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Yelen and Yelena by C. M. Rosens In a rural corner of the Provinces simmering with civil unrest, Laundress Yelena's village is afflicted by a dangerous fungal rot-plague. When she is falsely accused of dark sorcery, Yelena is evicted from her cottage and forced into the rot-infested forest... Yelen is a forgotten tyrant, turned into a monster hundreds of years ago and desperate to distance himself from the power-hungry brute he once was... But he craves companionship and an end to his lonely existence. When the wind leads Yelena to Yelen, she discovers a kindred spirit in the aromantic, bi-attracted monster, and their relationship quickly escalates. But being a guest in a cursed castle with a lonely, amorous Beast is not all fun and games - while exploring, Yelena makes a disturbing discovery about the rot-plague's source, and starts showing symptoms of infection herself. Can Yelen and Yelena work together to find a lasting cure for the rot seeping beyond the castle walls, or will the castle's curse claim another victim? YELEN & YELENA is a standalone, monster-loving 'tour de force', perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast re-imaginings, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic, and T. Kingfisher's What Moves The Dead. Look no further for a deeply atmospheric Dark Gothic Fantasy with a Hopepunk core, and a sapphic riff on Orpheus & Eurydice subplot. Yes, this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it is a genuinely refreshing one. For one, it is emphatically not a love story. Both Yelena and the beast, Yelen, are aromantic. They lust plenty, but their love is strictly platonic. We witness sincere affection blossom, but it’s the affection of dear friends. ... if you’re happy with no-strings attached smut, you will not be disappointed. This is one for the monsterf---ers, emphasis on f--k. It gets weird, it gets dangerous, and it is utterly unapologetic about it. - Dai Baddley, Divination Hollow Review Adult • Fantasy/Dark • Horror/Supernatural and Occult • Fantasy/Romantic and Erotic Content Warning: Graphic Sexual content, Terminal illness (see: Body Horror), Classism, Death, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Mental illness, Murder, Suicide, Body horror Moderate Death of parent, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Cursing, Medical content, War (civil unrest theme, mentions of past revolutions and uprisings), Acephobia/Arophobia (arophobia; one scene, resolved), Blood Minor Cannibalism (mention), Vomit, Body shaming (one instance), Sexual assault (implied mention), Excrement (mentioned/implied), Drug use (mention), Animal death (for food), Animal cruelty (mention of wolf hunting) |
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Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story I'm an absolute sucker for B&tB stories, and this one was just {chef's kiss} Beast that doesn't change back? Check. Horror? Check. Queer? CHECK 🙌 Spicy? Oh hell yeah, check 😏 {more details in the full review} |
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