The Musician and the Monster

I received an ARC from the author, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have not read a book by Megan Van Dyke that I didn't absolutely love, and I'm so ecstatic to add this read to that list. This is book 4 in her Reimagined Fairy Tale series, but it can be read as a standalone!

(I'll have the full review via my blog this weekend to celebrate the book's release, but here's the non-spoilery-review!)

This book hit so many high notes for me: the gothic vibes, the gaslamp fantasy subgenre (which is a fantasy story set in regency or Victorian era), the retellings of Beauty and the Beast x Phantom of the Opera, the romance!

First, I LOVED the characters! I really liked the side characters, but I loved the main characters we got for this story. I'm tired of the ‘‘strong badass female'' stereotype, I see it enough okay! Our main character was strong in her own way, but was more timid and reserved and quiet. And oh my goodness, did it make me love her to pieces. I'm a lot like her, personality wise with that, and so it really let me just care for her a lot more quickly in the story.
And then we have Drystan, hunky-hunk love interest that was like an extra slice of cake served with extra icing.

Plot wise, I really enjoyed the story. I particularly loved getting to connect the parts that were which retelling, etc. The flow and OH GOD THE SLOW BURN– I loved the slow burn romance!!

It was all so fantastically done, and easily a new favorite read.