put on a fake smile and do as she is told. No. She has a plan. She will kill the evil ruler of Arcadia, she will kill Ignifex and free her land. She will prove to her sister and her father that she deserves to live just as much as Astraia.

the store - Barnes and Noble - Book Depository
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"Cruel Beauty" is suppose to be a mix between Beauty and the Beast and Graceling.

While I haven't read Graceling I'm think it must lean more towards that. While I could see how it resembled Beauty and the Beast (if I squinted and tilted my head) it wasn't enough for me to warrant the 'retelling' description.

I'm not sure how to describe this book.

First off I hate retelling's, I don't know why but they drive me crazy, if a book is marketed as one I tend to stay as far away from it as possible.

But I'm trying to branch out a little bit and read books I wouldn't have previously picked up.

So keeping that in mind I was very hesitant going into this book, but after finishing it I found myself surprised by how much I really liked it.

It was strange, I won't deny that, but strange in the best possible why.

It has the perfect mesh of darkness and light, you're always wondering who Nix should trust and who she should run screaming from.

The descriptions of the ever changing castle and it's vast rooms left me breathless and I found myself insanely jealous of a library filled with books that no one could read, which is crazy.

All through the book I thought it was going to be three stars. It was a good story, with good characters and a good plot but the second I finished those last few chapters I knew three stars just wasn't enough.

I only wish the first 2/3 had been as enchanting and mesmerizing as the last 1/3.

That being said I am planning on reading Rosamund's next book and hopefully this will open the door to even more retelling's.

Until next time,
Ginger

Nine hundred years ago, the land of Arcadia was cruelly torn away from the rest of the world by the Gentle Lord, the ruler of demons. In exchange for tribute, he keeps his demons from tormenting humanity into madness. Years ago, a man bargained with the Gentle Lord, begging him for children. The Gentle Lord agreed, taking as his price one of the man's future daughters in marriage. Twin girls were born, but the man's wife died in childbirth. The grief-stricken father raised one daughter, Nyx, to avenge her mother by killing her future husband after their wedding, while showering all of his love and affection on the second child. Full of resentment and anger, Nyx hates her sister for being loved and her father for treating her only as a tool of vengeance. Still, she plans to carry out her duty, trapping the Gentle Lord and his demons in his castle and freeing the land of Arcadia from his grasp.

The tale draws inspiration not just from Beauty and the Beast, but from Greek and Roman mythology. Shades of Pandora's Box, Psyche and Cupid, and the Labyrinth of King Minos make the story much darker than the traditional fairy tale. It creates a very interesting world, for Nyx's gowns and the descriptions of the Gentle Lord's castle sound very 17th or 18th century, the height of baroque luxury. The best way that I can think to describe the world is that it is as if Arcadia was sundered from the rest of the world right before the time of Christ, and developed on a parallel path with the rest of history but without the influence of Christianity. Thus, "hedge gods" still flourish amongst the peasants while the wealthy worship the Olympian gods and goddesses.

It is also a world in which good and evil is fluid. At first, the Gentle Lord seems a cruel tyrant, but as Nyx gets to know her husband Ignifex - not his real name, but more personal than "Gentle Lord" - she realizes that his humor and temperament matches her own, and that the victims of his "cruel bargains" are guilty of pride and selfishness, and bear as much responsibility for their misfortunes as the demon lord. Ignifex's servant and shadow, Shade, initially appears to be a good man imprisoned by the Gentle Lord, but the more time Nyx spends with him the more darkness she sees.

Likewise, Nyx's own character is mirrored in her twin sister, Astraia. At the beginning of the book, Astraia seems all goodness: sweet, cheerful, beloved. Nyx hates that her sister can be so carefree and innocent. But as Nyx softens in the castle under the influence of Ignifex and Shade, Astraia hardens as hatred for the man who took her sister away, and her rage that her sister never once asked her for help, so that by the time the twins meet again their personalities have almost completely switched.

Throughout the book, references are made to hermetic magic, which Nyx spent years practicing with her father. It's mentioned again and again. We know that Nyx enjoys learning her hermetic workings and that it can be used to power lamps and, in time, to bring the Gentle Lord down...but how this magic works is never adequately explained.

Ultimately, the story has a lot of interesting points - I love the mythology/fairy tale fusion - but certain elements never quite pan out. The hermetic workings are muddled, and the romantic love triangle is resolved in such a way that Nyx both has her cake and eats it, too. It's a fun, quick summer read, but one that will leave the reader scratching her head afterward.

