Beautiful Malice

Aug 29, 2012 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: way-too-angsty, i-ll-be-having-nightmares-tonight

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

I-I don't know how to start!

This book is…

This book made me feel very…

This book is based on…

Every phrase sounds wrong in my head. Anything I say will either be interpreted as positive or negative and this review is not for emphasizing how good or bad “Beautiful Malice” is. For now, let’s just call it different.

It was somewhat overly dramatic, but the characters were all realistic (though cliché to some extent) and the writing pulled me into the story. My stomach was in kno...more

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May 11, 2010 Karagan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, read-in-2010, read-in-2010_04, ya, giveaway-wins

After the murder of her younger sister, Katherine Patterson starts a new life at a new school as she attempts to escape the media, her parents’ depression, and her own guilt. There, she meets Alice and quickly begins a friendship with the clearly narcissistic sociopath. Eventually, she also bonds with fellow victims of Alice’s rancorous personality, finding love and peace despite her friend’s antics.

For the entire first half of this book, I felt dragged through a world of mostly text book, one-d...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Shirley Marr rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-ya

I log into Facebook one day to find a friend request from Rebecca James. The Rebecca James? Beautiful Malice Rebecca James? Wants to be friends with me? I momentarily forget how on earth Rebecca James would know who I am - but then I remember that I somehow became an author myself this year, take a big breathe and click accept. I have a brief chat with Rebecca and she turns out to be such a super lovely person, she even offers to buy me a beer. Okay, I don't drink beer, but if it's from Rebecca...more I log into Facebook one day to find a friend request from Rebecca James. The Rebecca James? Beautiful Malice Rebecca James? Wants to be friends with me? I momentarily forget how on earth Rebecca James would know who I am - but then I remember that I somehow became an author myself this year, take a big breathe and click accept. I have a brief chat with Rebecca and she turns out to be such a super lovely person, she even offers to buy me a beer. Okay, I don't drink beer, but if it's from Rebecca James, I'd be happy to drink the entire thing.

I rush out immediately to buy a copy of Beautiful Malice. I plough into it straight away, curious also to know why the front cover describes the book as an "international sensation". The first few pages... pretty much answers my question. The prose is immaculate and it is written in such a way that sucks me in immediately. A lot happens in within that small space. I can't remember reading another book of late with an opening that has caused such enthusiastic buzz within myself.

It is fitting also, when I think in terms of Rebecca and me, that Beautiful Malice is about one seemingly ordinary girl's attraction to the beautiful, charismatic Alice.

And oh, what a character Alice is. If I met Alice in the street I would rush up to her, kiss her on the lips and tell her how much I want to marry her! I don't care how toxic she is! I can be toxic too, we can be toxic together! She is so wonderfully rendered - both completely intoxicating and also so cruel at the same time. The first time she popped up on the page I was already in love with her... and even though her actions are terrible, I can't help at the beginning - just like the characters in the book - but to remain smitten by her.

Even after knowing the ending (oh gosh, that ending), I am still blown away by her. She's one of the best female villains I have ever read. I don't know how Rebecca James does it. A lot of a time within novels (hello Lily Potter), a "pretty and popular" character is loved by the other characters and the reader is lost as to why... but with Alice, it is an act of complete involvement. And that is exactly what puts the "psychological" in this psychological thriller. A lot of the time I found myself nodding along to the internal examinations and mind games in the novel - deep inside knowing where James was coming from.

The ending - lets talk about the ending. I did not see the twist coming at all and instead of feeling like a cheap thrill, it had enough substance to tie in all the strings beautifully. I loved the ending - I loved the last few pages. It's the best ending I've read all year, a perfect ending.

I can only really fault Beautiful Malice for being confusing near the beginning with the time shifts between chapters - but I soon worked that one out and it wasn't a problem. And the other problem was Alice herself - I guess I loved her so much (have I said it enough already?) that whenever she wasn't on the page, I was patiently waiting for her to come back and steal the show.

Beautifully and cleanly written and deeply insightful, I recommend Beautiful Alice to everyone, even older readers as it has that cross-over feel. I don't think this book should be confined to YA at all.

I fully understand now where the bidding war vying for the publication rights to this "beauty" came from. Can't wait for the movie!

This review originally appeared on my blog Life on Marrs
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May 09, 2010 Cara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 26, 2010 Leanna (Daisy Chain Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Let me start by saying that I haven’t been so impressed by a book in quite a while. I was lucky enough to receive a copy for review and picked it up one day last week intending to read just a few chapters. Two hours later I was totally engrossed in the story and couldn’t put it down. This rarely happens to me, but here James has written a psychological thriller that will grab you from page one. Seriously, the start of the book is excellent. What an opener!

When we are introduced to Katherine, she...more Let me start by saying that I haven’t been so impressed by a book in quite a while. I was lucky enough to receive a copy for review and picked it up one day last week intending to read just a few chapters. Two hours later I was totally engrossed in the story and couldn’t put it down. This rarely happens to me, but here James has written a psychological thriller that will grab you from page one. Seriously, the start of the book is excellent. What an opener!

When we are introduced to Katherine, she has suffered a great trauma in her life, and so when the beautiful and popular Alice insists on befriending her, she doesn’t resist, despite her reservations and the warning signs right from the start that Alice may come with more than a few problems of her own. Having experienced a few toxic friendships myself, I found the depiction and the dynamics of their friendship fascinating and very believable. Of course, this is not just a friendship gone wrong. This case is extreme and there are very dark elements at work here. Both girls have their secrets. Alice made me uncomfortable right from the start of the book. I guessed her darkest secret about half way through the book, and when I did I knew she would stop at nothing to get revenge on Katherine. She’s unpredictable and downright scary at times. This is a friendship which never sits comfortably with the reader, and an ominous feeling pervades from the start of the book. Alice is very menacing, unhinged, and some of her actions from stalking to downright horror will give you chills. I read an article about this book a while back in which it was said to contain elements of Single White Female, and having read it I thoroughly agree.

