Playing Catch Up! Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Playing Catch Up has really been helping me through my ever growing TBR list. I'd like to welcome all other blogs to participate too! If you do, be sure to post your links in the comments section. I'd love to see your Playing Catch Up Reviews, and I'm sure others would too!! *wink*

Want to know more about Playing Catch Up? I'll tell you all about it here!

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy Romance/Retelling)
Date Published: July 23, 2013
Publisher: Delacorte Press

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay is quite an original retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I enjoyed the main characters quite a bit, and I loved how certain themes involving their appearances transpired as the story went on. It wasn't insta-love or even insta-attraction, which is a plus. Their friendship and trust grew over time. The story itself was slow at times, and I really wish it would have explained some things a little more. I needed more from the world building in general. What appealed to me most was the fact that "Beauty" and "Beast" were interchangeable. Both Isra and Gem, and even Bo if you think about it more, had aspects of Beauty and Beast within them. Their choices made them one or the other. 

Check out my review of another book by Stacey Jay!

Stacey Jay is a recovering workaholic (or at least working hard at recovering) with three pen names, two small children, and a passion for playing pretend for a living. She’s been a full time mom-writer since 2005 and can't think of anything she'd rather be doing. Her former careers include theatre performer, professional dancer, poorly paid C-movie actress, bartender, waiter, math tutor (for real) and yoga instructor.

To learn more about Stacey Jay and her books on Goodreads.

Book Review! The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

The Fairest Beauty (Hagenheim #3) by Melanie Dickerson
Genre: Young Adult  (Christian Fiction/Historical Fiction/Romance/Fractured Fairy Tale)
Date Published: January 8, 2013
Publisher: Zondervan

A daring rescue. 

A difficult choice. 

Sophie desperately wants to get away from her stepmother's jealousy, and believes escape is her only chance to be happy. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castle, claiming she is betrothed to his older brother, and everything twists upside down. This could be Sophie's one chance at freedom—but can she trust another person to keep her safe? 

Gabe defied his parents Rose and Wilhelm by going to find Sophie, and now he believes they had a right to worry: the girl's inner and outer beauty has enchanted him. Though romance is impossible—she is his brother's future wife, and Gabe himself is betrothed to someone else—he promises himself he will see the mission through, no matter what. 

When the pair flee to the Cottage of the Seven, they find help—but also find their feelings for each other have grown. Now both must not only protect each other from the dangers around them—they must also protect their hearts.

My Fairest Beauty is the third book in the Hagenheim series by Melanie Dickerson. This is a re-telling of Snow White, and while it clearly follows in the path of that fairy tale(at least as told by Disney), it's also it's own story. Sophie is a tough girl though. She's not sing-songing through the forest. She has some self preservation. Plus, she is humble. I enjoyed her character's personality. Gabe isn't your typical "prince" either. In fact, he wasn't looking for his "princess", so much as taking some sibling rivalry to a new level. 

It's easy to recognize the characters, even the dwarves, yet the author put her own spin on all of them as well. This was a cute story with action and romance that added a little more adventure and danger to the Snow White most of us grew up with. 

Have you read other books in this series?

Check out my review of another book by this author!

Melanie Dickerson is a two-time Christy Award finalist, two-time Maggie Award winner, Carol Award winner, two-time winner of the Christian Retailing's Best award, and her book, The Healer's Apprentice, won the National Readers Choice Award for Best First Book. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). Melanie earned a bachelors degree in special education of the hearing impaired from The University of Alabama and has worked as a teacher in Georgia, Tennessee, and Ukraine. She lives with her husband and two children in Huntsville, Alabama.

To learn more about Melanie Dickerson and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Google+, and Twitter.

Release Day Review! Allerleirauh by Chantal Gadoury

Allerleirauh by Chantal Gadoury
Genre: New Adult (Fractured Fairy Tale/ Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: August 22, 2017
Publisher: The Parliament House

Once Upon a Time…

In the kingdom of Tranen, a king makes a promise to his dying wife that he'll only remarry a woman who possesses her golden hair. In time, the king's eyes are turned by his daughter. Realizing her father’s intentions, Princess Aurelia tries to trick him by requesting impossible gifts: dresses created by the sun, moon and stars, and a coat made of a thousand furs. But when he is successful, Aurelia sacrifices her privileged life and flees her kingdom, disguised by the cloak and a new name, Allerleirauh.