This book, I would have preferred to read written for adults. It is mostly a romance, with a lot of talk of virginity, ravishing, tearing off dresses, etc. But because it's YA, despite being quite sensuous, it doesn't go further than kissing. Too bad really, I don't come across many good adult romances, and setup of "Cruel Beauty" is perfect for creating all kinds of convenient excuses to facilitate sexy times and for a more mature and more interesting story.

I enjoyed mythology/fairy tale mix as well, although I got lost a little in it all by the end.

Beauty & the Beast is one of the world's most recognized fairy tales. But have you ever wondered what this whimsical tale might look like if you fused it with the brutality of ancient Greco-Roman mythology? You'd get a story that's resoundingly familiar yet undeniably unconventional. You'd get Cruel Beauty.

Cruel Beauty garnered quite a bit of buzz in the YA community in that people either loved it or they hated it. Books like this are always a gamble but I'm a big fan of fairy tales and mythology so I decided to give it take the chance. I'm really glad I did.Though Cruel Beauty is marketed primarily as a retelling of Beauty & the Beast, I found it to be more Greek myth than fairy tale. And if you're familiar with Greco-Roman mythos, you'll see notes of it everywhere. It's in the bones, from the setting to the history and definitely in the romance. Cruel Beauty is one of those books that's inspired by rather than retold, and for that, I admire it.

Based on some of the other reviews, I was expecting grandiose info dumps and an overly convoluted plot. Fortunately, I didn't see much of that anywhere. I thought the world-building was concise, enough for me to get a good sense of what the kingdom looked like and how it functioned. There's a lot going on and it's easy to get lost so I saw the descriptiveness as a necessary thing. Like I loved the imaginative descriptions of the Gentle Lord's house. I loved how it changed and flowed and had a life of its own. The house feels like a living, breathing, sentient being. Through Hodge's rich descriptions, the house becomes a character in its own right and THAT is the mark of a talented author.

But probably my favourite thing about this book is its characters. Nyx is quite the unlikeable character. In fact, she's downright mean. But she's also incredibly complex and given her situation, being raised as a sacrifice, you totally understand why she is the way that she is. She's bitter and angry and vengeful and I totally felt for her. It makes her hard and hostile and bad-ass. I mean, she punches her demon husband in the face. PUNCHES. HIM. IN. THE. FACE. And I totally want to be her BFF because of it. And then there's Ignifex, the Gentle Lord. The bad guy of all bad guys. But he's not really so bad. Well, he is but he's got his reasons for being so devilish. He's a tortured guy. Like Nyx, he's suffered and that suffering has turned him into an unforgiving, iron-fisted ruler. And it's that suffering that makes him and Nyx the ideal couple.

Oh yeah. Speaking of Ignifex and Nyx, let me just talk about their romance for a second. I don't typically like stories solely for the romance, but man, I TOTALLY did here. I ship Nyx and Ignifex SO hard. I loved everything about them --- their cruel banter to the gradual softening towards one another --- it was incredibly entertaining. They go from hate to tolerate to mutual understanding to love in a beautiful way. Now there is a love triangle in the book, however, it's not your average love triangle. It doesn't permeate the whole of the story and, thankfully, is resolved quickly and in a unique sort of way. As for Shade, I wasn't really a big fan. Like the other characters, there is more to him than meets the eye but I was never really sure what to think of him.

Aside from the incredible character development, I also have to give Hodge mad props for the uniqueness of this story. She blends fairy tale elements and classic mythology in a way that's fresh, exciting and new. There's a lot going on in this book but she fuses it together in a way that makes sense. You get lost in it entirely. And this is why I think a lot of us love fairy tales. Because they entrance you and encapsulate you in a fantasy, in a thing of beauty. And this is what makes Cruel Beauty so successful. It's whimsical and terrifying and beautiful and cruel all at the same time. So yes, while Cruel Beauty does have its issues, generally speaking, they didn't hinder my enjoyment of the overall story. This is one of those books where its strength lies more in its characters than in the plot. There's magic in it, everywhere, and it completely captivated me, like any good fairy tale will do.

Food for Thought: Cruel Beauty is an interesting blend of fairy tale and mythology. Though the foundations of the story are somewhat familiar, the character and scenery are unforgettable. There are parts to the book (i.e. - the ending) that are a tad confusing, but overall, Hodge has given us something fresh and beautiful. My fondness for the book lies more in its character and breathtaking world building than its convoluted plot. This book has the SHIP of all SHIPS, so if you're looking for something to sail then this book is definitely for you!