For me the book revolves around the concept that one bad decision can change your life, cost you the thing you love the most, and define you forever if you let it. Katherine has the courage to overcome this, while Alice doesn’t, with disastrous consequences. The writing is fast paced and addictive, jumping between different points in Katherine’s life. Sometimes I find this style hard to follow, but that didn’t happen here. I was so engaged with the characters and the relationships in the book that I just wanted to find out more. I connected with a lot of the relationships in the book, and I have to say the story evoked quite an emotional response from me. I loved Robbie and Katherine’s friendship, and was pleased for her when Mick and Philippa entered her life, and she finally saw Alice’s true colours.

I generally review books without giving spoilers, but I had to try extra hard here as I know most people won’t have read the book yet, and I really wouldn‘t want to spoil the surprises for anyone. Overall I thought this was an excellent read. I felt sad when I finished the book because even though it’s brilliantly concluded, I was still left wanting more. I can’t wait to read the next book from Rebecca James!(less)

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May 27, 2013 Jasminka rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

Ovu bih knjigu preporučila adolescentima, jer ima duboku pouku, iako se sa nečim baš i ne slažem...
Tužna, veoma tužna, jeziva i dirljiva i nadasve poučna priča ispričana iz ugla već dvadeset trogodišnje devojke, i to u tri vremena. Katherine počinje priču o tome da nije otišla na sahrani svoje nekadašnje prijateljice Alice i kako joj je ona uništila život, a usput spominje i užasnu smrt svoje izuzetne sestre Rachel. I vi već na početku znate da će biti tužno... Katherine priča o tome kako je kao...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Rain Misoa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who like teen drama and don't mind stupid characters.

Recommended to Rain by: Library

This book was... well... I wasn't that into it. But I don't really feel like writing a full-out review for it so I'll just say that I liked the story. It was nothing amazing, definitely not original, but it was enough to keep you reading. The writing was confusing at first but after a while you get used to it. My biggest problem with the book was the characters. All of them were just terrible. You couldn't relate to any of them and the romance between Katherine and Mick was forced. Just... nothi...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Watermelon Daisy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

FIRST IMPRESSION:
The cover drew me in. And the blurb at the back was wonderful, and I immediately knew this was a good book. Well, I thought it was. And then when it was recognised as a "psychological thriller," I knew I loved it. So I took it off the shelf and started reading it.

WRITING STYLE:
The writing style was good. I loved the size of the book. I don't know why, but I just did. And though there wasn't anything particularly creditable about the style, it was well-written in the aspect of gr...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Jeanne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourite

Do téhle knihy jsem nevkládala moc nadějí, vlastně jsem vůbec nečekala, že by patřila mezi lepší knihy. Ale to jsem pořádně sekla! Tuhle knihu jsem si sice nezamilovala hned od začátku, ale když jsem se pořádně začetla, tak už jsem ji nechtěla dát z ruky.
Jsem opravdu ráda, že mi tahle knihy neunikla, protože by to byla strašná škoda. Úplně všem ji doporučuju! Tenhle příběh vás totiž zaručeně dostane! Neuniknete tomu, věřte mi ;)
Už jsem vás přesvědčila?
Já doufám, že ano. Jestli se totiž dozvím...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Skye rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-ya

This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

Who is Katherine Patterson? It is a question she hopes no one can answer. To erase her past, Katherine has moved to a new city, enrolled in a new school, and even changed her name. She’s done the next best thing to disappearing altogether. Now, wary and alone, she seeks nothing more than anonymity. What she finds instead is the last thing she expected: a friend.

Even more unlikely, Katherine’s new friend is the most popular and magnetic gir...more This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

Who is Katherine Patterson? It is a question she hopes no one can answer. To erase her past, Katherine has moved to a new city, enrolled in a new school, and even changed her name. She’s done the next best thing to disappearing altogether. Now, wary and alone, she seeks nothing more than anonymity. What she finds instead is the last thing she expected: a friend.

Even more unlikely, Katherine’s new friend is the most popular and magnetic girl in school. Extroverted, gorgeous, flirtatious, and unpredictable, she is everything that Katherine is not and doesn’t want to be: the center of attention. Yet Alice’s enthusiasm is infectious, her candor sometimes unsettling, and Katherine, in spite of her guarded caution, finds herself drawn into Alice’s private circle.

But Alice has secrets, too—darker than anyone can begin to imagine. And when she lets her guard down at last, Katherine discovers the darkest of them all. For there will be no escaping the past for Katherine Patterson—only a descent into a trap far more sinister . . . and infinitely more seductive.

Beautiful Malice had me hooked from the very first line: "I didn't go to Alice's funeral." The narration jumped between Katherine on the night her sister died, her times as Alice's friend, and her life five years after that. Even with the story's outcome known from the very start, I was constantly wondering how plot X would turn into outcome Y.

The writing style was raw, intense, and suspenseful. As you were reading you can feel the weight of each word, and know that every little one was important. The writing alone could have you captivated, but the plot was compelling, too: I was wide-eyed while reading this book into the wee hours of the morning. It's impossible to put down.

