Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Ordinary Beauty

4.21 of 5 stars 4.21 · rating details · 421 ratings · 93 reviews

How can you make someone love you when they won’t?

And what if that person happens to be your mother?

Sayre Bellavia grew up knowing she was a mistake: unplanned and unwanted. At five months shy of eighteen, she’s become an expert in loneliness, heartache, and neglect. Her whole life she’s been cursed, used, and left behind. Swallowed a thousand tears and ignored a thousand...more

Paperback, 290 pages

Published June 14th 2011 by MTV Books

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

MTV Publishing

21st out of 45 books — 159 voters

Prettiest YA Cover Model

99th out of 299 books — 215 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 14, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.

I really hadn't even heard of this one, but I have always wanted to be part of a book club, so when I learned about the Not So YA Book Club I had to be a part of it. This was their book for September, so I checked the library and they DIDN'T HAVE IT. Epic tragedy. So I checked Amazon and HURRAH! They had it for like 5 bucks. So I bought it and some other books, not expecting much, but deeming it worthwhile for the overall experience.

Turns out, though, th...more Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.

I really hadn't even heard of this one, but I have always wanted to be part of a book club, so when I learned about the Not So YA Book Club I had to be a part of it. This was their book for September, so I checked the library and they DIDN'T HAVE IT. Epic tragedy. So I checked Amazon and HURRAH! They had it for like 5 bucks. So I bought it and some other books, not expecting much, but deeming it worthwhile for the overall experience.

Turns out, though, that I really liked this. When I was a teen and up until a few months ago, I really shied away from 'issues books,' because they're depressing and who needs that from your escapist reads, right? Plus, I'm pretty sure I assumed they were all like Lurlene McDaniel or something, disgustingly sappy and unrealistic. After reading a couple though, I realized that I actually LOVE the incredibly heartrending contemps that make all of the people with souls cry, though I generally don't.

Ordinary Beauty is almost unrelentingly depressing. The overall tone is one of despair and desperation. Sayre Bellavia has had an awful, awful life, all because of the influence of her drug addict mother. Ordinary Beauty focuses on that relationship. Some other things happen and some other characters do matter, but what it really comes down to is Sayre and her mother.

Impregnated at 15, already a party girl and maker of bad decisions, Sayre's mother decided to have her baby, I think mostly because she only realized she was pregnant when it was too late to do anything about it. The news of Sayre's impending birth caused the grandfather to keel over for one reason or another, throwing the pampered daughter into a spiral and serious drug abuse from which she never recovered. The mother always resents Sayre for destroying her life, never shows any motherly tenderness, which Sayre can never stop craving. I wanted so badly to shake her and get her to freaking leave and go ANYWHERE.

Luckily, Sayre spent the first seven years of her life in a fairly stable environment, living with her grandmother and not her mom. This gave her a fairly normal outlook, and perhaps spared her from some of the worst emotional scars. However, most of the rest of her life has been a succession of dirty houses, abuse (mostly verbal) and neglect.

The story alternates between numbered chapters, the present timeline, in which Sayre's mother is dying from, well, basically her life, and titled chapters that are her reflections on the past inspired by the mom's impending death. Because it's not linear, we know that, even when times get better, that even worse things are ahead for Sayre, so there's some major dramatic irony going on. Also, even though I essentially knew what was coming, I really didn't guess how it would happen.

The whole group had some issues with the book, each of us struggling with Sayre's normalcy and with some of the situations in the book. One that we all doubted was that Sayre's mom would go to the hospital and receive Oxycontin, even though she'd been sent to rehab in the past for drug abuse. Even though I did look askance at a number of things like that, they didn't really subtract from the reading experience too much, because I got so caught up in Sayre's story.

The ending, though. The ending just felt so rushed and out of left field. The rest of the book was so sad and then all of a sudden there's a happy ending? What? Plus, there are some sort of dropped plot lines and some skipped time and it's just really unclear. Sayre just magically gets over everything so fast and this, I felt, was the most unrealistic part of the book, little inconsistencies aside. Much as I want Sayre to have a happy ending, it should not have been so idyllic, so untempered by her painful past.

Overall, I still really, really liked this, and now want to read all of Wiess's other books. I think everyone in the book club liked it, though most of them sobbed and don't want to read another sad book for like a year. I, however, want more of them. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 06, 2012 Stephanie A. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-ya, girl-protagonists

I initially read this largely because the cover model looked so much like Natalie Portman. It was so slow to start that I had to keep checking whether it was YA or an adult novel, but right around the time she finds Evan, it picked up spectacularly (injury/rescue = no faster way to zipline to my heart, even if he hadn't sounded generally adorable). I became equally absorbed in both the story of her past and the present-day action. I still thought the present-day scenes with her mother dragged a...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 05, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ordinary Beauty is a harsh wake up call that children suffer abuse at the hands of the very people who are suppose to love them and protect them: Their parents. It tells a heartbreaking and gut-wrenching story of a young girl named Sayre, who has lived a life of abuse, abandonment and neglect at the hands of her mother with very few moments of hope. I felt sorry for Sayre and praise her for her determination to survive and not let her struggles define her and give her a much deserved happy endin...more Ordinary Beauty is a harsh wake up call that children suffer abuse at the hands of the very people who are suppose to love them and protect them: Their parents. It tells a heartbreaking and gut-wrenching story of a young girl named Sayre, who has lived a life of abuse, abandonment and neglect at the hands of her mother with very few moments of hope. I felt sorry for Sayre and praise her for her determination to survive and not let her struggles define her and give her a much deserved happy ending. This proves that people who have endured such hardships can survive and grow up to be decent human beings.
I felt no pity at all for her mother, Dianne, who appears to me nothing more than a textbook narcissist and spoilt immature brat. As far as I am concerned her behavior and mistreatment of Sayre cannot be excused by drug use, having Sayre at fifteen or hardships.
She was a rotten human being long before she was on drugs, fell pregnant with Sayre and during brief periods when she was clean and sober. There were even warning signs from when she was young, prime examples are being spoiled, indulged and constantly bailed out of trouble by her father (princess syndrome), cruel to her mother, being a bully, even her guidance councilor diagnosing Dianne as having an antisocial personality.
As far as I am concerned Dianne had a provided life growing up, had a home and income that she later inherited from her parents and could have gone towards her education and set her up, but instead squandered on drugs, hence losing the house and living on the streets. Dianne was a step close to securing a privileged life again with a descent, clean living man named Beale who was a hundred times more the parent Sayre needed and deserved, but of course stuffed that up.
Dianne does nothing but blame the whole world, including Sayre for her own problems, misfortunes and even drug uses when in reality she is responsible for her own destruction. Even on her deathbed, Dianne doesn't even muster up the strength to apologize to Sayre for the way she treated her. But sadly that is the reality of most situations. Ther is no apologies, no reconciliation, no closure.
I did get angry at some of the characters 'playing god' by trying to get Dianne off drugs, reconcile mother and daughter and overlooking the abuse and mistreatment when it was right under their very noses.

I agree entirely that this novel will leave you emotionally drained from reading a book.

This book is not only for teens, but also for teachers, social workers and law enforcement officers. This book is a prime example of an issue that had been long overlooked and needs to be dealt with. Sometimes the harsh reality is some people do not and cannot be helped and some kids are better off without their parents.

(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 04, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: y-a

3 1/2 stars.

Sometimes I have a hard time when it comes to rating a book by an author whose work I have previously read. I compare it to the author's other books. So this is why rating "Ordinary Beauty" was a bit difficult for me because I liked all her other books better, in this order:
How it ends
Leftovers
Such a Pretty Girl

Such great books, really. All dealing with tough issues in unique ways. I LOVE the way Laura Wiess writes. It's gorgeous, really. So even though this story in particular was l...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 15, 2011 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook, advanced-readers-copy

Ordinary Beauty is the most heart-wrenching book I have read in a very long time. I read it in bed last night and cried pretty much through the entire book. The rebuttal of #YAsaves is based on the premise that many teens live DARK lives, that reading books like Ordinary Beauty and 13 Reasons Why give teens an outlet for their own situations and feelings . At lunch today I was discussing the book with my coworkers and what had happened to Ellie - which I felt was one of the more farfetched porti...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Lissy rated it 5 of 5 stars

REVIEW:

What would you do if you were born unloved, unwanted, and unplanned by your own mother, and you didn't know who your father was? In a small town where your last name may as well be your social status, you do what you can to get by. Sayre Bellavia has a tough life. A drug addict mother and no father figure in the picture. She works as a busgirl at a restaurant, just barely making ends meet. When by fate or chance, she happens upon a wounded local boy, Evan Greenwood, she does the best she...more

like · see review

Mar 13, 2011 Joni Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, teen, young-adult, addiction, reviewed

This story hit me hard. There were times in this book that I had to put it down and walk away. I received this in the mail about a week ago and it has taken me that long to get through it. Not because it was a bad book. On the contrary, Laura Wiess has done it again by creating a startlingly honest novel about something people know happens but choose to ignore. I am sure we have all seen the kid in school with the dirty clothes who seems to never bathe and most people, at least at my old school,...more This story hit me hard. There were times in this book that I had to put it down and walk away. I received this in the mail about a week ago and it has taken me that long to get through it. Not because it was a bad book. On the contrary, Laura Wiess has done it again by creating a startlingly honest novel about something people know happens but choose to ignore. I am sure we have all seen the kid in school with the dirty clothes who seems to never bathe and most people, at least at my old school, blamed the kid for the way they appeared. But this story brings up the point that it's not the child's choice to live that way. You have no idea what goes on behind closed doors.
In this story the main character, Sayre has lived with her mother and her mother's addictions her whole life. Her mother is an alcoholic and has been addicted to meth and is now addicted to pain pills. She has never taken care of Sayre, and spends every cent they have on her addictions. To say this girl had an awful life is not even the half of it. At one point her mother's best friend tried to kill her with a hammer. A neighbor called the police and her mother was arrested but as soon as her mother was released, Sayre was made to live with her again. That's one of the most disturbing thing about this story. Though no one knew everything that was going on, people knew enough and yet they never did anything to stop it. Now, Sayre is 17 and her mother is in the hospital dying of liver failure. Sayre is determined that before her mother dies to find out the truth once and for all. A question no child should ever have to ask. Did my mother ever love me?
This book is haunting. For me on personal levels. My own mother was an addict. She gave me up and I lived with my grandparents and then after they fell ill, I moved in with distant cousins. But reading this book was like reading the way my life could have turned out. The fact that things like this happen, that there are children out there living a life close to how Sayre lives is heartbreaking. There is not one person out there that can read this story and not be haunted by it. All in all, a breathtaking, haunting, amazing story. Laura Wiess has done it again.(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Sep 13, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

You can add this to the list of books I never would have read if it weren't for my book club, mainly because I'd never even heard of it until I learned it was our September selection. Why hadn't I heard of this book, especially when it seems books that will make you weep (TFiOS, anyone?) are becoming more and more popular? But the plot description appealed to me so I wasn't sorry to pick it up and read it.

Sayre was unplanned and unwanted and her mother never hesitated to share that with her. Gr...more You can add this to the list of books I never would have read if it weren't for my book club, mainly because I'd never even heard of it until I learned it was our September selection. Why hadn't I heard of this book, especially when it seems books that will make you weep (TFiOS, anyone?) are becoming more and more popular? But the plot description appealed to me so I wasn't sorry to pick it up and read it.

Sayre was unplanned and unwanted and her mother never hesitated to share that with her. Growing up with a drug and alcohol addicted mother was hard, but now, just two weeks after having left her, Sayre is told her mother is on her death bed at the hospital - liver failure and this time she won't be leaving the hospital alive. It's a stormy winter night when Sayre tries to get to her mother's bedside, and along the way she can't help but remember what it was liking growing up not knowing whether or not her mother loved her.

Ordinary Beauty is told through two different story lines with the same point of view. The first is what's going with Sayre right now - her mother is dying in a hospital bed and she's trying to get there before it's too late. The second is a series of flashbacks of Sayre's life, from when she was a toddler through now, and everything that happened in between; different homes, different people in her life, different emotions. The time shifts of the narrative really added to what Sayre was experiencing. The flashbacks occurred at exactly the right time and helped us understand what Sayre was feeling in that moment.

And you would think that growing up having lost several loved ones and having to spend most of your time with a drugged out mother who doesn't give a shit about you would give you an unbreakable sense of depression, that you would succumb and become like her, that all your memories of your childhood would be black and terrible and not worth remembering. But I was surprised to see that not all of Sayre's flashbacks are bad. There are times in her life that she was truly happy and that made me smile.

Of course, there were those times when things were horrible. Ordinary Beauty was heart wrenching. It was very difficult to watch a lovely, smart little girl have to live like she did. I grew up sheltered, I mean I'm not stupid, I know these things go on, but to see it in such a personal way was heartbreaking to me. Me, the gal who never sheds a tear at books (but readily will at jewelry commercials) teared up a little. Ordinary Beauty is a unique wave of emotions, it gets harder and harder to read as you go on, but you can't put it down.

Four stars! Don't let the sad topic of the book keep you from reading Ordinary Beauty. It's ultimately a beautiful story of hope and understanding. Why this book doesn't even have three hundred ratings on Goodreads is beyond me, and I hope I have convinced some of you to seriously give it a look.

...more YA reviews at pandareads.com(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 29, 2011 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: peach-consideration

A reader-pleaser for those who like a hard luck story, especially when they suspect things will probably turn out okay.

With this narrative structure, bit and pieces of the horror of Sayre's life with the kind of mother nobody deserves come in chapters that are interspersed in a present day hell of its own: while trying to hitch a ride on mountain roads in the snow, Sayre inadvertently causes college kid Evan to veer down a ravine to avoid hitting her. No cell coverage makes the situation dicey,...more

like · see review

Jun 13, 2011 Joli rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Ordinary Beauty has left me a wreck. Never have I been left so emotionally drained from reading a book. While this may sound negative to some, it is one of the best feelings I can great from reading. I know this book and Sayre's story will be with me for a long time.

Laura Wiess has written a heartbreaking and gut-wrenching story of a young girl who has lived a life of abuse, abandonment and neglect with very few moments of hope. The novel begins just as Sayre learns that her mother has been admi...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 11, 2012 Angelika Ignaitis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ordinary Beauty is a book that I normally wouldn't read but I found it when i wasnt having in luck with my normal go-to types of books. This book is a story about a girl's relationship with a mother that was never really a mother.It tells the story thru the main character flashing back to her less then ideal childhood. I'm not gonna lie this book did make me cry and it does pose an interesting question: What's worse a mother who never loved you or a mother who did love you but still chose to tre...more

like · see review

Jun 05, 2011 Ann Smejkal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ordinary Beauty was, certainly, anything but ordinary. I found myself having to step away from the book for awhile in order to contemplate the sheer horror that I had been reading; this book is simply disturbing. Wiess elegantly portrays a young girl growing up in a tumultuous household; a meth-addicted mother who steals everything of hers and sells it all away for drugs, a constant fear of homelessness and poverty, and a fervent wondering if she ever meant anything or if she was simply a mistak...more

like · see review

Jun 13, 2011 Claudette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley, young-adult, contemporary-or-realistic-fiction, read-in-2011, favorite-books-read-in-2011

When I saw this book by Laura Wiess on Simon & Schuster's newsletter, I had the feeling I'd already heard the author's name and, after a rapid search on Goodreads, I found out I had all her books on my TBR shelf. So how could I possibly miss the chance?

Then I started worring that I wouldn't like it or that my expectations were so high that I would inevitably be disappointed, and I put this book on hold until I was in the right mood.

A week ago, I picked my kindle up and decided that I didn't...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 01, 2011 J. rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm starting to get more into contemporary fiction more lately, and amazing books like Ordinary Beauty are the reason why. I know that sounds weird, but when I make an investment in reading a book that's not magical or paranormal, I want to see stories being told that need to be told, grit and all even if it deals with the unpleasant aspects of our society. Ordinary Beauty is emotionally intense, at times raw, at times extraordinarily bittersweet.

Sayre's life in this book is not pretty, and it i...more I'm starting to get more into contemporary fiction more lately, and amazing books like Ordinary Beauty are the reason why. I know that sounds weird, but when I make an investment in reading a book that's not magical or paranormal, I want to see stories being told that need to be told, grit and all even if it deals with the unpleasant aspects of our society. Ordinary Beauty is emotionally intense, at times raw, at times extraordinarily bittersweet.

Sayre's life in this book is not pretty, and it is a perfect depiction of the tough lives some kids are forced to live due to parents' bad choices and selfishness. The story takes the form of Sayre trying to reach her dying mother in the hospital on a wintry night, forced into reflection about the past and her own deepest need to feel love or to receive closure from her mother. Witness to a horrible car wreck, on the way to the hospital she is ultimately forced to open up to two complete strangers (and, thus, herself) about the hideousness of what has taken place in her life.

In the past, her mother's relationships and drug addictions and completely self- and others-destructive behavior left Sayre hurting and broken yet, due to some good influences in her life, determined to be more than her mother has been. This is a story of all the hurt and yet of hope because, even in the midst of such chaos, seeds are planted that lead to Sayre's successful attempts at breaking the cycle of her mother's destruction. I love the fact that this book doesn't moralize, despite the many opportunities to do so. Things are what they are, and we never do come to a complete sense of closure or retribution along with Sayre. Life is life, and life contains both pain and happiness, sometimes intermingled with each other.

As a teacher, this reaffirms the fact that sometimes the students I might have in my classroom are equally as broken and neglected as Sayre and reminds me that I need to at least attempt to be a force that might set them on the right path.

Young Adult Notes:

This book contains a little bit of strong language and deals with (or mentions) all the ugly stuff we don't want to think about in society - drug abuse and addiction, promiscuous sex, gruesome deaths, cheating, child abuse, and animal violence. I would say 14 and up would be an appropriate age, though many mature middle schoolers younger than that could handle it and would love it because it is so edgy and heartfelt.(less)

like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: characters-i-love, favorites, books-i-own, awesome-heroines, favorite-authors

There are few authors who can pull off what Laura Wiess has done so effortlessly in this book and I am awed by the sheer impact and beauty of it. I'm not one to find myself weepy over a book, it's just not in my DNA, and I can think of only three in my entire reading history which have caused me to do just that. This book is one.

This is an incredibly difficult review to write. Not because I am at all conflicted. Not because I had difficulty with the subject matter, which is undeniably tragic. An...more

like · see review

Aug 10, 2011 Sheree rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2011, own, arc, reviews

A beautiful, brilliant, agonising read that tugs at your heartstrings. My first Laura Weiss book but it definitely won't be my last.

This was one of those rare reads that had me alternating wildly between holding my breath unable to turn the page for fear of what I might read, desperate to put the book down and escape from the raw emotion and powerless to tear myself away from the page.

Laura Wiess doesn't shy away from tackling the harsh truths of addiction, child neglect and abuse but what mak...more

like · see review

May 24, 2011 Mari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: galleygrab

I think Ordinary Beauty is one of those "love it or hate it" books. Personally, the story hit me hard. It took me a while to finish reading because the story was so depressing.. and I don't mean that in an entirely bad way. This book was bleak and gritty and I would've found it too melodramatic if I didn't walk away from the story from time to time to process the whole thing. At times I found myself thinking that it's too much, no one's life is that harsh, no mother would do such awful things to...more

like · see review

Sep 14, 2012 Tiffani rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sweet Baby Jesus, this book was sad. I have a apprehension about reading things that will make my eyes water uncontrollably, but as soon as I started the book, I couldn't put it down. Sayre Bellavia, a 17 year old girl, gets the call that her mother is in the hospital. It wouldn't be so bad if she didn't have to HITCHHIKE to the hospital (Sayre and her mother live with unsavory characters.) It also wouldn't be bad if her mother was the epitome of Worst Mother of the Year. While hitchhiking to th...more

like · see review

Aug 25, 2011 C rated it 5 of 5 stars

Yet another "Wiess Wonder"! This book brought out all the stops. It made me feel anger, sadness and compassion. It allowed me to remember that "not all Good families raise good children" and not all BAD families raise bad children". It is a gritty, heart-rendering story of a young woman trying to find her path - and somehow, with little normalcy in her life Sayre manages to find the courage and strength of character to struggle through the memories of her childhood and move forward with purpose...more

like · see review

Sep 17, 2012 Lauren Brittain rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: morbid-ya-lit

This review is also available at booksthatsmolder.blogspot.com

RATING: ★★★★

SUMMARY:
How can you make someone love you when they won’t?

And what if that person happens to be your mother?

Sayre Bellavia grew up knowing she was a mistake: unplanned and unwanted. At five months shy of eighteen, she’s become an expert in loneliness, heartache, and neglect. Her whole life she’s been cursed, used, and left behind. Swallowed a thousand tears and ignored a thousand deliberate cruelties. Sayre’s stuck by her...more

like · see review

Oct 31, 2012 Smash added it

Shelves: book-club, young-adult, read-2012, tough-issues, favorites, read-own-hardcopy

Courtesy of Smash Attack Reads

Interest in Book: It's obvious that this is not a book I would normally read. I am glad that my book club chose it for September's read, as it was emotional and affected me deeply. Sayre, a teenage girl on the cusp of adulthood, recounts her extremely difficultlife in Podunk Town, USA,as her mother lies dying in the hospital from an extreme life of her own.

My Thoughts: This book was intense in a way that makes your heart hurt and your head spin as the horrific reali...more

like · see review

Oct 07, 2012 Eden rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, drugs, coming-of-age, ya, books-i-love

I know that social workers are overloaded with cases involving children in abusive and desperate situations. I know that even in America there are so many kids out there who need an escape and aren't provided with one. I know that. And it's so goddamn depressing to know that this stuff goes on and there aren't enough helping hands.
I'm sad to say I've witnessed firsthand friends of mine growing up in terrible living conditions and nothing being done about it. But I still constantly question...w...more

like · see review

Sep 05, 2012 Brigette rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, tough-stuff, favorites

What is it about Laura Wiess' beautifully written stories that turns me into a huge crybaby when I'm finished reading them? Ordinary Beauty has made me grateful (over and over again) for my family and the way they raised me with so much love and happiness.

Ordinary Beauty is a tragic story about a girl raised by a single mom who cares about her drugs more than her own daughter. Sayre was always told she was a mistake, unloved, and unwanted. Her mother took her to hell and back, and she's seen mor...more What is it about Laura Wiess' beautifully written stories that turns me into a huge crybaby when I'm finished reading them? Ordinary Beauty has made me grateful (over and over again) for my family and the way they raised me with so much love and happiness.

Ordinary Beauty is a tragic story about a girl raised by a single mom who cares about her drugs more than her own daughter. Sayre was always told she was a mistake, unloved, and unwanted. Her mother took her to hell and back, and she's seen more than any child should have to. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: stories and movies like this are unbelievable. It doesn't make sense to me that a mother would abuse her own child, and purposely put him or her into situations that could get them hurt or even killed. But what's really scary, is it does happen. Children actually do live like this.

Given all that Sayre has been exposed to, one would think that she would just give up and become like her mother. Lord knows I would not have the strength to overcome what she has. To still believe in love and family. Most true stories that begin like this, end in the same way they began; that's the saddest thing in the world.

Ordinary Beauty was so beautifully written, I actually felt as if I were Sayre, in her world and living her life. I cried with her when (view spoiler) and laughed with her when (view spoiler).

(view spoiler)

Laura Wiess has quickly become one of my favorite authors: writing stories that suck me in, make me cry like a baby and laugh like a little girl on Christmas, only to spit me back out and leave me with something to think about for days after.

Ordinary Beauty was truly an inspiring, heartbreaking novel, and I recommend it to absolutely anyone. (less)

like · see review

Dec 20, 2012 Draven rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't even know where to begin.....

I'm speechless by how deeply this book affected me and how much I loved and cherished every word of it. Laura Wiess and her Ordinary Beauty are a gift to literature...PERIOD. I don't want to hear about any genre nonsense! This woman is a treasure! I had to stifle back the sobs while I was finishing this story (because I was at work, in a open cubicle and didn't want to cause a scene). I would have finished this in a day, tops, if it wasn't for things like wor...more

like · see review

Mar 07, 2012 Candace (Lovey Dovey Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Ordinary Beauty really took me by surprise in the way of how many strong emotions it invoked from me. Sayre had a love interest, but the story was solely about Sayre's idea of love and how she dealt with her mother issues.

One thing that really touched me in this story was Sayre's ability to love other people even though she always felt unwanted and unloved. Her attitude is rare and many kids in her situation probably couldn't develop one as optimistic as hers.

Her mother, though well written, w...more

like · see review

Sep 28, 2011 Mickey (I'm A Book Shark) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: YA fans, deep novel fans

Shelves: 2011

I checked this book out from the library. Here is my honest review:

I can only describe this book as dark and painful but necessary. It's touching, personal, and very deep. Sayre has a lot of things to go through before she can feel free of her troubles. Her childhood was terrible, and it could have completely ruined her life. But as she's trying to get her life back together she finds out that her drug addicted, alcoholic mother is in the hospital, dying. Dianne has done a lot of wrong as a moth...more

like · see review

Feb 20, 2012 Sana (Breathing Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

*Novel provided for an honest review.

Does my mother love me? That is the question Sayre has been haunted by her entire life. If you think your mother is horrible, think again.

Laura Wiess, author of Such a Pretty Girl, has written a heartbreaking and gut-wrenching story of a young girl who has lived a life of abuse, abandonment and neglect with very few moments of hope. Sayre‘s mother is an alcoholic and a meth addict. Living with her has been excruciatingly difficult, and not just because Sayre...more *Novel provided for an honest review.

Does my mother love me? That is the question Sayre has been haunted by her entire life. If you think your mother is horrible, think again.

Laura Wiess, author of Such a Pretty Girl, has written a heartbreaking and gut-wrenching story of a young girl who has lived a life of abuse, abandonment and neglect with very few moments of hope. Sayre‘s mother is an alcoholic and a meth addict. Living with her has been excruciatingly difficult, and not just because Sayre knows her mother never wanted her. Sayre has stuck by her though, trying to make her mother see and love her. Now Sayre's mother is dying, and she must find a way to deal with the fact that she is finally going to be left behind for good.

The story is told through Sayre’s point of view at present time but she tells us about her life through a series of flashbacks. The novel begins just as Sayre learns that her mother has been admitted to the hospital once again and she is forced to visit her. In an attempt to avoid being hit on the snow-covered road, she actually causes an accident and must try to save the severely injured driver. It is during the hours of waiting for help to arrive that Sayre begins to lend her voice, bit by bit, to all of the horrors she has endured growing up with an addict for a mother and break away from a past that has had a stranglehold on her for her entire life.

The book took me on a crazy roller coaster of emotions that left me wanting more but left me speechless at the same time. Wiess peeled the skin and left the story raw. There was nothing left to hide. The emotions were vivid in this book. Wiess really spun this incredible tale about a girl who came to love herself after years of hearing from her mother how truly worthless she was. She covered delicate topics about child and alcohol abuse. Nothing in Ordinary Beauty felt farfetched. Her writing style was blunt and simple. She goes where other authors fear to go with her writing, and that is blatantly obvious in Ordinary Beauty. The title does not do the book justice. There is nothing ordinary about Sayre or her heartbreaking story of hardship and strength. Ordinary Beauty was not an easy book to read. I cried, and then I got angry, and then I cried again, and sometimes I had to just put the book down because it was too much. But in the end it was so, so beautiful. It's a beautiful story full hope and forgiveness, of one that is worth the pain and tears. Give it a chance: you'll fall in love with Sayre and Laura Wiess's beautiful prose.

(less)

like · see review

Jul 05, 2011 Sarah (Workaday Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, 5-star-in-2011

Sayre Bellevia's mother is an alcoholic and a meth addict. Living with her has been excruciatingly difficult, and not just because Sayre knows her mother never wanted her. Sayre has stuck by her though, trying to make her mother see and love her. Now Sayre's mother is dying, and she must find a way to deal with the fact that she is finally going to be left behind for good.

Heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking. After finishing this book, that's all I could think of to describe it. Even after wa...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 14, 2011 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Greta’s review:

I adored this book! It painted a world of unspoken darkness with tiny pinpricks of hope lighting the way as we hear the life story of Sayre Bellavia, a 17 year old girl who had to grow up too soon.

This book read like a Smashing Pumpkins ballad with a Nine Inch Nails chorus and an Everclear encore. It sucks the reader in with its unforgettable characters, remarkable eye to detail, and original plot.

I will warn you, Ordinary Beauty will make you cry, it will make you gasp, and it wi...more

like · see review

Jun 25, 2011 Rabiah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally Posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2...

**This Review is based on an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy). The final text/cover may be different.**

Wow. Just...WOW.

I've heard of Laura Wiess' other book Such a Pretty Girl but never any other book by her. I have to repeat myself. W-O-W. This book was so richly detailed and horrifyingly beautiful. It's so painful to read, but I HAD to find out what happens to Sayre in the end– and the ultimate question: did her mother ever really love...more Originally Posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2...

**This Review is based on an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy). The final text/cover may be different.**

Wow. Just...WOW.

I've heard of Laura Wiess' other book Such a Pretty Girl but never any other book by her. I have to repeat myself. W-O-W. This book was so richly detailed and horrifyingly beautiful. It's so painful to read, but I HAD to find out what happens to Sayre in the end– and the ultimate question: did her mother ever really love her? Through flashbacks and a journey to the hospital comes the story of her childhood and all the secrets, lies and abuse.

This book touched several delicate topics, the biggest is the one which lands Sayre's mom in the hospital: drug and alcohol addiction. It's pretty scary to see what Sayre has been through since she was a small girl and how it torments her to this day forth. Every chapter alternates from present to past and back to present, as she makes her way to the hospital. I found it a little slow in the beginning, but I was SO glad I didn't stop reading!
Sayre's character shows a strong, independent girl who just wants love, which she never received her whole life. She had to deal with her mom and her mom's horrible best friend (who ACTUALLY tried to kill her!), moving around, child abuse, being exploited to drugs and alcohol and trying to find a way to fit in and go with it. I feel so sad for her! She's such a brilliant character who shows the realistic side to life and what it's really like for someone who's been pushed around by family and never loved.

There are a few happy moments for our heroine in this book a few times, like the foster family, when her mom meets someone which Sayre actually likes and stuff like that, but then things don't always turn out to be like that. I love how there's the constant theme of hope throughout the novel, and that we can't give up on her story, and need to hear it out. It's really sad how those who show affection to Sayre end up going away in the end. This girl sees no end to the misery! :(
I really find that Ordinary Beauty looks at the hardships of teens in broken homes (ie. the product of Teen Pregnancy) very effective, as it brings more personal tones to readers and what really happens out there in this big world. Every character really adds up to the setting and mood of the story (HATE HATE HATE the mom) and it's just so dreadful how it can all actually happen.

Ordinary Beauty is a story for those who've suffered through alcoholic family members, substance abuse, child abuse, and any other sort of pain. Realistically terrifying and sparklingly hopeful, Laura Wiess is DEFINITELY an author I would love to read more of.(less)

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (3)

Genres

Young Adult

48 users

Contemporary

16 users

Realistic Fiction

10 users

Sociology > Abuse

7 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

6 users

Young Adult > Coming Of Age

4 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Contemporary

3 users

Young Adult > Teen

3 users

Book Club

2 users

Modern

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Laura Wiess

Laura Wiess is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Such a Pretty Girl, chosen as one of the ALA’s 2008 Best Books for Young Adults and 2008 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, and Leftovers. Originally from Milltown, New Jersey, she traded bumper-to-bumper traffic, excellent pizza, and summer days down the shore for scenic roads, bears, no pizza delivery, and the irresistible allure...more

More about Laura Wiess...

Books by Laura Wiess

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Ordinary Beauty

1 quiz

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Ordinary Beauty

“Sometimes the hardest people to love are the ones who need it the most.” — 57 people liked it

“How can you make someone love you when they won't? How long are you supposed to keep trying?” — 28 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Ordinary Beauty
avg rating	preview: Ordinary Beauty Goodreads rating: 4.21 (421 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9758768-ordinary-beauty?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348083973l/9758768.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9758768-ordinary-beauty?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Ordinary Beauty by Laura Wiess[/url]

Ordinary Beauty

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website