Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Publication Date: 01/29/2019
Pages: 496
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.
Fall in love, break the curse.
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
In this re-telling of the fairytale classic Beauty & the Beast, the main character Harper witnesses a man attempting to kidnap a girl but when she steps in to help she finds herself being captured. When she wakes up she is in the land of Emberfall where she’s being held prisoner by a handsome prince with a secret. Harper learns that Prince Rehn has had a dark curse placed upon him by an evil enchantress. He has been forced to relive his eighteenth year over and over until he is able to break the curse by finding true love by the year’s end. If he doesn’t find love then at the end of each year he is transformed into a destructive monster that preys on his loved ones and the people of his kingdom. Harper finds herself torn between her life in Washington D.C. with her family and her newfound feelings of responsibility to help the people of Emberfall.
The vivid descriptions as well as the depth of characters makes this fairytale re-telling worth reading. Though the storyline is familiar, this reimagining of the story is unique and unpredictable to the end. Each chapter is written from a different character’s point of view. This writing style allows readers to understand the complexity of the characters as well as enjoy a plot that is continually moving forward. The tortured hero Prince Rehn and his commander guard Grey show true loyalty and friendship. Harper is a fierce and strong heroine that pushes her limits and fights for what she believes is right. Readers will be able to relate to her sacrifices and her inner turmoil about what life she will choose in the end. Recommended for fantasy and fairytale lovers alike, both will enjoy this compelling read and finish it wanting more.
Can’t wait to read the rest of this series!
The Redhead Review 