The characters were superbly written. Katherine was a great protagonist with an interesting story to tell. Her constant turmoil over her sister's death made her feel read and also made a believable impact on all of her decisions. Alice was also a great character - or a bad one? She was, of course, the antagonist. Her rapid changes in demeanor and her spouts of unjustified cruelty made her a chilling character, but a compelling one nonetheless.

The romance between Mick and Katherine added sweet, soft scenes to the story in between the rest of the drama. Their relationship went quickly, but the attraction between them was obvious.

I was pleased that the book ended on a hopeful note. With all of the heart-wrenching drama intermittent throughout the book, it was nice that the ending hinted towards Katherine having a safe and happy life.

I give Beautiful Malice a 5 (a 6 if I could) out of 5, and recommend it to everyone.(less)

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Oct 31, 2010 Lisi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-reads, read-in-german

Gespannt habe ich darauf gewartet, dieses Buch „Die Wahrheit über Alice“ von Rebecca James lesen zu können, nachdem ich das Promovideo und das interessante Cover gesehen habe. Dies ist der Debütroman der Autorin und ich hoffe sehr stark, dass sie uns mit weiteren Büchern erfreuen wird, da ich dieses Buch nicht mehr aus der Hand legen konnte und es trotz Unistress innerhalb von 3 Tagen durch hatte.
In „Die Wahrheit über Alice“ wird die Geschichte der 17-jährigen Katherine erzählt. Sie hat bereits...more Gespannt habe ich darauf gewartet, dieses Buch „Die Wahrheit über Alice“ von Rebecca James lesen zu können, nachdem ich das Promovideo und das interessante Cover gesehen habe. Dies ist der Debütroman der Autorin und ich hoffe sehr stark, dass sie uns mit weiteren Büchern erfreuen wird, da ich dieses Buch nicht mehr aus der Hand legen konnte und es trotz Unistress innerhalb von 3 Tagen durch hatte.
In „Die Wahrheit über Alice“ wird die Geschichte der 17-jährigen Katherine erzählt. Sie hat bereits einen schweren Schicksalsschlag hinter sich und hofft nun, an einer neuen Schule neu anfangen zu können. Vor zwei Jahren wurde ihre gerade mal ein Jahr jüngere Schwester vergewaltigt und anschließend ermordet und Katherine gibt sich nach wie vor die Schuld an dem Unglück. Sie erlaubt es sich nicht glücklich zu sein und trauert nach wie vor um Rachel. Als Katherine an die neue Schule kommt, lernt sie Alice kennen.
Alice ist wunderschön, beliebt, redegewandt und offenbar immer gut gelaunt. Aber das ist noch nicht alles, nein, sie gerade sie möchte mit Katherine befreundet sein, die sich zögerlich und vorsichtig auf diese neue Freundschaft einlässt. Sie erlebt eine schöne Zeit und fühlt sich angenommen, erlebt aber immer wieder, dass sich Alice ohne besonderen Grund scheußlich verhält und versucht ihr wehzutun. Katherine will sich das nicht eingestehen, sieht es aber auch an Alices Verhalten gegenüber Robbie, einem Jungen, der unsterblich in Alice verliebt ist und der auch zu ihrem Freund wird.
Mit der Zeit merkt Katherine, dass sie Alice gar nicht wirklich kennt und als sie sich in Mike verliebt und in dessen Schwester Phillipa eine gute Freundin findet, überschlagen sich schließlich die Ereignisse und Alice zeigt ihr wahres Gesicht …
Das Erste, was an diesem Buch auffällt ist wohl das wunderschöne Cover, es zeigt ein wunderschönes Mädchen auf die Rosenblüten herabregnen, ein Zeichen der Verwandtschaft, allerdings auch eine Warnung, dass alles vergänglich und nichts von Dauer sein kann. Man erfährt bereits im ersten Kapitel, dass Katherine nicht gut auf Alice zu sprechen ist und man erfährt einiges durch die Zeitsprünge in der Erzählung, allerdings muss man bis zum Schluss lesen, um endlich „die Wahrheit über Alice“ zu erfahren.
Ich habe in mehreren Buchläden gesehen, dass dieses Buch als Jugendbuch eingestuft wird, dies trifft meiner Meinung nach aber nicht zu. In dieser Geschichte erfährt man viel über die menschliche Psyche und teilweise war ich entsetzt, wie bösartig und niederträchtig Alice sein kann. Ich würde diese Buch unter keinen Umständen Personen unter 16 Jahren empfehlen, da es viele Rückschläge und die Trauer in Katherines Leben beschreibt. Allerdings kann ich dieses Buch wirklich allen anderen empfehlen, da dieses Buch nicht nur wütend auf Alice macht, sondern auch schön zeigt, was man alles verkraften kann, wenn man Menschen an seiner Seite hat, die an einen glauben und einen unterstützen.
Besonders begeistert war ich von Mick und Philippa, aber auch Robbie ist ein interessanter Charakter und zeigt sehr schön, was passieren kann, wenn man sich in die falsche Person verliebt.
Als Fazit kann ich nur sagen, dass ich froh bin, dieses Buch gelesen zu haben, da es mich wirklich zum Nachdenken angeregt hat und es mir bewusst gemacht hat, wie gut es mir geht und wie dankbar ich für die Leute in meinem Leben bin.
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Dec 29, 2012 Snorkle rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, read-2010, review-on-blog

The one word I'd use to describe this book: Disturbing. It didn't end how I had expected and was weird and overly dramatic. Throughout my reading I kind of had this sick feeling in my stomach because I didn't like where the story was going. A lot of the characters frustrated me and seemed superficial. I didn't like any of the people and was annoyed with their actions throughout the story. Well, actually, annoyed isn't the best word, more like dismayed. None of the characters felt well-rounded an...more

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Jul 05, 2010 Bec ♥ Live for the ones you love ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-that-made-me-cry, books-i-own, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 14, 2010 Neşe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, bus-book, quick-reads, realistic-fiction, read-in-2010, addictive-reads, best-characters, female-pov, young-adult

It's all in the heading "beautiful Malice"

Katherine Paterson has left everything behind in Melbourne and is starting a new life in Sydney
.the past is haunting her.from her sisters death

This book has so many twists and turns

I was confused at times but later figured out that this book is set in past present and future

Past: of when she was 15 . When she was living in Melbourne

Present: of when she is 17 ,becomes friends with Alice

Future:of when she is 22 .

