Breaking Beautiful

May 06, 2012 Patricia marked it as mine-to-read

Shelves: source-author-or-publisher

Dear Patricia,

if you're reading this it means you're giving into your narcissistic urges and read your own reviews. That is okay, although I advice you to go to a therapist. Now.

Still here? Well then: You want to read this book. It's not just one you added, but one you want to read, because it's much suspense, and romance, and about a girl that can't remember how her boyfriend died. (Btw, you wanted to read Pregnasia!)

And she was actually in an abusive relationship with him, and now there is so...more

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May 12, 2012 Merin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, read-in-2012

Breaking Beautiful was the first book dealing with abusive relationships that I've read. The subject matter always made me leery, because it could so easily be done incorrectly. But I liked the fact that this book involved a mystery: Allie's boyfriend, Trip, is dead, and Allie can't remember what happened that night. She is automatically looked at with suspicion because she survived and he did not. It doesn't help that Trip is seen as a perfect boyfriend, and was extremely popular in their small...more Breaking Beautiful was the first book dealing with abusive relationships that I've read. The subject matter always made me leery, because it could so easily be done incorrectly. But I liked the fact that this book involved a mystery: Allie's boyfriend, Trip, is dead, and Allie can't remember what happened that night. She is automatically looked at with suspicion because she survived and he did not. It doesn't help that Trip is seen as a perfect boyfriend, and was extremely popular in their small town. (It also doesn't help that his father is loaded and single-handedly brought tourism back to the town, rejuvenating it.) But the reader - and Allie - are aware of the darker side of Trip: the fact that, when he got angry - which was quite often - he'd take that anger out on Allie. Allie is afraid to say anything, though, because she doesn't want people to know what Trip did, mostly because she fears that they'd never believe her (and that it would just make her look even more guilty regarding his death). Allie spends much of this book afraid: afraid to remember, afraid to tell anyone the truth, afraid of what others think about her. The book encompasses Allie's journey as she tries to move on, and also her growth as a character.

One other thing I loved about this book was Allie's relationship with her twin brother, Andrew, who has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. Allie tries so hard to protect Andrew, because she feels like he isn't as strong as she is, but in truth it was Andrew who was the strongest character in the story. I loved seeing their little talks, the flashbacks to when he tried to help her with Trip, and just their little day-to-day conversations and the way they lived their lives and interacted with each other. This was a really great sibling relationship, and was probably one of the strengths of the book. I also thoroughly enjoyed Blake, and the way we got to see what his and Allie's relationship looked like prior to her meeting Trip. I also loved the fact that, to Blake, Andrew was just another person and wasn't anything strange or different because of his disability (and I ADORED Caitlyn, the girl Andrew starts dating during the book). Blake was such a great character: fully developed, with an interesting back story, who's dealing with a number of things that no one knows about. He's aware of what others think about him, and doesn't care. The only person he cares about is Allie, and I give him so much credit for never giving up on her, even when she treated him horribly. I liked the slow development of his relationship with her, his little insights into what she's thinking, and how he just really cared about her from the very beginning. Their relationship was so well-developed that by the time they were "together" it was just perfect, including Allie's insecurities and worries about what the relationship might imply to others.

The abuse was dealt with in a really realistic way: you see the flashbacks of what Trip did to Allie (aside from the accident that killed him), you hear her inner monologues in which she puts herself down, and you see her reactions when people raise a hand to her (even if they're not going to hit her), or get angry with her. Her whole personality screams, "I've been abused," and it's kind of amazing that no one realized what was going on. There were so many lines that just really spoke to me: "I glance around out of habit, to see if anyone is watching before I approach [Blake]," (10%), "[Trip would] get mad if I had something to do that didn't involve him," (14%), "With Trip around, I was isolated from the rest of the school, but I was isolated with him for company. Now I'm just alone," (34%). And then there was the box of her mementos that absolutely screamed "this is what an abusive relationship looks like!" You had the apology letters - "I'm sorry, I'll never do it again, please forgive me, I didn't mean it, etc," and the expensive gifts to make up for when he hurt her. You had all the pictures in which she didn't ever really look happy, or looked horribly stressed out. The whole thing just really made me so sad for her, especially her overwhelming fear and the way she'd changed her entire life for this one guy who treated her so badly. And the fact that she believed him when he'd put her down, and how she wouldn't believe Blake when he said something nice about her just really broke my heart.

