This book is a mock between Interview with a Vampire and twilight ! And oh so good! I loved the French/New Orleans theme and switch between languages. The main character was well defined and I loved her attitude to life.
Such a great book highly recommended but watch out for the cliff hanger!!!

This book, for me, wasn't at the same level as previously used to with Renee Ahdieh's books. The protagonist, Celine was just, for me, an unlikable character. It possibly didn't help that the book felt anachronistic. It really didn't have the feel of 1872 New Orleans. The story could just have easily been transferred to modern day New Orleans and I probably would not have noticed a difference overall - well maybe coming off a plane and not a boat would have been a giveaway. The saving grace of this book is the ending and the murder mystery.

https://lynns-books.com/2019/11/04/the-beautiful-the-beautiful-1-by-renee-ahdieh/
The Beautiful is going to be a difficult book for me to review. In short, it didn’t really work for me although there are elements that are really good and I enjoyed the writing. To be honest, and also fair to the author, I think I went into this with the wrong expectations and that’s totally on me. I’ve checked out the synopsis on Goodreads again before writing this review and this is described much more as a dark murder mystery with hints that supernatural elements will play a part so I’m not entirely sure why I was so hyped for ‘the return of the vampire’ – which is the very reason I ended up feeling let down. At this moment, I wish I had a time turner, I wish I could go back and pick up this book with no notion of what it’s about, go into the story with fresh eyes and then evaluate my feelings for it. As it is, I can’t help feeling a little deflated but at the same time that feeling is tinged a little with regret because I feel like I duped myself somehwere along the line.

I’m not going to go overboard about the plot, to boil it down this is a story of a young woman (Celine Rousseau) running away from something dark in her past only to find herself in a situation that is far more dangerous. Out of the frying pan into the fire basically. Brutal murders have left the inhabitants of New Orleans reeling and it certainly isn’t safe to wander the streets at night. Celine soon finds herself embroiled in the dangerous Cour des Lions where her attraction to the handsome Sébastien Saint Germain becomes quickly obvious. This is an attraction that will lead to her drawing unwanted attention.

Is The Beautiful a book about vampires? Yes. The book involves vampires, although it does take quite some time for this to become apparent, like I said above this is more about the murders and, more than that, about the motive as to why they’re taking place. I can’t really go into that though without revealing spoilers so suffice to say that the supernatural elements of the story are fundamental and the final revelations leave me thinking that the next instalment has plenty of potential for those elements to play a much bigger role.

So, ‘expectations managed’. This is becoming one of my key phrases of late and I think it’s spot on. I do have a tendency to let my imagination run away with me. Think, murder mystery, think slowly revealed supernatural elements, think of a book that is really something of a set up for a series that could become something much more ‘vampire involved’.

With those provisions in mind The Beautiful does exactly what it promises. The writing is good and in fact, in spite of my reservations about certain issues, this was a very quick read that definitely held my attention and kept me intrigued to the end. It wasn’t weighed down with over elaborate descriptions (although this is something of a double edged sword for me) and there were some lovely creepy elements to the story that gave me the goosebumps.

In terms of my reservations. Two of them are probably fundamental in helping me to blow up my expectations in the first place. The setting and the period. This is 19th century New Orleans. Ohh, how could I help myself. My imagination simply ran riot and the reality fell a little short. To be blunt, I didn’t necessarily feel like I was reading about New Orleans, the place felt like it could have been any other city in the world and the historic period too just simply didn’t seem to really add anything. Yes, of course there was much discussion about fashion and dresses, food and restaurants and these of course helped to provide a little richness but it didn’t feel like the period came across at all, Celine very much felt like a modern thinking woman and whilst I like her spirit and admire her desire to fling off social restrictions, I think for a young woman, living under the care of nuns, during the Victorian period in a city where a murderer is on the loose – well, I think she had a heck of a lot more freedom than you would expect. Why not just write the story from a modern perspective.

