Name: Linara K.S's review of The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh
Item: The Beautiful
Rating: 2
Author: Linara K.S

Renée Ahdieh

New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight. In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans is a safe haven after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent in the middle of the carnival season, Celine is quickly enraptured by the vibrant city, from its music to its fancy soirées and even its danger. She becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's enigmatic leader, Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in Sébastien's own lair--the second dead girl to turn up in recent weeks--Celine battles her attraction to Sébastien and suspicions about his guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret. After a third murder, New Orleans becomes gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose--one who has now set Celine in his sights. As the murderer stalks her, Celine finally takes matters into her own hands, only to find herself caught in the midst of an age-old feud between the darkest creatures of the night, where the price of forbidden love is her life. At once a sultry romance and a decadent, thrilling mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet.

The Beautiful

Instant New York Times and Indie Bestseller! New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight. In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans is a safe haven after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent in the middle of the carnival season, Celine is quickly enraptured by the vibrant city, from its music to its fancy soirées and even its danger. She becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's enigmatic leader, Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in Sébastien's own lair--the second dead girl to turn up in recent weeks--Celine battles her attraction to Sébastien and suspicions about his guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret. After a third murder, New Orleans becomes gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose--one who has now set Celine in his sights. As the murderer stalks her, Celine finally takes matters into her own hands, only to find herself caught in the midst of an age-old feud between the darkest creatures of the night, where the price of forbidden love is her life. At once a sultry romance and a decadent, thrilling mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet.

Ciara Janae ۵

Sheena

Linara K.S

I did not like it, which is surprising, for I adore Renée Adhieh's writing style. The wrath and the dawn is one of my favourite books and this... this was disappointing.

Moonchild

This will be my honest review in exchange for the sample of the eARC “The Beautiful” that was very kindly sent to me by NetGalley, since I have the physical book I would make a complete review.

This is a historic romance with the gothic ambience of New Orleans in 1872.
We have 2 perspectives, which we read along the book, alternating between each other, which made the book very intriguing, urging me to find out who gave us one of the perspectives.
On one side we have the vision and description of murders that are happening. The other narrative is from our protagonist young lady, called Celine, a dressmaker from Paris that ran and got refuge in a convent where she pretends to stay to hide from her past. She’s rapidly sucked into the dark underworld of this city, intrigued by the amount of killings that are happening.

People assume there’s a serial killer on the loose, and Celine might be the next.
Something very positive about this character is that I can feel she is a strong person, not the usual naive girl that needs assistance.” She was no lamb. She was alion.”

The writer makes us emerge into the story by her amazing description and atmospheric writing style, I love to see cultural diversity I’m Portuguese and every time the word Portuguese was mentioned I felt so happy, we can very subliminally see Celine being described has Asian, Michael our detective is Italian has well has the layer being described has Indian, the subject doesn’t make a lot of emphasis but we see the point and why, in that time was happening, turns all the story realistic lightly touching the subject of inclusion and racism, the point of it is that makes me happy and proud to know that I’m supporting writers that deserve it for being so inclusive.

I feel that the book delivered what was promised, we get all the answers to our questions, who is murdering, is there more than just vampires? Etc…
The romance it’s a slow burn which I appreciate gives it another dimension, we feel the tension and attraction. I liked to see how things had to happen between them so far, the intensification of their feelings is plausible. 
In all, I feel that the plot wasn’t too complex but the way this book ended left a spark to jump into the next one. 
I would like to add that I love when Shakespeare's is used in any story, has a metaphor retelling or has a devotion for a hopeless romantic. I loved this and the fact that brought back my hopes for the vampire novels/ series
#thebeautiful #NetGalley #bookreview #Sneakpeekthebeautiful

Genuinely nothing happens in this book. Like, absolutely nothing. The vibes and writing aren’t even good. 1 star because the French was nice. 

Chloe Dawson

Mel 

2.5 to 3 stars

Nothing happens in this book. There is literally pages of nothing happening. 
The characters are very flat/underdeveloped. We never really get to see why they think what they think or any sort of character arc/development. The relationships also feel very sudden. There’s no proper buildup to any sort of relationship in this book.
New Orleans as a setting is wasted, in my opinion, and there are not enough vampires in this either.
However, this is a quick read and is written in a very accessible manner. There are some aspects of this I do like - Celine’s backstory, New Orleans etc. - but it’s just not executed amazingly.

Overall, unsure about continuing this series.

