A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary from GoodReads
New York Times bestselling author of The Night Huntress series Jeaniene Frost returns with a brand-new series! It’s Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this dark fantastical retelling, except Beauty IS the Beast, and he’s the Warden keeping mythical beings in check in our world and beyond.
Raine Stone was the sole survivor of a horrific creature while camping. Her account of the attack was attributed to shock, but Raine knows all too well that her story is true because now she carries that same Beast inside her!
She’s been restraining its violent urges by letting it 'feed' on the pain and chaos she’s exposed to as an ER nurse, and by playing vigilante against would-be muggers at night. But when Raine uses the Beast’s energy to heal a frail elderly gentleman from a seemingly random attack, she opens herself to a new world of danger—literally.
Remington “Remy” Byrne knows that the wall between a realm of deadly mythic creatures and our own world is very thin; he’s the Warden who guards the gateways between them. He also rules the supernatural creatures living in secret among us. Raine’s Beast makes her an intruder on Remy’s territory, but the elderly gentleman she saved is Remy’s grandfather, and her Beast contains power that could tip the scales in a sinister plot against Remy’s rule—if Raine allies with him.
Will they be friends or foes…or will the dangerous attraction between them turn into something else? And can our world be saved by their explosive alliance?
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REVIEW
I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this amazing first book of the new series by my all-time favorite Jeaniene Frost! When I saw the cover reveal and the blurb, I made an offering to the book gods and they answered!
Our story follows Raine an ER nurse who is also possessed by a mysterious beast, which feeds on pain, violence, and negative feelings. Having no idea what this beast is and its origin, Raine fears for those around her and tries to find different ways to 'feed' it.
That changes when a kidnapping and a fight among supernaturals bring her to the attention of Remington “Remy”, Warden of realms, powerful magic user...and swoony all over. As they try to find a way to control the Beast inside Raine, they become entangled in magic politics, more monsters, Remy's family secrets and their growing attraction.
The story will not bore you. There is action, humor, and beautiful descriptions to complement this new world, which is similar to our own, not to mention that there are some scenes in the book that had me giggling. The dress scene is *chef's kiss*. Also, the romance did not feel forced, and both Remy and Raine grew from tentative allies to lovers in an interesting way.
This book may come out in 2026, but for me this is the best one in 2025, along with Ilona Andrews "This Kingdom will not Kill me". Definitely recommended!
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