Welcome to Litsy!

I enjoyed this authors book When Dimple Met Rishi, and I Love Beauty and the Beast retellings, but I could barely make it through this book. I did not love the main characters, the storyline felt forced and it was slow.

Going to my first IRL bookclub at my library. No idea what to expect. Topic book club and the topic this month was Mountain. Also mailed my #spookysummerswap yesterday @Bookwormjillk @paperwitchs Also, I‘m hoping we can show what the Majority of Americans want at the polls. Also I hope everyone is able to feel safe and loved in whatever body and space they are in.

This one was a soft pick for me. I really loved the concept and most of the characters, but some of the writing just seemed... overdone? Grey felt a little ridiculous with his self-imposed “there is no point in being friends with anyone!“ and it was so painfully obvious who the real “villain“ was that it made some sections drag. Usually I like hearing from the perspectives of both MCs, but knowing what was going on with Gray meant there was no ⬇

The #20in4 Readathon is getting a bonus day this month!! I'm going to aim for 2000 pages!!!

Thanks for hosting @Andrew65 !!!

This was a case of mistaken identity. I definitely thought there was going to be magic and curses but really it was just a boarding school with drama.

It‘s definitely my own expectations that caused this to be so-so.

Forgot to photograph this one. Magic and mystery at a boarding school? We all know that‘s my jam. This one was a lot more light than others I‘ve done in this genre and a bit more romancey, but I still really liked it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Kiran was one of those guys who thought Jaya‘s X chromosome stood for ‘xplain things to me‘”

Modern YA Beauty and the Beast retelling. But I can say it has a touch of Romeo and Juliet in terms of how much these two families hate each other. It is very YA and super cheesy. Not the best story. In reality it goes from ok to so-so more so-so than anything. But I can‘t be objective because this is one of my favorite story, Beauty and the Beast. But your are advised, it is not the best story but I enjoyed it. I want to read the sequel.3.3⭐️

I liked a lot of the characters, but the big thing was missing. The most important thing was missing. The best part was missing. The whole becoming-friends-and-then-falling-in-love thing was missing!

Not my cup of tea, and definitely not like the Dimple & Rishi series.

This book is kind of a modern-day Beauty and the Beast. I liked the creative changes Sandhya Menon made to the original story to make this story really her own. Would definitely recommend for those YA Romance readers.

I was supposed to meet the author of this book in March, but due to COVID, I couldn‘t. Hopefully, I‘ll meet her again.

2020 Read Harder Challenge by Book Riot
Task: Read A Retelling Of A Classic Canon, Fairy Tale, Or Myth By An Author Of Color

Set in a modern day elite boarding school, this Beauty and the Beast retelling fell just so, so for me. I found it an easily put-down-able assumed enemy to lovers trope with rivalling families quarrelling for generations. The drama felt believeable, just exaggerated for the teens of royalty, politicians, celebrities, etc.

Fun YA Beauty and the Beast remake.

An interesting #retelling of Beauty & the Beast.

I really enjoyed this one! Light and refreshing with some interesting characters. I would have liked a little more Beauty and the Beast things incorporated in. Sometimes it felt more like Romeo and Juliet. A cute take on a classic.

I wanted a light fun read for the weekend and I think this one will be perfect!
#currentread #currentlyreading #feelgoodbooks

Really enjoying my current read! Although, I‘m sad to say I barely had any time to read today. Work has been busy and things have gotten away from me a bit.

ALSO! I am blown away by the response we‘ve had to the #ReadYourSign event! We currently have 95 people signed up! 😱😍🤩! Don‘t worry if you haven‘t received your list of prompts yet, as I‘ll be sending out some more emails tomorrow. 🥰

I have loved Sandhya Menon's contemporaries, but this one was rubbing me the wrong way. I definitely didn't like the characters or care about what they had going on. Disappointed, but not wasting more than 40 pages waiting for me to not hate it! I will just continue to read her simple contemporary stories

Is it weird if I say "predictable, but in a good way"? I just don't need any surprises right now. A YA fantasy romance set in a boarding school for kids of the rich and powerful. All works out happily, there is sisterly love and the shaking-off of familial expectation. And curses, and kisses. I love how generous Menon is to her characters, even the antagonists.

