Beastly (Kendra Chronicles, 1)

I first read this book in high school. I was so obsessed with it. I think it brings a lot of things to light about judging others by their appearances and being able to put aside ones pride to get to know someone’s heart. I think this book is perfect for YA/teens.

This book was introduced to me by Hollywood. I didn't know it was a book until a while after watching the movie. I don't remember the movie, at all. There are tiny bits that I remember. For example, the tattoo tree he has. Due to this, I was never really interested in reading the book. Recently, after finding this website, my friend recommended me this book. She noted that the movie is different from the book. Taking her word for it, I bought the book. I loved it. It was very cute and focused a lot on the Beast. I didn't even notice the 'beauty' until it came time for the story to focus on her. Remembering very little about the movie, I feel like the movie focused more on her than him [I'm not 100 percent sure]. I felt that it was well paced and built and didn't rush to bring in the beauty of the book. It focused well on the Beast and the way he is dealing with the curse. I like that is was during present times and that he found a way to go out to the world for awhile. I feel it should his struggle accepting the fact that he's cursed. It shows how he changes very well and it's not all just because of the 'beauty'. What makes me sad is that I did not get a hard copy or wasn't able to get a version of the book with the original cover; the cover with the white rose. Every time that I paused and closed the book, I see the picture of the 'major motion picture' announcement and it makes me sad because it's not even close to what I'm reading. I suggest getting the original cover because it's beautiful. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the fairy tale 'The Beauty and The Beast' and any kind of retelling.

The book was really good. Told from the Beast point of view, gave the story of Beauty and the Beast a nice new twist. It was nice to read the story threw his eyes. The book was such a good read I ended up buying extra copies to give to my two friends , that like me love Beauty and the Beast like stories. You wont waste you money on this book, you may end up trying to read in one night, to see if the Beast gets his happy ending!

Kyle Kingsbury is king of Tuttle Prep, maybe even his small corner of NYC. Well, prince at least. Who wouldn't vote for him? With his looks and his national newscaster dad's money, what's not to like? He's feeling pretty good about being nominated until a weird looking goth girl in the back of the class crumples the ballot and comments on how unfair it is that the pretty people get everything without even trying. And that's not all she says. Goth girl, who's starting to look more and more like a witch to Kyle, seems to think she's got him all figured out. And she does, but it bothers him anyway. To teach her a lesson, he asks Weird Girl to the dance he already has a date (and a hot one) for. When he upstages the girl in her ugly dress, in front of everyone though, she doesn't cry or scream or run away. Instead, she points her finger and calls him just what he is--beastly. That night, when the "witch" is waiting in his bedroom, her words become reality. Kyle Kingsbury is beastly indeed. From there, Flinn launches into a modern day take on "Beauty and the Beast." At times, it was totally out there, which was what made it great. A real fairy tale. I loved Kyle's transformation--inside and out. Another good pick from my teenage daughters.

"Kyle Kingsbury, you are beastly." That's what Kendra said. Beastly. But Kyle had it all: popularity, good looks, money, and any girl he wanted. Kyle never missed an opportunity to let the inferior people know just how far beneath him they were, including his best friend, whose dad was merely a doctor. Kyle's dad was the nightly New York City news anchor. At Tuttle, an elite school for the richest of the rich, Kyle was a somebody. Until the school dance. Until his stupid maid bought his girlfriend a rose instead of an orchid for her corsage, which Kyle tossed to a scholarship student. Until he deliberately set up Kendra to be embarrassed and humiliated when she realized that he, Prince of the dance, already had a date and never intended to be her escort. Until Kendra appeared in his bedroom and he received his "comeuppance." "You will know what it is like not to be beautiful, to be as ugly on the outside as on the inside..." The clock struck midnight and Kyle was left a beast, with only a magic mirror for company. Kyle's famous dad vows to spend whatever it takes to cure his son's affliction. When he realizes even his money isn't enough to find a cure, he banishes his son, with their maid and a tutor, to a New York brownstone. Will Kyle ever be able to break the curse? Will he find true love's kiss or be forever doomed to roam the New York City streets in the dark of night, hidden as the beast? BEASTLY, by Alex Flinn, is a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This novel is just plain fun . Ms. Flinn creates the perfect romantic tension when Kyle finds his true love and then has to let her go. Like the fragrance of the perfect rose, BEASTLY will linger with the reader, leaving the feeling that life is indeed good long after the pages of the book have been pressed closed. Reviewed by: Cana Rensberger

I have read many retellings of the Beauty and the Beast story. In fact, I think I can lay claim to a mini-study of them. This ranks among my very favorite translation. I found it coherant, recognizable, but altogether refreshing at the same time. Perfect. Each hallmark in the story is in place, in order, and at the same time, it just plain WORKS! Unlike another reviewer, I kind of liked the insight provided by the "chat sessions," which also help anchor the story in the setting. And where indeed would a beast go to meet chicks in the city but the internet? The added aspect of the father's reaction to Kyle's transformation and the subplot between the two of them enhances and deepens the story. Absolutely loved it.

I love retellings of fairy tales and I was not surprised to find that I loved Alex Flinn's BEASTLY. This is a beautifully written story with a twist of modern times. Flinn kept the heart of the old fairy tale while injecting it with a fresh feeling. I especially enjoyed the author's note and will seek out the other fairy tale books that were mentioned.

I think I would call my reaction to this fairy tale retelling "mildly enthusiastic," though I suppose that's an oxymoron. The story flows smoothly and believably, and does not suffer at all for being set in modern times. Too often when fairy tales are modernized, they lose a bit of their magic, but Ms. Flinn did a very good job. Two things prevented me being wildly enthusiastic for this book. The first could have been avoided, but the second I thought Ms. Flinn handled very well. First, the transformation help group internet chat logs interspersed throughout the story were an intriguing idea, but I think overall I could have done without them. Second, for those who, like me, read fairy tales mostly for the romantic themes, it might be hard to be entranced by the male viewpoint. Much like Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Phantom of the Opera" (with whom our beast identifies), however, you find yourself really rooting for the monster, even knowing what a jerk he was before his transformation. I expect this story to improve with a second reading, and have decided to add it to my bookshelf.