The characters. Again, mixed feelings. I can’t say I really fell for either Celine or Sébastien and I’m not sure why. Too much talk perhaps of how gorgeous they both were which always feels a little superficial to me and also the chemistry between the two felt lacking. Celine wants adventure but this comes across as little more than a desire to place herself in the vicinity of Sébastien and Sebastien feels a little like one of those characters who you’re constantly told is ‘dangerous’ but there’s a lot more telling than showing. I really didn’t feel like there was anything dangerous about him at all – other than the strange company he mixed with. The characters I really liked in fact played much smaller roles – Celine’s friend from the convent – Pippa, and her newest friend and acquaintance – Odette. Both are characters I could have happily read a lot more about.

Overall, this probably all sounds very negative which is definitely not my intention. I certainly wouldn’t wish to put anyone off from reading this but I think it’s better to go into the read with the right expectations. This was entertaining and it definitely had a decent pace. There were elements that had a lovely gothic feel – although I would have liked more, and I think it really does set out the stall for the next book. One thing that this experience has left me with is a desire to read more books with vampires and gauging the reaction of other readers I’d say I’m not alone in that respect.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publishers, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating 3 out of 5 stars.

I received a free ebook version of this book through Netgalley. Thankyou to both Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this! My review is still honest.

Okay, so Ahdieh has been hit and miss for me in the past. I really disliked The Wrath and the Dawn and liked Flame in the Mist, but this one, I am so pleased to say, I absolutely loved!
The Beautiful is set in a paranormal New Orleans. Celine is our main character, who has run away to a convent in New Orleans, escaping her past in Paris. Once there, her dark secrets threaten to come out, and a murderer is on the loose...
I was shocked at how quickly this story gripped me. Within the first 5%, I was so hooked! The writing style of this made it so easy to read and get through, but was very beautiful at the same time. I also loved Celine as a main character-she was a strong female, but not in the typical YA style of an assassin/killer/soldier with excellent skills. She was simply brave and sure of herself, and I loved her so much! Minor characters were equally excellent-special note of Pippa and Odette. Love a female friendship in my books!
I do think that what really caught my attention was the romance. The chemistry between Bastien and Celine was so intense, and I loved their banter and how complex and yet strangely simple their relationship turned out to be. That's not to discredit the rest of the plot-the murder mystery/thriller aspects were also really intriguing and I enjoyed learning more about this world and how the paranormal elements functioned. Also-diversity! Both Celine and Bastien are of dual ethnicity and there is some really cool discussion of POC in professional and powerful occupations.
It's not the perfect book. Could it have done with a little more world building? Could it have explained the dynamics of the paranormal world a little better? Sure, but the thing is, I just had such an enjoyable time reading this that I don't want to give it any less than 5 stars.
Although, that cliffhanger. I am so mad and sad and so excited for The Damned to come out! It can't come quick enough!

The Beautiful was a highly anticipated read for me as I love a good mystery, add in vampires, romance and set it in New Orleans - I’m there!

Unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to my high expectations but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy some parts of this book.

So let me try and explain why this was a mixed bag for me.
The pacing wasn’t right, it was too much of a slow burn. There were chunks of the book where it didn’t feel like much was happening.
Now don’t get me wrong some of the action scenes were fantastic and really caught my attention but I feel there could have been more. That was a predominant feeling for me when reading this book: I wanted more. More romance, more action, more everything. Now don’t get me wrong I loved the tension between Celine and Bastien and I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the messages left by the killer, but it felt like the author was caught between the romance and mystery elements of this story and in the end missed the mark on both. I also wanted more vampires, let’s be honest that’s what I was really here for and there just wasn’t enough in my opinion.

Based on that it sounds like I didn’t like this book and that wasn’t the case. Overall it did keep my interest and that was mostly down to the writing style and the wonderful prose. The author created a fantastically atmospheric setting. From the dark and dangerous back streets to the colourful carnival parades, the author made sure to include all the senses in her writing, describing the sounds, smells, touch, taste and feel, leaving me fully immersed in the magic of New Orleans.