She enters the safe haven of Saarland der Licht, where the handsome and gentle Prince Klaus takes her under his care. Hoping not to be discovered by her father’s courtiers, Allerleirauh tries to remain hidden under her new identity when she finds unexpected love with Prince Klaus, even though his arranged marriage to the princess of a neighboring kingdom approaches. Risking everything, Allerleirauh must face her troubled past and her fears of the future along her journey to self-acceptance in this triumphant retelling of the classic Grimm Fairy Tale.

Allerleirauh by Chantal Gadoury is a fairy tale retelling of a story I'd never heard of before. So, I quickly googled to get the gist, and there are several variations, but the main theme remains pretty much the same: The King wants to marry his daughter because of a spell or promise he made to his dying wife. In this case, he wasn't allowed to re-marry unless he found someone who had the same hair she did. Guess who the only person is that has that same hair? The King's daughter. Not cool dying wife. Not cool. 

The story is told entirely from Aurelia's point of view. My biggest issue was the rape scene. From reading the blurb, I was hoping she'd make her escape before her father had a chance to rape her. No such luck. It was one of the most painful things to read. I really wish we didn't get all the slimy details. And since, it's in Aurelia's point of view, I relived it with her through memories/flashbacks throughout the book. I can handle most things. Rape scenes, especially in a situation like this, aren't one of them. I know it happens, and that makes it so much worse to read about it in my fictional worlds. 

Otherwise, the story was pretty great. Aurelia was a wonderful character. I loved getting to see her progression from victim to coping and taking control.  Actually, all the characters were well built. Their world was thought out and convincing. The story was well written and easy to visualize. I'd like to read more by this author in the future!

The ARC of Allerleirauh by Chantal Gadoury was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

“I won’t ever let them near you again, Aurelia. I swear it,” he promised as his grief-filled eyes met mine. “You must know I love you. It never mattered to me whether you were a princess or not. It matters not to me if you think you are soiled, because to me . . . you are more . . . You are more than what has happened to you, and you always shall be,” he said softly as his hand slid to my cheek. Carefully, his thumb wiped a tear away. “You are this wonderful, head-strong, and brave woman,” Klaus continued. “No one has any right to ever try to take such a thing away from you. It should only ever be admired and cherished.”
More tears began to spill over my cheeks as relief flooded me. Klaus would not turn me away; instead, he accepted me. I rested my forehead against his shoulder, as I felt his arms slowly wrap around me.
“Tell me what you wish for me to do, my sweet Aurelia, and I will do it.”         

Check out my review of another book by this author!

Chantal Gadoury is a young author who is originally from the countryside of Muncy, PA. Chantal likes anything Disney, plays a mean game of Disney trivia, enjoys painting and has a interest in British History. Chantal first started writing stories at the age of seven and continues that love of writing today. As a recent college graduate from Susquehanna University, with a degree in Creative Writing, writing novels is a dream come true.

To learn more about Chantal Gadoury and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Teaser Tuesday! The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. 

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share  doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson

“At least your hair looks beautiful.” Hildy ran her hand down Rose’s loose mane of brown curls, only partially hidden by her linen coif. “How do you ever hope to get a husband if you don’t pay more attention to your clothing?”

Rose scowled. “I don’t hope.”

Two Hearts. One Hope.

Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her—a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.

When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Teaser Tuesday! Beauty of the Beast by Rachel L. Demeter

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by The Purple Booker. 

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share  doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week is from Beauty of the Beast by Rachel L. Demeter

“You must stay here as my mistress. For as long as I demand. Perhaps forever.”
Forever.
The word rang with a note of finality.
“Please, Isabelle! I beg you. Don’t do this!”
How could I endure it?
“Do as I say and your father shall safely return home.”

Experience the world’s most enchanting and timeless love story—retold with a dark and realistic twist.

A BEAST LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PAST

Reclusive and severely scarred Prince Adam Delacroix has remained hidden inside a secluded, decrepit castle ever since he witnessed his family’s brutal massacre. Cloaked in shadow, with only the lamentations of past ghosts for company, he has abandoned all hope, allowing the world to believe he died on that tragic eve twenty-five years ago.

