The Beautiful

Hii bookworms!! I’m insanely thrilled to be writing out this post: the first of my September reads! ⁣
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I want to thank @reneeahdieh and Hodders and Stoughton @hodderscape for allowing me to possess the ARC! ⁣
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THE BEAUTIFUL BY RENÉE AHDIEH⁣
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𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: 5/5 STARS⁣
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𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Pippa, Odette, Sebastièn (even if his jaw is always clenched) and the heroine Celine. ⁣
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𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: I’m not listing my least favourites yet because I don’t want to give away the plot! ⁣
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𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦: I love that Renee Ahdieh is bringing back Vampires to YA literature. The wonderful aspect about this particular vampire book, is that it doesn’t give into the clichés but does remain almost nostalgic to the vampire-lore. ⁣
The characters are compelling; if any of you have read The Wrath and The Dawn, then you can definitely pull out similarities in the main female characters of both. The empowered woman that Renee Ahdieh crafts is realistic more than anything else. They have their ups and downs, their morals are tested, their feminism is tested. The humanisation of the characters is what makes this fantasy story so intriguing to read.⁣
The plot will leave you unhinged; the ending will leave you destroyed and craving more. It will make you want to wish you could erase your own memory just for the chance to read this book again. ⁣
One of my favourite aspects, just in terms of writing, is how lyrical and lush the imagery is in ‘The Beautiful.’ This story is going to leave you hungry in so many different ways I promise. The writing is transformative and powerful in its ability to bring you into Celine’s story and experience her life with her. ⁣
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𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣𝗦: Celine and Bastien. I love when a ship is equally matched. A possible secondary ship that shall not be named but I did see an inkling of it! ⁣
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𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥: a reader who loves, vampires, romance, luscious descriptions and political intrigue.

Delightfully seductive, filled with darkness and intrigue. This is not some teen vampire novel. It’s fine wine, high fashion & delicious food. It’s deadly games played in the shadows.
It’s intoxicating storytelling filled with girls with cores of steel and men too beautiful for their own good.
I couldn’t recommend it enough.

5 "need the sequel now" stars

“Don’t fall in love with me,” she warned again, her words breathless. “You’re not good for me. And I’m not good for you.”


This will begin with a bunch of spontaneous thoughts and reactions.
Just bear with me as I have to get it out of my chest before forming proper sentences and a semi organized review.

- Damn that ending!!! I need the second book!

-I never guessed who the killer was. Renée you totally took me by surprise and I so love it!

-that writing Mon Dieu! Just perfect for that era and that story!

-either Renée you know your French, either someone checked everything (maybe your friend Alwyn?) but I didn't find any mistake! C'est franchement rafraîchissant et tellement rare. That's honestly so refreshing and unusual!

-Bastien is the perfect devil and roguish gentleman who is not a gentleman and I want him to have his way!

- I am team Céline! Atta girl that's the way to go and scandalize all these matrons!

Now that I have managed to get my feelings under control let's try to give you a review worthy of that story!

I think the tagline used in the synopsis is a perfect choice: "At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful"

Renée's writing is once more exquisite. Totally different from the Wrath and the Dawn and perfect to make us live and feel that particular era in history!
From the first sentence you will see New Orleans around 1870, when that buoyant city was cleaved between proper and corseted young ladies abiding by strict etiquette and daring exotic beauties masquerading as nymphs clothed in translucent veils. You will encounter severe nuns, strict matrons, meek young ladies as well as defiant young women choosing to wear men's clothes and proclaiming their lust for women.

From balls to appalling murders, from handsome detective to rakish rebel heir, from convent to places of debauchery you will experience New Orleans contrasted faces, understanding why Céline fell in love with that city like none other.

Céline Rousseau hides a dangerous secret and chose to flee France for New Orleans in the hope of a new beginning. She is determined to atone for her sins and behave like a proper young lady, always walking the line and respecting the rules. So far she has played many roles, what society expected from her : “The diligent worker. The obedient daughter. The pious young woman. Someone who floated with the current, rather than making her own waves.”