What a fantastic book this was! It may be called YA, but I think it's one of the most grown-up books I've read in the genre. Mesmerizing, dark, magical, and such an interesting mixture of different mythologies and fairytales (Greek/hermetic/Beauty and the Beast/Rumpelstiltskin). I immediately ordered the other book set in this world (Gilded Ashes) and can't wait to read that too. I'm so happy that this book lived up to its promise. If you think fairytale retellings are boring because you already know the story, then pick up this book. You will be blown away!

A dark re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, but with the heroine being born and bred as payment for her father's bargain with The Dark Lord, her beast. Nyx's heart is bitter and defiant; she is proud and daring which makes her a well-rounded character. The overall plot was well constructed and quite unique for a y.a. novel and is certainly a book any Beauty and the Beast lover would enjoy.

I highly recommend giving this book a go.

Stuck in a fantasy somewhere between "Beauty & The Beast" and "Rumpelstiltskin" - but with many a reference to the Greek mythological sphere - "Cruel Beauty" plays off our love of fairy tales. What does it mean to be pure of heart and can any of us - tainted in our own humanity - truly achieve such a task? Rosamund Hodge has created a fair entry into the world of the YA trilogy with great promise for a bright future.

First, this book has one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. Unfortunately, the story does not live up to the promise of the synopsis and the cover. The author's mix of mythologies, history, and fiction created a very disjointed story. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale, and I was really looking forward to a fresh take on the story. However, I did not see any real semblance of Beauty and the Beast in this book. There are many elements, such as the Hermetics, that were never really explained, and the author creates a haphazard mix of mythologies that becomes difficult to follow. Many of the gods mentioned come from Greek mythology, and the author incorporates the entire tale of Pandora. Then, at the end, there are many elements of the Scottish myth of Tam Lin. It would have been better if she simply focused on one fairy tale or one set of myths. This would have allowed her to focus more on building the setting or creating a more cohesive the story.

Overall, I would say that I was disappointed by this book. The cover and writing were beautiful, but the story left a lot to be desired, particularly when it was supposed to be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

I was incredibly disappointed by this book, I heard a lot of good things about the story and so going in I had high expectations. This story could have been an enjoyable fantasy but the plot line was terrible, it was confusing and clichéd all at the same time. The writing is cluttered. There are much better fairy tales out there.

This was a cute read and has similar aspects to the original Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. This novel however, has many things going on. It has the Beauty and the Beast concept, magical elements that don't really fully develop into much, sour family relationships and it was kinda morbid. This is not to say it wasn't a fun read, and I don't regret reading this book, I just think it tried to be too much and some points just didn't work or come together in the middle. The end was rushed through but who doesn't appreciate a happy ending?

With the use of Greek Mythos and the Beauty & the Beast retelling, this story delivers in so many levels. I've seen and read many of the B&B stories being retold from the original story, but this unique blend of romance and Greek elements change the perspective of the story. While the reader is captivated by the plights of the main characters, the main allure that Love is Redemption remains valid throughout. To continue on about the book is nick picking. Please pick up this great novel and get lost in the revised view of an old classic.

Cruel Beauty is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Seventeen year old Nyx is betrothed to wicked prince of her realm due to a careless bargain made by her father before her birth. She has been trained by her father her entire life to marry and assassinate the Gentle Prince. However, after getting to know him she falls in love with him. Will she betray her husband and love of her life? Or will she break her promise to her father?

This story sound pretty epic, right? Wrong. This story has mountains of potential to be breathtaking and inspiring, yet it left me bored and confused.
So, take the story of Beauty and the beast, then add some demons, hermetic magic (whatever that is), a mansion from a Lewis Carol novel (except exponentially darker) shake it all up and the outcome is this novel.

So basically Nyx is cold and self-centered and is betrothed to the evil demon prince of her realm (of whom is also, egocentric). Why is she betrothed to such a villain? Because her father is unbelievably selfish as well. Seeing a theme? So Nyx marries Ignifex (the evil demon prince) and she falls in love with him. Does he have any underlying redeeming qualities? No, he is evil to the very core of his being and yes she falls in love with him. Then she is also in love with this other guy in the castle, well she was for a while, then she wasn't. Then there is this incredibly crazy mansion with hundreds of doors and just as many mysteries behind them. Finally, there is something about hermetic magic, which I am still not entirely sure what that is because the book never fully explains it. All I know is it has something to do with the four elements.