I will definitely pick up book two as I liked the characters and want to know what’s going to happen next. Plus this book left me with so many unanswered questions and secrets that I have to keep reading!

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a copy for review.

Celine Rousseau moves to New Orleans after having to flee Paris and falls straight into new danger when she becomes involved with a mysterious underground group, La Cour des Lions, and a serial killer torments the city, seemingly getting closer and closer to Celine herself.

This was a great book and it didn't take long for me to lose myself in the story and not want to stop reading. I read it over the Halloween period which gave me the perfect atmosphere, though it would make a great autumnal read in general anyway. It's really easy to read and constantly makes you want to keep reading to find out more about La Cour des Lions and all the mysterious people involved with this group.

Celine was a great protagonist to read about and follow. She is very fiery and independent, though she could be a little reckless and frustrating at times. The other characters are fantastic too. I loved Odette and her no nonsense ways, I loved Pippa for her loyalty and supportive nature. They were all so well developed and perfect.

I haven't read a vampire novel for a long time. I was totally caught up in the Twilight craze several years ago and read many many paranormal books back then so it was nice to read something so familiar that I don't read anymore.

This was a book I didn't realise I needed. Renee Ahdieh writes beautifully about vampires in the french quarter. The word building gave a stunning visual backdrop for this story. I loved the incorporation of other languages and references to famous works (Blake, Shakespeare etc).

Celine is our MC and she is fiesty and a badass. I love how she stands up to the male characters in the book and doesn't back down like women were meant to in the 1800's. I feel a love triangle is developing and still so much unknown. I'm excited to see how it plays out in the sequel.

The only negative for me was the formatting of the ARC was a bit jumbled in places. So I found it hard to follow when the narrative swapped.

Honest review given in exchange for a ARC. Thank you Netgallery.

The Beautiful is an enchanting book which takes you through a very thrilling and exciting journey. From the starting, we can sense danger just around the corner, lurking and waiting to jump out at Celine. he book is slightly slow paced at first but as it goes on it becomes more and more fast paced to make us anticipate the danger more and it really works, making you sit on the edge of your seat. 

Celine, herself, makes for a very interesting character. She is morally grey and provides us with a sort of experience we rarely get with any characters at all. She is adventurous and seeks out danger. She deviated from the social norms and proves to be quite fascinating and unpredictable. 

The entire city of New Orleans is quite magical and provides a perfect background for the novel. It is alluring and captivating and also provides a sense of unease and discomfort in the sense that the aura is disconcerting and unsettling.

Various characters are introduced throughout the book, such as Pippa, Anabel, Odette, Mother Superior, Micheal Grimaldi, etc. and they are all developed slowly enough to build a sort of suspense around them but fast enough to give them depth and make me fall in love with them.

The character I genuinely loved was Bastien, he was aloof and different, but also caring and loving sometimes. I wish we could have seen more of him through the book and seen more interactions between him and Celine because I just love the way they challenge each other and are also vulnerable in front of each other. 

Lastly, I loved the ending. I was not expecting the twist at all and it surprised me and now, I just can not wait for the next book! 

I really loved this book and I recommend it to everyone. I have to tell you all that I only wanted to read it because of the pretty cover and I don't even like vampires that much but this series might just change my opinion.

I loved the idea of this book and the story was a good one however I didnt connect with any of the characters. I think as there was so much hype for this book I was just underwhelmed, it wasn't what I expected.

Overall I enjoyed this book! I’ll admit it took me a while to get into it. I always need to be in the “perfect mood” to read anything historical so I wasn’t too sure at first.
I’ve seen a lot of people talk about this book (prior to its release) saying it was the book that’ll bring back vampires. I’m not too sure if it has done that (in my opinion) but I did enjoy that sense of nostalgia I got from reading a vampire book once again.