A BEAUTY IN PURSUIT OF A BETTER FUTURE

Caught in a fierce snowstorm, beautiful and strong-willed Isabelle Rose seeks shelter at a castle—unaware that its beastly and disfigured master is much more than he appears to be. When he imprisons her gravely ill and blind father, she bravely offers herself in his place.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Stripped of his emotional defenses, Adam’s humanity reawakens as he encounters a kindred soul in Isabelle. Together they will wade through darkness and discover beauty and passion in the most unlikely of places. But when a monster from Isabelle’s former life threatens their new love, Demrov’s forgotten prince must emerge from his shadows and face the world once more…

Perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty of the Beast brings a familiar and well-loved fairy tale to life with a rich setting in the kingdom of Demrov and a captivating, Gothic voice.

* * *

Beauty of the Beast is the first standalone installment in a series of classic fairy tales reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.

Disclaimer: This is an edgy, historical romance retelling of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. Due to strong sexual content, profanity, and dark subject matter, including an instance of sexual assault committed by the villain, Beauty of the Beast is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Do you have a blog? Post a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments. 

No blog? Post a Teaser in the comments anyway!

Release Day Blitz! Don't Speak by Katy Regnery

Don't Speak (A Modern Fairytale #5) by Katy Regnery
Genre: New Adult (Fractured Fairy Tale/Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: February 27, 2017
Publisher: Self

From New York Times bestseller Katy Regnery comes a new twist on a beloved fairytale.

A fisherman’s daughter.

The governor’s son.

Two very different worlds.

In this modern retelling of The Little Mermaid, a fisherman’s daughter from an Outer Banks island untouched by time, meets the son of North Carolina’s governor at a fancy party where she’s working.

Laire, who wants so much more from life than her little island can offer, is swept away by wealthy, sophisticated Erik, who is, in turn, entranced by her naiveté and charm. The two spend a whirlwind summer together that ends on the knife-point of heartbreak and forces them to go their separate ways.

Years later, when fate leads them back to one another, they will discover the terrifying depth of the secrets they kept from each other, and learn that shattered hearts can only be healed by a love that willfully refuses to die.

All novels Katy Regnery’s ~a modern fairytale~ collection are written as fundraisers. 10% of the e-book sales for in March and April 2017 will be donated to P.E.O. International, a non-profit organization that celebrates the advancement of women, awards scholarships and grants, and provides motivation for women to make their dreams come true.

**Contemporary Romance. Due to profanity, adult themes and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.**

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Don't Speak is part of the ~a modern fairytale~ collection, which includes six standalone, completely unrelated novels inspired by beloved fairy tales: 

The Vixen and the Vet (Beauty & the Beast) - available now 

Never Let You Go (Hansel & Gretel) - available now 

Ginger's Heart (Little Red Riding Hood) - available now

Dark Sexy Knight (Camelot) - available now

Don't Speak (The Little Mermaid) - available soon

Swan Song (The Ugly Duckling) - available late-2017

“Hey!”
    She heard his voice before she saw him.
    Had she known the ultimate cost of that simple glance heavenward, maybe she wouldn’t have stopped. Maybe she would have just kept on walking with her head down. But fate held no warnings for Laire Maiden Cornish.
    Shielding her eyes, she looked up at a deck wrapped around the second floor of the mansion, waiting a moment for her eyes to adjust as he came into view.
    There, in the glittering sunlight . . . a boy.
No, a man.
A young man, a little older than she, tall and muscular, with jet-black hair and a square jaw, dark brown eyes, and a deep tan. He wore a robin’s-egg blue bathing suit with Kelly green palm fronds in a small repeat and a pair of sunglasses buried in his thick hair. In one hand, he held a phone up to his ear, and in the other, he slowly swirled a glass filled with ice and clear liquid. He stared out at the sound, concentrating on his call.
“Hey!” he yelled. “Can you hear me now?” He huffed with annoyance, pulling the phone away from his ear and squinting at it before trying again. “Pete? It’s Erik. Can you hear me?” He set the glass down on the balcony’s wooden railing and gave his phone his full attention. Staring down at it, he muttered, “Shit. No reception.”
It’s Erik.
Erik.
His name is Erik.
Feeling a sharp burn in her lungs, Laire realized she’d been holding her breath and sucked in a huge gulp of air as she stared up at him, frozen in the moment, utterly mesmerized.
She had never seen a more perfect, more handsome person in her entire life.
The sun glinted off his dark hair and wrapped his body in gold, making him appear godlike so very far above her. Were she the type to swoon, Laire imagined she would have been a puddle of goopy longing on the ground below him, content to sacrifice her pride for a glimpse at his beauty.

