It didn’t really touch me

This book didn’t really trip my trigger. I sat and thought about it for quite awhile before I wrote this review. It wasn’t the dark elements of the book that bothered me. I have listened/read several other dark romances,with similar plots, that were a favorite listen. It wasn’t the narration that lacked, either. It was some elements of the writing style that ruined it for me. I hope I am able to articulate what I mean. There were several key parts of the plot that the author chose to inform the reader about instead of letting the reader experience the event with the characters. I hope that makes sense. Since I did not experience much of the story, with the characters, I did not become emotionally invested, in the book. I am usually the type that will freely bawl, during a book. My family has often been convinced that I must be suffering from clinical depression since I seem to burst into tears for seemingly no reason. This book didn’t touch me emotionally, at all. Perhaps others would disagree with me. Therefore, although the writing wasn’t horrible, this is not a book I will choose to keep in my personal library.
-V from Kansas

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2 people found this helpful

The darkest side of the beast!

WARNING: Please read at your own discretion. This book contains very dark subject matter including kidnapping, very questionable consent, degradation, cutting and intense obsession!

With dialogue like "I want to hurt her. I want to mark her. I want to witness her blood contaminated with the blackness of mine." one would wonder how you can like or care for the BEAST (Javi). But out of blackness that is explored as he tries to break Bella I found that thru the heartache and misery I was shocked to feel for the BEAST.

I found myself questioning if I felt comfortable with what lines were crossed as he was her kidnapper and punisher (for things that were not her fault), the gripping intense suspense did keep me listening well into the night...and I just had to finish it.

Worth a credit...YES, as long you feel you can handle the subject matter...this was intense, and pushed the limits.

I was provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Dark and twisted

Selected this story because I love the narrator's voice and the author's other stories.
The blurb warns the listener but not prepare how dark this story is. I wanted to abandon it a few times but kept coming back for more. The ending made it worthwhile though and I actually like the hero. The story is addictive and Ms. Marks delivered it beautiful.

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Beast

What made the experience of listening to Beast the most enjoyable?

The narration. Most books I listen to I have read before, but this one listening is the first I have experienced this story and it was amazing!

What does Tracy Marks bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Life, there is something about listening to a book that brings the story full circle!

Any additional comments?

I was given a copy of this in exchange for an honest review!

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Beast and The Beauty

This book was an incredible listen. I recommend setting aside a block of time and listening all at once because if you don’t you will regret it until you are able to finish.
I liked this “retelling” of the Beauty and the Beast so much. It was riveting from the first word. To hear of Isabella’s plight as a song writer and her agent woes, the loss of her father and then her captivity. One could really get a feel for her pain and confusion.
And the voice for Javier! I loved it. His constant struggle etc.
I would recommend this audiobook to anyone who likes to go on the rollercoaster of emotions. However, if you are triggered- well you should be reading comic books anyways not romances.

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Javier & Isabella

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

Audible review. Dual POV. Published as book 1 in 2017 with no other books linked but the author does have another dark fairytale available: 'Stealing Cinderella'. Single narrator, Tracy Marks, using a female American accent and a male Hispanic accent (that sometimes sounds Scottish). I'm still thrown by her halting robotic reading style and odd pace. She sounds quite a lot like Olivia Munn. There were 2 recording errors (both were repeats). Trigger warnings: (VERY DARK ROMANCE) child torture; kidnapping; bondage; ballgag; blindfold; breath control; cutting & blood play; manipulation/mind tricks; starvation; humiliation; @n@l.

Sorry if any of the names are misspelled.

