Audiobook Review: Of Beast and Beauty (Daughters of Eville #1)

Author: Chanda Hahn

Narrator: Jesse Vilinsky

Audiobook Length: 10 hours 42 minutes

Something evil this way comes.
7 Vengeful Sisters
7 Fairytale Kingdoms
7 Daughters of Eville

Everyone dreams of marrying a prince—except for me. I am nothing more than a pawn in my adoptive mother’s diabolical plot against the seven kingdoms.I was the chosen tool, her sharpened blade that would cut the deepest into the heart of the Kingdom of Baist. But like all deadly weapons, my wedding is two-edged sword that could cost me my soul.

For I am Rosalie, one of the adopted daughters of Lady Eville, and it is my duty to enter into a loveless and hate-filled marriage with the narcissistic Crown Prince of Baist. My choices and heart are not my own to give. Yet even in the thick of dire situations, beastly vengeance can give way to beautiful attraction.

Of Beasts and Beauty is the first novel in the Daughters of Eville series where each daughter has their own tale. I picked up this novel mainly due to the fact it was a fairy tale retelling, and the cover caught my attention. I did not know a lot about the novel before going into it aside from many considering this story to be the weakest in the series, which is also confirmed by the fact it has the lowest rating of the seven stories on Goodreads.  Rosalie is the first adoptive daughter of Eville. She is also a magical witch with many powers, including the ability to glamour and change her appearance. Her story opens on her wedding day to Xander, the Prince of Baist against her will. Instead, it is part of her mother’s plan to get revenge on the seven kingdoms that was formed years before and part of a bargain she made with the King of Baist, Gerald. After Xander and Rosalie are married, Xander does not want to have anything to do with the witch and avoids her at all costs. Not only was he forced into this marriage, but it ruined his potential marriage to his lover, Yazmin, which would have brought some stability to the kingdom.

The relationship between Rosalie and Xander starts off as enemies and continues this way throughout most of the story. While there are small hints that Xander is softening towards Rosalie, their relationship takes a complete 180 almost without warning. Xander’s world not only was suddenly changed after the surprise change in bride, but Rosalie is a witch and has magic that everyone fears. As Xander has never officially set eyes on Rosalie since she wore veils in every meeting and he wants nothing to do with her, she decides to go out and wander the castle in disguise and assumes a new identity as a maid named Rose. Here she can explore the castle and interact with Xander without him being afraid of her along with gaining more insight into the workings of the kingdom.

Threatening the kingdom is a mysterious beast. The story keeps the reader guessing as the main “suspect” keeps changing, so it is not fully confirmed until the end. The characters themselves were a little confusing as they were not fully explored. Xander is horrible to Rosalie yet nice to Rose despite them being the same person. Rosalie, at times, wanted those around her to not see her for the evil witch reputation that she had, but at others she did not care to try to show others it wasn’t true. Essentially, this story has a ton of potential. The series definitely intrigues me and I am interested in continuing to see what happens next.