Tatiana

The Beautiful: 3.5/5


  “And the infinite captivates us because it allows us to believe all things are possible. That true love can last beyond time.”


Premise:
The Beautiful follows Celine as she flees her life as a dressmaker in Paris for a covenant in New Orleans. As Celine falls in love with the city, people start to go missing, including people Celine knows. Celine must delve into the secrets of her new home while coping with her past, which may uncover the most sinister of creatures after all. 

Writing & Plot:
The Beautiful is my very first book by Renée Ahdieh, and I could not be more thrilled. I loved the setting, and Ahdieh writes in beautiful prose. It is primarily written in the third person, with a few scenes in the first person that keep the reader guessing who the killer is. The writing is masterful and made the book impossible to put down. I read it in one day, in five hours. At some points, I did feel like the scenes dragged on a bit too long, and there was a lot of filler, but at the same time, I was entertained. 

As for the plot, this is not a cutesy vampire romance book. If you're expecting Twilight, you're going to be disappointed. This book is slow, creepy, spooky, and filled with vengeance. Most of it is Celine coming to terms with the supernatural, and the vampires didn't make a hefty appearance until the very end, which makes me excited for where the following two books are going to take us. 


  “Trust in this important lesson I learned long ago: Rage is a moment. Regret is forever.”

Characters:
I'm in love. I AM IN LOVE with Bastien. Both Celine and Bastien were incredible, and I loved their romance! Although the main characters are great, I felt the side characters were underdeveloped. However, I think they have the potential for more growth in the upcoming books. Furthermore, the motivations at the end could have been explained better, but the overall twists and turns make up for it. 

Conclusion:
The Beautiful is not what I had expected at all. I went in thinking this was going to be another vampire book, and I was sorely mistaken. That said, I loved the book! It is denser and slower than the usual paranormal romance, and the main plot surrounds a murder mystery. With this in mind, I think it is a great book with immense potential, and I am so excited to read the rest of the series!

Betty

It was really good if not for the french dialogues with no translation every corner!

Mae Erceg

** spoiler alert **
           This book WAS GREAT BUTTTTT very freakin frustrating !!!! Super great plot but minus a star because I love LOVE. I hope the next book x-games sends it for me with the relationship of Bastien and Celine or else imma be PISSED lol

Colleen

3 Stars

*Beautifully written, and yet, at its core… just another agnsty teen love-triangle*


It was a moment of madness. A random (and ill-advised) idea. But for some reason, I thought teenage vampires were going to be the right thing to mix up my reading list. Well, it was a departure from my norm. But it was also a reminder of why I (usually) strenuously avoid these sorts of books and the young adult genre as a whole.

I adored Ahdieh’s The Wrath and the Dawn, and that was the main reason I thought her take vampires might be more palatable to me. And in some ways it was.

What I enjoyed most was the setting and the writing itself. New Orleans in 1872 was a great choice for a paranormal setting. It felt almost like Southern Gothic at times, and I wish that had been more prevalent. And Ahdieh’s prose was sultry and captivating. I was invested by the end of the story, but it took me over a week to get through the first half. It just didn’t grab my attention like I’d hoped.


  “In only a few short weeks, Celine had learned to appreciate how the city seemed to come alive the moment the sun dipped below the horizon. Not a normal kind of alive, like sunshine and laughter. But a sinister, sensual kind of alive. A warm caress and a cool whisper.”

Unfortunately, it is impossible to read a teenage love triangle vampire story and not think of the overblown sensation that caused that subgenre to exist in the first place: Twilight. And being on Team Let’s-Call-Blade-to-Exterminate-Them-All, reminders of that ultimate agnsty love mess are never pleasant to me. Don’t get me wrong, The Beautiful is far from joining the clamoring league of generic Twilight knockoffs. The story has plenty going for it and far superior writing style. Not to mention a heroine who actually has agency! But very early on there was an extremely overdone case of instalust which of course had to turn into the standard love triangle. (Side Note: this book felt borderline steamy for a YA and the love interests were older than the seventeen-year-old heroine, so I’ll just list it as New Adult instead.) 


  “But a greater fear lurked deep in Celine. Past the rush of blood, into the marrow of her bones. No matter where she went, danger followed. And it horrified her. Just as it thrilled her.” 

The other book that I was surprisingly reminded of was The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. That’s probably a good thing for most people, but I found that book massively disappointing. And reading something that reminded me of it showed me that I’m still rather sulky about just how disappointed I was. Now, I will clarify that the stories are only superficially alike. They both contain girls running away from constricted lives in old France, and they were both far more focused on uninteresting, agnsty love triangles than I was expecting. That is where the similarities end. But it was one more layer separating me from enjoying The Beautiful on any deeper level.

