Kill the Beast
Book One of the Beast Hunters
About the Book:
Title: Kill the Beast | Author: Michele Israel Harper | Publisher: Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing, LLC | Pages: 472 | Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling | Recommended Ages: Young Adult and Up
Book Description:
Ro remembers the castle before. Before the gates closed. Before silence overtook the kingdom. Before the castle disappeared. Now it shimmers to life one night a year, seen by her alone.
Once a lady, now a huntress, Ro does what it takes to survive—just like the rest of the kingdom plunged into despair never before known. But a beast has overtaken the castle. A beast that killed the prince and holds the castle and kingdom captive in his cruel power. A beast Ro has been hired to kill. Thankful the mystery of the prince’s disappearance has been solved, furious the magical creature has killed her hero, Ro eagerly accepts the job to end him. But things are not as they seem.
Trapped in the castle, a prisoner alongside the beast, Ro wonders what she should fear most: the beast, the magic that holds them both captive, or the one who hired her to kill the beast.
A Beauty and the Beast retelling.
Pre-Order on Amazon
My Review:
Kill the Beast is an intense retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast with a twist. It's a nail-biting tale of an angry huntress named Ro. She has been sent on a mission to the kill the beast who she believes killed the prince and brought the curse that's on the land. She has very little sympathy for others and almost no patience. She certainly doesn't have time to listen to the voice (God) who she stopped believing and trusting in years ago. Her pride in getting the job done and her need to protect her sister are what motivate her to action. But not everything is what it seems. This story is appropriate for young adults and up.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book.
This is my honest and voluntary review.
The Characters of Kill the Beast
For this stop on my blog tour, I would like to introduce you to the cast of Kill the Beast and Beast Hunter, my stories in the Beast Hunters series.
Ro, my main character, the huntress:
Ro is a loner and values peace and quiet to the bustle that is her family home. With six sisters and two brothers, she hadn’t known a moment to herself until she became a huntress. Well, unless her nose was buried in a book. She is fiercely protective of her youngest sister, Cosette, and she is determined to provide for her, no matter what.
Even if that includes hunting a fearsome beast.
The Beast, or Prince Trêve:
Prince Trêve is beyond frustrated. Trapped in a beast’s body for over fifteen years, he has given up hope that his curse will be broken. Then a huntress comes to his castle—a beautiful one at that—and hope flickers for the first time. If only she weren’t so determined to finish her job.
Cosette:
Although once a lady and now living in poverty, Cosette remains ever gentle and kind—quite the opposite of her older sisters. She tries to make peace and point out the good in everything. If only her family would listen to her! Then her best friend, her dearest Rosette, runs off to hunt wolves, and her world is ripped out from under her feet. Determined to be strong for the rest of her family and to find a way to provide for them, she considers marrying the handsome steward, Gautier.
Five elder sisters:
Bernadette, Yvette, Reinette, Nicolette, and Lynette—as the five eldest sisters in the Reynard family, these girls remember their lives of luxury with suitors and dresses and parties, and they lament their loss quite ardently. And loudly. And they argue. A lot.
Their two youngest sisters can’t possibly understand what their lives were like before the curse. Which is why they should do all the work. True French Mesdemoiselles should have servants, after all.
Claude and Pascal:
Sandwiched between their five older sisters and the two youngest—Rosette and Cosette—these brothers are a tad bit hen-pecked. Okay, a lot hen-pecked. And with their father giving in to drink and roaming the countryside, they never know when he’ll be home, or what to do about it. Once Ro runs away, they step up and take on apprenticeships and begin working—and find they actually enjoy it. Especially the being away from their bickering sisters part. Who knew?
Their teasing and carefree manner hides the hearts of gold these two possess.
Père:
He lost his wife, his wealth, and his dignity, all at once. Why shouldn’t he indulge in fine wine? He hasn’t much time until it runs out, what with the grape arbors drying up and all, so he will enjoy himself while he can.
When word that one of his lost vessels and its cargo is recovered, he rushes to le Port de Calais, only to find it plundered by desperate townspeople. On his way home, he is forced to promise his daughter, Rosette, to a hideous beast so the monster will let him go. She is the one who asked for the rose, after all.
But the fool girl refused to go! Wants to be a huntress or some such fool notion. Well such an ungrateful child is no longer welcome in his home. Now back to that fine Cabernet…
Magic:
Trapped in the beast’s château when she cursed him, Magic makes it her life goal to make every moment of his life as miserable as hers is. She only wants him to suffer, to make him pay for what he did. Is that too much to ask?
Gautier:
All he wants is to be king. Not steward. He’s ruled the country for over fifteen years in the prince’s stead, yet all it will take for everything to be taken away is for the curse to break and the beast to take his rightful place as king. He can’t let that happen. Perhaps the huntress can take care of all of his problems at once…
Mesdemoiselles of the Mountain:
Three witches who hoard France’s gold as they exchange it for produce from their magical garden. Why not capitalize on the situation since their garden grows the only food in all of France? If only their protégé hadn’t gotten trapped when her curse backfired.
Queen of the Fairies:
The guardian of Prince Trêve, the Queen of the Fairies has a plan to work it all out in the end. If only the huntress will heed her words and solve the riddle that is the beast in time…
Queen Mère:
Just one little visit to the Queen of the Fairies, and her husband dies, her son is cursed, and she no longer can enter her kingdom. And the curse attracts all kinds of fell creatures from the realm beyond.
Tasked with guarding the borders and dispatching any creature who tries to gain entrance, she begrudgingly admires the huntress within who seems to have the same abilities she does.
If only the fool girl will hurry up and break the curse already.
Invisible servants:
The beast and the sorceress weren’t the only ones trapped in the château when the curse fell. Every servant on the premises became invisible—and they’re not crazy about it. At least the prince still talks to them, even if he does look like le diable himself.
Some More Stops on the Blog Tour:
Monday, Sept. 17th, Guest Post:
“Fairies in the World of Kill the Beast,” Pam Halter
Wednesday, Sept. 19th, Guest Post:
“French Inspiration Behind Kill the Beast,” J.M. Hackman
Thursday, Sept. 20th, Visual Post:
“The Châteaux of Kill the Beast,” Laurie Lucking
Friday, Sept. 21st, Behind-the-Scenes Feature:
“Kill the Beast: It Only Took Four Years,” Kristen Stieffel
Sunday, Sept. 23rd, “Interview with
Author Michele Israel Harper,” Jebraun Clifford
Monday, Sept. 24th, Behind-the-Scenes Feature:
“The Story Behind Beast Hunter,” Jannette Fuller
Thursday, Sept. 27th, “Author Interview with
French Enthusiast Michele Israel Harper,” Laura A. Grace
Friday, Sept. 28th, Visual Post:
“Kill the Beast: Fashion in 18th Century France,” Lea Doué
About the Author:
Michele Israel Harper
Michele Israel Harper spends her days as a work-at-home mom and her nights typing away furiously on her laptop. Sleep? Sometimes… She has her Bachelor of Arts in history, is slightly obsessed with all things French—including Jeanne d’Arc and La Belle et la Bête—and loves curling up with a good book more than just about anything else. Author of Wisdom & Folly: Sisters, Zombie Takeover, Beast Hunter, and Kill the Beast, Michele prays her involvement in writing, editing, and publishing will touch many lives in the years to come.
Social Media Links:
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Welcome to my weekend blog hop -
Make My Saturday Sweet #283
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Laura A. Grace ~~ HOPE Through the Pages 19p · 340 weeks ago
Karren Haller 81p · 340 weeks ago
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Tina