**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-book in exchange for an honest review from the authors.**
Title Of Thorns and Beauty
Author Elle Madison and Robin D. Mahle
Release Date September 14, 2020
Date Finished February 3, 2021
Availability Free with Kindle Unlimited
Description
You think you know the tale as old as time, but you’ve already got it wrong.
There never was a beauty and a beast, only a girl who was both.
And that girl was me.
Zaina will never be free.
She’s forced into an arranged marriage to a Viking King in a castle full of secrets. But she carries secrets of her own, and the scars of her haunted past.
Handed off from one monster to another, she has no choice but to do her best to survive and protect her sisters.
Even if it costs her everything.
A Beauty and the Beast retelling you won’t want to miss, where nothing is what it seems and time is running out.
Initial Thoughts
I saw the authors were looking for reviewers and that this was a fairytale retelling, I knew I had to read this book. Also, my bestie, @lianne_the_bibliophile wanted to read it too so obviously, we were going to make this a buddy read.
Some Things I Liked
- Beauty and the Beast with Viking vibes. I can’t stress enough how much I LOVED that element.
- Enemies to lovers and slow burn romance. This was SO WELL DONE. I realize that I’m using a lot of caps in this review to accentuate my enthusiasm but it’s so merited. The romance was *chef’s kiss* perfect here. I loved every second of Einar and Zaina’s interactions.
- Banter. Another thing I loved about the romance was the amazing banter between the characters, Zaina was nothing short of a firecracker and I loved everything she said.
- Older main characters. I loved that Zaina was 22. I’m all about the NA genre and can’t wait to find more books that fit that mold. Sometimes, I feel like I’ve outgrown YA a bit and I am so excited to find that the tropes and stories I love from YA are aging with me into NA.
Series Value
I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. If it wasn’t for a pressing tour obligation I have tomorrow, I’d have already started. I can’t wait to continue the series.
I’m obsessed with the writing style here and I am definitely a lifelong fan of Elle Madison and Robin D. Mahle.
Final Thoughts
I devoured this book. It was everything I wanted and so much more. I can’t wait to keep reading and I really hope that there will be more books set in this world that retell other familiar fairytales.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- Of Beast and Beauty by Chanda Hahn – if you’re looking for another witty and well written Beauty and the Beast retelling, look no further than the Daughters of Eville series.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – if you’re looking for a Beauty and the Beast retelling with more magic and fantasy elements, try this SJM series.
Books Over Everything 