12 must-read science fiction and fantasy book releases for a magical July
By Lacy Baugher
July 2021 release: Curses – Lish McBride
A gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast retelling set in a universe that vaguely resembles Victorian London, Curses is a charming twist on a familiar classic.
The story follows Merit Cravan, cursed to sport horns, fur, and a tail after she refuses to marry a prince the way she was supposed to. And unless she finds a true love match or marries a man of her mother’s choosing by the time she turns 18, she’ll be forced to keep them forever.
It’s not all bad though – and a lot of the other members in her support group for cursed types have it a lot worse. At least there’s an herb on her family’s land that will help her regain her normal form for a few hours. And that same herb may hold the key to breaking her curse – just not the way you think.
Tavin Dumont is a handsome boy in a big family, often put to work by his mother to tempt rich girls into breaking their engagements for profit. (It’s complicated.) But when his mother runs afoul of Merit in beast form, she barters his skills to help her locate a worthy partner.
Three guesses who that worth partner will probably turn out to be, is all I’m saying.
The official synopsis has more details about the story.
"Merit Cravan refused to fulfill her obligation to marry a prince, leading to a fairy godling’s curse. She will be forced to live as a beast forever, unless she agrees to marry a man of her mother’s choosing before her eighteenth birthday. Tevin Dumont has always been a pawn in his family’s cons. The prettiest boy in a big family, his job is to tempt naïve rich girls to abandon their engagements, unless their parents agree to pay him off. But after his mother runs afoul of the beast, she decides to trade Tevin for her own freedom. Now, Tevin and Merit have agreed that he can pay off his mother’s debt by using his con-artist skills to help Merit find the best match . . . but what if the best match is Tevin himself?"
Curses is available on July 20.