I definitely did enjoy this book, despite my troubles initially. It’s not my usual cup of tea but I love when I read out of my comfort zone from time to time and get pleasantly surprised! I’m looking forward to reading the sequel when it is released!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers who sent me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is sumptuous and sultry and touches down on a level of sensuality that I have not come across in YA for a long time.

It has one interesting and amazing female main character, who, for reasons of her own has to leave her beloved Paris and the dressmaking she loved above all. Now she has come to the New World, to New Orleans to create a new life for her.

But then, a murder happens, and soon Celine finds herself in the centre of the attention of various powerful factions within New Orleans and a murderer focussed only on one thing, revenge.

This book was a very atmospheric read and got quite a bit of creepiness. You never are really sure if there is not something or someone stalking just out of your vision and if this is just the candle flickering or something sinister creeping up to you.

Used to reading about vampires mostly in Urban Fantasy, this books slows things definitively down. There are vampires and other creatures of the dark present in the book, but they all linger on the side lines of awareness of our heroine who still has to figure out lots and lots of things.

I loved the main character Celine, how she was built and how she grew over the course of this book. She is strong minded and willing to dare it all more than once. And yet she is intelligent as well and has a lot of wit as her banters with her opposite number Sebastien de St Germain shows. And she holds quite some secrets within herself.

The ending left me with some question marks. As at the time I was not aware that this was only the first book of a several book series. Now that I know, it makes more sense. Also, to get some of the allusions you would have to know your Shakespeare well, as possibly also some of previous vampire literature like Dracula and Anne Rice's books. Both are mentioned in the Acknowledgments of the author. The allusions to the Twilight series are delightful in their easiness.

The weakest part for me was the historical setting. On one hand I loved the sensuality that Renéeh Ahdieh gave her main character with her having grown up becoming a dress maker knowing all about fabric and sewing and style and fashion. Also the imagining of coming into a completely new world and illustrating it with the food that all of a sudden is within reach is very well done. Then there are the smells. We only get to smell the nice ones, although, I would suspect that in the 19th century cities mostly stank and would possibly be quite unbearable for our current smelling sensitivity.

With the murder mystery a detective is introduced, Michael Grimaldi. I am not sure how historically accurate the representation of detective investigation at this point in time is. The detective dips in and out of the story in a way that made me question at some point what he actually was doing there. For me his storyline was not well maintained.

The relationship I found most difficult to relate to was that between Celine and Pippa, her best friend from the European girls who travelled together to New Orleans to start a new life. Something felt off, despite all their respective utterings of care and concern.

All in all, a sensuous, enjoyable read with a strong heroine who comes into her own in this book and starts to build a life of her own despite of all odds, taking her life into her own hands and negotiating as she has never negotiated before. There is also this ever present creepiness, the awareness of something lingering in the shadows waiting to charge, but never really out in the open. It is very well done.

And now it all depends on how the story further develops in the following books. I am curious to see where Renée Ahdieh takes the story next.

This review relates to an eARC I received from the publisher via Netgalley in return of an honest review.

Historical mystery fiction with vampires? What's not to love! Overall this book is exactly what it says. It does come across *very* teenage, but as it's described as such I don't think this is a problem.
The main character Celine was interesting although I didn't find her particularly relatable. I think the strength of this book lies in the cast of supporting characters who were all great. I loved Pippa and Odette but would have liked more of them in the last parts of the book.
I loved the mystery element of it as I think this is something a bit different for this genre. I can only hope that this is a theme in the next book!
I really would have liked it to feel a bit more 'historical'. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly is missing (there's an awful lot about historical dress) but it didn't quite have the atmosphere I would have liked.
The romance was nice - it felt a little rushed but I nearly always feel like that so not necessarily a criticism.
I did feel at the end of the book that I didn't quite understand all of the politics but this may have been intentional as I'm sure there will be a sequel.
Overall an enjoyable read as long as you're not put off by teen fiction!
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free copy for review.

