164 books
—
314 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “What Beauty There Is (What Beauty There Is, #1)” as Want to Read:
What Beauty There Is
(What Beauty There Is #1)
by
An exhilarating, emotionally powerful and superbly written thriller that's Winter's Bone meets The Road
Winter. The sky is dark. It is cold enough to crack bones.
Jack Morton has nothing left. Except his younger brother, Matty, who he'd do anything for. Even die for. Now with their mother gone, and their funds quickly dwindling, Jack needs to make a choice: lose his brother ...more
Winter. The sky is dark. It is cold enough to crack bones.
Jack Morton has nothing left. Except his younger brother, Matty, who he'd do anything for. Even die for. Now with their mother gone, and their funds quickly dwindling, Jack needs to make a choice: lose his brother ...more
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
What Beauty There Is,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about What Beauty There Is
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of What Beauty There Is (What Beauty There Is, #1)
oh wow. what beauty there is in this book was completely unexpected.
this story exceeded all of my expectations in terms of prose, narration, storytelling, characters, and atmosphere.
its one of those novels that forces you to feel and experience.
jack and matty are everything good in the world personified.
this is a story worth loving.
thank you so much to macmillan for the ARC!
↠ 4.5 stars
this story exceeded all of my expectations in terms of prose, narration, storytelling, characters, and atmosphere.
its one of those novels that forces you to feel and experience.
jack and matty are everything good in the world personified.
this is a story worth loving.
thank you so much to macmillan for the ARC!
↠ 4.5 stars
Wowwww! This book hurt each bone in my body! My heart is ripped by tiny little razor blades! So intense, so heartfelt, so deep, so effective: it shook me to the core.
Those beautiful young characters are like Atlas carrying the entire world on their shoulders. Their pain, their struggle, their loneliness, their resilient, their inner strength blew my mind away!
Jack’s mother committed suicide: hanged herself in her room and the poor young son Jack buried his own mother, then took care of his li ...more
Those beautiful young characters are like Atlas carrying the entire world on their shoulders. Their pain, their struggle, their loneliness, their resilient, their inner strength blew my mind away!
Jack’s mother committed suicide: hanged herself in her room and the poor young son Jack buried his own mother, then took care of his li ...more
I don't have many words to describe the experience of this book because it's left me quite speechless. the essence of it feels like a classic but it's also no frills, unpretentious, and so real and raw in how it presents itself. the writing is really something to marvel at and it's amazing how much Cory packs in three, two words, sometimes even one. Seriously, I could read her descriptions of the snow falling and the wind rustling through the Idaho pines all day long. But what really gripped me
...more
I am obsessed with this book. Spare, haunting prose, an emotionally intense plot, and a setting that will chill you to the bone, you'll be rooting for Jack, Matty, and Eva through the very last page.
...more
Jan 31, 2021
DragonWithHeels
marked it as to-read
Netgalley approved my arc for this and I'm so excited!
...more
This book is beautiful.
I love a book where I know the author has thought about each and every word before placing it on the page. Where the prose feels like poetry. When it feels like there is a rhythm and cadence to the sentences and paragraphs. I'm not reading a book, I'm experiencing it. This book is that.
I also love a book with a tight plot, perfect pacing, tense situations, and action and adventure. This book is that.
A well-written book with a tight plot and beautiful prose, however, is n ...more
I love a book where I know the author has thought about each and every word before placing it on the page. Where the prose feels like poetry. When it feels like there is a rhythm and cadence to the sentences and paragraphs. I'm not reading a book, I'm experiencing it. This book is that.
I also love a book with a tight plot, perfect pacing, tense situations, and action and adventure. This book is that.
A well-written book with a tight plot and beautiful prose, however, is n ...more
Jack has to make a choice: lose his brother to foster care, or find the drug money that sent his father to prison. It’s a great book with a lot of mystery and I really enjoyed it and if you enjoy mystery I would recommend reading it.
If I had realized that this book was going to be the first in a series, I probably never would have requested it because the last thing I need in my life is to be invested in a YA series of books, particularly one that is only on book #1.
BUT.
I'm so glad I did request and read this book because I ended up LOVING it.
This book hit so many of the weird things that I like but barely ever get to read about. Bone-chillingly cold setting that makes me want to be snuggled under a blanket the entire tim ...more
BUT.
I'm so glad I did request and read this book because I ended up LOVING it.
This book hit so many of the weird things that I like but barely ever get to read about. Bone-chillingly cold setting that makes me want to be snuggled under a blanket the entire tim ...more
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this book. I thought I was going to love this book. And the other early reviews of this book are glowing. But a lot of this book felt very off to me.
The premise drew me in. Jack's mom commits suicide, leaving him to take care of Matty. He has to be careful not to let anyone know she has committed suicide because he knows they will take Matty away. They have less than $20, no food, no heat. So Jack decides ...more
I really wanted to love this book. I thought I was going to love this book. And the other early reviews of this book are glowing. But a lot of this book felt very off to me.
The premise drew me in. Jack's mom commits suicide, leaving him to take care of Matty. He has to be careful not to let anyone know she has committed suicide because he knows they will take Matty away. They have less than $20, no food, no heat. So Jack decides ...more
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this book. I thought I was going to love this book. And the other early reviews of this book are glowing. But a lot of this book felt very off to me.
The premise drew me in. Jack's mom commits suicide, leaving him to take care of Matty. He has to be careful not to let anyone know she has committed suicide because he knows they will take Matty away. They have less than $20, no food, no heat. So Jack decides ...more
I really wanted to love this book. I thought I was going to love this book. And the other early reviews of this book are glowing. But a lot of this book felt very off to me.
The premise drew me in. Jack's mom commits suicide, leaving him to take care of Matty. He has to be careful not to let anyone know she has committed suicide because he knows they will take Matty away. They have less than $20, no food, no heat. So Jack decides ...more
Cory Anderson’s novel “What Beauty There Is” will chill you to your bones, only to remind you what warmth feels like.
Jack Dahl’s life is looking bleak. With his father in jail with no sign of parole and a mother who has given up on hope, Jack becomes the sole provider for his younger brother Matty. Money quickly becomes an issue for the two and Jack is tempted into retracing his father’s footsteps, looking for an answer to their money problems.
When Jack bumps into newcomer Ava at school, it’s ...more
Jack Dahl’s life is looking bleak. With his father in jail with no sign of parole and a mother who has given up on hope, Jack becomes the sole provider for his younger brother Matty. Money quickly becomes an issue for the two and Jack is tempted into retracing his father’s footsteps, looking for an answer to their money problems.
When Jack bumps into newcomer Ava at school, it’s ...more
Cory Anderson’s novel “What Beauty There Is” will chill you to your bones, only to remind you what warmth feels like.
Jack Dahl’s life is looking bleak. With his father in jail with no sign of parole and a mother who has given up on hope, Jack becomes the sole provider for his younger brother Matty. Money quickly becomes an issue for the two and Jack is tempted into retracing his father’s footsteps, looking for an answer to their money problems.
When Jack bumps into newcomer Ava at school, it’s ...more
Jack Dahl’s life is looking bleak. With his father in jail with no sign of parole and a mother who has given up on hope, Jack becomes the sole provider for his younger brother Matty. Money quickly becomes an issue for the two and Jack is tempted into retracing his father’s footsteps, looking for an answer to their money problems.
When Jack bumps into newcomer Ava at school, it’s ...more
Out April 6th, I got an advanced reader copy. Tbh the characters were kinda bland, but the story wasn’t horrible ig
There are books you read for a literary snack--you gobble them up and move on to the next bit of sweet fluff. This book isn't one of those. It grabbed me hard and didn't let go, and months later I'm still thinking about it. Its pages are littered with starkly beautiful prose, but it's the emotion that challenged me, broke me, made me believe. A truly special read. Don't let the YA category put you off--it's absolutely not to be missed.
