Book: A Vow so Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer
Read From: 6th June - 10th June 2021
Rating: 3/5 stars
Other ratings for this trilogy include 'A Curse so Dark and Lonely' (3/5 stars) and 'A Heart so Fierce and Broken' (4/5 stars).
Series Summary: In this Beauty and the Beast retelling, Harper is whisked away from Washington DC to Emberfall - home of Rhen, a cursed heir doomed to turn into a vicious beast and repeat his 18th year until a girl falls for him. As powerful forces stand against Emberfall, Harper and Rhen realise it will take more than a broken curse to save the kingdom from utter ruin.
When I think about this series, the first word that springs to mind is FUN. All three books are relatively quick and easy to read, include just the right amount of action balanced with kingdom/royal politics and have likeable and interesting characters. This trilogy would be perfect for getting out of a reading slump or if you're looking for an exciting young adult fantasy without majorly complex world building and/or magic systems. The first book, A Curse so Dark and Lonely, is very heavily inspired by Beauty and the Beast. But as the series progresses, so does the plot and so the subsequent books start to deviate from the original fairy tale - introducing new characters, new allies and new enemies.
As with any trilogy, it's inevitable that there is substantial character development. However, Harper really stood out to me because she is literally the same character throughout. Kemmerer has done such a fantastic job of separating Harper's development from her morals - whilst she clearly becomes stronger and more sure of herself as the series continues, she never once shies away from what she believes in and what she thinks is right. Not to mention the fact she is a total badass, regardless of the struggles she faces with her cerebral palsy... I absolutely LOVE to see disability representation in books and this is an aspect about this series that I really appreciated - particularly as the representation was so casual and there wasn't a big deal made out of it.
I found the other characters to be a little hit or miss. Grey and Lia Maria, particularly in book 2 and book 3, really stood out to me. I loved them as characters, I loved their interactions and their friendships with Isak and Tycho. Rhen on the other hand, I never really connected with and this was extremely noticeable for me due to the fact he is one of the main characters. There was just something about him that I found rather unlikeable and as the series continued, I felt like his character regressed rather than developed. I thought he was so nasty to those around him for no reason (this was very noticeable in the third book) and this really didn't appeal to me, especially as I wasn't the biggest fan of his character from the start.
Other than my very minor issues with Rhen, this trilogy was brilliant. It's one I would recommend to someone wanting to get into fantasy, or someone who wants a fun and exciting series to binge read. I loved the concept of the retelling and I thought it was executed really well, but I also liked how it developed into its own story in the second and third books.