He is an interesting and complex character, who is not quite as he appears to be at first blush. The other primary character, Bastien, is also well developed. She is also well written and fleshed out, and she evolves over the course of the story. She holds her own against some of the most formidable characters in the book. Unconcerned with the etiquette of 19th-century society, she is outspoken, strong-willed, and sharp-witted. The protagonist, Celine, is a strong female lead. It is such a captivating story filled with romance, intrigue, suspense, and wonderful characters. From the moment that I opened The Beautiful, I was hooked, and within a day, I had finished it, staying up late into the night reading it. Nonetheless, I decided to pick up a copy and give the book the benefit of the doubt, and boy, am I glad that I did. So, when I began reading rave reviews of The Beautiful, I was more than a little skeptical. I have had more than my fill of lame vampire love stories. Like many people who grew up in the era of Twilight, I am always a bit wary of any book, especially a romance, that includes vampires. TLDR: Don’t be put off by its young adult label – this lush, paranormal romance can be read and enjoyed by older adults too. When the bodies of murdered women begin turning up around the city, her suspicions only grow, and when she finds herself in the sights of the murderer, she decides to take a drastic measure to lure the killer out into the open. Even as she grows closer to Sébastien, she cannot shake the feeling that he is hiding something from her, for there is something seemingly unhuman about the members of La Cour des Lions. Before long, she finds herself under the spell of the group’s handsome and enigmatic leader, Sébastien Saint Germain.

When one of the women who purchases a handkerchief asks Celine to design her dress for an upcoming costume ball, Celine unexpectedly finds herself thrust into the notorious and secretive La Cour des Lions. In exchange for room and board, she is, among other things, expected to help raise money for the convent, which is how she finds herself selling handkerchiefs in the city center one afternoon.

Having fled from Paris to escape her past, seventeen-year-old dressmaker Celine Rousseau is living at the Ursuline convent with other young women who have recently arrived from Europe.

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh