It's time to kick off my annual Most Anticipated event! Each year I spotlight the books that I am eager to get my hands on in the upcoming year in hopes it'll put them on your radar as well.
This year I am starting with a novel that reimagines one of my favourite fairytales into something that sounds pretty unique and a little more modern.
That's right... It's a Beauty and the Beast retelling. A Curse So Dark and Lonely is written by Brigid Kemmerer so I anticipate a whole lot of emotional payoff in this one along with some great writing.
The Goodreads synopsis for this novel makes it seem like it is set in modern times but keeps that classic feel by having Harper be sucked into Rhen's world.
Fall in love, break the curse.
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
This sounds incredible right? I like the different perspective it seems to taking while still having all the classic elements of the Beauty and the Beast story. I cannot wait to discover the world of Emberfall and all of the cursed characters within it.
Brigid, very kindly, agreed to take part in my event this year and the result is the very fun interview where I get her to reveal some details about A Curse So Dark and Lonely.
1 Describe A Curse So Dark and Lonely in three words.
Prince. Castle. Swords.
2 If someone were to make a signature ice cream in honour of your book, what might be included?
Chocolate, but only because I think chocolate ice cream should always be included, no matter what.
3 Fairytale retellings are always popular. What about the classic Beauty and the Beast tale made you want to make it your own?
I think what I love the best about Beauty and the Beast is that, at its core, it's a story about seeing beyond the exterior and finding someone's true humanity underneath. I tried to capture that magic in Curse, just without all the Stockholm Syndrome stuff that comes with kidnapping or imprisoning a girl to break a curse. In Curse, Harper is definitely kidnapped, but she doesn't want to be there, and she's very much her own person.
4 Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel (if you didn't listen to music let me know and I can quickly send another question)
I have a whole playlist! I would say that "Sound of Silence" by The Disturbed most closely captures Rhen's mood. If you haven't heard it, I insist that you give it a listen:
It's not so much the lyrics, but the way his voice conveys the mood.
5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?
This is such a tough question!! Right off the cuff, I'd say Renaissance Italy, but that's only because it seems so beautiful and charming in my imagination. I'm sure it was a really challenging time to be alive for the average person.
6 What 2019 release are you most anticipating?
This is such a tough question because there are so many!! Probably Sabaa Tahir's next book.
7 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of A Curse So Dark and Lonely?
Not too spoilery at all!
"There is blood under my fingernails. I wonder how many of my people I've killed this time."
Brigid, very kindly, agreed to take part in my event this year and the result is the very fun interview where I get her to reveal some details about A Curse So Dark and Lonely.
1 Describe A Curse So Dark and Lonely in three words.
Prince. Castle. Swords.
2 If someone were to make a signature ice cream in honour of your book, what might be included?
Chocolate, but only because I think chocolate ice cream should always be included, no matter what.
3 Fairytale retellings are always popular. What about the classic Beauty and the Beast tale made you want to make it your own?
I think what I love the best about Beauty and the Beast is that, at its core, it's a story about seeing beyond the exterior and finding someone's true humanity underneath. I tried to capture that magic in Curse, just without all the Stockholm Syndrome stuff that comes with kidnapping or imprisoning a girl to break a curse. In Curse, Harper is definitely kidnapped, but she doesn't want to be there, and she's very much her own person.
4 Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel (if you didn't listen to music let me know and I can quickly send another question)
I have a whole playlist! I would say that "Sound of Silence" by The Disturbed most closely captures Rhen's mood. If you haven't heard it, I insist that you give it a listen:
It's not so much the lyrics, but the way his voice conveys the mood.
5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?
This is such a tough question!! Right off the cuff, I'd say Renaissance Italy, but that's only because it seems so beautiful and charming in my imagination. I'm sure it was a really challenging time to be alive for the average person.
6 What 2019 release are you most anticipating?
This is such a tough question because there are so many!! Probably Sabaa Tahir's next book.
7 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of A Curse So Dark and Lonely?
Not too spoilery at all!
"There is blood under my fingernails. I wonder how many of my people I've killed this time."
A Curse So Dark and Lonely releases January 29, 2019 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer (and it is perfect use for those holiday gift cards).
You can find out more about Brigid by following her on Twitter, and by visiting her her website. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website.
Do you love fairytale retellings as much as I do? What do you think of Beauty and the Beast ones in particular? Let me know in the comments!
Be sure to stop by tomorrow to for the next book on my 2019 most anticipated list.
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