...more
✨REVIEW✨
📖 What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson
Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Genre: Teens & YA, Mystery & Thrillers
Pub. Date: April 5, 2021
Pages: 368
Thank you so much Cory Anderson, NetGalley, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for giving me this amazing opportunity to read this book. Reviews are up in Goodreads, NetGalley, and Amazon.
Three words for this amazing book: heartbreaking, suspense, and brilliant.
BUT FIRST...
Let’s start with the cover. The cover is so gorgeous, I NEED to grab one right after ...more
📖 What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson
Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Genre: Teens & YA, Mystery & Thrillers
Pub. Date: April 5, 2021
Pages: 368
Thank you so much Cory Anderson, NetGalley, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for giving me this amazing opportunity to read this book. Reviews are up in Goodreads, NetGalley, and Amazon.
Three words for this amazing book: heartbreaking, suspense, and brilliant.
BUT FIRST...
Let’s start with the cover. The cover is so gorgeous, I NEED to grab one right after ...more
Dec 29, 2020
Alicia
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
mystery-thriller,
friendship,
politics-justice,
male,
female,
ahs-advise,
action,
family,
dark,
abuse
This book is a mood. A whole, big mood and you will get lost in its mood. It was a perfect read for the blustery, cold, sunless winter night and day that I read it in (the kind of book you read slowfast).
It truly is dark and hauntingly beautiful. These tragic connections in storytelling are my kind of book. I wouldn't call this a romance. Jack and Ava have a mutual need to be seen by each other because of their fathers' even though Jack doesn't know it. But you need to start from the beginning- ...more
It truly is dark and hauntingly beautiful. These tragic connections in storytelling are my kind of book. I wouldn't call this a romance. Jack and Ava have a mutual need to be seen by each other because of their fathers' even though Jack doesn't know it. But you need to start from the beginning- ...more
Rating 3.75
It's hard for me to rate "What Beauty There Is" because there are some things I loved and some that I hated. Let's start with the writing style. While I understand what the author was going for I do not think their style of writing was for me. In the beginning the writing kept taking me out of the story and almost made me not continue. The writing was well done and this could have just been a personal problem and something others might not notice. I struggled with the first half of th ...more
It's hard for me to rate "What Beauty There Is" because there are some things I loved and some that I hated. Let's start with the writing style. While I understand what the author was going for I do not think their style of writing was for me. In the beginning the writing kept taking me out of the story and almost made me not continue. The writing was well done and this could have just been a personal problem and something others might not notice. I struggled with the first half of th ...more
What Beauty There Is
by Cory Anderson
Pub Date: 06 Apr 2021
read courtesy of http://www.netgalley.com
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I couldn't put this book down. The author told a unique tale with interesting details that I've never read anywhere else. It was refreshing to be surprised and engrossed in spite of the somber subjects. The multiple threads of the story are tightly and expertly wound together. The characters have distinct and believable personalities. The setting was described with chilling results (pun intend ...more
by Cory Anderson
Pub Date: 06 Apr 2021
read courtesy of http://www.netgalley.com
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I couldn't put this book down. The author told a unique tale with interesting details that I've never read anywhere else. It was refreshing to be surprised and engrossed in spite of the somber subjects. The multiple threads of the story are tightly and expertly wound together. The characters have distinct and believable personalities. The setting was described with chilling results (pun intend ...more
What Beauty There Is.
Oh goodness where do I start with this one? What originally drew me into this one was the beautiful cover. I mean just look at that!
This was quite the heavy and dark book. There are a lot of heavy content triggers in this one. I felt the pain with each and every character. It was a little hard for me to rate overall since there were things I loved about this one and things that I wasn't a big fan of.
I struggled with the first half of the story. The writing style was good bu ...more
Oh goodness where do I start with this one? What originally drew me into this one was the beautiful cover. I mean just look at that!
This was quite the heavy and dark book. There are a lot of heavy content triggers in this one. I felt the pain with each and every character. It was a little hard for me to rate overall since there were things I loved about this one and things that I wasn't a big fan of.
