Book Blitz: Bellamy and The Brute - Alicia Michaels
Bellamy and The Brute
Alicia Michaels
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: March 13th 2017
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult
A fresh twist on a classic story, Bellamy and the Brute proves true love really is blind.
When Bellamy McGuire is offered a summer job babysitting for the wealthy Baldwin family, she’s reluctant to accept. After all, everyone in town knows about the mysterious happenings at the mansion on the hill—including the sudden disappearance of the Baldwin’s eldest son, Tate. The former football star and golden boy of Wellhollow Springs became a hermit at the age of sixteen, and no one has seen or heard from him since. Rumors abound as to why, with whisperings about a strange illness—one that causes deformity and turned him into a real-life monster. Bellamy wants to dismiss these rumors as gossip, but when she’s told that if she takes the job, she must promise to never, ever visit the third floor of the mansion, she begins to wonder if there really is some dark truth hidden there.
Tate’s condition may not be the only secret being kept at Baldwin House. There are gaps in the family’s financial history that don’t add up, and surprising connections with unscrupulous characters. At night there are strange noises, unexplained cold drafts, and the electricity cuts out. And then there are the rose petals on the staircase. The rose petals that no one but Bellamy seems to be able to see. The rose petals that form a trail leading right up to the 3 rd floor, past the portrait of a handsome young man, and down a dark hallway where she promised she would never, ever go…
As Bellamy works to unravel the mysteries of Baldwin House and uncover the truth about Tate, she realizes that she is in way over her head… in more ways than one. Can her bravery and determination help to right the wrongs of the past and free the young man whose story has captured her heart?
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Author Bio:
Ever since she first read books like Chronicles of Narnia or Goosebumps, Alicia has been a lover of mind-bending fiction. Wherever imagination takes her, she is more than happy to call that place her home. With several Fantasy and Science Fiction titles under her belt, Alicia strives to write multicultural characters and stories that touch the heart. V-Card, the first book of the Sharing Spaces series, was her first Contemporary Romance.
The mother of three and wife to a soldier, she loves chocolate, coffee, and of course good books. When not writing, you can usually find her with her nose in a book, shopping for shoes and fabulous jewelry, or spending time with her loving family.
From the Author:
10 Things I
Love About Beauty and the Beast
Boy meets girl. Boy is a total jerk
(and a bit of an animal). Girl looks deeper to see that boy isn’t what he
seems. Boy resists at first, but girl is too kind and inwardly beautiful … boy
falls in love with girl. Girl realizes she loves boy even though he’s a beast.
The tale is a classic one, and the
concept of a beauty falling in love with a beast, despite his falls, one that
we can all identify with. There’s a reason that the tale of Beauty and the
Beast continues to be retold through the ages. Something about it makes us
believe in true love … because if Belle can learn to love the Beast, then it
truly must be real … as well as undiscriminating.
In honor of the release of Bellamy
and the Brute, as well as the movie remake of Beauty and the Beast, here are 10
things I love about one of my favorite movies of all time.
10. Gaston. Okay, so I know he’s the villain, and we’re supposed to
hate the bad guy. But hear me out. Gaston is one of my favorite Disney
villains, because you really don’t see him coming. Most bad guys make
themselves known as the antagonists from the jump … they hate the hero or
heroine for (fill in the blank) reason, and want to destroy them. But, really,
all Gaston wants is for Belle to recognize his perfection. What starts off as a
seemingly stupid and harmless annoyance, becomes dangerous by the time all is
said and done. I think it’s a testament to how villains are made in real life …
ignorance that gains strength over time.
9. The Music. Because, who doesn’t sing along to ‘Be Our Guest’ or cry
when they hear ‘Beauty and the Beast’ In a movie like Beauty and the Beast, the
music must be acknowledged, and these songs are truly iconic.
8. Maurice (Bell’s Dad). Because he was just so darn loveable and I
couldn’t help but see a bit of my own father in him. I just wanted to give him
a big ole hug!
7. Mrs. Potts. Because Angela Lansbury (voice of Mrs. Potts) is an
angel from heaven and her rendition of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ brings tears to
my eyes. Every. Time.
6. Beast’s House & Library. Sure, the castle of the beast is
presented as sort of sinister when Belle first approaches. But, as an adult, I
can’t help but watch the movie again and appreciate the architecture, as well
as the décor and furniture. And that library? Yasssss!
5. Bell’s iconic yellow/gold gown. Because I’m not going to pretend
that I didn’t wrap bedsheets around myself and twirl around pretending to wear
that beautiful ball gown. Easily THE most iconic princess outfit of them all.
Yes, more iconic than Cinderella’s. Sorry, Cinders.
4. The scene where all the talking furniture goes against Gaston and his
gang. This was one of the most epic battles of Disney history, and possibly
the funniest. The part where the talking armoire leaps down to crush someone
while emitting an opera-like cry? Comedic gold, I tell ya!
3. The Waltz. One of the most romantic things I’ve ever seen was Belle
and Beast waltzing in that beautiful ballroom. Le, sigh!
2. Belle. What’s not to like about a strong, smart heroine. Belle
wasn’t just beautiful on the outside. She was truly kind and generous, while
also reminding the people around her that she wasn’t to be trifled with.
Gaston, especially. She was not weakling, and she checked Gaston on his B.S.
every chance she got. Plus, she was a bookworm, giving me someone to relate to
as a kid, being the girl with her nose always in a book and all.
1. Lumiere and Cogsworth. We all know the movie is about Belle and
Beast and their epic romance … but I have to say I was also really into the
bromance between a talking candlestick and talking clock. The banter, the
arguing, the working together to get their mutual friend a girlfriend so they
could all be human again … let’s keep it real. Those two were the real MVPs of
Beauty and the Beast.
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