Yet Céline is too spirited and determined to be a lamb. Despite her best resolutions Celine is no lamb but rather a lion!

When she is faced with a serial killer who seems to fixate on her she will not wait for New Orleans best detective Michael Grimaldi to catch the killer but she will take matter in her own hands.

Céline is a conflicted young woman. She knows what is expected of her and of women at that time but rebels as the idea to just follow a designated husband's will. She is independent, sharp, quick-witted and courageous. Selfless she won't hesitate to risk her life if it can spare her loved ones.

“You wanted to know who I really am.” She bit her lower lip. “I’m a girl who’d rather experience life than watch it pass by from my window.”


In her path to find the truth she will duel with Sebastien Saint Germain, prince among La Cour des Lions. Feared by everyone, hated by detective Grimaldi he will admire Céline's courage and her wits.


Bastien is “A ruthless fiend who could slay an armed dragoon and attend Mass the next morning.”

He is also very much a mystery and I tried to guess what he was all along, what part he played in this story. There was no denying that Bastien and his Cour des Lions were something else. But what?

And what was their link with the murderer?


All along the story their attraction is obvious but their relationship very complicated.

The tension is mounting with every new dead body discovered creating a constant feeling of impending doom. I was constantly wondering what secret everyone was hiding, what were these people’s back stories, who killed these people and if Céline and Bastien had a future together.

I never saw that ending coming and it leaves us on a blank page and many possibilities for the sequel!

Clearly Renée Adhieh wrote another hypnotic tale and I need more!

I’ve seen this book shared a lot, so was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this via Netgalley.

Celine is a young French lady of mixed heritage which has been kept a secret for her societal status. She was an apprentice to a atelier in Paris before an unfortunate incident which meant she had to flee France for America.

She arrives to New Orleans on a boat and is taken in by a convent. Here she must learn how to be a proper young lady in order to find a proper young man.

Alas, as these stories go. It doesn’t go quite to plan. A young woman is brutally murdered not long after their arrival and tensions are high.

Haunted by her own actions in Paris, she feels naturally drawn to the dark side of things. Selling some handkerchiefs she made, she encounters a lady called Odette who insists that Celine makes her a gown for the ball. Alongside her friend from the convent Pippa, they meet Odette at a restaurant. It is here that she realises that things aren’t quite what they appear and the inhabitants of the restaurant have secrets of their own.

She becomes embroiled in the city's glamorous underworld, enchanted by La Cour des Lions and catching the eye of the leader, Sébastien Saint Germain. It is while she’s at the restaurant that a young woman from their convent is found brutally murdered.

Celine takes it upon herself to find the murderer. She suspects Bastian for the murders but finds that she is attracted to him and can’t turn her thoughts away from him.

A third murder brings terror to the residents of New Orleans and Celine soon finds out that she is being targeted by the mysterious murderer. Celine decides to try and trap the murderer, only to find herself embroiled in a centuries long fued between the creatures of the night.

OH THIS STORY!

Between Bastian and the little nuggets of French throughout the book, I am in love. It’s sultry, romantic, thrilling and I didn’t want it to end.

I can’t wait to take a bite out of the next book!

Thank you Renée!

*4.75 Stars*

Marceline "Celine" Rousseau just traveled across the Atlantic with six women from all over western Europe and arrives in New Orleans. they all want or need a fresh start and are staying at a convent until they find a respectable husband. Oh yeah, this is set in 1872. But nothing in life is that simple and they soon figure out that New Orleans is a city where things go bump in the night.

