Robin D Mahle

Elle Madison

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.

Of Thorns and Beauty

Nichole Bogard

I give this book 5 beautifully unique stars. This retailing of beauty and the beast is the best that I have read in a long time, and it left me utterly and unbelievably captivated. I love this version more than I have loved a retailing in a long time. Elle Madison was able to capture it in such a way that is completely her own and adding in a different flare that keeps you wanting more.

"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 (Belle) has been sent to marry King Einar (Beast) who is portrayed as a Viking, yes you read that correctly I absolutely loved this twist. She is everything you want in a heroine sassy to the point of irritation which makes the banter addicting and has the same skills are men in those times which is very rare considering. Her heart is in the right place, but she has lived a life of turmoil and is always on guard. 

King Einar again portrayed as a Viking king (did I forget to mention 😍). He is not actually a beast he has a beautiful, kind heart and loves his kingdom and people. He has spent 17 years trying to save his people from a terrible act of revenge that was place on them. In this story King Einar is not considered a beast in this version of the story. His people love him and look to him for all things, it is only because he refused to accommodate someone with an evil heart that his people were cursed.
The unique difference in this retailing will surely make you fall I love. You can tell that Zaina and Einar were made for each other and if they could get past all the twisted secrets between them, they may eventually be able to come together to be what they both deserve.

I highly recommend this version of beauty and the beast and cannot wait to read the second book in the series.

Thank you to book siren for providing me with a digital copy. The reviews and opinions were all my own.

Erin Banning

The duo has struck again. I fell in love with the Lochlann Feuds series easily and this series is all the same, sucking me in and captivating me until the very end. Zaina is such a complex character and for all of her flaws, I believe she has many redeeming qualities, such as her love, loyalty, and willingness to protect her family. Can’t wait to read #2!

Of Thorns and Beauty

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