In a world where beauty is purchased by the elite and can be given by a select few - who can you trust? What a fantastic premise. Dhonielle Clayton deserves every bit of hype this book is getting. From the first scene I was hooked. The Belles is a beautiful, well realized world that blends whimsy (mail balloons!) with something that feels plausible (treatments to help the population achieve impossible beauty standards). The characters are well rounded (with agency!) and the plot has enough twists and surprises to keep you invested til the conclusion. If you liked Amy Ewing's The Jewel series, it reminded me a lot of that world. I'm absolutely ready for book two now. (And thanks to this book, I now desperately want a teacup elephant.)