So would recommend it . Definitely would...more

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May 27, 2013 Rebekah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was better than I hoped for. It's been in the library since forever, and I've always seen it and skipped over it, but since I have nothing better to do than revision I took it out.
Lets start with the good; this book was, emotionally and plot-wise, brilliant. Usually damaged teenagers aren't portrayed as really damaged, but this really broke through that. I loved all the characters and their interactions, how believable they were, even if they didn't make me fall in love with them.
Ba...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Blablabla Aleatório rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nubia

Após uma tragédia, que marcou sua família profundamente, Katherine Patterson decide se mudar para uma nova cidade e iniciar uma nova vida, aproveitando o anonimato recém-adquirido. Tudo o que ela mais quer é passar despercebida em seu novo colégio e que ninguém desenterre o que aconteceu em Melbourne. Mas, seus planos estão destinados ao fracasso, porque Katherine chamou a atenção de Alice Parrie e logo as duas começam uma intensa amizade. Uma amizade que fornece a Katherine um alento pós-crise...more Após uma tragédia, que marcou sua família profundamente, Katherine Patterson decide se mudar para uma nova cidade e iniciar uma nova vida, aproveitando o anonimato recém-adquirido. Tudo o que ela mais quer é passar despercebida em seu novo colégio e que ninguém desenterre o que aconteceu em Melbourne. Mas, seus planos estão destinados ao fracasso, porque Katherine chamou a atenção de Alice Parrie e logo as duas começam uma intensa amizade. Uma amizade que fornece a Katherine um alento pós-crise e à Alice toda a atenção que ela necessita, além de vir com um bônus, Robbie, apaixonado por Alice, que vem para completar o trio que a partir de então passa a ser inseparável. Inseparável até que em sua ânsia por ser o centro das atenções, Alice não se preocupa em ferir as pessoas, e Katherine ao perceber esse lado sombrio na amiga percebe que ela talvez não seja o tipo de pessoa para manter em sua vida. Mas, ai de quem ousar deixar Alice de lado.

Os personagens de Bela Maldade são bem coerentes e alguns cativantes. Se a protagonista Katherine não inspira lá muito amor com a sua estratégia de esconder seus sentimentos e se contentar em ser o capacho de Alice. O mesmo não se pode dizer de Philippa e Mick que nos pegam de jeito desde a primeira vez que aparecem. Quanto à antagonista, tenho lá meus receios. Alice, nas palavras de Katherine, além de bela é sociável e, apesar, do lado perverso sabe fazer uma pessoa se sentir querida e indispensável. Com a parte do perverso e da bajulação até concordo, mas ora bolas, uma pessoa para ser sociável teria no mínimo que ter um grupo de amigos (ou puxa-sacos, ou qualquer coisa que o valha) considerável. Mas Alice, parece apenas ter Katherine e Robbie em sua vida. A impressão que fica é que a autora definiu a imagem da personagem, mas esqueceu de trabalhar a narrativa de forma a deixar essa imagem coerente. Alice, mesmo que tivesse mil amigos, ainda poderia ficar ressentida ao ser deixada para trás por Katherine e fazer tudo o que fez. Ainda bem que mesmo James tendo pecado nesse lado, soube retratar o potencial destrutivo da personagem muito bem. E como a narrativa gira em torno dessa destruição, a gente acaba relevando essas incoerências na caracterização da personagem.

A história, narrada em primeira pessoa por Katherine é dividida em duas partes. Na primeira os focos são a grande tragédia e o mistério que a garota mantém sobre ele, seu primeiro contato com Alice e os vislumbres da crueldade de que ela é capaz. Já a segunda parte traz Alice em toda sua crueldade e todo o caos que ela provocou na vida de Katherine.

“A FELICIDADE É UM SENTIMENTO TÃO DIFÍCIL DE QUANTIFICAR. HÁ MOMENTOS EM QUE SOU FELIZ, CERTAMENTE, MOMENTOS COM SARAH EM QUE ESQUEÇO QUEM SOU E O QUE ACONTECEU, MOMENTOS EM QUE CONSIGO ESQUECER COMPLETAMENTE O PASSADO E DESFRUTAR O PRESENTE. MAS HÁ UM PESO EM MIM, UMA TRISTEZA PROFUNDA, UM SENTIMENTO DE DECEPÇÃO COM OS CAPRICHOS DA VIDA, QUE É DIFÍCIL SACUDIR, DIFÍCIL IGNORAR.”

Continue lendo em: http://blablablaaleatorio.com/2013/04...(less)

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Apr 02, 2013 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Pfiou! Je viens de terminer ma lecture, j'en suis toute chamboulée!

