Title- The Beautiful
Rating– 5/5
Genre- Dark YA Fantasy
POV- The mysterious murderer is first person present tense & the rest of the story is third person, past tense
Trope- murder mystery
Similar Books/Comps– Certain Dark Things, American Gothic
My emotions- suspense
Characters–
Kick ass Celine & Bastian was oh so delicious & since they were both morally gray … goodness I can’t give spoilers
Plot/Blurb-
In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans is a safe haven after she’s forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent in the middle of the carnival season, Celine is quickly enraptured by the vibrant city, from its music to its fancy soirées and even its danger. She becomes embroiled in the city’s glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group’s enigmatic leader, Sébastien Saint Germain.
When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in Sébastien’s own lair–the second dead girl to turn up in recent weeks–Celine battles her attraction to Sébastien and suspicions about his guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.
After a third murder, New Orleans becomes gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose–one who has now set Celine in his sights. As the murderer stalks her, Celine finally takes matters into her own hands, only to find herself caught in the midst of an age-old feud between the darkest creatures of the night, where the price of forbidden love is her life.
Best part-
I loved it so much that I wish I could reread for the first time! And I’m sooo glad there’s a sequel. Added bonus: the cover of the sequel is drop dead gorgeous. This historical fiction/YA genre showed a dark culture in New Orleans. I loved the mystifying, eerie vibe throughout and the murder mystery had me on edge the whole time.
What I’d change-
Pg. 87- Sometimes too much physical description of their outfits.
Pg 196 – third POV randomly introduced & then it doesn’t come back until pg 325
Pg 343 bored by the same plan
Page 420 made no sense to me so
Prose– “as if” was used just a few too many times
Quote-
“I am the spider. I set silken traps. I watch as you step into my web. I wait to strike. But do not fear. I promise I will never forget you.”
Pacing- Perfect
Cassie Swindon 