I try to write a summary but I could also only have wrote one single wrote to summarize this book. "ANGST." Perfect perfect angst. In every single aspect. The tension between the two main characters but also the suspicious things and really the entire plot. I was taken aback page after page. I never what was coming and I love every single second of it. I grinned, laughed and stressed the fuck out. I read this in like 24 hours, I could barely stop. It was a RIDE. I also fell for the characters immediately, they were all so flawed and deep and just plain complex, it was incredible. A special mention for my favorite girls Odette and Celine, of course.
My only real issue with this book is that it's not even out yet, so I'm probably gonna have to wait for more than a year before I can read the next one...

TW: Mentions of rape, graphic descriptions of murder victims.
This took me about a week to read mainly because I didn't want it to end. I wanted it to last.
All I knew going into this was Vampires, murder and 1872 New Orleans. But I was excited to read this. I haven't read that many vampire books before. I pretty much missed that trend somehow.
Although this felt slow paced I think it worked perfectly. Everything developed at the perfect pace. Nothing felt rushed. Instead we learnt about Celine. Saw her grow. Watched her develop relationships with people she probably shouldn't.
Celine is probably my favourite character. She is sharp witted. Doesn't have time for bullshit. She won't back down even if she should. I'm excited to see where her development goes in book two.
I loved that Odette is an openly gay woman in the 1800s where it's not really acceptable. I need more from her in book two.
I liked how Renée handled introducing Vampires. It didn't happen on page one. Instead giving you hints to who may just be human and who may be more. Don't expect too much vampire action as that is something that develops throughout the book.
The atmosphere for this is dark and with a touch of horror in the perfect places. I found myself questioning who the killer who, which I was wrong in the end. Which doesn't surprise me. Everytime I thought I knew Renée dropped more hints and threw me off.

Overall I loved this. I'm excited but nervous for the sequel. I wish the sequel was ready. But having to wait like a year means I have the perfect excuse to reread this. I'm only nervous because of Celine and Bastien. Where it could go regarding them. Based on how it ended.
Speaking of the ending I'm heartbroken.

I absolutely loved this book! Reminded me of Kerri Maniscalco’s books a bit. It was the perfect book to start off fall reading with. I couldn’t put it down until I finished it and I’m so glad I had the chance to read it before it came out! Five stars!

The Beautiful is a wonderful, imaginative YA historical fantasy following Celine, a Korean-French girl raised in a strict Catholic environment. I found the portrayal of this aspect really well-written, as was the exploration of Celine's desire for power and agency in her life.
The way the romance was slowly developed through the story, tying into the themes about power, made this a truly remarkable read I would recommend to all YA paranormal fans. The only thing that didn't fully work for me was the villain's PoV - mostly because I didn't fully understand what was going on in New Orlean's paranormal underbelly, but that could be easily solved by the sequel, which I'm really anticipating.

For a more in-depth review, visit my blog, acquadimore.wordpress.com.

This book is so beautifully written, it really is. Reading the synopsis, I was beyond excited for the New Orleans Vampire romance with a mixture of penny dreadful vibes. It basically has everything I love all wrapped up into one book.

Celines character reminds me of Vanessa Ives of penny dreadful. Strong, fearless, unforgiving and stubborn. Living in a world where women are regarded second class citizens to men. And she questions it. Why should she live a life where she has to succumb to social expectations of society? There is so much mystery surrounding the story and characters within that you constantly guess what will happen next.

I really can't recommend this book highly enough. Can I have the next one already? Pretty please?

