Four stars for Alicia Michaels who gave an an excellent retelling of Beauty and the Beast!
Bellamy and the Brute is a superb new take on a classic tale we all know and love! A modern day romance with a murderous and paranormal twist!
Bellamy and the Brute tells the story of Bellamy McGuire and her life changing summer. Bellamy decided to take a summer job babysitting for the wealthy Baldwin family. However, Bellamy had no idea that when she took this job she would end up dealing with a cold and calloused Tate Baldwin as well as two visitors who aren't exactly among the living. Fasten your seat belts because this "tale as old as time" has a few skeletons in the closet.
On that note, let me just start with the wonderful plot that Alicia Michaels presents us with. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about this story at first. There have been several modern day retellings of Beauty and the Beast. I was wondering if there were any fresh ideas left. Well, Alicia Michaels blew me away with two amazing twists in the story. She starts us off in the beginning of the story with a mystery that hooks you. She reels you in with the question that everyone asks in the beginning: "What will Tate "The Beast" Baldwin look like? That question was on my mind the moment I opened the book. However, it not before she completely surprises you with some paranormal activity that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Then, once she has you completely addicted, she calms things down with a romance that any young woman wishes she had. The romance between Bellamy and Tate was nothing short of BEAUTIFUL!
Speaking of beautiful, lets talk about these characters. Bellamy was a wonderful heroine, however she wasn't quite the "beauty" I was expecting. It's not a bad thing though! Trust me! She has a few self-confidence issues, but she is strong, smart, and beautiful. Tate is exactly the kind of beast that you would look for in a modern retelling of BATB. From the moment you meet Tate, he is cold, bitter, and shut off completely from the rest of the world. Tate is the guy that you would love to hate but just can't do it. He has his moments, and you really want to slap him. I swear the boy blows hot a cold. He gives you a bit of whiplash. Once you get to see his heart though, you love everything about him. Lincoln, our not-so-charming "Gaston" makes most creeps out there seem angelic. It's easy to hate Lincoln because of his "I'm all that" attitude and hot-headed temper. Tate's little brother and sister, Max and Emma, are just the cutest things! Max tries too hard to be an adult for his age, and Emma is the typical adorable little girl who wishes to be a princess. You can't help but love them both.
If there were any flaws to the story, I would say that, first, it didn't quite have the grand and spectacular ending that I was hoping for. Don't get me wrong, it was a great way to end the book, but it was slow getting to it and a bit spread out, so it left you wanting. Second, I was not so much a fan of the violence between Tate and Lincoln. I understood why it had to be that way in the end of the book, but their first encounter seemed rather unnecessary to me.
Overall, I give Bellamy and the Brute four stars! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a rare gem to read!
Bellamy and the Brute is a superb new take on a classic tale we all know and love! A modern day romance with a murderous and paranormal twist!
Bellamy and the Brute tells the story of Bellamy McGuire and her life changing summer. Bellamy decided to take a summer job babysitting for the wealthy Baldwin family. However, Bellamy had no idea that when she took this job she would end up dealing with a cold and calloused Tate Baldwin as well as two visitors who aren't exactly among the living. Fasten your seat belts because this "tale as old as time" has a few skeletons in the closet.
On that note, let me just start with the wonderful plot that Alicia Michaels presents us with. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about this story at first. There have been several modern day retellings of Beauty and the Beast. I was wondering if there were any fresh ideas left. Well, Alicia Michaels blew me away with two amazing twists in the story. She starts us off in the beginning of the story with a mystery that hooks you. She reels you in with the question that everyone asks in the beginning: "What will Tate "The Beast" Baldwin look like? That question was on my mind the moment I opened the book. However, it not before she completely surprises you with some paranormal activity that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Then, once she has you completely addicted, she calms things down with a romance that any young woman wishes she had. The romance between Bellamy and Tate was nothing short of BEAUTIFUL!
Speaking of beautiful, lets talk about these characters. Bellamy was a wonderful heroine, however she wasn't quite the "beauty" I was expecting. It's not a bad thing though! Trust me! She has a few self-confidence issues, but she is strong, smart, and beautiful. Tate is exactly the kind of beast that you would look for in a modern retelling of BATB. From the moment you meet Tate, he is cold, bitter, and shut off completely from the rest of the world. Tate is the guy that you would love to hate but just can't do it. He has his moments, and you really want to slap him. I swear the boy blows hot a cold. He gives you a bit of whiplash. Once you get to see his heart though, you love everything about him. Lincoln, our not-so-charming "Gaston" makes most creeps out there seem angelic. It's easy to hate Lincoln because of his "I'm all that" attitude and hot-headed temper. Tate's little brother and sister, Max and Emma, are just the cutest things! Max tries too hard to be an adult for his age, and Emma is the typical adorable little girl who wishes to be a princess. You can't help but love them both.
If there were any flaws to the story, I would say that, first, it didn't quite have the grand and spectacular ending that I was hoping for. Don't get me wrong, it was a great way to end the book, but it was slow getting to it and a bit spread out, so it left you wanting. Second, I was not so much a fan of the violence between Tate and Lincoln. I understood why it had to be that way in the end of the book, but their first encounter seemed rather unnecessary to me.
Overall, I give Bellamy and the Brute four stars! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a rare gem to read!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2037537762
