**Adult Romance**
Benella is concerned with two things – avoiding the two village boys who torment her and scrounging for food to help feed her family. Unfortunately, the best wild fruit and vegetables are near the walls of the estate, a dark misty place inhabited by an unforgiving beast.
When her tormentors lock her behind the massive gates, Benella knows her fate is sealed. Yet, the fate isn’t one she expects. Her encounter with the beast starts a bizarre cycle of bargaining for her freedom, a freedom the beast seems determined to see her lose.
A classic fairy tale with a new twist, the Beauty and the Beast saga begins with Depravity.
Intended for mature readers due to sexual situations and moderate language.
Review by Twinsie Angie
I purchased this audio book based on a friend’s suggestion. Because I listened to the story I am not 100% sure of some of the character name spellings so bare with me…coolio!!
I am a big fan of fairy tale retelling so when my friend said she enjoyed it 3 months after she had finished reading it, I burned an audio credit to listen to it.
I will say the beginning of the book is slow. So I was initially like maybe this isnt for me?? BUT there is alot of world building with Benella, her sisters, dad, the town, and their circumstance. THEN all of a sudden his book was rolling right along. I had definite feelings for her sisters (snarl) and her dad (flittery eyes and hearts). The townspeople were generally kind to Benella and her family but some not so much….yeah I mean you Mr. Baker and Tennen.
Benella is a bright, smart, and kind girl who does everything to help her family even if she could get hurt doing it. She sneaks around the Beast’s estate looking for food and trapping game to eat. She knows the history and to not get caught. The first run in with the Beast was scary but she escaped. When her 2nd run in happens she was stunned to be allowed to go on with her life. But she has questions as to why the Beast is asking her to stay.
The Beast is…a beast. He is rude, arrogant, haughty, sirly, and lonely???? We see glimpses of him and wonder how this is going to play out like the book!! LOL I know I did. There were scenes in the story that I could envision like the Disney cartoon.
This book does a great job leading up to the cliffhanger when everything changes for Benella and the Beast. When I finished I immediately downloaded book 2 for the next book.
MJ Haag is the bestselling author of the Beastly Tales and the Resurrection Chronicles. Writing as both MJ Haag and Melissa Haag, she has sold more than three hundred thousand copies worldwide and authored several other series, including the Judgement of the Six and Of Fates and Furies.
She thinks bios written in third person are hilariously pretentious and doesn’t take much in life seriously, including her author photo.
She lives in Wisconsin with her three children and husband.