Title: Beauty in the Beast
Author: Emily-Jane Hills Orford
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retelling
Book Blurb:
Priya, a name that suggests beautiful. Amell, a name that suggests all powerful. One is a beautiful young lady; the other a beast. Their paths have crossed before, only Priya doesn’t remember Amell from her past. Or does she? And what does it all mean? The Amell she meets is part beast. So are the others at Castle Mutasim. Is she one of them, too? How can this be? What manner of creature would experiment on other living creatures, to mutate them into something bizarre and, sometimes, downright dangerous? Priya has to know. She wants to know. And she wants to make things right.
My Review:
In the realm of the fantastic, can beauty and superhuman power harmonize? Everyone agrees Priya is a beauty but when she meets Amell, she’s not sure what to make of the beast. The Amell she remembers was beautiful. What happened to him and the others at Castle Mutasim? What sort of monster is conducting cruel experiments and why? Priya is determined to get to the bottom of things, for she sees beauty in the beast.
Beauty in the Beast is a wondrous twist on a classic fairy tale. This is one of my favorite fairy tales and I’m drawn to retellings, just to see where the author’s imagination goes. Emily-Jane Hills Orford is a masterful writer, especially in the fantasy genre, and in Beauty in the Beast, she writes an absorbing fairy tale. The writing captured me with intricate world-building, descriptive narration, and a full cast of characters to interact with. There’s a dark tone to the story that I wasn’t expecting. The plot moves at a good pace with a fair number of twists I didn’t see coming. The world-building is exceptional and the more I read, the more time I wanted to stay with Priya. If you’re a fan of fairy tale retellings, pick up Beauty in the Beast. Another original fantasy story by Emily-Jane Hills Orford. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
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Author Biography:
Emily-Jane Hills Orford is a country writer, living just outside the tiny community of North Gower, Ontario, near the nation’s capital. With degrees in art history, music and Canadian studies, the retired music teacher enjoys the quiet nature of her country home and the inspiration of working at her antique Jane Austen-style spinet desk, feeling quite complete as she writes and stares out the large picture window at the birds and the forest. She writes in several genres, including creative nonfiction, memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction. http://emilyjanebooks.ca
Social Media Links:
Twitter: @ejhomusic
Reviewed by: Mrs. N