And throughout all of this, you have the overarching mystery of what happened the night Trip died. Allie is being followed, is receiving threatening letters, and is really struggling to figure out what happened to her (and is torn about whether she even wants to know what happened). I felt like the mystery was really well written, because I was just as confused as Allie was and had no idea how everything was going to turn out. I just really wanted Allie to find the strength to remember, to free herself from Trip's memory, and to start realizing that she was so much better than he'd wanted her to think she was. And most of all I wanted her to realize just how perfect Blake was for her, and how much he cared for her.

Everything about this book was so well done, and I've gone on about what I liked so much you're probably wondering why I took a star off. The truth is that this book starts kind of slowly; I didn't find myself really engrossed until about 40% into the narrative. But once I hit that point, the book was hard to put down, as I just wanted to know what was going to happen, and what the truth about Trip's death was. I stayed up far too late last night to finish it, because I got to the point where I couldn't stop reading. Even with the darker subject matter, there is a lot of hope in this book, not only hope for Allie to heal, but hope that everything will work out for the best. All in all this was a really fabulous debut novel.

Breaking Beautiful is now available in North America from the bookseller of your choice. I highly recommend you pick up a copy.

An e-galley was provided by the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from an uncorrected e-galley.(less)

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May 01, 2012 fooloveratook rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-review, cover-lust, family, need-to-purchase, own-arcs, young-adult

Rating: Sud-Kissed
Source: NetGalley

my thoughts in a few sentences: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf was a striking surprise, a contemporary read that reaches in and filleted my heart with slashing memories and circumstances that aggravate frustrated tears until they were falling everywhere. Have you ever watched the movie for or read the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson? The searing frustration on behalf of Melinda directed at the few people in her life who judge, mistreat, and refuse...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Joanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

It seems as though Allie has lost everything since the accident that killed her boyfriend, Trip: her will to go on at school and her best friend, Blake, her one constant through her many years of moves and different schools (she’s an army brat). But throughout BREAKING BEAUTIFUL, secrets and lies begin to unfold as the truth about Allie and Trip’s relationship are revealed and the investigation into the accident begin to heat up in the small town of Pacific Cliffs. Allie doesn’t escape the suspi...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Kimberly Sabatini rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mg-ya

Breaking Beautiful gave me sweaty palms and warm fuzzies--all in the same book. This story is a creeper of a murder mystery, while also being a coming of age story. I loved that this book brought so much to the table in one little package.

Allie and Blake were well written, likable, interesting people, but I found myself particularly captivated by Andrew, Caitlyn and Detective Weeks. They were such unique characters, I couldn't get enough of them. They were the feather in Wolf's cap.

Without givi...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Shanyn (Chick Loves Lit) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dac12

I've had my eye on this contemporary FOR EV ER. When NetGalley put it up I squealed, put it on my Kindle, and then let it taunt me for a little while before reading (the anticipation is half the fun, right?).

Full Review: http://chickloveslit.com/2012/04/revi...

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Apr 23, 2012 Kristy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Breaking Beautiful is a richly descriptive story of a young girl trying to emerge from a painful relationship, but it seems that her old friends and small community won't let that happen. Allie's senior year starts without her as she fights to recover from the injuries she suffered in an accident that killed her popular boyfriend, Trip. It has left her with no memory of what happened that night, but some of her memories of Trip must remain a secret. He was well loved, and the community thought h...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge, 2012-releases, april-2012-release, netgalley, young-adult, arc

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This was an intense and amazing read. What a tough subject to tackle for a debut novel, but Jennifer Shaw Wolf did it beautifully. She had me hooked from page one and never let go. Breaking Beautiful is realistically told and perfectly paced. It's intense, somber, sad, and hopeful all at the same time. I experienced so many emotions throughout reading this book, some that even surprised me.

I'm generally a little short on patience when it comes to weak girls in novels but I was...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Loretta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-release, 2012-ya-contemporary, arc, contemporary, debut-authors-2012, netgalley-arc, romance, young-adult, ya-contemp-challenge

Posted Here:
http://www.betweenthepagesreviews.com...

From the very 1st page in Breaking Beautiful I was hooked. You know, from the blurb that Allie has lost her boyfriend Trip, in a car accident. The accident that left Allie alive. But what you don't know will shock you, and emotionally entwine you into the character that is Allie.
Allie and her twin brother, Andrew, have such a great bond. Even though Andrew has daily disabilities, he wants to be in control of his life. He just wants to be as no...more Posted Here:
http://www.betweenthepagesreviews.com...

