Check out Scott Reads It! for reviews, giveaways, & more! 
 It's a rare, beautiful experience when a book totally catches you off guard and completely exceeded all expectations you had. Of Beauty And Beast was not a book I was particularly excited for, I was only slightly interested in reading it. Despite my skepticism, Of Beauty And Beast was exactly what I needed to read and I am so glad that I picked it up. This is definitely one of my top books of 2013 (so far) and I just can't describe how much of a perfect read it was for me. 
 I have read plenty of retellings in the past, but I've never really enjoyed A Beauty & The Beast retelling for whatever reason. Beastly by Alex Flinn was definitely not the book for me, even though so many readers seem to love it. OBaB succeeds where Beastly failed and brings to the table, a refreshing spin on a classic tale. This is definitely one of the best retellings I've ever read! 
 Isra is a blind princess and she lives in the domed city of Yuan. Every couple of years or so, the city requires a sacrifice to rejuvenate and continue to function normally. A monstrous named Gem is brought to the castle as a prisoner, and slowly Isra and Gem form a bond. Their relationship is completely unconventional and yet, it feels so right for Isra and Gem. Can Isra and Gem manage to save Yuan and their quickly deteriorating world? 
 I started OBaB with the intention of only reading a few pages, but I quickly was immersed in such a beautiful tale of hope and determination. Needless to say, I ended up reading more than a few pages and I was hooked instantly. I ended up reading the book in less than a day due to the addictive nature of the book and Jay's writing style. I didn't want to take a break or do something else, all I wanted to do was find out what happened next in the book. Seriously if you have chores or work to do, don't read this book! You will become so immersed in the story and invested in the characters that you will quickly forget whatever you had to do. Of Beauty And Beast is a perfect pageturner with it's fast-pacing and it's heartbreaking, yet beautiful story. 
 Stacey Jay perfectly explores what it means to be human and the thin line between humans and monsters. This book perfectly captures the essence of the beloved tale and adds in so many new elements to create a tale unlike any other. Gem and Isra's relationship is executed so well and this is YA romance at it's finest. I'll be honest, I usually hate romance in books but I couldn't help but fall in love with Gem and Isra. Romance can make or break a book; in OBaB the romance is one of my favorite aspects. 
 Overall, Of Beauty And Beast is an original retelling filled with a perfect blend of action, adventure, and romance. This is truly an extremely original book and I'd definitely highly, highly recommend reading it! I'm so excited that Jay has another retelling coming out soon and I'm absolutely dying to read it. I haven't read Juliet Immortal or Romeo Redeemed, but after reading OBaB, I'm dying to read both books. I can't praise OBaB enough, it is truly a must-read.