Bonded by Thorns

Review on read #2: downgraded to 3-stars from 4-stars

As much as I enjoy a Beauty and the Best retelling (and this one seems to faithfully follow the Disney version including quote references), this book as a whole felt rather pointless, and I thought the FMC was weak-willed and inconsistent with her behavior. At times, she would show strong opinions and stand up to her prison guards, and at others, she let her abuser walk right over her.

We don't really see any true relationship development when the most of the princes can barely seem to stand being in her presence, and weeks pass between chapters. Yet somehow, we are supposed to believe that she's suddenly deep in love with them by the end of the book rather than just lust. The book is show more set up to be a reverse harem, but nothing happens with most of the princes.

The magic and curse were super confusing, and I didn't understand any of the rules even when most of the history was revealed.

I am somewhat curious about the next book to continue, but I wouldn't say that this is my favorite fairy tale retelling.

Romance: 26-year-old human bookstore employee FMC with 4x beast shifter fae prince MMCs of each season (for now?)
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Ratings - abandoned series:
#1 Bonded by Thorns (this book): ★★★☆☆
#2 Woven by Gold: ★☆☆☆☆ / DNF show less

A tale old as time.

A song old as rhyme.

Beauty and her beasts.

Rosalina loves books. She sees herself in each book she reads. Some may think she is a little different from them. After all, they believe her father is a raving lunatic who believed the fae had taken his wife. And the boy she once loved, Lucas, has returned to Orca Cove and has proposed marriage, but even before Rosalina can give her answer, she finds out her father has gone missing. Even worse, his coat has been found in the forest. Rosalina, along with Lucas, goes in search of her father. There they come across an enchanting place. Lucas flees when they become surrounded by goblins and Rosalina manages to flee herself, only to find herself in front of an enchanted castle. show more She finds her father a prisoner and when faced with one of the masters, Rosalina decides to bargain with the Winter Prince - she will take her father's place if he will free him.

The price is taken and Rosalina now finds herself a prisoner of the castle with four fae princes of the seasons.

A curse.

Mates.

Time is running out for all of them.

This was a wonderful read. A beautiful world filled with flawed characters. Male leads have been cursed every night in their beastly forms. Roses (much like the ones from the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast) with their petals falling offering the ticking of a clock. Rosalina, beautiful and strong, desperate to find her way in a world that she does not belong to.

I have to say that the ending made me fall off the couch. I am not going to lie I nearly cried because I wanted more of this book. I loved all the characters. Each and every one of them popped off the page and drew me into their world. I felt like a peeping tom just watching each scene.

I cannot wait for the next book in this series. Time cannot come quick enough for me. show less

A very engaging Beauty and the Beast / ACOTAR retelling with a possible reverse harem. It started off a little rough with the absolute over the top dumpster fire of a small town and an abusive Gaston character that made no sense how Rose was ever attached to him. It definitely picked up once in the fae realm. This is where some of the better riffs on the fairy tale came in - multiple princes (some who are in a relationship), mortal girl whose mother is probably the enchantress, and the additional court politics. The Disney BATB and ACOTAR references (masking in the Spring court and dark prince who might or might not be evil) were a little too spot on for my liking.

Nothing ever even happened, which was the worse part. What was it all building toward??
There's such thing as too slow burn. I was waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen between them... and nothing ever did.
I love Dayton & Farron's chemistry, and coincidentally they're the only two she has any chemistry with. Also, Rosalina being the name of the female main character in this beauty & the beast retelling is a little on the nose.
Some lines are cringy, but l'm hoping the eventual romance will be worth it, as I reluctantly pick up book two...

Like totally OMG!!!!

I'm more of a horror reader but my work mate was raving on this erotica and I thought to myself that it would be a nice change of pace from my usual zombie genre but... OMG!

I devoured this book! Completely devoured it! It's so... SPICY! Ouf! But that ending just killed me! I want more like NAOW but need to wait for June for the next book so that's a bummer!

One of the best erotica I've read in a while. I just could not put it down! Everything about it just grabbed me! The worldbuilding, the characters, the homoerotica... the SPICE! To quote one of the best book in modern time "The spice must flow." Yes, it must indeed! It must indeed!

Great way to start a series but yeah. Now I wish I had listened to my work mate and show more waited before reading it just so I would not have to wait 2 months for the sequel!

SAD.... show less