From the very 1st page in Breaking Beautiful I was hooked. You know, from the blurb that Allie has lost her boyfriend Trip, in a car accident. The accident that left Allie alive. But what you don't know will shock you, and emotionally entwine you into the character that is Allie.
Allie and her twin brother, Andrew, have such a great bond. Even though Andrew has daily disabilities, he wants to be in control of his life. He just wants to be as normal as he can be. He loves his sister, very much.
You get a look into Allie's past life, glimpses of her relationship and how it may not have been as perfect as everyone thought. What happened that night of the car accident? Why can Allie not remember? Or does she?
Trip and Allie both had dysfunctional families. Trip was not taught how to be a man by his father, but rather a monster.One who had Allie, terrified. I really did not like Trip's father. He was a creep, and just something about him was off. His mother seemed rather, blank. Later you will understand why. She knew, all along. Allie's family on the other hand was just really to me, nothing. They had no good advice, the things that her mother said was just wrong, inconsiderate. I really did not like her. Allie's father has spent more time away from the family then in it. He is in the Army. So when he started being around all the time this was hard for Allie. He was overbearing.
Both families had some serious issues that they needed to work out. But, that time for Trip was over. He was gone. Allie was alive.
She has to try to remember what happened, or rather admit that things were not the greatest. A Detective comes to town, wanting to question Allie more about the case. It seems that Trip's father just can't walk away. He has his suspicions. But they could be further from the truth.
I really liked Blake. He really liked Allie. He was there for her. Then when she starts remembering more, she realizes he may know more then he is saying.
After Allie finds a note in her locker, written in Trips handwriting, she is scared, and confused. What is going on? Is Trip alive? No, he cannot be. Then what is happening. Who is taunting Allie & why?
Jennifer Shaw Wolf's debut novel for me was amazing. The writing kept me turning the pages. The mystery was intriguing. Everything about Allie, and this life that she had hidden for so long, had me so emotionally wrapped into the words in this book, my heart broke for her. Then, I felt joy for her. Beautifully Broken, was one of those books, you will remember days after you have read it.. you will be left in awe.(less)

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Apr 08, 2012 Bookish♥Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: singles-fic, z-2012-dac, read-in-2012, favorites

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

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18-year-old Allie lost her boyfriend a month ago. Trip died in a tragic car accident; one in which he drove his truck off a cliff. Allie survived the accident, but with a blank spot in her memory where the events of, and leading up to, the accident should be.

In the small coastal town of Pacific Cliffs, everyone knows everyone, and having a private life isn't something to be expected while living there. So, needless to say, when a detec...more

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Apr 22, 2012 ~Tina~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cover-crazz, bookers-tour, favorites, read-2012, whodunit, own

I've always tended to stay away from abusive type books. They've never been an escape that I looked forward to, but there is something incredibly consuming about Breaking Beautiful that had me drawn to it's story.

Not only does this have a beautiful cover, but it has a heartbreaking story inside that had the power to pull at my heart strings.
I really don't know what I can say about this book. Jennifer Shaw Wolf is an amazing writing. The way she moved this story along was so perfectly paced. It w...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Melanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-literature, abuse, high-school, schools, friends, washington-state, accidents, memory, dating, twins, brothers-sisters

A red dress, a 1967 Chevy pickup, notes in her locker... A nightmare. Allie can't remember what happened. All she knows is that her perfect boyfriend, the star athlete and high school favorite, Trip, is dead. She knows she's mixed up in it somehow, but she's not sure how.

When notes in Trip's handwriting start showing up in her belongings at school Allie becomes nervous and frightened. But secretly she's relieved. He's gone. He can't hurt her anymore. That's right. Trip hit her. A lot. Her legs,...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Alejandra Molina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: project-books

Allie has lost more than her boyfriend Trip in a car accident she can't remember what happened the night Trip died. She lives in a small town and rumors are being spread that Allie killed Trip. When an investigator comes in town to figure out what happened that night Allie must try and remember or be the main suspect. Rumors are also spreading about Allie's friend Blake and how him and Allie spend too much time together. Secrets are revealed in this book about what kind of relationship Allie an...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Emily Wichser rated it 4 of 5 stars

