I acquired a digital copy of this book through Bookfunnel's dark fantasy freebies.

This is a fascinating dark fantasy reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, with its own rich world-building and well-developed characters.

The internal worlds of the characters are vividly described, and I deeply resonated with Yelena's feelings of dispossession and longing for a home that wasn't hers anymore. The narrative is effective in showing the characters' struggles to adapt to a changing society that isn't kind to the working class, highlighting the inevitable nature of change and the universal human need for community and support.

I absolutely loved the author's exploration of the consequences of an unbroken curse, the interplay of geopolitics, and the shifting dynamics of power in it all. And also the spice was good, so read on if you're a monster lover. 

This was a fantastic one and I'm looking forward to the rest of the planned series by this author, all set within the same universe.