I wanted to like this book, I really did, but I just couldn't. The characters were all overbearing and selfish, even out protagonist. I didn't feel connected to the story line at all. Furthermore, all the house weirdness, and hermetic magic just made the novel confusing and difficult to follow. Then the romance was lacking any kind of real chemistry, I didn't feel like they loved each other even in the end. One of the things that bothered me most was the prince. In Beauty and the Beast, the Beast was rough around the edges but he was loving and kind underneath. In this tale, the prince is evil, end of story. He doesn't apologize for it ,nor does he try to be anything better.

I gave this book two stars for potential and creativity.

This story could have easily been a 5 star for me but there was just too much going on trying to figure out the curse, etc. It was overkill and took away from the character and plot development. Also, a lot of questions were never answered. Many things about this made no sense because it was all over the place. I found it tiresome at times. I will, however, check out more of this writer's work because the potential is defiantly there.

A dark re-telling of Beauty and the Beast, but with the heroine being born and bred as payment for her father's bargain with The Dark Lord, her beast. Nyx's heart is bitter and defiant; she is proud and daring which makes her a well-rounded character. The overall plot was well constructed and quite unique for a y.a. novel and is certainly a book any Beauty and the Beast lover would enjoy.

I highly recommend giving this book a go.

Stuck in a fantasy somewhere between "Beauty & The Beast" and "Rumpelstiltskin" - but with many a reference to the Greek mythological sphere - "Cruel Beauty" plays off our love of fairy tales. What does it mean to be pure of heart and can any of us - tainted in our own humanity - truly achieve such a task? Rosamund Hodge has created a fair entry into the world of the YA trilogy with great promise for a bright future.

First, this book has one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. Unfortunately, the story does not live up to the promise of the synopsis and the cover. The author's mix of mythologies, history, and fiction created a very disjointed story. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale, and I was really looking forward to a fresh take on the story. However, I did not see any real semblance of Beauty and the Beast in this book. There are many elements, such as the Hermetics, that were never really explained, and the author creates a haphazard mix of mythologies that becomes difficult to follow. Many of the gods mentioned come from Greek mythology, and the author incorporates the entire tale of Pandora. Then, at the end, there are many elements of the Scottish myth of Tam Lin. It would have been better if she simply focused on one fairy tale or one set of myths. This would have allowed her to focus more on building the setting or creating a more cohesive the story.

Overall, I would say that I was disappointed by this book. The cover and writing were beautiful, but the story left a lot to be desired, particularly when it was supposed to be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

I was incredibly disappointed by this book, I heard a lot of good things about the story and so going in I had high expectations. This story could have been an enjoyable fantasy but the plot line was terrible, it was confusing and clichéd all at the same time. The writing is cluttered. There are much better fairy tales out there.

This was a cute read and has similar aspects to the original Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. This novel however, has many things going on. It has the Beauty and the Beast concept, magical elements that don't really fully develop into much, sour family relationships and it was kinda morbid. This is not to say it wasn't a fun read, and I don't regret reading this book, I just think it tried to be too much and some points just didn't work or come together in the middle. The end was rushed through but who doesn't appreciate a happy ending?

With the use of Greek Mythos and the Beauty & the Beast retelling, this story delivers in so many levels. I've seen and read many of the B&B stories being retold from the original story, but this unique blend of romance and Greek elements change the perspective of the story. While the reader is captivated by the plights of the main characters, the main allure that Love is Redemption remains valid throughout. To continue on about the book is nick picking. Please pick up this great novel and get lost in the revised view of an old classic.

Cruel Beauty is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Seventeen year old Nyx is betrothed to wicked prince of her realm due to a careless bargain made by her father before her birth. She has been trained by her father her entire life to marry and assassinate the Gentle Prince. However, after getting to know him she falls in love with him. Will she betray her husband and love of her life? Or will she break her promise to her father?

This story sound pretty epic, right? Wrong. This story has mountains of potential to be breathtaking and inspiring, yet it left me bored and confused.
So, take the story of Beauty and the beast, then add some demons, hermetic magic (whatever that is), a mansion from a Lewis Carol novel (except exponentially darker) shake it all up and the outcome is this novel.

