One of my favorite things about fairy tales is that the narratives are malleable. There is no rule that says that these stories have to fit within a certain mold.
Cruel Beauty, by Rosamund Hodge, was published in 2015. Since she was a girl, Nyx has known her fate. Upon turning seventeen, she marries the ruler of her kingdom, known as The Gentle Lord. Known for being a trickster and not well-liked by the people, Nyx’s goal is to kill him and free them all from his tyranny. But her new husband is not who she expected him to be. While she reconsiders how to end his life, she also starts to fall for him.
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The best way to describe it is a YA dark fantasy adaptation of Beauty and the Beast with an undertone of Greek mythology. Nyx is a heroine is a perfect heroine for our era and her story is absolutely worth reading.
Do I recommend it? Absolutely.
Writergurlny 