Breaking Beautiful
Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf first caught my eye because I thought it had an interesting cover. Plus when I read the back of the book I found it was written in Washington I became a lot more interested because I can relate to the setting easier. Jennifer Shaw Wolf grew up in Wilford Idaho where she milked cows, rode horses, went bridge jumping, and cruised Main Street. Her hobbies include reading, video production, skiing and running. She went to Birmingham Young...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Sophie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I was at the library (on election day) and picked up this book, which was in the just-in pile. I love reading brand new books because its like I'm the only one and I have no dog ears, or damage. I just like it (don't question it). Anyway, I read the inside flap and thought, "Wow! This sound's like my kinda book-there's tragedy, romance and a little mystery to keep you guessing." So, I put it in my (never ending) pile of books (Which included THE DEAD GIRLS DETECTIVE AGENCY and WHEN IT HAPPENS, k...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Christin (Portrait of a Book) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100in2012, 2012-debut, book-portrait-review, contemporary-fiction, dystopian, young-adult

Really 3.5 stars

I was drawn to this book for the cover, especially the phrase on it: "Does time heal all wounds?" After reading the synopsis, I knew that this would be an emotional book, but I didn't realize just how many aspects of life this book would touch.

Since the night of the car accident involving her and her boyfriend, Allie has mostly stayed in her room, hardly talking to her parents or her twin Andrew, merely tolerating her friend Blake's presence when he comes to deliver her homework...more Really 3.5 stars

I was drawn to this book for the cover, especially the phrase on it: "Does time heal all wounds?" After reading the synopsis, I knew that this would be an emotional book, but I didn't realize just how many aspects of life this book would touch.

Since the night of the car accident involving her and her boyfriend, Allie has mostly stayed in her room, hardly talking to her parents or her twin Andrew, merely tolerating her friend Blake's presence when he comes to deliver her homework for the day. But when a new detective is brought to town to continue the investigation and learn what really caused Trip's (Allie's boyfriend) death, Allie realizes that she will have to go on with life as best as she can. Slowly Allie starts to rebuild her life, dealing with the sympathy from her fellow students and trying to maintain the pretense that she is alright, but she still cannot escape her memories. She knows that Trip was abusive, but she doesn't know what exactly happened the night he died. As her memories gradually return, she begins to question not only her friends but also herself. And through the course of her journey, she finds that things are not always black and white...

Breaking Beautiful does have an element of mystery and suspense, but what really makes this book are the characters. Although it was difficult to connect with Allie at first because she was so numb, as the story progressed, her thoughts and feelings became much more clear. I appreciated seeing the flashbacks of the night of the accident, as well as other times with Trip, as she came to remember them; these scenes really added to the story. I loved her relationship with Andrew; they were friends and tried to protect and care for each other rather than being simply bickering siblings. I also enjoyed Blake's character - who could help but fall for the tortured artist who clearly cared so much for Allie? He evoked almost as much sympathy as Allie, in his own way. Finally, I really liked Caitlyn's character and what she stood for. Throughout the book, Allie, Blake, Andrew, and Caitlyn could all be seen as victims in their own different ways, reminding us that everyone has their own burdens to bear and has to find their own ways to overcome them.

This book may have dealt with heavy, serious topics, but there were moments of startling normalcy and lightheartedness scattered throughout the story that relieved the tension and allowed me to really connect with the characters. After finishing the book, I have to admit that I am conflicted about one detail of the ending. Even though I understand why things happened the way they did, I wonder what the consequences might have been of that decision.

Breaking Beautiful is certainly a worthwhile read, full of meaning and important messages. I will look forward to reading more from Jennifer Shaw Wolf! (less)

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Aug 16, 2012 Bibliojunkies added it

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell th...more Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

I dove into this book late one evening in the hopes of a good read after finishing a less than stellar book. The plan was to read a chapter and go to sleep. Fast forward 6 hours later (or 4am) and I have somehow survived the emotional roller coaster that is Breaking Beautiful. When I say emotional roller coaster, I don’t mean the rapid brutal ascent and fall of emotions that you find in Gayle Forman’s If I Stay. Think shorter ascents and drops in a dark tunnel and the only thing that keeps you from trying to jump off the ride is the light you KNOW is at the end.

This is one of those books that is hard to review because I really don’t want to give anything away other than what is in the description above. It’s a bit of a mystery and I would hate to inadvertently spoil it for anyone.