Check out my review of another book by Katy Regnery!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Regnery started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract and Katy’s first novel was published in September 2013.

Twenty-five books later, Katy claims authorship of the multi-titled, New York Times and USA Today Blueberry Lane Series, which follows the English, Winslow, Rousseau, Story, and Ambler families of Philadelphia; the six-book, bestselling ~a modern fairytale~ series; and several other standalone novels and novellas.

Katy’s first modern fairytale romance, The Vixen and the Vet, was nominated for a RITA® in 2015 and won the 2015 Kindle Book Award for romance. Katy’s boxed set, The English Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1–4, hit the USA Today bestseller list in 2015, and her Christmas story, Marrying Mr. English, appeared on the list a week later. In May 2016, Katy’s Blueberry Lane collection, The Winslow Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1-4, became a New York Times E-book bestseller.

In 2016, Katy signed a print-only agreement with Spencerhill Press. As a result, her Blueberry Lane paperback books will now be distributed to brick and mortar bookstores all over the United States.

Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, two dogs, and one Blue Tonkinese kitten create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home

To learn more about Katy Regnery and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Check out my interview with this Katy!

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Playing Catch Up! Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Playing Catch Up has really been helping me through my ever growing TBR list. I'd like to welcome all other blogs to participate too! If you do, be sure to post your links in the comments section. I'd love to see your Playing Catch Up Reviews, and I'm sure others would too!! *wink*

Want to know more about Playing Catch Up? I'll tell you all about it here!

Reign of Shadows (Reign of Shadows #1) by Sophie Jordan
Genre: Young Adult (Fractured Fairy Tale / Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: June 1, 2010
Publisher: Harper Teen

Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

With lush writing and a star–crossed romance, Reign of Shadows is Sophie Jordan at her best. 

Reign of Shadows is the first book in the Reign of Shadows series by Sophie Jordan. I didn't realize this was a retelling of Rapunzel until after I read it, but looking back...princess hiding in a tower.. hmm yeah, I can see it now.

I absolutely loved Luna and her stubborn, strong personality. At times, she seemed so delicate. Then her inner lion would come out. She was great. Fowler has this rough and tough exterior, but he was also lonely I think. In this world, it's scary to get too close to someone. They have lost so much. There are dangerous creatures, dangerous people, and a dangerous king. The setting and mood for this story was so well put together and unique. I feel very invested in these characters. I can't wait until the next book!

When we left the Black Woods, it was like stepping out from a dream. There were trees, but fewer and more spread out. There was also the occasional fallow field and forgotten cottage. With less foliage obscuring the sky, it actually seemed brighter. Moonlight dappled the land. I could see farther, but of course that meant we could be seen, too.

Luna seemed to sense the change, too, and not simply in the terrain. She sensed it in me. Her expression became more pensive and her face repeatedly turned in my direction as though she was seeking something from me—something I couldn’t give her.

More than once, she had made me feel like who I used to be. I couldn’t be that person anymore. I couldn’t get lost in her smiles or her voice or her touch on my skin. I definitely couldn’t get lost in her lips. Not if I wanted to keep us both alive.

A bat swell passed, obscuring the sky for a few moments, hiding the glow of the moon.

Luna didn’t even glance up to the sky. She simply kept moving.

I frowned. She was different from that girl I first met in the tower. It was bound to happen. Out here, no one was untouched.

She fell in beside me and I spared her a glance. I reached out as though to touch her, but stopped short. There was no need. I didn’t want to watch her break. I didn’t want her to turn into this twisted, hardened scrap of what she used to be.

I didn’t want her to be me.

Have you read the next book?

Check out my reviews of this authors other books!

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler.

To learn more about Sophie Jordan and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.