I struggled with the first half of the story. The writing style was good bu ...more
Here is a story that grabbed me from the 1st page and I already knew I would love this book because it is written so candidly, yet beautifully.
Imagine, you’re 17 years old, your dad is in prison for stealing money from the cartel, money that’s still somewhere hidden, and all you have is about 13 dollars in a kitty jar in the kitchen. You come home from school, not to find your mum withering her life her away as you usually would find her in her rocking chair but hanging from a ceiling fan in her ...more
Imagine, you’re 17 years old, your dad is in prison for stealing money from the cartel, money that’s still somewhere hidden, and all you have is about 13 dollars in a kitty jar in the kitchen. You come home from school, not to find your mum withering her life her away as you usually would find her in her rocking chair but hanging from a ceiling fan in her ...more
Releases April 6, 2021, I read an advanced reader copy. An exceptional debut YA novel often compared to other YA authors as first works often are. For me it was reminiscent of Jacqueline Woodson’s “Under the Meth Moon” in both story and writing. I couldn’t put this down and stayed up late to finish, and then woke up early thinking about it. Excellent writing (I kept highlighting single sentences, phrases, and paragraphs) and very good character development. The story is violent and brutal at tim
...more
"My life has faded to floating bits of black and white, but I remember minutes with Jack in color, in a vivid haze of red and yellow and blue."
Yes, the whole book has stunning prose throughout. It's a book you read slowly, let it absorb into your soul, and reread to understand from the beginning.
Jack and Matty are on their own. It's up to Jack to keep them together and against all the odds stacked against him, he's determined and pretty tough. He's amazingly tough and strong.
Ava has something ...more
Yes, the whole book has stunning prose throughout. It's a book you read slowly, let it absorb into your soul, and reread to understand from the beginning.
Jack and Matty are on their own. It's up to Jack to keep them together and against all the odds stacked against him, he's determined and pretty tough. He's amazingly tough and strong.
Ava has something ...more
This is not a happy book. It is, however, very well written.
The characters are compelling and likeable. You root for them throughout. However, the amount of terrible things that befall them were triggering for me, and made it incredibly hard to keep reading at times. It took me far longer to read this than I thought it would, because I kept having to take breaks to read other books and give myself time to process.
I kept reading because I was hoping for a redemption in the end...and found the end ...more
The characters are compelling and likeable. You root for them throughout. However, the amount of terrible things that befall them were triggering for me, and made it incredibly hard to keep reading at times. It took me far longer to read this than I thought it would, because I kept having to take breaks to read other books and give myself time to process.
I kept reading because I was hoping for a redemption in the end...and found the end ...more
This destroyed me, along with my expectations. I was not anticipating the tenderness in these pages, the delicate parts that wrenched my heart and ripped it in two.
Jack’s plight is agonizing. Living in truly abject poverty, with a father in prison, a mother he finds dead, a little brother, and a swiftly dwindling supply of money and food, his circumstances are terrible. Rather than relinquish his brother to social services, he buries his mother and sets out to find the money that landed his fath ...more
Jack’s plight is agonizing. Living in truly abject poverty, with a father in prison, a mother he finds dead, a little brother, and a swiftly dwindling supply of money and food, his circumstances are terrible. Rather than relinquish his brother to social services, he buries his mother and sets out to find the money that landed his fath ...more
I was so thrilled to get an early copy of this novel. It is haunting and beautiful and I could not put it down. It is the story of two teens put in sad and impossible positions but searching for a better life. Set in the dead of winter with impossible cold and snow, the setting itself is a well developed character trying to keep the characters from their goals. They fight as much against the weather as they do the man with a gun, which means constant tension and suspense for the reader
The two ma ...more
The two ma ...more
Wow.
You know when you read one of those books that will stick with you for a while?