What I can tell you is that this book is rather dark. I knew going in that it would be. The description provided by the publisher prepared me for the subject matter of abuse Allie experienced at the hands of her boyfriend, Trip. What I wasn’t prepared for was the abuse/bullying that Allie and her friends and family suffered at the hands of the town’s population – both adults and adolescents. Some of it was intentional and vindictive. Some of it was just the careless and thoughtless. Either way, it was hurtful to the characters and upsetting to read.

But not the entire story was dark. Some of the brightest parts of this story were Andrew and Blake. The very first thing that drew me into this book was the relationship between Allie and her twin brother, Andrew. Andrew and Allie have a bond that is both beautiful and moving and I truly believe is one of the few things that keeps her alive in the beginning. Then there is Blake. Even after the way she treated him while dating Trip, Blake still insists on supporting her however and whenever he can and when she lets him.

Although dark, this book ends with a bit of sunshine and hope. I truly loved it. If you love a good emotional read, as I do, then I highly recommend this book.

Nat

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Aug 07, 2012 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse, contemporary, death, drama, family-drama, mystery, romance, young-adult

This review originally appeared on my blog, www.thebiggestbookshelf.blogspot.co.uk

After receiving a Kindle for my birthday, I immediately downloaded quite a few books that I knew I couldn't buy in the UK (English publishers suck). Breaking Beautiful was one of them. It immediately caught my eye on the book blogs and Goodreads, and I couldn't wait for it to come out so I could read it.
Allie was a really great character. She actually felt like a person, and her voice spoke to me. I think I read a...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Helen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog, 4-stars

This review can also be found here on my blog: http://thefictionconniption.blogspot....

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This book really blew me away. It was a really moving premise. Is it okay to be relieved when your boyfriend dies? In any normal case you'd say, "No, of course not! That's horrifying!" But then what if he was abusive? What if it was the only way that she was ultimately able to escape him? Does that change things?

From the first page, I was totally invested in Allie's story - and just as confused as she was as...more This review can also be found here on my blog: http://thefictionconniption.blogspot....

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This book really blew me away. It was a really moving premise. Is it okay to be relieved when your boyfriend dies? In any normal case you'd say, "No, of course not! That's horrifying!" But then what if he was abusive? What if it was the only way that she was ultimately able to escape him? Does that change things?

From the first page, I was totally invested in Allie's story - and just as confused as she was as to what could have happened the night that her abusive boyfriend Trip died. It drove me crazy as I read it, trying to piece together little clues and such - but I loved it!

At the start, Allie can't remember a single thing about the night that her boyfriend Trip's truck went off a cliff resulting in his death, and her mysteriously being discovered on the side of the road, instead of in the water with Trip and his truck. The fact that she remembers nothing scares her, in a way that I found totally believable. She worries that maybe she did something to him - how had she gotten out of the truck? Why had they been there in the first place?

The characters were written very well. I appreciated the way that Allie remembers her relationship with Trip in pieces. Nothing can throw a wrench into a great flowing story like a sudden and long flashback scene stuck right in the middle of the action. Ms. Wolf has an amazing way of revealing the past through small lines of flashback - the way flashbacks actually do feel in real life. The flashbacks gradually grow longer and slowly begin to offer more background information into how their relationship really functioned and how trapped she truly felt. It made me feel like I was truly living through the memories once again with Allie.

I can't remember there being a single dull moment in this book. I was captivated from the first page, and while it didn't necessarily have my heart racing - it definitely kept my curiosity piqued. It took me quite a while to form my own theory about what might have happened that night, and the mystery around whether my theory was correct or not definitely had me staying up til 4 am while my in-laws were visiting this week just so I could find out a little more.

I'd recommend to anyone interested in a more reflective read - one that will make you think and wonder. Definitely not a beach-y, curl up with a cup of hot cocoa kind of read. Be ready to be emotionally invested and totally along for the ride.
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May 29, 2012 Katelyn Broad rated it 4 of 5 stars

In only a moment, everything can change. This is what Allie learns the hard way after her boyfriend died driving off of a cliff while she was there. Thing is-she doesn't remember it. She was found on the ground unconscious and bleeding. Her boyfriend was the son of a powerful man and living in a small town people began to talk and wonder-why can't Allie remember that night? Is she hiding something? When Allie becomes closer to her friend Blake suspicions rise. Allie keeps being pushed to remembe...more

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May 14, 2012 Dorine White rated it 5 of 5 stars

Breaking Beautiful is a YA suspense/romance by author Jennifer Shaw Wolf.
The Story: (flap copy)Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Melodie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Another YA mystery (yay!) I had high hopes for.

