Rhen’s kingdom is under a curse. He relives the same season, each time trying to make a girl fall in love with him until he turns into a beast obsessed with destruction. With each failure, the process begins again. Harper lives in present day Washington, DC with a troubled life of her own. When an accident pulls her into Rhen’s magical kingdom, Harper comes at all problems in her usual way--swinging and fighting to make sure justice is done. Will this strange new combination be the key to breaking the curse?
A Curse so Dark and Lovely is one of my favorite takes on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale yet. I love a flawed Beast, but also a flawed Beauty. I also love how the curse can’t be broken by just emotion--it takes hard work and selfless sacrifice. I recommend this book to all fairy tale lovers. Read it with one caution only--be prepared for a cliffhanger ending. Grrrr. It’s really my only complaint and the sequel isn’t expected until sometime in 2020.
Recommended ages--12 and up