I received this book via the author, Melanie Karsak. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Beauty and Beastly by Melanie Karsak Narrator: Lesley Parkin
Series: Steampunk Fairy Tales #3
Published by Clockpunk Press on 2018-07-26
Length: 6hr and 4min
Reviewing Audiobook Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2020 Audiobook Challenge
In this tale as old as time, Isabelle Hawking must tinker a solution to a heartbreaking mystery.
When Isabelle Hawking and her papa set out from London on a sea voyage, Isabelle is thrilled. Visiting foreign courts, learning from master tinkerers, and studying mechanicals is her dream. It doesn't hurt that the trip also offers Isabelle an escape from her overbearing and unwanted suitor, Gerard LeBoeuf.
But Isabelle never arrives. Swept up in a tempest, her ship is lost.
Isabelle survives the storm only to be shipwrecked on a seemingly deserted island. The magical place, dotted with standing stones, faerie mounds, and a crumbling castle, hints of an ancient past. Isabelle may be an unwilling guest, but her arrival marks a new beginning for the beastly residents of this forgotten land.
See how New York Times best-selling author Melanie Karsak puts a steampunk spin on the classic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.
Beauty and Beastly by Melanie Karsak is a steampunk retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast. I love this twist on the original! It is unlike anything I’ve ever read. The clockwork, steam powered Beast is a heartbreaking, yet charming character that was easy to see why the MC would fall for him. Set during 1814 London, Melanie Karsak delivers a unique, unforgettable twist on this classic romance.
Isabella Hawking is a gifted young woman who knows her own mind and isn’t afraid to speak it. A tinkerer like her papa, Isabella makes wonderful creations, steam-powered music boxes and is excited to learn new and different techniques to hone her craft. However when plans go awry, she finds herself shipwrecked on a mysterious island, surrounded by mechanical servants, and one machine who fancies himself the lord of the crumbling castle.
The story behind the castle and Rhys is fascinating and unfolds at a nice pace. The author paints a beautiful picture, detailing the clockwork designs so that it was easy to picture them in my mind. I loved the different servants, the clockwork dog and golden bird as well. Each was detailed and had a different story to tell. Rhys stole my heart as he wanted Isabella gone, but then he also showed signs of truly caring for her. Melanie Karsak blended the original tale with her steampunk flare flawlessly.
I wound up listening to this one. This was my first book with narrator [book-narrator]. I love her accent. It added a bit of magic to the already magical tale. The characters came to life with her different tones and little inflections. I had no trouble keeping up with who was talking. At just over 6 hours, it’s a quick listen (I listened at 1.5x).
Overall I really enjoyed Beauty and Beastly. I love the world-building and how the author blended her story with the classic. I can’t wait to read more of her Steampunk Fairy Tales. If you enjoy historical fiction, fairytale retellings, and steampunk, you are in for a treat!
About Melanie Karsak
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Melanie Karsak is the author of The Airship Racing Chronicles, The Harvesting Series, The Celtic Blood Series, Steampunk Red Riding Hood, and Steampunk Fairy Tales. The author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children. She is an Instructor of English at Southern New Hampshire University.
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