The Righteous (The Beautiful Quartet)

Renée Ahdieh has created another intriguing addition to The Beautiful Quartet series. I have waited to read until the series is complete so that I can binge-read it. It is a testament to her writing style, the quality of the characters created, and the world they reside in that this is exactly what I have done. With the cliffhanger at the end, I am also very grateful to have the fourth book ready to read.
This book took a departure from the expected based on how the last book ended. Odette is not as dead as Bastien and Celine believe her to be. Her loyal found family will go to any lengths to see that she has a chance to be healed. This leads to the story centering around Arjun Desai and his ties to the Fae court in the to secure the best of magical healers.
Pippa Montrose is not satisfied with the hasty note Celine left, which did not explain why she would want to go to the Fae world. Pippa’s whole life has been based on protecting others and she can’t leave it be. What ensues is folly on her part and the whims of destiny. With her life in mortal peril, Arjun can only think of one thing to protect her, make her his bride.
The fake bride trope, secret sexual desire, and the peril of the situation make this a consuming page-turning delight. I loved their characters taking centerstage and honestly, this was my favorite of the three so far. I do find it ironic that in the other books, Celine is seeking her own agency and not to be at the whim of others. Yet, now in her own series, she became a side character that didn’t even have a part in the story until over 60% of the book was finished. She also wants so badly to believe in her mother’s goodness that she does not take Bastien’s reservations seriously. Their relationship which is supposed to be this epic-consuming love story does not compare to Arjun and Pippa’s love story.
The other thing I found unexpected about the story was that this series is marketed as a vampire book. Therefore, I expected the plot to be wrapped up in the vampire mystique and the seductive appeal that they have. Yet, the first book was setting up this world of mystery and intrigue and Celine didn’t fully realize that those around her were actually vampires. Then in book two, her memories have been stolen, the fae aspect becomes a large part of the plot, and Bastien does not actually want to be a vampire. I did find his struggles with his fate refreshing compared to other big-name vampire books like Twilight and Crave where those male main characters were thoroughly confident in that aspect of themselves. Now, this book focuses on Arjun being half-fae and his love story with the mortal, Pippa, and the secret machinations of Celine’s mother. In many ways, the vampire aspect is not the focus of the plot. Now that I’m coming to terms with the reality being different from the plot I expected, I am excited to see what will happen in the fourth book.

The Righteous is the third book in The Beautiful series by Renee Ahdieh. The first two books of this series are focused on the vampire aspect of this world, but in this third book, we introduce the Fae into the mix. Whenever I encounter a series with Fae, the wit, sarcasm, and playful banter take things to a whole new level. The main themes of feminism, sex positivity, and cause diversity make for an exciting read that has flowed throughout the entire series.
The story follows Pippa and Arjun's story, and Bastin and Celine get to take a back seat, and boy, does that make for an interesting take. Pippa and Arjun are significant in playing off each other and their adventures in the fae land. I also really enjoy the various Alice in Wonderland book quotes shared at the start of the chapters.
Final Thoughts:
The Righteous is my favorite out of the three books. The ending on this one is quite the doozy, so be prepared for that. If you love vampires and the addition of fae antics, this is the series for you.
Audiobook Review:
After listening to the audiobook version, I have to say the narrator has an alluring voice that holds your interest the whole time. I love how each character has unique sounds, so you always know who's talking. The narration is outstanding done, and the tone matches perfectly with the various characters of the series.

Arjun travels to his homeland to try to find something to save Odette from dying the final death. He'll do whatever it takes to save the people he cares about. Pippa will also do anything for her friends, including risking her life by following Arjin into the fae world to find Celine. Pippa just wants to make sure she's okay, but finds herself in more trouble than she bargains for.

Wrapped up in fae customs, Pippa becomes engaged to Arjun, even though she's supposed to wed Phoebus. Arjun wants to make sure Pippa gets out of there alive because she's always been someone special to him, but he isn't certain why. He will face his mom and everyone else to do the right thing. Both Pippa and Arjun are loyal which makes they mold well together.

While Pippa and Arjun tiptoe around the fae courts, Celine and Bastien are walking on eggshells of their own. Celine has just been reunited with her mother and Bastien has left his friends in a time where they need him. The guilt about Odette builds up in Bastien and he doesn't trust Celine's mom. The rising tensions cause Celine and Bastien to bicker more and more.

In the first two books of the series, there's more of a focus on vampires and Celine and Bastien. In THE RIGHTEOUS, we get to witness the fae world and some of their politics. This was fascinating and I love Arjun and Pippa together. The two make a fearsome duo, like Celine and Bastien. The alternating POVs keeps things moving at a fast pace, and while this one follows Pippa and Arjun the most, we also catch glimpses of Celine and Bastien. This was an intriguing third to the series and has left me craving the fourth.

After listening to the audiobook version, I have to say the narrator has an alluring voice that holds your interest the whole time. I love how each character has their own unique sound so you always know who's talking.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of vampires, fae, and other supernatural creatures. THE RIGHTEOUS is a paranormal romance with a dash of fantasy that highlights the fae and their politics and is the third in the Beautiful Series. The whole series comes highly recommend from me!