Becoming Beauty by Sarah BoucherMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Received to Review
Genre: Retelling
Book Description: Claws. Long, filthy, and dangerously sharp.
They’re the first thing Bella sees after what’s been the worst day of her life. If Bella were the quintessential Beauty—gorgeous, kindhearted, and self-sacrificing—she might have a chance at transforming this monster into a man, but she’s never been the toad-kissing kind. Obsessed with landing a wealthy nobleman and escaping her humdrum life, Bella will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Which is precisely what landed her here, at the mercy of the Beast.
In this imaginative retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Bella's sense of entitlement strains both her family's finances and patience. As punishment for her selfishness, she's sent into the Beast's service where she must choose whether to follow the path she's always dreamed of—or risk it all for something even greater.
My thoughts: Bella has a dream. She wants to marry a man of means. Being a humble carpenter's daughter is not fulfilling. She wants jewels, dresses, and living in luxury. Her selfishness takes her father to the home of the "beast". Now she finds herself a servant to an ornery master.
As the book began I could see some similarities to the the Beauty and The Beast story that I was familiar with. The big difference from the start, that the main character in the other stories was selfless and kind. Bella in this version was greedy and grasping.
There were many twists on the original story. The beast is not the only character in need of transformation. To me this story represented the choices we have in our behavior. We can be ruled by circumstances or adapt and make the most of our lives in spite of circumstances.
I liked this original take on a well known story. Sarah Boucher has done a wonderful job at making the story her own.
*
This book is currently on tour. I did not get my review done in time for my tour stop. Go to this link to see the tour stops and enter the giveaway.
About the Author: Sarah E. Boucher spends her days instilling young children with the same love of literature she has known since childhood. After hours, she pens her own stories and nurses an unhealthy obsession for handbags, high heels, baking, and British television. Sarah is a graduate of Brigham Young University, who currently lives and teaches in Ogden, Utah. Becoming Beauty is her first novel.Visit Sarah at blog/website (SarahEBoucher.com)
Or connect with Sarah by clicking through to the following social media sites:
Twitter * Facebook *: Instagram * Pinterest * Goodreads
Such a thoughtful review, Lisa! Thank you! Well worth waiting for!
ReplyDelete