Review: Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey

Synopsis from Amazon:
The eldest daughter is often doomed in fairy tales. But Bella—Isabella Beauchamps, daughter of a wealthy merchant—vows to escape the usual pitfalls.


Anxious to avoid the Traditional path, Bella dons a red cloak and ventures into the forbidden forest to consult with "Granny," the local wisewoman.


But on the way home she's attacked by a wolf—who turns out to be a cursed nobleman! Secluded in his castle, Bella is torn between her family and this strange man who creates marvelous inventions and makes her laugh—when he isn't howling at the moon.


Breaking spells is never easy. But a determined beauty, a wizard (after all, he's only an occasional werewolf) and a little godmotherly interference might just be able to bring about a happy ending.

My Thoughts:

Is this the story of Beauty and the Beast? Or is it Little Red Riding Hood? Bella learns that some forcewill be stuffed into some story whether she likes it or not.

Loved Bella! She was down to earch and practical and caring and in the course of a month she turned a dead and hopeless house into a bright and happy home.

The wolf--the reclusive duke--is just marvelous...though not what I've come to expect from werewolves. He's certainly not the alpha male type. He's too sincere and sweet for that, but I love the way he babbles when he's uncomfortable and often puts his foot in his mouth.

I don't know if author Mercedes Lacky meant to, but she definitely wrote him as a Sagittarian. And as everyone knows, Sagittarians are fun and wonderful people, full of vigor and honesty and good will. *ahem* I really am not prejudiced at all.

So if you like reading retellings of fairy tales (which I've done a lot of lately), you might want to try this one. This one is an adult book, but clean and fun and fast paced.

Enjoy!