Bien que certains passages m'aient paru un peu longs, j'ai beaucoup aimé cette lecture dans l'ensemble. L'auteure arrive à transmettre beaucoup d'émotions, elle est parvenue à me toucher en tout cas. Il y a beaucoup de contradictions d'un point de vue sentiments et, finalement, malgré l'antipathie que l'on peut ressentir pour Alice, on se met à sa place, on essaye de comprendre. Je trouve que la complexité de l'être humain est bi...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Brianna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was completely unsure of what to expect when I started this book. Katherine Patterson is at the cusp of a new life - she has moved, changed her name, and started a new high school in order to escape a painful event in her past. Despite her desire to remain anonymous, one of the most vivacious girls in high school befriends her and draws her out of her shell, so Katherine finds herself actually enjoying life despite the horrific event she experienced.

While the plot and characterizations were n...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Sarah Jordan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-novels

Katherine ist sprachlos, als die wunderschöne, strahlende, beliebte Alice sie zu ihrer Geburtstagsparty einlädt. Normalerweise hält sie sich von allen fern, damit niemand ihr Geheimnis kennt. Niemand soll jemals erfahren, was mit ihrer kleinen Schwester Rachel passiert ist. Niemand soll wissen, was sie getan hat - oder was sie nicht getan hat. Doch Alice wird ihr zur Freundin und weicht nicht mehr von ihrer Seite. Aber mit der Zeit zeigt Alice immer mehr ihr wahres Gesicht und Katherine steckt m...more Katherine ist sprachlos, als die wunderschöne, strahlende, beliebte Alice sie zu ihrer Geburtstagsparty einlädt. Normalerweise hält sie sich von allen fern, damit niemand ihr Geheimnis kennt. Niemand soll jemals erfahren, was mit ihrer kleinen Schwester Rachel passiert ist. Niemand soll wissen, was sie getan hat - oder was sie nicht getan hat. Doch Alice wird ihr zur Freundin und weicht nicht mehr von ihrer Seite. Aber mit der Zeit zeigt Alice immer mehr ihr wahres Gesicht und Katherine steckt mitten drin in ihrem bösen Spiel.

Bevor man dieses Buch liest, sollte man sich klarmachen, dass es kein Thriller ist, sondern schlicht und einfach ein Roman. Wenn man mit dem Wissen an das Buch herangeht, ist man im Nachhinein auch nicht enttäuscht. Wobei auf dem Taschenbuch mittlerweile doch 'Thriller' steht.
Das Buch ist wirklich gut aufgebaut. Die Story weckt immer wieder neue Erwartungen und man liest und liest und liest - und wartet einfach auf einen Höhepunkt. Man wird von dem Gedanken angetrieben 'Jetzt muss doch bald der richtige Knall kommen' weiterzulesen.
Was ich sehr gelungen finde, ist die Tatsache, dass man erst Stück für Stück erfährt, was es mit Katherines Geheimnis auf sich hat. Und auch nur Stück für Stück merkt man, wie Alice sich extrem ins Negative verändert. Klar, dass mit Alice ist natürlich von vornherein klar, aber trotzdem hat man immer noch ein Stückchen Hoffnung, dass sie vielleicht ihre Fehler einsieht. Dass sie sich ändert.
Das Buch ist in drei Handlungsstränge eingeteilt, wobei nur einer wirklich präsent ist. Und zwar die Gegenwart. Kapitelweise erzählt Katherine dann ihre Vergangenheit. Man rutscht in die Zeit, in der mit ihrer Schwester etwas passiert ist. In der man ihr Geheimnis immer näher durchblickt. Und dann gibt es noch einen kleinen Strang, der die Zukunft zeigt, in der Katherine bereits ein Kind hat, wie man schon auf der ersten Seite im Buch erfährt. Und Alice, ... was mit Alice ist, lest ihr am Besten auch selbst. Ich finde es allerdings nicht ganz so toll, dass man von Anfang an weiß, wie das ganze mit Alice ausgeht. Doch es nimmt von der Spannung eigentlich nichts weg und das ist natürlich positiv.
Und was am allerbesten ist: Das Buch hat mich fast zu Tränen gerührt... meine Augen waren so gut wie feucht, als ich die letzten 15 Seiten las.

Die Charaktere waren richtig gut. Katherine war echt, war authentisch, war in meinen Gedanken. Ich spürte ihren Schmerz, konnte jeden Gedanken von ihr nachvollziehen. Ich mochte sie.
Alice war auch mehr als real für mich beim Lesen. Dieses Weib war immer da, immer präsent und ich wollte, dass sie einfach nur verschwindet. Sie ist der Alptraum aller Freundschaften. Man liebt sie und hasst sie gleichzeitig. Sie hat etwas Anziehendes, etwas Magisches und dabei macht sie dich einfach nur kaputt, nimmt dir dein Selbst und stellt dich in den Schatten. Ich hasse sie...
Die Geschichte wird auch von zwei wunderbaren Männern begleitet. Alle Charaktere, die eine Rolle spielen, sind eigentlich wirklich genial. Jeder Mensch hat dort seine Vergangenheit, die ihn lebendig macht und glaubwürdig. Die Geschichte ist einfach rund. Es fehlt nichts.

