Beast in the Mirror — Laura Bradley Rede

Once upon a time, Bella Ashton was the teenage model to watch -- until her anorexia got the better of her and she passed out on the runway. Now, fresh off a year of eating disorder rehab, Bella is eager to get back in the game. But when she and her photographer cousin break into an abandoned Irish manor to stage a photo shoot, Bella finds herself face to face with the house's owner: a hideous beast who used to be a girl like her. Taken captive, the terrified Bella will do anything to escape. But as she learns more about the beast, she discovers they aren't that different -- and that the beast, in her own way, is a prisoner, too. How far will she go to save the monster she's slowly learning to love? And can finding the beauty in someone else help you find it in yourself?

Laura Bradley Rede gives the "tale as old as time" a fresh new twist in this queer, feminist reimagining.

(Please note: This story contains discussion of anorexia that may be triggering for some readers. Also note: This is a 30k novella.)