Beastly by Alex Flinn

Love is never ugly

Now a major motion picture starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer

I am a beast. A beast! Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll,stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

My Thoughts:

Well, let me start off by saying that I didn't finish the book (hence the tag of this post IDNF). Therefore, I can't give a full detailed usual review. Instead I'll give you the reasons why I stopped mid-book and decide for yourselves if you want to read the book or not.

Reasons:

1. Whiny Main character- It's not that I minded Kyle/Adrian at first. I could easily relate to him actually. Even though he was the popular kid in NY, I could still see that he had some realness and some issues that I could easily or anyone related.

That is until he turned beastly.

Then he complained. And complained. And boo-hooed. And cried some more. I just can't stand whiny characters. Most of the characters I create are strong, independent, well women, and most of the books I read have strong independent women in them. Therefore, I couldn't stand the main character since he cries and does nothing to help his own circumstances. 

I mean he does, but he still complains and tries to be cruel to get his beautiful face back. Of course, that doesn't work, but it's still very annoying when he just mops around the house crying, "Poor me! Pooorrrrr meee!! WHYY!?"

It just annoyed the heck out of me.

2. Copying the original-Now don't get me wrong.

I LOVE Beauty and the Beast.

I do. I use to watch it so much that I memorized the lines and the music. 

BUT

Do I want to read a blow by blow remake of it?

No. 

I want something original. I wanted Alex Flinn to take some risks! To take the simple story of Beauty and the Beast and twist it and turn it and make it it's own original. Like . . .

This i s the perfect example of taking a classic story (Cinderella) and turning it into a beloved new classic. A Goodreads reviewer mentioned this, and I was like, "What a brilliant example! I'm going to use this."

Unfortunately Alex Flinn didn't do that. Instead she just recreated and repeated Beauty and the Beast with a changed setting and from the Beast's point of view.

So she lost me on that one.

3. The girl who got picked to be "the one"-Yep, I'm mad about this.

Not extremely, but a little pissed off.

He had a perfectly good girl in the club, and instead of following through and picking her (willingly) he kidnaps a girl from her father illegally!

Seems a bit much, right?

I mean, here's this fabulous girl who not only liked him, but was unique, different, special and pretty interesting and instead he picks a girl and goes all out for her and never thought, "Gee, maybe I shouldn't pick up this girl and illegally kidnap her. Maybe I should pick a girl who is WILLING to stay with me in my big palace-looking mansion. Hmm, where's that number?" 

I mean, don't get me wrong. I get it.

It's part of the story line that he kidnaps a girl in his castle, but she just seemed like a bad fit.

Okay, fine, I have no really excuse on this one. I REALLY liked the girl in the club. So there.

Anyway, those are my reasons. The biggest thing for me is the copying the original obviously. If I wanted to get Beauty and the Beast, I would have picked up my old book of Beauty and the Beast (which yes, I do have back home!!) and read it.

I was looking for an original. Some new twist on an old fairy tale and instead I get a copy with a new setting and from the beast's point of view.

Just not my cup of tea and now I'm happily almost finished with Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines

I can't wait to share this book with you! I think y'all with like it, I would just give you one word of caution:

Ignore the title. 

And with that, I bid you good reading! :)