I did like that there was somewhat of a murder mystery element to the story. That also fed into the Gothic-esque atmosphere of the young beauty haunted by death. I think Ahdieh’s lush writing and creative ideas will be enough to get me to read the sequel, but I’ll admit that it won’t be in a hurry.

 
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 4 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars

This was actually incredible I’m speechless, I just finished less than 5 minutes ago and I’m trying to collect myself...I’m just wow

I honestly knew from the first chapter of this book that it would be something I just adored and I was soooo right. I kept putting off reading it because I wanted to stay in the world as long as I could, if I didn’t stop myself I would have finished this entire book on the first day easily.

This is the first book I’ve read from Ahdieh and holy hell her writing style is absolutely glorious, so magical so descriptive I’m in awe. I loooooved the used of first and third person, between the main chapters and the almost monologued other chapters, it was such a unique way to get into the ~villain~’s head. Soooo well done!

Celine was such an amazing character, her strength, her passion, her fearlessness. She was so amazing, I loved her back story and how she fought all through the book I love her so much. And Bastien??? He’s so dreamy ugh!

I just wow I don’t even know what to say the story evolved so much and I’m just in love with every page...AND THAT PLOT TWIST ?? AND CLIFFHANGER EPILOGUE THOUGH ??? I AM DEAD

I HAVE BOOK 2 ON PREORDER AND I AM SO EXCITED FOR ITS RELEASE!!

(3.75/5)

WOW. I went into the story having read so many mixed reviews that I didn't know whether I would enjoy it. But oh boy, I definitely did (but a word of warning: don't go into this story thinking it's a vampire story. The vampires are there, yes, but it's not something as prominent as I've been told).

I will start with the things that didn't really work:

1. Unnecessary repetitions: so. many. of. them. It didn't quite get to the point where it was unbearable, but WHY? Until we discover what Celine's secret is, every single chapter ends with a sentence like "But my secret is terrible and it haunts me every day". Yes, we get it; stop saying it every five seconds, please. Also, the comparisons between certain character and the devil; those didn't bother me as much, but it definitely was something that at times made me roll my eyes.

2. Why is it set in the 1800's? The mysterious atmosphere is built thanks to New Orleans, not the year it's set in. I love historical fiction, but this didn't feel relevant to the story at all. I wish it had, because it would've added so much to the story. But other than the gowns and corsets, there's nothing keeping it from being a modern-day story. 

2.1 The social aspect was so ill-fitting. Once again, if the story is set in the 1800's you can't expect me to believe people from all different backgrounds, different skin colours and different sexualities will be treated as equals, no matter how much we like our characters. They were still sons and daughters of their age. I'm not saying there weren't people who were fighting for equality in whichever aspect, but statistically it couldn't have been AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE. It just took me out of the world building entirely.

3. I loved Bastien, believe me. But I find it hard to believe he's "Le Fantôme" if whenever he sees Celine, he crumbles and kneels at her feet. Although it could be possible that people think he has a certain reputation due to his family name when in reality he's not all that, the same people that were his closest friends seemed to believe he was really scary and tough. I couldn't see it. There was this one chapter where he hangs someone from their ankles that I thought was so off-putting because it really didn't add anything to the story and I guess that was the moment when we were supposed to see just how he had earned his reputation; it didn't work. 


Now, onto the things I really liked:

1. CELINE. Amazing. I really enjoyed this tension with herself, her trying to make ammends with both halves of herself; the darkness and the light, who she was supposed to be vs. who she knew she truly was. I think it could've done for a WONDERFUL villain arc, but I'm still satisfied with how her character was developed. She was badass, she knew what she wanted and she was willing to risk everything for the people she loved; plus, her backstory is AMAZING. I think so many people (especially women) will be able to relate to her story of overcoming her secret.

2. New Orleans was delicious, mysterious and sexy. I think the author couldn't have chosen a better setting for her story. I could feel myself falling in love with the city as Celine did, even though I'm not even from the US. I think the city itself was another character and that it played its role beautifully.

3. The romance was SEXY. I stand by the fact that I felt it was a tiny bit rushed (only because they went from hating each other the day they met to being soulmates the following day? kinda weird) but I still loved it. There was a progression to their story, and even if I wished it would've been slower, it still was there and was amazing. Whenever they were together I could just feel the tension and honestly, what else could you want from a human and a man-of-the-shadows. I even grew to like this third person in the triangle (even though I don't normally like love triangles), especially with their ending. I'm curious to see what role this other person plays in the following installment of the trilogy. 

4. The writing was gorgeous. This story is not action-driven most of the time and it isn't character-driven either; it lies somewhere in the middle yet somehow, I devoured it and there wasn't a single time where I was bored. It could've easily gone to the boring side and it didn't. The writing was so rich (there were a few times where I thought it was a little too much, but most of the time it's perfect) and it really added to that overall sense of mysteriousness. 

5. The big revelation !!!!! I can't talk about this enough. At first, when we get a glimpse at who's behind everything that has been going on aroud Celine, I was kinda underwhelmed; "this is it?". But when THAT chapter came and we get to see the truth behind everything... amazing, showstopping, spectacular. I was really caught off guard and I can't wait to see what's that all about in The Damned. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I struggled to put it down. This is my first Renée Ahdieh book and I can't wait to dive into her other works. Highly recommend this book.

Rachel Kanyid

Well that ending surprised me! The writing in this was very lyrical and the story played out very engagingly.

Emily B

3 STARS:

I read this in the span of 2 days, and I'm still trying to collect my thoughts. This book was entertaining, but I wouldn't rank it high on my favorites.

Without a doubt, the strongest element was the atmosphere. Everything just felt very tangible, as if I was actually there. The descriptions were very heavy, but I appreciated them. It kept me reading up late.

The plot was definitely a slow burn. I found the pacing very steady. The ending climax was a little underwhelming, but I enjoyed the twist. I didn't expect who the killer was.

The romance was very sweet, but it happened a bit too fast. I would have enjoyed it being dragged out for a few books. (view spoiler)[ Plus, it ended with Celine having amnesia, which is one of my least favorite tropes. I have to really be in the mood in order to enjoy it, which is rare  (hide spoiler)].

The characters, though, were a bit lackluster. I just could not get a handle on Celine. I still could hardly tell you anything about her. Bastien was fun, but we don't get much from his point of view, so I'm not as invested as I want to be. Odette was, without a doubt, the best character in the book. I would have loved to see chapters from her point of view!

Overall, despite how fast I consumed this, I still found some problems. With the ending of this book being what it was (see spoiler above), I'm not too eager to jump into the next book. I'm sure I will someday when I want some mindless fun. But today is not that day.

Sarah

Cheri McElroy

A quick, atmospheric read. Set in 1870s New Orleans, this story is about Celine, a Parisian girl, running from her past. She meets Odette and then Bastien, who she is drawn to. But women start being killed, drained of blood, and Celine is drawn in to a dangerous situation.

Rich in French Quarter atmosphere, this book is not without its flaws. I wanted more from the historical setting, a bit less insta love, and more vampires.😉 But it is YA so I am overlooking those.

Mackenzie Young

really wanted to give this 5 starts but went with 4 because of the lack of explanation throughout the book. you kind of get an idea of what kind of creatures the characters are, but it’s literally never fully explained. I just started book 2 and it’s explained in the first chapter. this book was a tad confusing at times but other than that I really did like it

Omg! I absolutely loved this book! Seriously, I was in need of vampires to come back into my life and this was everything I wished for. Not only did we meet mysterious characters but I love how historical landmarks were incorporated into the story. I am definitely looking forward to the next book!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight. 'Incredibly ornate [and] lush . . . nail-biting and swoony and satisfying and tense all at the same time' Sabaa Tahir In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, it's also a safe haven after she's forced to flee her life in Paris. Quickly enraptured by the vibrant city, from its music to its extravagant soirées and even its danger, she soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, and particularly the group known as La Cour des Lions. But when a body is found in their lair, Celine is forced to battle her attraction for the group's enigmatic leader, Sébastien Saint Germain, and suspicions about his guilt, along with her own secrets. As more bodies are discovered, New Orleans becomes gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose - one who seems to have Celine in his sights. But when she finally takes matters into her own hands, she finds herself caught in the midst of an age-old feud between the darkest creatures of the night, where the price of forbidden love is her life.

Elisa Bieg

This is more a historical novels with a hint of urban fantasy/paranormal, than a vampire novel. That suits me fine, but it probably plays against the popularity of the book, since people anticipating a vampire novel will be sorely disappointed. 

However I didn’t have strong expectations, so I just took the story as it came, and I quite enjoyed it. The pacing is a bit slower than I generally prefer, and I can see how this might make people looking for constant action impatient; but I like Ahdieh’s writing, and I was prepared for a slow unveiling, as she did in The Wrath and The Dawn.
I think that the pace fits well with the way she writes and structures her stories, revealing details little by little. Personally, it keeps me reading because it creates an undercurrent of mystery and that piques my curiosity; but again, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

I quite liked the characterization: the main characters are quite vivid for me, with their personalities clearly distinct. I also very much enjoyed their interactions. Some of the secondary characters were a bit more vague, like some of the girls in the convent and most of the Court of Lions, but that didn’t affect my ability to follow the story and enjoy it.

One trope I know lots of people hate but I quite like when well done, is 
  love triangles
. I generally like the way the author deals with this specific trope, although for one of the “corners” it was coasting the line with insta-love. But I liked how the dynamic between characters developed later on, so I’ll forgive that.
However if you fall into the “despise love triangles” camp, you might want to skip this one, or at least come into it aware of it.

The setting was what drew me to the book: New Orleans. As much as she includes snippets of the local culture of the time and atmosphere, I feel like there could have been more. But Celine is still discovering the city and most of the story is told from her (third-person) POV, so maybe we’ll see more in the sequel. 

One thing I wasn’t s a huge fan of was the mythology behind the supernaturals — it felt a bit disconnected from the setting.

Overall, I’d have to say this was quite enjoyable albeit not perfect, so it would be 3 3/4 STARS, but since I don’t generally do quarter stars, I rounded it up to 4 STARS, and I’d recommend it for people who enjoy historical fiction with a paranormal element and romance.

I may have already preordered the sequel 😁

Nicole Dykeman

Currently screeching and desperate for the sequel. Celine is a fiery and entertaining main character. Bastien is dark, handsome, and snarky. The romance and unraveling mysteries were perfectly paced for my tastes. I’m a little nervous to see what this series holds in the following books because this one ended with one of my least favorite tropes…but I might be willing to suffer.

Megan Lowe

Vampire books aren’t my thing, like, at all.
But this book intrigued me.
I love New Orleans, it’s a great city, so to read about it? Was awesome.
I loved Celine. I ADORE Bastien.
Odette, Pippa, and Michael are great additions as well.
I loved the story, and that it moved a little faster than some of Renee’s other books do.
I can’t wait to read the second book!

Anastasia 

This book greatly reminds me of the originals... Incredible storyline from renée yet again

Her books are so engaging... I found it impossible to drop this book unless I was extremely tired or Busy..

So right to it... I loved the main character a lot, the development from being enclosed and uncaring to opening up to bastien and odette and other around her really resonated with me

I can't wait to read the second book... Renée never fails to impress me... Outstanding yet again

Amanda

Jillian Clare

This book was a ton of fun and a super easy way to kill time-- it fell a little short in certain aspects that I'll touch on when I post my review, coming soon!

Savannah Winchell

DNF at 284

This book is so over the top but lacks the self awareness to make it good. Like it takes itself way too seriously to be this tropey and lazy. Things work only bc the plot calls for it. Responses are clever only bc the author wills it and not because anything clever was said.
Also besides both being very attractive there is no reason for the MC and LI to be give a single shot about the other.

I want vampires to come back but if this is to be their reintroduction it won’t last

marilynn

I don’t want to compare this book to twilight. I really don't especially when it favors twilight, but Bella discovered the truth about Edward way faster than Celine ever did. But I digress.

See, after two weeks of going back to online school, and my mood being shitty this whole time, this was the first thing to make me feel something other than stress and constant sadness and made me feel intrigued and invested. So thank you Rene Adhieh for small miracles.

Ok, so, Celine has balls. She's hilariously witty and classy (some of the time), she doesn't take shit from anyone, goes after what she wants, and is just downright a very cool character. While she mostly doesn't suffer from 'Basic YA Idiocy' (or BYI for short), no YA MC is completely free from it. C O M M U N I C A T I O N is a concept that a lot of YA characters don't seem to grasp.

The setting of this book is beautiful. New Orleans always seem to have this magical aspect to it and I find it so… I don't know if cozy is the right word for it, but I'm going with it

Other than the info dumps that we get, me raging about hoe Odette is my favorite character throughout the whole reading process, feeling horrible for Pippa, and being confused about how I feel about Bastien, there's nothing much to add. (THAT ENDING THOUGH WTF)

Sheena &
The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

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