They were partially realized. Wolf is a gifted writer who's created some unique, compelling characters. Allie's bond with her CP brother was one of my favorite things about this novel. And there's some great tension between Allie and her new love interest, Blake. The story opens as Allie recovers from a car accident that killed her boyfriend, Trip. She's based her identity on being his girlfriend and now that he's gone, she's got serious issues tryi...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: When I first read the book synopsis for Breaking Beautiful, I was concerned it would be too much like Where it Began by Ann Stampler. There are some similarities between the two books and having read and liked Where it Began, I was concerned that I wouldn’t enjoy Breaking Beautiful as much. Alas, I finally decided I would read this book and hope that the similarities would end with the synopsis. I’m also not too...more See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: When I first read the book synopsis for Breaking Beautiful, I was concerned it would be too much like Where it Began by Ann Stampler. There are some similarities between the two books and having read and liked Where it Began, I was concerned that I wouldn’t enjoy Breaking Beautiful as much. Alas, I finally decided I would read this book and hope that the similarities would end with the synopsis. I’m also not too crazy about the cover art since I don’t find it particularly eye-catching.

First 50 Pages: I felt like I was pulled into the story right away and for the most part, I enjoyed Breaking Beautiful. It is very well-written, has a nice flow to the story line, and the ending wrapped up nice and neat. I commend the author for dealing with harsh topics, such as abusive relationships, in a real fashion. The plot itself isn’t far-fetched at all and I imagine that similar incidents and situations happen, like it showed in the story, every day. But from the first chapter, I began having doubts about the protagonist which only became worse as I kept reading.

Characters & Plot: It is very difficult to like and enjoy a story when you have some serious issues with the main character, and that is how I felt while reading Breaking Beautiful. The plot revolves around Allie who is still recovering from a horrible car accident that left her boyfriend, Trip, dead. Allie doesn’t remember anything that happened, not the accident or anything prior, and people want answers. All that she knows is Trey’s truck went over a cliff and somehow she got out of the vehicle before it fell. There are lots of rumors going around her town about what really happened. When Allie starts school, it seems like everything for her gets much worse and Allie’s depression becomes worse as well. Unfortunately for Allie, things continue to decline as she tries to figure out what caused the accident. She learns a lot about the people around her and herself as she begins to get parts of her memory back. People’s true feelings and faces come to the surface, and it isn’t looking very pretty.

Okay, I guess I must tell you about Allie now. To put it plainly, she was one of the weakest characters I have ever come across while reading a book. No joke! For those of you who read my blog often, you know how much I can’t stand a weak female protagonist. She took so long to stand up for herself when everyone was putting her down, that it became ridiculous. Now, in her defense, people where she lived and went to school treated her terrible. They acted like Allie should never be allowed to date again and that she should wait X amount of time before she even considers getting into a new relationship. They act like….a bunch of high school bullies. That is the best way I can describe it. They just tore this poor girl down in every way imaginable. However, nobody knows how awful Trip treated Allie and Allie never sticks up for herself. By the end of the book, I was pretty much fed up with Allie after she made a really stupid decision. I truly struggled to get through this one folks. I usually don’t mind flawed characters, but Allie was just a bit too much for me.

The other characters I didn’t mind so much and even really liked a few of them. Blake is downright awesome and I don’t even know how he puts up with Allie and all of her self-pity. Andrew is Allie’s brother, her twin, and he has Cerebral Palsy. Andrew is also the very opposite of Allie and he never feels bad for himself despite his condition. I loved his character compared to Allie.

Final Thoughts: This is a hard book to give a good recommendation on. I loved some parts of Breaking Beautiful, but Allie was just a bit too over the top for me. I wish the author would have given this character a backbone; she definitely needed one! Overall though, I did enjoy the story and it did feel very realistic to me. If you enjoy contemporary novels with difficult topics, this may be one that you will want to look into more. (less)

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Mar 29, 2012 cupcake rated it 4 of 5 stars

Some YA literature is predictable from the first page. Who didn't know that Bella would wind up with Edward? In fact, the only mystery in that series is what he sees in her. But I digress. And really, I should not stain a review of Breaking Beautiful,a wonderful work of YA literature, by mentioning that vampire thing.