Der Stil der Autorin ist ebenfalls klasse. Selten, dass ich durch einen Schreibstil so extrem flüssig durchkam. Jedes Wort an der richtigen Stelle, sehr realistische Dialoge. Viele Emotionen, die man anfangs gar nicht so wahrnimmt, die einen dann aber später fast überrollen, wenn es dem Ende zugeht.
Talent steckt in der Autorin allemal und ich hoffe sehr, dass ich eines Tages noch etwas von ihr lesen kann.(less)

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Sep 04, 2012 Lulubird rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Omg this book was and is soooo amazing- warning spoiler alert-
Ok sooo let's start at the beginning like how I got into reading this book it was actually at school and I'd asked my friend to find me something to read for class and she did, she found this book. I started off reading it unsure if I would like it or not, but then when she started talking about how her sister had died that got me to keep reading the book. Jessica has done a really good job at building up the suspense and describing t...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Anna Toropov rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Let me just start of by saying , I am 11 years old turning 12 in September but I guess you could say I act older then I am, that said here is my review.
This book had me in tears, the twists and the the turns left my heart aching, I love the book but I hate some of the characters, like what assholes stand and watch as a 14 year old girl get raped it sick I realize this book is fiction but I have a strong hatred for them aswell as Alice, I wondered what Alice could've to make Katherine hate her so...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Anna Toropov rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Let me just start of by saying , I am 11 years old turning 12 in September but I guess you could say I act older then I am, that said here is my review.
This book had me in tears, the twists and the the turns left my heart aching, I love the book but I hate some of the characters, like what assholes stand and watch as a 14 year old girl get raped it sick I realize this book is fiction but I have a strong hatred for them aswell as Alice, I wondered what Alice could've to make Katherine hate her so...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, 4-stars, death, murder, realistic-fiction, romance, young-adult

At first I thought this was just another depressing book that I just happened to pick up randomly. I've never heard of Rebecca James before I read this but I will say this - she does know how to write gripping books. I decided to keep reading this book cause I had no other good books on my shelf and I hadn't visited the library in aggggggggeesssss. so I had no choice but to read it and I'm glad I did.

The book is based on the tragic life of Katherine Patterson who lost her sister to murder. She...more

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Apr 14, 2012 LittleMiss rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ich hab es gestern Nacht beendet und insgesamt nicht mal einen halben Tag zum Lesen gebraucht (wenn man jetzt mal zwischenzeitliche Aktivitäten herausrechnet) und insgesamt kann ich nur sagen, dass ich es sehr gemocht habe.
Die Autorin hat mit einem nicht allzu kompliziertem Schreibstil geglänzt und damit das Lesen recht einfach gemacht. Die Hauptfigur Katherine und ihre Sicht war gut gewählt. Durch die verschiedenen Zeit-Abrisse hat man als Leser zwar einen Rundum-Blick erhalten, aber es blieb t...more Ich hab es gestern Nacht beendet und insgesamt nicht mal einen halben Tag zum Lesen gebraucht (wenn man jetzt mal zwischenzeitliche Aktivitäten herausrechnet) und insgesamt kann ich nur sagen, dass ich es sehr gemocht habe.
Die Autorin hat mit einem nicht allzu kompliziertem Schreibstil geglänzt und damit das Lesen recht einfach gemacht. Die Hauptfigur Katherine und ihre Sicht war gut gewählt. Durch die verschiedenen Zeit-Abrisse hat man als Leser zwar einen Rundum-Blick erhalten, aber es blieb trotzdem genug Spielraum, für Rätsel und Lücken für die eigene Vorstellung.
Besonders gefallen hat mir neben der Darstellung von Katherine, natürlich die Darstellung von Alice. Ich fand es faszinierend, wie facettenreich sie dargestellt war. Man konnte den Charme, den sie auf ihre Umgebung versprühte, wirklich spüren. Ich glaube jeder, der sie kennengelernt hätte, hätte mit ihr befreundet sein wollen. Andererseits hat mich aber vor allem auch ihre andere Seite gereizt. Ich fand es interessant zu lesen, wie sie sich plötzlich in ihrem Verhalten verändert und ich habe immer mal ein paar Pausen beim Lesen gemacht, um darüber nachzudenken, welche Krankheit dieses Mädchen hat.
Die Darstellung von Robbies Liebe zu ihr fand ich auch ziemlich gelungen. Er war vollkommen abhängig von ihr und konnte sich quasi nicht mal von ihr losreißen, als Katherine (mit der er sich ja auch unglaublich gut verstanden hat) in ihr Leben trat.

Wie auch immer, der Grundplot hat mir sehr zugesagt, der Schreibstil, sowie die Zeitabrisse waren angenehm und haben für Abwechslung gesorgt. Besonders hat mir hier auch die Geschichte der beiden Schwestern gefallen, die im ganzen Buch für die Dynamik gesorgt hat, ganz einfach weil man immer weiter und weiter lesen MUSSTE, um zu wissen, was nun wirklich passiert ist. Das hab ich geliebt.

Was ich ziemlich schade fand, war die Apruptheit des Endes. Man ist völlig gefangen in den ganzen Gefühlen und plötzlich BÄM ist es vorbei. Ich finde hier hätten zehn oder zwanzig Seiten der Geschichte echt gut getan. Ich finde es im Endeffekt schade, denn das hat der ganzen Geschichte wirklich einiges an Zauber genommen (auch die plottechnische Auflösung fand ich ein bisschen ~weit hergeholt... ich hatte mir da wirklich was durchdachteres gewünscht.)

Insgesamt ein wirklich gutes YA-Buch, das leider viel zu schnell endet.(less)

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Apr 06, 2012 Cynthia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pinjam-meminjam, psychology-fiction, printed-books

Agak kecewa dengan novel ini. Pijaman dari Mbak Muthe..tadinya penasaran karena sinopsis di cover belakang bukunya sepertinya menjanjikan novel thriller psikologi, apalagi font judulnya dengan berdarah2 gitu..begitu baca, kesan pertama : siapa sih editornya, banyak typo, percetakannya dimana? Ga rapi motong kertasnya. Ga suka dengan jenis font yg dipakai buat judul tiap bab, sok memberi kesan creepy, ga suka dengan tulisan "-FIN-" di akhir bukunya, kesannya kayak diambil mentah-mentah dari Ms. W...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Mateesha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“So. Were you glad, deep down? Were you glad to be rid of her? Your perfect sister? Were you secretly glad when she was killed?”