#booked2020 New in 2020 prompt (Fall/Djeran)

When I heard this was a Beauty and the Beast spin off I jumped. I had high hopes going in and this book did not disappoint. Jaya and Emerson lead us on one heck of a ride through family rivalries and ancient curses. I loved the setting of an international boarding school. Would highly recommend this to anyone who loves Beauty and the Beast. 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you NetGalley for the early review. #netgalley

There were no surprises here but I enjoy a good fairy tale retelling and this one was cleverly done. Jaya is a strong heroine and poor sweet Grey needs ALL THE HUGS. Several other stories were set up and I'll be watching for the next in the series. The fact that this was light and sweet made it good reading for #stayathome2020 👑🥀

A lovely #romantsy. A retelling of Beauty and the Beast set at an elite boarding school that also addresses colonialism and the power of gossip & family expectations.

The story took a little bit too long to set up, but once it got going-it is everything I‘ve come to love about Menon‘s YA romances (including how over the top everything is). Also, I‘m a fool for Beauty and the Beast retellings. #booked2020 #yabypoc

I am a sucker for a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I was so excited when I heard about this book. But I just liked it I didn‘t love it. I felt like it was missing something. I did enjoy the book and seeing how it would all work out between Jaya and Grey. I can‘t wait to see ho the next book will be about in this series and to see if it is another retelling.

Final verse, similar to the first two: What would you ask Sandhya Menon? I‘m moderating a panel talk on Forbidden Love and want to provide some good discussion questions.
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After a long, full week and a long, full weekend, I‘m cozied up to the heater for reading and relaxation.
#YALit
https://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/?action=display_event&id=7062

An ok Beauty and the Best retelling. Nothing really new here to see. If you skip it, you won‘t really miss too much.

Not my fave, but lots of cuteness in it. I like the characters & world-building at St. Rosetta's, fancy kids hiding from the world while battling their own problems. Menon sets up some to read like tropes, but then twists them in ways I enjoyed. I liked the romance between Jaya & Grey as they started experiencing feelings for each other. My main nitpicks were little holes in the actual plot. It all turned out well & I'm glad I read it though.

I'm so sad not to have loved this one! I love Sandhya Menon's books, but sadly this one did nothing for me. The pacing was strange, I felt nothing for the characters, and I just couldn't get invested in the story. 😔 #arc

Like the cover I just posted this looks like a fun romance. But I don't think it is as successful as The Upside of Falling. I don't know if its the color of the background, or the font. But something is off.

Saying that, this book has been getting great buzz.

#CoverLove #YA Edition

Out February 18

A retelling of Beauty and the beast ended up being a little illogical and dumb. But in a fun, Romance novel sort of way? Not the best retelling of that story out there.

I liked but did not love this retelling of Beauty and the Beast set at an international boarding school. I was annoyed by Jaya‘s very retrograde feelings about feminism, which felt very out of character even for someone from a traditional family. And I kept expecting Grey to turn into a werewolf or do something remotely beastly instead of just having (justifiable) abandonment issues. Cute romantic vibe, but I was left wanting...more. #ARC

I'm currently reading one of my most anticipated YA books of the year (On your left) but there are a couple of others I'm super excited about too!
#mostanticipatedbookof2020 #AuldLangReads

This book was SO CUTE! It‘s a Beauty and the Beast retelling set at an international boarding school w/ an Indian Princess and an English Aristocrat, what more could you want?!? It releases Feb 18th, so add it to your TBR/pre-order from your fave indie bookstore!

Back to my end of 2019 reading goals. I just started an ARC of Of Curses and Kisses, a YA romance.