The writing is as beautiful as the dangerous world and lures in with just as much grace.

Usually, I start off with a short description of the plot as I saw it, but this time, the blurb says it all. Vynasha lives a solitary life thanks to her magic, and she holds secrets to match the gossip swirling about her. She's an intriguing character, who also grabs sympathy right away, not only because of her lonely situation but due her to desire to protect her nephew, too.

The world is crafted with as much poetic beauty as the writing. It's a treat to visit each scene and simply sink into the moment. It weaves with Vynasha's journey to form a vivid atmosphere and makes the tension, worries, struggles, and hopes dig deep. While lovely, though, some passages need to be read more than once to understand what is being brought across. This isn't my favorite style, but it'd be wrong to say that it's not well done.

The plot follows the main flow as described in the blurb. However, there is quite a bit happening on the side as well. It's layered with so many secrets and surprises. While these captured my interested and curiosity, many of them are left open-ended and unanswered, while others simply brought a little confusion. There is a second book on the way, which I'm expecting will clear much of this up. While I did enjoy diving into this tale and found the twist to Beauty and the Beast more than intriguing, I'm going to bow out after this first book, since it's simply not quite my thing. Still, I'm glad I had the chance to visit the enchanting world. ( )

3.5/5 stars

Craving Beauty by Jennifer Silverwood is the story of Vynasha. Set in a valley surrounded by the Azul and forbidden Wylder Mountains. She and her nephew, Wyll, are the remaining members of a once thriving family. Permanent disfiguring scars remain on her and Wyll from the fire that took his mother and she blames herself for what happened.

When a beggar tells her where she should go for Wyll to be healed, hope stirs within her and she sets out with Wyll on a journey, trusting in the beggar's instructions.

Silverwood's literary prose takes the reader on a compelling journey with Vynasha as she seeks the place she might find healing for Wyll. Her mind and dreams are haunted by her brother, Ceddrych's stories which now seem to be segments of the reality she experiences. When she is taken she is desperate to find her way to freedom and learns of things about herself that never knew.

I especially liked Vynasha's terryfying experiences with the golden-eyed beast. My favorite character was Grendall. Vynasha seems strong at times but more inconsistent. As much internal mode thinking as she does, one would think she would have more clarity. Still, the story is quite entertaining and a good read and I was left wondering what would happen to Vynasha and Grendall next. ( )