For Katie Boydell; life is complicated. She’s famous in her old town as Katie Boydell – who’s sister Rachel Boydell was murdered. Her family is shattered, and none of her friends give a shit anymore. So she relocated – to Sydney. She’s living in her Aunt Vivien’s apartment, she’s changed her name. No longer does Katie Boydell exist. She’s Katherine Patterson.
So when Ka...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is widely appreciated by the YA community in my school, and I was begged to read it by some enthusiastic readers, but I am afraid that, if I am to be honest, I was not impressed by the novel. IMHO, the plot is pretty by the numbers, apart from the rather incredible series of co-incidences we are expected to believe in, and the characters are fairly cardboard and uninteresting.
Its the kind of story that we enjoy the first time we hear about it, but by the time we are an adult the numbe...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Vinaya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-kool-aid, books-i-liked, could-have-been-better, mixed-vibes, ya-fiction, i-coulda-done-it-better

Have you ever read a book and thought, "I wish I had written that!"? For me, that usually happens only with two kinds of books. Firstly, the ones that are so fabulous, you have a serious case of writer's envy (On my list, the top spot there is occupied by The Kingkiller Chronicles), or the ones that take a truly fabulous idea and ruin it so horrifically, you can hear the Muses scream in pain (Tiger's Curse, I'm looking at you). But for the first time ever, I found a book that I thought was pret...more Have you ever read a book and thought, "I wish I had written that!"? For me, that usually happens only with two kinds of books. Firstly, the ones that are so fabulous, you have a serious case of writer's envy (On my list, the top spot there is occupied by The Kingkiller Chronicles), or the ones that take a truly fabulous idea and ruin it so horrifically, you can hear the Muses scream in pain (Tiger's Curse, I'm looking at you). But for the first time ever, I found a book that I thought was pretty damn decent and enjoyable, even, and still felt a sense of incompletetion, and a longing to go back and retell the story my way.

Beautiful Malice feels like someone handed you one of those mini cupcakes. Just one. It's great in that one small mouthful, but after you're done, you're SO dissatisfied! So yes, I DID enjoy Beautiful Malice while I was reading it, but now that it's over, I can't really say it fulfilled any literary dreams.

I've heard this book being called a 'psychological thriller'. If that's what the author intended, she is so far off the mark, she might as well be in Africa. But if you treat it as simple YA contemporary fiction, I think James does a pretty damn decent job. Katherine Patterson has been living in a self-enclosed bubble of isolation ever since her sister died. Her life is a pattern of gray, until she's pulled out of the slump and forced into actually living by the advent of Alice into her life. But her new friend may not be everything she seems to be, and slowly, Katherine begins to realize that maybe Alice isn't the best thing to happen to her after all.

The best character in this book is, of course, Alice. Alice steals the show on Page 1, and holds it firmly right up to the very end. She's a very real person; I've met someone like her before, a narcissistic sociopath, and reading Beautiful Malice brought back some very vivid memories. The thing that really made Beautiful Malice for me was how understandable Alice felt It's not so much that she's evil, even though the main character tries to demonize her several times, as a reader, I felt the conflict in her character; her desperate longing for attention, her inability to look beyond the circumstances of her own life, her need to be everything to everyone in her life - these are the classic traits of someone with abandonment issues, and when you think about it like that, she feels less evil, and more... disturbed.

The friendship between Alice and Katherine was interesting, but it was the one between Katherine and Robbie that was the most fleshed out, and had the most heart. Robbie reminded me of Dick from I'll Never Be Young Again, so desperately in love with a woman who's all wrong for him. I really liked the way the author developed the bond between these two lost characters, not a hint of sexual feeling, not right until the last few chapters, when Katherine is dating Mick and maybe, just maybe, Robbie realizes what he's lost, even while he's struggling to accept the truth about Alice.

The thing that struck me most about this book was how very understated the emotions were. It was an interesting way to approach a "psychological thriller", but not a very effective one. Even as I admired the approach, and the setting and the way the story played out, I felt like something was missing. I wanted more, more emotion, more chills down my spine, more evidence of the fact that Alice was disturbed and unstable and potentially dangerous. I felt like she faded away in those parts, after her true colours were exposed to Katherine. Instead of becoming more threatening and invasive, her character becomes secondary to the drama of Katherine's pregnancy. And so, in the end, I don't feel like Alice was responsible for what happened to Mick at all. I mean, sure, she initiated the events that led to tragedy, but it was a choice he made, that resulted in an unforeseen accident. There is no hint that she was, in fact, planning for what happened to happen.

All in all, this was a quick, easy read and quite enjoyable. I'll give it the Aussie YA stamp of approval, but not whole-heartedly. I feel like the post-reading experience was nowhere close to as fulfilling as it would have been if the author had been less restrained with the drama. I think this might actually be the first time I've called for a book to be more dramatic! So, worth a read, definitely, but nowhere close to the top of the Aussie YA ~~food~~ book chain. (less)

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Sep 10, 2011 Δx Δp ≥ ½ ħ htgkvkkviholmvobsvzighxofyyzmw rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-day-in-the-life, maxwell-s-silver-hammer

Woooo... di luar dugaan... Tadinya bakal mengira novel ini setipe novel crime-romance biasa, apalagi dilihat dari covernya yang agak, ehemm.. "pasaran" dan "tipikal".