Allie Davis is 18 and cannot remember what happened the night that her boyfriend died. Author Jennifer Shaw Wolf sends us on a chase through Allie's mind. Does she imagine conversat...more Some YA literature is predictable from the first page. Who didn't know that Bella would wind up with Edward? In fact, the only mystery in that series is what he sees in her. But I digress. And really, I should not stain a review of Breaking Beautiful,a wonderful work of YA literature, by mentioning that vampire thing.

Allie Davis is 18 and cannot remember what happened the night that her boyfriend died. Author Jennifer Shaw Wolf sends us on a chase through Allie's mind. Does she imagine conversations that book place that night, or did they truly occur? Why does she feel like her friend, Blake, knows more than he appears to know? What about her twin brother, Andrew? What about the other people at the dance, the last to see her and Trip together before their fateful ride in his truck?

As Breaking Beautiful unfolds, we learn a lot about Allie, her family, and Trip. One of the overarching messages of this book is that appearances can - and do - deceive. Allie is told repeatedly to avoid Blake, because he spent time in juvie and he looks like he's nothing but trouble. Mrs. Phillips, Trip's mother, always wears a mink coat, ostensibly because it speaks to her family's wealth. But nothing is as it seems in this book. As the reader, you quickly learn to take nothing at face value. School mates Allie distrusts may not be as bad as she thinks. A newly hired detective, who repeatedly tells Allie that he wants to help her, may not be on her side. Or is he?

As if her memory loss is not enough of a burden, Allie also keeps receiving notes in Trip's handwriting. Between the police pressuring her to tell them what happened, her own parents' pressures, and Trip's family's demands, Allie is a mess.

I keep waiting to hear footsteps on the sidewalk behind me - an angry mob coming to grab me and drag me back for digging my claws into the queen, or for the murder they're all sure I committed - but no one follows.

I'm not sure where I'm going until the sidewalk changes to a boardwalk and the ground starts to get sandy, past where Grandma's house used to be. Past Blake's house, gray and blue, with its sagging porch and peeling paint contrasting with the neat condos all around it. Toward the ocean, where the sound of waves shuts out the screaming in my ears.

Allie needs answers, but unfortunately, she is the only one who can provide them.

I enjoyed Breaking Beautiful so much. I thought Allie was wonderfully complex, yet real. As a high school English teacher, I've seen girls like her who appear to have it all, but really only have something to hide. I've seen Blake, too - I teach a lot of Blakes. Her parents were real, and her classmates were real as well. But as much as I did like it, I was unsatisfied by the ending. Some of this was too neatly tied up, when it really should have been much messier.

This may be a YA book, but just anyone would enjoy it. Run, don't walk, and get yourself a copy.

Published by Bloomsbury Children's Book. Publication date is April 24, 2012.

Thanks to NetGalley for a preview.(less)

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Mar 21, 2012 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

I am sure that I will probably one of the only ones who didn't care for this book so much but I have to give my honest opinion. It wasn't that it was a bad book, it was pretty good but the main character drove me crazy! There were SO many times I wanted to smack her.

The story starts with Allie recovering from a car accident that killed her boyfriend and left her scarred. Everyone is asking her what happened but she has no memory of anything that led up to the accident. She only knows what peopl...more I am sure that I will probably one of the only ones who didn't care for this book so much but I have to give my honest opinion. It wasn't that it was a bad book, it was pretty good but the main character drove me crazy! There were SO many times I wanted to smack her.

The story starts with Allie recovering from a car accident that killed her boyfriend and left her scarred. Everyone is asking her what happened but she has no memory of anything that led up to the accident. She only knows what people have told her: her boyfriend's truck went over the cliff into the ocean and she someone made it out of the truck before it went over. Some say that Trip (her boyfriend) pushed her out to save her while others say she jumped.

Allie hasn't been back to school yet and is obviously very depressed. Her parents and her twin brother (who suffers from Cerebral Palsy) finally make her go back and she is surrounded by friends that she never had before the accident. Now she has to figure out who her real friends are and what really happened that tragic night.

