Series: St Rosetta’s Academy #1
Release Date: February 18th 2020
Publisher: Hodder Books
Pages: 384
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars
Synopsis
The first novel in a series set at an elite international boarding school, that’s a contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast.
Will the princess save the beast?
For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?
His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse by a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed once he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s lived an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…
As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.
Review
This is my first time reading a book by Sandhya Menon. I know lots of people love her When Dimple Met Rishi series but I haven’t yet had the chance to pick it up. When I heard she was releasing a Beauty and the Beast retelling I jumped at the chance to read it. I love retellings and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourites, add that to the boarding school setting and I was dying to dive into this one.
The story follows Princess Jaya as she and her sister attend St Rosetta’s boarding school for the first time. They are fleeing a scandal at home and Jaya has plans to take revenge on the one she suspects is to blame – Grey Emerson. Jaya and Grey’s family have a long standing feud and Jaya plans to get revenge by making him fall in love with her, and then breaking his heart. But when Jaya meets Grey he isn’t all that he seems and is he truly behind the leaked pictures of her sister?
Of Curses and Kisses is a fun and modern take on the Beauty and the Beast tale. The characters were interesting takes on the ones we know and love. Jaya is kind and caring with an obsession with YA romance novels and Grey is dark and brooding. I really liked Jaya’s sister and I’m hoping we get to see more of her in books to come. I loved interesting ways that Menon brought in the classic tale, with Jaya’s necklace becoming the rose. It was a fun and fast paced read and one I’m sure fans of contemporary ya will adore.
The chapters alternate between Jaya and Grey which gives the reader a chance to get to know both characters really well. I loved the boarding school setting and plot was engaging and well written. Of Curses and Kisses is a really enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Last Ones Left Alive is a powerful and poignant debut that follows the story of Orpen, a young woman struggling to survive in a zombie infested Ireland. When her guardian Maeve becomes infected, Orpen knows the only outcome, but will she have the strength to survive what comes next?
I had never heard of In the Tall Grass until I came across the Netflix adaptation one evening and ending up watching it. Strange and eerie, it was full of King’s trademark weirdness. I found that the novella that inspired the adaptation was available on the Esquire Magazine website and decided to give it a go. It’s a very short and quick read (around sixty pages) and follows a brother and sister who attempt to help a young boy trapped in a field of tall grass. After a few minutes they become lost and unable to find their way out – but they aren’t the only ones trapped there, and why has the grass trapped them?
The Lodger is a short novella by C. L. Taylor available to those subscribed to the C. L. Taylor Book Club. The story follows a young woman struggling with the death of her partner. When a friend is looking for a place to stay she allows him to room with her, but will that put them in danger? Full of suspense, this short story has everything I love about C. L. Taylor’s writing. It was really short and I would have loved for it to be a bit longer, to get to know the characters a bit more and understand what was going on. There was still a surprising twist that I didn’t see coming, and it was an enjoyable read. If you’re a fan of C. L. Taylor’s reading this is the perfect quick read to tide you over until her next release.
This book captured my interest when I learned it was a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, but set in space. The story follows Leo, a Princess and heir whose family are on the verge of financial ruin. When the Valg season begins, Leo must do whatever she can to find herself a suitable husband to save her family – but at what cost? And when her ex Elliot returns to the ship Leo finds herself struggling to survive the secrets and lies of the Valg.
Night of the Dragon is the third and final instalment in Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox series. This fast-paced fantasy tale follows a young shapeshifter named Yumeko as she and her ragtag group of friends attempt to save the world from being destroyed by use of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. This epic tale is full to the brim with magic, action and friendship and book three is no exception – if you’ve read and loved the first two in the series, you are not going to be disappointed.
Mortmain Hall is the second instalment in the Rachel Savernake series, following amateur crime solver Rachel Savernake. This time Rachel is hosting a gathering at her estate, however the party culminates in a death. The death is ruled to be accidental, but Rachel soon uncovers there is much more going on under the surface – but who can she trust?
This book captured my attention because I read and really enjoyed Lexa Hillyer’s Spindle Fire duology and this sounded like such an intriguing premise. Following three sisters – the Malloy’s and their life in Devil’s Lake, a small town where they live with their Mum. When one tragically dies the story follows sisters Tessa and Lilly as they process the death of their sister, and uncover the secrets that have been surrounding the family.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 