I can't decide how MUCH I like this book, but I do want to read the next book so make of that what you will. The characters are engaging and layered and the twists are masterfully created. That being said I do have a few issues with the writing, which at times was a touch repetitive. I often found myself thinking yeah, I get it, copper smells like blood and Celine has a 'heaving busom' can we move on? Additionally though the descriptions were beautiful they did feel a touch overdone at times, it felt a bit like sensory overload everytime the setting changed, and it just wasn't necessary.
I really wish the publisher had given this book a last, hefty round of editing. As I could easily be giving 5*. The Beautiful has all the right ingredients; a strong heroine, a complex love interest, tonnes of twists and dark fantasy elements that give the perfect amount of thrill, but for now I will stick to 3* and look out for (hopefully a well edited) sequel.

To be quite honest i thought i was officially done with Vampires, and then this book came along.

The Beautiful was true to its name in that it was beautifully written and a joy to read. The New Orleans setting was perfect and made for a magical yet eerie atmosphere that complimented the story perfectly.

I really enjoyed Renee Ahdieh's previous works and i'm so glad i picked this up too.

ALRIGHTY. 

This book is set in 19th century New Orleans which was, in my opinion, a great idea. So much of the teen vampire fiction saturation problem was that they were all set in small towns in America. So let's start by upheaving ourselves back in time and into the centre of a city. I was here for it. Obviously, I can't speak to the historical accuracy of the book but it certainly didn't feel like liberties were taken. If anything, it's made me want to look more into the history of New Orleans - if I ever have the time. 

But it wasn't tiny historical details that sold me on this setting. Rather, I think, it was the fact that Renée Ahdieh is phenomenal at creating atmosphere. She manages to capture the idea of a city that is simultaneously very hedonistic and religious, with a merging of various walks of life in one place. What I appreciated was that, to me, it didn't feel fetishising, this wasn't the 'hoodoo and voodoo' of Disney's Princess and the Frog or the awkward appropriation of Music and Malice in Hurricane Town. It felt atmospheric without taking it to a cartoon. 

The atmosphere was absolutely the winning aspect of this book. Unfortunately, things like character and plot were, to me, less successful. 

I couldn't quite get a handle on Celine as a character. She has that issue of 'I have a terrible element of my backstory that I won't reveal to the reader until the midway point' which is sometimes a great hook to keep you reading. What would have been a better hook? - Vampires? I think I just have a bit of a pet peeve about information being withheld from the reader just to build suspense when actually it makes no sense for it to not be mentioned. It didn't apply in this case but that bothers me most when the book is in first person. So a lot of what would be character development time felt taken up by 'mystery plot device' and in the end I don't think I could have accurately described exactly what it was Celine wanted? Possibly that's because at the start of the book she's effectively been shipped off and maybe (if there are more books in the series) she will grow on me?

The plot! This is where I think an element of personal preference comes in. Broadly speaking this is a bit of a murder mystery as well as a fish out of water story. I think I would have liked more proactive problem solving from Celine in this to make it feel almost more like a detective story as opposed to a Vampire book - but perhaps that's my preferences coming through. It was odd though, for all that is was marketed as the return of YA Vampires - this book doesn't really dwell on the Vampiric aspect much, they feel much more like eccentric rich people until the very end of the book. Obviously, as a reader you know what's happening and I just wanted more back story, more mechanics - just more. 

I've been quite harsh on this book, looking back at my musings above, and I did have a fun time reading it. I thought it was the setting and the background that were captivating in this story and that carried me through to the end. I might end up re-reading it...maybe?

My rating: A solid 3.5/5 stars

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own. 

The Beautiful is available now!

I enjoyed this book. I could enjoy more if vampires took a bigger role.
I liked the historical setting, the writing and the mystery elements. Overall, it was good fun.

