Review Detail
4.6 3
Young Adult Fiction
233
Haunting & Unforgettable
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
What I Loved:
Everything. Seriously. This is a lovely, heartbreaking, uplifting, achingly honest debut that just consumed me from start to finish. The writing is beautiful without getting in the way of the story. The characters are flawed, authentic, and relatable. The setting works perfectly as a backdrop to the story. And hope is threaded throughout this often pain-filled narrative.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that Ms. Wolf understands what it feels like to be damaged, to make choices that seem right at the time only to have them blow up in your face later, and she isn't afraid to look those choices in the eye and carefully explore the aftermath. There were no easy answers in this book. No sudden revelations that made everything better instantly. Instead, this story plumbs the depths of grief, lies, and the damage we do to ourselves and others, and then dares to slowly climb out on the other side, dares to grasp a thread of hope with desperate fingers, and shows us that even when we think all is lost, we're worth redeeming. And my very favorite aspect of this book is that the redemption is REAL. It isn't easy, it isn't simple, and it costs the characters nearly as much as the initial wound did, but that's authentic.
I sat down late at night, intending to read only a few chapters and ended up consuming nearly half of the book in one sitting. I then finished it the very next morning because I couldn't bear to be away from the characters and their story. The family relationships are complicated but full of loyalty, love, courage, and occasional misunderstandings. The romance is fraught with difficulty, dedication, and heartbreakingly swoony moments that made me want to reach through the pages and just hug them both. And the murder mystery kept me on my toes, desperately turning the pages to figure out who did it.
What Left Me Wanting More:
Nothing. Just absolutely nothing. This was one of those "perfect for me" books that comes along so rarely.
Final Verdict:
BREAKING BEAUTIFUL is an achingly lovely portrayal of the cost of secrets, the damage we do to ourselves and others, and the rocky road to redemption. If I was still a high school English teacher, this would be on my required reading list. It's a stunning debut, and I highly recommend it.
Everything. Seriously. This is a lovely, heartbreaking, uplifting, achingly honest debut that just consumed me from start to finish. The writing is beautiful without getting in the way of the story. The characters are flawed, authentic, and relatable. The setting works perfectly as a backdrop to the story. And hope is threaded throughout this often pain-filled narrative.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that Ms. Wolf understands what it feels like to be damaged, to make choices that seem right at the time only to have them blow up in your face later, and she isn't afraid to look those choices in the eye and carefully explore the aftermath. There were no easy answers in this book. No sudden revelations that made everything better instantly. Instead, this story plumbs the depths of grief, lies, and the damage we do to ourselves and others, and then dares to slowly climb out on the other side, dares to grasp a thread of hope with desperate fingers, and shows us that even when we think all is lost, we're worth redeeming. And my very favorite aspect of this book is that the redemption is REAL. It isn't easy, it isn't simple, and it costs the characters nearly as much as the initial wound did, but that's authentic.
I sat down late at night, intending to read only a few chapters and ended up consuming nearly half of the book in one sitting. I then finished it the very next morning because I couldn't bear to be away from the characters and their story. The family relationships are complicated but full of loyalty, love, courage, and occasional misunderstandings. The romance is fraught with difficulty, dedication, and heartbreakingly swoony moments that made me want to reach through the pages and just hug them both. And the murder mystery kept me on my toes, desperately turning the pages to figure out who did it.
What Left Me Wanting More:
Nothing. Just absolutely nothing. This was one of those "perfect for me" books that comes along so rarely.
Final Verdict:
BREAKING BEAUTIFUL is an achingly lovely portrayal of the cost of secrets, the damage we do to ourselves and others, and the rocky road to redemption. If I was still a high school English teacher, this would be on my required reading list. It's a stunning debut, and I highly recommend it.
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