So basically Nyx is cold and self-centered and is betrothed to the evil demon prince of her realm (of whom is also, egocentric). Why is she betrothed to such a villain? Because her father is unbelievably selfish as well. Seeing a theme? So Nyx marries Ignifex (the evil demon prince) and she falls in love with him. Does he have any underlying redeeming qualities? No, he is evil to the very core of his being and yes she falls in love with him. Then she is also in love with this other guy in the castle, well she was for a while, then she wasn't. Then there is this incredibly crazy mansion with hundreds of doors and just as many mysteries behind them. Finally, there is something about hermetic magic, which I am still not entirely sure what that is because the book never fully explains it. All I know is it has something to do with the four elements.

I wanted to like this book, I really did, but I just couldn't. The characters were all overbearing and selfish, even out protagonist. I didn't feel connected to the story line at all. Furthermore, all the house weirdness, and hermetic magic just made the novel confusing and difficult to follow. Then the romance was lacking any kind of real chemistry, I didn't feel like they loved each other even in the end. One of the things that bothered me most was the prince. In Beauty and the Beast, the Beast was rough around the edges but he was loving and kind underneath. In this tale, the prince is evil, end of story. He doesn't apologize for it ,nor does he try to be anything better.

I gave this book two stars for potential and creativity.

This story could have easily been a 5 star for me but there was just too much going on trying to figure out the curse, etc. It was overkill and took away from the character and plot development. Also, a lot of questions were never answered. Many things about this made no sense because it was all over the place. I found it tiresome at times. I will, however, check out more of this writer's work because the potential is defiantly there.

There were parts of this book I loved. The story was interesting and beautiful. I can't give it more stars because I frequently found it confusing. There was so much put into the world building and mythology that it was overkill and distracting to the story. I think this book could have been great but miss the mark a bit. Still a good read but had much more potential.

Beauty and the Beast has long been one of my favorite fairy tales, and I couldn't pass another retelling even though it sounded like a bit too much to add in the elements of Greek/Roman mythology. To my surprise, I found the worldbuilding one of the most intriguing aspects of the story, and I wish more time would have been spent fleshing it out.

I started and stopped this story many times, mostly out of frustration with our protagonist. From the very beginning, she's hot and cold, one way on one page and completely different the next, even when there wasn't a logical reason for her change. The overlay of character contradictions with confusing plot elements was too much for me. I wish I had enjoyed it more, because I definitely felt it had the potential to develop a great story.

Cruel Beauty is a dark and disturbing retelling of Beauty and the Beast that had an unexpected mix of Greek Mythology thrown in. I loved the imagery and the feel of the castle as the reader explores this mysterious world. In this version, our heroine is locked in a pre-arranged marriage to a demon, which adds a dark twist to the original fairy tale version of the story. I really loved this version of one one of my favorite fairy tales.

I'm such a nerd because one of the reasons I like this book is the cover is silky smooth and feels like a rose petal. :)

Cruel Beauty is poetic in itself, and also meshes the original tale with Greek myths, folktales, and poetry in such lovely and unexpected ways. (Also: kissing!)

Let me tell you there are no words for this book. I think my whole world just tilted directions from solely reading the book. It was fascinating, but not happy. It's like reading the deepest darkest secret your heart keeps without your knowledge but once you are aware you realize you loved it all along.

I enjoyed this novel, and the way it incorporates Greek mythology into the Beauty and the Beast plot. It reminded me of the myth of Cupid and Psyche. The novel "Til We Have Faces" by C. S. Lewis is another book based on the myth of Cupid and Psyche (which actually might have been the original basis for the folktale about Beauty and the Beast, possibly...)

For this being her first book it was really good! At first I just couldn't get into it, but then chapter 4 came and it was like bam I was hooked! It was kind of like Beauty and the Beast but then again it wasn't. In the end I was hoping we got to find out what happens to Nyx and Mr. Lux but I guess I'll just have to imagine what comes next, unless the author decides to write a 2nd??

I liked how the book incorporates the classical version of beauty and the beast and has a slight touch of the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche. The sister's, father's and stepmother/aunt's characters are somewhat undeveloped and shallow, but the rich voice of Nyx and darkness of Ignifex (the Beast) makes up for it. Their evolving relationship is beautiful. I recommend this to teens and those who enjoy romance with a little Greek mythology.

This clever and well-written enchanting tale combines elements from Greek mythology and Beauty and the Beast. While not quite a fairy-tale retelling, 'Cruel Beauty' will appeal to those readers. Highly recommended for YA fans.

This story captivated me from the very first line. I loved the world and the story. It's not the Beauty and the Beast retelling that I expected, and I loved that. Unique and a bit dark and twisty - a delightful book.