Thanks a lot to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Beautiful is a wonderful, imaginative YA historical fantasy following Celine, a Korean-French girl raised in a strict Catholic environment. I found the portrayal of this aspect really well-written, as was the exploration of Celine's desire for power and agency in her life.
The way the romance was slowly developed through the story, tying into the themes about power, made this a truly remarkable read I would recommend to all YA paranormal fans. The only thing that didn't fully work for me was the villain's PoV - mostly because I didn't fully understand what was going on in New Orlean's paranormal underbelly, but that could be easily solved by the sequel, which I'm really anticipating.

For a more in-depth review, visit my blog, acquadimore.wordpress.com.

Everyone has been talking about this book! Renee’s latest novel is set in the 1870’s, in New Orleans, the city full of secrets, both human and mythical. Setting the scene for a new series, The Beautiful tells of Celine, a young woman fresh off the boat, hoping to find a new start in a new city, where no-one will know what she’s running from. Somewhat ironic, because it seems just about everyone in New Orleans is not what they appear.

A hunter is stalking the citizens of New Orleans, leaving young women with their throats mutilated. The police are baffled but Celine is starting to suspect that this so-called Court of Lions knows something. Part crime thriller, part swooping romance, this was stunningly gorgeous to read but honestly… it took me a while to get into. I don’t like to admit that, because everyone else has spoken so highly of it but I think that lyrical language, while amazing, didn’t suit my style of reading which is typically dipping in and out. Having said that, the ending massively picked up and I read the last 20 or so percent in one evening.

What made it for me was the characters and the setting. New Orleans is a fascinating city and Renee’s style of writing made it seem so magical and mysterious, and the Court of Lions was just as mysterious as the city they inhabited. A group of not-quite-humans have sought refuge in the city and their leader was the charming and handsome Sebastian. Trouble was, he knew it, and pulls Celine into their tangled web, despite everyone’s better judgement.

Although I had some trouble getting into the flow of the writing (which is entirely my fault, not the book’s), it was gripping and thrilling and darkly lyrical, perfectly encapsulating the feel of the magic of the city and all of its enigmatic inhabitants.

This book was a winner for me. I absolutely loved it. It’s a pure unadulterated gothic fantasy, oozing with unrequited love, deliciously dark villains, feisty heroines and all set within the  the sumptuous crescent city of New Orleans.
 
I love vampire novels, with both Bram Stokers Dracula and Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire being two of my favourites. This book doesn’t explore vampires in the same way as these two classics. However it forges it own path, it’s own mythology regarding the roots of the children of the night, which I hope we will learn much more about in coming books.

Celine Rousseau is a very modern heroine who I suspect readers will love and hate in equal measures. The New Orleans setting is glorious, I’ve visited many of these locations from St Louis Cathedral, to Jackson Square to the shadows of the French Quarter. I’ve been entranced by the music and the smell of beignets from Cafe Du Monde and this book lives and breaths this city. If Renée Ahdieh wanted to pay homage to Anne Rice’s beloved New Orleans featured in The Vampire Chronicles novels then she nailed it.

Gloriously gothic, the start of a captivating new series ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of five

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh. I've voluntarily read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Beautiful is a story full of intrigue, darkness and suspense. Celine Rousseau runs away from Paris to New Orleans because of a horrible secret. However in New Orleans things are not what they seem and soon Celine is swept up in a mystery of horrible deaths. I don't want to give away too much because the build-up is done so well and as the reader you should want to uncover all the mysteries for yourself. The writing is beautiful and lyrical. You truly feel like your walking the streets of New Orleans.

The intrigue and suspense made for such an interesting story. I absolutely loved the diverse and compelling mix of characters. The characters are all so mysterious, you keep turning the page to learn more about them. Even though the ending felt a bit messy and rushed, the final turn of events had me completely on my toes. I can't wait to read the sequel.