Ceritanya sangat sederhana dan agak berbau klise, kisha tentang seorang gadis yang pindah ke kota baru, jadi terkucil sendirian. Tapi Alasan dia pindah ke kota baru itu karena dia ingin melupakan tragedi kematia yang menimpa adiknya. Dan dia terkucil bukan karena dia tipe "mata 4 dengan tutup botol" dan "kawat gigi melintang segede...more Woooo... di luar dugaan... Tadinya bakal mengira novel ini setipe novel crime-romance biasa, apalagi dilihat dari covernya yang agak, ehemm.. "pasaran" dan "tipikal".

Ceritanya sangat sederhana dan agak berbau klise, kisha tentang seorang gadis yang pindah ke kota baru, jadi terkucil sendirian. Tapi Alasan dia pindah ke kota baru itu karena dia ingin melupakan tragedi kematia yang menimpa adiknya. Dan dia terkucil bukan karena dia tipe "mata 4 dengan tutup botol" dan "kawat gigi melintang segede tongkat baseball". Justru dia cantik dan menarik. Alasan dia "menyembunyikan diri" adalah dia tak ingin seorang pun mengungkit tragedi, trauma, rahasia masa lalunya.

Tapi di zaman gaul gini, semakin kamu berusaha untuk tidak menarik perhatian, justru efek yang didapat adalah kamu semakin tampak menarik perhatian. Anehnya, yang tertarik dg keaneha gadis tadi adalah seorang gadis terpopuler di SMA yang bernama Alice. Hidup si gadis penyembunyi yang bernama Katherine tadi pun berubah...

Diselingi hingar bingar pesta, gosip ala anak cewek, ujian akhir sekolah yang bikin stress, kisha ini bergulir dengan ending yang sulit ditebak. Meski premis cerita begitu klise, misteri dan ending cerita yang sudah dibocorkan di setiap bab, namun gaya kepenulisannya yang asyik membuat kita menjadi ragu akan dibawa kemana akhir cerita buku ini. Ketika kita berusaha menebak-nebak.. bummm... semua bocoran tadi hanya sebagai umpan.. si penulis dengan jeli menyisipkan kejutan besar untuk akhir cerita. kejutan yang sesaat membuat kita terlena, lalu menjadi sebuah ledakan yang menguras emosi....

Seperti novel kriminal-psikologinya Jeffery Deaver, kita akan dituntun dengan cara yang pelan, hati-hati, untuk diberi ending yang meledak. Perbedaannya, kali ini tema ceritanya lebih ringan (kehidupan remaja cewek SMA) dan gaya bertutur yang sangat feminin. Namun hasil akhirnya sama saja, cerita yang sederhana tadi menjadi bola salju yang semakin membesar mendekati akhir dan tak ayal mengubur pembacanya dalam runtuhan emosi yang menyesakkan.

Salah satu cerita kriminal remaja terbaik yang ada di pasaran. Andai saja saya belum membaca buku Fierce People sebelumnya, pasti saya akan beri bintang 5. Tapi berbeda dengan novel tsb, novel ini lebih ringan, cerita yang lebih membumi, dan klimaks yang benar-benar harus diberi tepuk tangan---setelah sebelumnya nyari tabung oksigen karena sesak nafas. dan bonus, cerita buku ini akan memberikan "petuah" yang begitu berharga yang kita akan perlukan tak hanya untuk kehidupan di masa remaja, namun juga untuk kehidupan di masa-masa mendatang :D

Gaya bercerita yang lincah, cerita yang membumi, dan ending yang mencekam, buku yang akan membuat kita ketawa-ketiwi di awal-awal namun tercenung saat di akhir. Cantik dan mengancam.

PS:
- errr... cover... edisi asing novel ini "asyik2" dan sesuai dengan semangat bukunya. edisi cover terjemahan terasa begitu "murahan". No offense buat designer cover. Tapi percayalah, cover edisi asing akan membuat saya tergoda untuk membelinya namun tidak dengan edisi ini---yeah, judge book by it's cover :p
- Terjemahannya mengalir lancar. Meski saya yakin edisi aslinya pasti memiliki banyak kosakata slang khas dunia remaja. Sayang edisi terjemahannya agak "baku". Rasanya gak menemukan kata-kata slang :(
- Ada beberapa terjemahan yang dirasa kurang tepat. Salah satu yang paling diinget adalah ditemukannya kata "anak anjing yang sedang kasmaran". Saya yakin, di edisi asli kata ini ditujukan untuk frasa "puppy love". AFAIK, frasa ini untuk menggambarkan kisah cinta yang cuma untuk main-main gak serius. Bahasa Indonesia udah punya kosakata untuk menggambarkan kondisi ini, "cinta monyet".
- Tengkyu atas Penerbit Redline atas hadiah bukunya :)(less)

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Aug 27, 2011 Sumando Libros rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Veamos...

Katherine es una tia de 17 años... bastante frivola, hasta el día en que le pasa algo que cambia su vida (Jooo!!! tranquilos tratare no spoliarlos) .

Pero entonces conoce a Alice y todo cambia. Ella es taaan hermosa, taaan popular y muuuuy interesante, que se hacen amigas casi al instante. Pasan tiempo juntas, tiempo muy bueno y agradable para las dos... haciendo que Katherine, le tome confianza y le cuente su secreto más profundo... (JOOOO!!! tengo ganas de decirles que es... pero no lo...more

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title link	preview: Beautiful Malice
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