12 Of The Best Beauty and the Beast Retellings

Every product on this page was carefully chosen. I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through a link. See my full disclosure.

Nothing is more magical than retellings of classic fairy tales like Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood, and Beauty and the Beast. Interwoven within these reimaginings are many familiar elements of the Grimm’s story, making these Beauty and the Beast retellings perfect for fairy tale lovers. 

From the cursed beast, the enchanted rose, and a deadly curse, these authors play upon these elements while also breathing new life into a tale that is as old as time. 

Infused with magic and hauntingly beautiful prose, read on for the best Beauty and the Beast retellings.

Radiance by Grace Draven

Radiance revolves around a human princess, Ildiko, and an alien prince, Brishen, who are arranged to be married to unite their kingdoms. The two races find each other physically repulsive, so you can say this was a match made in the fiery pits of Tartarus. While they may not be physically attracted to each other, they share a kinship that goes beyond physical appearances. 

Read Radiance if you are looking for a slow-burn fantasy romance between an alien and a human who find each other repulsive and bicker like an old married couple. Between their shaky union and the precarious political landscape amongst their kingdoms, Kai and Ildiko will have to forego their honeymoon and do some damage control before the warring kingdoms rip them apart. 

Click Here To Buy

The Wish Collector by Mia Sheridan

Soon after her move to New Orleans, ballet dancer Clare Campbell is fascinated by the heartbreaking legend of Windisle Plantation and the tragedy that took place behind its walls. 

Determined to uncover the secrets hidden within the beautiful crumbling structure, Clara travels to the plantation and is shocked to find that it is not abandoned like she has been told. 

There she meets Jonah.

The Wish Collector is a magical Beauty and the Beast reimagining overflowing with emotions, fantastical fairytale-like descriptions, and haunting beautiful prose. As one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings, I recommend adding it to your bookshelf and cracking it open because once you start, you will not be putting it down anytime soon.

Click Here To Buy

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

When a chance encounter with a wolf places Feyre in deep waters with the fae, Feyre is swept off to a magical kingdom.

Held captive by the mysterious green-eyed Tamlin, Feyre finds herself growing feelings for her jailer. But the question remains: What is he hiding behind the mask he refuses to remove? 

ACOTAR is a captivating Beauty and the Beast retelling that brings us an epic slow-burn romance filled with magic, adventure and intrigue. If you can’t get enough of the enemies-to-lovers trope, Maas’s bestselling series is a must-read. 

Click Here To Buy

Making Faces by Amy Harmon

Fern Taylor is knows what it is like to be invisible and overlooked. The only person who has ever really taken the time to see her is Bailey, her best friend and cousin. However, when her friend Rita ropes her into penning love letters as her to the town’s golden boy, Fern realizes that she does want to be seen. 

Ambrose Young is the gorgeous star wrestler with a full scholarship to college and a bright future. What no one knows is that he’s drowning under the pressure to retain his winning streak.

When the need to escape lands him and his four best friends in the military during 9/11, he suffers a devastating tragedy that leaves him mentally and physically scarred.

Making Faces is a heartbreaking story of loss, forgiveness, friendship, self-discovery and learning to love oneself. Amy Harmon will break your heart and leave you in an emotional state of despair after finishing this heavy masterpiece. 

Click Here To Buy

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Cursed to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth birthday, Prince Rhen plans to break the curse by falling in love. 

Enter Harper. 

From an absentee father, a mother whose clock is ticking, and a brother who underestimates her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper understands struggles. When she witnesses what appears to be a kidnapping in action, Harper steps in and whacks the would-be kidnapper in the head…and ends up in Emberfall.

If you’re into Beauty and the Beast retellings featuring badass heroines and the enemies-to-lovers trope, A Curse So Dark and Lonely is one of the best slow-burn fantasy romances for you. 

Click Here To Buy

Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher

Struck with misfortune, Bryony and her sister are now without a father, a home, and money, forcing them to make a living in an unfamiliar city far from home. 

When a blizzard leaves Bryony stranded, she finds safety in a secluded, abandoned manor.

However, Bryony soon learns that the gothic structure may be home to much more than she bargained for, including a cursed beast and dark sorcery.

Humorous, charming, and witty, Bryony and Roses is a magical Beauty and the Beast reimagining that skirts the edge of darkness and delivers an unforgettable tale of love, mystery, and intrigue.

Click Here To Buy

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Set in a village plagued by a deadly evil known as the Wood, Agnieszka and every other young girl grew up knowing that one of them would be swept away by the Dragon, the wizard who keeps the evil at bay. 

Everyone believed that it would be the beautiful and sweet Kasia that would be his tribute. However, no one is more surprised than Agnieszka when she learns that the Dragon has his sights set on someone else.

Heartbreaking, moving, and darkly enchanting, Uprooted is a breathtakingly beautiful romance that is undoubtedly one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings on the market.

Click Here To Buy

Land of the Beautiful Dead by R. Lee Smith

In a post-apocalyptic world plagued by the undead, Lan is simply trying to survive. When her mom falls prey to the zombies, Lan ventures to the walled city of Haven where Azrael, the Lord of the Beautiful Dead, resides to end his reign of death. 

In this darkly twisted version of Beauty and the Beast, you can expect a post-apocalyptic world dominated by zombies and ruled by the Lord of the Beautiful Dead. As one of the best dark Beauty and the Beast retellings, I recommend sinking your claws into this page-turner because it might end up becoming your new favorite reimagined fairy tale.  

Click Here To Buy

Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier

To escape her abusive home and an unwanted marriage, Caitrin races off to the haunting, mist-covered lands of Whistling Tor. 

Desperate for money and a place to stay, she takes a summer job as a scribe to the isolated lord of Whistling Tor, Anluan.

Interwoven within the threads of Heart’s Blood is a classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. Between the beautiful love story and the atmospheric, spooky setting of Whistling Tor, you will not be able to put down this magical read.

Click Here To Buy

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

The Wrath and the Dawn tells the story of an eighteen-year-old caliph, Khalid, who takes a new bride each night only to have a silk cord wrapped around their neck each morning and a commoner, Shahrzad, who is intent on ending after her best friend falls victim to Khalid.

If you love Beauty and the Beast retellings with cunning heroines that fall under the enemies-to-lovers trope, The Wrath and the Dawn is one of the best slow-burn fantasy romance books to add to your TBR list. You do not want to miss this standout novel. 

Click Here To Buy

A Tale of Beauty and Beast by Melanie Cellier

In this magical retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Princess Sophia sets out to save the cursed kingdom of Palinar and its beastly prince – a prince who is slowly stealing pieces of her heart. And when it comes time to choose between love and saving the kingdom, Sophia must follow her heart.  

Magical, heartwarming, and captivating, A Tale of Beauty and Beast is the perfect YA reimagining of the classic fairytale.

Click Here To Buy

The Bad Guy by Celia Aaron

When billionaire CEO and diagnosed psychopath Sebastian Lindstrom meets Camille Briarlane at a business party, he decides then and there that he wants her. So he does what any guy would do and takes her hostage at his castle-like mansion. 

The Bad Guy is a dark romance perfect for readers who love a dash of kidnapping alongside their romance. As one of the best dark Beauty and the Beast retellings, you cannot go wrong with this delicious page-turner, especially if you want to walk down the path of sin.

Click Here To Buy