Has everything you'd want in a retelling of a classic fairy tale: a finely-drawn fantasy world, a heroine rarely seen in fiction, and a tortured hero with a secret. I have only one complaint: I wish the sequel were already available!” —Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of A SPARK OF LIGHT and SMALL GREAT THINGS
“Absolutely spellbinding. A Curse So Dark and Lonely expands on all the beloved themes of 'Beauty and the Beast' to create an intensely original retelling: one full of fierce new characters, wicked magic, and wondrous amounts of heart. Brigid Kemmerer doesn't just tell a story, she builds an entire world that you will never want to leave.” —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of CARAVAL and LEGENDARY
“I couldn't get this creative, suspenseful take on 'Beauty and the Beast' out of my head.” —Sara Holland, New York Times bestselling author of EVERLESS
“Slow burning, big hearted, magical fun! I loved every minute.” —New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins
“Heartwarming, thoughtful, and romantic: Brigid Kemmerer took me on a magical journey with this dark fairy tale about growing up, falling in love, and making impossible choices. I can't wait to see where these characters go next.” —Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling co-author of MY LADY JANE and MY PLAIN JANE
“Beautifully dark, filled with wild adventure and a modern-day heroine every reader will find a bit of themselves in.” —Alexandra Christo, author of TO KILL A KINGDOM
“Harper is the undisputed hero . . . Avoiding disability inspiration tropes, she is a fallible, well-rounded character who fights for the vulnerable and resists being labeled as such herself despite how others perceive her. A fast-paced, richly detailed feminist epic.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“This enthralling modern fable champions altruism while illustrating intimacy's relationship with honesty, respect, trust, and consent.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Fans of Cassandra Clare, Marissa Meyer, or Alex Flinn, as well as any reader looking to sink into a top-notch story with great characters, will want to read this book.” —VOYA, starred review
“A complex, creative, and compelling reimagining of Beauty and the Beast.” —School Library Connection, highly recommended
“A fresh twist on an old story. . . . Fans of Sarah J. Maas will be eager for this one.” —Booklist
“Kemmerer knows how to blend a compelling story with a swoony romance, and the love triangle that inevitably develops . . . is organic and unforced because of strong characterization.” —BCCB
“A unique world filled with fantasy and menace . . . will leave readers anxious to see what happens next.” —School Library Journal
“Kemmerer merges modern sensibilities with an epic love story in this Beauty and the Beast retelling.” —Shelf Awareness
“Readers looking for a different sort of coming-of-age story or teen protagonists grappling with complex situations will fall in love with this romance-tinged novel.” —Starred review, Booklist on MORE THAN WE CAN TELL
“A must-have for any YA collection. Give to teens who enjoyed A Boy Called It by Dave Pelzer or The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.” —Starred review, School Library Journal on MORE THAN WE CAN TELL
“This book is going to fly off the shelves to all teens, but it will hold special interest for those looking for a tear-jerking romance and serious readers of realistic fiction.” —VOYA on LETTERS TO THE LOST
“A great concept, delivered in a compulsively readable package . . . romance readers will stay up late to finish this very satisfying and heartfelt read.” —Booklist on LETTERS TO THE LOST
“Explores the ideas of carving identity out of pain and the way perception colors expectations.” —BCCB on LETTERS TO THE LOST
“Readers will find themselves rooting for the real Declan to win Juliet's heart the same way his online persona did. Consider this tale of modern star-crossed love as a first purchase for YA collections.” —School Library Journal on LETTERS TO THE LOST
★ 01/07/2019
Action, tension, and tragedy fuel this retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” by YA author Kemmerer (More Than We Can Tell). Harper, a high school senior with cerebral palsy, gets abducted while trying to thwart a kidnapping in Washington, D.C. She awakes at Ironrose Castle in Emberfall, where a vengeful enchantress, Lilith, has cursed Prince Rhen and his guard, Commander Grey, to continually relive the autumn of Rhen’s 18th year. Every three months, unless he finds love, Rhen becomes a monster who kills indiscriminately. Afterward, the castle grounds reset, and Grey secures Rhen another potential mate. Harper has no intention of being wooed and plans to negotiate with Lilith for passage home, but after she discovers that a ruthless queen plans to invade Emberfall, she begins to reconsider. Harper and Rhen share the narration, building an alliance while fighting their burgeoning romance, and artfully rendered, emotionally complex secondary characters add depth and raise stakes. This enthralling modern fable champions altruism while illustrating intimacy’s relationship with honesty, respect, trust, and consent. Ages 13–up. Agent: Mandy Hubbard, Emerald City Literary. (Jan.)
11/01/2018
Gr 9 Up—Prince Rhen, heir to Emberfall, is cursed to repeat the autumn of his 18th birthday until he can find a woman to fall in love with him even as he transforms each season into a monstrous beast. The season resets after every failure—all 327 of them. When Harper intervenes in what looks like an abduction on the streets of Washington, DC, she is transported into another world. Instead of worrying about her dying mother or the risks her brother is taking to pay off their absent father's debts to a loan shark, Harper is trapped in Emberfall at the center of the curse. Harper, who has cerebral palsy, is shocked to learn that she is Rhen's last chance to break the curse. But Harper isn't sure if the fate of a kingdom can be enough to make her fall in love. Kemmerer's "Beauty and the Beast" retelling introduces a unique world filled with fantasy and menace. Rhen is an accomplished if pessimistic strategist while Harper is impulsive to the point of recklessness. Despite their obvious tension and occasional chemistry, Rhen's evolving friendship with his guard commander Grey is often more compelling than Harper's interactions with either man. While Harper and Rhen accomplish much over the course of the novel, this installment has little in the way of closure. VERDICT Rich world-building, hints of a love triangle, and unresolved questions will leave readers anxious to see what happens next. A strong choice.—Emma Carbone, Brooklyn Public Library
★ 2018-11-07
A cursed prince and a high school dropout become unlikely allies in this ambitious "Beauty and the Beast" adaptation.
Harper's life in Washington, D.C., hasn't been easy: Her mother is dying of cancer, and her father's only legacy is the loan sharks her brother Jake works for to pay off his debts. Harper, who has cerebral palsy, is standing lookout for Jake when she sees a man carrying an unconscious woman. Harper intervenes—and is magically transported to Emberfall, a kingdom abandoned by its rulers and beset by both a mysterious beast and attacks from a neighboring country. She meets blond Prince Rhen, who reveals that the beast killed his family. He believes falling in love is the only way to save his kingdom, and his guard commander travels to Harper's universe to find matches for him. Harper doesn't buy it. Rather than acquiesce to fate, she calls Rhen's attention to more immediate, practical actions they can take to protect his kingdom. The book follows a white default for main characters, although Jake's boyfriend is black and Harper's best friend in Emberfall has brown skin. Refreshingly, Harper is the undisputed hero and also not the only significant character with a disability. Avoiding disability inspiration tropes, she is a fallible, well-rounded character who fights for the vulnerable and resists being labeled as such herself despite how others perceive her.
A fast-paced, richly detailed feminist epic. (author's note) (Fantasy. 12-18)
