Courtney reviewed on
Beastly is a retelling of the fairy tale, Beauty and The Beast.
Kyle Kingsbury is your classic pretty, spoiled, rich boy who attends ninth grade at an exclusive private school in New York City. He has just about everything a kid could want: a hot girlfriend, nice clothes, awesome apartment with the latest tech gadgets and newly elected as prince for the spring dance court. He is mean and spiteful, has a mother who abandoned him and a Dad who doesn't spend any time with him.
After playing a hateful trick on Kendra, an ugly "fat chick" at the dance, Kyle is cursed with becoming a beast. He will endure this for the remainder of his life unless he can have someone who loves him, and he loves back, kiss him within 2 years.
As the time frame gets smaller and smaller, we see Kyle change from a heartless brat into a very caring and compassionate young man. He meets and falls for Lindy, a girl who comes from a horrible home. Her Dad gave her up to Beast to save his own behind.
What I really liked about this story was that Kyle and Lindy didn't automatically fall in love, you could see it gradually building over time...months and months and months. Which, in YA fiction, is sometimes a rarity. They are very grown up for their age.
My favorite parts were during some online counseling sessions for Unexpected Changes. Among the chatters was SilentMaid (a mermaid who was contemplating a deal with a sea witch for the love of her life, but she would have to lose her voice), Froggie (a prince who now lives in a pond and types with webbed feet) and GrizzlyGuy (who has met 2 girls, RoseRed and Snow White, "but not *that* Snow White!"). Too funny!
Overall, very fun read and a nice change from the vampire books. I rated it at 4 stars.
Kyle Kingsbury is your classic pretty, spoiled, rich boy who attends ninth grade at an exclusive private school in New York City. He has just about everything a kid could want: a hot girlfriend, nice clothes, awesome apartment with the latest tech gadgets and newly elected as prince for the spring dance court. He is mean and spiteful, has a mother who abandoned him and a Dad who doesn't spend any time with him.
After playing a hateful trick on Kendra, an ugly "fat chick" at the dance, Kyle is cursed with becoming a beast. He will endure this for the remainder of his life unless he can have someone who loves him, and he loves back, kiss him within 2 years.
As the time frame gets smaller and smaller, we see Kyle change from a heartless brat into a very caring and compassionate young man. He meets and falls for Lindy, a girl who comes from a horrible home. Her Dad gave her up to Beast to save his own behind.
What I really liked about this story was that Kyle and Lindy didn't automatically fall in love, you could see it gradually building over time...months and months and months. Which, in YA fiction, is sometimes a rarity. They are very grown up for their age.
My favorite parts were during some online counseling sessions for Unexpected Changes. Among the chatters was SilentMaid (a mermaid who was contemplating a deal with a sea witch for the love of her life, but she would have to lose her voice), Froggie (a prince who now lives in a pond and types with webbed feet) and GrizzlyGuy (who has met 2 girls, RoseRed and Snow White, "but not *that* Snow White!"). Too funny!
Overall, very fun read and a nice change from the vampire books. I rated it at 4 stars.