I’m not one for gruesome details, but the beauty of this book came from its intensity and shock factor moments. Jack will do anything to protect his brother Matty and the hard life they’ve been dealt. The details of their disparity are heartbreaking as Jack searches for how to provide for their brotherhood. Suddenly, Ava enters the picture as a quiet angelic presence with secrets of her own. Will Jack’s father’s ...more
You know when you read one of those books that will stick with you for a while?
I’m not one for gruesome details, but the beauty of this book came from its intensity and shock factor moments. Jack will do anything to protect his brother Matty and the hard life they’ve been dealt. The details of their disparity are heartbreaking as Jack searches for how to provide for their brotherhood. Suddenly, Ava enters the picture as a quiet angelic presence with secrets of her own. Will Jack’s father’s ...more
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book.
THIS BOOK.
Wow.
Like I went into it not really knowing what it was about, I'll admit. I saw all the other positive reviews and thought hey why not? Within the first chapter I knew this wasn't going to be a happy ending.
Jack, Ava, and Matty's story is full of dark things. It's hard to read, yes, but you want so badly for these kids to have their happy ending that you keep going for them. Like I ache ...more
This book.
THIS BOOK.
Wow.
Like I went into it not really knowing what it was about, I'll admit. I saw all the other positive reviews and thought hey why not? Within the first chapter I knew this wasn't going to be a happy ending.
Jack, Ava, and Matty's story is full of dark things. It's hard to read, yes, but you want so badly for these kids to have their happy ending that you keep going for them. Like I ache ...more
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book.
THIS BOOK.
Wow.
Like I went into it not really knowing what it was about, I'll admit. I saw all the other positive reviews and thought hey why not? Within the first chapter I knew this wasn't going to be a happy ending.
Jack, Ava, and Matty's story is full of dark things. It's hard to read, yes, but you want so badly for these kids to have their happy ending that you keep going for them. Like I ache ...more
This book.
THIS BOOK.
Wow.
Like I went into it not really knowing what it was about, I'll admit. I saw all the other positive reviews and thought hey why not? Within the first chapter I knew this wasn't going to be a happy ending.
Jack, Ava, and Matty's story is full of dark things. It's hard to read, yes, but you want so badly for these kids to have their happy ending that you keep going for them. Like I ache ...more
I have mixed thoughts on this book.
I thought it was a great story idea and well told. I loved who the characters were. I could totally see this as a movie..
But... yes, there is a but.. But it felt as if this book were TOO story driven. Personally, I like to "feel" for the characters - good or bad. When i am held in suspense for a story, I want it to be because I care what happens to the characters, not just because I think it's really interesting.
That being said I have felt that way about gre ...more
I thought it was a great story idea and well told. I loved who the characters were. I could totally see this as a movie..
But... yes, there is a but.. But it felt as if this book were TOO story driven. Personally, I like to "feel" for the characters - good or bad. When i am held in suspense for a story, I want it to be because I care what happens to the characters, not just because I think it's really interesting.
That being said I have felt that way about gre ...more
Feb 07, 2021
A Silent Bookworm (Jessica Parker)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
popsugar-reading-challenge-2021
I received an ARC Kindle edition of this book from NetGalley.
Let's get the trigger warnings out of the way: suicide, child abuse, graphic violence, kidnapping, murder
This is one of those books that will leave you speechless (in a good way). It's a fast paced read and the suspense will keep pulling you along. There is some graphic violence, but it does not slow the story at all.
Based on what I am seeing, this book is the start of a series. The book offers closure so it will be interesting to see ...more
Let's get the trigger warnings out of the way: suicide, child abuse, graphic violence, kidnapping, murder
This is one of those books that will leave you speechless (in a good way). It's a fast paced read and the suspense will keep pulling you along. There is some graphic violence, but it does not slow the story at all.
Based on what I am seeing, this book is the start of a series. The book offers closure so it will be interesting to see ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bookish First Rea...: * What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson | 1 | 6 | Mar 01, 2021 09:56AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Other books in the series
What Beauty There Is
(2 books)
Related Articles
As dedicated readers already know, some of the best and most innovative stories on the shelves come from the constantly evolving realm of...
64 likes · 12 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
