How Beauty Met the Beast

by Jax Garren

• ISBN10: 142689466X
• ISBN13: 9781426894664
• Publish Date: 19 November 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Carina Press
• Format: eBook
• Language: English

Reviews

[inlibrisveritas]

How Beauty Met the Beast is the first in a series that takes the familier fairy tale and gives it a little urban fantasy twist.

The story itself is a mix of a contemporary thriller and a mysterious paranormal novel. It’s light on the fantasy and light on the steampunk, though they do play big roles in the novel but it doesn’t weight the story down any. It deals with some tougher topics like having a visible injury and the social impacts of that but stays light and fun. We even get some odd little hints that there is a lot more going on in this world than Jolie ever knew, maybe more than Hauk knew and he is more privy to the weird than normal. I really dig the background power struggle between the Underlight and those in the Order of Ananke. I do wish that we got a little more info on the Underlight as it seems really amazing, but I really look forward to seeing it explored more in the next book as Jolie becomes more acquainted with this hidden society.

While the setting and world might be a little gritty, the romance is super sweet. I love Jolie and Hauk together, and their banter, once they let go of their nerves and insecurities, is perfect. It starts out steamy but after that’s it’s a bit of a slow burn as they work up actually getting to know each other and figure out exactly how they feel, even by the books end they are still testing the waters. I read so many romance novels that all have their relationships’ beginning and end all in less than 400 pages, so it’s incredibly nice to find one that’s highly entertaining and paced in such a way that it draws out the romance just so.

Therese Plummer is a ‘new to me’ narrator and I think she did a wonderful job with Beauty. She has wonderful pacing and brings an energy to the reading that really hones in on those feel good moments.

[nitzan_schwarz]

To read this review and more, pop by my blog :)

I got this book once upon a time from Netgalley, when I first found the site, and like many of the other titles I went crazy and requested, I failed to read and review it. Until now. Oh boy, how sorry I am for taking my time; I absolutely loved it, and I already one clicked my way to the sequel.

How Beauty Met the Beast is a quick, sweet and interesting read that starts off pretty sexual, but worry not - it's not one of those books where there is so much sex you can't see the plot. In fact, there's barely any of that after that start. Instead, there is a heartwarming, adorable growth of a relationship between our Beast, Hauk, and our Beauty, Jolie, both people who are completely different then what they appear, or what society deems they should be....

To read the rest of the review, go here!

[Angie]

I received an ARC from NetGalley.

I was quite excited for this sexy, Steampunk retelling of my favorite fairy tale, but I sadly disappointment. It's not very sexy or very Steampunk. Sure there's a sex scene at the very beginning, but it felt forced. And the whole time I just kept thinking "how is this physically possibly?"! There was a cloth screen between them so I must have missed something, because otherwise it just wasn't possible to be doing what they were doing.

As for the Steampunk element, well, I did kind of like how it was portrayed. It's more underground Steampunk, literally. There's the Underlight society which is located underground and that's where all of the steam and clockwork is. But we don't get to see too much of it either way, since our hero and heroine are on the run from an enemy society. I'm still not fully clear on what was happening with that. I just kind of nodded my head and continued reading and was glad to reach the end.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[lizarodz]

Find my original review here: Reading with ABC

How Beauty Met the Beast is a novella that introduces the exciting world of the Underlight, and what a ride it was!

The characters in this story are to die for! Jolie comes from money and power, but has chosen another path for herself. Her path leads her to an edgy type of entertainment as a burlesque dancer and that is how she ‘meets’ Hauk. Jolie is gorgeous and successful and she can have any man she wants. Hauk is a big man, he is tough, scarred inside and out, and somehow vulnerable. He has been shunned and rejected many times and has lost hope on any type of normal life. When Jolie and Hauk meet, I could actually see the fireworks! Their chemistry together is amazing and I love them both.

Jolie and Hauk are working together as he is helping him with a big problem (I hate to be cryptic, but I don’t want to give anything away). I love Whitney! She reminds me (in character) to my own 12-year-old. Aren’t they precious? Other characters are well fleshed out and I’m sure we will see more of them in the next book.

The plot and the story are a combination of paranormal and conspiracy theory with a bit of mythology for good measure. Since I don’t read a lot of adult-paranormal, I found it all refreshing. The world of the Underlight is very interesting. The writing is so good! It flows nicely and effortlessly, the characters are full of wit, sexual innuendo and just plain awesome. I still have unanswered questions, like why Hauk has the blackouts and his pain-sense. I will definitely read the next book in the series titled How Beauty Saved the Beast, due to be published in February.

Here are some fun quotes:

“You have a nice smile, you know. You should use it more often.”
“Don’t patronize me. I’m ugly as Hel’s bad half, and I don’t give a damn.” His smile grew as he stood up. “But then I don’t have to look at me…” Hauk talking to Catrina

When she smiled at him again, eyes shining with admiration, he know he would take on any pain, any struggle, any ordeal to have her look at him like that again” – Hauk

“Can I still tell him that you carried his butt? Because that’s just funny.”
Jolie relaxed and followed her niece toward the door. “Yes you can tell him that part”. – Whitney and Jolie

About the cover: I love this cover! Jolie (not precisely as I imagined her), is wearing a burlesque costume with Hauk looking over her (with his trademark hoodie) and they are underground. I love how she is all ‘color’ and the rest are shades of gray.