Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier

Book Summary:

Whistling Tor is a place of secrets and mystery. Surrounded by a wooded hill, and unknown presences, the crumbling fortress is owned by a chieftain whose name is spoken throughout the district in tones of revulsion and bitterness. A curse lies over Anluan’s family and his people; those woods hold a perilous force whose every whisper threatens doom.

For young scribe Caitrin it is a safe haven. This place where nobody else is prepared to go seems exactly what she needs, for Caitrin is fleeing her own demons. As Caitrin comes to know Anluan and his home in more depth she realizes that it is only through her love and determination that the curse can be broken and Anluan and his people set free.

My Review:

Whistling Tor is a haunting place with secrets behind the walls, Auluan is the master to the of this land. He care nothing for himself or other people. Hardly ever leaving his home and letting his people defend for themselves. Then there Caitrin who wants to leave home from her father, get a chance to put her skills to the test and work for the beast Auluan. Together they must work in order to break a terrible cures around his kingdom and people. But Auluan makes it very hard to get along and open up  to anyone. Things do go bump in the night and monsters do roam around. I love this retelling of beauty and beast. Another book I read so long ago. Would reread in a heartbeat. The setting of the story is in the past, and could be for older teens if I remember right. Well written and this book is so overlooked. Hope more people read this book in time. In meantime you must read and discover the curse that lives inside the walls of Whistling Tor for yourself and Happy Reading!

 

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacey Jay

Book Summary:

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret…

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

My Review:

Isra has been lock up all her life ready to be a human sacrifice for her city, to believe she was ugly and her death will help her people. She blind what’s going on in her kingdom and to the world. One night when she was out in the garden she bumps into Gem. Gem wants nothing but help his people if it mean to kill the princess in the process to save his people. Gem is human and not ugly at all. He get capture by the princess and these two form and unlikely ally to help each other out with the kingdom. Can their differences help save the people of Yuan? In the classic retelling the beast is a princess and the beauty is the beast. Set in the future and kinda scifi feeling vibe in this retelling. Read this book years ago and have really enjoy the world building and the different take on Beauty and Beast story. Hope more people get to discover this book someday and enjoy it like I did so many years. In honor of Beauty and Beast coming out tonight will review my two favorite retelling of the classics today. So for my readers Happy Reading and hope you find this book helpful for the look out for retellings.