Allie was so weak in my opinion! Throughout the story we see snip-its of her relationship with Trip and we find out that Trip is not really the golden boy everyone thinks he is. Sure, he comes from the wealthiest family in town and he is super popular but underneath all that is a violent streak. What I didn't like about this book was that even though Trip and Allie were together for only a year (maybe a little more) and still in high school, everyone was acting like Allie was some widow and her husband of YEARS had died. Even Allie! She couldn't talk to other boys because what would "other people" think? She couldn't date anyone else or be happy or have any fun because the people in town might think it was too soon. Excuse me? It's sad yes but she was a teenager! There is no set amount of "mourning" time. It was really ridiculous. Allie also annoyed me with how she blamed herself for everything. Towards the end of the book, Allie makes a decision that is so terribly weak and I almost quit reading the book altogether. However, after a short break, I picked it up again and finished it. I was mad at how inconsiderate Allie was and how she put Blake is so much danger but it worked out.

I loved Blake. He was Allie's friend from when they were little and Allie would visit her grandma. After Allie's family moves to Pacific Cliffs and Allie starts to date Trip, her relationship with Blake ends. Now that Trip is gone, she turns to Blake to help her get through school but of course, only in secret because no one can know she might have a friend and be happy. Blake was a rebel and a bad boy but deep down he was caring and protective.

Andrew is Allie's twin brother. He suffers from Cerebral Palsy from lack of oxygen when they were born (of course, Allie blames herself for this). He doesn't feel sorry for himself however and makes the best out of school and what he is able to do. He gets a girlfriend and is not shy about going to school dances or anything. He is just happy. He loves his sister very much and really tries to protect her and keep her safe.

Caitlyn is Andrew's girlfriend and I enjoyed her eccentric personality. She was quirky and likes Andrew despite his handicap. She helps take care of him and makes sure he has fun at parties and dances. I loved her sense of style and how she just really didn't care what others thought. I thought that Allie could learn a lot from her!

The story touches on some very serious subjects and deals with them pretty well. I just got tired of the self-blame, self-pity and secrecy. I also got tired of how everyone in town thought Allie (an 18-year-old girl) should be in mourning for a long time. It just seemed ridiculous. The person behind all the notes Allie gets is odd too. I can't say much because I don't want to tell you who it was but really? I didn't understand why this person would go to all this trouble and why they would care. It was strange.

So, this wasn't my favorite and I won't be rushing out to buy it (or even buy it at all) but it wasn't horrible. It was a book that dealt with a lot and was a somewhat fast read.(less)

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Mar 18, 2012 Stephanie Redwine rated it 4 of 5 stars

What’s worse, being the only survivor of the crash that killed your boyfriend or having no memory of it?
Allie and Trip had what seemed to be the perfect relationship. They ruled the school; he showered her with gifts, and gave her all the attention and love that she could ever want. Or did he?
Trip was killed when his truck was driven over the edge of the cliff and Allie is the only one who was there. She was somehow able to jump out of the truck before it went over but has no memory of what act...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Jocelyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, i really loved this book, this is the first book i've ever read by Jennifer Shaw Wolf, i 'm really thinking about starting to read more of her books because with Allie going into the past in her mind was REALLY cool, i never DIDN'T like a part of the book, from chapter one, it seemed like i couldn't stop reading and like i KNEW Allie. I really liked how Jennifer touched when there are twins, but one isn't as mature in the body as the other. And i liked that alot, because some books that ha...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Candace rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am so impressed by this debut novel. Jennifer Shaw Wolf is one hell of a writer. Her language isn't over simplified or poetic- it just is. Set in a small town in Washington State, the main character, Allie, is the lone survivor in a car accident that killed her abusive boyfriend Trip. She's lost her memories of the night and no one in the small town will let her forget who she was or who she is. This is especially an issue when her best friend takes care of her and fills the isolated spots in...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookreviewcenter, youngadult

Recommended for gr. 8-12. Characters and situations are more high school than middle school (abusive relationship, no sex or language)

As the story begins, Allie is recovering from an accident which killed her apparently perfect boyfriend, Trip. She doesn't remember the accident, but has been having disturbing dreams. She is an outsider in her high school and is looked on with suspicion since Trip was killed. Her childhood friend, Blake, and twin brother, Andrew, are trying to help her, along wit...more

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May 09, 2012 Katie Tuccelli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Breaking Beautiful had me anxiously turning pages through the day and night. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. Would Allie ever remember what happened that night? Was it really just an accident? Did anyone witness Trip's abuse of Allie? If so, why didn't they do anything about it? There's no way Trip is still alive... is there?

Growing up, I loved murder mysteries and mysteries in general. I devoured Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. I borrowed and bought every single Mary Higgins C...more

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