This book stole my heart from the first scene, in which Isobel is telling, er retelling, a fairy tale to a group of children at the library. I may or may not have reread that scene half a dozen times before continuing on with the book.

Isobel is tired of her sisters fighting, but she loves that they recently relocated to the country where she could walk in the woods and find some peace and quiet while she reads her fantasy novels. One night as she is out walking, she is set upon by wolves and rescued by a bear who pulls her through a portal, and well, the rest is one of the most beautiful retellings of Beauty and the Beast I've had the pleasure of reading. A cursed fae prince, the shared love of books, magic, countermagic, and a girl who refuses to give up or admit defeat. It's a tale as old as time and worth the read each time I encounter it in a new guise. But this will stand as one of my favorite retellings. I only wish Hanna Sandvig would write faster, but I'm fully confident that her next book will be worth the wait. ( )