5⭐

-Featuring vampires, forbidden romance and New Orleans

All the hype you've heard about The Beautiful, all the mentions of steamy enemies-to-lovers romance, the whispers in the dark about murder and balls…it's all true. Renée Ahdieh's next novel is sumptuous, gripping and heated - and the wait is finally over. Vampires are officially cool again.
I adore Renée Ahdieh. I read The Wrath and the Dawn almost a year ago and it absolutely blew me away with its rich prose and breathtaking world. I met Renée in July and she is literally the sweetest person in the world, so when an arc of The Beautiful arrived at my doorstep…I squealed.
One of my favourite things about Renée's writing is that she can make any setting come alive. With New Orleans as a background, you can be sure The Beautiful was rich in culture and world-building. I felt like I was with Celine amid the gilded houses and the dark streets where all kinds of creatures lurk, at luxurious parties and supping with the Court.
Celine was such an awesome heroine. She wasn't afraid to stand up for herself and her friends. She was determined and brave and beautiful. I loved seeing her character grow and change as she navigated her life after fleeing Paris. The side characters were just as great. Odette was glamourous and interesting, a star in her own right. It's my life goal to befriend her. Pippa was generous and kind, such a genuine and innocent character, I really appreciated that she didn't have to stab people and shout - not that I mind that - to show what a great person she was.
One downside of this book for me was that…I didn't really like Bastien. Don't @ me, I beg, but he was just such a typical YA hero that I felt pretty much nothing for him. I wanted to be swept away and fall in love like I know so many readers will, but I just, didn't and that really disappointed me.
The Beautiful was full of twists and turns, both unexpected and expected. I never knew quite where the plot was leading, where the killer would strike next, what Celine would do. It was pacey and enticing and I couldn't put this book down.
I loved the feeling that crawled up my spine as I read this book, that I was being watched by a pair of beautiful but deadly eyes that hid in the dark corners of the streets. I loved the mysterious snippets of narrative we got from the eyes of the villain, they really helped make this book unique and interesting.
Honestly, was this book cliché? Yes, absolutely. But I enjoyed it in all of its trope-y beauty, so I've got nothing to complain about.
Overall, The Beautiful was a sumptuous and magical book that swept me off my feet. It was elegant and lyrical, surprising and exciting. I would expect nothing less from Renée Ahdieh. I'd absolutely recommend this book to everyone who loves YA fantasy. What a revelation.

Oh wow this book! I was up until 2am reading this beauty because I could not put it down. This was my first book by Renèe Ahdieh and it will not be my last. Her writing was wonderful, the pace was great, and I am in love with pretty much everything about this book including that cover 😍

Celine is a young woman running from her past, reckless, desperate for adventure, and completely loveable. I adored her! Her budding friendship with Pippa was very sweet and the two bounced off each other well.

Our first encounter with La Cour des Lions had my dark heart soaring in preparation for what was to come. Bastien was sharp as a knife and it was no wonder young women would gladly cut themselves to get closer, including Celine. The tension between the two of them was an agonising delight!

I liked the inclusion of the Detective. A different character to Bastien, less likeable, but I think my view on that may change in the next book.

The only irritation for me was the way the characters were sometimes referred to as boys and girls and sometimes men and women. I think there needs to be a defined distinction here because they didn’t act like boys and girls. They were young men and women so using those nouns grated on me a bit.

I will also say it was not a typical vampire novel like I was expecting, in fact the vampire element was very mild. However, this did not stop me from thoroughly enjoying the story. And that ending! How will I wait until next summer for book two?


With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I got this ARC because I found the blurb intriguing even if New Orleans+vampires usually means Anne Rice to me.
This means I was also a bit wary because it could have been something similar to Vampire Chronicles.
I was wrong because the author was able to write a novel set in New Orleans with vampires and making something original, well written and gripping.
It's a dark book, dark and atmospheric, gripping and entertaining.
I loved her descriptions of New Orleans as much as I loved the fleshed out cast of characters and the world building.
It's an amazing and very pleasant read, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

What can I say, Renee has blown it out the park again. I absolutely loved it, I’m a huge fan of the Wrath and the Dawn so I went into this nervously as I was so scared it wouldn’t be as good. Why thehell did I worry, it took a little while to warm up but a quarter of the way in I knew without doubt this was classic Renée at her best. It’s enthralling, it’s feels so long it feels since YA has had vampires and hopefully this will make them popular again. I love that Renée writes such empowered females that are flawed, human and so very realistic and inspiring. None of those unbelievable superwomen here, just realistically strong, I have a past amazing characters. No spoilers, but after that end there has to be more, right ? Please !

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion