The Princesses Read Update & The Best Beauty and the Beast Retelling Ever?

Update

Since I’m neck deep in a blogging slump, my inspiration has vamoosed away – meaning the Princesses Read is on hold for a tiny bit. My issue is that with these posts I need a lot of creativity and energy to do it, and my silly goose brain has determined X Files and Real Housewives are far more enticing than talking about my two most important loves: princesses and books. I’m going to really try and get myself back into gear for next week, since we only have a few princesses left!! Merida, Aurora, and Pocahontas are our darling princesses that have been waiting for the perfect post – does anyone have a preference who is next? 😉

Also, can we please talk about the fact that I’ve been doing this for how many weeks and literally never made a graphic for this series? I feel like a blog failure. XD A blailure.

Since I couldn’t get my slump to hide away, I figured I would instead, focus on a particular book that is all about a certain beloved princess. Sort of makes up for it?

Review

Hunted by Meagan Spooner

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Noble

*I buddy read this with the wondrous Nadwa @ Painfully Fictional. If you’re not already following her, you really should because she is so completely sweet and cool and her blog is amazing. Fantastic reviews, shared love of TLC and Beauty and the Beast, and her blog is oh so pretty. Check out more about her here.*

Where do I even begin with this story? I’ve seen so many enjoy this book, and in the past few months, I’ve seen four stars after four stars after four stars. I knew I would enjoy this book since I’ve seen it constantly get fantastic reviews…but I was a bit worried because I mean, IT’S STUCK AT THOSE FOUR STARS. Nadwa and I were talking before we started and we determined that we wanted to be the ones to break the four star streak…and goodness, did this book do that. It easily got a five crown rating for both of us.

What I loved most about this book is that it felt like a fairytale. Most of the time with fairytale retelling, you get a super cool retelling of it, some intriguing changes, and a lot of the best elements of the original. However, most of the time it does not have the same feel as a fairytale – but this one did. I felt like I was reading the original, and it took me to a world of love and wonder and beauty. I was entranced – with the plot, characters, the writing, the world. Everything was so brilliantly done.

The elements of the original story were there, but everything was wonderfully expanded and new things added. I love how the author infused so much folklore into the story but also kept the original story there as well. I was hooked. I even forgot about the romantic elements that Beauty and the Beast has because I was so intrigued by the emotional changes happening between the characters inside and out. The characterization was beautiful. I even loved, loved, love the Gaston figure in the story. And then the baby doggies were so much love as well.

Although, not going to lie, I totally missed my Gaston song. It’s such a jam.

Everything about this novel was intriguing and beautiful. I will admit that I was let down by some of the beginning part because it did move a bit slowly. I know that knocked a star down for a lot of people, but I really did manage to go through those quite quickly to get to the other parts, and it didn’t bother me as much as it should have. I was too into the world and the writing to really care if it was going slow or not. But it is a bit slow moving in the beginning, just a warning.

I told Nadwa at one point during the read, this felt like ACOTAR a bit with the woods and the snow and a little of the feel. However, we both agreed (after Nadwa wonderfully pointed out) that what ACOTAR lacked with good sister relationships, this book excelled. The sisterly bonds were amazingggggggg, and if you’re looking for a story that explores true, loving sister dynamics, this is a book for you.

Overall, I can easily say this is the best Beauty and the Beast retelling I’ve ever read. It has the same feeling that the original story had but it expanded and beautified other elements. The folklore was stunning as well as the writing. I can’t tell you how excited I am to read Spooner’s other works after reading this one. Five crowns and a visit from Belle and an Anna rating because clearly sister love is amazing.

What do you think? What is your favorite Beauty and the Beast retelling? What fairytale makes you want to read all the retellings? Let’s discuss in the comments below!