Isabella won a reality program for her singing ability, her dad disappeared, then she is kidnapped by Javier. Javier was accused of murdering his mother when he was a child, sent to an asylum after her death where he lived until Isabella's dad removed him, began torturing him and trained him to be a government assassin. Javier takes Isabella to destroy her in retaliation for all that her father had done to him. Things get very dark until he falls for her but his friend River, who unbeknownst to Javier is also part of the agency, keeps fueling his anger. Her father returns home, Javier takes her to him, they tell him they're in love, Javier is drugged and removed. Isabella believes Javier died, is put in the same asylum for counseling Javier had been where she finds out she's pregnant, she starts living in Javier's house, she finally finds out that her father tortured Javier, that his mom had a brain tumor that made her believe Javier and herself had been implanted with devices, she eventually killied herself when she performed surgery on herself, River kills Isabella's father because he assisted in taking the girl River loved and turning her into an assassin, Javier & River rescued Rivers's love, Isabella does one last performance with her former creep of an agent's help, and Javier returns. They have a daughter. There is a short epilogue that finds them happily married living in his home with their daughter. JP

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Twisted Classic Fairytale

What made the experience of listening to Beast the most enjoyable?

The emotions of the story that were so well written into the storyline. A. Zavarelli has a way of painting a story in her books while they are dark they are also so brilliant. Her characters have so much depth and you feel for her characters even in their darkest hours and you hate them you still feel for them. She also chooses narrators that are perfect for her books and you can't help but get invested in the story as it comes to life in your mind.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved Javier as he gutted me..there were so many sides to his character and why he was so dark. You wanted to love and hate him at the same time. You could feel his turmoil throughout the story even when he was being evil and inflicting pain/abuse.

Have you listened to any of Tracy Marks’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, I have listed to a couple of her other performances and like her other ones this one was top notch. She always brings a depth to her performances that makes you connect to her characters and you feel like the characters are alive and they are really feeling the emotions she is reading/performing. This is one of my favorite performances of hers.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I didn't want to put this book down and know what happened next. It isn't a typical fairytale and is a darker book. Several times I was left saying "did that really just happen" which is typical of this author.

Any additional comments?

Note- this book is dark and does have scenes of rape, BDSM, bloodletting, humiliation, etc. It is "loosely" based off of Beauty and the Beast but it is dark so if any of those are triggers for you I don't recommend you reading this book. Of course there is a bigger meaning of two people learning to get over their dark pasts and hurts and heal each other but the dark pasts and dark triggers may not be for everyone so I like to warn people of these triggers.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for my unbiased review.

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3 people found this helpful

The Anti-fairytale with a HEA

Would you consider the audio edition of Beast to be better than the print version?

Yes! I both read and listened and I found that there were things the audio version made me take notice of that the print didn't. But I'm partial to audio in general so...

What did you like best about this story?

It kept me guessing the motives and trying to figure out where the characters were going with things. It was also incredible well done with the more graphic content, and that added to the abusive/redeemable aspects of the story.

What about Tracy Marks’s performance did you like?

Tracy is the queen of accents. She does them so well, and she brings a lot of life to the characters. You know how they feel and view things simply by the way Tracey says and performs them, no added explanation needed like "he was surely and agrrevated easily" etc.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were moments when I both hated and loved Javi, and hated and loved Isabella. They each had very contrary aspects about their behaviors, and personalities at times, but the way they all pulled together and worked was amazing. Truly gifted writing and performing made this story, despite the raw and dark content.

Any additional comments?

This story is not for the type of person who prefers upbeat and happy fairytale romances. This story is dark, aggressive, and emotional. It makes you hate it as much as you love it and it works. I would recommend this book to anyone who can deal with the rougher aspects of life and appreciate finding the beauty in them despite the graphic aspect.
I received this audiobook for free from audiobook boom for my unbiased review.

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OMG...

This was dark...very dark...but soooo good! kept me on edge right up to the very last word!! And that ending...whew! If your into dark romance, this is a good one for sure.

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Love This Retelling

This is a different story from A. Zavarelli's mafia series, but I loved it just as much. This twist on Beauty and the Beast was unique, and I cried over some parts is the story. Tracy Marks really brought the story to life, and her ability to change depending on the character is phenomenal!

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