Greek Mythology meets Beauty & the Beast in this debut that’s almost reminiscent of GRACELING. Rosamund Hodge’s CRUEL BEAUTY is a novel that we absolutely adored here at IceyBooks, and Asma and I have gotten together to give you a deeper scoop with a dual review!

A wonderfully tragic retelling of an old tale with enough twists and turns and interesting magic to make it worth the time to read. I never once hated the main character, though she was less than perfect.

I read this on the recommendation of a friend and I really enjoyed it. So much creativity and ingenuity went into the creation of this story. It reminded me a lot of The Night Circus, which I also highly recommend.

A great twist on beauty and the beast with a mix of mythology thrown in there as well. I came to love the gentle lord, shade, and Lux who were completely different yet very similar. This book turned out to be completely different from what I thought it would be, I highly recommend it. Can't wait to read more from this author.

I was blown away by is book. I really connected with Nyx and her internal struggles. She had cold in her heart and instead of ignoring recognized it and tried to make it right. The charecters depth along with the world building was spectacular.

This book was very entertaining and funny, but also very twisty-topsy-turny towards the end. While parts were a bit confusing at times, hodge made up for it with a later explanation. While I deeply loved Ignafex's funny character and slightly opposed shade's cowardice, the honesty of nyx's character--poisoned as it was--was refreshing.

Not the light fairytale. Its a dark romance. Fight between good and evil. Includes good character development, Light comedy, self acceptance and more near the idea of the Once Upon A Time show version.

The main problem with this book is that there are a lot of confusing concepts! At least to me there were. Some examples: Tom-A-Lones, Shadows, Resurgandi, Elements, Greek/Roman mythology and more. Are you wondering what the heck Resurgandi is? I was. It became to much to bear and I found myself trying to just hurry up and finish the book to see if it would explain things. Some books like Frankenstein, City of Bones, Hunger Games, Book Thief, etc..., these books excel because they explain the various topics/concepts as you read. The next issue is that Nyx, the main character, loves everybody one moment, then hates everybody the next. And its like that the whole book, all 26 chapters! After the first few chapters, a reader can understand why Nyx might be a "Cruel beauty", but it got old. The whole "Beauty and the Beast" concept was lagging with the only similarities (that I noticed): Nyx is "captive" in a castle like Belle and you've got a plagued lover boy. If your looking for more similarities then this isn't your book. The incorporation of Greek/Roman mythology was a interesting concept hence the reason she got 2 stars instead of 1. In fact, all around the author had some pretty neat ideas. I think the problem is that this book is to short and not long enough (or in depth enough) to cover the other ideas she tried to use! I wouldn't recommend it but, a few others seem to have enjoyed the book (probably because like me they have some knowledge of Persephone, Hades, Zeus, and other various Roman/Greek affiliations) though the book was poorly executed. If you don't have any knowledge of that kinda stuff then it's going to be a rather boring read. I've never written a review, but I had to make an exception.

This book is riveting, but most importantly filled with the unexpected. As one tired of same old same old I can definetely say it had me hooked all the way through; this author displays her uncanny talent filled with mystery and intrigue; more please!! Just not more of the same which I am sure we wont get with this writer. Unpredictable and you leave this experience satisfied for once, unlike most new books this one most definetely stands alone!!!

I got through this one in two days, which must mean I really like it! I loved all the mythology incorporated and the ways the characters made offerings to the gods and house spirits. It really added a cool element.

If I could give this book more than five stars, I absolutely would have. This is a gloriously dark retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and I love how Greek mythology played a role in the story. An absolute must read!

The story was okay and I liked it overall, but I was expecting more after hearing so many people rave about it. I'm not exactly sure what made me not love it, but if the synopsis sounds intriguing to you or you're looking for a fairy tale retelling you should give it a try.

It arrived in a timely manner!
I've been looking forward to read this book for some time. I found Hodge's "Cruel Beauty" to be a very interesting adaptation and interpretation of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast! I really enjoyed this book!

This book didn’t even hook me in the beginning. I actually struggled getting through the first 100 pages, but for the sake of writing a review, I powered through it. This book was just a confusing mess of info-dumps and fickle characters. I think it had potential (A Court of Thorns and Roses anyone?), but it just lacked. The attempt at incorporating mythology and magic did not blend well with the story (there was even time-travel at the end), the characters were infuriating and the ending felt rushed and confusing. Parts of the plot were unexplained, or if they were it got lost, which left me wanting for more. It was just a hodge-podge of different ideas that ended up not meshing well together. A really disappointing addition to the popular fairy-tale retelling genre.