Before Belle came into the picture, Beast was a prince full of arrogance. After he hurts the wrong person, he gets the curse that turns him into a beast until he can learn to love. Though everyone knows how the story ends, the beginning will bring light to choices previously unknown.

As a huge lover of anything having to do with Beauty and the Beast, I was so excited to start THE BEAST WITHIN by Serena Valentino. Valentino has previously written, Fairest of All, a story that looks at the history behind the Wicked Queen in Snow White, so I knew this one would be something to look forward to, and it doesn't disappoint! I love the surprise friendship between the Prince and Gatson that makes so much sense, though I wouldn't have minded seeing more of their history than was given. The twists between the curse being put in place and Belle coming to the castle are so interesting, and they mold so well with the original story. I actually wish it was a little longer, so the Belle time could have been explored more.

Overall, this is a great read for anyone wanting a little more to the story than the original. The twists are somewhat liberal, but they tie in beautifully. THE BEAST WITHIN does a wonderful job of looking at what the beast was actually going through during the curse, and Serena Valentino shows a unique and new look on familiar characters. With the brief mentions of Ursula from The Little Mermaid mentioned, I am definitely hoping for a story with her in it!