Scan barcode
middleburybooks's review
4.0
The people of Orlean are cursed with gray skin and straw-like hair by a vengeful god who was jealous of how the goddess of beauty once devoted time to them. Only the daughters of the goddess of beauty, the Belles, can grant beauty to the cursed people of Orleans. If you can afford it (treatment costs a small fortune and is only temporary) and can withstand the excruciating pain (even hair treatments are painful) you too can be beautiful.
phibourjreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
dragonwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
In a world where humans are born with grey skin and red eyes, only the Belles are blessed with beauty. And by the grace of the goddess, they are able to share that beauty with humanity. Camellia is one such belle, and she, and her five sisters are being presented to the Queen and royal court. Only one of them will be the Queen’s Favorite, with the honor and responsibility of maintaining the Queen’s look and the beauty of the entire royal court. But after Camellia disobeys instructions in favor of showing off during the presentation, her sister, Amber is chosen as the favorite and Camellia is sent to a high ranking team house. But life as a Belle is not what they think. There’s crying at night in the tea house, yet before Camellia can discover the tea house’s mysteries, something happens to Amber, and Camellia is elevated to favorite. As Camellia learns to navigate court life, she discovers that there are many dangers for a Belle, even for the favorite. And what happened to Amber?
This book took a while to grow on me. I didn’t really care for a society based entirely on the importance of duty, and court politics are not my preferred drama. However, by the two-thirds mark, I was invested, because Princess Sophia stepped up her game and was becoming quite diabolical. I did like Remy, and I was rooting for him and Camellia. I never quite trusted August, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a redemption in the sequel. I’m looking forward to reading it and finding out!
fatimareadsbooks's review
4.0
Can’t get over how good this was! It’s been a long time since a book has made me stay up till morning without me even noticing! And that ending, wheww
hannahhbic's review
4.0
Actual rating 3.5 stars, but I rounded up because it was a fun read. There is an attempted sexual assault in this book.
robisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
edshara's review
5.0
This book was fantastic and I loved it right from the start! The story is beatifully written with strong attention to detail. It starts out sweet and becomes sinister as the plot moves along.
The characters were interesting, likable and, I'll admit, a bit predictable. I liked Camellia's stubborness and the fact that she didn't always stick to the rules. Their were some times when she was a bit frustrating and some of her decisions were questionable but overall she was a very solid character. I loved the fact that she seemed willing to look beyond the typical standards of beauty and acknowledge the beauty found in what others might deem as average. I didn't like the romance and I felt that it was unecessary even though it played into the plot.
I'm not really sure why, but I was expecting this book to be a little lighter than it was, so the villian was somewhat of a surprise(a good one). The villian definitely made the book more interesting and is the kind that is easy to hate. I'm interested to see how things go as the series continues.
I loved the world building, as well as, the backstory behind the existence and the creation of the Belles. Their was a good blend of science and technology and I thought some of it was very creative and unique. I enjoyed the French influence woven throughout the book and thought it fit the plot really well. I am in love with the teacup pets and I really need a teacup dragon in my life. I think if this was made into a movie, it would be stunning. I can't wait to add this book to my collection and I eagerly await the next book in the series.
The characters were interesting, likable and, I'll admit, a bit predictable. I liked Camellia's stubborness and the fact that she didn't always stick to the rules. Their were some times when she was a bit frustrating and some of her decisions were questionable but overall she was a very solid character. I loved the fact that she seemed willing to look beyond the typical standards of beauty and acknowledge the beauty found in what others might deem as average. I didn't like the romance and I felt that it was unecessary even though it played into the plot.
I'm not really sure why, but I was expecting this book to be a little lighter than it was, so the villian was somewhat of a surprise(a good one). The villian definitely made the book more interesting and is the kind that is easy to hate. I'm interested to see how things go as the series continues.
I loved the world building, as well as, the backstory behind the existence and the creation of the Belles. Their was a good blend of science and technology and I thought some of it was very creative and unique. I enjoyed the French influence woven throughout the book and thought it fit the plot really well. I am in love with the teacup pets and I really need a teacup dragon in my life. I think if this was made into a movie, it would be stunning. I can't wait to add this book to my collection and I eagerly await the next book in the series.
veronicabane's review
Received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lush, exciting, well-paced. What a world! Finished it in two days.
Lush, exciting, well-paced. What a world! Finished it in two days.