Ensnared

So I actually picked up this ebook because it's by the same author as Colorless, a book on my to-read list, and Ensnared was on Kindle Unlimited. (So I could read it for free!) Long story short, I just spent the 99 cents to buy the ebook of Colorless, because I REALLY enjoyed Ensnared. I've always had a weak spot for retellings of Fairy-tales, and this was no different.

Ensnared is a rework of Beauty and the Beast – but with robots and artificial intelligence running rampant as well. The Beast, in this book, is a rich eccentric holed up in a tower away from all human contact. He commissions a robot companion from a genius inventor, and when it's not done in time, Alainn chooses to go in its stead so her father won't go to jail. Assured, by the robot itself, that she'll only have to masquerade as a robot for a few weeks until the work can be finished and swapped out (the robot looks exactly like Alainn!) – she sacrifices her freedom to ensure her father's.

Then, of course, the inevitable happens and Alainn and the recluse fall in love. Things quickly spiral out of control, with hacked AIs, killer robots, and monkeys. (Yes, monkeys! It's great.)

It's a quick read – I have a hard time believing that some of these ebooks are actually as long as they say they are – or perhaps 419 Kindle pages aren't as long as 419 real pages, I'm not sure.

Regardless, it was a fun little romp, and free if you have Kindle Unlimited. I'm even more eager to read Colorless, now!

See all my reviews at Goddess in the Stacks

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This was a very interesting take on Beauty & The Beast. I am very glad I read it. It was awesome reading the story where the beast isn't actually turned into an animal and he doesn't kidnap her. He isn't an asshole to her– at all. So, all around it started as a decently healthy relationship, until you remember he thinks she is a robot.... that is a bit weird, but somehow I feel it is better than a woman falling in love with a part-animal, also there is a part in the book where a scientist remarks about pheromones or something about humans always unconsciously knowing when they are with another human sooooo...... not as creepy?

The biggest missing piece? World-building!
I had no idea what century we were in or how advance society was or in what ways robots were being used. Somethings were weird....like Lor's building (also, how does he get food???). Mentioning that people's jobs would be replaced by androids, but besides Rose, the others seem very basic... how far along are those? what other work do those androids do regularly? Why the switch???
So many questions about this world–seriously.

The romance part, as I mentioned was a bit weird because of the robot aspect, but the slow build up was nice. No one was in love at first sight.

I would recommend this book to people who like Beauty & The Beast and to those who like romance.